TAU versus Necrons

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Steve
Mission: Pitched battle
1st turn: Tau
Points: 1500

Tau

• Aun’El’Tau’M’yenEthereal
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - 2 Crisis battlesuits with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - 2 Crisisbattle suits, one with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker, the other with twin-linked plasma rifles and missile pod
  
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 5 stealthsuits
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan- 9 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 9 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui, Devilfish with Multi-tracker
• Murabla - 16 Kroot
• Shas’La’Tau’Tam’La’Mo’Town - 6 Pathfinders, Devilfish with decoy launchers, multi-tracker and two seeker missiles
• Kor’Vesa - 4 Gun drones
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - 2 Broadsides with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and Multi-trackers
• Shas’La’Tau’Or’Es’Mont’Ka - Hammerhead with Ion Cannon, smart missile system, multitracker, blacksun filter, decoy launchers, seeker missile
  

Necrons

• Tooled up Lord with Resurrection Orb
• 12 Necron Warriors
• 12 Necron Warriors
• Monolith
• 2 Heavy Destroyers
• 3 Destroyers
• 10 Flayed Ones
• 6 Immortals
• 2 Wraiths

Background
I was eager to try out my Tau army again, now that the Battle Bunker is established and we have 6 foot tables to play on. I had constantly moaned about playing on 4 foot boards with my Tau, so it was time to put up and shut up!

I pretty much included everything I had to take my army up to 1500 points. I would have loved to include more Broadsides and more Firewarriors but I haven't painted them yet. Instead I had a sturdy, quite mobile list with a Hammerhead and two Devilfish, and lots of 'suits and drones.

In particular, I wanted to use the pathfinders as I was playing a larger game and their long range with the markerlights would come into play.

Terrain and Deployment
The board was quite sparse with a tall ruined building on my right, a stone circle in my centre and a ruined building on my left. There was a largish wood in the centre of the board, near the Necron deployment zone where I suspected most of the Necrons would hide behind.

I placed the Hammerhead front and forward to push back the Necron deployment and then put the Broadsides and Firewarriors in the centre, behind the rocks. It wasn't an ideal vantage point as we had already said that we couldn't shoot over or right through the stones but I controlled two long fire corridors to the left and right diagonals.

My Pathfinders deployed on my right and rushed forward to take the tall building. They wouldn't be in position until turn 2 even with their free move, but they would be in cover with excellent vantage points and be virtually guaranteed to be away from enemy assaults. The devilfish hung around behind the building, waiting for a chance to fire the seeker missiles. Crisis squad Demlock also hid behind the building.

The Necrons basically refused this flank, with only the Immortals able to threaten it. The bulk of the Necrons were behind the woods as I suspected, but Steve surprised me by putting both Warrior units out wide on my left flank. I hid the empty Devilfish from Squad Mull’Kin’Tyr, Crisis squad Hemlock and the Stealth team behind the ruined building to oppose them.

Kroot squad Murabla infiltrated forward, beyond the stone circle and near the wood. Finally, the drone squad Kor'vesa was to deep strike.

The Game
I won first turn and zoomed back with the Hammerhead, out of range of most of the Necron weapons. My objective on this flank was to kill the Immortals but after some poor rolls I only killed two, and one of those got back up. In the next turn Crisis squad Demlock, deep striking drone squad Kor'vesa and the Pathfinders joined in, and the result was the Immortals were wiped out.

The Monolith was the next closest model to my forces turning this flank and they couldn't hurt it. None of the Necrons dared move out to the flank so I had effectively captured these two table quarters by turn two.

My Kroot ran forward into the forest, close to the Monolith. I was completely unprepared for the charge by the Flayed Ones who teleported from miles behind the Monolith and straight out of the door to charge at the Kroot. The Necron Lord was leading the unit and the Kroot were duly butchered. Everyone swept forward into my Firewarrior squad Mull’Kin’Tyr, who I had cunningly placed proud of the firebase to receive charges.

Over the next two turns I shot everything I had at the Flayed Ones and killed them all. Unfortunately for me the Lord survived and killed Firewarrior squad Mull’Kin’Tyr, Firewarrior squad Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr, and the Broadsides. It took him a while to chew through everything though, and by then the game was over.

My Broadsides did poorly in this game. On turn one I missed with both shots, despite being twin-linked. On turn two I hit twice but rolled 2 ones to wound. On turn three I hit the Monolith twice as it pushed through the Stone Circle and immobilised it, but Steve had already rolled a one for difficult terrain so it was already immobilised. Finally they were assaulted by the Necron Lord and killed. Ho, hum.

I had one woozy moment with the Broadsides as the Monolith laid it's Ordnance blast on them. I leapt around like an idiot when it scattered 5" only to find it clip the Hammerhead and destroy it on a lucky 6. D'oh!

I was facing most of the Necron army on my left. The destroyers flitted around shooting at the Firewarrior screens until I nailed them with Crisis squad Hemlock. The heavy Destroyers ended up chasing the empty 'fish around the board and taking random pot-shots at Tau models. The Devilfish was still going at the end (minus its gun) and so were the Heavy Destroyers so they cancelled each other out.

One Necron Warrior squad made it into combat on turn six against Crisis squad Hemlock and the Stealth team but only the Stealth team ran, so that was another drawn table quarter. The other Necron squad poured through the portal but couldn't quite make it into the adjacent quarter.

Totting up the victory points the Necrons had 685 points remaining and the Tau had 600. However my units on the right had secured two table quarters for a bonus 400 points to give me an outright win.

Result: Win

Learning points

• A good, exciting game with a Tau army I hadn't played in a while. The 6 foot table makes all the difference and my Pathfinders survived the whole game unscathed.
• More Broadsides are definitely needed for a game this size. Fortunately I could use my manoeuvrability to win the game rather than just brute killing power.
• More Firewarriors would also be needed to screen more Broadsides as my screen disintegrated under fairly light and sporadic firepower. In fact my entire firebase was wiped out by the end of the game.
  

TAU versus Dark Eldar Wych Cult

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Gary
Mission: Patrol
1st turn: Dark Eldar
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’ShiShas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock Crisis battlesuit - Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock Crisisbattle suit - Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 5 stealthsuits
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan- 12 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Murabla - 10 Kroot
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang Shas’ui Broadside - twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Tzun’Dau Shas’ui Broadside - twin linked railguns, smart missile system and multi-tracker
  

Dark Eldar

• Wych drachite with agoniser and combat drugs
• 9 wyches with wych weapons, succubus with agoniser, 2 blasters, Raider
• 9 wyches with wych weapons, succubus with agoniser
• 4 warp beasts
• 5 reaver jet bikes
• Ravager with night shield
• 10 warriors with 2 splinter cannons
• 6 mandrakes

The game
My large fire warrior squad started on the table and were quickly mauled by the wych squad in the raider. My reserves got revenge though, and the wyches were completely wiped out.

The Dark Eldar bikes and warp beasts hove into view but were quickly destroyed by the Tau massed fire. The kroot were shot up and destroyed by the ravager.

One broadside came on at my far right in a calculated gamble. It was charged by the drachite and mandrakes and died - but it was all for the greater good. The Dark Eldar swept on into the teeth of the Tau guns.

The mandrakes fell to the guns of the battlesuits and fire warrior squad. Only the drachite remained. But I had a surprise in store. My final fire warrior squad came on from reserve right next to the drachite and peppered her with shots. Unluckily for the Tau she only lost one wound so I had to charge her with the fire warriors. She killed one warrior but fell to the charge. Hurrah!

The only threat now was the large wych squad to my left but the stealth squad and broadside smart missiles devastated the squad and they routed off the board. In the closing stages the stealth team also took down the ravager and the Dark Eldar warriors.

Result: Win

Learning points

• A superb game with an army I haven't played in a while. It looked over by the second turn when the wych squad was right in my deployment zone but my reserves did well and pulled me back into the game. It could have gone either way in the early stages.
• I loved the move with the broadside to pull the Dark Eldar away from my main lines and then ambush them with my reserves. The gambit worked a treat.
• The reason I won this game was because the Dark Eldar couldn't mount a concentrated attack. The army came in on distinct waves - the raider mounted wyches, the dogs and bikes, then the mandrakes, drachite and wyches on foot. By concentrating my fire to completely destroy each element in turn, I won the game. The only downside to this was that I could never target the ravager and it did for half a dozen fire warriors and all the kroot.

TAU and SPACE WOLVES versus Chaos Space Marines and Dark Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Ally: Maurice
Opponents: Gary and Hugh
Mission: Recon
1st turn: Tau and Space Wolves
Points: 2000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’Shi Shas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator, Hard wired multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 12 Fire warriors, 10 with pulse rifles, two with pulse carbine, Shas’ui, bonded
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 12 Fire warriors, 10 with pulse rifles, two with pulse carbine, Shas’ui, bonded
• Murabla - 11 Kroot
• Kor’Vesa - 6 Gun drones
• Kor’Vesa - 6 Gun drones
• Kor’Vesa - 6 Gun drones
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang’u’Tang - Shas’ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and target lock
  

Space Wolves

• Large blood claw pack in land raider crusader
• 6 blood claws with jump packs
• Venerable dreadnought
• Rune priest

Chaos Space Marines

• 5 Raptors
• Squad with lascannon
• Squad with lascannon
• Close assault squad in rhino
• Lieutenant and squad in rhino
• Dread with twin linked lascannons

Dark Eldar

• Ravager
• Drachon and six Incubi in Raider
• 4 warp beasts
• Large Wych squad
• 10 man warrior squad with two dark lances
• 10 man warrior squad with two dark lances
• 10 man warrior squad with two splinter cannons
• Talos

Terrain and deployment
4000pt battle on a 4x4 table. Yikes!

Also it was the Necron table which is heavily converted with hills, monuments and crystals. Looks great but is a devil to play on. Difficult terrain all over the place.

The game
We won first turn and only inflicted one wound on the Talos despite the majority of our armies shooting at it.

Fortunately the Dark Eldar did no better than us and we picked up in the second turn killing the Talos, stunning the Ravager, stunning the Dreadnought, immobilising a rhino, wiping out half of a warrior squad and a full marine squad.

The Crusader was first immobilised and then destroyed.

A massive close combat erupted between the wyches, Raptors, lieutenant and henchmen and the two blood claw units with the rune priest. In the centre the Incubi sped forward, had their Raider shot out from under them then assaulted the Tau firebase along with the Warp beasts.

On the right the Venerable dreadnought soaked up three turns of heavy fire and destroyed the second assault squad in the rhino. With the game in the balance, time ran out and we had to pack up.

Result: Draw (ran out of time)

Learning points

• This was a Tau army designed for pinning playing against two armies capable of being pinned and despite forcing numerous tests not one enemy unit was pinned. Aaaaarggghhhh!
• Splinter cannons did for the kroot again.
• Playing as a team is very difficult; I only targeted the Talos because my ally was frightened of it and he committed a few tactical errors. Ho hum.
• Fire warrior squads did very nicely against the DE warriors.
  

TAU versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Ken
Mission: Recon
Campaign: Winter War
1st turn: Eldar
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’Shi Shas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Vemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Tan’Klyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Kor’Vesa - 7 Gun drones
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
• Shas’La’Tau’Or’Es’Mont’Ka - Hammerhead Railgun, smart missile system, multitracker, decoy launchers, seeker missile
  

Eldar

• Farseer with guide
• 4 Dark Reapers
• Wraithlord with star cannon
• 3 Vypers (2x star cannons, 1 bright lance)
• 10 scorpions with infiltrate
• 10 banshees
• Vibro cannon
• 10 guardians with star cannon

The game
Ken set up against my left flank, and me against his right, to give a lop-sided set up. On my left he moved his banshees and scorpions through a ruined building and assaulted the Fire Warriors beyond and swept into the Kroot.

In the centre Ken's Wraithlord went down to missile pod fire by turn 2 as did his Reapers, but before they went they took out a Fire Warrior Squad and two Crisis suits.

On the right the Hammerhead duelled with the Vypers for the entire game and took two of them out only to go down to the bright lance shot in the last turn.

I managed to wipe out the banshees, but the guardians moved into my deployment zone.

If the Hammerhead had survived that last bright lance shot I would have won the game.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Check the terrain before the game. This time my opponent moved straight through without rolling for difficult terrain, leading to the loss of my left flank.
• Both armies excelled in the shooting phase, each army tending to remove entire squads two or three at a time.
• Mobility was key here. The Hammerhead and Crisis suits did better than the Fire Warriors.
• The Crisis suits could have really done with drones in this game. It is the first time I have felt I really needed them.
• Check the victory conditions and stick to them! I should have deployed the Shas’o in the centre and the other suits out wide to win the mission.

TAU versus Chaos Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Hugh
Mission: Take and Hold
Campaign: Winter War
1st turn: Chaos Space Marines
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’Shi Shas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Vemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Tan’Klyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Murabla - 10 Kroot
• Kor’Vesa - 7 Gun drones
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
• Shas’La’Tau’Or’Es’Mont’Ka - Hammerhead Railgun, smart missile system, multitracker, decoy launchers, seeker missile

Chaos Space Marines

• 5 bikers
• 2 Squads with lascannons
• Close assault squad in rhino
• Lieutenant and squad in rhino
• Dread with twin linked lascannons

The game
Take and hold with Tau as the attacker – gulp!

The Kroot infiltrated on the left but were up against the dread and got wiped out. Fire Warriors and Crisis suits took out the squad holding the objective (a two storey ruined building) and raced toward it.

The Hammerhead zoomed up the right blowing up a rhino behind the objective, but was taken out by a lascannon.

On the fourth turn I had four suits on the objective but the game didn’t end and they were all killed in one turn.

My entire army was wiped out by turn six.

Result: Lost

Learning points

• No chance in the mission; objective tough for most Tau anyway but the building shielded most squads from fire.
• Clarify terrain before the game. In this one I didn’t and my opponent ‘changed’ interpretation halfway through the game.
• Even against a non-fearless army with no leadership re-rolls I didn’t get a single pin result. Drop this tactic.
• Dithered with the drones. Drop them and buy a stealth team instead.
  

TAU versus Tyranids

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Marc
Mission: Cleanse
Campaign: Winter War
1st turn: Tyranids
Points: 850

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’Shi Shas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Vemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Tan’Klyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Tam’La’Mo’Town - 6 Pathfinders, bonded, Shas’ui, photon grenades, Devilfish with decoy launchers and two seeker missiles
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
  

Tyranids

• Hive Tyrant with venom Cannon
• Termagants
• Hormagaunts
• 3 Ravagers
• 3 Warriors (each a separate unit)
• 3 Zoanthropes (each a separate unit)

The game
On the left the Hormagaunts wiped out the Pathfinders in a first turn charge. They were halved in number in the sweeping assault but passed their Leadership check on a 4 and destroyed a Fire Warrior squad. None survived the subsequent sweeping advance.

Over on the right flank the Shas’o and the crisis suits took out the Tyranid Warriors. The Fire Warriors thinned out the Termagaunts who nevertheless contacted the Broadside. The combat was still raging at the end of the game.

The Zoanthropes wiped out two squads of Fire Warriors and advance line abreast, shielding the Hive Tyrant and Ravagers. The game ended on turn 3 as we ran out of time, and a draw seemed a fair call.

Result: Draw (ran out of time)

Learning points

• Pathfinders caught out again. Dropping them and taking a Hammerhead might work better.
• Don’t bunch up Fire Warriors against blast weapons.
• The Zoanthropes were tough to take down with their 2+ save. Needed more railguns.
• The ‘Nids used my trick of fielding single man units to split fire and frustrate the enemy!
  

TAU versus Space Wolves

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Maurice
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Tau
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’ShiShas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock- Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Vemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Tan’Klyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Murabla - 10 Kroot
• Shas’La’Tau’Tam’La’Mo’Town - 6 Pathfinders, bonded, Shas’ui, photon grenades, Devilfish with decoy launchers and two seeker missiles
• Kor’Vesa - 7 Gun drones
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator

Space Wolves

• Venerable Dread - twin-linked heavy bolter, heavy flamer, power fist
• Dreadnought - assault cannon
• Blood claws
• Grey hunters
• Scouts
• Terminators with assault cannon
• Psyker in terminator armour

The game
The Tau dominated the shooting early on, killing the regular Dread and wiping out the Blood Claws.

The Pathfinders were destroyed by the Venerable Dread while the Broadside succumbed to bolter fire from the Grey Hunters (oh, the shame).

The Scouts arrived from reserve and attacked a Crisis suit deep in my own deployment zone. They took it down but were counter charged and wiped out by the Kroot. The Drone squadron sneaked up behind the Venerable Dread and immobilised it but were caught by the Heavy flamer and Heavy bolter and were driven off.

The Terminators advanced straight down the centre of the table, away from the crisis suits, and only lost two members in the whole game. In return they killed a Crisis suit, a Fire Warrior squad and half the Kroot by shooting and another Fire Warrior squad in assault. They could have tied the game by killing another Crisis suit but he made all of his saves.

That Crisis suit contested a quarter with the Grey Hunters, the Terminators contested another with the final Fire Warrior squad and the Pathfinder's Devilfish controlled the quarter with the immobilised Venerable Dread.

Result: A (very) narrow win.

Learning points

• The Pathfinders are very fragile, especially racing toward the enemy on a small board, but in contrast the Devilfish is very durable and won me the game.
• The pinning tactic doesn’t work!
• Space Wolf scouts can come on from reserve from any board edge - the Kroot prove their worth yet again.
• Numerous small units make cleanse easier to achieve.
  

TAU versus Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Kevin
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Marines
Points: 1300

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’ShiShas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - 2 Crisis battlesuits, bonded, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod, multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock - Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 5 stealthsuits
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 8 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, bonded, Shas’Ui with markerlight, Devilfish with decoy launchers and two seeker missiles
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui with markerlight, Devilfish with decoy launchers and sensor spines
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 8 Fire warriors, all with pulserifles, Shas’ui with markerlight
• Murabla - 12 Kroot
• Shas’La’Tau’Or’Es’Mont’Ka - Hammerhead with Railgun, smart missile system, multitracker, decoy launchers, seeker missile
• Krootox
  

Space Marines

• Chaplain and 8 man tactical squad in rhino
• 8 man tactical squad
  
• 5 man scout squad
• Devastator squad (2x missile launchers, heavy bolter)
• Land speeder with heavy bolter
• 5 man terminator squad with heavy flamer and assault cannon
• 5 man assault squad
• Predator annihilator with heavy bolters

Terrain and deployment
I had a large army on a small board with lots of scenery and I felt the Marines had the upper hand.

The game
The Marines went first; land speeder and rhino to my right, predator and terminators down the centre, scouts to the left. Squad Han’dan dismounted from the devilfish on the right as bait with all the battle suits nearby.

The tactical squad on foot were shot at from all sides and halved in strength. The hammerhead faced off against the annihilator and missed, while the stealth team moved to intercept the scouts.

Squad Han’dan were wiped out by the chaplain and squad assaulting from the rhino and were themselves reduced to below half strength by the battlesuits in return. They moved back into the rhino which was then promptly immobilized.

Squad Kin’tyr used a markerlight to burn a seeker missile which destroyed the predator. They were then decimated in the shooting phase by the terminators. The hammerhead had its rail gun blown off by a shot from the devastators.

The kroot charged the tactical squad on foot and wiped them out but were killed by the terminators. The stealth team performed badly and were routed by the scouts who were reduced to two models.

On the right the battlesuits did for the land speeder and assault squad, killing them all. Two suits were killed by shots from the terminators, and the surviving suits killed three terminators, reducing them to below 50%.

Squad Mont’yr, who did nothing for the whole game except float around in the devilfish claimed my starting quarter, while the Hammerhead claimed another. Only the devastator squad were over half strength and could claim a quarter for the marines.

Result: Win

Learning points

• Difficult to move largish army around on small table with lots of terrain. Suits are easier to deploy than devilfish.
• Hard to use fire warriors in devilfish, markerlights especially. Deploy them on foot as a firebase. (Although one ‘fish might be advisable to capture table quarters. Switch out the marker light for a couple of carbines and some gun drones).
• Need more than one railgun!
• Suits rocked in this game. They killed 4 tactical marines, 5 assault marines, 3 terminators, a land speeder, and immobilized a rhino.
  

TAU and SPACE WOLVES versus Chaos Space Marines

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Colin and Gary
Allies: Marc (commanding all the fire warriors, both crisis suits) and Steve with Space Wolves
Mission: Recon
1st turn: ?
Points: 2000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’Shi Shas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock Crisis battle suit - Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock Crisis battle suit - Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 3 stealth suits
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 7 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui with markerlight
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’ui with markerlight
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, all with pulserifles, Shas’ui with markerlight
• Murabla - 11 Kroot
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Tzun’Dau - Shas’ui Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and multi-tracker
• Shas’La’Tau’Or’Es’Mont’Ka - Ion cannon, smart missile system, multitracker, decoy launchers, seeker missile

Space Wolves

• Leader with power fist
  
• Blood claw unit in rhino
• Blood claw unit in rhino
• Grey hunter squad
• Vindicator
• Attack bike with multi melta

Chaos Space Marines (Emperors Children)

• Tooled up Daemon prince
• Lieutenant with retinue in rhino
• Dread with plasma cannon
• Dread with plasma cannon
• Havoc squad with blastmasters
• Marine squad in rhino
• Marine squad
• Marine squad
• Marine squad
• Marine squad
• Daemonette unit
• Daemonette unit
• Predator

Terrain and deployment
We played over a six foot table (yay!) and rolled the recon mission. Our plan was to sit back and shoot with our armies until the inevitable charge and then counter charge with the blood claws and Kroot.

The game
The Emperors children attacked piecemeal, which should have helped us greatly, but we rolled poorly for shooting early in the game.

One surprise was a house rule in the shop that a unit dumped out of a destroyed rhino can’t be shot at for the rest of the turn. This left the Chaos Lieutenant and his unit right in the centre of our fire base unmolested.

Both Daemonette units summoned from this unit and the subsequent charge wiped out the vindicator, a unit of fire warriors, and the attack bike. But thanks to the old assault rules we could shoot up the Chaos victors, and then counter charge with the Kroot.

Our centre held with some firepower left and then we charged the blood claws forward, one squad on each flank. The squad on our left wiped out an enemy squad but was then wiped out to a man by the daemon prince. Hey ho, but they held him up for 3 turns. On the right the blood claws and grey hunters wiped out three squads and ended up in the enemy deployment zone, along with a crisis battle suit and the stealth team.

The chaos army only had the daemon prince and half of the havoc squad surviving at the end of the game.

Result: Win

Learning points

• Tau + Space Wolves = ouch time
• Marker lights worked superbly with the crisis suits and hammerhead
• House rules re: destroyed transports almost lost us the game – no wonder rhino rush armies rule in this store! Maybe devilfish might be more usable for my Tau though
• Countercharging works
• Larger table is miles better for Tau.

TAU versus Tau

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Colin
Mission: Hostage situation
1st turn: Dark Tau
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’ShiShas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator, hard-wired multi-tracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - 2 Crisis battlesuits, bonded, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod, multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Hemlock- Crisis battle suit, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 4 stealth suits, bonded
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Mull’Kin’Tyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Shas’La’Tau’Tan’Klyr - 6 Fire warriors, 5 with pulse rifles, one with pulse carbine
• Murabla - 10 Kroot
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’Rang - Shas’ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator, Shas’ui with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and target lock
  

Dark Tau

• Shas’o (painted like Darth Vader and with a toy Vader helmet!)
• 2 crisis suits
• Hammerhead with Railgun
• 20 Kroot with hounds and shaper
• 8 drones
• 5 stealth suits
• 6 man fire warrior team
• 6 man fire warrior team

Terrain and deployment
I was the defender so deployed every squad by deep strike (this is very tricky with a decent sized kroot squad). Colin attacked on a random board edge which was one of the short edges. It was probably the worst edge for the attacker because a large ruined building screened the ethereal which was his objective.

The game
His Hammerhead entered and killed four fire warriors. The drone unit, fire warriors and Kroot all arrived but were out of shooting range. I fusion blastered the Hammerhead with my Shas’o at close range and stopped it from shooting in the next turn, while my crisis suits whittled the drones down to three models. My Broadside relocated onto the hill, spying the Hammerhead.

Despite rolling on a 3+ only Colin's Stealth team arrived along with a single suit. His Hammerhead flew behind the building, away from the Railguns but my Shas’o shot it in the rear and blew it up. The drones were wiped out and his kroot were reduced by six models by the Crisis suits. I failed all night vision rolls to shoot at the stealth team who promptly shot up a fire warrior squad.

Now rolling on a 2+ not one extra unit arrived. On the upside his Kroot passed difficult terrain tests on sixes to enter the ruined building and assaulted my kroot, driving them off. His fire warrior team also took out a Crisis suit. Everything in my army targeted his kroot and killed all but the shaper and a single hound. I assaulted his stealth team but lost the combat and they remained in combat.

Finally his Shas’o and last suit arrived but it was too late – I rolled a 1 to end the game.

Result: Win

Learning points

• You can’t lose if the dice are with you. I actually rolled poorly but my opponent rolled worse!
• Multi tracker for the Shas’o worked very well.
• We actually played on a six foot table. Damn I wish I had brought pathfinders.
• His Kroot performed well, able to withstand numerous casualties. Might try that tactic out myself.
• I didn’t succumb to the Dark side!

TAU versus Dark Angels

Game: Warhammer 40,000 3rd edition
Opponent: Andrew
Mission: Cleanse
1st turn: Tau
Points: 1000

Tau

• Shas’O’Tau’Ko’Vash’Ch’ien’ShiShas’O - plasma rifle, fusion blaster, shield generator
  
• Aun’El’Tau’M’yen Ethereal
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Ho’Lu’Demlock - 2 Crisis battlesuits, bonded, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod and multitracker, Shas’ui with plasma rifle, missile pod, multitracker
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Kais’Mal’Coar - 5 stealthsuits, bonded
• Shas’La’Tau’Han’Dan - 8 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, bonded, Shas’Ui with markerlight and hard-wired blacksun filter
• Shas’La’Tau’Mont’Yr - 12 Fire warriors, all with pulse rifles, Shas’Ui
• Shas’La’Tau’Mesme - 8 Fire warriors, 4 pulse rifles, 4 pulse carbines, EMP grenades, bonded, Shas’Ui with hard-wired drone controller and two gundrones
• Murabla - 10 Kroot
• Shas’Ui’Tau’Yu’RangShas’Ui - Broadside with twin linked railguns, smart missile system and shield generator
  

Dark Angels

• Chaplain
• Dreadnought with assault cannon + ccw
• Whirlwind
• 5 man assault squad
• Tactical squad
• Tactical squad
  
• 3 attack bikes with heavy bolters

Background
This was my first ever battle report (played back in 2002) and my first game in a Games Workshop store. No-one fancied playing Gary's Khorne army but everyone perked up when I said I was playing Tau.

Terrain and deployment
We played on a 4x4 table (the standard size for the tiny store) with 3 large buildings and a river running down the middle with one bridge. I won choice of table edge, deployment and first turn, but it went downhill from there.

The game
I killed a single model in the first two turns. Andrew's whirlwind hit my firewarriors three turns running – ouch. The Kroot were hosed with fire and routed. My stealth suits were caught by the bikes and wiped out. My Crisis suits took out the bikes in return.

I shot at the dreadnought for five turns with the suits and only blew the assault cannon off. In the final turn it killed Chien’Shi in close combat. Andrew's chaplain used the dread as cover to advance throughout the game and wiped out a fire warrior squad in close combat when he finally reached my lines.

Fire warrior squad Han’Dan and battlesuit Yu’Rang beat the assault marines in close combat and routed them, though!

It wasn't enough. By the end Andrew controlled three table quarters and contested one.

Result: Loss

Learning points

• Not enough weapons to take out vehicles. Take more in future.
• Ordnance vs fire warriors is devastating because they are static. Take out the ordnance early or keep the Tau moving.
• Kroot were wiped out easily on the frontline. If they are intended for counter charge, keep them back.
• Not enough ap 3 weapons to take out marines. Take more in future.
• Indecisive with stealth team. Make a plan and stick to it.
• Battlesuits are pretty good in close combat.

CAMPAIGN: Phoenix campaign turn 6

Both attacks succeed; the Chaos Space Marines take the weapons testing area and the Eldar capture Emerald Ridge.

The Eldar attack Newalla Town as do the Chaos Space Marines.

CHAOS SPACE MARINES versus Eldar

Game: Warhammer 40,000 4th edition
Opponent: Gary
Campaign: Phoenix campaign game 6
Mission: Sabotage
1st turn: Eldar
Points: 1500
Location: Emerald Ridge (location 6), Tyro Peninsula, Kutch, Salazar systems
Background: Autarch Icareane is reeling from the Exigators attacks, so mounts a daring counter attack on Emerald Ridge. If it is successful it will hamper communications between the Chaos Space Marine forces and give the Eldar an important strategic location.

Chaos Space Marines

• Bellicus - Daemon Prince
• Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)
• Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, plasma gun, flamer, aspiring champion with power weapon, personal icon
  
• Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• Squad Hotep – 9 Thousand sons, Sorceror

Eldar

• Icareane - Autarch, Swooping Hawk wings, power weapon, fusion gun
• Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune
• 5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
• Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• Isenrain - 9 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon

Terrain and deployment
We set the board up to represent Emerald Ridge. The hills showed the ridge itself and we put all the rocks beyond that to represent a steep rocky face. On the other side we placed two woods and a narrow mountain stream. The communications array was inside a small bunker smack in the middle of the table. Low walls surrounded the array.

The Eldar could choose which short table edge to attack from. The nimble Eldar chose to attack up the steep rocky slope, using the ridge for cover. The Exigators had three sentries on each side of the array.

With the Autarch carefully co-ordinating the attack, the sentries were only alerted when the Falcon and Wave Serpent flew in. By that time the Eldar infantry had advanced deep into Chaos territory.

The game
The Eldar advanced cautiously all across the battlefield. They were protected from incoming fire by the heavy terrain.

The Furies were summoned front and centre from squad Brakar. The Greater Daemon emerged from squad Krall. Squad Hotep tried to edge around the ridge but were slowed by the howling gales. Bellicus ordered the Rhino from squad Krall to get in amongst the enemy and report back their positions.

The Eldar continued to push up but still didn't launch their attack. The Rhino driver saw a chance to eliminate boith enemy HQ's in one fell swoop. He gunned his engines at the Farseer and Autarch, but Icareane calmly drew his fusion gun and fried the driver. The Rhino ground to a halt inches from the Autarch's feet.

Autarch Icareane's blood was up and he ordered the rest of his troops over the top. The Warp Spiders, Fire Dragons, Falcon and Dire Avengers inflicted heavy casualties on squad Brakar and the Furies. The Farseer and Icareane himself assaulted squad Hotep.

The Plague Bearers were called to the battlefield and charged into the Farseer and Autarch. So too did squad Krall and the Greater Daemon. This was too much for Icareane and he fell back. Farseer Lauthelias was made of sterner stuff and fought on.

Meanwhile, squad Kanker drove off the Warp Spiders with a hail of bolter shells. Nearby, the remaining furies assaulted the Dire Avengers but were cast back into the warp.

The epic fight involving the Farseer and Greater Daemon continued. All of the Farseer's retinue were killed but Lauthelias fought on regardless. He knew reinforcements were only seconds away.


The Autarch rallied and then ordered the Dire Avengers, Falcon and Fire Dragons to engage the Plague Marines. The Rangers and Howling Banshees positioned themselves to save the Farseer.

Battle was joined! Squad Krall were gutted and a single survivor fell back. The Plague Bearers were similarly mauled but fearlessly fought on.

On the other flank, the Dire Avengers became embroiled in a close assault with Kanker himself. He held out long enough for Daemon Prince Bellicus to steam in. The Avengers took casualties but bravely stayed in the fight. Meanwhile, the Fire Dragons were taking a beating from the Daemonettes in a viscious fistfight. This allowed Icareane and the Warp Spiders to move into the centre, though.

Their target was now in sight.

Autarch Icareane used his Swooping Hawk wings to fly onto the bunker. He began to attach the charges and hoped his troops would be able to occupy the Chaos forces for long enough.

Their were two decisive combats.

In the first, the Guardians charged in against the Nurgle daemons. The last Thousand Sons fell, but the Exigators were still victorious as the Greater Daemon decimated the Rangers. The Daemonettes charged in and sliced up the Farseer. The Howling Banshees quit the field, appalled at the loss of their spiritual leader to their archenemy. The Guardians shamed the Howling Banshees by sacrificing their lives to delay the daemons.

It was now down to Bellicus. Again the Avengers took a beating, but Laconfir held them firm against the onslaught.

The Eldar had done enough. A dull crump signalled the destruction of the array.

With a defiant roar, Bellicus led his surviving troops back off Emerald Ridge.

Result: Loss

Commendations

• Chaos - Greater Daemon
  
• Eldar - Autarch
  

Turning Point
The Eldar passing two morale checks near the end of the game which kept the Autarch safe while he planted the charges.

Learning points

• Gary and I disagreed about this mission. I thought the Eldar were one of the armies who would do well at it because of their speed (fast vehicles, fleet of foot) and durability (holo-fielded Falcon, Warp Spiders, Fortune), while Gary thought it was impossible for the Eldar to win because they had to advance into the teeth of the Chaos army. In the end it was tight, but the Eldar won out.
• There were numerous complicated combats in this game featuring multiple units. I really need to read the assault rules again to get the finer points fixed in my head. Then again, is it worth it with 5th edition just around the corner?
  

Experience points Including previous games

Chaos Space Marines

• +50 Bellicus - Daemon Prince
• +400 Ppbhuln'naks - Greater Daemon (Great Unclean One)
• -50 Squad Krall – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory, Rhino with Extra Armour
• -300 Squad Brakar – 10 Chaos space marines, plasma gun, lascannon, aspiring champion with powerfist, icon of chaos glory
• +460 Squad Kanker - 7 Plague marines, plasma gun, flamer, aspiring champion with power weapon, personal icon
  
• +450 Iideommae - 6 Lesser daemons (Daemonettes)
• -400 Arableuerakiar - 8 Lesser daemons (Furies)
• +350 Uuandearzao - 9 Lesser daemons (Plague Bearers)
• -150 Squad Hotep – 9 Thousand sons, Sorceror

Eldar

• +190 Icareane - Autarch, Swooping Hawk wings, power weapon, fusion gun
• +800 Lauthelias - Farseer runes of warding runes of witnessing, spirit stones, doom, fortune
• 5 warlocks, enhance, embolden
• -550 Laconfir - 8 Dire Avengers, Exarch with diresword, shuriken pistol, bladestorm
• 0 Nazrain - 10 Guardians, starcannon
• +810 Saduras Clearsight - 5 Rangers
• +950 Amost - 1 Falcon, scatterlaser, holofield
• +960 Isenrain - 9 Warpspiders, Exarch with deathspinners, powerblades, withdraw
• -600 Lothost - 5 Firedragons, exarch with fire pike
• +550 Sheira - 7 Howling Banshees, Exarch with executioner + wavesepent with starcannon