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Is there a Space Marine Chapter working under the Tau Empire? If so, does it specify who?

If not, then why are Tau Battle Bros with Space Marines? I'm fairly sure after the events of the Sphere Expansions the Empire wouldn't be willing to work with the Tau..

They've worked together previously, the allies matrix is not really fluff based at all.

 Will1541 wrote:
Is there a Space Marine Chapter working under the Tau Empire? If so, does it specify who?

No, of course not. Space Marines are loyal to the Imperium (or Chaos).

If not, then why are Tau Battle Bros with Space Marines? I'm fairly sure after the events of the Sphere Expansions the Empire wouldn't be willing to work with the Tau..

It was never explained.
Some rumour was that Tau's resistance to Chaos corruption proved vital for the survival of the Imperium and therefore terra ordered some Space Marines to protect them. But this was never more than a rumour.

 Will1541 wrote:
If not, then why are Tau Battle Bros with Space Marines? I'm fairly sure after the events of the Sphere Expansions the Empire wouldn't be willing to work with the Tau..

Because GW are dumbing the game down to the point of 'good guys' vs 'bad guys'?

Space marines and Tau are both 'good' and therefore work together, despite all the shades of grey that used to be so prominent in the fluff.

 jonolikespie wrote:

 Will1541 wrote:
If not, then why are Tau Battle Bros with Space Marines? I'm fairly sure after the events of the Sphere Expansions the Empire wouldn't be willing to work with the Tau..

Because GW are dumbing the game down to the point of 'good guys' vs 'bad guys'?

Space marines and Tau are both 'good' and therefore work together, despite all the shades of grey that used to be so prominent in the fluff.

Nonsense. In the old fluff the Space Marines are noted as highly respecting the Tau, their way of life, their philosophies on war, and their honor. They might be xenos, but marines know they are trust worthy, and when necessary, marines do whatever is needed to win.

The first Tau codex makes it sound like both sides see each other as respected and honored enemies. With such, it makes far more sense that Tau and Marines would get on than say Eldar and Marines. The Tau don't just fubar over their allies, even temporary ones, for no real reason.

No, Marines and Tau just have a strong respect for each other as warriors, but at the end of the day they still kill each other, they just don't mind working together.
Farsight enclave codex has a solid bit about how Farsight spared a apothecary during the Domiciles Crusade, in respect of the 'Human Warrior Cast's' traditions.

 Kroothawk wrote:

It was never explained.
Some rumour was that Tau's resistance to Chaos corruption proved vital for the survival of the Imperium and therefore terra ordered some Space Marines to protect them. But this was never more than a rumour.

Actually, I've seen several posters in another thread several months ago that, when GW employees were asked the question at a conference, they responded "Tau worked with marines before." That counts as an explanation.

Which is true, albeit incredibly rare to see in fluff these days.

I imagine its a 'forging the Narrative' sort of thing. You could have a Chapter (or parts of a chapter) turn renegade against the Imperium and ally with Xenos (The same way you could have Guard turn traitor), so you could have a Chapter turn to the Greater Good... if the narrative reasons were worked out right.

My default position on these sorts of things is "It's a big universe", possibly if there was a good enough reason, maybe a SM unit of some description might "go Blue", but I would say you'd need a very convincing reason for it to happen, and even then you'd still have people saying it could never happen.

I've heard definitely heard of weirder theories than SM renegades becoming Tau mercenaries though.

In 30k, the entire loyalist imperium including even the primarchs (and some think the Emperor) refused to believe that the renegade legions could actually turn traitor... so if people refuse to believe a chapter could turn from the imperium, well, they just haven't learnt from their mistakes. And tbf, turning to a 'greater good' of the galaxy (read: Alpha Legion) is far more honourable and believable (although maybe not the way it was actually done with the Alpha Legion) than turning into crazed pleasure seeking slipknot fans who orgasm over butchery and create paintings of turd, just because their daddy had a sword who spoke to him...

Pretty sure the BB thing came up because the Tau and the ultramarines worked together to bring down the Hive Fleet that was attacking the Ultramar system.


They also both hate orcs alot.

Basically, the Imperium knows the tau are not an overreaching threat and so dont want to waste resources exterminating them. They will use them to defeat common enemies though.

 Dark Apostle 666 wrote:
I've definitely heard of weirder theories than SM renegades becoming Tau mercenaries though.

And the Tau are perfectly happy to make a deal with humans and keep their word to the letter. Those Chapters that have fought against (and with) them before know the warrior caste as professional and honorable warriors who usually fight for a clear reason and offer you a way out. They're without a doubt far more trustworthy than the capricious Eldar which the IoM allies with as often as fights.

It's because they had the Tau codex planned as a power-codex from the start of sixth edition, but wanted to keep Marines as the "favourite army".