Shadowsun: First Deck

Some suggestions I would put out there include (and I know this may be controversial for a new player) ditching the Rogue Traders and Void Pirates for Trailblazers and Earth Caste Technicians. They still net you a good command presence and gives you some nice synergy with the rest of your deck (i.e. letting you move around your Trailblazers for optimal command or moving them into a fight as an extra body you can Ambush Platform something onto, as for ETC they dig through your deck for the attachments you want). I'd personally get rid of Caius since I feel you should be doing well overall in command to not be able to play him efficiently without hurting yourself. Furthermore I'd definitely decrease Deception down to 2x and increase Tau'va to x3 since it's the best combat trick in your entire arsenal. Also worth considering is 1-2 copies of Repulsor Impact Field since you have a fair bit of high hp units which you can stick it on for good effect (and then recur with Shadowsun on the next big body once they die). 

Thanks for the suggestions.

The reason that I included the Rogue Trader and Void Pirate (and to some extent Caius Wroth) is that despite the inclusion of lots of command units, I seem to not win command much (probably due to misplays on my part but it always feels like my opponents draw significantly more command units or trump units than me - maybe I am not including enough?). I was therefore trying to make the most of any commands I win. I see the point of your changes, though, and may make them and just learn how to play with a better deck. 

The reason for Deception x3 is mainly the 2 shields to compensate for my early Conquest career mistakes. I agree that Tau'va is the better card though. 

As to Repulsor Impact Field, the deck initially started with 3x for exactly the reason you mentioned. I swapped them for 3x Heavy Marker Drone mainly to increase my damage output. Would you suggest a swap back?

Thanks again for your help and for anyone elses help! 

Good advice there. One thing to consider might be to swap some of your HMD for Repulsor Impact Field. While HMD is generally considered a stronger card, it doesn't help For the Tau'va, and it doesn't have that sweet sweet synergy with firedrake terminators. Still HMD is a great card for Shadowsun, so deserves to stay in part at least.

However, I would personally leave Tau'va as x2, as its an expensive trick, and a one-shielder. And while I love Deception, its mostly a 2-shielder in this deck, as to maximise benefit from it you need a cheap deck with lots of deploy turns: not much to be gained if you bounce a unit for it to be played again immediately.

My advice would be:

-2 HMD - Great card, but anergistic with Tau'va and voltron builds.

-2 Deception - Great card, but less useful in Kith-heavy meta, and no direct synergy.

-2 Rogue Trader - Surplus to requirements.

-3 Void Pirate - Surplus to requirements.

-1 Kais'vre - Unique can be a problem, as you say, as he's not a high priority kill target. Also, Unique duplication is anergistic with voltron builds.

+3 Repulsor Impact Field - Normally not that great, but amazing with Firedrake Terminators.

+3 Promotion - Six Limited might seem a lot, but Shadowsun can handle it. Always a shield if needed, but also fuels Tau'va and Relay.

+3 Earth Caste Technician - Best 1-for-1 in the game, doubly so for Shadowsun, run it.

+1 Pathfinder Shi'Ores - Custom made for Kith beating.

28 is plenty of units when you have so many high cost ones, and the above moves will keep your overall deckshape while adding some new combos and smoothing things along to build those combos. Don't forget to adjust your play as well: if you find yourself against Archon's Terror capable opponents, then build your Voltron off your Unique Unit, and shield even ping damage to stop that Klaivex.

It'll still be a nice swingy deck, but when you get that game that has Planet 1 Carnath, Planet 2 Plannum, Planet 3 Tarrus, you will be grinning from ear to ear.

what asklepios said but also probably -1 caius wroth -3 crushing blow + 2 vash'ya trailblazer + 2 even the odds

Yeah, considered saying to drop the Crushing Blows, but at that stage you start to lose the defining features that make this deck what it is. Crushing Blow is actually quite nice here, synergising well with Cardinis an Fire Drake Terminators. Its a borderline include even in Space Marine decks, of course, so isn't necessarily optimal, but its an inclusion here that helps give the deck its character, so I didn't want to poke at it.

i agree, but cardinis feels a bit repetitive in a faction that already has access to aoe in the form of gun drones (superior aoe, that is) and i dont think anyone is particularly in love with cardinis' 2/1/1/3 profile

id personally cut the cardinis for 3x BAV but then were essentially just playing my shadowsun deck