Battlesuit Systems
There are three types of Tau battlesuit. Their capabilities are summarised in the table below.
XV8 Crisis
| S | T | W | Save | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modifier | +2 | +1 | +1 | 3+ |
Jetpack, 3 weapon systems or support systems.
XV15 Stealth
| S | T | W | Save | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modifier | +1 | - | - | 3+ |
Jetpack, stealthsuit, burst cannon.
XV88 Broadside
| S | T | W | Save | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modifier | +2 | +1 | +1 | 2+ |
2 weapon systems, 1 support system.
In addition to the major features of each battlesuit type shown in the summary, all battlesuits have Recoil Absorption and Improved Sensors in common.
Improved Characteristics. Note that some Tau battlesuits improve their wearer's characteristics. This includes Toughness. When determining whether a model is killed outright by a weapon, the adjusted Toughness is used. So for example, if a plasma gun (Strength 7) wounded a Tau in Crisis armour, the Tau would only take 1 wound. This is different to the way that modified Toughness normally works in Warhammer 40,000 and reflects the fact that it is impossible for an attack to hit a battlesuit wearer without the suit at least partially absorbing the impact.
Recoil Absorption. All XV battlesuits are designed to compensate for the recoil of light weapons fire, so they do not count as moving when they fire rapid fire weapons. This ability does not extend to heavy weapons, however, and the user must be stationary to fire them. In this regard XV battlesuits are not as well stabilised as Space Marine Terminators but they do have a better range of weapons fits available.
Improved Sensors. Crisis, Stealth and Broadside battlesuits are equipped with a number of variable spectrum sensors and scanners. These sensors allow them to detect ambushes (Codex: Catachans p.20) or Lictors using secret deployment (Codex: Tyranids p.11). One member of a team may scan instead of shooting during the Shooting phase.
Battlesuit Equipment
The following equipment is fitted to specific battlesuit types and drones. They cannot be used with other battlesuits or by models not wearing battlesuits.
Jetpack
Tau jetpacks are extremely agile, combining anti-gravitic and jet technology.
A model with a jetpack can either:
- Move 6" in their Movement phase, ignoring intervening terrain as they fly over it like a model with a jump pack;
- Move up to 6" by walking or hovering just above the ground, as normal infantry;
They will also fall back and sweeping advance 3D6".
Troops equipped with jetpacks may Deep Strike when the mission permits. See the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook for details of Deep Strike.
An unbroken model with a jetpack that is not in close combat may always move 6" in the Assault phase whether they are within 6" of an enemy or not. This move may be in any direction. It does not have to be a charge towards the enemy, even if the jetpack wearer is within 6" of an enemy model. This move is always made like a model with a jump pack.
Stealthsuit
Stealthsuits incorporate a holographic disruption field that makes its wearer hard to spot. Enemy models attempting to fire at Stealth armour troopers count as if firing at night and must roll to check their spotting distance by rolling 2D6x3 (see the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook). If the Stealth armour troopers are not within spotting range, the unit misses its chance to fire while searching for a target and may not choose to fire at a different target. Stealth armour troopers count as being in cover if they are assaulted, but not if they charge. If firing at Stealthsuits while the Night Fighting scenario special rules are in effect, the rolled spotting distance is halved. Any drones controlled by a model in a Stealthsuit will also be shielded at no further cost in points.