http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/69.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net I'm a new player with little to no experience on the "field", due to the lack of a community/time/money/painting skill/etc...
But I still want to pull off a nice Tau army, to use in the future, and for the "OMG SUPER COOL ROBOTS THAT GO PEW PEW" factor
I'll write a list of the units on wich I want some enlightment, in case of response I'll edit this post, so that everyone can have the answer without searcing for it... Hope it helps not only me :3
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PATHFINDERS:
I know that they are used as a source of markerlights, but they are not troops, are deployed deep in the battlefield and have the possibility to have special models with bigger weapons...
So there are my questions:
-How and in wich scale they contribute to the marker count?
R-Basically worthless, Drone Units are more reliable and durable
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BREACHERS:
Every tip on these unit is welcome... I don't get how to use them... I know that they are pretty good... Short range Tau... Halp D:
R-Very good unit, needs to be super close tho, and they are High priority targets because of their damage. So it's better to use them in a Devilfish, to sinergize better you can use them in a Counterstrike Cadre (wich buffs the Devilfish) or with a Gostskeel Wing to have them covered
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STEALTH SUITES:
So they appear murder everyone and disappear again, right?
-Are they useful in smaller lists? (500-800pts)
-Do they have a preferrable playstile/configuration
R-Mediocre and fragile Units, good in small skirmishes due to their mobility and the absence of enemy firepower
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GHOSTSKEEL:
I heard that they are super good, but I would like some more specific informations... To me it looked like a short range Riptide, am I wrong?
R-Nice durable unit, at it's best when it's used in sinergy with a Optimised Stealth Cadre (nice offence option) or as a buffer in a defensive formation. As a single unit they are not that great, you would better off with a Riptide
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RASORSHARKS:
Help, big veicles confuse me :(
R-Avoid
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SUNSHARK:
Help, big veicles confuse me V.2
R-Avoid v.2
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HAMMERHEAD:
Big tanks with a bigger gun, I get it... But tips will be appreciated :3
-Wich are the most effective configurations?
-How do I position it in relation to the equipped weapon?
R-Outclassed by the Tidewall, wich is cheaper and indistructible as it is counted as terrain... Viable in an Armored Interdiction Cadre
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SNIPER TEAMS:
Ehm... I know they are not the best... But I love the concept...
-Are they viable?
-A list based on them could work? (A small list if there is the possibility)
R-Not bad unit, good with an Ethereal near... Big setbaks are the the mobility and the fragility of the model, not good against Veicles but shines against Monstrous Creatures
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CADRES:
...
-If I Just happen to make a list that fits the requirements can I claim "This is a Hunter Cadre so i get the bonus" without any extra pts prices or restrictions, right?
R-They work as said above, but it's not a thing to strech in a non-competitive enviorment
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Sorry for the disgustingly long and noob post, but I thought that it was a good idea -.-"
Btw thanks in advance for any reply
See ya!]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/708524/9023978.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/708524/9023978.page GMT
Breachers are a pet favorite of mine. I've had a lot of luck fielding them in Devilfish with disruption pods in conjunction with a Ghostkeel Wing for a 2+ cover save. The Counterstrike Cadre, which makes your Devilfish fast for a turn, is also a useful way to deliver them. Basically, you have to be able to reliably run them up to whatever they're targeting. That can be challenging since nobody particularly enjoys getting a bunch of S6 AP3 dumped on them, so they'll likely be a high-priority target when they're approaching threat range.

Stealth Suits are mediocre, at best. Even with stealth and shrouded, they're simply too fragile to be of much use. They get a massive boost in the Optimized Stealth Cadre but are still more of a tax in that formation than anything. If you want to use them, they're definitely best for hit-and-run tactics, as you suggest. They pack a reasonable punch and can do good damage if you manage to keep them alive. Because of their mobility, they are a reasonable option in small lists. Your opponent will have less small arms firepower to wipe them out which also helps their utility considerably.

Ghostkeels are good, but their main strength is their durability and the exceptional formations they are a part of. The OSC mentioned above is brutally effective and turns Ghostkeels into killing machines. The Ghostkeel Wing provides stealth to everything within 12" of 2 of the models in the formation and therefore sets you up for more of a defensive position than the OSC. That said, lots of Tau units benefit enormously from adding stealth, so that's a huge perk. On their own, Ghostkeels are decent units, but you're probably better off choosing a Riptide or just something else. 6 S7 AP4 shots and a fusion blaster for ~150 points is okay but not great in a Tau army. You can definitely do better with other options. It's formations or bust for these guys.

Razorshark and Sunshark: Tau flyers are awful. The Air Superiority Cadre makes Razorsharks less awful but still a poor choice. Unless you just think they're awesome models, punt.

Hammerheads are cool but very ineffective. Consider the Tidewall Gunrig which is battlefield terrain (and therefore indestructible), has a twin-linked railgun, and is 45pts cheaper than a Hammerhead. If you want to run Hammerheads, use them in an Armored Interdiction Cadre.

Sniper teams are actually a decent choice. With an Ethereal nearby, they can dish some solid pain. The problem is that they're fragile and not terribly mobile unless you want to sacrifice your BS5 marker lights from the Marksmen. They're also obviously not very useful against vehicles, while other heavy choices are. If you have 80-ish points free, Sniper Drones can fill the gap nicely and provide good coverage against opposing monstrous creatures with a touch of marker support thrown in. Not a bad package deal at all.

As for formations, yes, if you have the required models, you can lump them into a formation and get the benefits thereof. There's not much reason not to do so unless you're in a tournament with a limit on the number of detachments you can take (which usually is 3, as far as I'm aware) and making a new formation would bump you over the limit.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/708524/9024098.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/708524/9024098.page GMT
I edited the post accordingly to your tips :3]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/708524/9024323.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/708524/9024323.page GMT