Tetra

The Tetra is a light anti-gravitic scout speeder used by the Tau Empire, and excels in its roles of reconnaissance and long range infiltration. Crewed by two Tau Pathfinders, it is lightly armed and not designed for direct engagements. As a support unit however, it is extremely effective, using its High Intensity Marker Light to guide Tau firepower.

Construction

The Tetra is a small and lightweight vehicle, as befits its role. It utilises the same anti-gravity jet propulsion systems as other Tau vehicles, and has its engines integrated into the main body of the vehicle. Its chassis is also composed of the same as-yet-unknown nano-crystalline alloy that is used in other Tau vehicles, although the armour on this speeder is not as thick. Two Pathfinders crew a Tetra in tandem, with the forwards Pathfinder piloting the vehicle while his companion who sits in the seat behind operates the speeder's Marker Light.

Combat Role

First encountered by the Imperium during the Taros Campaign, the Tetra is designed for long range infiltration and reconnaissance, often operating with little or no support and relying on speed and stealth for protection. Pathfinders most often use Tetras as a light and fast transport, which allows them to get into position far ahead of a Hunter Cadre before dismounting and continuing to their targets on foot so as to remain undetected. Missions range from simple surveillance to ambush, spotting for artillery, and sabotage and can last for weeks in enemy territory. Once the mission is completed, the Pathfinders will return to their Tetras and race back to the main Tau force. However, the Tetras themselves can also be used to locate and identify enemy forces. To aid them in this forward role, each Tetra is equipped with powerful surveillance and tracking equipment, as well as secure long-range communications to transmit data back to the main forces. During an armed battle with the main forces, a Tetra would acquire targets and spot for other Tau gunships such as the Hammerhead and Fire Warrior infantry. Tetras will often operate in pairs to form four-warrior Pathfinder Teams on the ground, and during the Taros Campaign, these teams would conduct surveillance, ambush and sabotage behind enemy lines. They are often found in squadrons of up to four.

Armament

A Tetra can be equipped with any of the following equipment:

Under-slung Twin-linked Pulse Rifles for basic self-defence. (Standard)
High Intensity Marker Light, which emits a far more powerful beam than normal Marker Lights. Drone-controlled gyros keep it steady as a Tetra moves, giving greater accuracy and also allowing multiple strikes to be performed on the one target. (Standard)
Marker Beacon, which consists of the advanced optical processors and long range communicators built into the Tetra. This feeds data back to the main force, and can also allow for the more accurate deployment of other Tau Empire units. (Standard)
Disruption Pods which display distorting holographic images in the visual and magnetic spectra to make the vehicle harder to target. (Standard)
Blacksun Filter which greatly extends the distance that can be seen in darkness.
Decoy Launchers which are mounted near the engines and are capable of firing clouds of reflective strips that protect the speeder's thruster arrays from missile locks.
Computer-aided Targeting Array which assists the gunners' aim in firing upon enemy targets.
Multi Tracker which are advanced stabilisers that allow the vehicle to fire accurately while moving.
Sensor Spines which feed data to an advanced ground-following flight control system. This allows the vehicle to avoid hazardous terrain.
Target Lock which automatically identifies potential targets and plots fire plans accordingly. This grants the gunners more choice in which targets to engage with equal accuracy.

Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Technical Specifications

Serial Number	85673-908325	Main Armament	Twin-linked Pulse Rifles
Designation	Scout Speeder
Vehicle Codename	Tetra	Secondary Armament	None
Vehicle Type	Light Grav-Vehicle
Crew	2 (Pilot, Co-Pilot)	Traverse	0°
Weight	1.8 tonnes	Elevation	0°
Length	4.8 metres	Ammunition	1000 rounds
Width	2.75 metres	Armour Type	Nano-Crystalline Alloy; Composition Unknown to Adeptus Mechanicus
Height	1.75 metres
Max Recorded Speed	350 kilometres per hour

Gallery

Sources

Imperial Armour Volume Three -- The Taros Campaign, p. 178