TAU SPECIAL RULES
Coordinated fire Some units are noted as being able to call in coordinated fire. Those units can order up to two other formations that have not taken an action this turn, and which are not broken, to follow their own formation when they take an advance, double or sustained fire action, as long as all of the formations have at least one unit within 15cm of the formation containing unit calling for coordinated fire.
Make a single initiative roll for all formations, counting a single –1 modifier if any have blast markers. If the test is failed then the original formation (containing the unit calling for coordinated fire) receives a Blast marker and must take a hold action, but the other formations are unaffected (and may take an action later in the turn). If the test is passed then all formations concerned are allowed to take either an advance, double or sustained fire action. There is no obligation for all formations to take the same action, and these actions may be resolved in any order, but they must all fire at the same target formation. The formations don’t have to stay within a given distance of each other and will complete their actions one after the other. Each formations action is declared and resolved (including testing to see if the target formation is broken) before moving on to the next Tau formation.
Markerlights and guided missiles All enemy units within 30cm range and LOF of at least one unit with markerlights are considered to be marked. However, Tau units that are broken or have marched that turn cannot use their markerlights. The action the markerlight unit is carrying out does not have any impact on guided missiles (except ‘March’, as noted above). Guided missiles must be guided by a markerlight. When a missile is guided by a markerlight, the firing unit does not need a line of fire to the target unit. Hits may only be allocated to units from the target formation that are marked by a markerlight. Apart from that, all the normal shooting rules apply.
Tau Supreme Commanders The Tau Supreme Commander functions in exactly the same way as the standard Supreme Commander ability, but substitutes ‘Coordinated Fire’ for ‘Commander’. Therefore, the Tau Supreme Commander ability gives the benefit of both the ‘Coordinated Fire’ and ‘Leader’ ability, as well as allowing the Tau player to re-roll one failed initiative test (of any type) once per turn.
Tau Jet Packs Tau Jet Packs follow all the rules for Jump Packs. Additionally, units with Tau Jet Packs that take advance or double actions may choose to shoot either before or after each move. However, they may still only shoot once during the action. For example, a Tau jetpack formation taking an advance action could shoot and then move or move and then shoot, while a formation taking a double action could shoot and move twice, move twice and then shoot, or move then shoot and then move again. Only formations that consist entirely of jetpack troops may benefit from this ability.
Expendable Expendable units do not generate Blast markers when they are removed as casualties. This includes special effects, which create Blast Markers when the unit is targeted. Unless otherwise noted, expendable units DO count as casualties for the purposes of assault resolution (EA Rule book 1.12.7).
Tau Deflector Shields Tau deflector shields work in a different way to Imperial or Ork shields in that they do not absorb the incoming energy, but are shaped and positioned in such a way as to deflect the incoming fire (hence the designation). Tau deflector shields work like an invulnerable save in all respects, except that this invulnerable save is always at 5+.
Support Craft Some large war engines of the Tau operate above the battlefield, below the airspace used by aircraft, but higher than standard skimmer levels/terrain features. The vehicles, which loom over the fight in this way have this stated in their individual notes. They operate exactly as skimmers, which are ‘popped up’ at all times.
T’AU THIRD PHASE EXPANSION ARMY LIST Tau armies have a strategy rating of 3. Battlesuit Cadres and the Manta have an initiative value of 1+, all other Tau formations have an initiative value of 2+.
TAU CADRES Any amount of points may be spent on Tau Cadres. They are independent formations.
Fire Warrior Cadre 8 Tau Fire Warrior Teams. May additionally have 4 Devilfish Troop Carriers for +100 points. Upgrades: any except Supreme Commander and Networked Drones 200 points
Battlesuit Cadre 4 XV8 Tau Crisis Battlesuit Teams. Upgrades: any except Networked Drones 250 points
TAU SUPPORT GROUPS Up to 3 Support Groups may be taken per Cadre in the army. They are independent
Armoured Mobile Hunter group 4 Hammerhead Gunships. Upgrades: Hammerheads, Skyray, Networked Drones 200 points
Moray Squadron 1 or 2 Tau Moray Assault Ships 350 points each
Pathfinder Support Group 4 Tau Pathfinder Teams. May have 2 Devilfish Troop Carriers for free. Upgrades: Pathfinders, Gun Drones, Tetras 150 points
Stealth Support Group 6 Tau XV15 Stealth Battlesuit Teams. Upgrades: Gun Drones 275 points
Broadside Battlesuit Support Group 6 Tau XV88 Broadside Battlesuits. Upgrades: Broadsides, Gun Drones 300 point
Scorpionfish Support Group 1 or 2 Scorpionfish Super-heavy Missile Gunships. Upgrades: Networked Drones, 250 points each
Stingray Support Group 4 Stingray Missile Gunships. Upgrades: Stingray, Skyray, Networked Drones 200 points
Recon Skimmer Support Group 6 Tau Pathfinder Tetra or Piranha Light Skimmers. Upgrades: Tetras, Piranhas, Pathfinders 150 points
Drones swarm 4 Gun drone teams. Upgrades: none 150 Points
Tau Upgrades Up to three upgrades can be taken per Cadre or Support Group, note that Support Groups have a limited choice of possible Upgrades. Upgrades are not separate formations but are added to the original formation and are counted as part of it in all respects. Each upgrade can only be taken once per formation.
Commander A formation may have one of the following Commanders: add a Tau Ethereal Caste Member to Fire Warrior Team (0-1 per army, Fire Warrior Cadres only) +75 points add a Tau Shas’el Commander to Crisis Team +50 points
Supreme Commander (0-1 per army) Add one Tau Shas’o Commander to Crisis Team +75 points
Fire Warriors +4 Tau Fire Warrior Teams +50 points May have 2 Devilfish Troop Transports for additional +100 points
Pathfinders +2 Tau Pathfinder Teams. May have a Devilfish for free +100 points
Gun Drones +4 Tau Gun Drone Squads +100 points
Broadsides +3 Tau XV88 Broadside Battlesuits +150 points
Crisis +2 Tau XV8 Crisis Battlesuit Teams +125 points
Stealth +3 Tau XV15 Stealth Battlesuit Teams +150 points
Hammerheads +2 Tau Hammerhead Gunships +100 points
Skyray +1 Tau Skyray Air Defence Gunship +75 points
Recon Skimmers +3 Tau Piranha or Pathfinder Tetra Light Skimmers (can be mixed) +75 points
Stingray +2 Stingray Missile Gunships +100 points
Networked Drones Add the ‘Leader’ ability to one vehicle in the formation +25 points
ALIEN AUXILIARY FORMATIONS Up to 1 Alien Auxiliary Formation may be taken per Fire Warrior Cadre in the army. They are independent formations and additionally count as a Support Group selection.
Formation Type Units Cost Kroot Kindred 1 Kroot Master Shaper plus 9 Kroot Carnivore Squads: 175 points May additionally have: (each option can only be taken once) +5 further Kroot Carnivore Squads: +75 points +3 Kroot Hound Packs: +50 points +3 Krootox Herds: +75 points
TAU AIR CASTE FORMATIONS Up to one third of the points available to a Tau army may be spent on Tau Air Caste Formations. They are independent formations. You may select the Hero or Custodian for your force, but not both.
Barracuda Squadron 2 Barracuda Superiority Fighters 175 points
Tiger Shark Strike Squadron 2 Tiger Shark Strike Craft Twin-linked Ion Cannon variant 175 points
Tiger Shark AX-1-0 2 2 x Tiger Shark AX-1-0 Light Railcannon variant 300 points
Manta Missile Destroyer 1 Manta Missile Destroyer 700 points
Hero Orbital Support 1 Hero Class Cruiser (Lar’Shi), Vash’Ya Configuration 200 points
Custodian Orbital Support 1 Or’es El’leath (Custodian) Class Battleship 250 points
Orca Dropship (max one per Cadre) 150 points
TAU UNITS TAU FIRE CASTE GROUND FORCES
ETHEREAL CASTE MEMBER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Character n/a n/a n/a n/a
Honour Blade (base contact) Assault Weapon Extra Attacks (+1) Notes: Character, Invulnerable Save, Leader, a formation joined by an Ethereal becomes Fearless. If the Ethereal is killed, his formation breaks automatically
SHAS’EL COMMANDER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Character n/a n/a n/a n/a
Commander Plasma Rifle 30cm AP4+ - Notes: Character, Invulnerable Save, Coordinated Fire, Leader
SHAS’O COMMANDER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Character n/a n/a n/a n/a
Commander Plasma Rifle 30cm AP4+ - Notes: Character, Invulnerable Save, Tau Supreme Commander
FIRE WARRIOR TEAM Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 15cm 5+ 6+ 4+
Pulse Rifles 30cm 2 x AP5+ -
PATHFINDER TEAM Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 15cm 5+ 6+ 5+
Pulse Carbines 15cm AP5+ Disrupt Rail Rifles 30cm AP5+ Disrupt Notes: Scouts, Coordinated Fire, Markerlights
XV8 CRISIS BATTLESUIT TEAM Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 20cm 3+ 6+ 5+
Twin-linked Missile Pods 45cm AP5+/AT5+ - Twin-linked Plasma rifle 30cm AP4+ - Fusion Blasters: Small arms MW Notes: Tau Jet Packs
XV15 STEALTH BATTLESUIT TEAM Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 20cm 5+ 6+ 4+
Multiple Silenced Burst Cannons 15cm AP3+ disrupt and Small Arms: First Strike Notes: Tau Jet Packs, Scouts, Reinforced Armour, Markerlights, Teleport
XV88 BROADSIDE BATTLESUIT TEAM Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Light Vehicle 15cm 4+ 6+ 5+
Twin-linked Broadside Railguns 75cm AT2+ - Smart Missile System 30cm AP5+ Ignore cover Notes: Reinforced Armour, Walker
GUN DRONE SQUAD Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 25cm 5+ 6+ 6+
Pulse Carbines 15cm AP5+ Disrupt Notes: Tau Jet Packs, Expendable
DEVILFISH TROOP CARRIER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight AV 25cm 5+ 6+ 6+
Burst Cannon & Gun Drones 15cm AP4+ - Seeker Missiles 90cm AT5+ Guided Missiles Notes: Skimmer, Transport (may carry two of the following units: Fire Warriors, Pathfinders)
HAMMERHEAD GUNSHIP Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight AV 25cm 4+ 6+ 5+
Railgun 75cm AP5+/AT3+ - OR Ion Cannon 75cm AP4+/AT4+ - Smart Missile System 30cm AP5+ Ignore Cover Seeker Missiles 90cm AT5+ Guided Missiles Notes: Skimmer, may have either Railgun OR Ion Cannon as main weapon, not both
MORAY ASSAULT SHIP Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight WE 20cm 5+ - 5+
2x Railcannon 75cm MW3+ Titan Killer (D3), Fixed Forward Arc OR: 2 x Heavy Ion Phalanx 60cm 3 x AP3+/AT3+ Fixed Forward Arc Interceptor Missiles 30cm AA5+ Fixed Forward Arc Damage Capacity 3. Critical Hit Effect: The Moray’s control systems are damaged, the Moray crashes to the ground and is destroyed. Any unit within 5cm takes a hit on a 6+ Notes: Support Craft, Planetfall, Reinforced Armour, Fearless, Tau deflector shield. May have either Railcannon OR 2 x Heavy Ion Phalanx as main weapon, not both
SKYRAY AIR DEFENCE GUNSHIP Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight AV 25cm 4+ 6+ 6+
Smart Missile System 30cm AP5+ Ignore Cover 2x Hunter Missiles 60cm AA5+ - 2x Seeker Missiles 90cm AT5+ Guided Missiles Notes: Skimmer, Markerlights
STINGRAY MISSILE GUNSHIP Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight AV 25cm 5+ 6+ 6+
Submunitions Missiles 90cm AP4+ Guided Missiles, Ignore Cover Seeker Missiles 90cm AT5+ Guided Missiles Smart Missile System 30cm AP5+ Ignore Cover Notes: Skimmer, Markerlights
PATHFINDER TETRA LIGHT SKIMMER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight LV 35cm 5+ 6+ 6+
Pulse Rifles 30cm AP5+ - Notes: Skimmer, Scouts, Coordinated Fire, Markerlights
PIRANHA LIGHT SKIMMER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight LV 35cm 5+ 6+ 6+
Burst Cannon & Gun Drones 15cm AP4+ - Seeker Missiles 90cm AT5+ Guided Missiles Notes: Skimmer
SCORPIONFISH SUPER-HEAVY MISSILE GUNSHIP Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight WE 25cm 5+ 6+ 6+
2 x Twin-linked Missile Pod 45cm AP4+/AT4+ - 2 x Hunter Missiles 60cm AA5+ - Variable Munitions Launcher – select the missile salvo type before firing each turn Either: 4x Tracer Missiles 90cm MW5+ Guided Missiles Or: 6x Seeker Missiles 90cm AT5+ Guided Missiles Or: 6x Submunitions Missiles 90cm AP4+ Ignore Cover, Guided Missiles
Damage Capacity 3. Critical Hit Effect: The primary munitions stockpile is hit, igniting the payload internally and ripping the vehicle apart from the inside. The Scorpionfish is destroyed, and any units within 5cm of the model suffer a single AP6+/AT6+ hit. Notes: Skimmer, Reinforced Armour
ALIEN AUXILIARY FORCES
KROOT MASTER SHAPER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 15cm 6+ 4+ 5+
Gifted Mercenary Weapons (base contact) Assault Weapons Macro-weapon, Extra Attacks (+1) Kroot Rifles (15cm) Small Arms - Notes: Leader, Infiltrators, Scout
KROOT CARNIVORE SQUAD Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 15cm - 4+ 5+
Kroot Rifles (15cm) and (base contact) Small Arms and Assault Weapons Notes: Infiltrators, Scout
KROOT HOUND PACK Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 15cm - 4+ -
Fangs (base contact) Assault Weapons - Notes: Infiltrators, Scouts
KROOTOX HERD Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Infantry 15cm 4+ 4+ 4+
Claws (base contact) Assault Weapons Extra Attacks (+1) Kroot Guns 45cm AP5+/AT6+ -
TAU AIR CASTE NAVAL FORCES
BARRACUDA SUPERIORITY FIGHTER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Aircraft Fighter 6+ n/a n/a
Ion Cannon 30cm AP4+/AT5+/AA5+ Fixed Forward Arc Twin-linked Burst Cannons 15cm AA6+ - Aircraft Seeker Missiles 45cm AT5+ Guided Missiles, Fixed Forward Arc
TIGER SHARK STRIKE CRAFT Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Aircraft Bomber 4+ n/a n/a
Twin-linked Ion Cannons 30cm AP3+/AT4+ Fixed Forward Arc Twin-linked Burst Cannons 15cm AA6+ - Twin-linked Missile Pods 30cm AP4+/AT5+ Fixed Forward Arc Aircraft Seeker Missiles 45cm 2x AT5+ Guided Missile, Fixed Forward Arc
Notes: Transport (may carry four of the following units: Gun Drones, Heavy Drones); the Tiger Shark cannot land (and hence not air assault or embark troops) but can disembark Drones in the normal way after its approach move is completed.
TIGER SHARK STRIKE CRAFT (AX – 1 – 0 VARIANT) Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Aircraft Bomber 4+ n/a n/a
Twin Light Railcannon 45cm MW3+ Titan Killer (D3), Fixed Forward Arc Twin-linked Burst Cannons 15cm AA6+ - Aircraft Seeker Missiles 45cm 2x AT5+ Guided Missile, Fixed Forward Arc
ORCA DROPSHIP Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight WE Aircraft Bomber 4+ 6+ 6+
Twin-linked Burst Cannon 15cm AP4+/AA6+ - Twin-linked Missile Pods 45cm AP4+/AT4+ Forward Arc Aircraft Seeker Missiles 45cm AT5+ Guided Missiles
Damage Capacity 2. Critical Hit Effect: The Orca’s control surfaces are damaged. The pilot loses control and the Orca crashes to the ground. The Orca and all models on board are destroyed. Notes: Planetfall, Transport (may carry up to twelve of the following units: Fire Warriors, Pathfinders, Stealth, Gun Drones, Heavy Drones, Kroot Carnivore Squads, Kroot Master Shapers, Crisis and Broadsides; Crisis suits take up two spaces each) The Orca is a dedicated transport, and not designed to hold ground. An Orca may not capture an objective, but may be used to contest an objective. Units transported inside the Orca must disembark to capture an objective.
MANTA MISSILE DESTROYER Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight WE 20cm 5+ - 4+
2x Heavy Railcannon 90cm MW2+ Titan Killer (D3), Fixed Forward Arc 3x Heavy Ion Phalanx 75cm AP3+/AT4+ Fixed Forward Arc 4 x Twin-linked Long-Barrelled Burst Cannons 30cm AP5+/AA6+ - Twin-linked Missile Pods 45cm AP4+/AT5+ Fixed Forward Arc
Critical Hit Effect: The Manta’s shield control systems are damaged and the deflector shield fails. It is unavailable for the remainder of the game. Further Critical hits will cause an additional point of damage. Notes: Damage Capacity 8, Tau Deflector Shield, Reinforced Armour Transport (may carry 16 of the following units: Fire Warriors, Pathfinders, Stealth, Gun Drones, Heavy Drones, Crisis, Broadsides, Piranha, Tetra. Note that Crisis units, Piranha and Tetra take up two spaces each. Additionally, up to four of the following vehicles may be carried as well: Devilfish, Hammerhead, Swordfish, Skyray, Stingray). The Manta always counts as a skimmer vehicle, constantly ‘popped up, for all purposes. Planetfall – Note that the Manta is a space capable craft, and therefore does not require space assets in order to planetfall. Normal planetfall rules apply, including the designation of the planetfall turn and plotting a drop zone, placing the Manta as the spacecraft. On arrival, the Manta descends to ground level and conducts a normal activation.
HERO CLASS CRUISER (LAR’SHI), VASH’YA CONFIGURATION Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Spacecraft n/a n/a n/a n/a
2x Pin-point attack n/a MW2+ Titan Killer (D3) Notes: Transport (may carry up to 6 Morays and/or Orcas plus any troops carried in them; Mantas (plus any troops in them) can also be carried but count as three craft for transport capacity purposes)
CUSTODIAN CLASS BATTLESHIP (OR’ES EL’LEATH) Type Speed Armour Close Combat Firefight Spacecraft n/a n/a n/a n/a
2x Custodian Gravitic TracerSalvo 3x MW5+ Guided Missiles Notes: Slow and Steady. Transport (may carry up to 18 Morays and/or Orcas plus any troops carried in them; Mantas (plus any troops in them) can also be carried but count as three craft for transport capacity purposes). Gravitic Tracer Salvo – Each of the two Tracer Salvoes may be targeted at different formations.
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