I wanted to try out some bikes. I've never liked bikes, just not my thing, but with the new Space Marine codex being what it is, I figured if I wanted to play them competitively, I would need to pick some up and learn how to use them properly.
Capnmoe wanted to test out a small point Tau/Eldar Army.
There is a large 1500 point tourney coming up and we both wanted to get some practice in running low point lists, considering that all we have played for the last 2 years or so has been 1850+ point lists.
Anyways, enough back story, here's how shit went down.
My List:
Khan - Moondraken
5 Bikers - Graviton-gun, Graviton-gun, Sgt. with a Power Fist
5 Man Tactical Squad - Graviton-Gun, Sgt. with a Power Fist in a Razorback
5 Man Tactical Squad - Graviton-Gun, Sgt. with a Power Fist in a Razorback
5 Terminators - All Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield in a Land Raider Crusader with Multi-Melta.
Land Raider - Multi-Melta
Predator - Autocannon with Lascannon Sponsons.
Predator - Autocannon with Lascannon Sponsons.
Small, redundant forces.
I figured he would have at least 3-4 Monstrous Creatures so personally I was just trying to build a list to piss in his cereal...and I haven't played my Marines in awhile.
I knew going in that I had little chance to win, but if I could piss him off then mission accomplished.
Capnmoe's List:
Commander: Command and Control Node, Multi-Spectrum Suite, Puretide Engram Neurochip.
7 Firewarriors
7 Firewarriors
10 Kroot
Riptide - Twin-linked Fusion, Ion Accelerator, Early Warning Override
Riptide - Twin-linked Fusion, Ion Accelerator, Early Warning Override
Riptide - Twin-linked Fusion, Ion Accelerator, Early Warning Override
3 Broadsides - High Yield Missile Systems, 6 Missile Drones
Farseer - Singing Spear, Jetbike, Mastery Level 3
3 Guardian Jetbikes - Shuriken Cannon
3 Guardian Jetbikes - Shuriken Cannon
Aegis Defense Line + Quad Cannon
Basically just an ass load of shooting.
The Farseer powers were Prescience, Guide and Foreboding.
Mission was Crusade with 3 objectives.
Deployment was Hammer and Anvil
Nightfight was in affect.
He won the roll to deploy and chose to go first.
One objective is on the far left, in the ruined buildings, there is one in the middle next to the tree, and his is on the right side, next to his firewarriors in the small forest.
My Transports scouted up, trying to use the tree and the big red building to block some line of sight.
I figured if I could get up around the building into his flank, I could take him down slowly.
First time I've rolled a 6 to steal Initiative.
White Scars Turn 1:
Everything moved up a bit, and I end up shooting bascailly everything I had into the Riptide on the bottom.
He was out in the open, and didn't get to Nova so its only a 2+/5++ for this turn. If I could take it out, it would put a huge dent in his flank, and weaken his army seriously.
Of course it lived with 1 wound remaining.
 |
| Razorback in back, hiding behind cover. Objective is the Spotlight. |
Tau/Eldar Turn 1:
All of the Farseer's powers were successful.
He moved the weakened riptide behind the building a bit, and moved the other one out for better line of sight.
During his shooting phase, it would have saved me time to just scrape my stuff off the table into a box.
Razorback got blown up, only 1 guy remained.
At least it was Grav-gun guy.
At least it was Grav-gun guy.
Bikes were chewed through like bubblegum, and I was left with Khan and Sgt.
He jet packed his Riptides back out of Line of sight during the assault phase.
White Scars Turn 2:
I start to move some stuff around, hoping to get into close combat as fast as possible, but of course my Land Raider immobilizes itself...shit.
The Terminators jump out and move forward as far as possible.
The bikers try to follow in behind them.
Shooting killed two firewarriors I think. That's not a typo. Two.
Both assaults fail...and I lose a terminator to over watch...things were just going dandy...
Eldar/Tau Turn 2:
His Kroot came on, right next to my razorback near the objective in the back.
Pretty sure he didn't move anything else.
1st shot he took out Khan and my biker Sgt.
This is when I gave up.
This game was a nexus of crap.
Bad strategy on my part, dice rolls were against me, Capnmoe was rolling 6's out of his ass, etc...
Sometimes games just go this way.
Bad strategy on my part, dice rolls were against me, Capnmoe was rolling 6's out of his ass, etc...
Sometimes games just go this way.
I demanded a rematch...Capnmoe Accepted.
 |
| Game On! |
Mission: Emperor's Will.
I win the roll to deploy and go first.
Same lists as before accept I chose to deploy one of the 5 man Tactical Squads in the Land Raider.
Leaving the one deployed on the left side behind the building, empty.
He castles up on his side with his objective behind his lines.
I place my objective far away from him, on my side behind the red building, out of his line of sight.
I scout move up my Transports and Bikes
White Scars Turn 1:
Bikes move up into his lines and fire off shots into one Riptide, taking it down to 2 wounds.
Shots from the Landraiders and Predators cause more wounds on the other 2 Riptides.
The empty razorback attampts to move up and of course, immobilizes itself. It then manages to take out a few firewarriors as they are the only thing in range, but they pass their check and stay on the board
Tau/Eldar Turn 1:
I forget his powers, but I know he had Guide and Prescience again.
His powers are successful, and he cranks out shots at my bikers, managing to take them down to just Khan.
White Scars Turn 2:
The Terminators jump out and move towards his line, Khan Joins the unit.
Shooting takes down the weakened Riptide and instant kills the Farseer.
More shooting takes out a few drones.
The Teminators assault in with Khan and take out the Broadsides and his commander.
I should have multi-assaulted his firewarriors as well, but totally forgot for some reason.
I dumped out the 5 man Tactical Squad from their razorback, so that if his Kroot came I could get more shooting at them as I knew he would try to bring them in on that table edge, plus I also wanted to get more shots from the Razorback on his Riptide. (Looking back this was a dumb idea)
Land Raider puts more wounds on one riptide while the Land Raider Crusader attempts to take out a the remaining firewarriors, they fail and break towards his table edge but not far enough...
Tau/Eldar Turn 2:
His Kroot come in from reserves, and come on right behind my Predator on the right.
Both units of Jetbikes come in behind his lines to focus fire on Khan's unit but do nothing.
His one unit of firewarriors that were falling back make the check and regroup.
He fires shots into the rear of my Predator from the Kroot, but fails to roll a 6.
Shots from the Riptides and firewarriors manage to take the Terminators unit down to just 1 terminator and Khan.
White Scars Turn 3:
I dump out the 5 man Tacitcal Squad from the Land Raider to get more Grav Gun shots on his riptide now that he has moved it in range. It manages to cause another wound.
The Lone Terminator and Kahn, move up and mow down the small unit of firewarriors, taking them off his objective, and move towards this other unit in their consolidation.
More shooting at his riptides and I manage to take them down to 1 wound and 2 wounds. Almost done...
The other 5 Man Tactical Squad holding my Objective took out a few of his Kroot as well if I remember.
I also moved their razorback down, to block in his Kroot in on the corner of the board.
Tau/Eldar Turn 3:
One unit of his jetbikes boost over toward my objective.
The other one boost over in range to take either objective if needed. (Brilliant move by the way)
The Jetbikes manage to take out 2 Marines, while his remaining stuff focuses on the other Tactical Squad. They Go to Ground in the forest, and he manages to take out 4 of them, leaving the Power Fist Sgt. to hang out and be awesome in the woods.
We agreed this would be last turn as Matt was kicking us out so he could go home.
White Scars Turn 4:
At this point, we are pretty much even, we both have line breaker, Slay the warlord, and neither of us are technically holding an objective. However he has first blood.
I figure if I can keep him off of his objective, and focus all of my shooting on his units contesting mine, then I can win this.
I move and boost the razorback down to block off his Kroot's shooting.
More Shots on his last unit of firewarriors.
He is forced to go to ground or lose the unit, so at least they can't get up and run towards the objective.
I then focus fire and manage to take out his Jetbikes on my Objective, and 1 from the other unit.
Then a stroke of genius, I get a fantastic idea.
I move the Land Raider Crusader in, and Tank Shock his Riptide, thereby blocking his objective, so that he can't get to it which will seal the game for me.
I believe his actual response was "Fuck that noise. Death or Glory!"
Then he rolled some dice and blew up my Land Raider.
Sad times.
Tau/Eldar Turn 4:
He really had only one move to make.
He boosted his Jetbikes over and grabbed his objective.
There was no move for him to get line of sight on my Tactical Marines, so that was game over.
Post Game Thoughts:
Makers:
1. Tau are brutal. It really is a crazy amount of shots, and amazing how many things they can fit in at 1500 points.
2. If you can take out their re-rolls, they become MUCH easier to deal with. Listen to people and always kill marker lights and Farseers first.
3. Make sure to note that Signature Systems and stuff DO NOT WORK in overwatch, it is only during shooting phases, don't let someone screw you over. Too many people miss this.
4. Tau Have Problems with high AV vehicles and TH/SS Termies. I feel that if I would have played Iron Hands instead of White Scars, I would have been much better off here.
5. I need 5 more TH/SS Termies.
6. I need more Bikes.
Capnmoe:
1. I like SMS on the Riptides but I think I need to run Fusions to deal with multiple high AV threats.
2. Stimulant Injectors make all the Difference on Riptides. I can't say it enough. If you have the points put them on.
3. When playing against Space Marines, Grav weapons have to go down immediately or you WILL lose your Riptides. Grav guns are just devastating.
4. This should be obvious but don't get assaulted as Tau. That shit is bad.
4. This should be obvious but don't get assaulted as Tau. That shit is bad.
good double battle report. Rough first game. I am glad to read some tau tactics now so next year I will have some idea on how to play them.
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