XV9 Hazard Battlesuit

A new weapon in the armoury of the Tau Empire, the XV9 Hazard Close Support Battlesuit is a sophisticated and powerful Tau Battlesuit, the use of which has remained controversial amongst the more traditionalist members of the Ethereal and Earth Castes. Though undoubtedly powerful, its armament is short ranged and the armour is more complex than any before it, requiring a veteran's skills to master it in combat. The XV-9 itself requires a huge expenditure in resources to produce in useful numbers, resources some argue are better expended elsewhere on building numerous examples of more tested designs. The results gained in service by the XV-9 have converted many Fire Caste war leaders to its cause. In particular the Fire Caste of Ke'lshan have mastered the use of XV-9s both in counter attacks and in holding up enemy advances, so allowing the bulk of a Tau mobile cadre to repeatedly redeploy into superior firing positions. This can prove as dangerous tactic for the XV-9s to execute, but for the solemn and determined Fire Warriors of Ke'lshan a worthwhile risk in the service of the Greater Good. Currently, the XV9 is an experimental Battlesuit, similar to the XV22 Battlesuit worn by Commander Shadowsun. It is experimental due to problems with its arm stability, as the suit's arms occasionally buckle and and twist off the armour.

Weaponry

 * Fusion Cascade - Similar to the Fusion Blaster found on XV8 Crisis Battlesuits, the Fusion Cascade fires smaller, weaker bursts of Melta energy.
 * Phased Ion Gun - Developed from the Ion Cannon, the Phased Ion Gun uses the same technology as that weapon on a smaller scale. While its rate of fire is constant, its ionisation effect varies.
 * Twin-linked Burst Cannons - These weapons are identical to the Twin-linked Burst Cannons used by XV8 Crisis Battlesuits.
 * Vectored Retro Thrusters - Vectored Retro Thrusters are a form of advanced Tau engine thruster technology that allows greater maneouverability and the ability to escape from close combat.
 * Photon Casters - Built into the Battlesuit's knee plates, the Photon Caster produces an effect like a Photon Grenade to blind and disorientate enemies.
 * Pulse Submunitions Rifle - An advanced variant of the Pulse Rifle, the Pulse Submunitions Rifle uses the same Pulse technology to scatter bomblets of Pulse energy over a wide area. It is excellent against entrenched enemies, as it can bypass cover to strike at the enemies within.

Variants
There are two known variants of the XV9 Hazard Close Support Battlesuit that have been encountered by the forces of the Imperium of Man to date. These variants include the:
 * XV9-01 - The XV9-01 is armed with two Fusion Cascades, weapons that are similar to Imperial Melta Weapons.
 * XV9-04 - The XV9-04 variant is armed with twin Phased Ion Guns.

Gallery
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