Editing Barracuda (section)

==7th edition==
The Barracuda's primary air-to-air weapon is a heavy [[ion cannon]] as long as the fuselage. This is supported by a pair of auto-targeting [[burst cannon]]s in the wingtips, and supplemented with [[missile pod]]s in the wings for ground attack. It can also take up to four [[seeker missile]]s to lend additional anti-armor support to [[markerlight]]-equipped ground forces. Kinda like a Lightning’s long autocannon, missiles, and lascannons, even their arrangement. Once it eliminates all flying targets, Barracuda can start bombarding ground-pounders with overcharged ion cannon blasts and hails of missile and pulse fire, vaporizing everything that isn't AV13-14 or Sv2+. Tau usually avoid using it as a dedicated strafing runner though because of it's limited survivability compared to their regular bombers like Tiger Shark or Sun Shark.
[[Image:Taubarracuda.jpg|300px|thumb|left|The old barracuda model.]]
The new [https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/PDF/fw_warscrolls//Tau%20Barracuda%20AX%205%202%20Exp%20Rules.pdf| Barracuda AX-5-2] update also adds the ability to replace the ion cannon with either a short range [[Heavy Burst Cannon|heavy burst cannon]], or a short range [[railgun]]. All of these weapons lack the alternate fire and range of their traditional counterparts, Riptide and Hammerheads respectively, but are otherwise identical. The Barracuda may also replace its auto-targeting long-barreled burst cannon with auto-targeting [[Cyclic Ion Blaster|cyclic ion blasters]]. On top of the new firepower, the AX-5-2 also gets an invulnerable save against glancing and a weaker save against penetrating hits, as well as being able to boost its Jink save by +1.

Barracudas also serve as interceptors of the Tau space fleet, and have been proven quite capable of going toe-to-hoof with the likes of Fury. The fact that Mantas rarely need interceptor escort to fight off enemy interceptors means Tau may focus their Barracuda wings on defense against enemy ordinance, and if you know anything about Battlefleet Gothic, the one who wins the ordinance game while fleets are closing usually wins a battle.