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Both the XV8 Battlesuit and the Stealthsuit benefit from jet
packs, which allow them to move 6", shoot (including Rapid
Fire weapons), and move another 6" in the Assault Phase. That
makes them particularly wicked against units that can only move
6", who will never be able to get a clean shot or assault
against these suits, unless there's no terrain. However, once again,
fast-moving troops present a real threat to your suits, especially
if these enemies are good at assaulting. Even though you can move
12" with your jump-shoot-jump moves, enemy jump infantry can
move 12" and
assault 6", which will catch you eventually. Fear not, though;
we'll cover how to handle the fast assaulters later.
For now, just remember that your suits are best for pouncing
on and confounding 6"-moving units. Unfortunately, this use
depends greatly on the tabletop terrain for survivability. If you're
playing on a desert table, there will be nothing for you to hide
your suits behind in their Assault move. That's bad, because most
opponents HATE Tau Battlesuits, and they will direct many Instant
Death! weapons against them if they're caught out in the open.
Also, being tied to terrain like that limits your suits' inherent
mobility
and forces them to take longer-ranged weaponry.
All that being said, it's impossible to see a Tau army without
suits, and there's a reason for that (besides the rules requirements).
When used properly and in combination
with other units, Battlesuits and Stealthsuits can ruin an opponent's
day (which is why suits are so hated by non-Tau players). The XV8's
Plasma Rifle makes them awesome at killing models in power armor
or Terminator armor. Or, you can give them Fusion Blasters and
send them tank hunting (this is where Deep Strike comes in handy),
or Missile Pods to take out light vehicles from afar. Lastly, if
you want to send your XV8s against light infantry, they can mow
down entire columns with Burst Cannons, Missile Pods, and Flamers
(hey, against light troops, you can even assault with your Battlesuits).
Keep in mind, though, that your Fire Warriors are probably better-suited
for taking out light infantry. Save the XV8s for the stuff that
only they can do.
The XV25 and XV15 Stealthsuits are different beasts. Though they
are also chained to terrain features, that's where the similarities
end. Stealthsuit Teams can Infiltrate, which can be both a blessing
and a curse. You can put them in places that throw off your enemy's
balance, but doing so often puts them within easy range of fast
assaulters and beyond the ready aid of your forces. The Stealth
Field Generator helps these suits survive longer, but only against
foes shooting at a distance. If you can shoot at the enemy with
your Burst Canons, then chances are good that they can hit you
(2D6 x 3 means an average viewable distance of 21"). The only
other time the Stealth Field will help you is in the first round
of an Assault, when they make your suits count as if they were
in cover. Though the new Fusion Blaster option makes tanks less
of a threat, you can't take enough of them in your teams to make
Stealthsuits into ideal tank hunters.
However, the Stealthsuit Teams do have at least one specialty. Deep
Strike them behind a line of light enemy infantry, preferably
near a board edge to keep them safe. Though this approach doesn't
always
work, when it does, you can send the enemy commander into panic
mode. Your Burst Cannons are brutal for troops like your average
Imperial Guardsman (or Ork, or Guardian), and you can use your
mobility to jump-shoot-jump up and down the line. It's a great
way to throw your opponent off balance, which can really help you
distract him from the mission objectives.
Oh, one more thing about all the XV teams. Like you should do
with any army selection, carefully think about the number of suits
in each team, especially Stealthsuit Teams with their lower Toughness.
If you make your teams too small, the loss of a single suit can
force
a morale
check
at
a very inopportune time.
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