Vassal Batrep: Tyranids vs Tau

So, with my limited mobility I can't get out and go play Warhams IRL.  Bummer.  However, I can find new and inventive ways to avoid painting.  Vassal, as detailed here, is not a perfect replica of 40k but it is a passable simulation and a good way to connect with people all over the world.  So I figured, if I can't play real dollies, fake dollies will have to do.  Plus, I can test my new bugs without having to waste a bunch of time converting things that turn out shitty :P

So, I loaded up and looked for a game.  After a while I had a biter and I was ready to go up against Tau.  We ended playing 1750, so I had to alter my list a smidge.  Dropping 2 Warriors and downgrading from lashwhips and deathspitters to boneswords and devourers was all it took.

He took a very familiar looking Tau army.  Command Fireknife and 6 Fireknives, 3 MP/Flamer suits, 2 big kroot squads, Pathfinders, FW to jack their Fish, 2 Railheads, 2 Broadsides and 2 Piranhas.  We talked about YTTH a bit and I learned he had pretty much arrived to the same build as Stelek, so I knew I would be in for a tough fight already.

We rolled up Annihilation with Pitched Battle deployment, he got first turn and we were off.

(click to enlarge)

So, he spread his forces out and I decided to focus all on one flank, hide my valuable MCs behind the LoS-blocking building and use T-fexes to suppress/destroy armor at range.  In retrospect it was a pretty bad move, but we'll get to that later.

Turn 1

I actually forgot to take pics of each side turn 1, so this is just the final pic of that turn.  Yes, the Hammerhead and Devilfsh both immobilized themselves, lol.  He got into range, blew away half of my Hive Guard, wounded a Warrior and killed some gaunts.  I advanced, trying to keep my cover up.  My left T-fex blew up a Piranha while the other did nothing.  Hive Guard ended up out of range.  Already I can see that I've put myself in a very bad position since it'll take me at least 2 turns to reach combat and when I do, it'll be right into the bubblewrap.  Best I can do now is get close ASAP, keep his vehicles suppressed/destroyed and try and take out his Crisis suits.   

Turn 2 Tau

Not very pretty.  Tau shooting does terrible things.  My gaunts and Warriors got cut in half, I lost the rest of my damaged Hive Guard unit, and I'm not getting any closer to assault.  The little skull markers indicate FNP, which helped my Warriors considerably.

Tyranids Turn 2

 Getting closer here.  I know it's a KP mission, but spawning the gaunts will be a big help to keep my Warriors in cover and with their potential 18" charge range I can get into that bubblewrap sooner.  Left T-fex blew up the Hammerhead, right T-fex fails miserably.  More running, more cover generating.

Tau Turn 3

Great.  Warriors and gaunts got pasted and I am not loving life.  Piranha went cowering away, so I can't pick up an easy KP.  At this point, I really need to start taking out his Hammerhead and Crisis suits.  Luckily my Hive Guard are still alive, so they can threaten the Crisis suits from behind gaunt screens all day (provided he ever failed a save, of course).

Tyranids Turn 3

 Whoa, where did those gaunts come from?  Unfortunately, both Tervigons pooped themselves out so this is all I've got going for me.  Saving your gaunt spawns for later turns is a great way to give yourself a little extra support later should you need it.  Think of them as reserves, only coming from the Tervigons' butt.  I tried to set up an assault from the black gaunts into the kroot, charigng the one model not in cover so I could strike first.  MagicJuggler, of internet fame, actually gave me the idea as soon as the turn started.  I was considering it myself at that point, but I felt kinda bad taking help from the peanut gallery.  No knock on you Juggs, you're like one of my new favorite people, but I felt uncomfortable taking outside help.  It was all for naught, as my Termgants managed to whiff amazingly and kill 2 kroot while getting wiped (failed 7 out of 8 FNP saves, which was to be a recurring theme).  The left T-fex kept his streak alive and killed off some Crisis suits, and the right fex kept the failboat afloat by missing his 6th shot in a row.  The green gaunts ended up 1" out of assault range, so they were gonna be in trouble.  Deathleaper blew up the immobile Devilfish, yayz.

Tau Turn 4

Gee, where did they all go?  Gaunts got gunned down and Deathleaper was felled by Fire Warriors.  5 3+ cover saves, 4 1's.  Fuck me.  Down to 1 Hive Guard and no mobility left, it's pretty much a forgone conclusion at this point.

Tyranids Turn 4

 The good T-fex changed places and the right one blew up the Hammerhead while the left one did nothing.  2 salvoes of Cluster Spines didn't hurt any Crisis suits, but managed to panic the kroot off the board.  Yay?

Tau Turn 5

Gaunties and Hive Guard may come and go, but Tervigons and T-fexes are forever.  Seriously, I want an army with just these guys. 

Tyranids Turn 5

This was the final turn and not much ended up happening.  The Piranha was out of sight and the Crisis suits made all their saves.   

So, all told, I lost 9 KPs to 4.

I'm gonna take some time to look at my list and its application and get back to y'all with some analysis.  I'd also like to hear from you out there.  What would you do differently?  How would you change up my list, if at all?  Do you think this battle report format works?  Are Richard, Lapidus and Miles still alive?  Where's Desmond?  Who will replace Jacob?  Who will die next?