New Tau Commander + Ultramarines

[L30n1d4s]

I believe this is the right place to talk about Xenos allies ;) Since Tau and C:SM are battle brothers, here is someting I was thinking about with the new Codex that is coming out here.

 

Looking at the new Tau rules, I am thinking of a pretty potent combination as follows:

 

-Tau Commander with TL-Flamers, Vectored Retro-thrusters, Shield Generator, Puretide Neurochip, Command and Control Node, Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite, and Iridium Armor

-TDA Librarian with Force Axe, SS, and GoI/Null Zone

-10 Sternguard with 2 Plasmas, 8 Combi-meltas

 

First turn, Librarian uses Gates of Infinity to bounce the entire unit 24" where they either melta a critical vehicle/elite unit to death, or they unleash rapid fire death on enemy infantry.

 

Tau Commander gives the whole unit:

-Hit and Run (Vectored Retro-Thrusters)

-Ability to re-roll all shooting, as long as he doesn't shoot (Command and Control Node)

-Ability to ignore cover when shooting, as long as he doesn't shoot (Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite)

-A choice each turn of Stubborn, Tank Hunters, or Monster Hunters USRs (Puretide Neurochip)

 

Both the Tau Commander and Librarian have 2+ saves, the Tau Commander is T5, 3W and has a 4++, while the Librarian is T4, 2W, and has a 3++

 

Gates of Infinity allows the unit to keep "bouncing" each turn, if required, and Null Zone gives the option to reduce enemy Invul saves (i.e. special characters, Hammernators, Daemons of all kinds, etc.).

 

Between the re-rolls to hit, ignoring cover, Tank Hunters/Monster Hunters, and the raw firepower that the Sternguard can put out each turn, there are very few units in the game that would be safe against this combo.

 

This is definitely an expensive "deathstar" type unit, but I think it might be very fun (and competitive) to play with as well ;)

[CM_Seth]

This all depends a lot on what the new rules look like. You don't know that all of those commander upgrades will even apply to the Space Marines. They may be specific to Tau units.

Should it work out for you, it's definitely an amusing unit. Expensive, but I can see it getting things done if the opponent doesn't fully anticipate it or understand of what it is capable.

[Lysere]

Just don't let the TH/SS terminators reach you. Bad things will happen.

 

Have you considered two small scout bike squads with locator beacons to support it? This way you move close to your next target, then drop the libby over without scatter, and obliterate it. Rinse and repeat.

[tomsev]

i like the idea and am myself getting a small tau force for allies to my space marines... so im gonna follow this thread... 

[L30n1d4s]

Good point on Hammernators ;)

 

Fortunately, this unit specializes in taking down Hammernators.

 

12 AP2/1 shots with re-rollable BS4, wounding on 2+s, and Null Zone Dropping Hammernators Invull down to roughly a 4++, means that one volley will kill, on average, 4-5 Hammernators... that's without any additional casualtis from Overwatch and going first in CC (might sneak in another wound or two that way).... so 5-6 dead Hammernators, unless they are a full 10 man squad, there isn't much left there.... that is where the Hit and Run comes in, helping the Sternguard/Tau/Libby break from combat and finish off the squad.

 

BTW, everything I have seen so far says "friendly" units, not Tau only, so I believe the Battle Brother SM should be able to benefit from the Tau abilities here.

[Dam13n]

You are implying that this unit is capable of that level of destruction every turn, it isn't. The Combi-weapons are a one-shot pony. True you have the special ammo thereafter, but it's not as good as the underslung Meltagun/plasma gun.

 

You might be better off having a unit of crisis suits with plasma/melta instead of the sternguard. 6 plasma and 3 melta shots a turn with the same buffs from the commander and librarian will arguably be a better choice over multiple turns than the Combi-weapon sternguard.

 

If you're just after an alpha strike, one hit, unit killer, then your unit will likely work ok. But I wouldn't rely on it thereafter. It's also a lot of points for what it does.

 

It all depends on your chosen tactics, and whether you have the collateral models to compensate for this unit dying, which if you are gating it towards the enemy, it will. You kill one unit - the rest of his army kills yours - and unless you killed an expensive deathstar - yours will be worth more (3 kill points, likely including your warlord into the bargain - as you won't have many points available for a 3rd HQ model).

 

There's nothing wrong with giving this a try, and it may work for you - but I wouldn't expect it to be a guaranteed victory machine (which is what you want from a deathstar, after all).

 

Laterz...

[Rapture747]

With a few more combi-plasmas instead of the combi-meltas, this unit could tramble almost any other single unit during your shooting phase. However, it is one battlecannon shoot away from not existing and leaving the Libranian and Tau Commander with no purpose. A charge by a dedicated assault unit is also likely to either lock the unit up or leave it gutted.

 

Branching the Tau Commander over to help C:SM unit shooting seems like a great idea, but it really doesn't work.

[Agent Purple]

Could also use shadowsun to infiltrate the sternguard (now with stealth and shrouding) up the field instead. 20 pt command drone lets your plasma sterngaurd re-roll 1's to hit.  Shadow sun is also quite cheap at 155 with this loadout.