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New to Tau Empire...any recomendations?

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New to Tau Empire...any recomendations?

Postby wardy » Mon Jun 09, 2008 2:48 pm

Just starting out with tau empire and I was wondering what people recomend taking and how to use the stuff in the codex. Ive played before but only with a noise marines army which is vastly different from anything tau can field. Cheers in advance.
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Postby Culven » Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:27 pm

I have found Tau to be a combined arms force, with each unit having a role at which it excels. For this reason, I take a little of everything. I prefer a unit of Pathfinders, 2+ units of Firewarriors in Devilfish, a commander with CIB and Plasma Rifle, a Railhead, and some Crisis suits. The exact mix depends upon the points level of the game. I also have some other units which I will add in to fill points or for my own personal amusement.

What point level are you building toward, and do you want a static, highly mobile, or mixed army?
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Postby wardy » Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:19 pm

well reading the codex and all the rules for assorted long ranged nastiness, im thinking something fairly mixed like you say. fire warriors and pathfinders seem the priority for making up the best part of my forces with crisis suits backing them. i was also looking at broadsides as they seem the best way to deal with tanks within a reasonable points limit.

1000 points is what im aiming for initially with no real boundry i'm going to stop at.

im agreeing with the commander with CIB and plasma....7 shots at BS 5 isnt something that happens very often!
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Postby Culven » Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:29 pm

For 1000 points, I would look at 2 units of Firewarriors with 2 Gun Drones each(for extra wounds), a unit of Pathfinders, a team of 3 Fireknife Crisis Suits (Plasma Rifle, Missle Pod, and Multitracker), and a Hammerhead. I prefer the Hammerhead with Railgun for its maneuverability and the Large Blast submunition. I find Broadsides to be too static to hunt down the tanks the enemy is trying to hide, and they aren't very good at anti-infantry. They tend to be more area-denial, useful for protecting an objective. A Hammerhead with Railgun, Burst Cannons, Target Lock and Multitracker is only 165 points, and can make thm back by killing one enemy tank. I also always give my Pathfinders two Gun Drones or Shield Drones and all Firewarrior and Pathfinder teams have Bonding Knives.

For the Commander, I have found that the CIB/Plasma Rifle/Multitracker setup makes killing Terminators much easier. Most of his shots will hit, and while only 1/3 of those from the CIB will wound, 1/6 of the hits will turn into AP1 wounds. This means that the Commander will normally wound 2-3 Marines each time he shoots with 1-3 of them ignoring Armour Saves.
Last edited by Culven on Mon Jun 09, 2008 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby wardy » Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:04 pm

Well heres something I could make pretty soon with another box of fire warriors and that hammerhead. I also have a few stealth suits but I didnt think I'd include them in a list just yet as I'm only aiming for 1000 points so far.

Code: Select all
Shas’O - CIB, plasma rifle, multi tracker. 115

3 Shas’Ui – plasma rifles, missile pods, multi trackers. 186

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, H/W drone controller, 2 gun drones. 155

11 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, H/W drone controller, 2 gun drones. 145

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, devilfish, disruption pod. 220

Hammerhead – Railgun, smart missile system, disruption pod, target lock, multi-tracker. 175

Total - 996


I'd consider this list to be fairly maneuverable for a Tau army but it might be lacking slightly when it comes to staying power. I don't think it would be too hard to do damage to this army from a distance. Is that not as serious as i'm making out? or is there another way around it?
Last edited by wardy on Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Culven » Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:34 pm

I suggest that you make the 11-man unit 12 with only one Gun Drone. Fire Warriors are better than Drones. Check the points for your vehicles, I think you missed the points for the Disruption Pod on the Hammerhead. Personally, I think it is a waste of points. I just keep my Hammerheads moving for the same effect at no points. You could use the extra points from the Hammer head and Devilfish Disruption Pods for Markerlights on the two foot-slogging Firewarrior units. You may even be able to squeeze in an EMP Grenade from the Armoury for the mounted Firewarrior Team Leader.
Last edited by Culven on Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby wardy » Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:33 pm

So here's the reworked list according to your advice.

Code: Select all
Shas’O - CIB, plasma rifle, multi tracker. 115

3 Shas’Ui – plasma rifles, missile pods, multi trackers. 186

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, markerlight, H/W drone controller, 2 gun drones. 165

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, markerlight. 145

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui with emp grenades, bonding knife, devilfish. 218

Hammerhead – Railgun, smart missile system, target lock, multi-tracker. 170

Total - 999


The hammerhead points cost is correct. 90 for the tank, 50 for he railgun, 20 for the SMS, 5 for the target lock and 5 for the multi-tracker. ive taken off both drones from the second squad to make space for 2 markerlights. It was then between the EMP grenades and a blacksun filter for my commander but the EMPs seem more usefull. I'll have to give this a bit of testing and see how i do. staying power is still a concern but as this army looks pretty destructive I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
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Postby Culven » Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:52 pm

I thought that the vehicle Multitracker (or Target Lock) was 10 points. :?
Last edited by Culven on Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby wardy » Tue Jun 10, 2008 10:15 pm

You're right, the multi-tracker is 10 points. Well I think both of those are worth their points so 5 points can be spared by dropping the bonding knife from one of the squads. Probably the one with the gun drones seeing as they will be less likely to drop below half strength anyway.
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Postby Culven » Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:30 pm

I advise you to not drop the Bonding Knife. I can't tell you how many times that cheap upgrade has helped. It is well worth it. I also agree that the Target Lock and Multitracker are must-haves for the Hammerhead.

Try making the Shas'O a Shas'El with a Targeting Array. I believe that saves at least 5 points. The disadvantage being one less wound. Otherwise, you could use Burst Cannons on the Hammerhead instead. I have found the 6 shots to be just as useful as the 4 from the SMS. Sometimes more so since they can target different units.
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Postby wardy » Tue Jun 17, 2008 6:48 pm

Code: Select all
Shas’El - CIB, plasma rifle, targetting array, H/W multi tracker. 100

3 Shas’Ui – plasma rifles, missile pods, multi trackers. 186

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, markerlight, H/W drone controller, 2 gun drones. 165

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui, bonding knife, markerlight. 145

12 fire warriors – Shas’Ui with emp grenades, bonding knife, devilfish. 218

Hammerhead – Railgun, smart missile system, target lock, multi-tracker. 175

Total - 989


Yeah, making the commander a Shas'El saves 15 points so, correcting the miscalculation on the hammerhead, that still gives me 10 points to play with. A markerlight in the squad 3 could be an option or a gun drone on squad 2. Another thing im thinking about is splitting the crisis suits into smaller squads for more maneuverability. Although that way its a bit of a worry that they'le get picked off too easily whereas the way I have it I rekon they might attract too much fire and last next to no time at all. What do you think with regards to that?
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Postby Culven » Tue Jun 17, 2008 8:43 pm

Separating the suits could increase their survivablity since a unit may only shoot at one target a turn. So, instead of an enemy unit being able to hit and wound all three suits, they would only be able to hit and wound one.

I wouldn't bother with a Markerlight on a Devilfish mounted unit. Use the points for a Gun Drone to help the infantry unit to survive a little longer.
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Postby Dezartfox » Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:45 pm

Maybe have the suits with a twin missile pod and a targeting array, brilliant tank and infantry hunters :D

I play Tau mostly :)
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Postby wardy » Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:03 pm

Naaa I'm too much of a fan of the plasma rifle. Admittedly a targetting array would be worth its points especially if the guns are twin linked. But thats still only 2 shots a turn which is what id be hitting on average anyway with the Fireknife suit. Overall i think 4 XV8s wondering round seperately harassing marines and other heavy nastiness is much more needed than more troop/tank killers.
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