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babychaos
02-08-2010, 04:27 PM
Hi everyone

I've recently come back into 40K after a prolonged absence (about 15 years!...Space Hulk sucked me back in)

I randomly picked Tau as a force to collect (wanted to do something new), spent the British wintry months painting them, and recently joined a local gaming club. I now discover that I'm getting battered every which way, and I'm really struggling to come up with a list that is competitive against anyone :-( Recent weeks have seen me dragged over the coals by Tyranids, Orks, IG, Space Marines and Black Templar... generally I start off well in turns 1 and 2, then get swarmed, assaulted and over-whelmed.

I'm playing Eldar this Thursday, and I'm desperate to at least put up a challenge. I'll post up my (current) planned army-list, and a list of the models I have. Any suggestions on the army list, or tactics to avoid being ripped to shreds would be very much appreciated!

Current List
HQ - Shas'el
Twin-Linked Missile Pods
Air Bursting Fragmenter
Hard-wired Multi-Tracker

Elite - 3 Crisis Suits
Missile Pods
Plasma Rifles
Multi-Tracker

Elite - 6 Stealth Suits
Burst Cannon

Elite - 3 Crisis Suits
Twin-Linked Flamer
Blacksun Filter

Troop - 8 Fire Warriors w/ Pulse Rifles

Troop - 8 Fire Warriors w/ Pulse Rifles

Troop - 8 Fire Warriors w/ Pulse Rifles

Transports - 3 Devilfish
Multi-Tracker
Targetting Array
Smart Missile Systems
Disruption Pod

Heavy - 2 Hammerheads
Railgun
Multi-Tracker
Burst Cannons
Disruption Pod

Models I have painted and ready to go;


Commander battlesuit - Airburster + Twin-Linked Missile Pods
Commander battlesuit - Cyclic Ion cannon + Burst Cannon
3 Crisis Suits - Fusion Blaster + Plasma Rifle (Missile Pods on shoulder)
3 Crisis Suits - Plasma Rifle + Missile Pod
3 Crisis Suits - Burst Cannon + Missile Pod
3 Crisis Suits - Twin-Linked Flamers (Missile Pods on shoulder)
8 Stealth Suits (6 w/Burst Cannon, 2 w/Fusion Blaster)
36 Fire Warriors w/Pulse Rifles (marked up into 3 different squads)
20 Kroot
8 Path Finders
3 Devilfish (with option of 2 SMS systems...need to make up a third set!)
2 Hammerheads (both with Railgun Option, 1 with Ion Cannon option, both with Burst Cannon Option)
3 Broadsides
8 Gun Drones (mainly to fill out vehicles)
4 Shield Drones
2 Markerlight Drones


Next to paint I have 2 Piranhas, and 4 more Gun Drones. The Piranhas have Burst Cannon and Fusion Blaster options. I painted up the second Hammerhead to fill the heavy-weapons gap to some extent, and to give me a bit more "run away" choices...

I have dropped the Broadsides and Pathfinders from the list as in the last few battles they have not made their points back by a long distance, and tend to be a target for the enemies fast combat troops. My best performing unit to date is surprisingly the Twin-Linked Flamer Crisis squad, whom I deep-strike in to counter opposing fast assault troops (they tend to be 1-hit wonders, but have cooked an Ork Stormtrooper squad, and a rather energetic pack of genestealers. With blacksun filters I can get all 3 for 102 points). The Kroot I've tried as a counter-assault force, a flanking force, and a speed-bump, but in all circumstances they have been fairly efficiently removed without doing any damage (typically they do one morale check and run away, or get butchered in a single round of combat), so they are currently rested as well... I tend to end up with just the tanks left (hence why I'm ending up with more and more of them...)

The Stealth Suits are in there because they haven't had an outing yet, and even though I'm not sure what role they will play, I know I need to keep trying different ideas, to try and get a core of an army that works!

Fizyx
02-08-2010, 06:24 PM
I happen to love the TL Flamer/ Missile Pod combo a lot as well, especially against Eldar.

In other news, for 1500 points I would definitely suggest at least one more S10. Even just a single broadside could help. In addition, you have very little ability to take out enemy mech. TL Missile Pod w/ TA suits are extremely adept at taking out light armor and double as anti-infantry at 36" range.

I am not a fan of stealth suits. I have tried them in many ways and never, ever had good luck with them.

Tau is an Army that demands two things above all else: patience and practice. It was weird, I didn't think Tau was any good, but then I just started... winning. I didn't think I was doing anything different, but I must have and after a good look at what I was doing right, I started noticing what I was doing different.

Couple things to help you out:

Pathfinders are definitely worth it. I would suggest learning to use them. Many of the most effecttive Tau weapons (Plasma Rifles, Missile Pods) have low shot volume. At BS3 this isn't terribly effective. Pathfinders could mean the difference between popping transports turn 1 instead of Turn 2, and between your Plasma Rifle/Fusion Blaster suits destroying five Terminators or two (three of these suits readily does this with Marker Light support.)

Learn to prioritize your targets. Take out the most immediate threats first, then work your way down. Transports first, usually, then on to long range heavies, then scoring units and any other infantry that is making its way towards you. Furthermore, manage your weapon fire. Fire your missile pods and transport first; that way you can direct your S10 at them if you didn't get them with your Missile Pods.

Kroot. I bring them to EVERY game. I will either outflank with them for 3 S4 attacks each on the charge or scout them up, leaving at least half of them in cover for a fabulous buffer zone with a great cover save.

Finally, make a plan and stick to it. If you need three turns to get your Devilfish across the field to score an objective, you better get it started on turn 3, and don't start before then. Protect your scoring units at all cost.

Shas'O D'Narb
02-08-2010, 10:45 PM
Perhaps more than anything else, the one thing that stuck out about your current army is the lack of skirmishers. To me, this refers to units whose primary role isn't killing, but engaging with the goal of distracting or delaying the enemy.

Very often in a Tau army, this means employing Piranhas, which you don't currently use. As it is now, perhaps the Devilfish in your army attempt to perform in this role. Ultimately, I think you'll find that using a dedicated skirmisher unit is the way to go, however. Interestingly, using Piranhas in this fashion takes pressure off Kroot when they're also skirmishing, and using them might be worth reassessment.

If you end up running dedicated skirmishers, I would reconsider the necessity of running twin-flamer suits, perhaps replacing them with more FireKnives, which would benefit from having said skirmishers on the table. After all, the skirmishers are pointless for Tau unless they're screening some heavy firepower. Doing this might let you reinsert the Broadsides and try them out again too.

Lerra
02-09-2010, 12:21 AM
Tau have probably the highest learning curve in the game, so don't get too bothered by early losses. Things will pick up as you master the army.

I second the suggestion for pathfinders, though. They are tough to use (and quick to die if your opponent knows Tau at all) but they are a staple of the army. It wouldn't cost much to add them to the army considering the 3 devilfish already in the list.

babychaos
02-09-2010, 02:25 AM
Thanks for all the initial feedback. I'm picking up that pathfinders need to go back in :-)

What sort of size squad would you recommend? I'm previously gone with 6-8, and their main use has been supporting the broadsides in turn 1/2 taking out enemy transports (the phase of the game where I do well...I have a 100% kill rate against Land Raiders in turn 1), looking for 3+ markerlights to negate any cover saves from smoke launchers or buildings. For improving BS of units is a smaller unit better? I have the option of making 2 units of 4, however that seems to just be giving Kill Points away freely.

Does the following sound sensible? Reduce the fire warrior squads to 6-men each, and with the 60 points bring in 5 pathfinders? One of the Devilfish can be re-purposed as their transport...

I shall start work on the piranhas this week. I've been reticent about using them as again they hand out easy kill points (due to the drone issue, and no ability to swap them for SMS Launchers). Would you recommend Burst Cannons or Fusion Blasters?

I do happen to know that the Eldar player doesn't have much in the way of vehicles (though he does have an Avatar and a Wraithlord, as well as some jetbikes), hence why I felt this would be a good game to go without the broadsides. I'm hoping that having a pretty mobile army should mean he has trouble working out where to attack...

Shas'O D'Narb
02-09-2010, 02:42 AM
Does the following sound sensible? Reduce the fire warrior squads to 6-men each, and with the 60 points bring in 5 pathfinders? One of the Devilfish can be re-purposed as their transport...
Sounds sound. That marker beacon for the deepstriking reroll will be handy with your twin flamer suits too.


...piranhas... would you recommend Burst Cannons or Fusion Blasters?
What I think Piranhas are most useful for is blocking enemy vehicles and attracting their fire, forcing the opponent to deal with them before they fire upon your actual firepower units. They also draw fire away from the Kroot who may be trying to do the same thing against enemy infantry.

Anyway, to this end, I think fusion blasters are mandatory. What you might also find useful, particularly if you were to run them in a squadron, is to detach their drones early and use them as mobile cover for your suits. In a pinch, they can also serve as secondary speedbumps too.

gcsmith
02-10-2010, 04:11 PM
I played tau for ages and have recently given up until a new dex, nids for now, Tau were my 1st 40k army but until they can shoot like they should and have points costs similar to other armies, as well as viable troop and FA options Point for point i cant bring myself to play, as i dnt have enough money for the 12 BS i need

Oz56
02-11-2010, 06:50 PM
i am also new at tau so this is what i have

2 crisis suits (both commanders with all weapons able to be magnetized. Only one has the commander head though so the other could be used as just another suit)

3 stealth suits

1 devil fish

24 fire warriors

12 kroot + shaper

and I have to build a hammerhead and 2 more crisis suits.

I am planning to get a full squad of pathfinders 3 with rail rifles ( I have my reasons)
and 2 broadside suits

its a start to an army