Tau Preview

[Kelharis]

Just now, paxmiles said:

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. 

Headbutts...

[Guest]

Do they really have a headbutt profile?

[Kelharis]

Headbutt is what I have nicknamed "close combat weapon" in my army.  Especially since I see no other way to explain a shield drone killing someone in melee...

[Frowbakk]

Since Fusion Blades isn't a relic... Tau Battlesuit Deathstar, anyone?

[Kelharis]

I'm confused now. I need the codex now to fix my brain...

[InfestedKerrigan]

1 hour ago, Frowbakk said:

Since Fusion Blades isn't a relic... Tau Battlesuit Deathstar, anyone?

 

1 hour ago, Kelharis said:

I'm confused now. I need the codex now to fix my brain...

Don't be, it is a signature system, as far as I can tell. A model can only get it once. 

I thought Tau Sig Systems are relics, are they not?

[Lord Hanaur]

No

[InfestedKerrigan]

@Kelharis my bad.  So, a single suit can still only benefit from the blades once, but you can have multiple suits equipped with them.

 

 

[Kelharis]

Well, that makes things interesting.  Crisis deathstar indeed.  If only we had a markerlight shotgun weapon.

[andy]

I think a FSE detachment would be a fun addition to a T'au or Bork'an CAD list. I'm gonna do it.

[Guest]

14 hours ago, Kelharis said:

Headbutt is what I have nicknamed "close combat weapon" in my army.  Especially since I see no other way to explain a shield drone killing someone in melee...

My understanding is that "Close Combat Weapons" are a weapon profile usable only by models without existing melee weapons. So a Suit with Fusion Blades wouldn't have a close combat weapon, unless it was a specific melee weapon. 

[Kelharis]

5 hours ago, paxmiles said:

My understanding is that "Close Combat Weapons" are a weapon profile usable only by models without existing melee weapons. So a Suit with Fusion Blades wouldn't have a close combat weapon, unless it was a specific melee weapon. 

From the FAQ for the 40k BRB:

 

Page 183 – Choose Melee Weapon Change the second sentence to read:

‘In addition to their other weapons, all models are assumed to be equipped with a close combat weapon, which has the following profile:’

[pretre]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The T’au are masters of technology. While the other empires of the 41st Millennium have long stagnated, using millennia-old designs and fearing innovation, the T’au Empire make up for the youthfulness of their dominion by constantly innovating and developing. The forces of Dal’yth, for instance, have all but mastered stealth field technology, outfitting anything from their Fire Warriors to their tanks with the latest patterns.

On the tabletop, this is represented by Adaptive Camouflage, a Sept Tenet that considerably improves the durability of your units:

While you’ll have to plan your deployment and movement carefully with this army, it’s without a doubt the most durable of the T’au Septs, bringing your Fire Warriors up to a 3+ save and your Crisis Battlesuits to an impressive 2+. Some units, however, are particularly powerful…

The Ghostkeel Battlesuit is perhaps the most unusual of its kin, attacking at short range and weathering devastating amounts of incoming fire with an advanced array of sensors and disruptors to misdirect the enemy. In the new codex, Dal’yth Ghostkeels are incredibly difficult to put down, boasting impressive, cover-boosted armour saves as well as their inherent evasiveness. Regardless of whether or not you play Dal’yth, you’ll also be able to take advantage of the improved Ghostkeel Electrowarfare Suite, which now has a better effective range.

What’s more, the XV95 Ghostkeel can be used to rapidly redeploy units of XV25 Stealth Battlesuits, even pulling them out of close combat, thanks to the Wall of Mirrors Stratagem:

With these units, you’ll be able to harass your enemy’s front line with ease, pulling out of combat and taking new positions with impunity.

The T’au Empire employs a range of alien auxiliaries you can add to your army, helping fill a range of battlefield roles – Kroot, for example, are highly cost-effective infantry that are great for filling slots in a Brigade Detachment, while the Vespids make for excellent harassment units, well-suited to taking on heavy infantry. While these units don’t directly benefit from a Sept Tenet, several have received a discount in points in the new codex, and in a Dal’yth army, they’re even more threatening thanks to the Gunship Diplomat Warlord Trait.

In this way, you’ll be able to support your forward teams of Stealth Suits and Ghostkeel Battlesuits and provide a mobile wall of Overwatch fire. Vespids, with the Fly keyword, are particularly suited to this role, able to fall back and shoot.

Dal’yth is the ideal T’au Sept for those players looking to make the maximum use of alien auxiliaries – or just those who want to render their units even more durable than before.

Make sure to come back tomorrow, when we’ll be checking out the most mobile of the T’au Septs – the forces of Vior’la. If you’re itching to kick off your Dal’yth army, the Ghostkeel Battlesuit is a great place to start.

The post T’au Empire Preview: Dal’yth Sept appeared first on Warhammer Community.

[WestRider]

I feel like Dal'yth should have been closer to the Jormundgandr Hive Fleet trait, giving them the bonus as long as they didn't Advance or Charge. Encourages too much of a static playstyle as it is.

[Guest]

Answers the question if Kroot would be in the new book. 

[InfestedKerrigan]

Missed opportunity. 

[Lord Hanaur]

Sting wings!  STING WINGS!!!  YUUUUUUUUUS

[Torg]

hmmmm wonder if you can Merc the kroot out?  I have 3 of those FW Kroot rider things I never did anything with - because ... reasons.

[Lord Hanaur]

17 minutes ago, Torg said:

hmmmm wonder if you can Merc the kroot out?  I have 3 of those FW Kroot rider things I never did anything with - because ... reasons.

well they made the Kroot Riders a little meh in the Index.  i hope they fixed em

 

[Torg]

I never played them - got them cheap ... they looked cool lol

 

[andy]

3++ has the full-meal-deal at http://www.3plusplus.net/2018/03/tau-leak-stratagems-warlord-traits-signature-systems-point-values/

[InfestedKerrigan]

Via reddit

Click for larger (but still not great quality) images.

Kirby is adding in text for each picture to save your pretty eyes.

 

Multi-spectrum Sensor Suite (why Suite? 1CP) – used before a battlesuit unit shoots, enemy units cannot claim cover saves from thatunit.

Fail-safe Detonator (1CP) – use when Battlesuit unit from your army is destroyed in fight phase, roll a dice for each unit within 3” and on a 4+ it suffers a mortal wound.

Auotmated Repair System (2CP) – Battlesuit or Vehicle regains D3 lost wounds.

Neuroweb System Jammer (2CP) – start of enemy shooting phase, pick an enemy unit within 18” of Battlesuit Commander; subtract 1 from hit rolls made fro that unit this phase.

Reupulsor Impact Field (1CP) – after opponent successfully charges a Battlesuit unit, roll a dice fro each model in the enemy unit within 3” of your unit and 6s deal mortal wounds

Command and Control Node (1CP) – Commander cannot shoot but Battlesuit unit in your army within 6” can re-roll wounds.

EMP Grenade (1CP) – when throwing a photon grenade, only make a single hit roll and if it hits, deal D3 mortal wounds against an enemy vehicle.

Hunting Grounds (1CP) – Kroot Hound unit successfully completes charge, Kroot units within 12” can re-roll charges.

Uplinked Markerlight (1CP) – when a markerlight successfully hits, place D3+1 markerlight tokens instead of 1.

Branched Nova Charge (1CP) – Riptide can use two effects rather than one when NOVA charging.

Support Turret Replacement (1CP) – If a Turret has been destroyed for a Fire Warrior team, it can be replaced.

Point Defence Targeting Relay (1CP) – Vehicle can overwatch on 5s and 6s

Emergency Dispensation (1CP/3CP) – standard for relics.

Orbital Ion Beam (3CP) – Commander has not moved or Manta Striked in the preceding movement phase. Pick two points on the battlefield 2D6” apart and draw a line between them. Each unit suffers D3 mortal wounds on a 4+ (characters 5+).

Breach and Clear (1CP) – Breacher team re-rolls wounds against enemy units in cover.

Recon Sweep (1CP) – Pathfinder team can moved 2D6” in the shooting phase but cannot shoot or charge.

Wall of Mirrors (1CP) – seen it; too long to type .

Stimulant Injector (1CP) – start of any turn, a battlesuit model with wounds characteristic of 10+ can use the top row of the models’ damage table regardless of wounds remaining (unles it dies)

Focused Fire (3CP) – T’au Sept Stratagem; +1 to wound against a unit that has already been wounded this term by a T’au Sept unit.

Strike and Fade (1CP) – Dal’yth Stratagem; unit can shoot and then move up to 6” as if it it were the movement phase sans Advancing.

Experimental Weaponry (1CP) – re-roll number of attacks for randomly generated shot weapons for a Bork’an unit.

Positional Relay (2CP) – start of movement phase, pick a recon drone and a unit of the same sept that has been setup in a manta hold and can setup within 6” of the recon drone.

Hot Blooded (2CP) – Vior’la stratagem; infantry unit can shoot twice this phase but must target the closest enemy unit each time.

Orbital Marker Distribution Uplink (2CP) – Sa’cea stratagem; pick an enemy unit visible to a character; that unit and all units within 6” gain a markerlight counter.

Drop zone Clear (2CP) – Farsight Stratagem; battle suit unit that was setup using a manta strike ability this turn and add 1 to hit rolls for that unit.

Warlord Traits

1 Precision of the Hunter – Re-roll wound rolls of 1 made for your warlord against enemy vehicles or monsters

2 Through Unity, Devastation – In each of your shooting phases, pick a unit that is visible to your warlord; Until the end of your phase each time you make a wound roll of 6+ against that unit made by a friendly Sept unit within 6″ of your warlord, the AP is improved by 1 (Aun’va)

3 A Ghost Walks Among Us – add 6″ when the Warlord Advances instead of rolling a die (Darkstrider)

4 Through Boldness, Victory – if your warlord is within 12″ of an enemy unit at the start of your shooting phase, you can re-roll failed hit rolls made for your Warlord until the end of the phase

5 – Exemplar of the Kauyon – Re-roll failed hit rolls for Warlord as long as they have not moved. (Shadowsun)

6 – Exemplar of the Mont’ka – Warlord can advance and shoot as though they had not advanced this turn.

T’au Strength of Belief – Roll a D6 for each Mortal Wound inflicted on Warlord; on a 5+ it is ignored (Longstrike)

Vior’la Academy Luminary – If your Warlord has Master of War, Volley Fire or Failure is not an Option ability, the range of that ability is increased to 9″ and you can an additional CP for being battle-forged (Aun’Shi)

Dal’yth Gunshop Diplomat – Kroot and Vespid gain for the Greater Good while within 12″ of your Warlord

Sa’cea Beacon of Honour – friendly Sa’cea unit within 6″ reduced the number of models that flee by 1

Bork’an Seeker of Perfection – For each hit roll of 6+ made for your warlord, add 1 to the wound roll for that attack

Farsight Hero of the Enclaves – heroic intervention for 6″ and re-roll hits in combat during Heroic intervention or charges (Farsight)

Signature Systems (no Kroot)

Puretide Engram Neurochop – once per battle you can re-roll a single hit, wound or damage roll made for the bearer or fiendly Sept unit within 6″. If army is battelforged, you gain a Command Point on a 6 every time your opponent or you use a stratagem.

Onager Guantlet (Commander only) – S10 AP-4 D6D; one attack only

Multi-sensory Discouragement Array – enemy units within 6″ subtract 1 from Leadership

Solid-Image Projection Unit (Ethereal with hover drone only) – once per phase, if declared as a charge target, the Ethereal can move up to 3″ before the charge is made

Seismic Destabiliser – start of each shooting phase, you may either pick an enemy Infantry unit claiming cover or a Building within 12″ of the bearer; the Building suffers D3 mortal wounds; the infantry squad = roll die per squad member and on a 6 they suffer a mortal wound

Supernova Launcher – replaced AFG for 18″ Assault D6, S6, AP-2 2D can shoot out of Los weapon

Vectored Manuvering Thrusters (T’au Battlesuit only) – model can move 6″ after shooting.

Thermoneutronic Projected (Vior’la Sept) – replaces flamer for 8″ Assault D6 S6 AP -1 2D automatically hits weapon

Dynamic Mirror Field (Dal’yth Sept) – -1 to hit bearer

Grav-Inhibitor Field (Sa’cea Sept) – subtract 2″ from charge distance if declared as a charge

Plasma Accelerator Rifle (Bork’an Sept) – replaces Plasma Rifle with 30″ RF1 S7 AP-3 2D

Fusion Blades (Fasright Enclaves) – replaces two fusion blasters to provide 2 S8 AP-4 D6D combat attacks.

Points:

Fireblade 39 (no change)

Commander in XV8 72 (4 point discount)

Commander in XV85 76 (same as old cost)

Commander in XV86 Coldstar 90 (no change)

Ethereal 45 (no change) Hove Drone +5 (no change)

Longstrike 137 (no change)

Breacher / Strike Team 7 (1 point discount)

DS8 Tactical Support Turret 0 (20 point discount)

Kroot 5 (1 point discount)

Crisis Suits 42 (no change)

Bodyguards 45 (no change)

Firesight Marksman 21 (no change)

Ghostkeel 82 (no change)

Krootox 34 (no change)

Kroot Shaper 31 (no change)

Riptide 185 (24 point discount)

Stealth Suits 20 (no change)

Kroot Hounds 4 (no change)

Pathfinders 5 (no change)

TX4 Piranhas 38 (7 point discount)

Vespid 14 (1 point discount)

Broadside 60 (20 point discount)

Hammerhead 100 (17 point discount)

Skyray 100 (19 point discount)

Razorshark 72 (10 point discount)

Sun Shark bomber 90 (10 point discount)

Tidewalls 70 (no change)

Stormsurge 180 (no change)

Aun’Shi 60 (8 point discount)

An’va 85 (20 point increase)

Farsight 151 (no change)

Shadowsun 167 (no change)

Darkstrider 45 (no change)

ATS – 18 points on Ghostkeel, Riptide and Stormsurge (+10 points) (still adds 1 to AP bonus)

ATS – 12 points for everything else (+4 points)

Counter Fire Defense System – 10 points (+5 points) (re-roll failed hit rolls on overwatch)

Iridium Battlesuit – 15 points (2+ save)

Drone Controller – 5 points (rules the same)

EWO – 10 pts for GK, Riptide and SS (+2 points) (shooting at enemy unit setup within 12 of model at -1 to hit)

EWO – 5 points for all others (-3 points)

Homing Beacon – 20 points (no change)

Multi-tracker – 10 points (+8 points) (re-roll 1s to hit if targeting unit with 5+ models and all its weapons shoot at it)

Shield Generator – 40 points for SS (no change) (4++)

Shield Generator – 8 points for all others (no change)

Target Lock – 12 points for GK, Riptide and SS (no change) (rules the same)

Target Lock – 6 points all others (no change)

Velocity Tracker – 10 points for GK, Riptide, SS (no change) (rules the same)

Velocity Tracker – 2 points for all others (no change)

AFG – 8 points (2 point discount)

Burst Cannon – 8 points (2 point discount)

Cluster Rocket System – 25 points (36 point discount!!!)

CIB – 18 points (same)

Cyclic Ion raker – 39 points (same)

Destroyer Missile – 10 points (same)

Flamer – 9 points (same)

Fusion Blaster – 21 points 9same)

Fusion collider – 35 points (9 point discount)

heavy Burst cannon – 35 points (20 point discount)

heavy Rail Rilfe – 35 points (28 point discount)

High output Burst Cannon – 20 points (same)

High Yield Missile Pod – 25 points (17 point discount)

Ion Accelerator – 65 points (42 point discount)

Ion cannon – 35 points (20 point discount)

Ion rfile – 7 points (same)

No changes for Kroot weapons, Longshot Pulse Rifle, Markerlight, Missile Pod, Plasma Rilfe, Pulse weapons or Quad Ion Turret however, Pulse Pistol now costs 1 point

Rail Rifle – 17 points (5 point discount)

Railgun – 38 points (no change)

Seeker missile – 5 points (no change)

SMS – 15 points (5 point discount)

Supremecy Railgun – 50 points (19 point discount)

 

CIB Overcahrge is Assault 3

Ion raker Overcharge is heavy 6

Ion cannon is heavy D6 at all times

Ion Rifle is 2D on overcharge.

Longshot Pulse Rifle does mortal wounds on 6+

Pulse Driver Cannon is Heavy D6

[Lord Hanaur]

3 hours ago, InfestedKerrigan said:

Via reddit

Click for larger (but still not great quality) images.

Kirby is adding in text for each picture to save your pretty eyes.

 

Okay seriously dude:  thank you!

[Lord Hanaur]

15 hours ago, WestRider said:

I feel like Dal'yth should have been closer to the Jormundgandr Hive Fleet trait, giving them the bonus as long as they didn't Advance or Charge. Encourages too much of a static playstyle as it is.

well it is T'au to be fair.  Sitting in a gun line isnt exactly foreign territory for a lot of T'au Commanders.  

[pretre]

T’au Empire Preview: Vior’la Sept

Perhaps the most iconic of the T’au Empire septs outside of the T’au Sept itself, and original home of Fire caste legend Commander Farsight, Vior’la Sept is well known for the impetuousness of its Fire Warriors and the aggressive tactics employed by its armies.

Like all Sept Tenets, Vior’la Detachments are armed with a powerful set of rules that’ll allow you to build a variety of unusual and thematic T’au Empire armies. Vior’la are focused, in particular, on speed and flexibility as illustrated by the Strike Fast Sept Tenet.

With this Sept Tenet, your battlesuits and infantry will be able to move quickly across the battlefield while maintaining a steady rate of fire – ideal whether you’re looking to claim objectives or just keep your units well away from enemy assault troops!

The XV86 has a strong claim to being the single most improved unit in the new Codex: T’au Empire, and is particularly powerful in a Vior’la Detachment. Previously, this aerial attack battlesuit had a fixed weapon set of a missile pod and a high-output burst cannon, but all that is changing. Now, you’ll be able to arm all four hardpoints on your Commander as you please, allowing for an array of powerful builds. What’s more, as all of these weapons have the Assault or Rapid Fire type, with the Vior’la Sept Tenet, you’ll be able to effectively move 40″ every turn and fire without penalty! We’d recommend equipping your Vior’la Commander with four fusion blasters for the ultimate tank hunter. Even if you end up overextending, the Neuroweb System Jammer Stratagem should help to keep you safe – or disrupt a key unit that’s threatening the rest of your army.

Being able to fire on the move with impunity is of great use to these stealthy battlesuits, making them an interesting counterpoint to the more static tactics employed by the Dal’yth Sept. Where they really come into their own in a Vior’la Detachment is with the Hot-blooded Stratagem:

While this ability has plenty of use with other T’au Empire units, such as Pathfinders or Strike Teams, with the XV25 Stealth Battlesuits, you’ll be able to make the most of their burst cannons. Indeed, with Vior’la, you won’t have to worry about declaring Mont’ka, and can instead declare Kauyon using your XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit Commander to make the most of this deluge of firepower.

By choosing the Vior’la Sept, you’ll be able to transform your T’au Empire army into a flexible and dynamic fighting force, capable of taking ground swiftly and offering devastating counter-attacks to any foe that gets close.

You won’t have long to wait until you can get your hands on the new rules for the T’au, with the next codex on pre-order tomorrow. If you can’t wait to get started, you can grab Start Collecting! T’au Empire right now.