Another digital supplement was just launched - Be'lakor

[Sir_Prometheus]

The problem with the Tau Cadre is there's jsut no opportunity cost to using them.  Yeah, it's 600 pts, but it's better than whatever heavy fire support unit you main codex has (which is fine, because that's the Tau specialty, but you're supposed to have to work a little -- use your ally slot, take and HQ and a troop choice-- to get them in your army)

The Tank hunters and PE: SM is just ridiculous icing.  If you're a tau player and already taking these units, why would you not take this formation instead?

I don't the Be'Lakor thing is "balanced", but it's at least flavorful, and it's not ridiculous.  Likewise, I think just about everyone is looking forward to Cypher.  But this Tau Cadre thing is just pointlessly more flexible and powerful, for no good reason. 

[steelforge]

I've had a chance to look over the new Dataslate.
Over all it isn't busted.

First, I can't see non-Tau players taking it.  It's just too many points and it needs other parts of the Tau Codex to support it.

What it does is fix a problem in the new Tau Codex.

And before everyone says I'm crazy lets look at the new Tau Codex and what came out of it:
Riptides, Overwatch/Supporting Fire and a Buffing Commander.
Some solid choices.  What went away was the ability to pop armor.

Tau use to be the masters of busting armor.  10/1 guns with a range of table.  That went away.
Now the best they have is overpriced (compared to marines) meltaguns and the Ordnance Riptide gun you take a risk with (Nova-Reactor) using.

Land Raiders will demolish Tau.  AV 14 use to be a challenge to pop, now with Tau it's highly difficult.  This Dataslate just puts some tank killing back in the hands of the Tau.
And overall it was way better put together than the Inquisition one.

[andalucien]

First, I can't see non-Tau players taking it.  It's just too many points and it needs other parts of the Tau Codex to support it.

If I were just trying to win, I'd probably put it in most of my armies and just check off the "fire support"  and "anti-aircraft" boxes on my lists of concerns.

[Sir_Prometheus]

I've had a chance to look over the new Dataslate.
Over all it isn't busted.

First, I can't see non-Tau players taking it.  It's just too many points and it needs other parts of the Tau Codex to support it.

What it does is fix a problem in the new Tau Codex.

And before everyone says I'm crazy lets look at the new Tau Codex and what came out of it:
Riptides, Overwatch/Supporting Fire and a Buffing Commander.
Some solid choices.  What went away was the ability to pop armor.

Tau use to be the masters of busting armor.  10/1 guns with a range of table.  That went away.
Now the best they have is overpriced (compared to marines) meltaguns and the Ordnance Riptide gun you take a risk with (Nova-Reactor) using.

Land Raiders will demolish Tau.  AV 14 use to be a challenge to pop, now with Tau it's highly difficult.  This Dataslate just puts some tank killing back in the hands of the Tau.
And overall it was way better put together than the Inquisition one.

Um, Wut?  First of all, you can already get tank hunters with buff commander.  Ordinance is not the same as, but very similar to tank hunters also.  Additionally, tank hunters in no way aides str 7 missiles in taking out LRs, and it only helps Str 8 guns a little, not enough. 

Lastly, Tau do fine against LRs, just not the sapmmy str 7 all these newbie tau players want to tak these days.  I have hammerheads and fusion, I do ok against LRs.  (onager gauntlet, Farsight, and assaulting with Riptides are also good last ditch solutions)

[andalucien]

Most events aren't for everyone, and I think breaking away from a "cookie cutter" type event schedule is probably best for the store and the community.

For what it's worth, non-cookie-cutter events (500pt tourneys, team tourneys, whatever kooky thing you want to do) are probably what I'm gonna be most interested in 40k wise, going forward I think.

[Sir_Prometheus]

I just don't want every Broadside unit to have tankhunters, and broadsides in armies that really have no business with them.  I think that lessens the game. 

[Benjamin]

Most events aren't for everyone, and I think breaking away from a "cookie cutter" type event schedule is probably best for the store and the community.

It's like you're in my brain.

[the_trooper]

Chase, I'm always interested in teaching people Warmachine. 

[Chase]

Chase, I'm always interested in teaching people Warmachine. 

Love it!

[andalucien]

Today's dataslate is :

2 stormtalons and a Stormraven (outside FOC)

The stormraven gets strafing run and both talons can escort it at the same time.

Not nearly as earth shattering as the Broadside one.   
Although, my friend who only plays Space Wolves might enjoy it, he always complains about lack of flyers and now, he can have 3 of the pretty good flyers without needing to run any regular marines.

[andalucien]

Oh and... I guess marines can now run a stormraven plus 3 thunderfire cannons while still allying in some Tau or something (lots of marine players run 2 storm talons anyway).  Getting a small boost to their flyers.

I guess my take is, if this is useful to anyone, it's something they shouldn't be able to do.  Grump.

[Sir_Prometheus]

Yeah, well, that's the thing, why should you be able to add it for free?  Why do you get special abilities for free?

I sure wouldn't mind using my Stormraven with my Tau....and I could, just by taking GK allies.  But I don't, because I'd rather take farsight allies.  So, taking the GK (or SM) is a cost, a cost I don't want to pay.

And a BS 5 Stormraven, jeez!  Who wouldn't want that? 

[andalucien]

Well, I was thinking that for a StormRaven, the BS boost wouldn't matter as much, b/c it's already bs4 and its guns are mostly twin-linked.   For a twin-linked gun that's only about a 8% increase in accuracy (35/36 hits at BS5 versus 32/36 hits at BS4).  But, the missiles being BS5 is significant... yeah... frowny face.

To put it in perspective though, giving Tank Hunters to broadsides makes them a whopping 50% more effective when shooting at anything av11, and 60% more effective when shooting at av12.  Preferred enemy makes them around 25-35% more effective when shooting at marines on foot (depending on gun choice).

[andalucien]

How bout this list:

2 Rune priests with Jaws
2 or 3 Squads grey hunters in pods

Coteaz
Divination Inquisitor /w/ server skulls, psycannon
3 scoring acolyte units,  maybe give 2 some servitors for the inquisitors to sit in?

2 units of 3 tank hunting / PE broadsides
1 tank hunting / PE Riptide

2 stormtalons
1 BS5 stormraven


.....

I haven't used my allied detachment yet... can someone think of a useful way to have an allied detachment, inquisition, broadsides and flyer detachments?

[Sir_Prometheus]

I like it, I really do, all the stupidity in one place.

Needs something better for Coteaz to use his prescience with, though, as well as "I have been expecting you".

I predict there'll be a Centurion Formation, and they'll all get Ignore cover for free.  Then your list will be complete.