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Two battle reports versus Elkerlyc his Chaos Minions.
AdMech vs Chaos
Some weeks ago, so short and only summary:
AdMech
Lunar
Gothic
Defiant
Strike Cruiser
3x Gladius
Chaos 12th
Hades + Lord
Devastation x2
Carnage
Summary
Early on I (the AdMech) managed to reduce the Hades which was positioned too far away to 1 hit, then it disengaged. Then Chaos did everything right. Keeping distance, moving at full speed using long range weapons to whittle me down. I did score lots of ‘6’’s when taking down ordnance waves but in the end, as Chaos kept my Defiant on BFI, I lost out on ordnance. I also never got in range with my fleet except some pod shots from the Strike Cruiser and Gladii.
In the end all my ships where crippled and I conceded. Good show of skill by Elkerlyc.
Tau CPF vs Chaos – Fleet Engagement
subtitled :
Beforehand we decided on a 1200pts battle.
Tau CPF FW
Kor’O Ry’zon
Custodian ‘Or’es’Leath Ry’zon’ Ld9
Warden x3 ‘Kir’la Ka’Eldi’ Ld 8
Protector ‘Lar’shi’vre Ry’zon NÃÂa’ Ld8
Protector ‘Lar’shi’vre Jate’ra K’ri’ Ld7
Protector ‘Lar’shi’vre L’kys’ Ld7
Castellan x3 ‘Kir’shasvre Shas’ka Nan’ Ld8
Chaos 13th Crusade List
Warmaster + Mark of Nurgle
Styx Ld9
Devastation + Chaos Space Marines Ld9
Hades Ld 6 (squadroned with Carnage Ld8)
Carnage Ld 8
Carnage Ld 7
Murder Ld 7
Infidels x3 Ld 7
I hear you say : ‘What?’ Yes those where the lists used. Just the day after, when starting this document I saw it…. Chaos fielded 1485 pts, where Tau fielded 1200 pts. Woops.
So how did that go? Both opted for Cross formation and made an almost similar setup, facing each other diagonal. My Tau went first.
The Tau fleet moved forward and turned inside, the cruisers nice next together, spaced out ~10cm. The Custodian a little behind rear guarded by Wardens. The Castellans in the furthest deployment zone turned in behind an asteroid field but closest to Chaos fleet. I released all ordnance I had.
Chaos then moved their line pointing prows at the Tau fleet. With some fancy shooting and fighters a lot of ordnance was dispelled.
The Tau, not at full speed, keeping distance turned so they where facing straight to the Chaos table edge. After a succesfull re-roll all ordnance was reloaded and the next batch was released.
Chaos moved their line parallel to the table again, hitching just into the 60cm zone with the Carnage and Murder. Nothing happened besides gunnery and fighters took out most ordnance again.
The Tau showed good faith in the Greater Good again and all ordnance was reloaded. The critical turn had started well. I moved my Protectors within 40cm range (just), my Custodian managed to go within 45cm, the Wardens duly followed and the Castellans made an approach for the tail of the Chaos fleet.
Very effective shooting managed to inflict 2 hits and a bridge smashed on the leading Carnage. Then the whale of missiles made a hard hit on the Murder. Inflicting lots of damage and when it had 4 hits left a Bulkhead Collapsed (I also scored shield collapse) reduced it to –1. Yay. As the other missiles hit home on the forsaken vessel it exploded with a Plasma Drive Overload, inflicting another hit on the Carnage. My Manta’s moved steadily toward their line.
Chaos tried to reel from the damage, the Hades & Carnage went on Lock On. In the gunnery phase with batteries and lances they placed blastmarkers on all my Protectors, scoring 1 hiton the ‘K’ri’ (engine room damaged +1) and crippling the L’kys which failed Brace for Impact. The Infidels made a somewhat good attack run on my Wardens, destroying one of the little fellows. However, this meant my ordnance stayed more on board as usual and my Manta’s moved up inside the Chaos fleet, getting ready for strike in my next turn.
Only the Custodian, crippled Protector and Castellans went on Re Load. All shipsIn the shooting phase all Protectors and Custodians targeted the damaged Carnage but failed to do any damage. The Wardens put pressure on the Infidels but managed nothing except BFI. The Castellans showed better skill and with their railguns inflicted 1 hit on the Carnage leading the Hades. The Manta’s plus missiles from Castellans (stripping fighters on Cap), missiles from crippled Protector went as one at the Hades. My opponent decided no BFI as he felt that would hampered him too much in the continuing battle. Alas, Grandfather Nurgle left the ship and after the Ordnance phase it was a hulk which still could explode….. The Manta squadrons which went for the Carnage (damaged) and Infidels all failed in doing damage.
The Hades hulk moved its centimetres forward and then decided to blow up next to the Devastation and Styx, taking both their shields down.
Chaos’s seen it all and decided to disengage, all succeeded except the Carnage (well Ld4 and bridge smashed does a trick or two…), then the Tau fleet needed one turn and a half to finally hulk the lone Chaos vessel. The finishing shot came from the two Wardens.
Victory Points
Tau CPF: 550vps + 90vps (holding the field, Carnage Hulk) = 640 vps
Chaos: 47,5 vps
Conclusion:
Whoa! A total victory for the Tau. Even against a larger Chaos force, 285points more on the field. Maybe that was what made the Greater Good bless my dice. The first turn of gunnery against the Carnage was just great, inflicting hits with every ship, and bridge smashed on top. My re-loads where good (needed the re-roll in turn 2 which was essential), failing only re-load in turn 5 after the damage was done. I almost had a 1:3 succes when attempting critical hits. Cool. Last 5 battles I have had always bad luck with critical hits against me and never managing to inflict them on the enemy, now I retaliated that at maximum dice power. Of course, catastrophic damage, twice plasma drive overload at the right position was nice as well.
When I play this Tau CPF I always have a fair good feeling about it. I like their style. This time I moved carefully (but not taking long in playing time…) trying to think two or at least one step ahead. Chaos was faster and I couldn’t afford a running circles battle with my broadsides. Luckily it never came to that and Chaos had only 1 turn when it could show its long range gunnery might.
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Light at the Horizon.
Warp Rift
Project Distant Darkness
Eldar MMS
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http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19176
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