Aeronautica Imperialis: Taros

[Beaky Brigade]

As the Tau Manta works out at about 22cm wingspan (based on 25% of the 40k model) I wonder if it will appear at this stage in the game, or if we'll see plastic Orca drop ships instead. For reference the Marauders are about 10cm wingspan.

The Orca was pretty minimally armed if I remember, but they could always add a gunship version to give it some versatility.

 

My guestimated Tau range so far:

Barracuda Fighter (burst cannon or ion cannon)
T’au Tiger Shark ( burst cannons or ion cannon)
T’au Tiger Shark AX-1-0 (Heavy railguns) either as a dual kit or separate release
Transport (Orca?)
Ground assets

Possible:
Tiger Shark AX-2-2 (Remora drone fighter mother ship)

Remora drone fighters
Manta (!)




 

Edited January 30, 2020 by Beaky Brigade

[Black Knight]

 

The Rynn's World Air War campaign book assumes you're playing on a hex-grid, but that's about it.  If you're looking for a larger mat than one that comes in the starter set, Deep Cut Studios do some for Blood Red Skies (the battlefield one looks best), which they'll put a hex-grid on for you if you ask (disclaimer: I've never used them, and it comes from Lithuania, so postage, etc).  If you're playing with a group of "like-minded individuals", converting AI from hexes isn't too difficult (multiply all distances by 2", and all turns are in increments of 60 degrees).  Does that address what you were asking?

 

 

Thanks Firedrake Cordova, I just wanted to know whether I could just get one fabric mat rather than buy every board that goes with each book(I am happy but worried about the longevity of the cardboard mats). I already saw the one from Deep Cut and have it on my list to buy after I get the city one for AT :)

[Firedrake Cordova]

Thanks Firedrake Cordova, I just wanted to know whether I could just get one fabric mat rather than buy every board that goes with each book(I am happy but worried about the longevity of the cardboard mats)

No worries. :)  I'll admit to having the same concerns about the longevity of the official cardboard mats (the "hinges" are going to wear and look ugly) :) (or should that be :( ?)

[Vector Strike]

As the Tau Manta works out at about 22cm wingspan (based on 25% of the 40k model) I wonder if it will appear at this stage in the game, or if we'll see plastic Orca drop ships instead. For reference the Marauders are about 10cm wingspan.

 

The Orca was pretty minimally armed if I remember, but they could always add a gunship version to give it some versatility.

 

My guestimated Tau range so far:

 

Barracuda Fighter (burst cannon or ion cannon)

T’au Tiger Shark ( burst cannons or ion cannon)

T’au Tiger Shark AX-1-0 (Heavy railguns) either as a dual kit or separate release

Transport (Orca?)

Ground assets

 

Possible:

Tiger Shark AX-2-2 (Remora drone fighter mother ship)

Remora drone fighters

Manta (!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the Tigersharks shown has 4 plasma weapons; also, the barracuda is the AX-5-2 version, which means it'll have ion, burst and rail main weapon options.

And I expect to see Razor and Sunshark in the future.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

As the Tau Manta works out at about 22cm wingspan (based on 25% of the 40k model) I wonder if it will appear at this stage in the game, or if we'll see plastic Orca drop ships instead. For reference the Marauders are about 10cm wingspan.

 

The Orca was pretty minimally armed if I remember, but they could always add a gunship version to give it some versatility.

 

 

There was a missile platform version of the Orca mentioned called the Scorpionfish, which would be cool to see (possibly in a dual kit with the Orca proper, considering we get the Valkyrie and Vendetta together), although this version was supposed to be pretty much surface-bound due to added weight, but that would be easy to retcon/ explain away as a more advanced iteration 

[Burni]

Maybe it would follow the Orks with two platforms in the box and then one additional and maybe a variant of one of them. So each Xenos gets three platforms basically.

[klisof]

I'm having mixed feelings about the Voss pattern lightning at the moment. Is this going to underperform in the game?

 

Looking at the pictures on the preview and the 40k size version on the FW website it does not have the long barrelled autocannon the old style of lightning had so only seems to come as the strike variant.

 

If this leaves it just with one twin lascannon and missiles that will the the smallest weapons loadout on a fighter to date.

Twin lascannon are 0/2/1 on both the plane's that have them to date. If it's the same for the lightning is this going to be worth taking over a thunderbolt unless it's a dirt cheap missile platform?

0 short range firepower would be a major disadvantage.

 

I'll still buy a box to paint though.

[Arendious]

I'm guessing the multi-laser version covers the short-range gap. Though I'd gladly bring a swarm of cheap spear-chuckers to just lob missiles at range, then let the Furies clean up anyone that leaks through.

[Beaky Brigade]

It should also have more manoeuvre options than the Thunderbolt, so I guess it will be more of a scalpel than a hammer. Perhaps it will be a lot cheaper, around dakkajet prices?

[klisof]

I would guess the lightning has access to manoeuvres 1 to 7 with a top speed of 7 or 8 as it's meant to be faster and more manoeuvrable than the Thunderbolt.

 

If it's cheap enough or if I'm totally wrong about its firepower (very possible) it would have a place in lists alongside a couple of Thunderbolts.

[Sparika]

In Age of Darkness, the lightning can take three dual hardpoints which can each mount either bombs, autocanon, missiles launchers, multilasers, electromagnetic charges, kraken penetrator heavy missiles, sunfury heavy missiles. So their is quite some room to improve the dakkaness of the platform.

[Firedrake Cordova]

It should also have more manoeuvre options than the Thunderbolt, so I guess it will be more of a scalpel than a hammer.

That would be in line with my guess (I'd also go with 2 structure points) - the Thunderbolt is a heavy fighter, whereas the Lightning is an interceptor/air superiority fighter. 

 

Or to put it in the words of Milan Blansher of the Phantine XX, "a pilot flew the Lightning for the joy of flying, and the Thunderbolt for the joy of killing"

Edited February 4, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[Burni]

They had the new minis out at WHW. The Tigershark can be built with rail guns.

 

The mini valks look amazing!

[Reyner]

They had the new minis out at WHW. The Tigershark can be built with rail guns.

 

The mini valks look amazing!

I saw the pics on Facebook I love the Tigersharks :D mine shall be Farsight Enclave red!

[RedRowan]

Was anything new said about the new game or was it just the miniatures on show?

 

Bought the first game and really liked the rules and miniatures but had no interest in Orks so never really played it. Much more interested in this one though. I hope we some more aircraft as part of wave 2 in addition to the new ones in the box set.

 

Steve

[Burni]

Was anything new said about the new game or was it just the miniatures on show?

 

Bought the first game and really liked the rules and miniatures but had no interest in Orks so never really played it. Much more interested in this one though. I hope we some more aircraft as part of wave 2 in addition to the new ones in the box set.

 

Steve

I was there for the Titanicus event which was at the same time as the AI one (shame as I’d have liked to have done both) so I didn’t get to hear what was talked about for that game. Just saw them in the cabinet later.

[Beaky Brigade]

I saw them in the cabinet but didn't get a chance to wander over. A few GW staffers were playing AI but they didn't answer the questions I heard asked about what might be next.

 

The rules team were there and I got the impression a FAQ was in progress and stuff that came up during the event would be added.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Beaky Brigade

[Beaky Brigade]

I haven't seen the latest WHC stream, but the word on Facebook is they hinted that the reverse side of the new Taros board is...

A cave!?!

Yes, apparently there is going to be some action movie style flying along some sort of cave system or tube tunnels. I guess think Star Wars level close confines flying and it makes sense.

[Reyner]

I haven't seen the latest WHC stream, but the word on Facebook is they hinted that the reverse side of the new Taros board is...

 

A cave!?!

 

Yes, apparently there is going to be some action movie style flying along some sort of cave system or tube tunnels. I guess think Star Wars level close confines flying and it makes sense.

Ha awesome, hope there are giant stalactites that planes have to fly around :P 

[RedRowan]

Seems Warhammer TV is going to have a preview of Skies of Fire on Thursday at 5pm UK time.

 

Steve

[klisof]

Did anyone manage to tune into the preview?

 

I was not able to but I'm wondering if there was any new info in there.

Edited March 6, 2020 by klisof

[Arendious]

I don't think it happened. At very least not where a simple Google search finds mention of.

[Iron Hands Fanatic]

I saw parts of it - the stuff I remember:

 

The Taros campaign in the book is actually the *second* war for Taros - the Imperium returns to the planet after it's taken by the T'au (at this point it's a pretty well established world and relatively deep in T'au space) to reclaim it. By now Taros has been extensively mined - so extensively in fact that there's a series of massive caverns that wormhole the planet's crust, in which some of the campaign's engagements will take place (they wanted to include rules for more sci-fi themed settings). Another setting mentioned for campaign battles is in the upper stratosphere around a space elevator the T'au have constructed to transport the planet's mineral wealth into orbit.

 

There was talk of some familiar characters from the Taros Imperial Armour book returning, but not a huge amount of detail on any of the aircraft aside from discussing the general design philosophy of T'au aircraft - they're mid-ranged focused similar to the Imperials, and tend to have really high manoeuvrability but slightly slower speeds. As Aeronautica breaks down aircraft by their main weapon (i.e Thunderbolt & Thunderbolt Fury), the large degree of weapon modularity of the T'au aircraft means they've had to extend their serial numbers and split them into different profiles - so you'll have multiple Barracuda variants for the railgun/burst cannon/ion cannon for example. As the model previews have indicated, Taros also brings in more of the support aircraft that tend to be seconded to Guard Regiments - your Valkyries/Vendettas/Vultures.

 

That's about as much detail as I remember - they didn't show any images not already previewed on WarCom and didn't actually have the book on stream, but there was mention of perhaps having another preview closer to release so they can discuss the actual content in more detail.

[duz_]

Do we have an eta on the release?

 

Thx for the info IHF! :tu:

[Qkhitai]

I saw parts of it - the stuff I remember:

 

The Taros campaign in the book is actually the *second* war for Taros - the Imperium returns to the planet after it's taken by the T'au (at this point it's a pretty well established world and relatively deep in T'au space) to reclaim it. By now Taros has been extensively mined - so extensively in fact that there's a series of massive caverns that wormhole the planet's crust, in which some of the campaign's engagements will take place (they wanted to include rules for more sci-fi themed settings). Another setting mentioned for campaign battles is in the upper stratosphere around a space elevator the T'au have constructed to transport the planet's mineral wealth into orbit.

 

Oh, that's really cool if it's going to be a new M42 era conflict; great if that means AI and Specialist Games will be pushing the narrative forward alongside 40k. A space elevator sounds awesome too, some real Ace Combat vibes there. Thanks for sharing, this is looking like a really exciting expansion so far!