Riptide vs crisis suits

[Dan Robert Geiman]

Hey guys trying to figure out what unit is more effective in a competitive list a 3 man crisis suit squad or a riptide after you kit them out they are roughly the same points and also are the drones worth it on the tide cause they can cause moral checks if destroyed?

[Sly]

The Crisis Suits do more damage for the points.
The Riptide is tougher.

When you have a single tough unit, opponents work around it and shoot the weaker stuff, thus in general the Riptide's toughness is not as relevant as it could be, while the firepower of the Crisis Suits is generally better.

The Riptide is a better choice for a Velocity Tracker as it will likely survive to take several shots at enemy Flyers. If you push the Riptide into the enemy's face (or Deep Strike it, though with its extra Assault move it should be fast enough to threaten charges early enough), its ability to either Smash vehicles or to assault and beat up weak shooty units (Long Fangs, Heavy Weapons Squad, Lootas, etc) can make it threatening enough that the opponent feels compelled to dump firepower into it, at which point its toughness starts to be worth it.

So, in the end, if you want to play a shoot-and-scoot style, that suits the Crisis more than the Riptide. If you want something to push into the enemy's backfield for disruption and Linebreaker, a Riptide does better. If you want more dependable AA firepower, the Riptide is better (but Tau lists shouldn't have problems with a lack of AA in any case).

[Tynskel]

simple, take both!

[Nabterayl]

also are the drones worth it on the tide cause they can cause moral checks if destroyed?
I say yes. True, they force morale checks, but they also raise the unit's Toughness to 6 so long as at least one of them is alive. +1T and 4++ ablative wounds with missile pods is an overall yes, I say.

[ElectricPaladin]

simple, take both!

I agree. The riptide makes a great anvil to the crisis suits' hammer!