1100 Point Tau Army (Need Critique please!)

[Legal Deagles]

So I'd taken a long break (a year or so) from the Tau (even then I'm still an ultra newb with them) and today while playing with a friend of mine (who was using the newly updated Dark Eldar codex for the first time) I decided to use my Tau again in a 900/1100 point team up versus a 2000 point Daemonhunter army. I was really rusty at picking equipment out and I wasn't sure exactly how much equipment I could buy but without further interruption here is my first big list:

HQ
Shas'o Commander
Iridium Armor
Missile Pod
Plasma Rifle
hard-wired drone controller
-2 Gun Drones
Multi-Tracker
Total: 168 pts.

Troops
2 6-man squads of Fire Warriors
2 Shas'ui leaders
2 pulse carbines per squad at no extra charge
2 Markerlights
2 Bonding Knives (1 per squad)
2 EMP grenades per squad

12-man Kroot Carnivore squad
1 Shaper
6+ Armor Save for each member of squad (excluding Shaper)
Pulse Rifle for Shaper

Devilfish APC
Smart Missile System (instead of gun drones)
Decoy Launcher
Disruption Pod
Targeting Array
Total: 358 pts.

Fast Attack
5-Gun Drone squad
Total: 60 pts.

Elites
2-man XV8 Crisis Battlesuit Squad

1 Shas'vre
-Iridium Armor
-Cyclic Ion Blaster
-Multi Tracker
-Targeting Array
-Missile Pod

1 Shas'ui
-Missile Pod
-Plasma Rifle
-Multi Tracker
-Targeting Array

3-man Stealth Team
1 Shas'vre team leader
2 Shas'ui squad members
-Markerlight
-Fusion Blaster
Total: 281 pts.

Heavy Support
Hammerhead Gunship
- pair of Burst Cannons
- Railgun
- Decoy Launcher
- Targeting Array
Total: 160 pts.

Grand Total: 1027 points

So there it is. Now, I will also let you know that I'm new to putting together armies as well in general for Warhammer so I might have messed up on some stuff. Plus my addition sucks...
But anyways, thoughts?

[WyteNite]

So, let me get this straight... you have 1100 points to spend... you even have extra points left over... and you still don't have disruption pods on all your vehicles? Also, Multi-trackers on railheads work wonders.

But you might want to go in and edit out all of the individual point values, I think they are against the rules here. And this probably needs to be moved to army lists.

[Blood Seriph]

First off this should be under the tau army lists sub forum.
Second, Yes it is against forum policy to list individual costs. You may list a total unit cost after upgrades, but thats it.

Fix these things and you may get some feed back (and not the negative kind either).

[Legal Deagles]

I edited out the points (didn't know about not having point costs in there). Not sure how to move the thread though...

[Rabbit]

*moved to the army list section*

[Homiccus]

Hiya.

Here's some thought from a newb to a newb.


HQ
Shas'o Commander
Iridium Armor
Missile Pod
Plasma Rifle
hard-wired drone controller
-2 Gun Drones
Multi-Tracker
Total: 168 pts.
- A little bit overpriced. Downgrade him to Shas'El and fit with Targetting Array = same BS, less points.
- Iridium armour is a definite no-no. It introduces random factor to your Jump-Shoot-Jump basic suit tactics and can have a lethal effect when D6 roll will leave you an inch away from safety of cover.
- Consider the role of those two gun drones you have here. You have two ablative wounds which is good. Taking one wound in shooting phase is not good - you are risking Morale test failure and because suits usually operate near the table's edge... Two additional 18" S5 shots are good. Two additional 18" S5 shots made at effective BS about 3, which will struggle to kill anything and have a little chance of actually pinning enemy - not good. Hope it helps making decision.

Troops
2 6-man squads of Fire Warriors
2 Shas'ui leaders
2 pulse carbines per squad at no extra charge
2 Markerlights
2 Bonding Knives (1 per squad)
2 EMP grenades per squad
- If we consider that those two markerlights are 2/3rds of total then it's good to have it. However FW's in the open risk death just by standing there while bad Space Marines gaze at them. And Devilfish has no fire points. For the cost of all upgrades on those teams (plus those spare few) you could field basic Pathfinders - fish is already paid for. All in all - a bit overupgraded.

12-man Kroot Carnivore squad
1 Shaper
6+ Armor Save for each member of squad (excluding Shaper)
Pulse Rifle for Shaper
- Ouch. Shaper upgrade himself is worth three Kroots. Armour save addon is worth two hounds. For the same point value you get 40% larger unit, which will do much more than 6+ save - most weapons have some AP anyway.
- As a rule of thumb Hounds are better than Kroot in CC due to their Initiative value.

Devilfish APC
Smart Missile System (instead of gun drones)
Decoy Launcher
Disruption Pod
Targeting Array
Total: 358 pts.
- I feel SMS is a bit overkill for a fish, but it can have its uses. I'd switch decoy launcher for multitracker to allow better mobility.

Fast Attack
5-Gun Drone squad
Total: 60 pts.
- Cannot advise anything until I know what do you intend to use them for? Flank screening? Deepstriking distraction behind enemy lines? For board control Piranhas are better choice.

Elites
2-man XV8 Crisis Battlesuit Squad

1 Shas'vre
-Iridium Armor
-Cyclic Ion Blaster
-Multi Tracker
-Targeting Array
-Missile Pod

1 Shas'ui
-Missile Pod
-Plasma Rifle
-Multi Tracker
-Targeting Array
- "There can be only one" special equipment in an army - you have Iridium Armour on both Shas'Vre and Shas'O.
- "There are only three hardpoints" - I understand that Multitracker on 'Vre is hardwired, but 'Ui doesn't have such option. So it's either MT or TA on him.
- Cyclic Ion Blaster is a potent weapon of destruction, but... well, Plasma is more potent and less random.

3-man Stealth Team
1 Shas'vre team leader
2 Shas'ui squad members
-Markerlight
-Fusion Blaster
Total: 281 pts.
- Consider this team's role on the battlefield. It has medium range anti personnel power, short range anti-tank weapons and long range force multiplier (markerlight) which requires standing still in order to use. I'm not much experienced player and I've only playtested XV-25 twice, but their best config in my humble opinion is with three BC's and markerlight drones - stealthed, mobile and lethal against infantry. But very pricey. The other config is outflanking anti-personnel distractor or a small, mobile melta-box, but there are units that fulfill those roles better and for less points.

Heavy Support
Hammerhead Gunship
- pair of Burst Cannons
- Railgun
- Decoy Launcher
- Targeting Array
Total: 160 pts.
- I will not quote one of decent LO members' opinion on Tau players that field Hammerheads without Disruption Pod and Multitracker. Those two upgrades are a must!

Overall your list is lacking hard-hitting firepower and seems a bit scattered. Tau army is indeed very demanding in terms of tactics and structure (as I'm beginning to learn on my own Gue'la skin) and every model and unit must have a defined place in this structure, complementing each other - just as in the real-life army. You can make it either fluffy or competitive, but not both at the same time.

Hope some of it helps.

4 the GG!
-H