Topic: 500 Point Doubles Tournament - Help me extend the reach of The Greater Good!

[RapierSix2587]

I have been offered a place in a doubles tournament with some guys that run a battle report blog and general Warhammer 40k stuff, now, these guys are good, I've watched them play, and it's 500 Points per player, I want to stick with my Tau even though I think I can do a better Chaos list, but I was wondering if you guys could help me assemble a good enough lists verse all comers, what I have available is the following:

1 Ion Riptide
3 Helios Configuration XV8's
3 Fire-Knife Configuration XV8's
12 Fire Warriors
10 Pathfinders
12 Gun Drones
3 Missile Broadsides
3 Heavy Railgun Broadsides
1 Devilfish
1 Cadre Fireblade

That's it, please help me!

[Wiggus]

now im currently in a 500 pt escalation league at the moment and tau are nasty at this level if you still have to field two troops your going to be hurting cause your stuck with two 6 man fire warriors unless you go farsight enclave which i have 0 experience with heres what i been running with a 3/0/1 success rate and it was my fault i lost against chaos.

Ethereal
10 fire warriors with emps
10 kroot and 3 hounds
1 hammerhead with railgun sub shot decoy and bsf
2/6 sniper team

its killed the following lists

1 wraithknight (yes someone was THAT guy)
5 pathfinders
6 dire avengers
farseer

1 rune priest
2x10 marine squads

1 necron lord
2 crypteks
2 5 man necron immortals
3 wraiths

now in your list id consider the fire blade broadsides and riptide and one fire warrior squad as big as you can and try and squeeze kroot in for cheap second squad or two small fw but then the fireblade gets a bit pointless

[RapierSix2587]

I forgot to add, it's FoC is different, it's 1 HQ, 1-3 TROOPS, 0-1 HEAVY SUPPORT, ELITES, FAST ATTACK

Sorry about that, I was thinking about a Riptide, a Cadre Fireblade, and a 12 man Fire Warrior squad, but them I'm lost, I was thinking Pathfinders, Or Broadsides.. ButI don't know

[Slick Samos]

RapierSix that looks like a good start.  I'd seriously suggest another box or two of Troops as your next part of the collection...
For the list perhaps add in a few Broadsides, even one missile side would be good, and a Gun Drone Squadron to provide mobile support, think Stealth Team but cheaper and without the stealth.
Does that help get any creative juices going?

[Wyddr]

For 500 point games, the advantage usually goes to the guy who can bring more infantry with guns. Judging from your collection, then, I'd probably recommend Gun Drones and some kind of Broadsides. If you're expecting to see much in the way of battle tanks (Predators, Hammerheads, or anything else with front armor 13 or better), you could try the Heavy Railgun guys. In general, I'd say you'd be better off with the missile-sides.

[RapierSix2587]

Yeah, My next purchases for my Cadre are 2 more Fire Warrior Squads, and 20 Kroot, and I was thinking one Missiletide, one Riptide, 1 12 Man Squad, and Cadre Fireblade, EWO on Broad and Rip