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They are Dogs of war in space!

Acctullay it's odd I've always seen them as being a bit like the British Empire. They have the cast system we have the class system.
There expanding rapidly incorperating other races for what use they are to the empire, spreading their Idea of civilization, taking the the best aspects of subjected people and bringing them round to the Idea of the Greater Good.

Those that disagree to their 'benevolent' nature are strictly disciplined via forced conquest or eradication all for their own good of course.

They have a highly trained professional army, but have little or no qualms about using native contingents to there own ends and to bulk their forces.

Monster Rain wrote:Don't Tau have rather short life spans, too?

Yeap. 40 years is considered elderly, if I remember correctly.

The Dizzler wrote:

Monster Rain wrote:Don't Tau have rather short life spans, too?

Yeap. 40 years is considered elderly, if I remember correctly.

Kind of like another race I've heard of.

Tau are Necrontyr. Time to face facts.

Retrias wrote:approximately same weapon tech ( Gauss/Railgun)

Not even close. Necron gauss weaponry uses a teleportation effect to remove matter from the target. Railguns and coilguns use electromagnetic force to propel a round of ammunition from the gun in the direction of the targe.

Monster Rain wrote:Kind of like another race I've heard of.

Tau are Necrontyr. Time to face facts.

On the other hand, the Tau's short lifespan doesn't stem from an unstable sun or whatever caused it in the Necrontyr.

They're just sissies.

AlexHolker wrote:Not even close. Necron gauss weaponry uses a teleportation effect to remove matter from the target. Railguns and coilguns use electromagnetic force to propel a round of ammunition from the gun in the direction of the targe.

Plus the Tau have nothing on the Necron's inertialess drive, no teleportation technology, no phase tech and no nanotech (that I'm aware of, at least), amongst other things.

asimo77 wrote:I never understood the anime thing, and this is from someone who absolutely can't stand anime. Anime mech suits are far anthropomorphic and ridiculous, don't gundams and neon-genesis-evangeliwhogivesacare robots use swords and other nonsense? The crisis suits are all blocky and look far more functional. I mean if I had to guess what real world robots would look like down the road I'd pretty much envision tau stuff.

Sure , if you believe anime mechas are created only after the 90s and that the Tau design are inspired by "American" Mech Warrior , Battle Tech , and FASA


@ the rest , FW Tau design = Original and none anime?
Oh noes better not let the word out they are from Armored Core

If you happen to like how Tau look , great , appreciate the Artistic Diversity of GW design teams.
Dont be all afraid thinking people will think you play Tau for anime -_-

AlexHolker wrote:

Retrias wrote:approximately same weapon tech ( Gauss/Railgun)

Not even close. Necron gauss weaponry uses a teleportation effect to remove matter from the target. Railguns and coilguns use electromagnetic force to propel a round of ammunition from the gun in the direction of the targe.

They both use electromagnetism, one goes toward the gun and then... somewhere. The other makes a big bullet fly away from the gun and owns face.

juraigamer wrote:Also, tau are not communist. If you knew anything about it you would recognize the fact that a caste system exists for them completely negates any connection to communism.

If you must know what the tau are, they are: A Despotic Totalitarian Collectivist Imperialistic Utilitarianist Society ruled by Theocratic Hereditary Oligarchies presiding over Meritocratic Councils.

Yea. Full read on the matter here ---->http://forums.tauonline.org/index.php?topic=70577.0

Sounds like something a Communist would say.

And no I won't subscribe to your newsletter.

I just want to say a few things I've seen.

1 Someone said Orks don't have a stable government as they're always fighting eachother. Point in fact that IS an Orks idea of a stable government

2. I do enjoy some anime but it's mostly actual movies like Princess Monanoke (I think I spelled that right), Spirited Away or Afro Samurai (it actually was kind of cool except for the Teddy Bear headed cyborg) but those have alot to do with Japanese mythology and such.

But I don't like the people who wear the Naruto head bands or make space marines look like Hamtaro or yell out the number they want when rolling a die exactly as if it's a pokemon (no offence to anyone who does that) as in my experience they usually don't take the game seriously.

And in the Taus defence you can't choose what kind of people
play a game, those same anime fans might just as well play any other army because they think it fits one of their various anime themes.

3. Just to clarify the Tau do not come from a desert world. Tau itself has many differant biomes and the Tau evolved from PLAINS dwelling creatures. NOT desert

4. Maybe it's just me but I believe calling them fish heads is innapropriate. If they evolved from fish then it would be slightly ok but as they didn't I can only think of it being used do to their asian theme in which case it is a raceist remark that I feel should be left out of comments. Again that may just be me but it's my opinion.

5. Tau do not need a new codex yet. There are plenty of other armies that need to be updated first and by rights should be before any others (others being Space Marines and Tyranids who seem to get a jump a little to regularly). Tau are still competitive as they are if they are used right. And yes it would be nice if alot more fluff was released or they capitalised on the alien auxiliaries a bit more but that can wait.

6. To those people who say they hate Tau because they don't like playing against them or they're to hard to use? I'm sorry but isn't that the point of playing? To be challanged to beat some one or learn how to master an army? If using or fighting every army was easy this game woulden't be half as fun as it is because that is part of the challange of the game.

Tau are fine, I like them alot, the fact that their asian is GAY. (Im not racist, I just hate everybody) But other than that they really appeal to me, I hope they get updated with some stuff sooner or later, because I always imagined them to have some kind of invulnerable save passing power weapon, but they hate melee which kind of sucks ass in the fluff. I wish they had some dudes that would cut them selves from the whole caste thing and become totally devout melee warriors with massive shield generators and huge swords in crysis suits...gundamn anyone?

Anyway their cool, got some innovative stuff like marker lights, and their standard infantry are second only to meq. And it gives me a fuzzy feeling that my guard can actually get a reasonable KDR in melee with them.

Jaon wrote:Tau are fine, I like them alot, the fact that their asian is GAY. (Im not racist, I just hate everybody)

Xenophobe >.>

Their actually nice, if some fluff is to be believed.

How grimdark can blue, hooved, space Asians be?

Asimo hit the nail there. Quit bitching about Tau being 'anime' as one of the major races of 40k is far, far more anime than Tau. That being Eldar, of course. Eldar titans could be pretty much straight from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Heck, one of the designers has even admitted that Eldar are anime influenced.

Lots of people say that Tau have been written in annoying way. It is MEANT to be that way. Lets describe Tau a bit:

-young, upstart race which has progressed enormously over very short timespan

-short-lived, not particularly impressive physically but very ambitious

-technologically advanced and innovative

-keen to preach their naive ideology to everyone whilst being completely ignorant about ancient, dark secrets of the Galaxy

That's right...Tau are humans from Star Trek! Or Babylon 5! Or nearly any other scifi cliche compilation. It's very clever from GW to turn the stereotypes around so that it's the humans who are the old, ancient, slowly declining power being usurped by some talking monkeys who were crawling in the mud whilsts humans were conquering the stars.

When some 12-year old Tau fanboy lectures you about how awesome Greater Good is, you know how the Romulans must feel.

I don't see how Tau look anime actually....

I like anime but greatly hate the most recent anime robot shows (I miss VOTOMs ) but I'm greatly attracted to the Tau.

Jaon wrote:Tau are fine, I like them alot, the fact that their asian is GAY.

Dude, seriously? I don't even know whether you think that being of Asian descent is a homosexual thing to do, or that the Tau have some Asian employee or friend who is a homosexual, or if you're joking, or if you're a insecure teenager who apparently is rather alarmed by gay and asian people.

Frankly, I hope you were joking.

Backfire wrote:Lots of people say that Tau have been written in annoying way. It is MEANT to be that way. Lets describe Tau a bit:

-young, upstart race which has progressed enormously over very short timespan

-short-lived, not particularly impressive physically but very ambitious

-technologically advanced and innovative

-keen to preach their naive ideology to everyone whilst being completely ignorant about ancient, dark secrets of the Galaxy

That's right...Tau are humans from Star Trek! Or Babylon 5! Or nearly any other scifi cliche compilation. It's very clever from GW to turn the stereotypes around so that it's the humans who are the old, ancient, slowly declining power being usurped by some talking monkeys who were crawling in the mud whilsts humans were conquering the stars.

When some 12-year old Tau fanboy lectures you about how awesome Greater Good is, you know how the Romulans must feel.

HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP

As a hardcore Trekkie I should have caught on to this so much sooner... this is brilliant!

Everything I thought I knew was a lie...

...and I like playing Tau even more now!

I thought about getting a Tau army , but when I got the codex and read their stats on close combat, I binned it and went back to painting Red space marines with unbeleiveable Ws... .

And another thing is; have any of you played Fire Warrrior? The only Tau with a good BS there was the Tau you were playin', and sometimes not even then!

Some people hate the Tau because they don't have enough fluff, and some people hate the Tau because they have too much fluff.

I hate Space Marines and Chaos.

Monster Rain wrote:

Retrias wrote:

Monster Rain wrote:

SaintHazard wrote:Tau are not just coming into their grimdarkness...

As I said before, they're beginning to become the most grimdark ever.

I feel that Space Pope will quickly reveal himself to be a true Space Stalin, Space Caligula, and Space Idi Amin all rolled into one.

And I like it!

I think that the skull structure of the Ethereals look disturbingly Necron-like.

I'm hoping that the Deceiver has pulled a huge fast one.

approximately same weapon tech ( Gauss/Railgun)
no warp signature
necrons look like hunched bulky tau

could it be.....

Don't Tau have rather short life spans, too?

different sort i think

Necrontyr had their sun problem
Tau just died early

but i guess genetic coding?

Backfire wrote:Asimo hit the nail there. Quit bitching about Tau being 'anime' as one of the major races of 40k is far, far more anime than Tau. That being Eldar, of course. Eldar titans could be pretty much straight from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Heck, one of the designers has even admitted that Eldar are anime influenced.

Lots of people say that Tau have been written in annoying way. It is MEANT to be that way. Lets describe Tau a bit:

-young, upstart race which has progressed enormously over very short timespan

-short-lived, not particularly impressive physically but very ambitious

-technologically advanced and innovative

-keen to preach their naive ideology to everyone whilst being completely ignorant about ancient, dark secrets of the Galaxy

That's right...Tau are humans from Star Trek! Or Babylon 5! Or nearly any other scifi cliche compilation. It's very clever from GW to turn the stereotypes around so that it's the humans who are the old, ancient, slowly declining power being usurped by some talking monkeys who were crawling in the mud whilsts humans were conquering the stars.

When some 12-year old Tau fanboy lectures you about how awesome Greater Good is, you know how the Romulans must feel.

Except humans usually don't have the super advanced best tech evar (at least compared to other races). Other than that you bring up some nice points and maybe that is what bothers people about it, they are humans in their sci-fi niche but they do not look like humans.

CrazyThang wrote:

Backfire wrote:Asimo hit the nail there. Quit bitching about Tau being 'anime' as one of the major races of 40k is far, far more anime than Tau. That being Eldar, of course. Eldar titans could be pretty much straight from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Heck, one of the designers has even admitted that Eldar are anime influenced.

Lots of people say that Tau have been written in annoying way. It is MEANT to be that way. Lets describe Tau a bit:

-young, upstart race which has progressed enormously over very short timespan

-short-lived, not particularly impressive physically but very ambitious

-technologically advanced and innovative

-keen to preach their naive ideology to everyone whilst being completely ignorant about ancient, dark secrets of the Galaxy

That's right...Tau are humans from Star Trek! Or Babylon 5! Or nearly any other scifi cliche compilation. It's very clever from GW to turn the stereotypes around so that it's the humans who are the old, ancient, slowly declining power being usurped by some talking monkeys who were crawling in the mud whilsts humans were conquering the stars.

When some 12-year old Tau fanboy lectures you about how awesome Greater Good is, you know how the Romulans must feel.

Except humans usually don't have the super advanced best tech evar (at least compared to other races). Other than that you bring up some nice points and maybe that is what bothers people about it, they are humans in their sci-fi niche but they do not look like humans.

You could argue that Eldar and Necron tech is more advanced (at least in some regards).
Frankly I think Backfire has got it. Tau are an upstart race, one that will either be swept away or learn their place in a galaxy of fear. It doesn't bother me in the slightest that they have obviously been influenced by Mecha aspects (Moreso than Eldar), what it does bother me is that people view the Tau idealogy as 'Good' instead of Naive. I'm of the opinion that once they've been around the block a couple of times the Tau will be a lot less cuddly and a whole lot more grimdark.

Except by then they'll all be eaten by Tyranids.

@EF: What I meant by tech was stereotypical Sci-Fi. At least from everything I have seen.

This is basically the same thread I got banned on warseer for Good times.

Anyway, I'll just say this: Dirty Fish Elves.

I personally like Tau, but hate anime (why are the eyes so big? Why? WHY???? Why does a giant line of sweat coming off of your head symbolize dissapointment? WHY?!?) /endrant

I have bought the codex, and while I like the options, the minimal fluff section vs. the fluff of the space marine codex made me when I first bought it. I believe the term for such a stripped down codex is "jervisified". I like the way they play, with lots of firepower and high mobility for your troops, using devilfishes. And I don't see why they're considered "the ultimate good", when if you don't agree to join their empire, they take the fire cast and your society up its . Just sayin', actually having negotiators doesn't make you the good guys. Believe it or not, there are other diplomatic options than "Lets nuke 'em".

micahaphone wrote:I personally like Tau, but hate anime (why are the eyes so big? Why? WHY???? Why does a giant line of sweat coming off of your head symbolize dissapointment? WHY?!?) /endrant

I have bought the codex, and while I like the options, the minimal fluff section vs. the fluff of the space marine codex made me when I first bought it. I believe the term for such a stripped down codex is "jervisified". I like the way they play, with lots of firepower and high mobility for your troops, using devilfishes. And I don't see why they're considered "the ultimate good", when if you don't agree to join their empire, they take the fire cast and your society up its . Just sayin', actually having negotiators doesn't make you the good guys. Believe it or not, there are other diplomatic options than "Lets nuke 'em".

Heresy. Please enjoy the inquisitorial stormtroopers currently in route to your location.

And have a grimdark day.

They're boring in every way, from the background, to the models, to the play style. They put me to sleep

micahaphone wrote:I personally like Tau, but hate anime (why are the eyes so big? Why? WHY???? Why does a giant line of sweat coming off of your head symbolize dissapointment? WHY?!?) /endrant

I have bought the codex, and while I like the options, the minimal fluff section vs. the fluff of the space marine codex made me when I first bought it. I believe the term for such a stripped down codex is "jervisified". I like the way they play, with lots of firepower and high mobility for your troops, using devilfishes. And I don't see why they're considered "the ultimate good", when if you don't agree to join their empire, they take the fire cast and your society up its . Just sayin', actually having negotiators doesn't make you the good guys. Believe it or not, there are other diplomatic options than "Lets nuke 'em".

That's Manga. Anime is actually very serious.

Jihadnik wrote:Because they are Xenos scum and because they can outshoot my guard army everytime!

You are doing something horribly wrong then.

micahaphone wrote:

That's Manga. Anime is actually very serious.

ಠ_ಠ

edit: I think this visual aid will help you understand my disbelief http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-lkSIrwo1A