Hey guys, got another game in today and figured i'd batrep it as the opponent's list seemed pretty formidable. If you want pictures just visit the blog:
http://rhetorical40k.wordpress.com/2013/04/17/1850-tauorks-vs-gkig/
I brought a slight variation of my planned Tau/Ork army:
Commander - Drone Controller, 2 Marker Drones, Iridium Armor, 2 Burst Cannon - 162
Ethereal - 50
Riptide - Fusion Blaster, Burst Cannon, Velocity Tracker - 200
9 Fire Warriors - 81
9 Fire Warriors - 81
18 Kroot - 17 Snipers, 1 Hound - 124
2 Broadsides - 2 Missile Drone - 154
2 Broadsides - 2 Missile Drone - 154
2 Broadsides - 2 Missile Drone - 154
8 Drones - 5 Marker, 3 Gun - 112
9 Pathfinders - 99
Warboss - Bike,
PK - 125
28 Shoota - Big Shoota - 173
29 Shoota - Big Shoota - 179
I've added a Riptide with a Burst Cannon (I like it!) and took out the Lootas. I also removed Crisis Suits and added a Drone squad that will do light shooting and Markerlighting for me.
My opponent took the following:
Coteaz - 100
Lord Commissar - Power Axe - 80
10 Strike Marines - Psybolt, 2 Psycannon - 240
10 Strike Marines - Psybolt, 2 Psycannon - 240
3 Acolytes - Razorback w/ Psybolts - 62
3 Acolytes - Razorback w/ Psybolts - 62
5
PCS - 2 Flamer - 40
30 Guardsmen - 3 Autocannon, Flamer - 185
Stormraven -
TL Lascannon,
TL Multi-melta - 205
Vendetta - 130
Griffon - 75
Dreadnought - 2TL Autocannon, Psybolt - 135
Dreadnought - 2TL Autocannon, Psybolt - 135
Dreadknight - Heavy Incinerator - 160
A pretty balanced and pretty varied list with lots of threats.
Mission and Set Up:
We rolled Big Guns and got 3 Objectives. My opponent won the roll for sides and set the first objective. Both of his objectives went along his table edge and mine was placed behind a building on my table edge. Coteaz rolled a useless Warlord trait, my Commander got the
3d6 jump movement. Coteaz's psychic powers turned out to be the awesome re-roll power and prescience. My opponent won the roll for first turn and gave it to me.
Deployment:
I deployed pretty centrally. Since we were playing the (awful) book mission, I was at a distinct disadvantage right from the get-go. I basically needed to cover the entire board and contest an objective. Unfortunately my fairly low range would force me to aggressively move up my Broadsides as well. Kroot were in reserves (hoping to grab an objective or box him in a little).
My opponent mirrored my deployment and made sure to stay out of range as to not give up first blood. Vendetta had the
PCS in it, the Storm Raven was empty (I think he feared putting the Strikers into a Raven that I would likely destroy).
No Night Fight.
Tau/Orks Turn 1:
I had no shooting this turn. I aggressively pushed up all my units that I felt needed to get to midfield or further. I was hoping to keep my opponent back and win by grabbing Linebreaker and contesting.
GK/
IG Turn 1:
My opponent began to move forward some, hoping to keep me back a little. Coteaz cast prescience (forgot to cast rerolls) the Dread and Razor at the bottom moved in order to get shots on the Broadsides. Up top the Dread/Razor moved into position to shoot the Broadsides and the Dreadknight began to move up. The Blob moved into the ruins but strung out so that the Autocannons could still shoot.
The shooting phase was mostly ineffective. The Griffon got a direct hit and killed 6 Orks from brown. The bottom Razor/Dread combo managed to kill 1 Drone. The top Dread/Razor only killed 2 Drones from the Broadside squad (I went to ground for a 3+). Coteaz's squad got some shots on the Riptide but did absolutely nothing, he only caused a few regular wounds.
Tau/Orks Turn 2:
This turn was still going to mainly consist of getting into position. The top and bottom Broadsides couldnt move due to having
GTG. The Orks moved up aggressively but made sure to stay slightly out of Psycannon range. The drone squad moved within Coteaz's range and the Riptide also lined itself up for shots on them (benefiting from Markers too!) The Kroot stayed out of the fight.
In the shooting phase, the Pathfinder squad was able to shoot a few Markers at the Guardsmen. I managed 2 hits that allowed my top Broadsides to Snap Fire at BS3. They managed to kill a fair few Guardsmen due to the
SMS ignoring cover. The rear Broadsides shot a few missiles into the Guardsmen as well, killing a few more. The Drone squad shot at the Coteaz squad and put 2w on Coteaz and killed a Striker. The 6 Markers were used to boost my other
GTG Broadside squad to BS5 and the Riptide to BS5. The Broadsides and Riptide (who failed his 3+ ability and took a wound) combined to remove another 6 Strikers. They passed pinning and
LD.
In the assault phase my Riptide jumped behind the BLoS building and my Drone squad jumped out of the Psycannon range (forcing them to choose between moving or standing still).
GK/
IG Turn 2:
My opponent got both reserved squads in. Both Flyers aimed to take out the top Broadsides who no longer had Drone meatshields. Coteaz cast both of his powers this turn and joined his newly Prescienced squad. The remains of the other
GK squad ran away from the fight in hopes of securing an objective. The Dreadknight pushed further up field and the Dreads/Razors stood mostly still, having specific targets in mind.
In the shooting phase, the Vendetta/Stormraven combined to remove 2 Broadsides (First Blood and a point for Big Guns). I went to ground again and almost kept 1 alive, but the Assault Cannon forced me to fail 2 armor saves. The Prescienced squad of
GK's took out a chunk of my blue Ork squad. The bottom Dread and Razor shot at the Riptide but did nothing. The top Dread took some shots at the Pathfinders and killed 2. The Razor killed one Shoota. Griffon hit my Warboss and 2 Boyz. One died.
Tau/Orks Turn 3:
My Kroot continued to be tardy. The Orks once again pushed up aggressively, this time getting a few Boyz within 18" to shoot some
GKs. The Ethereal gave my top Fire Warriors and friends snapfire after running. The bottom Broadsides moved within range of the Stormraven. The drone squad sized up Coteaz and Co. The Riptide went after a Razorback.
The Pathfinders attempt to spotlight the Stormraven, they manage to roll 2 6's. The top Broadside team then buffs themselves to BS3 and manage to hit the Raven with 9 Str7 shots. My opponent evades. Unfortunately, despite evading, I still destroy it with 2 pens and a glance. Both Ork squads take some pot shots at the
GKs but do nothing. The Drone squad lights them up and kills 2 guys as well as Marking them. The Broadsides at the bottom who moved use the Markers to up their Snapfire and manage to kill a few more
GKs. The Fire Warriors also boost their Snapfire and manage to kill another
GK. The Riptide shoots double Melta and 12
Str 6 shots into the Razor but only strips it of 2
HPs.
In assault my Drone squad moves back a bit again and the Riptide gets ready to shoot the Dread.
GK/
IG Turn 3:
Coteaz goes Super Saiyan and twin-links the
GK, hoping to tear down my blue Orks. The decimated
GK squad move behind the building. The Vendetta moves forward hoping to kill a few more Broadsides. The Dreadknight moves up to protect the flank and the Dread and Razor advance a little.
The Vendetta shoots at the rear Broadsides, who Go to Ground and then pass their two 3+ saves on the Drones. The Coteaz Strike team manage to do a big number on the blue Orks. The Griffon whiffs on the brown squad, despite it's reroll. The Flamer from the
DK kills a couple Orks. The Guardsmen + Razor also contribute. The Orks miraculously passed their
LD test. The top Dreadnought shoots the Broadsides but I also pass those 3+ saves. The Riptide doesn't take any wounds from the bottom Dread and Razor.
Tau/Orks Turn 4:
My Kroot finally come in, but of course they come in on the wrong side (despite Acute Senses). I was hoping to get to the bottom and take that objective. Instead they come in right next to Mr. Dreadknight! The Drone squad once again moved up to shoot at Coteaz. The Orks continued to advance. Broadsides readied themselves to shoot at the Vendetta. The Riptide decided the Griffon was a more pressing target and got within Melta range of it. The Kroot figured if they were going to die horrible deaths, they may as well kill themselves a few Guardsmen.
The Kroot double-tapped the Guardsmen and killed the Autocannons and a few scrubs (Guard passed
LD). The Griffon exploded but failed to hurt any of the nearby
GK. The Drone squad lit up the Coteaz squad and took down a few
GK. The combined firepower of one Broadside team, Fire Warriors and Orks took down the rest of Coteaz's squad, including Coteaz with his rerollable 2+. My Pathfinders weren't able to shine their flashlights on the Vendetta so the Broadsides towards the back whiffed on it completely.
In assault my Riptide jumped and stared down the Dread, I wanted to get more Big Guns points.
GK/
IG Turn 4:
The Vendetta went after my bottom Broadside team. The Dreadknight stayed in position to roast a ton of Kroot. The depleted
GK moved into the Griffon's crater. Everything else was happy staying put and getting ready to shoot.
The Vendetta was able to shoot my bottom Broadside team (I made a mistake not moving them out of the firing Arc). It managed to kill a Drone and a Broadside, the remaining suit passed
LD. The Riptide took 2W this turn from the combined fire of a Dread/Razor and 3 Grey Knights. The Guardsmen, Dreadknight, Razor and Dreadnought had to combine to take out the Kroot.
Tau/Orks Turn 5:
My Riptide moved so that it was within Melta range of the Dreadnought but also close enough to contest that bottom right objective with its jump move. The remaining Broadside moved up so that it could
SMS the hiding
GK. The rear Broadsides moved into the rear Arc of the Vendetta (I gave them Snapfire after running so they could cover enough ground, thx Ethereal!). The Orks, Drone squad and the Fire Warriors got into position to shoot the Guard blob and hopefully destroy it.
The Pathfinders were able to get one flashlight on the Vendetta. This allowed my Broadside team to destroy it. Rear AV10 didnt hold up well with my Skyfire at BS2. The remaining Broadside shot the hiding
GKs with the
SMS and managed 3W, the opponent failed 2 saves and then ran off the board (I love
SMS!). The Riptide tried to get 2 Fusion shots but failed (now at 1W left, took 2 from using the ability), it also failed to kill the Dread with its shots. The Drone squad, Orks and Fire Warriors put a dent into the blob (they went to ground).
In assault, my Riptide and Commander both jumped to within 3" of the opponent's bottom right objective.
GK/
IG Turn 5:
The bottom Acolytes get out and hope that somehow they will be able to score the objective. One Dread lines up a shot on my singleton Broadside. The Dreadknight protects the top objective from my Warboss.
Shooting goes quickly. The top Dreadnought kills my singleton Broadside. The 2 Razors and the last Dreadnought try to kill the Riptide, but to no avail.
At this point the game is actually a tie. I have Linebreaker, Slay the Warlord, 3 Points for one objective and 1 point for the Griffon. My opponent has killed 2 Broadside teams, got First Blood and has one objective. He rolls to continue and it does!
Tau/Orks Turn 6:
My Warboss detaches, moves and then boosts to be in contesting range of the top objective (I also stay in area so I can
GTG for a 3+). I figure a T6 Biker should be safe enough. My Riptide moves to within 18" of the
DK so that I can hopefully kill it. The Orks move to get as many within 18" of the
DK as they can.
In the shooting phase I get something like 9 Markers onto the
DK (Pathfinders/Drones) and cause one wound with the Commander. The Riptide goes to BS6 and manages to deal 2W to the
DK. The Fire Warriors and Broadsides bounce off of it, but the Orks are able to come through and finish it off.
I jump the Riptide back within contesting range.
GK/
IG Turn 6:
My opponent has little left to do, some units move out of the way of my Biker lord.
In shooting he manages to kill both the biker Warboss and the Riptide.
At this point I will win because I have killed 2
HS, gotten Linebreaker/STW and tied objectives with my opponent. I roll for game end and it does.
Recap:
This game shows why the Book Missions are somewhat poor for competitive play. It is too easy for gunline armies to simply place the majority of objectives in their deployment zone. Thankfully, I figured I had the bodies to aggressively push up and punish my opponent once I got to midfield. From there I figured I could use the Commanders
3d6 jump, the Warboss's boost and the Riptides jump to get within contesting range or better. The Kroot would also have helped quite a bit, had they come in on the correct side.
I like the Riptide over Lootas so far. He helps vs opposing
MCs and the fast Melta can come in handy. The rest of my units performed admirably, though I wasn't able to get as much mileage out of my Ethereal as I usually am. Flyers were once again, easy to deal with. So far in my games with Tau, despite not bringing Interceptor or Skyfire, I've had little issue with Flyers. Usually a few Markers + Broadsides can take care of them. I didn't even have to use the Riptide as anti-air this game, which was nice.
