A Tau Drone (Kor’vesa in the Tau Lexicon) is an artificial intelligence utilised by the Tau Empire for a variety of combat and non-combat purposes. The mobile variants of Tau Drones exist in the form of disk-shaped machines which are well-armoured and equipped with small anti-gravitic engines and manoeuvring thrusters so that they can hover and skim across the ground. However, Drone intelligences can also be found built into a great number of technologies developed by the Tau Earth Caste. There are many different types of Drones utilised by the Tau in varying roles; these can range from mundane civilian uses to multiple combat roles. Tau Drones can carry a wide variety of equipment, ranging from defensive Shield Generators to offensive weaponry, communications equipment and various combat support systems. Most Tau Drones are able to interact with their Tau masters, obeying simple instructions and even anticipating what duties are required of them. Tau value their Drones, and whilst they are not regarded as having equal status to a Tau, they are treated with a degree of respect akin to that of a favoured animal companion amongst humans.
Drone Intelligences
Size Comparison of a DX-4 Technical Drone and a Tau Fire Warrior
Unlike the Imperium of Man, the Tau make extensive use of artificial machine-intelligences; this is a cultural trait that damns the entire Tau race in the eyes of the Adeptus Mechanicus and much of the Imperial hierarchy, where the use of true artificial intelligence has long been forbidden to the servants of the Machine God and the God-Emperor alike. All Tau Drones consist of an advanced processor unit which individually possesses only a basic intelligence; equivalent to that of a small animal such as a pterasquirrel. Drone intelligences are able to control the movement of their artificial "bodies," fire any weapons they control, and evade enemy fire independently. Notably, Tau Drones are programmed for self-preservation, and Drones will flee rather than face certain destruction. However, if the need arises, a Drone will always attempt to protect its master even in the face of self-destruction. Most Drone intelligences are imbued into a mobile construct, and these can take many different forms. Most Drones can be networked together to serve as a team or squadron. This significantly increases the intelligence and processing speed of all the Drones in the network, and their ability for independent action. Normally a Drone would require regular orders from its Tau master to operate at max efficiency; but several Drones acting together become capable of acting independently for long periods of time. Four Drones is the minimum number required to form a fully effective self-aware network.
Applications
A Tau Drone provides assistance to a Water Caste diplomat in negotiations with an Imperial official and Space Marine
Tau Drones are utilised in a great number of tasks in the Tau Empire. In civilian life, a Drone will usually be assigned a high ranking Tau official as its master, where it will act as the Tau’s personal domestic servant, messenger, etc. However, due to Drones being most suitable for tedious and/or dangerous applications, they are a cornerstone of the Tau armed forces. The Tau Empire has no compunction about the use of machine intelligences in its armed forces; indeed, they embrace them as an effective way to reduce the number of Tau lives lost on the battlefield. The Fire Caste regularly arms its Drones with a variety of weapons, shield generators, and other military equipment and deploys squadrons of them alongside their Fire Warriors in battle. Despite their basic intelligence, the Tau do not treat Drones as expendable forces, but as another useful weapon in their armoury. Most Tau units are accompanied by at least several drones to assist them in battle; they provide this assistance in mutiple ways, including providing protection, fire support, greater communications capability, etc. Tau Drones can provide a tactical advantage to all Tau on the battlefield. For instance, remote Drone networks that consist of scores of remote drones in which each drone feeds targeting information to the Tau forces in the combat zone. Such a network allows the Fire Warriors to focus their firepower more decisively on various enemy targets. The use of Drones in battle also helps save Tau lives, and to minimize the use of Fire Caste personnel in more mundane battlefield roles.
However, mobile Drones are not the only type to see action in battle. Drone intelligences are often built into Tau weapons systems, allowing them to be fully automated. One of the most widely found examples of a Tau formation composed entirely of Drone systems is in the role of perimeter defence. These detachments are networked together to increase their efficiency and utilise a variety of systems, from the more common mobile Gun Drones to static emplacements of Drone Sentry Turrets and Remote Sensor Towers. These perimeter defence detachments can carry out multiple tasks during their deployment, ranging from the protection of strategic assets to providing defence-in-depth to a Tau front line. Drone units attached to defensive formations are customarily programmed to hold the line at all costs.
For Fire Warrior teams, Gun Drones are usually carried within their Devilfish transport, and these automatons detach themselves in combat to act as additional fire support, serve as forward scouts for the team, or guard a flank. Tau Commanders often possess personal Drones to carry extra shields, sensors or communications equipment. Drones attached to Tau masters are programmed to always protect their controllers, including, if necessary, getting in the way of incoming enemy fire or a melee assault. Indeed, the Shield Drone is designed to carry out exactly such a purpose.
All Tau Drones are controlled by an electronic device known as a Drone Controller, which acts as a hub of digital communications between the Drone's operator and up to two Drones that accompany the user. It allows a user to communicate his will to any Drone directly under his control. Most of the time, the controller operates at a default level that simply keeps the Drone obeying its basic programming, but the owner can also use it to issue simple orders outside the Drone’s normal parameters. Drone Controllers are often built into Tau Battlesuits as a Support System, but may also be used as hard-wired wargear for other Fire Warriors.
Drones attached to a Tau Stealthsuit Team are always upgraded with a stealth field generator, which allows them to operate without compromising the Stealthsuit Team's own ability to remain undetected.
Known Drone Types
- Gun Drone - Gun Drones are one of the most common types of Tau Drone found in the Fire Caste. Wielding twin-linked Pulse Carbines, they act as fire support for Fire Warrior teams, and can pin enemy troops in place whilst the main body of a Tau army attacks
- Shield Drone - Shield Drones are designed purely to protect important Tau individuals, such as Tau Commanders and Ethereals. Shield Drones are armed with an advanced Shield Generator, which enables them to block and deflect even the heaviest of enemy firepower that is directed at their master.
- Marker Drone - Marker Drones carry Networked Marker Lights, and will often be attached to Tau squads so that they may benefit from the improved accuracy effects of the Drone’s Marker Light in order to target the enemy more efficiently.
- DX-4 Technical Drone - DX-4 Technical Drones to provide maintenance and support to Tau vehicles and structures. DX-4 Drones are also capable of carrying a variety of systems to aid a Fire Warrior squad in battle.
- Sniper Drone - Sniper Drones are equipped with advanced stealth-field generators and devastating Rail Rifles, so that they may provide pinpoint anti-personnel firepower.
- Heavy Gun Drone - Heavy Gun Drones are a larger variant of the standard Gun Drone, and are sizeable enough to carry multiple heavy weapons (usually Burst Cannons) to lend direct fire support to Fire Warrior teams.
- Command-Link Drone - The Command-Link Drone is a unique Tau Drone utilised by Commander Shadowsun. It allows for better networking, through advanced communications, from Shadowsun to those under her command so that she may better direct the flow of a battle.
- Aerial Drone Mine - Aerial Drone Mines are an airspace denial weapon. They are usually deployed by Tau aircraft in a contested airspace, where these Drone-controlled mines can engage any enemy aircraft that enters their vicinity.
- DX-11 Exploratory Drone - The DX-11 Exploratory Drone was very recently developed in response to the first encounter with the Space Hulk Mortis Thule in the Canis Salient of the Jericho Reach. It was developed alongside the XV46 Vanguard Battlesuit, and is designed to aid those suits in Tau exploration expeditions into Space Hulks by acting as scouts and roaming areas autonomously whilst transmitting data back to their operator.
- DX-6 Remora Drone Stealth Fighter - The DX-6 Remora Drone Stealth Fighter is a small drone fighter designed for scouting and reconnaissance missions. It is protected by a stealth-field generator and excels at conducting high-speed, hit-and-run attacks to disrupt enemy forces whilst supporting friendly Tau advances.
Notable Uses of Drone Intelligences
- Drone Sentry Turret - A Drone Sentry Turret is an automated and static weapon system that is controlled by a Drone intelligence. Drone Sentry Turrets can be armed with an array of weapons depending on what is needed of them, and will often be air-dropped into a position that the Tau need to defend.
- Remote Sensor Tower - A Remote Sensor Tower is a static, Drone-controlled information relay station, which is capable of scanning the surrounding area and relaying data on enemy movements to other Tau units in the vicinity. A Remote Sensor Tower is also able to use its own Marker Light to call in Seeker Missile Strikes on enemy targets
- Area Denial Node - An Area Denial Node is a form of static, Drone intelligence-controlled, heavy weapon placement which is employed by the Tau to defend vital strategic installations. Area Denial Nodes are able to provide massive screens of anti-armour and anti-personnel fire to Tau forces with their twin-linked Railguns which only the most determined of enemies will survive.
- Smart Missile - A Smart Missile System is able to fire self-guided missiles which contain Drone intelligences. This is so that the missiles are able to seek out their targets, navigating and bypassing any intervening terrain that would have blocked standard, "dumbfire" munitions.
- Vehicle Support Systems - Many Tau vehicles systems are Drone-controlled, such as the many Tau vehicle support systems which aid the pilot and gunner in battle. Drone-controlled Burst Cannons are also commonly mounted on Tau vehicles and aircraft, giving the vehicle or aircraft more potential firepower whilst not requiring any extra crewmen.
- Heavy Railguns - Heavy Railguns are able to fire Drone-controlled submunition shells. The in-built Drone intelligence is capable of directing the shell with great accuracy towards its target. This is especially useful in void combat, where the shell is then able to strike weak points in the armour of enemy starships. "Dumbfire" Heavy Railgun submunition rounds lack the necessary penetrating power to punch through standard starship-grade armour.
Sources
- Imperial Armour Apocalypse, pg. 80, 83
- Imperial Armour Apocalypse (2nd Edition), pg. 83, 86
- Imperial Armour Aeronautica, pg. 64
- Apocalypse Reload, pg. 68
- Imperial Armour Volume Three: The Taros Campaign, pg. 184-193, 282, 284,
- Codex: Tau (3rd Edition), pg. 17-18, 25, 28
- Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition), pg. 26-27, 31, 35, 38, 47
- Deathwatch: Core Rulebook (RPG), pg. 367
- Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos (RPG), pg. 12
- Deathwatch: Ark of Lost Souls (RPG), pg. 123
- White Dwarf 336 (UK), Area Denial Node Apocalypse Datasheet, pg. 25