Thursday 17 May 2018

Epic 4K: World eaters vs Vior'la Tau

A game between World Eaters and Vior'la Tau.
The close combat fury of Khorne vs the greater good of Tau!


Incompertus, 4000 POINTS
World Eaters (3.8.2)
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WORLD EATERS CHOSEN RETINUE [200]
4 World Eaters Chosen, World Eaters Skull Lord

WORLD EATERS CHOSEN RETINUE [200]
4 World Eaters Chosen, World Eaters Skull Lord

LORDS OF BATTLE [425]
Lord of Battle

LORDS OF BATTLE [425]
Lord of Battle

KHORNE ASSAULT ENGINES [250]
4 Khorne Assault Engines

KHORNE SUPPORT ENGINES [275]
4 Hellfire Cannon

THREE HELLBLADE INTERCEPTORS [200]

THREE HELLBLADE INTERCEPTORS [200]

WORLD EATERS BIKE RETINUE [250]
1 Skull Lord character, 6 World Eaters Bike

WORLD EATERS BIKE RETINUE [250]
1 Skull Lord character, 6 World Eaters Bike

WORLD EATERS BERZERKER RETINUE [525]
4 World Eater Legionaires, 4 Khorne Berzerkers, Replace the Lords unit with Khorne Daemon Prince, 2 Land Raiders, Free Rhinos

WORLD EATERS POSSESSED RETINUE [200]
4 World Eaters Possessed, Chaos Pact, World Eaters Skull Lord

WORLD EATERS POSSESSED RETINUE [200]
4 World Eaters Possessed, Chaos Pact, World Eaters Skull Lord

WORLD EATERS POSSESSED RETINUE [200]
4 World Eaters Possessed, Chaos Pact, World Eaters Skull Lord

WORLD EATERS POSSESSED RETINUE [200]
4 World Eaters Possessed, Chaos Pact, World Eaters Skull Lord


NOTE: I used the Juggernauts as bikes in this game, as the Khorne list is not lacking in close combat ability and needs some firefight!

Vior'la Tau
Crisis Cadre, 4 Crisis Suits, Shas'o [325]
Crisis Cadre, 6 Crisis Suits, Shas'el [325]
Manta [575]
FW Cadre, 10 Fire Warriers, Ethereal, 2 Pathfinders, 6 Devilfish, Skyray [600]
Pathfinder Group, 4 Pathfinders, 2 Devilfish [200]
Pathfinder Group, 4 Pathfinders, 2 Devilfish [200]
Crisis Cadre, 6 Crisis Suits, Shas'el [325]
Crisis Cadre, 6 Crisis Suits, Shas'el [325]
Pathfinder Group, 4 Pathfinders, 2 Devilfish [200]
Manta [575]
Pathfinder Group, 6 Pathfinders [200]
Orca [150]

This also provided a play test for the lower cost Manta with split main gun, 2 of MW3+ (TK2). Addition changes from the standard Tau Third Phase Expansion List included: an AT6+ shot on the Crisis Suit Plasma Rifle, formations upgrades of 2 Crisis Suits for +75 points and access to a 6 Pathfinder Formation without Devilfish.




Game Report

Here's the setup. Concern for the World Eaters is how to wreck Tau skimmer units when they are reliant on close combat!


As expected, Turn 1 sees the World Eaters advancing as fast as possible, taking some casualties as they close the distance, with two units of Possessed being largely destroyed by simple overwatch fire by Pathfinders.  One Lord of Battles is destroyed by the combined fire of the Mantas too.


The other Lord of Battle becomes a lord of guarding the blitz at the back of the field, hiding from the Mantas. Not a good unit to have when the enemy war engines are skimming and armed with Titan Killers.  One positive is that the Orca dropship is destroyed by the Cannons of Khorne with a lucky hit.

Turn 2 Strategy Roll is won by Khorne. Daemon Assault Engines wipe out some pathfinders at last.

And retaining the Khorne bikes supported by Assault Engines wipes out a unit of crisis suits.

The rest of the turn is brutal though, with Tau co-ordinated fire wrecking many more Khorne units.


Another crisis formation is knocked back in an assault, but Khorne has taken very heavy casualties.

Turn 3, is largely a mopping up exercise for the Tau, with the Mantas able to move and destroy as they wish. Tau win with many objectives to none for the Khorne.

Conclusion

Bit of a one sided match. Close combat vs Skimmers... The plan I tried with the World Eaters was to ignore the Mantas and try and wreck the other Tau ground units I could reach, and grab objectives. However the Tau firepower was too strong, and the Manta's new rules with split fire meant they could target down my reinforced armour units very effectively too, while acting as bunkers for the Crisis Suits. Not a good matchup for the World Eaters!