[Faolin]

I have a tournament coming up a short time after Christmas, and I was just wondering what to get to up my army to 1500 points. This is my list so far.

Shas'O with plasma rifle, missile pod, shield generator.
Hard wired multi - tracker, target lock

OR

Same Shas'O as above except with a fusion blaster instead of a missile pod.


Stealth Team (6 man)

2 Crisis suit with twin - linked plasma rifle, missile pod, hard wired multi tracker

3 Fire Warrior teams with pulse rifles and Shas'ui Team Leader (no upgrades)

8 Gun Drones

Broadside with SMS, shield generator, hard wired multi - tracker

Railhead with burst cannons, multi - tracker, target lock, disruption pod

Which Shas'O do you think I should use? Any other suggestions?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[tauplayer]

Why are you giving your leader a target lock?

[Gada Mazaha]

Originally Posted by Faolin

2 Crisis suit with twin - linked plasma rifle, missile pod, hard wired multi tracker

Can't have HardWired on Basic Crisis Suits. Might wanna relook that.

[Rathstar]

Hi,

Unfortunately a twin-linked weapon uses up 2 hard points so your crisis suits are illegal if they are one team, as they would both need to be team leaders to have the multi-tracker hard wired.* *You have the elite slots open to make them both single crisis suit units and make them both team leaders.* However your crisis suits would be quite expensive at 83 pts each.* Another option is losing the multitrackers (and then firing either the twin-linked plasma at marines at close range or the missile pods at distant vehicles) or using basic fireknifes (plasma, missile, multitracker).

It's really personal preference on whether to have the shield generator on the shas'o.* Most people think it's ok because the shas'o is so many points that it's worth spending the extra points to protect it.* However unless you want to go into close combat often normally exploiting the independent character targeting rules is more useful that relying on the shield generator.* This would save 25 pts, and then another 5pts by making the multi-tracker the 3rd hard point rather than a hard-wired option.* Another option would be to drop the shield generator for a 3rd weapon then you can fire which ever 2 of the 3 weapons would be most effective each turn.* What ever you do, split the crisis suits up into 2 seperate units to gain flexibility.* They can still operate next to each other, however if one enemy gets to fire on them they can only kill 1 rather than both.

On the hammerhead decoy launchers (along with multi-trackers) are a must, everything else is up to personal preference.* With the short range of the burst cannons will you really be firing them enough to justify the target lock.* Target lock goes better with sms, but that's only a small point.

On the broadside I'd rather go with 2 shield drones rather than a shield generator.* Just place the broadsides far enough back so that the drones can't be killed off by small arms fire and the the drones will be sure to protect against the 1st lascannon wound, where as a 1-3 on the save dice would see the broadside raporised by the first lascannon wound.

Again you can't give the broadside a hard-wired multi-tracker unless he's a team leader.* How often will the railgun and sms be firing effectively at the same target.* I would get rid of the team leader upgrade and the hard wired multi-tracker to save points.

Overall the list is good, a bit a tweaking is all that is needed.

Good luck in your tournament.

Rathstar

[Faolin]

I should have made it clear that my Battlesuits are separate, and are both team leaders. Same goes for the Broadside.

I gave my Shas'O a target lock because I normally put him in a squad of drones, and I don't want to waste 8 pulse carbine shots on a tank. (Or missile shots on Gaunts)

I just realised I had no Devilfish in that army. Should I scrap the drones (leaving the commander on his own) to take a Devilfish? If so, what shall I use to protect my Commander?

Thanks for pointing out that Multi - tracker dosen't allow you to give your two weapons different targets. I'll have to revise my list now.

Why does everyone like Decoy Launchers? A tank being immobilized is bad, but the chance of it being destroyed instead (you might get worse on the re - roll and the second result stands) is worse.

How about tactics for this army?

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Rathstar]

Hi,

Hopefully you'll be moving the hammerhead over 6" each turn to only allowing glancing blows from hits. In that case (remember that decoy launchers can only reroll a glancing blow immobolised result) an immobolised result is a dead hammerhead. Rerolling the dice can never get a worse result, only the same dead hammerhead if you get a 5 or 6 on the reroll, while there is a 67% chance you will get something where the hammerhead isn't dead. For 5 pts the extra survivability the decoy launcher gives is well worth it.

For those reasons most Tau players put decoy launchers on all vehicles.

Rathstar

[MechTau]

Also, your Shas'O would be infinitely safer behind the Drone unit.

I would also make your Shas'O like this: Fusion Blaster + Plasma Rifle + Missile Pod + Hardwired Multi-tracker. We have lots of fun wargear, but step away from the armoury. Put down the hard wired target lock and no one gets hurt.

With your two team leaders: I'd put them into the "Shock and Awe" config: One has the TL missile pod + Plasma Rifle, the other has the TL plasma + Missile Pod. Keep them together and use them as a "team".

SCRAP THE DRONES and mount your bloody fire warriors. Also, have two fire warrior teams. The extra points should buy you two DevilFishes. DF + Multi-Tracker + Targeting Array = 100 point Missile Boat w/ troop carrier capabilities. But thats me.

[Vega62a]

Put down the hard wired target lock and no one gets hurt.

That made me happy <3 Also, technically, more people get hurt, but they're not you, which is a good thing.

I'd definately go with MechTau's config. It's a huge points sink, but it's also good at killing anything. Period. Light armor at range, marines up close, tanks up close. Put him behind your unit of drones or deep strike him and you've got yourself a killer there.

MechTau, I don't think he's going Mechanized. With that list, I think that hybrid like you've got might be better. Keep the drones and use them as cover and fire support for your commander. If you find this more static list ineffective, maybe consider switching to mechanized.

At 1500 points, you're not likely to see a lot of really heavy armor unless you're fighting necrons or some really hard-core powergamer of a marine, so 2 railguns and a fusion should suffice.

[MechTau]

Hybrid Mechanizes the FW's. It leaves Broadsides, Kroot, and other things on the ground.

FWs not mounted = Static.

I play Hybrid.

[Faolin]

At 1500 points, you're not likely to see a lot of really heavy armor unless you're fighting necrons or some really hard-core powergamer of a marine, so 2 railguns and a fusion should suffice.

How do you figure this one? You can have two Carnifexes in 1000 points. Death Company and Terminatiors in 1000 points.
In all my other games my problem has been getting rid of uber - units. Hence the plethora of plasma.

Mechtau

As for the two Devilfishes, I will quote your signature.

"MechTau is not a strategy. It is not a tactic. Mech Tau is a style of play, its a way of making war. Someone who thinks they can "give MechTau a try" by proxying a Devilfish or two and challenging their buddy to a game will be sadly dissapointed."

I'm not saying MechTau is bad, but I can't change my army in time for the Tournament. My army is mostly static. My strategy focuses on obliterating the guys closest quickly. For that I need three Fire Warrior Teams.

Also, your post contradicts itself. "Your commander will be infinitley safer in a squad of drones." right next to
"SCRAP THE DRONES and mount you Fire Warriors"

Which do you mean?

No offence meant.