I've noticed multiple posts going back and forth about the Tau's completely inadequate capabilities in an engagement, and noticed that most of these have suggested upping the values of existing unit entries to compensate, which seem to be quickly knocked back down. So why not introduce a new unit, specifically to shore up the Tau's low FF values?
Of course, looking over the new list, it seems silly to suggest a new unit with no official Epic model when all the other extra's that didn't have models were ripped out, but, well. Forgeworld doesn't exactly have all the stuff in the CURRENT list up for sale now does it? Regardless, I would appreciate it if you all read on.
The XV-9 'Hazard' Close Support Armour introduced by Forgeworld seems to fit this role perfectly. All of it's weapons are extremely short range, the longest topping out at 24' and the rest being 18' or 12'. All of them too, are geared to wreak havoc at those ranges, the default being two twin-linked burst cannons, and the rest being equally...crazy, from repeating Fusion Blasters to two weapons that seem to be evolved from the special issue weapons of 40k. All this can be probably just thrown out the window though, to simply give them a default weapon chose of the dual twin-linked burst-cannons working similar to the Stealth Suit's, with a Small Arms and Ranged Setting, and possibly a more expensive Fusion Cascade version that made the attacks Macro-Weapons.
It's statline is pretty much the same as a Crisis Suit's, barring an extra point in toughness which is negligible in Epic. It comes with the ability to Hit & Run, and can succeed automatically if it has drones, and can also attempt to regroup regardless of circumstanse, but while these abilities are interesting in 40k, transporting them over to Epic without adding too many fiddly extra bits shall be a bit difficult.
The last paragraph of the eldar's Hit and Run Tactics Special Rule would work best for the Hit & Run abilities, but IIRC that's not a good way to go, as it's fiddly still and would require extra space. The Infiltrator special ability, however, is a much simpler fit that works rather well, letting them engage more freely to fill in the gaps that the Tau Jetpack rule cannot fill, with it's inability to aid the 'Engage' order.
The ability to regroup is a bit of a more difficult kettle of fish in my opinion, as either Leader or Fearless could work either way, and both depending on how exactly the unit is fit into the army list as a whole. If, for example, they were an upgrade unit, Fearless could work best, as it applies only to the, As a support formation however, Leader might be the best choice instead, allowing them to clean up blast markers that could otherwise cripple them and get back into the show. A much simpler route would be to simply ignore the ability altogether and leave them be. I think the last might work the best, allowing them to exist as both a support formation to boost the FF survival of a core unit, or as a wandering engagement unit to stall or pick off an opposing army's units.
I think that covers most aspects of the XV-9 in the Tau Army List, other than the stats exactly and where it would be placed. And, of course, the price. As a FF niche unit in an army where FF capabilities are lacking, there should be a bit of a points premium. But that point can come later, if you all are actually receptive to this idea I've brainstormed and put forth. (At least, I assume I'm the only one that's done so. A search for XV-9 turned up nothing in these forums).
Oh, yes, stats:
XV9 'Havoc' Close Support Armour Suit(Suit? Team? Going suit, even though in 40k they're FA and are 1-3, similar to XV-8 team org, because they're even more elite and balancing a single suit seems easier than an entire team.)
Type: Infantry
Speed: 30 cm
Armour: 3+
Close Combat: 6+
Firefight: 4+(3+? SM Devs are 3+, and I figure they're shot-ranged shooting abilities are similar, though going with standard tac 4+ might be better to test first.)
Weapon
Dual Twin-Linked Burstcannons
or Twin-Linked Fusion Cascades
DTLBC:
Range: 15cm/(15cm)
Firepower:AP3+/Small Arms
Notes: N/A / Extra Attack(+1)
TLFC:
Range:15cm/(15cm)
Firepower:MW 4+/Small Arms
Notes:N/A / Macro-Weapon, Extra Attack(+1)
ARRRRGH! Over an hour spent trying to format the stats before I gave up and just listed them. Any help on how to make them a pretty block? Reasoning behind the stats is as follows, in addition to the little notes in the stats themselves. Standard weapons are a single unit, the Dual Twin-Linked Burst Cannons, as 2x TLBC with Extra Attack +1 might cause confusion as to whether you get two extra attacks, or just a single. AP3+ was an extension of the Stealth Suit's MSBCannons, as I was goign to give them 2x AP4+ attacks to be equivalent, but simplified it to a single AP3+ when I made them Dual instead of 2x. I'm sure someone can mathhammer it out. The Fusion Cascades were a bit of a ponder, as they do d3 attacks each in the 40k. For the suit, going TL for a pair seemed logical, and dropping them to 4+ from the Crisis Suit's 5+ should make up for the multiple shots compared to the stand of Crisis Suits. As a stand of XV-8's and XV-1/2's are made up of an entire team's shooting, with the XV-8's getting three different shots, I figure this should be rather balancing. I hope, not sure...sleepy.
Hurmm, while writing this post out, I've also been hunting around a bit, and
these look like they could be suitable stand-ins for the XV-9 suit.
Also, not sure if this had been noticed yet, but the aircraft burst cannon names seem to switch back and forth between 'Burst Cannons' and 'Twin Burst Cannons' with no change in stats. This a typo? C&P error?
Whatever the choice, I spent too many hours typing this all up when I should have been asleep, so I leave you all for a few hours to, hopefully, give me feedback while my brain loops back into legibility.
If you take one HH and one BBs fm in a list it basically blows away most of the bonus for the HHs dropping in cost. The Tau list is very cost sensitive. So the theory of cheaper (meaning more) HHs is kinda dead and the HHs are still naff in terms of shooting without any ability to deal with heavy armour targets. Part of the reason the cost decrease isn't something I support.
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