Turn 3
A Synapse Node erupts out of the ground near the Tau Blitzkrieg, concealed by ruins, and a second Node, accompanied by 2 broods of Lictors show up by the forested western Tau Take-and-Hold objective, horrifically close to the broken Armoured Cadre Alpha? while 1 Ravener goes to ground just out of synapse range of Tyrant 2.
Strategy Roll - Tau
Tetra Cadre Beta coordinates the fire of the Dragonfish and Armoured Cadre Beta, all sustaining fire on Warrior Brood 1. ?The firepower is awe inspiring, but the Tyranids are unphased as only 2 Haruspex, 2 Termagants, and a single Zoanthrope are felled.
Sensing the enemy behind them, the Narwhal aims it markerlights at the Synapse Node near the Blitz and hammers it with guided missiles utterly destroying it!
Finally annoyed enough by all the little red dots appearing on its diminished brood, Hive Tyrant 2 engages Tetra Beta, destroying 4 of the flitting craft and sending them fleeing to the NW corner of the board, deep in Tyranid territory without a single loss.
Synapse Node 4, near the broken Armoured Cadre Alpha, calls down the remaining 2 Mycetic Spores and spawns 1 Haruspex, 2 Raveners, and 6 Termagants.
Shaken by the unfolding carnage, the Moray slowly moves forward, unsure which enemy to target. (Failed initiative test, Tau saved the re-roll for the spaceship... just in case!)
The sky is then rent apart as the bright flashes of gravitic tracers announce the arrival of the Hero Class Cruiser. ?The tracers are guided by markerlights to strike Warrior Brood 1, but only a single Zoanthrope is hit and killed.
Lictor Brood 1 calls out to Lictor Brood 2 and they both race to engage the battered grav-tanks of Armoured Cadre Apha. ?The Tau put up a valiant fight killing 2 of the spooks, but the support fire of the Synapse Node's brood is too much for them and they are completely destroyed. ?(The combat went on for a surprising two rounds!)
Sensing the need to defend its territory, Hive Tyrant 1 marches its brood forward to defend the valuable spore chimney and reclamation pool.
Targetting the largest enemy, Warrior Brood 1 sustains fire on the Dragonfish, but the Tau's armour turns away all attacks.
And Synapse Node 1 just burbles happily to itself as it guards the Blitzkrieg?
End of turn: ?Tau 1 (BTS, 6 of 12 synapse dead) vs Tyranids 3 (BTS, Defend the Flag, They Shall Not Pass)
I really thought those suped-up armoured Cadres would be the end of me, they have a terrifying amount of firepower!
Well, the surviving Tau realized they had a crisis on their hands and needed to call in reinforcements to deal with this alien threat... if the Greater Good did not prevail, they'd soon be the Greater Food...
(I'll do up the second battle's report tomorrow.)
_________________ "EPIC: Total War" Lead Developer
Now living in Boston... any EPIC players want to meet up?
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