There have been a lot of Tau rumors flying around recently on BoLS, Warseer, Faeit, etc, and for those who are hungry for info about the upcoming releases they are a godsend. While Games Workshop may not want to tell us much, that doesn't stop folks on the internet from filling our need for more and better information about what to expect next.
Thus, without further ado, I present to you my own little discovery:
SUMMARY OF THE LEAK
(For you impatient people who don't want to read through the whole long conversation for the details.)
-Tau will be the first codex of next year
-Phil Kelly is writing the new book, not Cruddace or Ward as has otherwise been rumored.
-Crisis suits do not get a new kit, but they are getting an upgrade sprue for making special issue weapons and Broadsides.
-A Shas'el Commander unlocks Crisis suits as troops. Other types of commander are implied, including a Stealth Suit commander.
-Drones are changing significantly in how they are bought. Several new types of drones (heavy weapons, melee) are being added.
-Markerlights are Assault 1 weapons now; burning one counter lets you reroll misses or forces the enemy to reroll either cover or pinning tests. Pathfinders have the innate ability to split their fire to multiple targets.
-At least one unit from each of the five castes will be fieldable in the codex.
-There is at least one flyer (the Barracuda) in the book and getting a plastic kit, possibly more.
-Several other Forge World units (Tetras, XV9 Hazard Suits) are getting brought over as well.
-There is at least one new named character "pilot" for a flyer, a la Pask, but the system to represent them is apparently being reconsidered as part of 6E.
-Demiurg are added to the book, functioning "like Dwarves in Fantasy," with ponderous, low-AP guns and strong melee attacks. Hrud are present as well.
-Gue'vesa are available, working similarly to Inquisitorial allies drawn from the IG codex.
-Kroot Carnivores will be 5pts to bring them more in line with IG costs. They keep the same statline (and have Stealth?) but require a Shaper (unsure if he meant as an HQ or as a mandatory squad member.)
-Disruption Pod gives the Stealth USR and grants a 6+ cover save if you lack one.
-All Pulse weapons are Strength 6 in the new codex, as are Burst Cannons.
-Plasma Rifles and Missile Pods are now the same stats as their Imperial counterparts (the Plasmagun and Autocannon, respectively.)
-Seeker Missiles are 72" range and can be fired with one of several different profiles. The basic missile is still S8 AP3, but gains the Blast property. A second, "frag"-type mode is S6 AP5 Large Blast; these two fire modes come standard on the missiles (only one type can shoot each turn.) Two additional upgrade fire modes are available that improve on them, one that is S5 AP6 Large Blast No Cover Saves, another that is S9 AP1 and rolls 2d6 for penetration.
-The new codex expands on their fluff significantly, giving them more interactions with other xenos races, including resolving their grudge with Urien Rakarth and more on the story between them and Crowe.
-It's also implied that there is a faction friendly to (or at least neutral with) the Tau within the Imperium itself. Heresy!
-We learn a lot more about Tau culture and the kinds of lives their citizens lead.
So overall it sounds like there are some big changes ahead for the little blue guys. Fire Warriors not being shit, Broadsides not being horrible on your hands and worse on your wallet, Skyrays being a unit that you can actually field without being laughed at, lots of new options for ally races. And, most importantly, NOT CRUDDACE'S WORK. You can't imagine how happy that makes me.
FULL TEXT
(Please forgive any odd formatting, etc, here, as this was copied over from a HTML file that was exported from another program, so there's some weirdness going on.)
Stealth'o: hey
AbusePuppy: Hey yourself. What's up?
Stealth'o: just saw you talking in the chatbox
Stealth'o: wanted to say hi
AbusePuppy: :P It turns out I hang out there quite a bit. More than I should, really.
Stealth'o: lol yeah ive seen you a lot
Stealth'o: but i mostly dont say anything
Stealth'o: (first time unsing nick)
AbusePuppy: Well, that's most people, really.
Stealth'o: so you play tau?
Stealth'o: ive read the articles youve posted on them
AbusePuppy: Most of those are Kirby's, not mine, but yeah, Tau is one of my back-burner armies right now. They're neat, but they're just too luck-dependent for my tastes currently.
Stealth'o: heh that gets fixed soon
AbusePuppy: Yeah, so the rumors say, but they say a lot of stuff, so I don't really believe much. It's pretty in the air at this point.
Stealth'o: no they actually are
Stealth'o: theyre the next book to get done
AbusePuppy: Where'd you hear that?
Stealth'o: didnt Hear it from anyone
Stealth'o: i just know
AbusePuppy: Like magical space knowledge? No offense, but...
Stealth'o: sigh no ive actually seen the new stuff myself
AbusePuppy: O_o Like... for reals?
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: im part of their playtest group
AbusePuppy: Whoah. That's... that's pretty cool.
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: i laugh whenever i see someone post something like
Stealth'o: gw never playtests anything!
Stealth'o: lol cause i know different
AbusePuppy: It's harder to balance things that most people think.
Stealth'o: YES!!
Stealth'o: thank you
Stealth'o: im so sick of people saying its easy to make everything perfect
Stealth'o: we change every unit ten times trying to fic stuff
Stealth'o: and still its not good enuf
AbusePuppy: Seriously. So, uh, if you don't mind my asking, what's the new book like? Please tell me that Cruddace isn't writing it, I'm not sure I can bear to have him kick another one of my codices square in the junk.
Stealth'o: lol no
Stealth'o: phil kelly is the guy for this book
Stealth'o: some of us think that cruddace is getting pushed away from writing new 40k books
Stealth'o: because of nids and sob
Stealth'o: but Officially we havent heard anything
AbusePuppy: Thank you God, Jesus, Buddha and Allah.
Stealth'o: i like it a lot
Stealth'o: its pretty good but theres still some stuff to fix
Stealth'o: but most of it is done at this point
AbusePuppy: Makes sense, they need like a ~3 month print window, don't they?
Stealth'o: i dont know actually
Stealth'o: but we always finish testing way before
Stealth'o: anything comes out
AbusePuppy: So, um, without sounding too forward... what can you tell me? >.>
Stealth'o: lol
Stealth'o: im not supposed to say anything but...
AbusePuppy: Aww, you tease. :(
Stealth'o: lol no its okay i dont think the gw police will find me
AbusePuppy: You fool, I'm secretly working for them!
Stealth'o: gasp
Stealth'o: ive been setup, you rat!
AbusePuppy: Now say something about getting away for it if not for us darn kids.
Stealth'o: lol
AbusePuppy: So is any of the current rumor stuff true? :\ Because it kinda sounds like bullshit.
Stealth'o: some of it is real actually
Stealth'o: but i think a lot of it is just good guesses
AbusePuppy: SO the usual?
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: i mean its not hard to figure out something like
Stealth'o: fire warriors get cheaper and ethereals arent bad nemore
AbusePuppy: Herp de derp indeed. What's the deal with HQs and troops and FoC-swaps? Kelly seems like he's done a lot of that in the past, so it'd be natural to see more now.
Stealth'o: yeah the hq slot is gonna be way more open than before
Stealth'o: shasels make crisis into troops if you take the right gear
Stealth'o: they have way more options than before
Stealth'o: but also theres some other good hqs
AbusePuppy: Like a Kroot Shaper? :3 I know some folks that are really looking forward to an all-Kroot army.
Stealth'o: lol maybe
Stealth'o: but there is a stealth suit commander
AbusePuppy: Let me guess, you were one of the ones rooting for that?
Stealth'o: yup
Stealth'o: doesnt mak estealth troops
Stealth'o: but si still pretty good
AbusePuppy: Are Crisis gonna get a new box? Because I love those silly chicken-leg things, but the ankles... dear god, the ankles...
Stealth'o: sorry no
Stealth'o: weve been told there is no new box for them because they have a good kit
Stealth'o: but they are making a sprue for broadsides and commander
AbusePuppy: Huh. Like re-cuts for those kits, or...?
Stealth'o: no like a new upgrade sprue
Stealth'o: in plastic so no more metal/plastic gluing
AbusePuppy: Oh, so there'll be the current Crisis kit and then another kit to turn them into Broadsides/Commanders.
AbusePuppy: That's cool.
Stealth'o: yeah and it has all the Special Issue gear on it
AbusePuppy: Are they adding more of that?
Stealth'o: some more
Stealth'o: some of it is also different
Stealth'o: a lot of stuff changed
AbusePuppy: Well, a lot of it had to, the codex was basically still from 3E.
Stealth'o: lol yeah
Stealth'o: the new book is pretty clearly designed for 6th though
Stealth'o: they do a lot of stuff very differently than before
Stealth'o: dones dont count for morale anymore
AbusePuppy: That's a huge plus. "Oh no, our expendable buddies are dying, run for it!"
Stealth'o: they also added some new drone types
Stealth'o: one with heavier guns and a melee drone
AbusePuppy: Tau melee units? O_o
Stealth'o: well its still not good
Stealth'o: but better than the other stuff
Stealth'o: it has meq stats and a power weapon
Stealth'o: with counterattack
AbusePuppy: I guess that's... okay.
Stealth'o: its kinda like a shield drone in how i use them
AbusePuppy: T4/3+, so yeah. Are Markerlight Drones at all useful now? I converted a bunch up and they're sitting in my case. :|
Stealth'o: lol markerlights are all different now
Stealth'o: all drones are relentless
Stealth'o: and and the tokens work differently
AbusePuppy: How so?
Stealth'o: theyre assault guns now so you can move and shoot
Stealth'o: and multiple tokens dont help
AbusePuppy: "Don't help" like you can't use more than one token on a unit? Tha kinda sucks.
Stealth'o: no
Stealth'o: its like
Stealth'o: you can have tokens to do different things
Stealth'o: but you cant use more than one to do the same thing
AbusePuppy: On a single shot, you mean?
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: so you can use one to make your gun twin linked
Stealth'o: or make them reroll cover
Stealth'o: or pinning
Stealth'o: but you cant use two to do it again
AbusePuppy: Well, that's just the rules there, but yeah, that's cool.
Stealth'o: yeah mls are good now
AbusePuppy: They were good before, they were just impossible to get anywhere other than Pathfinders or for too high a price.
Stealth'o: prices are similar
Stealth'o: but so much more useful!
Stealth'o: since you can split fire with them
AbusePuppy: Noice, I was hoping they'd keep that ability for the Tau.
Stealth'o: yeah pathfinders can do it
Stealth'o: and theres an upgrade for it
AbusePuppy: What other kinds of new units do we get to see?
Stealth'o: a ton of stuff
Stealth'o: tau get s omany more units now
AbusePuppy: That happens with every codex, though. Look at Necrons. :P
Stealth'o: yeah but theyre adding all the castes
Stealth'o: not just fire
AbusePuppy: Like, as playable units?
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: air = flyers
Stealth'o: water = hq upgrade
Stealth'o: earth = repairer
AbusePuppy: So Tau get a one fo the new "fast skimmers which are secretly airplanes"?
Stealth'o: yup
Stealth'o: theyre copying a lot of fw stuff for the new book
AbusePuppy: That's pretty standard these days.
Stealth'o: yeah just like the maticore and trygon
Stealth'o: theyre making a kit for the barracuda but its smaller
AbusePuppy: Do they give it some extra guns? Because I was always... unimpressed with the Barracuda.
Stealth'o: it gets a bunch more stuff
Stealth'o: and its cheaper
AbusePuppy: It kinda has to be, all FW's stuff is overpriced for the most part.
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: theyr also doing the tetra and hazard
Stealth'o: and maybe one other
Stealth'o: but it had problems
AbusePuppy: "One other"?
Stealth'o: ill just keep that a secret
Stealth'o: grin
AbusePuppy: *glances at FW's page* ...Knarlocs?
Stealth'o: grin
Stealth'o: nope!
AbusePuppy: I don't see what else it could be, given the kits FW has made. One of the named chars...?
Stealth'o: no
Stealth'o: but they are redoing all the named chars in the book
Stealth'o: aunva farsight and shadowsun
Stealth'o: also adding an air character in a tank
Stealth'o: tank = flyer
AbusePuppy: Oh good. :\ Is it less poorly-done than Pask and the Dais and shit like that?
Stealth'o: hes pretty okay
Stealth'o: but they changed the way that named chars work
Stealth'o: in 6th so it makes sense
AbusePuppy: We'll, see, I guess. I mean I will, you've already seen. :P
Stealth'o: lol yeah
AbusePuppy: Okay, so allies: do we get many more of them, or is it still just Kroot/Vespid? Because I really, really want to be able to field an army with tons of allies, it's what I like about them.
Stealth'o: they get some new ones
Stealth'o: demiurg
Stealth'o: hrud
Stealth'o: humans
AbusePuppy: Squats?!?!
AbusePuppy: Seriously?
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: grin
Stealth'o: theyre kinda like in fantasy
Stealth'o: slow but heavy hitters
Stealth'o: with good ap guns and strength
AbusePuppy: Are the Gue'vesa same as the old PDF version?
Stealth'o: no theyre pretty different
Stealth'o: more like the allies from old inquisition
Stealth'o: you can take some ig units as renegades
Stealth'o: and use them
AbusePuppy: Oh shit. That's hardcore.
Stealth'o: yeah but
Stealth'o: theres a lot of good tau stuff that kinda blows ig away
Stealth'o: so its alsmost a waste
Stealth'o: kroot are same cost as an ig trooper now
Stealth'o: and they have +1save and s4 gun
Stealth'o: and two attacks
AbusePuppy: So kinda just better? O_o
Stealth'o: yeah but you need a shaper
Stealth'o: and still no armor
AbusePuppy: Not having armor is the best part about Kroot. :3 Get charged, get eaten, let the Tau shoot 'em!
Stealth'o: lol yeah
Stealth'o: but with stealth they dont need armor
AbusePuppy: Cover saves are basically the Tau army's best friend.
AbusePuppy: Kroot, Gun Drones, every tank they have...
Stealth'o: tanks get stealth now
AbusePuppy: Like, all of them?
Stealth'o: its from disrupton pod
Stealth'o: gives stealth or
Stealth'o: 6+ if you have no cover
Stealth'o: but more expensive
AbusePuppy: Well, it'd have to give you points if it got any cheaper. >.>
AbusePuppy: Are Fire Warriors getting anything, or are they still stuck in the dump?
Stealth'o: fw are not bad
Stealth'o: pulse is s6 now
AbusePuppy: Penetrating Rhinos with basic troops, fuck year!
Stealth'o: yah they are very scary
Stealth'o: bust canons also are s6
AbusePuppy: That might actually make them worth using, although it was mostly the range that crippled them before.
Stealth'o: they are longer range now
Stealth'o: a lot of weapons changed profiles
Stealth'o: and have longer ranges
Stealth'o: plasma is s7 like imp stuff now, missiles are the same as autocannon
Stealth'o: the hazards guns all got better, too
Stealth'o: extra shots on melta cascard and ion, some other stuff
AbusePuppy: That's good, all the 12" and 18" bullshit was killing Tau. We can't fight in melee but we have short-range guns, hurr!
Stealth'o: yeah that is over
Stealth'o: tau are a fast shooty army now
AbusePuppy: They had some long-range guns (Railguns, Seekers), but mostly it was way, way too short for my tastes and for the army to work effectively.
Stealth'o: seekers are 72 now
Stealth'o: but theyre damage went up
AbusePuppy: Well, 72" isn't really any different from unlimited at the end of the day.
Stealth'o: yeah
Stealth'o: but they can be fired in two different modes nopw
Stealth'o: and have two upgrades
AbusePuppy: So more like Frag/Krak?
Stealth'o: yeah but better
Stealth'o: s8 ap3 blast
Stealth'o: s6 ap5 large blast
Stealth'o: s5 ap6 large blast no cover
Stealth'o: s9 ap1 2d6
Stealth'o: the last two are the upgrade ones
AbusePuppy: Melta missile! Do the upgrades replace the normal ones, or are they extra fire modes?
Stealth'o: you can only shoot one type each turn
Stealth'o: but it can be any type
AbusePuppy: Heh, I might finally get to use my magnetized hardpoints, then. :3
Stealth'o: skyrays are so good now
Stealth'o: i love mine
AbusePuppy: I might have to pick some up as a prepratory measure, then. Only had one currently.
Stealth'o: i would do it
Stealth'o: you are gonna need them
AbusePuppy: Okay, so the other big question, then: is Tau before or after 6E?
Stealth'o: i dont know
Stealth'o: im not on the test group for 6th
Stealth'o: so i dont know anything about it
AbusePuppy: Awww. Well, I guess I can't be _too_ disappointed with what you've told me. :3
Stealth'o: lol yeah
Stealth'o: the new tau are really cool
AbusePuppy: Do they push the timeline forward any?
Stealth'o: not really
Stealth'o: but they do add more stuff
Stealth'o: they get revenge for urien killing their planet
Stealth'o: and theres more of the big fight with crowe
AbusePuppy: That was one of the best stories in the DE book.
Stealth'o: they basically go ballistic on him
Stealth'o: and theres lots of other cross stuff
Stealth'o: with other xenos and races
Stealth'o: fropm the 4th sphere expansion
AbusePuppy: Sweet. Xenos-on-xenos is always good to see, since like 90% of everything is about the Imperium, one way or another.
Stealth'o: theres that too
Stealth'o: it sorta says that there might be
Stealth'o: some people in the imp working with the tau
Stealth'o: or maybe friends with them
Stealth'o: trading technology for space
Stealth'o: etc
AbusePuppy: So not just 100% "everyone punches everyone all the time"-fest? Gasp!
Stealth'o: lol yeah
Stealth'o: the tau are just like the imp now
Stealth'o: but less stupid
AbusePuppy: Well, stupid in their own, unique way.
Stealth'o: no they are more hardcore now
Stealth'o: not just the nice guys of the galaxy
AbusePuppy: How much of the old book's fluff is getting cut? I really liked having the Tau alphabet, history, etc, in there. I mean, it's not like I have to throw my old book away, but...
Stealth'o: the book is a lot longer
Stealth'o: tey add a whole section on tau culture
Stealth'o: and how they live
Stealth'o: or work mostly
Stealth'o: since thats the point of tau culture
AbusePuppy: I am carefully avoiding any kind of "Arbeit Macht Frei" joke right here
Stealth'o: godwin!
Stealth'o: no you get to see the tau from their perpsective
Stealth'o: they also had some tau Psykers early on
Stealth'o: but they got removed
AbusePuppy: Tau psykers? Isn't that kinda contradictory?
Stealth'o: well they had a lot of complaints
Stealth'o: about de having no psykers and no defense
Stealth'o: so they looked at it
AbusePuppy: That was a fairly significant issue for the DE book, yes.
Stealth'o: but in the end they didnt like it
Stealth'o: so they were dropped
Stealth'o: but theres still some stuff
Stealth'o: that links to them in the new fluff
AbusePuppy: Shit, I gotta go to work here.
Stealth'o: lol
AbusePuppy: Well, really I had to go to work a while ago, but...
Stealth'o: lol its okay
Stealth'o: i should go to
AbusePuppy: Thanks for all the info, mang.
Stealth'o: no problem
Stealth'o: get working on those tau!
AbusePuppy: Ha ha, I basically have to at this point, don't I?
AbusePuppy: Anyways, later.
Stealth'o: later
