Tau, Slow & Purposeful heavy weapons

[knightperson]

Has anybody else thought of and/or tried this? Take a crisis suit commander or two, and give him the Advanced Stabilization System for the Slow and Purposeful rule. At first glance this is pointless since crisis suits are already Relentless, but if you attach him to a heavy weapons team, he will give that S and P to the entire unit, which doesn't happen with Relentless. There are three possibilities that come to mind here: broadsides, sniper drone teams, and (likely my favorite) pathfinders.

Attaching the crisis suit (stabiliz'O, SnP'O, SAP'O?) to a broadside squad without S&P means you would save 20 points (buying A.S.S. on one suit rather than three) and allow all three suits to take a support system like a targeting array. The sniper drone team is an intriguing possibility since the commander will give them Slow and Purposeful, and the drone team will give him Stealth and Shrouding. Pathfinders are the most obvious possibility, as you now have markerlights that can move and shoot at normal ballistic skill without paying the absurd points for marker drones.

Whatcha think?

EDIT: Yet another possibility, although probably not a good idea. Attach him to a kroot squad, and they could assault after rapid-firing, couldn't they?

[Pottsey]

I really like the sniper idea, have to look into that.

EDIT: Not so sure after thinking about it. So I can make snipers mobile and give them night version but I lose over watch.

[Matt1785]

This is something that has been brought to my attention in another thred and I really find it to be cheesey... but I might have to use it anyway.  I'm allying Tau to Space Marines, and the thought of making things Relentless with really no drawback is incredible.  Rapid Fire bolters then charge, moving and shooting with Devastators... the combinations can be extensive and it makes you wonder if there was obviously a little error in the rules for this one.  Obviously they couldn't have conceived of every combo, but this one in particular is really good IMHO.

[BigToof]

Silly question, but can you get vectored engines on a SnP Shas'O?
Because if so, now you can Hit and Run the Broadsides away if you get assaulted.
I'm not sure about you all, but the imagery of three battlesuits linking armies and jetting away gives me the chuckles.

Best,
-BT

[Cammerz]

Silly question, but can you get vectored engines on a SnP Shas'O?
Because if so, now you can Hit and Run the Broadsides away if you get assaulted.
I'm not sure about you all, but the imagery of three battlesuits linking armies and jetting away gives me the chuckles.

Best,
-BT

You probably shouldn't be able to but it looks like you could. The rules for Vectored Retro-thrusters say only Independent characters of monats (single suits) could take this option, but obviously the Shas'O is an independent character so whilst it won't gain you many friends, you could do this.
Maybe the Shas'O just acts as a distraction whilst the Broadsides waddle away.

Of course as the Advanced Stabilisation System and the Vectored retro-thrusters are both Battlesuit Support Systems, you would be leaving your Shas'O (or 'El if you want to save some points) with only one weapon option.

[knightperson]

broadsides with Hit and Run: I must have to try that just for the sheer silliness of it! As far as I can tell, it's completely legal. Silly, nonsensical, and possibly even cheesy, but legal.

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Ok that sounds fun. Make the Shas'El an Aurora, and you will have plenty of firepower for Overwatch too.

[Carrelio]

But which marine squad is it going to be most effective with?  I know a lot about Tau, and I feel pathfinders are a solid choice (especially with a shield'O soaking up wounds for them)... but marines? I feel this is way more broken and cheesy and quite frankly that's just what I need at my local GW.

[InsaneTD]

I'd say either sternguard or Devestators. Or possible scouts loaded with sniper rifles.

[Carrelio]

I've been thinking devs as well... and if they get the flak missile for the missile launchers then definitely devs.

[knightperson]

Sniper rifles you say? What about attaching the Slow And Purposeful Shas'O (which shall henceforth be called the SAP'O, I'm thinking) to a squad of Eldar pathfinders or rangers? Whichever one of those it is that gets the super-duper cover save?

It's sure going to be embarrassing when I call Shenanigans on myself.   

[The Man They Call Jayne]

Hmm, Full squad of Eldar Pathfinders, an Aurora SAP'O and a Farseer with Guide, Doom/Fortune.

Rerollable 2+ Coversaves for the Pathfinders and Rerollable 3+ save for the SAP'O, plus some good weapons for dealing with over watch.

[Carrelio]

Remember that guide and fortune do not work on non-eldar units, only doom.  so that Farseer is not synthesizing as well as he could with the rest of our army... or even that full squad since the battlesuit is in there.  Consider divination powers instead?

I don't know if moving snipers is a good idea.  Their biggest boon is their cover save, which will often leave them isolated in behind some piece of terrain, and thus not requiring much movement.

[KCKitsune]

Can you turn off Slow and Purposeful on the SAP'O?  If so then I know what my new commander is going to be!

[Narric]

The sniper drone team is an intriguing possibility since the commander will give them Slow and Purposeful, and the drone team will give him Stealth and Shrouding.

I was about to point out this wouldn't work, but a last minute check of the ruling of Stealth and Shrouded brilliantly makes this work.

Personall,y this is something I wouldn't do, on the grounds that its clearly chessy, and non-sensical.

For Tau, the only place this sort of loadout would be best for would be Broadsides. And thats it!

Bear in mind, whatever unit you combine with your SAP'O, are going to become Priority targets by your opponent. With that thought, I'd say that Shield Drones (SAP'O) and Shield Generators (Broadsides) would be a must as well. Shield Drones can also be sued Cheesily with the new wound allocation rules.