It Just Ain't Worth It

I was just sitting here, eating some sour grapes, and looking at a pad of paper...

(actually, Google "riptide" and look at the images.  Its interesting what comes up for images when you Google about anything...)

I was qualitatively looking at what it would take to drop / pop / wreck / kill a Tau Riptide (earth caste, 3++ save engaged), just to see for myself on paper what it would have taken from my last game, to drop one in a single shooting phase...like turn 2...if everything was within 24 inches of the beastie...on a perfect summer day at the beach of some alien world...

(I love the guys who run Frontline Gaming BTW, they have a great podcast, and they are IMHO running the best 40K related events in the western US - above is a photo of a Riptde from their website - they have a painting business on the side)

My paper and pencil analysis shows that IF I had a Riptide with its Nova Reactor shield up, and Earth Caste upgrades, to be a 3++/5+ beast, it would have taken the combined firepower of two Baal Predators (2 TLAssC, 6 HBs), a Stormraven (TLMM, TLLC, 2 MLs), 2 Assault Melta Pod Squads (4 MGs, 2 BPs, 4 Bolters, etc) and their two Pods (2 SBs), and a DC Dreadnought (MG, SB), for a total of 8 units of firepower - in order to maybe get 6 unsaved wounds on it!

So, in conclusion for today's Riptide Academy: 

When the 3++ shield us up...with a 5+ FNP...and your opponent is rolling lucky...just fuggitabout it.  

Go and send all that firepower elsewhere.

Go and shoot up anything else with lesser saves...

Now, if he fails to get the Nova Reactor shield up...you'd need maybe a combination of 3 units to do it...which might be worth it.  But that is your call for a different day...