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The Tau commander observed their movements through his ultra-high resolution magnified display. His battle suit's HUD superimposed stats and targeting reticules over his prey even at this great distance. "Fools", he muttered to himself. These Gue were simple and prideful creatures. Adorned in their bold red spiked armor, they could be seen from miles away even without the benefit of the advanced Tau targeting systems. Oh, well. It just made them that much easier to hunt. They would soon learn the error of their ways as the Tau used them for target practice.

The hunters were about to become the hunted.

"Live firing exercise: COMMENCE"

The Armies

Xenocidal Maniac's Legion of Reavers Chaos Space Marines



Xerxes the Exalted, Warlord of The 2nd Company of Reavers (Counts-as Huron Blackheart)

Glual the Mad, Shaper of Chaos (2nd lvl Sorcer w/ Spell Familiar)

Heartrender the Bloodthirster (two Exalted Gifts)

7 Plaguemarines, 1 melta, 1 plasma, Rhino w/ Havok Launcher

6 Chaos Space Marines, Mark of Khorne, Melta, Rhino w/ Havok Launcher

10 Plaguebearers

10 Human Reavers (cultists) w/ CCW and 1 Flamer

10 Human Reavers (cultists) w/ CCW and 1 Flamer

1 Heldrake

2 Obliterators, Mark of Nurgle



Yakface's Tau




yakface's Tau army

• Commander w/ plasma rifle, missile pod, drone controller, target lock, iridium battlesuit, puretide chip, 2 marker drones -- 192 pts
• Ethereal w/ blacksun filter -- 55 pts

• 12 Firewarriors -- 108 pts
• 12 Firewarriors -- 108 pts
• 20 Kroot w/ 1 Kroot Hound -- 125 pts
• 15 Kroot -- 90 pts

• 3 Crisis Suits w/ plasma rifles, missile pods, target locks, 6 marker drones -- 243 pts
• 2 Crisis Suits w/ missile pods, twin-linked fusion blasters -- 114 pts

• 8 Pathfinders -- 88 pts
• 2 Tetras -- 100 pts

• Hammerhead w/ submunition rounds, twin-linked smart missile system, disruption pods, blacksun filter -- 146 pts
• Sky Ray Gunship w/ twin-linked smart missile system, blacksun filter, disruption pod -- 131 pts




We rolled it up and there were 4 objectives, which we took turns placing BEFORE we had decided on our sides.

Chaos Space Marine Deployment

The Legion of Reavers won the roll to deploy and go first. My counts-as Huron rolled 3 infiltrations, so I opted to keep two squads of 10 cultists joined by Xerxes and Glual, respectively, in reserve along with the unit of Khornate Space Marines.

The Obliterators, Plague Bearers, Bloodthirster, and Plague Marines deployed as follows


The Tau deployed gunline style across the table...right flank...


...and left flank.


The Tau roll to seize the initiative... Yep, that's a 6 there. Oh boy, exactly what I didn't need.


Top of 1, the Tau gunline advances to get into optimal range.


The Tau open fire,


immediately destroying the Rhino and forcing the Plague Marines to walk.


The furious onslaught continues as the Tau mow down four shrouded Plaguebearers, shave two wounds off of the 6 wound Bloodthirster, and put a Railgun round through the heart of an Obliterator


The Chaos Space Marines, shocked by the sudden and unexpected attack, shriek into their vox casters for reinforcements. Meanwhile they press forward to battle positions.
Heartrender takes wing and rockets toward the enemy lines.


The remaining Obliterator launches a small sun towards the Tau gunline, killing 3 Kroot


Top of 2, the Tau line up to open fire with everything they have into the flying Bloodthirster.


I mean, everything!


The fury of the Tau fusillade is sufficient to the task. The mighty Bloodthirster is knocked from the sky, dead.


Meanwhile, Tau markerlights deny four more Plaguebearers their cover saves.


Glual the Mad and his band of reavers arrive from reserve and run forward, looking to tear into the Tau flank.


The Plague Marines advance, hugging cover. The Obliterator fires a lascannon shot into a team of crisis suits, but the shot goes wide.


Top of 3, the Tau sit there and say "lol we got this" as they mow down Glual the Mad and his band of merry reavers, the remaining Obliterator, and four Plague Marines.


Xerxes arrives with his squad of reavers on the right flank. The Heldrake swoops in to burninate some Tau. The Khornate CSM remain in reserve.


The Heldrake delights in the agonized shrieks of eight burning Kroot.


At the top of 4, the Tau avenge their incinerated brethren, stripping the Heldrake of its hull points. The flying monstrosity crashes to earth, and the burning wreckage kills three more Kroot.


The Tau marksmanship clinic continues as the remaining Plaguemarines and Plaguebearer go down. (Plaguebearer needed to pass two 2+ cover saves and failed one - it was like this all game)


The Khornate Chaos Space Marines finally arrive from reserve, but it may be too little too late.


In a fit of impotent Rage, Xerxes and his reavers charge the now weaponless Skyray and destroy its nuclear core. The resulting blast kills three reavers.


At the top of 5, the Tau wreck the CSM Rhino...


... and slaughter Xerxes and his men.


It's too much. The Chaos Space Marines, having just arrived to find all of their comrades dead or dying, high tail it off the battlefield to save their own asses. Game called.


"Exactly as I predicted", sneered the Tau commander. He had learned long ago that the only thing these spiky Gue were any good for was target practice. They would never surrender to the Greater Good and thus had to be exterminated like the vermin that they were. Mission accomplished, the expeditionary force loaded back up into their lander.

Xerxes opens his eyes to find a Bloodletter towering over him. "Is it revenge you want? You know what to do. Bow before Lord Khorne. BOW!" Xerxes takes the Bloodletter's outstretched hand...

Post game thoughts - Man, this was just one of those games. Ugh. List-wise, I felt like I had brought a knife to an Uzi fight in the first place, and things pretty much unraveled as soon as Yakface got the initiative. It didn't help that I couldn't make any to-hit rolls or saves all game, and that my reserves came in completely piecemeal. Ugh. Really. Was just one of those games. We talked about whether it was even worth doing a batrep over, and, in the end, I thought it was. I still had a good time, we took some nice pics, and it was a good demonstration of what we're dealing with in the new Tau codex. That is a nasty dex!!! Beware. The Greater Good is back, and it's taking names.

Excellent report - very clear descriptions and pictures, and a great bit of background writing to go along with it. Sometimes things just don't go your way - all you can do is curse fate and swear to slaughter the enemy next time!

Looking at your pictures, did you feel that your battlefield was a little bare? While there were a reasonable number of terrain pieces they were generally quite small - the actual area they covered wasn't huge. Against Tau I feel that more cover is required, even if they do have some ways of negating it.

Yeah, as I was looking at the pics while I was putting the batrep together, I did think "wait a minute... there's not much terrain here!". I do think that did have an effect, as I felt like I had nowhere to hide.

But, I also needed more shooting elements in my army (which I am in the process of painting) and I also probably should not have outflanked those units. I am thinking I should have infiltrated them instead and had the entire Chaos line rushing forward at once.

Lessons learned! It was my first time using Huron Blackheart and my first time facing the new Tau. Yakface better watch out next time!

Thanks for putting this up!

I added my army list into the OP and a few pics from my side.

Its funny about the terrain, because I actually ADDED more terrain to the board before the game because I thought it was so bare, including moving the big ruin into the middle (so people had been playing on that table with LESS terrain than what we had).

Even so, I agree there should have been more terrain to have an optimal game. I may play Tau, but I still think more terrain makes a better game.

Yeah, not nealy enough terrain there. Good batrep though, nice and concise.

Yes. Tau are there... and that list is nasty

If you are using Dakka dice, the six to seize the initiative only counts if you yell "DAKKA!" when you roll.

Great report, you'll get those dastardly fish-faces next time!

Wow nice models and nice board, thank you very much for sharing this, it's really nice to read these kind of battle reports! Were the Tau ever in trouble? Were you unlucky? Didn't look like Chaos had a chance. Either not enough terrain, you were unlucky or Chaos is just under powered... I think there are far between battles where Chaos win.

Thanks for the kind words.

No, the Tau never really were in trouble. It was a combination of things. My list really wasn't equipped to deal with his list, for starters. Having the initiative seized on me was devastating. My decision to outflank rather than infiltrate probably was not good. And yeah, my dice were just awful all game. I don't think I made a single FNP or cover save, and I was failing armor saves all over the place.

So, just one of those games. On the up side, we got some nice pics of some nice armies, and it sets the stage for VENGEANCE. There will be blood. Oh yes, there will be blood.

Could really learn something from you with that kind of attitude! If it was me, I would probably have flipped the table... Not Tau... Not weak Tau. No close combat, just shooting... It seems he didn't even have to pull off any kind of tactics...

Very good looking armies man. Thanks for the Brep.

Chaospling wrote:
Could really learn something from you with that kind of attitude! If it was me, I would probably have flipped the table... Not Tau... Not weak Tau. No close combat, just shooting... It seems he didn't even have to pull off any kind of tactics...

Thanks. Yeah I'm at this point in my 40k career where I don't really have anything to prove anymore. I've already won tourneys and leagues and all that, so, I dunno, losing sometimes is just part of the game I guess. I just play for fun these days.

No, the Tau really didn't need to do much except reposition to get into double tap and Ethereal bubble range. Other than that it was pretty much just picking targets.

I do think the dice had a lot to do with this - if I hadn't been seized on, the Plague Marines would have been 18" closer to the Tau gunline and the Rhino could have grabbed cover or popped smoke. If even two of my reserve units had shown up turn 2, that would have helped a lot. Then I would have had two units at the Tau flanks, and the Plague Marines and Blood Thirster in their faces top of Turn 2. The Tau would not have been able to focus all of their fire on any one unit like they did with the Bloodthirster. At least one of them would have got through and tied the Tau up in CC.

It is a bummer when the dice don't cooperate, but, also part of the game. I do think had just a couple of dice rolls gone differently, it would have been a much closer battle.

With Tau in a game like this, the tactics really comes down to proper target selection and proper firing order of your units. This isn't as easy as it might first seem because some units can split fire and markerlights can benefit markerlights from other units, so it still can actually be tricky to figure out what order everything needs to fire in order to kill what you need to kill in any given shooting phase.

However, this was my opponent's first time using Huron (as he said) and he wanted to try out some outflanking madness. He rolled Huron's Warlord Trait (that gives D3 units infiltrate) and he rolled a 5-6, and decided to outflank with 3 units...plus he had the Helldrake coming in from reserves too.

So that was a big gamble that could have paid off if everything came in on turn 2. It would have put a LOT of pressure on me in that case. But that strategy is also inherently risky as he didn't have any reserve roll modification ability, and as it turned out everything just sort of came in piecemeal allowing me to pick it off one at a time.

Is there any way for Chaos to easily get a +1 to their Reserve rolls? It seems like it would definitely be worth getting that into your army if you're going to keep experimenting with Huron and that ability.

Alternatively, since you did think you were going first, you could have just infiltrated with all those guys and simply tried to rush one side of my flank (and since you're infiltrating you would get to see my deployment before deciding where to set up all your infiltrators). I actually thought you were going to do that, and that's why I technically 'infiltrated' my Kroot, because I was hoping to win the roll to deploy my Infiltrators first and then use the Kroot's deployment to prevent you from getting too close to the rest of my army with your infiltrators.

Yakface, sorry, I didn't mean to imply that you're not a good general or anything. Target priority is a huge part of the tactics of this game. It was just more how the game played out this time, you didn't have to do much more than that. That's all I meant.

By all means, I should have infiltrated instead of outflanked. Would have been much safer and would have made it more difficult for you to pick my little doodz apart.

The only way I know of to get +1 to the reserve roll is that coms upgrade for the ADL. But, honestly, I think Huron's infiltrate ability is a lot better with a shooty army. Once I get more shooty stuff painted up, I may give him another spin.

But, for the time being, Xerxes has sold his soul to Khorne to gain the power he needs to slaughter your commander and all of your Xeno scum. The rivers shall run red with Tau and Kroot blood. Your misshapen skulls shall adorn the foot of His throne. You will suffer for your audacity!!!

You will learn why I am called The Xenocidal Maniac! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Excellent! Muahahahahaha!

*cough*

*cough*


Geez that insanity is contagious!

If you're gonna go reserve heavy, a Comm's Relay is a must!

Awesome write-up and pics, OP! It's not often you see people take the time to write up a crushing defeat like this so well so it is very much appreciated! Cheers

Huron is one of the better special characters in the new CSM codex... You get a lot of really good stuff for the points. I'd definitely stick with him. It will just take some time to get your army list sorted. Nice batrep.

Dozer Blades wrote:Huron is one of the better special characters in the new CSM codex... You get a lot of really good stuff for the points. I'd definitely stick with him. It will just take some time to get your army list sorted. Nice batrep.

For sure, Huron is very good. I just didn't use him correctly. I'll give him another spin, but I think it's probably better to infiltrate Havoks and Noise Marines into good firing positions. We'll see. I will definitely experiment some more with him another time.

Thank you both for posting the game and the pictures. It was well written and (sorry for this) kinda funny! I do agree with the others about the terrain, maybe next time less pieces but a few bigger pieces of area terrain might do. If I have an opponent that is outflanking two units of marines with attached hq's it would keep me on my toes as I know what they can do. I believe that outflanking them was actually the better choice instead of starting on the table with the terrain situation. As a side note the Tau had two Tertra's did you know that there were non codex\Forgeworld units included? I only ask as they make a difference with their markerlights. Again, thank you both for the battle. Xerxes, I do believe revenge is in order.

Excellent report, fantastic pics, gorgeous armies! Can't wait to play against both of these forces (but not at once!).

This batrep was very well done. Both armies are painted to a high standard and the narraration was good too. Thank you

 yakface wrote:

With Tau in a game like this, the tactics really comes down to proper target selection and proper firing order of your units. This isn't as easy as it might first seem because some units can split fire and markerlights can benefit markerlights from other units, so it still can actually be tricky to figure out what order everything needs to fire in order to kill what you need to kill in any given shooting phase.

However, this was my opponent's first time using Huron (as he said) and he wanted to try out some outflanking madness. He rolled Huron's Warlord Trait (that gives D3 units infiltrate) and he rolled a 5-6, and decided to outflank with 3 units...plus he had the Helldrake coming in from reserves too.

So that was a big gamble that could have paid off if everything came in on turn 2. It would have put a LOT of pressure on me in that case. But that strategy is also inherently risky as he didn't have any reserve roll modification ability, and as it turned out everything just sort of came in piecemeal allowing me to pick it off one at a time.

Is there any way for Chaos to easily get a +1 to their Reserve rolls? It seems like it would definitely be worth getting that into your army if you're going to keep experimenting with Huron and that ability.

Alternatively, since you did think you were going first, you could have just infiltrated with all those guys and simply tried to rush one side of my flank (and since you're infiltrating you would get to see my deployment before deciding where to set up all your infiltrators). I actually thought you were going to do that, and that's why I technically 'infiltrated' my Kroot, because I was hoping to win the roll to deploy my Infiltrators first and then use the Kroot's deployment to prevent you from getting too close to the rest of my army with your infiltrators.

If you take aegis defense line you can take a beacon instead of a gun and that helps with reserve rolls (I believe it allows you to reroll them if you wish).

Prophet of Khaine wrote:
Thank you both for posting the game and the pictures. It was well written and (sorry for this) kinda funny! I do agree with the others about the terrain, maybe next time less pieces but a few bigger pieces of area terrain might do. If I have an opponent that is outflanking two units of marines with attached hq's it would keep me on my toes as I know what they can do. I believe that outflanking them was actually the better choice instead of starting on the table with the terrain situation. As a side note the Tau had two Tertra's did you know that there were non codex\Forgeworld units included? I only ask as they make a difference with their markerlights. Again, thank you both for the battle. Xerxes, I do believe revenge is in order.

Yeah I knew the Tetras were Forgeworld. That doesn't bother me much. I know if I had spent some money on FW stuff I'd want to use it in games.

Thanks for all the nice comments guys! It makes putting these batreps up worth it.

Yeah. If people can't use their FW toys at once month meetings in a church rec room playing in games that are purely for fun, where the hell are they supposed to game with their FW toys?

 yakface wrote:

Yeah. If people can't use their FW toys at once month meetings in a church rec room playing in games that are purely for fun, where the hell are they supposed to game with their FW toys?

Alone, in the dark recesses of their own basement, as the Emperor intended!

Is there any way for Chaos to easily get a +1 to their Reserve rolls?

A FW landraider proteus can give you reserve modification...and looks cool. Otherwise the cheapest investment is aegis with comms. I think if you are going to play huron you really need to think about what units you want to infiltrate. Personally, one of the units I would have infiltrated is the Oblits so you can get the MM or TL plasmaguns shooting rapid fire range quickly.

Great batrep,

For Huron I infiltrate him with a squad of chosen kitted out with four or five plasma guns which can really put the hurt on a unit.

The pictures were very clear, and gave a good idea of what was going on, however, the bits in between could use some work, they were overly gloating in my opinion, and kinda messed up the flavor of the report in my eyes. Yes, you won and won big, but I always preferred the tone of futile struggle over cockiness.

Otherwise, love the paint jobs, good rep!

 iGuy91 wrote:
The pictures were very clear, and gave a good idea of what was going on, however, the bits in between could use some work, they were overly gloating in my opinion, and kinda messed up the flavor of the report in my eyes. Yes, you won and won big, but I always preferred the tone of futile struggle over cockiness.

Otherwise, love the paint jobs, good rep!

The author of the report lost...