Tactical Command
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Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=134&t=30087		 Page 1 of 5
Author:  Elsaurio [ Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:00 am ]
Post subject:  Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Castle Assault is up to 25 epic players this year, and they've done well getting a wide variety, with at least one of every race showing up. I'll be representing the Squats with my 3000 point list.

Now this tourney will have some of the most experienced Epic players in Australia playing some brutal lists, so I should be able to generate some good feedback reports.

Here are the lists of opponents:
viewtopic.php?f=95&t=30035

And here's my list:

Player 14
Squats
Thurgrimm Stronghold V1.5
vie...134&t=26499

BTS:

Warrior Brotherhood Formation
9 Warrior units and one Heathguard -300
+ 4 Thunderer units - 150
+ 1 Grand Warlord - 125
Rhinos - Free
Total 575

Bezerker Brotherhood
5 Bezerkers and one Hearthguard - 175
Termite Tunnellers - Free

6 Thudd Guns - 225

6 Mole Mortars - 175


4 x Iron Hawk Gyrocopter
+ 1 upgrade to Iron Hawk Scout - 225

4 x Iron Hawk Gyrocopter
+1 upgrade to Iron Hawk Scout -225

2 x Overlords - 475

2 x Thunderfire AA - 100

2 x Goliath Mega Cannons - 300

Land Train - 200
+ Bomb Battle car -125
+ 3 x Bezerker Battle Car - 150
+ Living Ancestor - 50
Total - 525

Now before you freak out, I intentionally took a weaker list (with sub par choices like thunderers and land trains and only one Thunderfire pair) as I didn't want to bring something to OP when Squats are still classified as experimental.

I should have a reasonable chance against the infantry heavy eldar and nid lists, but will have an uphill battle against the tank heavy Minervans/Titans.
Author:  Elsaurio [ Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Oh, and photos of my painting progress is up on the Australian Wargamer's site

http://www.wargamerau.com/forum/index.p ... pic=172849
Author:  mordoten [ Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Really nice models and bases!
Author:  Markconz [ Tue Aug 11, 2015 6:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Hmm makes me want to get my squats painted at long last, nice work!
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
First Practice Match! (and Battle Report)

So I keyed up a 3000 point battle against another contestant for Castle Assault in the interest of getting in some practice and for generating a good battle report.

My opponent was the always pleasant and good natured Steve with his Minervan List, as below:

Minervan Tank Legion


Super Heavy Tank Company Armoured Regiment 550 Commissar;
3xShadowsword; Hydra


Tank Company 595 Armoured Regiment Commissar; 8xLeman Russ Exterminator; 2xLeman Russ Executioner; Hydra


Tank Company 695 Armoured Regiment Commissar; 8xLeman Russ Exterminator; 2xLeman Russ Executioner; Hydra; Armoured Regiment Supreme Commander


Deathstrike Missile Battery 2xDeathstrike Missile 200 Launcher


Flak Battery 150 3xHydra


Salamander Scout Platoon Armoured Regiment 125 Commissar;
3xSalamander Scout; Salamander Command Vehicle


Salamander Scout Platoon Armoured Regiment 125 Commissar;
3xSalamander Scout; Salamander Command Vehicle
Self Propelled Artillery Battery 3xManticore


Thunderbolt Squadron 2xThunderbolt Fighter 150 Bomber


Thunderbolt Squadron 2xThunderbolt Fighter 150 Bomber


First up I was worried as I find the Minervans to be a tough match up against the all-tank Minervans. My AP is useless and he can space out those tough-as nails Leman Russ to avoid getting many caught in the blast templates. My main AT would come from my skimmers, who would also be fragile, but game on!
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
First turn:

I garrison my Mortars, Thudds and Thunderfires in the middle centre, with my Goliaths, Infantry and Land train hanging back on the blitz. My massive skimmerwing is hiding out on the right in the cover of some trees.

He deploys in a line across the board - pretty much a straight line of 4 + RA spaced out to avoid blast markers.

My thoughts:
* I look at his deathstrikes and manticores and hope to get first turn
* His Shadowswords would be death if the shoot at the Overlords
* His 20 Russ will be a tough nut to crack.

Image

Image
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Well I don't get first turn....

A Deathstrike missile get activated and flies towards my Goliath, all the while joking that he'll probably roll a 1 for damage.

He rolls a 1.

The remaining unsurpressed Goliath returns the favour, killing a deathstrike and breaking them.

The Minervans seem to have a hate on for Goliaths, as the shadowswords and Manticores focus fire on the Goliaths wiping them out.


Then things get silly.


Both parties start rolling 1's for activations. Over and Over again. both armies completely stall and we conclude the first round as if nothing happend

Image
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Turns 2-3.

I'll do these quick as little happened

I stick with my plan of focusing fire on the shadow swords with my skimmer wing, destroying two and breaking them. In return my Gyrocopters go down in flames and my Overlords are broken (but alive).

My artillery knocks around the non- BTS Russ squad a bit, eventually breaking them.

The Death strike continually fails to rally.

My Bezerkers tunnel up under the Blitz right behind the remaining shadowsword.

His Aircraft turn up on the side and knock down a Gyro or two, in return losing a figher or two to AA

Image
Author:  carlos [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Why did you both shoot on units that had fired already? Surely that's the worst play you can make in almost any wargame? Every thing you activate should (most of the time) be used to disrupt an enemy formation that's still to be activated. Take out a few shots coming your way, break something so you get activation advantage. At least you get BMs in and disrupt their initiative rolls. Basic I-go-you-go tactics.
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 11:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Turn 4.

At this point I realize my mistake - due to the 'missing' first turn I'm one turn behind actually accomplishing anything and the minervans have a chance to grab the objectives with the two remaining Salamander Scout squads. Careful thinking lead to this:

I charge my Bezerker into the back of the Shadowsword, killing it and the intermingled Hydra Squad. I see off the broken russ squad.

His remaining Death strike rallies and goes to fire at the overlords, rolls a 1 to activate, then Supreme Commander re-rolls it for another 1.

i position my remaining forces just right to blow away the Salamanders and deny him the easy win.

It comes down to a MW shot on a single russ - if I can destroy it, then it is not contesting the objective. i roll, I fail and Steve calls the game a draw, with me winning on countback.......


Except I then point out I still have my BTS infantry squad sitting across from his BTS Leman Russ squad in charge range.

i think for a bit and say "darn it" and engage. A few casualties each side and it's tied combat.

Steve rolls a 6, I roll a 4.

Steve breaks me and win.

A worthy game!
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Final write up.

It was a fair game, with me doing the majority of the damage to Steve's units, and Steve being better and contesting objectives. In hindsight I was too aggressive with the Skimmers and should of waited for him to come to me. I also should have taken out the scouts earlier, as we 'missed' first turn we were behind.

I asked Steve the following questions:

Hey Steve, could you provide a little feedback on the game today. I want to post a report to Tac forums
What surprised you about the squat list?
Did you find any part over or underpowered?
What tactics would you use against them next time?

He replied:
Hey Ben
I really enjoyed playing against the squats. They are something a bit different but I wouldn't say op based on what I saw in your list.
They have some really strong units and synergies but if I played them again I would do a few things differently which I reckon would make it a different game.
I wouldn't say that the units were underpowered. You proved very well that using the right stuff in the right place is really important too.
List seems to have a nice balance of range, macro, aa, assault and even some interesting stuff with the tunnellers. Overall a really cool list.


He had a good handle on what I could do and correctly identified the Skimmers as the unit he had to pull down (although he never got the Overlords).

On my end I was surprised about how little damage many of my units took, and that I should be more aggressive with my tough units, and more cautious with my more fragile one.

Working on a "Circle of wagons' tactic where the Gyrocopters hide behind the Land Train and pop up from behind it
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
carlos wrote:
Why did you both shoot on units that had fired already? Surely that's the worst play you can make in almost any wargame? Every thing you activate should (most of the time) be used to disrupt an enemy formation that's still to be activated. Take out a few shots coming your way, break something so you get activation advantage. At least you get BMs in and disrupt their initiative rolls. Basic I-go-you-go tactics.


Yeah I may be guilty of blending a bit of the turns here. I think the Goliaths knocked out the Deathstrikes as the last activation of turn 1, and were Shadowsworded off first shot turn 2.

Of course I am skipping over a fair number of smaller shots that had little effect on the battle. All you need to know is that Deathstrikes roll a lots of 1's when it is most comedic.
Author:  Tiny-Tim [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 12:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Thanks for the report.
Author:  Elsaurio [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 1:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
I've got another 5 coming from this weekend at Castle Assault!

That will give you a complete set of six from one group.
Author:  Stormwind [ Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Squats are heading to Castle Assault 2015
Does anyone know how that commissar statue was made? It looks like Cityfight plastics - I'd love to make one for myself.
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