Aeronautica Imperialis - Faction Review - Tau Empire
The Tau Empire were the third faction to be released for Aeronautica Imperialis and I have always been a fan of this Xenos race. In Warhammer 40,000 they are a force that prefers to keep the army at range, has good manoeuvrability but is on the slower side. How do the Air Caste compare to their Fire Caste brethren?
Additionally, I have put together a painting guide for how I painted my Tau aircraft.
Faction review links:
More of my Aeronautica articles can be found here.
My recorded games can be viewed on YouTube or try the video below.
Within this article are some examples of aircraft with weapon loadouts. Each loadout provides the average amount of damage the aircraft can cause in a single round of firing at each range.
Faction Overview
The main asset of the Tau Empire Air Cadre is their manoeuvrability combined with average durability and good versatility afforded by a wide selection of armaments for each type of aircraft. Tau planes are slower than their Imperial and Ork counterparts but can change speed more effectively and have access to more Ace Manoeuvres. Used wisely, this will enable the Tau to get the right weapon into the right place at the right time. The Tau Empire's aircraft also have access to drone turrets, which allows them to shoot one weapon in all directions. While this weapon is far from being the most powerful, it is a nice ability that gives you additional gaming options and could make all the difference in a dogfight.
A particular and unique disadvantage of the Tau is their lack of 'Bomb' weaponry. As such, if the Tau want to engage ground targets, they must commit to strafing runs and risk the enemy ground fire. The problem with strafing runs is that your movement becomes predictable (the attack on the Death Star is a prime example). Although, this disadvantage can be mitigated with some long-range firepower from the Tiger Shark AX 1-0 and its Paired Heavy Rail Cannons, but more on that later.
How many models are available in the range?
Currently, there are rules for four Tau aircraft and two Tau ground defences. The four aircraft are:
Barracuda
Tiger shark AX-1-0-2
Tiger shark AX-1-0
Remora Drones
The Barracuda and the Tiger Sharks have different builds available to them through their weapon options. Both the Tiger Sharks and the Barracudas are found within the Skies of Fire core set.
Barracuda
The Barracuda is the Tau Empires fighter aircraft. It is available with three Primary weapon options (Swiftstrike Railguns, Ion Cannons, Swiftstrike Burst Cannons) and two secondary weapon options. As a result, there are six different weapon loadouts for this fighter.
Personally, I do not like the Swiftstrike Railgun option. For me, the lack of short-range firepower and the fact you get to roll so few dice to hit, leaves me with the feeling that this weapon is not particularly viable, especially for a fighter. My preferred option is the Ion Cannon. I like this weapon as it can shoot at all ranges and has the bonus of extra damage (though statically, it has a slightly lower chance of causing damage than the Swiftstrike Burst Cannon, but it is cheaper). It synergises well with the built in Missile Pods and the Drone turrets (this keeps its best firepower to the medium range bracket, and everything causes damage on a 4+). As stated already, the other viable weapon option is the Swiftstrike Burst Cannon. While it does not cause damage as easily as the Ion Cannon, it does fire more shots (so it is the weapon with the highest probability of causing damage).
The secondary weapons are drone turrets. These are special in that they can fire all around and down, therefore making it easier to defend against enemy aircraft. The Cyclic Ion Blaster Drone is my preferred turret as it can fire at targets at short range, but it cannot fire at targets at long range. The Long-Barrelled Burst Cannon Drone cannot fire at targets at short range but can fire at long range. As I expect opponents to get up close and personal, I prefer the short-range defence. Of course, these turrets cost points and increase the value of each of your aircraft but I cannot really think of a scenario where you would not buy them. These Drone turrets give the Tau fighters a significant edge over other races because the fighters of other races have only forward-facing weapons.
*The main disadvantage of the Barracuda is its slow speed. Ionic Afterburners is an upgrade that can be purchased, which increases the Barracudas throttle (to 3) and Max Speed (to 7) changing my rating on its speed from 3 stars up to 4 stars.
The problem now arises that as you add upgrades, turret weapons and change the primary weapon, the Barracuda becomes an expensive plane. In fact, a 'tooled up' Barracuda is the same points (or frequently more expensive than) as a bare bones Tiger Shark, which can deal out and absorb far more punishment. However, this tooled up fighter is a real menace with its manoeuvrability and turn of speed, especially when combined with excellent handling. In a low flight scenario, the Barracuda is an excellent fighter.
I love the Barracuda. It is a great fighter but can be a glass hammer. However, its high-speed and good manoeuvrability usually keep out of harms way.
Tiger Shark
The Tiger Shark is the Tau Empire's Bomber and their only access to a troop transporting craft. As a result, they will be necessary craft for many missions. It is a faster and more manoeuvrable aircraft than the equivalent bombers of the Imperial Navy, the Adeptus Astartes and the Orks. In fact, it could be viewed more as a heavy fighter than a bomber as it lacks bombs or any other ground attack weapons! It comes available with three Primary weapon options (Paired Swiftstrike Railguns, Paired Ion Cannons, Paired Swiftstrike Burst Cannons) and two secondary weapon options. As a result, there are six different weapon loadouts for this bomber.
All the Primary Weapons on the Tiger Shark are effective, but all have a disadvantage. The Paired Swiftstrike Railgun Option lacks firepower at short range. The Paired Swiftstrike Burst Cannons put out a lot of firepower, (9 shots at medium range is hard to ignore!) but they are an expensive upgrade. The Paired Ion Cannons cause slightly less damage than the Swiftstrike Burst Cannons but are cheaper. Additionally, they are better at short range than the Railguns, but are less effective at long range.
Like the Barracuda, the Tiger Shark has access to the same Drone weapons. Again, I would recommend the Cyclic Ion Burst Drones for when the enemy inevitably gets into close range. Overall, the Tiger Shark is an exceptionally good aircraft. It is no wonder that many Air Cadre are formed around the Tiger Shark with one escorting Barracuda.
Tiger Shark loadout 2 is my preferred option. It may cause slightly less damage at medium range, but it is 6 points cheaper than loadout 3. This is a huge saving and allows for the potential purchase of another plane for a bigger force. Realistically, I cannot think of a reason to take the Paired Swiftstrike Burst Cannons on the Tiger Shark. They are just too expensive, for no actual benefit.
Tiger Shark loadout 4 is also an interesting option. It is the cheapest Tiger Shark variant and is powerful at medium and long range. I like this option, especially as this aircraft can use its Minimum Speed of 1 to hang back behind the main Tau line and snipe out enemy aircraft.
Tiger Shark AX 1-0
The Tiger Shark AX 1-0 loses its transport capacity but gains a point of speed. Making them faster than a Barracuda (without Ionic Afterburners)!
These planes also have access to heavier Primary weapons than the rest of the Tau Air Cadre. They have a Paired Heavy Rail Cannon [0/2/3 2+ (5+)], which still lacks the ability to shoot at close range. This weapon could be of value in a scenario where ground target should need to be eliminated. The AX 1-0 could circle around at extreme range sniping at the ground defences without getting too close to the opponent's defences. However, the Tiger Shark AX 1-0 can be upgraded to carry Heavy Plasma Accelerators [4-2-2 3+ (6+)]. As this plane is fast, it can use these big guns to chase down enemy bombers. When the Tiger Shark AX 1-0 was first introduced to the background of Warhammer 40,000 it was hunting Warhound Titan in the deserts of the first Taros war. This tells you this plane is designed to hunt down and destroy tough ground targets.
*As with the previous aircraft changing the weapons changes the cost of the aircraft resulting my rating changing from Average to Above Average very quickly.
The Tiger Shark AX 1-0 has access to the same drone turret weapons as the Barracuda and the Tiger Sharks. Again, I would recommend the Cyclic Ion Blaster Drones for when the enemy inevitably gets into close range.
My Tiger Sharks AX 1-0 are going to be protected at close range with a couple of Remora Drones, just like the sharks in the oceans have a little Remora or two swimming around them.
Remora Drone Fighter
The Remora Drone Fighter is a cheap fighter/scout. It has good speed and manoeuvrability, having access to most of the Ace Manoeuvres, but only 1 point of structure, so they are not going to last in a dogfight.
This plane has no weapon upgrades but comes with Burst cannons and 2 Seeker Missiles, giving it good firepower for a few turns in the game.
The role of this plane is to hang back behind the main Tau Force and engage any enemy planes that get behind the Tiger Sharks and Barracudas. Additionally, as the plane is so cheap it can be used strategically to manipulate the initiative during a turn. The Remora also has Stealth, which protects it from Ground to Air fire and Jink, which can help you reposition the fighter during the firing phase. As such, you will have little difficult moving this aircraft into position. Overall, one of these drones is a great investment for any Tau Air Cadre.
KV 126 Skyfire Platform
This ground defence is good in scenarios where there are ground targets or landing zones. The Skyfire platform can then be deployed to defend these areas. However, its low effective altitude of 2 and its burst cannon profile [4/10/0 5+], which has no long range will allow opponents to avoid this defence. This is also a good defence for low altitude engagements, but the lack of long range reduces its effectiveness. A few of these defences around a ground target will cause opponents whether to risk incoming fire during a bombing run or to fly higher and lose accuracy. Although, to be most effective make sure the Skyfire will be a Medium Range when it targets the opponent.
KV 129 Stormfury Platform
The Stormfury Platform is the single most effective ground defence in the game. With an effective altitude of 4 and the ability to engage aircraft at long range, it is a constant threat. It is the platforms weapon profile [1/2/2 2+(6+)] that makes it so effective, especially at medium and long range. This platform should be an automatic inclusion in any Tau Air Cadre list (if ground defences are permitted).
If you would like to read about my take on the Tau Auxiliary aircraft clink this link.
Building your own Tau Air Cadre
When I play the Tau I like to use plenty of Barracudas armed with Ion Cannons and Ion Blaster Drones. I always equip them with Ionic Afterburners. The rest of the force is then made up with Remora Drones. Personally, I am not a big fan of the Tiger Shark. I will take one when I need transport capacity within my force, but otherwise they do not provide anything extra to the force that the Barracudas provide other than 'tankiness'. If I need to destroy ground targets I lean heavily into the Tiger Shark AX 1-0 with Railguns.
Personally, I like this faction. It has fewer options than the Imperial Navy but that just makes it easier to understand the role of each aircraft within the whole force. I prefer them to the Orks due to their increased Manoeuvrability and the strategic options afforded by the choice of weapon loadouts. Overall, the Tau are a fantastic addition to Aeronautica Imperialis. In the future, I would like to see Orcas and the Manta added to the force along with the Razorshark Strike Fighter and the Sun Shark Bomber, but I am just wish listing now.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and remember 'always watch you six'.
Comments
Post a Comment