Brand new Tau Battlesuit 40k rules are coming including stratagems, weapon profiles, and special rules- check out all the new changes now!
With the codex confirmed for early 2022, GW has been showing more and more new Tau rules and what to expect with their upcoming 9th Edition codex book. This time they are showing how battlesuits will function in the new Tau codex and especially at close range.
Warhammer Community just unveiled more new Tau updates with a few weapon profiles and special rules. Let’s first check out all the changes we’ve seen so far, then get into the new stuff!
New Tau 9th Edition Codex Cover
It’s about to get even better with Codex: T’au Empire on the way early next year. How early? We’ll get to that, but it’s close enough that we’ve been able to get some markerlights trained on the cover so you can see the beautiful art right now. Codex: T’au Empire will arrive in early 2022, and with the Genestealer Cults and Adeptus Custodes codexes also landing in the same period.
We’ll see how they do the release, but we expect those other two codex books (for Custodes and GSC) will come out a little early, and then Tau with Darkstrider, new Pathfinder kits, etc. Still, with how strange the releases have been, we’ll have to see.
Either way, it’s good to have this confirmed for all Tau players out there! As of right now, it looks like the Darkstrider is going to be the only ‘new’ mini they get, but there there are plenty of new Tau rules changes on the way for Warhammer 40k.
New Tau 40k Rules
Just before Thanksgiving Warhammer Community unveiled two new rules for each of the new factions getting codex books in early 2022. Here’s what we saw for the Tau:
You’ll no doubt be pleased to learn, then, that the range of both of their primary weapons has been increased. The pulse carbine, for example, now has a very healthy reach of 24″ (a handy boost for the Pathfinders you picked up in Kill Team: Chalnath, too!).
Just what Tau needed, more range to sit further back… Seriously though, this is a pretty good buff overall.
With an enormous 36″ range, Fire Warriors armed with pulse rifles will be able to outrange the Troops units of almost any other faction, giving them a crucial early advantage as well as the ability to Rapid Fire up to 18″. What’s more, they now come with a handy pip of AP for some added punch.
With more range and getting a small bump in AP, we might see more footsloggers than ever for Tau.
New Tau Darkstrider 40k Rules
Did you wonder who the mysterious silhouetted figure was in our Kill Team article on the T’au Empire? It was none other than Sub-commander El’Myamoto, better known as Darkstrider.
The model is actually pretty interesting with him and the drones. Obviously, it’s much better than the old Finecast one and hey, it’s not Finecast! So that right there makes this way better. They also showed a couple of rules for the new mini.
The new miniature sees Darkstrider carefully releasing one of his drone familiars, with his trusty pulse carbine, Shade, tucked under his right arm.
This is a serious increase of both damage and AP from the last version, so nothing wrong with more firepower!
Darkstrider’s optical scanner incorporates a highly advanced structural analyser, enabling him to direct the fire of his kin at the weak points of their targets with ruthless precision.
This is very similar to his old ability. So not much changed here, we’ll just have to wait and see what else they give him in the new Tau Codex book!
New Tau Tactical Philosophy Mont’ka & Kauyon 40k Rules
The Mont’ka Tactical Philosophy rewards decisive action in the first three turns, allowing its warriors to rapidly advance into enemy lines and blaze away with powerful close-range firepower. This allows players to move even their foot-slogging Fire Warriors into a commanding position early in the game, getting their new, improved pulse rifles into that all-important Rapid Fire range from the get-go. Mont’ka is a particular favourite of Crisis Battlesuit cadres deploying via Manta Strike, who aim to scrub elite troops from the field by dropping down at close range.
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As we said, you pick these after the turn order has been decided and one helps with the first 3 turns, the other helps with the last three. If you need to get on objectives early and maneuver into a better position this is super strong. As advancing or moving gives you no negative effects. Then, if you’re getting up close and personal, you get some serious shooting benefits. An extra AP and re-rolling a wound is no joke.
Kauyon Philosophy
Durable units get a lot of mileage out of the Kauyon Tactical Philosophy, as the army must be able to withstand several turns of enemy attacks before springing their trap. Stealth and Ghostkeel Battlesuits are well suited for the task, as their camouflage systems offer extra protection and their high rate of fire generates extra hits on the counter-attack.
We’ll have to see how many people pick this one because it means you have to make it to turn three to start getting value. It is strong once you get there, but how many units will you have left to take advantage of it? However, if you make it to turns four and five with a decent amount of stuff, you’re gaining a lot of firepower and maneuverability.
New Tau Battlesuit Rules Revealed!
They’re tough, which allows experienced pilots to keep a clear head, even when surrounded by baying hordes of knife-wielding nasties. Those who think they can make easy prey of a battlesuit in melee will quickly become the target of point-blank gunfire, crushed underfoot by these surprisingly sprightly suits.
If Tau Battlesuits happen to get caught in melee, being able to shoot is really nice! They just have to survive the combat to get their turn to shoot back!
While all weapons carried by battlesuits are just as effective fired directly into someone’s face as they are over a long distance, the closer-ranged armaments benefit from shooting into close quarters. Quite a few of these guns have been upgraded in the new codex, now firing more shots than before.
Even though neither have AP or D2 against infantry hordes, you will be able to seriously dish out the damage! Jump down in their face and roast ’em at that sweet 12″ range!
Quite a lot of the support systems have also been tweaked by the Earth Caste engineers. Multi-trackers now assist their pilot’s aim when targeting large groups, while target locks highlight vulnerable areas in the enemy’s cover.
It looks like they are giving Tau a ton of anti-infantry this time around. Scoring extra hits, even if it is one per model, is pretty nice, and getting rid of light cover can never be bad.
Tau Stratagems
Veteran T’au commanders may remember that moving after shooting was a hallmark of the battlesuits of old, and those days are here again with the Strike and Fade stratagem.
A staple stratagem honestly, and it can let you jump out of terrain, shoot, then get back out of sight. It’s always been annoying and strong and probably will continue to be.
The King is dead, long live the King!
When dodging back behind cover isn’t an option, battlesuits deploying from a low-flying Manta can use the Drop Threat Acquisition stratagem for extra accuracy.
This might seem expensive at first, but this is for each model in the unit and rerolling all hits. So this will seriously make that first strike when they come down insanely strong!
So far the new updates to infantry and battlesuits seem to be just what the doctor ordered for the Tau rules-wise in 9th edition!
All the Newest GW Model Previews For 2022
Are you excited about the new Tau 40k codex, and all the rules changes so far?
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About the Author: Travis Pasch
Travis Pasch
Job Title: Head Writer & Editor
Socials: @paschbass
About Travis Pasch: Travis has been a Warhammer 40k hobbyist since the 1990s, playing the game since Third Edition. Through extensive traveling, he’s seen a lot of the miniatures hobby from across the world, giving him a unique perspective on the latest gaming topics and trends.
Travis’s brother even owns a commission painting studio, where he’s picked up a lot of good advice and techniques for painting Warhammer and tabletop miniatures over the years, as well. Travis joined the Spikey Bits team in 2019 and has been the lead writer since 2020.
Currently, he’s working on converting all his 40k Adeptus Mechanicus models and becoming a true tech enjoyer, complete with both sad and happy robot noises!
