Today we look at the first of the named HQs from the Tau codex. Click to read on, or check out the Tactics Corner for more reviews and strategies.
Overview
Darkstrider is nominally a named version of the Cadre Fireblade, but he has enough differences to be largely unrecognizable and serves a different (albeit similar) role. Movement 7″ is a notable advantage, while weapon skill 3+ and ballistic skill 2+ are expected from an HQ choice, even a Tau one. Strength and toughness three are standard, and five wounds is on the low side but not abysmal. Three attacks, nine leadership, and a 4+ save round out the profile in fairly expected ways. Clocking in at 60pts, Darkstrider is a bit more expensive than a standard Fireblade is, but comes with a reasonable kit for his cost.
Special Rules and Wargear
Most of Darkstrider’s value comes from his abilities and buffs, as with many budget HQs. His Structural Analyzer rule is the main thing people remember about him, letting him give out +1 to wound for a single Core unit when attacking one visible target. This is a pretty rare type of bonus for Tau (although less so for Tau Sept) and is basically the reason you’re taking him in the first place.
Fighting Retreat is his other main buff, which lets non-Battlesuit Core units fall back and shoot in the same turn. Although you won’t use the ability that much, given the fragility of Tau infantry and the ability to shoot while in combat with many of them, but it is still helpful at times and you’re basically getting it as an add-on so no reason to turn it down.
Aside from that, he comes with Vanguard (giving a pregame move of 7″) and Target Uploaded (letting you fire markerlights at the end of the movement phase rather than beginning) from his Pathfinder status, both of which are pretty handy abilities. He also can reroll one hit and one wound roll each time he shoots thanks to his Drone Familiar Cluster, which is a little silly given how few shots he gets.
Darkstrider’s only weapon is his upgraded Pulse Carbine, Shade (24″ S5 AP-2 Dmg2 Assault 2). Naturally, he also has a Markerlight and Photon Grenades.
Uses
Darkstrider fills a somewhat similar job to a Cadre Fireblade, although he does it somewhat differently- he exists to buff squads of infantry in a Tau army, but unlike the Fireblade he is actually pretty loose with who he is willing to help out. His Structural Analyzer buff will work on any Core unit you care to slap it onto, and as I’m sure everyone knows there are two big offenders in this category: Broadsides and Crisis, both of which can do some truly disgusting things when you are giving them +1 to wound. This bonus is particularly good at helping out some of the weaker guns (e.g. Flamers, Airbursts, Burst Cannons) when you’re trying to take down those T5+ targets and helpfully it can be combined with rerolls from Exemplar of the Mont’ka or Mont’ka itself, making for another devastating combo for Tau.
The ability can also benefit other units, of course- Breachers are a natural choice, and just like with their bigger brothers the Analyzer can go a long ways towards making them able to effectively take on bigger targets, especially if you pair it up with Breach and Clear for the reroll wounds. Stealth Suits and Strike Teams can benefit a lot as well, though; it’s really not a bonus that any qualifying unit won’t appreciate. Do remember that Darkstrider needs to be able to see the target in order for the unit to benefit from his ability, though; this isn’t usually too difficult because of his ability to move and still do as he pleases, but it can be a relevant limitation.
Much more so than a normal Cadre Fireblade, Darkstrider slots in well next to a Commander, since their abilities do not overlap at all- and if you are in Tau faction already, you probably are well-covered with reroll auras thanks to Shadowsun or other Commanders. When compared one-to-one (i.e. with no other abilities active) he will usually come out worse than a Fireblade in terms of buffing units, since exploding sixes + reroll 1s generally will win out over just +1 to wound, but his ability to give his bonus to more-relevant units in the army as well as his synergy goes a long ways towards justifying his presence in a force.
However, Darkstrider does come with a couple major limitations. He is locked into Tau Sept, and while Tau Sept is by no means bad, it is not the preferred selection of most Tau players due to the strengths of Farsight/Outer Enclaves, and thus he is precluded from many armies. Secondly, while he is very good on his own merits, as a named character he cannot select a relic (one of the reasons many people take a Fireblade) and he is locked into his specific warlord trait, which sadly is pretty junky. So he is a major downgrade in terms of being a caddy for traits/relics, which will also dissuade many people from using him.
Final Thoughts
Although Darkstrider struggles a little to stand out among the powerhouses of the Tau codex, he is a very legitimate choice for any army that is already going Tau Sept, as he has a lot to bring to the table in terms of abilities. Like his companion, he is a cheap slot-filler than can bring some very real buffs to the table for a small investment, and that is something that many Tau lists are interested in. If Outer Enclaves get FAQed, expect to see Darkstrider’s stock rise significantly, as he’s already made appearances here and there.
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