Warhammer 40,000 Battle Report #17 – Space Wolves vs Tau Empire

With my Tau forces traded off to Griff, it is time for the Space Wolves to face the full fury of a Tau shooting phase. Stay tuned, I just might lose my mind!

Vlka Fenryka

Space Wolves – 2,000

FORTIFICATION

Aegis Defense Line: Quad Gun

HQ

Rune Priest: WARLORD (-1 to enemy Reserve rolls), Psyker (Mastery Level 2), Runic Stave,      Helm of Durfast; Prescience, Foreboding, Precognition

TROOPS

Grey Hunters: five additional Grey Hunters; 2x Meltaguns, Rhino transport

Grey Hunters: five additional Grey Hunters; 2x Meltaguns, Rhino transport

Grey Hunters: Plasma Gun, Razorback transport with Lascannon, Twin Plasma Guns

Grey Hunters: Plasma Gun, Razorback transport with Lascannon, Twin Plasma Guns

FAST ATTACK

Thunderwolf Cavalry: two additional Thunderwolf Cavalry; 2x Power Fist, 5x Storm Shield

Stormwolf: Twin Helfrost Cannons, Twin Lascannons, 2x Twin Multi-Meltas

HEAVY SUPPORT

Long Fangs: four additional Long Fangs; 5x Lascannon, Wolf Guard Squad Leader with Terminator Armor and Storm Shield

Long Fangs: four additional Long Fangs; 5x Lascannon, Wolf Guard Squad Leader with Terminator Armor and Storm Shield

Whirlwind

Vior’la Tok’rhenna Shi

Tau Empire – 2,000

HQ

Commander: WARLORD (Predator of the Skies); Drone Controller

Ethereal

TROOPS

Fire Warrior Team: four additional Fire Warriors, Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile       Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines

Fire Warrior Team: four additional Fire Warriors, Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile       Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines

Fire Warrior Team: four additional Fire Warriors, Devilfish transport with Twin Smart Missile       Systems, Disruption Pod, and Sensor Spines

ELITES

XV8 Crisis Team: two additional Crisis Shas’ui; 6x Fusion Blaster, 2x Target Lock, Vectored       Retro-Thruster

FAST ATTACK

Piranhas: two additional Piranhas; 3x Fusion Blaster

Pathfinder Team: four additional Pathfinders

Drone Squad: eight Marker Drones

HEAVY SUPPORT

XV88 Broadside Team: two additional Broadside Shas’ui

XV88 Broadside Team: two additional Broadside Shas’ui

Sniper Drone Team: six additional Sniper Drones

After Action Review

Randall:

I knew the Tau Shooting Phase was ridiculous, but it really took a turn of standing in front of that nonsense to really understand just how good it is!

I remember discussions among our group when Imperial Guard came out in 5^th edition, and one of the big subjects was finding the mental resilience to endure their Shooting Phase. Casualties would be rough, but as long as you struggled through to the end then you could still have a fighting chance.

It’s been so long since someone around our group has played a shooting army against me. So long, in fact, that I had forgotten this lesson. As I’m sure you could tell, I was almost ready to tap out early on in the game. My firepower was just not cutting the mustard, and if I hadn’t killed off the Broadsides early on then I have no idea how I would have continued the battle. It took several turns for me to realize that, while he was taking minimal damage, he was being forced out of position for purposes of holding objectives. I knew that if I weathered the storm, the small bits of damage he was enduring would pile up and become unsustainable. I just had to stay out of his optimal kill zones and play patient until that happened.

A target priority list is slowly forming in my mind, and while I initially thought Markerlights were the first target. I quickly saw that the Broadsides were first priority, at least for the purposes of my list. I quickly removed them, which limited the Tau’s ability to retain the initiative in the shooting phase. This allowed me to keep their Fire Warriors on the back foot, continually responding to my maneuvers.

Facing the Strength 7 spam has also made me reconsider Land Raiders. They are expensive, but I also think they have serious merit with the new vehicle damage chart. I’m also considering a squad of Terminators in the Stormwolf. If I’d had a unit for assault from that vector, I’m fairly positive that I could have stopped both of the Devilfish on the flank. But points, points, points!

Stay tuned for more, I’m sure I’ll be eating more pulse fire in the near future. Just dessert, after treating others to such courses for so long!