Tau Preview

[pretre]

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/03/05/tau-sept-hammerhead-gunships-breacher-teamsgw-homepage-post-3/

 

The T’au Sept, Hammerhead Gunships, and Breacher Teams

One of the most exciting things about collecting the youngest race in Warhammer 40,000 is their developing narrative, and the new Codex: T’au Empire is designed to reflect how this nascent stellar power has expanded and diversified.

To demonstrate properly just how much bigger the T’au Empire has become, six Sept Tenets allow you to dedicate your Detachments to one of the most populous and influential of the T’au settlements. You can also pick a sept from the background – or even make one up yourself – and pick the Sept Tenet you think best reflects your strategy and fighting style.

The first Sept Tenet we’ll be previewing is that of the T’au Sept – first and most prestigious among the T’au Empire’s holdings.

Perhaps none among the T’au are as fanatical in their pursuit of the Greater Good – or drilled as hard – as those who hail from the core world, making them superb defensive warriors. On the tabletop, this is reflected by Coordinated Fire Arcs:

As if charging a T’au gunline wasn’t already daunting enough!

Hammerhead Gunships are among the most improved units in the new T’au Empire codex, thanks to having the ever-useful For The Greater Good rule added to their profile, allowing them to unleash combined Overwatch attacks with the rest of the army. Use yours with the T’au Sept, and anyone wishing to charge your gunline will have to reckon with potentially being hit by a railgun at point blank range or a deadly deluge of ion cannon fire. They’ve even received a point reduction!

If you’re using Hammerhead Gunships, we’d recommend taking three in a Spearhead Detachment with Longstrike at their head. As well as providing additional bonuses to hit for these units, this legendary tank ace has been enhanced to benefit more from Markerlights than his fellow T’au, allowing you to make the most of yours:

With the T’au Sept, you’ll want to stock up on Fire Warriors to take maximum advantage of your combined Overwatch attacks. While you might be tempted to use Strike Teams, we’d recommend Breacher Teams, whose short-ranged attacks are even more powerful in the new codex thanks to a new Stratagem:

This works superbly against both entrenched units and units with abilities allowing them to benefit from cover where they otherwise wouldn’t, such as the Tyranids of Hive Fleet Jormungandr. It gets better – against particularly stubborn targets, don’t forget to use Focused Fire, a T’au Sept Stratagem that allows you to take down even the toughest units with ease:

Just imagine – soften up a larger target like an Imperial Knight with a fusillade from your Pathfinders, then finish them off with a combined assault from your Breachers and Hammerhead Gunships. Should they charge you, they’ll have to walk through a brutal hail of fire before they can even land a blow…

Of course, if you’d rather keep your enemy at arm’s length, worry not – we’ll be checking in tomorrow with another preview, with a Sept Tenet that makes the already prodigious reach of T’au firearms even longer. In the meantime, you can kick off your T’au Sept with Start Collecting! T’au Empire.

[Kelharis]

Overwatch/FTGG on a 5+? Hell Yes!

[Kelharis]

There's a rumor that the Bork'an Sept trait will increase range of rapid fire and heavy weapons by 6".  IF Tau get the stratagem that other armies are getting (allow units to deepstrike that don't normally) you can potentially deepstrike the FW Y'Vahra into flamer range...

[pretre]

The new Codex: T’au Empire isn’t just designed to make your army stronger – it’s also packed with new tactical possibilities, allowing you to capitalise on your strengths and try out unusual new army builds.

One of the defining quality of T’au Empire armies is their prodigious range, allowing them to reach the enemy wherever they may hide with an array of far-reaching firepower. In this regard, no sept can match the reach of Bork’an, thanks to Superior Craftsmanship:

With this Sept Tenet, even your Strike Teams will be able to reach the enemy wherever they hide, while you take the best defensive positions on the board with impunity.

For many, the Riptide Battlesuit is the iconic T’au Empire unit, and with the new codex, you can expect to see a LOT more of them on a tabletop near you thanks to a suite of rules improvements. Firstly, the armaments of the Riptide have been tweaked in power to hit harder and have more shots, allowing you to deal more damage with this deadly war machine:

With the Riptide’s Nova Reactor, you’ll be able to make these weapons even deadlier, notably bringing the heavy burst cannon up to 18 – yes, 18! – shots:

That’s not all! As well as benefiting from a range of battlesuit-specific Stratagems (we’ll be diving into these later in the week) the Riptide even has one of its own:

With the Bork’an Sept Tenets and these enhancements, you’ll be able to turn your Riptide Battlesuits into deadly mobile firebases, constantly maintaining a safe distance from the foe, dealing considerable damage with its Drones and an invulnerable save to soak up punishment at the same time.

Already capable of engaging the enemy at terrific range, the KV128 Stormsurges of Bork’an find the extra 6″ range particularly useful when picking which profile to use for the pulse blastcannon, allowing you to utilise the armour-piercing short-range firing mode at a safer distance. If you really want to keep your distance, the pulse driver cannon is also super in a Bork’an army – and not just because it has an effective range of 78”. With the Experimental Weaponry Stratagem, you’ll be able to re-roll your random shots with the weapon, making it even more dangerous to your opponent:

The Bork’an Sept is ideal for the defensive T’au Empire player – but if you’d rather play more aggressively, worry not – we’ll be checking out the close assault specialists of the rebellious Farsight Enclaves tomorrow. In the meantime, if you’re inspired to start your own Detachment of Bork’an battlesuits, pick up the KV128 Stormsurge here.

The post T’au Empire Preview: Bork’an Sept appeared first on Warhammer Community.

[Lord Hanaur]

Oh HELL YES!!!!

 

[Guest]

Still nothing about Kroot and the other Merc races. Really hoping GW gives them some love. 

[Lord Hanaur]

8 minutes ago, paxmiles said:

Still nothing about Kroot and the other Merc races. Really hoping GW gives them some love. 

I kind of doubt that they will get much more than the passing treatment you saw in the Mont'ka and Kauyon set where they "sort of" got cool abilities that "sorta" made them synergistic with the other army componenents.  Kroot fell of the table as far as melee ability and Kroot Hounds are seemingly superior if not for the Vanguard move.  one thing they definitely need to do is give the damn Shaper the Vanguard move.  Lol.  that he doesnt have it is dumb.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Lord Hanaur said:

I kind of doubt that they will get much more than the passing treatment you saw in the Mont'ka and Kauyon set where they "sort of" got cool abilities that "sorta" made them synergistic with the other army componenents.  Kroot fell of the table as far as melee ability and Kroot Hounds are seemingly superior if not for the Vanguard move.  one thing they definitely need to do is give the damn Shaper the Vanguard move.  Lol.  that he doesnt have it is dumb.

I wouldn't be surprised if GW doesn't include Kroot hounds, Kroot Shapers, or Krootox riders in the codex because I don't think those models are current, but the basic kroot are a plasic kit that should still be in production, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are both in the codex and given good abilities (a point drop would be a good ability, at present they are crazy expensive, costing a monstrous 6pts each for a model with a 6+ save and Toughness 3...).

As for melee, Kroot have always been more a speed bump unit for the TAU. Main issue with current rules is that they cost MORE than fire warriors, so they aren't a very practical speed bump. 

[Lord Hanaur]

17 minutes ago, paxmiles said:

I wouldn't be surprised if GW doesn't include Kroot hounds, Kroot Shapers, or Krootox riders in the codex because I don't think those models are current, but the basic kroot are a plasic kit that should still be in production, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are both in the codex and given good abilities (a point drop would be a good ability, at present they are crazy expensive, costing a monstrous 6pts each for a model with a 6+ save and Toughness 3...).

As for melee, Kroot have always been more a speed bump unit for the TAU. Main issue with current rules is that they cost MORE than fire warriors, so they aren't a very practical speed bump. 

Oh that vanguard move is absolutely necessary and important to the army.  Definitely have to have it.  Just wish their abilities were a little more standoutish.  STR 4 and rapid fire is NOT a bad gun.  They are vanguarding it up which is important.  Really important.  So I think the main thing is they just melt like butter in the one arena they were supposed to be "passable" in.  I don't know what the right answer is but I just know that I'd be super unhappy if they didn't put Kroot in the Codex.  I mean that's pretty crazy to consider, given that any T'au Army should now be built with them included.  They are an obvious include, and lend credence to the fluff of their coalition building.  So...

 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Lord Hanaur said:

Oh that vanguard move is absolutely necessary and important to the army.  Definitely have to have it.  Just wish their abilities were a little more standoutish.  STR 4 and rapid fire is NOT a bad gun.  They are vanguarding it up which is important.  Really important.  So I think the main thing is they just melt like butter in the one arena they were supposed to be "passable" in.  I don't know what the right answer is but I just know that I'd be super unhappy if they didn't put Kroot in the Codex.  I mean that's pretty crazy to consider, given that any T'au Army should now be built with them included.  They are an obvious include, and lend credence to the fluff of their coalition building.  So...

 

Been wondering if GW will keep the TAU merc fluff. I liked it, but of the kits for TAU mercs, there's only the kroot carnivores in plastic and most of the options are never fielded (like Vespids) by any but the most unorthodox of players. I really want to see the AM TAU option, but unclear if GW will actually make any kits, since they seem opposed to making rules for things without kits these days.

Plus zero merc models pictured with the above TAU. 

[Lord Hanaur]

1 minute ago, paxmiles said:

Been wondering if GW will keep the TAU merc fluff. I liked it, but of the kits for TAU mercs, there's only the kroot carnivores in plastic and most of the options are never fielded (like Vespids) by any but the most unorthodox of players. I really want to see the AM TAU option, but unclear if GW will actually make any kits, since they seem opposed to making rules for things without kits these days.

Plus zero merc models pictured with the above TAU. 

I can't say you're wrong without seeing the Codex, but it's been such a fundamental component of the Tau Empire that it's just hard for me to imagine them doing it.  It's so USEFUL in 8th Edition that it almost screams "make new models, make a couple cool new rules for them and watch them flourish".  

But minimalism is the rule in the newest codex's so who knows.

 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Lord Hanaur said:

I can't say you're wrong without seeing the Codex, but it's been such a fundamental component of the Tau Empire that it's just hard for me to imagine them doing it.  It's so USEFUL in 8th Edition that it almost screams "make new models, make a couple cool new rules for them and watch them flourish".  

But minimalism is the rule in the newest codex's so who knows.

 

I hope to be wrong on this one. 

[Lord Hanaur]

1 hour ago, paxmiles said:

I hope to be wrong on this one. 

yeah I'd be bummed.  They are still in the Index so I mean it's not like the world has ended.  But having to use two sources kinda is annoying.

 

[InfestedKerrigan]

Kroot will get their own dex

[pretre]

T’au Empire Preview: Farsight Enclaves

The warriors of the Farsight Enclaves are the most rebellious of the T’au, eschewing the assistance of the Ethereals and instead following the teachings of Commander Farsight – a legendary hero who left the T’au Empire to pursue his own goals.

The Farsight Enclaves are known for their mastery of close assault, using their battlesuits to great effect in mass drop assaults from Manta transports. On the tabletop, the Farsight Enclaves possess a Sept Tenet that opens up a new tactical avenue for your army, making your force surprisingly deadly in close quarters:

There are all sorts of units you could combine with this Sept Tenet – from Breacher Teams to XV8 Crisis Battlesuits armed with four flamers apiece (that’ll teach them to charge you!) – but that’s not all there is to the Farsight Enclaves.

As the founder of the Farsight Enclaves, and one of the T’au Empire’s most legendary heroes, Commander Farsight has long been a fan favourite. One small but welcome change to Commander Farsight is an upgrade to both his weapons; his plasma rifle now deals additional damage, and the Dawn Blade possesses a suitably terrifying profile, as befits a life-draining xenos sword older than the Imperium itself.

Any character looking to go toe-to-toe with Farsight will have to deal with four Strength 8 attacks, hitting on 2s, re-rolling 1s, cleaving through all but the heaviest armour and doing D3 damage apiece! What’s more, with the Farsight Enclaves Warlord Trait, this legendary leader will be able to jump to the aid of nearby units.

With Commander Farsight on your side, you’ll be able to create a force that’s more than capable of confronting the foe at close range.

Commander Farsight is far from the only legendary commander to hail from the Farsight Enclaves, and you’ll be able to use Codex: T’au Empire to build all manner of legendary heroes – whether you’re recreating one of The Eight or constructing a Commander of your own invention.

The new T’au Empire codex has been designed to provide a range of meaningful choices when selecting a Commander – rather than acting as a mere alternative to a unit of Crisis Suits, each feels like a hero in their own right.

This change has been enacted in two parts. On the one hand, in matched play games, you’ll be limited to one Commander per Detachment you take:

On the other, T’au Empire Commanders have a huge array of Warlord Traits and Signature Systems to choose from. You’ll even be able to decide whether you want to equip yours with the XV8 Crisis battlesuit (or even XV8-02 Crisis Iridium armour, which is now an upgrade rather than a Signature System) or opt to spend more points and gain an extra Wound with the XV85 Enforcer battlesuit. These can then be fitted with a wide variety of equipment. In the Farsight Enclaves, we’d recommend stocking up on close combat options with a couple of returning favourites:

With these weapons, you’ll be able to shore up your Fight phase and give the enemy a very nasty surprise…

Of course, if you’d prefer to keep your Commanders on the back lines, we’d recommend using the Command-and-Control Node Stratagem. By forgoing your own shooting, you’ll be able to considerably increase the destructive capabilities of one of your battlesuits – combine this with a Riptide Battlesuit for the best results!

If bringing the fight directly to your enemy with an army of short-ranged battlesuits sounds fun, then the Farsight Enclaves are for you. Of course, the new T’au Empire codex features plenty for more subtle generals as well. Check back tomorrow, when we’ll be looking at the stealthy forces of Dal’yth and some improvements to the sneakiest of battlesuits. In the meantime, the best place to start your Farsight Enclaves army is with Commander Farsight himself and you can pick yours up today.

[InfestedKerrigan]

Ouch, nurfmander

[Kelharis]

"Here, play other HQ choices cause they're better...Nah just don't use the best HQ"

Interesting that they're embracing the XV8 commander option even more with points differences, yet arbitrarily limiting commanders anyway.  Well, at least there's melee options now. 

Let's see, how are we ruling this: XV8 with 2 fusion blades in melee combat.  Model profile has 3 attacks, but each fusion blade allows exactly two attacks, so they get 4 attacks?

[InfestedKerrigan]

You're doing it wrong. It is a relic that replaces a pair of fusion blasters.

[Kelharis]

6 minutes ago, InfestedKerrigan said:

You're doing it wrong. It is a relic that replaces a pair of fusion blasters.

Ah. So "blades" are in essence a "blade" with 2 attacks.

[InfestedKerrigan]

Yup. 

Well, more like they are punching with Inferno Pistols, and firing the pistols, except that's not how firing pistols in CC works. Lol

[Talonwinter]

47 minutes ago, Kelharis said:

"Here, play other HQ choices cause they're better...Nah just don't use the best HQ"

Interesting that they're embracing the XV8 commander option even more with points differences, yet arbitrarily limiting commanders anyway.  Well, at least there's melee options now. 

Let's see, how are we ruling this: XV8 with 2 fusion blades in melee combat.  Model profile has 3 attacks, but each fusion blade allows exactly two attacks, so they get 4 attacks?

No i would say only 2 attacks. They have to be in a set to get them.

 

Seams clear.

 

[Guest]

2 attacks. Plain as day. And it's still awesome.

[Kelharis]

Yes, I was reading this as an upgrade to a fusion blaster, not as a relic.  Thus my literal reading of "blades" led me to 2 blades, each with 2 attacks. And I am wrong.

[InfestedKerrigan]

People don't always read everything posted while attempting to be helpful, or create an echo chamer to reaffirm the stated. We know you are new to 8th, no one is jumping your ass. Except maybe Pax.

[Guest]

I suppose, techically, if the TAU model had two melee weapons, they could make 2 Fusion Blade attacks and use the others on another weapon. Don't think TAU have other weapons, though.