State of the Tau

Another slow holiday weekend at Hobby Town, but I did manage to get a game in against Troy. We played Scenario 3 from the preliminary missions for Genghiscon. Primary was seize ground, 5 objectives; secondary was kill points; tertiary was getting infantry into opponents zone. Deployment was pitched battle.

Troy deployed first, using the same list as last week. I altered my broadsides to have targeting arrays instead of stabilization systems. I did something I almost never do, I managed to seize the initiative. My shock was so great, that I skipped scout moving my pathfinders and straight moving most of my force. It wasn't the end of my mistakes either, as I spent most of the game doing or forgetting to do the wrong thing.
Troy was pretty on it to, capitalizing on my ineptitude. I still managed to make a game out of it, forcing a game till 7. In the end it was a 2 objectives to 1 game for Troy. Not enough for bonus points, but he still got 15 points. Secondary went to me, 11 kill points to 10. I thought he would have had me, he was pretty much cleaning slots at the end. Bonus points went to FOX slots being wiped, we both got 3. The tertiary was all or nothing, and we both got nothing.
In the end it was a 18 to 13 tournament points game. Not quite a draw, but a reasonable showing. He would likely go to the low winners bracket, and I to the draw or top losers bracket. Not sure how that would hit us for placing, but it was a good game. And while I would like to place, it is my first tournament running Tau, and I don't tend to pull good match ups.
I am still wishy washing about the Vespids. While they do have their use, I'm not sure its enough of a use in my list to justify them. Long fangs and such are a bitch, but I can drop a plate on them or broadside them of the table before I even need to roll for reserves. I have considered a piranha, but that's another tank to paint, and I don't see its spot in the army. Maybe stealth suits are the way to go. I don't think I will take the fusion gun, instead opting for the killy of the burst cannons for games versus hordes. The markerlight will definitely stay as eel and the Target lock, just in case I need help getting that certain something.
As an aside on Troy's list, he is thinking of dropping the Mawloc in favor of psynapse warriors. While I'm not sure what to replace it with, I think I agree. The Mawloc was able to come in and remove the pathfinders in their building and then soak fire the next turn, but I don't think the fire it took was worth its points. It really only saves him a turn, and he is still far enough back, that he isn't getting into combat the next turn anyway.
Well, I'll be off to Mexico tomorrow, and won't be back till Saturday night, just in time for Dark Heresy, so the Tau will have to wait an extra week for more testing. I do plan to do some contemplation on Vespids and replacements while I'm away, so we will see.