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Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2005 12:12 am
Posts: 2241
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Heh, I see this as a kind of Tau version of the NPR "this I believe"...
1. I originally thought the all seeing eye of support craft was a huge advantage. However, I learned the hardway and through many games that one tau formation being seen by the entire enemy army is much worse than one formation seeing the entire enemy army.
2. Unless you planetfall your support craft, Tau initiative means that you risk support craft being shot up early before activation if they are deployed straight away. Planetfall will further add cost of atleast 150 points and requires advanced planning on where and when you want the tools available to drop in.
3. Placing 'always seen' support craft behind a large LOF blocking piece - right next to units using the forest to hide from the enemy - is not a good idea. Barrage point attacks make use of templates to not only target your always seen support craft, but the blast catching your troops hiding from LOF may also be caught in the scattering debris and explosions.
4. Crisis suits in E:A serve a different role that 40K. In 40K, these are one of the main damaging forces to enemy vehicles. They are very manouverable, use evasion of the Tau jet pack to always remain out of LOF of the enemy, and do a good job to wreck anything that gets within Missile Pod or plasma rifle range. Deep striking in is a great tactic as well. In E:A, they must remain out of LOF as long as possible. their weapons have very short ranges and the formation will have trouble with RA targets.
5. Hammerheads good at doing their job, but are no match for a Leman Russ tank co head on in the open. The Reinforced Armour of a tank co makes them out live a Hammerhead contingent or Cadre 9 games out of 10. Instead of facing such a foe head on, Tau must become creative with their strikes, make use of the skimming, and work to set up crossfires against such foes.
6. The ion-cannon hammerehead is the jack of all trades, master of none main battle tank. It can put a blast marker on any threat, and accompanie's infantry well for doing so. It will give them some limited AA, some amount of answer for vehicular targets, and can help out in the elimination of infantry. However, it cannot replace the newest version of the SkyRay AA potential as it now has two shots in 4.2.8 WIP, and it does not superced the tank hunting power of the hammerhead or swordfish models, nor does it compete with the AP killing potential of the StingRay (lionfish).
7. Stand alone hammerhead formations (contingents or cadres) typically serve a better anti-tank role than anti-infnatry role. Digging infantry out of cover is never an easy prospect unless one commits to FF and hand to hand engagements.
8. Stingray's present the best Tau vehicular option for digging out dug in infantry without engaging in h-t-h or getting right up in the enemy's face.
9. On the other hand, the FW and Stealth present the best close range infantry elimination threat. Delivery and subsequent survival of these formations will have its challenges.
10. Some armies are very Aircraft oriented and the Tau WIP v4.2.8 Skyray even when accompanying ion-cannons may not even be enough. Operations under markerlight umbrella are necessary to adequately deal with the enemy's AA threat prior to delivering a payload.
11. Teleporting and air assaults can severely handicap a Tau army if the army is deployed too dispersely. A 'cover they neighbor' approach with infantry buffer to deployment seems to aid initial turn of engagement for the tau.
12. Tigershark drone drop is a great trick if your opponent has never encountered it before or tries to ignore the drone menace as it allows you to set up crossfire. It even has its uses if the enemy gets in your lines or approches a flank on your half of the table - again, for crossfire purposes. However, as a staple tactic, it has its challenges and risks. I found it less valuable than I originally had hoped.
13. Although stealths may disrupt the heck out of infantry targets, they are relatively useless against the AT target for disrupt. Instead, one must coordinate a well planned GM after the stealths drop next to vehicles. Furthermore, save the suprememe commander for the combined tactics of a stealth teleport. Finally, Tau initiative may foil your teleporting plans... have a back up plan!
14. Coordinated Fire and marker lights can be effective if lined up correctly and planned, but each may be more valuable as a tool and tactic rather than montras or overall battle strategies. Markerlights will present themselves as opportunities more than Coordinated fire - as the activation game is ever prevalent.
15. LV battlesuits require drones or their LV status will be their demise sooner than expected. LV status will inhibit a battlesuits movement into terrain it can get into in 40K - such as buildings and fortified infantry areas.
16. A fire discipline of 'kill to the end, and not until broken' is very important if not essential to the tau, lest the enemy get even a few units engaged, the Tau may not hold.
17. Tau have no significant blast marker management, they must utilize larger formations to avoid the breaking or broken status and Marshall is something that should be considered.
18. Successfully rolled Deflector Shields don't cause blast markers 
19. The experiemental overwatch rules remove sustained fire bonus from the popped up skimmer and thus reduce the tactic's effectiveness to skimmers with max range that is 'lessor' than the max range of the enemy. Dually noted, overwatch requires the skimmer to pop up - and stay popped up until he fires... see support craft... this may result in a lot of the enemy seeing you, but only your formation seeing the enemy as he allows you too.
20. The tau do not belive in barrages, they work to achieve the precision strike. With absense of any doubling range weaponry in the v4.2.8 Tau WIP list, look to marker light and coordinated GM strikes to afford the Tau an artillery role. The lack of doubling weapon ranges in the v4.2.8 Tau WIP list will require engagment maximum ranges to be at 75cm or less.
21. The list as a whole doesn't have a terriable amount of MW fire and when it does, it may not be the quality the Tau general hoped for. Look to the aircast to provide the added firepower support that you may need in the long range AT and quality MW fire you may seek. They will support your tank formations well. Your tank formations will support your infantry well. Your infnatry will require the support of both tank and air caste to become effect as by themselves, they are lacking. The tau heavily encourage combined arms to their tactics, regardless of your specific style of E:A Tau play.
22. Relying on Markerlights within a long range (75cm) formation may be counterproductive in the offense, but has its uses on the defense. When engaging the enemy, it's better to take marker lights too them seperately and present a long range pop up or hidden GM strike with the heavy hitters such as tanks and scorpionfish. However, having a marker light in these formations serves as a defensive measure should the enemy arrive on your doorstep and afford you the opportunity to return fire before engagement.
23. Where broadsides may sit back in 40K and fire away, the introduction of large scale transports such as the orca and the scope of field on the E:A battlefield present new opportunities for flanking and moderately forward deployments of these heavy gunned infantry, or LV in v4.2.8. One must be careful not to isolate, abandon, or strand a braodside formation as their points are not disposable. Thus coordination of a strike and insulating unit to preserve the broadsides should be considered. The orca packed broadside strike does provide a viable tactic to resolve their LV fragile state and limited movement once deployed. Note that the Orca is not heavily armored and so drops should occur in well safety.
"This I believe."
Cheers,
_________________
Rob
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