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Shas'El-Targeting Array, Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Blacksun Filter

3 Crisis Suits-Fireknife (Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker)
3 Crisis Suits-Fireknife (Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker)
3 Crisis Suits-Deathrain (Twin-Linked Missile Pods, Targeting Array)

12 Fire Warriors
12 Fire Warriors
12 Fire Warriors
15 Kroot (Outflanking)

5 Pathfinders-Devilfish-Disruption Pod
5 Pathfinders-Devilfish-Disruption Pod

Hammerhead-Disruption Pod, Multi-Tracker, Burst Cannons, Railgun, Blacksun Filter
Hammerhead-Disruption Pod, Multi-Tracker, Burst Cannons, Railgun, Blacksun Filter
Broadsides-2 with Targeting Arrays, 1 Team Leader with Target Lock, Hard-Wired Drone Controller. 2 Shield Drones

The only thing that I am wondering about is whether or not to have 4 squads of 9 Fire Warriors instead of 3 squads of 12. The basic idea is that the Hammerheads/Broadsides take out the heavy tanks or put wounds on big MC's. The Crisis Suits help with light transports and MC's. The Fire Warriors shoot at infantry. The Commander joins whichever Crisis squad I want him to depending on what I am facing.

Comment away]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4267482.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4267482.page GMT hq needs a multi-tracker. Over all good list]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4268167.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4268167.page GMT HHs instead of BSF? Unless you think you'll be fighting necrons with solar pulses.

Just remember if your HQ joins a unit without a bonding knife. He may potentially fail the ld test and run off the board with the suits 3D6" and as far as I know he can't choose to leave the unit if it is falling back below 50% strength. Perhaps 2 groups of 6 Fire Warriors to go into the Devilfishes? then 2 larger groups in front of the Pathfinders, since markerlights only need to draw LOS and targets don't get a cover save from them. Of course having at least 50% of the 2 Fire Warrior squads in cover.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4268181.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4268181.page GMT WALL OF TEXT WARNING

Let us do math. First, the options:
36 FW in 6 Squads of 6; 35 FW in 5 Squads of 7; 32 FW in 4 Squads of 8; 36 FW in 4 Squads of 9; 30 FW in 3 Squads of 10; 40 FW in 4 Squads of 10; 33 FW in 3 Squads of 11; 36 FW in 3 squads of 12.

Firing:
This purely depends on the number of total FW, as the damage output stays the same, (36 FW in 12 vs 6 man squads will both get 18 hits & 12 wounds on T4 models). So, obviously, this is not a deciding factor. However, it does matter for purposes of focusing your fire, but this depends more on the layout of the board, which is not something you can normally account for before the game.

Dying:
This is what matters, as the numbers can be very different.

Squads of 6:
To be reduced 25%, 2 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 4 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 6, you'll need to take 12 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 24 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 7:
To be reduced 25%, 2 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 4 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 5, you'll need to take 10 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 20 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 8:
To be reduced 25%, 2 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 5 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 4, you'll need to take 8 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 20 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 9:
To be reduced 25%, 3 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 5 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 4, you'll need to take 12 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 20 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 10 (30 FW):
To be reduced 25%, 3 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 6 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 3, you'll need to take 9 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 18 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 10 (40 FW):
To be reduced 25%, 3 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 6 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 4, you'll need to take 12 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 24 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 11:
To be reduced 25%, 3 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 6 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 3, you'll need to take 9 casualties to take a morale check on all of them, and 18 casualties to have them all below half strength.

Squads of 12:
To be reduced 25%, 3 casualties are taken. To be below half strength, 7 casualties need to be taken.
Multiplying this by 3, you need to take 9 casualties to take a morale check on all, and 21 casualties to have them all below half strength.

The Important Part
The superior numbers come from squads of 6, then squads of 9. The biggest problem with squads of six is the limit of 36 FW and no other troops. Since you have Kroot, I would suggest splitting the FWs into four squads of nine FW each. I am a personal fan of giving any foot Tau markerlights, as they're rarely moving anyways.

Now, the rest:
Firstly, your list is only 1921 points. Secondly Do you know if you will be playing against Necrons? If you aren't, drop the BSFs.

HQ: Needs a Multi-tracker.

Elites:
Absolutely solid. Crisis suits are the bomb. But you want bonding knives. IIRC, the way it should work with the IC is that if he and another suit are alive, the squad is at 50% and can regroup. If he is the only one left alive, and the end of his movement phase he becomes an IC again and is no longer below half and can regroup as normal. What actually happens is an on-going debate, I believe. If there is a single suit alive from a squad of three, he cannot regroup ever. A single suit, or a squad of two, can never be below half strength and they don't need bonding knives.

Troops:
See above.

Fast Attack:
Simple, efficient. Good.

Heavy Support:
I would suggest another pair of XV88s in place of the second HH. While you lose the submunition shot, you now have 2 Twin-Linked Solid shots at BS 3 (4 with Array) instead of one at BS4. Plus, with a Target Lock, you can split those shots.

Revised list::

Shas'El-Targeting Array, Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, HW Multi-Tracker - 97 pts

3 Crisis Suits-Fireknife (Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker), Team Leader & Bonding Knife 196 pts
3 Crisis Suits-Fireknife (Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle, Multi-Tracker), Team Leader & Bonding Knife 196 pts
3 Crisis Suits-Deathrain (Twin-Linked Missile Pods, Targeting Array), Team Leader & Bonding Knife 169 pts

9 Fire Warriors, Team Leader w Markelight & Target Lock - 115 pts
9 Fire Warriors, Team Leader w Markelight & Target Lock - 115 pts
9 Fire Warriors, Team Leader w Markelight & Target Lock - 115 pts
9 Fire Warriors - 90 pts
15 Kroot (Outflanking) - 105 pts

5 Pathfinders- Devilfish, Disruption Pod - 145 pts
5 Pathfinders- Devilfish, Disruption Pod - 145 pts

Hammerhead- Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi-Tracker - 165 pts
Broadsides - 2 with Targeting Arrays, 1 Team Leader with Target Lock - 170 pts
Broadsides - 2 with Targeting Arrays, 1 Team Leader with Target Lock - 170 pts

Total: 1993

What you want to do with the remaining 7 points is your call. I did keep the Targeting Arrays on your Broadsides, but I personally prefer using Advanced Stabilization Systems for more mobility. If you don't actually have 2 additional broadsides, replace them with a second Hammerhead kitted out like the first, and you'll get an additional 5 points to play with somewhere.

The best way to deploy is to pull the enemy into fire lanes. You want to be able to focus as much fire on one squad as is possible. The Hammerhead will get shot. Every turn. Always. And it will probably miss everything it shoots at. That is fine. It is there as a fire magnet. The Broadsides should be set up in cover, as far back as possible such that they have the best view possible. The fire warriors should be set up in cover, slightly in front of the pathfinders (unless you can infiltrate them to a decent location). The suits should support as necessary, jumping out to fire, then pulling back. Your units will cover most of your side of a 4'x6' table. Concentrate fire on the fastest and closest units. Your range is your biggest asset. The suits can be used to harass and force the enemy to chase the suits, splitting their attack.
Your (and Tau's in general) problem is KPs. You list contains 16 KPs, where a Marine list might contain 8. For a concrete example, my 1000 pt Chaos list has 6 KPs (2 Troops w transports, HQ, Heavy). My 1000 pt Tau list has 10 (4 Troops, 2 Fishes, HQ, 2 squads of Suits, Broadsides) minimum (if I split suit squads, it goes higher).

I may come back with more math on how much of an advantage Targeting Arrays are on Twin-Linked weapons. I am curious if it really is that much of a statistical advantage.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ok, so I am back. I ran some quick tests, and over 100000000 trials, Twin-Linked BS 3 scored a hit 75.0% of the time, and Twin-Linked BS 4 scored a hit 88.9% of the time. I am honestly surprised by the gap, as I expected the numbers to be closer. However, BS 4 only hits 66.7% of the time and BS 5 only hits 83.3% of the time. Maybe consider Twin-Linking one of the commanders weapons (probably the Plasma Rifle) instead of the Targeting Array for him.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4269910.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/448890/4269910.page GMT