Having a few problems beating Chaos

[bebe]

I'm finding this list is nasty for my SW.

 

The Chaos list ...

 

HQ: 1 Typhus 230 {warlord personal}

Elite: 1x 5 Chaos Terminators, 2 Combi-Flamer, Heavy Flamer, Powerfist, Chainfist, Champion, MoN 231

Elite: 2x Helbrutes with Multi-Melta 200

Troops: 2x 26 Zombies 228

Troops: 2x 25 Zombies 220

Fast Attack: 2x Heldrakes with Flamer 340

Fast Attack: 1x 5 Chaos Spawn 150

Heavy Support: 2x Maulerfiends with Lasher Tendrils 270

Heavy Support: 1x 5 Chaos Havocs with 4 Autocannons, MoN 130

 

It doesn't look terrible but his DSing termies and heldrakes are a headache for me. I have been playing this against it ( two games so far)

 

Space Wolves Primary Force 1500

 

HQ: 1x Rune Priest; Terminator Armour, Master of Runes, Divination 170 {warlord/personal}

Elites: 2x 1 Lone Wolf, Terminator Armour, Chainfist, Storm Shield, Wolf Tail Talisman, 1 Fenrisian Wolves 200

Troop: 3x 8 Grey Hunters; 1 Meltagun, Wolf Standard, Mark of the Wulfen, 1 Wolf Guard w/ TDA/Combi-melta/Power Axe 564

3x 1 Drop Pod 105

Troop: 1x 9 Grey Hunters; 2 Plasmagun, Wolf Standard, Powerfist, Wolf Guard w/ TDA/Combi-plasma/Power Axe 238

Heavy Support; 1x 6 Long Fangs: 3 Missile Launchers, 2 Plasma Cannon, 1 Wolf Guard w/ TDA/Cyclone Missile Launcher 223

(Rune Priest here)

 

Allied Detachment Tau Empire 500

 

HQ: Commander Shas’el; Twin Linked Missile Pod; Targeting Array 93

1 Shield Drone

Elites: Crisis Battlesuit Team; 164

1 Shas'ui, Team Leader; TL Missile Pod, Flamer, Hard-wired Blacksun Filter

2 Shas'ui; TL Missile Pod, Flamer

1 Shield Drone

Troops: 6 Fire Warriors 60

Heavy Support: Broadside Battle Suit Team; 183

1 Broadside Battlesuit Team leader, Twin Linked Railgun; Smart Missile System; Hard-wired Blacksun Filter; Targeting Array

1 Broadside Battlesuit, Twin Linked Railgun; Smart Missile System; Targeting Array

1 Shield Drone

 

So I have lots of dakka. The suits can damage the heldrakes, spawn and maulerfiends if they hit enough times but I can't leave the rest of the list unmolested. Most of what he runs is pretty tough and some have multiple wounds and he fields 120 models.

[Russ Brother 92]

personally I would say drop the Tau - they aren't adding the kind of weight you need against a Nurgle/Model Heavy Army - what you need is another Rune Priest (also drop Master of Runes off - not needed on either) - if you're set on allies, I suggest IG, take a cheap HQ, Veterans w/ Meltas or Plasmas and a Lascannon or Autocannon and 2 Hydras (these are ridiculously strong against anything that flies, are incredibly cheap (less than 100pts each) and will take out that helldrake in one turn easily - 72" Range 4 Twin-Linked S7 Shots each per turn) - I'd also say take MORE LONG FANGS!! these guys will save your bacon, especially if you go for more Plasma Cannons and Missile Launchers - the plasma will force his 5++ Invul Saves (much harder to get a 5-6 than 3-6 ofcourse) and the missiles can do dual roles - taking on maulerfiends (not too hard with S8 Krak) or the Zombies (the beauty of 5 3" Blast Templates on one unit) - your Rune Priest - there is simply NO NEED for TDA it's pricier than Runic and tbh. adds nothing to a RP as he's meant to be at the back of the army (exactly as you're playing him) so only equip him with Runic and save a few pts on him...

 

Now with your LFs looking better against those Maulers and Hellbrutes your GHs can concentrate on using Plasma Guns to better effect - you can turn up (I suggest using reserve to your advantage here) and pour plasma and bolter shots into any unit you see, be it those pesky DSing Termies or regular guys - now a Wolf Priest (perhaps instead of a second RP) with a PP and SoTH with a full 10 Man GH pack w/ Accompanying WG (perhaps with Combi-Melta or Combi-Plasma) these guys can come on back of his field and take out those Havocs (also gains you the Linebreaker Objective) - lastly I would drop the WTN on your LWs (they don't really need it being both WS5 and using CFs) I'd use the points elsewhere OR to give them another Wolf each...

 

I hope this helps and isn't too much text.

[bebe]

You understand that I'm firing 8 Str7 shots and 2 Str10 shots a turn, all twin-linked. They should also take down a flyer. However, that is not always the case. They also work well as an all-rounder unit as I have the flamers and FW for infantry. Plus the blacksun filters.

 

I did actually use a Wolf Priest at one point in time ... infiltrated with the plasma GH. It wasn't a terrible idea at all and as you say you can take out those pesky havocs. Of course it means finding 110 points.

 

I use TDA Rune Priests because two TDAs in a six man squad ups the survivability significantly. As we can outflank and get to havocs other lists can outflank and get to LFs. That said dropping MoR and TDA nets me 50 points on a 170 point RP who in some battles goes with the plasma GH.

 

All that said IG are certainly viable but dismissing the Tau outright ... well they have multiple uses too. Now your IG can focus fire on the Heldrake but the rest of the list is moving and DSing. As I stated it was not all one-sided. I did manage to take out a heldrake and most of the spawn and one maulerfiend. I took out a lot of zombies as well. He was smart enough to keep Typhus out of a direct line of fire to the suits. And you really don't want to challenge the guy. The list is nasty for SW - I lost in the relic mission. I did not manage to deal with Typhus and termies holding the relic in the end. Typhus got scoring for his warlord trait. I had blacksun filters which aided me in the night fighting scenario and dropped in for first blood. So it was somewhat close. I lost on l slay the warlord and the relic.

[Brom MKIV]

To be honest I feel your list has the tools to beat that army although all those suggestions were good. Also typhus gaining scoring on the relic won't happen very often, I lost to mephiston in the same situation man, it sucks.

 

Overall you have better deployment with the drop pods and better fire support, his assets are weight of numbers, and the flyers. Dragons are going to cause foot wolves problems but try and use his list against him. Also tda and runic are both 20 pts and I feel tda is superior due to 5++. Anyway the 2+ saves really help those LFs vs baleflamers so I say keep it. but back to strategy, pod those melta squads to kill his maulers and interdict the movement of his zombies, both if possible and with 6" deployment its a possibility, use your pods for this too. He may charge you, but if not combo charge the zombie units to cause a mess in/near his DZ you will win over time and hide from his dragons at the same time. Meanwhile try to get a lone wolf in contact with typhus (obvious but worth stating) maybe send one running forward and leave the other to guard your fire base from dreads and deep striking termies.

 

On my phone so this may not make sense but that's what I got for now.

[Russ Brother 92]

All that said IG are certainly viable but dismissing the Tau outright ... well they have multiple uses too. Now your IG can focus fire on the Heldrake but the rest of the list is moving and DSing. As I stated it was not all one-sided. I did manage to take out a heldrake and most of the spawn and one maulerfiend. I took out a lot of zombies as well. He was smart enough to keep Typhus out of a direct line of fire to the suits. And you really don't want to challenge the guy. The list is nasty for SW - I lost in the relic mission. I did not manage to deal with Typhus and termies holding the relic in the end. Typhus got scoring for his warlord trait. I had blacksun filters which aided me in the night fighting scenario and dropped in for first blood. So it was somewhat close. I lost on l slay the warlord and the relic.

 

The main reason I suggest the IG is purely for the Hydras - they're cheap as chips, can take upto 3 as 1 Heavy choice, and more importantly have Skyfire so you're not worrying about needing 6's to take out the Helldrake.

 

I don't have the Tau Codex so I'm far from 100% on what they can/can't do (last Tau dex I owned was the original when released) but they do sound very useful, especially for taking down heavily armoured units...

 

I find that having Runic on the RP whilst saving a few pts and losing the 5++ Invul. isn't a massive thing - I prefer it due to him being easier to hide (literally - people notice Termies in a unit, they're less likely to remember where your RP is until you use him) and also because it saves points, as for MoR it's not really worth the points but that's imo.

 

After dropping MoR and saving some pts either through minimising the Tau or getting the cheaper IG then you should have more than enough to get the WP (or if you'd rather a slightly cheaper option go for a small Scout pack with PSs and PPs to go in back line and take out the Havocs).

 

I know that it wasn't one-sided - merely suggestions, that said I haven't played against a Tau list since their release so I'm not knowledgeable of what they can do or add to the force.