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This is a perfect time to role-assign units in the list to what we see as their responsibility in the list.
Let's start with the humble Infantry of all the races:
FW - I really see these guys as the Mechanized assault infantry, like armored Panzergrenadiers in Flames of War. Drive up, jump out of the Devilfish, and shoot the stuffing out of one formation. FW are infantry-killers, with a little ability against tanks IF they have a markerlight. I believe there was a change to the rules in 40k5e that makes Markerdrones more popular (they can now move and mark targets?), so FW *could* be given their MLs back. FW with MLs steps on the toes of Pathfinders, though.
Pathfinders - These are your ambushers (or act as heavy fire support for a FW formation). Their most important ability is co-fire. Sure, they can have sniper rifles and sniper drones, but PF aren't really there to kill enemy infantry (that's what FW do). Pathfinders are there to light targets (particularly tanks). Markerlit railguns and/or seeker missiles are a tank's worst nightmare.
Kroot - Introduced as a 'speedbump' to prevent the enemy from assaulting valuable Fire Warriors, kroot are the masters of infiltration and jungle warfare. Excellent CC troops, Kroot can be used offensively if there's enough cover for them to move through, or can hold ground like no-one's business.
Vespid - introduced as a speedbump unit to help Crisis suits deal with power-armored opponents, vespid are lightly armored and fast moving, but are dangerous in FF and CC. Also usable as a mobile reserve, vespid can keep up with (actually, move faster than) Crisis suits, even moving through terrain thought to be impassable.
Gue'vesa - The human auxiliaries are yet another speedbump unit. They are residents of the area that they are defending, and are simply there to pin attackers in place until their Tau masters can arrive to drive off the attackers. Gue'vesa lack the heavy weapons of their IG counterparts, but are occasionally granted some Pulse rifles or carbines (basically, they're siege infantry). Gue'vesa are garrison units, and should have the numbers to hold an objective (since Tau don't hold objectives).
Stealth teams - The 'lone wolves' of the Tau, Stealth teams are given free reign to act within very broadly-defined objectives. As long as the objectives are met, the Tau don't care *how* it got done. These guys are the Rangers of the Tau, raiding and rampaging through the backfield of the enemy's battle line.
Crisis teams - Jacks of all trades, crisis teams jump from crisis to crisis, handling whatever the local forces can't. Crisis suits can be deadly in a FF, since they carry bigger guns than FW (lots of marine-killers). They are also the only MW attack of canon Tau units (Forgeworld did create a MW Hammerhead, but that's currently section 6).
Hammerhead - HHeads are the main battle tank of the Tau, armed with either an Ion cannon or a Railgun. Unfortunately, the Ion cannon is nowhere near as useful in E:A games as it is in 40k (where it's primarily a Marine removal tool), with it's lesser range and AT to-hit. we could follow the Marine example and make the Ionhead version with different secondary weapons, but that actually makes it even more of an infantry-killer (useful for supporting the Railheads, but FW kill infantry). I'm not sure how to fix this issue. FW created a number of alternate weapons fits, most of which are too short-ranged to be useful in E:A. The best option of the set is the Fusion cannons, but that's only a 30cm MW4+ shot... They'd have to be used in a separate formation to be useful.
Skyray - The Tau's AA vehicle, it has good secondary AT abilities. probably the best AA unit in the game.
Stingray - intended to be a Tau artillery vehicle, comparable to the Marine Whirlwind. Like other artillery, it's used to put blast markers onto troops at long distances, slowing them down through failed activations. Because it's not a BP weapon, it can actually be used in very close support of Tau troops with no risk to the Tau.
Tetras - like the Pathfinders crewing them, tetras exist to mark targets.
Piranhas - a light scouting unit without a markerlight, Piranhas harass enemy infantry or wait to capture objectives. (I don't see a good role for Piranhas)
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"For the Lion and the Emperor!"
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It gives FW a real role in the list, and makes them the core of the army, as they should be.
