[smoking kills]

Greetings. Myself and around 8 friends have come back to 40k, once again. We kinda paint the figures yet never seem to play (so apologies for lack of buzz words) though weve been playing with GW games for what must be 15 years now o.0

Anyhoo this time due to the large number of us the armies are coming on quick and with wondefull adult things like credit cards weve even bought a load of forgeworld scenery to make a board worthy of our models (we do paint em really well) so this time around were actually paying attention to what we pick and not just randomly buying stuff that looks cool (not that theres anything wrong with that)

I used to play black templars when they first came out (hence the plasma love) looks like this was a good choice as I built the core of my army 1000p when tau first arrived and now theres even fancy terms for missile pods and plasma rifle combos. Ive fleshed out to 1500p as the agreed starting point for our amies and this one will probably go to 2000p eventually. So gaze upon my starting line up fellow commanders and impart your words of wisdom.

HQ - Crisis Suit - 145 Points
Shas'O, Plasma Rifle, Cyclic ion blaster, h/w multi tracker, stimulant injector, shield generator
Comments: OOooo new shiny things Adds high number of easy hits for large armies, CIB should help with power armour. Independant char for target immunity.

Elite (1) - XV15 Stealth Team [x4] - 130 Points
Team leader, Bonding kife
Comments: Would love more but have plenty of 5/5 weapons. Good bait. Pain in the a$$.

Elite (2) - XV8 Crisis Team [x3] - 196 Points
Plasma rifles, Missile pods, Multi trackers, Team leader, Bonding knife
Comments: Harrass and destroy, claim objectives, I love the smell of terminators in the morning.

Elite (3) - XV8 Crisis Team [x3] - 196 Points
Plasma rifles, Missile pods, Multi trackers, Team leader, Bonding knife
Comments: Harrass and destroy, claim objectives, I love the smell of terminators in the morning.

Fast Attack - Pathfinder Team [x8] - 206 Points
Devilfish, Decoy launchers, Multi tracker, Team leader, Bonding knife
Comments: Compulsory transports suck but markerlights are 4tw, used statically.

Troop (1) - Fire Warrior Team [x12] - 120 Points
Comments: Markerlights make the targeting checks so leadership from a TL ignored to ensure fall back for rapid fire if needed.

Troop (2) - Fire Warrior Team [x12] - 120 Points
Comments: Markerlights make the targeting checks so leadership from a TL ignored to ensure fall back for rapid fire if needed.

Heavy Support (1) - XV88 Broadside Team [x2] - 205 Points
Advanced Stabalization, Team Leader, Bonding Knife, h/w target lock, h/w drone controler, 2x shield drone
Comments: Vulnerable protected by FW and forms the firebase. Kills armour then lends extra firepower through sms to the firebase.

Heavy Support (2) - Hammerhead Gunship - 180 Points
Railgun, Smart missile system, multi tracker, disruption pod, decoy launchers
Comments: mmmm large blast template. Deals with heavy weapon units whilst their out of range whilst broadsides deal with armour or chips in to drop the big stuff.

TOTAL 1,498 Points

In conclusion. I feel low on FW but theres plents of firepower in there and a good mix at that, going to 2000 points would see 2 more teams of them though with 3 sniper drone teams pilling into the last heavy suport for a seriously nasty fire base with lovely ap3 weapons and a few more markerlights.

[Falstead]

Looks like a great start!

A few suggestions though

1 - Give the shas'O a plasma rifle instead of the airbursting frag launcher. With the Bs value of 5 you want your commander using big guns that are harder to hit with. It's the same point cost but it'll do better.

2 - You mention in the pathfinders description you plan on transporting firewarriors in their devilfish. Unfortunately you can't do this as the fish is a dedicated transport. Only the pathfinders can ride in it.

3 - I'd replace the pathfinder fish's disruption pod with a multi tracker. Moving fast is the best way to stay safe, and being able to shoot after moving fast is awesome.

Other than those three fairly minor foibles everything else looks great, nice and solid. A strong fire base, some good mobility and an absolute boat load of crisis suits.

[kurtisxxxv]

Dang it, Falstead! You stole most of my thunder

Originally Posted by smoking kills

HQ - Crisis Suit - 145 Points
Shas'O, Airbursting frag projector, Cyclic ion blaster, h/w multi tracker, stimulant injector, shield generator
Comments: OOooo new shiny things Adds high number of easy hits for large armies, CIB should help with power armour. Independant char for target immunity.

It is general concensus that the AFP is wasted on a Shas'o, since this is a guess-range weapon and does not rely on the Shas'o's ballistic skill to fire. Better to take a Shas'el and save the points, or keep the 'O and replace the AFP with a plasma rifle, for instance.

Elite (1) - XV15 Stealth Team [x4] - 130 Points
Team leader, Bonding kife
Comments: Would love more but have plenty of 5/5 weapons. Good bait. Pain in the a$$.

The more the merrier.

Elite (2) - XV8 Crisis Team [x3] - 196 Points
Plasma rifles, Missile pods, Multi trackers, Team leader, Bonding knife
Comments: Harrass and destroy, claim objectives, I love the smell of terminators in the morning.

This team is a good all-round jack-of-all-trades unit. Solid, but suffers from having no specific target type to engage.

Elite (3) - XV8 Crisis Team [x3] - 196 Points
Plasma rifles, Missile pods, Multi trackers, Team leader, Bonding knife
Comments: Harrass and destroy, claim objectives, I love the smell of terminators in the morning.

Ditto.

Fast Attack - Pathfinder Team [x8] - 186 Points
Devilfish, Decoy launchers, Disruption pod, Team leader, Bonding knife
Comments: Compulsory transports suck but markerlights are 4tw, used statically (heavy weapons) whilst transport ferries firewarriors.

Pathfinder are definitely worth the points cost, even with the mandatory transport. Just be sure to put them in some solid cover to help them with cover saves, etc; because your opponents will start to hate them with a passion! BTW- the Devilfish is a dedicated transport for the PF team and must be used only for them. I would recommend upgrading to a Warfish configuration, dropping the drones and disruption pod, and adding a TA and an SMS system. All of a sudden, you havea light tank on the board.

Troop (1) - Fire Warrior Team [x12] - 120 Points
Comments: Markerlights make the targeting checks so leadership from a TL ignored to ensure fall back for rapid fire if needed.

Solid basic line troops.

Heavy Support (1) - XV88 Broadside Team [x2] - 205 Points
Advanced Stabalization, Team Leader, Bonding Knife, h/w target lock, h/w drone controler, 2x shield drone
Comments: Vulnerable protected by FW and forms the firebase. Kills armour then lends extra firepower through sms to the firebase.

Solid hybrid HS choice. The A.S.S. does help with the mobility problems these suits normally have. Make sure during deployment to have these behind cover to protect them from 1st-round fire (if you lose 1st turn) and then move them out using the A.S.S. during your movement phase.

Heavy Support (2) - Hammerhead Gunship - 180 Points
Railgun, Smart missile system, multi tracker, disruption pod, decoy launchers
Comments: mmmm large blast template. Deals with heavy weapon units whilst their out of range whilst broadsides deal with armour or chips in to drop the big stuff.

Always a solid choice...

TOTAL 1,493 Points

I actually calc'ed you out at 1478 pts...

A nice, solid list which should work well in most applications. I would look at adjusting your troops choices to provided at least one team of FW with a warfish for added mobility, or add a separate team with a WF and keep the two you have as they are. If you are looking for additional anti-tank firepower, you may consider looking into a small (2x) team of Fusion-blaster equipped Phiranas. They are light vehicles, and need attention and care to be used effectively, but I love them.

Good lock and good hunting!

-Kurt

[smoking kills]

Sounds good plasma now on commander and multi tracker switched on DF. Shame I cant use the DF for the firewarriors but at least it should be cool with deep striking all those suits.

Originally Posted by kurtisxxxv

Pathfinder are definitely worth the points cost, even with the mandatory transport. Just be sure to put them in some solid cover to help them with cover saves, etc; because your opponents will start to hate them with a passion!

"Yeah I wouldnt bother shooting them, their guns dont even actually kill anything"
First rule of tau, brainwash opponent regarding pathfinders

Strangely the points cost listed is correct when I re-tallied now going to 1,498 with the additional 5 points for a multi tracker over the disruption pod. However pathfinder total was way short and is in fact 206 points (damn they are expensive). This is what happens when you have pen and army list and the majority of your army built painted and ready to go "but but but he NEEDS that wargear its speshial" :P

I may look to add a single WF FW squad with the sniper drones when i move to 2000 points. Tactic is sound but id rather not chop too much at the moment as ive only had to go out and buy the pathfinders, commander and hammerhead to get me ready to play. Plus I need something to babysit the broadsides from deep strikers and infiltrators.

Should mention i guess ill be mainly fighting marines, again plasma love however one guy has nids and tbfh im a bit panicky vs them but well see, thanks for the thoughts guys, add as you will.