This is a grudge match between me and my Tau opponent who is a really nice dude. I love playing with him. I have beaten his Tau army twice before with the alliance, once in 6th and once in 7th edition. This is somewhat amusing, because he was having an easy time with other players as far as I can see. So with this, can he break the losing streak, or will the psychic alliance once again prove too powerful for the infantile Tau to deal with?
My list: Grey Knights Nemesis Strike Force:
Librarian - ML3, Combi-melta (LT).
5 Terminators - Incinerator (LT and T).
Dreadknight - Heavy Incinerator, Nemesis Greatsword, Personal Teleporter (
DW).
Eldar Allied Detachment:
Farseer (FDF and F)
5 Fire Dragons - Exarch (FDF).
5 Dire Avengers (
DA).
Wave Serpent. -
TL Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon (W).
Viper - Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon (V).
My opponent's list: Hunter Contingent Cadre:
Commander - Buffing stuffs but no weapon (C).
Darkstrider (D2).
Crisis Suit - 2 Missile Pods (
Cs).
6 Fire Warriors (FW1).
6 Fire Warriors (FW1).
6 Fire Warriors (FW2).
6 Fire Warriors (FW3).
6 Fire Warriors (D2).
6 Pathfinders (P1).
4 Drones - Marker Light (D1).
Stormsurge - Intercept (S).
Warlord traits:
Tau Commander - Something useless. I could not remember.
Dreadknight -
IWND and Fearless.
Psychic Powers:
Librarian - Psychic Shriek, Shrouding, Dominate and Terrify.
Farseer - Banishment, Gate of Infinity, Sanctuary and Vortex of Doom.
Opening fluff:
For millennia, the world of Tanlarus was under the control of Chaos. It was home to many different cults each worshiping a separate deity or multiple at the same time. However, recent events have seen it declining to the bottom of a pit which it can never recover. Many legions of warriors devoted to the cause of Chaos were raised to fight in countless unmerited wars, most of which never return. With the planet's resources bled dry a constant state of unrest occurs as the factions turned upon one another to seize control of the remaining resources as well as earning favors from their Gods.
Seeing the time to strike a blow to the Forces of Chaos, and alliance of Eldar and Grey Knights undertakes a purge on Tantarus, overwhelming its defenders with ease. They barely began their bloody work when the planet's distress signal was responded by not Chaos Space Marines, but a contingent of Tau. Not fully aware of the threat posed by Chaos, the infant race appeared sympathetic to the its worshipers and claimed what the alliance was doing was unreasonable and despicable bloodbath. However, they have a different agenda coming to this place, to annex Tanlarus into their realm.
Not giving in to the request, the Eldar and Grey Knights agreed that they would fight against the Tau as much as any servant of the Dark Gods. Within the ruin of a long-forgotten Imeprial city that was destroyed in the Horus Heresy, a very advanced cogitator engine was located. With that, the Grey Knight ship could fire their weapons at immense range with extreme accuracy, allowing it to easily defeat the Tau navy above the planet and subsequently cleanse the planet of Chaos filth. Anticipating this, the Tau dispatched a strike team supported by a super weapon to prevent this and destroy the relic.
And with the battle line being drawn, the bloodletting shall begin.
Glossary: each skull represents a wound taken and an explosion indicates a unit has been destroyed or the Stormsurge taking Wounds. Each unit is presented at the position at the end of the turn, including all Run and Jetpack movements.
Deployment:
The mission is The Relic.
All Tau units are on the table.
Dire Avengers (
DA) are inside Wave Serpent (W). Librarian and Terminators (LT) will be Deepstriking. I know it's a huge risk, but I would rather the Stormsurge firing at them than the Dreadknight.
Tau have first turn and I failed to seize.
Tau turn 1: 
As to be expected, very little movement took place. The Drones (D1) moved up to the tower. The Commander unit (C) was unable to get into range of the Dreadknight (
DW) so the Stormsurge would not be getting any buffs from them. The Crisis Suits jumped up the battlement and drew line of sight on the Dreadknight.
Shooting phase saw 3 Wounds inflicted on the Dreadknight (2 from Stormsurge and 1 from Crisis Suit, after 1 Markerlight was hit by Drones). Ouch! He is almost gone already. The Stormsurge also anchored down. The Crisis Suit ran down, something he could do after shooting due to formation.
Drones used Jetpacks and moved down from the tower to pretty much exact where they were.
Alliance Turn 1: 
Librarian and unit did not come in. Both Viper (V) and Wave Serpent (W) went full throttle ahead. The Dreadknight (
DW) shunted right in front of the Fire Warriors on the left flank.
Farseer cast Gate of Infinity to Deep Strike her unit in front of the Stormsurge (S). She then opens a Vortex of Doom on it. I rolled it on 5 dice and got 2,3,4,5,6, ending up not Periling. Unfortunately, the Vortex only did a single Wound to the massive mech.
In the Shooting Phase, the Dreadknight (
DW) flames all Drones (D1) to hell, killing 1 nearby Fire Warrior (FW1) and setting the rest on fire. Soulblaze would then kill 2 more of them. Fire Dragons (FDF) unloaded their meltas at the Stormsurge, causing 3 more Wounds on it. The Stormsurge is half dead, but as dangerous as ever.
Viper and Wave Serpent fired on the Pathfinders (P), killing 2 and the rest fled off the table.
The Dreadknight regains a Wound thanks to
IWND.
Tau turn 2: 
Vortex of Doom scatters into one Fire Warrior in Darkstrider squad but I rolled a 1 on the D table.
Again not much movement going on.
Shooting Phase was brutal. The Stormsurge (S), Commander (C), Fire Warriors (FW1) and Darkstrider (D2) unleashed hell upon the Dreadknight. It was overkill because with Darkstrider reducing his Toughness to 5 and the Commander giving Twin-linked and Ignore Cover, the Stormsurge S10 pie plate Instant Killed him easily. A crap ton of missiles from the Stormsurge and Crisis Suit (
Cs), followed by fire from Fire Warriors (FW2), the Fire Dragons (FDF) are all gone, leaving the Farseer (F) left with a single Wound.
The squad of Fire Warriors (FW3) that were not in line of sight to shoot the Fire Dragons ran behind the Commander.
Alliance turn 2: 
Vortex of Doom scattered off the table.
Librarian and buddies again failed to come in. Lazy bastards!
Wave Serpent (W) and Viper (V) surged ahead into the middle of danger. Farseer (F) was alone and wounded. Coughing out a goblet of blood, she limped herself into from of the massive statue that was the Stormsurge (S). It was now or never. She would have to use every last ounce of her strength to bring it down, no matter the cost.
The Farseer opens a second Vortex of Doom on the Stormsurge. Who said black holes never struck the same place twice? This time was more successful and the Stormsurge was on his last leg.
The Wave Serpent fired everything it had got at the Stormsurge. I rolled 12 shots on the Serpent Shield, causing 5 Wounds. My opponent failed 2 Armor Saves and both
FNP. The Stormsurge went down!
The Viper which was originally supposed to help taking out the Stormsurge shot Darkstrider (D2) unit and killed 2 Fire Warriors.
Farseer taunted the Fire Warriors who all lined up to fire Overwatch at her. In the last moment, however, she was whisked away safely though heavily wounded.
Tau turn 3: 
Vortex scattered off the table again.
Movement was as scarce as ever.
Crisis Suit (
Cs), buffed by the Commander, fired Twin-linked missiles with Ignore Cover at the Wave Serpent, causing 2 penetrations which Shook it and destroyed its Shuriken Cannon.
Fire Warriors from multiple units (FW3, FW2 and D2) combined their fire and took down the Viper.
Alliance turn 3:
Librarian and Terminators (LT) finally decide to show up. These fethers were waiting for the Stormsurge to be destroyed so that they would not get Intercepted.
Dire Avengers disembarked the Wave Serpent (W) to take on the Fire Warriors (FW2).
Librarian cast Terrify on the Commander (C) but he passed his Morale test. Psychic Shriek did 6 wounds to the Fire Warriors (FW3) and wiped them off. Dominate was put on Crisis Suit (
Cs).
Shooting Phase saw some crazy dice in action. The Wave Serpent snap-fired the
TL Scatter Laser at the Crisis Suit. I got 2 Wounds and both armor saves were failed. The Crisis Suit was gone. On the other hand, the Dire Avengers opened up on the Fire Warriors and killed a single model. A SHAMEFUR DISPRAY!
As expected, the Librarian and Terminators killed the Fire Warriors (FW1) fairly easily. They ran towards the middle afterwards.
Tau turn 4: 
Tau Commander (C) split from his unit of Fire Warriors (FW1), looking to beat down the Wave Serpent (W) in melee. Remaining squads (FW1, FW2 and D2) stared at the Dire Avengers (
DA) with vengeful vindication.
In the shooting Phase, the Dire Avengers were completely cut down in cold blood.
The Commander charged the Wave Serpent and knocked it out. Wow, the Tau actually killing something in close combat for a change. His mother must be so proud.
Alliance turn 4: 
Librarian and Terminators foot-slogged to the right.
In the Psychic Phase, the Librarian successful cast Psychic Shriek but failed his To Hit roll.
Terrify did nothing and Dominate was failed. Very uneventful phase indeed.
Shooting Phase saw Storm Bolters and Bolter killing 2 Fire Warriors (FW1) and nothing else.
Tau turn 5: 
Commander (C) moved to join his squad of Fire Warriors (FW2).
Throwing everything they had at the only squad I now had left, the Tau killed 2 Terminators and put 1 Wound on the Librarian (LT).
Alliance turn 5:
Librarian unit (LT) continued to move rightward.
In the Psyhic Phase, Terrify caused one squad of Fire Warriors (FW2) to flee off the table and Dominate was put on Darkstrider (D2). However, the Librarian periled when casting Psyhich Shriek and died as a result.
Terminators (T) shot down one Fire Warrior from the Commander unit (C).
We rolled to see if the game went on.
IT DID!
Tau turn 6: 
The Commander and his unit (C) moved towards the Relic. Darksrider (D2) also moved forward to get into a better position to shoot.
2 more Tarminators (T) went down. We had a discussion as to where should we measured from when removing casualties, as all Pulse Carbines are the same and according to the Hunter Contingent special rule, all units targeting the same enemy counted as one single unit. We decided to remove the guys closer to the Commander because they were closer overall.
The last model I have left in the game failed his Morale test and ran back 8 inches.
Alliance turn 6: 
Shouting "And I shall know no fear!", the lone Terminator regrouped. He snatched the Relic.
All shooting did nothing.
THE GAME ENDED!
Final tally:
Tau - 1VP (Slay the Warlord).
Alliance - 4
VP (First Blood, Relic).
VICTORY FOR THE GREY KNIGHTS AND ELDAR! Closing fluff:
The relic in his hand, the last Grey Knight was teleported back to his ship just as the Tau closed in on him. With the cogitator recovered, the Grey Knights Battle Barge became a much more fearsome foe and ultimately won the battle in orbit. With their fleet devastated, the Tau on the planet received no further support from orbit and were forced to evacuate before they could be stranded. Knowing the battle was lost, the Tau commanders decided to pull back their army and allow the Grey Knights and Eldar to finish their work on the inhabitants on this Chaos world.
Despite her injury, the Farseer herself led an expedition to the now quiet battlefield searching for survivors and recovering Spirit Stones as well as Geneseed. Such was the tenacity of the Astartes that the Librarian and some of his men survived the ordeal and were rescued. They had been gathered up Geneseed and Spirit Stones as soon as the Tau left. As they looked together eye to eye, the two psykers saw just how much they had in common with one another. Yet, remaining as stern as always, neither disclosed that.
Tactical discussion;
That was a brutal game. I was down to literally one model left. If he had not had And They Shall Know No Fear, I would not have gotten the Relic. In fact, I would have been tabled. Never thought that rule could so so much. I had a lot of fun playing this game. By opponent was very nice and we laughed together a lot.
My downfalls in the game were:
- Dreadknight dying so quickly (again!).
- Putting the Wave Serpent so close to the Commander was a bad idea. I should have pulled in back instead.
- Dire Avengers performed badly.
My opponent's downfalls in the game were:
- When his Stormsurge died.
- When his Crisis Suit died.
- His slow army unable to secure the Relic. However, I would not have done it myself if I had not failed the Morale test, which gave me free movement to the Relic.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this battle report as well.
