I just play with 4 thunderbolts, 1 Arvus and 1 Marauder for 100 point games. The marauder can blow the hell out of the objective with its bomb payload and the Thunderbolts have good offensive stats against planes and therefore dogfight well. The lightning is better because it is more manueverable and cheaper but the Thunderbolt is supposed to be more durable, it really isn't by that much, but its autocannons are much stronger. I just like being able to use my Thunderbolts and Marauders in Epic.
If you need to land troops then I like the Arvus, the Aquila Lander would be better (its faster and has a gun), but they don't make a model for it far as i can tell.
And You can use Epic Hydra Tanks in Aeronautica Imperialis. There cheap and efficient, but can't move, period! (I think)
Never Played Tau although I intend to, always loved the Damocles Crusade piece of 40k history. A Manta is pretty much a 100 point game by itself!
I've never actually played AI, though, I just like to collect things.
Oh and shoot me a PM, I bought the rulebook and can answer any rules you'd like.
-Lucky
__________________
"There are two things I can't stand in this world. One: People who are intolerant of other people's cultures, and two: the Dutch."
-Austin Power's Father, Nigel Powers
"In the beginning, the universe was created. This has made a lot of people angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."
-Douglas Adams
"Ni!" -The Knights Who Go Ni