Way back when the GDMNW Tau Empire army used to get out and about quite often. It’s been languishing in its cases for far too long. We thought we’d take a look at the collection in the context of fifth edition. If it’s workable then we’ll start playing with it again. If not, perhaps it’s time to eBay this part of our collection off.

Here’s the list.

Shas’el, 86
Airbursting Fragmentation Projector; Stimulant Injector; Twin Linked Flamer

Nothing too clever here is there? That’s Tau for you. This guy is a lurker, he hangs around the main lines waiting for an assault unit to DS in nearby or come charging across the table in their transport, or better still on foot. He jumps up, drops a pie plate on their heads and jumps away again. He has FNP to help keep alive in the face of the inevitable small arms fire that fills games of Warhammer 40,000.

3 x
Crisis Suit, 46
TL Missile Pod; Blacksun Filter

These guys are there to drop high strength shots into MC or light transports. That’s it. They’re flexible, can target three units each turn and they’re cheap enough to avoid excessive attention. That said, if an opponent does want to kill them then these guys fall down dead very quickly. Ah well.

7 Fire Warriors, 90
Pulse Carbines; Markerlight

10 Kroot, 130
10 Kroot Hounds

Three troop choices, all of which are less that awe-inspiring. The plain ol’ fire warriors jump in the pathfinder’s devilfish. The pathfinders don’t need it since we want them putting out markerlight tokens from cover as much as possible. The unit in the borrowed ‘fish lurk about until someone needs to go and babysit an objective.

The other two units are for my home objective(s). The Kroot and the foot warriors sit in cover waiting for the enemy all the while putting out markerlight tokens wherever possible.

8 Pathfinders, 181
Devilfish (Disruption Pod)

2 x
4 Piranhas, 335
All with Disruption Pods; 3 with 2x Seeker Missiles; 1 with Target Lock, Array and Fusion

The piranhas are my blocking and disruption units. They also provide the list with its anti-infantry firepower, each unit putting out 17 S5 shots and 1 S8 each turn. Against AV14 these serve as mobile melta and blockers. Against mech else they can turboboost for side armour seeker missile shots. Plus, we really like the models.

2 x
3 Broadsides, 230
Targeting Array x1; Target Lock x2

Railhead Gunship, 180
Smart Missiles; Disruption Pod; Multi-Tracker; Target Lock

If you’ve got access to S10 AP1 firepower, why not flaunt it? The broadsides can target up to six tanks each turn which also helps to maximise their killing power in the face of MC or all infantry lists. The battle tank is cheaper and also provides a mobile pie plate for those more annoying infantry armies. In the face of a mech army a moving railgun can be used to pin down more evasive enemy armour such as vendettas and stormravens.

Total 1995 points

That’s it. It’s been wrapped up in foam for several years. Is it time to put this stuff up on eBay or time to start expanding the empire and boring all of our friends with tales of the greater good?