A 1000pt list I recently used against GK, and tabled them.
His List:
1x Grand master (forget equipment)
5x Terminators (had some hammers, halberds and psycannons)
5x Terminators (had some hammers, halberds and psycannons)
1x Ven dread with 2x TL autocannons, psybolt ammo
He used some goofy rule to make the dreadnought scoring.
My List:
1x Shas'el w/ TL Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod, HWMT-97
2x Crisis suits w/ PR+FB+MT-124
2x Crisis suits w/ TL Missile Pods, Flamers-94
6x Fire Warriors-60 (going into reserve, taking the PF devilfish)
10x Kroot-70 (there were trees BOOST)
8x Pathfinders w/ Devilfish w/ DP-181
2x Broadsides w/ PR, MT, 1 is Team Leader, 2x Shield drones-200
1x Hammerhead w/ Railgun, Burst Cannons, Multi-tracker, Disruption Pod-165
Total: 991
Note: I do not usually run such a...unique...list, I like to keep my broadsides with SMS and either TA or A.S.S, I like my shas'el with a TA instead of the extra PR etc.but it proved monstrously effective. I might try variants of it, because either way I was facing a weak list. Something to think about.
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Character Analysis: Farsight
What to say about Farsight? For one thing, he is the only tau with any CC ability. Still not great at it, all things considered, but pretty good. Basically, a Shas'O with -1BS, +1WS, and +2I, given a plasma rifle, a shield generator, and a power weapon (it is 2D6 for vehicle armour penetration, but who cares? still only str 5, and average 12 for armour penetration), and the cost for all this is +95 points. It's his special rules that make him...unique?
+Dawn blade, decent weapon.
+Blood Brothers, Bonding knives for all! Can decrease his price when it is taken into consideration. useful.
+Ork Fighters, pretty useless, only works against one faction, and at I2 for most tau it won't do anything, but might as well have it.
-Breakaway Faction. The major reason not to take Farsight. Crisis suits become 1+ (because that matters, right?) but you can NOT have ethereals or auxiliaries (no kroot!?!) and, more importantly, Broadsides, Hammerheads, Sky rays, Piranhas, Stealth suits and pathfinders become 0-1...what? So units essential to our army (Hammerhead, Broadside, Pathfinders) are 0-1? Why? Basically everything except FW, Gun Drones, Crisis suits and Sniper teams become 0-1 or not present at all. Very bad.
-Bodyguard. I know what you're thinking "But O'Canada, how can having up to 7 bodyguards, with no penalty, be a bad thing?" the answer: Because it is very, very tempting to go with a huge bodyguard. Huge bodyguard=bad. Temptation=bad. Therefore, potential to go to huge bodyguard=bad.
Conclusion: Too expensive for his statline, makes most competitive army lists impossible, would only be worth it if he made Crisis suits troops. Avoid him.
EDIT: May actually be worth it in the new edition. His sword is now comparatively better ("ignore armour saves", so it isn't technically a power sword, so it is still ap1 against infantry), his FoC modification is now less terrifying with the chart doubling up at 2000pts, and preferred enemy is now extremely useful for the tau. I wouldn't jump on him immediately, but I am...cautiously optimistic.
+Dawn blade, decent weapon.
+Blood Brothers, Bonding knives for all! Can decrease his price when it is taken into consideration. useful.
+Ork Fighters, pretty useless, only works against one faction, and at I2 for most tau it won't do anything, but might as well have it.
-Breakaway Faction. The major reason not to take Farsight. Crisis suits become 1+ (because that matters, right?) but you can NOT have ethereals or auxiliaries (no kroot!?!) and, more importantly, Broadsides, Hammerheads, Sky rays, Piranhas, Stealth suits and pathfinders become 0-1...what? So units essential to our army (Hammerhead, Broadside, Pathfinders) are 0-1? Why? Basically everything except FW, Gun Drones, Crisis suits and Sniper teams become 0-1 or not present at all. Very bad.
-Bodyguard. I know what you're thinking "But O'Canada, how can having up to 7 bodyguards, with no penalty, be a bad thing?" the answer: Because it is very, very tempting to go with a huge bodyguard. Huge bodyguard=bad. Temptation=bad. Therefore, potential to go to huge bodyguard=bad.
Conclusion: Too expensive for his statline, makes most competitive army lists impossible, would only be worth it if he made Crisis suits troops. Avoid him.
EDIT: May actually be worth it in the new edition. His sword is now comparatively better ("ignore armour saves", so it isn't technically a power sword, so it is still ap1 against infantry), his FoC modification is now less terrifying with the chart doubling up at 2000pts, and preferred enemy is now extremely useful for the tau. I wouldn't jump on him immediately, but I am...cautiously optimistic.
Monday 28 May 2012
Unit Analysis: Tau Ethereals
There is a lot of hate for these guys, and small, but dedicated number of players who supports them. Here is the breakdown:
-They are (supposedly) kitted out for melee but should never be used for it.
-While BS4 FW honour guard may SOUND good, it is a HUGE fire magnet.
-Their leadership re-roll (and the choice of not using it) is why people take them
-They make any unit they join fearless...a mixed blessing. If they are in a unit with carbines, they can assault after shooting, and (provided they are not assaulting a CC unit) they will probably not get wiped in YOUR assault phase, and they will stick around and die in your opponent's assault phase, meaning you can shoot away at your opponent in your ensuing shooting phase, and they are less likely to get wiped then if they wait to get assaulted (as the opponent gains no assault bonus).
-One useful strategy is "regicide" (discussed later)
-They make a 1/3 of your army run away when they die...not good.
-They give preferred enemy against your opponent when they die...not all that useful, but hey, might as well take it.
-They are fragile. Use ablative wounds.
-Potentially useful as an addition to a kroot kindred, making them even BETTER as a tarpit. Ideally, place them far in the back so that even in an assault, they will not take part, as they are too far back to participate.
Now regicide is a strategy in which anything that normally is forced to take a morale test at the death of an ethereal (Crisis suits, Stealth suits, Broadsides, Firewarriors, Pathfinders and Sniper teams) are either kept in reserve, or put into transports. While in a transport, they do not need to take a morale test at the death of an ethereal. Charge the ethereal solo into an enemy unit. Automatically pass your morale test, benefit from preferred enemy...like a boss.
EDIT: Regicide does not work that way anymore, but CAN still work with 6th edition. At 2000pts, you get a second FoC, meaning that you can take two ethereals, one to die and give your forces preferred enemy (which is actually helpful now, giving us BS 3.5) and the other to keep your army on the board when that happens.
-They are (supposedly) kitted out for melee but should never be used for it.
-While BS4 FW honour guard may SOUND good, it is a HUGE fire magnet.
-Their leadership re-roll (and the choice of not using it) is why people take them
-They make any unit they join fearless...a mixed blessing. If they are in a unit with carbines, they can assault after shooting, and (provided they are not assaulting a CC unit) they will probably not get wiped in YOUR assault phase, and they will stick around and die in your opponent's assault phase, meaning you can shoot away at your opponent in your ensuing shooting phase, and they are less likely to get wiped then if they wait to get assaulted (as the opponent gains no assault bonus).
-One useful strategy is "regicide" (discussed later)
-They make a 1/3 of your army run away when they die...not good.
-They give preferred enemy against your opponent when they die...not all that useful, but hey, might as well take it.
-They are fragile. Use ablative wounds.
-Potentially useful as an addition to a kroot kindred, making them even BETTER as a tarpit. Ideally, place them far in the back so that even in an assault, they will not take part, as they are too far back to participate.
Now regicide is a strategy in which anything that normally is forced to take a morale test at the death of an ethereal (Crisis suits, Stealth suits, Broadsides, Firewarriors, Pathfinders and Sniper teams) are either kept in reserve, or put into transports. While in a transport, they do not need to take a morale test at the death of an ethereal. Charge the ethereal solo into an enemy unit. Automatically pass your morale test, benefit from preferred enemy...like a boss.
EDIT: Regicide does not work that way anymore, but CAN still work with 6th edition. At 2000pts, you get a second FoC, meaning that you can take two ethereals, one to die and give your forces preferred enemy (which is actually helpful now, giving us BS 3.5) and the other to keep your army on the board when that happens.
Unit Analysis: Crisis Suit Commanders
Commanders are something that every army needs, and is a huge variable in determining the play style of your army. They can fill gaps in your capabilities, give your units a Ld boost, or take the fight to the enemy!
The first thing to decide is Shas'el or Shas'O.
Shas'el are the cheaper of the two. The have -1BS, WS, A, W and Ld. However, with a Targetting Array, they are the same BS as the commander, and are still 15 points cheaper. This is important, as a shooty army will always prize BS above nearly every other stat. However, it is not a done deal. The other benefits of the commander need to be taken into consideration!
Being able to follow up a devastating shooting phase with an assault against weakened units, thus hiding your commander in the opponent's shooting phase, is a tactic that is unreliable with the shas'el. While melee is generally not important to the tau, this is something to consider.
The Shas'O also has the benefit of having an extra wound, making him more durable against dakka. You must, however, consider that he will likely be targeted with weaponry capable of piercing armour and causing instant death. Helpful, but potentially not.
Another benefit to the Shas'O is that he has an extra support slot open vs. a Shas'el+, meaning he can take a shield generator if he needs to! But (much) more importantly, he has the ability to take a positional relay! Or twinlink weapons!
The Final benefit is that he can be used to buff unit leadership more effectively than his cheaper counter part.
It really is personal preference, and the way you intend to use him, but I feel it comes down to loadout. And play style. That cost difference means a Shield drone-potentially more useful than can be ignored!
The first thing to decide is Shas'el or Shas'O.
Shas'el are the cheaper of the two. The have -1BS, WS, A, W and Ld. However, with a Targetting Array, they are the same BS as the commander, and are still 15 points cheaper. This is important, as a shooty army will always prize BS above nearly every other stat. However, it is not a done deal. The other benefits of the commander need to be taken into consideration!
Being able to follow up a devastating shooting phase with an assault against weakened units, thus hiding your commander in the opponent's shooting phase, is a tactic that is unreliable with the shas'el. While melee is generally not important to the tau, this is something to consider.
The Shas'O also has the benefit of having an extra wound, making him more durable against dakka. You must, however, consider that he will likely be targeted with weaponry capable of piercing armour and causing instant death. Helpful, but potentially not.
Another benefit to the Shas'O is that he has an extra support slot open vs. a Shas'el+, meaning he can take a shield generator if he needs to! But (much) more importantly, he has the ability to take a positional relay! Or twinlink weapons!
The Final benefit is that he can be used to buff unit leadership more effectively than his cheaper counter part.
It really is personal preference, and the way you intend to use him, but I feel it comes down to loadout. And play style. That cost difference means a Shield drone-potentially more useful than can be ignored!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)