Tau Vs Death Watch 3000 points.

         This game is part of the initial sort out for the Death Watch and a Cold Wars primer for me. The Death Watch came out this time Air heavy with dropping pods. If I was Kal, I would run the air assets the same every time. 

         The dropping marines came out weak and an engage action bounced from overwatch. Unlike the dropping Iron Warriors 4stands + dreads. The Iron Warriors were still a threat. The death watch were gone. The pods always come down on a guess. If it is in the face of over watch they get murdered. If in a dead zone, ghost town...well the load has been shot. What I learned when podding marines was not to guess. They have to slam home with a no shit primary objective and be supported. Otherwise they never get it done.

         The other issue was only 5 activations on the board for turn one. Those 5 got picked on and punished. They were out activated, ganged up on, and broken or eliminated. Once multiple activations are gone in turn one your screwed.

         There was the continuing anomaly with PF saves. Kal's tactical detachment with SC doubled and shot my PFs. They saved everything. Thawk blasted them, they saved. When it was their turn the PF advanced, marker light the SC, and pumped 3 sniper shots in. SC down. None of which should have happen. They should have been broken! Many times over.

        The things I would change to the Death Watch; Being a smash and grab army of special operators, they need a more direct way to get on the board and attack their objective.
         I would give the transports self planet fall. The battle barge is points and an activation pissed away on an army that can't afford it.
        The detachment squad size should have the option to add to it. A squad of 4 ups to 6 or 8. Modern SOF unit size is based on the objective, task at hand. Death Watch needs this. The flexible detachment size would allow for the player to tailor his force to the mission/battle plan.
        I would not change the chimera riding dudes. I like these the most. They are pretty tough and fit the bill as a QRF or blocking force.

Same list;

Death Watch:

Broadsides get hammered by engaging termies that walked through Overwatch fire.

These poor bastards dropped into Marklights and OverWatch.