Moray

The Moray assault ship is a Tau super-heavy atmosphere-capable spacecraft that is a relatively new addition to the armies of the Tau Empire. Developed in response to the need for heavy fire support without having to send a full Manta missile destroyer. The Moray is very similar to the Manta in appearance, but is much smaller and cannot carry any troops. However, it retains the same potent offensive capabilities with its main weapon systems of a pair of Heavy Railguns, macro-versions of the Railgun mounted on Tau tanks such as the Hammerhead and Swordfish, or a phalanx of Heavy Ion Cannons that are networked to fire in unison. Unlike the Orca, which only drops in from orbit to embark or disembark troops before disengaging again as fast as possible, the Moray is intended to hover slowly above the ground and maintain a constant presence on the field. It is a mixture between high-flying heavy skimmer and slow aircraft, much like the larger Manta missile destroyer, and can be regarded as the Tau answer to enemy super-heavy tanks and Warhound-class Scout Titans, in a similar way as the Scorpionfish.

Armament
A Moray assault ship’s primary weapon can be either a pair of Heavy Railguns designed to heavy armour destruction at extreme ranges, or a pair of Heavy Ion Phalanxes each featuring a number of Ion Cannons networked to fire in unison. A Moray is also armed with twin-linked Burst Cannons for close-range self-defence, Interceptor Missiles to counter enemy aircraft, and Tracer Missiles to mark out priority targets for other friendly forces. A Moray is also equipped with a protective Deflector Shield that uses gravitic field to repel incoming enemy fire.