Email in: Hybrid Tau Question

"Hello Kirby,

I've been getting back into 40k after a long layoff of just Fantasy, and your blog has been a great read. While I'm focusing on Blood Angels, I've also taken it on myself to show the local FLGS that Tau don't suck. So, while I'm still getting acclimated, I think I've got a decent handle on Tau and have had some success using your/Stelek's 2k list. But one issue I've run into is how to handle a particular unit, which there may be some general questions around deathstar type units. In this case, it was an eldar opponent with the following list:

Eldrad + Warlocks (8/9 or so?) in a Serpent
Farseer + 7 Warlocks on bikes
2 x 5 Jetbikes
Falcon with 6 fire dragons
2 night spinners

The scenario was dawn of war + kill points. Which is another problem entirely. So I guess I've got 2 distinct questions on hybrid tau and bubble wrap.

1. How does one go about bubble wrapping with kroot in the DoW/KP scenario where your suits come in off the board edge? Especially when...

2. A deathstar unit such as Seer Council on bikes is used as a pushback unit, which effectively pins the kroot back as they probably don't want to get assaulted on the first turn? The Council had cover, and due to DoW, my pathfinders couldn't shoot to reduce cover saves (not that it would have mattered in this case due to rerollable 3+/4+.

Thanks for any advice!

-Joe"

Well first off we discussed this before, the Farseer and Council can't both deploy on the board in DoW, so tell him to stop cheating :p. Otherwise his list is pretty terrible. Simply stick your Broadsides into the Falcon and then Nightspinners, let the Kroot take the mounted serpent charge and put all of your Crisis Suit/Hammerhead firepower into the Jetlocks. Sooner or later a failed save will occur and the Farseer will be instant-deathed otherwise he has a tiny army which revolves around that unit.

In regards to bubble-wrap, against armies which can zoom over your such as BA, DE, Eldar, etc. you need to put your Kroot where they want to land. This forces them to have to move elsewhere. You can play a bit more tricky as well and force them to move 13" or more to get where they want but then you are forced to destroy the unit in that turn (or block exits if it's an assault unit in transport, etc.). In regards to coming on from the board edge in DoW, deploy your Kroot unless your opponent has a unit which can get off a 24" charge (Jetlocks cannot so deploy 18.1" away from them). This gives you more room to move your army especially if the opponent doesn't deploy an aggressive unit.

That help Joe?