Tau (Warhammer 40,000)/archive

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In the universe of Games Workshop's table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Tau are an alien race, and one of the opponents of the Imperium. Unlike many of their opponents, they are peaceful whenever possible, asking if others will join their cause instead of engaging in combat. However, upon refusal war becomes necessary for the proper integration of other races into their utilitarian philosophy of the Greater Good.

The Tau Empire is situated in the Eastern Fringe, a sector of space that generally escapes the Imperium's eye. They were first discovered by the Imperium in the year 789.M35 (or 34,789 AD) by the Explorator ship Land's Vision. The planet was earmarked for colonisation, but this was prevented by the formation of freak Warp storms around the planet (effectively isolating it from outside contact), along with the outbreak of civil war within the Imperium. This was a stroke of luck for the Tau, as they were still in their primitive hunter-gatherer stage at this time and would have been no match for the Imperium.

The Tau also make use of mercenaries from other races (primarily the Kroot of Pech). The Tau are a relatively young race, but their technology is extremely advanced (inferior only to the Necrons and the Eldar), so much so that the Imperium of Man has of late been wondering if the technological advances were all the Tau's doing.

Unlike most other races and factions in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Tau were not created as a science-fiction equivalent of a race or faction from Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy line. Rather, they are an original creation unique to their setting, much like the Tyranids.

Game Workshop's inspiration for the outward appearance of Tau technology is arguably owed to the ever-growing popularity of the mecha war machines found in anime series such as Macross and Gundam along with the works of manga artist Masamune Shirow.

In the game itself, the Tau are distinguished by their powerful long-range firepower and highly mobile units. However, their abilities in mêlée combat are very poor compared to the other forces in the game's universe. Hence, the Tau are referred to as being a 'shooty' army among gamers.

Contents 1 The Tau 1.1 Castes and ranks 1.2 Culture and society 2 Tau Empire 2.1 First Phase Colonies 2.2 Second Phase Colonies 2.3 Third Phase Colonies 2.4 Others 2.5 Artefact Worlds 2.6 Forge Worlds 3 Tau weapons and warfare 4 Notable characters 5 Allies 6 Computer games 7 References 8 External links

[edit] The Tau

The Tau's physiology is closely tied to their society, with the Tau of each caste almost becoming a subspecies in their own right. This is largely due to selective breeding programmes instituted by the Ethereals, which ensure that each caste is physically as well as mentally suited for their role in Tau society.

Every Tau is humanoid in shape, with two arms, two cloven feet, hands with three fingers and one thumb, and a single head. Their grey-blue skin is leathery and tough, owing to the generally dry conditions of their homeworld. Their skins have high concentration of porous nodules, suggesting an efficient perspiration process. Their faces are flat and are wide around the eyes, and their olfactory organs are located inside their mouths. However, the only female Tau ever illustrated, Commander Shadowsun, can be seen to have a very much more human-like face, being smoother, sleeker, with larger eyes, a nose-like facial feature (though whether she can be seen as an analogy for all female Tau could be disputed), and a "Y" shaped facial slit instead of the "I" shaped one previously seen. Their eyes can see into the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum. They have primitive photoreceptors which suggests they rely heavily on their olfactory system and technology to compensate for poor eyesight. They have a quadravalvic heart that doubles as a liver (delivers impurities from circulatory system and digestive system which are removed as waste). They have cyan colored blood which is caused by the presence of cobalt (rather than the iron found in human blood) in their blood cells. Tau, as a race, are not very strong physically, and are therefore poor hand-to-hand combatants when compared to the other races. There are no psykers amongst the Tau, due to the fact that they are psykic blanks, therefore only a few Tau have experience with, or are even aware of, daemons and other perils of the Warp.

[edit] Castes and ranks

• Fire (Shas) -- The Fire Caste are the military of the Tau Empire, and as such are the Tau most often used in the tabletop game. They are tall, and have relatively large muscles compared with the rest of the four castes. This comes from the fire caste's origin on the plains of T'au, the Tau home world, where they were predators and warriors. Tau from the world of Vior'la tend to have slightly greater muscle mass.
• Earth (Fio) -- The Earth Caste is composed not only of labourers and technicians, but also artisans, scientists and engineers. They form the foundations upon which the Tau Empire is built. Earth Caste Tau are short and stout of build.
• Water (Por) -- The Water Caste is made up of merchants and diplomats. They make the deals with other races that are not handled by the Fire Caste (i.e. not at gunpoint). Members of the Water Caste tend to be taller and more slender than other Tau.
• Air (Kor) -- The Air Caste of the Tau function not only as messengers, but are also the Tau Navy. The Tau of the Air Caste are even taller and more slender than the Water Caste, with long, skinny limbs and hollow bones developed due to lives lived mostly in low- and zero-gravity ships and space stations. In the past, before the time of the Mont'au, the Tau that originally became the Air Caste had membranes stretching between their limbs, allowing them to glide on air currents. Tau pilots are superior to most human pilots because they have better situational awareness and depth perception.
• Ethereal (Aun) -- Aun is translated to either Ethereal or Celestial. The Ethereals are the leaders of the Tau. They resemble the Fire and Water Castes, but are marked by a diamond-shaped ridge of raised bone in the centre of their foreheads. Magos Biologis Sharle Darvus of Biegel-9 was able to dissect an Ethereal. He observed that this diamond-shaped ridge, which is connected to the rear ganglia of the cerebral lobe, contains ultradense chemo/hormonal fluids that gives off pheromones. He speculated that the Ethereals control the other castes by pheromonal communication. Their origins are unknown, but no Tau will ever refuse a request by an Ethereal (Some scientists of the Imperium speculate that there may be a strong psychic bond between the Tau and their Ethereals, there is little evidence to support this, however). They are occasionally found on the battlefield as well, but whether as leaders or observers is unknown.

In addition, Tau are given a rank, normally pertaining to their station and duties in society.

• Saal -- a training rank that young tau have before they become adults and acquire the title La
• La -- The lowest rank. Most Tau start their lives here. A Shas'la would be a Line trooper, while a Fio'la would be a manual labourer, or a Kor'la a crewman on a ship.
• Ui -- The second lowest rank among the Tau. A Shas'ui would be the leader of a squad of troopers (Equivalent to a Sergeant), or a battlesuit pilot, while a Por'Ui would be a mid-ranking envoy.
• Vre -- The middle Tau rank. A Shas'vre is a Battlesuit team leader, while a Fio'vre would be the foreman at a Tau factory, and a Kor'vre a fighter pilot.
• El -- The second highest Tau rank, one of true Command. Shas'el are field Commanders, Kor'el captain Tau spacecraft, and a Fio'el would be an engineer.
• O -- The highest Tau rank. Kor'os are fleet admirals, while Shas'os are of the highest levels of command and fearsome warriors, and an Aun'o is the most high, revered by all Tau.

Tau do not marry, instead, the Ethereals decree who should mate with whom for the best genetic results. Inter-caste breeding is forbidden. This is a form of basic genetic engineering, and it can be seen that Tau of different castes do display marked different physical characteristics. While they do not marry, Tau partake in a ritual called the Ta'lissera. This is commonly seen in Fire caste Warriors and Earth caste work teams. The Ta'lissera ritual is a form of sworn bond where they pledge loyalty and support to one another. The Tau who have sworn these pledges may address each other by their individual names. The bond is seen as the ultimate expression of respect for one another as it symbolizes the sacrifice of individual pride to become part of a "Greater Whole".

[edit] Culture and society

In times past, the main four castes (fire, earth, water, and air) were constantly at war with each other. The sudden and mystical appearance of the Ethereal caste unified them, however, and they now fight for the same cause known as the "Greater Good."

The Tau are viewed by some as the most open and tolerant of the races in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, which for Warhammer 40,000, means that they prefer not to destroy all other races on sight, although this is challenged by some (see below). They are appreciative of Humans, Eldar, and other sentient races, but hold their own values as superior above all others, believing that the Tau race has a kind of manifest destiny.

Their tolerance also extends to themselves, as the Tau recognize even lowly Fio'la workers as being as important to the operation and well-being of the Empire as Shas'vre Battlesuit leaders or even the highest Aun'o.

However, the apparent benevolence of the Tau has been questioned by some fans. Their emphasis on the expansion of the Empire, and notably their assimilation of the Kroot and attempted assimilation of the Orks, have been taken as showing an intolerant streak, and lack of regard for the cultures of other races. They have been characterised as integrationist, suppressing native cultures in favour of the more 'civilized' Tau way. The caste system has also been viewed as repressive and conformist, giving the Tau and their Ethereals an Orwellian agenda. While the Tau, like any race, are sure to have their dark side, in contrast with the genocidal inclinations of the other major races (even the Eldar view other creatures as worthless), they are relatively benevolent.

With the release of the expansion to the Tau faction in Warhammer 40,000 (Codex: Tau Empire), however, the designers of the Tau backstories have attempted to create a more morally ambiguous Tau in order to better fit the themes of Warhammer 40,000. Examples of this include the replacement of Shadowsun in Farsight's place as the greatest hero of the Tau, a named ultimate ruling power (Aun'va) similar to the Emperor of Man in his prestige, records of actual schisms in Tau society over the Farsight incident, and the suggestion that control over Tau by the Ethereals may be due to biochemical reasons rather than altogether free will.

Some controversy has also arisen among fans regarding the purpose of the Tau's insertion into the setting, and whether they're meant as a socio-economic foil for the Imperium. The Tau are another interstellar society that manages to combat all its threats and thrive, without nearly as much of the draconian oppressiveness and extreme brutality of the Imperium's regime and thus a manner of emphasizing how far the Imperium has fallen from a modern viewpoint. The inclusion of such a race into the game, of course, drew sharp criticism from both long-standing fans of the setting, as well as from some of the game developers themselves. Many felt that the inclusion of a so-called "happy" race went against the very core theme of Warhammer 40k, as the Tau are neither grim, nor dark, nor nearly as warlike as any of the other factions in the setting.

However, some feel that the Tau are just as oppressive and brutal, but in their own way (those who do not willingly join the greater good are attacked and forced to do so by the Tau armed forces). This view is a controversial one, as many consider the Tau's openness and tolerance central themes. The greatest example of this tolerance is the adoption of an entire race of mercenaries called the Kroot into their armies, while allowing the Kroot to maintain and keep their own social structure, worlds, and culture. Other cultures, such as the Nicassar and the Vespids, have also been allowed to maintain their own autonomous societies within the Tau Empire. However, these are not as clear cut as they may seem, as the Kroot send mercenaries on missions far away, behind the backs of the Tau, to retrieve the precious genetic data without which their race cannot survive (and which the Tau frown on, since the method of acquisition is cannibalism), and it is implied that the Vespid have been integrated into the Tau Empire through a form of mind control.

More recently some human settlements have been incorporated into the Tau Empire, both from pre-Imperium human colonies, worlds taken from the Imperium, and from the Imperial Guard regiments that were abandoned by Imperial forces when they withdrew at the end of the Damocles Crusade. The Tau have incorporated some human auxiliaries from these worlds as well. Lacking the resources to easily train and equip such a large population of humans with Tau weaponry, armor, and tactics, the Tau have instead elected to equip the human forces in their ranks largely with reverse-engineered copies of the equipment used by the Imperial Guard. As a result, these human auxiliary forces, while allied with the Tau, are essentially Guard units wearing Tau colors.

Tau names are tied closely with their lives within the Empire. A Tau's full name always starts with their caste and their rank, followed by the Sept (planetary system) of their birth, followed by their personal name, which is often determined/extended by their notable actions or achievements in life. Thus, the Tau named Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr (see below) would be broken down as follows:

• Shas -- The individual is a member of the Fire Caste...
• O -- ...Who is a high-ranking Commander and hero...
• Vior'la -- ...Who comes from the Sept of Vior'la...

...And has a personal name translated as being far-sighted (Shovah), Skilled (Kais), and having seen many battles (Mont'yr, meaning "blooded").

Several of the novels published by the Black Library division of Games Workshop have provided more information and detail about the Tau psyche. Gav Thorpe's novel Kill Team reveals that their number of digits has led them to use a base-8 number system and that their food is similar to that of humans, although varying in taste and colour. The protagonist of the novel, Kage, notices their intricate artwork, which is so subtle that it almost goes unnoticed to humans. The Tau characters in the novel also contrast with the brutish, militant humans with their, calm, patient and quiet personalities which expose philosophies similar to the real-world religion that is a homonym of their name: Taoism.

On a darker note, it is rumored that O'Shovah, who is considered one of the Tau's greatest hero, was in fact betrayed by the Tau Empire. His message came back with the information that he was being assaulted by an unknown attacker. He later broke away from the Tau Empire to create the Farsight Enclaves. Shortly after that, Aun'Va, the highest ranking Ethereal, denounced O'Shovah as a renegade and proclaimed O'Shovah was on the path of destruction. This resulted in the proclamation of his new protégé, Commander Shadowsun, as the greatest hero to the Tau. This all stems from the fact that O'Shovah was more respected than the Ethereal himself. O'Shovah's break with mainstream Tau society would be noted to have occurred after the Ethereal assigned to his expedition was killed in a battle with the unknown assailant. This fact can lead one to observe the level of control the Ethereals have in Tau society and without their presence the Tau revert to their roots which are more akin to humans, lacking the unifying "Greater Good" ideology. This leads to questions on how the philosophy is enforced by the Ethereals whether by psychic or maybe chemical (pheromonal) means.

[edit] Tau Empire

The Tau Empire is divided into Septs. Septs are composed of a major Tau world that governs a certain area, which includes other minor settlements in other planets and star systems. An individual's Sept carries a number of subtle meanings and implications regarding the Tau's personality and skills. This is due in part to the age of the sept. It may be one of the First Phase colonies established during the Tau expansion into space, or it may be a much younger society. The relative proportions of the various castes differ from sept to sept too, and this may lend a certain outlook and character to the world and the Tau born there.

[edit] First Phase Colonies

• T'au - Tau home world. As the Eldest Sept, Tau from here are considered especially learned and wise. Though a world of varied terrain types, large areas of its surface are arid and these are the regions in which the Tau first flourished.
• Tau'n - first off-world colony. Tau from this world are considered to be pioneering and often lead exploratory missions throughout Tau space.
• Vior'la - notorious Fire caste world whose warriors are especially aggressive and skilled in combat. The oldest and most respected of Fire caste academies was founded here. Vior'la translates as "hot-blooded."
• D'yanoi - isolated from the Tau Empire for many years. Tau on this world regressed to a more basic level of technology. Inhabitants of this Sept are regarded as rustic and backwards. D'yanoi means "twin moons." D'yanoi is cast in perpetual half-light by the complex interaction of its moons with its tide-locked orbit.
• Dal'yth - a cosmopolitan world where trade is valued. Tau from this world welcome off-worlders and, as such, the world has seen the most contact with alien species. Many Water caste merchants and traders come from this world.
• Sa'cea - one of the hottest and most densely populated Tau worlds. This Sept has a greater proportion of Fire warriors than almost any other. Those hailing from Sa'cea are regarded as particularly disciplined and honourable warriors.
• Bork'an - a center of learning and academia with may universities and research facilities. A high percentage of Earth caste come from this world.
• Fal'shia - Earth caste members of this world are famed for the quality of their artisans and their work is much sought after. Many of the most important Tau technological innovations have come from this world. Tau from this Sept are regarded as great problem solvers.

[edit] Second Phase Colonies

• Au'taal - Tau resort planet. Well known as a verdant and beautiful Sept. Tau from this world are known for their easygoing attitude to their duty to the empire and Tau often regard them as lazy.
• Elsy'eir - renowned for the quantity and quality of their poetry and artwork. Tau from this Sept are regarded as intellectuals and are well respected for their creativity.
• Ke'lshan - situated near the Perdus Rift, suffered a great deal at the hands of all manner of alien races. Those hailing from this Sept have become mistrustful of strangers. These Tau are held to be solemn, taciturn, unfriendly, and sometimes openly xenophobic.
• N'dras - for unknown reasons, this world was voluntarily abandoned by the Tau. The few remaining Tau are regarded as being untrustworthy and are generally of quicker temper and brooding countenance.
• T'olku - known for the sage counsel, and debating and diplomatic skills of its Ethereal caste members. Many of those Tau who have successful dealings with alien species originate from this world.
• Tash'var - on the frontier Tau space. This world has suffered depredations from the Orks and other piratical races. Its inhabitants are seen as tenacious, hardy, practical, and courageous.
• Vash'ya - means "between spheres." Members of the Air caste have a long tradition on this planet. This Sept provided the majority of the pilots and ship crew for the early Tau expansion into space.

[edit] Third Phase Colonies

• Ksi'm'yen - associated with luck, subtlety, and oppourtunistic subterfuge. The first of the Third Phase Colonies, and conquered largely by stealth. While the defense forces of the world were absent, combating another unspecified threat, a large force of Tau simply moved in and took the world without opposition.
• Fi'rios - the Tau occupying this world wrested it from the grip of a fierce Ork warlord, though doing so cost them dear. They are known for a tenacious refusal to accept defeat, tempered by a stoic acceptance of the price all must pay in the furtherance of the Greater Good.
• T'ros - originally an Imperial mining world called Taros, now a Third Phase Colony after the Tau exploited the Imperium of Man moving forces and attention away toward Cadia and the Eye of Terror.

[edit] Others

• Farsight Enclaves - a series of fortified Tau colonies at the far side of the Damocles Gulf that broke away from the main Tau Empire right after the failed Imperial Damocles Gulf Crusade. They were founded at 760.M41 and ruled by O'Shovah or Commander Farsight. These colonies are not ruled by the Ethereal caste but are governed by the Fire caste. Fire caste warriors of the Farsight Enclaves are renowned Ork Fighters because they train heavily in hand-to-hand combat. This goes against the normal Tau philosophy of using ranged combat exclusively.
• Pech - home world of the Kroot. It is mostly covered with evergreen forests of jagga trees. Those few areas not forested are rocky and inhospitable. The Kroot dwell in arboreal homes in the trees constructed from hides bound together with regurgitated dead wood. At the sacred Oathstone at Pech, Anghkor Prok, the greatest Kroot leader, swore allegiance to the Tau Empire and pledged his warriors for the Tau'va. Pech is located near the Perdus Rift.
• Vespid - home world of the Vespids. Vespid is a gas giant with violet-hued, storm-wracked stratosphere. The Vespids reside inside floating islands (due by lighter-than-air gases trapped within) that look like flat-topped stalactite. Vespid is three light years to the galactic south of the D'yanoi sept, so its no surprise that D'yanoi Hunter Cadres are frequently accompanied by Vespid allies.

[edit] Artefact Worlds

• Arthas Moloch
• Q-15
• Landfall

[edit] Forge Worlds

• Taros

[edit] Tau weapons and warfare

Tau warfare is carried out almost exclusively by the Fire Caste, with support from the Air Caste in the form of transport and air support. The Tau draw their tactics from their age-old methods of hunting. Each force is usually drawn from the same Sept, and is called a Hunter Cadre.

The Tau prefer to carefully plan their assaults, and tend to fight only after carefully coordinating their troops and weapons for the mission at hand. The Tau prefer to fight offensively, concerned more with the destruction of the enemy than the taking and holding of ground or territory. Rather than hold territory from the enemy, they would prefer to kill the enemy first. Territory is much easier to hold when the enemies are all dead. Instead of trying to defend a base or city, the Tau will rather evacuate, dismantle all the important technology, and come back and kill the occupying force later.

The two primary Tau Tactics are the Mont'ka (Killing Blow) and Kauyon (Patient Hunter).

• The Mont'ka is a carefully planned attack designed to wipe out critical enemy defences or units in a single well-placed strike. Once the strongest points of enemy resistance are crushed, the remainder of the force can generally be finished off easily.
• The Kauyon is essentially an ambush, where the enemy is drawn by use of a "lure" into a carefully prepared killing zone.

The Tau also make use of auxiliary units, most often the Kroot, which are better than Tau at close combat (mêlée being a major weakness of the Tau themselves). Lately they have also made use of Human auxiliaries as well, known as "Gue'Vesa'La", "Gue'Vesa'Ui", and so forth -- literally human ("gue") helpers ("vesa").

However the hallmark of a master strategist is to conduct a series of short and sharp attacks against the enemy that, when realised, compromise the entire enemy defensive line.

The Tau army is highly specialized, with each element normally having a specific task carried out in the support of the rest of the force. Fire Warriors make up the Line troops, while forward scouts known as Pathfinders scout enemy positions, and provide fire support with rail rifles and marker light target designators. The Tau also deploy battlesuits in support roles, providing specialized weapons to deal with any hot spots on the battlefield, provide heavy anti-tank fire, or as stealthy warriors operating independently of the main force.

The Tau also make extensive use of small AI-controlled Drones, typically equipped with guns or forcefields. Drones can be used to protect teams of Fire Warriors and battlesuits, support their tanks, or grouped into independent squadrons.

The basic weapons of the Fire Caste are Pulse weapons, which propel a particle that breaks down into a plasma pulse as it is fired from the gun. This is commonly used as a long-range rifle or a portable carbine. A rapid-fire variation of the carbine is also used on vehicles and battlesuits, and is known as the Burst Cannon.

The Tau are known to use Ion Cannons and Railguns in their ships and vehicles, as well as various guided and unguided missiles. They also arm their battlesuits with a variety of weapons, ranging from Burst Cannons and missile pods, to Fusion Blasters, Plasma Rifles, and Flamers. Burst Cannons are a stronger deviation of the pulse rifle in that they fire multiple shots. Plasma Rifles are not as strong compared to the Imperial version but do not chance exploding upon the user. Fusion Blasters are short-ranged, high-powered guns that are basically used in the destruction of armoured vehicles. A Railgun uses linear-acceleration technology to propel either a solid slug or a bundle of submunitions very fast with incredible range and power, and is probably the Tau's most potent weapon.

In the Warhammer 40,000 game, the Tau are a shooting-oriented army. A common tactic is to engage the enemy at the maximum range of their weapons, which typically have a longer range and greater firepower than the equivalent weapons in the other armies. Tau players usually try to take out the strongest weapons of the enemy, and keep them from reaching the Tau lines, as most Tau units are weak in Assault. This tactic is a common one amongst new players of the Tau, who quickly realize that such an act leaves them exposed and completely incapable of fighting off a well-timed assault by his opponent.

A more prevalent tactic amongst Tau veterans is the 'Mech-Tau'[1] approach, nicknamed the 'Fish of Fury' after the Tau transport, Devilfish. The tactic utilises the mobility and speed of Tau vehicles and battlesuits to confuse and overwhelm the enemy by engaging them at all levels of the battlefield. This is most popular among veteran Tau players.

[edit] Notable characters

• Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kaius Mont'yr or Commander Farsight
• Aun'O T'au Acaya'Va'Denta or Aun'Va — Master of the Undying Spirit, the oldest and wisest of the Ethereal caste, and leader of the Tau race.
• O'Shaserra or Commander Shadowsun
• Aun'shi
• Shas'la T'au Kais
• Shas'O R'myr or Commander Longknife — the supreme commander of the T'au Sept Coalition on Taros. Shas'O R'Myr is a Forge World character and his rules can be found in Imperial Armour – Volume III: The Taros Campaign (Games Workshop, 2005).

[edit] Allies

• Demiurg
• Human allies, also known as Gue'vesa
• Kroot (though they also serve as mercenaries for other races)
• Nicassar
• Tallerians
• Vespids
• Orks as mercenaries

[edit] Computer games

• Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior - a first-person shooter played from the Tau perspective.
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade
  • Tau Mod/Campaign made for Dawn of War.
• WH40K: Rival Species - Tau Skins/Models will eventually be added as a playable race.
• Operation Flashpoint - A Warhammer 40K mod is available with Tau skins coming soon.

[edit] References

• Chambers, Andy; Haines, Pete, and McNeill, Graham (2001). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tau. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-098-6. 
• Spurrier, Simon (2003). Fire Warrior. Nottingham: Black Library. ISBN 1-84416-010-6. 
• Spurrier, Simon (2006). Xenology. Nottingham: Black Library. ISBN 1-84416-010-6. 
• Thorpe, Gav (2001). Kill Team. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 0-7434-1175-7. 
• (2005) Imperial Armour – Volume III: The Taros Campaign. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-708-5. 

[edit] External links

• Advanced Tau Tactica
• Tau Online
• Official Gamesworkshop site