Cat Leaks v02
Cat Leaks v02
Cat Leaks v02
2
General rules
No more free overwatch. No more group overwatch (FTGG).
No more drones saviour protocols (now it’s a stratagem and the drone dies). Drones are ignored for
the purposes of: The Look Out Sir rule, Determining this unit's Starting Strength and whether this unit
is below Half-strength, Determining this unit's Toughness Characteristic, if it also contains units with
the Drone keyword.
Almost nothing has BS3+- Longstrike, Marksmen, buffed Sniper Drones are the exceptions.
There is no way to improve or extend to different turns Montka and Kauyon.
Every Battlesuit smaller than a Ghostkeel is INFANTRY. Ghostkeels and Riptides are VEHICLES.
CORE units are Fire warriors of both types, Pathfinders, Crisis suit teams of both types, Broadsides,
Stealths.
The BATTLESUIT rule to shoot in melee is identical to BGNT (-1 to hit with Heavy).
To contest objectives: obsec is on Troops (Strikes, Breachers, Kroot carnivores). There's a build-a-sept
trait. Infantry suits are 3 models, Ghostkeel and larger count as 5. I think there's something else that
lets you count as double on Core units, which is Crisis, Stealth and Broadsides. Right, another build-a-
sept trait: Blocking tactics. Infantry with this sept trait count as Obsec when they charge until your next
charge phase. If they're already Obsec, they count as 2 models. So you can combine that with the
standard Crisis Commander's Tactical Acumen and give a Crisis unit counts-as-two models Obsec.
Markerlights
1) Fire Markerlights (Action): One or more Markerlight units from your army can start to perform this
action at the start of your movement phase. Aircraft Markerlight units can perform this action. The
action is completed at the start of your next shooting phase. If this action is successfully completed, for
each model in that unit that is equipped with one or more markerlights, for each markerlight that model
is equipped with, select one enemy unit within 36" of that model that would be an eligible target for
that model if its unit had been selected to shoot, and roll one D6: on a 3+, that enemy unit gains one
Markerlight token.
While a VEHICLE or DRONE unit is performing the Fire Markerlights action, that unit can move
without that action failing. If it does, until the end of the turn, models in that unit without the
VEHICLE or DRONE keyword that are equipped with any markerlights are treated as not being
equipped with any markerlights for the purpose of the Fire Markerlights action.
(Pathfinders have an exception that allows them to start the action at the END of movement phase.)
2) "Each time a Tau Empire unit (not Aux) is selected to shoot:
Each time a model in that unit makes a ranged attack against a unit with one or more Markerlight
Tokens, add 1 to that attack's hit roll.
After that unit has finished making attacks, for each enemy unit targeted by those attacks, remove one
Markerlight token from that enemy unit.
Remove all Markerlight tokens at the end of your shooting phase"
Sept traits
Tau - reroll 1 hit or 1 wound when a unit attacks, +3" to Auras, Litanies, Targeted buffs
Vior'la - +2" mv when wholly in your deployment zone on your first turn. Reroll Advance and Charge
rolls.
Sa'cea - Ranged Attacks targeting VEHICLES get Dense Cover if attacker is more than 18" away.
Ranged Attacks targeting INFANTRY (and everything smaller than a Ghostkeel is INFANTRY) get
Dense Cover if attacker is more than 12" away. VEHICLES and BATTLESUITS do not suffer the
penalty to firing Heavy weapons at targets within Engagement Range of them.
Dal'yth - Ranged Attacks against Infantry have Light Cover unless they are within Engagement Range
of the Attacker (so... fear the Dark Angels, I guess?). Aux units get your selected Montka or Kauyon.
Bork'an - +4" range to all guns (ALL guns, including flamers, fusion blasters, …). Ranged Attacks
against Battlesuits and Vehicles of S7 or lower get -1S.
Farsight Enclaves - Always have Markerlight if making attacks within 12" Seems to be the only time to
get marker benefits in the charge phase. Reroll 1 Wound roll when a unit is chosen to shoot or fight. I
think FS can take Aux units. It's written strangely in comparison to the Tau Empire detachment rules
directly above it. They can't take Ethereals and Ethereals are very carefully restricted from buffing
them. Veteran Cadre is a FSE thing and there's almost nothing FSE in the book. Maybe we'll get it back
in a Warzone book
Custom septs - There are, but there are like 20 and they're fiddly. GW didn't put in Double-Choice
traits like with DE, so I think they wised up on that front. There's a Relentless Expansionist trait - pre-
game move of 6" for <Sept> INFANTRY if wholly within your deployment zone. And like, some
other stuff, I guess. Rapid Retreat adds +3" to Fall Back moves and will get you pilloried by your
gaming group, I'm sure. Turbo Jets adds 2 to the move of all units with FLY, which includes Drones
and the Ethereal on the hover drone. Calm under pressure adds 1S to ranged attacks with assault
weapons made within 12". Fire saturation gives +1 to hit rolls if using a burst weapon within 12".
Disengagement Protocols allows you to Baby Smite the enemy when you successfully Fall Back.
Defenders of the Cause is 5+++ vs. MW. Hardened Warheads gives missiles Ignore Cover.
Stratagems
Nova Reactor no longer has a risk of damaging the model. Instead, it burns out for the rest of the
battle if you fail the test. Branched Nova Reactor turns a failed test into a success.
There is a stratagem that allows a unit to hop out of a devilfish after the devilfish moves.
No stratagems that modify Montka or Kauyon (which I thought would have been a gimme for the rules
team) by advancing or rolling back the turn number for a specific unit or giving the OTHER one to a
unit for a single phase or something.
Saviour Protocols is a Stratagem. It works on ANY unit (that has the same Sept as the Drone), but the
drone model must be within 3" and dies as part of the strat. Drone controllers boost the range to
within 6"... but SS and Riptides can't have them. Shield drones do not have FNP.
There is a Strat that allows you to shoot at things out of LOS with seeker missiles if they have a
markerlight token (and you get +1 to Wound for the attack)
Breachers have the Sweep and Clear Strat (Ignore cover, reroll wounds), Strikes have the Relentless
Fusillade Strat (Ignore Rapid Fire rules, double shots, additional point of AP), BOTH can use Pulse
Onslaught (unmodified 6 to Hit auto wounds the target). They can use Point Blank Volley (Pulse
weapons are Pistol 2) if... like, somebody charged you as a joke or you want to waste a CP
A strat gives a RR1 to hit aura to a devilfish that only works on Fire warriors.
Fireblade Volley Fire is an aura of 6s to hit give an additional hit for Core units with pulse weapons.
There is a Strat that allows you to shoot at things out of LOS with seekers if they have a markerlight
token (and you get +1 to Wound for the attack).
A strat gives a RR1 to hit aura to a devilfish that only works on Fire warriors.
1 CP "This model acts as though it has full wounds" strat. This works on EVERYTHING with a
degrading profile, so Longstrike and the Stormsurge
1 CP, when you kill somebody in melee, that Kroot unit what done the murderin’ gets a 5+++ for the
rest of the battle.
Drop Zone Clear remains the FSE strat (full Hit and Round reroll)
Drop Threat Acquisition is the same cost but only works for Hit rolls (and every sept can use it)
Coordinated Engagement - 1 CP. Use in your shooting phase, choose two units and an enemy unit
within 18" of both. Your units can only shoot the Victim and they get +1 AP for all their attacks
against him for the rest of the phase. Doesn't have to be Core units, either.
Photon Grenades is a Strat now. 1 cp, a unit trying to charge you subtracts 2 from charge rolls and is at
-1 to hit until the end of the turn.
Battlesuits have Repulsor Impact Field for 1 CP that subtracts 2 from charge rolls against them
Drones can be split off with a 1 CP strat. This is how vehicles deploy their drones now.
Sept Stratagems
Tau Sept have Focused Fire - Damage something and everything else that shoots it gets +1 to wound -
2 CP
Vior'la have Wrath of Mars - 2 CP
Sa'cea have Orbital Uplink - 1 CP - a unit ignores cover for a shooting phase
Dal'yth have Outflank - 1 CP - pull a unit off the table and into Strategic Reserves
Bork'an have Experimental Weaponry - 2 CP - Choose a gun on a Bork'an unit. Until the end of the
shooting phase, it Ignores Invulnerable saves
FSE - Drop Zone Clear 3/2CP - Crisis Team shows up and gives people the full reroll business.
Warlord traits
Precision of the Hunter - Character gets full Hit and Wound rerolls. This is excellent.
Through Unity, Devastation (Aura) - Friendly <Sept> Core units within 6" get +1 AP on unmodified
Wound Rolls of 6
A Ghost Walks Among Us - -1 to Hit the Warlord, Don't roll Advance increase Mv 6"
Through Boldness, Victory - Command Phase, select <sept> Core unit within 9" Until you next
command phase, Core models in that unit making ranged attacks automatically wound on unmodified
hit rolls of 6
Exemplar of Kauyon - If you chose Kauyon, redeploy 3 <sept> units after determining who has the
first turn. Otherwise, choose 1 <sept> unit
Exemplar of Montka - Command Phase, choose a <sept> Core unit within 9" of this Warlord. Until
the start of your next Command phase, Core models in this unit making ranged attacks that target
enemy units within 9" (12" if you chose Montka) can reroll the wound roll.
Kroot Traits:
Master of the Hunt (Aura) - Kroot units within 6" ignore cover with ranged attacks against enemies
within 12"
Pack Leader (Aura) - Kroot units within 6" roll an extra d6 and discard one when charging
Nomadic Hunter (Aura) - Kroot units within 6" of the warlord count as Remaining Stationary for
ranged attacks, unless they Fell Back
Tau Secondaries
Shadow Operations - Aerospace targeting relays
Place a marker halfway along each battlefield edge. Units in your army can perform the following action
Install Targeting Relay (Action): Infantry, start at end of movement phase, be within 6" of a different
Aerospace Designation Marker.
Complete at beginning of your next command phase or end of battle, whichever comes first. If
successful, relay is Installed. Points awarded for number of relays installed
1 - 2 VP, 2 - 6 VP, 3 - 9 VP, 4 - 15 VP
Strikes and Breachers are 10 man min now. And 10 man max. So just 10. 80 points FW, 85 Breachers.
Breachers have the Sweep and Clear Strat (Ignore cover, reroll wounds), Strikes have the Relentless
Fusillade Strat (Ignore Rapid Fire rules, double shots, additional point of AP), BOTH can use Pulse
Onslaught (unmodified 6 to Hit auto wounds the target). They can use Point Blank Volley (Pulse
weapons are Pistol 2) if... like, somebody charged you as a joke or you want to waste a CP. Bonding
Knife Ritual is not a thing anymore, but +1 Ld to compensate.
Guardian Drone has a 4++. Models in the unit cannot be wounded on an unmodified wound roll of 1-
2.
Elite
Krootox 25 pts and has an autocannon. It's cavalry now, so it can move and shoot without the BS
penalty. S6, WS 3+, BS 4+, T5, W4, A4, save 6+. Fists are S User, AP -2, D2. This makes it better at
fighting than our LOW.
Stealth suits are mostly the same. 25 ppm. FB is +5, Homing Beacon is +5. Can’t have shield
generators. Okay, so maybe that's reductive. Points may have changed and the burst cannons get 2
more shots, and the FB gets the melta rule. Stealth rule is -1 to hit ALWAYS and +1 to saves when in
cover vs Ranged Attacks. Homing Beacon lets you pull Crisis Core units out of Manta Strike on turn
one and deploy them within 3". I suppose that's pretty cool.
Crisis suits. M10”, BS4+, W4, 30ppm base, 3-6 unit size. ATS is gone now. Most support systems are
free (not shield generators) and they get a 4th hardpoint only for support systems. They can still take 3
guns. Those increase in cost for each successive duplicate weapon. For instance, fusion blaster:
+10/+15/+25. A 3x FB Crisis Suit costs 80 Points. Further, 3x3 FB suits cost 240, 3x3 CIB costs 255,
3x3 PR costs 180: Total 675 for 3 squads. Or 9x FB/CIB/PR suits @ 55 ppm: 495 points. Basically
additional duplicate weapons past the first cost an increasing number of points. Crisis can still take
CIBs.
Crisis Bodyguards. They have the Bodyguard rule: Can't target with ranged attacks. Oh, you get a unit
without taking a slot if you have a commander.
Ghostkeel. M12”, WS5", BS 4+, S6, T7, W12, A 3, LD9, save 3+. CIR is 36" Heavy 6, S7, AP -2, D2.
The overcharge version is +1 S and Dmg as normal. Every 1 to Hit causes a MW. Bless you if you can
find a Reroll ability that works on them. (Yes, Shadowsun, her chapter master one does.). Fusion
Collider is 24" Heavy 3, S9, AP -4, D6, +2 dmg in half range. They cost 160, cannot have an
invulnerable save, and are patently terrible in melee. However, they are really quite obnoxious to shift. I
think you'll find a good use for them. Can't be targeted if the attacker is more than 18" away (unless it's
the closest eligible model.). Ranged attacks are always at -1 to Hit. Comes with a Drone Controller
stock for that 6" Saviour Protocols save. Flare Launcher gives 5+++ vs. Ranged attacks with S7 or
more. You can give the Prototype Early Warning Override that allows you to shoot out of phase at
something that's come out of Reserves within 12" (choose between this and the Flare Launcher,
unfortunately). They have M12 and Fly, so they can shift with Strike and Fade if you need to. I don't
think they're really good at forward deploying anymore, honestly. Maybe against a specific enemy.
Fast Attack
Pathfinders: min-max size is 10. Rail rifle is Heavy 1, S8, AP -4, 3 dmg, +1 MW if wound roll succeeds,
for 5 points. With the Chalnath kit they get a Drone controller which is good if you want to take
drones in the unit because it gives them a BS 4+ (up from 5+) , a grenade launcher (S6, Ap-1, 3 Dmg,
or an EMP that makes vehicles play at 1/2 wounds for their degrading stats for the next turn), the
Neuroweb system jammer that gives them a Keyword to be eligible to use a strat that no other unit
could anyway...
Recon: Has a burst cannon. Gives Ignores Light Cover to its unit.
Grav-Inhibitor: - 2 to Charge rolls against this unit.
Pulse Accelerator: All pulse weapons improve AP by 1 in this unit.
Vespid are 12 ppm. WS 4, BS 4, S4, T4, W1, A1, Ld8, 4+ save. Neutron Blasters are 18" Assault 2, S5,
AP-3, D2.
Kroot Hounds. M12, S3, T3 W1 A3, AP -1. 7" pregame move, +1 save when in cover. Reroll advance
and charge rolls. 6 pts, 4-12 models in the squad.
You can still take a standalone unit of tactical drones, they do interact with Drone Controller.
Piranha assembly picture is incorrect. The burst cannon is AP 0 base. The fusion blaster is a heavier,
vehicle-mounted specifically for the piranha. Crisis version remains d6 damage. Both types of FB get
the new Melta treatment: +2 dmg at half range.
Heavy Support
Sniper drones: 3 attached to a Firesight Marksman. He buffs them in the Command Phase. You could
use a stratagem to split them off into their own unit, if you like, but he has to be within 6" to give them
BS3+ and MWs on 6 to Wound. 48" rapid fire 1, S5, AP -2, D1. When the Marksman buffs them,
they're BS 3", ignore Look Out Sir, and do 1 MW in addition to regular damage on unmodified wound
rolls of 6.
Broadsides: (Rail) Heavy 2 S9, AP -4, d3+3 damage, 1 auto MW on successful wound. 75 pts for just
the HRR. +10 for Twin Plasma, +15 for Twin SMS. Cannot buy a shield generator. Has an arcane
methodology for selecting support systems based on a shared bit in the kit. Missile drones are 15ppm.
(HYMP) Heavy 4, S7, Ap-2, D2. Broadside still equipped with two. Broadsides have a system to let
them move and shoot without penalties. Which they only need because they are now Infantry and
suffer the Heavy weapon penalty. But they are CORE.
The shoulder guns are now a support system for the Broadside. You get two hardpoints, one of which
can be a Twin SMS or Twin Plasma, and then you get a choice of other systems. Some of these cannot
be taken alongside the Twin Plasma because they share a bit between them in assembly. So if you want
to move and shoot at no penalty, you're going to have to consider something beyond the shoulder gun.
Which may not be a problem for you, idk. But I always liked having the SMS.
Riptides are Heavy Support now. M12”. 240 with HBC and Plasma Rifles, +10 for Ion, +5 per SMS, 10
per FB, +15 per Shielded Missile Drone. Basic IA is Heavy 6, S7, AP -3, Dmg 3. Overcharge to S8 &
Dmg 4, HBC is Heavy 12, S 6, AP -2, Dmg 2. There is NO upgrade or relic cannon for either Riptide
or Ghostkeel.
They have a 4++. The Reactor gives choice of 5+++, 2d6 move in the charge phase (but no charging
afterward), or extra shots with main gun. (4 for Heavy Burst, 2 for IA). RR1 support for non-Core is
gone from the codex, so the Ion feels REAL dicey, as they still give 1 MW per 1 rolled, rather than a
single MW IF a 1 is rolled at all. Same goes for Ghostkeels (I got a tingling down my spine and didn't
overcharge. 4 1's on that hit roll. Felt pretty smug) Ion Hammerheads, CIBs, Razorsharks... Sunsharks
have Ion Rifles, which cap at 1 MW per weapon. Their damage degradation is subtly worse than
models with the same stats. A Hammerhead hits bottom profile at 3 wounds remaining, while a Riptide
hits at 4. Both have T7 and W14. Everything but the Ghostkeel degrades ALL the way to BS 6+ now. I
don't know why the Keel does, but I'm wagering on GW forgetting to update it.
Sky rays have a Seeker Missile Rack - 72", Heavy d3+1, S9, AP-3, 2d3 dmg. Sky rays no longer run out
of shots. It'll be nice, I think. 135 pts base, +5 per accelerator burst cannon or SMS. Can contribute ML
tokens, has 14 wounds, is cheap. It has the BIG Velocity Tracker. +2 to Hit and reroll dmg roll vs
Aircraft.
Hammerheads. BS4+. Ion Cannon: Heavy 3d3, S7(8), Ap -2, D1(2), Blast. Unit cost 145. Accelerator
Burst Cannon +5p, Ion cannon +10p, Seeker Missile +5p, SMS +5p. They keep FLY. Hammerhead
Railgun is the only weapon that ignores invulns innately.
Flyers
Sunshark is all damage output. 12 Ion Rifle shots that can overcharge. I think it's the only model in that
game that can murder itself stacking Overheat MWs now. Pulse bomb seems alright. 6d6 dice, 4+ is a
MW. Can go to 10 dice against large squads.
Razorshark is 155 pts, quad ion turret is assault 8 despite 4 ion rifles being 12 shots, tau flyers have no
additional protection beyond Hard to Hit. It's T7 with 12 wounds and a 4+ save.
LOW
Stormsurge. 330p, T8 W22 2+/4++. Destroyer Missiles are S12, AP -5, Dmg 2d3 (same as a seeker)
and you can only fire 2 per turn. You have 4 still. Cluster Rocket is 4d6, S 5, Ap-1, D1, Blast.
Blastcannon is the more expensive weapon. Driver cannon is Heavy 3d3, S10, AP-4, dmg 3, Blast.
Fortifications
Gunrig is 4+. W16, save 4+. Stats do NOT decay. Supremacy Railgun is 72" Heavy 2, S 12, AP -4,
D3+3, successful wound rolls inflict +1d3 MWs. Only the HH railgun ignores invulns.
Weapons
Crisis suits retain weapon flexibility beyond the limits of their kit, but they are the exception.
CIBs are AP -2 now. I think all Ion weapons are. S8 D2 on overcharge. +10/+20/+25
Airbursters are 24" Assault d6, S4, AP -1, D1, Blast, Line of Sight not required. +5/+10/+20
(+10/+15/+20 for Commanders).
Burst Cannon +5/+10/+20 (+10/+15/+20 for Commanders).
Fusion Blaster is an 18" Meltagun. +10/+15/+25 (+15/20/+25 for Commanders). Still only d6 dmg
and d6+2 at half range.
Plasma Rifle is 30” Assault 1, S8 AP-4 flat damage 3. PR seems to be about getting around the -1 Dmg
abilities. +5/+10/+15.
Flamers cost +5/+10/+15.
Missile pods +10/+15/+20 (+10/+15/+25 for Commanders).
Ion Rifle - 30" Heavy 3, S7, AP-2, D1 rolls up to S8 and D2 for overcharging. Interestingly, can only
do 1 MW regardless of the number of 1s you roll. And it specifically assigns the MW to the bearer. I
don't know why it doesn't kill the bearer outright like a plasma gun.
SMS like before (no LOS, no cover), with one more Ap. S5 Ap-1 D1.
High Output Bust Cannon. Coldstar only. 18" Assault 10, S5 AP-1 D1. 15 pts, can only take one.
Seeker Missile: 72", Heavy 1, S9, AP -3, Dmg 2d3, one shot per seeker.
Accelerator burst cannon is 8 shots, S6, Ap -1, D1. Piranha is 6 shots, S6, AP 0, D1
Prototype systems
A points upgrade system for various units, like we've seen with Chapter Command and the new GSC
unit upgrades. They can go on Commanders, Crisis Shas'vres, Ghostkeels.
Prototype plasma rifle. It's a plasma rifle with AP -5 (for reasons...) that ignores Invulns. +20 pts on
top of the PR cost (5/10/15).
Wide-Spectrum Scanners: +20pts. Model equipped with Early Warning Override only. At the end of
the Reinforcements Step of your opponent's Movement Phase, if the bearer is not within Engagement
Range of any enemy units, it can shoot as if it were your Shooting Phase, but it can only target a single
eligible enemy unit that was set up as Reinforcements this turn and is within 12" of the bearer.
Internal Grenade Racks: +15pts. Once per turn, after this model has moved in your Movement phase,
select a unit it moved over and roll a d6: on a 2+, SMITE THEM (d3 MW)
Resonator Warheads: +30pts. Commander or Crisis only. Replace a Missile Pod with the following: 30"
Assault 3, S8, AP-2, D2. Any Infantry, Beast, or Cavalry unit hit by this weapon halves their Move
characteristic until your next Shooting phase. (Cannot reduce Move to less than half, if combined with
other similar effects. I don't know where those effects are in this codex, I'll have to dig for them)
You can take prototypes that allow you to do MW in the move phase. The coldstar has one that lets it
do MW to any unit around when it does The BIG Leap ability (remove from table at beginning of
movement phase, redeploy anywhere outside 9" or put into Strategic reserves). No restrictions about
engagement range and it only hits enemy units within 3", so you have to live through Ghaz hitting you.
There's another that you can put on any prototype eligible guy. If he jumps over an enemy in the
movement phase, you can do d3 MW to them on a 2+ (one enemy unit per phase) So, like the biggest
bird poop ever.
Support Systems
No vehicle systems. Closest you get is buying seeker missiles, I guess.
Crisis systems are as follows:
Counterfire Defence System - Get the keyword to use the strat. Mercifully, does not cost points. CFD
is Crisis Commander (only that XV8 version you make from the standard kit), Crisis/Bodyguards,
Riptides, Stormsurges ONLY.
EWO - 5+ Overwatch for this model. The Overwatch Stratagem costs 1 less CP when used for this
unit. Also free. Probably need to have at least one of these per Crisis team.
Iridium - 2+ save, 1 per 3 models, 10 points, does not take up a support slot!
Multi-tracker - 6s to hit score an additional hit for ranged attacks targeting units containing 6 or more
models. Free as a bird.
Shield Generator - 4++, 5pts for Crisis, 10 pts for Commanders, built in to Stormsurges and Riptides!
Ghostkeel cannot have.
Target Lock - This model Ignores Light Cover
Velocity Tracker - Ranged attacks gain +1 to hit when targeting units with the Fly keyword
ATS remains a thing for Broadsides only. Each time the bearer makes a ranged attack, an unmodified
hit roll of 6 automatically wounds the target
Points
Shield Drones 12