Tau Empire Farsight Bomb – Is This The End?

The Farsight Enclaves Supplement for Codex Tau is nearly upon us.

Among the previews shown by Games Workshop, a suspicious line was spotted that strongly hints at a possible FoC-switch-up – to make Crisis Suits troops – that would doubtlessly change how the 40K-community thinks about Commander Farsight on the table.

Time for a brief (perhaps premature) requiem on what Farsight is best known for in the game today: The Farsight Bomb!

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#1 – What The Hell Is The Farsight Bomb?

Confused about the Farsight Bomb I keep rambling about?

Short summary: Farsight Bomb is a “classic” Tau Empire list, which also made it nicely into the new 6th Edition Tau Empire Codex. In a nutshell, the Farsight Bomb is a large unit of Tau XV8 Crisis Suits – usually 7+ – made with (and thanks to) Farsight’s special bodyguard-rule.

It was cool in 4th (and 5th) Edition (i.e. before double-FoC, Riptides, etc..) because it got a lot more Crisis Suits into the army than 3 Elite Slots for 3 XV8s each would allow.

In 6th Edition, maximising the number of XV8 Crisis Suits isn’t as imperative any more.

Still, Farsight Bomb allows a lot of Crisis Suits in a single unit; the closest thing to a Tau Deathstar I suppose. Moreover, the new 6th Edition rules for Crisis Suit Bodyguards and Farsight’s Warlord Trait to deepstrike flawlessly give the list some fun tricks to play with.

Add Farsight’s mysterious Dawn Blade, and the list gives you a deep-striking Tau commando team that’ll make Dante and his deep-striking golden boys look old (in just about every way).

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#2 – A ‘Classic’ Farsight-Bomb Army List for 6th Edition

Here is what a “classic” (and basic) Farsight-Bomb 1,500 pts. list looks like in Warhammer 40K 6th Edition (pre-Farsight Supplement). This isn’t the most optimized version (adding an allied Farseer on Jetbike to Farsight’s already menacing units seems popular these days, and having both Farsight and Commander Shadowsun for a shrouded Farsight Bomb was in vogue briefly).

I’ve also kept things out that weren’t allowed to be fielded alongside Commander Farsight in the 4th Edition Codex (e.g. Kroot, Ethereals, etc.. ), even though these restrictions no longer exist.

While this isn’t the most refined Farsight Bomb-list you’ll ever see (mostly because I haven’t played a Farsight list- or even against one – in 6th Edition yet, I’d always welcome Farsight veterans chipping in with improvements though). It does illustrate the basic idea however.

The list is essentially two parts: A solid fire base (also works well with an Aegis Defence Line, obviously) and a gilded, very expensive Farsight-and-Bodyguard Crisis-Suit-Star (a full complement of 7 bodyguards might actually be a bit much for 1500 points).

The former sits backs and does what Tau gun-lines do. The latter better take down the toughest element in your opponent’s army.. and the second toughest element… and the third toughest.

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#3 – Is This The End?

Is this the end? Will the Farsight Codex Supplement kill the Farsight Bomb? Why am I asking this?

Well, the internet’s abuzz with whispers that the upcoming Farsight Codex Supplement – unlike the Iyanden Supplement – may, after all, truly introduce a FoC-changing rule of some kind. Or, not of some kind, but of a kind that allows you to take XV8 Crisis Suits as a troop choice, allowing you to field an all-suits-elite army without Fire Warriors or Kroot (if you don’t want to).

The main piece of evidence is this sub-headline from the previews for this supplement.

One on hand, I think it would be stupid if Games Workshop takes that route. I still believe the beauties of the Iyanden Supplement is that you don’t need to have it. A “you-can-play-an-all-Crisis-Suits-army-supplement” would be a “must buy” though, not much discussion there!

And yes, I too would probably buy it for the fun of running a very small all-Suits elite Tau Army. Thus I can see why Games Workshop would want to do this with a Farsight supplement. Grrrrr!

Not stupid then, but… cold?

And yes (a second time!), I think it would likely be the end of the Farsight Bomb. Everyone would move over to using Farsight for an all-Crisis Suit army.

Or, is that the logical next step of the Farsight Bomb? Army-wide Farsight-Bomb?

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#4 – Thoughts?

What are your thoughts on the upcoming Farsight Codex Supplement?

• Would you welcome a rule that allows XV8 Crisis Suits as troops?
• Do you think it would be a fun army to field in Warhammer 40K?
• Do you think it would be a fun army to face in Warhammer 40K?

And how would you improve my little newb-Farsight list above?

I am looking forward to your comments!

Z.