Sunday, April 14, 2013

Necrons/Grey Knights Vs Tau. THE SKY IS FALLING!!!


So, I got my first game in against the new Tau the day they released, and I must say they are amazing. So amazing in fact that I think they're going to shift the entire meta of the game. Get ready to say goodbye to massed flyer spam folks, cause the sky is most definitely falling. Or at least flyers will be falling from it, and falling hard. 

I had actually intended to be in a tournament this day, so I had what I know to be, a really competitive list for the meta in my area. The list was as follows: 

HQ
Necron Overlord 
  • Warscythe 
  • Sempiternal Weave 
  • Phase Shifter 
Typhus
Royal Court

  • Harbinger of Despair
    • Veil of Darkness 
  • Harbinger of Destruction
    • Solar Pulse 
Elites
5x Deathmarks

  • Night Scythe
Troops
7x Necron Warriors 

  • Ghost Ark  
7x Necron Warriors 
  • Ghost Ark  
6x Necron Warriors 
  • Ghost Ark 
5x Necron Warriors
  • Night Scythe 
20x Zombie Cultists
Fast Attack
Heldrake
Heavy Support
Annihilation Barge
Annihilation Barge 
Annihilation Barge 
Total = 2000

This is actually a variation of my "I Bet You Thought You Wouldn't Play Against So Much Mech In 6th List". I know it's a long name but I'm pretty sure when I play lists like this in 6th a lot of people poop their pants a little. It usually has Grey Knight allies and after this game I think Ill be going back to them. Forgive my lack of Tau knowledge especially of the new codex. Ill do my best to remember what he was running:

HQ
Commander

  • Iridium Battlesuit 
  • Neuroweb System Jammer 
  • Puretide Engram Neurochip 
  • Twin-Linked Plasma Rifle 
  • Drone Controller 
  • Stimulant Injector 
  • 2x Drones 
Ethereal
Elites
3x Crisis Suits 

  • 3x Twin-Linked Fusion 
  • Other stuff...maybe missile pods 
  • 6x Drones 
3x Crisis Suits 
  • 3x Twin-Linked Plasma Rifles 
  • Other stuff...maybe missile pods 
  • 6x Drones 
Riptide 
  • Twin-Linked Plasma Rifle 
  • Ion Accelerator 
  • Stimulant Injector 
Troops
12x Fire Warriors 

  • Pulse Rifles 
  • Shas'ui 
12x Fire Warriors 
  • Pulse Rifles 
  • Shas'ui 
12x Fire Warriors 
  • Pulse Rifles 
  • Shas'ui 
12x Fire Warriors 
  • Pulse Rifles 
  • Shas'ui 
Fast Attack
7x Pathfinders 

  • Shas'ui 
  • 2x Marker Drones 
7x Pathfinders 
  • Shas'ui 
  • 2x Marker Drones 
Heavy Support
3x Broadsides 

  • 6x Missile Drones 
  • 3x Twin-Linked High Yield Missile Pods 
  • Shasv're with Drone Controller 
Fortification
Aegis Defense Line 

  • Quad Gun 
Total - 1939 from the things I can remember but he had 2000 points I know

My opponent was one of the better tournament players in the area. I knew he was pretty savvy and that he would really make the most out of the new Tau. We played Crusade with 3 objectives; Hammer and Anvil deployment. He won both rolls and the roll to place objectives first so he chose his side and deployed with 2 objectives behind his lines to my 1 objective. No night fight turn 1 and I failed to steal the initiative. Of course I set off my Solar Pulse and made it night fight for him anyways, but this was of little use since all of his damn suits had black sun filters and ignored it. This was especially terrible for me when taking shots from the Riptide and Broadsides. By the end of his first turn he had taken 1 hull point from an Annihilation Barge and killed over half of my poor little zombies. My 1st turn was simple. I pushed all my tanks forward firing anything I could as I moved. I fired all my tesla weapons at the same unit behind the aegis, because the way he had his units set up, the shots would arc to at least 4-5 other units. The main focus of my fire went to ground and saw little in the way of casualties. The arcs weren't all that geat either but managed to strip a few fire warriors from multiple units.

His turn 2 saw the Commander/Fusion blaster crisis suits come in and take shots at one of my ghost arcs, which he managed to rip a couple hull points off of, and bestow gets hot upon. Poor Typhus and the zombies would end up being kited by this unit the entire game only killing all the drones and 1 suit while striping the other 2 to 1 one wound each with support fire from the ghost arcs and warriors. His Riptide took out a barge and broadsides stripped a hull points from a ghost arc. My reserves brought in a nightscythe, heldrake, and the deathmarks. The drake wiped out most of one of the units of pathfinders, the nightscthe lost 2 hull points to the quad gun and was forced to evade, and the deathmarks nearly wiped out a unit of fire warriors which failed leadership and broke off the board edge. My Overlord failed a 3 inch charge into the Commander/Fusion suits like a big dumb. The barges and 2 of the ghost arcs continued their push forward to the enemy lines thinning out more units of suits and fire warriors.

By the end of his turn 3 he had dropped both of my flyers sadly. The broadsides totally roached the heldrake. Nothing will stay in the air against that many S7 twin linked shots. Even without skyfire. The nighscythe lost its final hull point to heavy fire warrior shooting enhanced by the Etheral. My last night scythe came in and did very little while one ghost arc disabled itself in terrain, leaving it with one hull point, about 7 inches from his aegis line.

Turn 4 shooting saw the death of my nightscythe and of a ghost arc. While I continued my slog forward. I would eventually get my warriors across the line and into CC which pulled a unit of fire warriors off of one of his objectives. I managed to cause the unit sitting on his other objective to fail a leadership test and break off of the board. That gave me line breaker and the one objective in my backfield to his line breaker, and first blood. This put me in the lead going into 5.

Turn 5 he managed to down my warlord with shooting from his Commander thanks to failed look out sir rolls, and after getting his riptide into combat with the warriors and fire warriors, managed to cut them free to retake his backfield objective. With no troops left to push forward to take his objectives I was left with a loss. Sad times.

Yada, yada, yada...Broadsides are amazing. Yada, yada, yada,...Riptides are also amazing, be sure to give them feel no pain with Stimulant Injector to counter the Nova Reactor if it fails.




Thursday, April 11, 2013

40k Tau: HQ's Rhythm and Blues Revue!


Today I would like to go over the "new" Tau HQ choices, but I will be going over them a little differently than most. For each HQ I will look at them in terms of using them in a Primary Detachment, followed by their use as an Allied Detachment. I use the word "new" as the majority of the HQ's are still the same, just with different options.

Commander Farsight

Primary Detachment:  First things first, guy is a beast and just gives so many options. No Scatter on Deep strikes, AP2 Power Weapon with Armorbane, 3+, 4++ and best of all is the ability to take up to 7 bodyguards. If you're a deathstar type builder, it doesn't get much better than this. Add 7 suits with him (which all have Sworn Protector and means they suits automatically pass Look out Sir Rolls) all with fusion blasters or Plasma rifles, and you're going to destroy almost anything you land near. Solid Choice overall, and I expect to see him as the most chosen HQ for obvious reasons.

Allied Detachment: Farsight is the most expensive HQ in the codex, and he is amazing, in my opinion, its too many points to spend on an Allied HQ in order to make him work the way I would want. I could see him running with IG as a backfield threat. Personally I would rather run someone cheaper on points because my main objective is to cram in 3 broadsides and a Riptide, and I still have to have a unit of troops as well.

Commander Shadowsun

Primary Detachment: Second most expensive HQ in the Codex but still just as viable in my opinion. I believe that her greatest strength is the ability to grant her entire unit stealth and shrouded. Jump a unit of her and some suits, from ruin to ruin and exploit the cover save. You could technically attach her to a riptide as well (yes it is currently possible, look it up) and plop him in a ruin.

Allied Detachment: Depending on what you are running the Tau with, I could see her being very viable. The ability to outflank her and a unit of suits could be game changing, but again, would still be expensive in terms of point cost.

Aun'Va

Primary Detachment: I'm still torn on him. I love the abilities he provides, in being able to use all the Ethereal abilities twice per turn and allow others to use his Leadership value for tests which is also rerollable against his LD which is 10. This means that ANYTHING within 12" of him will never fall back. Ever. He also has a pretty nice ability that will allow your entire army to get up after they have gone to ground, and move/shoot/act normally. His Paradox of Duality is also interesting in that he has a higher chance to make saves against lower AP Weapons, and autosaves against AP1, which I think will catch a lot of people off guard. In the end, If you get into CC with him, it wont matter, and he will get squashed like a bug with WS1.

Allied Detachment: Seeing as his abilities are geared toward protecting a larger force, I really don't see him being a solid choice in a allied detachment.

Aun'Shi

Primary Detachment: Very Melee oriented choice. I like the 4++ and his blademaster ability, while still being able to use all ethereal powers, but other than that, I don't see him being used a lot. There are too many better options unless you are building for Fluff.

Allied Detachment: If he has infiltrate or scout, I could see him being used a lot more. If  you're running him, your running him with Kroot, and no one wants that. At least he makes them stubborn.

Darkstrider: 

Primary Detachment: While I don't think he will be a great Primary HQ choice, I think he will be a very solid Secondary HQ choice at higher levels, especially for the points. Attach him to a unit of pathfinders and outflank into some area terrain or ruins. The unit then marker lights whatever it is that you want the rest of your force to be concentrating on, and then use his Structural analyzer to lower the Toughness of the unit you shoot at, meaning that you will be wounding most Xenos on 2's and Power Armor on 3's. Add the ability of him as his entire team to consolidate D6 after firing overwatch and you can keep them alive even longer. 

Allied Detachment: Due to his low point cost and outflank ability, I consider him one of the top Allied HQ choices. As stated above, I would attach him to a unit of pathfinders, and out flank to marker light for my broadsides and rip tide.

Ethereal

Primary Detachment: The point cost is amazing, allowing you to squeeze in more and more units and shots. If your looking to run gunline, and just build a wall to move forward each turn, this is your guy. All ethereal powers to keep your stuff form retreating, Feel No Pain, etc...he's just full on support. Think Librarian. Except for one thing....he doesn't have a save of any kind at all...unless you give  him a shield drone or attach him to much larger unit, then cram that unit in a devil fish, etc...personally I need a more resilient HQ as not to give up quick warlord points.

Allied Detachment: He's only 50 points which is a steal. Put him with a unit of firewarriors in a bastion, and just load up on Broadsides and a riptide.

Cadre Fireblades

Primary Detachment: Similar to Darkstridder. Great Secondary HQ choice in my opinion. The ability to give his entire unit an extra shot is better than you think. Attach him to a unit of 12 firewarriors with pulse rifles, and thats 24 S5 shots at range 30", if they get within 15" it jumps to 36. 

Allied Detachment: As of this post, this is my current #1 HQ to use for an allied detachment. I currently run him with 1 shield drone, attached to a unit of 12 firewarriors with pusle rifles, behind an Aegis defense line with a Quad Gun. The Fireblade is BS5 and has split fire, which means that he can shoot at a unit different from the firewarriors. This is where he really shines in my opinion. He buffs the firewarriors for more shots, but since he is on the quad gun, He can shoot at flyers when they come in, then during the shooting phase, he can use his marker light to light targets for the broadsides or riptide. For the points, and ability he adds, currently I think he is the best option.

Commander

Primary Detachment: If you're looking for versatility, this is your guy. You can literally build him anyway you can think of, even melee, which I wouldn't advise. He can take almost any option in the book except ethereal powers, and he can take up to 2 bodyguards to keep him alive even longer. The commander is always an option.

Allied Detachment: While costing a little more points, he has sustainability. You can give him a shield generator for the 4++ and literally gear him for any roll needed. Personally I like to build him with an Iridium suit, Drone Controller, Fusion Blaster, Missile pods and 2 Gun Drones. Add in 2 bodyguards with Twin linked fusion blasters and Missile pods and 2 Gun Drones, and the unit of 3 can do almost anything you need them too over the course of the battle.


Well there you have it, it's only been 5 days so far, but these are my initial first impressions.

Questions or other Ideas, let us know!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

40k Tau is the New Black.

 

So early last weekend I managed to get a glimpse of the new rules and codex for Tau....and then on Sunday I went and bought some. Too good to pass up in my opinion. 

I think Tau are going to be allied everywhere.
So much so, that I believe that the meta of the entire game is going to change because of them.
I've started to rethink all of my lists, and rebuild them from scratch, with the thought of "How would this fair against the new Tau?" And I must say its not easy. 

So I adapted the policy of, if you can't beat them...join them and picked up a Codex, Box of Suits and a box of Fire Warriors. (Also picked up 2 boxes of Core Hounds, a Blood Crusher and a box of Daemonettes to finish off my Daemons list, but more on that later)

No one really has the codex figured out yet, and probably wont for another few weeks. Hopefully over the next few days I will try to make some posts about my thoughts on the units and what i think is good and bad.
HQ's first, then Troops, Elites, etc...

Stay Tuned!!

Friday, April 5, 2013

40k Daemons: Breaking the bank with Flesh Hounds.



Flesh hounds are, in my opinion, the new "go to" unit for Daemons. I find that the best setup is 20 hounds, and a Khorne Herald with a power weapon and Grimore on a Juggernaut. The Loci is also an option depending on points. The problem is...Money. 5 Finecast flesh hounds are around $50. Plus the Herald is another $50. So, for the whole unit...your talking about $250+ tax....for one unit. Which in my opinion is utterly ridiculous, and I could not justify spending that much money on just one unit.

So I've been trying to find other, cheaper units that are still competitive. But then yesterday, a revelation. The only rule for models in any tournament is that they have to be made by Games Workshop. It was at this point during a discussion with Capnmoe, in which he pointed out 2 possible alternatives from Warhammer Fantasy.


Both of these units are made by Games Workshop,  look closely related to Flesh Hounds, are 10 models in a units, and best of all, only cost $25 for 10! And they aren't made from Crapcast, they are plastic, which in my opinion is even better. For the Herald, I will simply get 1 blood crusher from eBay for around $15 and BOOM, unit completed!

So lets compare...

1st option: 20 Flesh hounds made from crapcast and a Herald on a Juggernaut for $250 + tax.
2nd Option: 20 Dire Wolves and 1 Blood Crusher for $65 + tax

In my Opinion its not even a question.
Plus I think the Dire wolves look more "Fleshy" anyways...

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

40k Blood Angels: And now...for something completely different.


So after a few weeks of reading the Daemons Codex over, and over, and over and over, and pretty much going through about 100 pages of Excel spreadsheets, I've decide that the best thing to do might be to take a step back from making Daemon lists for awhile. 

And I did this...by making another list.

Seeing as I still want to have a competitive list for tournaments and such, I decided to go with list of Grey Knights with Blood Angel allies. Needless to say, I was very thrilled with what I came up with.

For the HQ slot, you have to go Coteaz. He's just too valuable in terms of what he brings to the table for the points. I run him with a warband of 5 acolytes with bolters, 3 servitors with Plasma Cannons, and 2 Jokeros. Put the unit behind a defense line with a quad gun, and have Coteaz keep Prescience up, for 255 points, its a hard unit to pass up once you factor in all the abilities.

Next I just filled in the must haves. 2 Rifleman Dreads, 1 Dreadknight with a Heavy Incinerator for 1 shot'ing my opponents troop units. A 5 man strike squad with a Psycannon, and some halberds to hold or push another objective. Last but not least a Bolterback with Psybolt Ammo, and 5 acolytes to move with the strike squad up the board and provide cover if needed.



On the Blood Angel side of things, I still swear by Dante. Yea, he's expensive, but if you don't think he's worth it, then you aren't using him correctly. I'm going to run him with a unit of Sanguinary Guard, with 1 infernus pistol. (which has made its points back 10 times over for me....maybe its just me)

After that I added 10 Assault marines with 2 Melta guns, and gave the Sergeant a power sword, as there are a few people in my gaming circle that play hordes. Next I added in two Sanguinary Priests with Power Axes for last hitting in assaults, and popping some AV if needed.

AND my favorite. The Vindicator. People always forget its fast. Every game I've ever used it, it has either been the first kill point or caused the first kill point. In my opinion, its worth the gamble. (Last game I used it, first shot, took out 3 Obliterators)

Total list comes in at 2000 points. Why they play 2k I'll never know. I disagree with it completely, as no one else in the area plays 2k on a regular basis, and with the dual organization charts it just causes headaches.