Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team (HoR)/Tactics/Tau(8E)

Predictably, the scale-shrinking of Heralds of Ruin has radically changed how the Tau now run, as they can no longer be as reliant on their fancy suits. Of course, this means that you'll be relying more upon your Fire Warriors and auxiliaries. The loss of the Ethereals also means that you no longer have any way to bolster your men. Compensating for this means abusing cover like a bitch to avoid being splatted/cooked.

Your common keywords are T'au Empire, <Sept>.

Rules

• Sept Tenets: Mostly unchanged, though Sa'Cea can now only use it on half the army up to five times a turn.
• For the Greater Good: As the early adapters for supporting overwatch, your models get to double the range with which allies can overwatch to 6", but this precludes them from doing so again.
• Bonding Knife Ritual: This now works on nerve and rout tests.
• Markerlights: Setup's the same - shooting this prevents a model from shooting anything else. The benefits, however, changed.

1. Same as before, re-roll all 1s to hit with guns.
2. Drops the target's cover bonus by 1 rather than robbing it altogether.
3. Your boys no longer take penalties for shooting heavy weapons on the move or assault weapons after advancing against the target. Same as the 4+ bonus on the codex.
4. +1 to hit, same as the 5+ bonus on the codex.

Wargear

Leaders Only

• Multi-Targeting Array: Essentially allows you to Split Fire with each of a model's weapons. Not such a big deal with TL Crisis weapons, but doing it as bare doubles definitely can. Can be good when a Crisis leader has two different types of weapon, as two weapons of one type (say, Fusions) might be a bit of over the top for a single enemy troop.
• Kodachi: A Power Sword for any leader. At least it's better than nothing, and if you unfocus your eyes, you can pretend you're bringing out a rookie Farsight. Also, Crisis suits has S 5. S 5 Power Sword with three A?...
• Command Node: Boosts IP from 6" to 12". A reasonable take, as Leadership is slightly shaky for Tau, and with a good Ld, you can be quite a tough bunny to move around.
• Extended Drone Controller: All friendly Gun/Marker Drones within 12" can use a Leader's BS. It's probably usable for some markerlight shenanigans, but it's otherwise pretty naff without those lights, as most leaders has BS 3. Is it worth it? Depends on the amount of Drones you have.
• Twin-linked Rail Carbine: Two TL S6, AP1 at 18" for 20 points, making it cheaper than TL plasma rifles and only slightly shorter range. Take with the Fire Warrior or Pathfinder Shas'Ui for a nasty surprise for any TEQs or light transports.

Fire Warrior Shas'ui Only

• Hard-wired Light Shield: Grants a 5+ invulnerable save. Nice, but three times as expensive and less die-efficient than...
• XV05 Armour: Grants a 3+ armour save. At just 5 extra points, it's an absolute steal.

Battlesuit Only

• Shield Generator: Really expensive, but a 4++ is a really nice save for a battlesuit to take.
• Stimulant Injector: The other big take for survivable battlesuits. In this case, FNP. Probably the better take, as it's usable at any time, even on armor-ignoring blows.
• Counterfire Defense System: Now overwatch at BS2. Decent with certain setups, but otherwise something that's really only used if you want the statistical boost.
• Early Warning Override: This will make you the bane of all Terminators everywhere (and maybe Blood Angels). The moment they deep-strike, you get to shoot them full of plasma rifles.
• Positional Relay: Grants you some more reliable outflanking...which is pretty pointless as there's only one mission where you'll get Outflank. Otherwise, it'll end up biting you more than helping you.
• Vectored Retro-Thrusters: Fleet and Hit & Run are rules that can make a Battlesuit good at deploying wherever he wants. Issue is that at I2, you're going to be stuck more often than not. Enjoy Fleet though, you're now free to dart around like hell. Note that Broadsides cannot take this upgrade, as their guns are too big for jets to fit.
• Drone Controller: Grants Gun/marker/Sniper Drones within 6" the ability to use a battlesuits' BS. Really, the difference between this and the Extended version above is range (as the Extended is usable by any Leader) versus utility (This can work on Sniper Drones too, making them a little more of a useful tool). More often than not, they'll use the EDC unless they're saving up with the Crisis Shas'vre.
• Advanced Targeting System: Precision Shots are prime hits. If ever there is a model that needs to die first, this cheap upgrade will make sure that they do.
• Stabilized Jet: A reliable way to make your second jump in Assault more reliable as it lets you roll 3d6 and pick the best distance.
• Low Weight Composite: Immunity to Strikedown is something of a big deal for Battlesuits, as it gives you the ability to keep on hopping around. Pair this up with the Retro-Thrusters so you can make the most of it as several melee weapons get Strikedown as well.
• Coolant Injectors: A new threat that arose from the changes of HoR is flamers. With the regularly crap Initiative of most Tau models means that they'll catch on fire easily. Adding this will negate it on the Battlesuits, which are probably the most valuable assets you have.

Kroot Shaper Only

• Master of the Hunt: Reveals hiding models within 12" of the Shaper and blocks infiltrators from getting within 24" of him. Really nice in keeping the enemy within a prime range to fire away, especially with snipers.]
• DNA Samples: This gives you some random boosts based on some recent prey.

1. +1 Weapon Skill thanks to the Ogryn.
2. +1 BS from a Ratlings. A real thing that are really real.
3. +1 LD from humans, presumably the genetic ability to shoot your friends.
4. +1 Initiative thanks to Eldar, which is always nice.
5. +1 S. Now you're as strong as a Space Marine. Pretty nice.
6. +1 T. Thank the Orks for some good bonus defense.

• Blood of the Stalker: Gives Acute Senses, which is only useful if you get Outflank, so don't waste it on this in most instances.
• Specialist Hunter: A cheap way to grab Preferred Enemy for one codex.

Vespid Only

• Furious Strain: Grants Furious Charge. Pretty nice to add some sting to a charge and then leg it to sting again.
• Extra Chitin Layers: Gives Feel No Pain to keep your bugman flying.

Unit Analysis

Your FOC is as follows:

• 1 Leader
• 1-20 Core
• 0-3 Special

Leaders

• Crisis Shas'vre: The second most expensive Leader the Tau gets, but open to the greatest list of gear out there, as befits the iconic suit. The big curiosity here is that this guy has a sort-of damage track usually seen in monsters and vehicles. Upon being reduced to two wounds, he loses his jet pack, an attack, and a point of Leadership and is forced to footslog it with a Terminator-tier 5" movement.
• Stealth Shas'vre: He can only buy the Fusion Blaster if he plans on doing real big game hunting, and can only get support by 0-2 Drones, Target Lock+Markerlights, and his basic support systems. While not quite as massive cost with the upgrades, he still is a big investment. If you do take him, consider a drone to make it majority Toughness 4.
• Cadre Fireblade: Pretty much ported over from the codex. He still gives your fire warriors all the firepower they need, though he's the most expensive leader of the Tau.
• Fire Warrior Shas'ui: A basic fire Warrior Sarge, who can either grab his basic Pulse Rifle, a Carbine, or a Pulse Blaster and Field amp relay to join the Breachers. He can get the basic fare of inventory, including two drones (one of which can be the Guardian Drone to take the fall for him).
• Pathfinder Shas'ui:Gets Markerlights in his base cost for far cheaper, but is trapped into using a carbine. He's a bit better at being the support leader for a heavy army, but he's a bit more vulnerable in exchange.
• Kroot Shaper: For a rather high price, you get a big Kroot, which are...not astounding. He can buy a proper Pulse Rifle or Carbine, which have their own uses.
• Vespid Strain Leader: Middling cost, but he's got everything a Vespid needs.

Core

• Fire Warrior: The basic foot infantry of the Tau Empire. They come base with a Pulse Rifle, which can be swapped for a Pulse Carbine or Pulse Blaster/Field Amplifier Relay. If you really need something for melee, you can grab a pulse pistol.
• Pathfinder: Now available as a core choice with no limits. They grab the same options for guns as the codex and can grab their exclusive choices. Their versatility makes them much better for hunting.
  • Tactical Drone: For every two Fire Warriors or Pathfinders, you can take a a Gun/Marker/Shield Drone. Buying this will probably cut into any heavy battlesuit plans, so take if you're not going full-suit. That said, these are a good way to back up any weaknesses that appear in a squad.
• Kroot Carnivore: The basic cheap Kroot. He's only passably decent in melee and at range, but he can at least fight, as opposed to your Tau.
  • Kroot Hound: You can take these puppy-chickens for every Kroot you buy. They're not much stronger, but a good deal faster for assault. The fact that they're Non-Learning means that they can be thrown in with less guilt, since they're actually a point cheaper than basic Kroot.
• Vespid Stingwing: You buzzing friends who can fire rather comfortably against the MEQ and can also become a nuisance by charging and then breaking at any time. Now that they're core, you can definitely have them manage the big issues while your fire warriors deal with anything else.

Special

• Crisis Shas'ui: Cheaper than the Shas'vre, but keep the same trademark versatility of the battlesuit. The only losses he takes is the Leader wargear.
• Stealth Shas'ui: 10 points cheaper than the leader, but can only take a Fusion Blaster and the Bonding Ritual. Grab him if you plan to sneak around and make some alpha-striking.
• Firesight Marksman: Want someone to just throw out markerlights while hiding? Don't want to lose a good gun? Well, this guy's 22 points and made just for that.
  • MV71 Sniper Drone: While two these don't take up your precious special slot when taken with a marksman, you're still blowing 18 points on what is essentially another slot.
• Support Drone: Here's where the Pathfinder Drones went. For every two Fire Warriors/Pathfinders you grab, you can take a Guardian/Pulse-Accelerator/Grav-Inhibitor/Scout Drone.
• Krootox Rider: Your big beefy Kroot are no longer dependent on the Carnivores to enter the list. However, their ability to do multiple things at once sees them suffering to do each thing. If you plan on buying one, focus on one thing only.
• Kroot Shaman: A surprising new add to the list, you finally get a Psyker to throw into your army. His choices are limited to Prescience (for fire support), Scrier's Gaze (skip this, the only possible use it has is the Mysterious Terrain), Forewarning (a decent save for a gang in the open), Psychic Shriek (to murder mobs), or Mental Fortitude (free Fearless means that you'll always find a way to strike back, though locking a model in melee is a bad move). Other than that, he's pretty much a Kroot that you can only take 0-1 of.
• 0-1 Broadside Shas'ui: The 0-1 hard-capped choice who just happens to tote the biggest guns ever. He comes only with the big rifle, so you'll have to pony up some more in order to grab the second rifle/missile set, and he can grab all the stuff he normally could (like the Automatic Targeting System, which makes seeker missiles hit better the more markerlights are on a target). Like the Crisis suit, this also gets a statline when reduced to 2 wounds, though in the broadside's case, the damage makes their guns overheat like Imperial plasma.
• 0-1 Hazard Suit: Bigger and deadlier than the crisis suits, but far from the cheapest. They tote a damaged statline that robs them of flight like the crisis suit.