Ideas for a Fifth Edition Tau Codex
Basic concept
The Tau have a very unusual army, with negligible melee capability, and rely on mobility and firepower to win battles.
Key aspects of Tau organisation are the lack of support weapons (flamers, meltas, etc.) in core Troops units, awidespread use of high tech combat aids such as Marker lights, decoy pods and restricted intelligence drones, and the use of various alien auxiliaries with special skills.
The Tau suffered a significant drop in effectiveness owing to changes in the Fifth Edition rules and codexes.
This was caused by various factors, including the increased speed of infantry movement, and increased amount of cover. The overall effect of these changes was to improve melee oriented armies at the expense of shooting armies.
Another problem is that fifth edition codexes seem to be a few points cheaper than fourth edition, and army sizes were increased, leaving Tau units relatively expensive and small.
My core purpose is to present a number of ideas which build on the basic Tau values, in order to preserve the interesting character of the army. I will therefore offer ways to improve mobility, firepower and combined arms, and not ways to improve melee.
I do not intend all these ideas to be used. I offer them as a selection of concepts that can be mixed and matched in order to create a balanced codex which will survive the possible transition to sixth edition.
Fluff
Current Tau fluff is very thin and somewhat incoherent, most of it being presented from the viewpoint of IoM propaganda rather than the Tau side, and the Tau viewpoint mainly concerning military tactics of no game relevance.
The same as with force composition, it is the political and social differences between the Tau and other factions, which make them interesting.
I would like to see their somewhat naive, optimistic nature preserved. The Empire should be cast as a Federation of allied alien races rather than yet another Grimdark, cookie cutter, oppressive organisation.
More of the Tau’s viewpoint should be presented directly, instead of filtered through Imperial eyes. This could be contrasted with the Imperial interpretation, biased by 10,000 years of continuous aggression, religious zealotry, and racial bigotry.
This would offer a fresh view on the 40K universe.
HQ
Crisis Suit Commander
Shas’O WS3, BS6, A3, 55 points.
Shas’El WS3, BS5, A2, 40 points.
Bodyguards (0-2)
Shas’Vre WS2, BS4, A2, 30 points May take special issue items from the Armoury.
Ethereal (0-1)
WS1, I1, A1, Sv4
Special
Honour Guard
Inspiring Presence
All native Tau units on the table may re-roll any morale checks. Any Tau unit joined by the Ethereal, does not become Fearless.
The Ethereal may ride in any Devilfish, Hammerhead or Skyray as an observer, even though the vehicle is in theory already full.
If the vehicle is shot down, the Ethereal may survive by the normal “passenger” rules.
Price of Failure
As current codex.
Elites
Crisis Suit Team, 1-4 XV8 Battlesuits
Shas’Ui WS2, BS4, A2, 25 points.
Shas’Vre WS2, BS4, A2, +10 points. May take restricted issue items from the Armoury.
Stealth Team
Shas’Ui, WS2, BS4, A2, 25 points
Shas’Vre, WS2, BS4, A2, +10 points
Burst Cannon R18.
Can equip with Rail Rifle in place of the Burst Cannon.
Can equip with a Fusion Gun in place of the Burst Cannon.
The Shas’Vre may equip with a restricted issue weapon (i.e. an Ion Cannon, or an Airbursting Frag Launcher)
Wargear for Crisis Suits
The Flamer becomes a Heavy Flamer.
The Airbursting Fragmentation Projector and the Cyclic Ion Blaster become restricted (not limited) issue items for unit leaders only. The model carrying the weapon must be an upgraded character.
Transports
Devilfish.
Base cost = 60p.
The vehicle is fitted with a Disruption Pod included in this cost.
The vehicle mounted Burst Cannon becomes a Heavy Burst Cannon with R24.
The vehicle comes without drones as standard and can carry two drones of any type in its wing tip drone bays. These drones are chosen from the “Drones and Drone Squadrons” section of the codex
Fast Attack
Piranha. Base = 50p. Squadron size becomes 1-3.
Free Disruption Pod.
Other vehicle upgrades may be chosen from the Vehicle Upgrades section of the Codex.
The Fusion Gun becomes “Heavy” with a range of 24 inches, and “melta” range of 12 inches (in other words it becomes a MultiMelta). Cost = 10 points.
The vehicle comes without drones as standard and can carry two drones of any type in its wing tip drone bays. These drones are chosen from the “Drones and Drone Squadrons” section of the codex
Vespids
Cost = 15p for standard Vespid, 20p for the obligatory Strain Leader.
The neutron blaster becomes Assault 2.
Pathfinders
Their marker light becomes Assault 1.
Drones and Drone Squadrons
There are various types of drones which all use the same basic hull and are equipped with different weapons and tools to suit their battlefield role.
The Tau deploy drones in self-directed squadrons, and also in small groups to accompany individuals or squads – these are called tethered or attached drones.
In order to avoid problems of mixed Toughness and Armour, all drones are assumed to take on the T, Armour Sv and Stealth properties of any infantry unit to which they are tethered.
All Drones have the Relentless USR, regardless of the unit to which they are tethered.
Drones equipped with Shield generators can always use their invulnerable save regardless of the Sv of the unit to which they are tethered.
Drones carried by vehicles, either in the drone bays or inside the hull, use their normal armour or Invulnerable save to survive crashes as passengers.
Gun Drones
Cost = 10
All Gun Drones are equipped with Pulse Carbines which fire Photon Grenades, granting them the USR “Evade! Evade!” Gun Drones are programmed always to use this manoeuvre if assaulted.
In a mixed drone squadron, half or more of the drones must be Gun Drones for Evade! Evade! to be used.
C3 (Command, Control and Communications) Drone
Cost = 30p.
It acts as a relay, allowing a Tau HQ unit to broadcast its Ld to all Tau units within an 18 inch radius. It also allows Tau units deep striking to a point within this radius to re-roll scatter rolls.
The HQ unit must be within 18 inches radius of the Drone. If he moves outside this distance, there is no effect and the Tau Ld falls to the normal level of individual units.
The C&C drone can be attached as a tethered drone to the HQ unit or be carried in a vehicle drone bay, or be incorporated into a drone squadron.
It also has a built in shield granting a 4++ Invulnerable save.
Shield Drone
Cost = 15p
Marker Drone
Cost = 20p. Gains Relentless USR regardless of the unit it is controlled by.
Point Defence Drone
This drone, originally designed to defend against enemy missiles, carries a short range battery of defensive weapons such as flechettes, frag launchers, and rapid fire pulse pistols.
Once it became apparent that few enemy forces encountered use any significant number of missiles, but often attack in hand to hand combat, the drone type was reprogrammed to detect and attack close range charging enemies.
For each drone in a unit which is contacted by an enemy assault move, the attacking figures are wounded on a roll of 4+, and may take armour or invulnerable saves as normal. In other words, if there are two Defence drones, the attacking figures may be wounded twice.
Defence Drones may be attached to infantry units using drone controllers, and may be carried by Tau vehicles in their drone bays.
If a Tau vehicle is carrying one or two defence drones, their flechette shots are stacked with the effect of a Flechette discharger if the vehicle is equipped with one. In other words, attacking figures would be in danger of three wounds each.
Roll all the “to wound rolls”, then all the saves. One attacking model is removed for each failed save, before the attackers roll for their assault attacks.
Drone Squadrons (Fast Attack)
A squadron may be formed of 2-12 drones.
A Drone Squadron may contain any combination of drone types, paid for at their individual points costs.
Squadrons may be formed from the drones carried on a Tau vehicle, and may include drones carried in the vehicle’s passenger compartment.
When forming a Drone Squadron during a game, the drones nominated to form the squadron must either be within coherency range, or the squadron counts as being out of coherency.
Once formed, a Drone Squadron cannot be divided up again, however more drones can be added to it, providing the total does not exceed 12.
Drone Squadrons may deep strike if they are formed up off the table.
Marker Lights
All marker lights become networked and are rolled separately and before any weapon shooting by any unit.
Each marker light hit leaves a counter on the target. The counters can be spent for the following effects.
Troops
Fire Warriors, 1+
6-12, base cost of six is 70p, including a Shas’Ui and Bonding Knife. Up to six more FW can be added at a cost of 9p each.
Options: Photon grenades 1p per figure, grant the new USR -- Evade! Evade!. (See below.)
Pulse Rifle is R30 and becomes Rapid Fire at R15 instead of R12.
Any or all of the unit’s pulse rifles may be swapped for pulse carbines. If half the unit’s models are equipped with pulse carbines, the unit counts as being equipped with Photon Grenades without having to pay the additional 1p per
figure. This represents the extra range and ROF of the grenade launcher on the pulse carbine.
Kroot 0-2
Cost=6
Upgrade to add a Shaper = 10
Adding a Shaper allows the Kroot to be upgraded to Sv 6 at a cost of 1p per figure.
Gue’Vesa 0-1
Cost = 8
Unit size six to 12.
Gue’Vesa are humans who have joined the Federation for various reasons. They are equipped with Tau armour (Sv 4+) and pulse carbines. They can’t take any Tau wargear. One model in the unit is a Gue’Vesa’Ui who has Ld 8.
Tarellian Dog Soldiers 0-1
Tarellians are a canid race, who have been gravely oppressed by the Imperium. While long civilised, they still retain animalistic characteristics of hearing and smell which give them a great advantage in stealth combat situations.
Tarellians harbour a grave distrust for all humans, even the Gue’Vesa who have joined the Federation. By the wisdom of the Ethereals, no Tau army may contain both Tarellian and Human units.
New USR; Evade! Evade!
Knowing their weakness and distaste for melee combat, the Tau have developed tactical doctrine and equipment that allows their infantry to more easily avoid getting caught in this primitive activity.
Tau infantry units equipped with Photon Grenades are granted the new Universal Special Rule “Evade! Evade!”
1. When charged by an enemy unit, the leader may give the command, “Evade! Evade!” The soldiers then deploy Photon Grenades and make a fall back move (2D6, or 3D6 for jetpack equipped units) directly away from the direction of the charge, in order not to get caught. If this move carries the unit off the edge of the table, it is
2. Models which are contacted by the enemy fight at initiative 1.
3. Models not contacted by the enemy are not subject to the rule Defenders React (p.34 of the small rulebook). They do not have to move up to six inches to contact enemy models in order to fight.
Heavy Support
Hammerhead Gunship
Base cost = 80p
Targetting Array and Disruption Pod are included in this cost.
Main Gun
Ion Cannon +10 points, or
Rail Gun + 40 points
Upgrades for the wing slots
Only one of these may be taken. It is not compulsory to fill the wing slots.
Two drones of any type, at normal cost. These can fire from the vehicle as passengers, or be detached to form up into a squadron with other drones.
Two Burst Cannons at +10p.
Smart Missile System at +20p.
Pintle mounted twin pulse rifle or twin pulse carbine +10p. This is a common field upgrade used for local defence and light suppression fire in support of infantry.
SkyRay Missile Carrier
Base cost = 120p
Targetting Array and Disruption Pod are included in this cost. The vehicle comes loaded with six Seeker missiles.
Reloads
If, at the beginning of the Tau player’s movement phase, the vehicle has fewer than six Seeker missiles left in its launch racks, roll 1 die. If the result is greater than the number of missiles still in the racks, a fresh missile is brought out from on-board storage and loaded into the launch racks.
Upgrades for the wing slots
Only one of these may be taken. It is not compulsory to fill the wing slots.
Two drones of any type, at normal cost. These can fire from the vehicle as passengers, or be detached to form up into a squadron with other drones.
Two Burst Cannons at +10p.
Smart Missile System at +20p.
Pintle mounted twin pulse rifle or twin pulse carbine +10p. This is a common field upgrade used for local defence and light suppression fire in support of infantry.
Sniper Drone Team
Cost = 60p.
Otherwise unchanged.
Tallerian Wolf Soldier
With the Tallerians confined by the IoM in thier home planet, a deadly race was on. The IoM where developing helmets to survie the dealy gases of Talleria, the Tallerians where creating the ultimate supersolidier. The result: The Wolf Soldier. it can move 24 inches each turn, bounding along with a gyro-gun mount. It can take a railgun(submunition shot allowed), orallerian death canon, which fires globes of posion(small blast marker, ordance) thhat inflict D6 strenth 8 hits each turn after the intial strenth 10 hit. the thingh the blast centerd over is inflicted D3 automatic hits each tun. Needless to say, this will be very expensive. I has 4 wounds, Sv 3+ Invuln Sv 4+. It is designed to kill humans, so when fighting humans it has to roll a D6. On 6 it charges towards the nearest human unit, firing its gun as it goes. It also suffers D3 autmatic wounds. On any other roll it is fine
Special Characters
Crisis Commander
Special Suit
The BS of his retinue is 5.
Stealth Commander
Special Suit
Allows Stealth teams to be taken as Troops.
Super Ethereal
Helped by advanced comms and Water Caste aides, his Ld of 10 is broadcast to all Tau forces including allies, whose units are within the 18 inch radius of effect of his Command and Control drone.
Space Pope
Gunship Squadron Leader
Allows the use of Hammerhead squadrons consisting of two vehicles each. He rides in one of the vehicles and raises its BS to 5.
Missile Squadron Leader
Allows the use of Skyray squadrons consisting of two vehicles each. She rides in one of the vehicles and raises the BS of one whole squadron to 4.
Tech Leader
The Tarellian Terror
Insipires the rule Terror into all human units on the feild and and any Tarellian unit he joins become Fearless
