return to 40k (1,000 point army list)

[Vezzax]

Been playing Warhammer fantasy recently and I think it's time to dust off my tau models and bring them back on the board. A bit rusty on Warhammer 40k now, but made a 1k list that includes some of the models that I already have. Would like to hear some opinions on the army list. Is it a viable build and a competitive army list or is it a complete rewrite? Thank you.

HQ:
Commander Shas'el (93 points)
- Airbursting fragmentation launcher
- Twin-linked missile pods
- Hard-wired Multi-tracker

Elites:
3x XV8's (221 points)
- missile pods
- plasma rifle
- multi-tracker
- Team leader upgrade
- 2 shield drones

Troops:
6x Fire warriors (155 points)
- Devilfish armed with disruption pods and multi-tracker

6x Fire warriors (xx points)

11x Kroot (xx points)

Fast attack:
7x pathfinders (199 points)
- 2x rail rifles
- Devilfish armed with disruption pods and multi-tracker

Heavy support:
2x broadsides (195 points)
- Advanced stabilization systems
- Team leader upgrade
- 2 shield drones

Total: 1000 points

Additional models that I have lying around: about 20 more fire warriors, 3 XV8's, a hammerhead, 6 stealth suits and a single kroot.

Tactics: Pathfinders will be nice enough to lend their devilfish transport to the fire warriors, who will scoot around capturing objectives. Shas'el is my counter to light vehicles and light infantry, broadsides for heavy vehicles, XV8s for all-round fire support, pathfinders for markerlights and for additional pinning (I think it's pretty nice that they can split fire while of the unit uses their markerlights).

[Darksun]

You might want to re-look at how you are using your fire warriors. With only 6 in a squad, if two die you are taking a leadership test at a 7. Unless you plan on keeping them in devilfish the whole game I don't really see how you can use them.

[Vezzax]

Valid point. But from what I can tell most competitive lists include units of 6 warriors in devilfishes backed up by some kroot. If you have units of 12 fire warriors it only takes 3 casualties and they have to test as well. Fire warriors are mainly there to capture objectives inside a devilfish or provide 30" fire support. I find that if I use larger units even with a shas'ui they don't do much for me either. Markerlights are for XV8s and fire warriors aren't exactly master marksmen with BS3.

[Aun'Vre]

There are a few changes I would make to the list in order to 'standardise' it with other Tau lists. You don't have to take them, but they are generally accepted as the most effective loadouts.

HQ: on a commander with a good BS you really want to be taking high quality weapons. Here are two of the most common loadouts:

Deathrain
Shas'el
TL missile pods
Targeting array - 78

Fireknife
Shas'el
Plasma rifle
Missile pod
Targeting array
HW multi tracker - 97

Elites: The mainstay of the tau army is Battlesuits. Normally people don't put shield drones on anything but broadsides due to the increased save. What you have at the moment is the fire knife configuration. It is effective but expensive. Many people only take fireknives in teams of two because if you give one the team leader upgrade then you can give them both one wound instead of having one die, effectively giving you more firepower. My suggestions for you would be:

Fireknives
Shas'ui X 2
Plasma rifle X 2
Missile pod X 2
Multi Tracker X 2
Team leader - 123

Deathrain
Shas'ui X 2
TL Missile pod X 2
Targeting array X 2
Team leader - 111

Troops: I assume you were going to put the fire warriors in the pathfinders devilfish. If not, then do so. For all the devilish you only really need a disruption pod on them. No suggestions here besides to make the Kroot 10 for now and any spare points use to get hounds instead.

Fast attack: Rail rifles are great fun but not that effective. Generally at lower points tau tend to kick ass without much markerlight support, so cut it down to 4 men. Have no more than 2 rail rifles so math says you'll get one markerlight per turn, which you'll use on fireknives if you take them or if you take deathrains then use it on whatever you want.

Heavy support: Aah, the fabled tank sides. One of my favourite units. If you're not attacking in planetstrike or using dawn of war rules then give them a targeting array instead.

Overall, a pretty good basic list. Don't be afraid to proxy things with your friends to see how good they are, because no matter how bad people on the Internet say things are, we all need to see it first hand. I guess that lone Kroot might come in handy!