Another 5.1 test vs Clausewitz. This one was semi blind in that Clausewitz knew I would be taking marines, but no more than that.
Rules Used
Core rules with 2008 errata/faq.
Tau 5.1 - Devilfish at 30cm
Epic-UK Codex Marines
Armies.
Tau
Crisis Cadre + Shas'O + 3 Recon
FW Cadre + Devilfish + FW+Df + Skyray + Ethereal
Scorpionfish
Scorpionfish
Scorpionfish
Broadsides
AMHC + Skyray
Recon
Recon
Barracudas
Codex Marines
Tactical Detachment + Supreme Commander + Hunter
Terminator Detachment
Devastator Detachment + 2 Dreadnought
Bike Detachment + Chaplain
Predator Detachment
Thunderhawk
Thunderhawk
Thunderhawk
Warhound
Warhound
Thunderbolts
Deployment.
Both Recon groups garrison off the blitz
Remaining deployment shown
Turn One.
No teleports
Initiative - Codex Marines
With the Tau packed in tight the marines decided to pass the initiative to the tau
In surprise the central Scorpionfish is ordered onto overwatch, not expecting the order they are confused
and even the shouts of the nearby Shas'O can't get the crew to do his bidding. The war engine regroups
The Marine Supreme Commander sets overwatch waiting for the xenos to break cover
Scorpionfish 3 is ordered onto overwatch and complies
The empty Thunderhawk approaches and takes a long range pot shot at Scorpionfish 3, placing a blast marker
The barracudas are placed on CAP
The Devastators Thunderhawk is told to stand down
Scorpionfish 1 is ordered to go on overwatch but refuses. They clear the BM
Predators double towards the eastern side of the battlefield and hide behind some buildings
Recon 1 go back onto overwatch
Warhound 2 doubles forward to hide in the central wood
The broadsides set overwatch
T'bolts go on CAP in an effort to stay safe!
The firewarriors are ordered to double forward and move cautiously forward between the woods and buildings
Thunderhawk Bikes takes a long range pot shot at the firewarriors but miss with its battle cannon
Recon 2 reset overwatch
Warhound 1 advances forward to hide behind the buildings in the southwest corner
The Hammerheads double forward to hide behind some buildings
Shas'O goes on overwatch
End Phase.
Barracuda's stay on overwatch
Thunderhawk empty leaves but is shot by every seeker missile launcher. 3 hits cause one point of damage.
Thunderhawk bikes and the T'bolts escape without damage.
Rallying
Tau
Pass - Scorpion 3
Fail - Firewarriors
Codex Marines
Pass -
Fail -
Turn Two
No teleports
Initiative - Codex Marines
Thunderhawk empty makes it way towards the Tau baseline. Both skyrays open up but the armour of the flyer is up to the job. The hawk opens up with all its weapons at recon 1 scoring 2 hits but only one light vehicle is destroyed
Scorpion 1 sets overwatch
Thunderhawk Dev lands between the 2 marine objectives, just out of marker light range. Again both skyrays fire their missiles at the marine flyer, and this time 3 hits are enough to cause a point of damage. The devs and dreadnoughts get out and a massive volley of fire is directed at the firewarriors. Only one firewarrior is hit and their armour defeats the marines ordnance
The firewarriors now advance forward to bring the dev's into marker light range. They fire all available weapons causing 4 AP and 3 AT hits. One dev and both dreadnoughts are destroyed
Predators double forward and just manage to bring recon 2 into range of their longer ranged weapons but they can't hit the small skimmers
Recon 2 marshal, moving one tetra to light up the predators. They clear their bm
Supreme Commander Tac's double forward and shoot at the firewarriors but again all the shots miss
Recon 1 marshal and lob guided missiles at the predators. 1 hit destroys one tank. They clear all their bm
Thunderhawk bikes takes a long range shot at the hammerheads. One tank is destroyed
Shas'O doubles forward and unloads on the predators, but their shots go wild
Warhound 1 advances and shots at the firewarriors. 2 devilfish and 1 firewarrior are destroyed
Scorpionfish 2 sustains fire at the lit devs. One marine unit is removed and the broken remain head west behind the wood
T'bolts dive in to attack the firewarriors. Both stingrays are suppressed so they approach without incident. They hit 2 devilfish and 2 firewarriors. The tanks are wrecked but both infantry units survive
The Hammerheads marshal. They move back behind the firewarriors and reorganise themselves
Warhound 2 advances to pour more fire into the fire magnets, sorry warriors :) 2 firewarriors and 2 devilfish are destroyed. This breaks the formation and they Ethereal decides they should move into the cover of the nearby buildings
The broadsides advance to shoot at warhound 1. 3 hits cause a point of damage that causes the mighty titan to stagger a bit The silliest critical in the game!
End Phase
Barracuda's remain on CAP
Thunderhawk empty braves all the Tau flak and escapes undamaged. The Bike Thunderhawk is only shot at by the Hammerhead Skyray but to no effect. Unfortunately the T'bolts have to fly into range of all the scorpionfish and despite attempting to jink 3 hits wipe out the planes. Thunderhawk dev stays on the ground
Rallying
Tau
Pass - , Recon 1
Fail - Firewarriors
Codex Marines
Pass - Devs, Thunderhawk Dev, Warhound 1, Predators
Fail -
Turn Three
Terminators arrive in the eastern wood with one bm
Initiative - Codex Marines
Thunderhawk Dev sustains fire at the hammerheads but the lone hit is saved
Hammerheads sustain at warhound 1. 3 hits do another point of damage, which again makes the war engine stagger. The Principe’s moves the titan rapidly back to the marine blitz to try and find what is going so wrong with his charge
The predators advance out of marker light range and fire on the Shas'O. 2 skimmers and one suit are hit but all save
The broadsides advance and shoot at warhound 2. 3 hits cause a point of damage but the titan stays on its feet without issue
Warhound 2 advances and shoots at the hammerheads to no effect
The Shas’O doubles forward and targets warhound 2. 1 hit causes another point of damage and the titan breaks back behind the central wood
Thunderhawk empty approaches and fires at the Shas’O. 4 hits remove all the skimmers and the suits break back towards their blitz
Recon 2 double forward to light up the predators. Their shooting is wild and does no damage
Terminators go on overwatch
Scorpionfish 2 sustain fires at the predators and wipe them out
Devs marshal and move to claim the western objective. They clear all blast markers
Scorpionfish 3 marches forward to ensure marines don't get they shall not pass!
Thunderhawk bikes heads in to strafe recon 2. The barracuda's elect to CAP the loaded t'hawk. Both hit but can't penetrate the thick armour. The heavy bolter fire isn't very effective only hitting 2 skimmers and only one is destroyed
Recon 1 doubles forward and shoots at Thunderhawk dev. 2 hits fail to cause any damage
Supreme Commander doubles forward to shoot at Recon 1. However they get too close and Scorpionfish 1 uses OW on them. 3 AP missile hits kill 2 units. The marines then fire at the recon, 1 hits killing a skimmer
End Phase
Barracudas leave without damage
Thunderhawk empty has to run the gauntlet of 2 scorpionfishes and one Skyray. 3 hits cause 2 damage and the might flyer explodes. Thunderhawk bike escaped without and flak shots
Rallying
Tau
Pass - Firewarriors, Hammerheads, Recon 1
Fail - Shas'O, Recon 2
Codex Marines
Pass - Terminators, Thunderhawk Dev, Supreme Commander, Warhound 2
Fail - Warhound 1
Score Tau 0 - Codex Marines 0
Turn Four
No Teleports
Initiative - Tau
Recon 2 calls co-ordinated fire with scorpionfish 3.
Recon 2 advance to bring Warhound 2 into marker light range. One missile removes the warhound void shield
The scorpionfish now sustain fires with MW missiles. Only one hits and the titans armour holds! It breaks forward into the tau half
The broadsides advance once the Shas’O had a forceful word with them! 3 hits kill 2 rhinos and the hunter
Supreme Commander now marshals. It’s one shot hits a piranha of Recon 1 but again the light vehicles armour isn't penetrated. They remove all blast markers
Firewarriors try to marshal but fail. They move forward
Thunderhawk dev sustain fires at the hammerheads but misses
Scorpionfish 1 sets overwatch
Dev's advance to hold 2 objectives
Scorpionfish 2 is told to sustain fire but fails to understand and fires anyway! 2 hits kills one tactical unit and the supreme commander only survives by his invulnerable save
Thunder Bikes final enter the game to air assault. Recon 2 had strayed just too far from the war engine so it was no longer covered by marker lights. One Skyray is in range and one missile hits but can't damage the flyer. The tau tank fails to hit any bikes. The marines are more accurate and hit 4 times. 3 of these are saved but the lone point of damage hits a critical component destroying the war engine. No marines were hurt by the flaming debris
Recon 1 march to the marine blitz
Terminators remain on overwatch
Hammerheads are ordered to advance but refuse and clear blast markers
Barracudas approach and attempt to remove the devs. One hit is saved
End Phase
Barracuda's leave safely
Thunderhawk bike is attacked by two scorpionfish on the way out but again no damage is taken.
Rallying
Tau
Pass - Shas'O, Firewarriors, Recon 1, Recon 2, Scorpionfish 2
Fail -
Codex Marines
Pass - Devs, Warhound 1, Warhound 2
Fail - Thunderhawk Dev, Supreme Commander
Score Tau 1 (Blitz) - Marines 1 (Take and Hold)
Turn 5 dice Tau 2 - Marines 2 (Turn 5!)
Turn Five
No Teleports
Initiative - Codex Marines
Warhound 2 advances after checking with the supreme commander. It fires on scorpionfish 2. Only 2 hits are scored and both are saved
Supreme Commander retains and doubles into the cover of the buildings. BIG mistake. They were going to move to the marine blitz and shoot at the recon. But fearing the overwatch scorpion I changed my plan. Only to remember that they would have been out of range after moving them
Recon 1 leave the blitz to light up Thunderhawk dev. There missiles somehow miss the landed war engine
The broadsides retain and advance towards the landed Thunderhawk. All 6 suits hit but again the armour holds
Thunderhawk Dev is order to marshal. However this confuses the crew who bail out and blow the flyer to stop vital intelligence falling into enemy hands! (The bm for failing made the total 4, breaking the speed 0 war engine now within 15cms of the broadsides and therefore destroyed!)
Recon 2 double back to the eastern objective to avenge the scorpionfish. Their fire destroys one bike
The Tau retain the initiative and place the barracudas on CAP
Dev's sustain fire at the broadsides but fail to scratch the heavy walkers
Firewarriors are ordered to double, but even the Shas’O desperate shouts can get the Ethereal to comply. They wander forward a bit
Thunderhawk bikes fly’s in to attach Recon 2. The barracudas again CAP the flyer for no damage. 5 shots on 4 hits once but that does kill one skimmer
Scorpionfish 2 sustain fires at the bikes an kills 3 in a cloud of MW missiles. The broken chaplain retreats deep into the marine side
Warhound 1 advances to shoot the firewarriors again. 3 firewarrior units are lost
Hammerheads are ordered to double but refuse and regroup
Terminators sustain fire at the firewarriors, destroying one devilfish and breaking them. The ethereal lead the survivors back into the buildings
Shas'O advances into fusion blaster range of warhound 2. 3 hits wipe out he shields and destroy the titan
End Phase
Barracudas leave without incident
Thunderhawk bikes leaves without taking any fire
Rallying
Tau
Pass - Broadsides, Recon 1, Recon 2
Fail - Firewarriors
Codex Marines
Pass - Warhound 1
Fail - Bikes
Result - Tau 0 - Codex Marines 0
Points - Tau 1900 - Codex Marines 550. Winning Draw to Tau
