Sample Tau list

For the Greater Good!

I've only had the codex for a couple of days, but here's what I drew up:

Here is the list..

1993
14 kp

HQ:
Commander - 155
Shield Generator (4+ invul)
Flamer
Airburst Fragmentation
Targetlock
Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite

TROOP:
12x Fire Warriors (Sash'ui) - 208
Devilfish
Twin-linked SMS

12x Fire Warriors (Sash'ui) - 208
Devilfish
Twin-linked SMS

12x Fire Warriors (Sash'ui) - 208
Devilfish
Twin-linked SMS

ELITE:
3x XV8 Crisis Team = 126
Twin-linked Missiles

XV104 Riptide - 185
Ion Accelerator

XV104 Riptide - 185
Ion Accelerator

FAST ATTACK:
10x Pathfinders (Shas'ui) = 121
Blacksun Filter

HEAVY:
3x XV88 Broadsides (Shas'vre) = 205

Hammerhead = 146
Blacksun Filter
Twin-linked SMS
Submunitions
Disruption Pod

Hammerhead = 146
Blacksun Filter
Twin-linked SMS
Submunitions
Disruption Pod

Aegis Defense Line = 100
Quad-Gun

The army explained:

The general idea is to deploy the Aegis Defense Line defensively and have the Commander and the Crisis Suits he joined "man" it.  The Devilfish holds the Tau Warriors inside, ready to deploy any time the enemy comes close to threaten points.  In the mean time, they join in long-ranged firepower support with Burst Cannons and Twin-Linked SMS.  Twin-linked SMS are all over this army and they're quite insane.  Heavy 4, twin-linked, S5 AP5 Ignore cover for each system.  The Hammerheads with their Blacksun Filters have Night Vision, and with Disruption Pod gives them a 4+ cover Jink if they move at all.

Pathfinders Scout and apply their tasty markerlights to everything, increasing everyone's BS at the target unit and/or stripping away their cover save.  This makes them really easy targets for the XV88s and XV104 Riptide's heavy weaponry.  Ion Accelator on the Riptides gives them a lot of flexibility.  Standard shots are S7 AP2 Heavy 3, you can choose to overcharge them for S8 AP2 Large Blast but Gets Hot, or you can Nova-charge them for S9 AP2 Ordnance, Gets Hot, Large Blast.  It's to note that the XV88s not only have twin-linked S8 AP1 rifles, but they also have Twin-linked Smart Missile Systems.. you know, those thing that are S5 Ignore Cover.

Anti-air comes in the form of heavy-focus fire and the Aegis Defense Line.  With the number of heavy ordnance you have flying around the battlefield, I have no doubt that Tau will deal with flying threats without much issue.  If needed, you can always change meta specifics for more crueler warfare vs. flyers specifically.  Almost everything in the army have the option to buy Skyfire, but it's a little heavy in points.

To top off the funny, the Commander can choose to forfeit his shooting in his round to allow his squad to shoot twin-linked S7 missiles that Ignore Cover.  Of course, should the enemy flyer come in on their turn, he can just Intercept with a BS5 Quad-gun.  Target Lock (essentially split fire) allows him to redirect his Airburst Fragmentation weapon to horde units that might threaten the Greater Good while the rest of his squad engages armored threats.  Airburst gives you a S4 AP5 Large Blast, Ignore Cover, Barrage weapon lol.  The amount of anti-armor in this list is gigantic, but the weakness to hordes have also been nullified due to no less than 5 templates:  1 from the HQ, 2 from the Hammerhead's Submunitions S6 AP4 Large Blast, and 2 from the Riptides S8 AP2 (or S9..).

Damage wise, we're looking at...
40x BS3 twin-linked S5 missiles that ignore cover
2x S10 AP1 BS4 shots from the Hammerheads, or 2x S6 AP4 pie plates
6x S7 AP2 shots from the Riptides, or S8 AP2 pite plates
6x S7 bs3 twin-linked missiles that ignore cover
3x S8 AP1 bs3 twin-linked shots from the broadsides
...a bunch of markerlights
...and not counting the Pulse Rifles from the Fire Warriors or the Burst Cannons from the Devilfish.

And no, I will NOT be going Tau :)  Eldar in June.
Let me know what you think of the list!