Tau Missile Boat

[horizon]

Two points:
1) The missiles only dissapear if you roll a 6.
2) Merchant rules are on the GW website in the Unite the Stars pdf. And there it has the hit-buy option already,

[ThaneAquilon]

I know the missiles are only on a 6, but it is a downside. not enough to maek up for being able to turn, but it's there. it means if this ship does sit at extreme ranges and launcg ordnance, chances are you're not hittin gwith max size waves, or if you're terribly unlucky, max number of waves. Also they can't combine slavos with themselves, but would two of them be able to generate 2 8 strength waves?

[AndrewChristlieb]

The missiles have their strengths but i believe over all they lack the versatility the Thunderhawks offer. If you know anyone not boarding with spacemarines you need to tell them to get a new fleet, theyre doing it wrong. Not sure about the boarding torps either? These are amazingly useful where available. The whole point of this is that i dont see the tau standing up at that point cost but if others feel its good at that price then ok its not like i think its under priced .

If it cannot combine salvos with itself then i would say no, but i also think it should just be able to launch one str 8 salvo on the prow.

I guess your against taking these as i stated earlier?

[ThaneAquilon]

I don't personally know any SM players, so I can't give any advice, but I think I tend to agree.

hmm, well I was thinking both prow could combine, both keel could combine.

The reason I'm against being able to fire a str 8 wave is that the Custodian is the only ship capable of doing so in the Tau fleet, and it's massive (comparatively) and has more targetting systems etc, so I don't think a small missile boat should be able to leverage the same power. Don't get me wrong, I would LIKE to have that ability...

[AndrewChristlieb]

The str8 salvo can be more limiting also. I do not like the l/f/r or the dorsal placement (both not something you see on a Tau capitol ship) plus removing the dorsal and increasing the prow can help balance some of the cost issues your group has against it. Im really not much of a fan of it receiving any increases to its leadership either but meh...

so any way my stat idea atm:                                                       130pts
Type/Hits: Cruiser/6 Speed: 20cm Turns: 90 Shields: 1 Armour 5+ Turrets: 2

Armament: Port Railguns:         45cm ( 2 ) L/F
                 Starboard Railguns: 45cm ( 2 ) R/F
                 Prow Torpedoes: 20-40cm ( 8 ) F

Nao'Sak'Orares may be equipped with a deflector that raises its prow armor to 6 for +10pts. This is disabled whenever the vessel suffers a prow critical hit (repairable normally).

Nao'Sak'Orares vessels are highly automated experimental vessels. Due to their automation they receive a +1 modifier to any reload ordinance attempts, however due to processing limitations they may not combine missile salvos with other vessels.

These vessels cannot initiate boarding actions. A ship that boards or conducts any hit and run attacks against a Nao'Sak'Orares gains a +1 modifier in addition to any other modifiers (Nao'Sak'Orares also have a boarding strength that is half normal for the size of the ship).

Being an experimental cruiser prototype the Nao'Sak'Orares must be outnumbered by other Tau cruisers (Allied cruisers do not count for this purpose).



As you can see with this limitation on the ship the cheapest option you could take and field this ship would be 340pts (two Merchants @ 105 and one of these @ 130)

[ThaneAquilon]

Hmm, I actually like those stats quite a bit. I'm torn about the str 8, but it woulds make it more normal, at the least.

Talos, thoughts? (also everyone else, Talos just happens to be in my playgroup)

[Talos]

Seems solid; I would be fine with those stats.

@ThaneAquilon You could keep your 2 x 4 torps if you keep my suggested restriction of 1/fraction of 500; or you could make the prow deflector inclusive at 140 total and keep AndrewChristlieb fleet restriction instead (goo ideas btw Andrew)

[AndrewChristlieb]

Well sometimes the best rules are te ones that already exist . Of course the prow deflector does not have to be optional but the idea behind that move was to help tie in that it is an experimental ship. This also helps with bridging the gap between the Emissary/Merchant and Protector/Hero classes, its the true "light cruiser" as opposed to a transport/ envoy/ "full" cruiser. With those thoughts in mind it might do to have a varient of this that drops the missiles in favor of more weapons, say tracking systems, 4 45cm railguns L/F/R and 2 30cm ion cannons F?

[horizon]

Seems a good alternative.
1 per 500 I find more elegant then be outnumbered.