How to play Tau in 9th edition - Tips from 40k Playtesters

Learn the new tricks and tactics you will need to play Tau in 9th edition from a team that has been playtesting the game for months. We take you through all the biggest nerfs and buffs to the Tau army along with the core strategies and thoughts on list creation.
Don't miss all our other 9th edition launch coverage including battle reports and tactics videos covering nearly all factions in the game.
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Chapters
0:00 - Into
0:48 - Increased line of sight
2:43 - Maximum of -1 to hit
4:01 - Move and shoot
5:14 - Overwatch as normal
6:08 - No kill points in the missions
7:04 - More command points
8:00 - Smaller board = better range
9:05 - Tau are great at killing tanks
10:09 - No fallback and shoot
11:35 - 5” vertical engagement
12:26 - Easier character targeting
13:07 - 1 commander per detachment
14:13 - Games are only 5 turns
14:51 - Strict unit coherency
15:56 - Tau have poor obsess
16:44 - Using obscuring terrain
20:06 - Drone placement ideas
25:19 - List idea 1
26:45 - List idea 2
29:30 - Wrap up
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[@kalaheojoe8099]

honestly, as a tau player, I would love to see some changes to the game that make aggressive tau a more viable option. I love to play aggressive using farsight enclaves or voirla sept. I wish people would stop with triptide and castles that never move.

[@misafrenchie]

I just ordered stuff to make a mellee tau and now im just not even interested in warhammer.

[@amg5787]

That’s what I’m trying to do. Enclave with lots of infantry. @silent peet, I don’t blame you.

[@Kanjejou]

with the new reserve stuff i think it will be easier to use cheap units as flankers and thus be more aggressiv. kroots and dogs are now quite better since they don't have to start on board. Giving them the ability to get the charge they need to make their point back... well kroots can use cover better now but still

[@misafrenchie]

@@Kanjejou plus they got new commands in psychic awakening. But Its like giving one of the worst models in the army a weapon you still have to pay for. Or I could take a better unit and pay the same price :I

[@fabienherry6690]

@@misafrenchie Try canceling your order maybe you still can

[@weathforjr]

Tau in 9th edition: Get all your riptides and breachers together, and pray there is a new book soon.

[@silver4831]

Yeah, they simply suck at the moment.

[@constantinekorkousky3363]

Still waiting for it…

[@Varmint111]

*Experience the all new Warhammer 40k 9th edition! Meta shattering points and rule changes! By nerfing 1 of a 2 part mega cheese list by 50%!!, 3 Riptides and 50 shield drones are a thing of the past! You can finally play the lists you've always wanted! This includes but is not limited to:* *3 Riptides and 30 shield drones!* *3 Riptides and 20 shield drones!*

[@Colton_T]

The tactical drones are now 20 ppm, but crisis suits are 25 ppm not 30

[@josemanuelmunizherrera920]

Players: What tactics have we got? GW: Let me see. Ah, yes. Riptide spam. And look! More Riptide spam.

[@fabienherry6690]

"They got a lot of better" .... XD "All faction got postivie and negative" *laughing in custodes* "Oh you need to make your triptide hump each other " .... Is that what you gue'la call "strategy" ? And yeah Not FW tau just hard suck maybe FW will save them

[@mrdizaster404]

@@fabienherry6690 So... what you're saying is, custodes is still broken. Sick. At this point, why do the grey knights even exist if they're just worse custodes?

[@fabienherry6690]

@@mrdizaster404 Reduction in point reduction in map size more CP as a base . The only problem they have is the lack of chaff to take back line objectives but i think paying 2 cp for a patrol of guards might be okay

[@weathforjr]

That and commander and drone spam...yaaaaaaay. Tau codex needs to be 5 pages and 50 pages of fluff that we will never use.

[@LarsxLeia]

Looking at this a year later, with a sad chuckle

[@someguyinatshirt2624]

To be totally honest, I was drawn to tau because of the crisis battlesuits, and I've been holding out hope that the jetpack keyword would fix them. Oh well, my tau go to the back shelf.

[@ryeanchan]

Seems silly that a Jet Pak Mecha can't jump about and do what.. Jumpy Mecha actually are designed to do....

[@christinasmith2209]

I dont think were going to get it back man jump shoot jump was amazing and unique, but its just another iteration of Codex Triptide.

[@NIMMHATVRapBeats]

@@christinasmith2209 I never played a tabletop game, but isn't that highly overpowered to Jump, Shoot and then Jump away again? How can you beat those units then?

[@chainsawpanda2]

@@NIMMHATVRapBeats by shooting them down or out speeding them. Crisis suits were never that durable to more than 1 round of shooting.

[@BaileyBecca]

Big sad. Maybe one day we can have jump shoot jump back

[@5punkybob]

This video is very informative, but I wish non tournament type players could playtest. I never spammed riptides or commanders and I've had heaps of fun and no one hates playing against me.

[@inf3243]

Yeah. I feel that way too. I play casually with a small group of people, not interested in the tournament scene. Like to stay on top of the rules so everything's fair but am sick of rules constantly changing to address problems that just aren't a problem for us.

[@CommDante]

@@inf3243 If you are with a small group, you can always stick with 8th, or houserule certain new rules... just be sure to write it down. ;) Personally I like narrative play more too, it's more fun to play more thematic than cheese-list imho.

[@fabienherry6690]

I play test in TTS A LOT and with all the leak on this 9th edition (rules point ect) i can tell you : casual Tau was dying it's now dead

[@NinjaPokeProductions]

Maybe, just maybe, like with just enough of a possibility, the next Tau codex will not just force players to use 2 types of model to be viable.

[@acousticoutlaw8607]

I was excited to play a hyper aggressive farsight army but the hit to the cold stars and characters negates a lot of its viability

[@NinjaPokeProductions]

@@acousticoutlaw8607 It's a sad time for us all brother

[@BaileyBecca]

I played fast in your face shooty you hard tau but lost almost every game. Heresy hopping it get better

[@Spiran_SphereHunter]

Yeah the one we won't see until near the end of the cycle in 2021 ;)

[@SilentWanderer1990]

3 seconds into the video: "T'au are one of the most changed faction in 9th edition." End of the video, suggested list to build: List 1: 2X Commanders 3X Riptides OR List 2: 5X Commanders 3X Riptides Both of these options are TRIPTIDES, how is that different from 8th edition? *Internal Scream*

[@MercenaryGirlfriend]

I've spent a lot of time spite building ANYTHING but commander spam and triptide and I just don't think anything short of a new codex will change the meta recommendation of triptide, its just too efficient compared to every other composition, i'm still not gonna do it, but I'm looking forward to some sort of major rework later in the edition... I hope

[@misafrenchie]

Because riptide spam was in 7th edition and only those who didn't keep up with competative stayed with it. It was far more viable to use broadsides instead. Now were going back to 7th which is a big change and not for the better.

[@5punkybob]

I only have two riptides... I'm so hip!

[@thejestor9378]

They do remember that those lists mean you are losing CP as only Patrol, Brigade, and Battalion have the cp refund built in.

[@BaileyBecca]

Pierre I only own 1 singular rip tide even in 7th ed I only took one

[@BuiltNotBoughtUK]

So sad that they destroyed the option of fixing Crisis Suits. We all so want to run them more often and not just rely on Riptides but they force us to run triptides. So hoped that 9th would help us get away from them.

[@scpfoundationagentsmith9301]

Crisis suits are cheaper than riptides thats why just saying its money

[@JackieFishHD]

Awesome can't wait for all the content over 9th

[@BB-pn2qv]

Boy did this guy end up getting sad disappointed.

[@starbugmechanic5236]

Screw triptides! I’m still gonna bring those fluffy lists

[@terrorkind]

2 list ideas: 2 commanders and 3 riptides.... OR!....... 5 commanders and 3 riptides. somebody has to start the slow clap, huh.

[@ankharimcv9104]

:D :D :D

[@acousticoutlaw8607]

Two totally unique and innovative ideas to push us into the new edition!

[@JA-bi9qo]

I'm not sure why anybody assumed that this edition change would amount to a radical shift in how Tau play. 8th to 9th is not a change on par with 7th to 8th. Adjustments, sure. Drone positioning. Screening. Detachment composition. But it will take a rewrite of the codex to significantly alter the dominant playstyles.

[@terrorkind]

@@JA-bi9qo "I'm not sure why..." Well, if you're not sure, just think a little more maybe. You could at least make an effort to see where the idea came from? Overwatch was anounced to be a cp-strat BEFORE they told us that this wouldnt be the case for Tau. Would have been a radical shift. Changes to the fly keyword ARE a radical shift. Even the new Farsight enclave rules amount to radical shift. There was a good chance Tau would play differently and sadly, it hasn't happened. But comments like "I'm not sure why anybody assumed..." man, just try not to be such a smartass when you're not actually saying something smart. "It will take a rerite of the coxed.." - yeah, uhhh... new codexes come out all the time. Excuse the rest of us for thinking maybe there's a new codex on the horizon in a year or two :D

[@JA-bi9qo]

@@terrorkind what's your point? Farsight Enclaves offered a playstyle change, yes, but they weren't changes to the core rules of the game (which is what is happens in a new edition). We all wish the codex was a little less mono-build, I get it. But the bottom line is that the Tau datasheets, sept traits, and faction abilities are not changing. You can only change so much about how a faction plays without addressing the content of the codex. p.s. lighten up a little, it's just a game.

[@granthyslop9125]

I have concerns for 9th. Tau used to have Mobile (Mechanized) lists, Gunline lists, and Hybrid lists; this was even in the lore. Now Mobile sounds key for objectives, but Battlesuits have no JSJ from 7th, and no fallback-shoot from 8th. Even these guys are saying they're bad now, "It's a massive hit to the army...something scary for the army, but you can mitigate this very big negative." Their answer? Castle gunlines with screens The same boring T'au other players don't like facing, and even some Tau don't like playing. 8th was 'play the army your way' which removed my mobile Farsight Enclaves until recently, and now 9th is taking it away again.

[@TabletopTitans]

I agree that many Tau units will struggle, but I am determined to dig deep into the codex and find builds that work, outside of the static castle which I agree is boring.

[@granthyslop9125]

@@TabletopTitans I appreciate the reply. I had a feeling you guys were feeling the same way making this video, and especially in your other replies. I guess we'll just have to wait to see the codex, but as it stands, T'au don't have hidden gems to rely on.

[@petearmstrong7940]

Really like your section at 16:44 - Using obscuring terrain. Keep up the great work!

[@Kronathon]

The fact the only models that can be recommended are Riptides/Drones and Commanders makes me concerned about the state of Tau in 9th, unless the point changes are not drastic (Even though I bet we pay a juicy premium for that overwatch we keep) I can't see there being any variety in Tau lists. Which is nothing short of a shame

[@VeiledMalice]

We REALLY need a new codex. I've decided to swap over to Necrons for this upcoming edition because "bunker up and use Ripides" is exactly what I've been doing for the past couple editions straight. It sucks for my opponents and it sucks for me because now you take away another phase (movement) in an army which already doesn't have a psychic or fight phase. I really hope GW brings back mobility synergy in whatever they have cooking because this is why people hate playing against Tau.

[@griffoncs6431]

I was so excited with the changes to overwatch until they just gave all Tau units the ability to do it anyway. Nobody wants to play a Tau castle. They are supposed to be mobile. Does GW even read their own fluff?

[@codymichaelsouthgate9705]

@@griffoncs6431 actually now, The guy who wrote the T'au codex for 8th never played the T'au before. Most of the story sections are copy pasted from previous editions. So... No, he had no idea how T'au operate.

[@fabienherry6690]

Points change ARE drastic: you talk about kroot ? 50% price increase. fire warrior ? 29% pathfinder ? 120% (even with markerlight free it still 37.5%) broadside? 29% increase hammerhead? 25% increase with weapon included (average for other faction is 16% hey) And going to what we obviously gonna see : Riptide ? 13% increase combat drone? 0% increase (maybe commander are still viable with only 18% increase) You want Tau to be a mobile shooting army then promote crisis that are MADE for this . But even if people want to play crisis the 3+ BS they should have base is a 4+ and so people choose to spam the commander which stats line are in line with a 3+ crisis (and GW react by just fobidding it ...) "Oh but you can have one 3+ crisis with a stratagems" paying for what should be ... Well having ONE mobile unit when you already have a castle.Mobility has no worth if 70% of your army is a castle. "But you can spam veteran now" Exactly what the Tau are : paying for what people have as a base. Like the entire markerlight rule to have the +1 BS and bring your army up to veteran guardsmen level when they are supose to concentrate on that ... you need 110 point of pathfinder that didn't move cause if they did it's 166 points. And boy they are squishy don't hope to have much left if the ennemy even look at it . What ? Bring markerlight in infantry squad ? might survive but now it's 140 point if the entire 10 unit didn't move if not it's 210 points (of JUST the single model) Well they cost CP to bring and we want people to play mobile so maybe they will avoid point hammer? Let's see : crisis suit? 25% and weapons kept the same cost or even more expensive

[@razzamatronic9882]

@@codymichaelsouthgate9705 I've theorized this for a long time, and you've just proven it, is there a place I can reference that says that so I can prove it to my friends who don't believe me?

[@camokablamo7097]

Thank you so much for the strategies! I started in 9th and haven’t won a single game.

[@Gamzrok]

You know, it would be great if GW would buff enough of the rest of the Tau's units so we don't have to Riptide/Commander spam. Crisis suits are useless again, and infantry too it seems. Can we please not get forced to castle?

[@fabienherry6690]

You know why crisis suit suck and commander are spammed? Because commander 2+ BS in point average is what a 3+ crisis suit would be . Give veteran guardsmen stats to crisis and people will start to play them. But i guess riptide mold need to turn

[@razzamatronic9882]

It would be really great if they would make the Railgun useable

[@ARCThunder]

@@razzamatronic9882 I really hate how each edition from 6th onwards has devalued our railguns. We used to be known for having the preeminent anti-vehicle sniper and now the idea of them destroying a vehicle is laughable.

[@mogaman28]

Someone has to pay GW bills.

[@tehboxkat]

@@razzamatronic9882 boy, do I have news for you from the future.

[@MrAirigoniel]

You say we can have a Commander in a Supreme Command detachment, but how? Howe do we give it the Supreme Commander trait? Only Primarchs, Daemon Primarchs and Supreme Commanders can be in a supreme command detachment.

[@brettclifford2723]

Just getting back into it. Infectious how much you guys are passionate about the game. Keep it up!

[@petergammon4458]

I just wanna see a vespid, kroot, fire warrior and pathfinder army with a couple of pihranas, what happened to making Tau the new innovative race... maybe im just bitter that i only have one riptide...

[@TheCinderfang]

The tau auxiliaries should have their place

[@egagnon714]

I'm excited to try breachers in fish on the smaller table sizes, ntm strategic reserved fish of fury

[@TabletopTitans]

I think this tactic could work pretty well. I'm excited to try this as well.

[@pigzy9807]

The outflank is 2 CP for 19 PL, 5 breaches are 2PL (unless it is getting changed), so you can get 45 breachers or fire warriors outflanking for only 2CP. Fire blade is 2PL darkstrider is 3PL. So you can out flank with a load of infantry for not much, come in with allot of mid - short range daka and then threaten objectives. I'm not sure if this is going to be the best way to play tau, but to me it sounds fun and fairly effective.

[@cathode6252]

Devilfish are crap. You are better off taking a Ghostkeel for the point cost.

[@kvvtran]

really insightful breakdown thanks! As a casual player it was great to see the main changes. The applications afterward are great too... subbed!

[@eccadecker4005]

just looking forward to running farsight 8 as a unit and having fun to see how my new tau army will run thanks for the tips cheers bro can’t wait to see your tau battle report goes

[@Romeo_Delta]

"Tau is one of the most changed factions in 9th edition!" Retains Overwatch including FTGG while every other faction has to pay for it. Shield Drone Spam unchanged. Triptide and Commander spam lists. Yeah, sure seems like big changes....

[@TheCrimsonSpork]

The victim mentality is palpable... These are definitely Tau Players.

[@DracoTheBlack]

Show me on the mini where the Riptide touched you...

[@kitlloyd7920]

the tau lose two phases in the form of Psychic and Melee, this just gains them back an additional shooting phase (where they only hit on 6+ or 5+ if they are T'au sept). This was needed so that they didn't become the worst army available.

[@leegarner4592]

You can't re-roll for saviour protocols any more. Commanders are one per detachment I believe? So you need to pay CP for more than one. Riptides are indeed very good as ever, but we don't know points costs yet. They completely lost one of their major advantages with the change to FLY keyword. They mention in the IF/Tau batrep that there are many viable ways to build the army now.

[@misafrenchie]

8th edition lost the riptide spam in competative play because it wasn't as viable. We're now back to 7th ed making big castles. Especially with how drones and commander cover changed. It's a big change from 8th but its almost the exact same as 7th which is where everyone started hating tau.

[@peterandjunko]

Great content. So glad you guys were playtesters and already know the edition inside out. Couple questions: What HQ can you take for Supreme Command Detachment- I saw that it was for Primarchs and Supreme Commander Keyword only. Do all tau commanders get this keyword now? So do you think ATS and Counterfire are default support systems now for riptides? How about Ghostkeels?

[@peterandjunko]

What do you think of Stealth suits in 9th? Are they worth taking as resilient infiltrators for objectives- or does Fly nerf hurt them too much - as it does to crisis?

[@loglyn]

@@peterandjunko I think they will be useful, but it really depends on points.

[@craigd4840]

Thanks for this video. As play testers I was wondering...did you feed back tau are essentially mono build now with essentially 3 unit Riptides, commanders and drones? I feel like the point of play testing was to avoid things like this...

[@duerf5826]

Sadly, Triptides will be the way to go until the new codex drops. With the new HEAVY rule, Tau retaining overwatch, and Counterfire Defense System, Tau Sept Triptide is just too good. On the other hand, running FSE Crisis spam in 9e means that you have to pay at least 4 more cp just to field four more Commanders and that's on top of Veteran Cadre and Emergency Dispensation, that's 9 or 10cp out of the game.

[@TabletopTitans]

Games Workshop is aware of the frustrations with Tau. At the start of 9th we are still using 8th rules, so not that much changes about how the army plays. In a future codex I hope they find some new ideas that make Tau opponents enjoy the game more.

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

@@TabletopTitans and what about tau players, that want to enjoy the army? castling and triptide commanders are meta for at least 3 editions now and it sucks. with every new iteration of 40k and the tau codex, gw is stripping away the uniqueness and defining features of tau gameplay and turning them into onedimensional gunlines, wich is just not fun to play against or play with.

[@sanninjiraiya]

@@zhufortheimpaler4041 Tau keep turning into a high tech ig instead if being a highly mobile and adaptable force.

[@ComradePenguinski]

@@sanninjiraiya Even IG used to be mobile (5th edition Meltagun fun bus), and wasn't just Infantry spam. It seems like GW is just slowly but surely taking away the uniqueness of every faction, so that the only choice is "would you like to hit guys with swords or guns?".

[@lachieniven5273]

I really like the format of these videos. Informative and digestible: well done.

[@rhoram]

thank for this videos (and all your tau tactic's) as a new tau player this stuff REALLY helps !

[@maximumninja5]

Great video. You guys produce the best competetive 40k content atm. No doubt.

[@ElectronHexagon]

Gorgeous Army. That Tau Paintjob is super clean and balanced. Love it.

[@codypannell9463]

This hurts me BAAAAAADD!!!!!! I have been using crisis suits since I got the army. Used them when they were "bad" and used them still when they got good.... now tho..... oof, it's going to be rough as hell lol

[@luke2080]

Crisis Suits aren’t ever going to be as bad as they were in 5th Edition. If anything they’re insanely strong now, just that there’s technically better. And technically better is the best kind of better.

[@Kanjejou]

well they are costly but as specialised units with triple cheap weapons(burst canons flame thrower or plasma) they still do their job well... its just that the same stuff in other army is underpriced, aggressor for exemple cost 120pts for 3 guys with triple bolter +2d6 bolter shot and energetic melee weapons better shootting skills and better rules...

[@FMJIRISH]

... Without Jump-Shoot-Jump, Crisis suits are done. 5th Edition suits could at least avoid getting tagged in turn one

[@TheKutthroatKid]

This video didn't age well... #savetau

[@mohdazlanawang7540]

thanks man!!!! thanks for this vid! really need this for better understanding of complexity of the situation that may arise in the 9th. kudos :)

[@codymichaelsouthgate9705]

Great video guys, well made and great thoughts and information, except... you spend the entire video talking about how the T'au as a faction are going to be ok, and then your two suggested lists are from a busted 7th edition formation that utterly ruined the entire communities opinion of T'au: Triple Riptides... in both of your suggested lists... are you kidding me. "Take 3 riptides, 5 commanders and 30 drones, literally ignore 95% of the codex, disregard anything in here you think you like and just buy 3 riptides if you want to still play T'au in 9th edition." That's your advice after play testing for 8 months? Belligerently discouraging. That literally means GW didn't balance the game or the books based on play tester feedback and it's why I was concerned about tournament players testing the game. This is a tournament players idea of playing a faction, 3 units from an entire codex.

[@TabletopTitans]

At the end of the day the codex didn't change, only the main rules. The Riptide and commanders are still the best units in the codex by far and the new rules only helped them and hurt other units. I agree that it would be great if new lists were stronger, but at the moment I believe these are the best units.

[@codymichaelsouthgate9705]

@@TabletopTitans That is a good point, I completely forgot the Codex hasn't been redone, so how could T'au playstyle change. This entire army needs a redo from the foundation up. Auxiliaries need to synergize more and they have to let go of the idea that T'au don't melee or have psychers, that has to go, or they need to accept that in the lore Kroot do the melee for them so make them more effective in melee and their are psychic allies, so introduce a Psychic auxiliary, give T'au player the option to play multiple phases. The T'au are thee most adaptable race in the game (Tyranids also), according to their lore yet here they are, just shooting more bullets. Fusion blades as a standard crisis suit loadout is a good start, since T'au are always getting locked in combat anyway and now they cannot leave and shoot, or take Mortal Wounds if they do...yes, that is a natural evolution of the T'au philosophy, do what you must to survive to fight another day, for the Greater Good. Thanks for taking the time to respond and engaging me in conversation, it is very much appreciated.

[@fabienherry6690]

@@TabletopTitans But point did and OH boy we are served . Change that needed to happen didn't and they just consolidated or try to block bad behavior without understanding the root (spam riptide and commander) . Man at what point they will understand that a faction that focus on shooting CAN'T have it's elite BS at 4+

[@DMKA94]

@@fabienherry6690 Fire warriors really should be bs 4 or atleast improve the ap on the pulse rifles. The kroot are irrelevant with initiative being thrown out, same problem with the vespids. A new auxiliary unit that can deny psychic powers would be nice!

[@zhufortheimpaler4041]

i wish for gw that the next tau codex is going back to the tau roots. highly mobile and flexible movements with precise, specialised firepower in all range bands with dedicated unit roles. im tired of triptide and gunline/castle. i want classic armies back

[@rathstar]

Awesome content and insights, can't wait to see your upcoming content. Keep up the great work !!

[@TabletopTitans]

Glad you liked it, we have so much more coming.

[@rookpwnd]

Any thoughts on how long itll be until Tau get a new codex?

[@projectperfectmmo3745]

Great video guys. Hey, I noticed you have some shelves in the background with tons of army units on them. As just a cool idea, you could place glass cases all around the room so you can show off the models in your videos. I think that would be neat rather than having them shoved into the corner. Anyways just my two cents, great content as always guys :D

[@PP-th4ft]

Has your perspective on the power level of Tau changed since? Apparently they are considered one of the weaker factions now.

[@trzynasty909]

It absolutely has, as they themselves in later bat reps often do talk about how awful T'au are doing. I mean I'm watching this and just cringing with every other sentence, because they were just so mistaken in their expectations. Lots of changes for T'au? They're probably the least changed faction and will be so until the codex drops. Shooting edition? It's the most melee-focused one as of yet it seems. Smaller board size better for T'au? Abso-damn-lutely not. "Come charge me first one!", believing in FtGG and overwatch... Nah. They get ripped to shreds if that happens and the overwatch is nowhere near as useful as any single round of shooting. The boys messed up big time and should re-do this, but they probably don't want to, because the codex will come and again change everything.

[@torokokill]

This is a great video! As someone getting into 40k with the new edition, this is exactly what I need to digest the rule changes. Thank you!

[@mchinn8465]

Great video guys! Very useful information for the next time i play my Tau friend :D

[@spooky15]

A tau sept coldstar with the jump shoot jump relic seems like a potentially powerful unit, with the ability to jump in or out of a terrain future after shooting.

[@acdcgeek]

These guys mention riptides so much it's not fun. I'm biased because I don't like the riptide for being the "only" viable build.

[@razorfate1007]

Obscured keyword is not necessarrily given to all terrain with a 5” antenna and true line of sight stays in the game as GW commented about it. As lots of to’s purchased L shaped terrain, it will not be a more shooting game anymore than 8th edition. If necessary TOs can rule that ground floor windows are closed.

[@santaclausewitz1891]

Basically the same way you play in 8th Edition. 3 Stormsurged MUST be the core of your army. Going into the field without 3 Stormsurges is like going into a Napoleonic Battle without Guns or a modern battle without tanks. You need Shadowsun for Kauyon shenanigans. The rest is optional, I go 3 Boradsides with Rail Guns, Long-Strike (to kill heavy and because the range advantage forces the enemy to come to you! ) , an Ethereal and about 3 squads of breachers just to have infantry for objectives and for a gun-line. I go Breachers over strike teams because they have the option to be saved by a drone field on 5 or 6 vs only a 6. 2000 pts.

[@multigwilty5154]

I'm going to try a 6 commander farsight enclave list in 3 patrols. 3 strike teams of 10, two devilfish and 2 groups of crisis suits, one 5 one 3.

[@jamesoakley9333]

Show us darkstrider please! I'm a tau player that quit when the castling killed 7th.... show me something I can play please! Give me a reason to come back to tabletop!(Have one RT but refuse to buy more)

[@kaiitza9949]

Devilfish, 7 Breachers and Pistols, Guardian drone, Shield drone and Darkstrider. Roll up, jump out and melt face, charge with the 'fish to soak up overwatch. They are designed for aggressive objective clearing and being a thorn that your opponent must deal with, to allow your heavy hitters to keep dealing damage near-unhindered for a turn or two. Double up the Warfish and Breacher squads for more chaos. I love my mechanized Tau that I'm willing to adapt to this meta, it might not be the strongest list but at least it breaks the mold. I'm just a filthy casual who doesn't care to bring the strongest lists to annoy friends with, as I'm a strong believer in more diversity than taking the I-have-no-friends Triptide/Commander list.

[@redcorsair14]

Ug, they pigeonholed Tau into one build. Castling and drone spam with Tau sept. A shame they got rid of the mobile heavy mechanized feel of old tau with tanks and transports backed up by a few suits. Tau tanks seem almost worthless when you compare them to their heavy suit equivalents. I need to find out how squadron rules and transport rules work in 9th to see if Tau vehicles are truly dead in the water.

[@onepangaean3018]

Are they?

[@briantaulbee5744]

The new unit coherency rules are, IMHO, going to be aces for Thousand Sons, particularly the Cult of Magic with all of the mortal wound splash damage they can pump out. They're going to chew through castles like nobody's business.

[@ladyaneal4]

I just started getting my figs so this is vary help full

[@deang8017]

So just to clarify. Are you now confirming that Shadowsun and Farsight will gain the keyword? Does this mean Shadowsun can double Kauyon for another sept now?

[@siroaktree6656]

yes. yes she can.

[@Daekony]

Amazing vid. Love the channel. Please keep it up. Cheers.

[@foxzz1999]

So disapointed. Was hoping for a return of Mobile T'au and Crisis suits. Instead we're back with Castle T'au and Big units. So boring. Might as well play guard ...

[@michaelf.7339]

If you had problems with not enough CP with Tau in 8th Ed you played them wrong. 5 men squads of Fire Warriors with Cadre Fireblades for 2-3 Battalions and the rest Piptides and Broadsides with rockets, easily 12+ CP. In my oppinion the true strength of Tau shooting is not the low amount of high damage anti-tank shots but the mass of shots at 18" or more with the respective drones from Fire Warriors and the tons of rocket SMS shots with Broadsides.

[@CesarIsaacPerez]

I hope Tau get new units to offset the changes. didn't GW say next year was the year of the Xenos...? Hope they update all the Xenos armies like they are doing with Necrons now.

[@Sinthoras25031994]

Would love to see you talk about Harlequins. I am very worried about them because they needed to stack the minus to hit to even survive a little bit

[@MLaak86]

Getting started with Tau, guess I should just go with what I think is cool and in lore and accept getting killed lots as a result - no way I'm gonna be "that guy" or "triptides? Nope not playing you!"

[@pacecory1]

huh, i always had the most CP when playing with Tau. I was on par with guard, of course I ended up spending it all real quick, but that's just how CP works

[@CloudianMH]

Youbwhere on par with guard... Playing tau.. I cant even fathom how terrible those lists look 😂. Offense or anything. Tau have cery few good units. If you're bringing anything brigadey you're def in trouble. With 2k points.

[@fabienherry6690]

@@CloudianMH 38 point 3 time for a 5 man strike team with a marker light : markerlight that can actually survive (i think that everytime i play second tau my opponent barely look at my pathfinder and they are dead (yeah they are visible because i don't want to shoot them on 5+)

[@radred609]

I think we're going to see a lot more sacrificial drone squads to screen for commanders and other high value targets

[@falloutboy9993]

Bottom line: Tau got a big Nerf and have to rely on our old spam tactics to even have a chance. And even then we will probably lose because of victory points. I hope they change up a lot with our new codex. Whenever we get it

[@fightindice6227]

Never a bad vid guys. Keep it up!

[@michaellarkin8049]

With only 5 turns i believe we can get away with less drones. Also, with 5" terrain blocking LOS i think theres play moving out 2inches out ofvterrain, shoot and nova 2d6 back behind cover. No drones needed.

[@See_Jay_Play]

That is a beautiful color scheme/paint job.

[@andreaascione40]

Great video, great work!!

[@NLaRue]

Wait wait wait wait. How are you not able to afford a battalion? Three units of Fire Warriors only sets you back 105 points.

[@MrBones-cu1vi]

I cant fucking wait for the new forgeworld rules, really hoping the tau fw stuff gets better.

[@joshlmartin1ify]

Stumbled across this and love the content! New sub here :) Couple of questions: Is shadowsun going to maybe be good this edition or stick to commanders? Can a ta'unar be playable or no?

[@TabletopTitans]

The Ta'unar is still excellent and Shadowsun is also going to be great. Nothing really made either of these worse.

[@pinhead61187]

Well this aged like yogurt

[@LordInter]

I'm new to tau, this is wrong now?

[@jamesramirez523]

I’m wondering the same, how have things changed? I’m new as well and about to pull the trigger on my first army.

[@serarthurdayne9490]

These videos are excellent

[@jonathannoble7657]

How to play tau in 9th. Put all your units in a giant blob. Shoot things. Profit.

[@inf3243]

I feel like shenanigans like what you demonstrate in the Drone Placement Ideas section are what ultimately hurt the game and just lead to this strung out arms race between GW's rulesets and tourney players. Every time I see tactics videos going into detail about positioning tricks like conga lines, wrapping units etc. it just makes me sad. Want to play a wargame, not a puzzle game.

[@Zach0451]

Unfortunately the Supreme Command detatchment is no longer an option for Tau

[@brandonsteinhauer5281]

Battalion/Patrol/Patrol or triple Patrol im guessing is gonna be the new normal.

[@jovialmonster757]

Wdym?

[@4squaremiles]

I suspect Shadowsun will get the supreme commander keyword, but yeah, they're not the same thing any more.

[@TheLagiacrus1]

Shadowsun will almost certainly be a Supreme Commander. Possibly Farsight too, but definitely Shadowsun

[@linkofvev]

@@jovialmonster757 Supreme command is 1 primarch/daemon primarch/supreme commander only now. Also airwing is gone too

[@johnnemesh5459]

How to play T'au in 9th edition: Wait for new codex, then try again.

[@freakyfishguy1692]

I started playing tau over a decade now, and the primary tactic was the fish of fury. I still to do this day only play infantry and hover tanks. No crisis suits apart from a commander, and maybe some stealth suits depending on the day. I don't even own any playable crisis suits, no Riptide's, no Ghostkeels. It sucks so much that my fast style of rapid deploying fire warriors and hammerheads, piranhas and devilfish is barely playable. I don't want to play Riptide's, they aren't like anything I want to play, I don't want to build or paint one. I want to play mechanised tau like I used to,like what was the tau style. I really hope tau tanks get buffs in the new codex, compare them to Eldar vehicle upgrades and it's night and day

[@silver4831]

You play Tau, you need support suits. Inf spam just won't work for us.

[@sludgedisciple]

Thank you for this Guys!

[@razzamatronic9882]

The more they release for 9th, what with the smaller board and the no falling back and shooting, points increases, the problems that have already been present in Tau since the start of 8, I feel like somebody at GW who's in charge of the rules just really does not like Tau

[@razzamatronic9882]

Frankly, the Tau need an overhaul of several aspects at this point

[@Captain0Newman]

I love GWs new approach. Super friendly and so good of them to send the rules. Love the new GW

[@grahamsteel7737]

Its free publicity why wouldn't they. Never forget they're just a business out to make money.

[@NewandForgiven]

@@grahamsteel7737 The fact it makes sense, and is good for everyone wouldn't have made them do it at the start of 6th, when they were in full cash-grab, screw everyone mode - it's refreshing to see them make decision that benefit everyone after that :)

[@fabienherry6690]

Rules got leaked hard on internet . You have even the point and the list of blast weapon online so for a few days now people are playing 9th edition in TTS. At this point they had nothing to lose to send it

[@breadgehog]

Literally within the first 20 seconds of the video they explain they've had playtest stuff for 6 months, it's clearly not a response to leaks.

[@thesophistichimp7425]

After watching this video and reading the comments I feel like I’m the only person who just plays models they like for tau. I love the riptide model but even I only run 1. Don’t want to be that guy who only runs three

[@acousticoutlaw8607]

Tau nick please save us

[@jungijunsa6311]

fantastic video. can't wait for the wave of hot 9th ed content on this channel

[@colinbrown5646]

If the list is for a 2000 point game and I dont see Supremacy Armor, I dont wanna talk.

[@mca4100]

Whattt???? Taking away the Fly keyword, and making LOS rules better for blocking it and the fact that they so heavily rely on Marker lights leaves them in a bad spot. Plus only having 3 viable units to use makes them super predictable.

[@rhlm95]

Thanks for the video but still hate the smaller maps and 5 turns.

[@storminmormn6283]

I just picked up my 4th hammerhead and 2nd devilfish. Hopefully vehicles are great in 9th edition!

[@leegarner4592]

They are much improved, as they do not suffer the penalty for moving and firing heavy weapons, and can also shoot in combat.

[@davidjones4772]

I’m finding tau extremely good recently. It’s normally just a question of can my opponent score enough points early game before I’ve wiped his army. Sms is crucial and only target units on objectives. We can’t hold objectives too well but we can clear objectives easily.

[@burnbobquist8999]

Yeah great... so i have my full fusion coldstar commander now stuck in the backline, because GW basicly took everything that made them great away? Oh great that i have a lot of Crisis suits, because i love to play Farsight and they get nerfed like hell too. GW fucked up the Tau in this edition... "Oh you wanna play Tau? Here, castle yourself in with Riptides. bye.". That is NOT how i want to play them and on top we still have no valid melee unit apart from maybe Farsight... This sucks, big time.

[@Irongrip09]

literally the whole Tau fluff during combat is they feel holding ground is pointless and being mobile and adaptive is how they fight. Its good to wreck others on one hand with my coldstar and Riptide, but i found after game 5 i was a bit bored.

[@SWIFTO_SCYTHE]

Could be worse. You could be playing Tyranids...

[@ImperialLegionTV]

Breachers + Devilfish.

[@EFCAGGIETEAM]

Please please do a pure Khorne (worldeaters) strategy list like this video. Love your work!! Very insightful. I play worldeaters Khorne only. I don’t believe in mixing the gods. But I have really struggled with my worldeaters army in 8th edition. What would be the most effective way to field my army in 9th edition? Please to a video??

[@Alino-]

I play Chaos Daemons of Khorne only. I can NEVER find a good Khorne Daemon (purely khorne daemons, not other daemons, not marine allies) video online unless it's for Age of Sigmar.

[@evelynproctor906]

Excellent rundown--this is exactly the kind of overview I've been wanting. I'm curious: do you think Stormsurges have any place in competitive, or even most casual play, anymore? It seems like they've taken serious opportunity cost increases with the changes to detachments.

[@Zach0451]

I'd say they're worth trying right now especially since almost all of its guns have the blast rule, but their use decreases as hordes decrease in the metagame, and they're a unit that helps a more castle-based play style, which is discouraged by the current 5 turn limit for 9th

[@evelynproctor906]

Yeah, I definitely see them putting out a lot of firepower! My concern is that--unless I'm misunderstanding--the leaks we've seen for the Super-Heavy Aux detachment suggests they won't get sept bonuses, and they'll cost 3CP just to bring one. It seems like a lot to spend on a killy unit in an edition that focuses a lot more on objectives than killing--though, admittedly, it would probably be good at killing most armies' ObSec units.

[@Zach0451]

@@evelynproctor906 Stormsurges fit a particular niche in that they are really good at deleting hordes of units and being a fire magnet. If you want something more flexible and still capable of killing, the riptide is the go to choice. If you're completely mad however, you can always field a super heavy detatchment and just run 3 of them and see what happens...

[@evelynproctor906]

@@Zach0451 Oh, man. Oops! All Stormsurges against a bunch of Hive Tyrants. P'acific R'im.

[@duerf5826]

In short, not at the moment. Paying 3CP for a T7 unit is simply not worth it.

[@2xsumsaR]

Nice vid! Will you do one for astra millitarum aswell? :)

[@shadowl1980]

Let's have none tourney players test play the game.

[@GundamReviver]

Yes please, so you'd still see if normal non 'triptide armies actually still work. Army now too Powerfull IF you take riptides? Maybe that's the riptides problem..

[@Zolepapa]

I slapped the like button at the exact millisecond I noticed this video is out :D

[@jamesm783]

Maybe Coldstars with the Tau flyers, or Pirahnas to screen them could be good?

[@MichaelEntwistle]

These lists make me really regret starting Tau. Basically get as many Riptides and Commanders as possible. No discussion of any other unit other than saying Kroot are still bad, and this is after months of playtesting.

[@TheCinderfang]

I do wish that kroot had the ability to fulfill their purpose

[@felixarbable]

Seems like this is going to be some huge changes for tau, maybe now 9 missile boradsides with the missile sept becomes the meta. pre 9th it was leaning towards crisis suits and farsight but from games ive played today that feels horrible now. I hope tau get something to compensate for the lack of fly. these changes seem to encourage more static gunline tau and less farsight crisis tau which makes me a bit sad. but who knows whats in store when the codex drops.

[@ExaltedSaint89]

I would love to see, crisis suits got some sort of close combat upgrade, now that they have become more or less irrelevant.

[@jpthunda7797]

The guys seemed to allude to the fact that Broadsides would be considered monsters. If that's the case, they are quite disgusting in Farsight all the same. Assuming the sept tenets don't change, Farsight Broadsides locked in melee are shooting, hitting on 5+'s, Rerolling 1's to Hit & Wound, very possibly with an EWO or or ATS since there is no longer a need for Target Locks. Shoot you when you show up, shoot you on the way in, shoot you in my shooting phase while engaged...talk about 'Danger Close'. As for Crisis Suits...I'm withholding final judgement. Losing Fall Back & Shoot across the board hurts us, a lot, but I don't think it will necessarily break crisis suits. I think a veteran cadre of crisis suits with CIB's that drops in with an accompanying drone unit to screen, a unit of Hazard suits with the reduced enemy charge distance and drones to screen, and possibly a squad or two of 5-10 Vespids as additional screening chaff could form an effective drop group that could clear objectives or backfield emplacements. I'm waiting to see what the rules for Hazard suits are. If they're classed as Monsters like broadsides (and according to Tau size class, XV9 is bigger than XV88) they could really help effectively screen and augment a drop group.

[@JA-bi9qo]

@@jpthunda7797 To my understanding they're not monsters, but only infantry suffer the -1 to hit from carrying heavy weapons. So broadsides can move and fire without penalty but can't, like monsters and vehicles, shoot into combat.

[@noahfeldman3377]

Never even thought about that LOS positioning. Love the vid! But a question, I want to run the Sun Shark bombers with broadsides and a crisis suit team, think this would work okay in 9E?

[@fabienherry6690]

Crisis suit 25% point increase sun 21% and broadside 29% . So as an army no. Kid listen we said triptide listen a bit. you can bring some sun shark if you want just don't forget your triptide and normal drone spam

[@gamedev4032]

How would you build a Combat Partrol battle size list (500pts or 25PL) with Tau? You don't have enough point for proper markerlight support, you can take one Enforcer Commander with ATS and 3 Missiles, a single Riptide with ATS and CDS, and a MSU Breacher Team for exactly 500pts - without drone? I've played this list once but it was mostly trash, the breacher are going out turn 1 and after that you just have no way to hold any objective. I've tried replacing the Riptide with 2 Broadsides and a few drones and it's a little better but if the opponent successfully tied even a single Broadside down (by locking it into combat, making retreat no possible at all) it's pretty much game over.

[@paweszpakowski1234]

someone: How to play Tau in 9th edition? I: you don't

[@meklen5836]

Kk, i'm not even halfway through this and i'm already itching to say, "thank you guys - you are giving the gold" to anyone looking to invest into a faction, and man, I needed to hear this like speaking in my LGS with a bunch of friends throughout the evening :) thanks

[@Mithlinthar]

I'm still not sure how terrain rules work in 9th, but "meh" Shadowsun may be quite interesting in 9th. She's stealthy, she's Infantry (Coldstars are not), her points are not terrible... Stealthy thematic army with her and Stealth Suits, Ghostkeels, Pathfinders and Breachers should be fun. Not really killy, but as far as I know killing is not that important in this edition.