Oh yes, thats right. This Article is about Kroot, the often overlooked troops choice for T’au. At a glance, They seem rather sub-par, but it may just be that your looking at them in the wrong light. So, lets go over whether or not you should grab a box of these chicken/ lizard men.
The Crunch
All righty, so a glance at their stats and they may not seem all that impressive. Especially when compared to breachers and strike teams, which only cost 2pts more per dude. They have a rather unimpressive stat line with strength and toughness 3, which is compounded by a 6+ save and leadership 6. Either way these guys aren’t exactly Custodes. However, its worth mentioning they do have a respectable 3+ weapon skill, even if they only have one attack apiece. Additionally, their kroot rifles add +1 strength in close combat, and have the same ranged profile as a bolter. This isn’t too bad, particularly when compared to the melee capabilities of T’au in general. Still, don’t expect them to kill a whole lot of stuff.
So What Are They Good For?
The important thing to remember is that they aren’t SUPPOSED to be a killy unit. Kroot are supposed to be a screening unit or a sacrificial unit. T’au, more so than a lot of factions, rely on the synergy of combined arms. On their own they are just Imperial Guard with no orders and some better guns. Combined in the right ways, they can become a real fighting force. The Kroot are none the less a part of this fighting force and have a job to do. That job is to die, and maybe take some stuff down with them. Kroot are supposed to soak up assaults or tie up scary units. Every turn your strike team is not getting charged by those Khorn ‘Zerkers is a small victory. Another option would be to charge them into a unit that you don’t want shooting, such as Havoc Marines.
Them Drones Though
Ok, yes drones seem like fantastic screening units. They have a better toughness, and can back out of combat and shoot stuff. However, drones are also double the cost of a single Kroot, and aren’t going to be able to control the board as efficiently. Drones work better as wound absorption and support for fire warriors and battlesuits. Honestly, drones aren’t a unit you really want in close combat, but the Kroot don’t mind. Another thing to keep in mind is that toughness 3 isn’t as big a deal anymore. Those heavy bolters across the table are still going to wound you on 3’s the same as drone, so you might as well make them chew through more wounds.
Cultist Comparison
The easiest comparison to make is the now similarly pointed chaos cultists. Granted, Kroot don’t have as much synergy as cultists do. What with all their wombo-combos and useful stratagems. However, you get a better overall profile with Kroot. Kroot are a bit faster and hit on 3’s in melee and their guns are better. So, while Cultists can be pumped up to crazy levels Kroot can manage a decent job WITHOUT a baby-sitter.
The Verdict
In conclusion, Kroot are the T’au version of cultists and should be treated as such. More over they can do their job with relatively little supervision and can out fight cultists on an even playing field. When you take this into consideration they are actually kinda awesome. So, if your a tau player I think these guys are a must buy, and can add a little bit of flexibility to an overall shooting focused army.
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