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A few years back the when more Tau kits were released, did the look of their hooves get changed from how they used to be? Looking at some of the newer things, it seems really inconsistent between the Art, old models and the new ones.

The art previously (and some of it still does) shows the Tau to have more of a large single split hoof with a small side-toe, like here:


This was also in line with the Old firewarrior kit, which had something similar, a central split hoof with a very small side-toe.

Now though, it seems there might be several different styles. You've got Firewarriors who now have one larger and one fairly large but smaller toes/hooves that have just s light separation but are still connected:

but there's newer art like this as well:


Then you've got the Fireblade who has more squared toes with much more seperation between them and overall less of the hoof visible:


I can't really figure out how they're meant to be now. Are the Old firewarrior kits now entirely wrong?

 Mentlegen324 wrote:
A few years back the when more Tau kits were released, did the look of their hooves get changed from how they used to be? Looking at some of the newer things, it seems really inconsistent between the Art, old models and the new ones.

The art previously (and some of it still does) shows the Tau to have more of a large single split hoof with a small side-toe, like here:

Spoiler:

This was also in line with the Old firewarrior kit, which had something similar, a central split hoof with a very small side-toe.

Now though, it seems there might be several different styles. You've got Firewarriors who now have one larger and one fairly large but smaller toes/hooves that have just s light separation but are still connected:

Spoiler:

but there's newer art like this as well:

Spoiler:

Then you've got the Fireblade who has more squared toes with much more seperation between them and overall less of the hoof visible:

Spoiler:

I can't really figure out how they're meant to be now. Are the Old firewarrior kits now entirely wrong?

maybe they have genetic differences lore wise. like humans some people have all toes angled down some have a big toe and 3 relatively same size toes then a pinky toe.

 G00fySmiley wrote:

 Mentlegen324 wrote:
A few years back the when more Tau kits were released, did the look of their hooves get changed from how they used to be? Looking at some of the newer things, it seems really inconsistent between the Art, old models and the new ones.

The art previously (and some of it still does) shows the Tau to have more of a large single split hoof with a small side-toe, like here:

Spoiler:

This was also in line with the Old firewarrior kit, which had something similar, a central split hoof with a very small side-toe.

Now though, it seems there might be several different styles. You've got Firewarriors who now have one larger and one fairly large but smaller toes/hooves that have just s light separation but are still connected:

Spoiler:

but there's newer art like this as well:

Spoiler:

Then you've got the Fireblade who has more squared toes with much more seperation between them and overall less of the hoof visible:

Spoiler:

I can't really figure out how they're meant to be now. Are the Old firewarrior kits now entirely wrong?

maybe they have genetic differences lore wise. like humans some people have all toes angled down some have a big toe and 3 relatively same size toes then a pinky toe.

That would explain everything except for the wildly different hoof in the first picture. Which I actually like a lot more than the big toe nails.

are they toenals? I painted them as boots over their hooves

 G00fySmiley wrote:
are they toenals? I painted them as boots over their hooves

Looking at the pictures, yeah, I'd say they are. They seem to just be wearing ankle warmers, but have their feet bare.

If their hooves are anything like Terran horses, then they may keep them trimmed down and care for them in similar ways. Watch a video or read an article about shoeing horses, and you might get some ideas. My guess would be that their hooves grow constantly over their lives, as they would get worn down over time and would need to be replacing old, worn, or dead hoof tissue. Otherwise, we would see them wearing foot coverings to protect their feet. To me, any discrepancies in hoof sizes between model could be explained by that. Any discrepancies in artwork can be attributed to artistic license and artist interpretation; I mean, the proportions in the first piece of artwork are in a more realistic, human-like scale rather than in 40K's Heroic Scale used on the models.

Lol, I just realized. Going around the galaxy without and foot coverings on? The Tau are just a second-breakfast away from being space Halflings!

 G00fySmiley wrote:
are they toenals? I painted them as boots over their hooves

They were their actual hooves, not boots. It's pretty clear looking at a model like Aun'Shi without the ankle wrappings:

If Typhus can use a wood Scythe, then Taus can go with their hooves for the galaxy!

And... I'll be honest. I had just go to check this and my firewarriors had the old hoove style. I didn't noticed the change with the new warrior box

it looks like that ethereal has a dew claw. that is interesting though if you prefer the old way seems easy enough to clip

Don't go looking in Xenology OP...

Wow the fireblade is totally different. Didn't know that. What were they thinking? They practically made it digitigrade. Suddenly I'm really glad I converted my own fireblade from a tank commander.

1 - I'm not noticing a significant difference between the feet art.
2 - Decently high chance its just artist differences
3 - Even among humans there are people with big feet and small feet, wide toes and long toes. So, it's reasonable to assume that different Tau have slightly different feet shapes.

It's probably pretty established that different Castes have vastly different body shapes. Can the different Castes breed with each other? What are the end results?

 Talamare wrote:
1 - I'm not noticing a significant difference between the feet art.
2 - Decently high chance its just artist differences
3 - Even among humans there are people with big feet and small feet, wide toes and long toes. So, it's reasonable to assume that different Tau have slightly different feet shapes.

It's probably pretty established that different Castes have vastly different body shapes. Can the different Castes breed with each other? What are the end results?

#2 I absolutely agree with, but you are saying you see no significant difference between

and

?

They're like from completely different species. The model has a foot that has flesh all the way down to the ground, with large nails shoved in it. The art has what much more looks like a complete although cloven hoof. Something along the lines of a giraffe.


Or even more just a horse's hoof with a cleft halfway through the front of it. Goat's hooves seem like a pretty fair inspiration for the hoof in the artwork, but the model has no real resemblance to it.

Maybe they just felt it went better with the models aesthetics.