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It seems to be unreliably hinted that the Kroot are not really the "noble savage", but actually more advanced than the Tau think. But how much is the big question.
They have the industry to produce weapons and space-faring craft, they have been collecting DNA from across the entire galaxy, they have a well developed left brain hemisphere.
Mayby they are more dangerous than they are given credit for... Post your conspiracy theories here.

The Ethereals were created by the Kroot using their DNA manipulation to enhance some Tau savages they came across?

They also understand the warp, at least to a limited extent, and can travel through it as far as I know.

Kroot have interstellar ships. Their technology is clearly much more advanced than shown on the face of things.

It's difficult to believe this can have escaped the attention of the Tau, who have met the Kroot on several planets and in space.

As long as the Kroot remain unambitious and enjoy their life in a state of pseudo primitivism, surely they cannot be a serious danger.

Kilkrazy wrote:Kroot have interstellar ships.

This is because ...

anyway, that means that, if they're not so advanced as other races, they learn in an astonishing rate! understanding the warp makes them more "all-around people" than their "masters" the Tau, not to mention the knowledge of warp travel is a step forward, in the next millenia maybe they can outclass even Tau tech... if they maintain their learning rate

Kroot strike me as having a "need to know" meantality; they only advanced their technology and knowledge to fulfill a goal. They built ships because they needed to, they understand the warp for their own safety,but are pretty comfortable with their own combat abilities, so don't invent alot of war technology.

I have noticed the line that says they are gathering DNA.


Kroot coup anyone?


Kroot declare war on the T'au empire. millions of Bloodthirsty savages descend on the Sept worlds.

all T'au, with the exception of the Farsight enclaves, are eaten and the Kroot gain the ability to wield T'au tech to the fullest.


Codex: T'au Empire is split into Codex: Kroot and Codex: T'au colonies.

I don't think that racial dominance is much of an issue for the Tau. That's a much more "human" trait. Instead, the focus seems to be on caste dominance -- specifically, that of the Ethereals. Whether Kroot can accept this is the key to guaging whether they are ultimately dangerous to the Tau. As Kilkrazy notes, they do not seem overly ambitious, at least in contrast to the hyperdynamic expansion of the Tau race. I think the word "unambitious" as a descriptor for the Kroot race, however, is misleading (being Tau-centric). "Mercenary" is probably better. The Kroot discovered in the Tau a race with which they could work. No other species in 40k is really open to managing a multi-racial empire.

In older fluff the Kroot had an empire in their own right, though this doesn't really represent their technological level. They also used to live in cities rather than being forest dwelling nomads, but the Shapers dicated that they had lost their way and thus they went back to the old way of life, leaving their cities to decay and be taken over be the jungles once more. =/

Kroot shapers, more than meets the eye!

Grey Templar wrote:I have noticed the line that says they are gathering DNA.


Kroot coup anyone?


Kroot declare war on the T'au empire. millions of Bloodthirsty savages descend on the Sept worlds.

all T'au, with the exception of the Farsight enclaves, are eaten and the Kroot gain the ability to wield T'au tech to the fullest.


Codex: T'au Empire is split into Codex: Kroot and Codex: T'au colonies.

Tau technology unlike Ork technology is not genetically encoded.

A Kroot coup would fail unless the Kroot have the intelligence to learn to use new technology.

I always thought the Kroot were happy with their deal with the Tau. Fight for them and you get whatever choice of bodies you want, just make sure the civies don't see you.

Supposedly the Tau are trying to get the Kroot to stop eating enemies, although this is actually impossible, given their biology.

The Kroot have sneaked out groups to fight as mercenaries for other aliens in order to get access to a wider range of prey. This is against their treaty with the Tau.

I don't really know why people in 40K think eating enemy bodies is bad. It seems like a fairly GrimDark(tm) thing to do.

Space Marines (can) do it, after all.


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I bet it's just a Tau taboo and one as simple as the human taboo against cannibalism. The Tau have just extended it to other sapient races.

Manchu wrote:Space Marines (can) do it, after all.

Do what exactly ?

Act like the mutants chaos creates in its despicable attempt to use the warp to breed reinforcements?

Manchu wrote:
I bet it's just a Tau taboo and one as simple as the human taboo against cannibalism. The Tau have just extended it to other sapient races.

Want to lose that bet?

T'au put a blind eye to it, thus accept it.
( if it isn't expanded on T'au themselves... )
Humans generally deem eating a balanced meal superior to consume things that were living beeings before you have killed them in a most violent way.
Lots of flamers used, but never heard of roasted xenos for dinner....
Orks may keep grotz as a snack, but fungi shouldn't be a example of taste.
Eldar...what do they eat at all? Diet to stay thin?
Necrons, solved that issue. Just a new battery a some oil...

Nids. The real all consuming species. But you expect it from them.

Kilkrazy wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:I have noticed the line that says they are gathering DNA.


Kroot coup anyone?


Kroot declare war on the T'au empire. millions of Bloodthirsty savages descend on the Sept worlds.

all T'au, with the exception of the Farsight enclaves, are eaten and the Kroot gain the ability to wield T'au tech to the fullest.


Codex: T'au Empire is split into Codex: Kroot and Codex: T'au colonies.

Tau technology unlike Ork technology is not genetically encoded.

A Kroot coup would fail unless the Kroot have the intelligence to learn to use new technology.

the Kroot are capable of using T'au tech(Shapers can be given Pulse Rifles)


it's likely more of a traditional thing for Kroot to use their ancesteral weapons.

FWIW: the Kroot took T'au weapons tech and improved their traditional weapons to have a deadlier projectile, but kept the basic design.

if they did take over the T'au empire, they would likely use whatever Tech they needed to run it. their Space Ships are superior in the method of transportation as Kroot have Psykers capable of piloting their Warp spheres.

Dear god, what if the kroot got into the geneseed banks?

corpsesarefun wrote:Dear god, what if the kroot got into the geneseed banks?

Super kroot...
If those super kroot then ate some Eldar...
Super psychic kroot...

now, imagine what happens if a Kroot ate a Squiggoth.

1hadhq wrote:

Manchu wrote:Space Marines (can) do it, after all.

Do what exactly ?

Act like the mutants chaos creates in its despicable attempt to use the warp to breed reinforcements?

Manchu wrote:
I bet it's just a Tau taboo and one as simple as the human taboo against cannibalism. The Tau have just extended it to other sapient races.

Want to lose that bet?

T'au put a blind eye to it, thus accept it.
( if it isn't expanded on T'au themselves... )
Humans generally deem eating a balanced meal superior to consume things that were living beeings before you have killed them in a most violent way.
Lots of flamers used, but never heard of roasted xenos for dinner....
Orks may keep grotz as a snack, but fungi shouldn't be a example of taste.
Eldar...what do they eat at all? Diet to stay thin?
Necrons, solved that issue. Just a new battery a some oil...
Nids. The real all consuming species. But you expect it from them.

Lots of fluff show that space marines eat enemies/predators as initiation/trial rites

Cannibalism is a taboo for a reason as eating humans leads to an increased chance on mental disorders, but i think that most humans are fine consuming living beings, what with the massive industry in livestock farming.

On the whole kroot are only cannibals in private, when on the battle field they eat aliens they have killed, this is called eating not cannibalism.

BluntmanDC wrote:

1hadhq wrote:

Manchu wrote:Space Marines (can) do it, after all.

Do what exactly ?

Act like the mutants chaos creates in its despicable attempt to use the warp to breed reinforcements?

Manchu wrote:
I bet it's just a Tau taboo and one as simple as the human taboo against cannibalism. The Tau have just extended it to other sapient races.

Want to lose that bet?

T'au put a blind eye to it, thus accept it.
( if it isn't expanded on T'au themselves... )
Humans generally deem eating a balanced meal superior to consume things that were living beeings before you have killed them in a most violent way.
Lots of flamers used, but never heard of roasted xenos for dinner....
Orks may keep grotz as a snack, but fungi shouldn't be a example of taste.
Eldar...what do they eat at all? Diet to stay thin?
Necrons, solved that issue. Just a new battery a some oil...
Nids. The real all consuming species. But you expect it from them.

Lots of fluff show that space marines eat enemies/predators as initiation/trial rites

Enemies?
No, nothing I've read has had that. If the Astartes don't stoop themselves to operate enemy equipment--why the hell would they soil themselves with their flesh?

Predators? Haven't seen anything on it, but so what? We eat predators now. There is no taboo there.
Likely Manchu was making a hamfisted Kroot comparison to the fact that some Chapters of the Astartes retain a genetic ability that they can eat brain tissue and 'learn' how to operate the equipment associated with it.

Supposedly the Scythes of the Emperor retained that ability and are why Lictors have it, actually.

Cannibalism is a taboo for a reason as eating humans leads to an increased chance on mental disorders, but i think that most humans are fine consuming living beings, what with the massive industry in livestock farming.

On the whole kroot are only cannibals in private, when on the battle field they eat aliens they have killed, this is called eating not cannibalism.

With Kroot, it's not even really "cannibalism". It's reclaiming what was lost. They have to preserve their genetic variants or they'll lose them.

Grey Templar wrote:FWIW: the Kroot took T'au weapons tech and improved their traditional weapons to have a deadlier projectile, but kept the basic design.

You've got that backwards. The T'au improved the Kroot's traditional weapons.
Their reasoning was that the Kroot Rifle is far more deadly and effective in the role that the Kroot are used for, than the pulse rifle in Kroot hands for that same role.

1hadhq wrote:Do what exactly ?

Access information about a corpse by eating it.

1hadhq wrote:

Manchu wrote:I bet it's just a Tau taboo and one as simple as the human taboo against cannibalism. The Tau have just extended it to other sapient races.

Want to lose that bet?

You lost me.

Kanluwen wrote:No, nothing I've read has had that. If the Astartes don't stoop themselves to operate enemy equipment--why the hell would they soil themselves with their flesh

In "Courage and Honour" Ultramarines, when pressed, kill some Tau and eat their brains so they can quickly learn how to pilot some of their skimmers ( Piranhas or Tetras, I forget which).

Telion also uses the ability to help determine the location of an enemy base in the "Assault on Black Reach" novella as well.

Ian Watson's Imperial Fist book features them feasting and consuming all manner of odd creatures, fluff in those days even had the Astartes at some of those feasts deliberately feasting upon the otherwise inedible -- such as.."waste matter".. if you follow me -- as part of their devotions.

Kanluwen wrote:Likely Manchu was making a hamfisted Kroot comparison to the fact that some Chapters of the Astartes retain a genetic ability that they can eat brain tissue and 'learn' how to operate the equipment associated with it.

Hey, I didn't write it. Take it up with GW and it's affiliates.

reds8n wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:No, nothing I've read has had that. If the Astartes don't stoop themselves to operate enemy equipment--why the hell would they soil themselves with their flesh

In "Courage and Honour" Ultramarines, when pressed, kill some Tau and eat their brains so they can quickly learn how to pilot some of their skimmers ( Piranhas or Tetras, I forget which).

Telion also uses the ability to help determine the location of an enemy base in the "Assault on Black Reach" novella as well.

Ian Watson's Imperial Fist book features them feasting and consuming all manner of odd creatures, fluff in those days even had the Astartes at some of those feasts deliberately feasting upon the otherwise inedible -- such as.."waste matter".. if you follow me -- as part of their devotions.

"Imperial Fist" is old. So I discount that, just like I do "Space Marine".

The brain part I made mention to though.


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Manchu wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:Likely Manchu was making a hamfisted Kroot comparison to the fact that some Chapters of the Astartes retain a genetic ability that they can eat brain tissue and 'learn' how to operate the equipment associated with it.

Hey, I didn't write it. Take it up with GW and it's affiliates.

I called it "hamfisted" because it's nowhere near the same reason Kroot consume the dead.

Kroot have to consume genetic material from outside sources or they'll stagnate and be stuck in one form. It's where Krootoxs/Kroothounds came from after all.

Well, it's a bit more than just that one, isolated example. We're talking about the omophagea, one of the implants that makes you a Space Marine. I don't think it's really a matter of "a few Chapters retaining" it


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Kanluwen wrote:I called it "hamfisted" because it's nowhere near the same reason Kroot consume the dead.

I only mentioned it in relation to KK's point. Obviously, it's grimdark if a Space Marines does it.

Manchu wrote:Well, it's a bit more than just that one, isolated example. We're talking about the omophagea, one of the implants that makes you a Space Marine. I don't think it's really a matter of "a few Chapters retaining" it

Yeah, but at the same time every Chapter has those implants--but some of them don't have them functioning.
Black Templars, for example, have the sus-an membrane but it's nonfunctional.

Kanluwen wrote:I called it "hamfisted" because it's nowhere near the same reason Kroot consume the dead.

I only mentioned it in relation to KK's point. Obviously, it's grimdark if a Space Marines does it.

Of course. If it's Space Marine tested, it's grimdark approved!

There needs to be an image macro of that, Kan.

Kanluwen wrote:

reds8n wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:No, nothing I've read has had that. If the Astartes don't stoop themselves to operate enemy equipment--why the hell would they soil themselves with their flesh

In "Courage and Honour" Ultramarines, when pressed, kill some Tau and eat their brains so they can quickly learn how to pilot some of their skimmers ( Piranhas or Tetras, I forget which).

Telion also uses the ability to help determine the location of an enemy base in the "Assault on Black Reach" novella as well.

Ian Watson's Imperial Fist book features them feasting and consuming all manner of odd creatures, fluff in those days even had the Astartes at some of those feasts deliberately feasting upon the otherwise inedible -- such as.."waste matter".. if you follow me -- as part of their devotions.

"Imperial Fist" is old. So I discount that, just like I do "Space Marine".

It doesn't matter what you think, the fluff hasn't been altered or changed so it is still cannon, you can't pick and choose.

Kanluwen wrote:Lots of fluff show that space marines eat enemies/predators as initiation/trial rites
Enemies?
No, nothing I've read has had that. If the Astartes don't stoop themselves to operate enemy equipment--why the hell would they soil themselves with their flesh?

Predators? Haven't seen anything on it, but so what? We eat predators now. There is no taboo there.
Likely Manchu was making a hamfisted Kroot comparison to the fact that some Chapters of the Astartes retain a genetic ability that they can eat brain tissue and 'learn' how to operate the equipment associated with it.

A. faining ignorance of something, then a few posts down you know exactly what you are talking about, i see
B. eating predatory animals is a taboo in many cultures, look how we perseve east asian cultures for eating dogs or tigers.

Kanluwen wrote:With Kroot, it's not even really "cannibalism".

cannablism = eating your own species, so yes kroot are cannibals, but the cannibilism only takes place under the strict guidance of the shapers.