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There is a lot of mystery around the tau and I have heard many rumours that seamed to indicate that they have a great importance in the grand scheme of things.

I've heard several rumours about the Tau and I'll share them with you here...

-The Ethereal's seem to be manipulating the Tau in a certain way and their arrival happening at the same time as lights in the sky indicate some alien race put them there.

-The Ethereal's crystals in their forehead which they use to control tau through pheromones is similar to that of an ancient arachnid species whose queen was kidnapped by Eldar.

-The Eldar created the warp storm that cut them off from the Imperium.

-Someone in the Imperium (may have been the Emperor) told the ultramarines to protect the Tau seeing as their home world is so close to Macragge.

-Tau bare similarities to Necrons and their connected somehow.

I quite like the idea that the Eldar created the Tau and the Emperor, believing it was their destiny to defeat chaos told the Ultramarines to protect them and together, unknowingly, have protected them as they've evolved.

What do you think? Is it their destiny to destroy chaos? Help the Necrons or Eldar back to full strength? something else?

I'd love to hear your thoughts

Taffy17 wrote:

There is a lot of mystery around the tau and I have heard many rumours that seamed to indicate that they have a great importance in the grand scheme of things.

I've heard several rumours about the Tau and I'll share them with you here...

-The Ethereal's seem to be manipulating the Tau in a certain way and their arrival happening at the same time as lights in the sky indicate some alien race put them there.

Not a rumor. Codex material.

-The Ethereal's crystals in their forehead which they use to control tau through pheromones is similar to that of an ancient arachnid species whose queen was kidnapped by Eldar.

Maybe, maybe not. Tau got 3 Options you can choose from. Yours is just one of them.

-The Eldar created the warp storm that cut them off from the Imperium.

Source?

How many Eldar created warp-storms have you seen in the fluff ?

-Someone in the Imperium (may have been the Emperor) told the ultramarines to protect the Tau seeing as their home world is so close to Macragge.

BS.

The Galaxy belongs to the Emperor. The Ultramarines won't lead crusades against Tau if their "job" was to protect them.

-Tau bare similarities to Necrons and their connected somehow.

Everyone with 4 limbs and a head shares something with Necrons....
But generally Necrons tend to cleanse the Tau off of their Worlds.

Taffy17 wrote:

I quite like the idea that the Eldar created the Tau and the Emperor, believing it was their destiny to defeat chaos told the Ultramarines to protect them and together, unknowingly, have protected them as they've evolved.

What do you think? Is it their destiny to destroy chaos? Help the Necrons or Eldar back to full strength? something else?

I'd love to hear your thoughts

The Destiny of the Tau is to annoy someone so hard, they get kicked out of this Galaxy.

Or, the Tau are the model of a small upstart race on its way through the 40k-verse and GW did a lot of plot-armoring to keep them alive.

Basically the destiny of every participant in Eternal War tm is to be stuck in endless struggle. No respite, no mercy. Just WAR.

The Tau's purpose in the galaxy is to serve as an example to other Xenos.

That example being: poke the Imperium and, eventually, it will turn around and End you.

The Tau serve the same purpose as the Orks, Eldar, and all other Xenos: to be ground under the mighty boot of the Imperium or crushed by the righteous hand of the Emperor!

#TauIlluminati

Taffy, ignore all the brain-washed ecclesiarchy drones. Humans are more prone to mind control than any other species in the galaxy, and are the simplest of creatures. Some perspective for you:

Tau are the shining example of what galactic civilization can and should look like. Their greater purpose is to set an example of inter-species harmony that the galaxy can unite behind. No other people or race in the galaxy has the morale high ground to say, "Emulate me, for this is righteous."

-Not the Eldar, who were created for the sole purpose of helping the Old Ones fight the Necrons - the self-same Eldar who have long forgotten the purpose of their existence, spawned Slaanesh, and tore a rift in space that will forever plague the galaxy...
-Not the Necrons, whose petty jealousies kept them from bettering themselves, and instead incarnated Star Gods into physical form to help them destroy what they couldn't have...

And certainly not humanity. The Emperor - whose soul is composed of all the ten thousand psykers of ancient terra, who simultaneously killed themselves to create a single soul capable of blasting through the empyrean predators drawn to the souls of psykers to be rebirthed into a single being - that self-same emperor with the wisdom of the entirety of humanity's witch doctors, shamans,and holy men, who KNEW what the universe was, didn't have the foresight to educate his sons about it. The Emperor, who ruthlessly crushed faith across the galaxy, that self-same faith that was always the strongest shield against Chaos...who in turn is now worshiped against his most horrific plans.

If the Emperor were to be reincarnated today, he would sweep Terra clean of the abomination that the Imperium has become. The celebrated Grey Knights wash in the blood of innocents. The vaunted Space Wolves are the REASON Horus' rebellion split the galaxy in half. The Blood Angels, infected with Chaos, and all secretly dreading their inevitable descent into madness. Every legion, tainted. Humanity, tainted. Horus and his rebellious legions were right about the False Emperor, but for the wrong reasons.

Humanity is stagnant, de-evolving. Their adepts can no longer build new things, for the knowledge has been lost. Even maintaining existing technology is failing. The Golden Throne is failing, and none know how to repair it. Shortly, it will flicker out, the Astronomicon will go dark, and humanity will re-enter the long dark.

---------------------------
Now come the Tau. A civilization capable of adaptation. A race capable of co-existing with both humanity (at least, the non-crazy part of humanity) and other races alike. Whence they came is less important than knowing that their shining civilization is an example that humanity at its brightest was a flickering shadow by comparison.

The Empyrean was once a placid pond. Its turbulence is a reflection of the instability and turmoil of primarily humans and Eldar. Chaos cannot be destroyed, save by returning the great ocean to calm - which would require purging the galaxy of humans and Eldar, sealing off the Eye of Terror, and letting the entities of chaos fade back into nothingness. That might be the greatest gift the Tau could offer the galaxy.

For now though, rest easy in the knowledge that the Tau serve as a beacon of morality, righteousness, and inter-species harmony.

For anyone interested the text of Xenology which relates to this argument, it says the following:

The ethereal dissection happens before the Q'Orl dissection. It says the following:

Detail: Unknown ‘diamond-organ’ in the forehead of the Tau ethereal. Ridged carapace contains ultradense chemo/hormonal fluids (overpowering scent). Rear ganglia connects to cerebral lobe. Polyp-structures vaguely reminiscent of ‘pheremone glands’ amongst Terran invertebrates (cf silk worm). (Spec: perhaps a pheremonal communications system? The sensitivity of the Tau olfactory senses would certainly support a process of airborne chemical ‘signifiers’. Perhaps the Ethereal asserts a measure of control over lesser castes? Results are inconclusive and the purpose of this organ remains unknown.

The Q'Orl dissection includes translated Q'Orl writings:

Quote Originally Posted by Xenology
"History of most-great enemy that is once friend"

First Stanza:
In age of [untranslatable]1 - queen, at hand of eight-disc red.2 Beset was the swarm by corrosion named [untranslatable]3, passed-in by Larvae of the Dead Man-Queen.4 Great Horrors and pains came then, and many dead shells scattered on Holy Swarmworld. Grief.

Second Stanza:
At height of [untranslatable] came friend-things, named [untranslatable].5 In aspect akin to Dead Male-Queen's swarm,6 but slender of limb and high, and unalike within. Assisted in defence of swarmworld and drove out [untranslatable] enemy. Corrosion passed away. Rejoice.

Third Stanza:
In time after friend-things [untranslatable] insist, in pay-exchange for aid. Request not [untranslatable] nor mineral nor royal-soup,7 but great [untranslatable]-queen herself. To build a swarm uncorroded. Resistant to [untranslatable]. Refusual.8 Kinship shattered.9

Fourth Stanza:
At loss of kinship friend-things enemy. Turned in villainy [untranslatable], and stealth-and-shadow-slip. Stolen away was great [untranslatable]-queen, and lost to the swarm. Horror and grief.10 Fortune alone endows royal comb-cell egg, and begets Great [untranslatable]-queen. Joy and prosperity in her. 11

1 – untranslatable signifier. Probably the runic ‘name’ of the swarm’s queen at the time this historical event occurred. If the matriarch’s typically live for hundreds/thousands of years, it’s reasonable to assume the Q’Orl use their names as identifiers of particular historical events.

2 – Eight Disc Red: may be a reference to the novae in the Bolland Rift (seg. Pacificus) – the ‘crown of thorns’? If so we can date this event to approx. four thousand years ago – the end of the 37th millennium.

3 – Some form of disease? Chaotic in origin?

4 – ‘Larvae of the Dead Male-Queen’ – literally: Children of the Dead Emperor. Which is to say Mankind. Q’Orl sickness transmitted originally by human settlers? Influence of Nurgle?

5 – The Q’Orl are assisted in their struggles against disease/Chaos by another race of aliens.

6 – Eldar? Why would they help?

7 – Ah… as soon as the was won the pointy-ears turned round and demanded payment…

8 – Very Strange. The Eldar want to take away the Q’Orl queen? Why? And what’s this ‘uncorroded swarm’? A race resistant to disease? Or resistant to Chaos itself?

9 – The Q’Orl are having none of it. They dissolve the alliance and hold onto their queen.

10 – Except the Eldar don’t give up so easily. Some sort of treacherous act? Did they spirit-away the queen?

11 – Luckily for the swarm there’s a queen-egg already laid, and so begins the reign of their next matriarch. But the history’s title suggests they’re not in any hurry to forgive.

What in the Emperor’s name did the Eldar want with a Q’Orl swarmqueen?
Quote Originally Posted by Xenology
I pulled a strange diamond shaped organ from the chemical stacks on the Q’Orl’s back. One on each side; all connected to its brain. I-is this where my blood would have ended, if I’d let the treasure live? Mixed into a pheromone paste, sprayed in the air like incense? What a thing to see!
[laughter becomes sobbing]
[…]

This organ, this bony little pheremone-thing. I’ve seen its kind before. This very week – pulled piecemeal from another of my slaughtered pets. There. Let that coincidence by my offering to the bastard-inquisitor. Let him make of it what he will.

After that the inquisitor begins muttering about how the adept is looking at a map and laughing about how far apart the Tau and Q'Orl are from one another and how it makes sense (there is a map depicting the galaxy with both empires on either side of the galaxy).


What we do know is that the tau never had bone crests on their heads. That there were only 4 groups of tau and they were all at war with one another.
Mysterious lights 'in the hills' heralded the arrival of the Ethereals who, despite not only being mutants (consider the tau were going to kill one another without the added fuel of mutant freakiness) appeared out of nowhere and belonged to none of the groups of tau that existed; managed to simultaneously talk multiple nations with a 'final solution' mentality into not just stopping the war but working together.

Imagine Blue scaly humans appearing out of nowhere to stop WWII AND merge all the nations into one single nation.

They have no authority, belong to no nation and aren't recognisably 'human'. Why haven't they been shot on sight already?

How the ethereals came to be aside, what they did was beyond normal oratory. It was beyond good speech writing. It's the sort of thing that if it happened in the Imperium cries of 'WITCH!' would be echoing through the 40k forums. Because seriously, what the ethereal's pulled is just not possible without some kind of added ability.

Also note certain other pieces of evidence that points towards Eldar (Or in my own personal Fanfiction, the Harlequins) having a hand in the progression of the Tau. In the Book ''Fire Warrior'' it elaborates on the ''Light's in the hills'' and adds that there was word of tall slim figures dancing through the mists in brightly colored garb. Eldrad has shown interest in the Tau, and they have had little conflict between the two races that i could find.

Not concrete, but you have to admit that it fills a lot of wholes in the Tau fluff.

 ALEXisAWESOME wrote:
For anyone interested the text of Xenology which relates to this argument, it says the following:

The ethereal dissection happens before the Q'Orl dissection. It says the following:

Detail: Unknown ‘diamond-organ’ in the forehead of the Tau ethereal. Ridged carapace contains ultradense chemo/hormonal fluids (overpowering scent). Rear ganglia connects to cerebral lobe. Polyp-structures vaguely reminiscent of ‘pheremone glands’ amongst Terran invertebrates (cf silk worm). (Spec: perhaps a pheremonal communications system? The sensitivity of the Tau olfactory senses would certainly support a process of airborne chemical ‘signifiers’. Perhaps the Ethereal asserts a measure of control over lesser castes? Results are inconclusive and the purpose of this organ remains unknown.

The Q'Orl dissection includes translated Q'Orl writings:

Quote Originally Posted by Xenology
"History of most-great enemy that is once friend"

First Stanza:
In age of [untranslatable]1 - queen, at hand of eight-disc red.2 Beset was the swarm by corrosion named [untranslatable]3, passed-in by Larvae of the Dead Man-Queen.4 Great Horrors and pains came then, and many dead shells scattered on Holy Swarmworld. Grief.

Second Stanza:
At height of [untranslatable] came friend-things, named [untranslatable].5 In aspect akin to Dead Male-Queen's swarm,6 but slender of limb and high, and unalike within. Assisted in defence of swarmworld and drove out [untranslatable] enemy. Corrosion passed away. Rejoice.

Third Stanza:
In time after friend-things [untranslatable] insist, in pay-exchange for aid. Request not [untranslatable] nor mineral nor royal-soup,7 but great [untranslatable]-queen herself. To build a swarm uncorroded. Resistant to [untranslatable]. Refusual.8 Kinship shattered.9

Fourth Stanza:
At loss of kinship friend-things enemy. Turned in villainy [untranslatable], and stealth-and-shadow-slip. Stolen away was great [untranslatable]-queen, and lost to the swarm. Horror and grief.10 Fortune alone endows royal comb-cell egg, and begets Great [untranslatable]-queen. Joy and prosperity in her. 11

1 – untranslatable signifier. Probably the runic ‘name’ of the swarm’s queen at the time this historical event occurred. If the matriarch’s typically live for hundreds/thousands of years, it’s reasonable to assume the Q’Orl use their names as identifiers of particular historical events.

2 – Eight Disc Red: may be a reference to the novae in the Bolland Rift (seg. Pacificus) – the ‘crown of thorns’? If so we can date this event to approx. four thousand years ago – the end of the 37th millennium.

3 – Some form of disease? Chaotic in origin?

4 – ‘Larvae of the Dead Male-Queen’ – literally: Children of the Dead Emperor. Which is to say Mankind. Q’Orl sickness transmitted originally by human settlers? Influence of Nurgle?

5 – The Q’Orl are assisted in their struggles against disease/Chaos by another race of aliens.

6 – Eldar? Why would they help?

7 – Ah… as soon as the was won the pointy-ears turned round and demanded payment…

8 – Very Strange. The Eldar want to take away the Q’Orl queen? Why? And what’s this ‘uncorroded swarm’? A race resistant to disease? Or resistant to Chaos itself?

9 – The Q’Orl are having none of it. They dissolve the alliance and hold onto their queen.

10 – Except the Eldar don’t give up so easily. Some sort of treacherous act? Did they spirit-away the queen?

11 – Luckily for the swarm there’s a queen-egg already laid, and so begins the reign of their next matriarch. But the history’s title suggests they’re not in any hurry to forgive.

What in the Emperor’s name did the Eldar want with a Q’Orl swarmqueen?
Quote Originally Posted by Xenology
I pulled a strange diamond shaped organ from the chemical stacks on the Q’Orl’s back. One on each side; all connected to its brain. I-is this where my blood would have ended, if I’d let the treasure live? Mixed into a pheromone paste, sprayed in the air like incense? What a thing to see!
[laughter becomes sobbing]
[…]

This organ, this bony little pheremone-thing. I’ve seen its kind before. This very week – pulled piecemeal from another of my slaughtered pets. There. Let that coincidence by my offering to the bastard-inquisitor. Let him make of it what he will.

After that the inquisitor begins muttering about how the adept is looking at a map and laughing about how far apart the Tau and Q'Orl are from one another and how it makes sense (there is a map depicting the galaxy with both empires on either side of the galaxy).


What we do know is that the tau never had bone crests on their heads. That there were only 4 groups of tau and they were all at war with one another.
Mysterious lights 'in the hills' heralded the arrival of the Ethereals who, despite not only being mutants (consider the tau were going to kill one another without the added fuel of mutant freakiness) appeared out of nowhere and belonged to none of the groups of tau that existed; managed to simultaneously talk multiple nations with a 'final solution' mentality into not just stopping the war but working together.

Imagine Blue scaly humans appearing out of nowhere to stop WWII AND merge all the nations into one single nation.

They have no authority, belong to no nation and aren't recognisably 'human'. Why haven't they been shot on sight already?

How the ethereals came to be aside, what they did was beyond normal oratory. It was beyond good speech writing. It's the sort of thing that if it happened in the Imperium cries of 'WITCH!' would be echoing through the 40k forums. Because seriously, what the ethereal's pulled is just not possible without some kind of added ability.

Also note certain other pieces of evidence that points towards Eldar (Or in my own personal Fanfiction, the Harlequins) having a hand in the progression of the Tau. In the Book ''Fire Warrior'' it elaborates on the ''Light's in the hills'' and adds that there was word of tall slim figures dancing through the mists in brightly colored garb. Eldrad has shown interest in the Tau, and they have had little conflict between the two races that i could find.

Not concrete, but you have to admit that it fills a lot of wholes in the Tau fluff.

If nothng else, it helps to explain the derp that was the Eldar/Tau alliance in 6th Edition...

I recall the ethereal showing up with some celestial light show or fire in the sky (tau codex, 6th ed I think).

Theory: Tzeentch uplifted them.

So any speculation on why the Eldar or Tzeentch or whoever else might have influenced Tau development?

Taffy17 wrote:
So any speculation on why the Eldar or Tzeentch or whoever else might have influenced Tau development?

There are many theories. I'll go through a few.

One thing that applies to the initial set is that the Tau barely register in the Warp. Unlike humanity and the Eldar, Tau don't provide a high level of "food" for the Chaos Gods.

The Eldar may have influenced the race so that the galaxy could become populated by a race that would starve Chaos of the emotional food it needs to survive. Likewise, Tzeentch may have done the same, for He knows that if Chaos wins, it will cease, for there will be no more emotions to feed off of.

The second Eldar theory is that the Tau are all secretly capable of being psykers (or they have been manipulating the Tau's genetic destiny to bring this about) and the Eldar are waiting for the right moment to flip the switch and create a race of psyker-warriors with excellent technology to defeat Chaos.

Likewise, Tzeentch may have done the same, to create new servants that can overpower his brothers and his other enemies.





*MY* favorite theory leaves both of those out, and has the Tau being manipulated by the last Old One. The Tau, unique among the galaxy's powers, are dynamic, intelligent, and creative. Humanity has a lifespan at least three times that of the Tau- the Eldar a thousand times greater- and neither race is capable of many of the technological feats the Tau have made in the last 6,000 years. Of all the wars and all the weapons employed against Chaos and the Necrons, only one was never fully brought to bear. for it was never truly finished. It may be that the Tau are destined to create a control mechanism for the Orks, and use them to crush the Tyranids, Chaos, the Necrons, and Imperial Cult, and to bring peace to the galaxy.

After all, somehow, the galaxy survives the 42nd Millenium, and there isn't much of a reason to believe that Humanity's already-failing defenses will succeed in the 14th Black Crusade after failing so dramatically in the 13th.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 jreilly89 wrote:
The Tau serve the same purpose as the Orks, Eldar, and all other Xenos: to be ground under the mighty boot of the Imperium or crushed by the righteous hand of the Emperor!

First, you have to find out how to keep Abaddon from sacking Cadia again. If the Armless Wonder has no trouble beating the crap out of Humanity's best in the 41st Millenium, it should be no surprise that more competent forces- from the Orks, to Eldar, to Tau- have no trouble turning aside the "might" of the Imperium.

If the Armless Wonder has no trouble beating the crap out of Humanity's best in the 41st Millenium, it should be no surprise that more competent forces- from the Orks, to Eldar, to Tau- have no trouble turning aside the "might" of the Imperium.

Abaddon didn't take Cadia easily. He was victorious, yes, but at great cost, nearly to the extent of a Pyrrhic victory.

*MY* favorite theory leaves both of those out, and has the Tau being manipulated by the last Old One. The Tau, unique among the galaxy's powers, are dynamic, intelligent, and creative. Humanity has a lifespan at least three times that of the Tau- the Eldar a thousand times greater- and neither race is capable of many of the technological feats the Tau have made in the last 6,000 years. Of all the wars and all the weapons employed against Chaos and the Necrons, only one was never fully brought to bear. for it was never truly finished. It may be that the Tau are destined to create a control mechanism for the Orks, and use them to crush the Tyranids, Chaos, the Necrons, and Imperial Cult, and to bring peace to the galaxy.

DAoT Humanity would like a word. What the Tau do now is not particularly impressive, as nothing they currently field was not fielded (and done better) by Humanity at a previous point in their history.

In fact, pound-for-pound, the Tau are no more advanced than the Imperium.

 Psienesis wrote:

If the Armless Wonder has no trouble beating the crap out of Humanity's best in the 41st Millenium, it should be no surprise that more competent forces- from the Orks, to Eldar, to Tau- have no trouble turning aside the "might" of the Imperium.

Abaddon didn't take Cadia easily. He was victorious, yes, but at great cost, nearly to the extent of a Pyrrhic victory.

*MY* favorite theory leaves both of those out, and has the Tau being manipulated by the last Old One. The Tau, unique among the galaxy's powers, are dynamic, intelligent, and creative. Humanity has a lifespan at least three times that of the Tau- the Eldar a thousand times greater- and neither race is capable of many of the technological feats the Tau have made in the last 6,000 years. Of all the wars and all the weapons employed against Chaos and the Necrons, only one was never fully brought to bear. for it was never truly finished. It may be that the Tau are destined to create a control mechanism for the Orks, and use them to crush the Tyranids, Chaos, the Necrons, and Imperial Cult, and to bring peace to the galaxy.

DAoT Humanity would like a word. What the Tau do now is not particularly impressive, as nothing they currently field was not fielded (and done better) by Humanity at a previous point in their history.

In fact, pound-for-pound, the Tau are no more advanced than the Imperium.

That is very true, but give tau the same amount of time as humanity has had, and tau might even be able to reach eldar levels. Tau have greater average tech, but the imperium has greater maximum tech.

The Tau has been first discovered in 36th millenium. There's no way the Emperor himself spoke anything on their behalf.

While I doubt the Emperor had anything to do with the Tau, the Nids weren't discovered by the Imperium all that long ago, but it appears the Emperor used them.

Tau breed like rabbits compared to Mankind. Mankind breeds like rabbits compared to Eldar. Really seems to me that he Tau are the 'uncorruptable swarm'. A plan that will weaken the Chaos Gods galaxy-wide. A force that will throw itself at whatever threats are put into its path, with virtually no Eldar casualties. And no threat to the Eldar themselves, used correctly.

Might take millennia, but that isnt that slow to the Eldar.

Tau iirc were in a warstorm and were advancing for 10k years. (Or 50k read this a long time ago)

 raiden wrote:
Tau iirc were in a warstorm and were advancing for 10k years. (Or 50k read this a long time ago)

What is known is that only 6,000 standard years ago, in the 35th Millennium, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet had discovered the Tau homeworld of T'au and determined that its population of sentient xenos were a primitive people at the Stone Age level of development who had only just mastered fire.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau

6,000 years to go from throwing stone spears and barely mastering fire to star ships and rail guns.

In contrast, humans discovered fire 125,000 years ago, and we still haven't sent people to another planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans

Humanity's stone age ended somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age

The Tau advance much faster than humans do. Considering their shorter life span, it isn't unreasonable to conclude that Tau are, individually, much smarter than individual humans of the Imperium.

Well at least they have BS 3

 Co'tor Shas wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

If the Armless Wonder has no trouble beating the crap out of Humanity's best in the 41st Millenium, it should be no surprise that more competent forces- from the Orks, to Eldar, to Tau- have no trouble turning aside the "might" of the Imperium.

Abaddon didn't take Cadia easily. He was victorious, yes, but at great cost, nearly to the extent of a Pyrrhic victory.

*MY* favorite theory leaves both of those out, and has the Tau being manipulated by the last Old One. The Tau, unique among the galaxy's powers, are dynamic, intelligent, and creative. Humanity has a lifespan at least three times that of the Tau- the Eldar a thousand times greater- and neither race is capable of many of the technological feats the Tau have made in the last 6,000 years. Of all the wars and all the weapons employed against Chaos and the Necrons, only one was never fully brought to bear. for it was never truly finished. It may be that the Tau are destined to create a control mechanism for the Orks, and use them to crush the Tyranids, Chaos, the Necrons, and Imperial Cult, and to bring peace to the galaxy.

DAoT Humanity would like a word. What the Tau do now is not particularly impressive, as nothing they currently field was not fielded (and done better) by Humanity at a previous point in their history.

In fact, pound-for-pound, the Tau are no more advanced than the Imperium.

That is very true, but give tau the same amount of time as humanity has had, and tau might even be able to reach eldar levels. Tau have greater average tech, but the imperium has greater maximum tech.

Not really, no.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Age_of_Technology

Let's look at starship technology. Until the discovery of psykers, humans traveled the same way Tau do. Humanity never created ships that were an improvement over Tau designs until AFTER psykers were acknowledged and used.

I'll repeat- the primary thing humanity has that the Tau don't is MAGIC. That's the only advantage humanity has ever had.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau_Drone

Compared to the Iron Men, it seems Tau drones are on par in terms of intelligence, but being superior in their loyalty to the Tau. (Point for Tau)

At any rate, I don't believe humanity could rebuilt the Men of Iron even if they wanted to with current technology.

"The original designs for both the armour used in the Land Raider and the anti-gravitic technology used by the Land Speeder were discovered during an expedition deep into the Librarius Omnis on Mars by technoarchaeologist Arkhan Land, after whom the vehicles were named"

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Land_Raider

Based on this, and the lack of more advanced designs, it is reasonable to assume tanks like the Predator, Leman Russ, and Land Raider represent tank technology during the DAoT. The Hammerhead, of course, is a superior tank, armed with a superior tank gun.

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

If the Armless Wonder has no trouble beating the crap out of Humanity's best in the 41st Millenium, it should be no surprise that more competent forces- from the Orks, to Eldar, to Tau- have no trouble turning aside the "might" of the Imperium.

Abaddon didn't take Cadia easily. He was victorious, yes, but at great cost, nearly to the extent of a Pyrrhic victory.

*MY* favorite theory leaves both of those out, and has the Tau being manipulated by the last Old One. The Tau, unique among the galaxy's powers, are dynamic, intelligent, and creative. Humanity has a lifespan at least three times that of the Tau- the Eldar a thousand times greater- and neither race is capable of many of the technological feats the Tau have made in the last 6,000 years. Of all the wars and all the weapons employed against Chaos and the Necrons, only one was never fully brought to bear. for it was never truly finished. It may be that the Tau are destined to create a control mechanism for the Orks, and use them to crush the Tyranids, Chaos, the Necrons, and Imperial Cult, and to bring peace to the galaxy.

DAoT Humanity would like a word. What the Tau do now is not particularly impressive, as nothing they currently field was not fielded (and done better) by Humanity at a previous point in their history.

In fact, pound-for-pound, the Tau are no more advanced than the Imperium.

That is very true, but give tau the same amount of time as humanity has had, and tau might even be able to reach eldar levels. Tau have greater average tech, but the imperium has greater maximum tech.

Not really, no.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Age_of_Technology

Let's look at starship technology. Until the discovery of psykers, humans traveled the same way Tau do. Humanity never created ships that were an improvement over Tau designs until AFTER psykers were acknowledged and used.

I'll repeat- the primary thing humanity has that the Tau don't is MAGIC. That's the only advantage humanity has ever had.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau_Drone

Compared to the Iron Men, it seems Tau drones are on par in terms of intelligence, but being superior in their loyalty to the Tau. (Point for Tau)

At any rate, I don't believe humanity could rebuilt the Men of Iron even if they wanted to with current technology.

"The original designs for both the armour used in the Land Raider and the anti-gravitic technology used by the Land Speeder were discovered during an expedition deep into the Librarius Omnis on Mars by technoarchaeologist Arkhan Land, after whom the vehicles were named"

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Land_Raider

Based on this, and the lack of more advanced designs, it is reasonable to assume tanks like the Predator, Leman Russ, and Land Raider represent tank technology during the DAoT. The Hammerhead, of course, is a superior tank, armed with a superior tank gun.

Edit: Never mind, mis-read.

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

If the Armless Wonder has no trouble beating the crap out of Humanity's best in the 41st Millenium, it should be no surprise that more competent forces- from the Orks, to Eldar, to Tau- have no trouble turning aside the "might" of the Imperium.

Abaddon didn't take Cadia easily. He was victorious, yes, but at great cost, nearly to the extent of a Pyrrhic victory.

*MY* favorite theory leaves both of those out, and has the Tau being manipulated by the last Old One. The Tau, unique among the galaxy's powers, are dynamic, intelligent, and creative. Humanity has a lifespan at least three times that of the Tau- the Eldar a thousand times greater- and neither race is capable of many of the technological feats the Tau have made in the last 6,000 years. Of all the wars and all the weapons employed against Chaos and the Necrons, only one was never fully brought to bear. for it was never truly finished. It may be that the Tau are destined to create a control mechanism for the Orks, and use them to crush the Tyranids, Chaos, the Necrons, and Imperial Cult, and to bring peace to the galaxy.

DAoT Humanity would like a word. What the Tau do now is not particularly impressive, as nothing they currently field was not fielded (and done better) by Humanity at a previous point in their history.

In fact, pound-for-pound, the Tau are no more advanced than the Imperium.

That is very true, but give tau the same amount of time as humanity has had, and tau might even be able to reach eldar levels. Tau have greater average tech, but the imperium has greater maximum tech.

Not really, no.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Age_of_Technology

Let's look at starship technology. Until the discovery of psykers, humans traveled the same way Tau do. Humanity never created ships that were an improvement over Tau designs until AFTER psykers were acknowledged and used.

I'll repeat- the primary thing humanity has that the Tau don't is MAGIC. That's the only advantage humanity has ever had.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau_Drone

Compared to the Iron Men, it seems Tau drones are on par in terms of intelligence, but being superior in their loyalty to the Tau. (Point for Tau)

At any rate, I don't believe humanity could rebuilt the Men of Iron even if they wanted to with current technology.

"The original designs for both the armour used in the Land Raider and the anti-gravitic technology used by the Land Speeder were discovered during an expedition deep into the Librarius Omnis on Mars by technoarchaeologist Arkhan Land, after whom the vehicles were named"

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Land_Raider

Based on this, and the lack of more advanced designs, it is reasonable to assume tanks like the Predator, Leman Russ, and Land Raider represent tank technology during the DAoT. The Hammerhead, of course, is a superior tank, armed with a superior tank gun.

I find you constant lack of knowledge regarding 40k to be absolutely hilarious, especially how much you spank the tau.

"Kotov’s fragile consciousness plunged deeper and deeper, the gossamer-thin lifeline held by Magos Blaylock a tremulous thread in a firestorm of golden light. He saw systems flicker past his floodstream that were as alien to him as anything the most secretive xenotech might dream of in his fevered nightmares, and technological echoes of machines that surely predated the Imperium itself. Power generation that could harness the galactic background radiation to propel ships beyond lightspeed, weapon-tech that could crack open planets and event horizon machines that had the power to drag entire star systems into their light- and time-swallowing embrace. All this and more dwelled here, ancient data, forgotten lore and locked vaults where the secrets of the ancients had been hidden. In this one, fleeting glance, Kotov realised he had been a fool to drag this proud starship into the howling emptiness of space in search of hidden secrets. The Speranza was the greatest secret of all, and in its heart it held the truth of all things, the key to unlocking all that the Mechanicus had ever dreamed. Yet that knowledge was sealed behind impenetrable barriers, bound in the heart of the mighty vessel for good reason. The knowledge of the Men of Gold and their ancient ancestors was encoded in its very bones, enmeshed within every diamond helix of its structure.
Pgs.250-251 Priests of Mars

The DAOT had FTL drives that harnessed background radiation from the big bang to break lightspeed. They created gravity wells that could move entire solar systems on their whim, crack planets at will, etc. Land Raiders were most certainly not their MBT's, not when we know the personal shield generators like iron halos and other force fields are DAOT relics. Land Raiders, if they were even used back then, are either a re-purposed STC or were just their version of an APC. Troops were probably shielded by things like iron halos mass produced for everyone, and their ships could zip around largely unhindered and had the firepower to make Tau ships look like firecrackers. DAOT humanity had power generation laughably beyond the Tau, and was beyond Craftworld or Dark Eldar, the only civilization arguably greater than them were the Necrons and Eldar Empire.

Cassius had studied the topography of Styxia Prime whilst travelling through the warp on the way to the system. It had three major landmasses, the largest of which was Downland, covering nearly twenty-eight million square kilometres. Many thousands of years ago, sometime during the Dark Age of Technology, the first human settlers had come to this world and re-ordered the planet to their liking. Mountains had been levelled, seas filled in and rivers diverted to create a land of pastures and gentle uplands. At the heart of Downland were four artificial volcanoes, delved into the earth to bring forth nutrient-rich expulsions that were conveyed by land and water to the mega-farms. The hills around these volcanoes had been seeded with fast-growing trees to provide hard timber, and it was from this dense wood that many of Styxia Prime’s buildings were constructed, with only the largest and most important edifices, such as the starport and governor’s palace, being supplemented with ferrocrete panels and ornamented with sandstone blocks quarried from the coastal cliffs.

They also could terraform planets to their complete whim like we shape clay.

Then there's other stuff from Death of Integrity with the sentient ship that spun circles around everyone and took complete control over the terminators that entered, and used a servitor as a puppet. And I distinctly remember there being a black hole gun somewhere else in the Mechanicus trilogy that fired shots back in time to ensure they arrived at their target near tachyon speeds. Also, no, Tau drones are nothing like DAOT AI unless Tau drones are capable of feeling emotion and are fully sentient. The Men of Iron fell because they were self aware, hence why the Admech prefers the use of "dumb AI" or human brains in a jar after the whole abominable intelligent incident.

So, they Laws of physics don't apply. Great.

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 raiden wrote:
Tau iirc were in a warstorm and were advancing for 10k years. (Or 50k read this a long time ago)

What is known is that only 6,000 standard years ago, in the 35th Millennium, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet had discovered the Tau homeworld of T'au and determined that its population of sentient xenos were a primitive people at the Stone Age level of development who had only just mastered fire.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau

6,000 years to go from throwing stone spears and barely mastering fire to star ships and rail guns.

In contrast, humans discovered fire 125,000 years ago, and we still haven't sent people to another planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans

Humanity's stone age ended somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age

The Tau advance much faster than humans do. Considering their shorter life span, it isn't unreasonable to conclude that Tau are, individually, much smarter than individual humans of the Imperium.

We have no idea how much time passed for the Tau while they were in that Warp Storm. For all we know, while 6000 years passed in Realspace, fifteen million years passed in that storm.

 Psienesis wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 raiden wrote:
Tau iirc were in a warstorm and were advancing for 10k years. (Or 50k read this a long time ago)

What is known is that only 6,000 standard years ago, in the 35th Millennium, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet had discovered the Tau homeworld of T'au and determined that its population of sentient xenos were a primitive people at the Stone Age level of development who had only just mastered fire.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau

6,000 years to go from throwing stone spears and barely mastering fire to star ships and rail guns.

In contrast, humans discovered fire 125,000 years ago, and we still haven't sent people to another planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans

Humanity's stone age ended somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age

The Tau advance much faster than humans do. Considering their shorter life span, it isn't unreasonable to conclude that Tau are, individually, much smarter than individual humans of the Imperium.

We have no idea how much time passed for the Tau while they were in that Warp Storm. For all we know, while 6000 years passed in Realspace, fifteen million years passed in that storm.

They were not literally inside of a warp storm. Passage to them was blocked by a warp storm.

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
So, they Laws of physics don't apply. Great.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

-Arthur C Clarke

 Wyzilla wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
So, they Laws of physics don't apply. Great.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

-Arthur C Clarke

Tech has nohing to do with physics. You can't go faster than the speed of light. That's why they use the warp.

 Co'tor Shas wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 raiden wrote:
Tau iirc were in a warstorm and were advancing for 10k years. (Or 50k read this a long time ago)

What is known is that only 6,000 standard years ago, in the 35th Millennium, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet had discovered the Tau homeworld of T'au and determined that its population of sentient xenos were a primitive people at the Stone Age level of development who had only just mastered fire.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau

6,000 years to go from throwing stone spears and barely mastering fire to star ships and rail guns.

In contrast, humans discovered fire 125,000 years ago, and we still haven't sent people to another planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans

Humanity's stone age ended somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age

The Tau advance much faster than humans do. Considering their shorter life span, it isn't unreasonable to conclude that Tau are, individually, much smarter than individual humans of the Imperium.

We have no idea how much time passed for the Tau while they were in that Warp Storm. For all we know, while 6000 years passed in Realspace, fifteen million years passed in that storm.

They were not literally inside of a warp storm. Passage to them was blocked by a warp storm.

The history of the Tau, from first-contact to now, posits that unknown events, during the time the Warp Storm was active over their homeworld, allowed for a startling jump in their technological and societal levels. In fact, the faction requires this mystery to exist. It's the whole point of the question of "where did the Ethereals come from?", "what's with those crystals?", "Is it pheromones?" and so forth.

The Eldar don't "do" non-psychic tech (even the rifles are made of wraithbone and psy-plastics), the Orks can't do anything on the level the Tau have (and why would they?), and no one else, other than Humanity, is in that corner of the galaxy. There is an implied time-manipulation effect going on before the second encounter with the Tau and their new, shiny Gundams.

 Co'tor Shas wrote:

 Wyzilla wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
So, they Laws of physics don't apply. Great.

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

-Arthur C Clarke

Tech has nohing to do with physics. You can't go faster than the speed of light. That's why they use the warp.

Except you can....

Look, if you're going to make claims, then at least have a good understanding of science. We're working out the math for an FTL drive right now. You don't have to accelerate yourself beyond the speed of light, you can just warp space to make yourself move. Just like the real life concept of the warp drive or wormholes. And we know it's possible because of black holes.

Also, we've slowed down light too.

 Psienesis wrote:

 Co'tor Shas wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

 raiden wrote:
Tau iirc were in a warstorm and were advancing for 10k years. (Or 50k read this a long time ago)

What is known is that only 6,000 standard years ago, in the 35th Millennium, an Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator fleet had discovered the Tau homeworld of T'au and determined that its population of sentient xenos were a primitive people at the Stone Age level of development who had only just mastered fire.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Tau

6,000 years to go from throwing stone spears and barely mastering fire to star ships and rail guns.

In contrast, humans discovered fire 125,000 years ago, and we still haven't sent people to another planet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_of_fire_by_early_humans

Humanity's stone age ended somewhere between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age

The Tau advance much faster than humans do. Considering their shorter life span, it isn't unreasonable to conclude that Tau are, individually, much smarter than individual humans of the Imperium.

We have no idea how much time passed for the Tau while they were in that Warp Storm. For all we know, while 6000 years passed in Realspace, fifteen million years passed in that storm.

They were not literally inside of a warp storm. Passage to them was blocked by a warp storm.

The history of the Tau, from first-contact to now, posits that unknown events, during the time the Warp Storm was active over their homeworld, allowed for a startling jump in their technological and societal levels. In fact, the faction requires this mystery to exist. It's the whole point of the question of "where did the Ethereals come from?", "what's with those crystals?", "Is it pheromones?" and so forth.

The Eldar don't "do" non-psychic tech (even the rifles are made of wraithbone and psy-plastics), the Orks can't do anything on the level the Tau have (and why would they?), and no one else, other than Humanity, is in that corner of the galaxy. There is an implied time-manipulation effect going on before the second encounter with the Tau and their new, shiny Gundams.

If the Warp Storm engulfed the planet, and not merely the space around it, why didn't daemons pour through and destroy T'au? http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Crow%27s_Eye#.VBCwK_ldVnU

At any rate, the appearance of the Ethereals predates the storm, as I understand it.

 EmpNortonII wrote:
At any rate, the appearance of the Ethereals predates the storm, as I understand it.

I believe the storm appeared shortly after their first discovery by humanity, at which point they'd only just discovered fire while the ethereal's appeared while they had developed cannons and were using them against each other which must be during the storm.

Now if the warp storm was all around T'au that would mean who ever put the Ethereal's there, and I believe someone did, would have had to be able to traverse a warp storm or be responsible for creating said warp storm. The only things that I think could do this are either a powerful psycher such as those found amongst the Eldar or a powerful daemon.

Another thought is could the Emperor be able to generate warp storms?

Could the Emperor know of the Tau's immunity to chaos and be helping them from his throne in hope that they will destroy it? I've said it before but I like this idea.