Battle Report - Attack on Castra II
Tonight I wanted to post my first battle report. I originally intended to wait until my army and my terrain were complete, but there are times when I just feel the need to tell a story following a particularly interesting game. My intention was also to take video as I went, but that went right out the window as the Space Marines put early pressure on my army and I forgot everything but survival.
This game is the first we have played in support of the campaign that is being run through Dicehead Games & Comics in Cleveland, TN. If you are from the area and you aren’t participating in this campaign, you should be. The mission was a ton of fun (we played Mission 1 for weeks I and II, which can be found on the campaign’s Facebook page).
So without further introduction, I present to you the Tau Empire’s attack on Castra II, spearheaded by Shas’o Vior’la Mal’caor Mont’yr and the veteran forces of the Vior’la Tok’rhenna Shi.
The Mission
In this mission, the Tau Empire is the attacking force, while the Space Marines are defending. The Tau objectives were to take the Planetary Defense Lasers (PDLs) and also to fire them as many times as possible over the course of the game. To do this, a model had to be within 3” of the PDL. In exchange for sacrificing their normal shooting they could roll a D6; on a 4+ they struck a vital position on the planet below.
By contrast, the Imperial objective was to keep the Tau Empire away from the PDLs and also to mitigate their own casualties to less than 85% total.
O’Mal’Caor studied the battlefield intently as his Orca came in for touchdown. Gue’ron’sha defenders were already reacting to his arrival with their typical, admirable discipline. The defenses were occupied, and an Imperial Strike Cruiser was already moving into position to deploy additional forces.
The Space Marines were not giving up Castra II without a serious fight.
The Orca swept in near two ruined buildings and the Broadside team deployed quickly, Drones hovering ahead into positions of Overwatch. The Earth Caste had already deployed mobile fortifications for their firebase. Devilfish skimmers moved into position, one broadcasting the image of Aun’ui Tai’go. His presence was inspirational, as always, and Mal’caor hardened himself for the fighting to come.
Army Lists
Vior’la Tok’rhenna Shi
Tau Empire - 2,000
FORTIFICATION
Aegis Defense Line: Quad Gun
HQ
Commander: XV8-02 Crisis “Iridium” Battlesuit, Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite, Command & Control Node, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Vectored Retro Thrusters
Ethereal
ELITES
XV104 Riptide: Ion Accelerator, Twin Fusion Blaster; Early Warning Override, Velocity Tracker
TROOPS
10 Fire Warriors: Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines
10 Fire Warriors: Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines
10 Fire Warriors: Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines
15 Kroot
FAST ATTACK
8 Pathfinders
8 Pathfinders
HEAVY SUPPORT
XV88 Broadside Team: 3 Shas’ui Broadsides; 6 Missile Drones, Twin High-Yield Missile Pods, Twin Smart Missile Systems, Seeker Missiles, Target Locks
Hammerhead Gunship: Railgun with Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, Sensor Spine
Hammerhead Gunship: Railgun with Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, Sensor Spine
The Death Specters
Space Marines - 2,000
Unfortunately, I do not have a picture for the Space Marines army.
HQ
Chief Librarian Tigurius
Master of the Forge
ELITES
10 Sternguard Veterans: 2 Heavy Flamers, 3 Combi-Meltaguns; Drop Pod transport
TROOPS
10 Tactical Marines: Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun; Rhino transport
10 Tactical Marines: Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun; Rhino transport
10 Tactical Marines: Multi-Melta, Meltagun, Sergeant has Combi-Meltagun and Melta Bombs; Drop Pod transport
5 Scouts: Sniper Rifles and Camo Cloaks, led by Sergeant Telion
FAST ATTACK
9 Assault Marines: 2 Flamers, Sergeant has Power Maul, Drop Pod transport
HEAVY SUPPORT
3 Centurion Devastators: Grav-Cannons with Grav Amps, Twin Hurricane Bolters
8 Devastator Marines: 4 Lascannons
Whirlwind
Pre-game
Deployment for this mission saw the table divided into quarters. The Tau Empire were positioned in the quarter with the red building, and the Space Marines controlled the rest of the table. The Space Marines deployed first, anywhere in their three quarters, and then I deployed in my own quarter, more than 12” from his forces.
My fortification went into position, linking the red building and the adjacent structure with a base. The Space Marines then deployed across their three quarters; the Centurions and Rhinos deployed in contact with my board quarter, pushing me as far back as possible. The Plasma Cannon squads then deployed on the Firestorm Redoubt and into the low right trench in this picture.
Tigurius and the Devastators deployed in the open, in front of the distant PDL (represented by the Firestorm Lascannons).
The Whirlwind took position behind the bunker adjacent to the Firestorm Redoubt.
The Tau forces were quite scrunched up at this point, but I was determined to deploy everything. According to the mission I was going first unless the Space Marines Seized the Initiative, so I was willing to gamble with a very confined deployment.
The Riptide and Hammerheads went behind the red building, adjacent to my board edge. The Broadsides did the same, deploying along the board edge in a position where they could move up and man the Aegis Line. Finally the Devilfish and the Pathfinders deployed in and on the red building itself.
The Tau won the roll for Infiltrators, and my Kroot deployed in the Bastion across from the Devastators. Telion and his Scouts then deployed in the ruins behind the Devastators.
I held my breath as the Space Marines rolled to Seize the Initiative, but the die came up a 5. The Tau Empire would receive the first turn.
Turn One
The Riptide sprang into the building in order to gain vantage over the table, and the two Fire Warrior teams without an Ethereal moved to engage the Centurions (behind the cluster of small white ruins). The Hammerheads also moved out along the left board edge to assist against the Centurions. The Kroot deployed from the Bastion to fire the nearby PDL, and to harass the Space Marine firebase.
The controls to the PDL proved too sophisticated for the simplistic Kroot, and the laser shot missed. However, when the smoke cleared on an incredibly successful round of shooting, the three Centurions and the two empty Rhinos were destroyed, and six of the Devastators were slain following a direct hit from the Ion Accelerator and Kroot Rifle fire. Under Tigurius’s leadership they held, and then the Drop Pods rained down.
The Assault Marines arrived with the Master of the Forge on my left board edge, incinerating the Fire Warrior team there and leaving one survivor. The Sternguard followed suit, landing in front of the Aegis wall and burning the entirety of the second deployed team. Several Kroot perished under fire from the nearby Tactical Squad, but everyone held their ground.
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 0
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Two
Some minor maneuvering occurred in the Movement Phase, notably the Ethereal’s Fire Warrior Team deploying on the ground floor of the red building to engage the Sternguard. The lone survivor from the Fire Warrior squad climbed back in his Devilfish, which advanced to the neighboring PDL.
The nearest PDL battery, and my best hope at furthering the damage done.
The Space Marine cordon was taking a beating, but they had thus far contained the Tau advance within its landing zone.
The Kroot finally managed to work out the Imperial technology, scoring a critical hit against the surface of the planet below. Their fire also killed the last Lascannon Devastator, leaving only Tigurius and the Sergeant. The Pathfinders provided four Markerlights to the Riptide as he targeted the Assault Squad. These provided bonus BS and Scoured the Assault Marines’ cover save. Shas’vre O’res successfully overcharged his weapon before scoring a direct hit, killing nine of the ten warriors with the blast and finishing the tenth with a Fusion Blaster shot. The Fire Warriors and Broadsides engaged the Sternguard; combined with support fire from the two surviving Devilfish, the entire ten man squad was slain. The Hammerheads also engaged the Whirlwind, knocking the artillery piece out in an explosion of shrapnel.
The Space Marines received their third Drop Pod this turn, bringing it in near the Devilfish with one Fire Warrior inside. After some minor movements the newly arrived Tactical Squad exploded the Devilfish, failing to kill the Fire Warrior inside. The Tactical Squad on the Firestorm Redoubt finished the job, cutting the lone soldier down before he could engage the PDL. The last of the Kroot were cut apart as the Space Marines realized they had acquired targets on the surface below. Finally the Drop Pods killed three of the Pathfinders taking shelter in the building. Even with the Ethereal’s Leadership, they failed and fell back.
PDLs Controlled: 0
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Three
The Pathfinders started the turn by failing a second Leadership 10 test, falling back off the board edge. Tau forces started their advance forward, pushing to eliminate the last offensive elements of the Space Marines army. The Railguns and the Riptide managed to kill all of the Drop Pod Tactical Squad with the exception of the Sergeant. The Broadsides split their fire, killing two Tactical Marines from the squad in the trench and destroying all three Drop Pods. The Space Marines were taking terrible casualties at this point, but they had done an excellent job of containing the Tau forces.
The Space Marines maneuvered slightly to bring more weapons to bear, and the Sergeant moved forward to assault the Hammerhead, using the building to prevent Supporting Fire from the Riptide. Shooting was becoming incredibly sparse now, and did no damage. However, the Sergeant successfully charged the Hammerhead and Immobilized it with his Melta Bombs.
PDLs Controlled: 0
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Four
The Tau continued their advance, pushing up the left flank towards the nearest PDLs. The Broadsides advanced and fired Snap Shots on the Tactical Squad on the Firestorm Redoubt. Supported by the surviving Markerlights, these fired at BS4 and dealt a brutal 24 wounds, which wiped the squad out. The Riptide finished off the Drop Pod Sergeant with a short burst from his Ion Accelerator, and the Hammerheads picked off a couple more Tactical Marines from the trench. The Riptide then made his Thrust move onto the neighboring PDLs, ready to link his Battlesuit to their guidance systems.
Shas'vre O'res links into the PDL mainframe. Can he get a shot off in time?
The few surviving Space Marines moved to survive the coming turns. Tigurius and the Devastator Sergeant took shelter behind the Imperial Bunker, and the Tactical Squad in the trench attempted to fire on encroaching Tau units. A few Fire Warriors were killed by the fire.
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Five
The Tau Devilfish sped off to attack Tigurius and his surviving partner. The Broadsides turned their weapons on the entrenched Tactical Squad and obliterated it in a hail of small rockets. The Hammerheads fired their Railguns on the Imperial Bunker and destroyed it with an explosion. Unfortunately, we misread the rule and pulled the bunker off the table entirely, leaving Tigurius and the final Marine exposed. Finally, the Riptide failed to produce a telling hit with the PDL.
In the Space Marine turn, Tigurius and the last Devastator fell back towards Telion, running to put more distance between them and the surging Tau forces. At this point they had suffered more than 85% casualties, but time would tell if the Tau could get another PDL shot into the planet. We rolled the die and it came up a 5, meaning there would be at least one more turn.
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: >85%
Turn Six
The Smart Missiles from the Devilfish killed the last Devastator and dealt Tigurius two wounds; the Railguns from the Hammerheads killed him a moment later. Shas’vre O’res successfully linked his system to the PDL and fired a second telling shot into the planet.
Telion and his Scouts fired some harassing shots into the approaching Devilfish, but did no damage. We rolled to see if there would be a Turn Seven, but a roll of 2 ended the game
Final Results:
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 2
Imperial Casualties: >85%
O’Mal’caor noted with satisfaction that the field was clear. Imperial reserves would be approaching soon; he had a Kauyon planned already for their eventual destruction. For now, though, the PDLs were being powered down from somewhere else on the moon. The field was covered with burning wrecks and Gue’ron’sha dead. They had fought valiantly, and with an honorable bravery.
At the end of the day, however, they chose to stand against the Greater Good. To do so meant inevitable death.
This game is the first we have played in support of the campaign that is being run through Dicehead Games & Comics in Cleveland, TN. If you are from the area and you aren’t participating in this campaign, you should be. The mission was a ton of fun (we played Mission 1 for weeks I and II, which can be found on the campaign’s Facebook page).
So without further introduction, I present to you the Tau Empire’s attack on Castra II, spearheaded by Shas’o Vior’la Mal’caor Mont’yr and the veteran forces of the Vior’la Tok’rhenna Shi.
The Mission
In this mission, the Tau Empire is the attacking force, while the Space Marines are defending. The Tau objectives were to take the Planetary Defense Lasers (PDLs) and also to fire them as many times as possible over the course of the game. To do this, a model had to be within 3” of the PDL. In exchange for sacrificing their normal shooting they could roll a D6; on a 4+ they struck a vital position on the planet below.
By contrast, the Imperial objective was to keep the Tau Empire away from the PDLs and also to mitigate their own casualties to less than 85% total.
O’Mal’Caor studied the battlefield intently as his Orca came in for touchdown. Gue’ron’sha defenders were already reacting to his arrival with their typical, admirable discipline. The defenses were occupied, and an Imperial Strike Cruiser was already moving into position to deploy additional forces.
The Space Marines were not giving up Castra II without a serious fight.
The Orca swept in near two ruined buildings and the Broadside team deployed quickly, Drones hovering ahead into positions of Overwatch. The Earth Caste had already deployed mobile fortifications for their firebase. Devilfish skimmers moved into position, one broadcasting the image of Aun’ui Tai’go. His presence was inspirational, as always, and Mal’caor hardened himself for the fighting to come.
Army Lists
Vior’la Tok’rhenna Shi
Tau Empire - 2,000
FORTIFICATION
Aegis Defense Line: Quad Gun
HQ
Commander: XV8-02 Crisis “Iridium” Battlesuit, Multi-Spectrum Sensor Suite, Command & Control Node, Puretide Engram Neurochip, Vectored Retro Thrusters
Ethereal
ELITES
XV104 Riptide: Ion Accelerator, Twin Fusion Blaster; Early Warning Override, Velocity Tracker
TROOPS
10 Fire Warriors: Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines
10 Fire Warriors: Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines
10 Fire Warriors: Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines
15 Kroot
FAST ATTACK
8 Pathfinders
8 Pathfinders
HEAVY SUPPORT
XV88 Broadside Team: 3 Shas’ui Broadsides; 6 Missile Drones, Twin High-Yield Missile Pods, Twin Smart Missile Systems, Seeker Missiles, Target Locks
Hammerhead Gunship: Railgun with Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, Sensor Spine
Hammerhead Gunship: Railgun with Submunitions, Twin Smart Missile Systems, Disruption Pod, Sensor Spine
The Death Specters
Space Marines - 2,000
Unfortunately, I do not have a picture for the Space Marines army.
HQ
Chief Librarian Tigurius
Master of the Forge
ELITES
10 Sternguard Veterans: 2 Heavy Flamers, 3 Combi-Meltaguns; Drop Pod transport
TROOPS
10 Tactical Marines: Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun; Rhino transport
10 Tactical Marines: Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun; Rhino transport
10 Tactical Marines: Multi-Melta, Meltagun, Sergeant has Combi-Meltagun and Melta Bombs; Drop Pod transport
5 Scouts: Sniper Rifles and Camo Cloaks, led by Sergeant Telion
FAST ATTACK
9 Assault Marines: 2 Flamers, Sergeant has Power Maul, Drop Pod transport
HEAVY SUPPORT
3 Centurion Devastators: Grav-Cannons with Grav Amps, Twin Hurricane Bolters
8 Devastator Marines: 4 Lascannons
Whirlwind
Pre-game
Deployment for this mission saw the table divided into quarters. The Tau Empire were positioned in the quarter with the red building, and the Space Marines controlled the rest of the table. The Space Marines deployed first, anywhere in their three quarters, and then I deployed in my own quarter, more than 12” from his forces.
My fortification went into position, linking the red building and the adjacent structure with a base. The Space Marines then deployed across their three quarters; the Centurions and Rhinos deployed in contact with my board quarter, pushing me as far back as possible. The Plasma Cannon squads then deployed on the Firestorm Redoubt and into the low right trench in this picture.
Tigurius and the Devastators deployed in the open, in front of the distant PDL (represented by the Firestorm Lascannons).
The Whirlwind took position behind the bunker adjacent to the Firestorm Redoubt.
The Tau forces were quite scrunched up at this point, but I was determined to deploy everything. According to the mission I was going first unless the Space Marines Seized the Initiative, so I was willing to gamble with a very confined deployment.
The Riptide and Hammerheads went behind the red building, adjacent to my board edge. The Broadsides did the same, deploying along the board edge in a position where they could move up and man the Aegis Line. Finally the Devilfish and the Pathfinders deployed in and on the red building itself.
The Tau won the roll for Infiltrators, and my Kroot deployed in the Bastion across from the Devastators. Telion and his Scouts then deployed in the ruins behind the Devastators.
I held my breath as the Space Marines rolled to Seize the Initiative, but the die came up a 5. The Tau Empire would receive the first turn.
Turn One
The Riptide sprang into the building in order to gain vantage over the table, and the two Fire Warrior teams without an Ethereal moved to engage the Centurions (behind the cluster of small white ruins). The Hammerheads also moved out along the left board edge to assist against the Centurions. The Kroot deployed from the Bastion to fire the nearby PDL, and to harass the Space Marine firebase.
The controls to the PDL proved too sophisticated for the simplistic Kroot, and the laser shot missed. However, when the smoke cleared on an incredibly successful round of shooting, the three Centurions and the two empty Rhinos were destroyed, and six of the Devastators were slain following a direct hit from the Ion Accelerator and Kroot Rifle fire. Under Tigurius’s leadership they held, and then the Drop Pods rained down.
The Assault Marines arrived with the Master of the Forge on my left board edge, incinerating the Fire Warrior team there and leaving one survivor. The Sternguard followed suit, landing in front of the Aegis wall and burning the entirety of the second deployed team. Several Kroot perished under fire from the nearby Tactical Squad, but everyone held their ground.
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 0
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Two
Some minor maneuvering occurred in the Movement Phase, notably the Ethereal’s Fire Warrior Team deploying on the ground floor of the red building to engage the Sternguard. The lone survivor from the Fire Warrior squad climbed back in his Devilfish, which advanced to the neighboring PDL.
The nearest PDL battery, and my best hope at furthering the damage done.
The Space Marine cordon was taking a beating, but they had thus far contained the Tau advance within its landing zone.
The Kroot finally managed to work out the Imperial technology, scoring a critical hit against the surface of the planet below. Their fire also killed the last Lascannon Devastator, leaving only Tigurius and the Sergeant. The Pathfinders provided four Markerlights to the Riptide as he targeted the Assault Squad. These provided bonus BS and Scoured the Assault Marines’ cover save. Shas’vre O’res successfully overcharged his weapon before scoring a direct hit, killing nine of the ten warriors with the blast and finishing the tenth with a Fusion Blaster shot. The Fire Warriors and Broadsides engaged the Sternguard; combined with support fire from the two surviving Devilfish, the entire ten man squad was slain. The Hammerheads also engaged the Whirlwind, knocking the artillery piece out in an explosion of shrapnel.
The Space Marines received their third Drop Pod this turn, bringing it in near the Devilfish with one Fire Warrior inside. After some minor movements the newly arrived Tactical Squad exploded the Devilfish, failing to kill the Fire Warrior inside. The Tactical Squad on the Firestorm Redoubt finished the job, cutting the lone soldier down before he could engage the PDL. The last of the Kroot were cut apart as the Space Marines realized they had acquired targets on the surface below. Finally the Drop Pods killed three of the Pathfinders taking shelter in the building. Even with the Ethereal’s Leadership, they failed and fell back.
PDLs Controlled: 0
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Three
The Pathfinders started the turn by failing a second Leadership 10 test, falling back off the board edge. Tau forces started their advance forward, pushing to eliminate the last offensive elements of the Space Marines army. The Railguns and the Riptide managed to kill all of the Drop Pod Tactical Squad with the exception of the Sergeant. The Broadsides split their fire, killing two Tactical Marines from the squad in the trench and destroying all three Drop Pods. The Space Marines were taking terrible casualties at this point, but they had done an excellent job of containing the Tau forces.
The Space Marines maneuvered slightly to bring more weapons to bear, and the Sergeant moved forward to assault the Hammerhead, using the building to prevent Supporting Fire from the Riptide. Shooting was becoming incredibly sparse now, and did no damage. However, the Sergeant successfully charged the Hammerhead and Immobilized it with his Melta Bombs.
PDLs Controlled: 0
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Four
The Tau continued their advance, pushing up the left flank towards the nearest PDLs. The Broadsides advanced and fired Snap Shots on the Tactical Squad on the Firestorm Redoubt. Supported by the surviving Markerlights, these fired at BS4 and dealt a brutal 24 wounds, which wiped the squad out. The Riptide finished off the Drop Pod Sergeant with a short burst from his Ion Accelerator, and the Hammerheads picked off a couple more Tactical Marines from the trench. The Riptide then made his Thrust move onto the neighboring PDLs, ready to link his Battlesuit to their guidance systems.
Shas'vre O'res links into the PDL mainframe. Can he get a shot off in time?
The few surviving Space Marines moved to survive the coming turns. Tigurius and the Devastator Sergeant took shelter behind the Imperial Bunker, and the Tactical Squad in the trench attempted to fire on encroaching Tau units. A few Fire Warriors were killed by the fire.
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: <85%
Turn Five
The Tau Devilfish sped off to attack Tigurius and his surviving partner. The Broadsides turned their weapons on the entrenched Tactical Squad and obliterated it in a hail of small rockets. The Hammerheads fired their Railguns on the Imperial Bunker and destroyed it with an explosion. Unfortunately, we misread the rule and pulled the bunker off the table entirely, leaving Tigurius and the final Marine exposed. Finally, the Riptide failed to produce a telling hit with the PDL.
In the Space Marine turn, Tigurius and the last Devastator fell back towards Telion, running to put more distance between them and the surging Tau forces. At this point they had suffered more than 85% casualties, but time would tell if the Tau could get another PDL shot into the planet. We rolled the die and it came up a 5, meaning there would be at least one more turn.
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 1
Imperial Casualties: >85%
Turn Six
The Smart Missiles from the Devilfish killed the last Devastator and dealt Tigurius two wounds; the Railguns from the Hammerheads killed him a moment later. Shas’vre O’res successfully linked his system to the PDL and fired a second telling shot into the planet.
Telion and his Scouts fired some harassing shots into the approaching Devilfish, but did no damage. We rolled to see if there would be a Turn Seven, but a roll of 2 ended the game
Final Results:
PDLs Controlled: 1
PDLs Fired: 2
Imperial Casualties: >85%
O’Mal’caor noted with satisfaction that the field was clear. Imperial reserves would be approaching soon; he had a Kauyon planned already for their eventual destruction. For now, though, the PDLs were being powered down from somewhere else on the moon. The field was covered with burning wrecks and Gue’ron’sha dead. They had fought valiantly, and with an honorable bravery.
At the end of the day, however, they chose to stand against the Greater Good. To do so meant inevitable death.
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