Hi all this is a rematch of an earlier battle posted by Boss Drachenfels. It features my
WIP Sons Of Medusa (SOM) against Drachens beautifully painted and completed Tau. it takes place on our
WIP gaming board, we hope to get a better camera in the future for better shots. We are not super competitive players and may get a few rules wrong. Its all in the name of fun, grudges and of course some bragging rights!
Mission-The Emperors Will
Battle Field-hammer and Anvil
Warlord traits- Tau-Drachen gets Exemplar of the selfless cause (enables a unit to get up from going to ground with no penalties, one use only)
SOM- The Imperium's Sword (I gain furious charge, one use only)
Drachen wins the roll off for table sides and chooses the side with the fortress of redemption (a standard fortification in this game) I set up on the skyshield en also a standard fortification. Drachen also wins roll off for set up, he decides to set up second and go second!! It proved to be a good choice as it was a long battle field, he was able to set up in counter to me and draw me out of cover
The Tau
HQ
Commander
Plasma rifle, missile pod, iridium armour, stimulant injector, neuroweb system jammer and target lock.
Pts - 162
2 Bodyguards
Plasma rifle, missile pod, advanced targeting system and target lock.
Pts - 140
Troops
10 Fire Warriors in Devilfish
Shas'ui, Devilfish with disruption pod.
Pts - 195
10 Fire Warriors in Devilfish
Shas'ui, Devilfish with disruption pod.
Pts - 195
Elites
Riptide
Counterfire defence system, twin linked plasma rifle, velocity tracker and stimulant injector.
Pts - 240
3 Crisis Battlesuits
Shas'vre, 2 suite have a flamer and a fusion blaster, other has a twin linked fusion blaster, all have target lock.
Pts - 151
Fast Attack
10 Pathfinders
Shas'ui
Pts - 120
Heavy Support
Hammerhead Gunship
Blacksun filter, twin linked
SMS, submunition rounds and disruption pod.
Pts - 146
Hammerhead Gunship
Ion Cannon, Blacksun filter, twin linked
SMS and disruption pod.
Pts - 141
Pts - 1500
SOM
Space marine Captain- Artificer armour, Combi Plasma, Power Fist
Command Squad- Veteran, Company Standard, Combi Plasma
Veteran, Thunder Hammer, Combi Melta
Veteran, Melta Gun
Company Champion, Power Sword, Combat Shield
Apothercary, Storm Bolter, Narthecium
Tactical Squad- Sargent, Power Fist
Missile Launcher
Melta Gun
Tactical Squad- Flammer
Missile Launcher
5 Marine Assault Squad- Sargent, Power Fist, Plasma Pistol
Rhino, Razorback, Vindicator, Stormraven,
Dreadnought with autocannon and missile launcher
5 man scout squad, boltguns shotguns and heavy bolter
techmarine and servitor
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the battlefield
Drachen keeps 2 devifish with firewarriors in reserve
In my reserve is the SR carrying Assault squad and a 5 man combat sqad
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after deployment I make my scout move mving up the left (refer to battle field to help see where)
SOM turn1 I split my tact squads into combat squads the 2 with missile launchers set up in the
ss with the dready, techmarine and servitor to form a permanent firebase over looking the field
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My "firebase" has a commanding view
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My Rhino housing my combat squad advances staying in cover but the hammerhead is waiting!!!
My
RB housing my
hq moves up the right behind cover.
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My
WIP vindi moves up the centre towards the Tau gunline.
its a scary thought advancing on the Tau, I use the
SM statue to try and obscure
LOS on the Vindi and I pop all smoke launchers. In the shooting phase my firebase opens up on the pathfinders in the fortress every missile hits its mark and the auto cannon to!! in total I cause 7 wounds from extreme range. Drachen decides to go to ground for a 2+ cover save. I tell him this is not necessary in a fortification but I am left eating my words!!! (check oot the next pic for his cover save rolls)
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Drachen rolls 5 2's!!! wow lucky he did go to ground only 1 pathfinder dies rather than 6 and I eat my words!
Tau turn1
Drachen readjusts the Tau gun line for better
los to meet the oncoming SOM, the railgun armed
HH scores a shot on the Vind but drachen fails to pen on a roll of 2 (he seems to love rolling 2s) Drachen opts not to use his warlord trait yet so his pathfinders can only snap fire which is ineffective.
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The tau guns mean business and what a beautiful army.
The
HH with ironcannon scores 3 pens on the rhino!! but I make 2 smoke saves and the final pen scores a crew shaken result. Wow you got to love smoke launchers, invaluable. To make matters worse for the Tau most other weapons miss and have no effect including fire from the Tau warlord (yes he rolled lots more 2's) this was a big let off for the SOM.
SOM turn2
The SR comes in from reserve down the left to aid the scouts and Rhino under heavy fire from the
HH. The second combat squad also comes in and helps secure the SOM backfield against any future tau looking for LB
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the combat squad come in and reinforce the line.
The Rhino on the left moves at speed up the left and the razorback moves up the right with the vindicator still rumbling up the centre. in the shooting phase the fire base on the
ss hit with everything the missile launchers have not missed yet but drachen again goes to ground with the pathfinders and passes every cover save. The
HB on the
RB takes a wound of a battle suit, the SR then fires everything in its arsenal at the
HH with ironcannon but causes no damage at all!!! oh dear.
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The Rhino makes a dash for it thinking the SR will clear a path
Tau turn 2
Drachen uses his warlord trait and his pathfinders stand from going to ground and will not have to snapfire eeeeeeeek! He readjusts the ret of the Tau and opens up. the pathfinders light the vind up now that they have their full
BS and hit with 3 marks ( it would have been more but for
los) The rail gun armed
HH now buffed hits home on the Vind but then rolls another 2 for penetration! This was a great tactic used by Drachen using what some people would call a worthless
WL trait in conjunction with pathfinders and a railgun
HH. If I'm honest it deserved a result he had lured the Vind in as I forgot about that
WL trait he really deserved more.
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The rip tide over charges its nova rector and takes a wound but passes its
FNP. It peppers the
RB with shots but im fortunate to come out unscathed.
The
HH on the left hits and pens the Rhino taking it down to 1
HP and a crew shaken. Just when I though I have got away with it the Tau
WL shows everyone on the field how its done and takes the final
HP of the Rhino with ease giving the Tau first blood!!!!!
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Tau
WL shows everyone how its done.
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take cover that guy can shoot
Drachen reforms his lines with good jump moves. its also worth noting Drachen forgot to roll for his reserves this turn.
SOM turn3
my
RB and Vind continue to push up the right and centre, the SR fires on the Tau
WL but only causes 1 wound (these guys need to get down the firing range) the vidicator fires its defining demolisher cannon hitting 6 pathfinders but again they are safe in the fortress abd only 1 dies. However fire from the landing pad kills a further 1 forcing a moral test, Drachen rolls an 11 and the retreat 4' The
HB on the
RB targets the riptide but fails to wound the might Tau construct.
Tau turn 3
Drachen this time remembers reserves and a DF carrying the Tau
FW comes in the full 12' The pathfinders rally, the Riptide scores a pen on the
HQ RB taking off a
HP and getting a crew shaken result. The pathfinders though only able to snap shoot after rallying still manage to take a second
HP of the
RB with their pulse carbines!
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the humble pathfinders have been bombarded this game but still manage to dust themselves down and damage my
Hq's transport.
The railgun armed
HH has the Vind in its sights and hits but only manages a glance. Once again I think I have got away with it when the Tau
WL again dispatches the vindicator with a great shot.
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The Tau
WL has got first blood and now his second scalp is the Vind.. This guy is taking me apart.
Again Drachen readdresses his lines with good jump moves.
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Tau
HQ consolidate into the fortress
My
HQ disembark from their battered
RB to bring there meltas and plasmas to bare on the Tau, the SR switches to hover mode and the assault squad disembark to charge the Tau
HQ. my combat squad on the left stay hunkered down behind the wreaked rhino (see previous pic) The scout squad see their chance moving forward firing at the Tau
HQ, I cause a wound but its easily saved. I was hoping to shoot the dready on the
SS at a different target but both missile launchers firing on the pathfinders missed so it was up to the dready to keep them going to ground, which he did with good auto cannon and missile fire of his own. I could not have them markerlights dotting me up next turn. the SR again opened up on the
HH with iron cannon scoring a pen but only getting a crew shaken result. My
HQ fired all its combi and special weapons at the riptide but either missed or failed to wound with everything in the arsenal. My only hope was for the assault squad to make their charg into the Tau
HQ which they did and survived the over watch partily down to a roll of 6 on the ironhands
FNP doctrine. However in my haste to assault I forgot to fire pistols first which included the sergeants plasma pistol (silly mistake)
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My
Hq open up on the mighty riptide and fail to score a single wound
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combat erupts on the fortress the result was not expected
Drachens
WL challenged my Sarg and they battled to a draw, the assault squad caused 2 wounds on the bodyguards for none in return. I had won by 2, we both expected this combat to last the game but drachen rolled
for his moral followed by a 1 for his initative!!! the
WL and his unit were cut down what a shock and it bought the current score to a draw.
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after a shock win the assault squad consolidate
Tau turn4
Drachens second reserves come in as the first reservs strengthen his objective. Tau battle suits rush to shore up the line as the assault squad are in his backline. Drachen senses his chance to rid the sky's of the SR now in hover mode. The
HH with rail gun fires and hits but only scores a glance. However the
HH with the iron cannon clearly has a better shooting crew they have been hitting all game and even with a previous crew shaken result meaning they can only snapshot they still manage to bring the SR down with a great shot. I fail my jink roll and the mighty ship is a smoking wreck. Wow this is hard to call.
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Tau battle suits move to meet the new assault squad threat
the Tau gun line poor fire into my
HQ and kill 2 veterans it would have been worse had it not been for
FNP
SOM turn 5
In this turn I do the most cowardly (but funny) thing ever my
HQ get back in the
RB on its last
HP and erm........ run away, you'll see why. My combat squad and scouts see there chance moving and running up the left as fast as they can. the scouts look for cover. The assault squad charge the
HH with ion cannon looking to avenge the loss of their ancient transport. The Firebase on the
SS continue great shooting causing 8 wounds on the pathfinders killing 2 they pass there moral this time. In the assault phase the assault squad fail to wreak the
HH taking it down to a single hull point.
My brave and mighty, heroic
HQ say a prayer to Ferrus Manus and ready them selves to charge the Tau line
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then looking at it suddenly think.
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Sod this for a game of soldiers
I move back with e
RB fast!!!
Tau turn 5
again although only snap shooting the path finders light up the striken
RB which is then destroyed by the riptide. The brave assault squad are wiped from the face of the planet in a devastating Tau full side
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Its been an honor serving with you gentlemen
SOM turn 6 the game goes on
not much to do but take cover and hope for the best and pray to the emperor. the
hq run from thee razor back to find shelter the last 3 marines from the combat squad run 1' for line breaker the scouts run 4' will it be enough!!!
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scouts hunker down to weather a terrible tau fire storm
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the last of the combat squad hope for the best
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protect the warlord
tau turn 6
drachen opens up with all he has a submunission round from the rail gun takes out 2 of the combat squad then a scout dies... hold on boys the dust settles ans 1 combat member and 4 scouts are alive due to the los and cover the scouts found I roll the dice and the game ends wow
SOM5 Tau 4
Automatically Appended Next Post:
this was such a fun game I will post more pics of the armies soon, I hope you enjoyed this it was sooooo close and a pleasure to battle a good friend and great opponent on our own board
