Tournament List, Counter Attack 2013

This weekend a buddy and I are off to Counter Attack a 5 game, 1750pt, Forge World allowed Tournament in Edinburgh.

In my continuing quest to take something a little different (!), I’m taking Tau, with no Ethereals, no Firewarriors, no Riptides, and no Batman Commander. Trying out a Farsight XV8 army.

Farsight Primary

Commander, 2 Missile Pods, Target Lock, Drone Controller, 2 Marker Drones

Death Rain Team 1: Two XV8s with Twin Missile Pods, Target Locks and 2 Marker Drones each.

Death Rain Team 2: Two XV8s with Twin Missile Pods, Target Locks and 2 Marker Drones each

Burst Cannon Team 1: 3 XV8s with Twin Burst Cannons, one of them Twin Linked

Burst Cannon Team 2: 3 XV8s with Twin Burst Cannons, one of them Twin Linked

Fusion Team: 2 XV8s with Twin Fusion Blasters, one of them Twin Linked.

 

Skyray

Skyray

Hammer Head with Plasma Cannons, sensor spines

 

Tau Allies

 Commander, 2 Missile Pods, Target Lock, Drone Controller, Puretide Chip, Iridium Armour, 2 Marker Drones

 

10 Kroot, one hound

10 Kroot, one hound

Hammer Head with Plasma Cannons, sensor spines

 

I think it’s reasonably straight forward. Commanders go with the Deathrains to provide marker light support, and kill wave serpents. The other XV8s go in reserve and deep strike in to kill troops unless I think my opponent is going to rush me, in which case they deploy on the board for fire support. Depending on terrain, the suits can deploy hiding behind the AV13 tanks, or behind terrain to JSJ. Skyrays kill Flyers, and the Hammerheads kill Riptides, Broadsides, Centurions etc. And the Kroot do what Kroot have always done get in your opponents way and die for the greater good

I know I know – far from optimised, but I’m hoping it will strike a balance between “fun to play” and “reasonably competitive”. I’m not expecting to be on the top tables, nor am I aiming for them. Five fun games against different opponents with different armies is what I’m looking for!

 The “unusual” units are the Hammerheads with Plasma Turrets. In the past they were Heavy 4, Twin Linked, S7 AP3, and murdered marines. With the update in Taros 2^nd Ed, they’re now Heavy 2, S7 AP2, but there are 2 of them. So, still 4 shots in total, but they lose twin linked, and crucially, they lose mobility. In the past you could move 12” and shoot the gun (with the help of a multitracker), but now you need to stay stationary to shoot both guns, or move 6”, shooting one at full BS and snap shooting the other one. The advantage of course is that they are AP2, and still have a 48” range

And that’s not to be “sniffed” at. The ability to kill Broadsides while out of range, and take down Riptides will help. Plus, I’m expecting a few  marines, and being able to pick them off at range (particularly Centurions and bikes) will also help. Now of course Riptides with Ion Accelerators will do the same job …… but everybody takes Riptides!

The biggest problem I see with the Hammerheads is a lack of mobility, and that’s why I have so many marker lights. On average each Deathrain team should get 5 marker light hits allowing me to move the hammer head up to 12” and still shoot at BS4 while ignoring cover.

 As always, firing sequence is important. I see the army working in 2 fire teams, each consisting of a Skyray, a Hammer Head and a Deathrain team. Ideally, the Skyray will fire its marker lights first hitting the Deathrain team’s primary target (assuming it isn’t firing its seeker missiles). This then allows the Deathrains to shoot at their primary target, picking up one or 2 marker lights from the Skyray, and use their target locks to allow the  marker drones to fire at the Hammerheads primary target. The Hammer Head fires last, picking up the Deathrain team’s marker Drones.

 Of course its doesn’t need to be the Hammer Heads firing last, it might be the Burst Cannon Teams, or the fusion team – it just depends what needs to die that turn. The important part is laying down the marker light support first.

Now, the observant amongst you, will be saying “but you have no answer to screamer stars or jetseer councils”, and you would be right. But I don’t care – for this tournament at least, I’m going to pretend they don’t exist!

I’ll let you know how I get on.

EYIG.