As a T’au war fleet bears down on the Vedik system to reclaim it from Imperial hands (admittedly, hands they originally took it from in the first place) Pathfinder teams range ahead to disrupt the defenders. Led by combat veterans with many years of experience, they creep through rubble to gather information and assassinate targets with ruthless efficiency.
Now that you’ve had a good look at their upgrade sprue, which is full of new toys, you probably want to know what all of that tech does.
Having spent their entire lives studying the T’au art of warfare, Shas’ui* Pathfinders are consummate commanders, able to deftly read the flow of battle and adapt their tactics on the fly.
T’au military strategy focuses around two main doctrines – Mont’ka, the Killing Blow, and Kauyon, the Patient Hunter – and the Shas’ui Pathfinder can use his Art of War ability to call on one of these for a powerful turn-long bonus.
You’ll also notice that, in true Pathfinder fashion, he’s equipped with a markerlight. While markerlights are present in the Kill Team Compendium, these versions have been considerably tuned up and offer a greater array of stacking bonuses for each markerlight on a target.
Almost every Pathfinder carries a markerlight, and the cumulative benefits make coordination between team members vital for getting the most out of your powerful guns.
Pathfinders on specialised missions deploy into the field with advanced technology to disrupt and destroy tricky enemy targets. Transpectral Interference Pathfinders, for example, use sophisticated jamming devices to scramble enemy sensors and tie up their most important operatives.
Drones are one of the hallmarks of T’au warfare and see frequent use during spec ops missions, with six different kinds available to Pathfinder kill teams. No matter which you choose, the Drone Controller Pathfinder will ensure they act with efficiency far surpassing their basic programming.
These operatives are especially frightening at the controls of a Recon Drone, whose burst cannon can reap a bloody toll against enemy kill teams. Frankly, you want to be shooting with it as often as you possibly can.
Despite their clandestine nature, Pathfinders don’t take to the field unsupported – specialist equipment gives them access to detailed sensor data from orbit, marking critical targets while the T’au remain safely behind cover.
Their light armour and intense reconnaissance training comes in handy for rapid movement around the battlefield. Pathfinders are able to surge around the flanks of their foes and even deftly retreat from enemies who’ve got a little too close for comfort.
Find out what the Adepta Sororitas have in store for your T’au liberators in our look at the Novitiate kill team, and stay tuned to Warhammer-Community.com for more intel on Kill Team: Chalnath ahead of its pre-order arrival this Saturday.
* The Shas’ui rank is broadly equivalent to that of a human Sergeant, and is the first major promotion a Fire Warrior can receive.