Successful Tau Army Builds

[mikethefish]

So yeah, just to get this out of the way, apparently the Tau suck in 5th edition. Not terribly concerned about it - please read on.

Alright, I now find myself in a unique position. Through misadventure, my large Ork army that I have had for many years has been destroyed by heat (the disadvantage of plastic models). I am now thinking about starting a new army from scratch.

I used to play Tau back when they first game out. Ended up selling them off - APPARENTLY to one of the BoLS guys because I see my army featured in battle reports here once in a while (cool stuff! glad it got a good home :) ). I know they are not terribly strong in the current rules set, but what the heck - I just like em. Plus I used to be a pretty good player, I bet I could come up with a way to make them at least kinda sorta decent.

So I look to you folks for advice. Once the new book comes out somewhere down the line, I will modify my army to whatever works well. But in the mean time, I was wondering - what sorts of Tau army builds are working all right for people nowadays? What sorts of Crisis Suit configurations do you see a lot? What units are good? What units suck?

Basically since I don't have anything else to play right now, I am essentially looking for a Tau army build that works the best to tide me over for a bit until the updated 5th edition book is released.

[steelmage99]

Max Crisis Suits. (3x3, Fire Knife)
Min. Fire Warriors. (1-2)
Kroot and Hounds for bubble-wrap. (2 units of 10 Kroot and 7-8 Hounds)
Piranhas for interference runs. (2)
Pathfinders for Marker Lights.(1-2)
Broadsides and/or Hammerheads for Railguns.(combination adding up to three units)

Done and done IMO.

[mikethefish]

But what would that army do for Scoring units with only minimum Fire Warriors?

[dvs1]

The fire warriors probably have a devil fish, and seldom leave it. Kroot make great cheap scoring units.

[Xanadu]

Tau don't suck, they just play in a way that is totally different to other armies - strategic sacrifice of units to keep suits firing.

Outer layer of defence: Piranhas blocking AV14 and CC hordes w/ Devilfish chassis blocking LOS onto suits.
Second Layer of Defence: Kroot bubblewrap (preferably in cover for a 3+ save if going to ground) two largeish units that prevent assaults from happening onto your suits.
Tertiary layer: Suits preventing your FWs from being mauled by long range Firepower.


Remember: Tau don't score, they shoot everything off the table so that the opponent doesn't have anything scoring left.

Bonne chance!

[Jenn]

My current 1500 point tau list includes:
1 Shas'el w/ TL missile pods, positional relay
7 battlesuits w/ TL missile pods, flamers
3 units of 6 fire warriors in devilfish
3 Hammerheads

It plays a defensive game always moving and not letting the enemy get near the units always working towards getting in position for last turn turbo boosts to push enemy troops off objectives.

In KP games I only deploy the Shas'el and hide it in terrain that hopefully blocks line of sight, each turn I bring on one hammerhead to start poking holes in their army. Fifth turn the remainder of my army comes on to claim as many quick and easy kp as possible.

Just figured you'd might like a list that caters to a little bit more tactical strategy than blow them up and hope they dont get to you.

[Commander Vimes]

I play the following list, with some variation, in a very competitive environment against top tier tournament armies with success. It hasn't won me a major tournament, but I'm usually in the top 10%, and I've won a few small local tournaments.


Shas'o w/ Plasma, cyclic ion blaster, positional relay, multi-tracker, stims, target lock, gun drone, shield drone
Decent firepower, helps soak wounds on important targets like broadsides, helps with leadership

Shas'el w/ plasma, fusion, mulit-tracker, targeting array, target lock, gun drone, shield drone
Same thing

2x Crisis Suits w/ plasma, missile, mulit-tracker, gun drone, shield drone
Can be effective against most targets. Often joined by both HQ suits for a unit that's very resilient at range.

13x Kroot w/ 8x Hounds
10x Kroot w/ 7x Hounds
6x Fire Warriors
12x Fire Warriors w/ Shas'ui
Kroot outflank against weak shooting troops, or take objectives near the board edges (always put a few there for them) screen your lines from assaults, or counter charge. They're wonderful and fill many roles. Never leave home without them. This particular list is dangerously light on them in my opinion. The Fire Warriors hide in reserve then in devilfish to take objectives. The large unit is great with markerlight support, which I have plenty of. It kills 3+ armor monstrous creatures, orks, Storm Shield Termies, and is surprisingly good against Thunderwolf deathstars.

8x Pathfinders w/ Shas'ui, Devilfish w/ disruption pod
8x Pathfinders w/ Shas'ui, Devilfish w/ disruption pod
Smart Missiles are way overpriced. In kill points it's really easy to just hide the fish in reserve so their drones aren't a liability.

3x Broadsides w/ Shield Drones, 3x Plasma Rifles, Multi-tracker
3x Broadsides w/ Shield Drones, Targeting Arrays
These are just awesome. I'd take a second squad with plasma if I had enough rifles.

This list destroys mechanized opponents, but all DOA Blood Angels, JotWW, and 'Nids make it cry.

[sorienor]

HQ: Farsight
HQ: Bodyguard (all have shield generators, HW target lock, HW drone controller. Suits with 2 systems have HW multi-trackers)
1: TL Plasma, Gun Drone, Shield Drone
2: TL Missile Pod, 2x gun drone
3: Plasma, Airburst, 2x gun drone
4: Plasma, cyclic Ion, 2x gun drone
5: Plasma, missile pod, gun drone, shield drone
6: TL Fusion, gun drone, shield drone

Troop: 8 Firewarriors, Shas'ui
Troop: 10 Firewarriors, Shas'ui
-Devilfish, Multi-tracker, disruption pod, flechette dischargers

Fast: 6 Pathfinders, 2x rail rilfe
-Devilfish, Multi-tracker, Disruption pod, flechette dischargers

Elite: 3x XV8
1: Team leader, HW drone controller, HW mult-tracker, HW target lock, TL flamers, missile pod, 2x gun drone
2: TL Burst cannon, shield generator
3: Burst cannon, flamer, multi-tracker

Heavy: Hammerhead, railgun, multi-tracker, disruption pod, flechette discharger, SMS
Heavy: 3xXV88 3x A.S.S Team leader with HW drone controller, HW target lock, 2x shield drone



This list has been a lot of fun for me, doing very well against mech guard. Lascannons, battlecannons, etc kill a lot of gun drones while the massive unit moves to my opponent shooting up stuff on the way. The few units in the back get very little attention. Farsight is actually pretty good in cc, and being a retinue can't be picked out as an IC. You can't get locked up against dreads or anything because he hits like a MC.

I would make changes to this list, dropping the cyclic, the rail rifles and some firewarriors and then make 2x 2 suit units one anti-infantry and the other one anti-tank.

[sangrail777]

I play a list built on R'myr w/SD
BG-CIB,Plasma,Shield,MT
XV8(3)-Px2,BCx2,MTx3,FB,MP
XV8(3)-Plasmax3,MPx3,MTx3
Fire Warriors-Shas'ui,GDx2
Fire Warriors-Shas'ui,GDx2
Fire Warriors-Shas'ui,GDx2
Piranha-BC
Broadsidex2
Sniper DT
Hammerhead

This is about 1500
For larger games I add on stealth teams, vespids, etc, etc, I got some sick choices along with a Tau Titan for Apoc games(it's got 3 railguns).

I actually just won 2 games with this today against Ultramarines.
At 2295 and 1500 points

[Tynskel]

XV8(3)-Px3,BCx2,MTx3,FB,MP

?

[sangrail777]

XV8(3)-Px3,BCx2,MTx3,FB,MP
XV8=crisis suit, (3)=3 XV8's, P=Plasma rilfle x2, BC= Burst Cannon x2, MT= Multi-Tracker, Fusion Blaster x1, Missile Pod x1

Sorry for lingo. For code been going with first letters and a lil' x with a number is how many.

Edit: oops I mean 2 Plasma Rifles.

[BlindGunn]

Do you mix & match weapons on your individual suits? Try to keep two the same (Plas, Burst & MTrack) and 1 "special" (MP, Fusion & MTrack) in a squad of 3 or do you mix them all up?

[LEGION]

I play the following list, with some variation, in a very competitive environment against top tier tournament armies with success. It hasn't won me a major tournament, but I'm usually in the top 10%, and I've won a few small local tournaments.


Shas'o w/ Plasma, cyclic ion blaster, positional relay, multi-tracker, stims, target lock, gun drone, shield drone
Decent firepower, helps soak wounds on important targets like broadsides, helps with leadership

Shas'el w/ plasma, fusion, mulit-tracker, targeting array, target lock, gun drone, shield drone
Same thing

2x Crisis Suits w/ plasma, missile, mulit-tracker, gun drone, shield drone
Can be effective against most targets. Often joined by both HQ suits for a unit that's very resilient at range.

*edited out the troops*

8x Pathfinders w/ Shas'ui, Devilfish w/ disruption pod
8x Pathfinders w/ Shas'ui, Devilfish w/ disruption pod
Smart Missiles are way overpriced. In kill points it's really easy to just hide the fish in reserve so their drones aren't a liability.

3x Broadsides w/ Shield Drones, 3x Plasma Rifles, Multi-tracker
3x Broadsides w/ Shield Drones, Targeting Arrays
These are just awesome. I'd take a second squad with plasma if I had enough rifles.

This list destroys mechanized opponents, but all DOA Blood Angels, JotWW, and 'Nids make it cry.

A lot of good ideas going on in this list. I run something very similar with a different troop setup. Since troops in a tau army are secondary and really just rely on devilfish with Dpods its always the same.

One thing I would change is the broadsides. Instead of 2 units of 3 I would go 2 units of 2 with full shield drones and a Hammerhead. You may have to carve some points out elsewhere to get it but it is worth it IMO. A lot of people mistakenly use the HH to kill vehicles, which it can do somewhat well, but where it really excels is killing troops with its fragmentation round. These large pie plates are absolute murder on hordes and any troop in the field. With this tank parked on your backline or in a corner you can realistically nullify an enemy objective.

Also placement of suits is of the utmost importance. Try to get your broadsides centrally located so they can command fire across the entire table.

I have found when playing with tau, its not about taking objectives, it is about shooting your opponent off of theirs. Just make sure whatever you do , you have enough firepower to accomplish this because there is no way you can do it in combat. A few markerlights go a long way. If you take too many, you have a bunch of shots that are not doing any actual damage, take too few and cover saves can eat up all your really powerful shooting. Its a tricky balance and changes with every army build.

[Mikey87]

One thing I would change is the broadsides. Instead of 2 units of 3 I would go 2 units of 2 with full shield drones and a Hammerhead.

Keep in mind that with 2 broadsides and 2 shield drones it only takes one casualty to force a morale check, which is quite tricky with Ld 8...

[Rapture]

I always play three Hammerheads in my list. I know that it is less railguns than Broadsides allow for, but those submissions mean that hordes don't stand a chance.

And there are no leadership checks on tanks.

[Death]

My tau list that at 1500 points I jump from be hind the tanks of cover depending on the map and depending on mission kroot either out flank to get and objective or protect broad sides some say the fusions are useless but deep striking armor and combined with plasma support most termies don't live


commander shas'el 112
Plasma
Missile Pod
Multi Tracker
Stime Injector
Hw Drone Controller
Shield Drone

Body Guard 97
Plasma
Missile Pod
Hw Multi Tracker
Hw Drone Controler
Shield Drone
Targeting Array

Body Guard 82
Plasma
Missile Pod
Hw Multi Tracker
Targeting Array

Elites
Crisis 58
Missile Pod
Drone Controler
Shield Drone

Crisis
Flamethrower 47
Missile Pod

Crisis
Flamethrower 47
Missile Pod


Leader Crisis
Targeting Array 94
Fusion Blaster
Missile Pod
Hw Drone Controller
Shield Drone
Shield Drone

Crisis 59
Targeting Array
Fusion Blaster
Missile Pod

Crisis 59
Targeting Array
Fusion Blaster
Missile Pod

Troops

Fire Warriors 6 60
Devil Fish
Disruption Pod 145


Kroot 70

Heavy Support

Hammer Head 175
Rail Gun
Burst Cannons
Flettchet Discharges
Disruption Pods
Multi Tracker

Broadside Leader 120
Targeting array
target lock
Hw Drone Controller
Shield Drone
Shield Drone

Broadside 80
targeting array

Broadside 80
targeting array

Hammer Head 175
Rail Gun
Burst Cannons
Flettchet Discharges
Disruption Pods
Multi Tracker

[cwstatic]

So, this is my first time posting and Ifigure that since I just put together a 2000 point Tau list I may as well as post it and see what you guys think.
HQ
Commander shas’el Total points 135pts (Anti infantry/ anti light armor)
A.B.F.P./ Plasma Rifle/ Targeting Array/ Hard Wired Multi-tracker/ HW X2 shield drones.
2 Body Guards. Both Identical (anti light armor/ heavy infantry)
Plasma Rifle/ Missile pods/ Targeting Array/ HW Multi-tracker. Total points 164pts

Elites
2 squads of stealth teams. Both Identical Total points 430 (Heavy infantry killers)
5 man team/ upgrade to team leader/ HW drone controller (x2 marker drones)
Crisis team Total points 86 (For deep strikes/ anti infantry or anti armor)
2 man team/ Twin-Link Flamer/ Fusion Blaster

Troops
Fire Warriors (objective holders and long range harassment)
8 man team/ Shas’ui upgrade/ Bonding knife/ Devilfish with (Multi Tracker/ Disruption pod) Total points 190
9 man team/ Shas’ui upgrade/ Bonding knife Total points 105

Fast attack
2 squads of Pathfinders. Both Identical Total Points 364 (Identify priority targets and increase shooting effectiveness)
6 man team/ Shas’ui upgrade/ Bonding knife/ Devilfish with(Multi Tracker/ Disruption pod)

Heavy Support
2 Hammer Heads. Both Identical Total Points 330 (anti infantry/ anti armor)
2 burst cannons/ railgun/ multi-tracker/ Disruption Pod on each
Broadside Team Total Points 195 (Anti armor)
2 man squad / Targeting array on both/ Upgrade one to team leader with (HW Drone Controller X2 shield drones)
TOTAL COST FOR ARMY 1999Pts

[BlindGunn]

K - some of observations:

Stealth teams haven't been doing so well for me lately. Their range is too short and most armies seem to be more vehicle-based, so they can be hard pressed that close to the opponent's lines. Try them out 1st and see if they work for you. If they don't, may want to consider dropping one or both squads for another Crisis suit squad(s). Adding a fusion would give them some AT ability which could be helpful as well.

Elite Crisis Team with twin-linked Flamers and Fusion - I HATE 1-SHOT WEAPONS! You have a 50% chance of missing with the Fusion (if the target is not already lit with a markerlight - a very dangerous assumption). I would recommend twin-linking the Fusion and a single Flamer. You'll get the chance to at least re-roll that fusion shot when it HAS to hit!

If I'm reading this correctly, you have 2 Firewarrior teams - 1 with a Devilfish, but you're also taking 2 units of Pathfinders (each with a Devilfish). If you intend to deploy the Pathfinders ASAP, you can save some points, take away the Devilfish for the Firewarriors and "recruit" the pathfinders' fish for both squads. If you intend to keep one Pathfinder unit mounted for a bit, then yes, leave the Firewarriors with one of their own Devilfish.

If you buy a Hard-wired Target Lock for the Broadside Leader, you can split fire and go after 2 tanks at once. Always a good option if you're going to buy the leader upgrade for the Broadsides.

[Whoop!]

Ou812

[cwstatic]

Thanks for the input BLINDGUNN! I'll definitely look into it.
I keep forgetting that the pathfinders devilfish can be deployed with the fire warriors in it instead of the pathfinders. That will save me at least another 95 points.
The Elite Crisis team is there just because they are really cheap and when they deep strike right next to a unit the TL flamers do at least 5-7 wounds since I’m rerolling to wound on a 3-4+ most of the time. Also I’ve been pretty lucky with them popping armor, with 2 shots hitting on 4+ the odds are in my favor that at least 1 will hit.
But I’ll keep what you said in mind and make some changes. Thanks again for your suggestions!

[BlindGunn]

Thanks for the input BLINDGUNN! I'll definitely look into it.
I keep forgetting that the pathfinders devilfish can be deployed with the fire warriors in it instead of the pathfinders. That will save me at least another 95 points.
Not Quite. Only the Pathfinders can start off in the Pathfinder's Devilfish. However, if you deploy the Devilfish by the Firewarriors during deployment, on turn 1, the Firewarriors can mount the Devilfish and drive away (assuming they're all within 2" of an access point).

For the Greater Good! ;)