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So, my brother and I decided to start our first campaign (The one found towards the back of the BrB). I play Tau, and he took his Vanilla Space Marines. The first mission was seize ground, with a small patrol of 500 pts.

My List:

HQ:97 pts

Shas'El w/PR, MP, TA, hwMT 97 pts

[u][i]Elites:146 pts

Crisis Team:73
Team Leader w/TL MP, PR, hwMT 73 pts

Crisis Team:73
Team Leader w/TL FB, MP, hwMT 73 pts

Troops:164 pts

Firewarrior Squad:80 pts
8 Firewarriors w/Pulse Carbines 80 pts (first try with Pulse Carbines)

Kroot Carnivore:84 pts
12 Kroot 84 pts (Never underestimate the power of 36 4+/4+ attacks, even on power armor; plus my bro always** takes assault units when fighting my Tau, d'uh)

[u][i]Heavy Support:93 pts

Broadsied Team:93 pts
Team Leader w/ASS, hwMT, hwBSF 93 pts

His Force, sans Point Costs (can't remeber exact)

HQ:

Captain with Combi-melta ( suit-killer!), Lightning Claw

Troops:

5 man Tac Squad
*Razorback w/TL HB

5 man Scout squad with Sniper Rifles and Camo Cloaks

Elites:

Dreadnought w/MM and HF
*Drop Pod (Hate these things)

**No Assault Units, strange?!

The Battle:

As stated, it was a Seize Ground (3 objectives), and deployment type was Dawn of War. I won the roll-off for deployment an placed my kroot in some woods mid-left-side of the table (4x4) with one objective marker, FWs behind a rocky rise (small hill) mid-south of table, with another objective, and my Commander behind a ruined wall between them. He placed his Scouts caddy-corner from the Kroot in just outside another wooded area with the third objective marker. His Captain and Tac Squad were in the Razorback Far mid-north of the table next to a one story building.

I elected to keep the Suit with the TL MP in Reserve, everything else entered on my turn.

Turn 1:

TL FB suit enters on Far-East-Side of the table maneuvering behind another ruined wall for the cover save from the Sniper Rifles. Broadside enters mid-south under Slow and Purposeful and attempts to pop the razorback.....EPIC FAIL! This will become a trend for the duration of the battle.

His Dread in DP lands...with a hit...right next to my Broadside...vaporised in melting death!
Razorback advances up at 12" Scouts move into woods with 3rd objective marker.

Turn 2:

Dread with MM and HF had to die or it was over for me. Commander JSJ inside 12"...I manage to get an Immobilized result. That was the extent of my good fortune in this battle, the dice hated me like Vietnam Vets hate Jane Fonda

That was the extent of my turn, eventful, I know

Razorback advacnes 6", Captain and Tacs disembark, Captain, after separating from the Tac Squad fires Combi-Melta at my my Commander... ...
Tac Squad unleashes RF Bolter fire into FWs in cover behind the rocks, x4...Morale Test... , the flee off the objective.
Dread misses Kroot in woods

Turn 3:
My other suit arrives from Reserve, yay. I roll a hit on the scatter, right behind (8"ish) his Razorback, FIRE...Shaken, and HB Destroyed, meh.
Kroot Shooting kills 2 Tac Marines, the pass Morale
FB Suit kills another with FB , then launches an assault, desperate I now, but there were only two Tac Marines with no power weapons, my thought was lock them up, to contest the middle objective, while at the same time protecting him from the sniper scouts, it worked for almost two turns.
FWs fail to regroup and continue to flee...to a spot right in front of the Dread (w/ Heavy Flamer, wink wink), my brother ROFLMAOs for like 10 minutes uncontrollably, can't says I blame, I laughed too,

Razorback moves into a position to tank shock my Kroot next turn
Captain turns around and manages to assault TL MP suit,
Scouts snipe Kroot, drop 2, leadership test passed
Dread incinerates 3 of the 4 FWs, somehow failed to wound the 4th, who flees off the table, what a lucky git

Turn 4:
Razorback Tank Shocks, to no avail, Dread snipes the Kroot which is all it can see, drops 1
Kroot take a wound of the Captain with their shooting
Last suit remains locked with 2 Tac Marines

Dread Snipes a Kroot,
Captain moves up to Assault, but can't quite get there
Snipers drop 2 more Kroot
Tac Squad inflict one wound, finally, and win combat, Suit fails leadership, flees, gets swept (foot infantry really shouldn't be able to Sweep Jump Infantry imho), consolidate on the middle objective.

Turn5:

Kroot Assault his Captain, Captain kills 3 Kroot, 18 attacks from remaining Kroot yield 7 wounds...hooray...wait...Captain passes Saves, wins combat, Kroot lose hope, get swept

Game Over

Continued in next post

I was a little miffed, as I thought I had a good force, just exceedingly bad luck, and maybe some bad initial placement/distance misjudgements.

So for the 750 pt game, I added the following:

Elite:77 pts

Crisis Team:77 pts
Team Leader w/TL PR, MP, hwMT 77 pts

Troops:80 pts

Fire Warrior Squad:80 pts
8 Fire Warriors w/Pulse Carbines (Didn't get a chance to see how effective the were or not, lol)

Heavy Support:93 pts

Broadside Team:93 pts
Team Leader w/ASS, hwMT, hwBSF 93 pts

He added a locator beacon on the Drop Pod and a Termie Squad with AC.

Deployement was a Capture and Control with Dawn of War. the board was set up with buildings on the north and south, with a no-mans' land between them filled with some craters, rubble, razorwire, and one very critical ruined wall.

Objectives were placed in the central buildings on our respective edges.

He won the roll-off and placed first.

Scouts on a rooftop (of his objective building) on his side of the board, Razorback with Tac Squad and Captain right next to, entirely in cover, except for one angle, 'insert evil laugh'. His Dread in the Drop Pod, Termies in Reserve.

I held the TL PR suit in Reserve, deployed one fire warrior Squad behind the ruined wall, just to the west of center of the table, the additional fire warrior squad just outside a crater, with hopes of getting to the crater and its glorious cover. My Commander was deployed next the first Squad, also behind the ruined wall.

I roll to seize the initiative... , how interesting.

Turn 1:

My Broadsides enter the table, with Slow and Purposeful on, one with a crystal clear firing lane to the Razorback...FIRE...hit!...pen... , Explosion kills one Tac Marine, don't you love redemtion?
The other Broadside takes a pot-shot at the scouts on the roof...hit...wound...failed 3+ Cover Save
Kroot enter map just shy of building with my objective.
TL FB suit enters the table between the two Broadsides, much better positioning than the last game.
TL MP suit advances on East Central Side, fires at but fails to kill a Scout.
Fire Warrior Squad rolls to see scouts, succeds, 8 S5 shots, 1 Dead Scout, nice.
Other Fire Warrior Squad gets to the crater, sees Scouts, 8 S5 shots, 2 Dead Scouts, .
Commander JSJs, puts one wound on his Captain...GAME ON!!!

His Drop Pod (Did I mention I hate these things ) lands...Scatters!...3"
Dread disembarks, and fires MM and HF at my Commander, with the HF also scoring 6 hits on the FWs. MM...miss ...whew...HF wounds the commander, who fails the armour save, -1 Wound, HF only wounds 4 FWs, who pass their Morale Test , this would prove pivotal.
His Captain, which separates, and 4 remaining Tac Marines seek the cover the objective building barely making the difficult terrain test
Remaining Scout can't see.

Turn 2:

TL FB suit JSJs the rear armor of the Dread, FB...hit...pen!...
One Broadside gets to the roof, again with Slow and Purposeful, and fires at the last scout...hit...wound...failed 3+ Cover Save...Messy!
The Boradside that popped the Razor moves with Slow and Purposeful, 2", lol, wrecks Drop Pod
8 man FWs advance further into the large crater, fire 8 S5 shots at Tac Squad, killing 1, , Morale Test Passed
TL MP suit advances but doesn't kill anything.
Commander JSJs the Tac Squad, killing 1 more, Morale Test FAILED The remaining two Marines almost retreat off the table, lol
4 Man FWs fires 4 S5 shots at Commander, inflicting 1 wound, fails armor save
Kroot enter my objective building, also will prove pivotal.
My TL PR suit fails reserve roll, guess I'll just have to wait another turn.

Sam, my brother, is quite bewildered at this dramatic (and rather tty for him) turn of events, especially in light of the recent thumping he layed on me in the previous mission.

His Termies fail to show this turn.
Tac Squad regroups, and advances back into the cover of his objective building, out of range for the RF Bolters
Captain bravely (fine-line between bravery and stupidity) leaves the safety of the ruined structure in attempt to exact some revenge upon my Commander, he fires his Combi-melta, MISS!

Turn 3:
My TL PR suit arrives kills one Tac Marine, Morale Passed
Broadside on the building fires at his Captain, hit, wound, damn Iron Halo
Other Broadside moves with Slow and Purposeful, rolls , dosen't have line of sight to anything,
8 man FWs advances out of the crater fires 8 S5 shots, kills last Tac Marine
TL MP fires and hits Captain, who saves.
Commander fires and hits Captain, who saves again
TL FB fires and misses Captain double
Kroot chill in the Objective building
4 Man FWs fires 4 S5 shots at Commander, 4 wounds, 2 Failed Saves, insert evil laugh

His Termies still don't show up!

Turn 4:

I have nothing to shoot at, nothing at all, lol!!!

So I manuever my suits to the center of the table, or as close as I can get them, so they will be able to faster react for when/if his Termies ever do show up, lol.
8 man FWs secures objective in his starting zone!

His Termies show up!
He rolls a hit on the scatter die, right in front of my objective building
For some reason, I think probably battle fatigue on his part, he elects to shoot at my 8 man FWs, killing 4, they fail Morale, and susequently flee to back to the middle of the board.

Turn 5:

Broadside on roof kills one Termie
Kroot, Holy , unleash a fusilade of fire, killing not 1, not 2, but 3 of his Termies, ing 3 OF THEM!!!
Broadside number 2 fires TL Railgun, hits, wounds, Saves, fires SMS, hits, wounds, fails save

Game Over

I hope you all enjoyed the Batrep, it was my first one (wells, technically second if you count the first battle up above).

The reason I included it was so I could show you the Army Lists in action. Tell me what you think.

Fairly good batrep.

I rather like kroot against vanilla marines because you can outnumber them in CC enough to have a good chance at winning the combat.

I only have 1 question on the first game, why did you keep your TL MP suit in reserve? Tau usually should have all of there guns on the table, with the exception of troops (because sometimes you want to guarantee they will be living to capture objectives)... so I saw no advantage in keeping him in reserve.

In general, it may be worth it to give your broadside a shield drone at this low a points level, because if your opponent is fielding armor they will probably attempt to destroy it early on... and it was.

On your 500 pt. list: - (You miscalculate the points of one your crisis suits btw)

At this low a level, I would have tried to keep my crisis suits minimalists, so I would have given them all a Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod, and Multi-Tracker.

Also, since fire warriors aren't incredibly good, I would have also given them a minimal unit. I would have put pulse rifles on the fire warriors for the extra range and rapid fire.

The BF usually does next to nothing, so it is pretty much wasted points on your broadside. If you get your broadside a MT, you may as well get him a TL Plasma Rifle.

With any spare points you have after this, I would get 1 more crisis suit, and then just fill up the rest with kroot.

On your 750 Pt. List:

Exactly what I said on your other list, (also, I would have gotten more kroot instead of another unit of fire warriors).

Thanks for the comments, Bringer. I have found that Kroot are often underestimated, especially if you through some hounds in there.

I can't remember the exact reason I kept the TL MP suit in reserve, I almost never use reserve units with my Tau. Might have just been a lapse in judgment, but I'm sure I must have had a good reason at the time. No good answer to that one.

I usually do give my Broadside Shield Drones and BK, or at least Gun Drones for the ablative wound. At 500 points though, it is difficult to squeeze that in, as you have to take 2 drones, I wish you could take just one.

I disagree with you that Fire Warriors aren't incredibly good. I have had excellent success with them, in numerous situations. Whether it is unleashing a FoF, holding an objective, or general fire support, I've always done well with them, except the 500pt game above, they didn't do anything. I always take Pulse Rifles on them, for this Army I was going for more maneuverable/versatile foot soldiers, that's why I gave them the Carbines(personally, I think it ought to be an Assault 2, Pinning weapon at like +2 or 3 points per model upgraded).

I diversified the suits cause I didn't know what he would be taking. It is not uncommon for him to take something like a predator in a 500pt game, I needed to have some added punch, ala Broadside and TL FB suit, just in case.

I took the Blasksun Filter(s) because I knew it was going to be night fighting, and in the case of the second battle, it was worth its points. I don't usually take them myself, but if you know night fighting is going to be one of the conditions, then it makes sense to take them.

Thanks for your reply, Bringer.

Shas'O...Crap wrote:
I usually do give my Broadside Shield Drones and BK, or at least Gun Drones for the ablative wound. At 500 points though, it is difficult to squeeze that in, as you have to take 2 drones, I wish you could take just one.

You can just take 1 "Must take one or two..."

Shas'O...Crap wrote:
I disagree with you that Fire Warriors aren't incredibly good. I have had excellent success with them, in numerous situations. Whether it is unleashing a FoF, holding an objective, or general fire support, I've always done well with them, except the 500pt game above, they didn't do anything. I always take Pulse Rifles on them, for this Army I was going for more maneuverable/versatile foot soldiers, that's why I gave them the Carbines(personally, I think it ought to be an Assault 2, Pinning weapon at like +2 or 3 points per model upgraded).

FoF is the only exception I would give to fire warriors, gunline-ing them doesn't do so hot. *Looks at list* - I see no devilfish, so I would suggest minimizing the unit (and at this points level, you shouldn't take devilfish).

Shas'O...Crap wrote:
I diversified the suits cause I didn't know what he would be taking. It is not uncommon for him to take something like a predator in a 500pt game, I needed to have some added punch, ala Broadside and TL FB suit, just in case.

I took the Blasksun Filter(s) because I knew it was going to be night fighting, and in the case of the second battle, it was worth its points. I don't usually take them myself, but if you know night fighting is going to be one of the conditions, then it makes sense to take them.

Thanks for your reply, Bringer.

Fair enough. I consider Fireknives flexible because they have the capability to take out predators or heavy infantry.

Shas'O...Crap wrote:
(personally, I think it ought to be an Assault 2, Pinning weapon at like +2 or 3 points per model upgraded).

Yeah, most everything in the Tau codex needs revision. >.< The VnB should be assault 2 (or it at least would make them worthwhile), carbines should probably just get a range boost (and it would be nice if they had rending). And overall, I think fire warriors should be worth 9 points, or get a BS boost.

I would say that the codex implies that you have to take one, gun, shield, or marker drone, any combination, or two of one kind. However, many pieces of wargear in the Codex are either outdated, or poorly described enough to the point of ambiguity. Take the Pulse Carbine for instance, it says "with the chance to mount an underslung photon grenade launcher"; does this mean it comes with photon grenades? One could argue either way.

With Fire Warrios, I would say they make excellent gunline troops, especially against Ork armies. Never underestimate massed S5 shooting at 30". YMMV

While I like Kroot, they are too situation specific to be taken as your primary troops, ala 1 barebones FWs and the rest being Kroot. They only do well in cover (specifically trees), as they have no armor save (which is lame). They are good for counter-charging, but with the Initiative 3, it can be dicey, see above when Kroot assaulted his lone Captain.

One thing to keep in mind is that it was just a 500pt and 750pt battle. At these low point values, considering that 2/3 of missions are objective-based, one should take more than 2 barebones minimum troop choices as you will need them to control objectives, and survive through the game. 6 Fire Warriors don't have much mutual support or survival odds, admittedly, 8 aren't much better, but 10 or 12 are, imho.

When creating an army list of Tau, I've found, through advice and experience that you want to maximize the number of suits you take, and you also want 1/5-1/3 of your points to be spent on troops, closer to 1/3 in small points games because of the two compulsory choices.

My point is 6 Fire Warriors is to few to be effective at even holding an objective. They do have the best frontline weapon in the game, and one should take advantage of that. By limiting yourself to so few Pulse Rifles/Carbines, your causing my harm than good, imho. S5 is really good for forcing armor saves.

I do agree with you that Fireknives (PR, MP, MT) are the best utility suit. In larger point games, I usually have at list one unit of 3 suits all decked out as Fireknives. Their ability to deal with a predator is iffy, though, unless you can get around behind it, or side armor shot, but they are a good setup.