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.
2015/07/06 10:11:28
Subject: 1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (Batrep Completed!)
Like a bright amber pearl set against the black void of space, the planet dies. A firestorm of epic proportions tears through the world's once towering hive cities and verdant countryside, leaving only chocking ash and blackened ruins in its wake.
Yet this is no accidental disaster. The fire, set deliberately by the planets desperate defenders, is the last desperate effort to stop an overwhelming attack by Hive Fleet Leviathan. The arrival of a small splinter fleet has caught the Gue'vesa completely by surprise, with the planets defenders being quickly overrun in most areas and the vile Tyranids already processing most of the planets life into bio matter.
A few small pockets of resistance still remain - the capital hive of Perdition hangs on by a thread, as does the spaceport at Bad Landing and the main military base of Logan's Peak. These outposts fight on, struggling against the tide of voracious Tyranids in a blind act of hope.
But salvation has arrived, or at least for some. A small flotilla of Tau ships has broken through the Tyranid fleet distracted by the start of their feeding cycle, in a bid to evacuate any strategic resources that may be useful in halting the hive fleets advance. The Tau are veer pragmatic, and to that end Perdition Hive and Bad Landing spaceport will be left to fend for themselves - the fighting Gue'vesa of Far Hope's Militia are expendable, but the small garrison of Tau troops at Logan's Peak is not. They are the primary objective for extraction, along with any equipment and Gue'vesa troops lucky enough to be there.
OPPOSING FORCES
Tau Forces: Fire Warriors from the Setpworld of Fi’Rios 1848pts
Spoiler:
Unbound ( Heresy! Yes, but for fluff reasons only so no nerdrage please)
Force Limitations: The Tau player is limited to infantry and drone selections only - no battle suits are allowed. He may however take guevesa auxiliary units (IA:3).
Total Models 201/ Infantry 196/MCs 3 /Psykers 2/ Wounds 232
SETUP
Spoiler:
Mission: Dust Off - Evacuate/Destroy Tau forces
Deployment: Refer to deployment map below. Tau cannot deploy more than 25% of their units within 3" of landing pad, while Tyranids cannot choose to outflank with more than 25% of their units.
Initiative: Tyranids go first
Special Rules: Reserves, Night fighting, Dust Off, Feeding Frenzy
- Dust off: At beginning of turn 5 and each turn thereafter, Tau units that are already on top of the landing pad may be evacuated at the start of the movement phase only. These units are immediately removed from play and the Tau player scores a victory point for each unit that is successfully rescued. The landing pad must be setup within 6" of the Tau table edge.
- Feeding Frenzy: The Tyranid player scores a victory point for each Tau unit destroyed (note this does not include the Gue'vesa auxiliaries or drone squads - they are expendable after all).
Game Length: 7 Turns
Deployment Map:
Warlord Traits:Tau roll on "through unity devastation (one use, all units within 12" of warlord reroll 1's to hit. Might have been useful if I had remembered it...), while the Tyranids rolls on Princeps of Deceit (3 enemy units take pining tests).
Psychic: One Tervigon gets Paroxysm, while the other rolls the Horror.
PRE GAME ANALYSIS
Spoiler:
Reasons why Tau will win:
1: All the guns. Literally. Everything is rapid fire and most of it AP5 too, meaning a lot of pain for the nids from 15" and in. This is paid for by a lack of range though - the vast majority of Tau shooting will be between 30" and 18", negating the advantage of the Hammer and Anvil deployment.
2: Snipers. These are pretty much the only answer to the MC threat posed by the nids, so two units of kroot and two sniper drone squads will come in very handy today.
3: Masters of their own destiny. It is up to the Tau to get themselves off planet, no one else. As long as they are in position when the time comes and the Gue'vesa dont utterly collapse they should be able to get off world without a hitch.
Reasons why the Tyranids will win:
1: Sheer numbers. A massive horde combined with zero Tau blast or template weapons means threat overload will hit the Tau like a wave of chittering, slathering horrors that the nids generally are.
2: Inexhaustible horde. We have changed the 'Endless Swarm' rule so that all dead units automatically come back the next turn, no need to roll a 4+.
3: Trygon. A class act on his own, but the real advantage will be if he can come in from reserves turn 2 and open up a big tunnel in the middle of the Tau defence. Things will get interesting pretty quickly if he does.
DEPLOYMENT
Spoiler:
Battlefield overview.
Nids deploy en mass. Venomthropes ensure that almost every unit is getting a +2 to their cover saves through shrouding. Night fighting is also in effect for a 4+ cover save across the board. Nice.
Trygon, Devilgaunts and a swarm of gargoyles stay in reserves
The brave Gue'vesa form a thin grey line across the front of the Tau position, ready to sell their lives for the greater good.
Behind them, Tau fire warriors, pathfinders and kroot prepare to deal with anything that gets through. Ethereal and sniper drones sit well back on the landing pad, two drone squads are held in reserve.
Both sides face off, ready for the slaughter to being
TURN 1 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
Pinning checks on three Gue'vesa units, and one fails
The horde advances
Psychic, and another unit of Gue'vesa is pinned by the horror
Shooting, and a tervigon takes out 3 pathfinders with its miasma cannon.
Everything else runs, closing the gap to a handful of inches
TURN 1 – Tau
Spoiler:
The defenders behold the full might of the task asked of them
Nothing moves, but the ethereal delivers his stirring sermon, before all hell breaks loose
Massed lasgun fire on the left flank reduces the Gargoyles to half their number
While pulse, marker lights and lasguns combine on the right to destroy the lead swarm of gargoyles for first blood, as well as decimate the hormagaunts behind.
Sniper drones also manage to pick off the venomthrope on the right flank, exposing half the approaching horde to reduced cover saves
VP – Tyranids 0:1 Tau
TURN 2 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
Reserve rolls, and the Trygon fails to come in - Disaster for the Nids! The gargoyles do come in however, and land smack in the middle of the Tau lines. They would kill three sniper drones on the platform.
The horde rumbles on
Psychic, and the Tervigon gets Paroxysm off on a unit of Gue'vesa on the right flank
The gargoyles shoot on another, only killing one
Tervigons do no damage with their shooting, while everything not charging runs forward
Hormagaunts make the charge on the Paroxyfied Gue'vesa, but they only lose combat by a few and manage to hold their ground
Gargoyle also assault the Gue'vesa, but again the plucky auxiliaries manage to hold! Oh heroic human cannon fodder!
TURN 2 – Tau
Spoiler:
Two backfield fire warrior squads decimate the deep striking gargoyle swarm at close range. All other Tau shooting concentrates on the Hormagaunt brood in the centre, and it is annihilated under the weight of pulse and las fire. The gue'vesa would hold the hormagaunts for a second round of combat on the right flank
While on the left flank, the Gue'vesa come to their brothers aid, opting to charge in to assault the gargoyles. The swarms only survivor would break, but not before finishing off the first gue'vesa squad.
VP – Tyranids 0:1 Tau
TURN 3 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
Reserves, and the Trygon comes in! He erupts out of the centre of the Tau position, right in front of the landing pad
And with him come the 20 devilgaunts, who decimate the fire warriors and cadre fireblade in front of them for two victory points
Right flank continues to move up
As does the left flank
The hormagaunts finish off the Gue'vesa on the right flank and break through the Tau lines
While the gue'vesa atop the wreck are also wiped, but not before taking some of the hormagaunts with them
TURN 3 – Tau
Spoiler:
Both drone squads arrives, one landing in the centre to help contain the tryon while the other lands in the Nid DZ and attempts to snipe the Tyranid warriors, but they fail. The sniper drone squads and kroot with their sniper rounds make short work of the Trygon
While other units fire against the devilgaunts, but only manage to thin their numbers slightly
The gue'vesa find themselves between a rock and a hard place...
The fire warriors on the hill finally destroy the albino hormagaunt swarm, while the gue'vesa form a thin grey line in front of the Tau bunker position
VP – Tyranids 2:1 Tau
TURN 4 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
A unit of hormagaunts automatically regenerates and arrive from the Nid table edge (on account of the trygon hole being occupied by the devilgaunts). The right flank termagaunts push up and over the wreckage
as the left flank surges into the bunker complex
Devilgaunts take aim at the pathfinders
and utterly destroy them for another victory point. Hormagaunts also wipe out a unit of gue'vesa in combat in the background
TURN 4 – Tau
Spoiler:
The evacuation signal is given to forces still in the line, and Tau troops on the right flank begin moving towards the landing pad
as do the kroot on the left flank
A squad of fire warriors and pathfinders remain on the right flank, sacrificing themselves in a vain effort to slow down the purple tide and buy time for their comrades
While the Drones and last remaining gue'vesa hold the line, hoping to buy the retreating troops enough time. Covering fire is directed at the hormagaunts and devilgaunts in the centre, reducing both swarms to two gaunts each.
VP – Tyranids 3:1 Tau
TURN 5 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
Another swarm of hormagaunts regenerates, but this time arrives via the Trygon hole right in front of the landing pad
The left flank moves up and past the wreckage, annihilating the last gue'vesa unit bravely holding the line
The right flank also moves up, with the Tervigon killing the unit of fire warriors and pathfinders for another two victory points. The remaining pathfinder team somehow survives the overwhelming shooting from the termagaunts, but find themselves still in the thick of it
The Tau lines still hold, but only by the skin of their teeth!
TURN 5 – Tau
Spoiler:
The first Tau units dust off - The ethereal, one kroot squad, both sniper drone teams and a unit of fire warriors get airborne for 5 victory points. Other units continue the retreat and mass on top of the landing pad
Pathfinders also fall back form the right flank under pressure from the tervigon and termigaunts
shooting puts a few wounds on the tervigon and kills a few termigaunts...
...but there is no stemming this tide now, it is time for all out retreat. Only the drones continue to hold the line, who finish off the decimated devilgaunt and hormagaunt swarms in the centre
VP – Tyranids 5:6 Tau
TURN 6 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
Another unit regenerates, this time its the devilgaunts who come through the trygon hole.
The Nid horde surges forward for the kill, while the hormagaunts try an 'end around' on the drone line to catch the retreating fire warrior squad
Which they do, annihilating them in combat for another victory point. In the background the tervigon also shoot and kills a lone fire warrior and a cadre fireblade atop the landing pad for two more victory points
The hormagaunts and other tervigon throw everything they have at the pathfinder squad, but amazingly one survives and holds his ground!
TURN 6 – Tau
Spoiler:
The last two units dust off for the Tau, namely the fire warriors and kroot, effectively ending the game and giving the tau two more victory points
Tau player concedes that the lone pathfinder is unlikely to survive another turn and concedes the victory point for killing him to the Nids
With the battle over, the Tyranids begin to feed on the fresh juicy biomatter. Nom nom nom...
TURN 7 – Tyranids
Spoiler:
Game ended last turn
TURN 7 – Tau
Spoiler:
Game ended last turn
RESULT
Spoiler:
VICTORY POINTS
Tau: 8 pts 7 units evacuated
First Blood
Tyranids: 9 pts 9 Tau units destroyed
CLOSE TYRANID VICTORY
BREAKDOWN
Decisive moment: The Trygons belated arrival, or rather the hole he created. The Nids would have had a hard time breaking through the overlapping close range fire of the Tau units just coming from one direction, and it would certainly have held them up long enough for the Tau to evacuate in an orderly manner. However, the opening up of a second front via the Trygon hole and constant arrivals of regenerated gaunts meant that pressure was really brought to bear on the Tau position, allowing some relief for the main force footslogging up the board.
Key units
Tyranids: Gaunts. The mainstay of the Tyranid force, they provided the threat overload that Tau struggle to deal with and automatically regenerating reinforcements allowed them to keep the pressure on despite horrific losses at times. The Devilgaunts in particular had a good game, arriving at the right time, decimating two units for three VPs before then regenerating and coming back for more.
Tau: Gue'vesa. Their task was not pretty today, but they managed to hold the purple tide back for almost three turns and bough enough time for some Tau units to get to safety. Classic example of the greater good in action - why wouldn't more imperial worlds sign up for this?
EPILOUGE
Spoiler:
nom nom nom
nom nom nom
slurp slurp slurp
nom nom nom
nom nom nom
Buuuuuuuuuuuurp!
This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 2015/07/13 06:19:50
If in doubt, frag it out...
Fight spam with spam, cheese with cheese, and fluff with a razor sharp sense of the appropriate
I do not nerd rage at the list. I nerd rage at the narrative. It makes the Tau look like saviors bs even though they struggle against the Tyranids as much as the Imperium.
2015/07/07 17:26:32
Subject: 1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (incomplete)
bibotot wrote:I do not nerd rage at the list. I nerd rage at the narrative. It makes the Tau look like saviors bs even though they struggle against the Tyranids as much as the Imperium.
Ah, well in that case this is indeed nerdrage of the very highest order. Congratulations.
Did you even read the narrative, or just start frothing at the mouth on encountering the word 'Tau'? Nowhere in the narrative does it state that it is an Imperial word (why would there be a Tau garrison on it if it was, and why would I be referring to them as Gue'vesa if so?). It also makes it fairly clear that they are not coming 'to the rescue' of the planet but rather quite the opposite - the Tau are happily allowing the populace to be slaughtered just to get the 'true blues' and valuable equipment off word to help in the coming fight against the splinter fleet.
But hey, apart form those minor points your criticism is well founded and accepted. Thanks for contributing.
Dozer Blades wrote:My prediction is Tau utterly crush the Tyranid "menace".
Ha ha, you have a higher regard for fire warriors and Gue'vesa than I do
If in doubt, frag it out...
Fight spam with spam, cheese with cheese, and fluff with a razor sharp sense of the appropriate
I like the narrative a lot - great game idea. Quick suggestion - maybe the nids should have more points than the tau? It seems to me that the tau will be at an advantage by virtue of already being close to the objective. Admittedly, I know next to nothing about both codices, so outflank/deepstrike may void this.
Alternatively, maybe put the landing pad in the center of the board?
I'm taking notes for my buddy and I to play haha can't wait to see the battle
"And the Angels of Darkness descended on pinions of fire and light... the great and terrible dark angels"
2015/07/11 05:04:26
Subject: Re:1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (Lists up!)
I like the idea! Sounds like a cool game - and seeing as I've always hated the aesthetics of most battlesuits and Riptide + Broadside spam, I'm excited to see how the Tau will fare without them...
Impatience intensifies!
CSM
Militarum Tempestus
Dark Angels (Deathwing)
Inquisition
2015/07/11 20:46:47
Subject: 1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (Lists up!)
zgort wrote:I like the narrative a lot - great game idea. Quick suggestion - maybe the nids should have more points than the tau? It seems to me that the tau will be at an advantage by virtue of already being close to the objective. Admittedly, I know next to nothing about both codices, so outflank/deepstrike may void this.
Glad you like it!
We think it is a pretty balanced setup by virtue of a number of factors. Firstly, the Tau lack any real ranged weapons and their kill zone will be around the 15" mark, meaning they will generally only get one stab at it destroying a unit before it is upon them. The change to automatically regenerating swarms also means that the Nids will get much more points worth of units than the Tau overall, and the Trygon hole will allow these regenerated units to arrive in the thick of battle rather than out of it on the Nid table edge. As for the Tau being close to the objective, I have tried to be fair in my setup and not blob everything at 6" from the landing pad, but putting the pad in the centre of the board would probably be too much of an advantage back towards the Nids, especially in light of the Tau force restrictions (and lack of blast markers/templates)
Gluboy wrote:I love it, good idea, I like the effort of making your own scenario. I am looking forward to the rest.
Any chance of real picks of deyployment and turn updates?
Sorry for delay, all finished now - enjoy!
Talon of Anathrax wrote:I like the idea! Sounds like a cool game - and seeing as I've always hated the aesthetics of most battlesuits and Riptide + Broadside spam, I'm excited to see how the Tau will fare without them... Impatience intensifies!
Yeah, suit spam is Tau shtick, but it can be a bit boring to play sometimes - Fire warrior horde might have some legs, but it also has some pretty bad draw backs. Anyway, hope the wait was worth it!
SBG wrote:I dig it, and expect the Tyranids to utterly slaughter the Tau by virtue of tying up the blue skins in CC forthwith.
Slaughter is pretty much guaranteed - but it might not be in quite the way you think....
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2015/07/13 06:34:08
If in doubt, frag it out...
Fight spam with spam, cheese with cheese, and fluff with a razor sharp sense of the appropriate
Awesome report. Seems like a fun themed mission -- is this a FW mission, astro mission or something out of a dataslate? Just curious.
Also a couple things that I think were played wrong by the Tyranid player. Tervigons aren't characters in the recent codex, so while you can select them as the warlord when you lack a prime or tyrant, you cannot receive the benefit of a warlord trait. Also the Trygon hole cannot be used the turn the Trygon arrives (wish it could!).
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/07/14 00:46:16
snoogums: "Just because something is not relavant doesn't mean it goes away completely."
Iorek: "Snoogums, you're right. Your arguments are irrelevant, and they sure as heck aren't going away."
2015/07/14 16:46:30
Subject: 1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (Batrep Completed!)
Talon of Anathrax wrote:Thanks! A well written, original and interesting batrep.
Dozer Blades wrote:Very exciting !
QuazzaP wrote:Very very entertaining battle report, thank you!
Glad you all enjoyed it, it was a very exciting game to play
Fragile wrote:Without reading it, I would say Tau win easily due to the sheer distance that the Tyranids have to travel to just get to them.
Now, lets go see
Indeed, as you will see it was very close - not as one sided as predicted
winterman wrote:Awesome report. Seems like a fun themed mission -- is this a FW mission, astro mission or something out of a dataslate? Just curious.
Also a couple things that I think were played wrong by the Tyranid player. Tervigons aren't characters in the recent codex, so while you can select them as the warlord when you lack a prime or tyrant, you cannot receive the benefit of a warlord trait. Also the Trygon hole cannot be used the turn the Trygon arrives (wish it could!).
The mission was made up by myself - I just really wanted to see if a Tau infantry list could hold up against a Nid horde, and was lucky to find a willing accomplice! Didn't know those bits about the various rules - thanks, good to know!
If in doubt, frag it out...
Fight spam with spam, cheese with cheese, and fluff with a razor sharp sense of the appropriate
tetsuo666 wrote:Thanks a lot for this really cool battle report
Thanks for showing your appreciation - I enjoy writing them up as much as playing them!
Mad.. wrote:Really enjoyed reading this batrep.
Great idea on the game, lots of infantry, lots of models. Nice narration and cool photos.
And that table looks awesome to play on!
Thanks! We are very lucky here that the FLGS has a great stock of terrain and battle boards to choose from, making the games much more atmospheric I really love this crashed thunderhawk board and have been waiting to try it out for some time
If in doubt, frag it out...
Fight spam with spam, cheese with cheese, and fluff with a razor sharp sense of the appropriate
The combination of Trygon hole + Endless Swarm is an excellent synergy.
Come to think of it, if the trygon had come earlier and the hole was not blocked, the end result would have been... worse ;D
2015/08/20 11:25:58
Subject: 1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (Batrep Completed!)
Yup, Tyranids managed a close game against Tau only by accidental cheating. Not taking anything from you guys who made a great battle report, I'm just bummed about the crappy Tyranid rules.
2015/08/22 10:20:32
Subject: 1850 Tyranid Horde vs Tau Infantry Force (Batrep Completed!)
The combination of Trygon hole + Endless Swarm is an excellent synergy.
Come to think of it, if the trygon had come earlier and the hole was not blocked, the end result would have been... worse ;D
VERY much worse
N.I.B. wrote:Yup, Tyranids managed a close game against Tau only by accidental cheating. Not taking anything from you guys who made a great battle report, I'm just bummed about the crappy Tyranid rules.
Yeah, nids are currently hamstrung by there crappy dex so nice to see them taking the game by sheer weight of numbers!
Ratius wrote:Great Rep Lap. Great pics and very well detailed
Cheers dude!
If in doubt, frag it out...
Fight spam with spam, cheese with cheese, and fluff with a razor sharp sense of the appropriate
Heresy! 
"And the Angels of Darkness descended on pinions of fire and light... the great and terrible dark angels" 
Militarum Tempestus
Dark Angels (Deathwing)
Inquisition 
- Tyranids, 2,000 pts.
- Orks, 1,250 pts.
- Tau, 750 pts.
- Guard (PDF), 750 pts.
= 131 
