Keeping Tau Viable

[Panxer]

I respectfully disagree. Tau are the most brokenest army around (save for chaos daemons, but I won't go there)

Further, my experience with XV suits is that if they max out and take drones, they'll lose one and run screaming off of the board, taking their expensive weaponry with them. If they only take two in a unit, if you lose one (you will) they can always attempt to regroup because they are never below half strength, and don't have to buy a bonding knife.

My other experience with stealth suits is that for they points and what they do, I'd rather spend the points on a XV8 suit unit and pour the remainder into a pathfinder squad or sniper drone team. You'd be better off, trust me.

Third and lastly, I am speaking from experience. I PLAY tau almost exclusively, and have tried every option, load-out, and list (save for vespid and skyray because I don't see their benefits when compared to what railheads and kroot do) and I'll say unabashedly and unashamedly that Tau DESPERATELY need a new book. Chaos need a new book, Eldar need a new book, and Tau NEED a new book. Something to put us on par with at least the IG or Necrons.

Just my opinion.

[marandamir]

I respectfully disagree. Tau are the most brokenest army around (save for chaos daemons, but I won't go there)

Further, my experience with XV suits is that if they max out and take drones, they'll lose one and run screaming off of the board, taking their expensive weaponry with them. If they only take two in a unit, if you lose one (you will) they can always attempt to regroup because they are never below half strength, and don't have to buy a bonding knife.

People really hate on the leadership weakness tau have. You can buy around it tho. I'm sure everyone has had a single broadside killed by some scattered str 8 pie plate and watched them fail their crap leadership and walk off the board. That makes people think 'tau leadership sucks'. It does if you leave it at default levels. Instead, get a ethereal and join it to a unit of broadsides with some drones. BAM, fearless. No more walking off the board now. The other units now get rerolls on leadership checks and if you pay for a squad leader they got not so-crappy leadership anymore. Sure the costs add up, but think of the opportunity cost of a 200+ pt broadside team walking off the board, or that firewarrior team camping an objective fleeing in terror to a rhino tank shock on turn 6.

I would agree that tau really need a new dex, but there is a ton of stuff that needs a new codex. Demons are still very viable, just they suck rocks vs meched up armies (which happens to be a 5th ed metagame). 6th ed rules may flip things on it's head and old suck armies now become awesome.

I mean it could be worse.... like sisters of battle.

[Fishboy]

The one thing I'd look at in the arena of "Keeping Tau Viable", is that to really milk as much effectiveness out of them as you can, you have to spend a little time looking at the math behind your list, regardless of what that list consists of.

I just finally got around to seeing Moneyball, and it strikes me that Tau are the Oakland A's of 40K. We're a neglected, small market army. We aren't given the tools we really need to compete with the big boys. Not to have a good chance of winning big tournaments, anyway. The GK and IG are the Yankees and Red Sox, in some order, and so on. So what are we left with? In order to compete, you have to know the math behind your units in order to make sure you're fielding them effectively.

A great example: markerlights. Do you spend three markerlights dropping a cover save completely away, or do you spend one of them boosting a BS3 to a BS4? Or if you have a lot of markerlight hits on a unit, do you distribute them equally to every one of your units that's firing at them, or do you blow as many as possible on really boosting just a couple of units' firing? There's a mathematically correct answer to these questions, and knowing that allows you to play your army more effectively.

But of course, when all is said and done, you're still playing Tau. And when a GK or IG player who has also really learned the math behind their army comes to the table against you, it'll be just like the Red Sox learning the lesson of the Oakland A's, and winning the world series. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't stick to your guns and enjoy the show.

[ElectricPaladin]

I mean it could be worse.... like sisters of battle.

I have my fears that we're headed in that direction, to be honest with you.

Then again, the Blood Angels spent how many codex cycles in White Dwarf before getting a book that put them (however briefly) on the top of the heap?

[marandamir]

I have my fears that we're headed in that direction, to be honest with you.

Then again, the Blood Angels spent how many codex cycles in White Dwarf before getting a book that put them (however briefly) on the top of the heap?

I've read alot of the tau rumors and from what I've heard the new Tau codex is done and it sounded pretty snazzy. GW is a modeling company tho, so they won't release it until they can release it with new shiny kits that go along with it. So it's been put on the back burner for a while as they get ready to push out 6th ed and release stuff they know people adore and will buy (chaos legions, dark angels, etc).

Tau are just the lesser loved kids right now. We'll get an update, just its just down the road a bit. Just know tho that 6th ed WILL update the game overall and who know, maybe tau will be come more viable when it comes out.

[bob10182]

I recently started playing my tau again as well, and I started trying some different things. I paid some points and twin linked the fireknife Hq and bodyguard's missie pods.this combined with the hard wired Multi tracker and two deathrain teams and one fireknife team with the team leader having a twin linked missile pod too has helped me out. Its something different that ive been doing and basically puts eight twin linked missile pods, two regular missile pods, five plasma rifles, and give flamers. I have definitely seen how effective deathrains can be and they are great performers.