Fusion blasters?

[Skarsgard]

Ahh, I understand your issue with it. Running BS3 can be a problem, mine are all BS4 due to targetting arrays.

[Rikimaru]

Ahh, I understand your issue with it. Running BS3 can be a problem, mine are all BS4 due to targetting arrays.

And there is the other problem, I am assuming your non team leader XV8's are not equipped with multi trackers and this to me makes them inefficient 67pts to me is to much when I can get a Deathrain TA for 53pts because lets be honest it is never good when the opponent is in double tap Plasma range.
BS4 is nice but BS4 twin linked is better and it is the missile pods that are by far and away the most important weapon, Tau can live quite easily without massed Plasma but they find it very hard to manage without highly accurate MP fire.
I take two Plasma rifles on my El's because BS5 Plasma is nice but most of the time the El's are using their MP's not the Plasma. I use the Els as late game tough unit hunters and as interdiction units if an opponents units get to close for comfort; however and this is important, if we had a better option available the Plasma would be dropped rather than the MP's.
My ideal would be 24" range fusions to take on XV8 suits because lets face it if Marines can carry Fusion cannons then XV8's are easily capable and having that extra 6" for the 2D6 penetration would make them incredibly effective as tank hunters. Imagine an XV8 with twin linked MP's and a Fusion cannon and what it would mean to all those MSU transport lists.
I used to love Helios in 4th and took them as my El builds but 5th is a different beast and who knows with 6th edition and the new codex we may see both a resurgence of Helios and fingers crossed the ability to take Fireknives with better BS and the multi, we can dream eh.

[BSM]

Or XV8's as BS4 as standard never understood why a shooting army elite choices is only BS3, yes I know there's fluff but they're in advanced battlesuits and are supposed to be veterans.

It just seems that fusion blasters are only viable on a piranha, I've got a stealth squad with one in but never used them.

[Rikimaru]

Or XV8's as BS4 as standard never understood why a shooting army elite choices is only BS3, yes I know there's fluff but they're in advanced battlesuits and are supposed to be veterans.

It just seems that fusion blasters are only viable on a piranha, I've got a stealth squad with one in but never used them.

Stealth suit units would be amazing if they were a fast attack choice (move Pathfinders to a troop choice). They would then become a brilliant addition to any Tau army when equipped with Fusions (I would allow up to 3 out of a team of 6 to take Fusions) as armour/vehicle hunters and would be a real threat to MSU armies. Moving them to fast attack would mean that you did not have to make the choice between XV8's or Stealth's (XV8's win that one every time).
An army with full HQ and elite XV8 contingents, two Stealth units with three Fusions in each unit, a Piranha unit with Fusions, whatever railgun choice you prefer and two Pathfinder troop choices would be an absolutely awesome anti MSU transport/armour list

[BSM]

Stealth suits at 20pts each and a fast attack choice would be cool, pathfinders as troops would be awesome!

A rule for stealths to appear on any board edge from reserve (like wolf scouts) would warrant taking them with a fusion blaster definitely and I wouldn't mind paying 30pts a model for that.

[SavageConvoy]

I think I'd prefer to get the XV-9 with the fusion cascades. I was really pissed to see that those weren't given the 40k stamp.

[BSM]

Yeah hopefully they'll roll those out in the next codex, Has anyone used O'Shassera?

The XV22 concept is awesome but I think she's overpriced,
the ability to convey her leadership to anyone in 18" provide the drones still alive could be pretty useful.

Struggling to understand how she ever worked however as she's kitted out with two fusion blasters at BS5 she's an awesome tank hunter yet you would never want to use her for that???

[Tayne]

Yeah, she's just a poorly executed character. At best, you hold her back to defend your lines, but with T3 she's easily tapped out and the drones make it harder to hide her from shooting.

[Rikimaru]

Yeah, she's just a poorly executed character. At best, you hold her back to defend your lines, but with T3 she's easily tapped out and the drones make it harder to hide her from shooting.

She was and is pretty useless really. The fact the the Drones remove her IC status is an awful rule making it very hard to actually keep her alive (in a 40K environment full of STR6 shooting) without removing the one thing that makes her any use, the command link Drone. The LDS bubble is OK but I have not used her in 5th and don't lose games because of LDS, I would rather have an HQ that can contribute some damage without having to be within 12" of the opponents units thanks.

Her fusion ability (two targets a turn) looks good until you realise she costs so much and you could get two XV8's with the following set up for 126pts
XV8 team leader with twin linked fusions (nearly as good as BS5 of SS), Target lock, HW Drone controller and Shield Drone
XV8 with twin linked fusions, Drone Controller and Shield Drone
You get two twin linked Fusions with two Shield Drones for a four model wound allocation spread, each model is TGH4 (Shadow sun is TGH3 which makes her Drones less resilient). The unit can target two units just the same as SS but is a lot harder to remove and you lose 49pts more if SS gets killed. In fact for another 30pts (still cheaper than SS) you could take four Shield Drones and have a really resilient tank killing unit.

Tau characters are awful, I really hope they sort it out in the next codex. The worse example is Aun'Va and his bodyguards that are totally dedicated to close combat but only get a cover save that yep you guessed it cannot be used in close combat, genius.

[Tayne]

Tau characters are awful, I really hope they sort it out in the next codex. The worse example is Aun'Va and his bodyguards that are totally dedicated to close combat but only get a cover save that yep you guessed it cannot be used in close combat, genius.

Eh, people can and do have some success with Farsight on occasion. He's not my thing at all and he's no Mephiston or Ghazghkull at all, but at least he's usable. Shadowsun is barely presentable, and Aun'va is a bad punchline.