[GravWeapons FTW!!]

Hi everyone!!

So I tried posting a thread about 5 days ago, but it never posted for some reason.

Me and friends play against each other about once a week. The one main friend I play against plays.........Tau.......... :russianroulette: I understand that 40k is an unbalanced game, but I still refuse to believe that he is unbeatable. So I come to all of you to ask for your advise on the best possible Space Marine Army List for defeating Tau. Please keep in mind that when we play each other we do not play the usual objective style. WE PLAY PURELY FIGHT TO THE DEATH!!! Which is basically just annihilate each others army.

What he usually runs for a 1000pt list (We have played against each other so many times I know now what he usually runs):

Tau Commander
-4+invlun
-2+armor save
-FNP
-Fusion Blaster
-Missle Pod (I think thats what is called)
-Anaga Gaunlet (The one attack S10 AP1 attack in CC to autokill my commander)

Kroot Carnivore Squad
-Usually consists of 12 kroot snipers
-Kroot Shaper

Either another Kroot Squad or 6 Man Fire Warrior Squad
-This is to equal 2 Troops

He just recently got three tanks which he proxies as 1 devilfish and/or 1-2 hammerhead
-One hammerhead has the BS5 guy tank commander
-Usually sits in cover and gets a 2+ cover save for being completely obscured and having stealth on all of his tanks (Even though we play with flat cardboard as terrain) ...

Last but certainly not least he uses MTF Riptides at least 1-2
-Usually has FNP (saves his asssssssssss....)

My army usually consists of (Roughly 1000pts)

Bikes up the arse
HQ

Capt
-Bike
-Artificer Armor
-TH
-Shield of Eternal (Mostly for Eternal Warrior as he has many S10 stuff)

Bike Command Squad
-with Apothecary (Because FNP is super helpful, well maybe not the way I roll it)
-Melta Bombs to whole squad
-2 Grav Guns (Not sure if they are combi Grav guns? Can someone please verify that with me)

Troops
Scout squads
-Snipers for those long range sitting in cover rending shoots (Very inconsistent though)

Thunderfire cannon
-To deal with his troops

Sternguard w/ Drop pod
-Combi meltas if i think hes going Tank heavy or combi plasma guns if I think hes using 2 Riptides

Or if not Sternguard
Legion of the Damned
-Purely for their ignore cover shots
-Meltagun, combi melta, multimelta

Sorry this is probably not the most easiest thing to ready. Please constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, whether it be on my army list or how I post threads. Be gentle guys.

Thanks so much!!!

Grav

 

[Varakir]

What chapter tactics are you running? Tau do seem to be a pain in the ass in a non objective match.

 

[Duskan]

I would (looking at what u have so far) go for Iron hands tactics.

This allows u to drop the command squad down to a normal bike squad of 5 with 2 Grav and sgt combi grav to go with ur captain. this is then a troops choice and is cheaper and still kinda has FNP. I would drop shield eternal down to a normal storm shield on a captain, only really worth it on a chapter master.

sniper scouts are good in a large squad of ten and thats it. focus on a riptide to negate the toughness 6 and 2+ save.

I would try an Ironclad in droppod with two heavy flamers. they can wipe out a troop choice just after they arrive, and if u live u can try and charge into those tanks with ur seismic hammer. IMND is also helpful to help ur Dread survive. maybe try two of these?

Thunderfire cannon should be wiping out his troop choices in one shot really? but it isnt going to do well against much else he has.

sternguard again are only really gonna take out a troops choice and against tau (especialy riptides) they die far too easily.

I would go for this:

HQ:
Captain - 175pts
+ Bike
+ Arti Armour
+ Storm Shield
+ Thunder Hammer

Troops:
Tactical Squad - 195pts
+5 Additional Marines
+ Meltagun
+ Multi-Melta
+ Drop pod DT

Scout Squad - 120pts
+ 5x additional Scouts
+ 10x Sniper Rifles

Fast:
Bike Squad - 150pts
+ 2 Additional Bikers
+ 2x Gravguns
+ Sgt. Combi-Gravgun
+ Sgt. Melta Bombs

Elite:
Ironclad Dreadnought - 180ts
+ 2x Heavy Flamers
+ Drop pod

Ironclad Dreadnought - 180ts
+ 2x Heavy Flamers
+ Drop pod

That totals 1000pts exactly and is what i would use against that tau List. Grav the Riptides and commander, Heavy Flamer his troops and MM his tanks and follow up by charging his tanks with Ur captain and dreads. Everything with FNP 6+ and ur captain and Dreads with IWND.

 

[spikedsynapse]

I am a space wolf player, but the tactics i use seem to really irratate the tau players.

I usually run 2 squads of terminators, one with CC & flamers, one with meltas & a Rune priest. most of these guys have storm shields as the 3+ invul really irritates the tau with their low ap weapons. (these guys are in droppods with a 3rd drop pod on another squad left empty for drop pod assault. DO NOT drop in too close to the riptide or it will overwatch and eat your guys for breakfast)

Now I have Jaws of the World Wolf, which basically erases a line of tau every turn. I do not know if there is a SM equivalent( i think not). Anyway these two squads grief the tau commanders & fire warriors while my back field of devastators do likewise & my troops take obj's.

that being said even with this strategy I have not won a Purge vs the tau, but I do win obj based matches quite easily. And I take satisfaction that in my purge matches the tau are not very happy at the end of the game

 

[Duskan]

Space wolves with JOTWW can obliterate any amount of any tau. see those three riptides grouped together? they all instanly die with no saves on any kind allowed on a 3+. but unfortunately this is vanilla marines.

 

[Varakir]

I think Duskan's list is pretty good, but since you have the bike captain you could take advantage of running your bike squad as troops and skip the tacticals.

With the spare points you could run some combi-melta sternguard, an MM attack bike squadron or just beef up your bike unit.

 

[spikedsynapse]

unfortunately this is vanilla marines.

For me though the most effective part is getting the termies into CC with the tau, and enjoying rolling vs ws3 & ws2. This keeps the tau occupied and impotent while I steal the objs. Plus punching their rear armor of their tanks with chainfists is a glorious thing.

 

[GravWeapons FTW!!]

Hi everyone!!

Thanks for the replies. All really good advise. Please keep in mind that I do not play any kind of objective game modes as we feel they take too long nor do we play any kind of turn based game. Just simply annihilate the others army. I like the first list. The problem is that I need something mobile. The dreadnoughts are good at taking out tanks, but they have to get into assault to do something against his tanks that are going to sit in cover. He'll just run away from my dreadnoughts once I drop them in... I think going with Iron Hands Chapter Tactics will help a bunch seeing as how I'll get It will not die with my Capt (he's crucial to keep alive).

Space wolves I hear are pretty beast (no pun intended), but I do not know a lot about them. I will have to do more research on them.

All in all I feel as though this could help. I was thinking of dropping the tactical squad and maybe proxy for more bikes with grav weapons and multi-melta attack bike. What do you guys think? I need things that'll do a little bit of everything, which I find bikes have the ability to.

You guys are awesome!!

-Grav

 

[neferhet]

Never forget you can always ally to a small contingent of Space wolves just to Wolf Jaw the hell out of his riptides...
that said you had a bunch of great suggestions.
I can add just a thing: being the tau the most powerful codex atm you are just going to run an uphill race if you want to win a "massacre style" game, without even turn limit.
Turns, objectives and real line of sight blocking terrain are there to mitigate the overpower of certain armies. if you paly with flat cardbouard he is the one that gets advantage, if you play without objectives he is the one advantaged becuase he can just sit and shoot and the same is true if you don't have a time limit.
This said, play as you like, since it's you and your friend that have to be entertained Just remember that even a little variation in your usual game can bring some more chances to your side.
Cheers

 

[spikedsynapse]

Hi everyone!!
All in all I feel as though this could help. I was thinking of dropping the tactical squad and maybe proxy for more bikes with grav weapons and multi-melta attack bike. What do you guys think? I need things that'll do a little bit of everything, which I find bikes have the ability to.

My only thought on this is you are basically trying to match Tau shot for shot. This cannot be done. Tau, have better guns. Odds are in his favor when he rolls his 30+ dice and you roll your 10...

Tau are weak in Close Combat. They are weak in mobility. They need to be within 6 inches of each other to do their supporting fire overwatch.

Typically tau arent going to run away. Which Is why i rely on droppods instead of tanks

 

[GravWeapons FTW!!]

You are both right. Tau are stupidly OP. I took a combination of all of your guys advise and it seemed to really work!! I took a more assaulty route and went with Terminators w/ TH/SS. I beat him yesterday twice!!

The funny thing was the Terminators were just purely a meat shield, which I guess is partly what they are for. My 370 point squad did almost thing. They did however soak up A LOT of firepower were my bikes could come in and destroy everything!! Iron Hands Chapter Tactics rather than White Scars CT was a great option too.

Thanks again everyone!! I look forward to posting more on forums.

 

[spikedsynapse]

nice dude... congrats