Battle Brothers -- Blue Space Frogs in Gundam Battlesuits ;)

[L30n1d4s]

Now that we have the new 6th edition SM and Tau books (both of which are QUITE powerful and competitive on their own, it appears), I think it is time to explore the possibility of taking Tau allies to supplement your all-comers C:SM tournament force.

 

Here are some initial synergies that pop out to me:

 

1 - Tau Support Commander (i.e. Iridium Armor, MSS, C2 Node, PENchip, VRT, 2 flamers) + 6 x LC/ML Centurions on a Skyshield Landing Pad

--> This unit has 16 T5 wounds protected by 2+/4++ save and can put out 6 TLed Lacannon and 6 TLed Krak missiles a turn, all with either Tank Hunter or Monster Hunter (your choice) and Ignore Cover USRs. Also, if charged, the Vectored Retro Thrusters give the whole unit Hit and Run, allowing them to potentially escape combat if charged and drop kick the enemy unit with Lascannons to the face the following turn. Even Flyers/Flying MCs are threatened, since all weapons being TLed effectively makes the unit able to Snap Shot at BS2, meaning on average 2 Lacannon and 2 Krak Missiles (both with Tank Hunter or Monster Hunter) will hit a turn, giving a very solid chance of killing the Vendetta, Stormraven, Heldrake, Hive Tyrant, DP, etc.

 

2 - Commander Shadowsun/C2 Drone/Shield Drones + Biker Captain with Shield Eternal/Artificer Armor/Thunder Hammer + Biker Command Squad with 5 Grav Rifles

--> The unit gets a 2+ cover save just for moving (Jink from Bikers + Shrouded/Stealth from Shadowsun), the Shield Drones and Biker Captain tank any cover ignoring attacks (i.e. Heldrake, Collossus Mortar, etc) with their 3++ saves, and the unit is majority T5. Offensively, the unit re-rolls any 1s to Hit for shooting and puts out 2 Fusion Blaster shots and 15 Grav Rifle shots at 18" a turn. If charge, the Captain can wreak face in close combat to save the unit or, alternatively, he can detach and pre-emptively charge an unit that would threat the squad, allowing it to remain free and continue moving and shooting unmolested.

 

3 - Tigurius + 3 Missilesides with Missile Drones/Veocity Trackers on a Bastion with a Quadgun

--> Using Divination, Tigurius can TL all the shooting in the unit and likely give them a 4++ save as well. Alternatively, he can go for Biomancy and give the unit Endurance (FNP and IWND) or use Enfeeble to reduce enemy S and T if required. The entire unit sits on top of the Bastion for better LOS and Tigurius mans the Quadgun, giving the unit a total of 28 S7 AP4 shots per shooting phase.

 

4 - SM Chaplain attached to a 20 Kroot/10 Kroot Hounds/3 Krootox Squad

--> The entire unit gains Zealot (so Fearless and re-rolls on first round of combat), making the cheap Kroot an even more economical Objective Holder and "bubble wrap" unit. Think of this as the SM equivelant of Cultists + Dark Apostle unit ;)

 

 

Anyhow, these are just some initial thoughts. As I read through the Codexes, I believe there are MANY more competive combinations for Tau + SM as a Tournament tag team.

 

Anyone else had success using these two as allies?

[pyroknight]

Tau have been good this edition and have enjoyed SM allies. This synergy has only gotten better with the new codex, so I'm sure plenty of combinations will pop-up. 

 

#1) This is a strong shooting combination, but its a large point investment into a glorified lascannon pillbox. It also tends to be a bit situational depending on the board make-up and the opponent's roster. It is essentially a ranged deathstar.  

 

#2) While this unit has very strong defense, it loses a lot of its special abilities and effectively becomes only an infantry unit. Shadowsun can only move 6" a turn and can't jet-pack move. The bikes can now only move ~6" and can't turbo boost. It is relentless and hard to kill, but slow. 

 

#3) Tiggy is a force multiplier to anything. any competitive tau player is going to either run Tau-dar or Tau-tiggy for divination access. 

#4) this is actually an interesting one I had not though of. The issue is that kroot are not exceptional at anything besides stalling the enemy. That being said, this becomes a very interesting unit for some armies to deal with and think it could be very effective in the right situation. 

 

One of the issues is that the Tau codex has a lot of internal synergy so they tend to make a better primary detachment than the do allies. So most players use SM or Eldar to adjust the weaknesses of the Tau, rather than using Tau to cover the "weaknesses" of SM. 

[L30n1d4s]

Actually, for number 2, the bikes can move 12" as normal, as long as they leave one back as a "connecting file"... The connecting biker stays 2" back, the base of his bike is 2-3", and then you have another 2" coherency to tie in with Sadhowsun and her 6" move. Then, in the assault phase, she does her Jet Pack 2D6" move to 'catch up' with the Bikes for the beginning of the next turn.

 

No turbo boost, of course, but don't really need it with 18" range Grav Rifles and an automatic 2+ cover save.

[L30n1d4s]

Another combo I see working out is Dark Strider with a unit of Pathfinders with Rail Rifles and an attached SM Librarian with Vortex of Doom. Since Dark Strider reduces the Toughness of any unit his squad shoots at, that means that MCs are T5 and susceptible to ID from S10 weapons.

 

Enter the Librarian with Vortex of Doom. Although a short ranged weapon, all it has to do is barely touch the MC and, barring any cover saves/Invul save, BOOM! there goes your multi-wound, T6 (now T5) Trygon or Hive Tyrant or Riptide or Daemonic MC or Dreadknight. Throw in the 6 shots from rapid firing rail rifles and you have a very good chance of "one-shotting" enemy uber combatants.