[1500] All-Comers Tau List

[CoffeeGrunt]

Evening, all!

This list has been an ongoing development over the last couple of months, getting the trial by fire at weekly mini-tournaments, and has slowly evolved into the form it's in now. I'm still debating whether to swap the Riptide for a pair of Plasma Crisis suits, and a Fusion Monat or pair. I could cover the cost of it by Twin-Linking the Fusion suits, but then I lose the durability and firepower of the Riptide, which is handy to have!

Any ideas on how to tweak this list are greatly appreciated.

Essentially the squads work as thus:

- Fireblade joins a Fire Warrior squad. They hold an Objective in my Deployment Zone, and put down tasty firepower. (24 Pulse rounds at 30 inches!)

- O'Vorcah joins the Crisis Team, so that everyone has Monster/Tank Hunters, as well as being Twin-Linked and Ignoring Cover. Vorcah stands up front and takes fire for the squad, protecting both the light-AT fire and the Markerlights.

- One Pathfinder squad Outflanks into the enemy deployment zone. Often there's only a token resistance here, so they can push on some long-range shooting, clear a home Objective, and get Linebreaker in the bargain. The other squad sets up in cover and does the usual Pathfinder thing.

-Riptide and IonHead are on squad-melting duty, with the Marker Drones and Pathfinders intended to support them primarily.

- The rest of the army does what you'd expect. Kroot Infiltrate and snipe on a midfield Objective, Fire Warriors play either offensively or defensively depending on how aggressive my opponent is. Piranhas are used for blocking, harassment, and intercepting tanks. 30" Turn 1 movement is great for spooky the opponent into shooting them up, and immunity to small arms fire from the front means it takes heavier firepower to do so.

HQ: 245
Shas'O Vorcah
Dual Missiles, Shield Generator, Target Lock
Iridium Armour, PEN

Cadre Fireblade

Troops: 314
12 Fire Warriors

12 Fire Warriors

14 Kroot,
Sniper Rounds

Fast Attack: 348
9 Pathfinders

9 Pathfinders

3 Piranhas
Fusion Blasters

Heavy Support: 141
Hammerhead
Ion Cannon, SMS
Disruption Pods, Blacksun Filter

Elites: 451
3 Crisis Suits
Shas'Vre, CnCN, MSSS, Drone Controller
Dual Missiles, Target Lock
Dual Missiles, Target Lock
6 Marker Drones

XV104 Riptide
Ion Acc, Fusion Blasters, EWO

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Seems reasonable all round. Nothing jumps out as glaringly bad. Personally I just dont like Piranahs, but thats me. And with and IonHead I always run Longstrike. BS5 and Overwatch against all viable targets is a beauty with AP3.

The riptide is great for drawing fire away from some of your squishier units to, it is worth keeping.

[CoffeeGrunt]

I personally love Piranhas, though that may mostly be for the look. They're great for harassment, though, and putting Turn 1 pressure on the opponent. Fusion Blasters make them a credible threat to valuable targets, and the Drones can be dropped off for harassment and protection.

I mainly use Longstrike in a Railhead for AT duties. I personally don't see my Hammerheads get charged much, and rarely use a gunline, so the chances of him even landing a hit with three shots at BS1. BS5 is nice, but I always use the large blast where possible, and at S7/8, his Tank Hunters trait doesn't seem to be well used with it.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Even so, at -5 to scatter you are rarely going more than 2 inches off target and Tank Hunter makes the Ion Cannon lethal to light/medium armour. Also, depending on the enemy, Preferred Enemy IG gives you a hand against pesky Chimeras and Hellhounds.

Obviously thats just my preferance these days. If I have a Hammerhead, he is in it.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Even so, at -5 to scatter you are rarely going more than 2 inches off target and Tank Hunter makes the Ion Cannon lethal to light/medium armour.

Fair dues. I don't use the Ionhead against vehicles, though. That's what the Crisis Team with 8 BS3, 4 BS5, Twin-Linked, Ignores Cover, Tank Hunting Missile Pods are for.

I always buff my Ionheads up to BS6 where possible as well, to re-roll Gets Hot.

[Chicop76]

Glad some one uses piranhas.  I had the original Forge World ones. Anyway due to their fast attack nature I used them as a vehicle deterrent.  I placed them behind los blocking terrain and just keep them there to keep landraiders and the like away. Now with extra fusion range they are much better. In my gaming group a free people argued about putting seekers on them. Doing that gives them long range options on top of the short range possibilities. 

I used to put seekers on the Piranhas due to moving 24" over vehicles and having troops use the missiles to rear hit vehicles.  Due to rule changes that tactic is no longer possible.  However the seeker is gold in 6th due to ignoring cover saves and jink saves, saves on marker lights.

I think every Tau army should run a Riptide or Broadside team. Personally I think they are equally good. To run with none of them it does take away from your army. The Riptide is one of the only models you have that can fire at 72". Your sides can do that as well, plus hammer head. However I think the tides smash attacks, durability,  and firing options make it too important not to take. Although I think taking 3 or more is actually stupid and takes away from your army, unless you are running like 100 kroot with them.

However I been taking suicide melta bombers to deal with armour that likes to hide or stay back. Initially I was taking two fusion guns on a crisis suit and deep strike him near x vehicle.  I felt that running two fusion was kinda expensive so I opted for twin instead. I use 1 elite suit and 1 body guard in this manner, so far this has helped out a lot. The extra fusion range gives you less of a mishap chance and have a higher chance of keeping you in fusion range, I almost never drift out of shooting range. Grant it your guys will die, but 42 points isn't a big loss, especially if it takes out a 200 plus model. I have debated on making teams of 2 with 4 gun drones where the meltas shoot one target and the gun drones shoot another.

I totally dropped my rail/ ion head. If I run ion head than I can run a Riptide which is better, the railhead just cost too much for a strength 10 shot. I rather run skyrays.  After many games with both configurations I just can't see taking the tank. The special character option for it is a huge point sink for the tank. It may work for you, but I see broadsides;, skyray,  or Riptides as a better option.

I been outflanking with my pathfinders and they do rather well. I have ran them with outflanking kroot and stealth suits with a unit sitting on the side 6" away to make sure all that come in on the side I want them to come in on. I find the 3 rail rifles and extra gun drones rather useful. I have debated on taking Darkstrider, but to do so would require me to run allies with Farsight.

Besides the ion head I like the list.

[CoffeeGrunt]

I'm tempted to put two Seekers each on my Piranhas, if only for the ability to smack something with 6 Krak Missiles Ignoring Cover and LoS on turn 1. However, 48pts for such a tactic just seems too high. It's a lot to pay for a one-use missile, IMO, even if it is better than the Loyalist H-K Missiles they get.

I agree that 1 Tide is just too useful not to take. Tri-Tide has always seemed stupid and boring to me, though, I'd never take it. I've tried Fusion suits before, and they rolled unluckily and failed me. I think I have a decent amount of AT as it is.

As far as the IonHead, I just don't like the Skyray or Broadsides that much. The latter two are too static for my liking, being forced to Snap-Fire if they move. Sure, I can put a lot of hurt down with 6 Seekers, but after that it's just a Hammerhead with no gun. I see at most 1 Flier a game, and even that is rare, so the Crisis team with MPs normally do fine tearing them out of the sky.

IonHead is also 60pts cheaper than the Riptide with Ion Acc, has +1 BS, but worse AP, granted. Plenty fine for melting Nid Warriors, Space Marines, etc, etc. It never takes it long to make its cost back, and with a 4+ Jink it's more durable than you'd think, especially against Lascannons. In order to Glance it, a Lascannon effectively is firing at a Toughness 9 target, with a 4+ Cover Save at all times to boot.

Sure, the Riptide will almost always beat it in terms of durability, but that cost difference stops it being an auto-take in the IonHead's place, IMO. That +1BS means one less Markerlight to get it where I want it, which is pretty valuable, IMO.

"I have debated on taking Darkstrider, but to do so would require me to run allies with Farsight."

I don't understand, he's available in both the Codex and the Supplement. You can field him in whatever.

[Chicop76]

The problem is to me an Ethereal is an auto take, especially if you run a lot of fire warriors or kroot. Next is the support commander which works beautiful on target lock rail sides, I don't use missles sides, however I run missile drones as well, but seen a player use marker drones instead. My railsides with drones and buff commander by far is my best unit. They can possibly take out 4 units at a time and can take out 13 armour and below., the missile drones make up for not using the high yield and they have better range. All I have to do is stick this unit in the middle of the field and I can reach anything I want.

Next would be my Fireblade and Darkstrider.  I attach the Fireblade with two marker drones to my sniper team squad, got to love bs 5 all over, stealth, and splitfire.  If I take allies I can then field 3 HQs the two above and one of these two.

The rip tide and ion head debate is a good one. To instance the rip tide can drop strength 9 ordnance on a target if you wanted too or have 3 plus invulnerable saves. The hammerhead is as good as stealth suits, which means when you go against Tau what is a cover save. Also seeing that half the people in my area play Tau a cover save isn't really worth it anymore.

[CoffeeGrunt]

We have different metas, what works for me is different to what works for you. For example, I'm the only Tau player at my local.

I find Broadsides too slow and static. A few bolters will remove the Drones, then Lascannons will evaporate the 'Sides. I also don't like Support Commanders because it's a massive cost in points to make a single Broadside unit Ignore Cover and get Tank Hunters. We also play with LoS Blocking terrain, so mobility is a must for me.

Ethereals are nice but in order to maximise using them, you end up having to run a gunline that can be tedious for either person to play. I personally would attach one to the Sniper Drones, rather than a Fireblade. Especially as he's 10pts more expensive and you're not using his Volley Fire rule while he's in that squad.

[Chicop76]

I put the support commander up front soaking up the hits to the squad. Depending on what is shooting at the squad I position the drones to take hits that can kill the sides or have the sides take the hits for the drones. I tend to gtg a lot with that squad which means they usually have a 2plus or 3 plus cover save, so far the worst punishment they have taken was from serpent spam eldar. Which at most I lost 3 drones, a side, and 3 wounds on my commander.  The marker support via skyray and pathfinders pretty much negates gtg or getting it as a warlord trait which I always love getting. In a lot of games people try to kill the tides and when the sides fire for one turn they than focus on the sides. I've played games where I barely lost anything,  gtg a lot helps, even Tau can't strip army wide cover saves.

My Ethereal usually hangs with my sides however to get him to push his aura up I have did the commander and drone Congo line from the sides when needed, that have pissed people off when they don't expect me to move up 6" so I can get a bunch of triple fire shots. 21" triple fire threat range due to simply moving up is nasty, 27" if you are jumping out off devilfish.  Anyway I keep the Ethereal near the drones, so I can triple sniper fire which is nasty, even nastier when my support commander joins them, I do that type of tactics vs nids, they can kill 2 MCs a turn due to splitfire.

No one really like me putting my Fireblade with my sniper drones. I hear the argument for a possible 4x rapid fire several times. However the splitfire fire on that unit makes it much better. Plus I have the option of not doing so, although so far I don't see why not. Also I typically set them up where I can light a few units which can't shoot me back while my drones jump over walls and back on the other side so no one can see them.

Also if I need to move my sides I can do so with marker support negating the snap shots.

We have a decent amount of los blocking terrain. That is why I run smart missiles,  another reason to take broadsides, skyrays, devilfish, and hammerhead.

[CoffeeGrunt]

It seems we both have very different playstyles. My problem with Broadsides is their lack of mobility, hence why they just don't see the table with me. I don't see how you're getting a 2+ Cover Save without Stealth/Shrouded, though.

I also don't like deliberately running tryhard lists to table people turn 2. It feels cheap and isn't fun for either of us.

My Ethereal usually hangs with my sides however to get him to push his aura up I have did the commander and drone Congo line from the sides when needed

You know that you measure from the model, not the squad members, right? If you're just talking about moving the Ethereal up...that's pretty standard.

I don't find Split Fire that useful, personally, as it only lets one model do so, and needs a Leadership check as well.

[Chicop76]

I have to re read splitfire,  but I thought it was leadership test and you choose which model fire separately from the squad. The upgrade target lock only allows one model with out a leadership test to fire separately from the unit.

I move ethereal while broadsides are standing still which causes arguments.

Try hard would be 3 riptides and 3 broadsides.  I have tabled in turn two before, but typically I go a full 6 turns. I find horde list just die rather badly against Tau and Marines do too, especially if they wipe out units in combat and left out in the open in rapid fire range.

If you are in ruin terrain that is also area terrain. We argue back and forth rather it is 2 plus or 3 plus. For house play it is agreed it is a two plus which I dont argue with. Also if you are on a fortification you can also get a 2 plus save if yougtg. Which make the skyshield rather good.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

If you are in a ruin that is area terrain it is a 4+ save. only a Fortification can give you a 3+ cover save without using Stealth or Shrouded. Coversaves do not stack or accumulate.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Ruins in Area Terrain give you two Cover Saves, one from the Ruin if it's blocking LoS, one from the Area Terrain. If it's the Ruin, it's a 4+, if it's the Area Terrain, it's a 5+.

If you G2G, both become a 3+ regardless of which you choose. You can't use the +2 to the Area Terrain save on the Ruins save.

[Chicop76]

Gtg gives + 1 to cover saves. If you are in a fortification which gives +3 you will get a +2 for gtg.

The ruin is a bit up for debate.

If you are in area terrain you get a +5 cover save, gtg in area terrain gives you a plus two to your cover save which means you get a +3 cover save. Yes my Kroot get +2 cover saves in trees that have area terrain.

With the ruins you are getting + 4 for the ruins instead of the plus 5 from area. If you go to ground in area like always instead of getting a plus one you get a plus two to cover saves. Since you are getting +4 due to ruins you will be getting a +2 to your cover save.

Just for reference sake.

Pg. 18 main book covers the gtg and other cover saves you can get. No arguments there.
Pg. 91 in area terrain is where my cause comes to light. Look at the bottom left in bold print.

" ...Models that go to ground in area terrain receive +2 to their cover save, rather than +1."

Now the key part is when declaring terrain is to make sure that ruin terrain that is based whould be considered area or not. If it is not area than you are only getting +3 cover saves instead of +22.