[Help] Playing with Tau

[Duckgoesmoo]

So since I've only got Dark Crusade and I've gotten sick of playing as Necrons, I wanted to get better playing as Tau. However, I've been getting beat quite a few times in campaign quite badly, and doubt I'm ready to try it out online because of that.

I like the Fire Warrior's range and normally get the upgrades for them, but they always seem to get taken down with ease by units that get warped in or jump into them. As my Kroots and Vespids hold off the other attackers as best they can, as soon as my fire warriors get taken out by the guys coming from behind I'm done for.

If I don't upgrade my Fire Warriors and go for Hammerheads instead, they seem to get taken down just as easily by the same units.

I like the units overall (Except the Greater Knarloc...), but would I be better off just sticking with Necrons?

[Ronald_Jesch]

Utilize their stealth and ambush tactics. Space your units so that when jump units attack your firewarriors you have fire support pick them off from a distance. I like to use snare traps and broadsides to cover my firewarriors.

[Junk angel]

I like the Fire Warrior's range and normally get the upgrades for them, but they always seem to get taken down with ease by units that get warped in or jump into them. As my Kroots and Vespids hold off the other attackers as best they can, as soon as my fire warriors get taken out by the guys coming from behind I'm done for.

Well I'm not sure to what tier you're reffering, I guess not t1 as you're talking about hammerheads. But considering that that tier is most crucial I'll give you probably the most important tip.

Build more squads instead of filling them up.
That's due to the fact that two squads of 3 members cost the same as one squad of six (apart from pop cap)
And if the enemy manages to tie up a single member of that six man squad, you're just having 420 req wasted because it's not doing what's it doing best. Not to mention if they run away, no one can shoot from them.
Compared to two three man squads.
If he manages to tie up one squad, only 210 req are wasted by not shooting. Likewise if you dance the targeted squad around, the other squad can still hose down those meelee troops.

Basically as tau it's crucial to out squad your enemy in the beginning. And use nasty tricks like stasis traps.

Also be careful with eldar. If you see a guardian squad planning to go toe to toe with one of your full warrior squads, be very very careful that a bonesinger won't jump in to tip the favour.
It's basically one of the eldar's only way to take down warriors. (not to mention it was nerfed to oblivion with the nerf to the singer. Although that was necessary for different reason)

[Jess4909]

Ya as the person above said it is good to have more squads of fire warriors. I also like to put about 2 or 3 brodsides to cover the firewarriors which can be replaced with crisis battlesuits later. These units are good because the have no melee attack. Also one key thing to use with tau is the missle strike off of the skyray gunship, it will basically obliterate any infantry squad and also does signifigant damage to tanks and buildings

[Duckgoesmoo]

Thanks for the tips guys. After playing for a while, I've gotten better at hiding stasis traps underneath my fire warriors and scattering as soon as I seem them start to jump, which has helped a ton. I've also realized how much I underestimated stealthsuits and the harassment at the start and vehicle/building damage later on that they're capable of. I don't like to build broadsides too much anymore as they get targeted and taken out VERY quickly, and I can't do much to get them out of the way.

Eldar certainly is my biggest problem right now. Their infiltration is a pain since I only have pathfinders and vespids to spot them (Are there any other units?) and I can never seem to finish off their squads since they run away with fleet of foot (or w/e it's called). Even then, if I don't take them down quick, I still haven't been able to beat an Eldar that's fully upgraded.

I'll keep those in mind next time I get to playing, thanks a bunch

[Ronald_Jesch]

The Ethereal also has a detection ability but it isn't wise to send them into straight combat as they only have a melee attack. They grant a bonus to all your other troops so it's better to keep them alive and use their ability to do an orbital strike than send them into the fray. And yeah, it kinda sucks to play against infiltrators as the Tau. Try to use vespids by using their jump ability to get close to infiltrators long enough for your firewarriors to mow them down then jump out.

[Junk angel]

Eldar certainly is my biggest problem right now. Their infiltration is a pain since I only have pathfinders and vespids to spot them (Are there any other units?) and I can never seem to finish off their squads since they run away with fleet of foot (or w/e it's called). Even then, if I don't take them down quick, I still haven't been able to beat an Eldar that's fully upgraded.

Eldar are arguable the easiest matchup for the tau. There really isn't anything he should be able to do against your firewarriors.
Although it might be prudent have the tau commander with a flamer. You don't really have to kill eldar squads. Considering that a whole squad costs as much as it's members and not more or less (exception being IG squads).

But as long as you have the commander with the flamer, you basically eliminated one whole squad.
Either the eldar meelees the commander and thus looses the shooty squad.
Or he ignores him and get's broken via the flamer.

Your biggest problem is probably going to be 1 squad of rangers doing the same to your firewarriors.
For this you should have vespids against an eldar.
If you see a dreaper mass somewhere, jump in and throw sonic boom.
If you see rangers, jump at them and hunt them down.

On combat units you will either face guardians or dreapers. Both are relatively easy to deal with, considering you both outrange and outdamage them.
Not to mention that a dreap costs as much as a firewarrior.

Once in t2, the devilfish and skyray is your friend.
Most people underestimate the devilfish, but it can be quite brutal in synergy with either FW's or broadsides. Transporting them, saving them from meelee units, moving them throw dangerous terrain for a grenade throw etc.

[Haratic]

In vanilla DC i had very good luck with a stealth army, setting up 3 squads of fire teams and a vespid squad,keeping the fire teams in line with the vespids in short range behind. use them to find and cut off the stealth units of the eldar. use the stealth units to cut off any retreat, watch out for there seer units. research the Monka and use the hammer heads and missile ray gunships, don't forget to upgrade the missiles for the gunship. use the armor as close support for the fire teams and use the missile barrage at will. missile barrage is Excellent for taking out mass infantry and heavy units. test the stratigy on the "in to the breach" map and perfect dropping in your stealth units and using the missile barrage. One of the best maps for perfecting jump unit and artillery strategy. I have played this strategy on line and had very good success. Remember stealth units can take out anything if they stay stealthy and have enough teams together. five seems to be close to the magic number.