[Tyconderoga]

G'day comrades. I've been a silent observer of these forums for quite some time. You guys really seem to know your stuff.

I've come up with this list and it has really been serving me well; however I do think that if there are improvements/faults this would be the place to have them pointed out.

I would welcome your criticism. Thanks in advance.

Just a few little side notes:

1. I play a pure Tau army ( No kroot in any way shape or form for better of for worse)

2. I take my Broadsides unit with every list regardless of totals. They're my goodluck charm and I really like the models to boot





1500 Tournament List :1500

HQ

[Shas’El]

Bladestorm + Shield Gen
HW Multi-Tracker

[Command Bodyguard] x2

Helios + Shield Gen
HW Multi-Tracker

Helios + Shield Gen
HW Multi-Tracker

ELITES

[Crisis Battlesuits] x3

Fireknife +Shield Gen
Firestorm +Shield Gen
Firestorm +Shield Gen

[Crisis Battlesuits] x3

Fireknife +Shield Gen
Firestorm +Shield Gen
Firestorm +Shield Gen

TROOPS

[Fire Warriors] x6

Shas’ui w/ Markerlight
3 Pulse Carbine
3 Pulse Rifle

[Fire Warriors] x6

Shas’ui w/ Markerlight
3 Pulse Carbine
3 Pulse Rifle

HEAVY SUPPORT

[Broadside Battlesuits] x3

Team Leader
TL Rail, SMS
Shield Drones x2
HW Target Lock

Broadside 2
TL Rail, SMS
Shield Drones x2

Broadside 2
TL Rail, SMS
Shield Drones x2

[Hammerhead Gunship]

Ion Cannon
Burst Cannons x2
Multi-Tracker

[Hammerhead Gunship]

Railgun
Burst Cannons x2
Multi-tracker

Unit Count: 26
Point Total: 1500 (on the nose)
Opponents faced: Witch Hunters, Ultramarines, Deathguard, Tyranid, Eldar, IG
Current list Record: 6-2-2

[Vash113]

Hmm, interesting. It is rare to see anyone taking bodyguards with a shas'el or o as that takes away their IC status. Try a few games without the bodyguards and see how the IC serves you.

As a personal oppinion I think your list is fairly unbalanced. The pulse carbine in the Firewarrior squads really is not very effective in 4th edition as it was in 3rd, especially in such small squads. I would suggest you bulk up your Firewarriors and try a mounted one to see how you like that. Cut down on the carbines aswell, 30" is a beautiful thing, try using it some more and see how it goes. I take it the carbines are there because you move those squads around. Try parking them as a firebase around your broadsides.

Also you are spending an extreme amount of points on shield gennerators. 180 points if Ive done my math correctly. I know they can be a very handy thing to have around but it is a lot of points to equip so many crisis suits with them. Those points could buy you a full Firewarrior squad and then some.

It would be interesting to hear what your tactics are with this army as clearly you have a good win ratio. Mine at the moment is 57%, yours is a solid 60%, not taking into acount ties which are not bad.

[Tyconderoga]

Thank you for you comments Vash113.

As a personal oppinion I think your list is fairly unbalanced. The pulse carbine in the Firewarrior squads really is not very effective in 4th edition as it was in 3rd, especially in such small squads.

The reasoning behind the carbine in such numbers in just that perhaps the dice gods seem to favour me. In past games I've managed two or so wounds and (mostly do to disfavour of my opponents with dice gods) I've managed to pin some very potent squads (Eldar Striker Scorpions squad and Warp Spider squad in the same turn ).

I usually tend to park those firewarrior squads in terrain features and leave them there until threatened, allowing the shas'ui to paint for some of the heavy hitters ans taking potshots at light vehicles. The size of the squad ensure that I can usually fit them in even a small piece of terrain right from deployment.

Hmm, interesting. It is rare to see anyone taking bodyguards with a shas'el or o as that takes away their IC status. Try a few games without the bodyguards and see how the IC serves you.

You may be unto something with this, I am usually paranoid with leaving a Shas'el/O alone, but I've been thinking about the drone squadron approach recently. The unit with bodyguards is quite expensive. I usually deepstrike them to cause rear line chaos or reinforce my own lines y (ie dropping down near a squad of marines/termies and just ruining their day or support vehicle hunting)

Also you are spending an extreme amount of points on shield gennerators

.

This is very true. It is very expensive indeed. My reasoning for this is two fold:

1. When I first starting playing Tau I was usually up against SM CSM and IG. There tended to be alot of lascannons and missile launchers pointing at me and I found were often just getting picked off too easily (also my own fault for not using cover effectively). I became paranoid about things being able to instant kill my precious crisis suits and shield gens became standard issue.

2. Part of the reason for the shield generators is a little fluff around my army. As the Tau value each soldier and abhor wasting lives needlessly my little cadre wishes to give each shas the best chance for survival possible. The firewarriors will fight from covered positions when possible. The battlesuits which will be exposed to enemy fire to have the best protection available as they are high profile targets in the fields, hence the shields.

Maybe when I get a bit better with using combat maneuvers and terrain usage I can leave the shield generators behind.

It would be interesting to hear what your tactics are with this army as clearly you have a good win ratio. Mine at the moment is 57%, yours is a solid 60%, not taking into acount ties which are not bad.

I do not really have any standard tactic per say when I take to the field. I take a more reactionary approach based on the army I'm up against.

As the my win/loss/tie percentage with this list, I think I've just been lucky and my opponents unlucky and/or made bad mistakes. Like I said the dice Gods seemed to be favouring me at the moment, that may run out soon.


Thanks again for the advice, I may try a few mounted FW squads in my next list.

-Cheers

[Vash113]

No problem. I would suggest buying a devilfish squad box. Only 2 (or 3 if you turn the turret guy into another firewarrior) more than your static squads, adding a little more bulk to your infantry and giving you the devilfish you need to try out a mobile squad.

Also if you are using the Firewarriors to sit back then I would really suggest cutting back on the carbines and investing in some drones. They are in my experience better at pinning and at close range the rapid fire helps more than the pinning and slightly extended range.

I know what you mean with the shield gennerators. I hate battle cannons smashing my suits from long range. If they work for you, go with them. They obviously arent detrimenting you and work well with your list.