Been Around the Block
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T’au vs Space Wolfs: 1600pt game
Played Modified Matched Played (up coming tournament)
Mission: The Scourging
Space Wolfs
Lord-of-War Detachment (569pts)
Knight Crusader: Avenger gatling cannon, Heavy flamer, Ironstorm missile pod, Meltagun, Rapid-fire battle cannon w/ heavy stubber, Titanic feet
Battalion Detachment (1027pts)
Ragnar Blackmane: Bolt pistol, Frag & Krak grenades, Frostfang
Rune Priest: Jaws of the World Wolf, Frag & Krak, Plasma pistol, Runic armour, Runic axe, Psychic hood
X2 Gray Hunters: 5-man squads; Pack leader & 3 hunters with Bolt pistol, Boltgun, and Chainsword; 1 Hunter with plasma gun, Bolt pistol, and Chainsword
Gray hunters: 8-man squad; Pack leader & 5 hunters with Bolt pistol, Boltgun and Chainsword; 1 Hunter with Plasma gun, Bolt pistol, and Chainsword; 1 Hunter with Boltgun, Plasma pistol, and Chainsword
Skyclaws: 8-man squad; Pack leader & 5 Skyclaws w/ chain sword and Bolt pistol; 2 with Chainsword and Plasma pistol.
Drop Pod: Storm bolter
X2 Razorback: Hunter-Killer missile, Storm bolter, Twin assault cannon
T’au
Batalion Detachment (578pts)
X2 Commander: 4 Cyclic Ion blaster, 1 Shield Drone, 1 Marker Drone
Ethereal: 2 Shield Drones, On Hover Drone
X3 Kroot: 10-man squads
Battalion Detachment (688pts)
Commander: 4 Fusion blaster, 1 Shield Drone, 1 Marker Drone
Commander: 3 Missile Pods, Velocity tracker, 2 Shield Drones
X3 Strike team: 5-man squads, Sargent with marker-light, pulse-rifles, photon gernades. 2 gun drones
Sun Shark Bomber: Ion rifle, marker-light, 1 missile pod, 2 seeker missiles
Outrider Detachment (334pts)
Fireblade: with marker drone
X2 Tactical Drones: 5 gun drones
Vespid Stingwing: 5-man squad
Devilfish: 2 gun drones, burst cannon
After objectives were placed the T’au chose deployment zones and started with 3 standard objectives in their territory. The primary objective was in the center of the board, the last standard and weak objective were in the Space Wolf deployment.
Pre-Turn One: T’au Kroot move forward.
Turn 1: Space Wolf
Both of the 5 man squads disembarked from the Razorbacks and moved into the forest cover in the center of the board (claiming the superior objective). From that position, they opened fire on the center group of Kroot. Both of the Razorbacks moved to the side flanks of the Kroot and mowed through them like tissue paper. The Grey Hunters were positionally supported by the Knight Crusader who moved up behind them and fired on the T’au Flyer heavily wounding it. The Crusader also fired weapons at some of the Firewarriers. Ragnar, the Rune Priest and the eight man squad of Hunters dropped deep behind T’au lines opening fire on the T’au missile commander. The Rune Priest’s psych prowess injured the T’au Ethereal with Jaws of the World Wolf and blasted the T’au Missile commander with Smite. The Skyclaws joined in behind T’au lines shooting at the T’au commander as well. The Skyclaws then charged the T’au flyer crippling it. Only Ragnar bravely (or foolishly) made it into hand-to-hand with the T’au commander but the might of Frostfang made for easy work, but left him exposed.
Turn 2: T’au
The three T’au commanders enter from reserve and point blank Deep Strike behind the Knight Crusader. The Vesped enter from reserve with strategic positioning between the Skyclaws and the exposed Ragnar. The Sun-Shark wheels 90 degrees to drop a bomb on the Skyclaws only killing one troop. The gun-drones and Fireblade disembark and enter into the forest (because cover is sweet). The Strike teams and their drones turn around to face their attackers, joined by the Ethereal.
The ensuing barrage of firepower T’au might rained fourth. The Crusader managed to survive but was crippled.. Four Grey Hunters in the forest lost their lives to a sickening hail of fire from the gun drones. The bomber only managed to kill a single Skyclaw. Few casualties were taken by the flanking Gray Hunters, and only two wounds were given to Ragnar.
Surprisingly the T’au ordered the charge (even the Grey Hunters were surprised)! Firewarriors and gundrones slam into Ragnar and the flanking GrayHunters. The three other T’au commanders arrived from Deep Strike directly behind the Knight Crusader opening fire with a barrage of melta and plasma blasts. The commanders in a gambit to eliminate the Crusader, also charged. All charging T’au forces were met with devastatingly heavy losses and the Space Wolfs held their ground.
Turn 3: Space Wolf
Being in an advantageous tactical position the Crusader moved away to open fire on the Vespid, Sunshark, some drones and one of the T’au commanders. Having superior positioning the Razorbacks stay still and open fire. One on the Vespid; reducing the squad to a single man; the other one on the now wounded T’au commander killing him. The Skyclaws move towards the T’au flyer opening fire reducing it to its second to last hit point. The forest bound Grayhunters open fire on the gun-drones doing little damage. The Rune Priest in his psychic phase eliminate the T’au Ethereal and Drone’s in combat with Ragnar.
The Skyclaws charge the T’au flyer again, the flyer survived with only one wound being taken, and had Ragnar successfully hit with any of his ranged weapons he would have finished the T’au flyer. The Strike team in fight of their life with the GrayHunters take heavy losses. The forest bound Hunters charge the drones and inflicted minimal causalities (the miss factor was astounding).
Turn 4: T’au
The remaining two T’au commanders open fire on the Crusader and fail to kill it by one wound. The forest bound gun-drones and Fireblade maneuver to continue shooting at the Gray Hunters only killing one. The flyer runs and shoots at the Skyclaws which failed to wound. The remaining few strike team members stay locked in hand-to-hand. A lone T’au commander charges the Crusader with his drones and is promptly stomped to death. At this point the T’au commander yields the battle to the Space Wolfs.
Space Wolf Tactical Errors:
• It’s important to remember the 9in flank range restriction by units that arrive from Deep Strike. Better movement and positioning would have prevented the T’au Melta equipped commander from being point blank with its weaponry which caused the Knight Crusader to be immediately crippled.
T’au Tactical Errors:
• T’au need to be overly conscious of the space left open in the backfield. The T’au missile commander should have never died in the first turn.
• Charging…. it is best (still) not done against space marines and the like. When forced into a hand to hand situation it is best place some men in the way. Instead of committing to a charge. Cover is grate especially since it reduces charging by 2in.
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