Eldar Allies Part 2.

Eldar Allies W.I.P.

So I spent part of last weak painting some of my new Eldar allies.

They are playable as is, but need some detail work and some basing done on them still.  Either way I thought I'd throw them up here to see what people thought of them.

Eldrad has about 2 hours of painting in currently.. I rushed a bit on the other models, especially the Dark Reapers.  All of the models are old OOP Metal models, so I had to cut the pointy heads off the dark reapers to make them look more like the newer ones, and to make the "Exarch" stand out as I don't have a special weapon for him.

The color scheme is based off of the Ulthwe colors for eldrad, mixed with some greens to tie them into my Tau, and the purplish color that the Dark Reaper guns are often portrayed as.  So far I'm pretty pretty happy with the way they look.

Tau/Eldar vs Tyranids 2000 pts

Snatching Victory from the Claws of Defeat

Got in my second and last league match tonight at the 2000 pt level.
It was my second battle using my eldar allies, and man was I glad to have them today, but more on that later.

First, the army lists.  I ran the same list I ran vs the Ultra Marines in the previous report consisting of the following:

Total Roster Cost: 1996

HQ: Commander Shadowsun (4#, 175 pts)
   1 Commander Shadowsun, 175 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (4#, 263 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 98 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (3#, 188 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 98 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (3#, 188 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 98 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Elite: Crisis Battlesuit (4#, 147 pts)
   1 Crisis Battlesuit, 51 pts = (base cost 25 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Gun Drone, 10 pts
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)

Elite: Crisis Battlesuit (4#, 147 pts)
   1 Crisis Battlesuit, 51 pts = (base cost 25 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Gun Drone, 10 pts
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)

Troops: Fire Warrior (9#, 90 pts)
   9 Fire Warrior, 90 pts = 9 * 10

Troops: Fire Warrior (9#, 90 pts)
   9 Fire Warrior, 90 pts = 9 * 10

Troops: Kroot Carnivore Squad (11#, 76 pts)
   10 Kroot Carnivore Squad, 70 pts = 10 * 7
      1 Kroot Hounds, 6 pts

: Aegis Defence Lines (2#, 85 pts)
   1 Aegis Defence Lines, 50 pts
      1 Gun Emplacement, 35 pts = (base cost 0 + Icarus Lascannon 35)

HQ: Eldrad Ulthran (1#, 210 pts)
   1 Eldrad Ulthran (HQ) [EL], 210 pts

Troops: Pathfinders (Rangers) (5#, 120 pts)
   5 Pathfinders (Rangers) (Troops) [EL], 120 pts = 5 * 24 (base cost 19 + Pathfinders 5)

Heavy Support: Dark Reapers (5#, 217 pts)
   4 Dark Reapers (Heavy) [EL], 140 pts = 4 * 35
      1 Dark Reaper Exarch [EL], 77 pts = (base cost 47 +  Crack Shot  10 +  Fast Shot  20)

My opponent ran the following (he gave me a hand written copy of his list, so hopefully this is accurate):


2000 Pts - Tyranids Roster

Total Roster Cost: 2000

HQ: Hive Tyrant (1#, 275 pts)
   1 Hive Tyrant, 275 pts = (base cost 170 + Stranglethorn Cannon 20 + Hive Commander 25 + Wings 60)

HQ: Hive Tyrant (1#, 250 pts)
   1 Hive Tyrant, 250 pts = (base cost 170 + Stranglethorn Cannon 20 + Wings 60)

Elite: Hive Guard Brood (3#, 150 pts)
   3 Hive Guard Brood, 150 pts = 3 * 50

Elite: Zoanthrope Brood (3#, 180 pts)
   3 Zoanthrope Brood, 180 pts = 3 * 60

Elite: Venomthrope Brood (2#, 110 pts)
   2 Venomthrope Brood, 110 pts = 2 * 55

Heavy Support: Mawloc (1#, 170 pts)
   1 Mawloc, 170 pts

Heavy Support: Trygon (1#, 200 pts)
   1 Trygon, 200 pts

Heavy Support: Biovore Brood (3#, 135 pts)
   3 Biovore Brood, 135 pts = 3 * 45

Troops: Tervigon (1#, 175 pts)
   1 Tervigon, 175 pts = (base cost 160 + Catalyst 15)

Troops: Termagant Brood (11#, 55 pts)
   11 Termagant Brood, 55 pts = 11 * 5

Troops: Hormagaunt Brood (30#, 180 pts)
   30 Hormagaunt Brood, 180 pts = 30 * 6

Fast Attack: Gargoyle Brood (20#, 120 pts)
   20 Gargoyle Brood, 120 pts = 20 * 6


We rolled Crusade, and dawn of war for mission/deployment.  Per league rules we deployed terrain before choosing sides.  I find this set up stupid and annoying..  As a great General, I would choose the most advantageous terrain possible on which to engage my enemy.  Instead, you get the table set up, then have to hope to win the roll off to choose sides so you don't get stuck with a lousy deployment zone.  The fact that fortifications go down after terrain/on top of terrain would be enough to rectify the one issue people have with choosing table sides, and that is the ability to block your gun emplacement by placing a total LOS blocking piece of terrain in front of it..  As it was, I set up assuming I'd get the side of the table I was standing on, but instead he won the roll off and I got stuck on the side with almost no terrain..  In the end, that may have been to my advantage.. but I'd have done just as well having some cover saves at times.



Anyway, he won the roll off to place terrain, so he also placed objectives first.. We then rolled off to choose sides/go first, which he also won.  I failed to seize, and our deployments looked like this.


Turn 1 top:  He flew both flyrants out ahead of his main forces in swoop mode..  I'm not 100% sure that was legal, as they deployed on the board, and it says they have to be in gliding mode to do so..  But perhaps that only means that if I seize I get to shoot at them as gliding until he goes and can change movement to swooping in his movement phase..  No matter, they both flew in, tried to use psychic powers but due to Eldrads runes of warding both suffered a perils and took a wound.  His non warlord flyrant fired the stranglethorn cannon at my eldar pathfinders which went to ground and suffered one casualty.  His warlord fired the stranglethorn cannon at my Dark reapers who fared less well, and suffered 3 casualties..   I don't recall if he killed anything else, but he then ran most of his other units forward, or moved towards objectives.





Turn 1 bottom:  I moved my crisis teams out from behind the broadside wall.  Eldrad cast hallucination on the hormagaunts, and got a 5 on the chart.. They managed to kill 12 members of their squad as a result.   I managed to generate hits on both flyrants both of which failed either their first or second grounding tests and where then killed off by combined fire.  First Blood, and slay the warlord to me.  I threw some shots at other units but didn't accomplish a lot.  I thrust moved my two crisis teams around to block his line of attack into my pathfinders from the gargoyles,  and to get the others in line of the hormagaunts to take their charge if need be.





 Turn 2 top:  The Mawlock showed up from reserve and killed two broadsides.  He moved forward with most of his units during movement.  I failed to hit with my interceptor fire (two shots from an Icarus thanks to the Dark Reaper Exarchs fast shot, rolled two ones anyway)..  He shot some more landing a barrage from the biovores but mostly failed to get wounds past my armor.  He attempted an assault on my crisis team with the gargoyles, but after taking 9 wounds from my flamers, he rolled snake eyes for distance and failed to reach them. 



Turn 2 bottom:   My kroot came in on the left flank.  I moved my crisis teams up and positioned them for flamer attacks on the gargoyles and the hormagaunts.  Moved my firewarriors some then activated Eldrad, and used Halucination on the hormagaunts.  I rolled a 3 on the chart, which meant they couldn't run, shoot, charge, or strike blows in close combat for a turn.. We mistook that to mean they couldn't move either which blocked his tervigon and and trygon from advancing on his following turn.  That being the case, I retargeted my crisis team from the hormagaunts to the zoenthropes as I didn't want to create a gap for the MC's..   By the end of my turn I had wiped out the gargoyles, the Zoenthropes, the Venomthropes, one Biovore, the kroot killed a few termagaunts by focusing fire to 5+ cover saves denying the cover for the ruins to the unit, and put 3 wounds on the Trygon all in shooting.  I consolidated the Crisis teams in behind the center hill for a touch of cover.
 

 

Turn 3 top:  He moved his MC's toward the center of the board to go around the Hormagaunts.  Move the biovores back a bit, did some shooting then wiped out a crisis team in assault (there was one model left that got swept after rolling a lousy initiative roll)..   He consolidated towards the center objective:






Turn 3 Bottom:   My Camera Batteries died, so I got to test out my new phones camera..  I moved some troops, Eldrad got a 3 on the hallucination table on the hormagaunts, I killed off the biovores, the Tervigon and the Trygon as well as one Hive Guard.  The Kroot moved up and killed a few more termagaunts.  With all the Synapse creatures dead, the hive guard failed their leadership and fell back.

 Turn 4 Top:  He moved the hormagaunts over behind the hill for cover as best he could.  Moved the termagaunts in the center toward that objective, moved the hive guard into cover,  and then shot the hive guard at the crisis team killing the gun drone.

Turn 4 bottom:  Not alot happened.  Moved troops towards objectives, the kroot killed some more termagaunts, I combined fire to kill off more hormaguants,

Turn 5 top:  He moved the hormagaunts up the hill to claim/contest that objective.  He moved the remaining Hive Guard into the area terrain, and the Termagaunts in the left ruin fired on the Kroot killing a couple.

Turn 5 bottom:  This would be the last turn.  The crisis team finished the nearby gaunts clearing that objective.  The broadsides fired on the hive guard killing it, and the other teams fired at the Hormagaunts leaving two remaining.  Shadowsun only generated 1 wound leaving one Hormagaunt alive on the hill.  The kroot assaulted the termagaunts in the ruin killing them and claiming that objective.  I was in such a hurry to wrap up the game I forgot to run my firewarriors so I'm not sure I actually had the objective in my spawn area on the hill, but I had 2 of 3 others, and in the end the gaunt on the hill was the only model he had left on the board. 

The final score had the tau with all 3 secondarys for 3, plus 2 maybe 3 objectives for 9 or 12 points, and the Tyranids had 1 secondary with line breaker for 1.  A solid win for the Tau.

Closing thoughts:  After playing 3 games with Eldar Allies, I have to say my initial hesitation about taking allies has disappeared.  The tau were desperately lacking psychic defense, and AA capabilities.  The Eldar fix that issue nicely even though both codecies lack any fliers or any units with skyfire.  Contrary to what some people have opined, I think the new rules in 6th make the game a lot more fun for everyone, and give players whose codex's haven't been updated since 4th edition the chance to still be slightly competative, which in turn should mean a better game for all involved.. 

Tau/Eldar vs Ultra Marines/Dark Angels 2000 pts

Eldar Allies + Broadsides.. Meh..

So, tonight was my first official league match running my eldar allies with my Tau.  I was up against Ultra Marines with Dark Angels allies.

My list consisted of the following:

Total Roster Cost: 1996

HQ: Commander Shadowsun (4#, 175 pts)
   1 Commander Shadowsun, 175 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (4#, 263 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 98 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (3#, 188 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 98 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (3#, 188 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 98 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Multi-Tracker 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Elite: Crisis Battlesuit (4#, 147 pts)
   1 Crisis Battlesuit, 51 pts = (base cost 25 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Gun Drone, 10 pts
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)

Elite: Crisis Battlesuit (4#, 147 pts)
   1 Crisis Battlesuit, 51 pts = (base cost 25 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Gun Drone, 10 pts
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Battlesuit, 43 pts = (base cost 25 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)

Troops: Fire Warrior (9#, 90 pts)

Troops: Fire Warrior (9#, 90 pts)

Troops: Kroot Carnivore Squad (11#, 76 pts)
   10 Kroot Carnivore Squad, 70 pts = 10 * 7
      1 Kroot Hounds, 6 pts

: Aegis Defence Lines (2#, 85 pts)
   1 Aegis Defence Lines, 50 pts
      1 Gun Emplacement, 35 pts = (base cost 0 + Icarus Lascannon 35)

HQ: Eldrad Ulthran (1#, 210 pts)

Troops: Pathfinders (Rangers) (5#, 120 pts)

Heavy Support: Dark Reapers (5#, 217 pts)
   4 Dark Reapers (Heavy) [EL], 140 pts = 4 * 35
      1 Dark Reaper Exarch [EL], 77 pts = (base cost 47 +  Crack Shot  10 +  Fast Shot  20)

My opponents list was something like:

8 DA bikes 2 with plasma,
1 DA tac squad  with missile w/ flak
with Librarian
Drop Pod with 10 man sternguard squad combat squaded into two units on deployment
2 tac squads in Rhino's
1 Assault squad with Commander attached
1 Land Raider
Scout Squad with tellion

We rolled Hammer and Anvil, and Big Guns Never Tire with 4 objectives.

Due to the way the league does deployment we choose deployment zones last, just before deploying so my 2 objectives ended up being in his deployment zone, while the two he placed ended up one in my zone, and one just outside.

We rolled no night fight turn one, and totally forgot it on turn 5.  I failed to seize, so he went first.










Turn 1:  He dropped his pod and stern guard in and split them into two five man teams.  He killed one scout, and put a wound on my broadsides.  He moved his Rhino's up and popped smoke, the land raider moved up and fired.  No much else hit.

Turn 1 bottom:  I wasted most of my shooting trying to kill 5 sternguard for first blood.  Eldrad got Hallucination on the second squad with the "Erm Derp" result (They couldn't do anything their turn).  I only killed 3 out of 5 stern guard, failed to do much with the rest of my shooting and but finally with my last broadside team exploded a Rhino for first blood instead.

 Turn 2:  His bikers came in from reserve, and I managed to kill 2 with the Icarus Lascannons interceptor rule combined with my Dark Reaper Exarchs Fast Shot ability.  He moved his land raider ahead, and did some shooting and took out some crisis suits.







Turn 2 Bottom:  Eldrad Pinned the stern guard with halucination.  Killed 1 of 2 stern guard in the other team.  Killed 3 more bikers with fire from fire warriors.  Popped the rhino that was hidden in the near ruin, then killed a suit jumping onto terrain leaving one suit in that unit.  The landraider resisted my efforts to kill it.







 Turn 3:  His Assault squad and Warlord showd up.  The shot and killed 6 out of 9 firewarriors who fell back.  Tack squad in the ruin moved up to the upper floors to snipe at my Dark Reavers.

Turn 3 bottom:  Our game was running super late at this point.. We were supposed to start at 7:30, but didn't start till nearly 8:30.. I forgot to take any more pictures so I'll sum it up. 

He wiped out the Dark Reapers for 1 VP and in the end held his two objectives for 6 more.

I killed his warlord in shooting, shot the remaining solo stern guard, he assaulted my broadsides with the 3 remaining stern guard in the other unit, lost one to overwatch and lost the other 2 from CC.  I shot up the tac squad in the ruin which fell back, then consolidated back into the ruin where I had to shoot them with Pathfinders, 2 broadsides, and 9 firewarriors, and ultimately assaulted the remaining Sgt with 4 pathfinders, 2 of whom he killed, but I killed him at the bottom of 5 where we ended the game.  I had First blood, slay the warlord, I killed one heavy (the land raider) and held 2 objectives for a total of 9 to his 7.. 

All in all it was a close game.  I discovered my defense line is to tall and always blocks my LOS to enemy units that aren't right in front of it, except for Crisis Suits and Broadsides deployed behind it which can see over.  Having 3 teams of Broadsides was underwhelming even with Eldrad attached giving one unit perfect timing..  The lack of troop transports, and the set up of terrain made it impossible for me to get into his deployment zone.  I should have reserved a unit of Crisis suits to deep strike in..

Anyway, that's about it, I'm looking forward to trying this list out tomorrow against my other opponent and his Tyranid list.

Tau/Eldar vs Eldar 2000

So I made it out to Battlefront Saturday for the first time in ages.  I got in a test game for my 2000pt league list and it was my first time fielding my Eldar Allies or using psychic powers.

The game only made it to the bottom of turn 4 (there were 3 objectives, and I had no way to contest 2 of them and only had 1 troop left to claim one so I had clearly lost by that point), so I won't bother with a full write up on it, but here are some highlights.

My first observation is that playing at a different venue than normal with different terrain available makes a huge impact on your game.  Where my list was well tailored for BKG's terrain, it was near worthless in the face of Battlefronts 18' tall 18" wide monolithic buildings that totally block LOS..  Because of those buildings I had to deploy 2 out of 3 broadside teams all the way up to the front edge of my deployment zone just to shoot at anthing.  This resulted in them being in range of massed enemy fire, and one team had to assault an HQ squad on Jetbikes on turn 2 lest they be assaulted immediately there after, or shot up with ap2 weapons.

Next observation is that running firewarriors en masse just isn't worth it.  Twelve firewarriors are just as apt to die in an assault as 6, and with their lousy shooting and lack of AP even in rapid fire range they only ever take out 1 or 2 models a turn before getting assaulted..  Six Firewarriors in a DFish is the only way to play them unless you are facing hordes with 5+ or 6+ saves only.

Facing an eldar player with Eldrad Ulthran really makes your own Eldrad less usefull.  Their abilities cancel each other out, so your opponent gets to roll 3 dice taking the lowest, rather than the highest when making psychic checks.  That said having your own Eldrad attached to a 3 suit team of broadsides to ignore cover is quite handy.

Three squads of 3 broadsides are hard to support even at 2000pts..  They are potent, and with SMS can have good volume of fire up close, but they cost between 250 and 300 pts for a team of 3.. Thats 100 pts a shot past 24" almost.. Very costly compared to what other armies can get for that many points.

All said and done it was a good learning experience, and I'm glad I got a game in with my allies before playing a league match, I'll have to see if I can tweak it a bit before Tuesday.

Thanks to my opponent for the schooling.

Vanguard Strike Deployment

Why is this not in the BRB?

So, after playing numerous games, and watching numerous games played with people trying to measure out the stupid deployment zones for Vanguard Strike in 6th Edition, I drew up this quick diagram in 3ds Max to determine what the measurements along the board edges were for said deployment to avoid the fiasco of measuring corner to corner then measuring perpendicular to that to find 12" from the center blah blah blah...  So, with out further ado, here is the chart: (I'd been using 48" and 33" so I was slightly off, but I don't think it made a huge impact on my games)

Tau vs Guard 1500 League Rematch

P.S.  This is the BOMB!

Farsight Drops
the Bomb!

Tonight I had the opportunity to replay one of my 2 1500 pt league matches after a rules snafu by my opponent had invalidated the original result.  We both ran the same lists per the league rules, and convienantly, we rolled the same mission (the relic) and deployment (Vanguard Strike) as we had played in the first game.

IGWarlord won the rolloff to deploy terrain first (per league rules, all terrain is placed, then there is a roll off to choose sides/deploy first, at which time fortifications can be placed).  The terrain was laid out with me ensuring that no corner of the board had total LOS blocking terrain in it for him to hide his two Colossus Artillery tanks in.  Once the terrain was placed, we rolled off and I won the chance to deploy/choose sides first.  Given that one corner had almost no terrain in it, I did the obligatory douchebag thing and stuck him with that corner, and I took the other (hey, he was the one that put the two pieces of lousy terrain in that corner in the first place..)  We also rolled for night fighting on turn one.

I deployed my troops, consisting of the following:

Total Roster Cost: 1496

HQ: Commander Shas'o (3#, 218 pts)
   1 Commander Shas'o, 188 pts = (base cost 75 + Airbursting Fragmentation Projector 20 + Cyclic Ion Blaster 15 + Ejection System 15 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Iridium Armour 20 + Stimulant Injector 10 + Shield Generator 20)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

HQ: Commander Farsight (10#, 661 pts)
   1 Commander Farsight, 170 pts
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 59 pts = (base cost 35 + Burst Cannon 8 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
         1 Shield Drone, 15 pts
         1 Shield Drone, 15 pts
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 75 pts = (base cost 35 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Fusion Blaster 18)
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 59 pts = (base cost 35 + Burst Cannon 8 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 75 pts = (base cost 35 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Fusion Blaster 18)
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 59 pts = (base cost 35 + Burst Cannon 8 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 59 pts = (base cost 35 + Burst Cannon 8 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Twin Linked Flamer 6)
      1 Crisis Bodyguard, 75 pts = (base cost 35 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Missile Pod 12 + Twin Linked Fusion Blaster 18)

Fast Attack: Pathfinder (7#, 143 pts)
   4 Pathfinder, 48 pts = 4 * 12
      1 Devilfish, 95 pts = (base cost 80 + Disruption Pod 5 + Multi-Tracker 10)

Troops: Fire Warrior (9#, 155 pts)
   6 Fire Warrior, 60 pts = 6 * 10
      1 Devilfish, 95 pts = (base cost 80 + Disruption Pod 5 + Multi-Tracker 10)

Troops: Fire Warrior (6#, 60 pts)
   6 Fire Warrior, 60 pts = 6 * 10

Elite: Crisis Shas'vre (1#, 71 pts)
   1 Crisis Shas'vre, 71 pts = (base cost 25 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Twin Linked Missile Pod 18 + Positional Relay 15 + Team Leader 5 + Shas'vre Upgrade 5)

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (3#, 188 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 93 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 80 pts = (base cost 70 + Targeting Array 10)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

IG Warlord mid deployment.

I placed the 2 devilfish, a firewarrior team, the broadsides, and the monat crisis suit on the board as pictured (the crisis suit was in the building under the broadsides).  I reserved the pathfinders, firewarriors, and attached the shas'o to Farsights team deepstriking.

My opponent deployed his forces consisting of something like:

1500 Pts - Imperial Guard Roster - IG 1500 1750?

Total Roster Cost: 1765

HQ: Company Command Squad (5#, 210 pts)
   2 Company Command Squad, 64 pts = 2 * 6 (base cost 6) + Camo Cloak 20 + Carapace Armour 20 + Flamer x1 5 + Grenade Launcher x1 5 + w/Lascannon 32
      1 Veteran Heavy Weapon Team, 30 pts = (base cost 10 + Lascannon 20)
      1 Lord Castellan Creed, 116 pts

HQ: Company Command Squad (6#, 165 pts)
   4 Company Command Squad, 84 pts = 4 * 6 (base cost 6) + Plasma gun x4 60
      1 Company Commander, 26 pts
      1 Chimera, 55 pts

Troops: Infantry Platoon (36#, 260 pts)
   1 Infantry Platoon, 0 pts
      2 Platoon Command Squad, 14 pts = 2 * 6 (base cost 6) + w/Missile Launcher 27
         1 Heavy Weapons Team, 25 pts = (base cost 10 + Missile Launcher 15)
         1 Platoon Commander, 6 pts
      7 Infantry Squad, 35 pts = 7 * 5
         1 Heavy Weapons Team, 20 pts = (base cost 10 + Autocannon 10)
         1 Commissar, 35 pts
         1 Sergeant, 5 pts
      7 Infantry Squad, 35 pts = 7 * 5
         1 Heavy Weapons Team, 20 pts = (base cost 10 + Autocannon 10)
         1 Sergeant, 5 pts
      7 Infantry Squad, 35 pts = 7 * 5
         1 Heavy Weapons Team, 20 pts = (base cost 10 + Autocannon 10)
         1 Sergeant, 5 pts

Troops: Veteran Squad (10#, 120 pts)
   9 Veteran Squad, 113 pts = 9 * 7 (base cost 7) + Meltagun x2 20 + Grenadiers 30
      1 Veteran Sergeant, 7 pts

Troops: Veteran Squad (10#, 120 pts)
   9 Veteran Squad, 113 pts = 9 * 7 (base cost 7) + Meltagun x2 20 + Grenadiers 30
      1 Veteran Sergeant, 7 pts

Heavy Support: Leman Russ Squadron (1#, 220 pts)
   1 Leman Russ Squadron, 0 pts
      1 Leman Russ Exterminator, 170 pts = (base cost 150 + Heavy Bolter Sponsons x2 20)
         1 Knight Commander Pask, 50 pts

Heavy Support: Ordnance Battery (1#, 140 pts)
   1 Ordnance Battery, 0 pts
      1 Colossus, 140 pts

Heavy Support: Ordnance Battery (1#, 140 pts)
   1 Ordnance Battery, 0 pts
      1 Colossus, 140 pts

Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (1#, 140 pts)
   1 Vendetta Gunship Squadron, 0 pts
      1 Vendetta, 140 pts = (base cost 130) + Heavy Bolter Sponsons x2 10

Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (1#, 140 pts)
   1 Vendetta Gunship Squadron, 0 pts
      1 Vendetta, 140 pts = (base cost 130) + Heavy Bolter Sponsons x2 10

: Imperial Bastion (2#, 110 pts)
   1 Imperial Bastion, 75 pts
      1 Gun Emplacement, 35 pts = (base cost 0 + Icarus Lascannon 35)


Looking back at the pictures, I'm pretty sure that his list included all of the above at least (Edit 1: any reference to a mystery squad later is because I hadn't realized I could add an extra squad to the guard in army builder, I went back and added them into this list so hey are there now, but weren't when I did the write up.  Edit 2: I also recalled his commenting he'd forgot his vetrans had carapace which is a 30pt times 2 squad upgrade bumping the points overrun up further).. I'm not sure how that's possible as the list above is 200+ points over the 1500 limit, and I may have skipped some special wpns/wargear even then..  I'll see if I can get him to comment with his actual list..  But assigning the units above to the units in the picture, I'm a bit confused.

So army lists aside, he failed to seize the initiative so I went first.

IGwarlord moving bottom turn 1

Turn 1:  I moved my devilfish around, my broadsides split fire on the bastion and a colassus.  Failed to pen the bastion, exploded the collassus (first blood to me)



He moved his blob squad, and the mystery squad that isn't listed above toward the ruin that was just outside his deployment zone.  He then ordered the blob to "move move move" and they did, his weapons fire was inefective due to night fighting giving my devilfish 2+ cover saves.


Turn 2:  All my reserves came on.  Firewarriors embarked in the pathfinder fish, pathfinders hid in the far corner behind a ruil, farsight bomb missed the initial deepstrike roll, but re-rolling due to the pathfinder fish they scattered 2" into an ideal landing zone.  I moved the devil fish around a bit, then went on to shooting.  Farsight's team split fire with 4 twin linked flamers causing 19 hits/17 wounds plus a couple more from burst cannons on the blob squad reducing it too 1 model remaining, Farsight and a twin linked fusion/MP suit took 2 hull points off the Leman Russ and imobilized it.  A fusion suit target the bastion and destroyed a gun emplacement.  Shas'O dropped a barrage shot onto the battlements killing the lascannon team, 1 guardsman and put 1 wound on the Warlord.  The other Fusion suit exploded the remaining Colossus.

The Bomb.

After the bomb.

He got 1 out of 2 vendetta out of reserves on his turn 2.  He managed to imobilize his second HQ's chimera and further shifted part of mystery squad into the ruins second floor.  The vendetta killed a shield drone and 1 broadside but the remaining one made it's moral.  Warlords squad killed a drone and a suit that controlled 2 other drones, causing a moral check which I passed.

Turn 3:   I moved up 2 dfish to the Relic (my ethereal), one went flat out, the other went 6 and deployed 6 firewarriors into contact with the relic.  Monat suit moved up towards center board, and farsight's team spread out a bit to fire at the single guardsman, the tank, the bastion the chimera, and the platoon command squad in the green ruin.  The tank died, the icarus and a heavy bolter were destroyed in the bastion, the chimera lived, but the missle team and 2 other models died in the green ruin from the Shas'o's AFP+Cyclic Ion shots.

His other vendetta came on, and he dropped off a vet squad near the broadside.  He also moved is warlords remaing squad inside the bastion.  His vendetta exploded the flat-out DFish killing 2 guys inside, and one from the team with the relic. but not much else happend.

Turn 4:  I circled around the bastion to put shots into it, the chimera and the remaining guys in the green ruin area.  I moved my firewarriors into the ruin and the other team onto the ruins base.  The DFish I moved back to get a rear arc shot on a vendetta, but instead chose to flat out, and imobilized myself on a piece of terrain.  I destroyed the Bunker, killing everyone inside (after another rules snafu where my opponent read the book and declared that it said one thing, but a bystander later in the turn read the same section to discover it said something entirely different and that you take 2d6 str 6 wounds, not each model takes a 2D6 str wound when you get a 6 on the chart.  Big diff when you only have 2 models remaining).  I missed the dudes by the green ruin again.

He moved a vendetta over to attack Farsight, moved the other over the ruins my firewarriors were in and dropped more veterans..  He moved his first vets over to fire on the remaining devil fish.  He killed two TLFL/BC suits with one vendetta, and his vets killed 3 out of 4 firewarriors in one squad and 1 inside the ruin from a flamer hit.

Mid 4th turn move.

End of top of 5 shooting.

Turn 5:  I moved farsights team around, moved the firewarrirs out with the relic to shoot at the guardsmen, detached the drones from my fish and advanced towards his deployment zone.  Farsights team got a lucky hit with a fusion blaster and exploded a vendetta, the Shas'O dropped his AFP shot on the vets and along with firewarrior shooting they were reduced to 4 models and failed their moral falling back.

Alas, I forgot to take pictures after this.  Bottom of Turn 5 movement phase.

Bottom of turn 5 he put his remaining vendetta into hover and moved over to fire on my firewarriors.  Somehow his 4 vets, regrouped and managed to move 6 inches (or far enough to get past the base of the ruin, and they, the other vets,  and the vendetta killed all but 2 firewarrios in the squad with the relic.  They then assaulted and wiped out the firewarriors consolidating onto the relic.  The mystery squad killed my two drones, and the 3 models in the vicinity of the green ruin shot ineffectually at Farsights team.

We rolled for turn 6 but the game ended.  I had scored first blood, slay the warlord, and had linebreaker.  He was a couple inches from linebreaker with the vets that dropped near the broadside, but in the end had no secondary points.  As he did not get into base with the relic in the move phase, he could not claim it and so I won 3 points to none.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post, I try to get a game in weekly if not 2.. I'm trying to be better about making reports and keeping the blog lively, so check back often.

Eldar Allies

So, I finally bit the bullet as they say, and invested in some allies for my Tau.  Unfortuneatly, I chose the Eldar which currently have no fliers, just like my Tau, so they don't address the lack of AA issue very well, but, they definitely address the lack of Psychic ability.  I have yet to get a game in with them, though I have two league matches coming up this week or next.

Currently I have:

Eldrad Ulthran
5 Dark Reapers including Exarch
5 Rangers/Pathfinders (I'm using them as pathfinders)

As they are battle brothers, I will be taking advantage of Eldrad's psychic powers to grant a team of broadsides the "Ignores Cover" special rule.  The Dark Reaper Exarch will be manning my Quad-Gun using his "Crack Shot" ability to deny cover saves (including Jink saves for zooming flyers) and he'll be re-rolling too hit, and too wound rolls, so that should be 4 hits a turn at BS5 and probably 4 glances at least on most vehicles.  It's a shame he can't split fire from the rest of the unit as the 48" str 5 ap 3 Heavy 2 shots from the rest of the unit will be wasted if they are firing on vehicles..  Sad Face.. 

Anyway, thats the beginning of my allies, I really like the look of the models, and have always liked the eldar, I may end up having an entire footdar list by the time I'm done..  Though it will take a while... I already exceeded my monthly gaming budget by more than double to get these guys in time for the league this week..

If you are an Eldar player, what would you suggest as good allie units for my Tau?  I can get one more troop, a fast, and an elite.  I'm considering swooping hawks, and Wraith Guard (though their 12" guns makes me hesitant to go that route).  Troops wise, I'm thinking maybe the unit that gets a support weapon platform as a gheto heavy option.

Tau Faq V 1.2, Seeker Missiles, and a letter to GW

 By now I'm sure you've heard that Games Workshop has released new FAQ's for numerous armies, including the Tau.  After reviewing the two actual updates in the new FAQ I was dismayed to discover that they decided a seeker missile requires a 6+ to hit a zooming/swooping flyer even after a markerlight hit has been made, effectively giving you a 1/36th chance of scoring a hit on a flyer with a seeker missile.  First I'd like to share with you a few quotes from an Imperial Armor book (3 I believe) that a friend looked up for me:

"It is believed that the Sky Ray was developed ... as direct response to the Imperium's air power."
"In the field, the Sky Ray's twin markerlights sweep the skies to find and lock-on to approaching enemy aircraft, before efficiently guiding their missiles to the target."
"So fast and accurate are the seeker missiles that many enemy pilots are hit and downed before they realise they are under attack or can take evasive manoeuvres."
"During the Taros Campaign such was the Sky Ray's effectiveness that Imperial Navy pilots came to despise it, and any confirmed Sky Ray kill was highly prized amongst Imperial Navy crews. Such was the grav-tank's infamy it has earned the common nickname of 'Stinger' amongst those men who had to face it."
"Summary: AIR DEFENCE VEHICLE, ALSO DEPLOYED FOR GROUND COMBAT"

In the Imperial Armour datasheet for it, it has the special rule "AA Upgrade: One of the Sky Ray's roles is to engage enemy aircraft. The seeker missile and markerlight array may be upgraded to an AA mount for +30 points. "

And now, as a call to action, I will share with you the content of the letter I sent to games workshops FAQ department at:  gamefaqs@games-workshop.co.uk  And I would like to invite anyone who plays Tau, or has any interest in a fair and balanced rule set for 40K to also send them a letter expressing your dissatisfaction with their complete abandonment of their own fluff, and the missed opportunity to give some balance to the Tau vs armies that actually have flyers (and yes I heard the rumor that 4 new flyers are due in February, and that Tau are amongst the recipiants..), so without further ado here is my letter to GW (and yes I also know it's not very tactful, and that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar..  But I'm pissed, and I wanted them to know it):

Dear Game Workshop Faq department,

I just reviewed the new FAQ V1.2 for the Tau and can't help but feel that yet again, you've allowed someone with no knowledge of the Tau to write their FAQ (remember that whole target lock fiasco?).

Specifically I am referring to this Q and A:

Q: If Seeker Missiles are fired at a Zooming Flyer or Swooping Flying Monstrous Creature, what To Hit roll do they require? (p31)
A: 6+

Now, I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but on page 41 of the Tau Codex under the entry for Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship, you will find the following flavor text (aka fluff):

"The Sky Ray is a variant of the more common Hammerhead gunship, and provides a dedicated missile platform that is used by the Fire caste to provide point attack fire support for Fire Warrior teams, who lack their own heavy weaponry.  When guided by the markerlights of Pathfinder teams, the Sky Ray makes an exceptional perimeter and air defence (sic) missile system."

Now lets compare the flavor text for the Sky Ray whose primary weapon system is said Seeker Missiles, to the result of your FAQ ruling:

An "exceptional air defence missile system" would be in my opinion one which possessed the skyfire special rule, and as such would hit at full ballistic skill.

Your interpretation seems to be that a 1/36th chance to hit is exceptional, and I must say I agree to a point.  It is exceptionally bad.  In fact, it is the worst AA weapon in the game according to your FAQ.  1/36th you ask?  How do I get 1/36th chance to hit?  Because a Seeker missile can not be fired without a markerlight hit being generated first.  As no unit in the Tau Codex/FAQ or Errata have skyfire, any unit attempting to mark a flyer can only hit on a 6+ ie 1/6th chance to hit.  Once a Markerlight hit is scored on said flyer, the seeker missile can then be fired, but according to you also requires a 6+ to hit for a 1/6th chance.  That's two consecutive 6's that are required or 1/6 x 1/6 = 1/36th chance to hit.  Now considering that a seeker missile is a one shot weapon, that costs 10 pts each on regular vehicles, or comes 6 to a skyray for 130pts (as a dpod is all but required) that makes them not only the worst AA weapon system in the game, but likely the most expensive, in fact statistically you can't even include enough seeker missiles in a 1500 pt list to guarantee a single hit.

Might I request that you review and reconsider your ruling in this regard? 

Another point that was brought to my attention is the Q and A immediately proceeding the seeker missile question:

Q. If a Tau character is involved in a challenge, can any Drones they have strike blows, have Wounds allocated to them, or offer moral support? (p31)
A. No

Now, I can understand the ruling that they can not participate in the challenge, that makes perfect sense.  However, since the drones count as squad members when determining the results of an assault, and for determining when a moral check must be taken do to casualties from shooting, it makes absolutely no sense that they would not contribute towards offering Moral to the character.  If I attached an IC to a gun drone squad, and subsequently engaged in an assault/challenge I would assume that the gun drones being a unit of their own would contribute moral support? 

What makes the Characters drones any different?

Also, on the topic of drones:

If I detach the 2 drones from a devil fish, they create their own 2 model strong unit, and may move about autonomously.  If the devilfish is later destroyed, they continue to function.  So why is it, that if a Character with two drones is slain, that the drones are destroyed at the end of the phase?  You've already established that two drones can function with no controller. 

I feel like you guys really need to go back and take a good look at the rules on Drones, and figure out just what they are.  Are they wargear, or are they upgrade characters to an IC/Squad?  If they are just wargear, then they should be allowed in a challenge, just like a space marine can use all his wargear in said challenge.  If they are upgrade characters and not wargear, then they should contribute towards moral, and or participate in the assault going on outside of the challenge, and should the Character/Independent Character be slain, they should continue on as their own unit.  You seem inclined to treat them as both, but only in so far as it allows you to make the least advantageous ruling for the Tau player. (yes, that would be me)

 So there you have it.  By itself it is not likely to garner much in the way of results (other than to allow me to vent and take out my frustration on its source).  But what if you wrote a letter to Games Workshop as well, and shared this post on your blog, so your readers saw it, and they wrote letters to Games Workshop.  What if games workshop FAQ department were suddenly inundated with 100's of emails on this topic?..  Could we get them to change their minds?  Or as I suggested on another forum, is this ruling simply a thinly veiled attempt by GW to force us to buy their new flyer models if we want any chance of competing against flyer heavy lists?


 

Tau Vs Imperial Guard 1750

Lastnight I played my second league match at the 1750 point level vs Josh's Imperial Guard.  I've played Josh countless times in the past and had a pretty good idea what to expect, and had developed my list with him in mind as my other 1750 opponent was running Chaos Marines whom I've never played against, and thus I was just hoping that my list would also work against them.

My list consisted of the following:

Initial Deployment, thats my aegis defense line wrapped around a piece of area terrain in the center.

 1750 Pts - Tau Empire Roster - Tau League 1750 Warfish Special

Total Roster Cost: 1747

HQ: Commander Shas'o (2#, 188 pts)
   1 Commander Shas'o, 173 pts = (base cost 75 + Airbursting Fragmentation Projector 20 + Cyclic Ion Blaster 15 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Iridium Armour 20 + Stimulant Injector 10 + Shield Generator 20)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (4#, 278 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 108 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Twin Linked Plasma Rifle 10 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 80 pts = (base cost 70 + Targeting Array 10)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Target Lock 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Broadside Battlesuit (4#, 278 pts)
   1 Broadside Battlesuit, 108 pts = (base cost 70 + Hard-wired Blacksun Filter 3 + Hard-wired Multi-tracker 5 + Hard-wired Target Lock 5 + Twin Linked Plasma Rifle 10 + Targeting Array 10 + Team Leader 5)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 80 pts = (base cost 70 + Targeting Array 10)
      1 Broadside Battlesuit, 75 pts = (base cost 70 + Target Lock 5)
      1 Shield Drone, 15 pts

Heavy Support: Hammerhead Gunship (1#, 195 pts)
   1 Hammerhead Gunship, 195 pts = (base cost 90 + Railgun 50 + Two Burst Cannons 10 + Disruption Pod 5 + Flechette Discharger 10 + Multi-Tracker 10) + Blacksun Filter 5 + Sensor Spines 10 + Target Lock 5

Troops: Fire Warrior (7#, 180 pts)
   6 Fire Warrior, 60 pts = 6 * 10
      1 Devilfish, 120 pts = (base cost 80 + Disruption Pod 5 + Multi-Tracker 10 + Smart Missile System 20) + Targeting Array 5

Troops: Fire Warrior (7#, 180 pts)
   6 Fire Warrior, 60 pts = 6 * 10
      1 Devilfish, 120 pts = (base cost 80 + Disruption Pod 5 + Multi-Tracker 10 + Smart Missile System 20) + Targeting Array 5

Troops: Fire Warrior (7#, 180 pts)
   6 Fire Warrior, 60 pts = 6 * 10
      1 Devilfish, 120 pts = (base cost 80 + Disruption Pod 5 + Multi-Tracker 10 + Smart Missile System 20) + Targeting Array 5

Fast Attack: Pathfinder (5#, 168 pts)
   4 Pathfinder, 48 pts = 4 * 12
      1 Devilfish, 120 pts = (base cost 80 + Disruption Pod 5 + Multi-Tracker 10 + Smart Missile System 20) + Targeting Array 5

: Aegis Defence Lines (2#, 100 pts)
   1 Aegis Defence Lines, 50 pts
      1 Gun Emplacement, 50 pts = (base cost 0 + Quad-gun 50)




Josh ran something like this: (I'm not sure on the exact load out of his units)

There's a Manticore in the building the the back left.  Plus he had 3  Vendetta's with 2 vet squads and a command squad.

Commisar
30 man blob squad with 3 autocannons
Manticore
Leman Russ x2
Vendetta x2 with vet squad x2
Vendetta with command platoon with flamers x4 and a commander of some sort
Allies: Rune Priest
Drop Pod with 10 grey hunters
Aegis Defense line with quad gun.



Josh won the roll off to go first, we rolled night fighting for turn one, and he deployed as seen above, I deployed second as shown at the top and failed to sieze.


My entire army list had been designed around the plan to use my 4 warfish with Smart Missile systems to move up to 24" from Josh's defense line and to hammer his blob squad denying him the cover from the defense line and to wipe out his blob and thus his Warlord.  Unfortunately, we rolled hammer and anvil, and since I was going second I chose to hide all my warfish behind the ruin at that back of my deployment zone (big mistake).  This meant there was no way to get them in range of the defense line in one turn.  We also rolled the scouring as the mission type, and with 2 objectives at the back of my deployment I didn't want to move my troops all the way out to his end.  The end result of this was that I never threatened his blob squad for the entire game.  I shot 3 broadsides at the quad gun once, hit twice, wounded twice, and he made the 4+ cover save on both.  After that I just ignored the quad gun.  My other mistake was that I had planned to place my Shas'O on the quad gun, but at the last minute attached him to 4 pathfinders hoping to outflank and attack his Manticore on turn 2.  As always, my dice failed me and even with Acute senses rerolling the side I came in on, I rolled the wrong table edge.  As such I brought them in on turn 2 in my deployment zone as they stood no chance against the 30 man blob.  In the end this just meant my Shas'O ate 3 twin linked lascannon shots and died having served no purpose.

On turn one he deepstruck the Grey Hunters in between my defense line and a ruin, and disembarked into the ruin to try to take out my hammer head.  He failed to do any damage, and on the bottom of turn one I fired all 6  broadsides at the drop pod to score first blood.  I focused everything I could at wiping out the grey hunters for the following 2 turns to remove them as a line break threat.  This was a mistake as he had 3 vendetta's with troops in them, and all 3 would eventually deploy into my zone anyway.  I should have focused the broadsides on removing the 2 leman russ as threats as the battle cannons were a huge distraction and kept me bottled up in my deployment zone.

Top of turn 2.  Hammerhead is already dead, Pathfinder Warfish is Dead, and I am boxed in where I'd remain the rest of the game.  My Shas'O would enter right in front of the near Vendetta bottom of turn 2, only to eat a lascannon top of turn 3.

 The rest of the game was unremarkable until the bottom of turn 5.  At the bottom of turn 5 I was in position to win the game.  I had scored first blood, and had a team of firwarriors on the 3 point objective.  He scored Slay the Warlord, had linebreaker, and was sitting on a 1 point objective.  If the game had ended there I would have won 4 to 3.  He rolled to see if the game continued and it did.  Sad Face.  He focused all his fire between my broadsides and the 6 man firewarriors on the objective top of turn 6.  He managed to kill 1 broadside, leaving me 2 and a drone (25% loss) and he killed 2 out of 6 firewarriors (requiring another moral check).  He also moved the command squad onto the 2 point objective the broadsides were contesting.  End of the shooting phase, my broadsides failed their ldr 8 moral check and fell back 11 inches! and off the board giving him control of 2 more points.  My firewarriors who had gone to ground still held.  Bottom of turn 6 my 1 remaining broadside put 2 hits on the 3 remaining models in his command squad but he made both saves as he was behind MY defense line.  The firewarriors had 2 models that could see the command squad but having gone to ground both failed to hit.

That was the end of the game.  Josh controlled 3 points of objectives, had line breaker, and slay the warlord for a total of 5 points.  I had 3 points of objectives and had first blood for 4 points.

All in all it was a good game, but the Tau are, ironically enough, horribly out gunned by the Imperial Guard. A vendetta costs less than half what 3 broadsides cost for the same firepower plus the added utility of being a flyer and a troop transport..  I have no ordinance and no heavy weapons for my troops.  It's just a poor match-up at best

At this point, I rely am just playing for the experience in hopes that a new Tau Codex is just around the corner and it will do something to level the playing field a bit vs all the newer codecies out there.

Till next time, good gaming.

This is my counts as Quad gun. 

Custom Tau Defense Line

 I'm participating in a 40K escalation league at Big Kidz Games here in Grand Rapids.  I joined half way through, so I won't be winning by any means, but I thought it would be an opportunity to get in some games with people I don't usually get to play. 

The league has just moved from 1500 to 1750 though the organizer is letting me make up my 1500 pt games during the 1750 period due to my late entry.  At 1500 the league opened up to allowing fortifications, and at 1750 began to allow allies.  I don't need allies as I have way over 2500 pts of Tau, but lacking anything with Skyfire, and knowing I'd be facing a number of Vendetta's, a helldrake, strom eagle etc.. I decided I'd really like to have an Aegis Defense Line, and a quadgun (I'm actually torn between the quad and the Icarus Lascannon as str 7 from the quad is barely effective up to AV12)..  Anyway, as a Tau player I didn't want to field the standard Aegis, not to mention they being hard to get a hold of, so I decided to make my own.   |



I made the whole thing out of plasticard, some bottle-caps off of Nero Drink bottles, and a couple spare bits from my Tau.  This was a quick and dirty effort, it took me 2.5 hours beginning to end this morning prior to one of my 2 1750 match ups, so it's not beautiful, but it works and hopefully will give someone an idea how to build their own defense line.  The process involved outlining a standard defense line onto the plasticard, cutting the bottle caps in half then grinding them down (you could cut them instead) in height to match the Aegis, then super gluing the caps onto the plasticard.  After that I used an exacto blade attachment on my soldering iron to trim the plasticard around the cap shapes, while maintaining the fence like section in between.  After that I used my dremel to grind the excess plasticard off and clean up the bottom of the caps a bit.  I'll probably go back and fill some gaps with liquid greenstuff, and maybe add another layer to the details on the fence area as they are a bit to flat.  Hope you enjoy the pictures.

 Here you can see the original Nero bottle cap before I split them and shortened them to match the height of the original Aegis Defense Line.

Add caption

In this shot you can see the symmetry of the pieces which allows an unlikely arrangement to lessen the footprint of the defense line.  Why you'd want to do this.. I'm not sure, maybe to fit it between two ruins or something..  What ever the purpose, I think it's interesting that the arrangement causes the line to look more like the quad-gun base, and vaguely like the Forgeworld gun turrets.  Perhaps when I rework this I'll add the little outrigger legs that they have.

 Last minute edit for Tim's edification I'm adding this shot of the defense line as I deployed it in my first game with it vs Jeff's Chaos Space Marines.  As you can see it's not quite as good for troops as the official defense line, but I seldom put troops on the field, and it works great for crisis suits and broadsides.  Skimmers unfortunately tend to hover above it and get no cover.