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Hello friends. I'm starting to prepare my list for LVO 2k19. I wanted to come here to post it and to ask for opinions and feedback. So far, this list has the following record:

9 Games played, 3 games lost, 1 game tied.

Game #1: T'au vs. Space Wolves [Lost due to objectives]
Game #2: T'au vs. Space Marines (Salamanders) [Won due to table]
Game #3: T'au vs. Astra Militarum (Cadia) [Won due to objectives]
Game #4: T'au vs. Khorne World Eaters [Won due to table]
Game #5: T'au vs. Imperial Knights (Raven) [Narrow defeat, loss due to objectives, near tabled]
Game #6: T'au vs. Ad Mech (Graia) [Won due to table]
Game #7: T'au vs. Craftworld Eldar (Beil-Tan) [Lost due to objectives]
Game #8: T'au vs. T'au (Bor'kan) [Tied due to time]
Game #9: T'au vs. Blood Angels [Lost due to Objectives]

T’au Sept Battalion: 2K [8 Command Points]

+++HQ: 376+++
Tau Ethereal [Warlord]
-Honor Blade
-Puretide Engram Chip [Relic]
-Through Unity, Devastation [Warlord Trait]

Cadre Fireblade
-Pulse Rifle
-Markerlight
-Photon Grenades

Cadre Fireblade
-Pulse Rifle
-Markerlight
-Photon Grenades

Cadre Fireblade
-Pulse Rifle
-Markerlight
-Photon Grenades

Commander Longstrike
-Railgun
-2 SMS

+++Troop: 286+++
Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight
-Guardian Drone

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight
-Guardian Drone

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight


+++Elite: 678+++
Ghostkeel Battlesuit
-Fusion Collider
-2 Fusion Blasters
-Target Lock
-Shield Generator
-2 Stealth Drone

Ghostkeel Battlesuit
-Fusion Collider
-2 Fusion Blasters
-Target Lock
-Shield Generator
-2 Stealth Drone

Tau Riptide Battlesuit
-Heavy Burst Cannon
-2 SMS
-Target Lock
-Advanced Targeting System

+++Fast Attack: 324+++
Pathfinder Team
-8 Pulse Carbine
-8 Markerlight
-2 Rail Rifles

Pathfinder Team
--8 Pulse Carbine
-8 Markerlight
-2 Rail Rifles

Pathfinder Team
-8 Pulse Carbine
-8 Markerlight
-2 Rail Rifles

+++Heavy Support: 336+++

Tau Hammerhead Gunship
-Railgun
-2 SMS

Tau Hammerhead Gunship
-Railgun
-2 SMS


My starting thoughts:

The list is very strong. My lowest strength shooting is S5, with my highest being S10. The MSU Strike Teams are working out extremely well, allowing me to flood the table with too many individual targets for most other armies to deal with, especially the more elite armies.

The Ghostkeels have been a wonderful clutch, acting as both a distraction and also a great unit for striking hard on the first turn. The melta focus almost always allows me to take down something big and threatening on Turn 1. The -2 to hit really, really huts some of the armies out there and with the added 4++ and the Drone support, they stay alive a lot longer than they likely should.

The Pathfinders have been some of the best stars of this list too, recon sweep has allowed me to take objectives at crucial times due to good planning and placement, all while providing some excellent marker support, and sniper fire power. Rail rifles are amazing.

Longstrike and his two buddies have also been preforming very well. Again, with good placement, I can hit things such as knights and landraiders or other big tanks HARD.

I'm still not sold on the riptide, but it is effective hoard control and late game objective grabbing assuming I can keep it alive. I really wish they'd let us give it a 4++ for points, but so far it hasn't been a negative.


Assuming the chargers can get to me in the first place, CC has been my biggest issue. The blood Angels player nearly tabled me tanks to surviving my Overwatch and getting me into combat. It really, really hurt.

I have two more games for this weekend, one against Drukhari and one against Genestealer Cult.

Update: Played a game last night:

Game #10: T'au vs. Craftworld Bikes [Lost due to objectives]

It was hell. Their maneuverability was so much greater than mine, and they were able to much more rapidly take and hold objectives. Not having a psychic phase really, really hurts.

I was able to eliminate a huge portion of their army by turn 3, but by that time they were so far ahead of me in scoring that unless I tabled them, I couldn't catch up. By turn 5, I had killed all but two squads of bikes, a wave serpent full of guardians, a farseer and warlock on bikes and their shining spear squad.


Super fast armies are going to be a problem for this list, I'm almost thinking I need to break it up into two detachments, so that I can bring some bor'kan guys with extended range.

 Togusa wrote:
Update: Played a game last night:

Game #10: T'au vs. Craftworld Bikes [Lost due to objectives]

It was hell. Their maneuverability was so much greater than mine, and they were able to much more rapidly take and hold objectives. Not having a psychic phase really, really hurts.

I was able to eliminate a huge portion of their army by turn 3, but by that time they were so far ahead of me in scoring that unless I tabled them, I couldn't catch up. By turn 5, I had killed all but two squads of bikes, a wave serpent full of guardians, a farseer and warlock on bikes and their shining spear squad.


Super fast armies are going to be a problem for this list, I'm almost thinking I need to break it up into two detachments, so that I can bring some bor'kan guys with extended range.

Interesting list, I think Tau are severely underrated as if you remember orders of operations and deploy your army with half a brain, its very difficult to handle. I have probably played 25-30 games including a tournament with Tau in 8th edition and I have lost 2 games total, both were in the tournament and both were like, I had about 1,000-1,200 points of suits left, it was turn 3, and the 2.5 hours were up and I was down in points and my opponent was on their last leg, frustrating but it is what it is.

I am surprised you run rail rifles and not Ion rifles, I personally think they are better for the points however the MW is nice from rails also a little surprised you don't run darkstrider..

Also one important thing to take in consideration, breaking up septs can seriously hurt so its important that its worth it. Also try not to have react so hard to a loss for your list, just because extended range would be useful for that match, doesn't mean it would be for others. You could also just add those pathfinder drones that extend range (for pulse rifles) instead of changing up septs as well.

 exploited751 wrote:

 Togusa wrote:
Update: Played a game last night:

Game #10: T'au vs. Craftworld Bikes [Lost due to objectives]

It was hell. Their maneuverability was so much greater than mine, and they were able to much more rapidly take and hold objectives. Not having a psychic phase really, really hurts.

I was able to eliminate a huge portion of their army by turn 3, but by that time they were so far ahead of me in scoring that unless I tabled them, I couldn't catch up. By turn 5, I had killed all but two squads of bikes, a wave serpent full of guardians, a farseer and warlock on bikes and their shining spear squad.


Super fast armies are going to be a problem for this list, I'm almost thinking I need to break it up into two detachments, so that I can bring some bor'kan guys with extended range.

Interesting list, I think Tau are severely underrated as if you remember orders of operations and deploy your army with half a brain, its very difficult to handle. I have probably played 25-30 games including a tournament with Tau in 8th edition and I have lost 2 games total, both were in the tournament and both were like, I had about 1,000-1,200 points of suits left, it was turn 3, and the 2.5 hours were up and I was down in points and my opponent was on their last leg, frustrating but it is what it is.

I am surprised you run rail rifles and not Ion rifles, I personally think they are better for the points however the MW is nice from rails also a little surprised you don't run darkstrider..

Also one important thing to take in consideration, breaking up septs can seriously hurt so its important that its worth it. Also try not to have react so hard to a loss for your list, just because extended range would be useful for that match, doesn't mean it would be for others. You could also just add those pathfinder drones that extend range (for pulse rifles) instead of changing up septs as well.

Thanks!

Rail Rifles have been a powerhouse in nearly every game I've played. They are excellent at taking down elite infantry, and even transports.

So far I am noticing that the most important thing for playing this army is deployment. It is imperative that you take a good long look at the battlefield and take advantage of everything that you can. So far, I've not had a problem breaking up my septs, since each one is tailored to a specific goal, they seem to be working just fine. Also, Darkstrider will likely be replacing the Ethereal. I misread the ethereal ability, thought it applied to all units, not those close to him.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

This is the updated list I ran with this weekend.

Game #11: T'au vs. Emperors Children Space Marines [Lost due to table]
Game #12: T'au vs. Emperors Children Space Marines [Rematch, won due to objectives]
Game #13: T'au vs. Adeptus Astartes Primaris Wolves [Won due to table]
Game #14: T'au vs. Dark Eldar [Lost due to objectives]

Very interesting weekend...


T’au Sept Battalion [5 Command Points] [1043]

HQ: 289
Cadre Fireblade
-Pulse Rifle
-Markerlight
-Photon Grenades

Cadre Fireblade
-Pulse Rifle
-Markerlight
-Photon Grenades

Commander Longstrike
-Railgun
-2 SMS

Troop: 146
Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Elite: 280
Tau Riptide Battlesuit
-Heavy Burst Cannon
-2 SMS
-Target Lock
-Advanced Targeting System

Heavy Support: 336

Tau Hammerhead Gunship
-Railgun
-2 SMS

Tau Hammerhead Gunship
-Railgun
-2 SMS


Bor’kan Sept Battalion [5 Command Points] [947]

HQ: 87
Tau Ethereal [Warlord]
-Honor Blade
-Puretide Engram Chip [Relic]
-Through Unity, Devastation [Warlord Trait]

Cadre Fireblade
-Pulse Rifle
-Markerlight
-Photon Grenades

Troop: 146
Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Fire Warrior Strike Team
-6 Pulse Rifle
-1 Markerlight

Elite: 398
Ghostkeel Battlesuit
-Fusion Collider
-2 Fusion Blasters
-Target Lock
-Shield Generator
-2 Stealth Drone

Ghostkeel Battlesuit
-Fusion Collider
-2 Fusion Blasters
-Target Lock
-Shield Generator
-2 Stealth Drone

Fast Attack: 324

Pathfinder Team
-8 Pulse Carbine
-8 Markerlight
-2 Rail Rifles

Pathfinder Team
--8 Pulse Carbine
-8 Markerlight
-2 Rail Rifles

Pathfinder Team
-8 Pulse Carbine
-8 Markerlight
-2 Rail Rifles

Game Update:

Game #15: T'au vs. T'au [Lost due to table]
Game #16: T'au vs. Orks [Won due to table]


The list is preforming, but it still needs massive adjustments. I'm considering switching my Ghostkeels (maybe just one of them) over to double burst cannons and an ion blaster and use it more for infantry hunting.

I am also not sold on markerlights in the fire warrior squads and will just remove them before my next game.

I tried exploiteds suggestions of Ion Rifles and I really did not like their performance. Rail Rifles are more expensive, but I truly feel like they bring a lot more to the table.

I think I'm going to drop the Ethereal entirely, and replace him with Darkstrider. I'm also going to ditch the guardian drones, as they're more than useless and use those points elsewhere.

It's been suggested that I give the Riptide an ATS and a VT to deal with flying units, I'm going to give that a try.