Before the battle we rolled off for our Warlord traits and I remembered that these would stick for the duration of the campaign (so if you have a re roll option for the formation you're using bear it in mind for your first game!)
Uzgut Foulbowel has "Bellowing Tyrant" trait allowing re rolls of morale and pinning tests to Ork units within within 12". Nice
The unknown Tau Commander of mystery rolled something mysterious (Elliot? I think it was a 6!)
On to the battle, we rolled up the "Escalation" mission, his seemed fitting for a first encounter, and got ready to fight!
Ork Army Ready to Deploy
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Commander Pal'Ton's Pathfinders had reported a large Ork force had been seen blazing their way to the Imperial's old Basilica. Seeing this as a defensible area the Commander formed his army up on the outskirts of the ancient building and waited.He could see the large clouds of smoke from the Ork's ramshackle vehicles billowing above the ruins in the distance and knew it wouldn't be long before they were within weapon range.......
The Orks quickly spotted the Tau defenders and got the lootas into position to lay down some fire as the trukks and buggies zoomed into combat
It was long way to the Tau lines (thanks to the lengthways deployment of the mission!) and their advanced guns took a heavy toll on the Orks
But the Orks moved up their own powerful (but less advanced) guns killing fire warriors and knocking chunks out of the Riptides armour
After a few turns of being heavily shot at the Ork Battle wagons were within range to disgorge their troops and a hasty defensive line was drawn up by the Tau battlesuits aided by the omnipotent hand of the North
But the heavy Ork vehicles Tank shocked their way through to deploy large Slugga Boy Mobs into the Fire Warriors lines, hitting a Broadside suit in the same combat.
The Mega- Armoured Nobz launched from their trukk and smashed into the reeling Battlesuits wiping out all five for no loss and then eyed up a bigger prize......
The slugga boyz that had mugged the fire warriors and broadside now had to weather incoming fire from broadside units, path finders and riptides. The cover they clung too was all but useless thanks to Tau markerlights.
But the bloodthirsty Nob managed to hold the 3 remaining boyz to mount a desperate assault on the Pathfinders unit in ruins,,,,,
Warlord Uzgut and his depleted unit of footslogging shoota boyz saw their chance for a good fight and with a WAAAGH slammed into one of the riptides as Cragtoof's Choppas hit the other. The Mega nobz hit a fire warrior unit (code named speed bump!). Despite getting lumps knocked out of the them the Riptides remained standing, just, but locked in combat.
With only the damaged riptides, 2 broadsides and a unit of Pathfinders (in combat) left on the field the Tau though better of it and jet packed off leaving the basilica to the Orks and the Vogen veteran, Uzgut!
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Reminding Elliot (because he has read the campaign rules, sure, sure) we had experience to roll for he chose one of his Riptides to gain a roll on the gunnery chart gaining Tank Hunters.
As the winner I had 2 choices for units and chose Azog's Ardnutz (meganobz) who rolled on the melee table to gain furious charge, however as they already have this skill I was able to pick from the table choosing Fearless instead.
My second unit was Cragtoofs Choppas who gained hit and run (hmmm, not sure that's useful?)
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So with no more fighting we move onto the next round of moves and with it a map upgrade! We now have pins! See the key to the right of the picture for army colours.
Finally a quick tot up of Victory Point Totals:
Simon 5
Elliot 9
Neil 14 (the basilica yields nothing to a non imperial army!)
Matt 13
Chris 6
Remember - you need at least 8 VPs to attack the Palace.
However the void shield controls are in the hands of the Orks and the shields remain UP!
