Hello everyone!

This time we can thank the Greater Good for the arrival of the next Supreme Commander, Commander Shadowsun. The mastermind behind the 3rd Sphere Expansion and the foremost strategic mind the Empire has to offer, it is no surprise that Shadowsun has been given the role of Supreme Commander.

Coming in at 82 points, she’s one of the cheapest Supreme Commanders on offer, but that is, of course, a relative term here. For that points cost, she comes in with 395 Wounds at max level, which makes her able to absorb a decent amount of damage, although clearly not the bulkiest in this points class. That is more than made up for by her damage output potential with 145 max ranged and 40 max melee (which is considerable for T’au cards!). Combine this with her two traits, Inspiring Presence and Precision Shot, when she lands, she can deal up to 189 damage when she takes the field, making her a serious threat.

With her stats covered, let’s take a deep dive into her special rule – Master of Kauyon:

At the end of your turn, friendly cards gain a permanent +15% to their base Ranged attack if they did not change lanes in either player’s turn. Additionally, friendly cards attack for 25% of their current Ranged attack whenever an opponent card is deployed opposite it. 

The first part of the rule gives a boost to the cards whenever it stays stationary for a full round. This is a permanent boost, so moving once it has triggered does not lose it, and it does stack, so the longer a card is able to stay in one position, the stronger it will get. This should give players a level of tactical flexibility when deploying new cards, where they can weigh up the pros and cons of moving the cards already on the field. Additionally, the T’au roster, with its wide choice of Taunt and Target Acquired cards, are in a strong position to capitalize on the rule by remaining in position and still having targeted attacks while redirecting enemy fire.

For the second part of this rule, whenever a card is deployed in front of one of your cards, your card will attack it immediately for 25% of its current range damage. So the longer one of your cards is left in position, the more dangerous it is going to be for an opponent to position in front of it. Opponents will face a difficult decision about being able to play cards directly in front of the biggest threats or push existing cards into the firing line.

This fits in the overall theme of T’au warfare, where the key strategic pieces work best when supported by other units and are able to blow any threat away if not dealt with quickly. More specifically fits the theme of Kauyon, the Patient Hunter, which is centered around finding the perfect position, and timing, to strike and overwhelm the opponent with devastating firepower. From a gameplay perspective, it poses an interesting counter-style to how Darkstrider is played and fits in well with the existing roster of big damage dealers and small support cards for a well-rounded deck.

For the Greater Good!

Commander Shadowsun

Accompanied by advanced shield and command drones, Commander O’Shaserra surges dynamically into battle. She is the master of the Kauyon, laying cunning ambushes for her enemies then striking with merciless fury. O’Shaserra spearheads these attacks from the front, and every shot from her fusion blasters heralds another fallen foe.