Greetings to everyone in the Upper Concourse!

This will be my first time posting. If you want to go straight to my concept and skip my introduction, look for the large bold type below. It's been awhile since I have played the game, though for a long time I have been converting and modeling models. I observe and enjoy reading battle reports about Tau games, so I have a general sense of how they play. Many times I have seen the idea come up for close combat Tau. I must admit, the idea intrigued me as well, but I didn't see many concepts out there that blended Tau and close combat in a way I felt worked with the Tau's concept of battle.

Intro:

So how would a Tau fight in CC effectively? Well for one, swords or any sort of bludgeoning weapon is out of the question. Tau just don't have the build, stamina, or agility to go against opponents like Orks, Chaos, Tyrnids, etc playing by their rules. Tau like their guns, so I wanted to find a way to use guns in close combat effectively. But first I had to do my research. I looked up games like "Left 4 Dead", googled "Close Quarter Combat", and generally tried to get a feel for how guns can be used effectively in close combat. Here are some of the things I noticed.

*Gamers prefer shotguns or submission weapons when dealing with hordes of enemies.
*Stun weapons like Tasers or Flash Bangs can give you some much needed time.
*Working as a squad with good communication is a must.
*Riot shields provide an effective barrier that makes it hard for enemies to get good angles on you with Close Combat weapons.
*Always have a side arm or secondary weapon to switch to.

Tau Elite Concept




The Tau elite is a concept for an expensive troop choice. This squad of 4-10 Tau special forces units take up the jobs of 1 Tau and 1 Kroot squad combined. The unit has extra armor; each soldier wields two types of weapons a long range and a short range. The weapons act as miniature versions of Battle suit weapons. Double barreled plasma shotguns prove effective in close range, while rail rifles and concentrated pulse rifles make short work of most targets at a distance. Most effective at range, when close combat is unavoidable the unit can deploy shock charges and stun beams. A hovering drone can be equipped with other Tau tech to help enhance the units effectiveness, such as a mobile disruption pod.

This idea is still in a very lucid state. I'm just blue skying, and would like to see this concept solidified with your help.

What do you think of the troop size?
How many points should this unit be?
Any ideas for cool tech, weapons, or critique on what I already have up?
What kind of stats would you imagine this unit having?
Any and all comments, critique, and ideas are welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I eagerly await some brainstorming.

I think that your well along the right track at the moment but for game balance I would recommend removing one of the weapons as most infantry in is specialized for either close quarters or long ranges. Next, I would recommend you model them after modern day special forces. I think they should carry fusion core demolition packs and maybe EMP grenades. I would also suggest keeping the shot gun concept but replacing the plasma idea with a short barreled miniature sub munition railrifle. I do not mean to say that these units should have blast weaponry, but the concept seems more dangerous than plasma shot guns. Also, maybe have options for squad based special weapons such as high fire rate machine guns to lay down cover fire as the squad advances full sized rail rifles to take out distanced targets.

For the Shot Gun I would recommend the following stats: (this is after taking a look at Space Marine Scout shot guns)
Hyper Accelerated Close Combat Rail Rifle
Range: 12 inches Strength: 6 Amour Penetration: 5 Assault 1

For the Machine Gun:
Squad Based Burst Cannon (don't let the name deceive you, it would be much smaller)
Range: 18 inches Strength: 3 Armour Penetration: 5 Heavy 4

For the Rail Rifle:
Short Barreled Rail Rifle
Range: 24 inches Strength: 6 Armour Penetration: 2 Heavy 1

For Wargear I would recommend:
-Fusion Demolition Charges
-EMP Grenades
-Low Power Energy Fields*
-Photon Grenades
-Blacksun Filters/acute visual lenses
-Stealth Field Generator Drone
*These could be energy shields that are activated when charging and provide low power protection*

Hope this helped,

Tau'va

-Matzilla

My take.

Fire Caste Strike Team 0-1
The very best infantry a Cadre has to offer, FCST teams are formed when terrain or mission makes a typical Firewarrior team unwieldy or impractical. FCST teams are adequately equipped for almost any mission, but unlike their more typical counterparts, Strike team members are trained in the close-quartered fighting that occurs typically in urban environments. FCST teams are either dropped from orbit or deployed via Manta or Orca, as the mission dictates. Operating on or within the enemy line, Strike teams eliminate high-importance targets with relentless resolve.
Unit........WS.BS.S.T.A.W.Ld.Sv
Shas'vre...3...5..3.3.1.1...9..4+
Shas'ui.....3...4..3.3.1.1...8..4+

4-10 Shas'ui, 18 pts each
Fire Caste Strike Team members come equipped with a Dispersed Pattern Pulse Rifle, (DPPR) Rail Carbine, EMP Grenades and Stun Grenades. One team member may be upgraded to FCST Shas'vre for 10 points, which replaces his Rail Carbine with a DPPR-Mounted Networked markerlight, and is granted access to the Tau Infantry Armory.

Special rules:
Covert Ops: Grants Infiltrate, Move through Cover and Acute Senses universal special rules.
Rappel lines Moving from one level to another within a building or ruin does not cost movement.
Disruption fields (+2 cover if in difficult terrain)
Stun Grenades (Assaulting enemies always treat charging a FCST as charging through difficult terrain, even if a special rule would allow them to move unhindered.)

Dispersed Pattern Pulse Rifle
Range....STR.....AP.....Type
..12"........5........5.......Assault 2, Rending

Rail Carbine
Range....STR.....AP.....Type
..24"........6........3.......Heavy 1, Silenced*, Pinning

Silenced Weapon:
Successful cover saves must be re-rolled and the second result stands.

While I can appreciate your artwork, custom unit threads are not encouraged here at ATT. Please post more artwork or your converted models; even accompany them with custom stats! However, custom unit discussions involving the creation and 'balancing' of units will not be permitted (this includes asking for advice or ideas on custom units).



Further contravention of the membership primers will result in the thread being locked. Please re-read the membership primers if you have yet to do so.

I apologize, I have been away for quite some time and forgot the rules. I am still interested in discussing conversion and modeling ideas for this unit. I will post a similar topic, minus the discussion on balancing and creating rules for the unit. I have saved the discussion so far and I have no objection to locking this topic if it will discourage any further conversation along these lines.

Thank you for replying so quickly, and again I apologize for being absent minded about the rules.

I like the art work and I have done something similar with my honour guard/ urban combat squad =)

http://www.thedragonstears.com/images/g ... 0guard.jpg

Hope that helps a bit.
The guns are carbines with the grenade launcher removed except for a little vertical bit that acts as the magazine =)
And the kroot supplied lots of straps for the guns.

The masks are just a bit of green stuff.

LordDirk,

I like the concept, and would be an interesting troop choice.

Have you seen the film Equilibrium? In it they use a type of martial art that uses hand guns. The Idea behind the fighting style is to increase the weapons effectiveness whilst at close quarters, but still keeping the adversary at arms length.

If the Tau are ever going to get stuck in here's how they'll do it (IMHO):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tINWl0gzQWI

Cool film, I believe the Tau would approve.

LordDirk, there's no need for a new topic. This one is just fine! Thank you for being so understanding - but by the same token, your artwork is awesome, and we souless moderators don't actually want to impinge on your creativity. Keep up the good work!

Once there is more model-related material, we'll move this thread into the Lower Concourse somewhere.

Ahh yes the gun kata. It is an interesting idea. I do believe that the tau would want to use learn how to maximise short range fire power "while keeping the defender clear of statiscitly traditional trajectories of return fire". However this would be great against models that have no close combat weapons ie; swords, nun-kucks, or rat flails, against other models sure.

The gun kata showed in the movie is indeed spectacular, but fluff wise, it requires a weapon with high stopping power and great armour penetration capabilities, and an athletic user.
Such weapon could be a T'au Plasma Pistol, S6 Ap2 Pistol, and each warrior carring two, as shown in the movie, but a problem is that T'au have a very low inititive

I'd said that an elite Gue'vesa unit, trained in gun kata (or wathever name the T'au would use) would be a unit both eficcient on the battlefield, and fluff wise.

Of course, the idea of a T'au unit with shotguns is indeed a very good one. I'd like to se more concept art of such unit. I love concepts (but I can't even draw a sticky man )

This idea intrigues me. Though I have no idea fro rules (which is good since we aren't supposed to discuss them) I see that this project has great potential. If you would permit me, I would like to make some further concepts of how they might look and feel, as well as get some ideas for how we could potentially create such a unit.
Edit: The Player model from Battlefield 2142 makes for a good base as far as shape goes.
http://bf2142.free-gfx.com/bf2142_soldi ... avy_02.png
http://bf2142.free-gfx.com/bf2142_soldi ... avy_05.png
http://bf2142.free-gfx.com/bf2142_soldi ... con_02.png

Most recent concept.


Tau TSF
The Tactical Strike Force takes the place of both a fire warrior and a kroot squad. Costly points wise yes, but it offers the player more recoil ability and flexibility on the battle field. Tau Tactical Strike units are experts at long range combat, steady hands and top of the line war-gear make them a deadly foe to be in the line of sight of. When close quarters combat is unavoidable, the Tau Tactical Strike Unit can employ a variety of stun weapons, immobilizers, and spread/plug weaponry. Weapons such as the Concentrated Plasma Rifle, can cut through some of the toughest armor with little to no recoil, and short barreled rail rifles allow for devestating spread shots in close range. A Tau Strike Force unit can employ a variety of special system drones, including a favorite among the elite, the mobile disruption pod. Tau in the Tactical Strike Force are specially trained in both Close Quarter Battle and Long Range Combat, they work exceptionally well as a team and as a result have a much higher leadership score than most other Tau squads.

Still a rough concept, I am open to ideas on how to mod such a unit, or if the design is to anyone's liking. Discussing the rules of this unit I will do on other sites, as it is not permitted here. I am still figuring out just what kind of tech I would like for these units, and just how powerful I should make them. Thus far they come near to space marines, which may be acceptable considering I've made them cost the same.

Comments, Critique, Questions, all is welcome. Thank you for reading.

One topic should suffice for the same information. Sweet pictures by the way - TheAmbit

Top left: Demiurg Golem. Top Right:Demiurg face. Middle: Demiurg in full armor. Bottom: Demiurg Ion Mining Laser

The Demiurg and the Crystal Plauge:
The Crystal Plauge originated in the far east fringe of the Galaxy. Uncovered by Demiurg miners in a large asteroid belt. Crystals on the asteroids were being researched in advancing Demiurg ion technology. The large green crystals emanated potent radiation; the radiation from the peculiar crystal, combined with the Demiurgs rock like skin created a deadly cancer that caused Demiurg skin to grow at an accelerated rate until there was little left but animate rock. Tau trade with the Demiurg depleted rapidly and the Tau were quick to investigate. A revered earth caste scientist On'tyra'shav discovered a way to reduce the growth enough that Demiurg inflicted with the disease were able to live out most of their lives before turning into thoughtless animated rock. On'tyra'shav was also able to create a vacine which prevented the plague from spreading to newer generations of Demiurg. The Demiurg eternally grateful to the Tau increased their dedication to the 'Greater Good' and offered up infected miners to the cause.

Demiurg Battle Miner:
The Demiurg battle miner plays an effective role in Tau battles as a defense close combat soldier. The Demiurgs rock like skin and advanced armor can take huge amounts of damage before the soldier falls. Often positioned at the front of Tau Fire Warrior squads, Demiurg battle miners effectively tie up assaulting soldiers, their short stature allowing for Tau fire warriors to shoot over their head and fell the tall enemies. When a Demiurg finally succumbs to his curse, he is transformed into animate rock. Though whatever was left of his previous life and personality is gone, Drones can be integrated into the living rubble, turning it into a dangerous battering ram!

Demiurg ion mining laser
Only effective at close range, the laser is built to slice through several feet of rock in seconds. Heavy and cumbersome, the laser poses little threat to groups of infantry, but is deadly to any vehicle that dare consider charging the Demiurgs allies. the Fire Warriors.

The Concept
I based my design of warhammer dwarfs, and the concept art of Demiurg found floating round the internet. The armor is a mixture of Terran Marine, Robocop, 80's anime tech, and car parts. Dwarfs to me look like short bikers, so I wanted a hot rod theme to their armor. I wanted it to look heavy, but not in the way that would make it look like short space marine armor, or ork armor. Dwarfs with their large beards resemble vikings or Scottish highlanders. As a result, I indulged myself in giving him an armored kilt. The crystal idea came to me as I was drawing his mutton chops, and noticed the rock like skin they had. I thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be cool if they had crystal beards?" and so the idea evolved into the Crystal Plauge.

Comments, Questions, etc etc. It's all welcome. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

This is some excellent work, but for the sake of neatness, you should collect all your concept art into a single project thread. I've recommended that this be merged into your first thread, so don't worry if it "disappears".


Otherwise, it's a very good start. Do you plan to make models of these?

At the moment don't have the time nor the materials. If anyone else would like to try and make models of these, I would love to see them.

(Update Dec 5th, 2009) Thank you for moving this thread to work with the previous. I will upload concept art to this thread incrementally. I have concepts for the Nicassar which I hope to flesh out soon.

Very nice, it's not the most realistic idea but hey it's warhammer
The golems would make great infiltrators/ambush/sentries.

First off, Equilibrium is a great movie.

I also second the idea of "gun kata Tau". That they could "shoot" during an Assault Phase would increase their potential.

About the shotgun - according to the ATT catalog of unit designations, such a weapon already exists. I think the XV-9 suits are also getting a weapon that might function like a shotgun too.

from top to bottom
Tau pulse rifle
pasma carbine?
Tau pulse carbine

Sorry I had to try and model it

This is making me want to buy some Stealthsuits and some Fire Warriors, to cannibalize the parts, along with from my bitz box and greenstuff to make a bunch of these guys...

LordDirk, these are awesome concepts! I'm with everyone else in saying that I want to be able to field all of these new creations. I'll actually be working on creating models for your TSF soldiers...just as soon as I finish painting the model I made heavily based off your Tau Psyker . I'm also looking forward to seeing your Nicassar ideas.

Keep up the great work!