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[Cthulhu]

I'll say this, if you really want to play Tau, and intend to play any kind of pick-up games, you'll probably want to wait until they get a new codex (whenever the hell that might be*).  As I understand it (not knowing Tau myself) the many changes to vehicle and squad rules in the 5th edition have left them virtually unplayable in their current state.  Everyone I've ever seen talking about Tau said that you have to be prepared to get your ass handed to you over and over until you learn the perfect combination of tricks to break even.

The Eldar on the other hand, while flimsy, have stupidly powerful guns.  Knock yourself out if you're interested.

*_{Sometime after the 6th Edition, behind the Space Marines, the Black Templars, the Dark Angels, the Space Marines Redux, the Blood Angels, the Space Marines Oops We Forgot This, the 6.5th Edition, the Dark Eldar, the Space Marines 6.5 Update, and the Space Wolves.}

That's funny.  You're funny.

[MagmaDeath]

Yeah, going from space marines to anything will cause you to lose nearly every game. Space marines are nearly invincible, while everything else... Not so much. If you are going to play tau, I suggest making a battlesuit army with O'shava, or a Fast and huge army, as in 6 squads of fire warriors in devilfishes, And never ever forget markerlights, they may not seem like much, but are all that stand between you and a horrible crushing defeat. I dont have the resourses to do the first, but I do have an aarmy based off the second, Though I dont play them much. Firewarriors and even battlesuits are made of mush, so dont be surprised if you get an entire squad wiped out in one turn.

[Neruz]

Tau are seriously gimped at the moment; Tau rely on heavy long-range firepower even more than the IG, and their vechs were where they got the big guns out, the 5th edition vech rules have boned them up the ass.

Eldar are doing alright, but suffer from the same problem that has always plagued them; they're made out of goddamn paper.

[Jackrabbit]

Oh god; you're going to go from a Space Marine army to an Eldar or Tau army?

You sir, are gonna get raep'd. You would be hard-pressed to pick an army that plays more differently than the Spesh Murheens, except possibly the Dark Eldar.

I'll remind everyone that, due to rather unusual patience on my part, I have not yet bought more than a commander and have not played a single game.

So continue to advise, I'd like to cut down on the raping. Hell, give me options. What armies are what? What do people usually play, what works, you know. I'm aware 40K preferences differ from person to person but overall, what's good for a beginner other than Space Marines?

[Neruz]

Oh god; you're going to go from a Space Marine army to an Eldar or Tau army?

You sir, are gonna get raep'd. You would be hard-pressed to pick an army that plays more differently than the Spesh Murheens, except possibly the Dark Eldar.

I'll remind everyone that, due to rather unusual patience on my part, I have not yet bought more than a commander and have not played a single game.

So continue to advise, I'd like to cut down on the raping. Hell, advise an army that's fun to play, too.

Well you'd first need to decide on if you're going with Tau or Eldar, as the two play substantially differently.

[Jackrabbit]

Oh, I edited my post, it sounded dumb to me.

After all that, I'm thinking Eldar. I didn't realize how fragile the Tau were, nor their codex problems.

[Neruz]

If you think Tau are fragile, wait till you see the Eldar.


Eldar are extremely mobile and have big guns, also almost all their vechs are skimmers which is both good and bad; great mobility, but made of paper.

Eldar tactics revolve around positioning; you want to get your dudes into range, shoot some shit, and then get the fuck out of range before your enemy counterattacks; fortunately they have the speed to get into range, fire and get out again, and they have the firepower to hit hard enough that the other guy can't hit back.

Unfortunately; everyone knows that this is how the Eldar play, and almost every team has some means of pinning your dudes down. In the hands of a skilled player, Eldar are lethal, they come from all over the board and hit you from all angles, in the hands of an inexperienced player they're a complete pushover.



Eldar are generally considered to be the hardest race to play effectively (unlike Dark Eldar, which, thanks to their lack of Codex, are completely impossible to play.) If you're set on Eldar, i highly reccomend you track down an experienced Eldar player and get him to show you how to use them. After he stops laughing at you challenge him to some fights and watch carefully how he uses his dudes, or watch his fights with other players, make sure you ask questions as well, as Eldar have a very complex metagame; if your enemy knows what you're going to do, he can have his guns pointed in the right direction when you show up, as an Eldar player you need to be playing the other guy, as well as playing the game.


It is not a race for the faint of heart.

[Jackrabbit]

Wheeeeeeee.

This whole experience is going to be fun. Still, start off with SPESH MARINSH. However fucked up that makes me. Attend a few games, watch some people, work out what the hell I actually want to do.

Cool. Got it all worked out.

[Keita]

If you do decide on either Eldar or Tau I can help (I have a 100point Eldar army (and have won games with em) and HAD Tau and came second in a mini tormenant with them)

A quick tip for both armies:

Tau - Battle suits and kroot are key. Battle suits give you mobile firepower and kroot can counter charge any unit in charge range.

Eldar - There version of Rhino rushing. almost EVERY unit has a transport with star engines (lets you move 12" instead of shooting) Xeno style drive-bys ftw!

[Neruz]

Also; don't overdo it on the Kroot. Kroot are alright, but their main purpose is to stop people from charging your Fire Warriors and other squishies; they won't win in a straight-up fight with any decent melee army and they're a bit underpowered for their cost, you want enough Kroot to slow the baddies down, but don't expect to win any fights with them.

Once they're engaged though, open up hell on them with your ranged dudes; you'll wipe your own forces out, but more importantly, you'll get his forces as well. If you can take out his melee, you have the game in the bag. Unless he's Eldar, in which case he didn't engage you in melee, he engaged you from that side of the board with a series of long-ranged anti-infantry cannons, and then moved over to this side of the board and blew up your Hammerhead with that Fire Prism, and goddamnit, that Crisis suit didn't even get a chance to fire you bastard.

[Org]

If you do decide on either Eldar or Tau I can help (I have a 100point Eldar army (and have won games with em) and HAD Tau and came second in a mini tormenant with them)

A quick tip for both armies:

Tau - Battle suits and kroot are key. Battle suits give you mobile firepower and kroot can counter charge any unit in charge range.

Eldar - There version of Rhino rushing. almost EVERY unit has a transport with star engines (lets you move 12" instead of shooting) Xeno style drive-bys ftw!

1000 points, you mean?
Tau-Yes, as Neruz said, do not get tons and tons of Kroot. Maybe one group of 20. Dont think shaper is worth it, but I never use Tau except for when I feel like it.

Eldar-Star Engines is 24", not 12.

@Aqizzar-I just won a 500 pt game against two other players. With TAU. Against Eldar and Kayos. Really? They are easy to play. Easy to win. Hammerhead + Commander won the game. Kill Point Game.

I go first
Hammerhead blows up Vindicator. Commander moves forward.

Chaos player runs away as he is now trapped and not going to do good. He later quits.

Eldar player moves forward a little. Shoots me with rangers.

Rest o' game
Hammerhead shoots Eldar. Commander gets in place for jump-shoot-jumping. He does that for rest of game. Makes a Fire Dragon Squad runoff. Win.

Eldar continues to fail, Rangers nearly kill me end of game. Eldar Player failed with his Fire Dragons. Moved to kill my Hammerhead, was 7" away. Failed to penetrate. Commander went pew-pew with his Plasma rifle and they failed their LD test.

[Keita]

If you do decide on either Eldar or Tau I can help (I have a 100point Eldar army (and have won games with em) and HAD Tau and came second in a mini tormenant with them)

A quick tip for both armies:

Tau - Battle suits and kroot are key. Battle suits give you mobile firepower and kroot can counter charge any unit in charge range.

Eldar - There version of Rhino rushing. almost EVERY unit has a transport with star engines (lets you move 12" instead of shooting) Xeno style drive-bys ftw!

1000 points, you mean?
Tau-Yes, as Neruz said, do not get tons and tons of Kroot. Maybe one group of 20. Dont think shaper is worth it, but I never use Tau except for when I feel like it.

Eldar-Star Engines is 24", not 12.

Both of those lol.

Yer Kroot are underpowered unless you give them a shaper but those are expensive and not worth the points imo.

How long had the Eldar player being using his army?

[Org]

If you do decide on either Eldar or Tau I can help (I have a 100point Eldar army (and have won games with em) and HAD Tau and came second in a mini tormenant with them)

A quick tip for both armies:

Tau - Battle suits and kroot are key. Battle suits give you mobile firepower and kroot can counter charge any unit in charge range.

Eldar - There version of Rhino rushing. almost EVERY unit has a transport with star engines (lets you move 12" instead of shooting) Xeno style drive-bys ftw!

1000 points, you mean?
Tau-Yes, as Neruz said, do not get tons and tons of Kroot. Maybe one group of 20. Dont think shaper is worth it, but I never use Tau except for when I feel like it.

Eldar-Star Engines is 24", not 12.

Both of those lol.

Yer Kroot are underpowered unless you give them a shaper but those are expensive and not worth the points imo.

How long had the Eldar player being using his army?

2-3 Months. To my Few minutes of looking at Tau Codex and hearing strategies from Dakkadakka.

[Jakkarra]

I Am NOT looking forwards to facing the Tau.

Or Phil's Deamons

[Org]

I Am NOT looking forwards to facing the Tau.

Or Phil's Deamons

Easy. Raep the Hammerheads and Sky Rays and DevilFish with Lootas.

Daemons...I would guard your Lootas with lots of Boys to prevent them from being charged, then whittle down big units. Hard things is they all have inv saves