1000pts Farsight Enclaves Campaign

[Tarnag]

Hey all! I'm currently in a 40k campaign at my FLGS. I just started collecting and playing Tau (I've had a couple fire warriors and an XV8 commander for years, now gonna actually put them to use) so I'm relatively a newbie tactics wise (for Tau). I think I have the idea down for higher points values, but after playing a couple games at 500pts last night, I realize I'm not sure how to build/operate a list at lower points. So I figure I would take the list I'm thinking of bringing next week for the 1000pt games.

HQ:
Commander Farsight - 165

Ethereal - 50

Troops:
XV8 Crisis Team - 169
- Vectored Retro Thrusters, Plasma Rifle x2, Bonding Knife Ritual
- Plasma Rifle x2, Bonding Knife Ritual
- Target Lock, Fusion Blaster x2, Bonding Knife Ritual

Fire Warrior Team - 120
- Fire Warrior with Pulse Rifle x12
- Bonding Knife Ritual

Fast Attack:
Drone Squadron - 56
- Marker Drone x4

Heavy Support:
Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship - 131
- Disruption Pod, Blacksun Filter

Allied Detatchment, Tau Empire

HQ:
Commander - 128
- Target Lock, Drone Controller, Missile Pod x2

Troops:
Fire Warrior Team - 90
- Fire Warrior with Pulse Rifle x10

Fire Warrior Team - 90
- Fire Warrior with Pulse Rifle x10

Total: 999pts

Farsight joins up with the Crisis Suits, The Commander joins the Marker Drones, and the Ethereal joins up with the 12 man Fire Warrior squad. I am not sure whether to start Farsight and his squad in reserves or not, because I did in the two 500pt games and it went okay for one, and I got tabled before he came in in another. I'll have more on the table to fight back in 1000pts, but I'm still unsure.

In your comments criticism, keep in mind that during this campaign I have to have a consistent warlord every week, so Farsight is mine and thus he has to be in the list. Also, I have a limited FoC to deal with (1 HQ, 1 Elite, 6 Troops, 1 Heavy, 1 Fast), but ,last week I unlocked the Allies slot, and this week I was planning on unlocking the 1 HQ to bring the Ethereal.

I'd prefer not to have to buy any other models, so I'll give you a list of what I have so if you are generous you can give suggestions based on that:

1 Commander Farsight
1 XV8 Commander (magnetized for all options)
1 Ethereal
6 Crisis Suits (magnetized for all options)
2 Riptides (1 with IA, otherwise both magnetized for all options)
36 Fire Warriors
40 Kroot Carnivores
6 Marker Drones
1 Sky Ray

I have ordered 20 Pathfinders, 1 more Riptide, and 1 more Sky Ray, but they haven't arrived yet. Possibly later in the campaign.

THANK YOU for any input you can provide me, whether it be strategy or list help!

[Katharon]

What I don't understand...is why the heck would you ally with the Tau Codex when you are already using the Farsight Supplement? That's like putting spicey mustard on your hotdog and then putting French's mustard on your hotdog because "you just felt like you needed mustard on your hotdog." It's kind of ridiculous; but then that's just my opinion.


In your comments criticism, keep in mind that during this campaign I have to have a consistent warlord every week, so Farsight is mine and thus he has to be in the list.

Just having a regular commander as your warlord should be fine. Just because you might change the wargear from battle to battle doesn't mean it's "different" somehow...so this seems rather silly for a rule to me. Not to mention you sink more points into using Farsight than a stripped down and more tactical commander (who can use more options in weaponry). Not saying that Farsight is a bad choice, but simply that he isn't mine for using the Farsight Enclaves.

Secondly, the Ethereal just shouldn't be there at all. If it's a narrative campaign then that is especially is the case. He's just a free victory point for your opponent. Even his pulse-rifle buffing skills are not enough to make me want to ever take him. He's just too much of a liability and doesn't do enough for you, imho.

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Thirdly, you're missing one key point on your Farsight army: Bonding Knife Ritual. If you take a Farsight army, then every unit that is capable of taking the Bonding ritual, must take it. So that's even more points that your Ethereal is soaking up.

Fourth: I guess you impulse-bought that Skyray? I feel bad for saying it, but they're just not that good. A normal Hammerhead will be better every time...or even more, a Broadside team.

Fifth: the only reason to really take a Farsight Army is to be able to take Crisis Suits are troop choices. It's for people to take a full on "Gundam Army."


----


Final advice...well, as it stands, I'd drop the Farsight Enclaves entirely. Just make a single army from the Tau Codex -- especially since you've made clear that you don't want to buy more models. Here is what I would suggest then for a 1000 Point army from the Tau.


HQ

VX8 Crisis Suit Commander [172]
Cyclic Ion Blaster
Fusion Blaster
Vectored Retro Thrusters
Shield Generator
Puretide Engram Neurochip
Neuroweb System Jammer
Repulsor Impact Field

TROOPS

Fire Warrior Team [132]
12 x Warriors
EMP Grenades for entire team

Fire Warrior Team [132]
12 x Warriors
EMP Grenades for entire team

Fire Warrior Team [132]
12 x Warriors
EMP Grenades for entire team

Kroot Carnivore Squad [120]
20 x Kroot

ELITES

XV104 Riptide [205]
Velocity Tracker
Ion Accelerator

XV8 Crisis Team [106]
2 x Suits
1st: twin-linked fusion blaster , flamer
2nd: two burst cannons, Counter-Defense System
1 x Shield Drone


This is the list I would take if I were in your shoes. At 1000 points, you won't be facing a lot of horde armies (unless you play against Orks or 'Nids (and maybe Guard), so taking up to 3 or 4 troops is a great way to surprise them. Your Riptide can handle any flyers. Your Crisis team can escort your commander. EMP grenades are friggen hilarious and awesome. I can't begin to count the number of times I've enjoyed the look of horror on my opponent's face when, at first, they are delightfully surprised to see Fire Warriors charge a Land Raider out of cover -- only to realize that that Land Raider is dead scrap moments later. Kroot are there just to give you a nice infiltrating unit that can give you Linebreaker and also give your opponent something to sweat about.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, as a long-standing IG player, I've never been afraid of BS3. There are Tau players that will never take the field without at least one unit of Pathfinders, but in small games of 1K or less -- it's just not practical. Markerlights do some really cool things, but I (personally) just don't need them to get the job done. They make it easier, but are not required.

[Tarnag]

The campaign started last week at 500pts, so through the campaign Farsight will have to be in my army as the warlord, for better or worse (I'm a fan of him, in model, fluff, and the way he plays). That and my primary detatchment being Farsight Enclaves I can't change.

I agree with some of your points, but I'm not really a fan of the list you made, so with that in mind I came up with this:

HQ:
Commander Farsight - 165

Elites:
XV108 Riptide - 215
- Heavy Burst Cannon, Early Warning Override, Earth Caste Pilot Array, Smart Missile System

Troops:
XV8 Crisis Team - 159
- Plasma Rifle x2, Bonding Knife Ritual
- Plasma Rifle x2, Bonding Knife Ritual
- Plasma Rifle x2, Bonding Knife Ritual

XV8 Crisis Team - 53
- Fusion Blaster x2, Bonding Knife Ritual

Allied Detatchment, Tau Empire

HQ:
Commander - 172
- C&C Node, MSSS, PEN, Vectored Retro Thrusters, Drone Controller
- Marker Drone x2

Troops:
Fire Warrior Team - 118
- Fire Warrior with Pulse Rifle x11
- Fire Warrior Shas'ui x1

Fire Warrior Team - 118
- Fire Warrior with Pulse Rifle x11
- Fire Warrior Shas'ui x1

Total: 1000pts

Commander and Riptide start together on the board, provide heavy firepower and a couple markerlights for the Fire Warriors or XV8s to take advantage of, Farsight and the Crisis teams deep strike in to provide mid game clean up. Threw in some Shas'uis to compesate for the leadership bonus the Ethereal would've provided.

[Katharon]

Did you remember the Bonding Knife Ritual for your Crisis Teams?

[Tarnag]

Yeah it's included in the cost (in both lists), just didn't think it necessary to list in the wargear.

[Katharon]

Yeah it's included in the cost (in both lists), just didn't think it necessary to list in the wargear.

If someone wants to look at your army list and doesn't know the point costs (but does know the necessary wargear to legally field something) then you should always include it in the wargear list.

[Tarnag]

If someone wants to look at your army list and doesn't know the point costs (but does know the necessary wargear to legally field something) then you should always include it in the wargear list.
Edited to include Bonding Knife Ritual. I figured that since it wasn't essential to the function of the list it wouldn't impede anyone giving feedback.

[Katharon]

Well, the BKR *is* essential to the Farsight Enclaves - you can't legally field a unit that can take them without them...so...yeah...

[Tarnag]

It's essential to take them, but not essential to how the list functions, thus critique of the list doesn't rely on it (especially because the point cost was included). But that's beside the point, do you have anything to add about the list that isn't about the formatting?

[Katharon]

I don't think I'm being clear. Writing out the BKR on your wargear is for your opponents IRL as much as online. Otherwise people might think you're skimping or cheating in point-costs (so show everything). That's the bottom line.

As for the list, go for it. It's not the one I'd take, but you know your opponents better.