Commander Farsight (Warhammer 40,000)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Commander Farsight in his Crisis Suit, wielding the Dawn Blade

Commander Farsight is a Tau character from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Farsight, also known as Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr or O'Shovah, is a Tau Fire Caste commander from the Vior'la sept. He was highly respected as a commander during the aftermath of the Damocles Crusade led by the Imperium of Man, where he won fame fighting Orks. Unlike most other Tau, Farsight believes that close combat is a vital part of warfare, possibly because of his ongoing battles against Orks. After Farsight's Ethereal was killed during the reclaiming of Tau planets, he came upon the Dawn Blade (a large artifact sword found on Arthas-Moloch, a dead world). Farsight is said to still be leading the Farsight enclave (a group of faithful Fire Warriors), though this would make him more than 300 years old, far longer than the average life expectancy of a Tau of the Fire caste. It has been speculated that the Dawn Blade is of daemonic origin, while others believe that it is a C'tan artifact or even the blade Vaul made for Khaine and Eldanesh, Anaris the Dawnlight.

1 Name
2 Modelling/Gameplay
3 Notable Quotes
4 Trivia
5 References

[edit] Name

Farsight's name in the Tau language is broken down thusly:

Shas (member of the Fire caste)
'O (Commander, highest rank attainable)
Vior'la (the sept, or world, where Farsight was born)
Shovah (Farsighted, the core of his name)
Kais (Skillful)
Mont'yr (Blooded)

Farsight variation of Tau emblem

[edit] Modelling/Gameplay

In game terms, O'Shovah can be taken as an HQ choice for a Tau army. Farsight Enclave armies are trained more extensively in close combat, especially against Orks. Several units in the army are restricted, capable of using only one single unit of each type, and none of the alien races allied to the Tau. O'Shovah may take a bodyguard of up to seven Crisis Suits, making his army boast the largest number of Crisis Suits ever.

[edit] Notable Quotes

"Learn to shorten your reach! If your foe can come close enough to negate your striking power, all strategem is lost and when all strategem is lost, the battle is lost."

“Each must find their own way, if those in our heartland had witnessed the savageries of the void as have we they would know this. The hand of each of the great starfarers is turned against the other, none will join their strength together just to see their ancient enemies prosper. Neither should we."

[edit] Trivia

'Shol'vah' is the word used by both the Jaffa and the Goa'uld (from Stargate SG-1) to describe a traitor. This is quite befitting as Farsight is seen as a traitor in the eyes of the Tau.

[edit] References

Thorpe, Gav (2001). Kill Team. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 0-7434-1175-7.
Chambers, Andy, Haines, Pete, and McNeill, Graham (2001). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tau. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-098-6.
Spurrier, Simon (2006). Xenology. Nottingham: Black Library. ISBN 1-84416-010-6.
http://uk.games-workshop.com/tau/converting-farsight/1/

Warhammer 40,000 Articles
Forces of the Imperium Imperial Guard - Space Marines - Witch Hunters - Daemonhunters
Forces of Chaos Chaos - Chaos Space Marines - The Lost and the Damned
Alien races Eldar - Dark Eldar - Orks - Necrons - Tau - Tyranids
Locations Armageddon - Cadia - Catachan - Eye of Terror - Kronus - Mars - Medusa V - Tanith - T'au - Terra
Games Epic - Necromunda - Gorkamorka - Horus Heresy
more...