What's "competitive" in 8th?

[Progenitor]

My gaming group are looking to start a slow-grow league for 8th edition. Lots of us have our "main" armies and we're looking to encourage people to get painting so we can enjoy having fully painted armies for everyone. We've already been getting there (I painted more models last year alone than I have in the previous 10!). 

 

I've been looking at my options and, as usual, I'm flip-flopping all over the place. I want some big models to go to town on, but also like the idea of armies that I've never had before and that our group hasn't played before. I know that currently T'au have some weaknesses but I'm not familiar enough with the army to know what that is (other than Crisis suits are too expensive). So, if someone could give me a brief rundown that'd be appreciated. 

 

I put together a list that I think has some legs to it; 

 

+++ T'au 2k (Warhammer 40,000 8th Edition) [115 PL, 1976pts] +++

 

++ Battalion Detachment +3CP (T'au Empire) ++

 

+ Dedicated Transport +

 

TY7 Devilfish: Burst cannon

. Categories: <Sept>, T'au Empire, Transport, Dedicated Transport, Vehicle, Fly

. 2x MV1 Gun Drone: 4x Pulse carbine

. . Categories: Drone, Fly, <Sept>, T'au Empire

 

+ HQ +

 

Aun'Shi: Honour blade

. Categories: Character, HQ, Infantry, T'au Empire, Vior'la Sept, Legendary Unit

 

Commander: Advanced targeting system, 3x Burst cannon

. Categories: <Sept>, Battlesuit, Character, Fly, Jet Pack, HQ, T'au Empire, Commander

. 2x MV4 Shield Drone: 2x Shield generator

. . Categories: <Sept>, Fly, Drone, T'au Empire

 

Commander: Advanced targeting system, 3x Fusion blaster

. Categories: <Sept>, Battlesuit, Character, Fly, Jet Pack, HQ, T'au Empire, Commander

. 2x MV4 Shield Drone: 2x Shield generator

. . Categories: <Sept>, Fly, Drone, T'au Empire

 

+ Fast Attack +

 

Pathfinder Team: MV31 Pulse Accelerator Drone

. Categories: Fast Attack, Infantry, <Sept>, T'au Empire, Drone, Fly

. MB3 Recon Drone: Burst cannon

. 5x Pathfinder: 5x Markerlight, 5x Photon grenades, 5x Pulse carbine

 

Pathfinder Team: MV31 Pulse Accelerator Drone

. Categories: Fast Attack, Infantry, <Sept>, T'au Empire, Drone, Fly

. MB3 Recon Drone: Burst cannon

. 2x MV4 Shield Drone: 2x Shield generator

. . Categories: <Sept>, Fly, Drone, T'au Empire

. 2x Pathfinder: 2x Markerlight, 2x Photon grenades, 2x Pulse carbine

. 3x Pathfinder w/ Rail Rifle: 3x Photon grenades, 3x Rail rifle

 

Tactical Drones

. Categories: Fast Attack, Fly, <Sept>, Drone

. 10x MV1 Gun Drone: 20x Pulse carbine

. . Categories: Drone, Fly, <Sept>, T'au Empire

 

+ Troops +

 

Breacher Team

. Categories: Troops, Infantry, <Sept>, T'au Empire

. 9x Fire Warrior: 9x Photon grenades, 9x Pulse blaster

. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Photon grenades, Pulse blaster

 

Strike Team: MV36 Guardian Drone

. Categories: Infantry, Troops, <Sept>, T'au Empire

. DS8 Tactical Support Turret w/ Missile pod: Missile pod

. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Photon grenades, Pulse rifle

. 9x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 9x Photon grenades, 9x Pulse rifle

. MV1 Gun Drone: 2x Pulse carbine

. . Categories: Drone, Fly, <Sept>, T'au Empire

 

Strike Team: MV36 Guardian Drone

. Categories: Infantry, Troops, <Sept>, T'au Empire

. DS8 Tactical Support Turret w/ Missile pod: Missile pod

. Fire Warrior Shas'ui: Photon grenades, Pulse rifle

. 9x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle: 9x Photon grenades, 9x Pulse rifle

. MV1 Gun Drone: 2x Pulse carbine

. . Categories: Drone, Fly, <Sept>, T'au Empire

 

++ Super-Heavy Auxiliary Detachment (T'au Empire) ++

 

+ Lord of War +

 

KV128 Stormsurge: 2x Flamer, Advanced targeting system, Cluster rocket system, 4x Destroyer missile, Pulse blastcannon, Shield generator, 2x Smart missile system

. Categories: Lord of War, Vehicle, <Sept>, T'au Empire, Titanic

 

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (T'au Empire) ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Cadre Fireblade: Markerlight, Photon grenades, Pulse rifle

. Categories: <Sept>, Character, Infantry, HQ, T'au Empire

 

+ Elites +

 

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits

. Categories: <Sept>, Battlesuit, Elites, Fly, Infantry, Jet Pack, T'au Empire

. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Drone controller: Burst cannon, Drone controller

. 2x Stealth Shas'ui w/o support system: 2x Burst cannon

. Stealth Shas'vre: Burst cannon

 

XV25 Stealth Battlesuits

. Categories: <Sept>, Battlesuit, Elites, Fly, Infantry, Jet Pack, T'au Empire

. Stealth Shas'ui w/ Drone controller: Burst cannon, Drone controller

. 2x Stealth Shas'ui w/o support system: 2x Burst cannon

. Stealth Shas'vre: Burst cannon

 

XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit: 2x Burst cannon, Advanced targeting system, Cyclic ion raker, 2x MV5 Stealth Drone, Target lock

. Categories: Elites, Fly, <Sept>, Battlesuit, Jet Pack, T'au Empire, Monster, Drone

 

 

 

[Panzer]

Competetive in 8th for T'au is a very narrow list.

 

 - Quad Fusion Commander. Multiple of them.

 - Gun Drones. Lots! Preferable in a Devilfish together with a Fireblade even.

 - Stealth Suits for early board control, speed bumps, preventing first turn deep strikes where you don't want them, bringing Flamer Crisis in range and Quad Fusion Commander in melta range.

 - Flamer Crisis are a topic to argue about. Some like them, some don't. When I was still playing T'au a few months ago I loved them together with a bunch of Shield Drones, however I never played on tournament level with them.

 - Cyclic Ion Blaster Crisis Suits with ATS and Drones.

 - Breacher in a Devilfish

 - Pathfinder

 - Stormsurge with Shield Gen, EWO and ATS

 

 

Looking at your list specifically I have a few things to say:

 - A definite no to Burst Cannons. Especially on Commander. If you want anti-Horde just take CIB but I'd say you need more anti-tank so I'd give him 4xFB as well instead (current competetive T'au lists have like 3-4 Quad Fusion Commander).

 - Don't take ATS with Fusion Blaster. You don't need AP-5. AP-4 is plenty and an additional Fusion Blaster would do a lot more to kill your targets.

 - Give your Stormsurge an EWO. Keep in mind that he can take three support systems!

 - Split your Gun Drones in smaller units. Their LD is low and against any decent opponent they'll die quickly. A size of 4-5 is recommended for Drones unless they are part of a Crisis Suit unit where you can't split them in smaller groups.

 - Scratch Aun-Shi. If you really want an Ethereal in your list take Aun-Va instead (tho I admit that Aun-Shi is pretty awesome fluff-wise).

 - Guardian Drones are a waste of points. Nobody will shoot with AP-3 weapons at your Strike Teams lol

 - Not sure why your Stealth Suits have a Drone Controller. You'll want to use their Infiltrate rule so unless you drop a Crisis Suit unit with bunch of Gun Drones at their spot they won't have enough Drones around to utilize it properly.

 

 - For me the Ghostkeel has always under performed but I realise that some made good use of him so I won't recommend for or against using him in a list. At least the loadout is good. I'd argue that you don't necessarily need the Target Lock with the Markerlight Stratagem from the Chapter Approved, especially with a Fireblade to utilize it in your list, however you only have two units of Pathfinder in your list and one of them has a huge target on their heads with the Rail Rifles so don't expect them to survive for long.