Hi everyone!
I've been pretty quiet on the list lately but I thought I might make my
presence felt again by reviewing the Tau list placed in the Files section
of the Yahoo site. Here goes (warning, its pretty long!):
ARMY COMPOSITION
Like other armies the TAU army is limited to 5 Support Cards and one
Special Card per company level card fielded. However, you may not combine
TAU and KROOT units. Only TAU support cards may be added to TAU company
cards and vice versa.
Comments- With this, I'm not so sure. The Tau and Kroot work very
closely together and I could see it as perfectly reasonable to have a Tau
company card that includes a single detachment of Kroot for CC
support. I also see it as possible that the Tau would buy Kroot
also as support cards. Perhaps purely Tau companies can only buy
Kroot Carnivores, Kroot Hounds and Kroot Ox as support (and only the
latter if the company has a detachement of Kroot Carnivores first).
The KROOT have a slightly different army structure. When a KROOT Support
Card is added to the company, instead of having a separate break point
the total company break point and victory points are increased. These
formations make all break tests and morale checks as a group and not
separately.
Comments- I like this rule. Same idea as the Orks. In the Tau
40K codex, the Kroot Ox and Kroot Hounds can only attach to a unit of
Kroot Carnivores and I think this idea should extend to Epic. If
you buy a support card of Ox or Hounds, then they should attach to a
single Carnivore detachment, becoming part of it.
UNITS:
DRONE UPPGRADES
The Tau fire warriors rely on drones to boast their firepower or to give
them extra protection. For
each Fire Warrior detachment in your
army, you may purchase
one drone upgrade. Note that you may not
select to give any one detachment more than one upgrade! The Drones are
counted as support cards.
Comments- I really don't like this idea. It seems clunky and
awkward. GW is producing minis for the Drones and I think people
should be able to use them on the battlefield. Here's what I
propose:
Shield Drones: Simply incorporate them into the command stands.
Give the Battlesuited Commander (Shas'El or Shas'O) and the Ethereal
fixed 4+ or 5+ saves based on the Shield Drones. There's no need to
give lowly Fire Warriors the option of using them.
Gun Drones: Move 20cm, 6+ save, 0 CAF, Pulse Carbines: 35cm, 2 dice, 4+,
0 SM Special Rules: Skimmer, Pinning. (Pinning special rule: any
detachment that is hit by a pinning unit must pass a morale check or lose
its orders counter and do nothing for the rest of the turn). *NB-
the pinning rules is simply an addition to represent the ability of the
Pulse Carbines to pin units in 40K. If people don't like it, we can
easily ignore it.*
The Gun drones come in two types of detachment: as a Support detachment
for a Fire Warriors or Crisis Battlesuit detachment (75pts, 2 stands, +1
to parent detachment's BP, same morale as parent detachment and must
remain in coherency with parent detachment) or as an Independent Squadron
(200 pts, 6 stands, BP 3, Morale 4+).
This way, the Gun Drones can be used as support for a Fire Warriors or
Crisis Battlesuit unit, adding some firepower, or independently and used
to take objectives and deploy from Tiger Sharks. This fits with the
40K style of Gun Drones. I think it would work better and be that
something different for the Tau.
FIRE WARRIORS
Comment- Like them as they are. No worries here.
TAU PATHFINDERS
These troops are the eyes and ears of the TAU army. They move onto the
battlefield in front of the main army. They are armed with Pulse
Carbines/markerlights. The pathfinders can chose to either fire at an
enemy unit or to use the markerlight. If they use the markerlight chose a
target and fire as normal. If you score a hit place an
order marker (upside down) beside that unit. For the remainder of that
turn, any other TAU (NOT Kroot) unit firing at the marked enemy unit may
add +1 to their to hit roll.
Comments- I think the range of the Markerlight needs to go from 35cm up
to 50cm to make it more useful. In addition, if the Pinning rule is
accepted for the Gun Drones, the Pathfinders should get it as well, but
only if they use their Pulse Carbines.
XV8 CRISIS BATTLESUITS
Comments- Like them as they are. They should an all-purpose
unit. I don't think having different types like the SM dreadnought
will make them any better, it will just get confusing.
XV15 STEALTHSUITS
These troopers are regarded as loners and eccentrics by the TAU. They
operate in small squads behind the enemy line. Stealth battlesuits are
equipped with a burst cannon or a markerlight. The markerlight has the
same stats as for the Pathfinders. Stealth troupers can infiltrate.
Comments- I think we should can the Markerlight for the
Stealthsuits. The basic Stealthsuit trooper doesn't have one in
40K, so they shouldn't in Epic. The Stealthsuits should also get
the "can't be targeted over 25cm" rule that other stealth
troopers have (like Ratlings and Eldar Guardians). This is in
keeping with their 40K background. Bump the move up to 20cm (they
are just as fast as the Crisis Suits) and they'll be fine.
XV88 BROADSIDE BATTLESUIT
These are the heavy support units of the TAU army, the Broadside is
equipped with a pair of very powerful Rail Guns and a smart missile rack.
Comments: They're too fast. They should only have a move of
10cm. No jump pack on the Broadsides, they're slow. Push the
Smart Missiles up to 35cm range and 2 dice (remember in 40K each Smart
Missile system can fire up to 3 shots per unit, with 3 broadsides, that's
a lot of firepower!). Railgun save should be at least -3. Its
a mighty powerful gun. More powerful than a Battlecannon.
TAU ETHEREAL
The Ethereal are the ruling caste of the TAU society. They command the
utter devotion, loyalty and sacrifice of the TAU.
Powers: All TAU (Not Kroot)
units within 10cm of the TAU Ethereal
are completely immune to
all types of morale tests, and never
receive fallback orders. All other TAU units within LOS may add +1 to
their moral rolls.
However, if the TAU Ethereal is killed, all TAU units within LOS must
make an immediate morale check or go on fallback orders.
Comments- Lose the Pulse Pistol. They don't have any ranged
weapons. Leave them withe the +2 CAF and give him a 4+ or 5+ fixed
save for Shield Drones and he'll be fine. Like the power. Max
of one per 4000pts (not many Ethereals get about on the
battlefield)
DEVILFISH
This is the workhorse of the TAU army Skimmer, may carry 2 stands.
Comments- Fine. Like 'em.
HAMMERHEAD
This is the TAU MBT. Built on the succsessfull Devilfish Concept
exchanging
the carrying capacity for more heavy Armour/weaponry.
Comments- With the MK1 and MK2, give the MK1 smart missiles in addition
(like the Broadside suits) and push the railgun save up to at least -3;
and give the MK2 additional Burst Cannon (like on the Devilfish).
This brings them more in-line with their 40K equivalent.
TAU Commanders
Comments- They are fine as they are, but I would make the following
addition. Firstly there is the Shas' El, your basic
commander. He is the command stand for every Tau company
card. As a special card, add in the Shas'O, a very experienced
commander. They exact same stats as the Shas'El, but has the
commnder ability like the Space Marine commander or IG colonel special
card :
This unit represents the commander of the Tau Battle Force. Due to the
vast tactical experience accumulated by the Shas'O a player can select
one of two special abilities (one at a time, once per turn):
Forced March: All Tau units (NOT Kroot) within 10cm of the commander
receive a +5 cm to the base move (+10 cm if the unit has Charge
Orders).
Tactical Genius: All unmoved Tau units (NOT Kroot) within 10cm may shift
their given orders one “category” in either direction along the following
progression:
Charge--Advance--First Fire
BARRACUDA FIGHTER
Comments: Like the Tiger Shark, the Barracuda's missiles are Seeker
missiles, which are anti-armour missiles.
Its stats should be: Move 80cm, 3+ save, +2 CAF Weapons: Ion Cannon (as
per Hammerhead MK2), Burst Cannon (as per current rules), Seeker Missiles
150cm, 1die, 3+ to hit, -2 TSM. Special- Thruster
KILLER WHALE SHV
This looks fine, I'd just change the name to Orca rather then Killer
Whale ;-).
MANTA MISSILE CRUISER
These are actually Space ships, may times the size of a Thunderhawk. It
is armed with extremely long range Rail Guns and use Ion Cannon batteries
for medium range attacks. It is a praetorian size skimmer, and may carry
a full
company of TAU Fire warriors and their Devilfish transports.
Comments- note I've called it the MANTA (as it is called in the
40K Codex), not the MANTIS as in the NetEpic draft document.
Remember, all the Tau vehicles are named after aquatic life, so the MANTA
is the correct name. I like the stats listed in the Document better
than the stats listed on the Damage location Template. The Manta
should be bloody scary by all accounts. Its a Starship for heaven's
sake and so should be very, very scary. Personally I think it
should be able to take on a Colossus or Warlord and win. My
suggestions are push the range on the Hvy Railguns up to 150cm (they're a
spacecraft weapon after all) and give them at least a -4TSM but lose the
"Target must save D6 times, may fire Barrage" ability (why
should it do this? They're just Railgun shots). It should
have 6 Railgun shots, 10 Ion Cannon shots and 12 Defensive Burst Cannon
shots, with the defensive shots always shooting on First Fire. Its
price should come in at around 900points with the transport capability
and 4 shields. Scary vehicle, but then it IS a starship!
KROOT UNITS:
Comments- They all seems fine, but for a Tau army, I think we should only
have Carnivore, Ox and Hound formations available and leave the other
kroot units (vultures, hunters, etc) to a special Kroot Mercenaries
list. The stats and cards for the Kroot units seem fine, but it
might be worth reducing the number on the Ox card down to 2 KrootOx
stands rather than 4 and making them cheaper. As I have stated
earlier, all Hound and Ox cards should attach to a Carnivore detachment,
becoming part of that detachment.
TAU ARMY AND SUPPORT CARDS
Comments- Mostly they are all fine except for the Ethereal (it should be
just the Ethereal stand at 75points, VP2) and the suggestions I have made
above for the Gun Drones and Shas'O supreme commander Special Card.
Oh, I think the Battlesuit detachments should only have 3 stands per
detachment not 4 (Crisis suits: 3 stands, 200pts; Stealthsuits: 3 stands,
150pts and Broadsides: 3 stands, 250pts). Call me fussy, I just
think it fits better with the way the detachments run in the 40K codex
(plus its cheaper if you're buying the official GW minis ;-).
Plus the Tau companies should have the Tau Commander detachment consist
only of the Battlesuited commander and NOT of 4 Battle suit stands. ;
In the 40K codex, the commander consists only of the Commander and his
two bodyguards which translates to only one stand in Epic. This
would be better, I think, than 4 battlesuit stands and in addition, it
saves on buying too many minis for your army.
Also add in a new company called the Tau Hunter Cadre which has a
Battlesuit Commander (command detachment), 2 detachments of Fire Warriors
(6 stands per detachment) and one detachment of Kroot Carnivores (8
stands of Kroot Carnivore warriors); BP:11, Morale 3+, VP 7, Cost=
700pts.
Lastly, Hammerhead tanks should only come in pure detachments of either
all MK1s or all MK2s. Its just easier for bookeeping on the
battlefield.
Oh and we should add in the Tiger Shark Carrier as follows:
TIGER SHARK DRONE CARRIER
Move - 90, Save - 3+ (all around), CAF - +1
Weapons
- Ion Cannon (75cm 2 5+ -2)
- Burst Cannons (35cm 4 5+ 0)
- Seeker missiles. (150cm, 1, 3+, -2).
Notes - Thruster, transport (3, Gun Drones only)
Tiger Shark Carrier Squadron
2 Tiger Shark Drone Carriers; BP 1; VP 2; Morale 3+; Cost= 200pts
Well, that's my take on the Tau army. Comments anyone?
-Kelvin....
"Oh no! ; Waspinator is pinned
like Iron Butterfly!"
Received on Fri Apr 12 2002 - 01:36:54 UTC