Mistakes and Taking Advantage of them

[Inquisitor Rosenadel]

This is a text outlining a battle between Tau and Blood Angels versus Tau and Ulthwe. This is a classic example of having a solid battle plan in the beginning and taking advantage of you opponents' mistakes.

Enjoy, and feel free to comment on what either side could have done better on.

Tau and Blood Angels won, by the way. It was a massacre, I believe.

Classic Mistakes versus Killer Strategy

Battlefield observations:
Team 1: Tau and Blood Angels versus Team 2: Tau and Craftworld Ulthwe
Cityfight, 1500 pts.
Team 1: Booby Traps
Team 2: Medicae Station
As viewed from the victors’ board edge

Team 1 Success:

• Concentrated deployment on one side of the board (right)

• • Full force of Team 1 brought to bear on only part of Team 2
  • Other Team 2 units must trek across the board to reach main force
  • Forces of Team 1 shielded from parts of Team 2 by intervening terrain (especially in cityfight)

• Concentrated firepower on heavy weapons and transports

• • Reduces enemy firepower
  • Keep firing at one target unit it is no longer effective (lost all heavy weapons, wiped out, etc.)
  • Killing transports results in entangled troops and slower movement: less mobility, maneuverability, and cannot take table quarters easily

• Flank Guard: relatively powerful unit but not too vital to effectiveness of main assault

• • Firepower unit
  • Able to stall flankers unit main enemy battle line is demolished
  • Flanking fire overlapped by heavy support firepower if possible

Team 2 Failures:

• Spread out during deployment, even when it was clear Team 1 did not
• Put a large force in Medicae building

• • Vulnerable to assault because it was on the right flank, where Team 1 had set up a majority of their force
  • Basic units: guardians, firewarriors
• Tau Piranhas stayed in cover/did not move for first 2 game turns
  • Piranhas are a mobility unit and should not remain stationary under any circumstances
• Ulthwe starcannon crew moved from Medicae building cover to try to get 12” Shuirken Catapult shots, but were only assaulted more quickly
• Medicae force shot only the inexpensive and expendable 4 and 5-man tactical squads, and not the two Dreadnoughts or the Death Company, leaving them full strength to attack the building’s forces
• Slow units on the far left flank: too spread out, not fast enough
• Left-side forces had to move to get good LOS and range

[Grand Master Raziel]

Well, it does sound like your opponents did make some significant tactical mistakes. It's hard to say for certain without seeing the lists and a turn-by-turn battle report, though. Also, it occurs to me that the Tau-Blood Angels team may have had a significant advantage over the Tau-Ulthwe team. The first team would have had at least one really killer assault unit (the Death Company), which would be able to approach the enemy fairly safely in a Cityfight game. Once that unit got into assault, the second team probably didn't have anything that could effectively repulse it. The only thing that I can think of that might have done the trick is a unit of Howling Banshees, and even then they'd probably need a Farseer casting supporting powers on them in order to come out on top. Even a Wraithlord would only slow down the Death Company, as long as they had a power fist in there somewhere. So, don't pat yourself on the back too hard. You may have played better, but it also sounds like the situation favored your team.

[Inquisitor Rosenadel]

I would agree completely, Raziel. This is merely a classic textbook example of mistakes and good strategy. If our opponents had been a little better, we probably would have won (no, I'm not arrogant at all...), but not by so large a margin. The massacre was the result of our plan working perfectly and theirs failing miserably. So, with such stark contrast, I thought this would be good to point out mistakes and tactics.

Actually he did have Howling Banshees with a Farseer, but I destroyed the Wave Serpent they riding in, pinning them, causing a couple casualties, and then shotting the bejeezus out of them the next turn. Basically, we never gave them a chance precisely because we knew how dangerous they were. My friend and I also talked throughout the game, which helped I think. I kinda took command, which may have helped in that there were not two seperate strategies, but one. I was not in complete control. My Tau friend knew how to handle his army well.

Our combo may have been better. I agree that if our opponent had played better it would be much easier to determine who the better tacticians were, and whether our combo was better. Oh, well...