Thoughts on a mobile Tau list 1850 points

Fairly mobile list with multiple devilfish, crisis suits and hammerheads. Never been tested as the army is still under construction. Besides being pathetically useless in combat any ideas or thoughts on competitiveness?
The Shas'o unit is intended as Dreadnought/HQ killer, Shas'el is anti-elite unit. The non Devilfish unit is intended as an anchor point to sit on an objective and blast away.

HQ: Commander Shas'o 294 Pts
1 Commander Shas'o
Hard-wired Target Lock; Crisis Bodyguard; Twin Linked Plasma Rifle; Shield Generator
2 Crisis Bodyguard
Fusion Blaster; Hard-wired Multi-tracker; Plasma Rifle; Targeting Array

HQ: Commander Shas'el 223 Pts
1 Commander Shas'el
Burst Cannon; Cyclic Ion Blaster; Hard-wired Target Lock; Crisis Bodyguard; Multi-Tracker
2 Crisis Bodyguard
Burst Cannon; Hard-wired Multi-tracker; Missile Pod; Targeting Array

Troops: Fire Warrior 220 Pts
12 Fire Warrior
Pulse Rifle
1 Devilfish
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System

Troops: Fire Warrior 220 Pts
12 Fire Warrior
Pulse Rifle
1 Devilfish
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System

Troops: Fire Warrior 220 Pts
12 Fire Warrior
Pulse Rifle
1 Devilfish
Burst Cannon; Smart Missile System

Troops: Fire Warrior 175 Pts
11 Fire Warrior
Add Shas'ui; Pulse Rifle
1 Shas'ui
Markerlight; Bonding Knife; Hard-wired Drone Controller; Pulse Rifle; Marker Drone


Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship 165 Pts
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Railgun; Two Burst Cannons; Targeting Array; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock

Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship 165 Pts
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Railgun; Two Burst Cannons; Targeting Array; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock

Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship 165 Pts
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Railgun; Two Burst Cannons; Targeting Array; Landing Gear; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock

Total Roster Cost: 1847

This looks eerily like my first Tau army, before I had any idea of what I was doing. The best advice I can give you is to play some games with your list and see how it does. What works and what doesn't will become readily apparent. Also, you will see what fits your playstyle and what doesn't.

Here are a few things I noticed on first glance that may help a bit:

Disruption pods are mandatory on all your vehicles. 4+ cover where ever you are is vital. And you will need multitrackers on the fish if you want to move and fire. And, yes, you always want to be on the move. Just go for the full warfish. Target array, multitracker, Disruption pod and SMSs. And if you want fish of fury to work, you are going to need some marker light back up to remove cover saves and pump up your BS.

Your HQs are point sinks. Never buy bodyguards if you have open elite slots. Just attach an HQ to one of them. Also, do yourself a favor and save some points. Shas 'el with target array is cheaper than an 'O and has the same stat that matters. And if you have groups of three, a bonding knife can keep you from running off the board when a krak rocket instakills one of your suits.

Check out the Tau tactica thread on Warseer and Advanced Tau Tactica for great insight to playing the coolest army in the game.

How in the world are you able to take TWO HQs? One Shas'o and another a Shas'el? I re-read the codex and no where does it say 1-2 Crisis Suits for the HQ unless you count bodyguards. But, the bodyguards are Shas'vre.

Also 25 points for a probability to hit boost from 50% to 67%, plus an extra wound, and +1 Leadership is worth it in my opinion. The attack and weapon skill bonuses are cool too, but if you are in such bad shape as to get your HQ assaulted, then you might as well kiss it goodbye anyways.

Do the math: Shas'o with all the stats you want and 3 open weapon slots = 75 points

or

Shas'el (50 points) minus a weapons slot (ouch!) because of the TA at 10 points, -1 wound (double-ouch!), and -1 leadership = 60 points

aren't the extra wound and better leadership stats worth 15 points?

My untested 1850 has an HQ + 2x Bodyguards, AND a 3 Crisis suit Elite squad (plus 2x shield drones). That's a total of 6 crisis suits to keep the enemy busy while my 24 firewarriors and 2 'fish sit in reserve waiting for the enemy to thin out.


Also, yrddraiggoch, you may want to consider trading in one of your Hammerheads for a Broadside team. From what I have read, as long as they are well protected, they make effective tank poppers. In my untested 1850 (I'm just starting too), my Broadside team costs 80 more points than a single Hammerhead, but gives 3x twin-linked rail gun shots instead of 1 regular rail gun shot. I'd even put them up against Dreadnoughts and Terminators and expect them to do well.

This is why I say to play a bunch of games with your army. In my experience, an increased Ld, wound, WS, and attacks make no difference at all. BS is the only stat that matters. At t4 there is a lot of insta kill out there and any dedicated assault unit is going to tear our units apart. And that is good. If we get locked in combat, we can't shoot them next turn. The loss of a weapon slot is immaterial as we can only fire 2 weapons anyway. Shas 'el target array, 2 weapons, hardwired multitracker. Keep em cheap, but effective. It allows us to buy more dakka.

ShasOElanRo wrote:

How in the world are you able to take TWO HQs? One Shas'o and another a Shas'el? I re-read the codex and no where does it say 1-2 Crisis Suits for the HQ unless you count bodyguards. But, the bodyguards are Shas'vre.

Former Tau Player.....3 times....

Book says you can have no more then 3 in a HQ unit.....doesn't say that you CAN NOT have multiple suits as HQ. I used to run 2 HQ like this with bodygaurds myself. Only thing that won't stack are the weapon systems.