If you're staring at a broadside battlesuit datasheet and trying to figure out how to squeeze the most firepower out of these walking tanks, you aren't alone. The XV88 Broadside is one of those iconic T'au Empire units that people either love or hate, depending on which side of the rail rifle they're standing on. It's not the fastest thing in the world—honestly, it moves about as fast as a turtle in a snowstorm—but when it finally gets into position, it can delete just about anything your opponent puts on the table.
In the current state of the game, understanding the nuances of the datasheet is the difference between a unit that earns its points back in turn one and a unit that just sits there looking pretty while getting outplayed. Let's dig into what makes this unit tick, from its defensive profile to those massive guns that make everyone nervous.
The Core Stats: Toughness and Staying Power
When you first look at the broadside battlesuit datasheet, the first thing that jumps out is the 2+ armor save. That's huge. In a world where high-volume fire can strip away units of Fire Warriors in seconds, having a platform that can actually tank some hits is refreshing. With a Toughness of 6 and 8 Wounds, it's a chunky model. It isn't quite at the level of a Riptide or a Ghostkeel in terms of raw durability, but for its points cost, it's surprisingly hard to shift.
The movement is the Achilles' heel, though. With a 5-inch move, you can't really play a cagey, mobile game with Broadsides. You have to be intentional about where you put them during deployment. If you park them in a corner where they don't have good lines of sight, you're basically wasting a massive chunk of your army's lethality. You've got to think two turns ahead. Where is your opponent going to move their big tanks? That's where your Broadside needs to be looking.
Choosing Your Primary Weaponry
This is usually where the biggest debate happens. Do you go with the Heavy Rail Rifle or the High-Yield Missile Pods?
The Heavy Rail Rifle is the classic choice. It's a literal "delete" button for heavy armor. With its high Strength and massive damage potential, especially with the Devastating Wounds keyword, it's designed to punch through the thickest plating. If you're facing Knights, Land Raiders, or big Tyranid monsters, this is your best friend. There's nothing quite like the feeling of rolling a six to wound and watching your opponent's face fall as they realize their invulnerable save won't help them against those mortal wounds.
On the other hand, we have the High-Yield Missile Pods. These are for when you're less worried about one big target and more worried about a swarm of elite infantry or light vehicles. They put out a decent number of shots, and while they lack the pure "punch" of the rail rifle, the sheer volume of fire can be devastating. However, most T'au players seem to lean toward the rail rifle these days because the T'au army generally has plenty of other ways to deal with infantry, but fewer ways to reliably crack heavy armor at long range.
Secondary Systems and Drones
Don't overlook the secondary weapon options on the broadside battlesuit datasheet. You've got choices like the Twin Smart Missile System (SMS) or the Twin Plasma Rifle.
The SMS used to be the gold standard back when it could shoot at things it couldn't see without any penalties, but the rules have changed a bit over time. It's still great for clearing out little units of "chaff" infantry that are trying to hide on objectives. The Plasma Rifle, however, is great if you expect to be shooting at heavy infantry like Terminators. It adds that extra bit of AP that can really make a difference.
And then there are the drones. In the current edition, drones are treated more like equipment or tokens rather than separate models, which actually simplifies things quite a bit. Adding a Missile Drone gives you a bit more chip damage, while a Shield Drone gives the Broadside an extra wound, making it even harder to kill. Most people tend to go for the extra wounds because keeping that big rail rifle on the board for one more turn is usually worth more than a couple of extra missile shots.
The Importance of the Markerlight Keyword
Even though Broadsides are the ones doing the shooting, they still benefit immensely from the T'au "Guided" mechanic. Since the Broadside has the Battlesuit and Markerlight keywords (depending on your drone loadout), it fits perfectly into the army's synergy.
You usually don't want the Broadside to be the one "Observing" for someone else. You want it to be the "Guided" unit. When a Broadside is guided, it gets that crucial bonus to its Ballistic Skill. Since the Heavy Rail Rifle only has a couple of shots, you really can't afford to miss. Pairing a unit of Broadsides with a cheap unit of Stealth Suits is a match made in heaven. The Stealth Suits give them re-rolls on ones to hit and wound, turning the Broadside into a terrifyingly consistent sniper.
Positioning and Tactical Use
Let's talk about the Heavy keyword. This is a big part of the broadside battlesuit datasheet logic. If you remain stationary, you get a +1 to your hit roll. This further incentivizes you to find a good spot and stay there.
Ideally, you want to set up your Broadsides in a ruin with a good view of the center of the board. Because they have such a long range, they don't need to be in the middle of the fray. In fact, you want them as far back as possible while still having clear lanes. If your opponent has units that can deep strike or teleport into your backline, you'll need to screen the Broadsides with some Kroot or Fire Warriors. A Broadside in melee is a sad Broadside. It can't use that massive rail rifle effectively if it's being poked by a bunch of space elves with power swords.
Why Choose Broadsides Over Other Options?
You might be wondering, "Why not just take a Hammerhead tank?" It's a fair question. The Hammerhead is faster and has that legendary Rail Cannon.
The answer usually comes down to two things: durability and volume. A squad of three Broadsides is a lot harder to kill than a single Hammerhead. If your opponent has one big anti-tank shot, they can blow up a Hammerhead in one go. To wipe out a full squad of Broadsides, they have to chew through a lot more wounds and deal with that 2+ save multiple times. Also, three Broadsides with rail rifles give you more chances to hit. If the Hammerhead misses its one big shot, that's it for the turn. If one Broadside misses, you still have two more chances to ruin someone's day.
Broadsides also benefit from more buffs than the tanks do. Since they have the Battlesuit keyword, they can use certain Stratagems that vehicles can't. They just feel more integrated into the "core" of a T'au list.
Final Thoughts on the Unit
At the end of the day, the broadside battlesuit datasheet represents one of the most reliable anti-tank platforms in the game. It's not flashy, it's not fast, and it doesn't have fancy tricks like the Ghostkeel's stealth fields. What it does have is a very big gun and the armor to stay on the board long enough to use it.
If you're building a T'au list, you really have to ask yourself how you're going to deal with high-toughness targets. If the answer isn't "Broadsides," you'd better have a very good backup plan. Just remember to protect them, guide them with your Stealth Suits, and try not to move them unless you absolutely have to. Do that, and they'll likely be the MVPs of your next match. There's just something incredibly satisfying about rolling that damage die and telling your opponent they need to remove their favorite model from the table.