Turn 8 Podcast: The Aquila Has Landed

Here's the new podcast from Turn 8.   This week we talk about the new 6th edition;  what we like and what we don't like.  Also, we go over the movement rules.

http://turn-8.com/2012/podcast/episode-23-the-aquila-has-landed/

"It’s 6th Edition baby!  Everything old is new again, including podcast episode titles, hooray!  Anyway, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, this is our first episode officially covering 6th edition of Warhammer 40000.  We’ve got a full crew this go ’round with Andy, Mike and Dave joining us to give first impressions on the new rules.  Plus our signature Battle Report this episode covers a lot of new features, including allies!  Not to mention the triumphant return of the Rules of Engagement.  We’re going back to basics with this one and starting simple, with movement.  P.S.  I apologize if it sounds like some of us are standing in a wind tunnel during this episode.  It’s been well over 90 degrees here (33 for you Celsius folks) and the A/C’s are on overdrive.

Plus don’t forget the usual great content including This Random Time Period in 40k …"

• 00:00:00  Episode 23 Intro and Contents
• 00:02:00  The Round-up: What Have We Done Since Last Episode?
• 00:21:12  This Random Time Period In 40k! – Finecast and Chaos rumors, new Forgeworld and Black Library
• 00:34:29  First Impressions: 6th Edition
• 01:23:05  Battle Report Info
• 01:34:39  Battle Report – Tyranids vs. Space Marines with Blood Angel allies
• 01:53:35  Stratagem and Post Battle Discussion
• 02:11:00  Rules of Engagement: Movement
• 02:17:49  Thanks for Listening!

Tau Buffs and Nerfs with the new 6th Edition Rules (and FAQs)

OK, so 6th edition is finally released (as well as the new codex FAQs).  I've done a preliminary "analysis" of the new rules with how it benefits/hinders Tau in mind and here is a list of interesting changes.  Keep in mind I have NOT based this on any played games yet, so this is purely theory from my reading of the rules.   Actual play experience judgments will come with time and playing many games.    If you find any errors in interpretation or just plain disagree with my opinion, please post in the comments below!

Buffs:

1. Black Sun filters grant Nightvision (ignore night fighting) to entire squad even if only one model has it! All Missions potentially have Night Fighting rule (FAQ) so this will be a boost to Tau shooting, especially against Necrons!
2. Rapid fire is now 15 inches for 2 shots and you can move and shoot… but still can’t assault after shooting. (Rulebook)  Rapid Fire weapons will be great in Overwatch because they'll mostly get two shots off per model.
3. Stealth Teams have Stealth and Shrouded USRs now.  Get +3 to their cover, a 4+ cover save in open ground, 2+ cover in most terrain. (FAQ) Stealth suits are still expensive and have crappy weapon selection, but I'm thinking of making a markerlight focused stealth team in the future... we'll see.
4. Skimmers get Jink USR and a 5+ cover when moving.  4+ when moving Flat Out (Rulebook) Same as Disruption pods now, and better if moving flat out.
5. Bonding Knife can always attempt to regroup using unmodified leadership value. (FAQ)
6. Seeker Missiles can fire on Flyers at Ballistic Skill 5 (not BS1 Snap Shot) when fired via markerlight (FAQ) This one is tricky and you basically have to roll 6s for your markelights to hit Flyers now, but this is the only "bonus" Tau get against flyers now
7. Team Leaders and Independent Characters benefit from Precision Shots and Strikes rule that allows them to allocate wounds on To Hit rolls of 6s (Rulebook) Team Leaders may become standard in most Tau armies
8. Railguns (AP1) get +2 to Vehicle Penetration chart now
9. Overwatch benefits all Shooting units in Tau army especially Rapid Fire weapons which will be firing twice when assaulted (Rulebook)
10. Our Weapons are Useless rule can benefit tarpitted units and open up the ability to break and allow friendly units to fire at powerful enemy.  Good for Kroot stuck in combat before players turn?
11. Slow and Purposeful always can move 6” in movement phase but may not run.  Broadsides can move reliably now (Rulebook)
12. Squadrons – Immobilised squadron models no longer count as Destroyed, they just separate from the Squadron.  Good for Piranhas (Rulebook)
13. Warlord Traits – Command and Strategic traits seem most beneficial to Tau, in general.  Personal Traits seem to close combat focused for tau, 5 and 6 are only useful traits. (Rulebook)  Some Traits I find most useful to Tau are:   Command - Inspiring Presence, Target Priority    Personal - Tenacity, Immovable Object   Strategic -  Night Attacker (used with Black Sun Filters), Divide to Conquer, Princeps of Deceit
14. Allies – Space Marines and Eldar are Battle Brothers.  Space Marines could add resilient objective holders (terminators?) or assaulters. (Rulebook)

Neutral Changes:

1. Jump Shoot Jump in Assault phase is now 2d6” (Rulebook)
2. All Tau vehicles except Piranha have 3 hullpoints.  Piranha only has 2 hull points. (Rulebook)

Nerfs:

1. Target Lock does NOTHING for battlesuits.  Broadsides take BIG hit and can no longer split fire. (FAQ)  I'm pretty pissed about this, especially for my Broadsides.  My Crisis Suits always use to have target locks on their Team Leaders too. 
2. Assault Charge is 2d6” now, apparently the average charge is now 7" and 8" for Fleet/Jump Pack units... playing keep away could potentially be harder to do
3. Assaulting Vehicles is versus WS1 of the vehicle if it moved and WS0 if it didn’t... vehicles in general seem weaker in this edition
4. Disruption Pods only give 5+ cover saves now... as if vehicles weren't weakened enough... There is little point to these now with the Jink rule for Skimmers

So what do you guys think?   Did I miss anything?  Am I completely wrong on any of these points?   In general, I'm pretty excited about 6th but I really hope that rumored Tau flyer comes sooner than later because I don't know how I'm gonna handle flyers right now other than fortifications.

Tau Custom Dice!

I finally got some custom dice for my Tau army.   After having a good experience with my Blood Angels dice, I decided to get some more custom dice through Chessex ( to order your own go to http://chessex.com/Dice/Custom_Dice_Home.htm).   It was about $30 for 20 16mm dice and a small blue velvet bag, shipping included.  Unlike my Blood Angels dice these aren't a straight opaque dice.   They're called "Velvet" Blue with white pips and the dice have a sort of pearlescent sheen to them.    Have a look:

 

Also, Here is the artwork I used to make the dice (plus and alternate "reverse" image):

Painter Spotlight: Big Red

Bell of Lost Souls had a spotlight on their resident Tau player, Big Red (you may have seen his army in some of their battle reports).   The color scheme is VERY similar to mine (Skeleton Bone and Bestial Brown - he has excellent taste hehe), especially with his vehicles, but there's definately enough differences to warrant a look.   His Kroot are not your typical green either.   The Great Gnarlac (sp?) is absolutely gorgeous as well.  Have a look:

http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2012/02/40k-showcase-tau-empire-by-bigred.html

More Tau Rumors

Here are some more Tau rumors culled from Warseer's forums.  These are mostly from Warseer member ghost21:

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321393

On Demiurg:

ghost21:
the preliminary rules make demiurg equal to banshees in combat?... without the scream thing though

ok one more the demiurg ancients , think of them as cranky old wise men who saw the imperium in its infancy they had seen the eldar come n go, n thought it was another decadent empire... though they normally take hundreds of years to make a decision... the tau have something special the demiurg like

(standard demiurg have 2 options)

Originally Posted by MajorWesJanson
The idea of a feudal system actually seems like a good one. The Tau are in it for the Greater Good, but have other species that are essentially mercenaries. As they expand, it does make a lot of sense to essentially make lesser Alien Empires into Fiefs of the Tau Empire. They do their own thing, don't oppose the Tau, and provide a tithe of resources and troops to the Tau as needed. the Central leadership, instead of a monarch, is made up of a council of Etherials, with lower ranked Etherials mostly taking the place of Dukes and Barons.

ghost21 response:
exactly how there relations with the demiurg are pointed out

On Kroot units and possibility of Kroot riders:

Quote:
Here's hoping for Knarloc riders. They need more cav. in the game.

ghost21 response:
no riders in any dex ive seen, though id love them

Tastyfish:
For Kroot, I'd guess a Kroozilla - perhaps with two options following the recent Warhammer examples (though 40K lends itself more to just having different weapon options rather requiring two completely different roles for variety). The diplodocus or triceratops to the Great Knarloc's T-rex.

Though then again there's been plenty of units that never got made which were in the old Kroot mercs army, I just feel that stalker and/or vulture kindred would more likely come from a recut kroot sprue.

ghost21 response:
all ill add to this is gw love big gribblies


On Crisis Suits:

Originally Posted by AlphariusOmegon20
I don't have an issue with the look of the XV-8's, but fixing the ankle issue does seem like a good idea since they have the chance to do so.

Beyond that, I'd like to see the XV-88's go to underslung guns, like the FW ones. It would bring their look more in line with other Xv sytems.

ghost21 response:
ive seen less boxy crisis suits, experimental suits for characters, and a special sniper suit


Originally Posted by xerxeshavelock
But the ankles man! Priorities......

ghost21 response:
well there completely new suits so the ankles are fixed


On Different Races:

Originally Posted by Rogue Star
So the Tau have the Kroot, Vespid and Demiurg now?

ghost21 response:
plus one more.. but yup (im not including the nausicar)

could this be that 4th race in the codex?

Tau in early 2012???

Right after the floodgates of Necron opened, new rumors surface of Tau getting redone in Spring of 2012 just before 6th edition.  

Key bits include new Kroot and Vespid units, Demiurg (short but not space dwarfs?), and a few other alien auxileries that may or may not included either a Centaur like race or a 4 armed race... or both??

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/405123.page

http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=321393


Tabitha from DakkaDakka writes:

"The Tau are, I believe, due out next summer.

They are getting some pretty big changes, mostly to their troops and elites. In addition to the broadsides getting new sculpts they are getting a number of new “Suits” to help them become a more dynamic force with more choices over all in the way they are played. While GW is giving the tau a host of new units, the are actually getting fewer new plastic kits then say the Dark Elder release because most (/all) of the new plastic tau kits build several options.


Their fluff is being expanded to reflect the growth of the empire and their current state of expansion. Most of the fluff centers around the ‘factions’ as you might call them in the Tau empire, and mostly covers a few dynamic characters (who will be getting models!) and the factions they are a part of or influence. Some of the Tau are quite badass (and not so goody goody).

Tau are out before Eldar but more then likely after sisters. BT have a few models/kits that have been done for like EVER so who knows when they will be released."


Some more snippets from Warseer:

"DuskRaider wrote:Last I heard was Tau were next (whenever that may be), then Chaos. Eldar are supposed to be coming shortly after that.
 
ghost21 wrote:It matches what I've heard.

I think a new mercenary race is obligatory. Demiurg /wishlist.

No need to wishlist there.

 
Frgt/10 wrote:All the new Tau models are done; Dave Thomas worked on them for roughly 18 months and he's finished them all now.

They're just waiting for a releases slot, I don't now when that is but my guess it is has since been locked in since I found out this info.

 
Harry wrote:@Frgt/10 : I can't believe you blabbed.

(In fact ... I only know about this because I asked someone when was I going to see something else from Dave for Fantasy and was told not for a while because he had been on one 40K project for the last 18 months )
As you know I don't know much about 40K and so couldn't possibly shed any light on what it might be but ....
... amongst other things ... Dave has been working on something pretty big. (Helpful as always. )

Also Frgt/10 is correct in that Dave Thomas has been exclusiely on Tau for 18 months but he is not 100% correct. Whilst MOST of the models are done. My understanding is Dave Thomas still had some bits and bobs to do. (i am guessing finishing characters?)

But even so that means they could be in the next six months.

(But I am not expecting them quite this soon).

 

Frgt/10 wrote:also Harry I heard down here that he was 100% done with them, hence why he was in oz for GD. Or have you heard otherwise in the last month or so?

 

Mirbeau wrote:Bang on, a new vehicle besides characters to finish with, they've had it an age but can't decide on it's weapons load-out! That could be for a bit later mind. 6 months is a bit too soon, 8-10 from what I've heard.

Edit - I was quite confident that Alex Hedstrom had got involved for this too?

 
Harry wrote:Oh, Dave has not been working on his own.

I don't know when they are released.
I just said six months could be possible.
I have them for the early summer in my, constantly updated, release schedule as the release right before 6th Edition
(I just don't take the same interest in 40k to have nailed it down).

These rumours are hugely exciting, I wonder how many models 18 months hard work gets you...

More if there are dual kits

Obviously you are free to not answer or may not know but there is only one thing I want to know how many new alien auxilaries and I don't mean new units of Vespid/Kroot I mean new species? Pretty please

More.
OK, OK ... What I heard was ... 'The Empire is expanding to include more races' (Plural)
So that would suggest at least two "More". "

ghost21 wrote:The demiurg are there as are a bizzare race, the vespid get 2 slots, and the kroot get an additional.
The guy on the left well, they have plans for him:  

The Dude wrote:

Oddly, GW tends to nerf troops choices people actually use. The lack of fire warriors in almost every list these days makes me wonder if they might be improved.

The rumored changes for 6th edition will improve them a bit.
Additional rapid fire shots at long range. A gunline putting out 20 S5 shots at 30" would be rather nasty IMO (and that's just 1 squad).
I don't know what their range will be, but taking them as they are now, under the rumoured changes to rapid fire weapons, Fire Warriors will get double shots at max range (30" if that's what it is) if they stand still. That makes them a fair whack better IMO."

Some Demiurg and other alien sketches:

More 40k Magnets including Tau!

Ok, I made a batch of new 40k magnets that go perfect on your car.  Show your nerd street cred!  I made Tau, Inquisition, Chaos and a From the Warp logo magnet, I also have some Blood Angels magnets left too.   If interested, email me at ajefferism@hotmail.com.   Supplies are limited and I will not be making more of these.  Here are some picts: