As with Elites, the choices available to us for our Troop selections are unchanged from the Tau Codex. The only requirement is that any/all Firewarrior teams be brought in Devilfish. Since Firewarriors make up the bulk of any Tau Army, let's begin there.
Firewarriors
Content by Kai'lore, Azraphael99, Spooky, T0nkaTruckDriver, Written by Kai'lore, Azraphael99, T0nkaTruckDriver, Edited by T0nkaTruckDriver
Firewarriors MUST be mounted in a devilfish in a Mech list, otherwise they lack the mobility to be very useful on the battlefield. Mounting them gives them several advantages, making them nearly immune to Template weapons whilst allowing their rather high firepower to be applied exactly where you need it to be used, in fairly high volume. Firewarriors come standard with Pulse Rifles, and can be 'upgraded' to Carbines. While useful for the pinning capability and extra range on the dismount, they're often shunned in favor of more rifles simply for the extra rapid-fire shots. The Firewarrior/Devilfish team really only has the following role set, however, as their weapons (though high strength) lack the punch and versatility to handle anything more:
Primary: Anti-Infantry shooting
Secondary: Light Vehicle shooting
There is this misconception in 40K that every unit on the table must be killing things every turn in order to be productive. That's just simply not true! It takes a fair bit of getting used to, but your Devilfish mounted Firewarriors can be contributing to the success of your army every turn of the game without actually firing any shots. Below are listed a number of 'Secondary Missions' which your Firewarrior Squads can be accomplishing each turn without ever leaving the safety of their AV 12 armored transport. As you become more skilled in the ways of Mech Tau, you will likely find you can be achieving a great many of these Secondary Missions each turn!
Secondary Missions
- Preserving Victory Points - Using terrain to deny line of sight to enemy Tankhunters
- Gaining or Giving Ground - or the illusion of doing so - key point, territory is really of little consequence to the Tau, especially a highly Mobile Mech Cadre. Make the kill and the territory is yours.
- Fire Support - in this role, the DF acts as a "Missile Boat" and is loaded with Seekers and kept out of enemy LOS and used in conjunction with a Pathfinder Team.
- Preparing for Mont'Ka - Setting up a favourable Concentration of Firepower situation where you can be using most to all of your army to overwhelm a smaller portion of your opponents army. A popular tactic used to accomplish this goal is the Fish of Fury.
Listed below in order of generally accepted usefulness.
- Decoy Launchers: For 5 points, the Decoy Launcher increases the survivability of your vehicle by 11%, reducing the chance of a glancing hit destroying it from 33% to 22%. Because it will save your vehicle 1 out of 9 times and costs 5 points, is worth taking on vehicles which cost over 9 x 5 = 45 points... which is all of our vehicles. The sheer cost/benefit of this upgrade makes it essentially standard on every vehicle in a Tau Army. Don't leave home with out one!
- Multitracker: Since the durability of our vehicles relies on moving > 6" each turn, we lose the ability to fire the Burst Cannon and attached Drones on our Devilfish unless this upgrade is purchased. Paying 10 points for 5 S5 shots per turn isn't a bad deal, especially when you consider that a Firewarrior (1 or 2 S5 shot(s) per turn) is the same price!
- Target Array: This is one of the few places in the Tau army where we can buy a BS upgrade. Since the Devilfish Burst Cannon is a multi-shot weapon, it's not a bad idea to purchase this upgrade with leftover points. Keep in mind however that this upgrade is useless without the Multitracker, since BS 4 does you no good on a gun you can't shoot!
- Sensor Spines: The introduction of Castellan Missiles in the new Space Marine Codex has given this upgrade new life. Also (marginally) useful for dectecting Tyrannid Lichtor and Catachan secret deployment.
- Disruption Pod: Since enemy anti-vehicle weapons generally have ranges of 36-48", this upgrade is only useful on vehicles that operate ~42" from the enemy. That's definately not the case with our Devilfish in most circumstances. If being used as a "Missile Boat" as described above, perhaps consider this as an option.
- Blacksun Filter: Since the Burst Cannon has such short range, chances are if you're in range to fire it, you'll be within your Night Fight spotting distance. Not terribly useful on a Devilfish.
- Target Lock: Since the Devilfish only has one equipped weapon, this upgrade is useless.
Kroot Carnivores
Content by o-DarkJester-o, Azraphael99 and T0nkaTruckDriver, Written by o-DarkJester-o, Azraphael99 and T0nkaTruckDriver, Edited by T0nkaTruckDriver
Kroot are featured in a Mech Tau list due to their ability to infiltrate, thus (in most games) their ability to reach far-forward positions early in the game and act as skirmishers in support of the main force. They're very good in this role, but generally lack durability and mobility following the first turn. Your Kroot will necessarily fill different roles depending on your play style, however unless you field a lot of them (and potentially bring Anghkor Prok), they'll likely be relegated to annoyance and distraction duties. Durability REALLY is an issue with these guys, and they are NOT disposable (no element of the list is) - never send them into a fight unsupported!
There are several effective ways to use your Kroot.
- Shock Troops: Have your Kroot infiltrate into cover as close to the enemy as possible and wait there for fire support to come. You then charge when somebody gets too close, and tie them up in close combat, while the rest of your army proceeds as normal. Best done with large squads.
- Guerrilas: Use a maxed out group of Kroot (or two) infiltrated exactly 7" into woods nearby the enemy. Kroot aren't that bad at shooting, especially when the enemy can't shoot back! If your opponent tries to assault you, he/she will have to make some difficult terrain tests, giving you choices: stay and shoot, relocate, or assault.
- Ground Holders: Infiltrate your Kroot into some terrain, usually to keep an objective or table quarter, but also as area denial for your opponent. If he charges, you strike first, two attacks each isn't too shabby either.
- Hit-and-Run: Put together small squads of 10-12 Kroot. Infiltrate them close, and use them as a distraction. Make them be as much of a pain in the behind as possible. This works well on smaller, cut off enemy units.
- Ambush: Use 2 squads of Kroot for this one. Infiltrate your Kroot in cover, deploying both units in seperate peices of terrain, just across a main route the enemy will supposedly be using. Place some kind of bait in this route, so that he will go in. Use the Kroot to establish a Cross-Fire and take out anybody who ventures down the route.
- Combined Assault: Kroot, properly postioned, make absolutely fantastic cleanup troops following a Tau firepower fusillade. Though it is often hard to get them into position to use this to advantage, when you can it is an impressive thing to see.
In general though the major advantage that Kroot offer in a Mech Tau list is cheap wounds to help offset our low model count. Furthermore, their shooting is some of the most efficient in the game and helps offset the inefficiency of the mandatory Devilfish for our Firewarriors.
Primary: Anti-infantry assault/ Countercharge
Secondary: Anti-infantry shooting.