# Tau Heavy support



## Glitch (Nov 6, 2008)

Alright I have a skyray and that seams to not be enough. I don't have a hammerhead nor broad side. My main question is dose the broad side have different playing rules than the gamesworkshop ones. I don't want the rules just wanting to know if they are different. Also I go against spacemarines of different chapters most of the time. I kill most but the four or so take out all my fire warroirs then move on to what ever is closest. I have two squads of firewarroirs. Two criss battle suits and a squad of kroot and gun drones.


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## Glitch (Nov 6, 2008)

Meant to say dose the Forgeworld broad side have different rules than the Gamesworkshop one. Again not asking for the rules.


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## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

FW Broadsides don't have different rules.
Even if they did, you'd probably just use the default ones but use their models, as the FW Broadsides look heaps better.


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## Concrete Hero (Jun 9, 2008)

I'd definitely recommend the Hammerheads, at _least_ two.

Hammerheads are amazing, and with a collection of cheap upgrades they can have an almost permanent cover save, some defence in assault and the ability to move 12" and fire that devastating weapon...

And if your Fire Warriors don't have them yet. Pick up some Devilfish transport for them and fit them with the missile system weapon upgrade. Will increase their survivability and mobility drastically


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## MetalHandkerchief (Aug 3, 2009)

FW Broadsides look heaps shittier.

Hammerheads can't be beat! They are perfect, as when they're done blowing enemy armor to bits they can move on to blowing enemy troops to bits


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## deathbringer (Feb 19, 2009)

Dont even look at the sky ray, hammerheads and broadsides over
I like the forge world ones actually


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

I tend to see the Tau heavy support section as ways to take railguns and nothing else. Railguns are one of the best guns in the game but you can't take all that many - so you should take as many as you can.

The skyray is, unfortunately, just a poor man's railhead. It's just far, far less dangerous than a hammerhead. You can easily replace the skyray with stuff from elsewhere in the force org chart, but the same cannot be said of the railhead.


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## Glitch (Nov 6, 2008)

Alright sounds like I'm getting a mahammer head soon. My one last question is if FW broadsides play the same as Gameswork shop's then why dose it say on FW website you need another book for them?


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## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

MetalHandkerchief said:


> FW Broadsides look heaps shittier.


Woah woah woah what?
Dude, even if that were true (which it is most certainly not!), they're ALL plastic; the primary problem most people have with Broadsides is that the Railguns are too heavy, and so they break easily, this isn't a problem with the FW ones.
Also the arm mounted Railguns look ten times better, whether or not you like their torso (frankly I'd prefer the regular BS torso to their smooth one)


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## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Glitch said:


> Alright sounds like I'm getting a mahammer head soon. My one last question is if FW broadsides play the same as Gameswork shop's then why dose it say on FW website you need another book for them?


Because they have rules listed in that book.
I'm pretty sure they're exactly the same though.

Basically, anything on the FW site can be used to represent anything in the codices anyway, as long as it looks appropriate.

I could buy a fancy looking tank from FW, but I don't need a whole new book to get its rules, I just look in the IG codex.


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## DarKKKKK (Feb 22, 2008)

I used to play Tau a long time ago, before the 2nd version of the codex came out. I sold my army to my friend who now has 8,000+ pts of it. Not a single Skyray in his army, and I totally agree with it too. He has 5 Hammerheads and 15 Broadsides if you can gauge how much better Hammerheads and Broadsides are.


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## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Yeah, let's face it.
Skyrays are pretty decent, but they offer something en mass that you can purchase in small amounts for ANY OTHER VEHICLE.
And that doesn't even use a Heavy Support slot.


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## OddJob (Nov 1, 2007)

When I first revisited my Tau army in 5th ed I suddenly got a massive chubby for markerlights, and consequently the skyray seemed pretty hawt (in combination with a couple of full squads of pathfinders). The ability to front load instant death damage (potentially six shots on turn one) into SM attack bikes or Nob bikers seemed great, along with a pair of mobile markerlights for the rest of the game.

Then I realised that I could get another railhead instead and stick some seekers on my tanks for approximately the same effect...plus an extra railgun.

Thankfully, if you bought the skyray kit you should still have the parts to convert the skyray to a HH.


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## Glitch (Nov 6, 2008)

Well the problem is I just got the turret to the skyray and put it on a devish so not full kit.


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## MaidenManiac (Oct 2, 2008)

Someguy said:


> I tend to see the Tau heavy support section as ways to take railguns and nothing else. Railguns are one of the best guns in the game but you can't take all that many - so you should take as many as you can.


Railguns are indeed the blessed gun of allslaying. There is honestly nothing more fun then shooting railguns on things, everything goes "boom":biggrin:



OddJob said:


> When I first revisited my Tau army in 5th ed I suddenly got a massive chubby for markerlights, and consequently the skyray seemed pretty hawt (in combination with a couple of full squads of pathfinders). The ability to front load instant death damage (potentially six shots on turn one) into SM attack bikes or Nob bikers seemed great, along with a pair of mobile markerlights for the rest of the game.
> 
> Then I realised that I could get another railhead instead and stick some seekers on my tanks for approximately the same effect...plus an extra railgun.
> 
> Thankfully, if you bought the skyray kit you should still have the parts to convert the skyray to a HH.


Im trying out a Skyray atm, and while it lacks a Railgun those 12" moveable MLs are handy indeed. Weather its worth a HS slot is very depending of style of play.

When buying Tau Vehicles Id say that the Skyray is the kit to buy at all times. You get both a Rail/Ion(lol) head turret in it, a Skyray Turret and a Devilfish. Always buy the Skyray!


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## moshpiler (Apr 16, 2009)

MaidenManiac said:


> Railguns are indeed the blessed gun of allslaying. There is honestly nothing more fun then shooting railguns on things, everything goes "boom":biggrin:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


so, why is there a hammerhead kit, it doesn't really make much sense...


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## Ijustmadethisup4 (Apr 7, 2009)

I agree with everyone that Hammerheads are the best thing ever, but skyrays arent TERRIBLE. They dont quite compare but give them both a shot, you never know you might like skyray better (though i doubt it).


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## Asmodeun (Apr 26, 2009)

I think that if skyrays were genuine fast vehicles they would be worth the commitment. Not that it's really relevent.


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## MaidenManiac (Oct 2, 2008)

moshpiler said:


> so, why is there a hammerhead kit, it doesn't really make much sense...


Probably because of this:
Hammerheads were released in 3d ed, and not surprisingly got a box for themselves.
Skyrays were released in 4th ed, and not surprisingly got a box for themselves, since they would not be available otherwise.

I honestly think human stupidity is the crook here. Folks doesnt know that a Skyray kit is a _Hammerheadkit+Skyray turret_ for the same price. GW probably had the idea to remove the HH from the shelves with the Skyray kit, but since people are stupid whiners and "want their HH, not a skyray cos its the skuckz0rz" they keep on producing the pure HH kits.

:dunno:


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## Asmodeun (Apr 26, 2009)

Which is pretty hilarious.


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## Dies Irae (May 21, 2008)

Everyone talked about skyrays, Railheads and Broadsides, but what about Ionheads and Sniper drones?
The Ion cannon fires 3 S7 AP3 shots, for far less points than the Rail canon. I think it could be usefull against MEQ (i dont play Tau, but i may if they update their Codex),what do you think?
Same for the Drones, they fire "Marines killer" shots(hit on 3+, wound on 2+, no saves!),have a disruption field,cause pinning tests,include a networked markerlight and can be taken in 3 teams of 3 to cover every area of the battlefield.


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## Winterous (Mar 30, 2009)

Dies Irae said:


> The Ion cannon fires 3 S7 AP3 shots, for far less points than the Rail canon. I think it could be usefull against MEQ (i dont play Tau, but i may if they update their Codex),what do you think?


Ion Cannon is alright, it's great for Monstrous Creatures, ever-present transports, and picking off a few bloody Marines.
Unfortunately, it takes up a heavy slot which could be used for the incredibly important and potent Railgun, which is the Tau's main source of anti-vehicle firepower.



Dies Irae said:


> Same for the Drones, they fire "Marines killer" shots(hit on 3+, wound on 2+, no saves!),have a disruption field,cause pinning tests,include a networked markerlight and can be taken in 3 teams of 3 to cover every area of the battlefield.


First of all, it hits on a 4+, BS3 = 4+ to hit, with the NML hit though it'll be a 3+.
They're alright, but they have poor anti-vehicle firepower, and are a bit expensive for what they do.
All in all, I'd consider taking them if I had the points, but only as an afterthought, not as a main choice.


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## Dies Irae (May 21, 2008)

Thanks Winterous

For the Drones, my mistake, i tought they were BS 3(4), and not 2(3)


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