Heavy Armored list

[Galron]

We have an escalation league in the new year and felt I would do something different. I didn't want to build my usual suit heavy list and definitely did not want to build a trip-tide list. While the thought of 3 Storm Surges was appealing to a degree, it wouldn't have had as much stuff as I like and spending that much money on three models that aren't even half the force turned me against it, despite seeing those cool armed versions carrying the big gun like a rifle. So I thought I would go with an idea I have been brewing on since 8th came out. I love the look of Tau tanks and thought I might have a go at doing Tau for the escalation league. It isn't pure tanks, I do love how ghost keels look and I ended up getting 2 of those a year ago along with a commander suit at a Hobbytown sale for less than $50 for all three. The commander suit can be removed without too much issue and replaced with something else.

 

The rules for the league encourage more fun lists as we are going on a ticket system for prizes at the end as opposed to win loss. If you show up, you get a ticket, if your army is completely painted that week, you get another one, then at the end its a lottery. No lords of war(which would have nixed the storm surge idea anyway). Must be either a new army or must be stuff you haven't built yet for existing armies, minor crossover is allowed. If you use a unit in an earlier week, it must be present in later weeks. Doesn't have to be equipped the same or same numbers. For example, if I use a fire warrior squad in week one with 10 guys, then in week 4 that fire warrior squad must still be present, but can be equipped with something different and only have 5 guys.

 

Week/month 1 (500)

Patrol detachment- Tau sept

Fireblade(warlord) puretide engram chip, through unity devastation

Strike team 7 dudes with pulse rifles, marker light on the 'ui

Ghostkeel- burst cannons, Ion raker, shield generator, target lock

Hammerhead- Ion cannon, gun drones, seeker missile

Devilfish- SMS system, burst cannon

 

Should provide enough firepower and protection I think. Very few CP but its 500 points. The seeker is just there because I have 5 points left. I brought the dakka ghost keel here and later so I have some anti-horde ability leaving the AT to the big tanks. I don't expect to see much tanks at this level, but who knows.

 

Week/month 2 (1000)

Battalion - Tau Sept

Same Fireblade warlord

Long Strike

Strike team x6 dudes, markerlight

2x Breacher teams 5 dudes each

Ghostkeel as above just with ATS instead of target lock

2 Hammerheads with Ion cannons, burst cannons

2 Devilfish 1 with gun drones, 1 with SMS

 

This points level was more build up for later points. I'll obviously be short markerlight support only having 2 in the army, but the hammerheads will be supported by Longstrike and no seekers this time. The breachers will be more useful at later points but I felt I needed more objective grabbing ability. Hopefully I will be dominating on the mobility front.

 

Week/month 3 (1500)

Battalion Tau

Fireblade

FusionStar commander nothing else

3 5 man breacher teams

Ghostkeel as per week 2

2 Devilfish 1 with gun drones, 1 with SMS

 

Spearhead Tau

Longstrike

2 hammerheads with ion/burst cannons

1 Skyray with SMS

 

Battalion Sa'cea

Fireblade warlord as above

Fireblade

3 Strike teams 5 man with marker lights

Firesight Marksman

 

Now the list is developing in the direction I want it to go. The commander is more of a case that I have the mini and it looks useful for going after underdefended tanks and such. Otherwise I would bring Darkstrider. I don't have great markerlight support but it is starting to hit the field in usable numbers and at this level, if they shoot the marker lights, it means they aren't shooting something more valuable. Still using the burst cannons on the hammerheads as I just don't have the points for something better like SMS or gun drones. Although if you can think of something to do with 3 points I would be happier.

 

Week/month 4 (2000)

 Tau Batt 1

+ 2 shield drones to commander

+  Ghostkeel same as above but no shield gen. Replacing the ATS with a shield gen is worth considering.

+ Gun drones on both devilfish and a seeker on one.

 

Sa'cea Batt 2

+ pathfinder team

+ tetra team

 

Tau Spearhead

Longstrike with gun drones, railgun, 2 seeker missiles

3 Hammerheads with Ion and SMS

Skyray with SMS

 

I might be overkilling on markerlights but I haven't played enough to know. So a bunch of tanks and pair of fish along with a rear line for lighting things up. Thinking it should be fairly efficient. I could easily drop a ghost keel for another Skyray. Can also drop a hammerhead for a Bombardment Hammerhead for high volume mid strength fire. I believe they have the Hammerhead keyword and are still buffed by longstrike.

 

Declared opponents so far are a slaanesh army and an admech force. I think most of us already have marine armies so I actually do not expect to see many in this league. I really don't care about winning as much as I don't want to be curb stomped. So how will this do?

[The Yncarne]

I have tried to run triple ion heads and longstrike. There just isn’t enough hammerhead shots in my experience. I have been playing with a pair of heavy bombardment hammerheads sans longstrike and hit much more often given the sheer amount of dice thrown.

 

For marker lights, I’ve found you need one or four. Two or three marker light hits don’t help much in most of my games. YMMV.

 

I’m probably not representative of most players though nor have I played with ghost keels.

[Galron]

I am thinking about swapping the added ghostkeel for 2 squads of 3 Sa'cea Stealth suits, one with a fusion gun.

 

If I am not mistaken since the Heavy Bombardment Hammerhead has keyword Hammerhead and Longstrike gives his bonus to HAMMERHEADs it should benefit them as well right? <edit> according to Tau tactica they do.

 

So you think bombardment hammerheads are better than Ionheads? I would think broadsides are more efficient but then they greatly lose the mobility of hammerheads and  defeats the theme, they do get shield gens and shield drones though.