Battle Report Zorcon (Tau) vs Laertes (Necrons)
This was our first 5th edition game. We had the rules down better then we when we dipped our toes in 4th edition for the first time (IMO anyway). I still need more games under my belt in the same rules set to get a better handle on what units can and cant do (especially mine).
Since 1st edition 40k, I have always been a jar-head (weather playing my custom blend of marines or charging into battle with Khorne). So when we decided to try our hand at playing 40k again a few years back, I decided to try something different and started building a Tau army. I played them in all THREE of our 4th edition battles, and continue with them in our 5th edition games. Laertes switched it up, so rather than facing his Witchhunters, I was facing his Necrons.
Zorcon: 750 points of Tau
1 Shas’o with missile pod, plasma rifle, and multi tracker
9 Warriors and Devilfish with disruption pod
9 Warriors and Devilfish with disruption pod
2 Crisis Suits with burst cannon and fusion blaster
1 Hammerhead with railgun, smart missiles, decoy launchers and disruption pod
Laertes: 750 pts of Necrons
1 Lord with resurrection orb
11 Warriors
10 Warriors
3 Destroyers
1 Heavy Destroyer
Right from the start, I think Laertes has a slight advantage here. This was the first time I have ever faced Necrons (any, not just his). On the flip side, Laertes has seen my Tau across the table top 3 previous times.
Mission: Annihilation / Deployment: Pitched Battle
Setup:
Because of the low point total of out forces, we chose to use a smaller 4’ x 4’ battle board. We will upgrade to a larger board when we increase the point totals. Laertes won initiative, and set up first. He set up everything in his left quarter centered on a dead forest. I set up next, with my forces spread out: Suits, Fish, Railhead, and Fish. All troops were tucked away in their transports. Neither of us had any non-standard deploying units.
Turn 1:
Laertes advanced his destroyers and heavy destroyer, taking advantage of an intervening hill. The heavy destroyer took a shot at the hammerhead with no effect. The warriors and lord remained in/behind the forest.
I sent both fish down opposite flanks, with the suits following the fish on my left. Even though his heavy destroyer didn’t hurt me, I cautiously moved my railhead tight behind a hill, giving up a shot.
Turn 2:
Laertes sent the destroyers across the battlefield after my suits, destroying the commander and wounding and elite. His heavy destroyer again shot at the hammerhead with no effect. One unit of warriors advanced in preparation for on of the fish, and the lord and other unit of warriors stayed in the forest.
I had the fish on the right flank drop its load a turn too early, so the warriors were too far away to unleash all their fire. The fish and suits to the left continued to advance. The suit’s burst cannons were no match for the destroyers, and the fusion blasters were out of range. My railhead took a shot at the heavy destroyer and missed.
Turn 3:
Laetes sent the heavy destroyer in for the kill and made a move for the rear armor of the railhead. But again he hit and failed to penetrate the massive armor of my tank! The destroyers shot at my suits but caused no damage. The lord and warriors in the forest returned fire on the warriors to my right and killed a number of firewarriors sending them off running. His other unit of warriors lined up for the impending “fish of fury” maneuver and managed to take out the fish’s burst cannon.
I rallied the remaining firewarriors, and moved the fish into range to pick up the survivors. My railhead spun around, and unleashed all its firepower on the heavy destroyer killing it. My crisis suits pulled off a jump-shoot-jump maneuver taking out a destroyer. For the first time, I was successful in performing the fish of fury and sent a hail of fire at the necron warriors… netting ONE necron!!
Turn 4:
Laertes closes in on my fish and firewarriors on my left with his destroyers and a unit of necron warriors taking out about half. My guys are resolute though and hold their ground. His lord and warriors in the forest stay there.
My remaining firewarriors fired into the necron warriors, but only wounded one (and he came back later). My suits and hammerhead shot at, and closed in on the destroyers, but caused no wounds. I sent the fish with 4 warriors to the left along my deployment zone.
Turn 5:
Laertes continued pushing forward with the destroyers and necron warriors and eliminated every single firewarrior. His lord and warriors in the forest remained in place.
I withdrew my firewarriorless devilfish. My railhead took out a second destroyer. The suits regrouped behind a hill, and the other fish continued along my deployment zone.
At this point I figured the game was over, but the dice said we needed to continue this game one more round.
Turn 6:
Laertes advanced on the empty fish. The destroyer managed to get into LoS with one of the suits behind a hill and took a shot, causing a wound, removing a model. The necrons in the forest sat down and broke out lunch.
I disembarked the gun drones on the empty devilfish purely for KP prevention. My remaining suit withdrew. The railhead parked behind a hill and took a pot shot at and missed the last destroyer. The fish in my deployment zone hid behind a hill.
Again, the dice decided they didn’t want to go back in the box, and forced a seventh turn.
Turn 7:
Laertes moved the destroyer on top of a hill in position to take out the gun drones and did so successfully. His necron warriors tried to blow up the fish, but not surprisingly failed. And the lord and crew in the forest finished up their lunch.
The railhead took out the last destroyer, and my crisis suit managed to wound one necron before the game finally ended.
Result: Laertes Wins (Zorcon 2 KP / Laertes 3 KP)
That’s the nuts and bolts of our first 5th edition battle. Overall, I think I was being too timid with my vehicles, and overreaching with my suits. I also have no idea how to contend with the necrons’ superior toughness, armor and “I’ll be back” rule. Maybe I’ll figure it out for the rematch.
Hi. Good game there. I would have a different target priority as you. Crisis suit would go after the destroyers/H. Destroyers and Hammerhead pie plate the warriors forcing armor saves. This is probably the only way to get over Necron resilant build. After the destroyers are dealt with... force armor saves on Warriors.
ReplyDeleteAlso, fish of fury is not working well as true LOS limits this to work well. Would suggest you take min6 firewarriors and upgrade the devilfish with SMS and targeting array.
Stay in the transport all the time.
Hope helps in your next game.
Forgot to add: you can consider deepstriking your crisis suit with your current configuration. If you want your crisis suit on the table from turn 1, do consider taking missile pod instead of fusion.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Good points grim. You will see in our rematch (battle report in progress now) that once again his destroyers own my crisis suits. Frankly, I'm not sure how to handle them.
ReplyDeleteConsider making your Devilfish into "Warfish" by adding the smart missile systems.
ReplyDeleteTwin-linking the plasma rifle on your Shas'o will help a lot for dealing with the Destroyers.
You can take two HQ choices so drop the crisis team and take an additional Shas'o.
Add the multitracker to all of you vehicles. This will allow you to move a full 12" while still being able to fire one weapon system. So, with two "Warfish" and one Hammerhead you can still deliver a heavy volume of fire (9 shots) while moving 12". The full 12" movement will also force any units that assault your vehicles to only be able to hit on a natural 6.