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And here’s a batrep from the July 14^th RTT over at Game Empire Pasadena.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I think I’ve pretty much nailed down my Tau list now, so I haven’t changed it too much from previously.

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1 Shas’O – Plasma/Fusion/C&C Node
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->1 Ethereal <!--[endif]-->

3 Fireknives (Plasma/Missile/Multi) w/ 2 Shield Drones
3 Fireknives (Plasma/Missile/Multi) w/ 2 Shield Drones
3 Deathrains (TwinLinked Missile/Flamer)

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6 Fire Warriors w/ Carbines
10 Kroot
10 Kroot

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8 Pathfinders w/ Warfish (SMS, Multi)
8 Pathfinders w/ Warfish (SMS, Multi)
1 Pirahna w/ Fusion and Targetting Array

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3 Broadsides w/ ASS and 2 Shield Drones
1 Ionhead w/ Burst Cannons
1 Ionhead w/ Burst Cannons

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Game One – Emissary Escort

Aric playing Necrons

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1 Lord w/ Disco Ball and Veil

10 Immortals
10 Immortals
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->10 Immortals
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14 Warriors
14 Warriors

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8 Scarabs
7 Scarabs

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<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->1  Monolith<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
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I end up with the Emissary and promptly bury it in a Pathfinder team w/ attached Ethereal.  The plan is to blast a hole in the Necron lines and deliver the Emissary via Devilfish into the opposing deployment zone.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I deploy corner castle and lose the first turn roll, but Aric gives it to me. <!--[endif]-->

There’s a pretty good chunk of Level 2 terrain right next to where I want to make my breakthrough, so that’s my first destination.  Long range Ion and Missile Pod shots knock down 8 Warriors and a pair of Immortals which isn’t too bad of a start.  I leave the Ionheads right where they are along the backedge and the rest of my army advances.  6 Warriors actually stay down, which is a surprise in itself.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Return fire from the Necrons does nothing and we move right along. <!--[endif]-->

I arrive at the terrain piece and begin establishing a JSJ firebase, being careful to avoid the Scarab charge range which might really put a crimp in my plans.  I’m just sniping away, waiting for the Monolith to arrive from Reserve, which should signify the start of the crunching.  Most of our armies are pretty well hidden and there’s only a few casualties here and there.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I’m keeping my skimmers well back from the front, as they outrange the Necrons and there’s no reason to move them in just yet. <!--[endif]-->

Right on schedule, the Monolith drops right in front of my line and bug zaps around itself, while teleporting a Warrior squad to charge my line.  Immortals advance towards the terrain piece while the Lord Veils the other Warrior squad to my left flank, which fortunately lands a little too far away to cause much damage.  Scarabs race out, but are just barely out of charge range.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->The Monolith’d Warrior squad ends up locked in CC with a Fireknife team, but the fight continues. <!--[endif]-->

3 Railguns slam the Monolith and come away with nothing, which is a sad occurrence that seems to happen quite often to me.  Markerlights illuminate an Immortal pack and the other Fireknife team and Ionheads knock them down.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->The now exposed Scarabs get whittled down, and my Commander + Deathrains charge into the CC fray to try to break the fight, which fails. <!--[endif]-->

The Monolith continues to lay waste around itself and teleports another group of Immortals to charge my Broadside unit.  It’s a long vicious CC fight, but the Ethereal rerolls keep the suits holding and WBB keeps the Warriors and Immortals ticking.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->The Lord Veils its accompanying Warriors closer to the fight, and in an ugly turn of events, scatters perfectly into the midst of the close combat. <!--[endif]-->

Time gets called at the end of the 3^rd, and with that last scatter I’m way ahead in VPs.  It was sort of a downer to have the game ending just as the Necrons were getting back in, especially as it could have gone either way with a large CC fight in the center, the Monolith still operational, and the Tau skimmers all trying to sneak into the deployment zone.  Oh well, such are game time limits.

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<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Postgame Thoughts: <!--[endif]-->

The game didn’t really get too much of a chance to develop, so not too much to say here.

Game Two – Unplanned Objectives

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Allen playing Eldar
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1 Avatar

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->1 Farseer w/ Guide and Fortune <!--[endif]-->

6 Harlequins w/ Sharp Pointy Sticks
6 Scorpions w/ Exarch

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10 Guardians w/ Bright Lance
10 Guardians w/ Bright Lance
10 Guardians w/ Bright Lance

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->20 Storm Guardians w/ Fusion Guns
10 Avengers w/ Bladestorm
10 Avengers w/ Defend <!--[endif]-->

5 Dark Reapers w/ Exarch, Missile Launcher + Fast Shot
1 Falcon w/ the usual stuff
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->1 Falcon w/ the usual stuff

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The mission gives both sides their compulsory Troops plus Infiltrators and we get to roll at the start of turn 3 to figure out exactly what we’re supposed to be doing.  There’s a good amount of terrain with a large forest taking up most of the middle left side.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I win first turn and give it to Allen.

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First turn, both sides run around and take random pot shots at each other with their limited deployments.  Nothing too exciting.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I infiltrate the Kroot and move my Fire Warriors to take the forest, while an Avenger squad runs forward towards my line. <!--[endif]-->

Top of the second, Eldar units flood onto the field with only one Falcon, the Avatar, a Brightlance squad and an Avenger squad staying off.  With nothing much to shoot at, the Scorpions  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->mount up in the Falcon which advances with the rest of his infantry, while the starting Avenger squad advances well into my zone. <!--[endif]-->

I get a Pathfinder team, the Ethereal and both Ionheads from Reserve.  The ‘Heads torch most of the Reapers while the Pathfinders shoot up the Avengers with their Carbines.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Obviously the Ethereal finds a nice safe place to hide himself. <!--[endif]-->

Top of the third, we roll for the mission and we’re now playing for Table Quarters.  The rest of the Eldar minus the last Falcon show up.  In a nice bit of luck for me, the Farseer kills himself with a failed POTW test.  Everything in the Eldar army heads for the forest, while the Reaper Exarch managed to Stun an Ionhead.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->The Scorpion Falcon zips up to my Carbine Warriors and spins sideways for a next turn charge on them. <!--[endif]-->

I draw in almost everything save a Fireknife team and the Broadsides.  The daring Avengers are eliminated by a Markerlit Crisis team and the Reaper Exarch gets splattered by the other Ionhead.  The Carbine Warriors move through the trees, planning to charge the rear of the Falcon and block the hatch.  Of course they let off a few rounds before then just for laughs, and one gets a glance!  The damage roll comes up a 6 and…..a cocked 6.  Sigh, disappointment.  Fortunately the disappointment doesn’t last long at all as the Deathrain team locks onto the Falcon and brings it down with a volley of missile fire. <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->

Start of the fourth, the last Eldar Falcon refuses to come on.  The Storm Guardian squad and Harlequins move forward into the large forest and beat the ever living heck out of the almost valiant Carbine Warriors.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Brightlances blaze away at the Tau skimmers and bring down a Devilfish. <!--[endif]-->

The last Fireknife team shows up, just leaving the Broadsides in reserve.  All three Tau skimmers move into a line formation, which advances into the forest.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->All 20 Storm Guardians, the poor entangled Scorpions, and 5 of the 6 Harlequins promptly die under mass firepower. <!--[endif]-->

Turn five, the Eldar get some revenge as single Brightlance shots kill both an Ionhead and a Devilfish while the last Falcon shows up and rockets into my side corner.  The remaining Guardians and Dire Avengers huddle around the Avatar, unwilling to march forward into the forest and the Tau sights like their predecessors.

The Broadsides finally show up and blast the Falcon with Railgun fire to no great effect.  <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Battlesuits hop through the forest and continue to reduce the Guardian numbers, but at this point there’s not much that needs doing. <!--[endif]-->

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->We don’t bother with Turn Six as the only remaining scoring units are the Avatar and the Falcon, while the Tau have board control w/ multiple scoring units.<!--[endif]-->

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<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Postgame Thoughts: <!--[endif]-->

Wow, we both had some weird luck with the Reserve rolls.  After the game, we were talking and Allen figured that since my army was mobile, it actually worked out better for me that so many of my units were delayed longer.  I was just picturing my Broadsides never making it onto the field.  Luck went both ways as I killed a Falcon with Missile Pod fire and Allen killed two skimmers with two Brightlance shots. 

Game Three - Cleanse II
Todd playing Black Legion

Board has three large Area 3 terrain pieces running across the center of the battlefield with smaller pieces scattered in the corners.  I win deployment zone and setup across the lengthwide side with liberal use of Infiltration pushback units.

1 Daemon Prince of Nurgle w/ Stature, Speed and other random killingness
1 Lieutenant w/ Speed, Infiltration

3 Obliterators

7 Plague Marines w/ Infiltrate, 2 Plasma Guns and Powerfist
7 Plague Marines w/ Infiltrate, 2 Plasma Guns and Powerfist
7 Plague Marines w/ Infiltrate, 2 Plasma Guns and Powerfist
7 Plague Marines w/ Infiltrate, 2 Plasma Guns and Powerfist

8 Bikers w/ Mark of Khorne and Lightning Claw

8 Havoks w/ Missile Launchers
8 Havoks w/ Missile Launchers


The Chaos infiltrators appear on the center and left of the field, with the Bikers moving up the right flank along with the Prince.  My Pathfinders push the Infiltrators back and then utilize their Scout moves to run backwards, while the Kroot resign themselves to speedbump duty.  Todd gets first turn and takes it.

Turn One

Chaos doesn't have too much to do, with the Infiltrators all advancing and the Bikers turboboosting forward.  The Pathfinders are out of charge range, but the Prince murderizes a Kroot pack.  Heavy bolter from the Obliterators guns down a few of the retreating Pathfinders.

Most of the Infiltrators are behind LOS-blocking terrain, but the Tau pick off a few stragglers sticking out here and there.  My skimmers advance forward planning on setting up a skimmer wall next turn, while the rest of my army retreats towards my own corner.

Turn Two

The biker turbo advance continues and Obliterator lascannon fire brings an Ionhead down.  Plague Marines cross the hills they've been moving behind and keep moving forward.

The Tau skimmer wall slides into position and Fireknives burn down a Plague Marine squad while they continue to bounce backwards.  Despite their turboboost, Bikers are still falling quickly to ranged firepower and only a few remain.

Turn Three

Obliterator and plasma gun fire blow a hole in the skimmer wall and the remaining Bikers cross the wreckage and charge the Deathrain team.  The Prince doesn't have a good charge and the Lieutenant fails his difficult terrain roll and misses close combat.  The battlesuits get mowed down and the Bikers consolidate into the Broadsides and a Fireknife team.

Both Devilfish manuever to keep the Prince from charging into the ongoing close combat.  With the Lieutenant stranded in front of the Tau firebase, the remaining Ionhead puts him down while the second Fireknife team vaporizes another Plague Marine squad.  In CC, the Bikers do well, but the Broadsides are Fearless and the fight continues on.

Turn Four

The Obliterators continue to blast away, but come away with nothing this turn.  The Prince charges a Devilfish, but fails to bring it down, while the remaining Plague Marines do not have any good targets to shoot and slowly plod forward.  Close-combat ends with the Tau battlesuits crushing the remaining two Bikers and consolidating forward.

Three Railgun slugs put the Prince out of his misery and Plasma shots leave only a single Plague Marine Champion standing.  Tau units scatter and begin to redeploy for the corners.

Turn Five

The last Ionhead falls victim to the Obliterators' guns and the lone Plague Marine's Powerfist crushes a Battlesuit squad, but there's nothing close enough to consolidate into.

Railguns finally silence the Obliterators and the battlesuits spread into three corners.

Turn Six

The Havoks try to contest, but their movement is too little to do so.  And that's the game.


Postgame Thoughts

I used a collapsing perimeter strategy in this game and it worked well, albeit being a little hairy when the skimmer wall was breached.  The Havoks didn't play much part in the game, as they had been deployed to cover the open spaces and when I moved my entire army into a single location, they never had a good LOS to the fight.  A single artillery piece would have been horrible though, as my army was packed in very tightly.

Having Shield Drones on almost everything was definitely worth it.  Previously, having a Fireknife team caught in combat spelled the doom of that squad.  Being able to block Power Fist hits and not having to worry too much about failing Morale checks allows me to swamp chargers with mass battlesuit attacks.  Maybe not the best move, but I find it useful to have options rather then the standard "abandon the charged squad."


All in all, not too bad a tournament.  I finish 3-0 and take Best Overall, which is always nice.  Game Empire Pasadena continues to be a great place to play, along with their San Diego cousins and both have good gaming communities. 

Nice report. Congrats on the win. Never seen someone take 2 full pathfinder squads but it seems to have worked out for you. I'm also surprised that you took two ionheads. What was the thinking on that? I'm guessing anti-falcon/dakkafex fire but it seems a risk with your only AV14 fire being the broadsides, the piranha and the fusion commnader. How many points is that? I don't have my codex with me and am not familiar enough witht he list to ballpark it.

@Spmusubi, Great bat rep and congrats on your win. I would have loved to have played in the RTT and possibly faced your Tau with my Nidz, but the root canal really kicked my ass. Hopefully I will get to face your Tau at GE San Diego or Pasadena.

Darrian

congratulations on your win...

just a question... how far where those khorne bikers deployed from your units?, because i have never played a game where i needed 2 turbo-boost turns to get to the enemey...

stating it in cm (sorry, don't manage myself well talkin inches)... you get 60cm turbobosting (first turn) and then (second rurn) 30 cm movement and 15 cm charging range....all together thats 105 cm..... that range almos always assure you a 2nd turn charge.. i mean... the standard table is 150cmx120cm and deployment zones grant you 20 or 30 cm.... so I really can't visualice the scenario for the second turbobost...

Thanks guys!

Sgt. Scruffy: Yeah, I know my build is a lot different then the 'standard' Tau designs, but I've been playing it since the beginning of 4th and I like how it plays. I'm also the only person I know (or even heard of on the net) that uses Pathfinders en masse, and for the life of me can't figure out why more people don't use them. The BS5 3 man Fireknife team is the big gun of my army and it's a good one IMO.

The original build design was to wipe out mass MEQs at pointblank range (Daemonbombing, Drop Podding, etc), where you don't really get a second chance before you're locked into assault. Against these targets, the Hammerhead Railgun really isn't all that useful, as it gets to splatter a single poor guy. Thus the Ionhead. Its utility against Falcons and Dakkafexes is just gravy.

AV14 can be a problem (as in Game 1 w/ the Monolith), but Monolith aside, the AV14 platforms out there are either long distance shooters (Leman Russ) or close rushers (Land Raider Crusader). The Russ loses bigtime to the Broadside Railguns and the Crusader's mission puts it right in optimal Fusion Blaster range. Mass AV14 is a weakness though (3 Russes), but I haven't had to face a 3 Monolith army just yet.

Oh yeah,  the tournament was at 2000 pts.


Darrian13: Yeah, we haven't gotten a game in a while. I'm still on straight draws against both you and Dave with the Nidzilla list, so it'd be nice to get some resolution someday.


santanero: Oh, the Bikers definitely took the long way around, staying out of LOS as much as possible. My opponent was smart enough to realize that driving them straight at me would get them easily popped by mass S7 fire, TurboBoost or not. Skimmer walls and speedbumps also usually make it a bad idea to 2nd turn charge.

1 more question: The ethereal seems like such a liability to me that Iwould hesitate to take him. He provides some nice bonuses but I would constantly worry about getting killed. Since you've played to the list alot, what are you thoughts on that. Do you generally hide him using IC status to protect him or is it better to put him in a 'fish or with the 'sides?

Posted By Sgt_Scruffy on 07/24/2007 1:31 PM
1 more question: The ethereal seems like such a liability to me that Iwould hesitate to take him. He provides some nice bonuses but I would constantly worry about getting killed. Since you've played to the list alot, what are you thoughts on that. Do you generally hide him using IC status to protect him or is it better to put him in a 'fish or with the 'sides?

Personally, I find that the average Leadership of Tau units leads to a lot of problems, especially in Crisis-heavy builds.  As Crisis suits provide the only real place to find AP1/2 weaponry en masse, it's a devastating blow to have them run off the board and then be stuck with pulse weaponry bouncing off Terminator armour or whatnot.  Short of using Shadowsun (who is also very useful), the Ethereal lets one not have to worry too much about blowing Morale checks.

Fear of the Darkness is the one of the main reasons the Ethereal made it into the list, though.  Drop Podding or Deep Striking Librarians can definitely put the hurt on Tau, and this provides a lot of help against it.  The Ethereal makes one unit Fearless and another one gets the Shas'O attached to give it a Ld8 rerollable against Fear.  The other Suits get put inside the castle and vehicles block off the rest of the space. 

I usually keep the Ethereal with the Broadside team, as they're mostly exposed to incoming fire and a few unlucky rolls can have them waltzing off the board.  Ld10 Target Priority is also another advantage, as it allows my C&C Shas'O to go wander off elsewhere to support.  Against Necron Destroyers or in-close Assault Cannons, he splits off and stays on his own, as it's no fun to have him Torrented out and insta-killed.  Ideally, the Broadsides will be on the edge of a hill or other terrain and he stays out of LOS behind it while still attached to them.

Putting him in a Devilfish would defeat a lot of the reason to take him, as units can't draw LOS to him, which is necessary for his Morale rerolls.

While I have lost the Ethereal before, it's not really that horrible an event IMO.  Assuming you're not keeping him smack on the front lines, your opponent has probably blown through a lot of your army already just to get to him.  Additionally, your units can regroup once they break (assuming they haven't flown off the table).  Most of the time, I can tell if my Ethereal is going to get whacked and plan my movement accordingly.  And just as an ancedote, I've actually won a game where my battlesuits utilized Preferred Enemy to club my opponent down in close combat. 

Nice Batrep. It still amazes me how underestimated Tau are. Mech Tau with suits thrown in are very durable, highly mobile, and probably one of the few armies that can take it to MC lists.