Board Thread:Warhammer 40k General Discussion/@comment-112.207.229.75-20160517103444/@comment-24226187-20160526155820

Trash Boat wrote: You are aware that the Tau have been both genetically and socially tampered with by the Necrontyr, right? That's why they have little to no presence in the Warp, they are a perfection of the Pariah gene that the Necrontyr engineered into humans. That's also why their technology advanced as rapidly as it did, influence from Necrontyr technology. This is especially apparent when looking at the Ethereal's phasing abilities which are extremely similar to Necron time/space phasing technology, as well as the similarity of battlefield tatics, i.e. long range attacks consistantly favored over melee. Moreover, the C'tan have referred to the "Dark Seed in the East" which is somewhat damning considering that the Tau Empire exists on the eastern part of the galaxy.

I will be the first to admit that I am hardcore Tau fan, meaning I have read every codex published about their faction, even read most, if not all, published stories about my favorite battlesuit loving war army: Legends of the Dark Millennium: Shas'O; Apocalypse Anthology: Damocles; Commander Farsight; including the newest addition to Battles of the Space Marines series: Blades of Damocles by Phil Kelly, which is an amazing story that gives a bit more insight into the often misunderstood tau culture and their aloof Etherial overmasters (great read really recommend it), among many others. Although I like Tau, I am a Hard-science fiction lover, meaning I am able to view things from a neutral and unbiased position. Now here are the points I am going to address: 1) There has been no confirmed link between the Necrons - Necrontyr died billions of years ago before the War in Heaven began due to their dreaded bio-transference to their immortals bodies - and Tau. So their can be no direct link between the two. Yes they are genetically tampered at birth, but as explained in the Blades of Damocles, they have a social structure so radically different than ours, we misunderstand its purpose. The Tau have always been creatures that reproduce through a careful, methodological, and calculated eugenics programs, breeding out only the best genes of each caste, ensuring the maximum efficiency of their genetic legacy pass through generations, almost the same way you breed horses, only the best remains. To us, humans, who value emotions like love and basic family units, such ways seems unnatural but to them its the way it is. Another reason for their strict caste division relies on their biology. There exist a fundamental variations in the human genome, giving birth to countless races and cultures across the galaxy, yet such variation are almost negligent, since human compatibility and basic genetic structure remains the same, by which I mean people from different worlds can still breed. With the Tau sadly that is an impossibility. Their caste system is not only a cultural barrier but a biological one. Although the are Tau, each caste had been develop and evolve to fulfill one particular purpose. Fire: war; Water: Politics; Earth: science and technology; Air: Space-related business and Etherials: Masters of All. They have specialized so much in their allotted roles through eons of dedicated and natural (before the Etherials came) that interbreeding would only result in a disastrous consequence for any involved, that's why they are so strict with their caste system. The Gue'vessa in service to the Tau empire are expected to honor and respect Tau culture and assimilate fully into their midst. However, like they have done countless times before they do not impose their rules and regulations upon newly species, they can keep their society and traditions - Kroot, Vespid, Nicassar, etc - as long as they do not conflict with the Tau'va, the greater Good. There have been Gue'vessa reported praying to the God-Emperor within the Tau-Held worlds without any fear of reprisal.

2) Tau do have a presence in the warp, it have been proved by Librarian and psykers from the Ultramarines Chapter (see Blade of Damocles or read the Tau section on the Psyker 40k wiki page). Yet that presence is so diminished and mitigated, that not only the unnatural mutating and soul-bleaching corrupting effects of Chaos do not find purchase within the Tau but they appears almost invisible to warp entities. However this does not protect them from the physical effects of the Warp on the Material sphere. Plus their lack of knowledge regarding the immaterium and their foul hosts, and there fore ill prepared for direct warp exposure or mind battle, a situation that cost the Tau dearly during the Damocles Golf Crusade.

3) Pariah Gene is not only an absence in the warp but the ability to snuff out the wild flames of otherworldly souls in the Warp and since the warp is a soul reflecting mirror of the material world, nobody likes their souls extinguished, reason mainly why they are instinctively shunned by society and loathed by warp entities. And Tau most definitely doesn't fill this profile.

4) The Tau amazingly and superb grasp of technology is not due to Necron influence, for that to be true The Necrons should or would have to leave a cache of technology for the Tau to reverse engineer such technology and based their entire tech in its specs, which we know is not true since Tau and Necrons technology couldn't be father apart plus we know that Tau is not under any constant vigil by the Necrons. This coupled by the fact that Necron tech defies all physics, blending reality and fate within their fingers, so advanced that it almost seem magical and escapes any true human - Mechanicum - understanding, nullifies your theory about Necrons and Tau technology having a common root, since Tau technology almost seem like hard-core science that one day OUR 21 century humans can attain without trying to bend reality with warp-kissed magics.

5) Never have I read about Etherials possessing phasing technology, you know that with that tech on their Hands the infiltration cadres could wreck havoc deep into any enemy formation without thoroughly fearing retaliation, which means they could have won every battle the played across the third sphere of expansion with contemptuous ease. Which we know that is not the case. And let me tell you the Etherial wouldn't keep that tech to themselves because if its one thing they have is their fanaticism to their believe int the Tau'va. The needs of the many outclass the need of the one. Though their is no doubts about their master manipulation techniques they naturally employ with unprecedented and uncanny disposition. Every word measured and coldly calculated for a desirable effect.

6) Now the Eldar employ long range tactics when dealing with Necrons, Who wants to deal with immortal metal living soulless monsters? Even Banshees fear prolonged close combat engagement with Necrons Forces, does that makes them related to their absolute hated foe? The answer is NO! Their similarity in combat tactics in that aspect is laughable. Since the almost static Necrons warfare procedures differentiate so much from the extremely mobile Tau rules of engagements. Mont'ka and Kauyon couldn't be more different from any way the Necrons wage war. Besides even the Tau have evaluted the need for close combat tactics and have employed several countermeasures and procedures to overcome foes in this theater of war: example Tau Breacher Teams, trained in brutally effective close combat tactics and armed with devastating close range offensive weaponry capable of blasting holes right through Terminator Battle plate.

7) Ever since the Ending of Battlefleet Gothic scene where the C'tan refers to a Dark seed in the east, people have assumed the worst and jumped the Tau into their line of sight, in a pathetic effort to vent their irrational hatred for the mech loving army. Most of them only hating the Tau for reasons no good like they suck in melee (not anymore see above, plus Farsight enclaves, still Tau, enjoy employing close range tactics). Yeah Tau litlle empires resides in the east, but so does HALF of the Galaxy. The Ultima segmentum being the largest region of the Galaxy with many sections still unexplored even within imperial borders. The Ultramar Realm, before the Horus Heresy,  once consisted of almost 800 world under its belt, and that was still a very small fraction of the total volume of the Ultima segmentum, meaning there are almost a limitless possibilities for what the C'tan was referring to; More blackstone fortresses, a hidden Necron dynasty, another class of Necron super weapon, the possibilities are still endless. The Tau are never mentioned! It's true that among those endless possibilities is the Tau theory but as there is a serious lack of canonical evidence to support that theory it almost mythical in its conception and invalid without any hard evidence behind it.

Conclusion: Without any prove of the Tau and Necrons relationship all this theories are still wild speculations with no base to support itself. Apart from what some people see with their faces having similar bone structure ( as do with humans) and their favored application of long rage firepower, - since that technique is only reserved and copyrighted by the Necrons, there is no damming evidence that suggest the Tau being some evil scheme the Necrons have employed for some galaxy wrenching macro-strategy. These are fact and though only time will tell, There is nor enough reference condemning the Tau. Sorry guys but they Fight for the Greater Good and nothing Else. Read books and not just blogs.