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Need some advice on playing against Dark Angels, I'm new to 40K and this guy I'm playing against is seasoned, I've never battled Dark Angels before and I just lost to this guy's Khorne Demons real bad so any advice would be appreciated.

Here's the list I'm facing:

+++ Dark Angels (1500pts) +++

+ HQ (155pts) +
Company Master (155pts) [Storm Shield
••••Artificer Armour [Bolt Pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades, Infantry, Thunder Hammer ]

+ Elites (135pts) +
Command Squad [Frag and Krak Grenades, Storm Shield, 5x Veterans]
••••Rhino [Smoke Launchers and Searchlight, Storm Bolter]

+ Troops (645pts) +
Tactical Squad [Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Frag and Krak Grenades, Lascannon, Plasmagun, Power Armor, 9x Tactical Marines]
••••Rhino [Smoke Launchers and Searchlight, Storm Bolter]
••••Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]

Tactical Squad [Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Frag and Krak Grenades, Lascannon, Plasmagun, Power Armor, 9x Tactical Marin]
••••Rhino [Smoke Launchers and Searchlight, Storm Bolter]
••••Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]

Tactical Squad [Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Flamer, Frag and Krak Grenades, Power Armor, 4x Tactical Marine]
••••Rhino [Smoke Launchers and Searchlight, Storm Bolter]
••••Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]
••••••••Rules: Rapid Fire



Tactical Squad [Bolt pistol, Boltgun, Frag and Krak Grenades, Meltagun, Power Armor, 4x Tactical Marine]
••••Rhino [Smoke Launchers and Searchlight, Storm Bolter]
••••Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword]

+ Fast Attack (365pts) +
Assault Squad [9x Assault Space Marine, Bolt pistol, Chainsword, Frag and Krak Grenades, Jump Packs]
••••Assault Space Marine Sergeant [Bolt Pistol, Chainsword]

2x Ravenwing Bike Squad [Bolt pistol, 2x Flamer, Frag and Krak Grenades, 2x Ravenwing Biker, Teleport Homer, Twin-linked Boltgun]
1x ••••Ravenwing Attack Bike [Frag and Krak Grenades, Heavy Bolter, Teleport Homer, Twin Linked Boltgun]
1x••••••••Ravenwing Sergeant: Unit Type:Bike

2x.......Ravenwing Land Speeders
[Heavy Flamer, Multi-Melta]

+ Heavy Support (200pts) +
Devastator Squad [Bolt pistol, Frag and Krak Grenades, 4x Missile Launcher, Power Armor, 9x Space Marine]
1x••••Sergeant [Boltgun, Chainsword, Signum]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

+++ Tau (1500pts) +++

+ HQ (196pts) +
Commander (201pts) [Crisis Battlesuit, Neuroweb System Jammer (Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Stims, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit]
••••2x Gun Drone

+ Elites +
XV8 Crisis Team

••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]

XV8 Crisis Team
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••2x Gun Drone

XV8 Crisis Team
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]


+ Troops +
Kroot Carnivore Squad [2x Kroot Hound]
••••10x Kroot [10x Kroot Rifle]
Kroot Carnivore Squad [2x Kroot Hound]
••••10x Kroot [10x Kroot Rifle]

+ Fast Attack (519pts) +
Pathfinder Team
••••7x Pathfinder Shas'la [7x Pulse Carbine with Markerlight]
••••Recon Drone [Burst Cannon, Homing Beacon, Positional Relay]
1x Devilfish Transport

Piranhas
••••Piranha [Burst Cannon, Two Gun Drones]
••••Piranha [Burst Cannon, Two Gun Drones]

XV109 Y'vahra Battlesuit [FW] (254pts) [Flechette Dispersal Pods, Ionic Discharge Cannon, Phased Plasma-Flamer, Ravelin Shield Generator, Vectored Thrust Array, Y'vahra battlesuit]
••••2x Shield Drone [2x Shield Generator]


+ Heavy Support (205pts) +

Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship [2x Networked Markerlight, 6x Seeker Missile, Twin-linked Smart Missile System, Velocity Tracker, BF]

XV88 Broadside Team (89pts)
••••Broadside Shas'ui [Broadside Battlesuit, Twin-linked Heavy Rail Rifle, Twin-linked Smart Missile System]
••••2x Gun Drone

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I think the list I came up with is pretty good, I just don't know what the best tactics will be against DA?

Any advice would be great, this is my forth game and I don't get many opportunities to play.
Cheers

Just focus down his elite units. Its a really meh list, as far as DA go.

I would really advise against shield drones on the Y'Vahra. He can't make his 24" FMC move while he has drones tagging along. I find that with his extreme short range that 24" move is pivotal for his alpha / beta strike to minimise return fire.

Right, from the units in your friends list he will probably play a Lions Blade Strike force because he has the required units for 1 demi company and 2 auxiliary formations of Ravenwing Attack Squad. If he forms a CAD check to see if he is wearing his pants on his head because it just makes no sense with the above unit selection.

His demi company, all his rhinos, tacticals, assaults, devastators and his command squad, are all objective secured. His bikes are not.
His bike squads will fire the landspeeder first and that only needs to hit to give the rest of the bike squad +1 BS to that target. He has two of these formations.

My concern is that you do not seem to have enough marker lights to deal with his bikes. You have to remove their cover AND hit them with AP3/2 weaponry if he kills your pathfinders which i would target first you will be in trouble.

His Company Master and command squad are not going to be that dangerous, you maybe want to clarify if he is keeping their boltguns on the veterans with stormshields or changing them for a melee weapon. If he does this he will have a tough melee unit with decent number of attacks. Find out if he is paying for an apothecary in that command squad because that will raise this squads toughness/durability by a magnitude.

I assume as you are Tau you have no intention of charging him, if you lost your mind and tried this his demi company units would overwatch you are full Ballistic Skill which will hurt a lot. The bikes will still overwatch at BS 2.

Priority for you is to take out his bikes asap, assault marines second then rhinos, this will stop his mobility and help you a lot in a maelstrom game, if you are not playing maelstrom then hit his bikes followed by his heavy weapons, ignore the rhino's once they disembark troops.

Taulie wrote:
+ HQ (196pts) +
Commander (201pts) [Crisis Battlesuit, Neuroweb System Jammer (Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Stims, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit]
••••2x Gun Drone

+ Elites +
XV8 Crisis Team

••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]

XV8 Crisis Team
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••2x Gun Drone

XV8 Crisis Team
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle]

One thing missing in all this is one 'Vre with MSS and C&CN. Have your Cmdr join that unit. To maximize things, promote another suit to HQ, and have two Cmdrs, thus:

Your Irid Armored dude, FB/PR and as you have him kitted out
A 2nd HQ suit, FB/PR, Onanger, and VRT, so they an bail on a combat if they get assaulted.
the 'Vre with TwinLinked/Ignores cover toys
2 buddies with FB/PR
assorted Gunds, maybe not more than 2 or 3.

Other units:
a. I see no need for a Devilfish in the list. It's not Obsec since it is bought with Pathfinders. I'd use its points for the 2nd commander.
b. Give the b-side EWO and definitely change it to HYMP. Proxy it if you don't own a HYMP model. I have done so for the last couple years. All players have been okay with it.
c. Piranhas - I'd change to FBs. BCs are the same range, but you need rhino crushing power
d. SkyRay needs a DisPod.

Tactic wise:
1. Roll on Strategic Trait to try to get Conqueror of Citites, giving Stealth and Move Through Cover in Ruins. Good for hopping Crisis Suits and SkyRays.
2. Crush the nearest bikes and the Dev Squad first. Except for Hammer and Anvil, they'll be on you Turn 2. The Devs aren't so bad, as you have your Irid Armor Commander be the closer model, tanking their Missiles with his 2+ and Stims.
3. The SKyRay's full attention should go to the Devs, once the immediate bike threat is removed. Marker them and spend the missiles to assure a No Save death.
4. Use Markers to remove the bikes' Jink, of course.
5. His speeders are vulnerable to all your guns. The kroot can prolly glance or assault them to death. My bet is you down those every game anyway, just lower them as a priority.

After that, it's rhino & tactical mop up.

And dtop the gun drones on the broadsides. Theit 18" range with often be wasted as the suits sit in the back.

I also recommend changing one of your suit squads and commander (with drone controller) to double missile pod and target lock with marker drones. This provides 6 jsj marker lights at bs 5, and a squad that can split fire 16 str 7 shots in different directions. It'll help against your opponents MSU nature.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll update my list, it will be a lot more functional now, cheers!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
OK, here is my updated list:

+++ 1500 Tau vs DA (1500pts) +++
+ HQ (341pts) +
Deathrain Commander (152pts) [Crisis Battlesuit, Drone Controller, 2x Missile Pod, Target Lock]
••••2x Marker Drone [2x Markerlight]

Iridium Commander (189pts) [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Onager Gauntlet, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Vectored Retro-Thrusters, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit]
••••2x Gun Drone [2x Twin-linked Pulse Carbine]

+ Elites (295pts) +
XV8 Crisis Team (157pts)
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, 2x Missile Pod, Target Lock]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, 2x Missile Pod]
••••4x Marker Drone [4x Markerlight]

XV8 Crisis Team (138pts)
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••2x Gun Drone [2x Twin-linked Pulse Carbine]



+ Troops (120pts) +

Kroot Carnivore Squad
••••10x Kroot [Kroot Rifle]

Kroot Carnivore Squad
••••10x Kroot [Kroot Rifle]

+ Fast Attack (357pts) +
Pathfinder Team (77pts) [Photon Grenades]
••••7x Pathfinder Shas'la [7x Pulse Carbine with Markerlight]

Piranhas (50pts)
••••Piranha (50pts) [Fusion Blaster, Two Gun Drones]

XV109 Y'vahra Battlesuit [FW] (230pts) [Flechette Dispersal Pods, Ionic Discharge Cannon, Phased Plasma-Flamer, Ravelin Shield Generator, Vectored Thrust Array, Y'vahra battlesuit]


+ Heavy Support (382pts) +

Hammerhead Gunship (149pts) [Blacksun Filter, Disruption Pod, Railgun, Seeker Missile , Twin-linked Smart Missile System]

Sky Ray Missile Defense Gunship (131pts) [Blacksun Filter, Disruption Pod, 2x Networked Markerlight, 6x Seeker Missile, Two Gun Drones, Velocity Tracker]

XV88 Broadside Team (102pts)
••••Broadside Shas'ui (78pts) [Broadside Battlesuit, Early Warning Override, Seeker Missile, Twin-linked High-Yield Missile Pod, Twin-linked Smart Missile System]
••••2x Missile Drone [2x Missile Pod]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


Thanks DirtyDeeds, I need to boost the total Markerlights in this list so I'm going to Join the Deathrain Cmdr to the Deathrain suit team to boost my Markerlights x 6 all with BS 5.
I can't rely on my 7man team of Pathfinders, if they get taken out I'm going to have a bad time and he always guns for my Pathfinders first!

I kept the drones on the B-side for survivability to pass off wounds.

The Iridium Cmdr will join the 2x FB/PR suites and be focusing on the Devs once the bikes are history.
The XV109 will gun for the Command Squad Rino, then the other Rinos staying away from the Devs.

I added a Hammerhead, I have not had any success with the Hammerhead at all and would prefer a second Sky Ray, but I'll give it a go..

I'll pretty much follow Brothererekose advice:

Tactic wise:
1. Roll on Strategic Trait to try to get Conqueror of Citites, giving Stealth and Move Through Cover in Ruins. Good for hopping Crisis Suits and SkyRays.
2. Crush the nearest bikes and the Dev Squad first. Except for Hammer and Anvil, they'll be on you Turn 2. The Devs aren't so bad, as you have your Irid Armor Commander be the closer model, tanking their Missiles with his 2+ and Stims.
3. The SKyRay's full attention should go to the Devs, once the immediate bike threat is removed. Marker them and spend the missiles to assure a No Save death.
4. Use Markers to remove the bikes' Jink, of course.

Should be a winning combination right?

The guy's list looks very casual.

Just go and have a game and have fun.

He is obviously not list building to win.
If he pulls out squad after squad of black knights and grav bikes backed up by darkshrouds, that is the time you should come here and ask how to beat it.

For tau advice in general, I'm not sold on the markerlight drone commander unit. It is accurate, but its cost per markerlight is high, and you can only tag 1 unit per turn.
Personally I love to use tetras.

As an enclaves player it pains me to say it-but cut down on suits.


The higherst AV he has is rhino, the thoughest unit is a T5Sv3, aside a single HQ. and he has 35 "base" marines running around in multiple rhinos.


You don't need all that plasma and fusion-he don't really have termis or armor.

You need less quality shots, and more of them. some more markers to deal with the ravenwing can also be useful.
Add pulse fire, add missile pods.

Broadside never should pack HRR in this codex (hopefully the next one fixes this)
VTR suits is a waste, only bikes can reach them, they wont survive contact with anything that can reach them anyway.
All the seeker missiles? also a waste.
The hammerhead-take a ion cannon. its great at facing marine hordes, while railgun is currently never good.

The guy's list looks very casual.

Just go and have a game and have fun.

He is obviously not list building to win.

Yes this is true, he has not built a strong list at all.
I'm guaranteed to have fun, I always do that's why I play 40k.
I'm just asking advice on list building and tactics as I'm a new player.

As an enclaves player it pains me to say it-but cut down on suits.


The higherst AV he has is rhino, the thoughest unit is a T5Sv3, aside a single HQ. and he has 35 "base" marines running around in multiple rhinos.


You don't need all that plasma and fusion-he don't really have termis or armor.

You need less quality shots, and more of them. some more markers to deal with the ravenwing can also be useful.
Add pulse fire, add missile pods.

Broadside never should pack HRR in this codex (hopefully the next one fixes this)
VTR suits is a waste, only bikes can reach them, they wont survive contact with anything that can reach them anyway.
All the seeker missiles? also a waste.
The hammerhead-take a ion cannon. its great at facing marine hordes, while railgun is currently never good.

You have made quite a few good points, I will adjust my list accordingly.
Thanks everyone for the advice!

Taulie wrote:

XV8 Crisis Team (138pts)
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••2x Gun Drone [2x Twin-linked Pulse Carbine]

While it is good to have a backup, you only need one VRT for that unit. I would also recommend spiting the weapons between the two and give the Fusion Blaster suit a Target Lock.

••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Fusion Blaster, Target Lock]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Plasma Rifle, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••2x Gun Drone [2x Twin-linked Pulse Carbine]

With this, you can have your drones and Plasma suit shoot a one target, while your Fusion suit can pick another, tougher target, like a vehicle to crack.

Taulie wrote:
Iridium Commander (189pts) [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Onager Gauntlet, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Vectored Retro-Thrusters, XV8-02 Crisis 'Iridium' Battlesuit]
••••2x Gun Drone [2x Twin-linked Pulse Carbine]


+ Elites (295pts) +
XV8 Crisis Team (157pts)
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, 2x Missile Pod, Target Lock]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, 2x Missile Pod]
••••4x Marker Drone [4x Markerlight]

XV8 Crisis Team (138pts)
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••Crisis Shas'ui [Crisis Battlesuit, Fusion Blaster, Plasma Rifle, Vectored Retro-Thrusters]
••••2x Gun Drone [2x Twin-linked Pulse Carbine]

Not going to go with a 'Vre having MSS and C&CN?
As another poster stated, too much VRT, plus their Init sucks so the VRT is likely to fail. Only the Commanders' Init4 is worth rolling.

Taulie wrote:

I'll pretty much follow Brothererekose advice:

Tactic wise:
1. Roll on Strategic Trait to try to get Conqueror of Citites, giving Stealth and Move Through Cover in Ruins. Good for hopping Crisis Suits and SkyRays.
2. Crush the nearest bikes and the Dev Squad first. Except for Hammer and Anvil, they'll be on you Turn 2. The Devs aren't so bad, as you have your Irid Armor Commander be the closer model, tanking their Missiles with his 2+ and Stims.
3. The SKyRay's full attention should go to the Devs, once the immediate bike threat is removed. Marker them and spend the missiles to assure a No Save death.
4. Use Markers to remove the bikes' Jink, of course.

Should be a winning combination right?

I hope it does. Get back to me with How-It-Goes.

 Brothererekose wrote:
Not going to go with a 'Vre having MSS and C&CN?
As another poster stated, too much VRT, plus their Init sucks so the VRT is likely to fail. Only the Commanders' Init4 is worth rolling.

I personally don't recommend Shas'vre with MS3 and CnCN as it limits the utility of wargear. If it is attached to the commander, you have the option to move him to another squad and buff them instead.
Also, don't forget that the Gun Drones also have I4.