It looks awesome, i'm wanting to do something similar for my vespids, I hate the current models and their static pose.

Solaris has a good idea with the jump trigger, that could look really good.

I think a good way to make them different yet still tie in with the army would be to perhaps use a different style of helmet? Something convert a side by side optical array rather than the normal offset Firewarrior one,. Even just something as simple as adding dual antenna to the helmet could make them stand out a little more. With the nature of the unit it would make sense to have a slightly more advanced comms device.

Phase Rifle: Tau jump troops operate in the most dangerous of conditions, traveling at high speeds while leaping from narrow edge to narrow edge. Fighting under these circumstances almost rules out the long range combat of the Pulse rifle, while the current Pulse Carbine model doesn't provide substantial firepower for the conditions Jump Troops need.

As an answer, the Phase Rifle was developed by the Earth Caste. Using miniaturized versions of the warp drives installed on Capital ships, the phase rifle projects charged particles over a short range. These particles essentially "phase" through enemy power armour, allowing the fired rounds to deliver the full power of a pulse rifle whilst ignoring even advanced power armour, such as that worn by the foul gue'la "Space Marines". Though the weapon is incredibly short ranged and has a low rate of fire, the range suits the role of the Jump Troops, and its killing power more than makes up for its low speed.

Stats: Same as Vespid Neutron blaster

That is excellent! I was trying to come up with something like this, but my writing skills are only so/so. Thanks!

Phase Rifle is great, but I thought Tau were un-warp-friendly... But as far as I can reach in my memories, there is an race who help us in warp travels, what's its name... Whatever, maybe include them in fluff, 'cause for me Tau and Warp are two opposites. Aren't they?

Sorry in advance for the rough pics - my photography rig is at work, which is not a convenient location to work on a tutorial!

Tau Jump Pack Tutorial

List of pieces needed: 1 XV8 Crisis Suit Fusion Blaster, 1 Firewarrior Backpack, 2 Firewarrior Photon Grenades, 1 Firewarrior Shoulder Pad, 1 Space Marine Terminator Stormbolter (AOBR)



Step 1: Cut the back segment from the Fusion Blaster (where it connects to the arm). Next, cut off the barrels section the forward end. I cut just a hair behind where the vents end.



Step 2: On the small barrel piece, trim a small groove along the back (vented) edge - this makes it look like a separate segment once it is re-attached to the jump pack. On the Fusion Blaster body, cut one side of the vented section at an angle, starting by the back edge of the vents until it almost meets the top edge of the other side. (I do this cut conservatively, cutting at more acute angles, over the course of several cuts, so that I don’t mess it up!)



Step 3: Trim the front of the ammo clip from the storm bolter. (Cut deeper than you need to, and clean the edge back to straight afterwards - this piece tends to be fragile, and can easily curl under an aggressive cut, leaving you with an unusable air intake.) Then cut a groove to fit the air intake along the angled edge of the jump pack from step 2. At this point, I glue in the air intake and add the exhausts to the bottom edge of the jump pack.



Step 4: Trim the sides of the Shoulder Pad until it can sit flat on the back (vented side) of the Jump Pack. Cut the handle from the backpack, and then cut it in half (width-wise) so that it will sit flush with the other side (air intake side) of the jump pack. Next, Glue these pieces to the jump pack. I try to align these pieces with some of the existing lines on the jump pack, to give it a feel of intentionality.



Step 5: Take the two Photon Grenades, place them side by side (with the detailed side facing down) with their bottom edges facing away from each other. Then cut them at an angle, from about halfway through the length of the body to the edge of the top (rounded) section. (This gives the impression that the top exhaust tube is longer than the bottom one.) Note - Make sure you cut the second set of grenades in the opposite direction as the first! Glue these exhaust tubes onto the sides of the jump pack, and it is finished! (with the exception of drilling out the exhaust tubes...)



I will add a tutorial on creating the gun later!

(edited for smaller pics)

So, over the weekend, I was able to finish a squad of six. I will likely add another four over time, to bring the squad size up, but this gets me playable.

These are lovely! Really!!

-Pino

Fantastic! I absolutely love these guys!

This one has to be in Modelling, amazing Work.

Those parts you used just fit completely into it.

I am looking forward to see more of your work.

Great modelling Effort!
Too sad that my lil' Brother gave me some Vespids for X-Mas allready. But else this tut is lovely for making a nice Count-as alternative

Hm ...

now that I think of it (damn you TristanHoag for makeing me think about it!) ... i should have those parts flying around on my workbench to make some of those Vespid 'count as' ... or atleast something based on that work ...

That is so damn tempting ....