[ShadowSplicer]

Overall Army Tactics
This army list is made from mainly two battleboxes and so is somewhat limited. But either way, it is pretty much a gun line centered around two groups of Fire Warriors and two groups of Kroot. The Fire Warriors move to good positions (i.e) in terrain and cover and blast away at everything with a possible 2+ to hit and all the while they have a Kroot backup squad to tie down any unit who comes close long enough for the Shas'O or the Kroot themselves to destroy it and buy the Fire Warriors time to retreat to another spot. Meanwhile, the Hammerheads are pounding away at any armour and also template blasting everything they see. With the Firewarriors having two markerlights, they can light up targets to make the Hammerhead then hit on a 2+, life is good for the shooting phase.

+++ [HQ] +++

Commander: Shas'O
Weapons: Burst Cannon and Plasma Rifle
Wargear: Hard Wired Multi-tracker and Shield Generator
Points: 128 points
I plan on using this suit as a defensive piece that I can use along with my Kroot squads to get the heat off of my fire warriors. He is able to easily blast open a transport and then engage the transport's loadout. And he seems pretty cheap points wise and can easily hop around my gunline to bail out my troops.

+++ [Troops] +++

Fire Warrior Team
Unit: Shas'ui, 11 Fire Warriors, Marker Drone, and Gun Drone
Character: Shas'ui with Markerlight, Bonding Knife, and Hardwired Drone Controller
Weapons: Pulse Rifles
Points: 185 points
My standard gunline unit for this list, will move through cover and try to get in good positions so that it can join in on its sister squad in shooting. It can also light up any targets I want the Hammerheads to take out, sparing one of its own Markerlights for the chance at a 2+ for a S10 shot to hit. Then, it relies upon the Kroot to leap out and tie down the enemy unit while the Shas'O helps finish them off or fend off another enemy unit. It is all based around stopping them before they hit the gunline. I wish I could mount them in a Devilfish but the cost of it and also the fact that I give up a chance at a 2+ to hit makes me sad.

Fire Warrior Team
Unit: Shas'ui, 11 Fire Warriors, Marker Drone, and Gun Drone
Character: Shas'ui with Markerlight, Bonding Knife, and Hardwired Drone Controller
Weapons: Pulse Rifles
Points: 185 points
As above.

Kroot Carnivore Squad
Unit: 12 Kroot
Points: 84
Sitting out near the Firewarriors, the Kroot will try to keep enemy units off of the Firewarriors, occupying the unit long enough to have themselves or the Shas'O finish them off.

Kroot Carnivore Squad
Unit: 12 Kroot
Points: 84
Same as above.

+++ [Heavy Support] +++

Hammerhead
Weapons: Railgun and Two Burst Cannons
Wargear: Targetting Array
Points: 165
Use for tank hunting with that awesome S10 shot and getting rid of any anti-tank infantry with that nasty large blast template. For example, Lootas would go bye-bye immediately. It could also shoot this template at any units about to threaten the gunline.

Hammerhead
Weapons: Railgun and Two Burst Cannons
Wargear: Targetting Array
Points: 165
Use for tank hunting with that awesome S10 shot and getting rid of any anti-tank infantry with that nasty large blast template. For example, Lootas would go bye-bye immediately. It could also shoot this template at any units about to threaten the gunline.

Army Composition
Slot(s) Points Percentage
HQ (1/2) 128 12.85%
Troops (4/6) 538 54.01%
Heavy Support (2/3) 310 33.14%
Total:
976 100.00%

Total: 976 Points

EDIT: Changed Hammerhead weapons to Burst Cannons.



Tell me what you think and how I could improve it. I would really love a mobile Tau list but as I said before, I am in love with that 2+ to hit. With almost all of my S5 AP5 shots hitting it'd be pretty nasty. Not to mention the Hammerheads pounding away at my enemy's units before they ever get a chance at my gunline. Well that's it for my first post, tell me what you think.

[knightperson]

Hmmm, some interesting ideas for 1000 points there. Two hammerheads will be fairly nasty at that size battle, but I would drop the gun drones down to burst cannons and use the points for multi-trackers. In my opinion, gun drones add very little firepower to a hammerhead, and mobility is all important against the current crop of heavily mechanized armies.

See if you can find a way to give your commander a shield drone or two. While he has a shield generator in your list, a single failed save against a lascannon or similar weapon will kill him outright. YMMV, of course, but I don't use shield generators very often. At range, a crisis suit is usually mobile enough to claim a cover save, and while the shield generator would be useful in melee (against power fists and such), by the time something gets into melee with even a crisis commander it's time to kiss that model goodbye!

The only other thing that I question is the mixture of drones in your fire warrior squads. A gun drone is unlikely to make much difference, and marker drones are expensive. Some people really like them, but I find they're overpriced, especially on a static unit. What about putting the marker drones with your commander and using him to point out who everybody else should shoot? They do become Relentless when attached to a Jetpack unit. You could even give him a hardwired target lock so he could clean up a different unit while the drones light up something else. His squad would only be Toughness 3, of course, but it might be worth trying.

[ShadowSplicer]

Originally Posted by knightperson

Hmmm, some interesting ideas for 1000 points there. Two hammerheads will be fairly nasty at that size battle, but I would drop the gun drones down to burst cannons and use the points for multi-trackers. In my opinion, gun drones add very little firepower to a hammerhead, and mobility is all important against the current crop of heavily mechanized armies.
Hmm... Must have read that in the codex wrong. My bad, I thought the Burst Cannons were like 50pts or something, my mind must not have been in the right place. I would have initially done that lol but w/e we all make mistakes.

See if you can find a way to give your commander a shield drone or two. While he has a shield generator in your list, a single failed save against a lascannon or similar weapon will kill him outright. YMMV, of course, but I don't use shield generators very often. At range, a crisis suit is usually mobile enough to claim a cover save, and while the shield generator would be useful in melee (against power fists and such), by the time something gets into melee with even a crisis commander it's time to kiss that model goodbye!
I'll think about it, although the points would still be keeping me from doing it. If I can fit a shield drone in there then I will. And maybe the Ejection Seat because how annoying would it be that you get past his shield drone, his shield generator, his armour save, and then he doesn't die. No kill points for you! It'd be an interesting thing to play.

The only other thing that I question is the mixture of drones in your fire warrior squads. A gun drone is unlikely to make much difference, and marker drones are expensive. Some people really like them, but I find they're overpriced, especially on a static unit. What about putting the marker drones with your commander and using him to point out who everybody else should shoot? They do become Relentless when attached to a Jetpack unit. You could even give him a hardwired target lock so he could clean up a different unit while the drones light up something else. His squad would only be Toughness 3, of course, but it might be worth trying.
Marker Drones on the commander eh? Seems a good idea but it also makes him more of a target as it doesn't take a whole lot of thinking to figure that killing the guy who confers that 2+ to hit is the right way to go. I'll probably stick to my configuration of him with maybe a shield drone added. And as for the gun drone? Well I figure at ten points for an extra shot into my enemy it is a great addition to the team.

[Commander Hiddenflame]

I'd suggest fishing arround with point values (perhaps drop gun and markerlight drones) and upgrade some Kroot to Shapers. Thats an extra 2 attacks, and the Sv6 is better than an SvNONE

[Sidstyler]

Not really, a 6+ save isn't worth the cost of upgrading to a shaper. With the right terrain Kroot can get a 3+ cover save anyway, and you can always go to ground with them.

[Shasel_Ahab]

I'm not sure a Burst Cannon/Plasma Rifle build would be the best use of your only XV8. Maybe a Helios or a Fireknife. Even though the latter is a bit less effective at anti-MEq it's easier to keep alive due to longer maximum range...

The expense of giving Kroot a Shaper and 6+ armor saves isn't really worth it... at all... for the same points you can get a decent amount more Kroot/Kroot Hounds. If you're worried about survivability just do what I do and Outflank them. This is because Forest terrain is very scarce at my LGS so I don't ever get to make use of that potential 3+ coversave :P...

I don't think that 2 Markerlights in Fire Warrior squads will do that much here (especially for the 20pts they take up) so you may want to reconsider. That would only net (semi)reliably 1 mark a turn. Hardly game changing at 1k. I think you could probably use the points better for upgrading the Shas'O's weaponry and getting him a Shield Drone... Back to the HQ again, a Shas'O may be a bit much of an investment at 1k. Then again, BS5 and a 4++ might be worth it.

edit: didn't see the Marker Drones. Those are hands down too expensive to be used at this points value IMO. For the price of 2 Marker Drones you could get a whole additional squad of Fire Warriors. There isn't any advantage to giving Marker Drones to an Infantry squad either. Part of the reason they're so expensive is because when attached to a Battlesuit (XV8 or XV15/25, but not an XV88) they can provide mobile marks. The only other unit in the game capable of this (ignoring FW rules) is a Skyray...

Heck, if you drop the Marker Drones, the Markerlights on the Shas'ui, and downgrade the Gun Drones to Burst Cannons on the Hammerheads you'd have 100 points to play with. That's another HQ XV8. You could get an Aurora (if they were a Shas'el :P).

[ShadowSplicer]

Originally Posted by We-Tain

I'm not sure a Burst Cannon/Plasma Rifle build would be the best use of your only XV8. Maybe a Helios or a Fireknife. Even though the latter is a bit less effective at anti-MEq it's easier to keep alive due to longer maximum range...

The expense of giving Kroot a Shaper and 6+ armor saves isn't really worth it... at all... for the same points you can get a decent amount more Kroot/Kroot Hounds. If you're worried about survivability just do what I do and Outflank them. This is because Forest terrain is very scarce at my LGS so I don't ever get to make use of that potential 3+ coversave :P...
AGREED

I don't think that 2 Markerlights in Fire Warrior squads will do that much here (especially for the 20pts they take up) so you may want to reconsider. That would only net (semi)reliably 1 mark a turn. Hardly game changing at 1k. I think you could probably use the points better for upgrading the Shas'O's weaponry and getting him a Shield Drone... Back to the HQ again, a Shas'O may be a bit much of an investment at 1k. Then again, BS5 and a 4++ might be worth it.

edit: didn't see the Marker Drones. Those are hands down too expensive to be used at this points value IMO. For the price of 2 Marker Drones you could get a whole additional squad of Fire Warriors. There isn't any advantage to giving Marker Drones to an Infantry squad either. Part of the reason they're so expensive is because when attached to a Battlesuit (XV8 or XV15/25, but not an XV88) they can provide mobile marks. The only other unit in the game capable of this (ignoring FW rules) is a Skyray...

Heck, if you drop the Marker Drones, the Markerlights on the Shas'ui, and downgrade the Gun Drones to Burst Cannons on the Hammerheads you'd have 100 points to play with. That's another HQ XV8. You could get an Aurora (if they were a Shas'el :P).

Well dropping the Markerlights WOULD make a game changing decision. And I'm sorry but I fail to see how you could benefit from changing your main shooty squads in a gunline list to a 4+ to hit and instead upgrading a commander that can easily be insta-killed. As for the burst cannons, I said before it was a mistake and I thought burst cannons were more costly. And then if I were to get another battlesuit I would be unhappy as I think the models look like utter crap. And Shas'O is an absolute no brainer: for that low cost you get an upgrade to almost the entire character profile. And the weapons you mentioned? Well I cannot even find them in the codex, where are they? What you are pointing at is a more Battlesuit oriented army, which is okay, but I personally do not like the models or gameplay at all and could never see myself fielding a battlesuit army.

EDIT: Also, I cannot see anything in the codex called an Aurora. What is that?

[Shasel_Ahab]

Originally Posted by ShadowSplicer

Well dropping the Markerlights WOULD make a game changing decision. And I'm sorry but I fail to see how you could benefit from changing your main shooty squads in a gunline list to a 4+ to hit and instead upgrading a commander that can easily be insta-killed.

The point is that that commander wouldn't be easily instant killed if he had a Shield Drone and a Shield Generator. My Shas'O (similarly outfitted) lasted 4 turns against a Soul Grinder in a recent game despite my notoriously poor rolling being present. That's surviving 17 Instant Death attacks. Admittedly quite a few missed, but even if only 1/2 actually hit and wounded that's still 8 Instant Death attacks survived.

Also, if you really want a gunline then go for it but think a bit about the logistics. Marker Drones are the only thing you can outfit your Fire Warrior squads with in terms of Marker support that will benefit them with this setup. Statistically you'll get 1 less hit with 2 Marker Drones supporting 24 Fire Warriors (only 12 of which hit at BS4 due to only 1 Marker Drone hitting on average) than you would with 30 Fire Warriors shooting normally (all 30 at BS3).

Small difference, but with 30 Fire Warriors you get 3 squads instead of 2 which spreads the attention a bit. You also get 4 more wounds before all your Troops are dead.

Sidenote: If you want your Shas'ui to mark something for your Hammerhead (a tank for example) or suit (Terminators?) your whole Fire Warrior squad will need to shoot at it as well because you haven't given him a Target Lock. And the Shas'ui only has a 50% chance of hitting... I should point out at this stage that the Shas'ui's Markerlight can't benefit his own squad's shooting as well in case you hadn't noticed. If you had then ignore this.

Originally Posted by ShadowSplicer

And then if I were to get another battlesuit I would be unhappy as I think the models look like utter klkn. <snip>but I personally do not like the models or gameplay at all and could never see myself fielding a battlesuit army.

You're gonna have a hard time in most fights then. Battlesuits are pretty much our most effective unit and our only good source of anti-T/MEq. They're also a lovely source of anti-Horde... and anti-Tank... and they move fast enough to be able to (usually) stay out of Assault.

Originally Posted by ShadowSplicer

EDIT: Also, I cannot see anything in the codex called an Aurora. What is that?

It's a nickname for a weapon configuration: Cyclic Ion Blaster paired with a Plasma Rifle.

Fireknives and Helioses are likewise nicknames: a Fireknife is a suit with a Plasma Rifle and a Missile Pod whereas a Helios is a suit with a Fusion Blaster and a Plasma Rifle.
[hr]
All just suggestions based on my theories and experiences though so feel free to ignore them :P

[knightperson]

I'm now going to go against the majority and say that the markerlights (as shas'ui upgrade, not as marker drone) on the fire warriors is not a bad idea. It's useless in a mechanized list (as is the marker drone, of course), but since you're playing static gunline anyway, the multiple squads of fire warriors with markerlights can work well. With just the single markerlight in each squad, the results will be a bit erratic, but it will definitely be a cost-effective way to get some extra pulse rifle hits. As We-Tain mentioned, a shas'ui markerlight will not help his squad, but if you have 3 squads, you could (with good rolling) have 2 of them firing at BS 4. You could use a warfish or battlesuit to use the last markerlight counter.