Blood Ravens 8th Company vs. Tau - 1000 points [slideshow] using 6th Edition!

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**SabrX**

The Blood Ravens 8th Company lead by commander Ezreal makes planet fall on the planet Zanzibar. Located along the eastern fringe, Zanzibar was a feral world, known for its dry climate and harsh desserts. The natives of Zanzibar were mostly tribesmen, who worshipped the Emperor and his angels of death. There was also an unusual number of psykers within Zanzibar’s population. Both this and the planet’s harsh conditions made it an ideal recruiting world for the Blood Ravens Chapter.

Upon landing, commander Ezreal setup base near a large sandstone rock formation in the planet’s southern hemisphere. For centuries, this rock formation served as a ritual site. Every six decades, when the Blood Ravens visit, natives of Zanzibar sent men who possess warrior traits qualities to partake in the Trials of Blood. The Trials of Blood consist of tests where the Blood Ravens measured each recruit’s combat skills and latent psyker abilities. Anyone who passed was inducted into the scouts training program.

However this year, none of the Zanzibar’s candidates arrived at the rock formation. After two days of waiting, commander Ezreal dispatch scouts across the planet’s surface. The next day, scouts in the eastern dessert made an alarming discovery. There they discovered a Tau encampment and much of the planet’s population sporting Tau garments, blue makeup, and single braid haircuts. While the Blood Ravens were gone, the Tau had landed and converted Zanzibar’s population to the greater good.
Furious, commander Ezreal launch an assault to purge the xenos taint. Having detected the oncoming invasion force, the Tau mobilizes their forces to defend their new colony.

.....

Hey folks! Summers here and 6th edition just got released. I got my first game in playing my Blood Ravens against Tau. It was a long game. My opponent and I check and re-check the new rules, clearing up any confusions.

Army Lists

Blood Ravens 8th Company (codex Blood Angels)
-Librarian, Jump Pack, Shield of Sanguinius, Unlesh Rage
-Sanguinary Priest, Jump Pack
-10 Assault Marines, Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns
-10 Assault Marines, Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns
-10 Assault Marines, Power Fist, 2 Flamers
-5 Assault Marines, 1 Flamer

Tau
-Etheral
-Shas'O, Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod and Multi-tracker
-3 Crisis Suits, Plasma Rifle, Missile Pod, Multi-trackers, Team Leader, 2 Gun Drones
-6 Stealth Suits, 2 Fusion Blasters.
-12 Fire Warriors, Team Leader, Photon Grenade
-12 Fire Warriors, Team Leader, Photon Grenade
-8 Pathfinders, Devilfish

Link to slideshow

https://picasaweb.google.com/101004510049334313538/1000ptsBloodAngelsVersusTau?noredirect=1#5761916886193154258

Spoiler:

Afterthoughts

Spoiler:

.....

“For the Emperor!” yells Ezreal. He activates his Jump Pack and slams into a Tau Ethereal. The force knocks the xeno leader to the ground. Ezreal reverses his grip on his sword and slams it into the Etheral's blue chest, slaying the xenos.

“The day is won,” bellows Ezreal as he hoist his sword into the air.

A sudden hush fell across the battlefield, as all Tau turn and stares in horror at their slain leader.

“Noble Ethereal, we have lost you!” Scream a Fire Warrior. “Evil Gue’la, they shall pay for slaying honorable Aun’Tor!” Cries a Pathfinder.

The Tau forces falls into disarray. Some flee, but most are consumed by rage and fight on. Soon the Tau’s volume of fire doubles, cutting down swathe of Assault Marines into pieces. Commander Ezreal orders his forces forward, but the weight of fire is overwhelming.

At the end of the day, the Blood Ravens emerge victorious, but at a terrible price.

**SevenSins**

nice slideshow, so etherals might be worth it then, if they die and you pass leadership of course... Bloody cowards for the win

**Budda 09**

The tau seemed to be a lot more resistant than they were in 5th. Great batrep! The slideshow and pictures were great without overloading on too much info, keep them coming

**kenshin620**

Pretty cool slideshow, but one thing that bugs me is that the complete lack of terrain. A flat open field is exactly what a tau player wants!

**jy2**

Great battle SabrX. Interesting to see that Tau put up such a fight against FNP BA. The tactic with the sacrificial ethereal was a real gamble. Sure Prefered Enemy now helps your shooting, but with the low-LD Tau deployed so close to their board edge, he's bound to lose a couple of units (depending on how many units he had).

I see BA getting a boost from 6th, but I see Tau getting an arguably bigger boost as well with allies. Now imagine Tau getting screened by 60 Fearless ork boyz and warboss. Now they've got a better screening unit and an actual assault presence. I really like this combo.

**SabrX**

SevenSins wrote:nice slideshow, so etherals might be worth it then, if they die and you pass leadership of course... Bloody cowards for the win

Bloody cowards indeed. In the battle between sergeant with power fist against Shas'O, 1 out of 3 hit, but I rolled a 1 to wound.

Budda 09 wrote:The tau seemed to be a lot more resistant than they were in 5th. Great batrep! The slideshow and pictures were great without overloading on too much info, keep them coming

Thanks! I'll try to get a game in once a week with slide show battle reports.

kenshin620 wrote:Pretty cool slideshow, but one thing that bugs me is that the complete lack of terrain. A flat open field is exactly what a tau player wants!

We actually used the terrain that already came with the map. Craters are crater, ruins are ruins, and walls are walls. Sorry for not mentioning it earlier.

jy2 wrote:Great battle SabrX. Interesting to see that Tau put up such a fight against FNP BA. The tactic with the sacrificial ethereal was a real gamble. Sure Prefered Enemy now helps your shooting, but with the low-LD Tau deployed so close to their board edge, he's bound to lose a couple of units (depending on how many units he had).

I see BA getting a boost from 6th, but I see Tau getting an arguably bigger boost as well with allies. Now imagine Tau getting screened by 60 Fearless ork boyz and warboss. Now they've got a better screening unit and an actual assault presence. I really like this combo.

Only a single unit of Fire Warriors ran off the table after the Ethereal died. My opponent and I were discussing combos toward the end of the game. Tau could field Shadowsun with her 18" leadership 10 bubble to reduce the damage done from losing the Ethereal.

With the new allies rule, I can see people buying a couple units, but not whole second armies, just to compliment their first army. Screening Orks sounds like a great idea for Tau, though it will be more fluff to have large blocks of stubborn IG who switched over to the greater good.

**BrotherGnaeus**

Awsome! love the use of the blood angels dex with the blood Ravens. Knowledge is power Guard it well