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Some thought on what I would Like to and expect to see in the 5th editionThings GW wont do.1) There just will not be any stat changes in the basic troopers. 2) They wont change basic weapons (bolters will always be S4, Lasguns S3...).3) They wont make more than one or two FW units codex as they want to keep selling those books.Trends1) Basic things will be a little cheaper in points costs.2) More multi positionable plastics3) Special rules will proliferate.I think that its realistic to say that we can expect some new units, also cheaper troops.Other than that:Overall:Rule of four1-4 strong units for suits and such.Units that can be in multiples of four and are bought in fours.Because Tau have 4 fingers on each hand and therefore things in fours would be fluffy.DronesThe ability to pick special drones for vehicles and not just gundrones.Less TLWith all the markerlight that are thrown around the tau just don't need TL, it reduces our viable options. We would be better off with more shots and therefore it makes sense that suits should be able to buy 2 of the same weapon system (and fire them both would be nice) rather than TL.eg Deathrain = two missile pods and multi tracker not TLMP.Weapons and equipmentMarkerlightsMore markerlightsCheaper markerlightsAssault markerlightsMarkerlights that give a few more benefits to pick from (such as being able to throw rapid fire to max range)This alone would go along way toward fixing the codex.Pulse carbineAt the moment useless except in mech tau. Give an under slung rrenade lancher option.a) Emp grenades shot at vehiclesb) Photon, (frag?) S3, ignores cover. Ion cannonNeeds something to make it a viable competitor to the rail cannon, possibly just a point reduction or perhaps a heavy flame template fire mode to give it more versatility which is where it really fall down. Rail RifleRaise the rail rifle to strength 8. S6 is not much of an improvement to our basic weapons so it does not give us an attractive heavy support option. S8 is something we don't have much off an it would give us a viable means of inflicting instant death to space marines and necrons (negating WBB) and be a threat to light vehicles.Decoy launchersa fix or and update, either way this once mandatory vehicle upgrade is now useless.Thoughts on the existing units.HQ)Commanders:Comanders that have options to mount in:A) CrisisB) Piranha VariantC) Stealth suitD) Tetra JetbikeE) InfantryA and E would be vanilla and B-D would allow access to variant lists. With just one you could have 0-1 pick of the variant choices for each force organization slot. With two you would have full access and everything on the vanilla list would be 0-1.Ethereal.I would like to see the ethereal as a cheap leadership boost unit. I would like this unit not to take up a force slot (or possibly with honor guard counts as troops). This way it wouldn't have to compete with the commanders which at the moment it just cant win. I would also like to see some basic options (say Marker light and target lock). I think that if this where the case a lot more people would take him. He doesn't have to be a mega unit as long as he doesn't get in the way, serves a purpose and is cost effective then that is alright with me. Master sharperOne and only CC character. Would give you access to mutant kindred and a kroot variant list. 2 MS would give full variant as above with the commanders.Elites.Crisis/Stealth.Basic 5 tweaking, a few more options and BS 4. TroopsKrootA tad cheaper, universal field craft, better integration and more options for Krootox (dedicated CC krootoxes would be good) and a unit champion with some more options (buried power fist anyone?).Shas'LaA little cheaper with access to a cost effective network markerlight and some special drones. Bought in groups of 4 (Tau have 4 digits on each hand). I think with the overall improvements they should work quite well.Fast AttackGun dronesExpendable.Special drone access (eg flamer drones)PiranhaTX-42 access. Enough saidPathfindersDevilfish non-mandatoryHeavy supportMostly where tau really shine, doesn't need much done to it.Broadsides2 shots not TL.sniper teamsThe unwanted child of the tau heavy support this is the only one that requires a serious revamp to make it viable. Make it:A) Cheaperb) 4 teams per choice or bigger teamsSkyrayEither A) Allow it to reloadb) give it more shotsc) more and better options for secondary armament so its more useful after its shot its load.d) point reduction.I am sure you have you own thoughts on variant lists but here is the stealth one I was going on about since the OP.Stealth variant listXV-22's can have 1 weapon and one support system. Monats can have FL from vehicle armory.HQStealth suit commander with body guards (as the elites)EliteXV25's with burst cannons and options for HW, AFP, Plasma rifles, CIBs and flamers1-3 in one team BS4TroopsXV15's. Fire warrior stat line (bs3, 4+Sv) with stealth, relentless, pulse rifles, jump packs and burst cannon/fusion gun/flamer options for a limited number (Say 1 in 4)Fast attack. piranha squadrons with TX-42's (or possibly stealth TX-45 upgrades)XV'15's (as above) but with networked marker carbines in teams of up two 12 that can be broken into subunits of 4 (as SM's)Heavy supportSkyray squadrons (1-3 per HS slot)XV-25's with options for TL rail rifles, Fusion guns, Missile pods and smart missile systemsSniper drone teams.
Quote from: Ravager Zero on November 13, 2009, 10:07:51 AMMade a new version, with input from the TODex play-testing and think-tank committee.Also looking towards merging ideas from the Redux, whatever rikimaru calls his list, and some of the stuff blightedmarsh has, in subsequent versions.Version 1.00 (Deadnight remix)Nicely done. I would like to point a few things out though:- Does a Commander count as an IC after his XV-8 Honour Guards are killed?- I suggest that the Devilfish option for units is specified more clearly to prevent people claiming that only the options for the 55 points can be taken. I suggest adding something like "plus the cost of any additional upgrades listed in its entry".- Devilfish - Targetting Array is listed in its basic wargear, but the stat line still shows it as BS 3, not 3(4).- Does the Advanced Target Lock automatically allow its user to fire two weapons? If not, I suggest adding "If the model is also equipped with a Multi-tracker". Also, I suggest adding a statement that a Twin-Linked weapon may not spread its fire among two targets even with the Advanced target Lock.- The Ejection System might require better explanation - what happens to the unit of -for instance- a Commander with the Ejection System, when accompanied by two XV-8 Honour Guards, after the Commander ejects? Also, why does a Commander that ejects have the same profile as a Shas'vre? Why the sudden loss of the Leadership? What happens to unit coherency if the pilot is hurled more than 2" from his original unit? What if he ends in Impassable Terrain?- Sensor Spines - I suggest that it simply ignores the effects of Dangerous Terrain, not only when moving, since some other race's equipment explanation may force the test in a different wording, not just due to moving, in the future codexes.- Ro'cha - XV-8 Suits and Pathfinders have no Ro'cha? Since half of Space Marines Drop Pods arrive in the first turn, the Fire Warriors would be unable to use their Ro'cha ability unless the Tau go first. I suppose this is intentional?- Shaper - I suggest a change in the wording of the Adaptation option to make it even less prone to misinterpretation - change "sn Adaptaion" to " a single Adaptation".- Vespid - Do Hardened Claws do anything, or is it just a fancy name of their close combat "weapon", such as Ferocious Fangs of the Kroot Hounds?- XV-88 - Advanced Stabilisation system requires all models in the team to take one, but Drones cannot do so, thus preventing taking the system if any Drones are in the unit.- non vehicular Drones - Explanation on unit type of Drones may be required - do they still become the same type of unit as the model with the Drone Controller? What if the vehicular Drones disembark, what type of unit do they become?I am too tired to read anymore, but I might find some more when I read it again.
Made a new version, with input from the TODex play-testing and think-tank committee.Also looking towards merging ideas from the Redux, whatever rikimaru calls his list, and some of the stuff blightedmarsh has, in subsequent versions.Version 1.00 (Deadnight remix)
