How to cope with 5 Riptide Tau

[Lysere]

 

 

 

I've seen Landraiders exploded by a single las cannon shot on turn 1.

 

I have also tried to take a Riptide down before... a single Riptide.

 

I flew TWO Stormravens to it, unloaded 2x Twin Linked Meltas, 2x Twin Linked Las Cannons and 6x Stormstrike missiles.

I killed it's drones, and took off 3 wounds. It still had 2 left. It had FNP and he overcharged for the Invul boost the prior turn.

 

 

I don't think some people realise just how tough it is to kill these things, never mind kill 5 of them. They are so cheap too.... That turn I committed 400 points to kill something worth little over 200...

No, thats about right, it should take about twice a units points value with decent rolls to take it out.

Come on guys. Let's be serious here. I fired 10 Ap2 and Ap1 Strength 8/9 shots in to that thing.

 

On the next turn it landed a template on my shooty Termies who had just finished an assault and took out 4 of the 5. (I was afraid of this hence the Stormraven attack)

 

You can't lecture about needing double the points to end something when a Riptide can make it's cost up in one shot from across the board.

 

I've watched a S10 AP1 Railgun fail to cause more than a single glance to AV14 Despite having BS 5, preferred enemy, and tank hunters. I've watched a riptide and his drones take a single wound and fall back off the table on the very first turn of a game, I've seen several S10 shots and several flavors of melta fail to pen a single land raider that didn't even have a cover save. Saying your two ravens failing to kill a riptide makes the riptide crazy tough is a bit illogical. True the riptide can be tough, but a single force weapon wound will kill it flat out, as will khan on a to wound roll of 6. Also ravens are not monster hunters, Grav Guns are better for that these days, as are hammernators.

[Ishagu]

It wouls have to be a lucky force weapon and a lucky as hell Khan to get past the 2+ save.

 

And they will likely be insta killed by a smash in the same combat...

[MagicMan]

It wouls have to be a lucky force weapon and a lucky as hell Khan to get past the 2+ save.

 

And they will likely be insta killed by a smash in the same combat...

 

 

Well if you take an axe, you can get past the 2+ save, and you wound on 5's because of the extra strength. 

 

You'd get 4 attacks if you charged, wounding on 5's, and then you just pass a LD test on LD 10.

 

 

 

And maybe he would get smashed, but im not sure if the Riptide could single the Librarian out if hes part of the unit? Could be wrong there. 

 

When i played, the Riptide fumbled his attacks and i sucked his soul out with gusto. That was just him against the Libby though, and it was a level two Libby who'd got that Biomancy spell that makes him stronger/tougher. :)

[goosey_j]

It wouls have to be a lucky force weapon and a lucky as hell Khan to get past the 2+ save.

 

And they will likely be insta killed by a smash in the same combat...

 

The Riptide is not a character. Thus, it cannot challenge and single out a Librarian. Which means that running an axe Librarian in a unit of bodies (especially if said Librarian is toting Iron Arm) is a pretty scary prospect for any Riptide stupid enough to hang about waiting for a charge. An Iron armed axe strike is going to be at least str6, but can be up to str8, which all but guarantees that that Riptide is going to get insta deathed.

 

I'm planning on using my Librarian in terminator armour with an axe with a Command Squad equipped with 4 plasma guns and Apothecary in a drop pod. If you felt so inclined you could stick 4 storm shields in there as well. That squad has the potential to kill two Riptides in two turns, and between the Librarian tanking in terminator armour and the Apothercary, it's quite durable.

[Lysere]

It wouls have to be a lucky force weapon and a lucky as hell Khan to get past the 2+ save.

 

And they will likely be insta killed by a smash in the same combat...

 

If you are afraid of a Riptide killing anything other than a parked rhino with it's melee attacks you need to re-evaluate it's statline. The riptide is absolutely terrible in combat and can't even be relied upon to kill single models on the charge. Only farsights HQ riptide is a character, and if any farsight riptide runs the earth caste pilot upgrade (which they probably will because it is worth it) they need 5s to hit anything except other Tau in combat. Also if they don't have the earth caste pilot upgrade they have a 1/3 chance of not getting the nova boost, and FNP is useless against an active force weapon. Pretty easy to nab a kill with a force axe libby.

[MagicMan]

 

It wouls have to be a lucky force weapon and a lucky as hell Khan to get past the 2+ save.

 

And they will likely be insta killed by a smash in the same combat...

 

The Riptide is not a character. Thus, it cannot challenge and single out a Librarian. Which means that running an axe Librarian in a unit of bodies (especially if said Librarian is toting Iron Arm) is a pretty scary prospect for any Riptide stupid enough to hang about waiting for a charge. An Iron armed axe strike is going to be at least str6, but can be up to str8, which all but guarantees that that Riptide is going to get insta deathed.

 

I'm planning on using my Librarian in terminator armour with an axe with a Command Squad equipped with 4 plasma guns and Apothecary in a drop pod. If you felt so inclined you could stick 4 storm shields in there as well. That squad has the potential to kill two Riptides in two turns, and between the Librarian tanking in terminator armour and the Apothercary, it's quite durable.

 

 

 

The problem with Riptides is that they can jump pack around like a dick.

 

Well, like most Tau dicks.

 

Thats why i used a Jump Libby + some Assault Squad friends.

 

I think 5 assault marines + Libby with jump pack is something like... 170 Points? Which isnt terrible, terrible.

[Lysere]

 

 

It wouls have to be a lucky force weapon and a lucky as hell Khan to get past the 2+ save.

 

And they will likely be insta killed by a smash in the same combat...

 

The Riptide is not a character. Thus, it cannot challenge and single out a Librarian. Which means that running an axe Librarian in a unit of bodies (especially if said Librarian is toting Iron Arm) is a pretty scary prospect for any Riptide stupid enough to hang about waiting for a charge. An Iron armed axe strike is going to be at least str6, but can be up to str8, which all but guarantees that that Riptide is going to get insta deathed.

 

I'm planning on using my Librarian in terminator armour with an axe with a Command Squad equipped with 4 plasma guns and Apothecary in a drop pod. If you felt so inclined you could stick 4 storm shields in there as well. That squad has the potential to kill two Riptides in two turns, and between the Librarian tanking in terminator armour and the Apothercary, it's quite durable.

 

 

 

The problem with Riptides is that they can jump pack around like a dick.

 

Well, like most Tau dicks.

 

Thats why i used a Jump Libby + some Assault Squad friends.

 

I think 5 assault marines + Libby with jump pack is something like... 170 Points? Which isnt terrible, terrible.

 

Don't forget if they jetting around with the nova boost (Much better for escaping) then they won't boosting their shield or nova charging their weapons.

[Gentlemanloser]

Does that matter if the only unit your enemy has to reliably take them out are Hammernators that have just Deep Struck/Disembarked close to them, and can't shoot anyway?

 

Anyway, this is the main reason NDK are so great at killing them.  They can keep up with them, reach them without triggering Interceptor, and Force Weapon them to death (if their standard S10 AP2 Melee hits doesn't cut it).

[jeffersonian000]

One point I noticed got missed is that a Riptide with drones has a majority armor save if 4+, not 2+. That means Gravy Guns wound on 4's vs a 3++ save (when active).

 

SJ

[Storm Dragons 3rd Company]

Has GW clarified that the majority toughness rule converts to majority armor saves in the case of grav weapons then?  Otherwise, armor saves have always been based on actual position and proximity to the shooting model.

[Lysere]

One point I noticed got missed is that a Riptide with drones has a majority armor save if 4+, not 2+. That means Gravy Guns wound on 4's vs a 3++ save (when active).

 

SJ

 

If he has the drones (which are expensive) then just gun them down with bolters instead and force a morale check. Save Grav for when you can guarantee a ton of damage to a riptide, like when he fails his nova roll.

[jeffersonian000]

Won't the Riptide tank for its squad, sucking up those bolter wounds with 3++ and FnP?

 

SJ

[Captain Idaho]

If it's the nearest mode. But then you can kill it!

[Lysere]

Won't the Riptide tank for its squad, sucking up those bolter wounds with 3++ and FnP?

 

SJ

 

That assumes that not only is the riptide closest to your squad, but that he also made the nova reactor roll. People assume that he'll make it but I've seen a game go by where the riptide failed all 5 nova rolls and died on turn 5 since without FNP there are no saves against it. Also if he rolls the nova reactor sometimes the shield isn't the best option. Sure 3++ is nice, but so is boosting your main gun, or double firing your secondary, or getting a 4d6 jump move in the assault phase. Any one of these others must be taken in place of the invuln boost which would leave the riptide easy pickings.

[Grey Mage]

Maybe grav guns arent the answer. Maybe assault is. Riptides kinda suck vs flyers and arent amazing in assault. Most marines books have a solid flying transport these days, and AP 2 melee weapons.....

Stormraven with 5 VV and two powerfists and two shields runs... 365pts. Keep the assault cannon and run MM for heavy armor busting when you need it and enjoy split fire as you like. 3 sets of each... runs almost 1100pts. Run that with a Captain, two squads of bikes, and two squads of BP+CCW scouts with powerfist, combi? and a landspeeder storm with Heavy Flamer for troop munching. Strike fast, hit hard, stay flexible. Should work out for 1999+1, wich seems common enough. Could drop a unit of bikes at 1750... *shrugs*

Just a thought.

Alternatively one could double on the VV by combat-squading them inside a single stormraven, and then dropping them out at their respective targets as needed, giving you a bit more wiggle room with the list. Add in a stormtalon with typhoon launchers for each raven you drop, one or two that is, and get something fun to fill the rest of the points- another scoring unit, maybe some assault termies, or a tactical squad and a whirlwind for those times when you find orks or footslogging DE beasts across the table?
 

 

 

 

I've seen Landraiders exploded by a single las cannon shot on turn 1.

I have also tried to take a Riptide down before... a single Riptide.

I flew TWO Stormravens to it, unloaded 2x Twin Linked Meltas, 2x Twin Linked Las Cannons and 6x Stormstrike missiles. I killed it's drones, and took off 3 wounds. It still had 2 left. It had FNP and he overcharged for the Invul boost the prior turn.


I don't think some people realise just how tough it is to kill these things, never mind kill 5 of them. They are so cheap too.... That turn I committed 400 points to kill something worth little over 200...

No, thats about right, it should take about twice a units points value with decent rolls to take it out.

Come on guys. Let's be serious here. I fired 10 Ap2 and Ap1 Strength 8/9 shots in to that thing.

On the next turn it landed a template on my shooty Termies who had just finished an assault and took out 4 of the 5. (I was afraid of this hence the Stormraven attack)

You can't lecture about needing double the points to end something when a Riptide can make it's cost up in one shot from across the board.

I can and will all day long :p On average most units take about twice their points cost to kill if you want to wipe the squad in a single turn. A riptide used against an intelligently deployed tactical squad isnt doing that by itself, and if youre giving it jucier targets thats your own problem or the tactical acumen of your opponent. Or just the luck of the dice, we cant ever count that out....

[Dam13n]

As far as the Rune Priests goes:

 

FOC#1 - Bolt Pistol, Rune Weapon, JotWW, MH

FOC#1 - Bolt Pistol, Rune Weapon, Chooser of the Slain, JotWW, LL

FOC#1 - Bolt Pistol, Rune Weapon, Wolf Tooth Necklace, JotWW, TC

FOC#2 - Combi-melta, Rune Weapon, JotWW, SC

FOC#2 - Combi-melta, Rune Weapon, Chooser of the Slain, JotWW, FotWS

FOC#2 - Combi-melta, Rune Weapon, Wolf Tooth Necklace, JotWW, TW

 

(that's 6, and there are still many options on top of these, 6 Rune Priests is a doddle.  However, if you want JotWW then 6 is the limit.)

 

Then you have:

FOC#1 - 5 Grey Hunters, Plasma Gun, Drop Pod

FOC#1 - 5 Grey Hunters, Plasma Gun, Drop Pod

FOC#1 - 5 Grey Hunters, Plasma Gun, Drop Pod

FOC#2 - 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Drop Pod

FOC#2 - 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Drop Pod

FOC#2 - 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Drop Pod

 

Finally:

FOC#1 - 6 Long Fangs, 2 Lascannons, 3 Plasma Cannons (+ Empty Drop Pod to enable more Grey Hunters to Drop turn 1)

FOC#2 - 6 Long Fangs, 2 Lascannons, 3 Plasma Cannons (+ Empty Drop Pod to enable more Grey Hunters to Drop turn 1)

 

If any points left over:

More Long Fangs

or

Dreadnought, TL Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer, Drop Pod

or

Land Speeder, 2 Heavy Flamers

(repeat until points used up)

 

Then watch his face drop as most of his army dies on turn 1.

[Storm Dragons 3rd Company]

Maybe grav guns arent the answer. Maybe assault is. Riptides kinda suck vs flyers and arent amazing in assault. Most marines books have a solid flying transport these days, and AP 2 melee weapons.....

Stormraven with 5 VV and two powerfists and two shields runs... 365pts. Keep the assault cannon and run MM for heavy armor busting when you need it and enjoy split fire as you like. 3 sets of each... runs almost 1100pts. Run that with a Captain, two squads of bikes, and two squads of BP+CCW scouts with powerfist, combi? and a landspeeder storm with Heavy Flamer for troop munching. Strike fast, hit hard, stay flexible. Should work out for 1999+1, wich seems common enough. Could drop a unit of bikes at 1750... *shrugs*

Just a thought.

Alternatively one could double on the VV by combat-squading them inside a single stormraven, and then dropping them out at their respective targets as needed, giving you a bit more wiggle room with the list. Add in a stormtalon with typhoon launchers for each raven you drop, one or two that is, and get something fun to fill the rest of the points- another scoring unit, maybe some assault termies, or a tactical squad and a whirlwind for those times when you find orks or footslogging DE beasts across the table?

I've seen Landraiders exploded by a single las cannon shot on turn 1.

I have also tried to take a Riptide down before... a single Riptide.

I flew TWO Stormravens to it, unloaded 2x Twin Linked Meltas, 2x Twin Linked Las Cannons and 6x Stormstrike missiles. I killed it's drones, and took off 3 wounds. It still had 2 left. It had FNP and he overcharged for the Invul boost the prior turn.

I don't think some people realise just how tough it is to kill these things, never mind kill 5 of them. They are so cheap too.... That turn I committed 400 points to kill something worth little over 200...

No, thats about right, it should take about twice a units points value with decent rolls to take it out.

Come on guys. Let's be serious here. I fired 10 Ap2 and Ap1 Strength 8/9 shots in to that thing.

On the next turn it landed a template on my shooty Termies who had just finished an assault and took out 4 of the 5. (I was afraid of this hence the Stormraven attack)

You can't lecture about needing double the points to end something when a Riptide can make it's cost up in one shot from across the board.

I can and will all day long On average most units take about twice their points cost to kill if you want to wipe the squad in a single turn. A riptide used against an intelligently deployed tactical squad isnt doing that by itself, and if youre giving it jucier targets thats your own problem or the tactical acumen of your opponent. Or just the luck of the dice, we cant ever count that out....

The guy here who plays Tau plays 2 Riptides, a Wraithknight, and this large missile laden broadside squad (and maximum drones). Flyers aren't the answer to that b/c the Broadsides will drop just about ANY flyer the turn it comes in. If you use a Stormraven, plan to have your guys be Skies of Fury before it finishes the move it makes onto the board. The problem with that is that the Riptides will both intercept the deep strikers and the broadsides kill the flyer. Reliably so.

[Grey Mage]

Maybe grav guns arent the answer. Maybe assault is. Riptides kinda suck vs flyers and arent amazing in assault. Most marines books have a solid flying transport these days, and AP 2 melee weapons.....

Stormraven with 5 VV and two powerfists and two shields runs... 365pts. Keep the assault cannon and run MM for heavy armor busting when you need it and enjoy split fire as you like. 3 sets of each... runs almost 1100pts. Run that with a Captain, two squads of bikes, and two squads of BP+CCW scouts with powerfist, combi? and a landspeeder storm with Heavy Flamer for troop munching. Strike fast, hit hard, stay flexible. Should work out for 1999+1, wich seems common enough. Could drop a unit of bikes at 1750... *shrugs*

Just a thought.

Alternatively one could double on the VV by combat-squading them inside a single stormraven, and then dropping them out at their respective targets as needed, giving you a bit more wiggle room with the list. Add in a stormtalon with typhoon launchers for each raven you drop, one or two that is, and get something fun to fill the rest of the points- another scoring unit, maybe some assault termies, or a tactical squad and a whirlwind for those times when you find orks or footslogging DE beasts across the table?

I've seen Landraiders exploded by a single las cannon shot on turn 1.

I have also tried to take a Riptide down before... a single Riptide.

I flew TWO Stormravens to it, unloaded 2x Twin Linked Meltas, 2x Twin Linked Las Cannons and 6x Stormstrike missiles. I killed it's drones, and took off 3 wounds. It still had 2 left. It had FNP and he overcharged for the Invul boost the prior turn.

I don't think some people realise just how tough it is to kill these things, never mind kill 5 of them. They are so cheap too.... That turn I committed 400 points to kill something worth little over 200...

No, thats about right, it should take about twice a units points value with decent rolls to take it out.

Come on guys. Let's be serious here. I fired 10 Ap2 and Ap1 Strength 8/9 shots in to that thing.

On the next turn it landed a template on my shooty Termies who had just finished an assault and took out 4 of the 5. (I was afraid of this hence the Stormraven attack)

You can't lecture about needing double the points to end something when a Riptide can make it's cost up in one shot from across the board.

I can and will all day long On average most units take about twice their points cost to kill if you want to wipe the squad in a single turn. A riptide used against an intelligently deployed tactical squad isnt doing that by itself, and if youre giving it jucier targets thats your own problem or the tactical acumen of your opponent. Or just the luck of the dice, we cant ever count that out....

The guy here who plays Tau plays 2 Riptides, a Wraithknight, and this large missile laden broadside squad (and maximum drones). Flyers aren't the answer to that b/c the Broadsides will drop just about ANY flyer the turn it comes in. If you use a Stormraven, plan to have your guys be Skies of Fury before it finishes the move it makes onto the board. The problem with that is that the Riptides will both intercept the deep strikers and the broadsides kill the flyer. Reliably so.

Tactics- use cover, dont let his interceptor shots from the broadsides get LOS on them. Dont drop your cargo out tell turn 3, when they can safely assault without using skies. Sure, it takes patience, but with the small model count it shouldnt be hard to block LOS to the rest of the army and then pounce on him all at once when youre reserves come in.

[Grey Mage]

As far as the Rune Priests goes:

 

FOC#1 - Bolt Pistol, Rune Weapon, JotWW, MH

FOC#1 - Bolt Pistol, Rune Weapon, Chooser of the Slain, JotWW, LL

FOC#1 - Bolt Pistol, Rune Weapon, Wolf Tooth Necklace, JotWW, TC

FOC#2 - Combi-melta, Rune Weapon, JotWW, SC

FOC#2 - Combi-melta, Rune Weapon, Chooser of the Slain, JotWW, FotWS

FOC#2 - Combi-melta, Rune Weapon, Wolf Tooth Necklace, JotWW, TW

 

(that's 6, and there are still many options on top of these, 6 Rune Priests is a doddle.  However, if you want JotWW then 6 is the limit.)

 

Then you have:

FOC#1 - 5 Grey Hunters, Plasma Gun, Drop Pod

FOC#1 - 5 Grey Hunters, Plasma Gun, Drop Pod

FOC#1 - 5 Grey Hunters, Plasma Gun, Drop Pod

FOC#2 - 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Drop Pod

FOC#2 - 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Drop Pod

FOC#2 - 5 Grey Hunters, Meltagun, Drop Pod

 

Finally:

FOC#1 - 6 Long Fangs, 2 Lascannons, 3 Plasma Cannons (+ Empty Drop Pod to enable more Grey Hunters to Drop turn 1)

FOC#2 - 6 Long Fangs, 2 Lascannons, 3 Plasma Cannons (+ Empty Drop Pod to enable more Grey Hunters to Drop turn 1)

 

If any points left over:

More Long Fangs

or

Dreadnought, TL Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer, Drop Pod

or

Land Speeder, 2 Heavy Flamers

(repeat until points used up)

 

Then watch his face drop as most of his army dies on turn 1.

You could get a 7nth with Njal.... or just switch one out. Problem is thats.... 1815pts, though some of the RP choices are illegal- they cant take a Thunderwolf for example. Still, could be workable I suppose. Thats ALOT of psyker.

[Dam13n]

TW stands for Tempest's Wrath, not Thunderwolf.  In all Rune Priest examples the last two (abbreviated) upgrades are Psychic Powers.

[Retaliation]

Maybe grav guns arent the answer. Maybe assault is. Riptides kinda suck vs flyers and arent amazing in assault. Most marines books have a solid flying transport these days, and AP 2 melee weapons.....

Stormraven with 5 VV and two powerfists and two shields runs... 365pts. Keep the assault cannon and run MM for heavy armor busting when you need it and enjoy split fire as you like. 3 sets of each... runs almost 1100pts. Run that with a Captain, two squads of bikes, and two squads of BP+CCW scouts with powerfist, combi? and a landspeeder storm with Heavy Flamer for troop munching. Strike fast, hit hard, stay flexible. Should work out for 1999+1, wich seems common enough. Could drop a unit of bikes at 1750... *shrugs*

Just a thought.

Alternatively one could double on the VV by combat-squading them inside a single stormraven, and then dropping them out at their respective targets as needed, giving you a bit more wiggle room with the list. Add in a stormtalon with typhoon launchers for each raven you drop, one or two that is, and get something fun to fill the rest of the points- another scoring unit, maybe some assault termies, or a tactical squad and a whirlwind for those times when you find orks or footslogging DE beasts across the table?

I've seen Landraiders exploded by a single las cannon shot on turn 1.

I have also tried to take a Riptide down before... a single Riptide.

I flew TWO Stormravens to it, unloaded 2x Twin Linked Meltas, 2x Twin Linked Las Cannons and 6x Stormstrike missiles. I killed it's drones, and took off 3 wounds. It still had 2 left. It had FNP and he overcharged for the Invul boost the prior turn.

I don't think some people realise just how tough it is to kill these things, never mind kill 5 of them. They are so cheap too.... That turn I committed 400 points to kill something worth little over 200...

No, thats about right, it should take about twice a units points value with decent rolls to take it out.

Come on guys. Let's be serious here. I fired 10 Ap2 and Ap1 Strength 8/9 shots in to that thing.

On the next turn it landed a template on my shooty Termies who had just finished an assault and took out 4 of the 5. (I was afraid of this hence the Stormraven attack)

You can't lecture about needing double the points to end something when a Riptide can make it's cost up in one shot from across the board.

I can and will all day long On average most units take about twice their points cost to kill if you want to wipe the squad in a single turn. A riptide used against an intelligently deployed tactical squad isnt doing that by itself, and if youre giving it jucier targets thats your own problem or the tactical acumen of your opponent. Or just the luck of the dice, we cant ever count that out....

The guy here who plays Tau plays 2 Riptides, a Wraithknight, and this large missile laden broadside squad (and maximum drones). Flyers aren't the answer to that b/c the Broadsides will drop just about ANY flyer the turn it comes in. If you use a Stormraven, plan to have your guys be Skies of Fury before it finishes the move it makes onto the board. The problem with that is that the Riptides will both intercept the deep strikers and the broadsides kill the flyer. Reliably so.

Broadsides cannot have both intercept and skyfire. Riptides have to give up something to take both so no stims for example.

[Dam13n]

3 Intercepting Twin-linked High Yield Missile Pod Broadsides with 6 Missile Drones will pump out 12 S7 shots when they intercept followed by another 12 (plus 12 S5, ignores cover) in the following turn.

 

Even at BS1, on average they'll get 2 S7 from the 12 intercepting shots then another 1.66 from the re-rolls for being twin-linked.

That means you can expect around 4 S7 hits a fair amount of the time.

Against an AV11 flyer, that's 2 glancing/penetrating hits on average.

Which is enough to kill a Storm Talon.

 

Now thankfully the drones don't get intercept as well (which would take the average total to around 6 hits, enough to worry any flyer in the game) but that does mean that they can still act during their own turn (the Drones and Smart Missile Systems can fire as they weren't used to intercept in the previous turn.)

 

Now the Riptide needs both to be even semi-reliable at taking out flyers, as the Ion Accelerator doesn't have enough shots to be reliable otherwise, and the Heavy Burst Cannon doesn't have the stopping power to reliably threaten a flyer if it's snap shooting.

[Retaliation]

Yowza. HYMPs only have a 36" range right? Would it be viable to have a 4 lascannon dev squad (standard DA AA when you have a lib) to snipe them before the fliers come in? Missile drones should be easy enough to clear off with a whirlwind. Still killing a storm talon on average isn't killing just about any flier the turn it comes in.

 

The tau codex is one I should really get my hands on one of these days :(. 

 

As for riptides, I fought a really fun game against a full farsight enclave battlesuit army for my first experience against them (1000 points I believe). 2 riptides of both types. By the middle of turn two, my black knights ran the ion riptide off the board. The other was chipped down over the course of the game by my Mars Mortis with two lascannons. I'm not sure if he underestimated just how lulzy black knights can be, but it's convinced me the key to killing riptides is getting some kind of AP2 in melee with one.

[Storm Dragons 3rd Company]

Clarification - the broadsides don't have interceptor or skyfire; they have volume of fire.  The Riptide has interceptor.

 

You cannot reliably get an incoming flyer behind cover and if you just to stay more than 36" from the broadsides, you might as well not bring it because that lets the tau threat bubble confine your movement an deployment.

 

So you bring in your 'Raven and don't reploy anyone from it.  The next Tau turn the Broadsides pretty reliably drop the 'Raven.  Even if you manage to weather that turn of fire, you'd better deploy the next turn or the Broadsides will glance you out of the sky.

 

Alternately, you bring in the 'Raven and do Skies on the way in.  Broadsides still pretty reliably drop the 'Raven, but before they do that, the Riptides intercept the Skies deployments.  Sometimes you can get those guys to Skies behind cover or something, but that can be hard to do if you want to keep them effective plus DS into terrain is dicey.

[W0lfie]

This one is easy.  You kill all six firewarriors he brought, slay his warlord and then hunker down and rain grav shots at the riptides

Grav makes them sad.  As long as he doesn't use the new FW version of the riptides haha if he has five of those...don't drop the soap.

 

The other thing: Dreadknights.  Turn 1: shunt.  Turn 2: Force Weapons, hitting and wounding on 3's and 2's with re-rolls