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.

I always assume in raw technology they are more advanced than the Imperium

but what about the Priests of Mars?

Of the technology the Mechanicus can reproduce? Maybe/probably.

Of the lostech they have access to? Probably not.

I wouldn't even go so far as to say the Tau can match the technology the Mechanicus is capable of reproducing. They've gotten closer, but they're still a tier or two below. The key
to understanding Tau technology, from what I've gathered, is that it combines a relatively high "floor" of basic technological capability with a relatively low "ceiling" of cutting-edge technology.

Their "floor" is roughly comparable to non-Mechanicus Imperium, but the Mechanicus has a significantly higher floor (and a significantly higher ceiling) when it comes to their base technology, IMO.

As far as lostech/DAoT tech... yeah, no. No way. No way in hell. Not for hundreds of years (if they had all the leisure time in the universe to reverse engineer it), and probably not even within a thousand years (if they had to develop it on their own).

The admrch has crazy tech in its vaults if your talking daot, ordinatus engines, relics and the like.

There regular tech may not be that fancy. But I they ever had to open the armoury vault you would see a rather terrifying arsenal.

Personally, I don't buy that the Ad Mech has boatloads of DaOT tech sitting in vaults just waiting to be used. It's pretty 11th hour at the moment in the 40k universe. I'd expect them to have started to use it more by now if that were the case. I choose to believe that a lot of what you hear about what the Ad Mech have got is jealous mutterings from Imperials about how the guys down the street are keeping all the best stuff to themselves). Either that or they don't know how to use it, which sort of rules it out of the argument.

This also applies to all the stupid-tier Eldar/Necron superweapons you hear about that could wipe out their enemies if they just used them. Bluff and ruse. Only way it makes sense.

If you go a bit finer grained, you could split it out into what each faction has tech-wise and try and work it out.

Ad Mech Strengths
-Superior warp tech
-Strong lead on genetic/biological engineering
-Direct energy weapons

Tau Strengths
-Capability of supplying S5 weapons to basic footsoldiers (could be put down to logistics of a small empire though)
-Not gak-scared of AI, meaning drones are viable
-Still on the up-swing of innovation
-Battlesuits seem pretty advanced compared to Imperium equivalents

Ad Mech Weaknesses
-Not possible to ascertain how much of their tech they actually understand, and how much is 'repeating the sacred ritual they've learnt which just so happens to make a bolter pop out of the dispensing machine on the 2nd floor'
-Fickle or inefficient computing (machine spirits and servitors)

Tau Weaknesses
-Poor warp drives
-Not very good at the biological aspect (no genetically engineered supersoldiers, no rejuvenat treatments I can see, minimal implants)

Any I've forgotten about?

From all that, I'd probably say that the Ad Mech is more advanced. Their edge in biological engineering is probably a wash with Tau AI tech, but their warp drives definitely give them the edge. In a galactic-scale conflict that's a phenomenal advantage.

You could make an argument that the advantage Tau have in computing could be pretty significant. It's a massive enabler when you're looking to innovate. Can you imagine sitting down at your desk, switching your computer on and it suddenly deciding to try and electrocute you all day because it didn't like the way you did your sacred chants this morning. Not exactly a supportive work environment...

I'd say the AdMech are far from scared of AI. If anything, they push the legal limits of it within the imperium. The Lords of Terra seem to turn a blind eye to the immense amount of "servitoring" the admech do. Some tech priests have been rumored to have only a small amount of brain matter left and are otherwise, fully mechanical. I mean, it's not AI, but it's as close as you can get before the inq shows up.

Some lost tech does get regular use as well. Take the ironstrider's perpetual motion engines. All the reverse engineering in the galaxy cant crack it, but they're on every front line of the mechanicus.

I also think Ynneadwraith is right about warp drives. No warp drives means no intergalactic threat.

I think that the answer is no, but they are getting there. The end of Mont'ka had air caste engineers in awe of captured imperial ships with their drives capable of piercing and traveling through the warp. As scientists and non psykers, they may be able to approach warp travel from a scientific perspective, rather than the religious or spiritual approach of the imperium.

As to their AI tech, I think that they would shackle their AIs to the Ethereal caste. one or two might be released unconstrained, but I see the disasters caused to limit the number of times that it happens.

No they are not superior. To think otherwise is Heresy. If you continue to have these thoughts, please speak with your local Ordo Xenos Inquisitor.

The AdMech, not the Inquisition, enforces the ban on Artificial Intelligence. They well-remember what happened the last time it existed, and strive to prevent it from ever happening again.

Servitors (which are mindless) and Cyborgs (which have souls) are nothing like AI, and so are permitted.