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Battlefield Role
By itself the Riptide is not particularly “killy”. For the same points, both Broadsides and XV8’s can lay down more firepower. However, that’s not the point. Neither of them can bring the “package” that the Riptide brings. And that is the key to the Riptide’s success – what it brings to your Cadre is “utility” - you can do things with the Riptide you simply can not do with other elements of your Cadre.
For Example
· Durability. Riptides are pretty tough – even against low AP weapons (with a Nova Charged 3++), and particularly if they bring a stim injector. Only Broadsides compete in the toughness stakes, and then not very convincingly. As a result they make great …
· Fire Magnets. It takes a disciplined opponent to ignore the big scary monster that really isn’t doing that much damage to their army, and focus on the things that are ripping their army to shreds. In some ways I use them like I used Hammer Heads in 5th – to present my opponents with something scary to focus on, while the stuff that really huts them gets on with that job. As such, Riptides are great distraction units - which makes them very good at….
· Pressure. IMHO, Riptides should (usually) be used aggressively, throwing them forward to put pressure on your opponent – you can only ignore Riptides for so long before you MUST deal with them, and that’s because Riptides are pretty good …..
· Assault units. With Kroot no longer being an assault unit (they never really were TBH), Riptides are the only things in your Cadre that can even pretend to be good in assault. They can make a mess of vehicles with 3 Smash attacks on the charge, and give Terminators, or other elite infantry, pause for thought with 4 s6 AP2 attacks. However, it is as a Tar Pit that they really shine - with T6 a 2+ save and (maybe!) a 3+ invulnerable save and FNP, Riptides are pretty durable in assault (keep an Ethereal nearby, giving him Stubborn though..!). And finally, probably the most significant ……
· Mobility. Even without their 4d6 Nova Charged Thrust Move, Riptides are pretty speedy, and with the Nova Charged Thrust Move, they are downright fast! This makes them great for hit and run tactics (NB I don’t mean the Hit and Run USR, but rather classic Tau “fire and fade”), objective contesting and snatching Line Breaker.
And I haven’t even mentioned damage output! Don’t’ get me wrong, the damage a Riptide can put out is OK, it’s just not the main reason you take them in a Cadre.
But talking about damage output for a moment, some thoughts on the main guns. The problem with Riptides is that, by themselves, their main guns are not that great. The HBC will only kill 2 or three marines on average, and will barely scratch the paintwork of a wave serpent. If your opponent spreads out, the IA’s large blast will probably kill around the same once you allow for cover saves, even if it doesn’t scatter. However, where the main guns really shine is when you take the relevant upgrades, and support them with marker lights and/or a Commander with the appropriate support systems.
If the Ion accelerator picks up a few marker lights it becomes really scary – in a recent tournament I was able to pick up 8 marker lights allowing the Large Blast to ignore cover and almost guaranteeing it would not scatter. The resultant blast decimated a unit of Terminators and a squad of Grey Knight Strikers. If the Nova Charged Heavy Burst Cannon can pick up even 2 marker lights, and has an Earth Caste Pilot Array, it almost guarantees 12 hits. If it also has a Commander attached, giving it Tank Hunter, because it rends, and you’re rerolling 12 dice, looking for sixes, it shreds AV 12 vehicles and can also make AV13 and even AV14 sweat.
And don’t forget the secondary weapons – being able to double tap with the Fusion Blaster or the SMS can be useful.
So, in summary, the Riptide’s main battlefield role is not fire power – it’s utility, doing all the things that other elements of your Cadre struggle with, but properly supported, it’s fire power isn’t bad!
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