Come see the TEN brand spankin’ new things you need to know about the new Tau Codex before it hits the shelves this week!
Collated From Iuchiban (With Thanks!)
Editor’s Note: Since this was written the entire codex and campaign book have been revealed via download exploits in iTunes / Black Library. You can see a selection of the screen shots HERE.
TOP 10 Changes to The New Tau Codex
- Riptides unit size is now: 1-3 (Same as Hammerhead, and Sky Rays) and get Fire Team rule (+1 to BS if unit size is 3 when shooting).
- Hammerheads and Skyrays can now be fielded in squadrons.
- Markerlights (1 marker) can be used to increase the Destroyer Missiles from S8 to strenght “D”. (Yes the Stormsurge has 4 of these that can fire independently!)
- Optimized Stealth Cadre formation- May be one of the best formations in the book. Ghostkeels and any Stealth Battlesuit unit in the formation at 6″ of the Ghostkeel ignore cover, add +1 to BS and hit vehicles in the rear (think Wave Serpents, Armor 10 Marine Tanks, and Quantum Shielding).
- Heavy Retribution Cadre -If target is at 12″ or less from the Ghostkeel, reroll to hit. It two units of the formation, shoot at the same target, target unit cannot run or move flat out next turn, and assault distance is halved (rounded down)
- Only Lord of War is the Stormsurge.
- Only Crisis and Stealth battlesuits have Black Sun filter now.
- Special characters are:
– Farsight
– Shadowsun
– Aun’shi
– Aun’va
– Darkstrider (Can joint breachers now, as well as Strike and Pathfinders teams). The -1T to target Works very good with the new Pulse Shotguns.
Via Black Library / iTunes, watermarked by Gamestrust.de 10-25-2015
Hunter Contingent (I.E. Tau Decurion)
Consists of:
0-1 Command
1+ Basic
1-10 AuxiliariesSpecial Rules : Reroll Warlord trait, Units can combine their shooting attacks, and shoot as if they were a single unit. (So they can get benefit from special rules and the same markerlight, for example.)
Command:
– 1 Commander or Shadowsun
– 0-1 Ethereal or Aun’va or Aun’shi
– 1-2 Crisis bodyguardsBasic (Hunter Cadre):
1 Commander
0-1 Fireblade
0-1 Crisis Bodyguards
3-6 Strike, Breacher or Kroot
1-3 Stealht, Ghostkeels, Riptides or Crisis.
1-3 Scouts, Piranhas, Vespid, Drones
1-3 Broadsides, Hammerhead, Stormsurge, Sniper
Rules for Hunter Cadre: Defensive fire at 12, Can run and the shoot. In this order
Via Black Library / iTunes, watermarked by Gamestrust.de 10-25-2015
Tau Formations
Hunter Cadre (see above)
Retallion Cadre
– 1 Commander
– 3 units of Crisis
– 1 Broadside unit
– 1 Riptide unit
Rules: Relentless
+1 BS when Deep striking
May choose to enter from reserves in turn 2 via Deep Strike. This includes Broadsides.Heavy Retribution Cadre (see above)
– 1 Unit of Ghostkeels
– 2 Units of StormsurgesRules: If target is at 12″ or less from the Ghostkeel, reroll to hit. It two units of the formation, shoot at the same target, target unit cannot run or move flat out next turn, and assault distance is halved (rounded down)
Infiltration Cadre
– 3 Pathfinder units
– 2 Stealth battlesuit units
– 1 Piranha unit
Rules: If one unit of the formation is destroyed, rest of the formation enters from reserve next turn automatically.
If an enemy unit gets hit by 3 or more markerights from this formation, you get a free Seeker missile hit to this unit.Optimised Stealth Cadre (see above)
– 1 unit of Ghoskeels
– 2 units of Stealth BattlesuitsRules: Any Stealth Battlesuit unit in the formation at 6″ of the Ghostkeel ignore cover, add +1 to BS and hit vehicles in the rear!!!!!
Firebase Support cadre
– 2 units of battlesuits
– 1 unit Riptides
Note that they do not have to be max size like before
Rules: They formation can combine their shooting attacks and shoot as a single unit. When doing so, they get Tank and monster hunter SR.Armored Interdiction Cadre
– 3 Units of Hammerheads
– 1 Unit of Sky Rays
Rules: Choose a point in the battlefield. When shooting to a unit at 6″ or less from this point, reroll to hit.Air Support cadre:
– 1 Sun Shark Bomber
– 1 Razorshark Strike Fighter
Rules: Ignore shaken and stunned with 2+.
Beginning of the turn, roll a D6 for each lost hull point. If you roll a 6, recover 1 HP.Allied Advanced Cadre
– 4 units of Kroot
– 2 units of Vespids
Rules: Vespids get Infiltration and Stealth (Forests)
Kroot at 12″ from Vespid units, get Obscured (Forests) instead of Stealth (Forests), and get +1 BS
They all get supporting fire with other units of the formation..
Whew, well that was a ton of material to cover! Looks to me that the formations / squads are going to be very strong indeed. I’m also really digging the Hunter Cadre being one “unit” for special rules shenanigans. That really makes your ignores cover rules and marker lights do work I feel like. Plus the Optimised Stealth Cadre really gives those units some BITE now as well!
Let the sonic ring of our munitions announce our supremacy over the gue’la.
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
