Tau Empire Experiences

Quick note to start off: got a new From the Factory Floor posted last night with a lot of upcoming July and August releases, so go and take a look!

So before my little hiatus, I had posted this about my experiences with the new Tau Empire codex. I've gotten a few more games in since then, and thought I'd update what I've discovered thus far.

First off, let's follow up with the previous point I made about the Riptide. The Riptide with Ion Cannon has some issues, but they are more than worth the points you pay for it. Almost simply by fielding a weapon that wounds MEQ and pens their armor, you have a high-threat platform, and when you add in the Nova Charge blast setting granting a Str 9 Ordnance blast, you have a strong anti-tank platform. However, this last is unreliable in most instances especially against high armor vehicles, though I've had some success against them with it. Of course, it's also worth noting that the thing is a Monstrous Creature, so it can make a melee strike at Str 10, AP 2, though I haven't had a chance to try it yet. Markerlights are a must (but then again, where aren't they in this codex?), but the Riptide is paying off.

The shift away from the almighty Railgun is telling in this edition. AV12 is now a difficult proposition for most armies, and while Tau have it better than most armies in this regard, it's not easy street by any stretch. While we can get Str 7 in abundance, glancing on 5+ isn't reliable enough to deal with an AV12 wall quickly and effectively, which Eldar can do easily without sacrificing any shooting power at all (in fact, it may even have more firepower that way than in a more balanced list!). Unfortunately, the Heavy Rail Rifle broadside is too specialized to really be useful in other situations, leaving most players trying to send waves of missiles at the enemy and hope to do enough damage.

Speaking of railguns, I enjoy using Longstrike in a Hammerhead, though I have had to cut him recently. A BS5 railgun with preferred enemy against Imperial Guard and Tank Hunter means that the Leman Russ is a goner when it shows up, but it's also incredibly useful against, say, the Vendetta with a touch of markerlight support, though my favorite is to give him Submunition rounds and watch the blobs of infantry disappear. He's fun and relatively cheap for what he brings, but I found myself cutting him due to other constraints of my list.

The Crisis suit is still king. Combining good firepower with a resilient body and mobility is just a winning combination. I've had them prove their worth multiple times, including most recently where one unit soaked up most of my opponent's firepower for a turn and a half before being eliminated and leaving the rest of my army unscathed. Outside of specific situations or list types, I really don't see Stealth teams being useful enough to steal a spot from the Crisis teams, though that still leaves both Crisis and Riptides competing for your elite spots.

To wrap up, I will note that these past few games I played reinforce my belief that an Ethereal is more than worth it these days. He's just got so much utility for a minimal investment that, so long as I'm running Fire Warriors, he'll most likely be in there. And I always run Fire Warriors.