Crisis Suit Loadouts (Experimental Weapons)

[IW Raptors]

So with the new book out a little bit now, has the opening up of the experimental weapons to normal suits changed anything or do you find yourselves with/facing the same old weapons? The cyclic ion blaster and airbursting frag projector are both in line costs wise with the missile pod/fusion/plasma. Shorter range at 18 on both experimental weapon types, but have some nice stats to compensate. 

 

I like the idea of running multiple 1 man teams, with two airbursting frag projectors and EWO. 57 points for two barrage, large blasts, ignoring cover at st4 & ap5, + interceptor. A few of them running about on a table with ample terrain could be fun. Tbh, I never bothered with either weapon in the past, so if anyone has up to date crisis configurations nailed, i'm all yours! :-)

 

 

[Gorgosaurusrex]

I really like the 2xAPF configuration, especially in a Farsight Enclaves build where they can be taken as troops. I was just running them solo and never considered taking an EWO, that's a great idea!

 

I've tried the CIB several times but always wished I had taken a Missile Pod instead due to range.

[Lord Hanaur]

The Cyclic Ion Blaster is a load.  Six of those will do WORK in a crisis unit.  I've seen it, I've felt it and it is everything you hope it will be.

 

Now the odd thing I am seeing in more recent Tau forces, both online and a couple in person, is that people are not investing in Markerlights as they did before.  Now this is for the obvious reason that the Hunter Contingent and other benefits can amp up the BS already.  

 

Let me just say:  I have seen this be nothing but a mistake overall.  the firepower a Crisis team can bring to bear even at BS 4 is cool but BS 5 when you're firing that kind of thing at people is downright oppressive!

 

So I would strongly suggest that regardless of which unit loadout you use, do not underestimate the value of Markerlights in your force.  You can absolutely POUND an entire sector into submission in ONE GO with almost no chance of reprisal when you can unload that much high STR firepower into someones face hole with support.  Maybe take less of them than you once did, I dunno.  But i see missed opportunities and unnecessarily charged Crisis teams for no better reason than they chose to skimp.

 

Don't skimp.  It might pay off once in a while but damn.  Leave no one left to charge you.  Your WS and INIT are so bad in a Crisis team that you're just not going to win very many fist fights.  why even leave it to chance and get them tied up?  END your target.

[AbusePuppy]

I don't think AFP is a great combination with the EWO, to be honest. What are you intending to throw those blasts at- Deep Striking MEQs? They don't give a s*** about your S4, they're just gonna shrug it off and shoot you. I'd just save the points and run it with only guns.  (That said, the AFP itself is a pretty strong gun and can be absolute havoc for light infantry, especially on a terrain-dense board.)

 

The CIB should be thought of less like a Missile Pod and more like a Burst Cannon. It's a relatively short-ranged weapon, necessitating the use of Deep Strike or other tricks to get close, but it hits quite hard overall even if the blast mode is all but worthless. Fired into the side or rear of tanks it will obliterate them in short order and actually works out to be superior to the Fusion Blaster against a lot of types of targets. The Missile Pod has similar stats and a much longer range, of course, but the weapons are utilized very differently- MP Crisis want to hang back behind terrain and pelt the enemy from a distance, not get in close to pound shots into them; you need to know what the respective roles you're taking units for. MP Crisis are typically overshadowed by Broadsides and the Ghostkeel these days, so I think the CIB has a solid niche to look at.

[IW Raptors]

Cheers, finding a niche for my crisis suits as I tend to shy away from the big mechs and more towards MSU, which is fine, especially with the Montka book, making them troops without the mandatory 3 man unit. I love skyrays for markers and their cheapness, although the farsight detachment lends the commander more towards the drone controller and marker drones, so you don't want too many markers.

 

The experimental weapons appear to be the way to go, mixed in with odd fusion/other source of melta. Not like I face AV14 that often, it's all about AV11/12 and the odd knight here.