Piranha Tactics

[TheWinslow]

I started writing a blog recently to try and get a feel for the new Tau army. Still unsure on whether or not I like Piranha, but I feel like they could be really strong in certain builds:

[url]http://savagesynergy.blogspot.com/2013/04/updated-piranha-tactics.html[/url]

Discussion and comments would be great (on either the Piranha or the blog itself).

[Panxer]

My advice? Cut their wings off, (maybe magnetize them), then convert them into tetras.

[ElectricPaladin]

Yeah, I remain underwhelmed by the piranha. In another of my threads, the best anyone could say about them was that they got cheaper, which makes fielding a horde of the little buggers a valid choice. Rush your opponent with a swarm of suicide piranhas, whittle away at heavy infantry and vehicles with fusion blasters, use the time to redeploy the rest of your forces advantageously. Piranhas remain a paradox: lightly armored (I know they're hardier than land speeders, but they still pretty fragile), easy-to-kill vehicles with relatively short-range weaponry, requiring that they get up in their targets' face. The fact that they are now a cheap - and therefore numerous - paradox doesn't make them worth the opportunity cost of not using those points and that Fast Attack slot for pathfinders, or a flyer, or - as Panxer suggests - tetras.

[MajorWesJanson]

It helps to ignore the fact that they are vehicles when it comes to tactics, and treat them as a bit shorter ranged versions of Marine Attack Bikes.

[Uncle Nutsy]

They're still my go-to unit of cheap seeker missile carrying units. It's always a laugh when I can nail a seeker missile into the back end of a transport that's trying to hide.

I can also see them being quite useful in either a dense terrain an urban type of board.

[juliusb]

2x Piranha + 2x Fusion Blasters + 4x Seekers + 2x Blacksun Filters (why not?)
134pts

Even at BS3, 4x Seekers should hit and damage something light armored on turn 1; at least it's worth, ahem, a shot. Then you've got this cheap, fast unit that can hide out to threaten heavy armor etc.; or just go suicide attack a Land Raider. Or, it can aid the rest of the army to get that last wound off of an MC or Uber-unit.

[Tynskel]

Yeah, I remain underwhelmed by the piranha. In another of my threads, the best anyone could say about them was that they got cheaper, which makes fielding a horde of the little buggers a valid choice. Rush your opponent with a swarm of suicide piranhas, whittle away at heavy infantry and vehicles with fusion blasters, use the time to redeploy the rest of your forces advantageously. Piranhas remain a paradox: lightly armored (I know they're hardier than land speeders, but they still pretty fragile), easy-to-kill vehicles with relatively short-range weaponry, requiring that they get up in their targets' face. The fact that they are now a cheap - and therefore numerous - paradox doesn't make them worth the opportunity cost of not using those points and that Fast Attack slot for pathfinders, or a flyer, or - as Panxer suggests - tetras.

Not only are they cheaper, but they have more firepower. Win Win.

[ElectricPaladin]

Not only are they cheaper, but they have more firepower. Win Win.

More firepower how? Slightly longer range on the fusion blaster?

[Houghten]

That, and an extra shot on the burst cannon.

[Tynskel]

More firepower how? Slightly longer range on the fusion blaster?

Extra shot on the burst cannon, extra range on the fusion gun, and an extra shot per gun drone (+2).