Matt-Shadowlord wrote:
There was an earlier version with the fireblade costing 50pts and offering leader as well as ff4+. I removed leader and lowered the cost because I didn't see it as worth taking - but I will admit I am notoriously stingy with upgrades and prefer more men.
What are your thoughts about the three options for integration:
Fireblade at 25, no leader option
Fireblade at 25, option of Leader at 25
Fireblade who is also leader at 50
As I have just recently become interested i this list, I don't know all previous versions. Have any earlier version had the fireblade character as a mandatory upgrade? (I mean the basic FW cadre costed at 250 pts and include the fireblade among the basic units.) If so, what was the reason for changing it?
It's an option that would still see the Shas'el (leader) upgrade as viable.
Of the above options I'm currently for number one (status quo).
Number 2 would probably see me always take leader over fireblade.
Number 3 is a possibility in my view. It would be nice, but probably to high cost. More units are in most cases better, like you pointed out, and I believe the upgrade wouldn't be able to compete with ethereal like I said in my last post. 37,5 pts and 62,5 of the ethereal would probably be good or maybe having it at 50 pts but raising the ethereal back to 75 pts. As a Tau player I can see why you wanted to lower the ethereal cost though, raising them back is an option that is lacking.
I'm not for the 37,5 (or 35/40) though.
Matt-Shadowlord wrote:
(Note that some lists do it, but Tau don't currently have any costs in increments lower than 25pts, so there is no precedent in the list for 'something between 25 and 50').
I don't think introducing upgrades at other pts costs than those evenly divided by 25 is a good idea.
(The only one I think is worth considering is the half of 25, 12,5 increases, but thats a completely different debate and should be introduced among all lists and it wouldn't be aesthetically pleasing IMHO ) It would be the odd bird in the list and just cause problems.
All in all I think status quo is preferable, I will test the list soon and will try to evaluate the lack of leader.
Matt-Shadowlord wrote:
Quote:
The problem with Tau fireblade costing is that Drones are both undercosted and undergunned.
Undercosted and Undergunned usually balance each other out (ie "it doesn't cost a lot because it isn't very good"). I assume you mean that this could be an issue because when a fireblade is added to a unit, all infantry in the unit are improved to FF4+, including the otherwise fairly mediocre gun drone.
On the drones subject I think a cost of 37,5 pts (for two) would be about right. 50 pts is in my view to much, but 25pts is rather cheap (and competes very well (to well?) with the 25pts fireblade). but again introducing odd points cost like 35/30/37,5/whatever is problematic.