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++ Spearhead Detachment -3CP (T'au Empire) [92 PL, 6CP, 2,000pts] ++

+ Configuration +

Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points)

Detachment CP [-3CP]

Sept Choice: Farsight Enclaves

+ Stratagems +

Emergency Dispensation (2 Relics) [-3CP]

+ HQ +

Commander in XV85 Enforcer Battlesuit [8 PL, 164pts]: 2. Through Unity, Devastation, Airbursting fragmentation projector, Cross-linked stabiliser jets, 2x Cyclic ion blaster, Shield generator, Supernova launcher (replaces 1 airbursting fragmentation projector), Warlord
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone: 2x Markerlight

+ Troops +

Breacher Team [3 PL, 70pts]
. 4x Fire Warrior: 4x Photon grenades, 4x Pulse blaster
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse blaster
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone: 2x Markerlight

Breacher Team [3 PL, 70pts]
. 4x Fire Warrior: 4x Photon grenades, 4x Pulse blaster
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse blaster
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone: 2x Markerlight

Strike Team [2 PL, 50pts]
. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Markerlight, Pulse pistol, Pulse rifle
. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Pistol + Pulse Rifle: 4x Photon grenades, 4x Pulse pistol, 4x Pulse rifle

+ Elites +

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits [11 PL, 258pts]
. 2x MV4 Shield Drone: 2x Shield generator
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon, Shield generator
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon, Shield generator
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon, Shield generator
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon, Shield generator
. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon, Shield generator
. Stealth Shas'vre: Fusion blaster, Shield generator
. . Markerlight + Target Lock: Target lock

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit [9 PL, 175pts]: 2x Fusion blaster, Cyclic ion raker, Drone controller, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone, Shield generator

+ Fast Attack +

Pathfinder Team [7 PL, 175pts]
. MB3 Recon Drone
. 2x MV7 Marker Drone: 2x Markerlight
. 6x Pathfinder: 6x Markerlight, 6x Photon grenades, 6x Pulse carbine
. Pathfinder Shas'ui: Pulse pistol
. 3x Pathfinder w/ Rail Rifle: 3x Photon grenades, 3x Rail rifle

Tactical Drones [6 PL, 160pts]
. 8x MV4 Shield Drone: 8x Shield generator
. 4x MV7 Marker Drone: 4x Markerlight

+ Heavy Support +

XV107 R'varna Battlesuit [19 PL, 455pts]: Advanced targeting system, Multi-tracker

XV88 Broadside Battlesuits [18 PL, 288pts]: Magna rail rifle
. Broadside Shas'ui: 2x Plasma rifle, Heavy rail rifle, Shield generator
. Broadside Shas'ui: 2x Plasma rifle, Heavy rail rifle, Shield generator
. Broadside Shas'vre: 2x Plasma rifle, Heavy rail rifle, Shield generator

XV88 Broadside Battlesuits [6 PL, 135pts]
. Broadside Shas'vre: 2x High-yield missile pod, 2x Smart missile system, Shield generator

++ Total: [92 PL, 6CP, 2,000pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

So, I've been playing around with the idea of starting a Tau army because, well, I like big bots and I think they might be really fun gameplay wise with their drones and marker lights and such.
I like that you can put a 4++ on basically everything. The Stealth Suits and the Ghostkeel especially look tanky as hell with their minus to hit and their ability to fly up onto any building and just rain down hell. The Broadsides look like they could wreck some havoc with the magna rail rifle and the Commander is a nasty beast too...

I'd probably try to take the fire warriors through the middle while spreading my battlesuits along the backline to shoot some gak. Drones and pathfinders put down marker lights and keep the R'Varna and Ghostkeel safe while the Broadsides push through the flank (or maybe come in from reserves T2?).
I had originally thought about taking Longstrike + three Hammerheads, but I think the Broadsides will do the same but better and cheaper – their volume of fire should make up for their worse BS and if I bring them in from reserves, stack 5 markers on a high value target, I should be able to just nuke the fether, right? 6 shots hitting of 3s, rerolling 1s, ignoring movement penalty, ignoring cover on a S9, AP-4, D1d6 gun should deliver some serious butthurt.

The R'varna I am actually a bit unsure of... 6d3 shots at S6, AP-3 (through the Advanced Targeting System) sounds like one hell of an anti infantry weapon. Hell, even tanks should take some damage from the sheer volume of fire.
But then its 455 points, almost a quarter of my army... I could take 2 Ghostkeels for that amount of points and still have some change to play around with which seems... much better.
However, T8, 15 wounds and Nova Shields 3++ mean that this guy is kinda here to stay, right? But then... park the Ghostkeel in some cover with his Stealth Drones and he should also have some serious staying power, right?

So what do you think? Also, my experience with Tau are pretty much limited to watching battle reports on youtube. Never plaid against them myself.

Hello, some advice I have would be that since you are running farsight enclaves you can take a second commander instead of the missile pod broad take a missile pod enforcer.

Further to that you actually need another HQ to make a legal battalion. Definitely trim the missile broadside for that and if you need more points trim down the pathfinders, they aren't that great and a unit of 10 will get evaporated by blast weapons.

As for other stuff, point for point the riptide is better than the rvanna. With the burst cannon, smart missiles and nova boost it can easily out perform and is cheaper.