I had a really exciting game today versus the new Tau. Here is my army list:
Abbadon
7x Berserker - Icon of Wrath
Champion - lightning claw & power fist
Chaos Land Raider - extra armor, dozer blades & dirge caster
Kharn
8x Chosen - 2x power axe, power sword, flamer, Mark of Khorne, Icon of Wrath
Champion - lightning claw, boltgun & power fist
Chaos Land Raider - extra armor, dozer blades & dirge caster
7x Berserker - Veterans of the Long War & Icon of Wrath
Champion - lightning claw, power fist, melta bombs & Boon of Chaos
Chaos Land Raider - extra armor, dozer blades & dirge caster
2x Chaos Spawn - Mark of Nurgle
Chaos Contemptor Dreadnaught (300 points) - extra armor, heavy conversion beamer, Havoc missile launcher, dreadnaught close combat weapon with built in plasma blaster & Dedication to Khorne
Here is the Tau army to the best of my recollection:
Commander - Iridium Suit, plasma rifle, missile pod, drone controller
6x Marker Drone (attached to Commander)
Farsight
4x Crisis Suit - 4x plasma rifle & missile pod
Shadowsun
2x Crisis Suit - 2x plasma rifle & missile pod
12x Fire Warrior w. squad leader
12x Fire Warrior w. squad leader
15x Kroot & Hound - sniper
15x Kroot & Hound - sniper
Riptide - Ion accelerator, Stim Injector
Hammerhead - Longstrike & disruption pod
3x Broadside - missilesides
2x Broadside - twin linked railguns & missile pods
Skyray
6x Pathfinder
Aegis Defense Line w. quad gun
Note that my opponent had some more wargear than listed above such as some seeker missiles here and there. He didn't have much in the way of fusion - Farsight and his Crisis Team could have easily devastated at least one land raider if they had been packing some. Well at least he wasn't tailoring his list to blast my land raiders like tin cans and that's very much appreciated !
We played one of the new BeakyCon3 missions:
Primary Objective 1: The Relic (4 battle points)
Primary Objective 2: Four objective markers, each placed in the center of each table quarter (each worth 3 battle points apiece)
Bonus Points: Slay the Warlord & Line Breaker (1 battle point each)
Deployment: Vanguard Strike
My opponent won the roll to choose his deployment zone. There was a good amount of terrain with a large ruin in the center that offered some LOS blocking. Abbadon has a built-in Warlord trait that's useless versus Tau. The Tau Warlord trait (Shadowsun) was the one that allows the entire army to go to ground then get back up their next turn.
I won the roll to choose turns and elected to go first... I wanted to alpha strike the Riptide. I deployed my three land raiders behind the central ruin with the dreadnaught behind them and the two spawn in close proximity for support. My opponent castled up in one corner with the Fire Warriors, Broadsides, Commander with marker drones, Hammerhead all sitting behind the Aegis Defense Line. The Pathfinders were deployed towards the center of the table. He infiltrated Shadowsun with Crisis Team (whom I jokingly refer to as lil Miss Sunshine) and one squad of Kroot in his adjacent table corner. He held Farsight (deep strike) and the other squad of Kroot (outflanking) in reserve.
My opponent failed to seize the initiative.
- 1st Turn: Khorne
The lander raider carrying the Berserkers backed up a bit to move out of range from lil Miss Sunshine while the other two pivoted to target the Riptide. Shooting dropped two wounds on the Riptide and the dreadnaught managed to glance the Hammerhead. Not a bad start.
- 1st Turn: Tau
Lil Miss Shadowsun and friends moved forward but her fusion guns were out of range. The Hammerhead whiffed versus Abbadon's land raider as did the Riptide as well. Assault moves saw lil Miss Sunshine hop back 10 inches, the Commander and marker drones jumped up behind the central ruins.
Kroot are holding one objective.
- 2nd Turn: Khorne
At this point I could have easily made a play for the Relic with Abbadon and his Berserkers but I didn't want to play it that way as it kind of defeats the purpose of my army's theme... In a tournament I would have probably done so but this game I really wanted to see what my army could do in melee.
The Berserkers' land raider moved up 6 inches toward the Kroot holding the objective... They would need 5 inches to charge the Kroot. The other two land raiders held still along with the dreadnaught for maximum shooting. The two stationary land raiders dropped the Riptide (remember there's no bonus for First Blood) while the dreadnaught penetrated the Hammerhead, stunning it (one hull point left). Here is where I made a really huge mistake... I rolled the 3d6 for the Berserkers to charge the Kroot in a little piece of forest. I rolled 5" which just enough to ensure the charge then got greedy wanting to get more of my Berserkers in base contact so I opted to reroll the charge (Icon of Wrath) and then failed (rolled a 1 and 2). Like I said really really stupid decision... Had I stuck with the original roll I would have probably swept the Kroot. Now my Berserkers were standing out in open ground with bulls eyes painted on their chest plates. Oh well that's how we learn. I should have known better and will never make that mistake again !
- 2nd Turn: Tau
Farsight and the Kroot both come in from reserve. The Kroot come in one the wrong side (same side as the Tau castle). Farsight and his Crisis Team go for a high risk deep strike to target the dreadnaught (S6 plasma can't scratch AV13), he was hoping for some shots on side armor but scattered back 10 inches - Heh ! Shooting sees all the Berserkers except for the champion toasted. Lil Miss Sunshine vaporizes their land raider as well. No other damage inflicted in the shooting phase.
Kroot are still holding one objective.
- 3rd Turn: Khorne
I decide to go after Farsight with Abbadon and his Berserkers. The spiteful dreadnaught targets the Kroot holding the objective and breaks them. Note that the Kroot still have enough numbers to test normally for morale. Both land raiders whiff against the Hammerhead. Abbadon and his squad then assault Farsight and his Crisis Team, the champion issues the challenge which is accepted by Farsight. Farsight drops the champion with his Dawn Blade while Abbadon rolls a 1 for Drachyen's daemon test - takes a wound and fails to inflict even one wound. Berserkers drop three of the Crisis suits which then break and fall back 10 inches or more.
- 4th Turn: Tau
Kroot regroup and run back up to the objective. Lots of focused fire on Abbadon and his Berserkers sees only Abbadon left standing with two wounds left (he passed many Look Out Sirs and armor saves by the way). Tau also manage to strip one hull point off Abbadon's land raider.
Kroot are still holding one objective.
- 5th Turn: Khorne
I decide to gamble and hope the game goes onto a sixth turn. Abbadon hops back into his land raider while Kharn's land raider scoots ahead 12 inches straight towards the Tau castle. Dreadnaught stands still and drops pie plates on the Kroot holding the objective... I kill enough to force a break check but they pass morale. Spawn start to move toward the other squad of Kroot. Both land raiders light up the Hammerhead and destroy it... I roll a 6 for the explosion but fail to do much damage versus the two squads of Fire Warriors. Not much left now in the Tau arsenal that can hurt my remaining two land raiders besides Farsight's Dawn Blade and lil Miss Sunshine's fusion blasters and she is a long way away from them.
- 5th Turn: Tau
My opponent shoots mostly at the dreadnaught with what's in range but inflicts no damage. Kroot are unable to inflict any wounds on the rapidly approaching spawn.
We roll for a sixth turn and play on. At this point my opponent has three battle points (Kroot) while I have none.
- 6th Turn: Khorne
It's all or nothing now. Kharn's land raider tank shocks through the Commander and his marker drones while Abbadon disembarks to charge a squad of Fire Warriors. Spawn move into charge range of the Kroot not holding the objective. Dreadnaught targets the Kroot holding the objective but fails to get past their cover save. Both land raiders unload into the Commander and marker drones stripping two wounds off the Commander. Dreadnaught targets a squad of Fire Warriors and inflicts some serious damage but they do not break... Drat ! Abbadon then charges the Fire Warriors and must challenge their squad leader... He cuts him down easily with the Claw of Horus then the Tau break and run away. Abbadon was not having all that great of a day to say the least. Kharn and his Chosen then multi assault Farsight, both squads of Fire Warriors and both squads of Broadsides... All the Tau units are summarily destroyed in a true blood orgy. Kharn and his Chosen then consolidate onto an objective marker. Spawn assault the Kroot and lose one on the way in to Overwatch... The one remaining spawn wins the combat and sweeps them.
- 6th Turn: Tau
Not much left on either side of the fence now. Lil Miss Sunshine moves up to target a land raider and whiffs. Everything else that can target Kharn and the Chosen do so... Kharn passes many saves and is left standing with two wounds plus four remaining Chosen. Abbadon is finally gunned down as well... Oh well like I said it was not a good day for him.
I now have four battle points - one objective marker and Line Breaker. Tau also have four as well - one objective marker held by the last two Kroot and Slay the Warlord. We roll for a seventh turn and continue to play on.
- 7th Turn: Khorne
Kharn splits off to solo assault lil Miss Sunshine and her Crisis Team. The Chosen shuffle around to move out of line of sight. Both land raiders and the dreadnaught target the two Kroot but come up empty due to their cover saves. Kharn then charges lil Miss Sunshine and waxes her hiney then sweeps the Crisis suits. The Chosen target the Commander and his marker drones killing a couple but they don't break... Tau passed a heck of a lot of morale checks this game.
- 7th Turn: Tau
What shooting the Tau have left that can target the Chosen fires and kills one. In a surprise move the Commander and his remaining drones charge the Chosen to contest the objective marker. The Commander survives with one wound left while the last of the drones are butchered. The Commander then just passes his morale check.
Khorne - 2 battle points (Slay the Warlord & Line Breaker)
Tau - 4 battle points (one objective marker & Slay the Warlord)
Very tight game, could have easily gone my way if my opponent had failed just one key Ld7 morale check. So I lost but overall I was happy with how my army performed. I was in a position to win at the end. My opponent charging the Chosen was a really smart move ! Congrats to him for a very hard fought win.