One last tweak to the Bork'An list

Last week I came back from a seized initiative against another 3-0 Tau player to go undefeated and secure first place in the month's league play!

After seeing what he was doing I decided to make a few tweaks on my list, mainly giving my drop commander more firepower.  I ended up dropping a Stealth suit to make room.

2000 pts, 106 PL

Battalion Detachment:
HQ: Cadre Fireblade
HQ: Commander (warlord), XV8-02, Shield Generator, missile pod, drone controller, 2x marker drone, puretide

Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone
Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone
Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight

Fast: 4 Marker drone
Fast: 5 Pathfinders, grav-inhibitor drone, pulse accelerator drone

Vanguard detachment:
HQ: Commander, plasma rifle (replaced by Plasma accelerator), 2x fusion blaster, XV8-02, 2x shield drone

Elite: Firesight Marksman
Elite: XV9 Hazzard, burst cannons, ATS, 2x shield drone
Elite: XV25 stealth x3, marker drone, 1x fusion, 2x Velocity tracker, 1x drone controller
Elite: XV104 Riptide, Heavy burst cannon, SMS, advanced targeting system, target lock

Heavy: 2 XV88 Broadside, HYMP, SMS, ATS, 2 shield 2 marker
Heavy: 2 XV88 Broadside, HYMP, SMS, ATS, 2 shield 2 marker

Fortification network:
Tidewall Droneport, 4x Marker drone


I realized the plasma on the drop commander allowed me to stay far back, but didn't do any damage. So I went with the more traditional fusion blasters, along with the relic plasma.    Same with the plasma on warlord buff commander. I decided to try out a missile pod for a bit of range. 

I had 9pts left over, so added a couple systems to the stealth suits - a fusion with a velocity tracker should be fun.

Updated Bork'An Sept list

I made some changes to my Tau list, dropping the Ghostkeels.  They were a lot of points for not a lot of damage.  Especially now where there is no first turn deep strikes in my face they are not as needed.

The key to the whole thing is Broadsides with missile pods.  They are just incredible, the amount of damage output is insane - with 16 shots EACH.  With the extra 6" of range from the Sept ability, they are almost unstoppable.   Equip with an ATS and the missiles are now -2 ap, with the S7 and d3 damage. 

Smart missiles are great as well getting that -1ap, I almost always end up shooting the two types at different targets. 

I then surround them with a ton of drones to keep them alive and so far it's worked very well. 

1999 pts, 105 PL

Battalion Detachment:
HQ: Cadre Fireblade
HQ: Commander, 2x plasma, Puretide, EWO, Drone controller, 2x marker drone

Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone
Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone
Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight

Fast: 4 Marker drone
Fast: 5 Pathfinders, grav-inhibitor drone, pulse accelerator drone

Vanguard detachment:
HQ: Commander, 3x plasma rifle (one replaced by Plasma accelerator), XV8-02, 2x shield drone

Elite: Firesight Marksman
Elite: XV9 Hazzard, burst cannons, ATS, 2x shield drone
Elite: XV25 stealth x4, marker drone, 1x fusion, 4x EWO
Elite: XV104 Riptide, Heavy burst cannon, SMS, advanced targeting system, target lock

Heavy: 2 XV88 Broadside, HYMP, SMS, ATS, 2 shield 2 marker
Heavy: 2 XV88 Broadside, HYMP, SMS, ATS, 2 shield 2 marker

Fortification network:
Tidewall Droneport, 4x Marker drone

I'm not sure yet about the stealth suits, but time will tell.  The main purpose of them is gone with big faq update, but not sure what I can replace them with.  I always manta strike the markers to come in turn one, to keep them alive.  the others on the tidewall keeps them safe if no one shoots at it, and the other targets are much more of a threat (broadsides, riptide).

The changes to the battalion helped a lot in the last game, allowing me to double nova and heal the Riptide.

The XV9 dropping in does a lot of damage with it's 16 shots at an extra -1ap. Give it just 1 markertlight hit and it's in good shape.  I think I need to adjust the weapons on the drop commander, not sure yet. He needs to do more than 1 damage per shot.

I've been having a lot of fun playing this list.  It's really a point the broadsides at something and delete it.  The 2 drop suits provide more than enough distraction though, as does the Riptide. Maybe someday someone will learn and focus down the broadsides, or at least try (go go savior protocols!).

More Tau!

Yep I keep painting Tau, this time two Firesight Marksman. 

These are pretty good, being only 25 pts and have a markerlight that hits on 3+. I put him in the Tidewall Drone Port withh 9 firewarriors.  Combined with a nearby drone controller that gives me 4 markerlights that hit on 2+ and one on 3+. Those are usually the first target :)

I also rebased and varnished one of my Broadsides that was on a piece of plasticard. I need another 40mm base for the 3rd marksman and a 60mm for the last Broadside. Don't want to waste any money though to do it lol

This base usies some bits made from my press molds and it came out pretty good!

So now I want to finish the 4 Sniper Drones I have, which will give me 7.  I have two more I need to work on - they were missing bits.

Showcase: Revamped Firewarriors

Back when I bought and painted my Tau in 2009, one thing I didn't know was varnish.  I learned about Dul Cote during my 3rd army, Blood Angels.  So my Tau was unvarnished (I've also since refurbished almost all my Orks, so it's almost all varnished as well).  I also needed a better way to designate my Firewarrior units.

So I made each one unique with shoulderpad trim and varnished them up. I've also varnished every single drone I have, plus the 2 XV8 suits I use in my current list.  I've gone through a whole can so far, and only the Broadsides remain.

Combined with their nice and shiny new Guardian Drones, the core of the army is set to hit the battlefield. I'm actually quite stoked about how these came out.

Showcase: Tidewall Droneport

I watched another guy at my FLGS play 2 of these the other night, and I decided to give it a go. Besides it looks fun to paint - and it was.  Plus it includes drones which I was going to buy anyway. 

It is a bit expensive for what you get, even for GW models. 

It will reduce my number of drops. So nixed one unit of tactical drones and a ghostkeel. Added in this (with it's own marker drones) and an XV9!  A bit more mobility I think. More things in manta strike. I might even do the same with the 2nd ghostkeel and add in my firesight marksman - which I'm painting right now.  yes, instead of Kommandos.

It looks awesome. Love the model. Makes me want to get more tidewall bits, but they can add up fast at the register.  Also at 70pts a pop, not sure how worth it is.

So I am working on my sniper drones and marksman, and yes the kommandos as well. Slowly.  I really need to work on bases both for the kommandos and the bomber.

Drones R Us

Holy crap I finally got something done!  I've spent the last 2 weeks on heavy duty spring cleaning, and that has finally slowed down so I was able to finish my new drones.

bought a bunch of bits off ebay, to build a pulse accelerator, grav inhibitor and 3 guardian drones. Cannibalized many old gun drones but that's fine. 

I had so many proxy drones last time after building a list completely ignoring what models I had and didn't have. Other than a few marker drones which I can proxy with gun drones, I have everything I need now.

Time to finish the blastajet then try to motivate myself to finish the Kommandos.

First Tau codex list - Bork'an sept.

Picked up my Codex today and pretty much liking what I see.

I think building around a Sept is the way to go, so that's what I did.  Picking Bork'An for my first attempt and putting as many heavy and rapid fire guns in as I could.  Also I love my Ghostkeels so those are going to benefit from the extra range!

Is the Riptide back??

1998 pts, 107 PL

Battalion Detachment:
HQ: Cadre Fireblade, 2x shield done
HQ: Commander, 2x plasma, EWO, Drone controller, 2x marker drone

Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone
Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone
Troop: 9 Strike Team, Markerlight, guardian drone

Fast: 4 Marker drone
Fast: 4 Marker done
Fast: 5 Pathfinders, grav-inhibitor drone

Vanguard detachment:
HQ: Commander, 3x plasma rifle (one replaced by Plasma accelerator), XV8-02, 2x shield drone

Elite: XV95 Ghostkeel, cyclic ion raker, burst cannons, shield generator, target lock, drones
Elite: XV95 Ghostkeel, cyclic ion raker, burst cannons, shield generator, target lock, drones
Elite: XV104 Riptide, Heavy burst cannon, SMS, advanced targeting system, target lock

Heavy: 2 XV88 Broadside, HYMP, SMS, ATS, 2 shield 2 marker
Heavy: 2 XV88 Broadside, HYMP, SMS, ATS, 2 shield 2 marker


23 total markerlights!!

Seems like a pretty obvious fire base of broadsides wrapped by firewarriors.  The buff commander is back, kinda, using command and control node stratagem when needed and the drone controller means the 14 marker drones have a better chance to hit.  The 2nd commander will manta strike to go for the kill on something important...but the extra range means he might be able to stay back a bit.  Plenty of shield drones as well to keep the broadside alive, and finally the grav drone to try and keep stuff back a bit! 

And then the ghostkeels infiltrating and being a nuisance of themselves. the extra range on the raker sound like a good way to keep them alive - with a 4++ and -2 to hit.

oh, if you're wondering why the firewarriors are 9 per unit, it's because of secondary points in ITC format tournaments.