Tau Heavy Support/HQ

Overheal

I'm taking part in an escalation league for an upstart game store in my area. Started collecting the Tau and am happy with their 6th ed. codex (from their 4th edition codex, the last time I saw them).

Currently trying to plan out the army as a whole, and the biggest holes in the puzzle are heavy support and HQ's.

Going from a lot of podcasts I know that the real fighting strength of my army will really be firewarriors, with crisis suits, a riptide and other "shiny" models acting as bait/deterrents. With that in mind I've thrown out my old 4th edition methodology which from my Eldar army was small, special-task units (aspects) and into this case, more flexible units being the backbone of the army. So I don't want to go with just the minimum troops choice (6+6 FW) and a bunch of imbalanced, shiny toys.

Currently have

12+2 Firewarriors
1 Piranha
3 Stealth suits (1 Fusion Blaster - glued it on. YOLO)
1 Riptide, interchangeable magnetic-mounted main weapon, optional subs
10 pathfinders, configuration TBD
The drones that come with all this shyte:
-Marker Drone
-Shield Drone
-Multiple Gun Drones
-Recon, Grav, Pulse drone 1 each
-2 Riptide shielded missile drones

The force-org plan:

Troops
4 x 12 FW
1 Kroot Carnivore Squad optional
+1 Kroot or FW squad TBD

Elite
Riptide
Crisis Team
Stealth Team

Fast Attack
Piranha Squadron
Pathfinder Squad
Sunshark Bomber (The rules for this thing are simply lovely. The other fighter doesn't even have a networked markerlight. The sunshark's twinlinked ion rifles are a superior option to the shorter ranged burst cannons - plus interceptor amirite?)

Heavy
I'm more or less decided on a Sniper Drone Team. All other options TBD. Sky Rays, Hammerheads, and Broadsides all have their ups and downs.

HQ
Totally undecided. Ethereals are vastly improved from older editions - invocation of the elements is might powerful even if the ethereal itself is super squishy. Shadowsun is neat, Commanders are robust, etc. with 2 choices, I need to pick HQs that compliment the force's strengths/weaknesses.

Speaking of strengths/weaknesses, Piranhas can provide decent anti-armor; The Riptide can begrudgingly be fitted for roles on a per-battle basis (anti-air for instance, or bullet sponging); the Sunshark is very much anti-infantry/anti-air and not too shabby vs. armor; Pathfinders are the markerlights of the force and can carry either ion rifles or rail rifles; FW provide sheer weight of Str 5 shots (AP 5 isn't awful either, but that's the norm) Crisis suits can deal in AP 4, AP 2 or AP 1 melta shots; I used to favor burst cannons but have been less inclined toward them (18"...) burst cannons on a suit make it feel like a shiny overpriced pair of firewarrors. Stealth suits have burst and serve a good distraction/strike team.