The icon of the T'au Empire.
An Onager Gauntlet, also known as a Fist of Dal'ryu, is an experimental T'au Battlesuit close combat weapon intended to destroy enemy armour. An Onager Gauntlet takes on the appearance of giant gauntlets each shimmering with an immense payload of potential energy, intended to allow XV8 Crisis Battlesuits to remain effective against the armoured companies of the Imperial Guard in extended operations where ammunition reserves could run low.
An Onager Gauntlet is a T'au Battlesuit signature Support System available only to Battlesuit pilots of the rank of Shas'vre or higher. Armed with the Onager Gauntlet, a Battlesuit could punch a hole through the side of an Imperial main battle tank and rip out its power core with ease.
For example, of the twelve original Onager Gauntlets utilised during the Battle of Blackthunder Mesa, only one was recovered from Commander Bravestorm's critically damaged Battlesuit, which was surrounded by the smoking wrecks of over a dozen Imperial armoured vehicles.
Onager Gauntlets were first developed and utilised during the Damocles Gulf Crusade via a personal commission to the Earth Caste from Commander Farsight. During the Tau Empire's Third Sphere Expansion, Onager Gauntlets became more widely available to the forces of the T'au Fire Caste. However, the rarity of this weapon means that its distribution is usually limited to only one set per Hunter Cadre.
Sources[]
- Codex: Tau Empire (6th Edition), pg. 73
- Farsight Enclaves, A Codex: Tau Empire Supplement (Digital Edition), pp. 113-118
- Rogue Trader: Tau Character Guide (RPG), pg. 38