Plaguewing vs. Tau 2000 Point Battle Report (with Forgeworld)
Pull up a chair everybody. We are going to do an in depth old-fashioned written battle report. I hear you all have asked for some of these.
I played in an RTT this past weekend over at Coliseum of Comics in Kissimmee, Florida. Double FOC, allies and Forge World 40k approved units were all in effect. Today we look at my first game versus the Tau Empire.
Army Lists
Here is my army list (1999 points total)
— Death Guard — Primary Detachment
–HQ–
Chaos Lord (190) (Warlord, Trait: Black Crusader)
-Mark of Nurgle
-Blight Grenades
-Power Axe
-Sigil of Corruption
-Chaos Bike
-The Black Mace
Sorcerer (215)
-Mark of Nurgle
-Psyker (Mastery Level 3)
-Force Axe
-Burning Brand of Skalathrax
-Sigil of Corruption
-Spell Familiar
-Chaos Bike
–Heavy Support–
3x Obliterator (228)
-Mark of Nurgle
–Troops–
4x Plague Marine (187)
-Flamer
-Meltagun
Plague Champion
Chaos Rhino
-Dozer Blades
-Havoc Launcher
4x Plague Marine (187)
-Flamer
-Meltagun
Plague Champion
Chaos Rhino
-Dozer Blades
-Havoc Launcher
4x Plague Marines (202)
-Meltagun x2
Plague Champion
-Combi-Plasmagun
Chaos Rhino
-Dozer Blades
-Havoc Launcher
–Elites– Forge World
Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought (285)
-Extra Armour
-Nurgle
-Heavy Conversion Beamer
-Havoc Launcher
— Daemonic Allies —
–HQ–
Daemon Prince (325)
-Daemonic Flight
-Warp-forged Armor
-Lesser Rewards x1
-Greater Rewards x1
-Psyker (Mastery Level 3)
-Daemon of Nurgle
–Troops–
10x Plaguebearers of Nurgle (90)
10x Plaguebearers of Nurgle (90)
Chaos Psychic Powers and Daemonic Rewards
Sorcerer – Gift of Contagion, Haemorraghe, Iron Arm
Daemon Prince – Bale Sword, Enfeeble, Life Leech, Warp Speed
I don’t have a copy of my opponent’s army list so I will have to go by memory (sorry)…
–HQ–
Shadowsun (Warlord, Trait: 3d6 jetpack assault move)
2x 3++ shield drone
3x Crisis Suit (retinue for Shadowsun)
3x 2x plasmagun + missile pod
Ethereal
Cadre Fireblade
–Troops–
12x Fire Warrior
12x Fire Warrior
6x Fire Warrior
Devilfish
-Disruption Pod
6x Fire Warrior
Devilfish
-Disruption Pod
6x Fire Warrior
Devilfish
-Disruption Pod
–???– Forge World
2x Sensor Tower (counts as artillery)
Once per turn per Sensor Tower a unit within 6″ of a Remote Sensor Tower may re-roll all failed to hit rolls in its owning player’s Shooting phase and gains the Night Vision/Acute Senses special rule.
–Heavy Support–
Hammerhead
-Railgun
-Submunition Rounds
-Disruption Pod
Hammerhead
-Ion Cannon
-Disruption Pod
–Fast Attack–
6x Pathfinder
Piraña
-Burst Cannon
–Fortification–
Aegis Defense Line (ADL)
-Icarus Lascannon
The Mission
DEPLOYMENT
Hammer and Anvil
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE – 7 battle points (Win)
There were five objective markers.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE – 5 battle points (Win), 3 battle points (Draw)
Kill the most enemy troops. Each unit is worth one battle point.
TERTIARY OBJECTIVE 2 battle points (Win), 1 battle point (Draw)
Table Quarters – Each table quarter can held by a scoring unit and contested by a denial unit.
BONUSES
•First Blood
•Slay the Warlord
•Line Breaker
Each bonus is worth 2 battle points.
The maximum battle points you could score was 20.
I won the roll to choose my deployment zone (DZ) and elected the side with a line of sight (LOS) blocking building located towards the center of the table.
I also won the roll to place the first objective marker. I placed my three with one close to the LOS blocking building and another deep inside my DZ. I placed my last objective marker off to my left side behind a small forest towards the middle of the table… I should have placed this one much farther back away from the Tau line – big mistake there on my part. My opponent placed his two of his objective markers right behind his ADL – one in the middle and the other over towards my right.
Army Deployment
Finally I won the roll to deploy first and did so. First I placed my dreadnaught in cover on high ground at the center point right along my short table edge. The basic strategy here is many armies can never reach the dreadnaught and must focus on the rest of my army up close right in their grill while I drop a S10 AP1 pie plate each turn with unlimited range. Next I deployed a squad of Plaguebearers in cover to hold the objective marker deep within my DZ along with the Obliterators up front in the woods. I deployed all three rhinos behind the central building counting on going first to move up towards it for some hard cover. My Chaos Lord Blotus and his Sorcerer Festur attached to each other and were deployed behind the rhinos. I deployed the Daemon Prince in cover beside the Obliterators and Plaguebearers. I held the other squad of Plaguebearers in reserve and elected to deep strike them.
My opponent placed his ADL right along the outer boundary of his DZ with the sensor towers side by side just inside the middle. He deployed the two 12 man squads of Fire Warriors and Pathfinders just inside the ADL on either side of the two towers with the Fire Blade manning the Icarus lascannon. Shadowsun and her posse were deployed in cover over to my right side of the ADL. All of his vehicles were deployed centrally behind the ADL with the two Hammerheads in the center. Note that his Ethereal was embarked inside one of the two Devilfish. He then opted to hold his Piraña in reserve.
Night Fight was in effect the first turn and my opponent failed to seize the initiative.
PRE GAME ANALYSIS
I felt like I could win this game but knew going in it would be hard fought… Tau can lay down so much fire power as we all know. Being able to pick my deployment zone, go first and place three of the five objective markers was a really huge advantage. Night Fight being in effect the first turn was a disadvantage since that pretty much eliminated my chance to alpha strike and my opponent had lots of Black Sun filters throughout his army (note – not shown in his army list above).
I was hoping to entice my opponent to shoot the rhinos first with his Fire Warriors so he would wreck rather than destroy them thus providing more hard cover for my army. If so I could safely hide my Death Guard along with the biker HQ and wait until the latter part of the game to grab the one objective marker I had placed over to my left towards the middle of the table.
My battle plan was simple:
1) Move up the rhinos and bikers to midfield then hold their ground.
2) Shoot’em up with the Contemptor and Obliterators.
3) Biker HQ and one dedicated squad of Death Guard counter assault any Tau units foolish enough to venture into midfield.
4) Grab the third objective marker on turn 4 to 5 for the win.
Finally I was hoping my Daemon Prince could quickly get behind the Aegis Defense Line to inflict some major damage in the Tau backfield… The Daemon Prince (Big Black Fiend) was my proverbial ace up the sleeve.
1st Turn – Nurgle
Psykers successfully cast all relevant psychic powers.
All three rhinos move up as planned, two to the right of the line of sight (LOS) blocking terrain, third to the left. Biker HQ move up behind the transports. Daemon Prince swoops up to a piece of terrain just to the left side of the enemy Aegis Defense Line (ADL).
No shooting this turn due to limited range from Night Fight.
1st Turn – Tau
Shadowsun and her posse move up a bit to pop some shots at my rhinos. All other Tau units hold their ground.
Shooting then commences… As predicted the Fire Warrior squad behind the ADL to my right targets one of my two rhinos to the right of the LOS building and wrecks it – First Blood to Tau. Shadowsun and her retinue target the other rhino beside the wrecked one and wreck it as well… Now I had the cover I needed. Sure I gave up First Blood but those rhinos did exactly what I wanted them to do. It was well worth the sacrifice in my opinion.
The rest of the Tau shooting phase was all concentrated on my Daemon Prince whom fails his first grounding test from one lucky markerlight that got through… Daemon Prince crashes to the ground and takes a wound. What good luck for the Tau ! :'(( My opponent finally managed to strip his last wound with the very LAST shot which came from the Icarus lascannon – note that the Fireblade used his Split Fire rule.
Looking back it would have been much wiser to have held back the Daemon Prince hiding behind some cover and used him as another counter assault element… Of course hind sight is always 20/20… That’s why we play these games – to learn these painful lessons. Even with the loss of such a powerhouse so early I felt I still had the upper hand due to the position of the objective markers – sooner or later the Tau would have to come out and make a run for another objective marker beyond their gun line… This is one of the major weaknesses of Tau and you should exploit it as much as possible.
2nd Turn – Nurgle
The Plaguebearers in reserve remain within the warp and my Sorcerer successfully casts his relevant psychic powers. Disembarked Death Guard reposition and bikers attach to one unit.
Shooting commences… My Contemptor fires the heavy conversion beamer (S10 AP1) blasting some Fire Warriors and Pathfinders crouching behind the ADL plus it strips off the heavy railgun and the ion cannon from the two Hammerheads – the forces of disorder just struck back hard ! Obliterators then drop hot burning plasma on the decimated Fire Warrior squad… More die and they break, running away never to regroup.
2nd Turn – Tau
Piraña does not arrive from reserve. The fisheadz are caught on their back foot now due to an awesome beta strike. Shadowsun and her posse decide to play it safe for now back pedaling away. Tau vehicles shuffle a bit to get better firing lines.
Combined Tau shooting manages to strip two hull points from the remaining rhino.
3rd Turn – Nurgle
Plaguebearers in reserve still remain in the warp… Maybe trying to console the wounded Daemon Prince… Heh. Sorcerer successfully casts relevant psychic powers.
The remaining rhino moves flat out into the woods holding the unclaimed objective marker. If the Tau can only manage to wreck it then I’ve probably got this game in the bag.
Again the mighty Contemptor rains down with his heavy conversion beamer and destroys both Hammerheads. The two gunships explode with large blast radii killing some more Fire Warriors and Pathfinders hugging their ADL… They pass their break checks due to the presence of the hiding Ethereal. The Obliterators then fire lascannons into the Devilfish holding the Ethereal and strip off one hull point.
3rd Turn – Tau
The little Piraña finally arrives from reserve and makes a bee line along the right long board edge. Shadowsun and her posse start to feel a bit bold and make a move towards the wrecked rhinos and LOS blocking terrain hiding my HQ bikers and two squads of Death Guard… They can’t target anything due to the two wrecks.
Shooting then commences and the third rhino is destroyed… Two Death Guard take wounds with one dead. The Tau then continue to shoot and manage to kill another Death Guard.
MID GAME ANALYSIS
I am currently holding three objective markers while my opponent is holding two. Of course the objective marker over to the right held by the squad of three remaining Death Guard is pivotal.
The Contemptor and Obliterators have rocked the Tau lines inflicting more significant damage combined than that of the entire xenos army. They are the Chaos rock stars this game.
On the flip side I have made some major mistakes this game… CRIKEY !!! Poor placement of my third objective marker and unwisely throwing away my Daemon Prince. If I had placed the third objective marker further back the Tau would have no real shot at winning the primary and the Daemon Prince could have easily made up for that error. So basically two mistakes that compounded upon each other. I will just have to roll up my sleeves and try to win this the hard way… That’s fine by me.
4th Turn – Nurgle
The Plaguebearers in reserve automatically arrive this turn deep striking close my third objective marker with minimal scatter. Again the Sorcerer successfully casts his relevant psychic powers.
The squad of three Death Guard holding my third objective marker shuffle a bit in the little forest. The Obliterators move out from cover to try lending some support on that side. That’s all my movement.
Another mighty shot from the Contemptor pastes the last of the Pathfinders and wipes the Fire Warriors on their left objective marker to the man. This will force as least one of the small squads of Fire Warriors lurking in their Devilfish to come out. The Obliterators hold their fire as they are out of range from any significant targets to damage.
4th Turn – Tau
The puny xenos are really starting to feel the pressure now as I am currently winning the primary and secondary objectives. They will have to go out on a long limb and take some risks.
As predicted one six man squad of Fire Warriors disembark from their Devilfish to retake their second objective marker. Another Devilfish advances beyond the protection of their ADL – the second squad of six Fire Warriors also disembark to rapid fire the three Death Guard holding my third objective marker.
The Piraña scoots flatout just past the middle of the table still hugging the right long table edge.
My opponent then makes what I consider to be his big mistake… Shadowsun and her posse move in fairly close to the central building. I know he is hoping they will somehow survive so possibly by the fifth turn they can contest my objective marker I’m holding behind the building. He doesn’t really have a choice if he wants to win but it plays right into one of the fundamental weaknesses of the Tau… My biker HQ are faster, much tougher and such a deadly threat in melee.
Shooting then commences… The three Death Guard holding my third objective marker are blasted off the table by the combined fire power of the suits and remaining Fire Warriors… We are now tied on the primary and possibly my opponent can make a play to hold it and/or contest another the fifth turn. My mistakes are finally coming back to haunt me now. :'((
He also targets a few shots on the close by forward most unit of Plaguebearers but only manages to kill a couple.
5th Turn – Nurgle
This will be the last turn due to the remaining time. It’s come right down to the proverbial wire.
Again my Sorcerer casts his relevant psychic powers.
The Chaos Lord and Sorcerer detach from the Death Guard and burst out from the building within 5 to 6 inches from Shadowsun and her retinue. One squad of Death Guard walls off my objective marker behind the building while the second squad also pops out through the building needing around 7 to 8 inches to assault the Tau commander.
The Obliterators move up again to make sure they are all in range to gun down the closest six man squad of Fire Warriors while the Plaguebearers amble around my third objective marker such that every daemon is within 3″.
The Contemptor then rains down death upon the further back squad of six disembarked Fire Warriors vaporizing them all. The Obliterators choose to fire in assault cannon mode wiping out the other disembarked six man squad of Fire Warriors. The bikers fire their combi bolters into Shadowsun’s retinue and drop one shield drone.
Finally the big showdown… First the Death Guard declare an assault on the suits – the xenos fire Overwatch killing one Plague Marine – they fail their charge by an inch. However the biker HQ easily reach melee… Long story short only Shadowsun manages to survive the assault… She passed her toughness test from the Black Mace and safely broke away (Chaos I5 versus xenos I4). Double drat ! The biker HQ then consolidate back into the safety of the building walling off the front of the central objective marker.
So I again hold three objective markers to two but failed to get Slay the Warlord.
5th Turn – Tau
I’ll cut to the end… Two drones disembarked from a Devilfish to contest my third objective marker and Shadowsun passed her test to regroup. That was it.
So we drew on the primary (no battle points), I won the secondary and we drew on the tertiary. My opponent scored a bonus for First Blood while I scored no bonus points. I ended up winning by a margin of 6 to 3.
A tough back and forth game. What did you learn from the battle my fellow generals?
