Tau vs World Eaters at 1500

My buddy and I convened once again - I'd wanted to try out new stuff with my Tau, and my comrade wanted to give his World Eaters a whirl.  Let's be honest - there's something to be said for the purity of BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD, as well as a free 2d6 move on turn zero for the foot bobs.  Looking at his rules and the army, I figured this one would go poorly for me if, y'know, he got across the field and got to grips with me.

Tau Army

Hunter Cadre

Crisis Suit Commander - Missile/Plasma

3-man Crisis Suit Team - missile/plasma

10 Kroot

10 Kroot

10 Kroot

8 Pathfinders

Piranha w/ Disruption Pods

Piranha w/ Disruption Pods

2 Broadsides (twin-linked rail rifle, twin-linked SMS)

Riptide Wing

2 Riptides w/ Heavy Burst Cannon/twin SMS, Skyfire gubbin, stim injector

1 Riptide w/ Ion Accelerator/twin SMS, Interceptor gubbin, stim injector

Traded out the normal Hammerhead for Broadsides because of points, and because I want to see if it's worth upgrading to the new kits (since my Broadsides are a few years old and on smaller bases, and heavy conversions).

World Eaters

WE-specific team

Juggernaut Lord (gear includes WE-specific relic of increased movement)

3-man Terminator Squad (combi-flamers, one fellow with a chainfist)

10-man CSM squad w/ meltas

10-man CSM squad w/ meltas

3 Chaos Bikers w/ 2 meltas

5 Havocs w/ missile launchers

Hellforged Warpack

Warpsmith

Defiler

Hellbrute (designated alpha of the pack)

Maulerfiend w/ Magma Cutters

So, turns out that Juggernaut Lords are crazy-killy, and while that's a lot of guys on foot, that's also a bunch of guys getting a free 2d6 move at the start of the game.  WE with turn 01 is bound to be a little silly, and the warpack presents another chunk of fun - also, my crisis suits don't really like that whole Battle Cannon thing.

Scenario

Spoils of War

First Turn to Tau (which is probably important)

Deployment

 And so, we deploy.  Note carefully that one of my Kroot squads looks suspiciously like a Fire Warrior team.  It's largely beause I haven't yet bought another box of Kroot and slapped them together.

I set up the Riptides in the middle, with the Pathfinders in the middle, and make ready to face whatever he does.  Since there's a defiler on the table (and it deploys after I do) I opt to reserve my Warlord and his crisis buddies, because he rolled the no-scatter deep strike trait.

Being WE, his plan is going to involve trying to get to grips with me as soon as possible - no if's, ands, or buts.  Kinda brutal, kinda simple.  I should probably avoid assault with his army, or hope that, y'know, he murders what he touches first.

Deployment AFTER the World Eater 2d6 move

Tau Turn 01 Results

 I decide that the warlord squad is the big threat, since it's fast AND rolled reasonably on its WE move, it should die.  Also, I really don't feel like having it go into my Riptides.  So, the Riptide Wing pops Nova Reactors (...and the guy on the right manages to fail even with the re-roll) and uses the Riptide Hail because this is probably the only turn where that's a good move.  

Casualties include the Warlord, his biker escort, and a fair number of the footslogging bobs on both sides.  Here's to First Blood and Slay the Warlord.

Khorne Turn 01

 Because the dice giveth and the dice taketh away - his Defiler forces a morale check on my Pathfinders who fail and promptly run off the table.  Also, his Havocs manage to blow up a Broadside with a whopping two Krak missile hits, which is funny in it sway.  Also, turns out that those Maulerfiends are stupid fast.

Tau Turn 2

 Target priority - the Maulerfiend, which gets a case of death.  Coordinate Fire is nice, which is why there's a Piranha in its backside.  I shuffle Kroot shields around and put Piranhas in between Chaos and my Riptides (and that random Broadside).  My Crisis Suits continue to observe from the safety of reserves, and otherwise I pour fire into the power armor guys remaining on my left flank.

Terminator Deep Strike, meet Interceptor

 His Terminators arrive on turn two - in true form, he opts for a no-guts, no-glory strategy.  Considering that the Ion Accelerator interceptor guy has coverage of most of the table, well.  There's nothing to do but drop in and hope it works.  He sticks the landing, and loses two of the guys to AP2 fire.

Khorne's second turn

 My Kroot on my right end up dead, and my brave Piranha gets immobilized.  Also, Khornate rockets kill my OTHER Broadside, which is honestly kind of funny at that point.  Otherwise, everything pushes up close.  I managed to leave one Marine and the Warpsmith alive on the left flank, who assault a drone squad and Kroot.  Who promptly pass their morale checks after losing the assault.

Tau Turn 3

 I kill the Hellbrute, in spite of its 4+ save.  Which is about the ONLY thing that happens.  The gun drone keeps at it in assault, and the Warpsmith finishes killing Kroot.

Warpsmith wonders just what's wrong with this guy.

Khorne 3

 Defiler continues to advance and open fire, without much avail.  His Warpsmith grabs cover and starts advancing on Riptides.  Between cover saves, his guns, and an axe, I'm actually a little concerned - if my Riptides flub combat, they die.

Seriously?!

 Yes, this assault continues.  The drone makes a save and even wounds the marine, who promptly saves.  The Warpsmith continues to be confused.

Tau 4

 My Crisis Team finally shows up, and applies a plasma enema to the Defiler.  The Riptides light up the Hellbrute, because it's probably unwise to get into CQC with that thing.

Tau 5

 At this point, I've managed to weather the onslaught and stay out of assault - we've been going neck-and-neck on objectives.  I finally focus fire on his Havocs.

We're I'm helping!

 They found some good cover and spent the game lobbing rockets.

I DID IT!  Only several rounds of assault required.  Think I'm gonna get shot now.

 End result is I table him.  We were neck-and-neck on objectives for several turns, but it turns out sacrificing 30 Kroot, six fire warriors, and four drones means you can win.  And you avoid paying the Kroot, as a bonus.

Thoughts on the Tau
Riptide wings are nasty - not that I really needed to test that, but I think this loadout is the way to go.  I ended up using Ripple Fire later on, largely because I managed to wound my own suits fairly reliably with Gets Hot and Nova Reactor rolls, in spite of re-rolls and 2+ and FNP.

I'm going to have to test Broadsides more, but they've got less mobility compared to the Hammerhead.  Durability's a toss-up; AV13 and a silly Jink versus 2+ and two wounds with cover saves.  One S10 railgun, or two S8 railguns?  Or S7 missiles with skyfire?

Otherwise, the Kroot and Piranhas did what I needed them to do - get in the way, and provide lightweight shooting for Coordinated Fire.

I do kinda like having that no-scatter Warlord Trait - not enough to always build for it, but rolling it gives me some tactical options, and a chance for the reserve dice to laugh at me.

Thoughts on World Eaters
I think there's some serious potential in that army - his list was more of a test.  Seems like there's a balancing act regarding unit size - you want enough bodies to get into assault, but more units on foot mean more chances to roll amazing 2d6 rolls on.

I'd be scared of what that Warpforged Hellpack could do with more than one Maulerfiend.  That 12" move is kinda nasty, though the Pack was a mix of 'experiment' and 'what models were available.'  I think getting some shooting in there helped, even if the Defiler's got its detractors.

The Warpsmith is surprisingly nasty with his upgraded chaos-style mechadendrites; that's extra S6 attacks, some nasty shooting (flamer and melta?  Ok, what can't this guy do, other than strike at initiative?).

I think his particular list needed more fast threats, and man, if that had gone first, I'm not sure I would've won.

In Closing
Getting first turn was crucial in that matchup - World Eaters getting a free turns' move at the beginning is pretty nasty.  Had he seized the initiative, well.  Things would've hurt, and I would've had less time to try to break his back.

That, and it was HILARIOUS to watch a Gun Drone and World Eater flail at each other for like five assault phases, especially while the Warpsmith just watched and shook his head.