As well as a Pulse Bomb Generator, a Sun Shark is equipped with a nose-mounted Networked Marker Light to line up bombing runs. A Sun Shark bears a tail-mounted Missile Pod as part of its armament, which can be upgraded to a twin-linked version. This gives the bomber a self-defence weapon against enemy aircraft, although it can also be used effectively against lightly armoured vehicles on the ground. The Sun Shark, overall, wants to be a bit of a generalist solution- it brings some unique mortal wounds, a bunch of generally-useful firepower, and a touch of movement utility for scoring engage/etc thanks to being able to detach its drones when needed. And it does a fine job of these things, but is not particularly exceptional at them- nor is it particularly cheap in doing so, especially when other units that can do much of the same for a far lower price exist. Add in the weaknesses of flyers to alpha strikes and the general weakness of the Tau codex in general and you have a unit that is not particularly likely to be taken by anyone, even if it does have a little bit to offer. If it had seen a drastic price reduction (120pts or less, perhaps) there might be some consideration for the unit, but as is there is just not much of an argument for taking the Sun Shark over many of Tau’s more efficient shooting and scoring units unless you are in love with its aesthetic. Final Thoughts Additional thruster rods connected to the wings allow the aircraft to turn better than it would otherwise be able too, whilst its large wings grant it better stability in the air. The natural skills of the pilots allow the aircraft to manoeuvre with a skill, precision and extremity that only members of the Air Caste can tolerate.

Disruption Pod - Disruption Pods display distorting holographic images in the visual and electromagnetic spectra to make the vehicle harder to target. Sun Shark Bomber – As one of two entirely new flyer units to the Tau force, Sun Shark Bombers – at first glance – appear to follow the trend of the Dark Angels flyers as ‘balanced’, but perhaps slightly over-costed units that definitely don’t compare favourably to the new edition’s chief of the skies, the Heldrake. But enough of that; the Sun Shark enters the game as one of the stronger bombers that can be found, with its titular weapon one of the more reliable and quantifiable that can be found. Whilst a Strength five AP five large blast might seem a bit weak when one considers much stronger large blast weapons can be found sparsely throughout the codex – with the Riptide and Hammerhead proving particularly effective – the maneuverability and sheer speed of a flyer means that this is perhaps a more reliable weapon, albeit one that effectively has a thirty-six inch range and relies upon turning and the like. Unlike other bombers, the Sun Shark can potentially drop six bombs throughout a match; though it is one use only. a D6 is rolled for each time one is dropped, with any roll but a one generating yet another bomb to use in the next turn. Unless your dice aren’t particularly helpful, you should reliably expect to make at least a handful of bombing runs in each game. The Sun Shark also has some decent weaponry to complement its Pulse Bomb(s), with a missile pod – that can and should be twin-linked for a minimal investment – and two seeker missiles available for your perusal; though the firepower is strong, the Sun Shark’s Ballistic Skill is predictably mediocre, and thus it works best when combined with Markerlights. Sizzling the air around it, the pulse bomb explodes on the ground with an incandescent fury, spreading destruction over a wide radius and leaving little but drifting ash and a glowing crater to show where the enemy once stood. An extremely efficient weapon, a Pulse Bomb Generator can continue to manufacture fresh ordnance for its craft almost indefinitely without the need for rearming. Razorshark Strike Fighter – As the kit sibling to the Sun Shark Bomber, the Razorshark is another new flyer introduced to the Tau Empire, serving not as a bomber but instead as a dedicated anti flyer – and by extension, anti-vehicle – unit that is oddly only marginally more effective in an aerial duel than the Sun Shark. When talking specifically about firepower, the Sun Shark averages a similar number of hits to the Razorshark in terms of Strength seven AP four shooting – the trade-off here is that the Razorshark’s main gun can be fired in any direction, meaning it can fly past other fliers, deny them any return shots, whilst continuing to pepper them with ion-tinged death on their rear or side armour – invaluable against Heldrakes and the like. A Sun Shark's primary armament is its Pulse Bomb Generator, which is mounted underneath the rear portion of its airframe. Mounted on the front of the central body is a nose-mounted Networked Marker Light.

Special Rules and Wargear

x51 plastic components with which to make either a Sun Shark Bomber or a Razorshark Strike. Fighter. Decoy Launchers - Decoy Launchers are a form of defensive measure that is mounted near the engines. They are capable of firing clouds of reflective strips and sophisticated electronic decoys, which are combined with flare and chaff launchers to protect the vehicle's thruster arrays from enemy missiles. Due to their unique fighting tendencies and their highly mobile nature, Hunter Cadres do not use artillery in the conventional sense that most armies do. Instead, in association with the Air Caste, they have developed the Sun Shark bomber -- a sleek atmospheric aircraft that is capable of sweeping down from the skies and blasting ground targets with its potent payload. A shoal of Sun Shark bombers flying in tight formation can blast apart even the most surging of Ork WAAAGH!s with a single flyover; for their Pulse Bombs are devastating anti-horde weapons. Many a desperate Pathfinder or Fire Warrior Team owe their continued existence to Sun Shark shoals, most notably due to the Seeker Missiles they carry, which they call in using Marker Lights. Their ability to strike enemy vehicles or make short work of armoured infantry with the help of nearby air support greatly increases their chances for survival.

At the press of a button, this plasma bomb can be fired at the ground to detonate amidst the foe with enormous force, leaving little but drifting ash and a glowing crater to show where the enemy once stood. Exceptionally efficient, each Pulse Bomb Generator can continue to manufacture fresh ordnance for its craft almost indefinitely without the need for rearming. Inspect your model for any missed details or areas that need additional attention. You can add any final touches, such as painting insignia, symbols, or other small elements. A Sun Shark's primary armament is its rear Pulse Bomb Generator mounted underneath the aircraft hull. This device produces a ball of deadly plasma beneath the aircraft. At the pilot's command, a pulsed induction field propels the glaring energy ball towards targets on the battlefield below. Seeker Missiles mounted on Sun Sharks are especially deadly, as the aircraft's ability to rapidly position itself on the flanks of a battlefield allows the missiles to strike at more vulnerable side or rear armour of enemy vehicles. Build on the visual depth by using Tau Light Ochre and Balor Brown to apply additional layers of highlights to specific edges and surfaces. This layering technique gradually intensifies the colors and brings out the intricate details of the bomber.

Of course, the Sun Shark is not without weaknesses. As far as fliers go, it is quite fragile; with a front armour of eleven, and ten for the rear and side values, the Sun Shark is very susceptible to the majority of anti-flyer weapons, and unlike most, even fears the touch of a flying monstrous creatures’ vector strike. Massed fire from high-rate-of-fire heavy weapons or regular Infantry weaponry, such as bolters, can bring the three hull point-Sun Shark down with alarming ease compared to other fliers, and it is in this way that its impressive firepower is balanced out. The Sun Shark will likely crumble to Interceptor fire from a very popular Aegis Defence Line with the quad gun, and though it will likely be able to drop its first bomb off before it is destroyed, the Sun Shark is unlikely to prove its worth in one round of ‘shooting’. Thankfully, the Sun Shark has access to some very useful upgrades that help to mitigate such issues; an incredibly cheap option are the Decoy Launchers, providing a +4 invulnerable save against shots inflicted by a weapon with the Interceptor rule. This is handy not only against Aegis Defence Lines, but also against Tau sporting very common Skyfire-enabled Battlesuits, and the cost is so minimal that adding them in is near mandatory. Disruption Pods are handy, but given that zooming Flyers only benefit from the Jink rule when they evade, the Sun Shark’s firepower is mostly being sacrificed if the Disruption Pods are ever actually used, and they aren’t cheap either. Of course, the main reason to take the Sun Shark is the bomb, and given that it isn’t affected by Evade, you can continue to drop them and stay alive that much longer. While a VEHICLE or DRONE unit is performing the Fire Markerlights action, that unit can move without that action failing. If it does, until the end of the turn, models in that unit without the VEHICLE or DRONE keyword that are equipped with any markerlights are treated as not being equipped with any markerlights for the purpose of the Fire Markerlights action.

Sensor Spines - Sensor Spines feed data to an advanced ground-following flight control system. This allows the vehicle to avoid hazardous terrain that could otherwise damage the vehicle's drive systems. Barracuda • Manta • Orca • Razorshark • DX-6 Remora Drone Stealth Fighter • Sun Shark • Tiger Shark • Tiger Shark AX-1-0Sleek, elegant and highly modular, the Sunshark Bomber can be equipped to handle any combat theatre. From smart missile systems, rapid fire burst cannons or heavy ion rifles, in addition to paired interceptor drones and a pulse bomb generator. Fire Warrior ( Fire Warrior Strike Team • Fire Warrior Breacher Team) • Pathfinder • Drone Squadron