[SteelPanther]

Well, I am currently debating what direction I want my army to take. Currently I have a Hybrid-ish army with VERY LIMITED anti tank (read: Crisis are only AT Weapons), and I was planning on buying 2 Devilfishes, 2 Hammerheads (from Skyray box) and a Stealth Team for SMT. Then I was thinking, with Mech Tau, the only real plus is they are maneverable Fire Warriors. Now, as far as I know, disembarking from a transport counts as moving, therefore Pulse Rilfles can only be fired at 12". If the Fire Warriors are within 12", they are within Assault Range. Any way to get around this? Also, what are the Pluses and Minuses for Mech Tau vs. Hybrid armies. Thanks!

[Rampager]

For my Fish Warriors (Devil Fish + Firewarrior Teams,) I'm giving the whole gang of them Pulse Carbiones. It's only a single shot, but it reaches out to 18". Add to that a Smart Missile System and the Burst Cannon on the Fish, and you have a fast-moving transport that can lay down the hurt and stay out of charge range.

[auxiliary priest]

I've been running 6 man teams with carbines in a kitted out warfish, disembarking only when absolutely necessary. If I'm not running Kroot, I'll probably take a 12 man rifle squad to hold the home objective, or at least sit back and provide long range fire.

[juraigamer]

You need a team of broadsides with a.s.s. I have been having a lot of luck with my hybrid tau army, that has a few suits, some broadsides, a piranha and a hammerhead, plus some (mostly) static fire warriors. I recommend running a combination of mobile and slowish elements. Something like a team of broadsides, some fire warriors with crisis suits and other highly mobile units for fire support.

A team of broadsides (with the above mentioned systems) and two railgun equipped hammerheads can solve all kinds of problems. Your suits should be running items based on what these should not be shooting at. Generally when your making an army/list, give each unit a primary job and the ability to help with another should the need arise. (for me, broadsides with a.s.s can move and shoot their railguns, when nothing vehicle is left they can fire their 12 smart missile shots to help mop up) I can't say I recommend mechanized Tau, it makes us too few in number and easily destroyed.

[auxiliary priest]

Mech tau was more powerful a while ago, until everybody else started turning to mech, also. Now, most armies pack a handful of melta and lascannons, which can cause problems. Hybrid is a safer way to go, and I agree with jurai about the broadside team with advanced stabilizers alongside two hammerheads. Usually, the broadsides get a team leader with a hw target lock and hw drone controller for a couple of shield drones. And your railheads (along with any other devilfish chassis based vehicles) should be kitted out with something along the following lines: DISRUPTION POD, multitracker, target lock (for your secondary weapons), target array (if it doesn't have one), and drones upgraded to some form of weapon (gets rid of that extra kill point). My secondary weapon of choice on hammerheads are the two burst cannons, because they are cheap, can either both fire or not (shaken, fast moving, etc.) and it takes two weapon destroyed results to get rid of them. If your railhead isn't moving at least 6" a turn, it better be stunned or contesting an objective on turn 5; otherwise you're doing something wrong.

[MrFortunato]

Its probably safer to go with a hybrid rather than full mech, Broadsides are probably the best, just protect them with something

however, there are ways to get some pretty nasty anti-tank weaponry in full mech, I for example, have a mobile force, I run my XV8 pilots with missile pods, they're excellent at tackling lighter vehicles, also, provided you have enough shots, you can destroy AV13 vehicles with 2 glances (although you need 2 6s) For the generally heavier stuff, i go for pirhanas, with fusion blasters, they will get through (although you have to be very lucky) a monolith on a 5, get them in squadrons of 2 though, one is just not very effective

[Ravager]

Originally Posted by MrFortunato

Its probably safer to go with a hybrid rather than full mech, Broadsides are probably the best, just protect them with something

however, there are ways to get some pretty nasty anti-tank weaponry in full mech, I for example, have a mobile force, I run my XV8 pilots with missile pods, they're excellent at tackling lighter vehicles, also, provided you have enough shots, you can destroy AV13 vehicles with 2 glances (although you need 2 6s) For the generally heavier stuff, i go for pirhanas, with fusion blasters, they will get through (although you have to be very lucky) a monolith on a 5, get them in squadrons of 2 though, one is just not very effective

Actually, Piranhas will still only glance on a 6. (This is assuming you're playing 5th ed, not 4th ed.)
If they glance however, due to the fusion blaster being an AP1 weapon, a damage roll of 6 will wreck the monolith.

That said, I find it easier to ignore the monolith and just blast everything else in the army to smithereens. A giant AV14 tank doesn't help at all when the 'crons reach phase out.

[NikoTeen]

I am currently running with limited sucess with my Mechnized force. The one tactic that is working well though is to move my 'fish warriors' in pairs /w 6 -8 per DF. I tilt my fish so that there is no way to assault around them with a 12" move with the two fish blocking the path and 12-16 double taps tend to leave no surivors any which way. I reduced the number of FWs per fish as I found that more often then not I am only firing one volley of 12 men into the unit infront of my fish.

Also with Mech I run DPs, FL, MT and Drones on every vehicle. I'm at a massive disadvantage in most kill point matches but I can move all my my vehicles a full 12" then firing everything as the drones are passangers not weapon systems.

In the end I find it a very fun list to play but my hybrid list remains undefeated and my Mech list is close in every games I play. I either barely win or barely loose which makes it much much more fun to play IMO. I only break out all the suits in the hybrid list when someone specificly asks to play that list now.


edit: Something else to keep in mind with a full mech list is that your commander and tanks are the only option that you have to take AP3, 2 or 1 weaponry so you're at a severe disadvantage when facing MEQs and TEQs.