Battle for Cambria Beta
Librarian Rashada combed over his tactical notes. The planet below was currently inhabited by the technological armies of the Tau. He sought to rid the planet of their infestation.
�Sergeant! Prepare your troops for war! The time has come to do the Emperor�s bidding!�
The Forces
The game was played on a 3� x 5� area with 500 point rosters, using the Standard rules for a Cleanse. I don�t have either roster here, so this is from memory.
The Althorian Legion
HQ
1 Librarian (Rashada) w/ Force Sword and Bolt Pistol
Troops
7 Marines w/ 5 Bolters, 1 Flamer and 1 Missile Launcher
1 Vet. Sergeant (Strong) w/ Power Axe and Bolt Pistol
7 Marines w/ 6 Bolters and 1 Missile Launcher
1 Vet. Sergeant (McIntyre) w/ Sword and Bolt Pistol
Fast Attack
1 Land Speeder w/ Heavy Bolter
Heavy Support
1 Whirlwind
Tau Force
HQ
1 Ethereal w/ 2 Close Combat Weapons and Shield Drone
Elites
2 Crisis Battlesuits w/ 3 Burst Cannons and 1 Plasma Rifle
Troops
12 Fire Warriors w/ 6 Pulse Rifles and 6 Pulse Carbines
Heavy Support
2 Broadside Battlesuits w/ Railguns
The Board
Each player was given an equivalent amount of terrain and allowed to array them on their half of the board. Ryan, our Marine player, opted to defend both halves of the board, while Brian put all his eggs in one basket. I was interested if Ryan�s strategy would evolve to counter a different foe than he was used to.
Deployment
Turn 1 � Space Marines
Commander Rashada wanted to secure a strong front in the face of the armoured Tau. He ordered his Speeder to swing wide around the ruined fort to flank the enemy, while Strong�s group was to take the fort itself. Rashada bravely moved forward while ordering McIntyre�s group to fire a rocket into the Fire Warrior ranks, to join the Whirlwind�s volley. Both the shoulder mounted rocket and the Whirlwind volley missed the target, falling short of their front lines.
Turn 1 � Tau
The Tau had fought enough battles against the Imperium to not know some key targets. The Fire Warriors bunkered in, awaiting any potential Marine charge. The Crisis Battlesuits trampled the native plant life to emerge from the forest and approach the old derelict fortress the Marines were heading for. As they emerged they saw the Marine Land Speeder emerge around the corner of the fortress. Firing their weapons, they failed to catch the fast moving vehicle. The Broadsides loaded a tactical threat program and targeted the Marine Whirlwind at the rear of their lines. From their elevated position, they fired their railguns. The first shot glanced off the side of the craft sending a shrill scream through the hull, stunning the crew, while the second tore the weapon from the roof.
Turn 2 � Space Marines
Sergeant Strong�s division spread out into the ruins, bunkering in, while the Missile trooper kept a line of sight with the Fire Warriors from around the fort corner. Librarian Rashada continued his trek around the fort, while the Land Speeder fired its Heavy Bolter at the new threat presented by the Crisis Battlesuits. The heavy slugs ricocheted off the heavy plating, doing no damage.
Turn 2 � Tau
The captains of the Crisis Suits advanced further as the sensors detected the Marines fortifying their positions within the old fortress. Relaying tactical data back to the Broadsides, the Crisis Suits locked its weapons onto Strong�s division and opened fire with their weapons, killing two Marines before activating their jump packs and falling back out of weapons range. Using the new tactical data the northern Broadside pivoted to obtain a line of fire on the Land Speeder. Firing its railgun, the shell pierced the skimmer�s hull and exited the rear of the craft. The Speeder crashed down in a smoking pile.
Turn 3 � Space Marines
The Librarian was not impressed. Thus far they had failed to kill a single heretic, yet both their vehicles had been crippled. His faith in the Emperor kept him going, he continued to round the fortress, while he ordered his remaining rocket launchers to open fire. Strong�s group launched their rocket toward the Fire Warriors, but the rocket missed their target. McIntyre�s group fired as well and rocket struck home, striking a Tau soldier in the chest, pulverizing the trooper. The damaged Whirlwind, knew their purpose had not yet been fulfilled and moved to follow their fearless commander.
Turn 3 � Tau
With the Speeder down, the Crisis Suits felt safe enough to advance unabashed on the enemy. They reacquired the target hiding in the fortress and opened fire, killing two more Marines. The Broadsides analyzed the tactical threat of the enemy and locked their weapons on McIntyre�s group. The railguns fired and seconds later two Marines vapourized under the power of the hyper-velocity shells.
Turn 4 � Space Marines
The Librarian was still waiting for his men to show their might in the face of the enemy. Rashada moved up to the corner of the fort, awaiting his opportunity to strike the enemy himself. The Whirlwind was quickly advancing behind him, while McIntyre�s group decided that some cover would benefit them now that the Broadsides had begun firing on them. Strong�s force aimed their Missile Launcher at the Fire Warriors and managed to kill another soldier.
Turn 4 � Tau
The Crisis Suits continued their advance into enemy territory and acquired a new target in the form of the enemy commander. They recalibrated their weapons and opened fire. The rounds penetrated Rashada�s power armour in several locations and the might Librarian went down. Despite the cover of trees, the Broadsides still had their target acquired. The railguns fired once more and while one shell killed only a tree, the other removed a Marine�s head.
Turn 5 � Space Marines
With Rashada�s death, the Marines resolve was slightly shaken. Calling up their faith, the men continued to pick away at the Fire Warriors. McIntyre�s missile missed the target, but Strong�s missile was on target. Unfortunately, the heathens� armour saved them from harm. The Whirlwind continued to advance on the Librarian�s killers in hopes of slowing up their advance.
Turn 5 � Tau
Once again, the Crisis Suits advanced, rounding the corner of the old fortress. Reacquiring Strong�s unit, they fired on the bunkered foe and killed two more Marines before retreating around the corner once more. The Broadsides fired into the trees once more, but failed to hit any of McIntyre�s men.
Turn 6 � Space Marines
The Whirlwind moved up on the Crisis Suits, blocking their avenue of advance, while the remaining Marines attempted to hurt the Tau further. McIntyre fired but once again the shot went wide. Strong�s unit fired and managed to drop another Fire Warrior.
Turn 6 � Tau
With the Whirlwind in their way, the Crisis Suits were unable to advance beyond the enemy�s makeshift barricade. The Broadsides fired their railguns one more time and killed another of McIntyre�s men before powering down their systems. The Marines had been repelled for the moment.
Final
Brian barely moved at all and barely lost anything in turn. Ryan got completely hammered and had no units over half strength.
Space Marines � 0, Tau � 1, Contested - 1. Tau Victory.
Comments
Brian: Ah, my first time taking the field with my Tau. It went better than I had expected. I've always been worried about facing off against the heavy weapons of the marines, but it proved not to be a problem. My strategy for this game was fairly simple. Hold one corner from the start, take out the vehicles with the broadsides, and have the crisis suits take a second corner from the marines. It worked out rather well. I hadn�t quite counted on Ryan using the same strategy with his marines as I do, so I didn�t take the contested corner. I knew immediately that I had to take out the whirlwind, as it was the biggest threat, so it was the first target for the broadsides. In the end, I was so worried about loosing my Ethereal that I didn�t use him at all. Unfortunately, I could have used him to take the unoccupied corner on my left flank in my last turn, and he would have been safe, but alas, hindsight is 20/20. Better give him a force field next time. My MVP for the battle would have to be the broadsides. True, the Crisis suits had more kills, but without the broadsides, I would have lost all the fire warriors to the whirlwind by turn 3, 4 at the latest. I may not have won the battle, but at least I learned a few things.
For the greater good.
Jay: I was an observer on this one, but I can enter my thoughts. Ryan didn�t change his attack strategy and tried to outshoot a shooty army and naturally got hammered. His luck with the dice didn�t help matters either. He missed a lot of shots. Conversely, Brian could have won this one had his Ethereal come out of hiding to seize the lower right corner. I felt that Brian should have won this one, but c�est la vie. I�ll leave MVP picks to the players themselves.
Chris: I also observed this battle and I can say I am truly afraid now. I was a little scared of the Marines before because they are a shoot, shoot and shoot some more type of army where as my Tyranids are heavily melee. Now however I am terrified to go up against the Tau because Brian hardly moved at all and he kicked Ryan�s ass in a major way. I am not looking forward to fighting either army. To be completely honest though I found this battle quite boring because, as was mentioned a couple times, there was very little movement. In my personal opinion, and I�m not meaning any disrespect to either player, but it seemed more of just a �My gun�s bigger than yours� type of deal.