Hi Zelnik,
I never viewed them like that horizon. I saw them as replacements to the old fleet. Remember that the original fleet was designed before the art aesthetic for the tau was finalized. The fw fleet was meant to represent both the future of the tau, and the established art style across all genras.
You can blame citidel for not ending production of the old ships that the fw ships were meant to replace entirely (no rules were originally slated)
The citidel released their first ruleset, which pissed off fw, causing them to create their own ruleset. They demanded the removal of citidels rules as well, which is why the original citidel rules are so hard to find.
That is, historically seen, not entirely correct.
GW designed the Tau fleet and released rules for them in Armada.
GW released the Firewarrior pc game which featured a new Tau vessel: the Emissary
FW made a BFG model for the Emissary, this was met with many yays and hurrays.
FW decided to create a whole set of new models for the Tau fleet.
FW announced Imperial Armour 3: Taros Campaign
SG (Ray, Bob, Nate) thought they could develop the feet rules, when they visited FW they where surprised FW did their own set of rules. They persuaded FW in dropping some things (eg a mega overpowered Custodian iirc).
FW waited and waited with IA3
SG released their set of rules (mail the right people and you'll get it), one week it stayed online
FW asked for removal because IA3 was released that same week, they felt it would hurt sales and such (it was several months later (or longer) that FW released the fleet list pdf).
I am glad GW still produces their fleet. And I think the FW fleet is not a replacement.Even in the removed SG rules it makes mention that the CPF is highly specialized and mostly lies in dock (defending) the biggest homeplaces. The ECF (Armada) still doing the bulk.
However Protectors/Castellans replace Heroes/Defenders for deep space raids. Heroes remain the Tau ship of the line.
While the CPF took on some ECF roles the ECF still exists.
So the FW fleet (models) was never ever meant to replace the GW fleet (models). It was an addition to the Tau Empire. A militaristic fleet added to a trade fleet.
Horizon, I feel that reducing the strength of the tau torpedo is a bad move, on any ship. The most powerful weapon the tau have is their torps, and we should not turn this fleet into something that does not put them at the forefront of the destructive power.
Compared to the FW rules the '2010' fleet has:
+4 missiles on the Custodian
-1 missile on the Protector (five is a good number)
same on Castellan & Emissary (variant).