Kroot Changes:

[Schlitzaf]

via reddit:

All Kroot get scout move

Carnivores (and presumably shaper) are now (with assuming Kroot Rifle):

S4 T4 2A AP -1

 

Krootox/Shaper/Hounds slotless per Carnivore Squad

 

Krootox 4A/2A Damage AP -2

 

Shapers have a relic that is an aura +1 Attack

 

Also fun treat:

Vespids have 2 Damage weapon.

[Panzer]

Also Kroot Hounds:

 

M12, S3, T3 W1 A3, AP -1

7" pregame move, +1 save when in cover. Reroll advance and charge rolls

6 pts, 4-12 models in the squad

 

 

Kroot Shaper are HQ finally!

Edited January 14, 2022 by Panzer

[Happy-inquisitor]

If that is right then they have baked in the bonus from the Krootox strat into the base stats of the unit - which is great. It makes them genuine beefy melee units.

 

I've cleared out more than a few ObSec units with Krootox since FtGG came out and if they just always have A4 and AP -2 then they are going to make it into my lists for flipping objectives in most games. Actually my Krootox have a pretty stellar kill tally since that stratagem came out including quite a few enemy characters. I think at 25ppm I'm always taking my Krootox.

 

But then I would always play Kroot hordes if I can, I've been playing them since 6th edition.

 

Kroot got useful in melee too. I believe one of the Ethereal buffs works on them

 

Power of the Tides - Aux unit within 6", +1 to Wound rolls for all their attacks

 

If that's right then we can buff Kroot and Kroot Hounds to be actually dangerous to a number of things. Not incredibly dangerous but then they are cheap scoring chaff themselves so I think we should be content with that.

[Schlitzaf]

Also Kroot Hounds:

 

M12, S3, T3 W1 A3, AP -1

7" pregame move, +1 save when in cover. Reroll advance and charge rolls

6 pts, 4-12 models in the squad

 

 

Kroot Shaper are HQ finally!

They are?! Link?

[Panzer]

 

Also Kroot Hounds:

 

M12, S3, T3 W1 A3, AP -1

7" pregame move, +1 save when in cover. Reroll advance and charge rolls

6 pts, 4-12 models in the squad

 

 

Kroot Shaper are HQ finally!

They are?! Link?

 

It's in the reddit thread with all the other leaks. He answered a lot of questions in the comments.

[Tawnis]

If this is all true, I will be over the freaking moon! 

The one thing I'm actually not sold on is Krootox and HHounds not taking up a FO slot (unless it's optional) as it will be hard to fill out my Brigade Detachement otherwise. I suppose I could take 2 battalions, but it's not the same. 

 

Also, any word on stratagems? A week ago I would have been happy with a simple fix to Hidden Hunters, but now, seems like we could get so much more! :D

[Happy-inquisitor]

If this is all true, I will be over the freaking moon! 

 

The one thing I'm actually not sold on is Krootox and HHounds not taking up a FO slot (unless it's optional) as it will be hard to fill out my Brigade Detachement otherwise. I suppose I could take 2 battalions, but it's not the same. 

 

Also, any word on stratagems? A week ago I would have been happy with a simple fix to Hidden Hunters, but now, seems like we could get so much more!

The only stratagem confirmed is one for a Kroot unit to gain a 5+ FNP if they destroy an enemy unit in combat. With the boosts to their combat and a tendency toward MSU in games I think that might actually be achievable.

 

With the improvements to the base stats I'm assuming that they FtGG stratagems are going away - Krootox sort of have Raging Beasts baked into their profile now. I would love for Kroot to still have Ambushing Predators but I'm thinking they probably will not.

[Panzer]

 

With the improvements to the base stats I'm assuming that they FtGG stratagems are going away 

 

Considering that FtGG doesn't exist anymore in the new Codex, yeah that's a safe bet. ^^

[Tawnis]

I heard that Dal'Yth is still  going to be the "Auxiliary Sept" even if they don't' get Sept traits. Maybe we'll see something locked behind that sub faction? 

[Happy-inquisitor]

I heard that Dal'Yth is still  going to be the "Auxiliary Sept" even if they don't' get Sept traits. Maybe we'll see something locked behind that sub faction? 

It seems that auxiliaries in Dal'yth get to benefit from your choice of Mont'ka or Kauyon. That feels to me like an invitation to try out a Kroot Rush list and see how it works, supported by Stealth units.

 

Which would be thematic and fun.

 

I do think that the inability to use markerlights or benefit from any Core buffs is going to limit them but that also seems fair enough. Both Kroot and Vespid look like their basic stats are solid for the points and I've found in previous editions that needing to focus the buffs elsewhere has had its hidden benefits. Auxiliaries are pretty disposable by design even when you take as many of them as I do.

[Shas'El Bo'Drop]

Very interesting, I really think this opens up different playstyles for the Tau. Hoping that an in-your-face list that isn't FSE is viable now.

[Tawnis]

I've played a lot of Kroot this edition, and even as they are now, they're pretty hard to shift if you toss a giant blob on each objective (or at least shift with enough time left to matter). From what I've seen, we've got a lot of buffs and a few nerfs to 9th ed Kroot. This is all based on what I've heard in the forums so, huge grain of salt.

Buffs:

- Dal-Yth gives Kroot Mont'Ka which will be great. 

- Ethereals can give +1 to wound to an Auxiliary unit (on a 3+).

- Kroot Hounds get +1 A. (Think these will be really viable now, at only 6 pts and with a huge movement range, I think these little guys will find a niece as a key harassments unit that can also grab table quarters.) 

- Carnivores now T4 with 2A and AP: -1 (Some have said both modes of weapon are AP-1, some say only in melee.) 

- Krootox Rage by default 4A, S:6, AP:-2, D:2 (Big smile when I saw this, called it months ago.) 

- Shaper relic gives +1 A and +1 S (single use?)

- Kroot gain +1sv while in cover. (Likely straight up replacing the Hidden Hunters strat.)

- Krootox down to 25pts. (These guys were secretly really solid last edition, T5, 4W meant you had to commit a fair bit to killing them and while they weren't strong they hit fine for their 28 points. With the points decrease AND being good in melle, I can see these getting run a lot more now even in regular lists.)

- Strat to gain 5+ FNP after killing a unit in melee. (Really like the flavour of this even if I still think it won't happen too often, or often be worth it when it does.) (if this works on all Kroot and not just Carnovires, I could see Krootox making use of this a lot.)

- Shaper now HQ?! (I only saw one person say this and couldn't verify, but damn I hope so, especially since Ethreals seem more support now instead of key buffing units.)

Nerfs:
- From wording looks like they won't be core (as predicted) and thus unable to gain any other Ethereal buffs like the 5+FNP, or -1 to be hit if they moved. (The old 6+ FNP aura really helped.)

- Loosing the Ld aura from Ethereals, will Shapers have high enough Ld to replace this? (The old 9 Ld aura really helped keep you from running.) 

- If you MUST not use a FO slot for Shaper/Krootox/Hound when you use them with Carnivores, will severely restrict all Kroot lists. 

 

We are still missing some info, like what the Shaper's LD will be. If it's 9, or maybe even 8, I won't be that bummed out. But if they are stuck down at Ld 6-7, the buffs to their toughness and +1sv in cover will likely wash with more models running away and no longer having the 6+ FNP.  The new stratagem incentivizes 20 man squads to really get value from the 5+ FNP, but again, LD issue, so hopefully there is something that can be done to mitigate that. 

 

Overall, I think we're making out pretty good this edition, better than I feared by a long shot at least. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by Tawnis

[Panzer]

 

- Shaper now HQ?! (I only saw one person say this and couldn't verify, but damn I hope so, especially since Ethreals seem more support now instead of key buffing units.)

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tau40K/comments/s3dafd/dynamic_entry/hslj1u1/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

[Schlitzaf]

Do we know poibts for Shaper/Kroot Hounds and whay in the world shaper does now?

[Happy-inquisitor]

Do we know poibts for Shaper/Kroot Hounds and whay in the world shaper does now?

Shaper is 25 pts HQ. Normal Kroot rules for bonus cover and pre-game move.

 

 6" reroll 1's aura for all Kroot units and also give their Ld 8 to Kroot within 6"

 

The shaper can swap out their ritual blade (S+1 AP1 melee) for a pistol and a one-use 6" Grenade 2d6 S5 ap1 - seems like a fun option on a cheap character.

 

They also have warlord trait and relic options.

 

Cheap and flimsy but useful, pretty much sums up the 9th edition Kroot line