Finally, Tau! (really)
Last but not least, there is suddenly chatter going up that Tau may be sneaking into the late Q1 2012 release slot (where Grey Knights were this year) as the next 40k codex. There has been conflicting chatter of late of either Tau/Eldar for this last slot leading up to the 6th Edition summer launch featuring Chaos Marines.






Ethereal
Priced the same
New rule " Blind to the Warp" Basically Ethereal and any unit within 18" of the Ethereal are immune to psychic effects that are not damaging attacks . (So Bolt of Change or Destructor would still affect the Tau units, but Doom, or Lash of Torment would not)
Can also be upgraded to take an envoy:

Fire Caste Envoy: basically a team of 12 Firewarriors with BS4 and advanced pulse rifles that are 24" assault 2 pinning

Earth Caste Envoy: Ethereal is followed by a retinue of 4 mining drones. The mining drones can be detached and deployed to create an area of difficult terrain. Treat this as a ordinance barrage attack for the purposes of determining where it hits in a 18" range, roll to scatter. The effect causes no real damage as the drone uses a seismic destabilization device to cause a ground disturbance that is difficult terrain for troops and dangerous terrain for vehicles. (but not skimmers)

Water Caste Envoy: The ethereal is followed by 2 Water Caste ambassadors. Each time an enemy has a chance to roll for a reserve coming in on a deep strike or outflank you can declare you are using th water caste's "passive resistance" ability. You roll a dice and your opponent rolls a dice for each enemy reserve coming in via either deep strike or outflanking. For each roll off you win, you may place that unit. You may place deep striking units anywhere on the table but must be at least 6" away from any table edge. For outflankers you choose what side they come in on. You must have at least one water caste ambassador alive to use this ability.

Air Caste Envoy: The ethereal is followed by a command and control drone. The drone is attached to Advanced air caste aerospace computer relay satellites. While the drone is alive, any tank in the Tau army equipped with a command and control node relay can make one shooting attack against deep strikers. Each unit may only be targeted once and each tank can only target one deep striking unit.




das letzte was die jungs zum testen rausgegeben haben.

Es gibt verschiedene "Wege" der Tau.

Je nachdem welchen Weg der Comander geht hat man andere Optionen.

Meine übersetzung ist nur grob und aus dem gedächtnis.

Weg der Forschung
Alle Experimental Waffensysteme haben keine Begrenzung mehr auf 0-1
und einheiten die eine Spezialwaffe haben können dürfen nun 2 wählen.

Weg des Kriegers
man kann einheiten zu Veteranen Upgraden was BF und KG um 1 erhöht.
Zudem werden Vetaranen Einheiten von 0-1 befreit

Weg der Gemeinschaft/Verbündng
Alienrassen haben keine 0-1 auswahl mehr und können als Standart genommen werden.

UCM´s haben feste wege
bzw sogar eigene

Einige Waffen wurden angepast und es gibt ein paar neue nach dem gleichen Muster.

Puls Pistole ( gibt S5 im Nahkampf )
Puls Sturmgewehr Strum2

Photonengranatwerfer
18" AP1 S2 Explosiv Rending Niederhalten(2)

Ionenkannone
60" S6 AP3 Schwer4 Rending

Massenbeschleuniger bekommt noch die Schwere Version.
Die für den Panzer.
Hier heist der Aktuelle Text.
Ziehe eine Line von 72" vom Ziel zur Kanone.
Würfle für jedes Modell das von einer der 1" breiten Line einen Treffer wurf.
Bei einem Treffer erhält es einen S10 AP1 Treffer.
Kein Streuschuss mehr und auch kein das es beim Streifschuss aufhöhrt.


01.11.11


Regarding Tau:

...the demmiurg are there as are a bizzare race, the vespid get 2 slots, and the kroot get an aditional

...well if you insist, 1 hq 1 troop and possibly 1 other unit

...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

There has been some speculation on this, and I'm getting chatter now that seems to reinforce a few things, so I thought I'd post what is floating my way.

Tau Codex early next year.
Kroot and other existing allies are there, however they are limited. There appears to be an "Allies" supplement which will be out about the same time and include many more options. (aside: Dare I start a Spring of Allies moniker...ah well then it will end up being 2 years from now... )
Crisis suits completely redone.
Stealth suits completely redone.
Pirahna has new option and I am not sure if it will be reboxed together or be sold as an upgrade kit.
New Pathfinders were seen being worked on a while back.
Ethereals expanded, new unit options around them.
There is a FW Tau model which has a unit entry in the codex. (My take is this might actually be a new plastic kit taking over a FW model, and before anyone yells GW doesnt cannibalize FW...yes, they do, they have, and they will.)
The floating chair ethereal was seen being worked on for a new model.
New fast skimmer sized between hammerhead and pirahna.
Flyer has dual gattling cannons
Flyer has option for rail guns
Flyer has bombs (not missiles!?)

Rule rumors (these are rumors people! I hate posting rule rumors cause I am not involved in that. Please take fwiw)
Railguns have a JOWW effect, they can hit multiple models in a line, but if hitting vehicles has a max number of hull points it can cause. the way this is described is it draws a line from the barrel to table edge, every model under starts taking hits starting with the closest. if it hits a vehicle or structure with HP, its strength drops, once it hits 3 or a table edge or fails to make a penetrating hit its done. rhino line's watch out!
There is some rumor of an Anti Psyker weapon. like night fighting, but no psychic powers for a game turn.
There is no flyer dedicated transport, and the existing flyer is going to be competing against some very good other options
The jetpack troops have some option to "pop up and shoot" from behind cover.

I was told, that GW is trying to invert their release order. Instead of two follow up waves after a Codex release they will release one or two smaller waves of models before every codex, one big release with the codex and some stragglers thereafter (mainly re-releases and model updates). This is widely known and not hard to deduce. But I was also told that this is only a test run for two upcoming releases and GW is fully prepared to switch back to the old modus operandi or a completely different release schedule.

GW has used the period of reduced LotR activity to produce new ranges far in advance. GW sits on a whole pile of army books/codexes and finished masters and has the flexibility to alter their release schedule seamlessly. The next two releases (Warriors of Chaos and Dark Angels) follow the old pattern, but the next two releases (Tau and Eldar) after these are deployed in the new fashion.

The Tau Codex was pushed back because of this, but only the book. The first batch of models will be released even earlier than planned (maybe even this year) – and yes, there are Kroots and no, there is no Lamprey – this whole set of rumours is 105% fake.Flyer waves incoming: Four more fliers in the pipeline: renamed Eldar Nightwing (finished), Tau Copperhead (finished), and a medium sized Space Marine and a large Ork flyer.

Model production and codex production are decoupled after the planning phase now. Warriors of Chaos, Dark Angels, Chaos Space Marine codices are finished, Tau and High Elves nearly finished.

Every army rulebook from now on will have a special defining mechanic.
- Tau have a system of unit upgrades that get unlocked by another unit or other effects. For example, a Firewarrior cadre with an ethereal next to it, with markerlight support and scouting kroot unit will get a serious buff. Every unit has a small chart for three of these effects.

Tau Rumors
There are a number of rumors this week that should keep Tau fans happy. They are still a ways off, so what we are looking are most likely playtest versions. So with that in mind, and a realization that things often change or are altered from playtest versions, lets take a look at the Tau.

via Stickmonkey on Warseer
-Tau release Q2,3 2013
-Kroot- New unit or two including a transport
-new crisis suits. These are not the forgeworld style, but are much more elegant compared to the current models
-Multiple new suits in the codex,
stealth suit, but not as bulky designed for close combat
broadsides while the same relative size as a crisis suit have much more bulk to them and are a separate build/model.
-Larger Suit with 2 twin linked rail cannons and a missile option.
-new stealth suit models
-Possible new race used as a psychic conduit by the ethereals, no idea on how this will turn out,
-remora drones (flyers)
-Flyer has dual gattling cannons
-Flyer has option for rail guns
-Flyer has bombs (not missiles!?) options for AA missiles or bombs, But can't take both.
-Railguns are getting a JOWW effect and can hit multiple models in a line.


via Faeit 212 (A Must Remain Anonymous Source)
-Tau are coming early next year.
-Unit profiles are being finalized.
-The Tau are looking more and more like it will utilize and potentially modify the allies feature.
-unique fortifications.
-HQ option to make crisis suits troops (not a special character, just an upgrade)
-crisis suits remain roughly the same but have a couple new weapon options.
-New 1-per-squad weapons
-new heavy support suit that has stats like a carnifex and no jet pack, just a big mech
-new elite suit that has a lot of sub 18" gun options, with a high rate of fire, or low AP. High toughness and -good armour save at a minor loss of mobility (think jump pack instead of jet pack)
-two flyers, one for AtA one for AtG (same basic fuselage)
-fire warriors are a little bit better and have more of a stormtrooper / commando feel, than a rank and file guardsman feel.
-oh and one of the other things right now, I was able to confirm that the current playtest is that firewarriors who do not move in the movement phase may immediately run after firing their pulse carbines in the shooting phase.

Stickmonkey (11-28-2012)
Tau UBER-suit
AV:11/11/11
Hullpoints:2
Dual (not linked) Rail Cannons
Missile Launcher
Interceptor/Skyfire
Many upgrade options including Stealth

BONUS Tasty Morsel:
Markerlights gain the ability to grant Skyfire.

Looking Ahead: Release Schedules
Just remember that these are still rumors, and that its great to look ahead and see the possibilities of what might be in our near future. Stickmonkey was on fire this week, and put out a well thought out release schedule, so we will take a quick look at that and a little bit from Faeit 212.

A couple things seem certain, that we will be seeing a Dark Angels codex this year, and that Tau seem to be coming up in the first half of the next year.

via Stickmonkey on Warseer
Nov -WoC model wave (Harry, somewhat confirmed by Hastings)
Nov/Dec - DA.
Dec - Hobbit (LOTR, pretty much a shoe in based on the shareholders meeting)
Jan - Daemons ( me, Harry somewhat, Hastings, all have Jan as a double dipping of wfb and 40k daemons following up on the August wd update)
Feb - WoC wfb (I think Harry, others, full army book for WoC)
Mar - LOTR
April - 40k supplemental wave ( this is where the chatter I hear has a bunch of wave releases for 40k, could be the delayed 2nd wave of flyers, or possibly the ork wave I've heard of...)
May - High Elves
June - Tau could occupy is June
July - 40k expansion book (allies? Terrain?) and supporting models (me. This should firm up in the spring for sure, but my info all points to a book expansion for 40k in July)


via Faeit 212 (A Must Remain Anonymous Source)
Warriors of chaos are getting an update
Daemons are getting an update.
From what I understand, they're going to be WD updates and then digital releases that consolidate it all into one e-file.
There's a potential that maulerfiends and forgefiends are going to see a fantasy adaptation version.
Tau and Eldar are coming early next year.
Unit profiles are being finalized.
The Tau model is looking more and more like it will utilize and potentially modify the allies feature.
Both races have unique fortifications.

I have been seeing a lot of play testing for the tau empire and have seen some new models as well. They look so new and epic it makes me really excited. Now I did my hands on some rules and names for units, If you are to pass these on then PLEASE send it to only reliable rumour sites.

I will start with the new sky ray orbital blast ability. From what I can remember on top of my head is that the sky ray has to forgo his full turn of shooting for a single unlimited range blast that is:

strength X AP 3 (wound on 2+,plasma corrosion, blast)
plasma corrosion - any enemy model hit under the blast rolls a d6 every turn for the remainder of the game on a roll of 1-3 the unit or model suffers d6 strength 4 AP5 hits. On a roll of 4-5 the unit suffers 2d6 strength 5 AP 4 hits. On a roll of a 6 the unit is hit with 2d6 strength 6 AP 2 hits with the blind special rule. (these are test rules and subject to change)

Tau fire warriors will have the OPTION to upgrade their tau fire warriors to bs 4 (I put option in bold to show it is an option for all those fluffy players)
I believe the upgrade at the moment is being called 'advance training'

battle suits are getting/got new models but have the same profile as now with the inclusion of an option to make them toughness 5 (cost or name is unknown)

The kroot is getting a HUGE monster that looks like something from fantasy. It has kroot riding it but is under going constant rule changes due to either dying to quickly or for lack of usage. From what I remember seeing it has 5 wounds but only a 5+ save and was over priced IMO.

kroot gain furious charge and move through cover and start with a 6+ save that can be upgraded to 5+ with shaper for an additional 2pts per model (making them 8pts per model) - remember this could change!

finally their is options to make all your battle suits have 2+ saves for 20pts per model - all war gear that is in the current codex has been reduced slightly.

the tau dread knight walker rumours you have read are 100% TRUE - I have seen the concept art/profile and from the top of my memory it is something like this.

WS BS S T W I A LD SV
4 4 6 8 4 2 4 8 2+/4+

I will not share rules because they were on the next page of document of which I did not see. I did see the points which were : 210pts

note the points were highlighted in red marker which means they are subject to change at next play testing.

More Tau Rules: Wargear and the Krootox Giant


Even more Tau playtest rumors have come across my desk late in the night, and I thought I would get these out right away. There is a small line or two that I removed, and it seemed to indicate that a deadline of sorts was very near or already had arrived for playtesting material.


Please remember that these are playtesting rumors. Playtesting gives us insight to what is being worked on, but not exact details in how things will look in the codex once released.

via the Faeit 212 inbox
War gear:
Gatling ion blaster: 30'' S:6 AP:3 Assault:3
plasma storm blaster: 40'' S:9 AP:1 Assault:1 (lance,system failure,implosion)

lance: rulebook

system failure: If you score a glancing or a penetrating hit on a roll of a 6 you cause a system failure in the enemy tank/flyer. The tank/flyer cannot move or shoot for the remainder of the turn. The tank/flyer controlling player must roll a d6 every turn for the remainder of the game, on a roll of 1 the tank/flyer has a system failure again and may not shoot or move again.

implosion: if you score a explosion on a tank/flyer then it explodes 2d6 inches instead of the normal d6.


The new big kroot model is actually the krootox giant, from what I have been told fluff points to the tau making the krootox genetics being advance and in doing this increasing the size, strength and toughness.

the krootox giant has the following rules and stats - these I believe will change as we have had much discussions upon this unit and cannot be certain if it is powerful enough for a competitive environment.

Krootox Giant: WS BS S T W I A LD SV
6 3 8 6 4 1 5 7 4+

Special rules: Smash, monstrous creature, rage,mental without control, move through cover,fleet

mental without control: If your krootox giant loses his krootox rider then the Giant must pass a leadership test every turn otherwise will attack the closest enemy unit. If the Giant cannot reach a target then it misses it next turn while it cools down.

this unit at the moment costs : 200pts & can upgrade it's armour save to 3+ with a piece of war gear from the kroot armoury

Tau bits seem to keep coming out of the woodwork, and here is the very latest on the Tau Happenings. Included are stealth and crisis suits, fire warriors, the sky ray, and equipment.

Just to be aware, these are mentioned as being very early rumors (ie playtesting).


via Stickmonkey over on the Bols Lounge
Caveat: Many of these are said to be "in process". Don't look for *exact match* rules to survive to the printed codex.

Crisis Suits: Look for more posable new models. Unit keeps its high level of customization, with several upgrades to stat lines possible. New flakk missile pods. New combi-kit includes Broadside parts.

Stealth Suits: Models unchanged. Have stealth, (obviously), plus optional drone granting shrouding.

Sky Ray: Last edition's trainwreck gets a new lease on life. Flakk missiles, plus has orbital bombardment (much like SM version, but with a lingering effect).

Fire Warriors: Same nasty gun. Still BS:3, but with a Shas'O can upgrade unit to BS:4.

Equipment
Drones: Any drone can be used for Look Out Sir rolls for any model in the unit they are attached to.

Markerlights: A single hit increases BS of all other units targeting the victim by +1. Multiple markerlights have no additional effects. OUCH - look out for possible BS:5, Fire Warrior volleys now! Markerlights improve snapfire against marked flyers to 5+ instead of 6, but must first hit the flyer with a 6 themselves.

Networked Markerlights: A longer range twin linked version. Vehicles only.