Scorpionfish

The Scorpionfish super-heavy missile gunship is a Tau super-heavy skimmer developed after the Damocles Gulf Crusade. The Scorpionfish was developed as a response to the surprise of Imperial super-heavy tanks faced during the conflict and later engagements, and considerable effort was put in by the Earth Caste in order to develop a counter in the form of the Tau’s own super-heavy gunship. Lacking any other large vehicle as a basis, the Orca dropship design was modified with additional heavily armaments and armour, effectively reducing its mobility down to being a surface-bound skimmer. This variant was to become the Scorpionfish missile gunship and is carried no less than a full complement of Submunition, Seeker, Tracer and Smart Missiles, as well as direct-firing [[Missile Pod]s. It has no single main weapon, but rather acts as platform for a number of smaller systems, enabling it to engage any type of threat it encounters. This kind of flexibility has proven to be a major asset in recent Tau campaigns. Whilst the Scorpionfish may be slower than the majority of Tau units, its skimmer capabilities mean that negotiating difficult terrain normally isn’t an issue. In battle, Scorpionfish normally form part of a stout firing line at the back of a Tau army, anchoring the defences like a solid rock.

Armament
A Scorpionfish’s largest weapon is its variable munitions launcher, which is able to selectively fire either Submunition Missiles, Seeker Missiles or Tracer Missiles at its target from extreme ranges without line-of sight; akin to traditional artillery. Such versatility allows the vehicle to engage both infantry and vehicle targets effectively at range. However, such a large payload means that a well-placed critical hit can cause detonate the stored missiles, setting off a chain reaction and ripping the vehicle apart from the inside. A Scorpionfish is also armed with a two sets [twin-linked]] Missile Pods for direct-fire engagements.