[TACTICA] Tau Unit Overview

[Ikarus]

Tau Headquarters:

A Crisis Commander is a +1, meaning it is mandatory. There are two choices for the selection, then there is the optional secondary HQ choice - the Ethereal. Here is an overview.

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Crisis Commander (Shas'O)

Good's
Independent Character HIGH BS
HIGH WOUNDS

Bad's
Can get instant killed like any other suit
Can be expensive in points (if over-tooled)

Recommendation - 1000+ point game

This best HQ choice for the Tau, highly mobile and firepower mad. The Shas'O is best given two weapons and a multi tracker due to his already high Ballistic Skill (BS). He can prove to be a very tough guy being backed up with Toughness 4 and 4 wounds.

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Crisis Commander (Shas'El)

Good's
Independent Character
Above Average BS
Decent Wounds
Cheaper in points (In comparison to Shas'O)

Bad's
Can get instant killed like any other suit
Can be expensive in points (if over-tooled)

Recommendation - Any sized-point game

As the 2nd choice for a Crisis Suit Commander for HQ, the Shas'El is still a great choice. He has the exact same armory selection as the Shas'O, but the difference is within stats. The Shas'O has lesser wounds, attacks, initiative and Ballistic Skill. But only slightly. Shas'El is recommended whenever you are low on points, or need a leader that is cheaper so then you can spend more points elsewhere in your Tau army.
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Ethereal (Aun)

Good's
Independent Character
Honor Guard
Strong Leadership

Bad's
Very Fragile
Fatal Drawback (On death)

Recommendation - Any sized-point game

A nice unit that adds a backbone to the army, making all Tau models (bar Drones and Kroot) more stubborn to morale checks, but at the cost of if the Aun dies, the Tau army may run away from the battle. Whether you take an Aun is up to you, whether the advantages outweighs the disadvantages.
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Tau Elites:

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Crisis Suit Teams (XV8)

Good's

Strong Firepower (Anti-Infantry,Vehicle, Heavy)
Mobility (Move 6'' in Movement Phase, Another 6'' in Assault)
Decent Resilience (2 Wounds 3+ Save)

Bad's
Can get instant killed by strength 8
Can be expensive in points (if over-tooled)
Weak in Close Combat
Can be very exspensive Points wise

Recommendation -

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Stealth Suit Teams (XV15-25)

Good's

Strong Firepower (Anti-Infantry)
Ability to kill tank
Mobility
Decent Resilience

Bad's

Can be expensive in points (if over-tooled)

Recommendation -

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Tau Troops:

Tau Fire Warriors

Good's

Strong Firepower (Anti-Infantry)
Decent Armour Save

Bad's

Low Toughness
Low Leadership
Weak in Close Combat

Recommendation -

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Kroot

Good's

Cheap Points Wise
Good in Close Combat (In respect to every choice in Tau Army)

Infiltration

Forest Bonuses +1 Bonus Cover Save (In Forests)
12'' Field of Vision through forests (6'' normal)

Bad's

Low-No Armour Saves

Recommendation -

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Tau Fast Attack:

Gun Drone Squad

Good's

Strong Firepower (Anti-Infantry)
Mobility

Bad's

Low Toughness
Low Leadership
Low Squad Size

Weak in Close Combat

Recommendation -

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PATHFINDERS
By SpartanTau

Good:
- Great source of Markerlights for a reasonably low cost
- good weapon selection (Pulse Carbines, Rail Rifles)
- compulsory Devilfish has a Marker Beacon (allows more accurate Deep Strikes)
- able to fire Seeker Missiles

Bad:
- very immobile if Markerlights used
- expensive when combined with the cost of the Devilfish
- vulnerable to enemy fire, especially template weapons
- easily disrupted from doing their job

Recommendations:
Equip the necessary Devilfish as a Warfish. This allows you to get some teeth with your Markerlight investment. The Pathfinders should be deployed in cover, or if this is not possible, right near some. The Scout move can then be used to take them into cover, giving them much needed protection against Heavy Bolters and the like.
If you are using Rail Rifles (which should be rarely), take them in either a squad of four or six. This gives you a good unit for a lower cost, especially since the rifles almost double the cost of a single Pathfinder. They shouldn't be used in battles of less than 1500 points, as they are an expensive investment that usually don't benefit armies in lower point games.

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PIRANHA LIGHT SKIMMER
By SpartanTau
[Dedicted to Israfel]

Good:
- access to vehicle armoury (unlike Land Speeders)
- good front armor (immune to Bolter fire)
- Seeker missile delivery system (allows Seeker Missile shots at side or rear armor within the first two turns)
- Gun Drone squadron included in points cost
- cheap upgrade to tank hunting with a Fusion Blaster
- preserving Victory Points: a squadron of two will give up no victory points if only one is destroyed during the game
- Feeding Frenzy: using multiple Fusion Piranhas to surround a transport (especially Land Raiders), destroy the transport, then prevent the squad inside from deploying, in turn destroying them as well
- only fast vehicle in the Tau arsenal

Bad:
- Open-Topped (very susceptible to ordnance, high rate of fire, etc.)
- slightly more expensive than Imperial counterparts
- can easily get very expensive
- most upgrades that are essential to the heavier Tau skimmers don't work as well with the Piranha
- hard to hide large squadrons with cover (unit footprint)

Recommendations:
Take Piranhas in squadrons of two. This way you still get a reliable and tough unit, but you can negate victory points easily. Squadrons should always be specialized (either with all Burst Cannons or with all Fusion Blasters) to maximize their potential. When used with Fusion Blasters, the drones should be disembarked soon to prevent their shots from being wasted.
If used as a Seeker Missile delivery system, use cover. The Piranhas will be the closest target, and if missiles off of them took out a Leman Russ/Predator/Falcon, your opponent will direct anti-tank weaponry against them. While they can be tough, the Piranha are still very fragile if not used correctly.
For infantry hunting, the drones should stay attached, and a squadron should advance with a Stealth Team/Kroot squad to help eliminate the threat.

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Tau Heavy Support:

HAMMERHEAD GUNSHIP
By SpartanTau Railgun Variant

Good:
- Best anti-tank weapon in the game with amazing range
- most versatile tank (can take out Land Raiders and Guardsmen)
- Heavy armor
- a Tau tank (skimmer moving fast, vehicle upgrades)
Bad:
- everyone hates railguns, especially when they are mounted on an almost indestructible skimmer
- secondary weapons don't really match main weapon
- expensive compared to other Tau tanks

Ion Cannon Variant

Good:
- MEQ killer, especially when combined with Burst Cannons
- better at taking out light to medium tanks than the Railgun
- Heavy armor
- a Tau tank (skimmer moving fast, vehicle upgrades)
- much less expensive than the Railhead
- secondary weapons more useful
Bad:
- is a Tau tank with Tau technology, which everyone hates
- more offensive/frontline nature can lead to an early destroyed result

Recommendations:
Usually, if you are tooling for a specific enemy (Ravenwing, Eldar), the Ion Cannon with Burst Cannons is the better choice. It puts out nine shots a turn and maintains all of the protection of being a Tau tank, plus enemies may ignore it for a turn as it doesn't have a Railgun on it. It is great for taking out marines as the Ion Cannon negates their armor save and wounds on 2+.
For a Take-All-Comers list, the Railgun is usually better. The main weapon is so versatile that at least two Railheads is considered required for a Tau army of at least 1000 points. Of course, it is much more expensive (in my 1500 points list, my three Hammerheads are a third of my points) and much more feared for it's destructibility.

For both variants, the SMS is usually a better choice, unless of course you are tooling up for a specific threat. When combined with a Markerlight source, both tanks become absolute killing machines, hitting (possibly) on 2+ and basically incinerating whatever they just hit.
There is a reason why everyone who plays against Tau expect these sharks, and why (almost) everyone who plays with Tau uses them.

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SKY RAYBy SpartanTau

Good:
- Only really mobile Markerlight source in the army (aside from the slightly mobile Stealth Marker Team)
- Can launch its own Seeker Missiles (negates the need to bring Pathfinders/SMT)
- Secondary weapons still great after the six missiles are launched
- Inexpensive compared to a Railhead (~180 points), depending on upgrades
- is a Tau tank (access to armoury, very survivable, etc.) with the same armor as a Hammerhead

Bad:
- Seeker Missiles a one-shot weapon (also can only have six)
- On its own, can't be relied upon to fire all the missiles in a six-turn game
- takes a Heavy Support slot that may be better spent on a different unit

Recommendations:
If you are running a Seeker-heavy list, the Sky Ray is the way to go. Bringing its own launching mechanism means that it doesn't take even more points to be effective. It shines even more when those missiles are guided by Pathfinders or an SMT. If you already have Pathfinders/SMT and at least three vehicles, it is usually better to skip the Sky Ray and just place two missiles on each of your boats. That way your arsenal is spread out, preventing a lucky Lascannon shot from taking out your heavy weapons. If you are playing for fluffy reasons, a filled HS contingent should include a Sky Ray.

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Broadside

Good's

Bad's

Recommendation -

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Sniper Drones

Good's

Bad's

Recommendation -

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Rest of the guide coming up.

[Ikarus]

Calling up the Tau community @ 40kterra to help me out.

Just post below on ANY unit on the Tau list. ~

Thanks!

[themandalorian]

Is the extra wound for shas o good, sounds good for only 25 points more. But you said it's not worth it

[Nanolathe]

See my Kroot Tactica for the Kroot. I'll come up with more tacticas/unit overviews later, bit busy now

(anyone else, feel free to pre-empt me)

[SpartanTau]

SKY RAY
Good:
- Only really mobile Markerlight source in the army (aside from the slightly mobile Stealth Marker Team)
- Can launch its own Seeker Missiles (negates the need to bring Pathfinders/SMT)
- Secondary weapons still great after the six missiles are launched
- Inexpensive compared to a Railhead (~180 points), depending on upgrades
- is a Tau tank (access to armoury, very survivable, etc.) with the same armor as a Hammerhead
Bad:
- Seeker Missiles a one-shot weapon (also can only have six)
- On its own, can't be relied upon to fire all the missiles in a six-turn game
- takes a Heavy Support slot that may be better spent on a different unit

Recommendations:
If you are running a Seeker-heavy list, the Sky Ray is the way to go. Bringing its own launching mechanism means that it doesn't take even more points to be effective. It shines even more when those missiles are guided by Pathfinders or an SMT. If you already have Pathfinders/SMT and at least three vehicles, it is usually better to skip the Sky Ray and just place two missiles on each of your boats. That way your arsenal is spread out, preventing a lucky Lascannon shot from taking out your heavy weapons. If you are playing for fluffy reasons, a filled HS contingent should include a Sky Ray.

[Ikarus]

Originally Posted by themandalorian

Is the extra wound for shas o good, sounds good for only 25 points more. But you said it's not worth it

It all comes down to personal choice. I only say take a Shas'O if you have a big game, and extra points. If you are looking for a beeeefy commander, then get an O.

Personally, I run two El's - my purpose is for them to kill.

Originally Posted by Nanolathe

See my Kroot Tactica for the Kroot. I'll come up with more tacticas/unit overviews later, bit busy now

(anyone else, feel free to pre-empt me)

Will do - add on your tactica to this list~ ++Thanks++

Originally Posted by SpartanTau

SKY RAY
Good:
- Only really mobile Markerlight source in the army (aside from the slightly mobile Stealth Marker Team)
- Can launch its own Seeker Missiles (negates the need to bring Pathfinders/SMT)
- Secondary weapons still great after the six missiles are launched
- Inexpensive compared to a Railhead (~180 points), depending on upgrades
- is a Tau tank (access to armoury, very survivable, etc.) with the same armor as a Hammerhead
Bad:
- Seeker Missiles a one-shot weapon (also can only have six)
- On its own, can't be relied upon to fire all the missiles in a six-turn game
- takes a Heavy Support slot that may be better spent on a different unit

Recommendations:
If you are running a Seeker-heavy list, the Sky Ray is the way to go. Bringing its own launching mechanism means that it doesn't take even more points to be effective. It shines even more when those missiles are guided by Pathfinders or an SMT. If you already have Pathfinders/SMT and at least three vehicles, it is usually better to skip the Sky Ray and just place two missiles on each of your boats. That way your arsenal is spread out, preventing a lucky Lascannon shot from taking out your heavy weapons. If you are playing for fluffy reasons, a filled HS contingent should include a Sky Ray.

Hey SpartanTau thanks for the skyray tips fully agree with it, and will add it to the tactica and credit it to you~

++Thanks++





We are more steps closer into building the general tau overview guide =)


thanks all~


NOTE: you can even comment on the things I made. We are trying to give multiple views and ideas.

[SpartanTau]

Ikarus :
No problem! I am more than welcome to add and comment on this thread. I'll post a few more up (hopefully) tonight after finishing up some homework for my classes. Thankfully I only have one more month until this year is over...

I am also a huge proponent of the Sky Ray, if only because the model looks amazing. I may write up a dedicated tactica for it later as well, but probably not until I finish my Fireforge one for ATT. Thanks again for the add and the 'Thanks.' I try my best.

[SpartanTau]

PIRANHA LIGHT SKIMMER
[Dedicted to Israfel]
Good:
- access to vehicle armoury (unlike Land Speeders)
- good front armor (immune to Bolter fire)
- Seeker missile delivery system (allows Seeker Missile shots at side or rear armor within the first two turns)
- Gun Drone squadron included in points cost
- cheap upgrade to tank hunting with a Fusion Blaster
- preserving Victory Points: a squadron of two will give up no victory points if only one is destroyed during the game
- Feeding Frenzy: using multiple Fusion Piranhas to surround a transport (especially Land Raiders), destroy the transport, then prevent the squad inside from deploying, in turn destroying them as well
- only fast vehicle in the Tau arsenal
Bad:
- Open-Topped (very susceptible to ordnance, high rate of fire, etc.)
- slightly more expensive than Imperial counterparts
- can easily get very expensive
- most upgrades that are essential to the heavier Tau skimmers don't work as well with the Piranha
- hard to hide large squadrons with cover (unit footprint)

Recommendations:
Take Piranhas in squadrons of two. This way you still get a reliable and tough unit, but you can negate victory points easily. Squadrons should always be specialized (either with all Burst Cannons or with all Fusion Blasters) to maximize their potential. When used with Fusion Blasters, the drones should be disembarked soon to prevent their shots from being wasted.
If used as a Seeker Missile delivery system, use cover. The Piranhas will be the closest target, and if missiles off of them took out a Leman Russ/Predator/Falcon, your opponent will direct anti-tank weaponry against them. While they can be tough, the Piranha are still very fragile if not used correctly.
For infantry hunting, the drones should stay attached, and a squadron should advance with a Stealth Team/Kroot squad to help eliminate the threat.

[SpartanTau]

HAMMERHEAD GUNSHIP
Railgun Variant
Good:
- Best anti-tank weapon in the game with amazing range
- most versatile tank (can take out Land Raiders and Guardsmen)
- Heavy armor
- a Tau tank (skimmer moving fast, vehicle upgrades)
Bad:
- everyone hates railguns, especially when they are mounted on an almost indestructible skimmer
- secondary weapons don't really match main weapon
- expensive compared to other Tau tanks

Ion Cannon Variant
Good:
- MEQ killer, especially when combined with Burst Cannons
- better at taking out light to medium tanks than the Railgun
- Heavy armor
- a Tau tank (skimmer moving fast, vehicle upgrades)
- much less expensive than the Railhead
- secondary weapons more useful
Bad:
- is a Tau tank with Tau technology, which everyone hates
- more offensive/frontline nature can lead to an early destroyed result

Recommendations:
Usually, if you are tooling for a specific enemy (Ravenwing, Eldar), the Ion Cannon with Burst Cannons is the better choice. It puts out nine shots a turn and maintains all of the protection of being a Tau tank, plus enemies may ignore it for a turn as it doesn't have a Railgun on it. It is great for taking out marines as the Ion Cannon negates their armor save and wounds on 2+.
For a Take-All-Comers list, the Railgun is usually better. The main weapon is so versatile that at least two Railheads is considered required for a Tau army of at least 1000 points. Of course, it is much more expensive (in my 1500 points list, my three Hammerheads are a third of my points) and much more feared for it's destructibility.
For both variants, the SMS is usually a better choice, unless of course you are tooling up for a specific threat. When combined with a Markerlight source, both tanks become absolute killing machines, hitting (possibly) on 2+ and basically incinerating whatever they just hit.
There is a reason why everyone who plays against Tau expect these sharks, and why (almost) everyone who plays with Tau uses them.

[SpartanTau]

PATHFINDERS
Good:
- Great source of Markerlights for a reasonably low cost
- good weapon selection (Pulse Carbines, Rail Rifles)
- compulsory Devilfish has a Marker Beacon (allows more accurate Deep Strikes)
- able to fire Seeker Missiles
Bad:
- very immobile if Markerlights used
- expensive when combined with the cost of the Devilfish
- vulnerable to enemy fire, especially template weapons
- easily disrupted from doing their job

Recommendations:
Equip the necessary Devilfish as a Warfish. This allows you to get some teeth with your Markerlight investment. The Pathfinders should be deployed in cover, or if this is not possible, right near some. The Scout move can then be used to take them into cover, giving them much needed protection against Heavy Bolters and the like.
If you are using Rail Rifles (which should be rarely), take them in either a squad of four or six. This gives you a good unit for a lower cost, especially since the rifles almost double the cost of a single Pathfinder. They shouldn't be used in battles of less than 1500 points, as they are an expensive investment that usually don't benefit armies in lower point games.

[themandalorian]

Hey I'm just curious. Are there any extra tau character rules

like the rules from white dwarf?

[Nanolathe]

Anghkor Prok is on the WH40k website, but that's all I think.

Both he and Aun'shi have died of old age if I'm not very much mistaken and Farsight is constanly being replaced... or is one of the oldest Tau ever... I'm talking several hundred years older here

[themandalorian]

Wellllllllll maybe he's found something to keep him going. He's really interesting and mysterious. That dawn blade is amazing.

I don't think they're replacing him. Hopefully GW will expand on farsight.


Oh my god that guy is amazing!!! Has anyone used this? I'd really like to use one of those

[Nanolathe]

Anghkor Prok? Yea he's Ok if you have a lot of Kroot mixed in with your Tau (the re-roll failed hits for Kroot within 6" is quite nice)
I wouldn't have him lead any of my FW squads though, mixing the rolls of units is never a good idea.

[themandalorian]

Yeah now that i think about it he's kind of too expensive, and i'm not going to go all out tau.


BTW are white dwarf rules official, or treated like FW rules?

[Nanolathe]

No idea, I never use them

[SpartanTau]

DEVILFISH TROOP CARRIER
Good:
- one of the best armored transports in 40k
- a Tau tank (access to armoury, skimmer)
- able to upgrade to a Warfish (Smart Missile System, Targeting Array), making the Devilfish a respectable gunship
- "Fish of Furry" technique (allowable as skimmers do not block line of sight)
- brings two free Gun Drones
Bad:
- only can transport two different units (Fire Warriors and Pathfinders)
- can only fit twelve models (full sized Fire Warrior squads can't fit)
- is a Tau tank
- expensive for a transport (usually between 90 and 120 points)
- main Burst Cannon weapon not very effective

Recommendations:
Devilfish should be left at home unless you are mostly or fully mechanized or you have Pathfinders, as they are required to take one. By only having a small number of Devilfish, it will be easier for your opponent to stop your momentum quickly, making your soft Fire Warriors that much more vulnerable. By taking a lot of 'Fish, along with Hammerheads and Piranha, your opponent's heavy weapons will be over taxed, allowing your aquatic armoured detachment to swim freely.
Taking Warfish (Smart Missile System, Targeting Array - 120 pts.), while very expensive for smaller games, turns the Devilfish into a very powerful gunship that can completely protect itself and still attack. This option is especially good for the mandatory Pathfinder Devilfish, as it shouldn't be transporting the unit at all (in the best situations), and paying 80+ points for something that sits in a corner is not good.
If you have massed Firewarriors, the basic Devilfish is the way to go. It allows you to still retain the protective benefits of Tau vehicles and the destructive benefits of Pulse weaponry. By keeping the cost for each transport low, you can use those saved points for more Firewarriors or heavier weapons.

[Nanolathe]

My Sig Link now has more Tau... ZOMG!

[themandalorian]

I think Ikarus needs to talk about his i think Fish of fire

an entire wall of devilfishes with troops behind them

[a fallen goldenage]

Broadside

Good's
- heavyly armoured
-durable
- only unit other then hammerhead to have rail guns
- twin-linked rail gun
- good anti-tank unit
- smart missile system doesn't need line of sight

Bad's
- expensive
- lacks the submunition of the hammerhead
- fire Magnets
- secondary weapon pales in comparition of main weapon
- instant killed easly
- weak in combat

Recommendation - The Boardsides are best suited for anti-tank roles, like a railgun hammerhead. Their best fielded unit of one or two due to there high cost (70pts each with out upgrades). There secondary weapon is ethere a smart missile system or twin-linked plasma rifle (an extra 10 pts). There also good with dealing with heavy armoured elites or multy-wound units units like termonaters or cornifexes.

[Capitano]

looking good so far