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I just bought the T'au Commander box. Should I model a XV85 Enforcer Suit or an XV86 Coldstar Suit?

Personally, Coldstar all the way. Huge board coverage and a lot of versatility with armaments. Flamers and high yield burst cannons with some drones to tag along.

Leave heavy armour to suicide fusion suit teams and Pirhanas.

Please note: I haven't played Tau in 8th yet so I am sure there are guys and gals out there who know much better than myself. These are just build ideas I have from my knowledge of Tau 8th ed rules.

 NoiseMarine with Tinnitus wrote:
Personally, Coldstar all the way. Huge board coverage and a lot of versatility with armaments. Flamers and high yield burst cannons with some drones to tag along.

Leave heavy armour to suicide fusion suit teams and Pirhanas.

Please note: I haven't played Tau in 8th yet so I am sure there are guys and gals out there who know much better than myself. These are just build ideas I have from my knowledge of Tau 8th ed rules.

By all accounts Crisis Suits are horribly overpriced and Pirhana's are just bad, put the Fusion on the Coldstar and kill something important turn 1, but expect them to die in return.

Agree with the above post. Crisis suits are hot garbage atm due to a pricing issue. The codex didn't even touch them.

Coldstars are why the Tau commanders are 1 per detachment, because they were being spammed harder than Hive Tyrants.

 Imateria wrote:

 NoiseMarine with Tinnitus wrote:
Personally, Coldstar all the way. Huge board coverage and a lot of versatility with armaments. Flamers and high yield burst cannons with some drones to tag along.

Leave heavy armour to suicide fusion suit teams and Pirhanas.

Please note: I haven't played Tau in 8th yet so I am sure there are guys and gals out there who know much better than myself. These are just build ideas I have from my knowledge of Tau 8th ed rules.

By all accounts Crisis Suits are horribly overpriced and Pirhana's are just bad, put the Fusion on the Coldstar and kill something important turn 1, but expect them to die in return.

Oh well, back to the drawing board then.

Magnetize the jetpack (and weapons) and it's now both.

Commanders aren't Crisis suits, and Enforcer Commanders are still solid. As a cheaper option, as a CIB carrier, as a dirt cheap buffmander, etc.

It really depends on the type of missions you play. Coldstar has utility outside of suicide fusion as how many armies would kill for a 40 inch move objective claimer. Ok not obsec but can boost to uncontested objectives or go for linebreaker etc.
Personally I don't think most people could tell an 85 from and enforcer, so standard crisis suits could be used if you want an enforcer.

Ice_can wrote:
It really depends on the type of missions you play. Coldstar has utility outside of suicide fusion as how many armies would kill for a 40 inch move objective claimer. Ok not obsec but can boost to uncontested objectives or go for linebreaker etc.
Personally I don't think most people could tell an 85 from and enforcer, so standard crisis suits could be used if you want an enforcer.

XV8 - Crisis suit
XV85 - Enforcer suit
XV86 - Coldstar suit

The difference between a Crisis and Enforcer/Coldstar is really noticeable, the Enforcer is much taller (roughly Broadside sized).

meleti wrote:

Ice_can wrote:
It really depends on the type of missions you play. Coldstar has utility outside of suicide fusion as how many armies would kill for a 40 inch move objective claimer. Ok not obsec but can boost to uncontested objectives or go for linebreaker etc.
Personally I don't think most people could tell an 85 from and enforcer, so standard crisis suits could be used if you want an enforcer.

XV8 - Crisis suit
XV85 - Enforcer suit
XV86 - Coldstar suit

The difference between a Crisis and Enforcer/Coldstar is really noticeable, the Enforcer is much taller (roughly Broadside sized).

I only run coldstars and haven't looked at XV8's since 7th but depending on how you model/pose the commander they can be very different in height. This is where rule of cool comes in is a commander in a replica of the dropzone clear pose a cool pose or modeling for advantage?

Coldstar, always. Magnetise the arms.

AE86 naturally.

I couldn’t decide either & I hate wastage, so I built an enforcer from the main kit, then used the spare coldstar parts and kitbashed another coldstar.

Cutting up a standard chest piece to graft on the coldstar one was the hardest part.

The difference in size is less noticeable as I built a taller scenic base and have the coldstar in a flying pose (I suspect few would even notice). Also weapons were not a problem because at the time the coldstar loadout was fixed (not now).

The hassle was worth it for me & fun to do.

Image - haven’t mastered painting white yet!

Still, somehow, you paint white better than I do. Just get the shading/blacklining down and it’ll be perfect

After playing a ton with my commanders. I have come to the conclusion that you are going to 1 or 0 coldstars (and don't give him fussion) Give him relic airburst, 12 burst cannon shots, and advanced targeting. Enforcers are just much better because they have CIB access. Fusion is a terrible weapon - Invo saves are so prevalent that weapons like CIB are the most Ideal weapons - they are cheaper and more effective against everything too without going into suicide range.

Avezius wrote:
I couldn’t decide either & I hate wastage, so I built an enforcer from the main kit, then used the spare coldstar parts and kitbashed another coldstar.

Cutting up a standard chest piece to graft on the coldstar one was the hardest part.

The difference in size is less noticeable as I built a taller scenic base and have the coldstar in a flying pose (I suspect few would even notice). Also weapons were not a problem because at the time the coldstar loadout was fixed (not now).

The hassle was worth it for me & fun to do.

Image - haven’t mastered painting white yet!

Spoiler:

It is quite advanced but search 'Painting Tau Ghostkeel by Licoln Wright' on YouTube, best guide for Vior'la I have ever seen.

 Xenomancers wrote:
After playing a ton with my commanders. I have come to the conclusion that you are going to 1 or 0 coldstars (and don't give him fussion) Give him relic airburst, 12 burst cannon shots, and advanced targeting. Enforcers are just much better because they have CIB access. Fusion is a terrible weapon - Invo saves are so prevalent that weapons like CIB are the most Ideal weapons - they are cheaper and more effective against everything too without going into suicide range.

AFAIK if you take the high output burst canon you have also to take the missile pod. This makes the choice on the Coldstar difficult. I like to play the coldstar with 3x Fusion and SG and an Enforcer with ATS, 2x CIB and the relic grenade launcher.

 Xenomancers wrote:
After playing a ton with my commanders. I have come to the conclusion that you are going to 1 or 0 coldstars (and don't give him fussion) Give him relic airburst, 12 burst cannon shots, and advanced targeting. Enforcers are just much better because they have CIB access. Fusion is a terrible weapon - Invo saves are so prevalent that weapons like CIB are the most Ideal weapons - they are cheaper and more effective against everything too without going into suicide range.

Fusion is a terrible weapon? lol.

QFB will delete any vehicles off the board in one volley. They can also blap Hive Tyrants, even accounting for the 4++ save.

Ice_can wrote:

meleti wrote:

Ice_can wrote:
It really depends on the type of missions you play. Coldstar has utility outside of suicide fusion as how many armies would kill for a 40 inch move objective claimer. Ok not obsec but can boost to uncontested objectives or go for linebreaker etc.
Personally I don't think most people could tell an 85 from and enforcer, so standard crisis suits could be used if you want an enforcer.

XV8 - Crisis suit
XV85 - Enforcer suit
XV86 - Coldstar suit

The difference between a Crisis and Enforcer/Coldstar is really noticeable, the Enforcer is much taller (roughly Broadside sized).

I only run coldstars and haven't looked at XV8's since 7th but depending on how you model/pose the commander they can be very different in height. This is where rule of cool comes in is a commander in a replica of the dropzone clear pose a cool pose or modeling for advantage?

Coldstars are the same kit as Enforcers, just don't put the fins on. Besides, there is a crisis suit commander too, so no need to proxy.