Tau 'Lungfish' Scout Walker

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Sentinels have a more powerful weapons array. War Walkers arent open topped and have 2 non twin linked weapons. I don't know enough about the others to comment.

I think the ones I mentioned both get Scout, and for some reason I am think that Walkers get Move Through Cover anyway, but I don't know why. And Fleet is actually pretty useless and you don't WANT to be getting into CC, or Running when you should be shooting.

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

Sentinels have a more powerful weapons array. War Walkers arent open topped and have 2 non twin linked weapons. I don't know enough about the others to comment.

War Walkers are open topped, and they have to pay for their weapons meaning they always cost more than the Lungfish anyway. (before Lungfish upgrades)

[The Man They Call Jayne]

are you sure they are open topped? I thought they had a forcefield around the cockpit? Fluffwise at least which meant they weren't?

And extra cost aside 8 S6 shots or 4 AP2 shots is well worth it.

[Scout Sergeant Mkoll]

are you sure they are open topped? I thought they had a forcefield around the cockpit? Fluffwise at least which meant they weren't?

And extra cost aside 8 S6 shots or 4 AP2 shots is well worth it.

Fairly certain.

And yes, their weapons hurt, but even with the cheapest option they'll come in at 25pts more than this thing does (basic). That's a lot of difference for what they're getting bearing in mind they're still only BS3. These are effectively BS4 half the time, ignore Night Fight all the time and aren't affected by terrain. I'd say 50pts is reasonable.

[Lord Sotek]

I would still say around 50 until they've been playtested. It's always better to overcost initially than undercost because if you undercost there's a chance people might not want to play against them again.

I say 50 because even compared the the Sentinel you're getting the Markerlight and ignoring Night Fight. Plus you have the larger squad size (I think). Also, do Scout Sentinels get Fleet? I can't remember.

I can certainly do that, though I suspect after playtesting their price will go back down to 40 or 45 points apiece.
Scout sentinels don't get Fleet, and thinking back, it seems a largely pointless and ineffectual rule anyways. The idea that it's nimble and swift is already addressed via Move Through Cover. I think I'll remove Fleet entirely.

Also, it is a relatively minor note, but I would point out that Sentinels are WS3, but Lungfish are WS2- This does make it even easier for a bunch of dudes with kraks/meltabombs/hell, even a power maul to knock 'em over.

And yes, their weapons hurt, but even with the cheapest option they'll come in at 25pts more than this thing does (basic). That's a lot of difference for what they're getting bearing in mind they're still only BS3.

Sentinels and Warwalkers are paper tigers; fragile, but you're partially paying for the fact that you can outfit them with a seriously nasty bite if you want to.
By comparison, a lungfish is more of a paper bobcat. With a laser pointer duct taped to its forehead.

Yes, they have lots of gadgets, but even if you shell out all the points you need to make them as shooty as possible, I still don't think their gadgets and guns combo will make them as ruinous as a well outfitted and directed squad of sentinels or warwalkers. Squadrons of war walkers with twin scatter lasers can vaporize boy mobz or guardblobs from three or four feet away. Not only are their weapons more powerful compared to a Lungfish, but they are also moderately to significantly longer ranged, and this gives these units much greater force projection than a lungfish has.

I'd bet good money that a full squadron of scout sentinels with autocannons (50 points a pop, 150 total) will still trash a full squadron of railgun-targeter Lungfish (60pts each, 240 total) nine times out of ten. The sentinels are hitting harder, with more shots, from longer range. And as a unit, they are still ultimately cheaper to boot. The only risk to the Sentinels is if the lungfish somehow get to within 18" at full unit strength; otherwise, they can either kite them completely due to the extra foot of max range, or be in the highly advantageous position of six S7 shots versus four S6 ones.

These are effectively BS4 half the time, ignore Night Fight all the time and aren't affected by terrain. I'd say 50pts is reasonable.

Lungfish are intended as a support unit; a markerlight delivery platform that can defend itself in a non-laughable manner. If you're using their markerlights as a self-buff rather than spending those counters to amp up your army's real heavy hitters, you're kind of doing it wrong IMO...