NI24 Tau list

So after going through the Guard list and games, I’m going to do a quick run through of the other list the boys took, starting with the Tau list. I’ll do this list, then the Necrons and then the game they played. 

Here is the Tau list; 

DETACHMENT: Mont'ka

Commander Farsight: Warlord

Darkstrider

Cadre Fireblade: 2x Shield Drone, Enhancement: Strategic Conqueror

Commander in Coldstar Battlesuit: 2x Shield Drone, Cyclic ion blaster, 2x Fusion blaster, Enhancement: Exemplar of the Mont'ka

Breacher Team: Shas'ui - Guardian Drone, Shield Drone, Support turret

Breacher Team: Shas'ui - Guardian Drone, Shield Drone, Support turret

Strike Team: Shas'ui: Guardian Drone, Shield Drone, Support turret

Pathfinder Team: 3x Rail rifle, Semi-automatic grenade launcher, Shas'ui - 2x Shield Drone, Recon drone, 

Stealth Battlesuits: Shas'vre - Battlesuit support system, Homing beacon, 2x Shield Drone, Fusion blaster

Stealth Battlesuits: Shas'vre - Battlesuit support system, Homing beacon, 2x Shield Drone, Fusion blaster

Stealth Battlesuits: Shas'vre - Battlesuit support system, Homing beacon, 2x Shield Drone, Fusion blaster

Krootox Rampagers

Broadside Battlesuits: 2x Shield Drone, Weapon support system, Heavy rail rifle, Twin plasma rifle

Broadside Battlesuits: 2x Shield Drone, Weapon support system, Heavy rail rifle, Twin plasma rifle

Crisis Sunforge Battlesuits: 3xShield Drone, 3x Gun Drone

Crisis Sunforge Battlesuits: 3xShield Drone, 3x Gun Drone

Ghostkeel Battlesuit: Battlesuit support system,  Cyclic ion raker, Twin T'au flamer

Piranha: Piranha fusion blaster, 2x Seeker missile

Piranha: Piranha fusion blaster, 2x Seeker missile

Devilfish: 2x Seeker missile, 2x Twin pulse carbine

Devilfish: 2x Seeker missile, 2x Twin pulse carbine

Devilfish: 2x Seeker missile, 2x Smart missile system

So quite a suit and vehicle heavy list. The Breachers and Strike team will go in the Devilfish, one with the Fireblade. The commander and Farsighted go with the Battle suits ready to drop in on priority targets. The Stealth suits, the Ghoatkeel and the Pathfinders will deploy up the field, ready to just on the objectives early game. The Piranhas will also push up early game, to put some pressure on the enemy and try and do some damage to key units and vehicles before being blown to kingdom come. That just leaves the Broadsides and Krootox. The broadsides, as you’d imagine, will sit at the back and hammer anything that is silly enough to poke its head out and the rampagers are the counter charge unit, ready to smash anything that tries to get to close. They can also be used to challenge weaker units on the board. 

The general idea is to push up with the stealth suits and ghostkeel, alongside the pathfinders to pressure the centre objectives early game and force the opponents to counter and push up. The Piranhas back this up by using scout moves and their good movement to push up and hit prime targets with 4 missiles and the two fusion, hopefully taking out something big before dying to a stiff breeze.

This first wave is followed up by the second wave of the three infantry squads in the devilfish and the crisis suits. Ideally the first wave will not have been wiped out completely, so the second wave will put more pressure on the enemy. The broadsides will remain back, hold objectives and alongside the rampagers help deter any enemy from deep striking behind the Tau. 

It’s fairly simple and should work well, as long as the enemy don’t play a similar game of their own, scouting up the board or dropping in on mass. If it works to plan, the enemy should find itself penned back in its deployment zone. Now, granted this didn’t happen in my game, mostly because I knew exactly what I needed to do, as I helped come up with the plan in the first place, plus I wanted to try out an aggressive stance for my list against a strong shooting opponent, but I think the theory is sound. Till and the tournament will tell us if I’m right to not.

NI24 Guard list

 So after three practice games I came to a final list, I think that this is a good overall list with enough Anti-infantry and anti-armour to deal with most things that I will come up against. 

So here is the final list;

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

+ FACTION KEYWORD: Imperium - Astra Militarum

+ DETACHMENT: Combined Regiment

+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 1995pts

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Death Korps Marshal: Power Weapon, Plasma Pistol

Death Korps Marshal: Power Weapon, Plasma Pistol

Militarum Tempestus Command Squad: Regimental Standard,  Weapon, Plasma Gun, Hot-shot Volley Gun, Grenade LauncherT, empestor Prime: Command Rod, Tempestus Dagger, Warlord, Enhancement: Grand Strategist

Primaris Psyker: Force Weapon, Laspistol, Psychic Maelstrom

Primaris Psyker: Force Weapon, Laspistol, Psychic Maelstrom

Regimental Enginseer: Archeotech Pistol, Enginseer Axe, Servo-arm

20x Death Korps of Krieg: Medi-pack, 2x Grenade Launcher, 2x Sniper Rifle, 2x Plasma Gun,2x Watchmaster: Chainsword, Plasma Pistol

20x Death Korps of Krieg: Medi-pack, 2x Flamer, 2x Meltagun, 2x Vox-caster, 2x Watchmaster: Chainsword, Plasma Pistol

Tempestus Scions: Hot-shot Volley Gun, Plasma Gun, Tempestor: Power Weapon, Plasma Pistol

Tempestus Scions: Hot-shot Volley Gun, Plasma Gun, Tempestor: Power Weapon, Plasma Pistol

Tempestus Scions: Hot-shot Volley Gun, Plasma Gun, Tempestor: Power Fist, Plasma Pistol

Tempestus Scions: Hot-shot Volley Gun, Plasma Gun, Tempestor: Power Fist, Plasma Pistol

Heavy Weapons Squad: 3x Mortar

Leman Russ Vanquisher: Vanquisher Battle Cannon, Armoured Tracks, Hunter-killer Missile, Lascannon, Heavy Stubber, 2x Heavy Flamer

Armiger Warglaive: Reaper chain-cleaver, Thermal spear, Questoris heavy stubber

Armiger Warglaive: Reaper chain-cleaver, Thermal spear, Questoris heavy stubber

Deathwatch Kill Team: 2x Astartes shield, Power weapon, Black Shield blades, 2x Deathwatch thunder hammer, 2x Infernus heavy bolter, Sgt: Xenophase blade

Deathwatch Kill Team: Frag cannon, Infernus heavy bolter, Stalker-pattern boltgun, Sgt: Combi-weapon, Xenophase blade

Imperial Rhino: Armoured tracks, Hunter-killer missile, Storm bolter

Imperial Rhino: Armoured tracks, Hunter-killer missile, Storm bolter

Inquisitor: Blessed wardings, Inquisitorial melee weapon, Combi-weapon

Watch Captain Artemis: Hellfire Extremis, Master-crafted power weapon

So the final list is pretty similar to the first list with the scions forming the final 200 odd points of the list.

The general plan remains fairly unchanged, the guard will move up to secure a couple of centre objectives while the deathwatch strike out to take on any priority targets. The Russ and Armigers will be looking to take on any vehicles or monsters. 

The guard and deathwatch elements are pretty solid I think, they have performed exactly as I wanted through the warm up games, the scions, even as a late edition have also played their part as hoped. The Russ and the Armigers however have not performed quite as well as I had hoped, mostly due to the lack of overall shots. This has partly been due to some terrible rolling, which may cause me problems during the tournament.

Overall though, I think this is a solid list, just worried about the lack of reliable anti-armour. 

2025 Resolutions

So 2024 has gone and 2025 is here. It hard to imagine that we're a quarter of the way in to the 21st century already! I can still remember all the commotion from the Y2K bug that was going to kill us all! Ok, maybe not kill us all but it was certainly going to cause us no end of bother. Anyway, here we are, and it's time to set some new goals for the coming year. 

Firstly, the unfinished tasks from last year;

1) Finish painting Drop Pod

2) Paint Land Raider

3) Varnish Field Ordnance Battery 

4) Quickshade Rough Riders

There was a fifth item unfinished last year, but that was varnish then first born Eagle Knights and I'm not to fussed about that one right now, so I'm not going to add it to the list for 2025. There are however a number of tasks that do need need to be added;

5) Varnish additional sisters of battle

This is just three sisters, who will join the rest of the squad to make it a legal composition.

6) Paint Subduction squads

All built and ready to prime, as soon as the weather improves. 

7) Paint Sanguinary Guard 

Again built and ready to prime, I have a colour scheme in mind for these guys to make them stand out from the rest of the army.

8) Paint Armiger Helverins

Yet another unit that was built over the winter period.

9) Paint Emperor's Disciples Blade Guard

The last unit that was built over the winter that still needs priming and painting.

10) Paint Sisters Canoness 

Thee are two models here, both have been started but need quite a bit of work to finish them off.

11-15) as above but varnish models

Ok, so I have bunched a few together here, mostly as it's all the models above that once painted need varnishing to protect them.

16) Varnish Inquisitorial Agents models

This one involves a number of models that are already painted but just need a dip in the quickshade to finish and protect them.

The next few items have been bunched together as most of the involve repeating the same process over and over again just with different models. 

17-19) Build, paint and varnish Grey Knights Terminators

Not yet purchased (although I suspect this might turn up as a late Christmas present). Either way they will need building, priming, painting and varnishing.

20-22) Build, paint and varnish Sisters Rhino

Another model that hasn’t been purchased yet, but will be in the new year, or it may wait until my birthday. Either way, I will get one of these this year for my sisters to trundle round in.

23-25) Build, paint and varnish Death Korps Engineers

These haven’t been released yet but when they are I will be looking at getting some of these. I have already spoken to the local supplier for Wargames Atlantic products to see about getting a box of the Grognards to enable me to build extra models from the bits on the box, so hopefully, I should be able to build at least two squads, maybe more with some creative thinking.

26-28) Build, paint and varnish Death Korps Artillery 

Another yet to be released. I’m hoping to be able to pick up at least two of these kits, one for the big gun and one for one of the other, rules dependent of course.

29-31) Build, paint and varnish Field Ordnance Battery 

I am looking at grabbing a couple more FOB’s from the Combat Patrol magazines, to give me all three options for them. I will get at least one to enable me to build the indirect guns but hopefully I will be able to get two and have a set of each.

32-34) Build, paint and varnish Death Korps heavy weapons squads

Out of all the new DKoK kits, this is the one I am most excited about. Again, I have spoken to the Wargames Atlantic supplier for a box of Grognards Command and Heavy Support to enable me to make extras. I should be able to build three of each weapon, although I might not bother with the lascannons. I am really looking forward to the insane flamers most of all!

35-37) Build, paint and varnish Death Korps Command Squad

Last of the death Korps, the command squad will be necessary to fill out the DKoK force. I am hoping to be able to build at least two squads, with some Grognards kit bashes, one for each of my 20 man DKoK squads. 

I think that should be all of my tasks for the next year. I am not as hopeful that will get all of these done this year, as there are some events that may make it very difficult to complete some of them in the time frame, if I manage at all but there will be more on that front in the next month or so. 

2024 review

So here we are, another year down and it's time to look back over the year and see how well I did with last year's resolutions. 

This year was a year for finishing bits and pieces although, as always, a number of other projects snuck their way in. So what was on the list and what go completed?

1) Paint Eagle Knights first born

All done and dusted, plus a couple of new models that got acquired this year. All the models are painted although not all of them are varnished. So we're one from one so far. 

2) Varnish Eagle Knights Rhinos

Done and dusted as well, all six of them. All the models are painted, transfers applied and varnished. These will be getting boxed away with the rest of the Eagle Knights.

3) Quickshade Eagle Knights

And our run is over. As mentioned above, while all the models are painted not all of them are varnished.  I may varnish them all but there is no pressing need, as they will be spending much of the future packed away in the loft.

4) Paint Eagle knights drop pod
This model is still in it's badly primed state. I will need to work in this model in the coming year, as I might look to take it in NI25, alongside the rest of my Eagle Knights. 

5) Build Eagle Knights Company Hero's
And we're back on track, all the company hero's are painted, varnished and based and are on display in my cabinet in the front room.

6) Paint Eagle Knights Primaris models
Various models have been done and now I'm on to some more. The only models that I have left to paint are the Sanguinary Guard that I picked up in Orkney this year.

7) Paint Eagle knights Landraider
There has been no progress on this one at all since I did the initial strip down. I will hopefully get around to getting it primed when the weather improves but it will be getting a black paint scheme and joining the Dark Guardians.

8) Paint Dark Guardians first born terminators
Talking of the Dark Guardians, all the terminators got painted this year, along with a couple of extra models that I build from my bits box and some extra bits from eBay. 

9) Paint Dark Guardians first born bikes
The remaining Dark Guardians, the bikes, were also finished. Most just needed painting but a few got some extra work done, such as the Ravenwing command squad.

10) Deathwatch transfers
We're on quite a role here! Another one ticked off. All the Deathwatch got a chapter symbol of some description of another. Some models got some additional transfers as well. 

At this point we're sitting on 7 tasks complete and 3 still to do.

11) Quickshade Deathwatch infantry
Another task completed. Once all the models has has their transfers, they were given a quick dip in the quick shade. Unfortunately I may have to go back and add a couple more units to the force to maximise the new Imperial Agents codex options!

12) Deathwatch rhinos painted
Two rhinos painted and transfers applied.

13) Deathwatch rhinos varnished
Again, once transfers were applied, both rhinos were given a spray coat of varnish. 

14) Deathwatch dreadnoughts varnished
All three Dreadnoughts received a coat of spray varnish, just in time for them to be dropped from the codex! I know they are in the new index but I will only be running Deathwatch in the IA codex form. 

15) Paint knight
The big knight has been painted and fully assembled. The arms have been magnetised for maximum versatility. 

16) Varnish Knight
Once more the completed knight was sprayed with varnish to protect the paint and transfers.

17) Paint rough riders
The new horsey boys have been completed and have hit the table top on multiple occasions since.

18) Quickshade Rough riders
Our first failure is a while. This has been more due to distractions than an inability to quick shade them. I have a number of models that need doing soon, so I will hopefully get a batch done, including these guys 

19) Quickshade scions
The addition scions needed to bring the squads inline with the guard index were completed late 2023 and so the models received their quickshade dip to protect and shade them.

20) Quickshade bulldogs
Another unit that received its quickshade bath this year. The models are completed and ready for the tabletop.

So at the 20 mark were looking good with 16 tasks completed and only 4 that have not been. 

21) Quickshade Navy Breachers
Another couple of squads that received their quickshade bath early in the year. 

22) FOB varnish
Unfortunately this task was not completed. Part of the reason was procrastinating between spray varnish and quickshade. I would prefer quickshade but it will be significantly easier to spray varnish both models. Once I actually make a decision they will get varnished.

23) Quickshade any other infantry
This one was a bit of a catch all and had no specific completion criteria. However, I consider this.complete as I have varnished a number of units and while there are still some models that need varnishing, non of them were in my possession at the beginning of the year. So what was done under this task? 
Stone dragons first born marines, Chaos Kill team, grey knights kill team, sisters of battle kill team (Imperial Agents squad), both Assassins, two Techpriests and servitors, several metal guard models, Space marine scouts squads, Admech skitarii and Ultramarine Veteran squad. 

24) Lore update
The last item on the list and while it might not be quite as good as I would like in places, the lore is updated. There will be changes made again as models are purchased, codices are released and my ideas change but for now, it's up to date.

So not a bad year, out of the 24 items on the list 19 tasks have been completed. That only leaves 5 that need carrying over to next year. Most tasks should be fairly quick to get sorted, as they are only varnishing models, only the drop pod and land raider will take some more time but should still be easy to finish. 

In addition to the list, there have, as there always are, additional models have been built and painted. There have been some additional sisters built and painted, along with a couple of jump canoness’ built and primed, as well as building two squads of subductors, several Inquisitorial models, a squad of blade guard plus Lieutenant and Captain, Sanguinary Guard plus Captain, two Armigers Helverins and finally build and painted 23 DKoK plus touched up another 20.

So ultimately a successful year! Hopefully next year will be the same!