StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Since i've finally found that at uni i'll have time and people to play 40K with i've got back into it.
Since i haven't played inm a while and never played with Tau here's a basic 1,000 point list for scrutiny:

numbers in brackets are individual points cost

HQ:

-Shas'o Commander (75), twin linked plasma rifles (24) missle pod (14) Hard wired multi tracker (10) HW drone controller (2) with two shield drones (30)
+ 2 Bodyguards (80)
BG1 - burst cannon (10) missle pod (14) multi tracker (5) HW target lock (7)
BG2 - Fusion blaster (12) missle pod (14) multi tracker (5) HW Drone controller (2) with two shield drones (30)
Total cost: 334

Notes: The multi trackers allow maximum fire power. The target lock on BG1 allows it to fire at a more worthwhile target if the others attack heavyly armed targets that would shrug off it's burst cannon (ST 5 AP 5 Assault 3). The plasma rifles (ST6 AP 2 Rapid Fire) and fusion blaster (ST8 AP1 Assault 1, melta) provide fire to crack armoured targets and tanks. The missle pods can be nasty against light vehicles and lightly armoured troops as well ( ST 7 AP4 Assault 2). SO over all this unit can pretty much take on anything. The shield drones will help keep them alive (hits must be allocated to drones before others, 4+ invunerable ssave)

Troops:
2 squads of 12 fire warriors = 240

Notes: not much. Troops to provide fire. Have a decent basic weapon (ST5 AP5 Rapid Fire) Squads may be broke down into units of 6 instead.

Heavy Support:

- Broad side team: 2 broadsides (140), multi trackers (5*2 = 10)
- Broad side team: 2 broadsides (140), multi trackers (5*2 = 10)
Total: 300

Notes: 4 twin linked rail guns (ST10 AP1 Heavy1)) should make short work of any tanks. Adding the multi trackers means the broadside can fire it's railgun and smart missles (ST5 AP5 Heavy4) in the same turn which will allow one team to unleash 2 rail gun shots (re-rolling misses) and 8 missles (gnoring line of sight) at a target.

Total so far: 874
Therefor i have 126 spare points to help tailor the army to my opponent
possible inclusions are:

Etheral (50)(HQ) - All Tau re-roll failed morale checks while he is alive.
Hammerhead with smart missles and ion cannon (140)(Heavy Support) - will require the sacrifice of something (probably the second drone controller in the commanders bodyguard) but will provide me with a nice weapon (Ion cannon -St7 AP3 Heavy3) to crack open armoured troops such as marines.
18 strong kroot squad (126)(troops) - provides me with a counter attack option if the enemy gets too close for comfort.
Gun Drone Squadron (12 points per drone, 4-8 drones)(Fast attack) - More of a nuiscance than a threat but pinning tests they cause can come in handy as well as the ability to deep strike and grab table quarters.
Fire warrior squad (6-12 fire warriors, 10 points per warrior)(Troops) - more basic troops.
1 or 2 Crisis battle suits (Points depends on equipment)(Elites) - versatile and endlessly useful, but expensive and attract fire.
More Broadsides(Heavy Support) - More big guns !

Pathfinders and stealth teams are options but will be limited to teams of four due to high cost per model (Stealth) or the cost of the compulsory Devilfish transport (Path finders), whichnin my opinion is too small a squadsize.

You'd be better off posting this at SB or dakkadakka and see it get picked apart.....

-Shas'o Commander (75), twin linked plasma rifles (24) missle pod (14) Hard wired multi tracker (10) HW drone controller (2) with two shield drones (30)
+ 2 Bodyguards (80)
BG1 - burst cannon (10) missle pod (14) multi tracker (5) HW target lock (7)
BG2 - Fusion blaster (12) missle pod (14) multi tracker (5) HW Drone controller (2) with two shield drones (30)
Total cost: 334

Thats wayyyyy expensive. This isnt a demon prince or seer council for god sakes, keep it small.

You don't really need twin linked for BS5 (I think) and it is a waste of points. Twin linked plasma is good for lower BS units and overheat prong weapons, which you don't have to worry about.

Don't spend points on target locks, just put the suits in elite spots and start adding trackers after you've run out and have to double up. Being able to split the squad makes this unit far more flexible and useful. You are unlikely to find a target for burst cannon and fusion blaster both in range with this unit, making the gun mix suboptimal.

If you are using v3 Rules, just screen suits with firewarriors and you need no shields. In v4, you can get shields but 4+ really isn't much. I think for longer ranged suits (fireknive) one can leave the shields can just use cover and jet pack. (which is now faster and the assult move is still there) Short ranged suits gets drone to add firepower while retaining most of the protection drones provide.

Fusion blaster isn't really that great because anything that close probably will be charge/shot to death the next turn. The few times this is an good idea is to mix it with plasma and kill enemy heavy support before dying.
Burst cannon is not as good as plasma on crisis suits.

Also I say you get more firewarrior troop for a decent firebase. With the upcoming v4 double tap rule firewarrior are actually okay basic troops, and you have enough broadsides to munch up armor. Split them into 3 HS slots if you aren't using it though. It would also end the cheeze-factor in suit heavy armies.

Good point on the Commander and bodyguards, regarding splitting them up.
On getting more firewarriors i would have though two squads of 12 would have been enough.

I am now also seriously thinking about pathfinders as their marker lights give a hefty benefit to the Broadside teams, bumping up from an average of 4.5 wounds to 7 per turn against T3 troops before saving throws (3.5 to 6 on T4)

Find access to rec.games.miniatures.warhammer. Make sure your post title is marked with the tag [40k] and something about a Tau Army List. The guys on there have been playing for years than you've probably know about the game and have a lot of expertise to share.