Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 Sun Shark Bomber

Product Information

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. Enhance the depth of the model by shading the XV-88 basecoat with Nuln Oil. Apply the shade to recessed areas to create shadows and give the bomber a more realistic appearance. The Sun Shark is a close relative of the Razorshark, unsurprisingly, having almost exactly the same overall statline. 20″-25″ movement is fairly standard between many flyers, of course, and toughness six with twelve wounds gives it the same defensive profile as its brother, right down to the 4+ armor save. Ballistic skill 4+ gives it a middling offensive profile, although thankfully its main weapon does not need to roll to hit. At 155pts base, the Sun Shark is a bit too expensive for what it does, but is not completely abysmal. Special Rules and Wargear

Uses

To further ensure the Sun Shark survives long enough to deliver its bombing run, the vehicle is equipped with a pair of wing-mounted Interceptor Drones. Each armed with powerful twin-linked Ion Rifles, Interceptor Drones can either stay attached to the Sun Shark, where they act in a similar way to conventional turret-mounted weapons, or they can detach from the flyer and serve as an escort.

Create a modern camouflage pattern by layering Tau Light Ochre and Ungor Flesh over the shaded areas. Apply these colors in irregular shapes to mimic the look of a camouflage design. This technique adds complexity and visual appeal to the model’s surface. The T'au doctrine of war places great importance upon dominating the airways above any battlefield they deploy to. It is their commonly-held belief that controlling the skies is the first step in winning the engagement, and T'au aircraft such as the Razorshark and Barracuda enable this. By making the elimination of enemy flyers a priority, ground troops are allowed to concentrate on their targets without having to concern themselves with any threat from above. First designed and deployed sometime during the Second Sphere Expansion, the Sun Shark bomber has proven its success repeatedly against the many foes of the T'au Empire. Automated Repair System - Automated Repair Systems consist of dispensers which release tiny maintenance Drones which swarm over damaged weapon and drive systems, repairing them in the midst of battle. Devilfish • Drone Harbinger • Hammerhead • Sky Ray • Swordfish • TX-4 Piranha • TX-42 Piranha • Tetra

Foregoing an interceptor drone and the pulse bomb generator, the Razorshark mounts additional manoeuvring thrusters and a fearsome quad barrel ion cannon turret, in addition to it's wide array of tactical options. XV02 Pilot Battlesuit • XV8 Crisis Battlesuit ( XV8-02 Crisis Iridium Battlesuit • XV81 Crisis Battlesuit • XV84 Crisis Battlesuit • XV85 Enforcer Battlesuit • XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit • XV89 Crisis Battlesuit • XV88 Broadside Battlesuit) • Stealthsuits ( XV15 Stealthsuit • XV22 Stealthsuit • XV25 Stealthsuit • XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit) • XV46 Vanguard Void Battlesuit • XV9 Hazard Battlesuit • Class 10 Battlesuits ( XV104 Riptide Battlesuit • XV107 R'varna Battlesuit • XV109 Y'vahra Battlesuit) • KV128 Stormsurge • KX139 Ta'unar Supremacy Armour Pulse Rifle • Pulse Carbine • Pulse Blaster • Rail Rifle • Ion Rifle • Longshot Pulse Rifle • Equalisers Barracuda • Manta • Orca • Razorshark • DX-6 Remora Drone Stealth Fighter • Sun Shark • Tiger Shark • Tiger Shark AX-1-0 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.

Begin by applying a basecoat of XV-88 paint to the body of the AX39 Sun Shark Bomber. This initial layer will provide a solid foundation for the rest of your paintwork. 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. 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. Sleek, 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. A Sun Shark is powered by complex dual anti-gravitic and jet-propulsion motive system so that the aircraft can swiftly fly over a planet's surface. Its armoured bulk is primarily driven forwards by its two powerful jet engines mounted on the sides of the main airframe.First designed and deployed sometime between the Second and Third Sphere of Expansion, the AX3 Razorshark fighter has proven its success repeatedly against the many foes of the Tau Empire. Point Defence Targeting Relay - Designed to provide superior covering fire for nearby Fire Caste units, a Point Defence Targeting Relay automatically targets and engages enemies that try to assault the vehicle or nearby friendly units. 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. 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. Kroot Shaper • Kroot Carnivore Squad • Kroot Hound • Krootox • Knarloc • Great Knarloc • Vespid Stingwings • Gue'vesa

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. 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. For further support, a Sun Shark also carries two Seeker Missiles in two cunningly hidden recesses in the aircraft's airframe. These missiles can be auto-fired by the Sun Shark's Air Caste pilot himself, but are more effective when launched by a ground unit that has painted the target with a Marker Light. 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.

Final Thoughts

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. Air Caste Support Cadre - Diving down upon a battlefield, the pilots of an Air Caste Support Cadre often brave a foe's onslaughts to aid their Fire Caste comrades. The pilots' commitment to the Greater Good keeps them firing to full effect even with severe damage to their craft, their guns trained on priority ground targets and all power diverted to their weapon systems. The Tau do not believe in senseless sacrifice however, and so aircraft of an Air Caste Support Cadre are fitted with advanced repair systems to ensure casualties are kept to a minimum, no matter how dangerous the Cadre's mission proves to be. An Air Caste Support Cadre typically consists of a Sun Shark bomber accompanied by two Razorshark fighters. Fire Markerlights (Action): One or more MARKERLIGHT units from your army can start to perform this action at the start of your Movement phase. AIRCRAFT MARKERLIGHT units can perform this action. The action is completed at the start of your next Shooting phase. If this action is successfully completed, for each model in that unit that is equipped with one or more markerlights, for each markerlight that model is equipped with, select one enemy unit within 36" of that model that would be an eligible target for that model if its unit had been selected to shoot, and roll one D6: on a 3+, that enemy unit gains one Markerlight token.’