Tau Ethereal

[spydertau]

I use an Ethereal quite a bit. Initially, like most of the posts it was a detrement because my opponent would go after him, everytime and everytime my army would fold because of it. Until, I planned for it.

When you put an Ethereal on the table, his a big target. It's almost asking your opponent, please kill this 1 model so my whole army can flee or get prefered enemy ... Nothing more frightining then Tau Firewarriors in combat...

When I say plan for it, I mean use your Ethereal as bait. Lure your oponent into attacking him. Put him in a squad on your left flank, away from any objectives or away from the majority of your force so that any unit going after him, is effectivly out of the game.

or Put a unit of Kroot in reserve , have them come in near the Ethereal for counter attacking purposes.

Generally, I like the combo of an Ethereal in a unit of Firewarriors with a Devilfish and Shadowsun. Any unit within 18 inches of Shadowsun's drone is LDR 10 and if in LOS of the Ethereal, re-rollable. Create a deathtrap of overwhelming firepower so that anything attempting to get near the Etheral is dust by the time it get's there and if it does, that's what the Devilfish is for.

[marandamir]

The blue HQ is weak sauce but his morale boost is a huge factor. You can protect him fairly easily as well. Take a broadside team with multi-trackers and plasma rifles, then snag an team leader with 2 shield drones. Then park a stock ethereal in with that unit and bubble wrap it with some infantry like pathfinders.

You got plenty of durability and protection. Drones and Broadsides got 2+ saves with 4+ saves via invuln on the drones or cover from shooting through the pathfinder unit. The pathfinder unit blocks any alpha strike attacks against the broadside unit as well. Any unit that comes calling is then looking at 3 railguns and rapid fire plasma rifle shots from the broadsides, and the ethereal can run out the back door to join up on another team if the danger is too high. Plus you get rerolls on your army morale while the blue hq is alive. Not bad for the points.

[Panxer]

I do something very similar most times if I field him. Typically, I equip him with an honor blade, (if I'm feeling like it) EMP grenades, and a drone controller with 2 shield drones. With all that kit, he's still only 90 points.

I then stick him in with a broadside unit with plasma rifles and shield generators (if they take drones, they typically lose one and run off the board, so with SG's and an Ethereal, they're fearless), in front of that I either take kroot or pathfinders and blaze away for the +1 BS skill.

So you get a fearless unit with 2 shield drones, and 2 wounds, accompanied by 2 wounds (ea) with 2+ armor and 4+ invuls with twin linked big sticks, behind a buffer, and you'll at least make it to turn 3 before I'm wiped out.

[Skari]

I can see the benefit. But you would have to play it very well to make the most out of it. Some of the posts have highlighted this:
- Using him as bait.
- Broadsides as the squad he sits with (all benefits for less risk, can stay away and still be effective.
- An exit strategy (devilfish).

Now, its very important to remember that the game is 5-7 turns. And his death at the very end of turn 7, making your units flee off objectives, could mean the game.

Make sure you have units that can bubble wrap his unit. Kroot make great screening units. 2 units of 10 as standard to screen, and they infiltrate, so the enemy don't have to know where the screen is until later. This protects from HI vanguard... and very fast charges. And then you hope the kroot die and you better have enough firepower to wipe out the threat before your ethereal gets annihlated.

And, yes he is cheap. If you can fit him in while fitting the caveat of 1 suit per 100pts then go ahead!