First Tau List

Keep in mind I'm a 40k noob when you roast this. I had to use almost every model to reach 1850. I do have a $90 store credit at the dragon that I can use to get a few more things - so suggestions are very welcome.

HQ
Shas'el – Cyclic Ion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, HWMT, Targeting Array, blacksun, 2 Shield Drones – 133 (JSJ)
Shas'el – Cyclic Ion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, HWMT, Targeting Array, blacksun, 2 Shield Drones – 133 (JSJ)

TROOPS
12 Fire Warriors – Shas’ui, pulse rifles, 2 Gun Drones – 150
12 Fire Warriors – pulse rifles – 120
12 Fire Warriors – pulse rifles – 120
13 Kroot – 2 Kootox, 4 Hounds – 185
16 Kroot – 112 (inifltrate)

ELITE
Crisis Suit – TL, Twin Missile Pods, HWMT, Targeting Array, blacksun, 2 Gun Drones – 86 (JSJ)

5 Stealthsuits – TL, 1 fusion blaster, Targeting Arrays, Bond Knife, Target Lock, 2 Gun Drones – 237 (infiltrate/JSJ)

FA
8 Pathfinders – Shas’ui, 7 carbines, 1 rail rifle & target lock, 2 Gun Drones - 136
1 Devil Fish – Burst canon, SMS, Decoy launchers, disruption pod, multi-tracker, target lock, array, and sensor spines – 140

HEAVY
1 Broadside Battlesuit – TL, Multi-link rail guns, ASS, blacksun, 2 Gun Drones – 108

1 Hammerhead gunship – rail gun, 2 burst canons, Decoy, disruption pod, multi-tracker, target lock, blacksun, and sensor spines – 190
1850 on the nose

Anti-flame suit is on, so fire away!

Now, I don't play Tau.
I considered it for a while (wanted my mech list any way I could get it)

That said, only 1 devil fish?
Max, anyone, am I wrong but aren't Tau more effective in a mobile uber shooty force?

I only have 1 right now

I'd say drop the blacksun filters, they're too situational.

Buy some more crisis suits.

Also, since the majority of the armies out there have 3+ saves, investing in some sniper drones is always a good bet.

You may want another broadside or 2 as well.

Sell the Kroot on Ebay 185 points for a unit that aint gonna do shit is not worth it.

1 Commander Shas'o @ 126 Pts
Flamer; Hard-wired Multi-tracker; Stimulant Injector; Missile Pod; Plasma Rifle

1 Shas'o R'myr @ 190 Pts
Double Barrelled Plasma Rifle; Ejection System; Flechette Discharger; Hard-wired Drone Controller; Hard-wired Target Lock; Shield Generator; Shield Drone
2 Shield Drone @ [30] Pts
Shield Generator

10 Fire Warrior @ 230 Pts
Pulse Rifle (x10)
1 Devilfish @ [130] Pts
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System; Decoy Launchers; Disruption Pod; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock; Targeting Array

10 Fire Warrior @ 230 Pts
Pulse Rifle (x10)
1 Devilfish @ [130] Pts
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System; Decoy Launchers; Disruption Pod; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock; Targeting Array

10 Fire Warrior @ 230 Pts
Pulse Rifle (x10)
1 Devilfish @ [130] Pts
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System; Decoy Launchers; Disruption Pod; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock; Targeting Array

10 Fire Warrior @ 230 Pts
Pulse Rifle (x10)
1 Devilfish @ [130] Pts
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System; Decoy Launchers; Disruption Pod; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock; Targeting Array

1 Hammerhead Gunship @ 185 Pts
Railgun; Smart Missile System; Decoy Launchers; Disruption Pod; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock; Targeting Array

1 Hammerhead Gunship @ 185 Pts
Railgun; Smart Missile System; Decoy Launchers; Disruption Pod; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock; Targeting Array

3 Broadside Battlesuit @ 240 Pts
Twin linked Railgun; Smart Missile System; Advanced Stabilisation System

Total Roster Cost: 1846
YOU NEED THIS

you need a list with 15 piranhas!

Thanks for the input Max - I know this is your area of expertise.

Crisis Suits - Every list on the net has these, but I know you no longer like them in 5th Edition. What changed? Why no crisis suits?

Also, how important is WYSIWYG in 40k? Can I just say the FW all have plasma rifles when some are actually modeled with carbines? What about vehicle options?

I know I don't have the best posible troop options, but hopefully it will still be fun to play and learn with.

Can't JSJ(jump shoot jump) behind LOS blocking terrain anymore (same problem with my jetbikes). Not scoring. Kill points. But I've never played tau, only against.

WYSIWYG really matters for big tournaments. Personally, I am to have it WYSIWYG but it really doesn't matter. For weapons, just make it swappable (magnetized or pinned), if not noone is going to demand that you not play it.

basically, the crisis suits have to play with tactics like everyone else.

Sorry, that's me not caring about folks whining about that. Basilisks got nerfed too so its not like I'm hurting either, but I adapt. The suits are still pretty nasty.

My understanding of JSJ -

You move out from behind cover in the movement phase
You shoot in the shooting phase
You use your jetpack to move back behind cover in the assult phase

What changed?
Why does this no longer work?

ShadowMaster wrote:My understanding of JSJ -

You move out from behind cover in the movement phase
You shoot in the shooting phase
You use your jetpack to move back behind cover in the assult phase

What changed?
Why does this no longer work?

You can still get shot at.

If you jump back behind some terrain and out of LOS, how can you be shot at?

Sorry for the noob questions - I'm still learning the rules

Very few things will give you total no LOS, with new 40k LOS rule "if you can see ANY of it, you can shoot it"

The problem lies in that if you can see any part of the body of the model (head, body, leg, arm) you can shoot at it, even if its behind terrain. Through a window, or a crack. You just need to draw LOS to the model. Also, if they can see a part of a single model they can deal wounds to everyone in the unit.

At the dragon there are one or two pieces that can block los, I don't know about sunshine (there may be a couple).

Got it - thx

What if you are working around a forest or hill vs. a urban terrain piece?

Is called "True Line of Sight" the forest base doesnt block LOS, only the ACTUAL individual tree blocks it, pretty much evrything can be shot at now. Which is great for you since Tau are a shooty army !!

yeah, but the problem with Max's list is that it's based on the Mobile Tau Philosophy. Run up with a devil fish, pop your fire warriors out the back. Rapid fire 20 Pulse rifle shots, and then chill, knowing that your enemy can't charge you, because they can't get within 1 inch of your devil fish which is directly in the way.

Now, Skimmers block line of sight.. so that nifty little trick is nerfed.

Their are 2 rules in fifth addition that really changed Tau tactics.

1. Everything has line of sight which is great , but, almost everything gets a friggin cover save these days which blows for shooty armies. you have to use mark lights to take away some of those cover saves, other wise you won't even be able to kill friggin gaunts.

2. No consolidating into cc with the enemy. This helped shooty armies in a profound way. No more worrying about how close your fire warrior units are to each other. Someone attacks a fire warrior unit, wipes it out, great... but next turn they're going to get 20 pulse rifle shots right up the ass ! ..

Yup, it's made my guard units very, very happy folk!

shooting from behind a skimmer? just use a really tall base
my waveserpents allow me to shoot from behind

The Eldar Guy wrote:shooting from behind a skimmer? just use a really tall base
my waveserpents allow me to shoot from behind

Is that really legit? From the rulebook, it looks like if you put something on a non-standard base you have to get opponents permission, so what do you do at tournaments?

Counter question, now you can shoot at a squad if you spot one member. But if only one member of the squad can see, can the whole squad shoot?

its standard, they come with multiple sizes- just use the tallest

Yep, as the Eldar God of Cheese, Kaela Mensha Cheddar, has said, several sizes come with the skimmer. Aside from that, so long as your line of sight is unobstructed (i.e., you shoot under a hovering vehicle, so.. duh), enemies cannot claim a cover-save. Really, cover saves aren't all that bad at all. My counter to that trick would be charging one guy into the skimmer, and looping around to assault the folks behind it, if possible. Otherwise, melta it, and soak up some more piddly pulse rifle shots.. Then again, my boys are all T5 with FNP, so it's a little different for us.

Well Chris if you want to pull out that bullshit, I may counter it with this :

On page 11 of the rule book, the rules as written states " a model may not move within 1 inch of an enemy model unless assaulting."

It does not say "unless assaulting it" or "unless assaulting said unit"

So I guess since I'm assaulting, I'll just run my troops right under your skimmer into the Tau warriors behind.

Pull out bullshit? They COME with the bases. They could shoot through skimmers in 4th edition, I don't' see how this is any different. Both are following the rules.

Also the closest model from the unit that declared the assault has to assault the closest enemy they have declared an assault against, "going around impassable terrain, friendly models and enemy units not being assaulted."

After the first model, other models can base, performing a multiple assault, other models as long as they follow the list of rules as normal.