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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2003 6:38 am
Posts: 720
Location: Utah, pick a Pacific Island the other half of the year.
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Tau vs Tyranids
Introduction
Both Jesse and I decided to do this batrep, unfortunately this makes it impossible for either of us to be ?In the Box.? To rectify this small problem we decided that Jesse would field the Nid list he had used last weekend, and my Tau list would be drawn at random from those that I keep on file (For those unfamiliar with how I playtest, I keep a paper file of the army lists I have used as a reference for various reasons, not the least of which is to gauge the progress of a list). As I wasn?t present during those battles, I was sick that weekend, I have no idea what Jesse?s list looks like. We do things this way (In the Box) to create a tournament like environment, and we do that because that is the type of lists we are supposed to be designing.
For this batrep we will be using the experimental rules for assaults and skimmers as we feel that these rules will be implemented in their present forms by the time either the Tau or the Nid lists become official. We have also agreed to use Neal Hunt?s suggested spawning rule which simply states that the Nid player is limited to adding a maximum of ONE Myecetic Spore to each spawning action.
In the next batrep planned we will be using the #1 suggestion that was presented in the ?Spawning Thread? in Epicomms.
Judge: Jack
Tyranids: Jesse
Tau: Jaldon (Too many ?Js? in this list)
Tyranid Army
1st Swarm 480pts
3xTyranid Warriors, 9xRaveners, 7xHormagaunts
2nd Swarm 500pts
3xTyranid Warriors, 9xRaveners, 6xHormagaunts, 1xZoanthrope
3rd Swarm 475pts
3xTyranid Warriors, 8xRaveners, 6xHormagaunts, 1xZoanthrope
4th Swarm 420pts
1xLesser Node, 4xDactylis, 2xZoanthrope
5th Swarm 300pts
1xHierophant
6th Swarm 150pts
3xLictors
7th Swarm 175pts
7xGenestealers
Reserves 200pts
2xLesser Nodes, 4xMyecetic Spores
Tau Army
1st Warrior Cadre 375pts
8xFire Warriors, 4xDevilfish, w/Ethreal
2nd Warrior Cadre 300pts
8xFire Warrior, 4xDevilfish
3rd Battlesuit Cadre 350pts
4xXV-8, w/Shas?o
4th Battlesuit Cadre 250pts
4xXV-8
5th Pathfinder Contingent 275pts
6xPathfinder, 3xDevilfish
6th Stealth Contingent 400pts
9xXV-15
7th Hammerhead Contingent 325pts
4xHammerhead, 1xSkyray
8th Gun Drone Squadron 125pts
4xHeavy Gun Drones
9th Assault Squadron 300pts
1xMoray
The Tyranid Plan
Before anyone comments about it this isn?t the army I would normally have taken into a tournament, I really like fielding Carnifexes in my front line swarms. But I am also not complaining, Jaldon has no idea that this list is so AV/WE light, I did agree to use it, and heck I had fun using it anyways.
Two things I am sure of;
(1) I am going to use my three front line swarms to try and box Jaldon in so I can crush him;
2) Jaldon knows I am probably going to do this so he won?t go for a corner deploy, so it will be easier for him to concentrate and blow a hole in my front line.
This simple plan relies on the Genestealers being used to temporarily plug holes in the front line, so the swarms can spawn to plug them and Jaldon cannot escape. In a pinch one of the reserve Lesser Nodes could teleport in to establish a blocking force if one of the swarms goes out (Jaldon: Jesse means all of the synapse creatures are killed).
I?ll start the HIerophant centered and then move it between the two swarms I am planning on using to launch my main attack with. This will more then likely be the flank that Jaldon piles up against to try and blow through, IMHO the direct approach works best when you are commanding Nids. Truthfully, with all the skimmers in the Tau army, and Jaldon?s nerve wracking habit of keeping them loaded long after most players would have deployed from their transports, I really don?t have a clear plan for employing my Lictors. I am not worried about finding a place to use them, I am just not planning ahead for their use.
One thing is sure, Jaldon isn?t going to give me time to catch my breath, he is going to come at me hard out of the gate and then try and set a fast, furious, tempo for the battle. I am going to have to gauge well my need for spawned reinforcements, against the need for this army to advance, or I will quickly find my bugs face down in the dirt, or so scattered as to be almost useless.
The Tau Plan
Jesse and I are both long time foes, and Jesse himself has been playing the Nids, and Epic-A, from almost day one, so green he is not. His favorite ?Nid Plan? is to set up a wall of bugs across the table and then dare you to try and stop them from sweeping you right off the table. In most cases this would be two big bug swarms, and a Carnifex heavy bug swarm making up this front line, backed up by some Independents to plug holes, and a Lesser Node or two for deep strikes. It has worked well for him in many a battle, but the new spawning rule will be putting the pressure on him to close more quickly then he normally would.
My plan will be to center deploy, shift everybody over to the flank the Carnifexes aren?t in, blow through that swarm, and force Jesse to fight a battle of maneuver. While this does put me in a stronger position it is only half the battle, as thereafter I must cut down brood creatures faster then Jesse can spawn them back so I can maintain the advantage the breakthrough will give me.
Doing this prevents the Nids from being able to use their swarms aggressively, and puts the pressure on them to take chances they would otherwise be able to avoid. All and all it looks to be a good fight coming up, win or lose I do know playing against Jesse we?ll have a lot of good laughs and it will be fun.
Turn 1
(Tau win Int and pass to Nids)
3rd Swarm marched over Ridge 105 and took up a position at the base of that same ridge its front extending to the base of Hill 601. The 8th Gun Drone Squadron swung out from behind Woods ?D? and turned to face toward Hill 301 (Double Move).
2nd Swarm marched through Ruined Building ?C? and across Hill 601 to near the corner of Woods ?E?. The Moray lumbered into a position just behind the 8th Gun Drone Squadron, its Railguns firing into the Hirerophant. The shot ran true and fast dropping the infernal creature dead in its tracks (Jaldon scored to hits, got one critical, and promptly rolled a ?6?, dare say Jesse was not amused).
1st Swarm marched through Ruined Building ?A? and over Hill 803, its front covering the area from Hill 703 to Woods ?E?. The 7th Hammerhead Contingent popped up to see over Woods ?B? (sustained) and poured fire into the 2nd Swarm cutting down two Raveners.
7th Swarm marched from the area of Ruined Building ?C? and took up a position behind the slopes of Hill 601. The 3rd Battlesuit Cadre marched from the edge of Woods ?B? and settled in some distance behind the base of Hill 703.
The 4th Swarm?s spore mines lept out over Ruined Building ?C? and rained down on the Moray and the 8th Gun Drone Squadron. Two Heavy Gun Drones were torn apart, while the Moray escaped any serious damage (But did take two hits)., despite this light damage the 8th retreated to the area between Woods ?B? and ?D?, while the Moray pulled back to the other side of Woods ?B?. The 1st Fire Warrior Cadre marched away from Woods ?B? and took up a position behind the 3rd Battlesuit Cadre.
The 4th Battlesuit Cadre marched out of the area ?between Woods ?B? and ?D? and settled in next to the 4th Battlesuit Cadre. The 5th Pathfinder Contingent marched away from Woods ?D? and followed the 4th Battlesuit Cadre, and moving in behind that same formation. The 2nd Fire Warrior Cadre failed to receive any orders and held its position next to Woods ?B? (Jaldon failed both Int rolls and decided to rally).
End of Turn 1
Rallies: All formations rallied.
Losses Turn 1
Nids: 1xHierophant, 2xRaveners
Tau: 2xHeavy Gun Drones
Turn 2
(Lesser Node teleports to the edge of Woods ?E?)
(Tau win Int and keep it)
Coordinating their actions the 5th Pathfinder Contingent and the 4th Battlesuit Cadre advanced over Hill 703, pouring fire into the 1st Swarm as they came, and cutting down 8xRaveners and 4xHormagaunts (Coordinated Fire under the control of the 6th). In real danger of being wiped out the 1st Swarm consolidated its position (spawn and move), called down a myecetic spore, and pulled in 2xRaveners and 4xHormagaunts.
3rd Battlesuit Cadre kept the pressure on advancing up next to the 4th Battlesuit Cadre, ?adding its fire to what had been thrown at the 1st Swarm already, and taking out (um) 2xRaveners, 4xHormagaunts, and a Tyranid Warrior. 3rd Swarm marched over Hill 301, and into Woods ?D?, in attempt to take some of the pressure off the 1st Swarm.
The 1st Fire Warrior Cadre swept over Hill 801 (double move), its Fire Warrriors pouring out of their Devilfish transports and sweeping up behind, and on the flank of, the 1st Swarm. Upon hitting the ground the Tau opened up on the 1st Swarm and took out a Ravener, a Hormagaunt, and another Tyranid Warrior. With the flank crumbling the 7th Swarm ran out from behind Hill 601 (march) and took cover in the ruins of Building ?A?.
The Moray moved up near Woods ?E? and added its firepower to the carnage being wrought upon 1st Swarm cutting down that swarm?s last Tyranid Warrior. The 4th Swarms spore mines once again lept out over Ruined Building ?C? and rained down on the 5th Pathfinder Contingent taking out 3xPathfinders and blowing a Devilfish apart. Surprised by the sudden appearance of the mines the 5th pulled back to the opposite side of Hill 703 (broken).
The 8th Gun Drone Squadron turned to face the 3rd Swarm, and did open up on the bugs, but only managed to take out a single Ravener. 2nd Swarm twisted upon its center to form a link between the 7th Swarm in Ruined Building ?A? and the 3rd Swarm, and in so doing it re-established the Nid front line.
The 8th Gun Drone Squadron turned to face the 3rd Swarm, and did open up on the bugs, but only managed to take out a single Ravener. 2nd Swarm twisted upon its center to form a link between the 7th Swarm in Ruined Building ?A? and the 3rd Swarm, and in so doing it re-established the Nid front line.
The 7th Hammerhead Contingent once again poured fire into the 2nd Swarm (sustained) but this time all of the formations shots went wide of their target (Yes, Jaldon missed with every single shot!). The Lesser Node in Woods ?E? sent out a cloud of pheromones to gather in nearby creatures, and called down a myecetic spore to add reinforcements to the ones found. All told the synapse creature was with 3xRaveners, and 2xHormagaunts (Jaldon then slapped his own forehead because he had forgotten all about the LSN in the woods).
2nd Fire Warrior Cadre?s troopers tumbled out of their transports (advance) and let fly on the 3rd Swarm cutting down 3xRaveners and 2xHormagaunts.
End of Turn 2
Rallies: 5th Pathfinder Contingent fails (So it is still broken), all others pass.
Losses Turn 2
Nids: 14xRavener, 7xHormagaunts, 3xTyranid Warriors
Tau: 3xPathfinder, 1xDevilfish
Turn 3
(6th Stealth Contingent [2xBMs] teleports near Woods ?A?, 6th Swarm teleports into Ruined Building ?A?, Lesser Node teleports to the edge of Woods ?B?)
(Tau win Int and keep it)
2nd Fire Warrior Cadre poured fire (sustained fail, made re-roll) into the 3rd Swarm cutting down 3xRaveners, 1xHormagaunt, 1xZoanthrope, and a Tyranid Warrior. The Moray fired and blew apart the Lesser Node cowering in Woods ?B? (Jaldon wasn?t going to repeat his turn two mistake).
4th Swarm?s spore mines slid over the top of Woods ?A? and came down on the 6th Stealth Contingent hammering 2xXV-15s into the ground (and just missing breaking the formation by one BM). Raveners and Hormagaunts poured out of Woods ?E? and ran headlong into the 3rd and 4th Battlesuit Cadres (Assault CC). The Tau troopers bravely stood their ground against the charge, repelled it, and took out 2xRaveners and 2xHormagaunts for no losses to themselves (Jesse?s rolls were abysmal, he scored only one hit, which Jaldon saved, and then followed it with a roll of ?1? and ?2? for the roll off!).
7th Hammerhead Contingent once again engaged the 2nd Swarm with fire (sustained again) taking down q Ravener and a Hormagaunt. The 1st Fire Warrior Cadre advanced on the 2nd Swarm pouring fire into the bugs as they came, and cutting down 4xRaveners and 4xHormagaunts.
2nd Swarm now found itself in the same predicament that the 1st Swarm had been in, standing on the same ground as the former 1st Swarm, and it also consolidated its position (advance) and called on reinforcements (which included a myecetic spore, and added 1xRavener and 6xHormagaunts to the swarm). 6th Swarm poured out of Ruined Building ?A? and slammed into the 1st Fire Warrior Cadre (Assault CC). Surprised by the sudden attack the Tau Warriors failed to even harm a single bug, while they left 3xFire Warriors and a burning Devilfish on the field (broken) as they retired. (This was almost the exact reverse of the Nid attack on the two Battlesuit Cadres. Jaldon failed to score even a single hit, and rolled miserably in the roll off, only the presence of the Ethreal kept the Tau from suffering much heavier casualties).
4th Battlesuit Cadre swung around to face the Lesser Node in Woods ?E, and fired destroying the lone synapse creature and its attending Ravener. In no better shape then 2nd Swarm, and pretty safe from being shot at anymore, the 3rd Swarm also called in reinforcements but only managed to get 4xHormagaunts for the effort (Even after adding a myecetic spore Jesse rolled a total of four!)
8th Gun Drone Swarm shot through the gap between 2nd and 3rd Swarms (march) and settled into the gap between Hill 601 and Ruined Building ?C?. 7th Swarm abandoned Ruined Building ?A? and moved (march) into position in Ruined Building ?A? in an attempt to solidify the Nid rear areas. (And contest the Nid Blitz and T&H).
The 6th Stealth Contingent jumped over Woods ?A? and launched an attack on the 4th Swarm (Assault FF). Heavily outgunned the 4th Swarm only managed to cut down a single XV-15, while they lost 3xDactylis, 1xZoanthrope and the Lesser Node before abandoning their position. Despite their victory the 6th was so battered by the effort that they gave up their hard won ground and fell back between ?Hill 601 and Ridge 105.
3rd Battlesuit Cadre moved up onto Hill 803 (advance) and poured fire into the 6th Swarm cutting down all three of that formations Lictors.
End of Turn 3
Rallies: The Pathfinders are the only formation that fails to rally and it remains broken.
Losses Turn 3
Nids: 2xTyrnaid Warriors, 11xRavener, 8xHormagaunt, 3xLSN, 2xZoanthrope, 4xDactylis, 3xLictor
Tau: 3xXV-15, 3xFire Warrior, 1xDevilfish
Turn 4 (Tau win Int and keep it)
4th Battlesuit Cadre swept out from behind Woods ?E? and poured fire into the 2nd Swarm taking out 2xRaveners and 5xHormagaunts. 3rd Battlesuit Cadre let fly on the 2nd Swarm as the 4th advanced adding the huge amount of carnage in the center of the battlefield, and adding 3xHormagaunts and a Tyranid Warrior to the growing pile.
Desperate to hold its position the 2nd Swarm?s lone surviving Tyranid Warrior swept the battle area (spawn) and managed to find 3xHormagaunts still alive under the pile of dead bugs. 2nd Fire Warrior Cadre troopers stood calmly (sustained) and poured fire into the 3rd Swarm, but only managed to take down a single 2xRaveners and a single Hormagaunt.
7th Hammerhead Contingent popped up and added its fire to that of the 2nd (sustained) and took down another of 3rd Swarms Hormagaunts. #rd Swarm was far short of the bodies it needed to launch an attack (and Jesse wasn?t going to wait for the Moray to finish off the formation) so it scowered the area and was rewarded with the finding of 3xliving Hormagaunts (spawn of course).
8th Gun Drone Squadron fired point blank into Ruined Building ?C? (sustained), but the cover afforded the bugs saved them from the worst effects of that fire and only one Genestealer was felled. Rather then attack the 7th Swarm felt it would be better if it improved its hold on Ruined Building ?C? (Jack failed his Int roll).
The Moray shot to the center of the battlefield, its mighty weapons slamming into Ruined Building ?C? and blowing apart 2xGenestealers. 1st Fire Warrrior Cadre advanced ont he 2nd Swarm, and let fly at them, but only took out a Hormagaunt and a Zoanthrope.
6th Stealth Contingent advanced to get a better fire lane into Ruined Building ?C?, but failed to harm a single bug with its fire.
End of Turn 4, no 5th turn is rolled so a tie breaker is forced. It was a very clear win for the Tau and out of kindness to Jesse (It wasn?t even close) we won?t put the numbers up.
Total Battle Losses
Nids: 30xRaveners, 26xHormagaunts, 7xTyranid Warriors, 3xZoanthropes, 3xLictors, 3xLSN, 4xDactylis, 1xHierophant
Tau: 3xPathfinders, 2xDevilfish, 3xXV-15, 3xFire Warriors, 2xHeavy Gun Drones
AABS (or After Action Bull Session)
We do think that this batrep shows really well that just changing the spawning to a max of ONE single myecetic spore per spawning action doesn?t really work. Basically the Nid player just can?t come even remotely close to keeping up with the losses being suffered, and then a lot of the army?s offensive potential goes out the window with it.
Even launching assaults with swarms results in those same swarms suffering losses that the Nid player must accept to have any offensive potential at all. The two combined (Max One Spore/Accept Losses to Attack) results in the Nid army being brought to a near grinding halt (In the battles we have used this spawning idea in) by turn three and reverting to ?survival mode? instead of attacking.
Unstoppable and Fighting Nids
In both players planning sections they elicited the key elements needed to directly fight the Nids, and they were; (A) Forcing the Nids to fight a Battle of Maneuver; (B) Inflicting losses faster then the Nids can replace them and attack at the same time.
?B? Was made easier for Jaldon because of the spawning rule we were using, however ?A? wasn?t effected by this rule and Jaldon still had to carry it out effectively to make it work. Ignoring details for the moment, we will be getting into those later, Jaldon kept his distance (38 to 39cms) from the Nid swarms early on greatly reducing their offensive potential.
He also abandoned almost half the table to form the concentration of troops he needed to punch through, and put 1/3 of the Nid army out of the battle for at least a turn in the process. Then he blew a hole in the Nid line, exploited the breakthrough, and then kept forcing the Nids to react to his moves thereafter (Jaldon Here: This is what I like to call gaining control over the activation curve in a local area, and then using it to create the same problem for an opponent across the entire battlefield).
Again, we admit that the use of the new spawning rule didn?t help Jesse, it doesn?t negate the effective tactics Jaldon used against the Nids, as we have all used those same tactics fighting Nids under the old spawning rules, and won. (Jaldon here again: My problem, and others here, isn?t that the Nids cannot be beat, they can be, rather its that they maintain a much better then 55% win ratio against opponents that know how to beat them. We feel very strongly that the solution lays in the spawning rules.
The Battle Itself (All Jaldon Hereafter)
Ok, no argument, the Hierophant dropping dead of a heart attack as the Railgun round wizzed past its ear at the very start of the battle DID take a lot of the wind right out of Jesse?s sails.
But
If an opponent hangs on the very edge of the Nid assault range, say 38 to 39cms away, then they can greatly diminish the number of Nids that can get into a fighting position in an assault. One of the ways for the Nids to counter this tactic is for a big Tyranid Bio-Titan to move up into FF supporting range of the intended target formation(s) thus making up for the lost offensive potential and turning a crap shoot into an ?odds on favorite to win? assault. The Hierophant ?dropping dead? right at the start line forced Jesse to literally walk into the guns to have any chance of launching an effective assault which, of course, I exploited to the max.
The death of the Hierophant also made it possible for me to ignore the 2nd Swarm long enough to hammer the 1st Swarm into the ground. Now it wasn?t that Jesse didn?t check to see how many units he could get into assault if 2nd Swarm counter-attacked, he did. However he would have only gotten a couple of units in, and it would have been at pretty short odds. The total destruction of the 1st Swarm only added to Jesse?s growing list of battlefield problems, and made it almost impossible for him to seal the breach and get the initiative back.
Some present felt that Jesse should have seen what was coming and brought the Lictors in on turn two to support 1st Swarms position, while others felt he should have pulled up and withdrew the 2nd Swarm instead of advancing to re-establish his front line in turn 2.
Jesse disagreed with the first assertion as he didn?t believe the 1st Swarm was going to be taken apart as easily as it was, and with a node nearby, he felt he had enough spawning power present to mount a counter-attack to seal the breach. I agree with Jesse here as I didn?t think I was going to be blow away the entire 1st Swarm as easily as I did either. In fact I had positioned enough forces in the area, to finish the maneuver I wanted to carry out, in anticipation of fighting in turn 3.
Of the second part of the observers ?advice? Jesse disagreed with that also saying he felt it was important to keep the pressure on me, and remain in a position to counter-attack as soon as possible. He felt, with some validity, that the spawning rule is what made the counter-attack impossible.
Here I disagree with Jesse, I do think he should have fallen back with the 2nd Swarm, and I think he should have done it even if we were using the old spawning rule. 3rd Swarm was deep in my right flank, and in a good position to threaten my Blitz objective. Pulling the 2nd Swarm back would have put it into a position from which it could have supported the 3rd Swarm in this maneuver, and freed up the Lictors to join the fray there. Also this would have forced my left flank forces to spend all of turn three getting back into fighting positions, thus effectively negating the local advantage that I had created, and preventing it from turning into a battlefield wide problem, which it quickly became.
Despite the early demise of the Hierophant, despite being hampered by the experimental spawning rule, and despite having abysmal luck at very critical moments in the battle all agreed Jesse DID do a masterful job of hanging on to force a tie breaker from what should have turned into a rout! I couldn?t agree more as Jesse did have his back against the wall almost out of the gate, and he still made me work hard to earn a win.
Jaldon
http://www.epic40k.co.uk/images/NvTt1.pdf
http://www.epic40k.co.uk/images/NvTt2.pdf
http://www.epic40k.co.uk/images/NvTt3.pdf
http://www.epic40k.co.uk/images/NvTt4.pdf 
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Brave sir Robin, when danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned his tail and fled, Brave sir Robin.
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