The Tau Sky Ray – what a bargain!

This month I shifted to working on my Tau. Originally, I didn’t plan on creating a Tau force, but a while back a good friend of mine left the game and gave me all his models. I had been helping him paint them (two models) and he decided to give them to me. So after a good start and some sweet deals, I have collected a decent size force.

Towards the end of June, I began stripping old paint jobs, and repairing broken parts. A few of my fire warriors are missing their antennas but they will work just fine. I have decided to go with a mobile force, consisting of a few stationary broadsides for support, which means I will need a few Devilfish.

On the subject of Devilfish I would to point out a bargain, the Tau Sky Ray. The Sky Ray kit has the sprues for all of the Tau vehicles (excluding the Piranha). The Sky Ray is only $6.25 more than the Devilfish which includes that nifty hammerhead weapons sprue which costs $15.00 on the GW website.

My present army list consists of 3 Devilfish, and 2 Hammerhead s for a total of 5 vehicles ($187.5). Fortunately I have most of all the vehicles. But if I was just starting out I would have bought 4 Sky Rays and a Devilfish ($200). Although the cost would have been $12.50 more, I would be able to build the following:

3- Devilfish
2- Hammerheads
2 - Smart missile system upgrades.
2 - Burst cannons options
2 -Ion Cannons with turrets
2 -Railguns with turrets
1 -Sky Ray Missile Turret or -Swordfish turret with twin-linked Rail Guns.

TAU Swordfish
White Dwarf # 271,
Tau Vehicle Design Rules
Page 60-61
Points: 260, BS-4, Armor Front-13, Side-12, Rear-10
Weapons: 1 twin-linked Railgun (with sub munitions), 1 twin-linked missile pod, and 1 burst Cannon

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Just some ramblings, Sherpa

Having the Blue, Blues...

Sometime ago I started painting my Crimson Fists force, but I was a loss at which blue to use as the base color. I read the White Dwarf article where Neil Hodgson used a mixture of chaos black and regal blue. Although I liked the results, I was looking for something a little more blue. After a few searches on the internet, I found a blog where the author used GW's Midnight Blue as the base color. I tried it and liked it, so I began painting.

Then life got more involved,I stopped painting and GW discontinued Midnight Blue.

Later when I started painting my Devastator Squad, I was unable to get Midnight Blue. I tried Vallejo's Night Blue, the color was close, but still a little off. So rather than try to mix a custom color (not a good thing), I have switched to using Necron Abyss as the base color. I really like the results, but now my army has two different base colors. ... Aarrgh

Devastators

Devastator: One who lays waste or renders desolate. One who overwhelms, as with shock.

Lately, I have been working on my Devastator Squads.

I really like the Devastator Kit, all the models look really good and I can exchange them with the heavy weapon marine in the Tactical Squads. Also the Devastator Kit (9912101053, $35) is full of additional bitz, enough to build several extra heavy weapon marines. Combing the following kits; Tactical Squad (99120101025, $35), Space Marines (99120101035, $8) and the Devastator Kit, I was able to build the follow Squads costing $78.

Tactical Squad (8);
• Sergeant with bolt pistol and chainsword.
• Marine with missile launcher
• Marine with flamer
• 2 Marines with bolters
• 3 Marines with bolters (Space Marines Kit – 9912010135)

Devastator Squad #1
• Sergeant with chainsword.
• 2 Marine with Las Cannons
• 2 Marine with Plasma Cannons

Devastator Squad #2
• Sergeant with power fist (Marine from Tactical Squad Kit - 99120125)
• 2 Marine with heavy bolters (2 Marines from Tactical Squad Kit - 99120125)
• 1 Marine with Missile Launcher
• 1 Marine with Multi-melta (Marine from Tactical Squad Kit - 99120125)

Eventually I will be adding 2 more Tactical Squads, a Sternguard , Some Terminators and a Dreadnaught . I already have the “Assault on Black Reach” it was a good buy ($60) and it came with Orcs! So with another $70, I would have the following;

1 HQ - Captain
3 Tactical Squads (8 man)
2 Devastator Squads (7 man, 2 marines in each team to soak up some wounds)
1 Terminator Squad (5)
1 Dreadnaught (1)
1 Sternguard Veterans (5)

Or
1 HQ – Captain
4 Combat Squads (5 man)
1 Tactical Squad (8 man)
2 Devastator Squads (5 man)
1 Dreadnaught (1)
1 Sternguard Veterans (5)

Total Cost - $208,
I realize that there are other options to building my marine force, such as Space Marine Battle Force Set. However I really didn’t want the 2 units of scouts and I rather would have Razorbacks instead of Rhinos.