Tau Rumor Roundup Mk-2

[atlas_garon]

this resource can only target one unit at a time with them being in FA you can only attack effectively 3 at a time while losing out on everything else in FA on top of that they have **** armor that ANY basic troop can shoot through. making this army and AP4 fest was pointless in the long term so we can kill anything not power armor insanely quick and with tons of shots .... that was never hard even before all the AP4 now its just crazy how fast we can now kill none power armor. without pathfiders are troops things will be worse having to spend as much if not more to give your pathfinders enough to live to be used more than once.

with more shots great! i like that makes it easyer to trim marines down with plasma no complaint there is what we lose for what we gain. Broadsides no longer are the end all against tanks, they also are no longer jump infantry so no more mobile shooting with them unless you spend their 1 upgrade on it assuming its still an option. over costed under armored flyers our bomber is just a 5 5 blast template not great consodering a good rapidfire has a chance to bring it down. the fighter has a chance to be good IF seekers do not need makers to fire anymore so we become a one pump chump army either seekers hit and we live to spray you down or they dont and we die speeding way to many points.

crisis being cheaper and getting MT is a hugh boost ONLY IF the weapons either got cheaper or stayed the same once again battle suits FTW

riptide - underwhelmed best way to put it great gun wont live long enough to use it most imp faction will just take more Laz and grind you down.

over all more volume less mobility the over all point reductions to what people use in their lists will be what helps people more than anything in the long run heres for HOPING everyone was wrong and pathfinders are troops! either way MORE BATTLESUITS!!!

[apahllo]

I really disagree with you here. It's a moot point, since it isn't like GW is listening to us, and even if they were, it's a bit late. My theory - substantiated only by my observations of the codex - is that the Tau are designed as a shooty army that is bad at shooting because of the advantage presented by markerlights.

Imagine an army that works like this:

Most models have abysmal leadership. However, you've got this set of special independent characters that you can move around in different units. Each one effects the leadership of its unit in different ways, as well as granting other, smaller ancillary benefits. So, you've got this extra layer to the game: how do you arrange your special characters? Do you put them all into one unit so it's got killer Ld and lots advantages? Do you spread them around to make your entire army reliable? Unlike most armies, your army is bad at something it needs to do - hold objectives, pass pinning checks, not get run down after losing a single guy in close combat - but also unlike most armies, you have the potential to make a few of your squads totally awesome at those things, plus some other advantages.

The Tau work like that. They're kind of mediocre at what they're supposed to be good at (shooting), but they have a special benefit - which they have to spend like a resource, turn by turn - that can make them average, or even really good at shooting.

The trouble is, if you make the special benefit too hard to come by - too expensive, too hard to use, too inflexible - the whole gimped-but-awesome thing turns into just gimped. And that's where the Tau have been for years, because markerlights don't work as designed.

Wether gw listens to us is irrelevant because a game without balance isn't fun or even competitive. (The game is about winning, not at all costs but its still about achieving victory)A units balance or usefulness comes and goes with the meta of your opponents. If you only play with a few friends or pick up games the competition isn't going to be fierce so balance barely comes into play..

Wether or not you choose to take certain units is up to you but you must also understand them to realize their potential. If someone is trying to focus on objective holding with tau, then they have much bigger problems then worrying about moving and shooting a laser targeting system, while on foot... I'd bet even spacemarines would have trouble with that one.

Markerlights are not a reason tau are not bad at shooting nor are they bad at shooting to begin with. This comment you made, has me scratching my head... Best guns in the game, and ways to get whatever guns you want where you want. They only armies that compare are IG, thanks to the leman Russ and mildly underpriced gunship/transport.

I do believe the tau are out of date and many things should be improved upon and spread out through the codex. This were I think we agree, but we disagree on how this needs to be done. They do have trouble at holding objectives because the missions have put them out of favor on board control due to their lack of cc (kroot fix please!*). This is where point of balance is best brought to light. Things can become very quickly unbalanced by simply improving something. in my opinion many changes are needed to fix holes in a codex, not just a few buffs here and there.

[Tynskel]

I think there is a misinterpretation of how the codex works.

Tau are excellent at Close Quarters Shooting. They are horrible at Close Combat.
The philosophy of the changes have shown this:

Supporting Fire is specifically designed to reduce the chances of ending up in Close Combat.
Marker Lights dramatically increase you destructive potential.
The Riptide's Nova Reactor double fire is impressive on the offensive end, and on the supporting fire end (the Nova Reactor ability lasts until the beginning of the next round).


I see formations for the Tau being very important. For example: wedges where there is a front line unit (either suits or Firewarriors) that have a row of high powered units behind them to lay supporting fire.

[Uncle Nutsy]

Broadsides are called Apocalipsis in spanish.

I know.

So instead of crisis, broadside, riptide, I'm going with Crisis, Apocalypse, Cataclysm. To me, it makes more sense.

[ElectricPaladin]

Let's talk about the Tau rules that just got posted on the BoLS front page:

Fire Burst: If the unit doesn't move in the movement phase they can fire an extra shot with their induction rifles and carbines in the next shooting phase.

This sounds like a fun rule for fans of the static Tau gunline. Not my usual strategy, but I see the appeal.

Hammerhead Ace: Sha'ng's Hammerhead has BS5. He dies if the Hammerhead is destroyed but doesn't give extra victory points.

Just... wow. Definitely a special character worth investing in.

Adquired Target: Markerlight don't cause wounds and there are no saves against them. Place a token close to the unit for each hit. Before any unit shoots, if the target has any token you can spend them to gain the following abilities. A Unit can't use the tokens of their own markerlights:
- Precise +1BS for each spent token (can spend several)
- Strafe (Cost 2 tokens) The shots gain Ignore Cover rule
- Seeker Shoot a seeker missile for each spent token.

I agree with the original poster. This is a very simple, straightforward system. Three markerlight hits mean BS 4 and no cover save. Use an ion weapon, and crowds of MEQs will simple evaporate.

High Speed Deployment: Can disembark during movement even if Swooping. A Solarshark that moves before their drones disembark can still move immediately.

Very interesting.

Defender of the Greater Good: The Stealth Shas'ui and Shas'vre of O'Shaserra unit gain Oathbound Protector (all Look out Sir rolls for a independent character joined to a unit with this rule automatically succeed)

Not super-useful - I haven't seen a lot of failed Look Out Sir rolls - but flavorful.

Failure is not an option: All Tau units with a miniature withing 12 use the Ethereal's leadership for Fear, Morale, Pinning and Regroup checks. Killing the Ethereal gives an extra victory point.

This makes Ethereals a little more useful. A 12'' bubble of Ld 10? That's nice.

Infantry Warrior: Can only join Firewarrior or Pathfinder units.

This is probably the cadre fireblade, for those static gunlines I was talking about.

Great Invocation: Aun'Va can invoke two elemental powers per turn.

Well, this will depend on what the elemental powers are...

Invoke the Elements:
At the beginning of the Movement Phase, choose one of the four elemental powers. The ethereal and all non-vehicle friendly Tau Empire units gain that power until the next movement phase of the Ethereal. The power ends if the Ethereal dies:
-Calm tide: Stubborn.
- Firestorm: All induction weapons get an extra shot against targets closer than half their range. Doesn't affect induction bombs.
- Stone Toughness: Feel no Pain (6+)
- Zephyr's Grace: Can make snapshots after running.

Sweet. Mother. Of lizards.

I now see the point of Ethereals.

I mean, this isn't game-breaking, no, but it makes Ethereals useful. At the very least, they now make a great secondary HQ for larger games - who wouldn't love to add these powers to nearly any list? It's worth it for Calm Tide and Firestorm alone.

Supreme Loyalty: As long as Aun'Va is alive, all friendly Tau Empire units can reroll any Fear, Morale, Pinning and Regrouping failed tests.

Ok... I see the point.

Blade Master: In a challenge, Aun'Shi must choose an style each turn before any rolls are made: - Patient Blade: reroll any missed saves, - Lethal Blade: Rending

Hey! Aun'Shi is back!

Afterburners: Can use Turbo Boost as if it was a jetbike.

It all depends on which model this is on.

Oathbound Protector: all Look out Sir rolls for a independent character joined to a unit with this rule automatically succeed

Probably this is the Ethereal honor guard.

Nova Reactor: Declare your use of the Nova Reactor at the beginning of each movement phase. If you use it, roll a die. 1-2 the Riptide suffers a wound without saves. On 3+ you gain one of the following benefits (your choice) until the next movement phase:
-Nova Shield: Invulnerable save 3+
-Propulsor: Can move 4d6
-Chain fire: Can fire the twin-linked fusion blaster, twin-linked plasma rifle or twin-linked missiles twice
-Nova charge: Can use the nova charge profile of its weapons.

I am so happy that I'm getting a riptide on Friday. So... freaking... happy! Seriously. I don't care if this is the most powerful rule in the world... it just seems like so much damned fun!

Tactical Fall-Back: Shi'Vre and his unit can consolidate after firing Overwatch.

Wait, does this mean that you can Overwatch, and then... jump back out of charge range? I mean, the dice will have to work out just so, but if they do...

Drone Turret: Recon Drones embark on a Devilfish as a passenger but they don't count for the transport capacity.

So pathfinders now have neat synergy with devilfishes. Is the transport still mandatory, do you think?

[Mr Mystery]

I know.

So instead of crisis, broadside, riptide, I'm going with Crisis, Apocalypse, Cataclysm. To me, it makes more sense.

So does that mean a Titan class would be an 'Oh Bugger' suit?

[Mkvenner]

Wait, does this mean that you can Overwatch, and then... jump back out of charge range? I mean, the dice will have to work out just so, but if they do...

So pathfinders now have neat synergy with devilfishes. Is the transport still mandatory, do you think?

That's Darkstrider's rule that allows his unit to consolidate D6" after Overwatch. So it's only one unit that can really benefit from it. The Devilfish is also not mandatory on Pathfinders and they have some really neat drones.

With the buff to the Pulse Carbine and the new Pulse Accelerator Drone, I can see Pathfinders being used more often. Maybe even Carbines on Firewarriors if you plan on being mobile.

[Uncle Nutsy]

So does that mean a Titan class would be an 'Oh Bugger' suit?

that would be the Obliteration.

[Nymeria]

For you, I have seenhere is the Tau table reference, in spanish language, [URL="http://www.laposadadelfriki.com"]www.laposadadelfriki.com[/URL]

Bye.

[Mr Mystery]

I wonder if Pulse Carbines have lost pinning? The extra shot is cool, but if they still cause Pinning, that's just nasty!

Starting to wish I hadn't flogged my Tau off all those years ago