Hunter Cadre

Homebrew by guitarninja

A Hunter Cadre is the Tau terminology used to indicate what the Imperium of Man would call a company of soldiers. The Tau were once a species of hunters and gatherers and the Tau who now make up what is the T'au Empire's Fire Caste were the most-skilled hunters of that ancient time.

Even though the Tau are now a xenos species gifted in some areas with technology that is more advanced than that available to Mankind, the Tau Lexicon still makes use of much terminology derived from their hunter-gatherer period and companies of Tau warriors are always referred to as Hunter Cadres in the Low Gothic translation.

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Composition

A HUNTER CADRE KillTeam is composed of:

- 1 HUNTER CADRE operative selected from the following list:
	
    - STEALTH BATTLESUIT SHAS'VRE* (counts as two selections) with fists and one of the following options:  

        Fusion blaster (max one per killteam) or burst cannon
    - FIRE WARRIOR SHAS'UI equipped with a gun butt and one of the following options:  

        Pulse blaster, pulse carbine or pulse rifle
    - CADRE FIREBLADE
	

- 11 HUNTER CADRE operatives selected from the following list:
	
    - FIRE WARRIOR SHAS'LA with Gun Butt and one of the following options:  

        Pulse blaster, pulse carbine or pulse rifle
    - STEALTH BATTLESUIT SHAS'UI* (counts as two selections) with fists and one of the following options:  

        Fusion blaster (max one per killteam) or burst cannon
    - MV1 GUN DRONE
    - MV4 SHIELD DRONE
    - MV7 MARKER DRONE
    - MV36 GUARDIAN DRONE
    - DS8 TACTICAL SUPPORT TURRET equipped with a missile pod or smart missile system
    

Other than FIRE WARRIOR and STEALTH BATTLESUIT operatives, your kill team can only include each operative on this list once.

*You cannot select more than 3 of these operatives combined.

Some HUNTER CADRE rules refer to a ‘pulse weapon’. The following weapons are pulse weapons: burst cannon, pulse carbine, pulse blaster, twin pulse carbine.

Common Abilities and Options

Bonded:
Whenever a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE) is shooting or retaliating with a ranged weapon (see Point-Blank Fusillade firefight ploy), if it’s within 3" of another friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE), that first friendly operative’s ranged weapons have the Accurate 1 weapon rule.

Camouflage Field:
Each time an enemy operative makes a shooting attack , unless it is within 2" of this operative or it is a subsequent attack made as a result of the Blast special rule, this operative is always treated as being in Cover for that shooting attack. While this operative has a Conceal order, it is always treated as having a Conceal order, regardless of any other rules (e.g. Vantage Point).

Drone:

- This operative cannot perform any actions other than Charge, Dash, Fall Back, Fight, Markerlight, Reposition and Shoot. It cannot use any weapons that aren’t on its datacard.
- Whenever determining control of an objective marker, treat this operative’s APL stat as 1 lower.
- Whenever determining what’s visible to this operative, the round disc at the top of the miniature is its head.

Markerlight:
Once during each of their activations, whenever an enemy operative that has any of your Markerlight tokens performs the Dash, Charge, Fall Back or Reposition action, remove one of its Markerlight tokens.

While only some HUNTER CADRE operatives can perform the Markerlight action, all HUNTER CADRE operatives can benefit from its effects. Whenever a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative is shooting with a weapon from its datacard (excluding ASSAULT GRENADIER’S fusion grenade), it has additional rules determined by the number of your Markerlight tokens the target has. These are cumulative, so if an enemy operative has two of your Markerlight tokens, the friendly operative shooting it has the rules for 1 and 2 tokens during that sequence.

|Tokens|Additional Rules| |1|Saturate weapon rule| |2|Balanced weapon rule| |3|The target cannot be obscured| |4|Seek Light weapon rule|

Cadre Fireblade
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 11
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Scoped Pulse Rifle (Silent, Dev1)
4
3+
3/4
Bonding Knife (Bal)
3
4+
3/4
Abilities
Battlefield LeadershipBonded

Battlefield Leadership: Once per turning point, you may use a Firefight Ploy for 0CP if the specified friendly HUNTER CADRE operative is visible to this operative.

HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, LEADER, CADRE FIREBLADE
Stealth Battlesuit Shas'Vre
A 3
M 6"
S 3+
W 11
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Fusion Blaster (Rng 6", Prc2, Dev4)
4
3+
6/3
Burst Cannon
Focused (Ceaseless, Hvy(Repos), Punishing)
5
3+
3/4
Sweeping (Ceaseless, Hvy(Repos), Punishing, Tor 1")
4
3+
3/4
Fists
4
4+
2/3
Abilities
BondedCamouflage Field
HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, LEADER, STEALTH BATTLESUIT, SHAS'VRE
Fire Warrior Shas'Ui
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 8
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Pulse Rifle (Dev1)
4
3+
3/4
Pulse Carbine
4
3+
4/5
Pulse Blaster (Rng 6", PrcCrit1)
4
3+
4/5
Gun Butt
3
5+
2/3
Abilities
Art Of WarBondedSupport Turret

Art Of War: Once per battle STRATEGIC GAMBIT. Select one of the following and apply its rules until the end of the turning point:

- Mont’ka: Add 1" to the Move stat of friendly HUNTER CADRE operatives.
- Kauyon: Each time a shooting attack is made against a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative, before rolling your defence dice, if it is in Cover, one additional dice can be retained as a successful normal save as a result of Cover.

Support Turret: This operative may carry your DS8 Tactical Support Turret operative. It can perform the Pick Up Marker action on that operative, but that operative cannot be placed within an enemy operative's control range (if this operative is incapacitated while carrying that marker, it is removed with this operative and counts as destroyed).

HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, LEADER, FIRE WARRIOR, SHAS'UI
Stealth Battlesuit Shas'Ui
A 3
M 6"
S 3+
W 10
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Fusion Blaster (Rng 6", Prc2, Dev4)
4
4+
6/3
Burst Cannon
Focused (Ceaseless, Hvy(Repos), Punishing)
5
4+
3/4
Sweeping (Ceaseless, Hvy(Repos), Punishing, Tor 1")
4
4+
3/4
Fists
4
5+
2/3
Abilities
BondedCamouflage Field
HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, STEALTH BATTLESUIT, SHAS'UI
Fire Warrior Shas'La
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Pulse Rifle (Dev1)
4
4+
3/4
Pulse Carbine
4
4+
4/5
Pulse Blaster (Rng 6", PrcCrit1)
4
4+
4/5
Gun Butt
3
5+
2/3
Abilities
BondedGroup Activation

Group Activation: Whenever this operative is expended, you must then activate one other ready friendly FIRE WARRIOR SHAS'LA operative (if able) before your opponent activates. When that other operative is expended, your opponent then activates as normal (in other words, you cannot activate more than two operatives in succession with this rule).

HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, FIRE WARRIOR, SHAS'LA
DS8 Tactical Support Turret
A 1
M -
S 4+
W 9
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Missile Pod (Heavy)
4
4+
5/7
Smart Missile System (Heavy, Smart Targeting)
6
4+
3/4
Abilities
Artificial IntelligenceBondedDeployed

Artificial Intelligence:

- This operative cannot perform mission actions or the Pick Up action
- For the purposes of determining control of objective markers, treat this operative's APL as 1 lower.
- Each time a shooting attack is made against this operative, in the Roll Defence Dice step of that shooting attack, if it has an Engage order, defence dice cannot be automatically retained as a result of Cover.
- When drawing a Visibility line from a DRONE operative, draw it from any part of the round disc at the top of the miniature, as shown by the red keyline area on the diagram below.
- Unless otherwise specified, this operative cannot be equipped with equipment.

Deployed: You may choose not to set up this operative during the set up operatives step. Instead, it can be carried by your Fire Warrior Shas'Ui and may be placed via the PLACE MARKER action.

HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, DRONE, DS8 TACTICAL, SUPPORT TURRET, DRONE
MV1 Gun Drone
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Twin Pulse Carbine (Ceaseless)
4
4+
4/5
Ram
3
5+
2/3
Abilities
DroneMarkerlight
HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, MV1 GUN, DRONE
MV36 Guardian Drone
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Ram
3
5+
2/3
Abilities
BondedDrone1AP: Guardian FieldGuardian Shield Generator

Guardian Field (1AP): Until this operative is next activated, while a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative is within 3" of this operative, it ignores the Piercing weapon rule .

Guardian Shield Generator: This operative ignores the Piercing weapon rule.

HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, DRONE, MV36 GUARDIAN, DRONE
MV4 Shield Drone
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Ram
3
5+
2/3
Abilities
BondedDroneShield Generator

Shield Generator:

- This operative ignores the Piercing weapon rule.
- Once per turning point, when an attack dice inflicts Normal Dmg on this operative, you can ignore that inflicted damage.
- You can use the Saviour Protocols firefight ploy for 0CP if this is the specified DRONE operative.
HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, MV4 SHIELD, DRONE
MV7 Marker Drone
A 2
M 6"
S 4+
W 7
Weapons
ATK
HIT
DMG
Ram
3
5+
2/3
Abilities
BondedDrone1AP: Markerlight
HUNTER CADRE, T'AU EMPIRE, MV7 MARKER, DRONE
Equipment

Markerlight:
Once per turning point, a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE) can perform the following unique action: Markerlight (l AP): Select one enemy operative Visible to this operative. That enemy operative gains one Markerlight token until the end of the Turning Point. This operative cannot perform this action while within Engagement Range of enemy operatives. If an operative would perform this action and a Shoot action in the same activation, only the target of that Shoot action's shooting attack can be selected for this action.

Each time a shooting attack is made against an enemy operative, in the Roll Attack Dice step of that shooting attack, if that enemy operative has one or more Markerlight tokens, you can re-roll one of your attack dice.


Stimulant Injector:
Once per turning point, when a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE) is activated, if it's not within control range of enemy operatives, you can use this rule. If you do, that friendly operative regains D3+1 lost wounds.


Puretide Engram Neurochip:
In the Ready step of each Strategy phase, when you gain CP, if a friendly LEADER operative is not incapacitated, you can use this rule. If you do, roll one D6: on a 1, you cannot use this rule for the rest of the battle; on a 4+, you gain 1CP. Once you have gained 2CP from this rule, you cannot use it for the rest of the battle.


Holographic Readout:
Once per battle, when a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE and STEALTH BATTLESUIT) is activated, if it's not within control range of enemy operatives, you can use this rule. If you do, add 1 to that friendly operative's APL stat until the end of its activation.


Ploys

Strategic - Aimed Pulse Volley:
Until the end of the Turning Point, each time a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE) is shooting with a pulse weapon, if it hasn’t moved during the activation, or if it’s a counteraction, that weapon has the Ceaseless weapon rule; if the weapon already has that weapon rule, it has the Relentless weapon rule. Note this operative isn’t restricted from moving after shooting.


Strategic - Breach And Clear:
Until the end of the Turning Point, each time a friendly FIRE WARRIOR operative makes a shooting attack with a pulse weapon as a result of a Shoot action:

- For that shooting attack, enemy operatives within 6" of it cannot retain Cover saves.
- In the Roll Attack Dice step of that shooting attack, if the target is within 3" of it, you can re-roll one of your attack dice.

Strategic - Camouflage Field Engagement:
Until the end of the Turning Point, friendly STEALTH BATTLESUIT operatives can perform the following action: Camouflage Field Engagement (1 AP): Change this operative's order.


Strategic - Take Cover:
Whenever an operative is shooting a friendly FIRE WARRIOR operative, if you can retain any cover saves, improve that friendly operative’s Save stat by 1.


Firefight - Point-Blank Fusillade:
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE) is retaliating, if it wasn’t within control range of enemy operatives at the start of that activation/counteraction. You can use one of its ranged weapons as a melee weapon (excluding a weapon that has the word ‘grenade’ in its name) during that sequence. If you do, you cannot block during that sequence, and the following weapon rules have no effect on its weapons until the end of that sequence: Devastating, Piercing, Torrent.


Firefight - Reposition:
Use this Firefight Ploy in the Firefight phase, when a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative is activated. Until the end of its activation, that operative can perform Dash actions if it is within Engagement Range of an enemy operative and when performing that action, it can move within Engagement Range of enemy operatives, but cannot finish that move within Engagement Range of enemy operatives (if that is not possible, it cannot perform the action).


Firefight - Supporting Fire:
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative is performing the Shoot action and you’re selecting a valid target within 6" of it. Having other friendly HUNTER CADRE operatives within an enemy operative’s control range doesn’t prevent that enemy operative from being selected.


Firefight - Saviour Protocols:
Use this firefight ploy when a friendly HUNTER CADRE operative (excluding DRONE) is selected as the valid target of a Shoot action. Select one friendly HUNTER CADRE DRONE operative visible to and within 3" of that first friendly operative to become the valid target instead (even if it wouldn’t normally be valid for this). This ploy has no effect if the ranged weapon has the Blast or Torrent weapon rule.


TacOps
Security: Plant Banner

Reveal: When you perform the Plant Banner action.

Mission Action: Plant Banner (1 AP)

  • Place your Banner mission marker within the active operative's control range, wholly within your opponent's territory and more than 5" from a neutral killzone edge. Operatives can perform the Pick Up Marker action on your Banner mission marker.
  • An operative cannot perform this action during the first turning point, while within control range of an enemy operative, or if a friendly operative has already performed this action during the battle.

Victory Points:

At the end of each turning point after the first, if your Banner mission marker is wholly within your opponent's territory and friendly operatives control it, you score 1VP; if that's true and no enemy operatives contest it, you score 2VP instead. Note your Banner mission marker must be in the killzone (not being carried) to score.


Security: Martyrs

Reveal: The first time a friendly operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker.

Additional Rules:

Whenever a friendly operative is incapacitated while contesting an objective marker, that marker gains one of your Martyr tokens.
Note that this is only the first time each operative is incapacitated, so if an operative is incapacitated, set back up (e.g. HIEROTEK CIRCLE Reanimation Protocols) and then subsequently incapacitated again, a second Martyr token cannot be gained as a result.

Victory Points:

At the end of each turning point after the first, if friendly operatives contest an objective marker that has one or more of your Martyr tokens, you can remove any of those tokens. For each token you remove, you score 1VP; if friendly operatives also control that marker, you score 2VP instead.

You cannot score more than 2VP from this op per turning point.


Security: Envoy

Reveal: The first time you select an envoy.

Additional Rules:

As a STRATEGIC GAMBIT in each turning point after the first, select one friendly operative to be your envoy until the Ready step of the next Strategy phase. You cannot select an operative you selected during a previous turning point or an operative that's ignored for the kill op.

Victory Points:

At the end of each turning point after the first, if your envoy is wholly within enemy territory and not within control range of enemy operatives, you score 1VP; if this is true and your envoy has not lost any wounds during that turning point, you score 2VP instead.