Welcome to The Battledome!
The Tau Fire Caste study the ways of war in the vast complexes known as Battledomes. These serve as arenas for the combat trials of Tau warriors and are used to test the skills and combat abilities of Tau warriors. The Tau use the Battledomes to train their warriors in the art of combat and to hone their skills in various forms of combat often crafted by instructors to represent specific and upcoming war zones.
The Tau are a highly advanced alien race with advanced technology and a deep understanding of science and engineering. Their Battledomes are no exception, featuring advanced simulations and holographic environments that can replicate any type of terrain or combat situation. These environments allow Tau warriors to practice and prepare for any type of combat scenario they may face in the field.
At the NewsCaste we hope this new section will help new and veteran Tau players. It will cover tactical articles, battle reports and opinion pieces.
The Tau are a highly advanced alien race with advanced technology and a deep understanding of science and engineering. Their Battledomes are no exception, featuring advanced simulations and holographic environments that can replicate any type of terrain or combat situation. These environments allow Tau warriors to practice and prepare for any type of combat scenario they may face in the field.
At the NewsCaste we hope this new section will help new and veteran Tau players. It will cover tactical articles, battle reports and opinion pieces.
Enjoy!
Logan vs Isaiah
Artwork by Jonathan Gonzales
Pregame
Hi! My name is Logan (I go by Redrix-3 on the Discord) and for this article I'm showcasing a match I had with Isaiah, one of my teammates on the Flying Monkeys.
Both Isaiah and I are getting practice in for a Grand Tournament this weekend, Free State GT, in Holton, Kansas. We decided to start with the first mission from the player packet and followed their rules for player placed terrain.
Mission: 11. Recover the Relics
Recover the Relics is a run of the mill Control 1/2/More based mission with a simple tertiary objective; Break Them, Body And Soul. 1 point for every unit you kill a turn, up to 3. The generating of CP is tied to controlling objectives in No-Mans Land.
Logan:
Command Points: 1
Decisive Action
No Prisoners
Decisive Action
No Prisoners
Raise The Banners High
Isaiah:
Command Points: 2
Raise The Banners High
Shock Tactics
Carry Out Your Vows
I decided with RtBH instead of Aerospace Targeting relays as I knew I could use Combat Debarkation to get a Breacher team to one objective while my Stealth Team handled the other objective. Isaiah was running a 20 model unit of Crusaders, at 2 wounds a piece. Along with all of his Bladeguard Veterans and Centurions, No Prisoners was an easy choice.
Deployment
I won the roll off for Attacker/Defender and chose Defender since I got to place down the first piece of terrain. On missions without a center objective I try my best to deny anything in the center that might entirely block my shooting lanes. The forest (We had removed the trees since it is just easier that way) was my first drop which moved both of Isaiah's next drops back. Most of my other pieces were designed so that if any enemy units moved onto my home objectives I would be able to target them with my entire army. We then deployed, and I mainly deployed all of my units around my backfield ruin as far away possible from ranged and melee threats. Stealth suits on the top objective and Kroot Hounds on the line to touch the bottom objective.
Isaiah won the roll off to go first, which honestly did not have that big of an effect in our game due to how we both deployed. I went with Kauyon so my scoring was backloaded and his secondary of Shock Tactics is reactive while RtBH is a pretty easy set up. I moved the Kroot Hounds up a little bit with the their Ambushing Predators ability.
Turn 1
He got his Litany off to give his Crusader unit a 5+ FNP as they moved up to Raise a Banner on the top objective while a unit of Sword Brethren did the same for the middle and bottom objective. No shots were fired on his turn, but because of the size of his Crusader squad they were unable to entirely hide behind the ruins.
My Pathfinders moved out from the side of the building and a 3 of them were able to draw LOS to the Crusader Unit. With 2 Markerlights, my Heavy Burst Cannon Riptide was able to follow up with taking out 3 Scouts. The Seeker of Perfection Coldstar followed up with the Dominator Fragmentation Launcher to hopefully either make him spend two CP for Insane Bravery or potentially lose a decent chunk to morale. One Ion Accelerator Riptide and Heavy Rail Rifle Broadside killed a Centurion as well with some down range shots through Dense Cover. I used Combat Debarkation to get a unit of Breacher onto my bottom objective to Raise Banners while my Stealth team and Strike Team handled the other two objectives. He however managed to stick the morale test with a 2.
(The Eradicators and Helbrecht are on the bottom floor.)
Turn 2
Top of Round 2 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 8
Break Them, Body and Soul: 0
Raise The Banners High: 3
Shock Tactics: 4
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 8
Break Them, Body and Soul: 0
Decisive Action: N/A
No Prisoners: 1 (10 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 0
Isaiah pushed up his Sword Brethren to charge my Breachers and Kroot Hounds and the Crusaders prepared for a charge onto my Stealth Suits. I had saved two CP to use Photon Grenades and Repulsor Impact Field to hopefully save my objectives, but unfortunately with the Black Templar's ability to reroll charges he rolled a 12 on one set and 11 on the other. With the Sword Brethren they luckily were only able to kill 7 of the Breachers and I passed morale. Unfortunately, on the top of the board my Stealth team was ripped apart by 55 Astartes Chainsword attacks. 4 points for Shock Tactics, 1 for BT,BaS for him. I lost my banner on the top objective and now had to work my breacher team over there to Raise on Turn 3.
Isaiah had completely surrounded my Breachers so I had to use my last 2 CP to get them to safety. He attempted to deny my Fall Back with his Tenacious Assault Strategem, but luckily he failed the roll and I did not lose any of my Breachers on my roll to escape. My Precision of the Hunter Coldstar and other Iontide moved into position to destroy the Sword Brethren. The SoP Coldstar, Iontide, HBCtide, and Pathfinders moved to get LOS on the Crusaders. With all of the lanes I had set up in my deployment I was able to focus and cleared both units off of my objectives. 46 ticks on my kill tally and 2 points for BT,BaS.
End of Turn 2 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 8
Break Them, Body and Soul: 1
Raise The Banners High: 3
Shock Tactics: 4
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 8
Break Them, Body and Soul: 2
Decisive Action: N/A
No Prisoners: 6 (56 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 2
No more scary marines! At least for now...
Turn 3
Isaiah plots his next move
Top of Turn 3 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 20
Break Them, Body and Soul: 1
Raise The Banners High: 6
Shock Tactics: 4
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 12
Break Them, Body and Soul: 2
Decisive Action: N/A
No Prisoners: 6 (56 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 2
Isaiah gains an additional 4 points from the coveted "Control More" and his Chaplain and BG Vets move towards my bottom objective, eyeing my 3 lone Breachers. Centurions make a slow advance towards my top objective but since there is no unit present, they are unable to reach it. However, they kill 6 of my Pathfinders with shooting. The Chaplain makes the charge into my Breachers while the BG Vets failed the charge due to trusty Photon Grenades. He makes short work of my Breachers and swings 10 points in his favor.
The Strike Team hops into the Devilfish to get a fast ride to the bottom objective, while the PotH Coldstar and other Iontide escort it. Breachers move to Raise on the top objective with the SoP Coldstar and HBCtide preparing for a counter attack, just outside of the BG Vet's threat range. The top Iontide moves onto my center objective to get LOS across the entire table and the three of them take out the oncoming Centurions. The PoTh Coldstar and bottom Iontide obliterate the Chaplain with my patience paying off in the form of 6s to hit generating additional hits.
Bottom of Turn 3 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 20
Break Them, Body and Soul: 2
Raise The Banners High: 6
Shock Tactics: 4
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 12
Break Them, Body and Soul: 4
Decisive Action: 4
No Prisoners: 8 (74 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 3
Turn 4
Here come the BG Vets!
Top of Turn 4 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 28
Break Them, Body and Soul: 2
Raise The Banners High: 9
Shock Tactics: 8
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 12
Break Them, Body and Soul: 2
Decisive Action: N/A
No Prisoners: 8 (74 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 3
Both units of BG Vets moved up towards my objectives, while the Eradicators hiding in the buildings started to finally move out to deal with my vehicles. Heavy Meltas absolutely shred the Devilfish, which of course explodes, dealing a total of 10 mortals to my surrounding units. The top BG Vets fail the charge into the Breachers due to Photon Grenades, while the bottom Iontide manages to kill 2 BG Vets before they make it into combat with my PotH Coldstar and Iontide. They kill the Coldstar and are able to engage the Strike Team that popped out of the Devilfish.
I now have to attempt to fall my Strike Team out of combat to open the BG Vets to more shooting, but unfortunately Isaiah passes the 4+ on Tenacious Assault and I am locked it combat. The Iontide then stays in combat, with the hope that exploding 5s will be enough to kill them before the Fight Phase. At the top of the board, the SoP Coldstar and Riptide move up to protect the now vital Breachers, as they are my only source of obsec to keep the top of the board. The encroaching BG Vets are dealt with up top, and the Iontide manages to free itself from the swords of the BG Vets surrounding it with just enough damage. The top Iontide and middle Broadside manage to also pick off a Centurion and Eradicator.
Bottom of Turn 4 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 28
Break Them, Body and Soul: 4
Raise The Banners High: 9
Shock Tactics: 8
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 20
Break Them, Body and Soul: 6
Decisive Action: 8
No Prisoners: 11 (108 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 5
Turn 5
Eradicators eyeing a lot of vehicles for easy killing.
Top of Turn 5 Scores:
Isaiah
Primary: 36
Break Them, Body and Soul: 4
Raise The Banners High: 12
Shock Tactics: 8
Carry Out Your Vows: 0
Logan
Primary: 20
Break Them, Body and Soul: 6
Decisive Action: 8
No Prisoners: 11 (108 wounds)
Raise The Banners High: 5
Helbrecht and Grimaldus finally make their appearance, along with an Apothecary. In the bottom of the board, the two units of Eradicators spike hard and take down both Iontides, one from full wounds with a shield drones. The Apothecary charges first up top into the HBCtide, but free Overwatch from the Early Warning Override absolutely smokes him. Helbrecht and Grimaldus make the charge, but with my remaining Shielded Missile Drone, the HBCtide lives through the Fight Phase.
My Strike team can now Raise on the bottom objective without threats, and all of the rest of my army just removes Helbrecht and Grimaldus from the 40st Millenium with 4s and up now generating additional hits.
Final Thoughts:
Talking with Isaiah, I think we both are now under the impression that Carry Out Your Vows is... not great at the very least. With more terrain it could potentially be better, but I feel with Black Templars where your goal is to trade melee units it is extremely hard to kill more in melee than you lose. We discussed alternate secondary's he could have taken and while not ideal for scoring maximum points against my list, Bring it Down would have tied out the game.
I had also told myself a couple months ago I would stop running Devilfish chassis since they always explode in my line, but it being able to ferry the Strike team onto that objective won me the game. I had played an RTT yesterday where I ran a Firesight Marksman with Orh'tu's Lantern and another unit of Stealth suits. The Firesight was okay, but I much prefer my tried and true Pathfinders. I need an output of around 8 markerlights to reliably get enough tokens for my three Riptides and two Broadsides and they are still the best platform for that. I also had a Kroot Carnivore unit instead of a Breacher unit yesterday, but I feel as if the potential for Combat Debarkation is way too useful.
There also is a world where I could have taken Aerospace Targeting Relays instead of Banners, since I know Black Templars are going to move up the board and not have a lot of backline units to screen. Bringing in a Devilfish full of Breachers, a Coldstar, or even a Stealth team would have let me deal with the Sword Brethren sitting on his middle objective and pressure for the last Aerospace Targeting Relay.
~Redrix-3
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