They come to bugger your fish

[HenricusTyranicus]

Looking at the wording for the OSC, it looks like it may have undergone a re-write before production. The lore justification is that they create a "wall of mirrors" (which is idiotic because ion weapons shoot plasma not lasers) to bounce around their targets cover and armor (which should reduce the range because the shot would have to get around the hull to get to said rear armor and if it's only in range to hit the corner of a Russ tread there's no way it'll reach around the hull to weak spots). And, the wording is you may do this thing, like there's an option rather than just giving the rules because you lose nothing for taking them. It seem like in an earlier draft there was likely a choice between having ignores cover and rear armor and getting your cover saves, because they're using their cover systems to bounce shots all around the place. It would make perfect sense to balance out such a powerful ability with something so dangerous.

 

The power creep is just getting insane with this one formation. Why not just give it a reasonable weakens\counter balance? In my meta, pre necron codex living metal was common on the tables. The new codex came out and everyone was happy to see the updates and watch Necrons become relevant again. However, about three months later they disappeared for good it seemed. When I asked Necron players where they went, they told me that it just wasn't fun any more watching people get frustrated as they were tabled by the living metal armies that were just as strong at the end of the game as they'd started.

 

I need to stop rambling so, congratulations GW, we'll see in a few months if you've made another army to broken to be fun.

It's balanced against all the stuff marines got. Poor consolation for guard players, no doubt, but based on the rules each side got, I think marines are capable of tearing Tau apart. And even with the new formations, we've got our tanks against the marines, which creates a Rock-Paper-Scissors scenario. I honestly haven't thought too much else the Tau got is tough, this is the only thing that REALLY scares me. But with the help of some ignores cover lascannons, a skyshield landing pad, some LoS breaking cover, we should hold our own. 

 

Also, Baneblades will be mostly unaffected by this. 

 

EDIT: Bring on the Assassins, almost all of them will make the Ghostkeel weep. 

[CoffeeGrunt]

Yeah, the OSC is the only standout option in the Codex tbh. Even the Tau's super formation is merely pretty decent IMO. It gives them +1BS if three units converge fire and allows them to fire multiple units as one. They also share Markerlights.

 

However it lends itself to overkilling your target and wasting Markerlights and shots, which is something that the Tau can't really afford, being a qualitative army.

 

Also March, ICs may join a unit to fire a Gunrig's Railgun, but they take up a valuable HQ slot you ideally want to save for a Commander with either buffing gear, (especially with Crisis Suits now being 1-9,) or shooty dakka. All the Ethereal options are fragile and give away VPs upon death, and still have to fire at the same target anyway.

 

The only real option is the Cadre Fireblade, who comes with Split Fire as standard, but again, he takes up a HQ slot.