Riptides and Stimulant Injectors

[The Man They Call Jayne]

We all like a bit of Feel No Pain, it can be a great last gasp attempt that keeps you alive. On the Riptide however, it can also protect you from that tricksy Nova Reactor.

In a tourny list, is it really worth the 35 points? It is 20 points more than on a standard battlesuit. It also means you cannot take the popular VT/EWO combo.

Would you take it in a 1500point TAC list?

[CoffeeGrunt]

I personally don't think VT/EWO is worth it on a Riptide, unless you're using the Heavy Burst Cannon. 3 S7 shots barely scratches most stuff, especially when shot at BS3.

I started using Stim Injectors, and they really do make a difference to how ridiculously tough Riptides can be. I use mine for forward pressure as linebreakers, and they attract a lot of fire as a result.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

At the moment I am looking at EWO and stims so I can blast DSing termies and such, try to take the edge off their attack.

[CoffeeGrunt]

That's how I roll, works very well.

[Alcibiates]

At the moment I am looking at EWO and stims so I can blast DSing termies and such, try to take the edge off their attack.

If you're going for a full tournament list with O'vesa/Support commander or Eldar allies to pick up Guide/Prescience it is certainly the way to go, but if you only have a naked riptide trying to make the shot, it becomes a lot tougher.

With no bonuses on your shot, you have a 38.55% chance to hit with the interceptor shot (2/6 hit on the scatter dice, 3/36 chance to roll a 3 or lower to hit), but when you add in a reroll you pick up a 62.24% chance to hit, which is almost equal to taking a BS4 shot. If you have two riptides joined together that get rerolls, you have a fantastic chance to just pick up their deepstriking unit.

Personally, I will only take stims if I am trying to protect the unit (eg O'vesa out front, you have no choice but to try to tank through the unit to pick up points) but if there is no deathstar unit, I typically do not take stims because it eats into points that could be used to pick up another riptide. If you're taking 2 riptides with stims, it's eating 70 points and you would only need to find a little over 100 points to pick up a third riptide entirely.

VT/EWO is really only worth it on a HBC riptide. Using the ion accelerator to make 3 s7 shots against a flyer is a huge waste of points--compared to a Broadside at a third of the points, you're hitting even less often than they are and *maybe* doing a hull point of damage, which results in typically very little. It is an okay route to go as a last resort, but certainly not a play you would want to build your list around. Taking the skyfire-interceptor shot at the flyer coming on means you do not get to drop your pie plate the following shooting phase, which is a *huge* loss.

Summary version:
One IA Riptide: take stims
Any two riptide: no stims
Any three riptide: no stims
VT/EWO only on HBC riptides
Remember it's okay to only take one support system on a riptide: IA/EWO Riptide for 190 points is vicious enough; no need to waste points.

[Kur'os]

When I field multiple Riptides, one always has: HBC, ECPA, EWO, and SI. 

The above "Burst'Tide" survives a great deal of punishment.  For the first couple turns, he's usually Nova-charging his HBC; but shifts to the 3++ once enemies start to close.

Just this Saturday, said Ritide shrugged off at least 10 shells from a trio of MA Vanquisher tanks.  By endgame, he had only lost 2 wounds.  One to a stray heavy bolter round...  :/

-Kur'os

[Narric]

I have only yesterday made a 1500pt TAC List that includes a Riptide with Stims I'll post it, as it does answer the OP question

Here be Army List

HQ
Cadre Fireblade – 74pts
2x Marker Drones

Troops
Fire Warrior Team (6) – 97pts
Shas'ui –  Markerlight & Target Lock
Squad – Bonding Knife Ritual, EMP Grenades

Fire Warrior Team (6) – 97pts
Shas'ui –  Markerlight & Target Lock
Squad – Bonding Knife Ritual, EMP Grenades

Elites
XV104 Riptide – 275pts
TL Fusion Blaster, Ion Accelerator, 2x Shielded Missile Drones, Counterfire Defence System, Stim Injectors

XV8 Crisis Team (3) – 174pts
3x Shas'ui w/ Two Missile Pods & Flamer, Bonding Knife Ritual

XV25 Stealth Team (6) – 219pts
Shas'ui –  Markerlight & Target Lock
Squad – Shas'ui w/ Bonding Knife ritual, Advanced Targetig System

Fast Attack
Pathfinder Team (6) – 95pts
Shas'ui –  Blacksun Filter
Squad – EMP Grenades, Bonding Knife Ritual

Pathfinder Team (6) – 95pts
Shas'ui –  Blacksun Filter
Squad – EMP Grenades, Bonding Knife Ritual

Piranha Squadron (2) – 148pts
2x Piranha w/ 2x Seeker Missiles each, Decoy Launchers, Point Defence Targeting Relay, Automatic Repair System

Heavy Support
XV88 Broadside Team (3) – 226pts
3x shas'ui w/ TL Plasma Rifle and TL High Yield Missile Pod
2x Seeker Missiles

Total = 1500pts

I'm sure someone is going to rip me apart for my choice of weapon The list is solely made from two Tau Battleforces, one Riptide, One Fireblade, and one Sky Ray kit (for the Seeker Missiles). I'm not putting this forward as a competative list. To be honest I only did the list to have the riptide, and originally I was going to do an Unbound list.

I will add more to this a bit later/shortly. Don't let me stop the discussion though.

[CoffeeGrunt]

74pt Piranhas are going to be terrible in all honesty. As are Shas'ui Markerlights, (15pts for a BS3 Markerlight?)

The Riptide will work, but a canny opponent will try to force Ld checks via the Drones, which is why no one uses them. (Well, that, the points cost, and the lack of firepower they bring.)

[Narric]

So we're an army that relies on our Markerlights, but you're advising me that taking some Markerlights is a waste? BS3 MLs are still MLs. They're not going to be relied upon to turn the tide, but they could.

Let me see if I can explain the tactics I had imagined whilst creating this list, unit by unit.

ignore this at your leisure

Fireblade - Cheap HQ with access to Marker Drones.
Fire Warriors - Most reliable Deployment Zone Campers with decent range firepower. Small unit size becuase half the kit is used to make the Pathfinders. Supply EMP Grenades.
Riptide - The army lists true Commander. Leading from the front and getting up close to the biggest enemy threat. Mostly just wanting a Jeager to go Kaiju hunting, and chances are I'm going to go full derp and attack a Land Raider with it. With some support of course
Crisis Team - With aide from MLs, could potentially down a Flyer, though won't rely on them. Are mostly intended to soften up tough enemy units, such as Terminators.
Stealth Team - Enemy Troops harassment and Character/Special Weapon killing. Not going to be relied upon to bring the win, but could easily chase off an enemy troop choice, or Deep Strike and enemy support position (such as HWTs, Thunder Fire Cannons, Long Fangs). Plenty of Fire Power means they can also mulch tough units through weight of fire.
Pathfinder Teams - Markerlight Support, and aggressive enemy objective contestation in late game. EMP Grenades could potentially disable enemy vehicles that cuase issue else where.
Piranha Squadron - Enemy Troop harassment and mobile Seeker Missile Platform. DLs mean they shouldn't have to worry about Interceptor shooting.
Broadside Team - Riptide Cleanup. Literally walking behind the Riptide giving support fire and finishing off anything that isn't fully wiped out in combat.

The List as a whole would be used very aggressively, which is a strange tendancy I have with Tau. I'm sure I'f I played Orks, I'd make a Gunline List XD

[Kur'os]

Full derp'tide Jeager approved!  God speed pilot.  (`-`)7  *salute*

[Narric]

Full derp'tide Jeager approved!  God speed pilot.  (`-`)7  *salute*

Sigged!

Wish I had the £200 I'd need for the list now XD Would be so much fun to build

[CoffeeGrunt]

@Narric Ah okay, so a lot of it is limited by the models you possess? Fair enough.

You've got a lot of units put into jobs that they're fairly bad at, though. Stealth Teams don't make good character assassins, nor Broadsides doing well moving up the field. The Riptide as a mobile bulwark works well, but he'll go down by Turn 3 if you're aggressive with him. Two 6-man teams of Fire Warriors means that you won't have a decent presence in terms of boots on the ground, and Pathfinders are too fragile to be tasked with Tank Hunting, really.

Also Piranhas never worry about Interceptor. Adding the PDTR isn't worth it as they'll just be shot nowadays, and they can Overwatch with the Drones as standard. The Auto-Repair System is also redundant as with 2HP each they just die rather than linger long enough to use it.

There just doesn't seem to be a cohesive strategy or synergy to the list IMO. Also 15pts for a Markerlight that only hits half the time if it stands still is a very expensive Markerlight with very low volume, (high volume being the only reason Pathfinders work.)