The Board- Was a grassy plain with forests scattered throughout. There was lots of open area with a high hill commanding the center of the board. A road went around the hill on the right side.
I lost the roll to choose my table side, I lost the roll to deploy last, I won the roll for the first turn.
In Patrol mission each player sets up 1 troop and everything else is held in reserve.
My Force
HQ- Ctp 1 LC 3LG
Troops- 1 platoon with command and 30 men, 1 Armored fist squad
Fast Attack 3 DWS 3 LCS
Heavy Support- 1 LR with battle Cannon
Tau
HQ- 3 crisis suits with 4 drones
Troops 1 FW squad with devilfish transport, 1 FW squad
Fast Attack- 1 gun drone squad
Heavy Support- 1 Hammerhead tank
Set up
I deployed my infantry platoon up to 12 inches in across one table edge. One squad took up position on the left side, one in the middle, and one on the road on the right. The left and center parts of the board had a good field of vision, the hill prevented me from seeing the right side of the board. The platoon command section with its LC set up in the woods with the barrel facing down the road in support of the right side squad.
He chose to deploy the FW's with the Devilfish. He placed it behind the hill shielding it from view of all of my infantry.
Next as their special rules I set up my 2 Sentinal Squads (god I love advanced scouts). The LC squad took its free move and got within line of sight and firing range of the devilfish. The DWS marched up the road and hulled down in the woods off to the left side.
We then rolled off for first turn and luckly I won.
Turn 1
I advanced all my infantry squads 6 inches with the left and center entering open ground and the right side squad advancing up the road. The LC command squad stayed put, the DWS moved closer to the Tau deployment zone where the reserves would come in, they stayed hulled down in the woods. The LC Sentinals all fired at the Devilfish, destroying it and taking 6 Fire warriors with it. The remianing FW's failed a moral check and bolted to the board edge where they rolled a 11 for their last chance. they ran off the board.
His turn one consisted of nothing as he had no units on the board and reserves aren't rolled for until turn two.
Turn 2
I made reserve rolls for my LR, HQ, and AF squad. They all came on.
All 3 infantry squads advanced another 6 inches, the Sentinals stayed put in the woods (both squads). Armored Fist transport moved 12 inches up the road in support of the infantry squad, it then poped smoke. The LR moved 12 inches into the woods to take up a great field of fire on the left and center of the board. It did not throw a track. The HQ and its LC moved in support of the center infantry squad.
The Tau HH tank, Gun drones, and FW's reserves all deployed. The FW taking up positions in the woods on the right side of the board. The HH started up the road bringing all of its weapons to bare on the infantry squad and Chimaria. The gundrones deployed right as well protectiing the flank of the HH.
In his firing phase the HH blew up the Chimaria and killed 3 of the AF squad the survivors delployed around the wreck facing the road. The HH then fired at the infantry squad up the road (damn independent targeting) killing 2 men. Gundrones and fire warriors destroy a HF and Chain saw on 2 DWS. Morale checks were all made.
Turn 3
Tau HQ crisis suits deploy in center behind the hill
Left side of the board
Infantry squad, LR, HQ LC, LC Sentinals stay put and take 1 LC shot at the flank of the HH failing to do anything.
Center
Infantry squad advances into woods and can now see around the hill.
Right side (big mess)
Infantry squad (meltgun) advances towards certian doom and is now 8 inches from the hammerhead on the road. Squad fires with Meltgun and misses tank.
DWS flame a few FW's and LC in woods misses HH as well.
In the first assualt of the game the DWS charge the fire warriors and a grand melee insues in the woods.
The AF squad's HB fires and destroys 2 gun drones. The drones fail the moral check and move to the board edge. They fail to regroup and fly away.
Turn 4
With the new threat of the HQ suits the whole left side and center opened up on the squad. The fire consists of 1 Battle Cannon (scattering and only hitting one drone with the invulnrable save) 4 LC, 8 LG, 1 PR, 1 ML. The shots that find their mark are all intercepted by the shield drones. Not one stupid suit died.
Battle on the road
The Melta gun squad advances within 2 inches of the Tank. 9 of the men shine flashlights in the driver's eyes while the meltgun fires and misses the tank. His retalliation is swift and deadly. he kills 6 men in the meltgun squad and 4 from the AF squad. They did not break
The assualt in the woods continues with the tau trying EMP grenades on the DWS. 1 is disabled and another looses its chainsaw.
The return fire from the HQ suits disables all the LC Sentinals and he uses his jet packs to move on the squad in the center of the board during the assault phase.
At the end of turn 4 we roll for our first random game length turn. Another turn will occur on a roll of 2+. The Tau player rolls and a 1 comes up. Game over!!!!!
We add up all the victory points and the results are
Imperial Guard 387 Vps
Tau 368 Vps
Notes and Lessons learned.
Again the Deathworld Sentinals proved their worth by tying up a full Fire Warrior squad in Hand to hand for the whole game.
The LC Sentinals with their great mobility are great if you get the first turn.
The 2 LC in each of the Command sections were a good way to add extra anti tank power in support of a platoon with few HW.
The End
