fbpx JOIN LOGIN JOIN

30k Versus 40k: Astartes Battle Against 40k’s Tau

tau_ shaso large

Our 30k versus 40k series continues, this time with the noble astartes facing off against the TAU!

Yesterday I had a 2500 point battle versus Tau. Here’s my army list:

+++ Templar Strike Force (2490) +++

++ Legiones Astartes: Crusade Army List (Age of Darkness) (2490) ++

+ Lord of War (625) +

Rogal Dorn (625) /Warlord
+Primarch
Teleport Homer

Legion Terminator Command Squad (240)
3x Legion Space Marine Chosen – Tartaros Terminator Armour
Legion Standard Bearer
3x Chainfist – 3x Vigil Pattern Storm Shield

+ HQ (415) +

Legion Centurion (185)
Tartaros Terminator Armour – Vigil Pattern Storm Shield – Solarite Gauntlet – Narthecium – Needle Pistol
_Void Shield Harness (Relic)
+Primus Medicae

Sigismund (230)
+Master of the Legion – Pride of the Legion

+ Troops (795) +

Legion Terminator Squad (440)
7x Legion Terminators – Tartaros Terminator Armour
3x Chainfist – 2x Thunderhammer – 2x Power Fist – Plasma Blaster – 4x Vigil Pattern Storm Shield – Teleportation Transponder
Legion Terminator Sergeant – Thunderhammer – Vigil Pattern Storm Shield

Legion Veteran Tactical Squad (355)
9x Legion Veteran Space Marines – Nuncio-Vox – Plasma Gun – Heavy Bolter and Suspensor Web – 4x Power Weapon
Legion Veteran Sergeant – Artificer Armour – Combi-Flamer – Power Fist
Veteran Tactics: Sniper
Legion Drop Pod*

+ Heavy Support (655) +

Legion Kharybdis Assault Claw (260)

Leviathan Siege Dreadnought Talon (400)
Armoured Ceramite – Grav-Flux Bombard – Phosphex Discharger – 2x Twin-linked Volkite Caliver
Legion Dreadnought Drop Pod

+ Legion +

Legion Astartes – Loyalist – VII: Imperial Fists

*We agreed to let the veterans take a drop pod.

I don’t have my opponent’s army list so here’s an abbreviated list to the best of my recollection:

Stormsurge

Commander – 2x Shield Drone /Warlord

8x Fire Warrior
8x Fire Warrior

8x Pathfinder
8x Pathfinder
8x Pathfinder

Ghostkeel
Ghostkeel

3x Stealth Suit
3x Stealth Suit

Drone
Drone

Riptide Wing

Note:
He was using some various formations such as the Riptide Wing listed above and Stealth Cadre. The Tau army had a lot of Interceptor built into the list but no Skyfire. I asked him about it and he said he was okay with it as is.

Pre Game Analysis
So this my first time versus the Tau with a 30k army and I’m bringing Dorn whose a Primarch and Lord of War. My opponent had a Lord of War as well (Stormsurge) so that is balanced. I think I’ve got the right list to face off versus all that fire power… The game could easily be decided in the first few turns.

Mission:
Purge the Alien

Deployment:
Hammer and Anvil

No Night Fight.

Deployment:
My opponent won the to choose his side holding his Commander in reserve which would deep strike. He also won the roll to deploy and go first. He deployed his Riptides over on one flank, the Stormsurge on the other flank with bubble wraps using the Fire Warriors and Pathfinders. The rest of the units were intermixed across his deployment zone.

I elected to hold everything in reserve.

Turn 1 – Tau
The xenos shuffle just a bit preparing for the coming storm as the crickets chirp.

Turn 1 – Templars
I elect to bring in the Kyhbardis assault claw (carrying Dorn, his retinue, Sigismund and the Consul) and the Leviathan. The assault claw landed in front of the Stormsurge and scattered back around 8″. My opponent elected not to intercept. Heat blasts from the assault claw took a heavy toll on several Tau infantry units breaking a squad of Fire Warriors and another squad of Pathfinders. The Leviathan then dropped in, scattering back out of terrain, remaining embarked and again my opponent elected not to intercept. Note the drop pod was around 10″ in front of the Stormsurge.

Most of the Leviathan’s shooting saw its blasts scatter off target but the calivers managed to finish off a squad of Pathfinders for First Blood. The assault claw then flatted out breaking the second squad of Fire Warriors with its heat sweep and they ran off the table. The flat out was behind a big piece of terrain partially obscuring the assault claw from the Riptides and completely from one of the Ghostkeels.

Tau: 0
Templars: 2; First Blood

Turn 2 – Tau
The Commander decides it’s best not to arrive this turn… Heh !

Tau firepower is concentrated first against the dreadnaught drop pod which is wrecked… Follow up shooting versus the Leviathan fails to inflict any damage. The rest of the shooting is focused on the assault claw again for no damage.

Turn 2 – Templars
The terminators arrive via deep strike and stick their landing right beside the assault claw. Veterans don’t arrive this turn.

The Leviathan charges out from its wrecked pod staring down the Stormsurge. Dorn and his posse disembark from the assault claw ready for a huge multi assault.

The Tau then surrender and are all summarily executed. Heh !

Post Game Analysis:
Tau is one of those 40k armies I don’t often want to play against with my Templars but I liked my opponent and decided to give it a go. My list was tailored to fight Tau. I think lack of Skyfire was not a big factor nor was the opponent electing not to intercept the first turn. The second turn pretty much sealed the deal with a poor shooting phase for the Tau… Had the game continued I would have racked up lots of kill points over on the flank with the Stormsurge leaving the Riptides high and dry.

 

About the Author: Steve Turner