Whenever a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative is shooting an operative that’s obscured, you don’t have to discard one success as a result of that rule. If the friendly operative is within 3” of that enemy operative, you may ignore obscuring entirely.

Next generation T’au battlesuits are customizable for every occasion, including for barbaric waves of melee opponents.

Every stealth mission includes extensive preparation and research. The enemy’s fighting style has been analyzed and uploaded into the Battlesuit’s AI to allow for reaction times far faster than should be possible.

STRATEGIC GAMBIT. Select one objective marker or mission marker. Intil the end of the turning point, whenever determining control of that marker, treat the total APL stat of enemy operatives that contest it as 1 lower if at least one of those enemy operatives is within 3” of friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operatives. Note this isn’t a change of APL stat, so any changes are cumulative with this.

These target-acquisition systems prioritise the parameters of enemy threats and provide their user with automatic locks. They may be embedded into neural interfaces or implanted into pilots' bodies.

Whenever you would counteract, you can do so with one friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative that has a Conceal order and is more than 3" from enemy operatives. Before it counteracts, you may change its order to Engage.

Before the battle, you can set up one of your Ammo Cache markers wholly within your territory. Friendly operatives can perform the following mission action during the battle: AMMO RESUPPLY (0 AP): One of your Ammo Cache markers the active operative controls is used during this turning point.

Until the start of the next turning point, whenever this operative is shooting with a weapon from its datacard, you can re-roll one of your attack dice.

An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, if that marker is not yours, or if that marker has been used this turning point.

Razor wire is Exposed and Obstructing terrain. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.

Obstructing: Whenever an operative would cross over this terrain feature within 1" of it, treat the distance as an additional 1".

Before the battle, you can set up one of your Comms Device markers wholly within your territory. While a friendly operative controls this marker, add 3" to the distance requirements of its SUPPORT rules that refer to friendly operatives (e.g. ‘select one friendly operative within 6"’ would be 9" instead). Note that you cannot benefit from your opponent's Comms Device markers.

Before the battle, you can set up one of your Mines markers wholly within your territory and more than 2" from other markers, access points, and Accessible terrain. The first time that marker is within an operative's control range, remove that marker and inflict D3+3 damage on that operative.

Light barricades are Light terrain, except the feet, which are Insignificant and Exposed. Before the battle, you can set up any of them wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.

A heavy barricade is Heavy terrain. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within 4" of your drop zone, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.

Ladders are Insignificant and Exposed terrain. Before the battle, you can set up any of them as follows:

• Wholly within your territory.
• Upright against terrain that’s at least 2" tall.
• More than 2" from other equipment terrain features.
• More than 1" from doors and access points.

Once per action, whenever an operative is climbing the terrain feature a ladder is placed against, treat the vertical distance as 1" if the ladder is within that operative’s control range during that entire climb.

A portable barricade is Light, Protective and Portable terrain, except the feet which are Insignificant and Exposed. Before the battle, you can set it up wholly within your territory, on the killzone floor and more than 2" from other equipment terrain features, access points, and Accessible terrain.

Protective: While an operative is in cover from this terrain feature, improve its Save stat by 1 (to a maximum of 2+).

Portable: This terrain feature only provides cover while an operative is connected to it and if the shield is intervening (ignore its feet). Operatives connected to the inside of it can perform the following unique action during the battle:

Move With Barricade (1 AP): The same as the Reposition action, except the active operative can move no more than its Move stat minus 2" and cannot climb, drop, jump, or use any killteam's rules that remove it and set it back up again (e.gh. HEARTHKYN SALVAGER Fly, MANDRAKE Shadow Passage).

Before this operative moves, remove the portable barricade it is connected to. After it moves, set up the portable barricade so it is connected again, but the portable barricade cannot be set up within 2" of other equipment terrain features, access points or Accessible terrain. If this is not possible, the portable barricade is not set up again.

This action is treated as a Reposition action. An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or in the same activation in which it performed the Fall Back or Charge action.

When you select this equipment, select two utility grenades (2 smoke, 2 stun, or 1 smoke and 1 stun). Each selection is a unique action your operatives can perform, but your kill team can only perform that action a total number of times during the battle equal to your selection.

SMOKE GRENADE (1 AP):

• Place one of your Smoke Grenade markers within 6" of this operative. It must be visible to this operative, or on Vantage terrain of a terrain feature that is visible to this operative. The marker creates an area of smoke 1" horizontally and unlimited height vertically from (but not below) it.
• While an operative is wholly within an area of smoke, it is obscured to operatives more than 2" from it, and vice versa. In addition, whenever an operative is shooting an enemy operative wholly within an area of smoke, weapons with the Piercing 2 or Piercing Crits 2 weapon rule have the Piercing 1 or Piercing Crits 1 weapon rule (respectively) instead, unless they’re within 2" of each other.
• In the Ready step of the next Strategy phase, roll one D3. Remove that Smoke Grenade marker after a number of activations equal to that D3 have been completed or at the end of the turning point (whichever comes first).
• An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or if you have reached the total number of times your kill team can perform it.

When you select this equipment, select two utility grenades (2 smoke, 2 stun, or 1 smoke and 1 stun). Each selection is a unique action your operatives can perform, but your kill team can only perform that action a total number of times during the battle equal to your selection.

STUN GRENADE (1 AP):

• Select one enemy operative visible to and within 6" of this operative. That operative and each other operative within 1" of it takes a stun test. For an operative to take a stun test, roll one D6: on a 3+, subtract 1 from its APL stat until the end of its next activation.
• An operative cannot perform this action while within control range of an enemy operative, or if you have reached the total number of times your kill team can perform it.

When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak).

When you select this equipment, select two explosive grenades (2 frag, 2 krak, or 1 frag and 1 krak).

Once per battle, when a friendly operative performs the Breach action, you can use this rule. If you do, that operative can perform that action for 1 less AP (to a minimum of 1AP) as though it had the word "breach marker" on its datacard.

XV-26000 battlesuit pilots are expert at firing unconventional bursts from their multidirectional thrusters to rapidly disengage from aggressive enemies, leaving their foe vulnerable to the rest of the team.

Use this firefight ploy when an enemy operative ends the Charge action within control range of a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative (excluding DRONE). Interrupt that action to use this rule. If you do, that friendly operative can immediately perform a free Fall Back action, but it cannot move more than 3" during that action. Then, that enemy operative can immediately perform a free Reposition action using any remaining move distance it had from that first Charge action, and can do so even if it’s performed an action that prevents it from performing the Reposition action.

The drones of this kill team are hard-coded to prioritize the safety of their comrades, even at the cost of their own existence.

Use this firefight ploy when a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative (excluding DRONE) is selected as the valid target of a Shoot action, or if an enemy operative takes the Fight action and targets a friendly operative. Select one friendly DRONE operative visible to and within 3" of that first friendly operative

If a shoot action, the friendly DRONE operative becomes the valid target instead (even if it wouldn’t normally be valid for this). That friendly DRONE operative is only in cover or obscured if the original target was. This ploy has no effect if the ranged weapon has the Blast or Torrent weapon rule.

If a Fight action, the friendly DRONE operative may immediately perform a Charge action. If the DRONE operative ends its movement (or was already) within control range of both the friendly operative and the enemy operative, you may force them to targe the DRONE operative to fight against instead.

Trained from birth in Kauyon principles, T’au stealth operatives restrain the rush of combat, knowing that it’s better to make the right move later than the wrong move now.

Use this firefight ploy when it’s your turn to activate with a friendly operative, if only one friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative is ready. Until the end of the turning point, whenever you have less ready friendly operatives than your opponent, you can skip your activations (in other words, you can delay that friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative’s activation until your opponent has only one ready operative). Note that you cannot counteract until that friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative is expended.

Next-generation battlesuits are not built to wound, but to kill. If they must expose themselves to an enemy, that enemy must not live to raise the alarm.

Use this ploy after a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative finishes a Shoot action against an enemy operative, and that enemy operative is not incapacitated. If the enemy operative is a valid target for a friendly operative other than the target of your opponent’s attack, you inflict D3+1 damage to that enemy operative. If the weapon profile used in that Shoot action had the Blast or Torrent rule, this ploy affects one target of your choice.

Stealth battlesuit pilots can draw strength and resolve from comrades.

Whenever a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative is activated (excluding DRONE), if it’s visible to and within 6" of another XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative (excluding DRONE) you may ignore two of the following:

• any changes to the Hit stat of that first friendly operative’s weapons from being injured until the end of that activation.
• any changes to that first friendly operative’s Move stat from being injured until the end of that activation.
• you can ignore any changes to that first friendly operative’s APL stat

The T'au precalculate firing solutions and establish kill field parameters, awaiting their unknowing opponents to enter perfect strike range.

Place one of your Ambush markers wholly within 3” of your territory and more than 2" from enemy operatives. Whenever a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative is shooting an enemy operative that’s within 2" of that marker, you can use this rule. If you do, remove that marker and that friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Seek weapon rule until the end of the action. In the Ready step of the next Strategy phase, if that marker is still in the killzone, remove that marker.

*After hundreds of simulations and dozens of missions, Fire Caste warriors are quick to ping threats for their comrades, giving them an extra moment to prepare. *

Whenever an enemy operative is shooting, fighting or retaliating against a friendly XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative, in the Roll Attack Dice step, the attacker must discard one of their unresolved normal successes (or one of their critical successes if there are none) if the attacker is visible to another XV-26000 Kickass Battlesuit operative. This isn’t cumulative with being obscured.

Whether Air Caste orbital lasers or Broadside Battlesuits supporting at long range, T’au comrades will gladly lend a helping explosion if you just send them the coordinates.

If your homing beacon is in the killzone, when the last operative finishes their activation this Turning point, before scoring points, deal 3d3 damage to all operatives within 2” of your homing beacon, then remove your homing beacon from the killzone (it is destroyed).