It is something that we could investigate with playtest experience, when version 5. has been fixed for the appointed period

Not as a core Cadre, which is kinda the point.  We know the unit works in Base4, but that's almost enough leftover points for another activation of some kind.  Going from 2x6 AMHC to 3x4 AMHC would make the list more fragile, but also more susceptible to accusations of popcorn.

Of course, Marines are in the same price-per-formation range as the Tau are right now, and no-one complains about their popcorn potential, either.

_________________
"For the Lion and the Emperor!"

I believe that is because of the very limited SM capabilities when compared with the Tau, apart from certain zany lists (13x THawk and a LC, 15x Landspeeders etc) which still have major weaknesses. Furthermore the Marine lists are pretty much set in stone while the Tau are still under development.

Going from 6x HH to 4x HH per cadre would permit a maximum of 11x AHMC formations (+ upgrades for BTS/SC etc) which is not a 'popcorn' list as such, but it is very powerfull with the only real weakness being against the air-heavy "drop" armies and teleporting lists which can get up-close-and-personal very quickly. It would also be very boring to play with or against (being the archetypal 'gun-line' that many despise).

Dedicated tank-heads can still use the current list to take 7x AHMC with 375 left over for relevant upgrades, and it would be interesting to see if this is OTT or not (though it would still be boring IMHO).

_________________
"Play up and play the game"

Vitai lampada
Sir Hemry Newbolt

Going from 2x6 AMHC to 3x4 AMHC would make the list more fragile, but also more susceptible to accusations of popcorn.

Examples were shown by TRC with the Seige Masters. For Tau I am not so sure.

However    the main reason for replying is that I am the sort of player who would use the all one type of formation if I thought that it would win me a tournament. It would be a one trick pony as after the tournament others (possibly including myself) would work out how to stop it the next time. But I would still use it once.  

_________________
_________________
www.epic-uk.co.uk - home of the UK Epic tournament scene
NetEA NetERC Xenos Lists Chair
NetEA Ork + Feral Ork + Speed Freak Champion

The thing is, the minimum core formation costs for the Tau army, even with the 4-strong Hammerhead Cadre, would *still* be 200-250... that's not "popcorn"... it becomes "popcorn" where there are core (or good) formations that range from 100-150 points.

Considering one could "popcorn" a lot of Tanks in previous versions of the list and that didn't ever come up as a problem seems to indicate: it's not a problem.

_________________
"EPIC: Total War" Lead Developer

Now living in Boston... any EPIC players want to meet up?

Weell, there are still FireWarriors, Pathfinders, Recon troops, Orcas, Barracudas and the Hero in the 150-200 range that can bolster the activations to achieve 'Popcorn' like armies, but whether these would be OTT or even effective remains to be seen (and depends to a great extent on both tactics and terrain).

The reason why the Siegies 'Popcorn' was so powerfull was because you could easily get huge numbers of long-range artillery in emplacements to blast away at enemy formations, combined with fortifications to protect the unarmoured infantry to wear down any assaults. There was little skill involved and with the correct placement of objectives, the game descended into a dice roll-off - which TRC amply demonstrated in one of the UK tournaments last year.

At least here, the Tau must be be carefull to use the fragile troops well, and success relies as much on skill as luck.

_________________
"Play up and play the game"

Vitai lampada
Sir Hemry Newbolt