Tau: Mathew tends to like having the Recon in mass, so that he can make sure that he gets the marker lights and crossfire. It also means you have hard time breaking all that recon at once..
The cadre fire blade upgrade means the FW fight at 4+ in FF...so he sees it as good thing since FF is increased for chance to hit..
Spaceship was to give him some TK hits although the Tiger shark AX-10, maybe the better option, but you cant shoot down a Spaceship...
I believe also he's using version 1.8
Space-marines..
I notice that with the UK..The SM was really done to push FF side. I took the Devastators&Chaplain to mainly do FF, so that was basically 2 dice at 4+ , 8 dice at 3+ and +2 for inspiring and once they had done engagement could then be a fire base as such or get the thunder-hawks to do the traveling circus thing..
When using vassal, sometimes you forget about the stuff off board, so gave away 400 points, when the spaceship fired..The two thunder-hawks should have just done log range shot with their battle cannons on a Hammer head formation..Then came on turn two and did a engage actions, no spaceship..then could have been use to do the traveling circus thing..didn't happen..
