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Hi guys

I just bought my first big 40k army, second hand. It's a big Tau force with a lot of (cool?) options to build from.
Only problem is, I haven't played 40k since 5th ed... and never played tau.

I would therefore appriciate some help, bulding some kind of solid list.
The club I play in usually play semi competitive, so I would like the list to be able to compete at that level.

anyway here's the total list of what I know have:

Shadowsun
Darkstrider
Ethereal on disc
Cadre Fireblade
3 Stealth suits
Riptide
30 Breachers
10 Fire warriors
20 Pathfinders (6 Ion rifles)
Sniper drone team
4 Devilfish
2 Piranha
3
Drone fortification
Ghostkeel
Stormsurge

I know the riptide, ghostkeel and fire warriors are great, but what would you take beside them from this list of units?

thanks in advance!

cheers!

Hey man, Welcome to the greater good! 8th edition is a great time for tau, with good deployment and target priority tau can be competitive

Seems like you got a good selection of units, How do you or your club feel about proxies (I am of the opinion that this is an expensive hobby and as long as its about the same size and base give it a try )? Things I would proxy would be more commanders and the breachers into firewarriors. What is the 3 selection under the piranhas (did you get 3 drone ports?)

This, i think, is a reasonable tier ranking of the types of units you have

Auto Include units - ethereal/commanders (always get your 3)/fireblades/riptides/firewarriors
Good Units-shadowsun/darkstrider/stealth suits/ghostkeel
Meh- Breachers/stormsurge/pathfinders (need markerlight support unfortunatley)/piranha
Bad-Sniper drones/devilfish/drone ports

When making your list you need to think about whether how much mobility you need. Do you need to be on the map contesting objectives (a weakness to tau)? The strongest interactions to tau are Master of war ability/Savior protocals/Overwatch if you want to run the breachers they need a deilfish (thats why not so good). everything but the Bad tier are viable and you wil have sucess with those units. stratagem suggestion is to Control and Command Node, you need a buff mander (shadowsun works great) to amplify damage output of your riptide.

Just give it a go! you got a good point total to play test

Thanks man, I'm really looking forward to blast stuff away on the table. Tau seems to be in a pretty good place this edition!

For the most part people in my club (including myself) like to play all WYSIWYG. So proxying is not really an option. But I think with all the models I have acces to, and the fact that people usually go easy on you when it's either your fist 40k game or first games with a new army, I think I should be able to create a list that could work.

I've been trying to make a 1500 point list, using the models that I have. To me it seems pretty good, not competitive by any means, but pretty solid. I'm just lost on all of the add ons, drones etc.
This is the list I've come up with:


++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (T'au Empire) [19 PL, 345pts] ++

+ HQ [5 PL, 87pts] +

Cadre Fireblade

Darkstrider

+ Troops [8 PL, 140pts] +

Breacher Team
. 9x Fire Warrior
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Pulse blaster

Strike Team: 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle
Strike Team: 5x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

+ Dedicated Transport [6 PL, 118pts] +

TY7 Devilfish: 2x Smart missile system, Burst cannon

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (T'au Empire) [36 PL, 701pts] ++

+ HQ [2 PL, 45pts] +

Ethereal: Honour blade

+ Elites [30 PL, 573pts] +

XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 280pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Advanced targeting system, Heavy burst cannon, Target lock

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits [6 PL, 84pts]
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit [10 PL, 209pts]: 2x Fusion blaster, Advanced targeting system, Fusion collider, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone, Target lock

+ Fast Attack [4 PL, 83pts] +

TX4 Piranhas
. TX4 Piranha : 2x MV1 Gun Drone, Fusion blaster

++ Super-Heavy Auxiliary Detachment (T'au Empire) [20 PL, 418pts] ++

+ Lord of War [20 PL, 418pts] +

KV128 Stormsurge : 2x Burst cannon , Advanced targeting system, Cluster rocket system, 4x Destroyer missile,Pulse driver cannon, 2x Smart missile system, Target lock

++ Total: [75 PL, 1464pts] ++

So this gives me a total of 9(?) CP. a LOT of the big guys that seems to be auto include, and a few foot sloggers that can act as screens or sit on objectives.

What do you think?

cheers

My recommendation is to find some ion cannon bits, shapeways has a decent one if you use some green stuff and maybe a small ball. Run it as longstrike and 3 hammerheads instead of devilfish . Might want SMS too.

Seem like a solid list! a little weak vs anti tank, but that is normal with most tau lists (it will just be something you will learn to overcome).I would try to sneak in a unit of pathfinders, they will die almost every turn 1 (unless you go first), but that will help with getting one unit to max markerlights (which is what you should aim for) and if the live all the better you need markerlight support for the stormsurge (seeker missiles).

I would drop the sms from the devilfish and add in gun drones( if you have them) you want to advance turn 1 and get your breachers as close as you can without the threat of a first turn charge wraparound. they will also help keep random high dps shots from hurting your valuable stuff Savior protocals.

Drop the ats from the ghostkeel. an 8 point 4++ is an auto include. you need the shield generator. and -5 doesnt really net you any advantage, the only unit i can think of that has a 2+ and no invul is a landraider (not very competitive)

Piranhas low ballisticskill does not make the fusion ever worth it, use them as a late game objective contester/grabber. it fills a good void in your army (mobility) but is weaker than a landspeeder.

Stormsurge already ignores the penalty for moving and firing heavy weapons. 40 point shield generator is pricey, up to you if you want it. (storm surge is very frail with or without it)

You need a commander in your list. the ability master of war, really makes up for tau's crappy ballistic skill, you also need to CNC stratagem to make your riptide insane powerful. i like shadowsun but you could go with an 82-87 point buffmander and it ill make its points back

You do have 9 cps.

Things to expand into Coldstars/firewarriors/firesight marksmen/drones (sheild)

Good luck spreading the word of the greater good!!!