Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

 thenoobbomb wrote:

 Kroothawk wrote:

 Marcch wrote:
The Greater Good is a big part of their theology as it is the basis of their belief system. Tau are expected to put aside their personal aspirations in order to advance "The Greater Good " of the Tau empire and the welfare of their fellow citizens within it.

Does that make communism one of the big world religions?
(Hint: ideology and religion are two different things)

Communism despises religion.
Lenin:'Religion is like opium to the people'

That was non Lenin, It was Karl Marx.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
This is probably a bit late to interject this point, but T'au isn't a 'desert world'. The Fire Caste first came from a more arid part of T'au, and they're the caste we see the most of, but the climate is pretty varied; the Earth Caste come from more fertile regions, the Air Caste come from mountains, and the Water Caste come from islands/coastlines somewhere, which suggests the whole thing isn't a desert.

True and given that the Water Caste are the writers, poets and linguists, they probably had an influence in naming practices.

Though personally I think it's just an Imperium naming practice as the skimmers do look kind of fish like and the name Hammerhead works for that tank on multiple levels.

 Squidmanlolz wrote:


The names are derived from latin, the same way all of high and low gothic are...
Trygon means stingray
Carnifex means butcher

Dang! I was hoping Tyranids followed the Pokemon naming idea. A big Carnifex running around just yelling "Carnifex! Carni-Carnifex!" followed by a squad of termagants all saying "Termagant" to each other.

 shamroll wrote:

Dang! I was hoping Tyranids followed the Pokemon naming idea. A big Carnifex running around just yelling "Carnifex! Carni-Carnifex!" followed by a squad of termagants all saying "Termagant" to each other.

Well... there goes my ability to take Tyranids seriously anymore

 robofish7591 wrote:

 shamroll wrote:

Dang! I was hoping Tyranids followed the Pokemon naming idea. A big Carnifex running around just yelling "Carnifex! Carni-Carnifex!" followed by a squad of termagants all saying "Termagant" to each other.

Well... there goes my ability to take Tyranids seriously anymore

Gene. Gene. Gene. ... ... ... ... GENESTEALER!!!

Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Rip. Ripper! Ripper!

I always thought Scyther looked like a tyranid. But that was in the days when they didn't all have bony plates on their heads.

Ok to keep this on track. I assume its because of just nicknames the guardsmen came up with after awhile.
Like a pirahna, with all ap5 weapons, in mass will eat you apart in seconds.
Or Crisis Suit because if you see one, a crisis is about to happen in your pants.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:

 thenoobbomb wrote:

 Kroothawk wrote:

 Marcch wrote:
The Greater Good is a big part of their theology as it is the basis of their belief system. Tau are expected to put aside their personal aspirations in order to advance "The Greater Good " of the Tau empire and the welfare of their fellow citizens within it.

Does that make communism one of the big world religions?
(Hint: ideology and religion are two different things)

Communism despises religion.
Lenin:'Religion is like opium to the people'

That was non Lenin, It was Karl Marx.

It was Marx, and it came from german, seeing as he was a German Economist. It translated to "Religion is the opiate of the masses". Volkes was masses originally, not people. Also, the real quote is "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.". The quote you used was the shorthand. While still correct, it's just one of my pet peeves when people misquote things.

Edit: keeping this slighly relevant to the OP's question, I suppose that Guardsmen came up with them. Soldiers and their monikers I guess.