The Tau are a race from the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, who were first discovered by the Imperium of Man in the late 35th millennium. They were at a hunter-gatherer stage of development at this time, and were earmarked for cleansing. The combination of warp storms and the outbreak of the Age of Apostasy within the Imperium prevented this from occurring, and during the next six millennia of isolation the Tau were able to evolve, unite, and develop an extremely advanced level of technology. Also during this time, the Tau have incorporated numerous alien species into their fledgling Empire, the most significant of these being the Kroot and the Vespid.
This list will describe the various weapon types, common equipment, and vehicles used by the Tau military, along with their allies.
Weapons
Pulse weapons
The standard infantry weapon of Tau Fire Warriors, pulse weapons use electromagnetic induction fields to convert particles to a plasma state and propel them out the barrel of the weapon. There are several different types of pulse weapon:
- The pulse rifle carried by Fire Warrior teams is comparable to the boltguns used by the Space Marines. The effective range and strength of a pulse rifle is the greatest of any standard-issue weapon used by any force in the galaxy, and out-ranges some heavy weapons used by other races.
- Pulse carbines are used by Pathfinder teams and are fitted to gun drones. Although as powerful as pulse rifles, carbines are smaller, trading decreased range for portability. Pulse carbines are almost always fielded with an underslung photon grenade launcher.
- Pulse pistols are small hold-out weapons issued to battlesuit pilots and the controllers of sniper drones. They have an extremely short range, but are slightly more powerful than an Imperial bolt pistol.
Burst cannons
A multi-barrel weapon capable of sustaining high rates of fire, burst cannons are an offshoot of Tau pulse weapon technology. They are usually mounted on battlesuits and vehicles. They are similar to modern day miniguns and are able to maintain a high rate of fire without overheating.
Kroot weaponry
Originally designed to use chemical propellant and solid ammunition, when the Kroot were absorbed into the Tau Empire, these weapons were upgraded to utilise the charged pulse rounds favoured by the Tau. Standard 'Kroot Rifles' are also fitted with blades near the barrel and stock, a throwback to fighting staves used by primitive Kroot.
The Kroot have adapted Tau pulse technology to produce a large calibre weapon. This heavy weapon is equivalent in range and firepower to the autocannon used by the Imperial Guard, and is primarily used to engage light vehicles. The 'Kroot Gun' is significantly heavier than the rifle, and must be mounted on the back of the apish and oxen-like Krootox.
Plasma rifles
In addition to their skill with pulse weapons, the Tau have developed plasma rifles that do not suffer from the fatal overheating problems of plasma-based weaponry used by other races. However, a side effect of the increased operator safety, Tau plasma rifles are weaker than equivalent weapons from other races.
Railguns
Linear accelerator weapons, known more colloquially as railguns, are high-power weapons mounted on Tau battlesuits and tanks. These weapons fire a single, solid projectile at hypervelocity through the application of the right-hand rule, although the vehicle-mounted version can also fire a sophisticated bundle of submunitions.
Railguns have been used for some time by battlesuits and vehicles, and the technology has been scaled up to the point where massive railcannon batteries are mounted on Air Caste starships. However, it was only recently that the Tau began to experiment with man-portable weapons based on railgun technology. Although weaker than its larger relatives, the rail rifle is still powerful enough to be an effective anti-tank weapon. To use a rail rifle, the bearer must also be equipped with a hard-wired targeting device. During trials, one of the main flaws of the rail rifle was that the massive energy requirements needed to power the electromagnetic linear accelerator would overload the targeting device, causing feedback in the hard-wire interface, which in turn would kill the rifle's bearer (the velocities required to accelerate the projectile to a practical speed take up an enormous amount of power). This flaw has been fixed through constant field-testing, and was authorised for use by frontline Pathfinder teams just prior to the declaration of the 'Third Sphere Expansion'.
Ion Cannons
An alternate turret-mounted weapon for the Hammerhead Gunship, and also appearing on Tau fightercraft and starships, the Ion Cannon generates a stream of high-energy particles, which are fired by the manipulation of an electromagnetic field. The particles react explosively with the target, as a result of direct energy transmission at the atomic level.
Missiles
Tau missiles are self-guiding, as each missile is designed with a basic drone intelligence. These smart missiles can be fired at any target within range, regardless of line-of-sight. Once locked on to a target, the missiles will pass around any blocking terrain to reach that target. Smart missile systems are mounted on battlesuits and some vehicles.
As Fire Caste doctrine discourages the use of heavy weapons within squads, a variant of the smart missile, the seeker missile, is present on some Tau vehicles. Used to provide fire support to Fire Warrior and Pathfinder teams, these missiles are guided to the target by a combination of the drone intelligence and communications from a Tau team.
Fusion blaster
An analog of the Imperium's meltagun, the fusion blaster is mounted on battlesuits and vehicles as an anti-tank weapon.
Neutron blaster
A weapon unique to the Vespid Stingwings, the neutron blaster is a hybrid of Vespid and Tau technology. Mounted at the barrel of each weapon is a highly energetic and unstable crystal, which has been harvested from the deepest layers of the lighter-than-air stalactite islands the Stingwings call home. This is combined with an efficient neutron projection system to produce a weapon capable of bypassing all but the most effective armour.
Neutron blasters can only be used by the Stingwings, as the constant ultrasonic tone emitted by the Stingwings are required to modulate the crystal used in the weapon.
Equipment
Markerlight
A handheld device used to target enemy soldiers and vehicles, the markerlight is not a weapon, but a unit (similar to a target designator) capable of several functions, including rangefinding, targeting for accuracy, and designating targets for 'blind' weapons systems (such as seeker missiles) to home in on.
Drones
Independent artificial intelligences, Tau drones are used for a variety of civil and military functions. They normally require reqular instructions from a Tau to function, although if four or more drones are networked to operate in unison, they become capable of operating independently of their Tau controllers. Drones that are linked to a control device cease to function if the controlling Tau is killed, or if the drones move more than a set distance from the controller.
Drones are designed to fulfill a set role. The most common drone designs are:
- Gun drones are armed with a pair of pulse carbines and are the most common drone type used by the Tau Fire Caste. They can accompany any Tau possessing a control device, whether he be in a battlesuit or leading an infantry Team. In addition, gun drones are often used as weapons systems for the Devilfish APC and Piranha skimmer.
- Shield drones are assigned to protect elite commanders, along with members of the Ethereal caste. They are equipped with powerful energy shields and are programmed to block weapons fire intended for their controller with their shields. If necessary, the drone will physically intercept the incoming fire.
- Marker drones are equipped with an advanced markerlight system, and through the use of the control device can improve the accuracy of the operator and anyone else in the operator's team.
- Sniper drones are a recent development for the Third Sphere Expansion. A single Tau equipped with an advanced control and targeting system can utilise up to three sniper drones to provide accurate anti-personnel fire. The drones themselves are armed with a rail rifle, and project a distortion field that makes the drones and their operator difficult to hit.
- Heavy Gun Drones are larger, more powerful drones armed with a pair of Burst Cannons. Some drones will replace one of the Burst Cannons with a Markerlight
- Drone Sentry Turrets are airdroppable turrets often used to hold areas ahead of the main Tau advance. They are armed with a variety of Battlesuit weapons, such as Missile Pods and Plasma Rifles.
Hard-wired devices
Vehicles
Battlesuits
Battlesuits are the main equipment of higher class warriors found in the Fire Caste. They are exoskeletal suits that give the wearer extra strength, better sensors, and more protection, as well as the ability to carry heavier weapons into battle.
All battlesuits of the same type are given a designation: XV, followed by two digits. The first digit indicates the mass class of the suit: '1' being a complete exoskeletal version of standard Tau body armour, while '8' represents the heaviest available battlesuits. The second digit indicates the role or status of the particular suit design: '2' marking an experimental design, '5' representing stealth capability, and '8' being heavy fire support. Variations of a suit may be given other numbers as well.
Stealthsuits
The XV15 (up until the start of the Third Sphere Expansion) and the XV25 Stealthsuits are equipped with burst cannons and holographic camouflage, and are capable of equipping a fusion blaster in place of the burst cannon.
Teams of up to six suits operate independently of the main Tau force, and are given broad parameters by which to operate. Most Stealth Teams are not factored into Tau battleplans, and the appearance of a Stealthsuit-equipped team can be a surprise to both forces. Stealth Team members are perceived to be eccentric, and are said to delight in employing new and unpredictable tactics.
- An experimental variation of the Stealth suit is the XV-22, which is slightly larger and tougher than the XV25, and can carry a weapon system on each arm, as well as hardpoints for additional weapons or suppourt systems on the shoulders. These are sometimes specially assigned to a skilled Shas'O, such as Commander Shadowsun. The XV22 is also used for the Tau Commander in the Dawn of War expansion, Dark Crusade.
Crisis suit
The mainstay of the Tau's battlesuit forces, the XV8 Crisis battlesuits are worn by Fire Caste commanders and Fire Warriors that have proven themselves in battle. Each Crisis suit is capable of mounting four heavy weapons, and can be equipped with a variety of support systems, including drone controllers, fire control and targeting systems, or a shield generator.
Variants of the Crisis suit include:
- XV-81, which has a Smart Missile System mounted on its back.
- XV-84, which carries a markerlight
- XV-89, which comes equipped with heavier armor.
XV-88 Broadside
The most heavily armed Tau warriors on the battlefield, pilots of the XV88 Broadside battlesuit have access to a twin-linked railgun system mounted on the suit's back, and a smart missile system or twin-linked plasma rifles on the arms.
- A variant of the Broadside, the XV-88-2, has a different weapons mounting, moving the railguns further downward to lower the suit's center of gravity, and mounting the secondary weapons on the suit's upper back, over the shoulders. It also has a different styling of its armor.
Devilfish
The Devilfish is the standard APC of the Tau Fire Caste. Capable of carrying 12 Warriors or Pathfinders, the anti-grav Devilfish is equipped with a burst cannon and two gun drones. The drones may be replaced by a single Smart Missile System to provide heavier fire support.
Hammerhead
Based on the hull design of the Devilfish, the Hammerhead Gunship is the main battle tank of the Tau Empire. The troop carrying ability of the Devilfish is removed, as the space is needed for the complex generators and capacitors required to power the Hammerhead's turret weapon. Early models of the Hammerhead were armed with twin-linked weapons similar to those used by Crisis Suits, but scaled up in size, range, and power. Advances in weapons technology replaced these weapons with a single railgun or ion cannon. In addition, Hammerheads are equipped with either a pair of burst cannons, gun drones, or a smart missile system.
Rumors abound of an upgraded version of the Hammerhead, called the Swordfish, which mounts a twin-linked railgun, two missile pods, and a single burst cannon.
Piranha
The Piranha Light Skimmer is a small, fast, lightly armored, two-person anti-grav vehicle used in a number of roles including scouting, support, rapid response, and VIP transport. They are deployed in squads of up to five craft and are armed with a pair of gun drones and a burst cannon or a fusion blaster. Upgrades to the Pirhana give it better protection for the cockpit, and replace the central weapon and drones with a variety of weapons, incuding rail rifles.
Sky Ray
A variant of the Hammerhead Gunship, the Sky Ray Missile Defence Gunship is armed with a turret mounted array of six seeker missiles that can be launched by the vehicle's crew or by Fire Warrior teams equipped with markerlights. It is also armed with either a pair of gun drones, burst cannons, or a smart missile system.
A rumored variant of the Skyray, known as the Stingray, carries more and heavier missiles, and seems to be primarily deployed only in large-scale battles.
Tetra
The Tetra is a light skimmer rarely used by Pathfinders as an alternative to the Devilfish. Like the Piranha, it's a two-tau antigrav vehicle, but with lighter armor, and armed with a pair of mounted pulse rifles and a Markerlight.
Aircraft
Barracuda Superiority Fighter
The most numerous fighter in the Tau Navy, often used to support the Fire Caste in battle. The Barracuda is typically armed with an Ion cannon mounted off-center on the nose, and a pair of missile pods. Mounted on each wing is a burst cannon independently controlled by an AI similar to those used in Gun Drones. It may also carry seeker missiles for use by ground troops.
Manta Missile Destroyer
The Manta Missile Destroyer is a versatile ship capable of operating in space, in the air, or on land like a massive hovertank. It is often used in space to support the Tau Fleet as a bomber, or as a landing craft to transport an entire huntre Cadre, complete with vehicles, onto the ground, and if need be, support them in battle. Armed with massive Railcannons, a battery of Ion Cannons, missiles, and burst cannons for defense, a Manta is a formidable opponent to any force on the ground.
Tau Mantas were deployed towards the end of the Damocles Gulf Crusade to counter Imperial Titans on Dayl'th, and managed to stalemate the giant war machines, halting their advance.
A smaller version of the Manta, called the Moray, is used solely in a support function, and cannot carry troops.
Normally, a vehicle the size of a Manta would only be usable in large-scale games like Epic 40,000, but Forge World is designing a model of the Manta scaled for use in Warhammer 40,000, the largest single model ever designed by the company.
Orca Dropship
The Orca dropship is a large craft used to transport a small hunter cadre(or part of a larger one) into a combat zone. It's lightly armed for it's size, carrying a twin-linked burst cannon and a missile pod coupled together on an underside-mounted retractable turret, for clearing enemy infantry and light vehicles from the drop zone.
A vehicle known as the Scorpionfish has also been seen in mass troop engagements. Based on the Orca's chassis, the Scorpionfish sacrifices its troop carrying capacity, as well as most of its flight capabilities, to carry a massive amount of missiles.
The Orca was introduced in Warhammer 40,000: Fire Warrior, with a resin model being produced later for the Warhammer 40,000 and Epic tabletop games by Forge World.
Tiger Shark Strike Craft
Essentially a heavier version of the Barracuda, the Tiger Shark is literally armed with nearly twice the armament of the smaller fighter. In addition, it carries an underside rack containing a large amount of gun drones, which it can drop on enemy positions in its wake.
A variant of the Tigershark, the AX-10, replaces the Ion Cannons and drone storage racks with a pair of light Railcannons. This variant is primarily used by the Tau to assist in attacking large enemy war machines.
References
- Hoare, Andy (2006). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tau Empire. Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1841547123.
- Haines, Pete (September 2003). "Chapter Approved - Tau Rail Rifles". White Dwarf: Australian Edition (285). ISSN 0265-8712. Retrieved on 2006-04-22.