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Alright, so we're having a friendly battle between the Chaos Space Marines and Tau Empire, 1500 points, standard 5th Edition rules.

Army lists are as follows:

Chaos Space Marines

HQ

DP - 175
+MoT
+Wings
+Warp Time

DP - 175
+MoT
+Wings
+Warp Time

Elites

Chaos Terminators x 5 - 265
+2 Powerfists
+3 Chainfists
+Champion
+MoT

Troops

CSM x 8 - 145
+Aspiring Champion
+Melta Gun

CSM x 8 - 145
+Aspiring Champion
+Melta Gun

Chaos Rhino - DT - 35

Chaos Rhino - DT - 35

Heavy Support

Obliterators x 3 - 225

Chaos Vindicator - 145
+Possessed

Chaos Predator - 165
+TW Lascannon
+Lascannon Sponsons

Total: 1500

Tau

HQ

Commander (Crisis Shas'o) - 123
+Cyclic Ion Blaster
+Burst cannon
+Multitracker
+Shield Gen.

Bodyguard x 1 - 87
+Fusion Blaster
+Plasma Rifle
+Shield Gen.

Troops

12x Fire Warriors - 120
+Pulse Rifles

12x Fire Warriors - 120
+Pulse Rifles

12x Fire Warriors - 120
+Pulse Rifles

Heavy Support

Hammerhead Gunship - 170
+railgun
+2 Burst Cannons
+2 Seeker Missiles

Hammerhead Gunship - 160
+Railgun
+Smart Missile System

Broadside Battlesuits XV88 x 3 - 285
+railguns (twin-linked)
+Twin-linked Plasma Rifles
+1x Shas'vre
+Targeting Array
+1x Multi-tracker (Shas'vre)

Pathfinder Teams x 2 - 314
+Devilfish x 2
- Targeting Arrays
- 2 Gun drones
+ 2 x 6 Pathfinders

Total: 1499

Onto the battle.

Roll for Game Mode: Annihilation

We roll to see who deploys first - CSM goes first, Tau player does not try to steal the initiative.

I deploy, then the Tau deploy. Before the game starts, The pathfinder teams in Fishes scout on ahead to behind some barricades.

Turn 1 - Movement Phase - Chaos Space Marines

Rhino 1 moved off to the left barricades and building, carrying one of my CSM squads, Rhino 2 moved up to the gap between the building and right-most barricade. Predator stays motionless and the Vindicator moves its full 12" towards the left gap between the barricade and large central building. My Daemon Princes move up opposite sides of the battlefield.

Turn 1 - Shooting Phase - Chaos Space Marines

Vindicator can't shoot, Rhino Transports don't shoot, Predator eliminates two Tau Broadsides immediately. Nothing else may shoot, so I move onto my Assault Phase.

Turn 1 - Assault Phase - Chaos Space Marines

The Daemon Prince on the left flank assaults the Devilfish and completely destroys it to win me my first Kill Point. Pathfinders pass their pinning test when they disembark.

My turn is over and the Tau takes its first turn.

Turn 1 - Movement Phase - Tau

The Pathfinders disembark from the other devilfish and the left Hammerhead moves 6" towards me. Nothing else bothers to move.

Turn 1 - Shooting Phase - Tau

Commander and Bodyguard do not shoot. Pathfinders land 4 markerlights each of the CSM Rhinos. Broadside unit misses its Twin-linked railgun shot, while the two HammerHeads immobilize a Rhino and destroy the other, which earns the Tau their first kill point. The CSM squad passes its pinning tests upon forceful disembarking. The Devilfish attacks the revealed CSM squad and kills one Marine.

Assault Phase skipped.

Turn 2 - Chaos Space Marines - Movement

Reserves rolls for Terminators and Obliterators fail ):

Left Daemon Prince leaps over the wreckage left from the Devilfish and the other Daemon Prince glides towards the right-most squad of Fire Warriors. My CSM squad inside the immobilized Rhino disembark and stand around doing nothing. Nothing else moves.

Turn 2 - Shooting Phase - CSM

The Predator wipes out the remaining Broadside and earns me another Kill Point. The Vindicator Immobilizes the left Hammerhead. Meltagun misses the Fish on the right and none of the other weapons have any effect.

Turn 2 - Assault Phase - CSM

Daemon Prince on the right launches its Assault against the Fire Warriors right in front of it and kills three, wins combat, and in its sweeping advance destroys the rest of the unit seeing as the Tau failed their morale test. DP consolidates three inches towards the next FW squad as the other DP assaults the Pathfinders on the left. I roll horribly and fail to wound, while saving two wounds from the Pathfinders (this surprised me, hehe). DP and Pathfinders are locked in combat and my left CSM squad stands around doing nothing. Still.

Turn 2 - Movement Phase - Tau

Commander and bodyguard move forwards towards the Vindicator. Everything else stays where it is.

Turn 2 - Shooting Phase - Tau

The Pathfinders shoot 4 markerlights onto my right Daemon Prince. Devilfish kils two CSM out of the right squad. Here's where the Tau show they can be useful in rapid-fire sessions; Tau miss 2 of 24 shots, wound 12 out of 22, and I save all but three. Right now I feel rather depressed and my Daemon Prince is hurting with 3 out of 4 wounds. The other FW squad shoots 12, misses 9, and I save the rest on my Daemon Prince. In a glimmer of hope, the Hammerhead on the right shoots the Daemon Prince with its Railgun. I pass my invulnerable save just as the other Hammerhead destroys my immobilized Rhino, earning the Tau another kill point. The Vindicator is immobilized by the Commander Shas'vre.

Turn 2 - Assault Phase - Tau

The pathfinders launch an assault on the Daemon Prince they are locked in combat with, lose two of their men to the DP who hits first and isn't hit by the Pathfinder assault at all. Pathfinders fail their morale check and the DP's sweeping advance destroys the rest of the unit and earns me another Kill Point. DP consolidates 3" towards the commander and bodyguard.

My reserve rolls fail again – no Terminators or Obliterators Deep Strike.

Turn 3 - Movement Phase - CSM

I move my DP on the right closer to the Fire Warriors, and nothing else moves except for my tactical squads, towards the top of the board 6 inches.

Turn 3 - Shooting Phase - CSM

The Predator makes the Devilfish on the right, guarding the Pathfinders… explode. Both teams save all the resultant armour saves. The CSM squad shoots over the burning wreckage of the fish and kills two of them. An unfortunate squad of CSM can’t do anything. My Vindicator fires at the squad of FW behind the left-most HH and manages to miss horribly.

Turn 3 – Assault Phase – CSM

My DP on the left assaults the bodyguard and Commander on the left, tying them up in combat as neither unit wins the assault. My other DP launches an assault on the next FW team and kills nothing while the FW team does nothing. Both DPs are now locked in combat.

Turn 3 – Movement Phase – Tau

Nothing moves.

Turn 3 – Shooting Phase – Tau

The left Hammerhead manages to destroy the Vindicator’s weapon, but is otherwise unharmed. The right Hammerhead shoots over the Hammerhead’s burning wreckage at the Predator, but misses. The Fire Warrior squad over to the left manage to kill two more CSM out of the right-most squad, leaving four.

Turn 3 – Assault Phase – Tau

The FW squad locked in close combat with the right-most Daemon Prince lose combat by two wounds and fail their morale test, the DP wiping them out in a sweeping advance. The other DP locked in combat with the Commander and his bodyguard deals a wound to the Bodyguard, while the DP remains untouched. The Commander and bodyguard fail their morale test and are destroyed in my DP’s sweeping advance (which managed to thoroughly surprise me and the Tau player). DP consolidates 2” towards the nearest group of FW.

Turn 4 – Movement – CSM
Terminators Deep Strike and mishap; the roll is for Misplacement and the squad ends up right back at my board edge. Obliterators Deep Strike and scatter left just short of the forest terrain. Both DPs advance on their next FW squads, but only one is in range to assault the right-hand group. My CSM squad on the right moves around the Devilfish wreckage and shoots away two more pathfinders from the 4 left.
Predator stays where it is.

Turn 4 – Shooting – CSM

CSM squad fires at the group of FW to the left and kills two. My other CSM squad misses the Pathfinders. Obliterators rear their ugly heads and their Multi-meltas miss the pathfinders as well. I forget to fire my Predator seeing as it was in the periphery of my vision.

Turn 4 – Assault – CSM

My DP on the right charges into the FW squad and kills three outright, receiving no wounds in return. The quad fail their morale test and are killed in a sweeping advance. DP consolidates towards the Hammerhead on the right as I forget to assault with my other DP.

Turn 4 – Movement – Tau

The Tau do not move.

Turn 4 – Shooting – Tau

Pathfinders fire their markerlights at the DP with three wounds, and the Hammerhead fires its Burst cannon to kill the Daemon Prince. The FW squad that was left fired upon the 4-man CSM squad and fail to kill any (hitting and wounding 22 out of 24 shots, me miraculously saving 22 wounds).

Turn 4 – Asssault – Tau

The Tau do not assault. 

Turn 5 – Movement – CSM

The CSM squads advance towards the enemy, 6” each. The Daemon Prince moves into Assault range of the last FW squad and sits there. The Terminators at the back of the board Move and then Run 9” towards the battle.

Turn 5 – Shooting – CSM

The Predator fires its lascannons at the Hammerhead on the right, missing with the TL cannon but hitting with the sponson. The Hammerhead explodes and doesn’t damage anything. Meltaguns miss the last hammerhead from both squads and the Obliterators finish off the Pathfinders with Plasma guns, losing a wound on one model to the Gets Hot! Rule.

Turn 5 – Assault – CSM

The DP remains motionless for some reason… I think I forgot to Assault with it.

Turn 5 – Movement – Tau

No movement.

Turn 5 – Shooting – Tau

The Tau shoot two markerlights at the CSM squad that hit. They then focus all their shots on the CSM squad with four men left; the Hammerhead misses its submunition blast via 12” - 5 scatter. The Burst Missiles hit and kill two. The FW squad shoot at the remaining men and kill them, earning another kill point.

Turn 5 – Assault - Tau

The Tau do not assault.

Roll to continue to Turn 6 successful

Turn 6 – Movement – CSM

The Terminators move towards the battle, as the CSM squad moves in as well around a barricade. The Obliterators move and cannot fire the weapons that reach anything.

Turn 6 – Shooting – CSM

The CSM squad uses the Melta shot to destroy the Hammerhead’s Railgun, as the Terminators shoot out another lone Fire Warrior.

Turn 6 – Assault – CSM

The DP finally moves into combat with the remaining Fire Warriors and kills two. The Fire Warriors score a wound against the Daemon Prince, then pass their morale check for losing combat. The DP and Warriors are locked in combat.

Turn 6 – Movement – Tau

The Tau cannot move.

Turn 6 – Shooting – Tau

The Tau cannot shoot

Turn 6 – Assault – Tau

The Fire Warriors assault the Daemon Prince and score no wounds after the Daemon Prince kills all but five warriors off. Miraculously the FW squad passes their morale check and the DP stays locked in combat.

Roll for continue is successful.

Turn 7 – Movement – CSM

The CSM squad and Terminators continue to advance, as well as the Obliterators.

Turn 7 – Shooting – CSM

The CSM squad with the meltagun miss the Hammerhead as the Predator also misses. The Obliterators were still not in range for their shots and sat where they were.

Turn 7 – Assault – CSM

The Daemon Prince kills two Fire Warriors as they fail to hit him back. The FW squad pass their morale check again… and they stay locked in combat with the DP.

Turn 7 – Movement – Tau

No movement.

Turn 7 – Shooting – Tau

The Tau cannot shoot.

Turn 7 – Assault – Tau

The Tau assault back into the DP and manage to do nothing. The Daemon Prince does nothing also and the two stay locked in combat.

GAME END.

The game finishes after Turn 7, and the final scores end up at 9 Kill Points for the CSM, and 4 for the Tau Empire.

Chaos Space Marine Victory.

All in all the game was really fun; the only thing that ended up deciding the game was the Tau’s amazingly bad dice rolls. I was annoyed at my Daemon Prince near the end, as I probably should have sent him barreling into the Hammerhead instead of spending two turns tied up in combat with a Fire Warrior squad.

Survivors:
Tau:
Immobilized Hammerhead Gunship
3 Fire Warriors

Chaos Space Marines:
Chaos Vindicator
CSMs x 8
Terminator Squad x 5
Obliterators x 3
Daemon Prince
Chaos Predator

Casualties:
Tau:
Commander and Bodyguard
Fire Warriors x12
Fire Warriors x12
Fire Warriors x9
Devilfish
Devilfish
Broadside XV88 Battlesuits x 3
Hammerhead Gunship
Pathfinder Team x 6
Pathfinder Team x 6

good report, tough game on the tau :( when I saw his list I expected him to do better honestly

Tau forgot his multi-trackers and disruption pods.

This was our 3rd game ever, and first ever 1500 point game. Unfortunately her rolls were especially bad and that decided the game from around turn 3 or 4. Every single roll to continue the game (by which I mean two rolls |D ) were ... and things she shot with (even with BS 5) managed to miss most of the time. Amazing bout of bad luck for her, but otherwise we had fun and made jokes along the way so she didn't end up hating me by the end -_-;

Thanks for the comments - I think next game I have against the Tau I'll drop the Oblits, even when they could shoot, they didn't do much. I'd rather have another 5 Termies or something.

Oblits are amazing against... well, most everything. But yeah, against Tau, more assault is usually better

Tau list looks like 4th ed Tau.

Fish o' frenzy really isn't that good anymore.

Hrm, Tau had no shield drones on their broadsides or crisis suits, no disruption pods on their vehicles. Weird.

For someone learning Tau this is not all all that odd of a list. There is a lot of 4th edition information out there. Once you learn about the glory of the disruption pod and taking multiple weapons with multitrackers it becomes a much different story.

Overall seemed like a great battle. Two DPs flying around causing havoc would cause headaches for a lot of lists out there.

22 saves of 22 wounds. Wow. fixed dice much?
and ummm...
PING!

rogueeyes wrote:For someone learning Tau this is not all all that odd of a list. There is a lot of 4th edition information out there. Once you learn about the glory of the disruption pod and taking multiple weapons with multitrackers it becomes a much different story.

Overall seemed like a great battle. Two DPs flying around causing havoc would cause headaches for a lot of lists out there.

It really was a good battle, and seeing how this was only our first 1500 pt game, I thought her list was pretty solid... the Tau just aren't really made for CC. I really shudder to think of what would have become of my army if I hadn't destroyed her Broadsides with the Predator.

CaptainCommunism wrote:22 saves of 22 wounds. Wow. fixed dice much?
and ummm...
PING!

Ahaha, yes, it very much felt like that. To be completely honest it could have been anywhere from 16 saves to 22... I can't remember that clearly. Still, it was a good amount of saves to make - and I made them all?

The dp were awesome

CaptainCommunism wrote:22 saves of 22 wounds. Wow. fixed dice much?
and ummm...
PING!

I had one game where I summoned 20 lesser demons onto the board, where they assaulted a Zoanthrope going for an easy kill.... so I roll all 60 hits and something like 45 wound dice. I wound the thing 26 times. So I'm like "awesome, good chance it'll die!"

So my buddy Alex rolls his saves.... makes ALL 26. He laughed so hard I thought he'd explode.

Long story short, 2 turns later, the zoanthrope was STILL alive and had managed to kill 4 demons even. Go figure -_-