Games Workshop Warhammer 40,000 Sun Shark Bomber

Product Information

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 Fire Warrior ( Fire Warrior Strike Team • Fire Warrior Breacher Team) • Pathfinder • Drone Squadron 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. The Pulse Bomb Generator is a Tau weapons system commonly mounted on the Sun Shark Bomber. The system itself is capable of producing and launching Pulse Bombs, giving the Sun Shark a potent level of firepower capable of blasting ground targets. [1] The pulse bomb generator works by rapidly spinning, which builds up pulse energy until a ball of plasma is unleashed in enemies below. [2] All that leave of the targets of the impact - glowing crater and drfting ash. [3] 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.

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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

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. 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. 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. Kroot Shaper • Kroot Carnivore Squad • Kroot Hound • Krootox • Knarloc • Great Knarloc • Vespid Stingwings • Gue'vesa

Still, the Sun Shark likely won’t survive if faced by a flyer such as a Heldrake, Vendetta or Night Scythe; given how common these are in the current meta-game, this means the Sun Shark is a risky choice no matter what route you go. However, given that it can drop a Strength five large blast on one Infantry unit, fire up to six Strength seven and two Strength eight shots at an enemy flyer or vehicle, its versatility is superb. As far as pricing goes, I feel that when compared to the Dark Angels’ Nephilim and Dark Talon, it is favourably priced, but as always, it pales considerably when compared to flyers such as the Stormtalon, Stormraven, Night Scythe or the infamous Heldrake. A useful unit, but seeing as Tau already bring devastation to both fliers and Infantry elsewhere far more efficiently and with greater durability, the Sun Shark – and indeed the Razorshark – likely won’t see too much use competitively. A note here that the Sun Shark Bomber cannot hover, and though this shouldn’t be too much of an issue, an intelligent opponent will exploit your limited direction, minimal arc of fire and enforced speed to their advantage and effectively avoid most of the damage a Sun Shark can deal. 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. Pulse Rifle • Pulse Carbine • Pulse Blaster • Rail Rifle • Ion Rifle • Longshot Pulse Rifle • Equalisers x51 plastic components with which to make either a Sun Shark Bomber or a Razorshark Strike. Fighter.

Uses

Advanced Targeting System - An Advanced Targeting System assists the vehicle's gunner by identifying targets of particular value or danger, and plotting fire plans to counter them. 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.

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. Devilfish • Drone Harbinger • Hammerhead • Sky Ray • Swordfish • TX-4 Piranha • TX-42 Piranha • Tetra 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 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.

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.

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. 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.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. 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. 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.’