Modern Shadowsun

Agree. The only difference between this and my own current Shadowsun is that I use 1 Tense Negotiations and 1 more Ambush Platform, but don't use Even the Odds.

Also, I leave of 1 Blood Angels Veteran and 1 Kais'vre, and run 2 White Scars Bikers. That unit seems custom made for Shadowsun, because of its potential to be 7 attack after you commit and add a rifle.

Oh nice. You posted it. Looking forward to take it out for a ride soon.

At least one more limited card is statistically unlikely to make any difference.

While that's true, it would take a card slot off another card. What would you drop?

With all the cheap units floating around, Deception is very limited in utility. Even the Odds is also somewhat narrow. I'd probably include a copy of Tense Negotiations in the deck as well because it's nuts with Plannum.

Can't argue with that, though Deception still carries two shields. I think I'll do that in my own deck, lose the Deceptions and gain 2 Promotions and a second Tense Negotiations, see what happens.

Almost identical to my current build. Only difference is I'm running the Bork'an Recruits instead of the Pirates since Tau has a strong command on its own and the Recruits work perfect with a Warlord that needs some presence where she is commiting.

Deception has been quite effective for me. While cheap units are certainly present in the game, Deception is actually a good card against both cheaper and larger units. Against cheap units, you have two shields - often enough to negate their attacks completely; against larger ones, you can send them back, which is often quite disruptive to the opponent. The only units Deception doesn't have a direct counter against is Elite ones, which are relatively rare at this phase.

Even the Odds is a bit narrow, but it's come in handy for me many times and is the only counter to some of the game's powerful signature attachments at present. I really wish it was Shadowsun's signature event instead of Squadron Redeployment, which is almost never a card that I want to see.

Agree. The only difference between this and my own current Shadowsun is that I use 1 Tense Negotiations and 1 more Ambush Platform, but don't use Even the Odds.

Also, I leave of 1 Blood Angels Veteran and 1 Kais'vre, and run 2 White Scars Bikers. That unit seems custom made for Shadowsun, because of its potential to be 7 attack after you commit and add a rifle.

By virtue of being a two shield card will always give Deception some degree of utility, but realistically, I have very rarely seen games where it's worth playing as an event which weren't already won because my cost curve was lower and I could dominate command. I have taken a preference to running Repulsor Impact Field instead (although it's a worse card), simply because it can be fetched by an ECT.

There's three signature attachments which you have a realistic chance of moving: Mark of Chaos, Tempest Blade and Plaguefather's Banner. Zarathur can play around the effect when he has initiative, Cato isn't favoured by competitive players and Ku'gath isn't very good.

But even if you do find more utility in these cards than I do, consider the situation like this: which is the weakest card in your deck? Is it better than a zero-cost, two hammer card?

I've been testing the Crisis Battle Guard and they definitely work better than the XV88 and Fireblade, so that swap is official now.

-1 Sa'cea XV88 Broadside

-1 Fireblade Kais'vre

+2 Crisis Battle Guard

By virtue of being a two shield card will always give Deception some degree of utility, but realistically, I have very rarely seen games where it's worth playing as an event which weren't already won because my cost curve was lower and I could dominate command. I have taken a preference to running Repulsor Impact Field instead (although it's a worse card), simply because it can be fetched by an ECT.

 

There's three signature attachments which you have a realistic chance of moving: Mark of Chaos, Tempest Blade and Plaguefather's Banner. Zarathur can play around the effect when he has initiative, Cato isn't favoured by competitive players and Ku'gath isn't very good.

 

But even if you do find more utility in these cards than I do, consider the situation like this: which is the weakest card in your deck? Is it better than a zero-cost, two hammer card?

I find myself hitting the Limited issue more than usual thanks to ECT's ability. I do think adding a Promotion or two would be fine, but when I'm at a disadvantage with this deck it usually isn't due to a lack of command, but rather due to not having enough combat trickiness.

Deception is good against many units that are lynchpins of competitive decks - Blood Angels Veterans, Honored Librarian, Starbane's Council, Wildrider Squadron, Syren Zythlex, Khorne Berzerker, etc. There are also some times when you want to play it on your own units, most notably on Gun Drones that you played for the command struggle but want to pull back for Ambush Platform duties. As Tau two-shielders go, I consider it worse than Kauyon Strike (for Aun'shi) or Heavy Marker Drone (for Shadowsun), but better than Repulsor Impact Field or either of the other two in the decks where they're "off".

Even the Odds lets you move your own stuff around and occasionally ruins the opponent's plans to boot. I don't think it's a 3x, but I would hate to play Shadowsun without one or two copies; I've bloodied a fair number of warlords with a surprise Ion Rifle move, and if you use it to fire Gun Drones twice you've often won right there. You can even use it in the Deploy phase to disrupt people's Promotions.

I find myself hitting the Limited issue more than usual thanks to ECT's ability. I do think adding a Promotion or two would be fine, but when I'm at a disadvantage with this deck it usually isn't due to a lack of command, but rather due to not having enough combat trickiness.

It's still statistically unlikely for Limited to be impactful with only four Limited cards. There's a case against a fifth, but I'd estimate around 1 in 10 games would be impacted.

On a per-card basis (taking ECT at an upper bound of 1.66 hammers), you have 0.84 hammers per card, a hair more than Ragnar's 0.82 and more than Zarathur's 0.76 (less than Kith/Chaos though, obviously). Recon Drones are obviously more flexible than Promotion though your Golden Hammer is less flexible since Shadowsun is pretty lousy in combat by himself. So I guess that puts you in the same ballpark as Ragnar though I'd maintain that Ragnar would have a slight edge.

Deception is good against many units that are lynchpins of competitive decks - Blood Angels Veterans, Honored Librarian, Starbane's Council, Wildrider Squadron, Syren Zythlex, Khorne Berzerker, etc. 

I'd discount Eldorath as being competitive at the moment simply because he has next to no chance against a Khymera swarm. Khorne Bezerkers are unlikely to be deployed until after Shadowsun passes, meaning you can only bounce them on subsequent turns. That really only leaves SM and a couple cards in DE (Syren and Mandrake) as worthwhile targets. I'll concede that there are probably sufficient targets in SM, but it still remains narrow against the other top tier decks.

There are also some times when you want to play it on your own units, most notably on Gun Drones that you played for the command struggle but want to pull back for Ambush Platform duties.

That's novel, but it's a massive edge case. 

It's interesting that you removed Fireblade Kais'vre. He's obviously not amazing, but I'd still keep one around simply because he's immune to Archon's Terror and therefore a prime target for Gun Drones Vs DE.

Also, and this is just an observation, I'd like to point out that you have 9 SM units and somewhere between 7-10 targets for Even the Odds (depending on ECT). Indomitable isn't loyal. May not be good, but worth testing as there is a case that can be made with the numbers.

I'd discount Eldorath as being competitive at the moment simply because he has next to no chance against a Khymera swarm. Khorne Bezerkers are unlikely to be deployed until after Shadowsun passes, meaning you can only bounce them on subsequent turns. That really only leaves SM and a couple cards in DE (Syren and Mandrake) as worthwhile targets. I'll concede that there are probably sufficient targets in SM, but it still remains narrow against the other top tier decks.

I've done well in competitive play with Eldorath despite running up against Dark Eldar; while this is still a disadvantaged matchup, I think it's the matchup you have to tailor for, and with that in mind it ends up being decent - adding Warlock Destructor and going to 2x Spiritseer Erathal while removing Iyanden Wraithguard in favor of more two-drops has helped me significantly. If you really have trouble, you can play Kabalite Strike Force, but I think that card is too weak in other matchups to be seriously considered.

This deck is so much fun to play. Thanks again for sharing!

After 3 games the real MVP is.... Eager recruit (supported by ambush platform) I mean, nobody is really expecting it and the opponent has already the job to keep in mind squadron redeployment and even the odds. Too much variables! Lovely. Really lovely.

Kingsley,

How do you feel about the new Fire Drake Terminators in this deck instead of the Crisis Battle Guard?

I feel like there's a build here that brings back Repulsor Impact Field along with them and maybe even the Fire Warrior Elite and the Fireblade Kais'vre.

I don't know what you'd cut thought. Perhaps:

-2 Crisis Battle Guard

-3 Blood Angels Veterans

-3 Ion Rifles

-3 Vior'la Marksman

+2 Fire Drake Terminators

+2 Fire Warrior Elite

+1 Fireblade Kais'vre

+3 Repulsor Impact Field

+3 Imperial Fist Siege Force

You get a 3 more shields and the ability to increase the damage back with the Fire Drakes. Fireblade Kais'vre boosts the shield cards even more. Losing the Ion Rifles and Marksman may mess up the cost curve, but with Shadowsun you aren't paying for a lot of attachments anyway. Sort of a stonewall Tau build. I don't know if you lose too much punch by doing this though. You still have the Stealth Cadre and Gun Drones to buff up attack values. You also have the Fire Warrior Elite to protect your AE 3 Tactical Squad. 

I think a build like this could be really strong when you don't have initiative by killing off units as they attack. It could also get really silly and run Crushing Blow to deal more damage as units attack into your buffed space marine units.

At this point you may also want to lose the Eager Recruits without the ambushing Ion Rifle synergy. That could be your slot for Crushing Blow or maybe better suited to adding back in some more command?

The one deck where XV88 could have found a home still doesn't have him... I totally see him converting one of the missile bays into an umbrella attachment, standing at a bus stop in the rain somewhere...

Kingsley,

 

How do you feel about the new Fire Drake Terminators in this deck instead of the Crisis Battle Guard?

 

I feel like there's a build here that brings back Repulsor Impact Field along with them and maybe even the Fire Warrior Elite and the Fireblade Kais'vre.

 

I don't know what you'd cut thought. Perhaps:

 

-2 Crisis Battle Guard

-3 Blood Angels Veterans

-3 Ion Rifles

-3 Vior'la Marksman

 

+2 Fire Drake Terminators

+2 Fire Warrior Elite

+1 Fireblade Kais'vre

+3 Repulsor Impact Field

+3 Imperial Fist Siege Force

 

You get a 3 more shields and the ability to increase the damage back with the Fire Drakes. Fireblade Kais'vre boosts the shield cards even more. Losing the Ion Rifles and Marksman may mess up the cost curve, but with Shadowsun you aren't paying for a lot of attachments anyway. Sort of a stonewall Tau build. I don't know if you lose too much punch by doing this though. You still have the Stealth Cadre and Gun Drones to buff up attack values. You also have the Fire Warrior Elite to protect your AE 3 Tactical Squad. 

 

I think a build like this could be really strong when you don't have initiative by killing off units as they attack. It could also get really silly and run Crushing Blow to deal more damage as units attack into your buffed space marine units.

 

At this point you may also want to lose the Eager Recruits without the ambushing Ion Rifle synergy. That could be your slot for Crushing Blow or maybe better suited to adding back in some more command?

I'm not sure. I really don't like Fire Warrior Elite or Repulsor Impact Field, and I've really appreciated the flexibility of Crisis Battle Guard. I do think a deck along those lines might well work, but it would end up looking very different from this one IMO.

The one deck where XV88 could have found a home still doesn't have him... I totally see him converting one of the missile bays into an umbrella attachment, standing at a bus stop in the rain somewhere...

XV88 wasn't exactly bad in this deck - it's merely that Crisis Battle Guard was much better. Unfortunate, but so it goes...