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Panxer
04-10-2012, 03:55 PM
HQ
Commander Shas'El- Cyclic Ion Blaster, Hard-Wired Multi-Tracker, Iridium Armour, Missile Pod, Shield Generator
XV8 Shas'Vre Bodyguard- Burst Cannon, Hard-Wired Multi-Tracker, Missile Pod, Shield Generator

Commander Shas-El- Fusion Blaster - TL, Hard-Wired Blacksun Filter, Shas'el, Shield Generator, Stimulant Injector

Elites
XV8 'Crisis' Battlesuit Team
Shas'ui- Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Multi-Tracker
Shas'ui- Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Multi-Tracker

XV8 'Crisis' Battlesuit Team
Shas'ui- Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Multi-Tracker
Shas'ui- Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Multi-Tracker


XV8 'Crisis' Battlesuit Team
Shas'ui- Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Multi-Tracker
Shas'ui- Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Multi-Tracker


Troops
Fire Warrior Team 6x Pulse Carbines, 6x Shas'la, EMP Grenades,Shas'ui w/Bonding Knife

12x Kroot, 6x Kroot Hound

Fast Attack
Tetra Scout Speeder -Blacksun Filter, Disruption Pod, Targetting Array
Tetra Scout Speeder, Blacksun Filter, Disruption Pod, Targetting Array


Heavy Support
Hammerhead Gunship- Disruption Pod, Multi-Tracker, Railgun, 2x Seeker Missile, Target Lock, Two Burst Cannons

Hammerhead Gunship- Disruption Pod, Multi-Tracker, Railgun, 2x Seeker Missile, Target Lock, Two Burst Cannons

2x Sniper Drone Team

I've played 99% of every cadre loadout I can think and this is one that has done fairly well for me (and by well, I mean I usually get tabled by turn 4 instead of 3) HQ supports while still having some anti-personnel and anti-vehicle capabilities, elite has anti-vehicle while still being able to handle medium to heavy infantry, Troops are superfluous (with kroot perhaps playing an outflanking assault maneuver), fast attack provides cheap and mobile marker light support (hitting on 3+), and heavy support being mobile while still being able to deal with medium/heavy infantry at range.

ElDuchen
04-13-2012, 04:34 PM
How do you find the fusion blasters? I have always been leery of them due to the short range, except on suicide suits of one or two. I see that you focus your suits as anti-tank, but would a Fireknife config not help out with survivability (longer range) while still being acceptable at light armor? I think this could be fun with suits going all kamikaze-like dropping in and blowing up mech and then being wiped out in turn. Have you thought about using the positional relay at all?

Panxer
04-14-2012, 08:43 PM
I just find that its the most economical and versatile suit load-out for the XV8's.

In my experience with heavy suit lists is that they die, and they die quickly. So I either blob them up and use missiles until they're close enough to open up with meltas (which can handle the heavy armor as well as force a terminator to use the 5+ invul), or I deep strike them to blow up something important to the enemy (which then at that point they are expendable).

Fire knife is a good load out! No argument can counter that. I just find for the points, you get 36" S7 missiles, and a 12" S8 AP1 melta for less points which ultimately shifts the weight out from the railguns, so if they're taken out early you can still do some tank hunting.

If you want to be more role specific and specialize your suits as tank hunters, I'd recommend giving them TL meltas and a target array. Use your tetras or pathfinders to lessen the deepstrike risk, and you have some really effective deepstriking tank poppers.

If I'm fighting necrons or any other army which has a lot of invul saves, high armor, or reanimation protocols (or something like it, FNP etc.) I would recommend missile pods and burst cannons. A team of three with drones puts out 11 S5 AP5 shots (2 of them twin linked and pinning), and 6 S7 AP4 missiles (two of which would be twin linked if you kitted out your team leader with a HW MT opening a spot for the leader to have a TL missile set)

Ultimately? It's up to you and the role you set out for your elites. Tank Hunters, Anti-Infantry, Terminator killers... The only problem is that your list needs to be enemy specific to whom you're fighting to be effective. Which is why making an 'all comers' list for Tau is near impossible.

Panxer
04-14-2012, 09:18 PM
I apologize, I forgot to answer your question with regard to the positional relay...

Yes, I'd say it's a crucial piece of war gear! However, I wouldn't use it to trickle in my deepstriking suits, but rather to keep my troops off of the board until turn 4 (obviously mission dependent).

I've found that deepstriking your suits in with the positional relay can be either very effective or a liability being that one unit of suits can come in on a 2+ per turn, BUT, if anything's been proven with Tau time and time again, is that concentrated fields of fire on critical targets is central and imperative for any cadre to survive past turn 3. So if you're using the PR to trickle in units, I find its best to have all your suits on the board and in position to support, defend, and screen other critical units or objectives necessary for the mission while reserving your fragile troops to keep them out of harm's way for as long as possible.

But in the converse, and definitely more risky (but certainly more fun if it works), is what I like to call the Shadow Spear technique- which is kitting out your suits with anti armor/heavy infantry configurations (either melta or missile or both *plasma if you feel like it), and deciding not to use the PR for a turn or whatever the situation demands and hoping you get lucky and roll for reserves, praying to the dice gods that more than one suit unit (or all of them) get to come in from reserves at one time, deepstrike, and decimate your enemy's rear.

It's a satisfying result when an over zealous enemy (who thinks they are getting a free lunch by taking on the Tau) rushes up to get to grips with you only to find that their rear and flanks (thanks Kroot buddies!) are completely wide open and smoking from melta fire, while kroot rifles and hounds mop up any stragglers along the way.

ElDuchen
04-16-2012, 03:15 PM
Thanks! I've magnetized the weapons on my suits (except for the missile pods, they're just too useful) and I'm trying out different combos. I think I might try the burst/pod option and see how that turns out against termies and the fusions like you suggest!