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There are a number of changes which have been implemented in this, the latest version of the Epic Armageddon force list for the Tau, version 4.4.1. Rather than try to highlight these changes in red, as I have done in the past, I have decided to create a narrative thread, to outline the alterations and my thoughts behind them.
Firstly, there are a number of mutually agreed changes pulled from discussion here, which have been added to this version.
- Gravitic Tracer Salvo changed from 6xMW6+ (Guided) to 2x(3xMW6+, Guided) on both the Custodian and Hero.
- All Smart Missile Systems reduced to 30cm, AP5+, ignore cover.
- Broadsides armament and description (including Orca transport note).
- Drones able to garrison if the formation would normally do so.
- Markerlight Sentry Turrets? just all of the changes!
- Auxiliary formations also count as a Contingent for force building.
- Kroot Master Shaper added to Orca transport list.
These should all be fairly obvious and clear. I wont go on about them, as they have already been debated here. However, if there are any questions about this list, just post in this thread and I will dig out the discussion which lead to these conclusions.
The Networked Drones upgrade has been added to the Hammerhead and Stingray Contingents.
The Networked Drones upgrade was designed to allow the armour to shed blast markers easier, a problem which hit the list in previous versions. Initially, this upgrade was only applied to Hammerhead Cadres, and while I do not want to see this bonus being able to be applied to liberally, I do feel that these two contingents warrant it. My current opinion is that this is the limit of the places that this upgrade could be allowed.
Manta initiative increased to 1+, critical hit changed to deflector shield failure.
This should be a fairly popular change.
Support Groups/Contingents
I have started a new thread to examine the use of the terminology for the force list and structure. Notes in this post keep to the previous version (using ?contingent?). Future threads will use the update terminology (using ?support group?).
Tiger Shark
I have changed this to Fighter Bomber status. This allows its use of AA attacks, and makes it more flexible, fitting the background better. However, I have also reduced the range of the twin linked Ion Cannons to 30cm range. There are a number of reasons for this. It stops the Tiger Shark being too powerful, it stops it out classing the Barracuda as the main interceptor, and it actually brings it into line compared to the Barracuda armament (which is also 30cm, while the Tiger Shark gets a +1 across the board for twin linked weaponry).
OK, now for the more? debated changes. Deep breath?
Fire Warriors
I have made some changes to these guys, as I simply did not feel that they were selected by players enough or for the right reasons. Bad news ? they have lost their Pulse Carbines and Markerlights. Good news, their Pulse Rifles just got more dangerous with twice the fire power.
I found it almost comical that the background material for the Pathfinders states how they use the Markerlights, which were previously available to the line troops as well. I hope that these changes simplify the Fire Warriors and give them a more defined role, as well as not requiring that they get within 15cm to use their full firepower. This should make them formidable against similar line troops in defence or longer range sweeping actions.
I suspect that they remain correctly pointed. I will keep an eye on this, but they seem in line compared to Dark Reapers (which are more 50% more expensive but have longer range and much better firefight) and Storm Troopers (same cost, but they have shorter range and anti-tank capacity). They also intuitively compare to an Imperial Guard Infantry Company.
I have also updated the entry for the Pulse Rifles on the human auxiliary command squad in line with the Fire Warriors.
And this brings us on to?
Path Finders
Just minor changes. The first, and largest, is the loss of the Sniper ability. Path Finders are forward disruption units, not snipers. With the loss of Markerlights on the Fire Warriors, these guys should have a stronger defined role on the Epic battlefield. This, combined with the shorter range of the Pulse Carbines means that they need to be careful, but the disrupt ability should get them out of trouble.
I went backwards and forwards over the Rail Rifles. I wanted to drop the Disrupt from this weapon, but that would put the weapon equal to half the Pulse Rifles on the Fire Warriors. That doesn?t seem right. The 40K Rail Rifle has ?Pinning? so I think that this is justified.
(To be honest, I almost dropped the Rail Rifle completely, but after going back to the Codex for a while I reversed that decision.)
IonHeads
The AA ability on these tanks has not sat well with me for a long time. I don?t think that it is justified or representative or the background. However, the rest of the list has become reasonably balanced around this feature. But I don?t want the status quo to halt any decisions that need to be made, particularly since I feel that this is a big one for me. Therefore? deep breath? I have removed the AA fire from the IonHead. (Pause for flak? Incoming!!!)
I played around with two stat lines for this gun. It came down to either 2x AP4+/AT5+ or AP3+/AT4+ (ignore cover) ? I also thought about ?disrupt? but that didn?t seem right. I went with the double fire power since the weapon in 40K does have a serious rate of fire.
I am open to further discussion on this, but please, please do give it a try for a game or two, construct a couple of lists. With the drop of the AA attack to Fire Prisms, and the absence of any background which indicates that the IonHead can even attempt to know aircraft out of the sky, I honestly felt that this little ability was dictating force construction too much. There were many arguments against any change to the IonHead, and I accept and have considered them all.
There were also issues regarding the SkyRay, and its cost. Some people stated that it was too cheap, while others said that it was fine as is. I have left this and do not intend to change the stats to this unit right now.
One opinion about this change was that it place a lot of emphasis on the SkyRay as the sole ground based flak unit? which leads on to one of the last changes for this version?
Scorpionfish
Taking the above comments into consideration, I looked around for somewhere to spread the load a little. The Scorpionfish is an obvious choice. It is already a missile boat, and it is well protected and so your AA attacks will last longer. I have currently opted to issue it with an identical load to the SkyRay, as a separate missile system (I did think about integrating the AA missiles into an existing system) and not raised the cost of this unit.
I am fully aware that this is not an accurate ?pound for pound? replacement to the AA fire on the IonHeads, but I would like to try this out and get feedback from the development community here.
So, please tell me what you think, and in particular any experiences that you have with these changed units.
Finally?
- Vespids
- Sniper Drone Teams
These changes represent the initial entry point for these units, and so I have created additional threads to discuss them.
In other news, I have decided to actually catalogue that EA Tau stuff that I have. It is depressing to see just how much I have spent? and also to see that I really need a lot more! Especially a couple of those new AX-1-0?s.
I will post the final role call when I am done.
Thanks. I look forward to your feedback.
_________________ https://www.cybershadow.ninja - A brief look into my twisted world, including wargames and beyond. https://www.net-armageddon.org - The official NetEA (Epic Armageddon) site and resource.
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