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*sigh* you people are so typical "Ohhh the Tau are horrible...why do they keep blowing up! Why do I keep dying" well most common error is KEEP THEM OUT OF CLOSE COMBAT. Tau are known for their guns not their strentgh. And don't dare say staying out is impossible. I've fought Orks, Tyranids, Necrons, Eldar Harlquin, Imperial Guard, Space Marines, and Blood Angels. And still manage to keep my men at a safe enough distance to blast the hell out of a squad of men before they come close. If you're up against Nids or Orks, supply with as many Burst Cannons as possible, Hammerheads using Submunition shots, and Flamers if you have the room. If up against heavy armored like Marines use core infantry, your guns are better than theirs and can penetrate their armor. for large things like Avatars, Carnies, or Monoliths, use a Pathfinder team to scope out and a broadside to finish.

The main issue is that the codex lies, Tau are not a beginner army. Tau are probbably the most challenging army I've ever played with ,but the most fun because people have a false sense about them then to see the look on their face when their "Kulta Speed" bikes and Koptas get mowed down by the infantry before the first turn is over. I highly suggest playing another army like Space Marines if you are just starting out. Marines are just the easiest to play cause their high armor and powerful weapons allow little room for screw-ups. But Marines get far too boring in the end... even Dark Angels or Space Wolves become a bore to play. Too easy to pound someone into the dirt. With Tau it's a challenge and much more pleasing of a victory.

Yeah and the cool thing about Kroot is that you can have 20 of them in a squad AND THEN you can add on 8 more Kroot hounds which inflick automatic hits on fleeing enemy. So basically, you have 28 hits in an assault and if the enemy flees you get 8 more automatic hits. They're pretty deadly.

First, the forward Pathfinders that you didn't know were there would use their markerlights to Seeker Missile your vehicles to death. Not to mention that they could help the Broadsides with their Rail runs in that department.

Your infantry charge forward and are assaulted by the Kroot. You're suddenly up against a unit of 28 models, maybe two units like this. If you try to fall back, the 8 hounds in the unit inflict 8 automatic hits so you are forced to remain in assault for another turn so you can wipe them all out.

Whatever is left of your infantry continues the charge, only to be shot to pieces by the 30" range guns of the Fire Warriors who had formed into a defensive line, just out of your range.

So what do you do? You move in so you can shoot back. But, oh no, that didn't work, because the Fire Warriors fall back to for another line, while the Crisis suits that were hiding behind that hill over there decide to charge at you with their Fusion Blaster/Missile Pod/Burst Cannon combination. There is only three of them but they manage to take out nine of your guys in one hit.

Maybe you get through so you can get closer, but you're shot at by the Fire Warriors again and now the Broadsides are hitting you from behind cover with their Smart Missile systems because they don't need line-of-sight to use those. If you get to close, they Rail Run you to death.

Oh, and did I mention that the Pathfinders have probably used their Rail Rifles along with the Stealth suits you forgot about to form a pincer manouver behind you while you were trying to rush forward? Not to mention that there might be a Hammerhead gunship blowing holes in whatever vehicles they missed just to clean up. Or the Devilfish that sneaked another squadron of troops in behind you.

I used this tactic with a Tau army of 1850 points on a 2400 point Eldar Army and by the end of the battle I had lost only 13 models.

Do not underestimate the dark eldar, they are powerful. Mandrakes always count as in cover, they are more powerful than kroot, and they can infiltrate. I told you already about the grosteques, the Hyper Drive allows their Jet Bikes to get up close to the tau in turn 1, they get invulnerable saves, and they can assault by turn 2. Then, the Hellions can get into combat by turn 2 also, and they have special combat drugs. The transports can only take glancing hits if they move 6+ inches, they can always have troops assault the turn they disembark. The tau have impressive fire power, but they wont get the dark eldar before combat, and what made you think kroot could beat wyches in CC, thats like a Scout beating a Tyranid Warrior in close combat, after being charged by it. Wyches are tough in Close Combat. I think the tau are a tough army, but a skilled Dark Eldar Player could beat them. But, the Dark eldar will have to worry abot template weapons, because they are pretty numerous(Not as many as orks, but way more than tau.) Still, The Tau would kill quite a few Dark Eldar. Tough are still tough. And 1 more thing, u make it seem like All the Dark Eldar do is charge forward. They do pincer Manouvers, not Tau, and the only vehicles are the transports and the Talos.

I think they're a good army, I love the railguns whee

Personly I would have like the Tau to have big creey eyes. Also I would like to know what they're females look like.

The only bad thing about Tau, NO POWERS WEAPONS ONCEOEVER.

xd I'm reading up on the Tau Codex allot, I just bought my first Army, and it's Tau. And I LOVE their range. Heck, the railguns on the Hammerhead have a 76'' inch range! xd That's longer than any board me or my brother have even played on! And line of site doesn't even matter when you have a markerlight on a stealth suit squad. I could open up on your pieces with my chrisis suit smart missile launchers, even possibly whipe out multiple squads in one turn if I have the multilock systm equiped. xd

I'd still probably loose, cus I'm not that good yet, but the Tau are still just hella fun!

i always wanted to play with the Tau, though there is one thing i hate about their army namely: The Kroot, i think that they taint the army uack. And its hard to make a Tau made of pure firepower. Too bad, they have great style.