This is my current Tau list, I've included a short description on how I utilize the units, and how the army functions as an effective whole below. This army does not fall under the category of either mobile or stationary, but rather uses both mobile and (largely) stationary units together to great effect.
Commander
Shas'El
Fusion Blaster
Plasma Rifle
Shield Generator
HW Drone Controller
HW Multi-Tracker
2 Bodyguard
Twin Linked Plasma Rifles
Shield Generators
Hw Drone Controllers
6 Shield Drones
382
Stealth Team
5 Stealth Suits
Team Leader
HW Drone Controller
2 Gun Drones
Bonded
217
Stealth Team
5 Stealth Suits
Team Leader
HW Drone Controller
2 Gun Drones
Bonded
217
Crisis Monat
1 Crisis Suit
Twin Linked Missile Pod
Shield Generator
71
Fire Warriors
11 Fire Warriors
11 Pulse Rifles
Shas'ui
Pulse Rifle
Hw Target Lock
Markerlight
Bonded
157
Fire Warriors
11 Fire Warriors
11 Pulse Rifles
Shas'ui
Pulse Rifle
Hw Target Lock
Markerlight
Bonded
157
Fire Warriors
11 Fire Warriors
7 Pulse Rifles
4 Pulse Carbines
Shas'ui
Pulse Carbine
Hw Drone Controller
2 Gun Drones
Bonded
162
Fire Warriors
11 Fire Warriors
7 Pulse Rifles
4 Pulse Carbines
Shas'ui
Pulse Carbine
Hw Drone Controller
2 Gun Drones
Bonded
162
Broadsides
2 Broadsides
Shield Generators
Smart Missiles
180
Broadside Monat
1 Broadside Team Leader Monat
Shield Generator
Twin Linked Plasma Rifle
HW Multi-Tracker
115
Hammerhead
1 Hammerhead Gunship
Railgun
Burst Cannons
Multi-Tracker
Disruption Pod
Decoy Launcher
1 Seeker Missle
180
Total 2000
I realize the Commander and his bodyguard aren't what most players use, that is to say he isn't a lone Commander making maximum use of his Independant Character status. I use his unit as a true crisis unit. With their offensive and defensive loadout, the unit can be truly thrown into nearly any situation, stick some casualties, and be reasonably expected to come out OK. I am not afraid of having them operate in close to dangerous enemies, and I love to rapid fire with their Plasma.
The Fire Warriors are the back bone of my force, able to lay down an impressive amount of firepower. I use them in pairs, with a pure rifle squad being supported by a carbine squad, which typically operates out in front of the rifle carriers. They're my infantry, they're my ground pounders, they're 52 wounds with a 4+ save that can deal death to most enemies. The more manouverable elements of my army move around these guys helping where necessary.
The lone Monat with the Missile Pods is more of an aggravation for the enemy than an effective combat unit. He is fully capable of popping most vehicles rear armour, and to shoot him would likely take more firepower than he is worth, especially with so many other targets.
If the Monat is aggravating, then the Stealth Teams are infuriating. Used right, they can be hell on an enemy. 2 Stealth Teams can incinerate units wholesale, and they can be impossible to target. Simply getting the enemy to waste tons of shots that never get fired at them is worth their points all the time.
The Broadsides and the Broadside Monat give me some static fire support for the static Fire Warriors. They ensure that if the Fire Warriors are directly threatened by enemy armour, the enemy armour doesn't last long. It's a joy how intimidating these units are. By their simple placement, you can often dictate a players entire deployment, and the first couple of turns of movement as well.
The Hammerhead is mobile artillery, and the submunitions shot is too good to pass up. You've never laughed until you've used Markerlights and submunitions against an Alaitoc Eldar army.
My army's motto is: "Well Equipped, Well Defended", either by the incredible prevalence of shield generators, shield drones, gun drones to take hits, full equipment on team leaders, I wanted as elite a Tau army as possible while still maintaining a large core of Fire Warriors to base the battle around. It functions by bringing the enemy to ground with the mobile elements either by chasing or being chased, and then hammering them with concentrated fire from multiple units acting in support of one another.
I've enjoyed moderate success with this army, and look forward to the new Tau Codex making the 14 drones in my army more worthwhile, as well as the new units. I'm willing to drop the Broadside Monat, and a single Stealth Team if the Vespids or the rumored Heavy Support Pathfinder with Railgun Drones are any good. I'm betting on Vespids sucking, Pathfinder rocking.
