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RA or Tau shields?

 Post subject: RA or Tau shields?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:30 am 
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Coming relatively late to the Tau development (and only occassionally getting to fight them prior) I am still trying to come to understand the view of the list. Currently it seems to me to be great speed and manoverability, an emphasis on combined arms and finally the best mid ranged firepower.
One thing I was ruminating on is armour - what is the Tau style there? Are they lighter armoured than Imperials and rather than reduce speeds with heavy armours use shields, or is it a straight jump from heavy armour to light or what?
For me the use of the Tau shield instead of RA on units that perhaps otherwise would just have armour shows the use of a high tech solution contrasting tot he Imperiums view of more armour, more mass, less overall mobility (and ease of transport in carriers etc, more logistics and so on).
Can someone (or Tactica :) ) fill me in?

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 Post subject: RA or Tau shields?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:39 am 
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My perspective is this...

The Tau generally rely on armour. However, you get to a certain point when the larger units simply cant have enough armour on board and therefore must fall back on shielding. I think of Tau equipment as fragile inside, protected by good armour where this does not get in the way of mobility. There is a balance to be struck here.

Generally, I think that you have it correct.

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 Post subject: RA or Tau shields?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 9:33 pm 
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@TRC,



From 40K...

First understand in 40K an enemy rolls to hit the target which is based upon the firing chap's Ballistic Skill (BS). The static number of "7" less your BS determines the number required for a given model 'to hit' a target.

40K SHOOTING
BS2 = (7-2) = 5+ to hit
BS3 = (7-3) = 4+ to hit
BS4 = (7-3) = 3+ to hit
BS5 = (7-5) = 2+ to hit

Weapons determine the amount of shots and whether they can be moved and fired. Heavy weapons don't allow move and fire, assault weapons allow you to always fire them, rapid fire weapons fire lots of shots to close targets and one shot to targets further away... etc...

Some armor  types (terminators, wraithlords, broadsides, obliterators, etc...) and all bike mounted weapons allow the infantry to move and fire as if stationary due to suspensors, hard point mounts, or the sheer size/gerth of the armor. So these types of infantry troops can move and fire heavy weapons. (yes - broadsides are infantry in core design!)

Then once hits are determined, the offending player must 'wound' the target. The Strength (S) of the weapon is compared to the majority Toughness (T) of the models in the target unit.

If S is 2 less than majority T, then its 6+ to wound per hit
If S is 1 less than mjority T, then its 5+ to wound per hit
If S and T are the same, its a 4+ to wound per hit
If S is 1 higher, then its 3+ to wound per hit
If S is 2 higher, then its 2+ to wound per hit

Next, you look at what the ARMOR PENENTRATION (AP) Value of the weapons being fired are. If the AP value equals the target's armor - their armor cannot be used against the shots. So the target would only get cover or invulnerable saves at that point.

No Armor Saves
 MultiMelta R24" S8 AP1
 Lascannon R48" S9 AP2, Heavy1

2+ Terminator Armor Saves
 Ion Cannon R60" S7 AP3, Heavy3 (3 shots when fired)
 Battle Cannon R72", S8 AP3, Ordinance1, Blast

2+ or 3+ armor saves allowed
 Heavy Bolter R36" S5 AP4, Heavy 3
 Smart Missle System R24" S5 AP4, Heavy 4
 Missle Pods R36" S7 AP4, Assault 2

2+, 3+, 4+ armor saves allowed
 Bolter R24" S4 AP5, Raid Fire
 Storm Bolter R24" AP5, Assault 2 (2 shots)
 Pulse Rifle R30" S5 AP5, Rapid Fire
 Burst Cannon R18" S5 AP5, Assault 3

Your armor save is what you need (or better) on a single D6 to save a wounding hit.

IG = 5+ armor on line troops, 4+ armor on upgraded troops
 can use camoline to get better cover saves than many
 use refractor saves for invulnerable 5+ saves on characters
 use bionics to gain a invulnerable 6+ save for characters
 have 1 wound each

Marine Scouts = 4+ scout power armor
 have 1 wound each

Tau Drones, FW and PF have a 4+ armor
 Sergents may take shield drones at invulnerable 4+
 All have 1 wound each

Tau Stealth Suit Infantry (SSI) have 3+ armor
 Sergents may take 2 shield drones at invulnerable 4+
 SSI have special armor
    They cannot be seen if you are further than 36" away
    Enemy rolls 2d6*3 for distance to see if you can spot them
 SSI have 1 wound each

Tau Crisis Suit Infantry (CSI) have 3+ armor
 All CSI may have shield generators at invulnerable 4+
 All CSI may have 2 shield drones per crisis at invulnerable 4+
 All CSI have 2 wounds instead of 1

Tau Broadsides Infantry(BI) have 2+ armor
 All BI may have shield generators at invulnerable 4+
 All BI may have 2 shield drones per crisis at invulnerable 4+
 All BI may have 2 wounds instead of 1

Tactical/Assault Space Marines = 3+ power armor
 characters can take combat shield to give them invulnerable 5+
 characters can upgrade to Artificer Armor to make it a 2+ save
 characters may have bionics - see IG

Terminators = 2+ Tactical Dreadnought Terminator Armor
 all termy's come with invulnerable 5+ save as well
 Characters can take a 4+ storm shield invulnerable save
 characters may have bionics - see IG

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 Post subject: RA or Tau shields?
PostPosted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 11:26 pm 
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To add to that somewhat, the 40k Hammerhead is just as fast and has the same armor profile as a Predator.  However, Tau technology allows it to move up to its maximum speed while still firing to full effect, whereas the Predator can only move half so far.  Skimmer also adds tremendous mobility to the vehicle.  The Tau don't so much give up armor, but they seem to give up firepower for mobility (considering that the Predator mounts 4 Lascannons - two are twin-linked to each other).

By contrast, the Eldar give up armor for their mobility, though certain technological goodies keep them safe.  The Eldar Falcon has the armor profile of a Dreadnought, one less than the Hammerhead, but can move twice as far, though its move-and-shoot distance is the same.  It also packs much more firepower (shorter ranged, though), and is quite capable of shredding a Hammerhead in a straight up fight.  Granted, the Wave Serpent also eats Hammerheads (Rail-mounted only, but that's the only kind you see in 40k), but that's because of odd interactions between their various special rules.

Tau Fields in general always struck me as just their answer to things like Void Shields.  Tau 'Titans' are just as heavily armored as the Imperial variety, but are less specialized.  I'm also not seeing anything in the Tau list that has Fields but no RA.  Excepting the Dragonfish, everything with Fields is the direct analogue of an Imperial superheavy - the Moray to the Warhound and the Manta to the Warlord.  They've got the same armor, and only differ defensively in the sort of field they pack.

I think the difference is largely a result of differing design philosophies.  The Imperial Titans are supposed to be scary.  They're supposed to go toe to toe with anything out there and come out on top.  Void Shields provide total invulnerability for a good period of time, and in a 1v1 with the sorts of things that are actually a threat to something the size of a Titan, are easily better than Tau Fields.  The Tau use their Support Craft as, well, support craft.  The Imperials don't care that their Titans are vulnerable to lots of little things - they've got the Guard to deal with the little things and just want a Titan so that they can knock down the baddest thing the enemy has in a single volley.  The Tau are looking for a more rounded vehicle, and so provide protection against the little things.


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