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How big would a tau invasion force be needed to take over an imperial world?

and if the tau were to invade current 21st century earth what would be our chances of repelling them since they have limited numbers?

No clue on the first question.

As to the second, our chances would be zero. A non-space faring civilization cannot withstand the military might of a space faring civilization - kinetic strikes pretty much make this an unavoidable truth. When the other guy can just throw rocks at you until your military infrastructure is dead, there isn't much to say.

There are a lot of different worlds in this galaxy, so maybe an example?
Its not impossible to invade an imperial world, but its unlikely to survive the retaliation of the IoM when they find out.

21st century would be bad for T'au:

- we know of their etherals thus its possible to have them leave 're-educated'......
- earthlings would anyways start a rebellion sooner or later...

Contact with us would ruin their society.

It entirely depends on the conditions of the Imperial world.

The worlds the Tau have absorbed are by definition frontier, they have limited contact with the main Imperium, and are easily swayed by profitable trade, and so on, and remote from military influence by the sector governor.

It would be the same for the present day Earth. The Tau would arrive, ask permission to send down emissaries and trading missions, then offer technology like zero Carbon engines and stuff, in return for things they needed like rare earth metals, packaged foods, artworks, and so on.

A golden age of prosperity would follow, stimulated by efficient engines, manufacturing and the opportunities of limited off-world trade. After a few decades when the Tau asked if we want to join their Federation and explore the Galaxy, we would jump on the chance with both feet.

The only difference between us now and the Imperial world, is that the Tau would be asking the Imperial world to give up its allegiance to the Imperium.

First question depends on the size of the planet. Tau expand in waves so chances are when they decide to expand they make sure they are capable of it and use whatever force is required to get it done.

Earth wouldn't stand a chance if the Tau wanted to attack us. Railguns kill imperial tanks, they would destroy almost anything we have. Pulse rifles would punch through any kind of armour we give our soldiers and we would have real problems catching them if we wanted to attack back.

But as Kilkrazy said it wouldn't ever get to that. Tau have so much to offer us, we would have no reason to refuse. All our energy, fuel, food and health problems could be resolved and all we would have to do is provide good or contribute services.

The Hammer wrote:How big would a tau invasion force be needed to take over an imperial world?
and if the tau were to invade current 21st century earth what would be our chances of repelling them since they have limited numbers?

I guess you mixed up Tau with Orks, Necrons or Tyranids. Otherwise your question makes no sense for people knowing the Tau background.

I know so far the tau have been conquering frontiers world...ok what about a forge world or a hive world like Armageddon? I was just wondering about the number of troops they will send to conquer such a world from the imperium...would they send their precious crisis suits, fire warriors? or just spam their auxilaries then send their own elite to mop up?

To me the tau is summarized as such "If your not with me then your against me"

Its important to remember that the only reason the Tau "Empire" still plauges the Universe is the the Imperium has better enemies to deal with right now. While the Tau would be able to invade many Imperial Worlds fairly successfully, they would not however be able to hold those worlds once the imperium decided to take them back.

While it can be argued that the Tau are more technalogically advanced then the Imperium the difference in technology isnt great enough to make up for their lack of numbers. Compared to the Imperium and the other enemies of Mankind the Tau Empire is tiny.

In a small engagment the Tau can hold their own, however once that small engagment escallates they loose the advantage. As of now the Tau have been unable to build large Space Ships that can go toe to toe with Imperial Navy vessels, and they do not have the numbers to field enough smaller vessels to swarm the Imperial Navy. They also have not been able to build anything that can rival the might of a Titan.....

the T'au are so freeakin lucky that Abbadon keeps buzzing Cadia.

otherwise the IoM would have come and slaughtered the T'au like the cattle they are a long time ago.


it probably wouldn't have taken more then 60-70 years to do it either.

I wonder how Tau would taste... It might be that they are the futures cow...

Grey Templar wrote:the T'au are so freeakin lucky that Abbadon keeps buzzing Cadia.

otherwise the IoM would have come and slaughtered the T'au like the cattle they are a long time ago.


it probably wouldn't have taken more then 60-70 years to do it either.

Yea, we'll get the Black Templar to go whoop their as...wait, crap

As has been said many times already. It depends on the world. Thinly populated agri world? Shouldn't take more than a few attack cadres. Armageddon? The Tau would extinguish their race trying to pour enough bodies into the fight to claim the world.

As I recall, in the BRB there is a bit of fluff where the Tau a minor Ad Mech research station defended by about 5 IG Regiments. The invasion was hard fought, and victory was not always assured. Additionally, when the IoM launched the Damocles Crusade, they were doing very well and had pushed deep into the Empire. The only problem was then the Tyranids came, and the Crusade got...redirected. If the Ultima Segmentum had a century or so of time when they weren't all about to get eaten by Tyranids, then the Tau would go...poof!

Not to mention, Tau FTL is damn slow. They've been lucky in that their little empire is very closely packed together, so it hasn't been a problem. But once they get into the vastness of most Imperial space? Oh boy are they gonna have a problem.

Sure, the Black Templar did great against all those minor colony and agri-worlds, but then they hit a major sept-world...and everything came to a grinding hault

Depending on which way they came in, the Imperium likely overran two Lesser Sept worlds before smashing into a major sept world. Even then, the Tau did not defeat the Imperium. They forced it into a war of attrition that they (eventually) would lose. If it wasn't for the 'Nids the Imperium would slowly grind its way through to T'au.

Except the IoM can't fight a war of attrition with the Tau given the fact that they need all the bodybags they can get just to hold Cadia and the 'Nids at bay. Would the Imperium steam-roll the Tau if they actually focused on it? Sure, but they can't, the same way the Europeans could have destroyed the fledgling United States but didnt, because they were too busy fighting each other

What happens when the Tau have to deal with the likes of Orks and Nids on a large scale. If it takes the might of the Imperium to hold worlds agains these bigger threats, what happens when the tou are forced to do the same.

The IoM can very easily fight a war of attrition against the Tau. It's not like the Tau require all of the Battlefleet Ultima to crush. As long as there's no major hive fleet crashing into the Eastern Fringe, the Imperium can slowly grind the Tau down.

Remember, for every Guardsman the Tau kill, the Imperium can call up a hundred more. The Tau lack the population to do that. Don't forget that some Imperial hives have greater populations than entire sept worlds. The Imperium wouldn't steamroll the Tau...but they'd slowly grind them to a pulp.

Plot armor, they've already held off two hive fleets, and they've been fighting orks forever; unless GW wants to scrap the line entirely, the tau will pull victory out of their asses

Is there any fluff of the Tau going up against Titans?

ChrisWWII wrote:The IoM can very easily fight a war of attrition against the Tau. It's not like the Tau require all of the Battlefleet Ultima to crush. As long as there's no major hive fleet crashing into the Eastern Fringe, the Imperium can slowly grind the Tau down.

Remember, for every Guardsman the Tau kill, the Imperium can call up a hundred more. The Tau lack the population to do that. Don't forget that some Imperial hives have greater populations than entire sept worlds. The Imperium wouldn't steamroll the Tau...but they'd slowly grind them to a pulp.

The Imperium couldn't even spare a single Black Templar crusade to finish conquering a full sept-world, let alone invading the entire tau empire; you also forget that the Imperium has more to deal with than just the Tyranids, including the other big ones...Chaos and Orks


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Catyrpelius wrote:Is there any fluff of the Tau going up against Titans?

Multiple times actually, they used modified heavy-fliers to destroy them during the Taros campaign

The Nids are a much greater threat now then the Tau are going to be in the near future. Its not an inability to fight the Tau, its a logical conclusion and prioritization to worry about the Nids first.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also where might this fluff on the Tau figthing Titans be found?

As far as I know, the Tau use the Manta, basically a small frigate to fight Titans. For a while, they dismissed Titans as being Imperial propaganda....until they were actually deployed against them.

Now, Retribution. Being unable to spare a crusade fleet (major chunk) of a vastly important Space Marine chapter? As Caty said...prioritization. The Black Templars are needed elsewhere, and probably wouldn't break the deadlock on their own. The Imperium wouldn't need to crush the whole Empire in one go. They could slowly grind on through decades, until the Tau have nearly exhausted themselves as a species.

Orks are usually handled by local PDF, or the if the Waaagh! is threatening enough, standard Imperial Guard response pattern. More importantly, defeating the Tau isn't going to require stripping the defenses of Imperial worlds as far away as Cadia. It would require a century or so of "relative' peace in the Ultima Segmentum, with new Guard regiments being funneled mostly into the Crusade. Which is where you're right. Ork and Chaos attacks are what draw the IG regiments needed to crush the Tau away from the crusade. So yes, you're right. The Tau won't be crushed as long as the Imperial Guard is needed elsewhere.

I wonder how the Tau would fare if some of their sept worlds were dormant Tomb Worlds...

As I recall, the last time the Tau dealt with Necrons it was after a Necron force destroyed a splinter of a hive fleet. The Tau proceeded to try and 'welcome' their saviors by throwing a massive celebration for the Necrons as they landed.

This ended exactly as you think it would.

The Hammer wrote:To me the tau is summarized as such "If your not with me then your against me"

Ah, that's why your question makes no sense for people knowing the Tau background.

Catyrpelius wrote:Is there any fluff of the Tau going up against Titans?

In "IA3: Taors Campaign", Tau forces easily kill 1 or 2 of three Warhound Titans with a special equipped Tiger Shark plane ( http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Tau/TAU-AIRCRAFT/TIGER-SHARK-AX-1-0.html ) . They have learned from an earier encounter with Titans.

ChrisWWII wrote:As far as I know, the Tau use the Manta, basically a small frigate to fight Titans. For a while, they dismissed Titans as being Imperial propaganda....until they were actually deployed against them.

Now, Retribution. Being unable to spare a crusade fleet (major chunk) of a vastly important Space Marine chapter? As Caty said...prioritization. The Black Templars are needed elsewhere, and probably wouldn't break the deadlock on their own. The Imperium wouldn't need to crush the whole Empire in one go. They could slowly grind on through decades, until the Tau have nearly exhausted themselves as a species.

Orks are usually handled by local PDF, or the if the Waaagh! is threatening enough, standard Imperial Guard response pattern. More importantly, defeating the Tau isn't going to require stripping the defenses of Imperial worlds as far away as Cadia. It would require a century or so of "relative' peace in the Ultima Segmentum, with new Guard regiments being funneled mostly into the Crusade. Which is where you're right. Ork and Chaos attacks are what draw the IG regiments needed to crush the Tau away from the crusade. So yes, you're right. The Tau won't be crushed as long as the Imperial Guard is needed elsewhere.

indeed, the T'au were quite scared of Titans once they found out that they were real. they attempted to develop a Titan sized battle suit to combat them, but the project wasn't completed before the Democles Gulf crusade was called off. the one prototype was destroyed in battle with orks.


the T'au learned that their Crisus suits and Broadsides were more then enough to match titans(although always with horrendous losses)

The answer to titans...railguns! :-)

Im not sure a railgun would have any effect on anything larger then a Warhound.

However you better hope you kill it because if you don't those PBGs and Turbolasers are coming for you

I'd like to see what the Tau would do if they had to face one of the few remaining Emperator Titans.