I have to assume you did this for some tactical benefit, not just to throw your troops away?  I'd have to assume the Tau player would be doing it for the same reason.

Patient Hunter is actually much more like current Jet Pack rule (if there was no premeasuring). Eg. drawing enemy forwards so you can hit it with overwhelming firepower. Which then is represented by Coordinated Fire.

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Upping FF adds the cascade effect of improving support fire as well, which would aid the Tau both in setting up assaults as well as while defending.

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First off, I do agree with Chroma, that the Tau are supposed to be quite adept with "baiting" tactics, as the sacrificed unit is there for the greater good. However, the Tau are also against the pointless loss of resources and do not consider attrition as an acceptable tactic in warfare.

So, a balance needs to be struck between the two approaches. When I play Tau, I like to play "in" character, e.g. not sacrificing my "living" units unnecessarily, not playing a static defense, etc.

I suppose that at times that affects by chances to win, but for some reason it just doesn't feel right to me to do otherwise.

Now, I am not against the higher FF values, I think the jury is still out on that issue especially since no one has playtested it yet. However, let us also keep in mind that it will be near suicidal to place FWs out and think that slightly higher FFs are suddenly going to make them a lot "safer" or stronger. Savvy players are going to attack the FWs where they are weak, not strong and attempt to negate the number of units that are capable of applying FF.

Let's face it, Tau still can't beat Girl Scouts in hand to hand combat.

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Honda

"Remember Taros? We do"

- 23rd Elysian Drop Regiment

Sure, Tau use bait, but not as pawns to die. The bait flees or joins in a multi formation battle. The Tau don't recognise the idea of sacrifice.

According to the 3rd ed Tau codex:


Once the prey is in position the lure is free to escape or help the hunter as the situation dictates.

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Epic: Hive Development Thread

However, the Tau are also against the pointless loss of resources and do not consider attrition as an acceptable tactic in warfare.

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Honda

"Remember Taros? We do"

- 23rd Elysian Drop Regiment

The Eldar are constantly talked of as the dying race that will not risk its warriors. Yet they are by far an out and out FF race. Trying to justify stats with fluff always causes issues that will require compromise.

I was agreeing with you!

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Epic: Hive Development Thread

A Tau army will gladly retreat from a strong enemy attack to preserve Tau lives while it awaits its opportunity to strike back decisively

Tau attribute no dishonour to prudent retreat and see last stands as a lack of imagination or the last refuge of an incompetent commander. Unlike the Imperium of Man, the Tau empire cannot draw on limitless manpower, so the strategy of attrition is unknown to them.

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Why would the Tau player *just* put their Fire Warriors out in front of the enemy to be "sacrificed" for no reason?  Just because they're suddenly good at defensive firefights?

Of course they're going to do it in the context of their "battle plan", not just to waste their troops.  This "bait"  formation getting "gunned down" to draw the enemy closer doesn't mean all the Fire Warriors have been slaughtered, maybe they've just dispersed to deceive the enemy... all part of Tau cunning!

To me, the thought that people are going to now decide to "waste" their Fire Warriors because of improved firefight abilities just seems ridiculous.

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chroma,

You had talked about updating your list a few pages back, any progress on that?

I have done some work on it, but CyberShadow mentioned that he'd be releasing his own update in the near future, so I'm holding mine back for the moment.

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