# New Codex: Tau Empire



## Siege (Jan 18, 2008)

Okay well I've been hearing around the ways that we should be expecting a new Tau codex sometime within the next two years. I'm not sure how true this is, I'm still quite happy using the current book and I don't think we are really in need of an update, at least not as much as some other armies obviously are. 

But anyway if it does happen I won't be complaining :biggrin: unless they screw us over somehow. 

What changes do you expect to see made to the Tau when the new book is released? What changes would you like to see made? 

I'd like to see more Kroot and Vespid units, and considering the expanding influence of the Tau Empire and the Greater Good, some human allies too, a lot of Guardsmen were left behind when the Imperium withdrew it's forces from the Damocles Gulf. 

I'd also like to see another heavy tank as an alternative to the Hammerhead. Don't get he wrong I love my railheads but pretty much every Tau army uses them and a bit of variety would be nice (I know we have the Sky Ray but they serve a very different role).


----------



## Lord of Rebirth (Jun 7, 2008)

The current Tau codex is nicely done and neat and clean but it felt light. There just don't seem to be many overall types of units. In a way it seems the main tau units can fulfil the roles of a lot more units than in other armies so they don't -need- other units but the lack of choice gives it an odd feeling to me. It would be interesting to see a little expansion on things like auxillia and/or the general Fire caste. Fire Warriors are nice but I'd like to see more variability in their deployment.


----------



## Gul Torgo (Mar 31, 2008)

The scuttlebutt seems to indicate that the armies getting updated in 2010 are Dark Eldar then Necrons, but who knows? The rumor mill has been wrong before and Tau may sneak in.

I too would like to see their multi-racial identity emphasized, as it is one thing that really separates them from the other species in the fluff. Like a Kroot transport along the lines of an ork trukk. Beyond that, the current codex seems pretty solid to me actually, and I would ask for tweaks to existing units (like Vespids) rather than whole new ones.


----------



## Siege (Jan 18, 2008)

I rather like the efficient, no nonsense feel of the Tau codex, but yeah a bit more variety wouldn't hurt. Expanding on the Fire caste seems like a good idea, but how exactly would you do that? Maybe some kind of heavy weapons, similar to the Sniper Drones?

The Tau are not really lacking anything other than a dedicated and effective close combat unit, and that kind of thing doesn't fit the feel of the army anyway.

I think the Vespid Stingwings need to be looked at, they just don't seem worth the points to me, even Kroot can seem like a bit of a waste at times.

Do you think we might see some kind of flyer (maybe the Barracuda) in the new book?


----------



## Vanchet (Feb 28, 2008)

I think that it's abit too soon and there's still plenty of things which need re-doing such as the SW, BA, Inquisition, Necrons, DE and maybe BT


----------



## Blue Liger (Apr 25, 2008)

Well whenever they redo them I would like to see the Kroot actually go down in points and maybe gain furios charge rule due to the nature they have in the fluff which explains them. I then would like to see XV8's come with a burst cannon as a standard gun so you don't need to buy it or upgrade the suits to 30pts and give them burst cannons and shield included in that price this way you may see more players take different options, then to top this off allow XV8's to swap out the burst cannon for a CC weapon for 10pts and make it a power sword but may not be equipped with anything else so you then for 40pts have a XV8 with a power sword and shield generator giving the Tau a CC option unit.


----------



## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

What I wouldn't like is for Tau to get given proper CC units. Kroot are fine, the lack of CC is what makes them different.

What I'd like to see is just some re-balancing, making it 5th ed and perhaps some new stuff, for example Gue'vesa auxilaries as troops and for them to be useful.


----------



## ItsPug (Apr 5, 2009)

All I want to see is a rethink of Vespid, does anybody even take these?
as it is I think the codex is alright for the minute and there are other codexes/codecii in more need of an update.


----------



## davespil (Apr 28, 2008)

They need to allow heavy weapons in FW squads. I know they have fluff against it, but that fluff is just plain dumb. A race supposedly so advanced that it can create crisis suits, but doesn't see the need to field better equiped troops when every other army in the galaxy does. Dumb. Maybe some jetbike type drones (bigger and better then gun drones) and heavier crisis suits that are good in melee like a dread. And a BS of 4! Tau need more units. I think they should drop other races and just have all Tau.


----------



## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

I'd like to see Kroot HQ, elites, fast attack, and heavy support, so people could make a Kroot force, but not as messed up as the WD one, plus it could give Tau something worth taking in the FA slot

more weapon options for Fire warrior squads, burst cannons maybe?, make pulse carbines worth taking, assault 2 would better suit them

Make Ethereals actually worth taking for crying out loud


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Stella Cadente said:


> I'd like to see Kroot HQ, elites, fast attack, and heavy support, so people could make a Kroot force, but not as messed up as the WD one, plus it could give Tau something worth taking in the FA slot
> 
> more weapon options for Fire warrior squads, burst cannons maybe?, make pulse carbines worth taking, assault 2 would better suit them
> 
> Make Ethereals actually worth taking for crying out loud


I agree with this man.
Err, slash woman.

Kroot armies would be damn cool, but you'd still need a T'au commander if you wanted to take any T'au units.

Having weapon variation in Fire Warrior squads would be cool, a burst cannon is over the top and uninteresting I think.
Maybe plasma rifles, but like, small ones that have short range.

And yeah, Pulse carbines could use a bit of a buff, the Pinning is good, but not good enough.
2 shots would be a little OP I think, maybe range increased to 24", maybe AP4, maybe even having the carbine and in addition having a Pulse pistol and CC weapon, that'd certainly make it more appealing.

Ethereals really do kinda suck, yes having the option to opt to run away or stay in combat is decent, but not good enough.
The Fire Warrior veteran thing they get to take is interesting, but not really worth it, you have Markerlights for that.

Battlesuits should definitely get a melee weapon option, a power weapon in place of a hardpoint would work well.
And yes, I agree that there should be a dreadnought-esque battlesuit, even if it's like a Killa Kan, AV11 at best.


----------



## shas'o_mi'ros'kai (Jun 16, 2008)

Winterous said:


> in addition having a Pulse pistol and CC weapon, that'd certainly make it more appealing.
> 
> Battlesuits should definitely get a melee weapon option, a power weapon in place of a hardpoint would work well.
> And yes, I agree that there should be a dreadnought-esque battlesuit, even if it's like a Killa Kan, AV11 at best.


What you've said just there, if allowed to pass, would completely contradict what the Tau Empire is all about. The Tau are made to be masters of fast, ranged combat. The idea of sticking CC weapons to ANYTHING kills the entire army, since there is really no point for a Tau army to go into CC anyway. The only Tau ever to do that was O'Shovah, and he is decent without the Crisis guard.

More auxillaries are a good idea, but CC weapons for Tau units? Forget it.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

shas'o_mi'ros'kai said:


> CC weapons for Tau units? Forget it.


Ok, what do you think would make the Carbine more worthwhile?
Frankly it makes sense like I have it, it's a lighter gun, so they can carry more.


----------



## skullkandy (May 27, 2009)

what I would like to see is less in unit change and more in the format of the codex.

The layout of the tau codex requires you to flip back and forth through so many pages to find what you need. I would be so happy to see it changed to the format of the new IG codex where the upgrades for each unit are listed under the entry for them. making a list with the new IG codex is so nicer.

also some minor rule updates to compensate for 5e would be nice, like giving us something to help with leadership tests. i think tau are the only army in all of 40k that doesn't have some way to improve LD for squads other than special characters.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

skullkandy said:


> i think tau are the only army in all of 40k that doesn't have some way to improve LD for squads other than special characters.


*ahremETHEREALSahrem*

But yeah, I agree with your format stuff, that would be nice.

Personally I think T'au got shafted a bit with 5th edition.
A fair bit of their wargear was made defunct.
But then again, they also have a few big advantages too, cover saves are negligible (marker lights, a T'au's best friend), Seeker missiles are a great boon against vehicles (Piranha jets to side armour) and Railguns too (just about the best anti-monolith weapon in game).


----------



## anarchyfever (May 24, 2008)

Personally I feel the Tau codex is done very well. And the stats are just perfect

What I would like to see is more weaponry, Tau are suppose to be the shooty race yet we only use about 3 or 4 different guns, Rail, Ion (somtimes), some use plasma and Pulse. I would really like to see new designs for these guns with lots of different varities

There are no guns dedicated to slowing down the enermy (not pinning, More like a gel gun which makes the enerny have to move like its in difficult terrian for a turn).

Someone commented on making the indivuial weapons customable, eg Silencer, Hard tipped ammo etc. I could see this working very well in a Tau codex as their main enermys are the Tyranids.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

anarchyfever said:


> There are no guns dedicated to slowing down the enermy (not pinning, More like a gel gun which makes the enerny have to move like its in difficult terrian for a turn).


You mean like the Thunderfire cannon set to subterrainian blast?
That's actually a good idea, a T'au mole mortar.


----------



## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

Winterous said:


> *ahremETHEREALSahrem*


no he said Improve, not cripple an entire army with a worthless HQ choice


----------



## Wraithian (Jul 23, 2008)

I'd like to see more drones. Lots more drones. Drones that can be taken in squads, not just some arbitrarily attached drones to a unit (like the attaching drones to firewarrior squads thing are currently). Some heavy drones, or even drones equipped with battlesuit style weaponry. It'd be fun to see squads of drones out there with the ability to upgrade a gun drone to a missile pod drone in a gun drone squadron, or plasma, or whatever. I think some faster units would be nice (yes, I know, we have skimmers and such, but the only true fast vehicle we have are piranhas), or the ability, as mentioned, to slow enemy units down would add some flavor while increasing their survivability. 

I, also, feel that Tau took a meat-shaft in 5th ed.


----------



## thomas2 (Nov 4, 2007)

What about the Forgeworld drones getting plastic models and codex entries?

Heavy gun drones with TL burst cannons would probably just work as better versions of current gun drone squadrons, but the FW variety of Markerlight drones in squadrons could be a interesting and mobile option for getting your markerlight hits.

Also the Tau allies races mentioned in BFG would be nice. The nomadic and telekinetic Nicassar, though current fluff mentions them being kept secret from the Imperium due to being powerful psykers. Also the Demiurg (which have many suggestions they are the new space dwarfs like mining, brotherhoods and hatred of Orks) would be interesting to see.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Stella Cadente said:


> no he said Improve, not cripple an entire army with a worthless HQ choice


I honestly don't see how it's a crippling choice.
With that points you could buy 4 fire warriors, big deal.
And why, GOD why would you take 2 T'au commanders anyway?

If you have problems with morale, then it's a good choice.
You basically get to choose when to stand still, and when to run, provided they have LOS to him.


----------



## Asmodeun (Apr 26, 2009)

hey, that is pretty good, but the points are 4 fw if the ethereal is with or without a shield drone?


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Asmodeun said:


> hey, that is pretty good, but the points are 4 fw if the ethereal is with or without a shield drone?


Without.
But Shield drones are debatably useful in 5th ed.
I mean, yeah sure, an Ethereal with 1 shield drone is laughing if he gets hit by a single lascannon shot, but once you go past 1 hit he's fucked.
Wound allocation screws them up completely, they become basically useless when you take more hits than you have drones.

You'd be better off sticking him in a fire warrior squadron, and sniping with them.


----------



## Wraithian (Jul 23, 2008)

Winterous said:


> I honestly don't see how it's a crippling choice.
> With that points you could buy 4 fire warriors, big deal.
> And why, GOD why would you take 2 T'au commanders anyway?
> 
> ...


Simple answer: More versatillity in weaponry and wargear, plus doesn't give the chance that your entire infantry backbone might run off the board if he dies. Remember, in 5th ed, there are no more target priority tests, so an Aun on the field can be targetted (or his squad) and killed, and in killing him, possibly routing a good amount of the Tau force.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

If your whole army runs off the edge of the board, you're doing it wrong.

Actually, come 5th edition, Aun is crap.
He doesn't actually allow you to reroll morale tests, he just gives them Stubborn (ignore negative modifiers).

But really, Ethereals can be put in a squad for protection, they give you a fairly good bonus, and don't cost much.
And if you want more versatility in wargear, take the bodyguard, they can take SI equipment too.

And btw, anyone who relied on Target Priority bar Tyranids with lots of Psychic scream, was kidding themselves.


----------



## WarlordKaptainGrishnak (Dec 23, 2008)

the whole concept of CC crisis suits is cool and so it doesn't contradict any Tau fluff it could work as this:

Shas'O Farsight: oh wait he has a CC weapon, and can take up to 7 crisis bodyguard...you could give an option to give Farsight's guard CC weapons

it doesn't contradict the fluff because Farsight is known for using CC tactics..isn't that why the diplomats on T'au stopped 'funding' his campaign against the orks..


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

WarlordKaptainGrishnak said:


> the whole concept of CC crisis suits is cool and so i doesn't contradict any Tau fluff it could work as this:
> 
> Shas'O Farsight: oh wait he has a CC weapon, and can take up to 7 crisis bodyguard...you could give an option to give Farsight's guard CC weapons
> 
> it doesn't contradict the fluff because Farsight is known for using CC tactics..isn't that why the diplomats on T'au stopped 'funding' his campaign against the orks..


I'm pretty sure it's because he broke away from the greater good.
Aun'shi (or whatever) was a CC character, and they didn't exile him.


----------



## WarlordKaptainGrishnak (Dec 23, 2008)

but he was shafted from the last tau codex wasn't he

if they don't shaft Farsight you could have a CC crisis system that works with the fluff


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

WarlordKaptainGrishnak said:


> but he was shafted from the last tau codex wasn't he
> 
> if they don't shaft Farsight you could have a CC crisis system that works with the fluff


Yeah, but I think he died.
Farsight's Dawn blade isn't even T'au technology.
He found it.

Yes, they COULD put one in, the T'au are entirely capable of making one, but they don't because they're physically shit.
Slow, weak, and incompetant when it comes to fighting.


----------



## WarlordKaptainGrishnak (Dec 23, 2008)

yes considering the fluff states that the Fire caste only dominated in Tau-stone age because they were slightly more robust...hence the need for Kroot

it really shows in the stats with the low WS of the Tau

and even though the Ethereals get honour blades these are stated as being a sign of office rather than a CCW

oh and it removes the whole battlesuit maneuverability of in-shoot-out with its packs...a CC crisis suit would have to have the hit and run rule to make sure it doesnt get stuck in CC


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

WarlordKaptainGrishnak said:


> yes considering the fluff states that the Fire caste only dominated in Tau-stone age because they were slightly more robust...hence the need for Kroot
> 
> it really shows in the stats with the low WS of the Tau
> 
> ...


You can get that as special issue, the Vectored Retro Thrusters.
It's close to useless now though, because you need to pass an Initiative test to disengage.

I guess they could add a hard-wired system that increases WS and I by 1, like automatic servoed joints.


----------



## WarlordKaptainGrishnak (Dec 23, 2008)

yes so it's a bit of a flawed idea then, you'd have to add wargear and it would probably be a costly unit considering crisis unit are 1-3 suits per squad, so it would be costly for not much use...unless they made them worth it

so basically closecombat it up to the kroot...though a nice addition could be similar to a SM Assault squad...a Kroot with a miniaturised version of a crisis pack but some additional Krootish-CC wargear...atm what do the kroot have apart from their rifles


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

WarlordKaptainGrishnak said:


> yes so it's a bit of a flawed idea then, you'd have to add wargear and it would probably be a costly unit considering crisis unit are 1-3 suits per squad, so it would be costly for not much use...unless they made them worth it
> 
> so basically closecombat it up to the kroot...though a nice addition could be similar to a SM Assault squad...a Kroot with a miniaturised version of a crisis pack but some additional Krootish-CC wargear...atm what do the kroot have apart from their rifles


The kroot rifles count as 2 CC weapons.
They could give them big knives with rending I guess.

The best bet for flying melee units is probably a new ally race.


----------



## WarlordKaptainGrishnak (Dec 23, 2008)

yes it confused me to see some Kroot shaper models with a big cleaver-like knife but it wouldn't have counted for anything would it?? no option for giant cleaver for Kroot Shapers...unless i somehow missed that part...


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

WarlordKaptainGrishnak said:


> yes it confused me to see some Kroot shaper models with a big cleaver-like knife but it wouldn't have counted for anything would it?? no option for giant cleaver for Kroot Shapers...unless i somehow missed that part...


It's just to emphasise that they're in charge.


----------



## WarlordKaptainGrishnak (Dec 23, 2008)

much like the ethereal's honour blade i guess


----------



## Cpt. Loken (Sep 7, 2008)

the new codex is ok, only if they still suck at combat. oh and no new weapons!


----------



## shadowsun (Jul 22, 2009)

*tau*

the tau need more heavy fire power the rail guns dont cut it when your facing large amounts of tanks they should alow tau to run ther hammer heads like IG run ther tanks. and they should alow more crisis suits in the squad so u can take down hi armur troops eisier. the fire worirs if any thing need more men in the unit. kroot just need to be alowd more hounds krootox and they need to give them the narlock with bolt thrower. and it would be great it threy would give the tau the orca in a new codex as whel


----------



## Phrazer (Oct 14, 2008)

Rite then, firstly i think the Tau codex is pretty good, although a few things i feel are over priced, especially Kroot. ANyway, these are my thoughts.

Ins:
*Orca-* same kind of size as the new Valkarie but less well armed. say 24 FW/6 Crisis suits. Small weapon load out, TL pulse cannon and seeker missiles etc.
*Kroot Upgrade-* Either cheaper, or 2 attacks and/or Power weapon for Shaper (not an actual power sword but something that fits in fluff wise and counts as a power weapon)
*Heavy Gun drones- *With Twin linked burst cannon/ burst cannon & ML. Would need something more to make them more different to Stealth squads though.
*Crisis suits-* Shield generator and burst cannon as standard, then upgrade/switch loadout. Maybe two different squad types, Fireknife Deathknife whatever they are called.
*Ethereal-* Give him a leadership bubble/rule like guard and an Orbital Ion cannon strike like in the Dawn of War game. Keep the Honour guard, i actaully quite like that!!
*Template weapons-* Lets have some more please!! Make that airburst frag launcher into a normal bit of crisis kit, small blast S4 etc. like a frag missiles.
*Fire warrior Heavy weapons-* Would be quite fun. Airbirst & Burst cannon would be enough imo.

Anyway im sure alot of other codex's should be done first but those are just my thoughts anyway!


----------



## gdog (Jun 19, 2008)

I fell the tau r fine as they are generally


----------



## Asmodeun (Apr 26, 2009)

I think that the airbusting fragmentation blaster is a cool Idea and should be available to crisis squad captains. That gives them something good to go with burst cannons and be kick-ass against swarms. 
Also firewarrior squads should be able to use two or three markerlights each as a "special weapon" type thing, used in combination with seeker missile drones.
The shas'ui should take a burst cannon and be able to upgrade to something like the cyclic ion blaster or networked markerlight.
Drednaught sized XV9 suits (the first number stands for a suits mass-class), which could be mobile weapons platforms, with something along the lines of two ion cannons or similar.

Those are the emmediate ideas. Oh and kroot should have +1 initiative, and hounds should get furious charge. and hounds should come in their own squads with a herder, be fast attack, as well as fleet and cavalry. they may cost a bit more too.


----------



## Blind (Jan 24, 2010)

shas'o_mi'ros'kai said:


> What you've said just there, if allowed to pass, would completely contradict what the Tau Empire is all about. The Tau are made to be masters of fast, ranged combat. The idea of sticking CC weapons to ANYTHING kills the entire army, since there is really no point for a Tau army to go into CC anyway. The only Tau ever to do that was O'Shovah, and he is decent without the Crisis guard.
> 
> More auxillaries are a good idea, but CC weapons for Tau units? Forget it.


Well now that you bring that up, why doesn't the new codex expand upon the splitting of O'shovah and allow better melee tau, put a catch in that variation tau have slightly different set up and stats with some melee options. Like tau without any auxiliary units and you have to use some form of his comm. so it goes against traditional tau but hes a break off option.


----------



## NagashKhemmler (Apr 28, 2009)

Why not upgrade the chaos book, hell if it wasn't for oblits/princes the book wouldn't even stand up to others hardly any more, it needs the update and considering how badly they ruined it last time around it needs to be fixed badly, worse than Tau who are quite fine.


----------



## JackalMJ (Nov 12, 2009)

Not that it would happen, but a discussion at the local club meet today advised that GW are trying to even up the numbe of alien races to the number of Imperial forces. Apparently one way to do that is more races, but why not go a different route and just put out codex's similar to chapters.

So, for Tau who have the two paths, the killing blow and... the other one i dont care about, you could have two whole codexs based on each. I think the killing blow one sums up the normal Tau. Could even have a third one for Splinte Farsight where you get more melee Tau with less technology.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

JackalMJ said:


> Not that it would happen, but a discussion at the local club meet today advised that GW are trying to even up the numbe of alien races to the number of Imperial forces. Apparently one way to do that is more races, but why not go a different route and just put out codex's similar to chapters.
> 
> So, for Tau who have the two paths, the killing blow and... the other one i dont care about, you could have two whole codexs based on each. I think the killing blow one sums up the normal Tau. Could even have a third one for Splinte Farsight where you get more melee Tau with less technology.


That's a great idea actually.


----------



## Samir_Duran (Apr 6, 2009)

As seeing as i Play with my friends... 

Giving the battlesuits armor stats... Come'on! Those suits aside from the Stealth one, are massive and bulky, and in fluff terms they should be as big as a Dread (their chest is supposed to house a tau warrior without him having his limbs in any other portion of the suit)... With my friends we give them Mostly unmodified stats of the armoured Sentinel. The only one which doesn't use the armor stats but infantry ones is my cammander which in fact uses a standard fire warior armor...


Also, a good repairment unit aside from forgeworld would be good. I designed the Earth Caste Engineers as a counter-unit to techpriests and their servitors... 

some more heroes that doesn't require 1500 pt of an army would be good

And for the most important thing: REWRITE THE ARMORY in the new codex fashion... It's really hard to read if you were raised on the newest edition codex: Space Marines...


----------



## JackalMJ (Nov 12, 2009)

Samir_Duran said:


> As seeing as i Play with my friends...
> 
> Giving the battlesuits armor stats... Come'on! Those suits aside from the Stealth one, are massive and bulky, and in fluff terms they should be as big as a Dread (their chest is supposed to house a tau warrior without him having his limbs in any other portion of the suit)... .


While I have no fluff to quote, basedo n the size of hte model, both in game and in pictures, and the positions i've seen it operating in, the pilot is not housed in a cockpit in the chest. It seems clear, to me, that the Hardsuit is built around a persons body, ie his arms are its arms, his legs are in its legs, its head is his helmet.


----------



## Treewizard648 (Feb 4, 2009)

Idk, I am very much content with the current codex. The only thing I would change would make Hammerhead squadrons, seeing its a growing trend with some codex's. 

To tell you the truth, I'm kind of bored of Tau. And if the new codex rumor is true and the new codex is just as boring, I might sell my army.


----------



## Samir_Duran (Apr 6, 2009)

This is an official cover for one of the books... but without titles and such... 









Official third edition art if i remember correctly









The official art of the second page in the newest codex of tau empire... I know it doesn't show the full crisis on this certain picture, but look at the size of the leg compared to a Shas'ui

As you can see, a basic Crisis suit is big enough to house a guardsmen so a smaller tau would be also enough to fit into the cockpit... Also, the emergency ejection makes no sense as a prototype if you look at them to be like you described, i mean with limbs in the suit's limbs. It would break them and as such cause more damage than just wrecking the suit

Also, the part with the head is not really reasonable looking at the models and ics you can se, that the "neck" part of it is just to narrow to house their heads. Also, having the Tau stretched in a somewhat cross shape would make the suit's arms unfunctional as tau are MUCH smaller with the comparison of the limbs... and still every battlesuit except for the Broadside is seen with something that imitates the Tau hands...

and for the size difference... Tau are too big of a figures compared to Space Marines models... Rhino's are TOO darn small to house 10 marines in them, and so is Land rider to house 10 termites. The only size accurate machine would be, I think, the sentinel as it houses a guarsmen in it and is big enough to fit the right size.


----------



## Kale Hellas (Aug 26, 2009)

tau battle suit pilots have a seat and screens and stuff in the body the battle suit doesn't go over their limbs, its liked a bulked out and better version of the avatar walkers


----------



## JackalMJ (Nov 12, 2009)

We'll it looks like I've been put in my place. The Art work I remember seeing never made them appear that big, then again I dont have the best eyesight around. Either case those pictures where pretty convincing, seems I was mistaken.


----------



## Samir_Duran (Apr 6, 2009)

No problem Dude ^_- The arts are also sometimes confusing. The cover art for the Codex is also confusing, as the crisis there is not much bigger from an ethereal. The convincing art is the size of Farsight's Crisis when assaulting orks in CC. Orks are WAY bigger than humans and he isn't so much bigger than them in that suit XD

But, back on topic, I stilll think that those Battlesuits need armor stats... a 3+ or 2+ ( don't remember) without inv on broadsides, well, not on a full squad just makes them too easy to kill... and also making them normal infantrys couses them to stand still all the time as they cannot fire the railguns and SMS after their move.


----------



## JackalMJ (Nov 12, 2009)

I dont know there. Broadsides with +2 saves and 2 wounds are pretty dureable. (altho they do need some sort of invun). Saying they die to easy is like saying Terminaters die to easy. Which might be a fair statement but you cant say one without meaning the other.

Either case I've got nothing against a Tau walker, a bigger, badder hardsuit. For all the advanced firepower of the Tau the Imperium still seems far more advanced in many ways (Dreadnaught vs Crisis Suit). 

Heres an odd thought though. Dreadnaughts have armor values, Space Marines in Tactical Dreadnaught armor (designed to survive the plasma core of a starship) get gunned down by plasma guns... which cant harm a Dreadnaught.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

JackalMJ said:


> Heres an odd thought though. Dreadnaughts have armor values, Space Marines in Tactical Dreadnaught armor (designed to survive the plasma core of a starship) get gunned down by plasma guns... which cant harm a Dreadnaught.


First of all simplicity.
Second, because a Dreadnought is actually mechanical, whereas a Terminator suit is somewhat less mechanised, and, you know, the person can operate their own body.


----------



## Samir_Duran (Apr 6, 2009)

Okay Jackal, but still those termites have 5+ or 3+ inv saves ( depending on their gear) and can act from five guys to 10... 

Broadsides can be up to three and only one of them can have a inv save if you buy him a shield drone. Sure, The termites go really fast ( druing the first 20 games of mine they were one of the most inneficient and easy-lost units i used) but they still have those inv saves...


----------



## Herald of Huanchi (Feb 1, 2009)

I only want two things from the new codex:

It had better not take well loved models and double their points so that we'll buy the newest thing. /anger trip

and on alighter note

Not neccessarily a new playable aux. race but more emphasis (or a list even) on the many races subsumed into the empire would be quite enjoyable to read about, y'know?

On an off topic note: Are Demiurg and Nicassar still canon?


----------



## xGhost4000x (Feb 14, 2010)

I hope I'm alowed to bump a month old thread. 

Hello, I am a new player and forum member. 

Anyway to participate in the discussion I would like to see more fluff to digest and a greater emphasis on auxiliary units. We are told constantly that the Tau empire utilizes auxiliaries then we are told "Mainly Kroot+Vespid..." but what of the others. Also it would be nice to implement some humans into the Empires codex as Auxiliary, we know that some humans have joined the greater good it would be cool to get some units to show that and some fluff to back it. It would be twice as cool if they implemented a new hero(three isn't enough for me  ) which was a human commander responsible for bring a large group (a planet or a IG battalion, maybe a commissar) of humans into the Tau empire, he could provide bonuses to the human auxiliaries. 
Which brings me to the one thing I think MUST be done in a future Tau codex, we need Kroot and Vespid heroes.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

xGhost4000x said:


> Which brings me to the one thing I think MUST be done in a future Tau codex, we need Kroot and Vespid heroes.


Kroot SC yes, a legendary Shaper or something.

But not Vespid, the guys you see on the battlefield (except the Strain Leaders) are just Drones man, they're practically mindless without guidance.
And even the Strain Leaders are (arguably) being mind-controlled by the Tau helmet thing.

The only Vespid SC you could have would be a female, and I don't think they're suited to a battlefield role, even though it would be cool.


----------



## cheef3 (Aug 8, 2009)

i think the codex needs three sections:
1.regular tau force with same basic play styles as right now but with some tweaks and new stuff 
2.kroot mercanaries with mor upgrades to make them harder to kill and better in cc 
3.a farsight enclave with great cc for normal tau units 

etherals need to be better 
vespid need to be cheaper and 4+ 
warriors need special and heavy weapons
and there should be a way to have a full suit deep striking army even with FW jet packs


----------



## KEEPITLOOSE (Feb 13, 2010)

If they put humies in I'd make my IG into tau.

K.


----------



## xGhost4000x (Feb 14, 2010)

I get that Tau weak CC is part of their fluff. So making Kroot better at CC could be substituted simply by making Kroot more durable. Make them last just a little longer in CC. Also perhaps make a new breed of Kroot, there are so many things GW could do with the Kroot. Think of the different breeds they could make. 

I also still think that human auxiliaries would be a cool thing to have. I'm not saying we need Leman Russ tanks or anything. Just some Guardsmen or a completely new Human unit that represents humans fighting for the greater good. I think most would prefer using already existing humans as auxiliaries though so no new purchase is needed.


----------



## Sephyr (Jan 18, 2010)

I skipped picking Tau as my main army because their play options felt stale. Meaning, stay away and shoot or, should that fail...run away, shoot.

The fluff says Farsight makes his guys train in CC lots, so he really should get a couple of options to reflect that. Some modified melee suits with higher initiative and regular jump packs to give them some assault ability would be fun and add an unpredictable element, I believe.

As for the regular Tau forces, they really do need more blast action. One AFP per army is rather silly. I love the idea of a glue shell or some other way of slowing enemy advances. Drones should also be expanded and improved, and there should be more FW choices, like veterans with BS 4 (they have the same BS as a gaunt!!) or higher morale (with a suitably point higher cost). Only 2 troops choices is not fun.

As for the Kroot, they really should be developed more fully. The carnivore needs either Furious Charge or a save of any sort to actually survive anything, and the quadrupedal Hounds should be fleet when put in a unit all of their own.

Finally, and this is just a nitpick...how about giving stealth Suits the Stealth ability? Feels appropriate, for some reason I can't quite precise.


----------



## cheef3 (Aug 8, 2009)

for what xghost4000x said there is a kroot mercanary hombrew online book, just search online for it, its the one with the kroot killing the tallaran gaurdsmen on the cover.


----------



## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Sephyr said:


> As for the Kroot, they really should be developed more fully. The carnivore needs either Furious Charge or a save of any sort to actually survive anything, and the quadrupedal Hounds should be fleet when put in a unit all of their own.


I think that FC for Kroot wouldn't really fit their fluff.
They aren't insane killing machines, they're just powerful stringy bodies which can hit hard and stalk around.

They need a higher Initiative value, and they should get a 6+ save standard, just to give them something.

Also, a rule that Kroot Hounds should REALLY have, since they have a higher Initiative value, is they their I value is always used for a Sweeping Advance, unless they're retreating of course.
The enemies run, and the Hounds chase them down, how awesome would that be?



cheef3 said:


> for what xghost4000x said there is a kroot mercanary hombrew online book, just search online for it, its the one with the kroot killing the tallaran gaurdsmen on the cover.


I don't think it was homebrew, I think it was one of those White Dwarf releases or something.
Anyway, it was never allowed in tournaments or anything, just for people who wanted to play Kroot in friendly games.


----------



## Wischbones (Nov 1, 2009)

I hate commenting on old posts, but here I go anyway.

I think pathfinders should not be required to take a DF and they should gain the ability to infiltrate (this would finally make taking rail rifles worth while). Think about it, we are a race that specializes in long range combat, yet we have no decent sniping unit (sniper drones are underpowered in my opinion).

I would also like to see the kroot's feildcraft ability apply to all cover. It makes sense, why would it be harder to camoflage in a building then it is in the jungle?


----------



## LJT_123 (Dec 26, 2007)

I don't know if it's already been mentioned, but I would love to see some other alien alliances of the Tau on the tabletop. I think it'd make the Tau a bit more diverso to play with.


----------

