Match 5.08 : Commandery Witch-Bane vs Sa'ceu'la Kau'ui

[realitycheque]

Game Type: Annihilation, Pitched Battle


Commandery Witch-Bane deploy in the top half and go first.

Commandery Witch-Bane
List
"Sororitas Heroine Victoria" Canoness w/ Eviscerator, Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack, Cloak of St. Aspira, Mantle of Ophelia, Book of St. Lucius,
"Sororitas Heroine Elizabetta" Canoness w/ Eviscerator, Bolt Pistol, Jump Pack, Cloak of St. Aspira, Book of St. Lucius,
"The Daughters of Eternal Martyrdom" 5 Celestians w/ 2 Meltaguns, "Repentus" Immolator w/ Extra Armour, Smoke Launchers
"The Daughters of Righteous Flagellation" 5 Celestians w/ 2 Meltaguns, "Infernus" Immolator w/ Extra Armour, Smoke Launchers
"Sister Superior Haleigh leading the Daughters of Retribution" 9 Battle Sisters w/ Heavy Flamer, Meltagun, Veteran Sister Superior w/ with Book of St. Lucius, Bolter, Sarissa, "Oblivium" Rhino transport w/ Extra Armour, Smoke Launchers
"Sister Superior Laura leading the Daughters of Burning Hatred" 9 Battle Sisters w/ Heavy Flamer, Meltagun, Veteran Sister Superior w/ with Book of St. Lucius, Bolter, Sarissa, "Mortimus" Rhino transport w/ Extra Armour, Smoke Launchers
"Sister Superior Sophia leading the Daughters of Penitence" 9 Battle Sisters w/ Heavy Flamer, Meltagun, Veteran Sister Superior w/ with Book of St. Lucius, Bolter, Sarissa, "Divinus" Rhino transport w/ Extra Armour, Smoke Launchers
"Sister Superior Amelia leading the Daughters of Holy Might" 9 Battle Sisters w/ Heavy Flamer, Meltagun, Veteran Sister Superior w/ with Book of St. Lucius, Bolter, Sarissa, "Miraculum" Rhino transport w/ Extra Armour, Smoke Launchers
"Sister Superior Katherine leading the Daughters of Absolution" 4 Seraphim w/ twinlinked inferno pistols, twinlinked hand flamers, Veteran Sister Superior w/ Eviscerator, Bolt Pistol, Book of St. Lucius
"Puritus" Exorcist w/ Extra Armour
"Absolum" Exorcist w/ Extra Armour
"Purgatus" Exorcist w/ Extra Armour

Deployment/Tactics
Don’t know where he’s deploying, to avoid him hiding in corner, I’ll be deploying in the front and centre of my zone. Essentially shall be deploying so wherever he deploys I’ll reach there by turn 2 (38” reach), and ensure Exorcists are obscured and able to fire on first turn (tall gun). First turn, driving halfway up the board, convoy to minimise vehicles shown, pop Smoke, Immolators flame Infiltrators, line up Exorcists and target Broadsides. Second turn, drive up, unleash massed Rending Bolters, Heavy Flamers and Meltaguns. Using Rhinos as moving terrain, pull apart Crisis/easy KPs, use Faith for 3++, S5, Rending, etc. Take out immediate threats to me, then slowly pull apart his easier KPs. Deepstriking in Canoness’ and Seraphim, coordinate with attackers , giving 3++/2++, shooting Inferno, charging next turn with Chainfists to wreck Hammerheads, then go around earning easy KPs.

Annihilation, enemy has 7 easy KP’s (Warriors, Kroot, Pathfinders, Piranhas), yet he does have 4 shots a turn that need removing. Broadsides aren’t that hard, Exorcists can Insta-death, no saves. Bypass Drones with massed allocation. If hiding, target biggest threat.

Hammerheads? Little trickier, ignore first turn, focus fire on Broadsides (KP!). Either shooting obscured Exorcists/Rhinos. 2 shots, on average 1 negated by obscured, I’m okay with a single loss before I Melta them. Eliminate Piranhas as they come closer. After Broadsides, begin Insta-deathing un-shielded Crisis with Exorcists and other major threats.

Sa'ceu'la Kau'ui
List
"Shas'el Viad'ere Kais" Shas'el w/ Plasma Rifle/Fusion Blaster (Helios set up) targetting array, Hardwired Multitracker, Hardwired drone controller + 2 shield drones
"Black blade La'rua" Fireknife suits (plasma rifle, Missile Pod) x 3 w/ leader Hardwired Multitracker+ bonding knife so he can have targetting array, non-leaders have multitracker
"Steady slash La'rua" Fireknife suits (plasma rifle, Missile Pod) x 3 w/ leader Hardwired Multitracker+ bonding knife so he can have targetting array, non-leaders have multitracker
"Starfall La'rua" Deathrain suits (twin linked Missile pods) x 3, w/ flamer - 141
"Delta La'rua" Fire Warriors x6
"Alpha La'rua" Fire Warriors x6 in Devilfish with multitracker, Targetting Array, Disruption pods
"Vaid'ere's raiders pt 1" Kroot x10 + 5 hounds
"Vaid'ere's raiders pt 2" Kroot x10 + 5 hounds
"Skyray La'rua" Pathfinders x 8 w/ Dfish with multitracker, Targetting Array, Disruption pods, Targetting Array (extra?)
"Fishbait" Piranha skimmer w/ Fletchette Discharger, Targetting Array, Disruption pods, Fusion blaster
"Chum" Piranha skimmer w/ Fletchette Discharger, Targetting Array, Disruption pods, Fusion blaster
"La'rua Solar Flare" Broadside x 3 - Advanced stabilization systems, leader with Hardwired drone controller + 2 shield drones & Hardwired target lock
"Greatwhite" Hammerhead - Disruption pods, railgun, burst cannon, multitracker
"Bullshark" Hammerhead - Disruption pods, railgun, burst cannon, multitracker

Deployment
Since the opponent goes first, I will be setting up to promote
line of site for all of my priorities to match their intended targets. I
will also attempt to gain maximum distance, If he spreads I castle in 1
corner to make his units on 1 side of the table useless as sisters only
excel when in the 12" range. If he comes strong 1 side, I go the other.
The map is almost mirrored from L-R sides so it won't much change. Kroot
wall in a forest, use screen to give cover saves to my suits.

Tactics
Tau excel at popping transports so kill the rhinos/immolators
for the easy armour kp's. This also plays into their lack of range.
S5 shooting- massed at canoness/seraphim squads hopefully dropping a
canoness-> Open sisters units from popped rhinos.
Railguns/piranha's: No cover armoured units(rhinos first turn if exorcists
are out of range)->Exorcists->Immolators/Rhinos closest (without smoke)->
Armour with cover-> pie plates to squads before s5 shooting,
broadsides/piranha's to whatever is left.
Mpods- Rhino->immolators-> canoness/seraphim/sisters in range of rapid
fire plasma or flame throwers
Markerlights assist- Railguns->mpods-> units closest to assaulting range
Throw devilfish/piranha's in the two natural choke points to eliminate
closing in fast unless they are all coming over the hill.
Lastly If I pop his armour get in my vehicles and run as he will have foot
slogging melta's to try and chase me with.



Vote closes on Saturday the 4th of June at 1800 PM. Votes as usual must be in bold, and posted along with a reason. It doesn't have to be good mind you, just written down. Crap reasons will have no negative repercussions aside from your peers thinking you are an idiot.

If no tactics have been submitted, please assume average skill level for that player.

[jy2]

Sa'ceu'la Kau'ui

Although witch hunters have a good army, I actually like the Tau player's chances here. If there's 2 things Tau excel at, they are 1) popping rhinos and 2) popping rhinos for easy kill points. Tau shoud be able to wrack up the kill points and then play the KP-denial game just enough to barely win this.

[Skarsgard]

witch hunters exorcists do bad things to tau.

[mynameisgrax]

Man, I'd love to see this match played. Both players have presented both great lists and tactics. It's difficult to definitively say who will win.

Ultimately, however, I have to give this one to the Tau. Too much of the witch hunter's anti-armor shooting is short to mid-range, and the Tau have a lot of very long range shooting, allowing them to backpedal when needed. The seraphim will do a lot of damage, but not enough to make up for the kill point advantage the Tau are going to have.

In an objectives match, I would have given it to the Sisters. An annihilation match, however, goes to the Tau.

[sunnyside]

Well, the Tau player rather wasted words on deployment as having the sisters set up in the middle was a thing they didn't consider.

However the sister player seems to want to convince us that the hill is more like a little bump. Even if the exorcists can see over it I'm thinking cover saves all around at a minimum and I would expect broadsides to be safe, especially with rhinos rolling around.

With pathfinder support the Tau weapons should be able to pop the forward transports, mucking up the advance of the rearward ones. The sisters infantry and jump jets are going to draw Tau blood. But I think the Tau button up and run Maneuver should conserve enough KP to carry their early lead to a win. At least as long as the game doesn't go a full seven turns AND their transports have held up well.

I'll give it to Tau. But not by much at all.

[realitycheque]

3-1 to the Tau.