[Kgn01]

Hello,

so I decided to start 40k and will be purchasing the rulebooks and codex I need over the coming months.
There are 3 armies that really stick out to me, which are skitarii, tau and necron. I decided I want to go with a semi competitive, yet casual, tau/necron list. I managed to get my hands on a box of necron immortals (unassembled), a tau coalition command, tau ethereal, Aun Shi, XV15 stealth suit (single). I wanted these mostly to start a bit of painting, but I'd love to include the immortals and commander in the army at least.

So my question is - where do I start? What units should I purchase next? I want to ideally be able to build a 500 point list first and keep expanding it up to 1850 to be tournament ready in a few months, with monthly purchases of about 100$

I am able to get a doomscythe, ghost arc and tesseract/obelisk super cheap from a friend if needed, but I am not sure if they are playable. I also saw a tidewall for sale, but is that any use?

 

[mich153g]

The shieldline is usefull for pathfinders and firewarriors and it gives a chance The enere hit themselves(only forcefield bit) The firewarriors Would Want to sit in it with a fireblade to get 1 more shot Per model and The pathfinders get 4+ behind The forcefield with a chance hostiles shooting Them hitting themselves. More stealthsuits would be suitable with a riptide and you Can go with xv08s if you want(Easier to kilo than stealthsuits). You Will want to be a bit Picky and only choose some limiter thinges since you want to put The neurons in over The Tau. For 500p i would just go with one of The factions and either When reaching 1-1,5k start combining Them. You Can build 500p with both try Them and when expanding combine

 

[Kgn01]

The shieldline is usefull for pathfinders and firewarriors and it gives a chance The enere hit themselves(only forcefield bit) The firewarriors Would Want to sit in it with a fireblade to get 1 more shot Per model and The pathfinders get 4+ behind The forcefield with a chance hostiles shooting Them hitting themselves. More stealthsuits would be suitable with a riptide and you Can go with xv08s if you want(Easier to kilo than stealthsuits). You Will want to be a bit Picky and only choose some limiter thinges since you want to put The neurons in over The Tau. For 500p i would just go with one of The factions and either When reaching 1-1,5k start combining Them. You Can build 500p with both try Them and when expanding combine

Hello, thank you for your reply. I still have an old XV08 lying around somewhere in a bit box. So I guess I will strip the paint off that model and use that as well then. I suppose building a 500 point army for both sides would be a great option in that case. Then I can always combine them for a 1k force and go from there. Do you have any advice what would be a decent 500 list for both sides to go for that would be alright to combine as well? I'm considering to go buy some pathfinders and/or firewarriors next then, how many would I generally need? The wall seems like a really cool piece to paint/play with, so considering that also. I doubt the wall would be any good at 500 points though, but I suppose at 1000 points it could be useable.

 

[mich153g]

Unfortunately i Can only try and give you Tau lists since i dont know much abort necron toget than they're tough to kill. I made a fem whereabouts theres some with xv08s and others without but only one with pathfinders which is normal to inklude.
50 Ethereal
81 9 fw
81 9 fw
156 3 xv08 , 2 fusion hver , 2 target lock
120 4 stealthsuits
498

55 Ethereal , recon armor
81 9 fw
81 9 fw
130 2 missilside
150 5 stealthsuits
497

55 Ethereal , recon armor
99 11 fw
90 10 fw
130 2 missilside
126 3 xv08 , 2 burst hver
500


50 Ethereal
81 9 fw
81 9 fw
90 3 stealthsuits
66 6 pathfinder
130 2 missilside
498
This is just a few i made others May be able to add advce ro change to måske Them better

 

[mich153g]

hver=each

 

[kingzerno]

Mich, the pathfinders get 3+ on the wall thanks to their stealth rule

OP- I would suggest picking one army and sticking to it, especially if you are a new player. To do well at a tournament you really need to know your army inside and out and that's hard to do in a short time. If you're after competitive tau lists I;ve got two 1850 lists knocking around in the forums here. The first (has the supremacy suit in) placed 9th at the London GT (about 150 entrants) the second will be going with me to the GT in May.

You've already been given some good tips regarding the shieldwall (it's exactly how I run mine).

Key models for me:

Stealth suits (unit of 6, 2 meltas, split fire) - As a unit they are absolute monsters, both anti-infantry and anti-tank weapons, infiltrate and a 2+ cover save when in cover makes them a pain to kill and at 200 points for the unit they rarely don't earn it back

High yield missile broadsides - the sheer volume of twin linked fire power they put out is ridiculous. Great for infantry killing or light-medium vehicles (high yield being strength 7). A single markerlight has them on 3+ re-rolling to hit...

Ghostkeel - On it's own a worthwhile choice. But taken alongside stealth suits in the stealth formation it becomes an absolute beast. 6 s7 shots hitting rear armour regardless of where it is make it a massive pain for vehicles. 2+ cover save whilst standing in the open and s6 combat attacks make it a fun little toy. (it also beasts up the stealth suits. Definitely read this formation!)

Supremacy suit - If you can get one and the tournament allows it you have to take one. It is an absolute monster. Great weapons. great saves and a high wound count make it a pain to kill and it will soak up lots of enemy fire (see mine taking a double fire volley from a riptide wing that consisted of 8 riptides and SURVIVING - albeit on one wound)

Buffmander - A commander with drone controller and 2 marker light drones. Add him into a unit of marker drones and you're putting out lots of BS5 markerlights. I don't kit mine out with anything but that. people tend to ignore him as he isn't a threat, lacking any weapons. But the markerlights are a huge advantage to the tau.

Stormsurge - for it's points you can;t go wrong. I run it with the s10 AP 2 gun just because it's fun.

if you find my lists on here, the second list recently tabled necrons, night lords and mecahnicum by turn 3 (all tournament worthy lists)

 

[mich153g]

I don't remember the pathfinders having stealth but I may be wrong without codex here. otherwise I'd say that you pretty much cover it all. If you want and got the points then put your pathfinders in the formation from the mont'ka book(3 pathfinder units and 3 broadside units). As long as the pathfinders don't move or shoot other than markers from game start they gain shrouded I think. That and on a shieldwall "pure satisfaction" (beware that you have to take bond knife for the units). Other than that the broadsides in the formation count for double markers( use 1 marker can buff broadsides to bs5 or gain ignores cover) the last rule in that formation is that the broadsides got unlimited support fire range when the pathfinders are charged.

 

[kingzerno]

I may have to dig that formation up for some "friendly" games. Annoyingly the next tournament I'm hitting is only allowing one CAD and one detachment/formation. So it's CAD and OSC for me!