This is a battle report from a series of tests of the new Vior'la Tau list (version 0.6 user here). This is an army that incorporates all the newly released models from the 40K Tau book, including the Riptide, Cadre Fireblade, Sunshark bomber and Razorshark Strike Squadron.
More about the list here: http://www.taccmd.tacticalwargames.net/ ... 23&t=24822
Vior'la Tau vs Thousand Sons
In the stuggle to control this mineral-rich wasteland of a planet, Jason's CC-orientated Thousand Sons crash into an Tau army that has an alergy to engagements. The objective placement was a dense cluster meaning the left side of the table would see most of the fighting.
The Break the Spirit formation is a large upgraded Firewarrior and pathfinder division, with a Cadre Fireblade upgrade to give the Firewarriors FF4. This affects the whole formation, so encourages large groups of Firewarriors - but the question is will it be enough?
Hammerheads and a Moray take position in the centre, planning to destroy enemy transports and slow the advance.
The thousand sons' mechanised formations prepare for a push across the field. Jason has another even more evil plan in mind to force an early engagement, as his commander is in contact with a battlecruiser in space above the field.
As the predators move forward, they take a single AT hit from an overwatching Piranha Light Skimmer, losing one of their number.
The Scout skimmers are hit back in return, and break. They fall back to a position I had prepared for them to block enemy troops - only to find that before their arrival, the space craft would do a massive bombardment.
Scouts destroyed and Crisis wounded, the enemy drop from space en masse.
Even with the Cadre Fireblade and the rear units providing FF4+, there is little that can be done to hold the enemy back.
Not the best of starts.
The battle had only just begun, and it was obvious it was to be an uphill struggle for the Tau.
Riptides (soon to be painted!) join the fray from their now isolated position near the blitz.
Riptides are currently CC5+, so while resilient are not combat specialist by any means.
At the start of turn 2, Thousand Sons engage one of the Broadside formations in a Firefight, wiping them out.
The Tau have been reduced to a shocking 4 formations on the table, while the 1Ks haven't lost a single activation yet. To make a game of it, every shot has to count.
The 1Ks are taking objectives with impunity, but may be tempted to over-stretch for a quick win.
Tau manage to keep the game from ending by the skin of their teeth, as the 1Ks are just short of adding a point for holding all home objectives to their point for breaking the Tau Spirit formation, and their troops on the Tau Blitz are broken at the last moment.
Needing to avoid the enemy scoring 'TSNP', Broadsides double across the table - really not an ideal location for fire support units, but it's that or lose.
Note the 'Manta' is actually a Moray
As the next turn begins, Tau actually gain initiative.
A series of moves sees the tide suddenly turn against the 1Ks. Fighters scream in low and kill the remaining member of the enemy BTS, as suffucient tanks are destroyed to break the enemy holding two objectives. The remaining 2 Hammerheads double onto an objective, as their allies take the one nearest it.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Tau manage to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. Despite losing a massive formation early and having only 4 units on the table since the end of turn 2, victory was secured for the Greater Good.
I think I was as surprised by the result as Jason!
More reports to come.