Let's not let this conversation get even close to "someone could use it to 'prove' we're racists when saying what bad people we are", shall we?
I forgot to mention that the Coldstar's High-Output gatling gun is 18" S 5 AP 5 Assault 6 Twin-Linked. That's... not great for shooting aircraft down, to tell the truth. But you might get a few Glances I guess. It's just an option.
TROOPS:
Strike Teams and Breacher Teams (ie Fire Warrios)
Pictured above: one of the two
Two different units, but they're so similar I don't even care. Yes, dual-kit. And by dual-kit I really mean "single kit but with enough weapons you can make either", because that is the entire difference. Strike Teams are more long-ranged, having Pulse Rifles (can swap for Pulse Carbines), Photon Grenades, Supporting Fire and a 4+. Breacher Teams are close ranged, with a Field Amplifier Relay, 4+ (and 5++ if they take the Drone), Photons, Supporting Fire and a Pulse Blaster. Here are the differences between the weapons:
-Rifle:
30" S 5 AP 5 Rapid Fire, you are the best basic troop weapon ever
-Carbine: 18" S 5 AP 5 Assault 2 Pinning, still perfectly delightful for its task
-Blaster: up to 5" it's
S 6 AP 3 Assault 2 and already my new favourite basic troop weapon, fuck you Pulse Rifle. 6-10" it's S 5 AP 5 Assault 2. 11-15" it's S 4 AP - Assault 2 and is a shitty Boltgun with less range.
If you can manage to get nice and close, the Blaster is amazing. Like, Space Marines would kill for those. And then kill
with those. On the other hand, the Rifle is more reliable and has that beautiful range, which Tau really want, and even the Carbines have their use for close-range pinning. And Close Range is
still more than 12" though.
They former is 5-12 with optional Shas'ui upgrade (who can take a Markerlight and two Drones), the latter is 5-10 with optional blah blah blah. BS 3 so you really want to use your Markerlights. They can both take EMP grenades, and they can take a turret which they set up instead of moving, and it can't be targeted but hangs around as long as they're in reach. If they move it vanishes but they can then set it up again later.
You remember turrets, don't you? They're those pale round things that are full of bullets. Oh wait, no, that's you in one minute.
Turret has either a Missile Pod (S 7 AP 4 Assault 2) or Smart Missile System (S 5 AP 5 Heavy 4, No Cover, doesn't need LoS). Also they can take the Bondage Ritual and a Devilfish Transport.
I give them shit for being so similar, but honestly there are enough options scattered through, like the turret and Drones, that it's all good. If you like, think of it as one unit with lots of options.
I AM KROOT
These are pretty much the same as before: 10-20 cheap models with Infiltrate, Stealth (Forests only) and Move Through Cover, and Kroot Rifles with Pulse Rounds (24" S 4 AP 6 Rapid, also they're 2-handed AP 5 close combat weapons). You can also have up to 3 Krootox (T 6 W 2) who are Bulky and have the Kroot Gun (48" S 7 AP 4 Rapid Fire). You can also have up to 10 Kroot Hounds. One Kroot can be swapped for a Shaper, who an take a Pulse Rifle or Carbine, and you can give Sniper rounds to everyone who has a Kroot Rifle (Heavy 1 Sniper). You still use them for cheap screening and to wall edges off against Outflanking, but now you can also make them pretty annoying snipers. Well, as annoying as BS 3 lets you be.
ELITE: we like this part
XV25 Stealth Battlesuits (the old Stealthsuits)
Unless you do this, they're better suited for artistic set-pieces, from a painting perspective.
They still look stupid, but whatever. 3-6 Jet Pack Infantry with Stealth, Shrouded, Infiltrate, Supporting Fire and Burst Cannons. 3+ Armour. Each one can take a single Support System, and 1/3 can swap his gun for a Fusion Blaster, which is a grand idea. You can upgrade one to a Shas'ui, who can take an extra Support System, a Homing Beacon and a Markerlight (note: Jet Pack Infantry are Relentless so can move and fire Heavy weapons). Can also take up to two Drones and the Bondage Ritual.
You probably want a bunch of these either in general or for a formation I'll mention later.
XV8 Crisis Battlesuits
Now looking more dynamic, and in boxes of three! 1-9 per unit, and they're T 4 W 2 Sv 3+ Jet Pack Infantry. Supporting Fire, Very Bulky, each can take up to three Ranged Weapons or Support Systems. Yes it's possible to not have any weapons at all, if you really want to do that. One can be upgraded to a Shas'vre who can take a Relic in place of one of the Systems/Weapons. Each model can take up to 2 Drones, and they can take the Bondage Ritual.
The weapon options are specifically: Flamer, Burst Cannon, Airbursting Frag Projector (weak Large Blast that ignores cover), Cyclic Ion Blaster (18" S 7 AP 4 Assault 3, or S 8 AP 5 Heavy 1 Blast Gets Hot!), Fusion Blaster, Missile Pod, Plasma Rifle (S 6 AP 2 Rapid Fire, doesn't get hot). I don't particularly feel like covering the Support Systems and Relics other than to mention that one of the Relics is a Donkey Punch.
XV8 Crisis Bodyguards
Just scroll back up to the above picture.
Basically a unit of 1-9 Shas'vre, so they can all take Relics if they want. Also if an Indie joins them, they automatically pass Look Out Sir! rolls.
XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits
I'd paint them in John Cena's colours, because YOU CAN'T SEE ME
1-3 Jet Pack Monstrous Creatures with T 5 W 4 Sv 3+ and Stealth and Supporting Fire. Each comes with 2 T 5 Stealth Drones. If they have at least one Stealth Drone still alive, they gain Shrouded as well. They have Twin Flamers, Fusion Colliders (18" Melta Blast), Electrowarfare Suites (against attackers 12+ inches away, Stealth and Shrouded bonuses are doubled, to a maximum of a 2+ Cover Save) and Holophoton Countermeasures (1/game when targeted, activate it and the enemy can only make Snap Shots). Any model can swap Fusion for a Cyclic Ion Raker (2' S 7 AP 4 Assault 6 or S 8 AP 4 Heavy 1 Large Blast Gets Hot!), and can swap Twin Flamers for a Twin Burst Cannon or Twin Fusion Blaster. You can really get your melta on here. Any can take up to two Support Systems and they can take the Bondage Ritual.
These look awesome and are really useful for getting up close and transmogrifying vehicles into flaming messes of shrapnel.
XV104 Riptide, aka The Internet Lost Its Shit
GREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN
Also links to some other, larger ones:
TRON STYLE
Beautiful
Lovely blue
MEGAZORD ACTIVATED
Back in the last Dex, this caused a lot of panicking. This was the reason why Tau were totally overpowered and the game was forever changed, "Tau in one tier, everyone else in the other" (then Eldar came along and it was either "Eldar" and "Everyone else" or "Tau and Eldar" and "Everyone else"). Pretty sure it used to be a Gargantuan Creature, possibly a Heavy or Lord of War. Whatever. Now it's Elite, and 1-3 in a unit. But they're now just Jet Pack Monstrous Creatures with T 6 W 5 Sv 2+/5++ Use Your Lascannon
Supporting Fire, Twin Smart Missile System, Heavy Burst Cannon (3 feet of S 6 AP 4 Heavy 8... unless you Novacharge it, where it's Heavy 12 Rending but Gets Hot!), and a Riptide Shield Generator (5++ usually...). Also they have the NOVA REACTOR, which is what happens when, instead of plugging your Evangelion into the city grid, you give it its own nuclear reactor, and then you start overcharging it to make it more effective.
Overloading the Eva's power systems never caused any harm, right?
Well shit.
Each of your Movement Phases, decide whether you're using the Nova-Reactor. If so, roll 1d6. On a 1-2, it takes no effect and the radiation/shock pulse causes an automatic Wound with no saves. On a 3+ you can choose one of the following: 3++ until next turn, able to Nova-Charge the Big Gun, Thrust movement is 4d6", double-fire the Twin Weapon. Sadly, they don't explode, even if Overcharging costs them their last Wound. I really feel they should explode.
Any can swap the Twin Missiles for a Twin Plasma Rifle or a Twin Fusion Blaster. Any can swap the Heavy Burst Cannon for an Ion Accelerator (72" S 7 AP 2 Heavy 3... or Overcharge it for S 8 AP 2 Heavy 1 Large Blast Gets Hot!... or Nova-Charge that motherfucker for S 9 AP 2 Ordnance 1 Large Blast Gets Hot!). They can take up to two Shielded Missile Drones each, and two Support Systems each. They can take Bondage Ritual.
And that's it for Elites, probably my favourite part of the book, but I am totally on board with the goofy 80s mecha.