What would happen if the Imperium met some hippie xenos?

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**Maximus Bitch**

Frozen Ocean wrote:
TheCustomLime wrote:
They'd send in the Imperial Guard and mop them up with minimal, if any, casualties. Then have the regiments involve settle the planet and claim another world in the Emperor's name. Glory to the Imperium!

This. Let's not forget that their initial reaction to discovering the Tau (when they were in a Stone Age and completely harmless) was "purge the alien". Their reasons for attacking the Eldar are purely because of their xenophobia, too.

How did Tau manage to survive and prosper? lol

**Grey Templar**

Maximus Bitch wrote:
Frozen Ocean wrote:
TheCustomLime wrote:
They'd send in the Imperial Guard and mop them up with minimal, if any, casualties. Then have the regiments involve settle the planet and claim another world in the Emperor's name. Glory to the Imperium!

This. Let's not forget that their initial reaction to discovering the Tau (when they were in a Stone Age and completely harmless) was "purge the alien". Their reasons for attacking the Eldar are purely because of their xenophobia, too.

How did Tau manage to survive and prosper? lol

Because there was a Warp Storm which cut off the system and destroyed the colony ship heading for the planet(they crashed on the moon, which is where the Tau found the warp drive and made their own inferior version)

**Co'tor Shas**

Grey Templar wrote:
Maximus Bitch wrote:
Frozen Ocean wrote:
TheCustomLime wrote:
They'd send in the Imperial Guard and mop them up with minimal, if any, casualties. Then have the regiments involve settle the planet and claim another world in the Emperor's name. Glory to the Imperium!

This. Let's not forget that their initial reaction to discovering the Tau (when they were in a Stone Age and completely harmless) was "purge the alien". Their reasons for attacking the Eldar are purely because of their xenophobia, too.

How did Tau manage to survive and prosper? lol

Because there was a Warp Storm which cut off the system and destroyed the colony ship heading for the planet(they crashed on the moon, which is where the Tau found the warp drive and made their own inferior version)

The reason they can only do small jumps isn't anything to do with tech, it's to do with psykers. The tau have no psykers and thus no navigators, they being required for long distance warp travel. Give tau the most advanced warp drive in existence, and they still would not be able to do nay more than they do now because of the lack of psykers.

**Grey Templar**

No its definitely to do with tech. Without psykers they couldn't fully understand the Warp Drive. And thus made a version only capable of doing very short, and slow, hops.

Give them a real warp drive and it would do absolutely nothing for them. You need the psychic components to make the full jump, and a navigator to make it there in one piece.

**Co'tor Shas**

Meaning it's about navigators

. Without navigators the imperium could do no better. It is completely about navigators, each ship required a navigator to pilot it in the warp. The navigator is what allows them to enter the warp fully, the tau can only do a partial entrance, skimming the surface as it were. It's much safer but much slower.

**Grey Templar**

There is still definitely a tech component, which is no less vital than Navigators.

Navigators are actually NOT necessary. Navigators appeared after the warp drive was invented, they simply enabled ships to make longer and more accurate jumps(the first were still far longer and faster than what the Tau currently have)

The Warp was less turbulent then, and that allowed for safer jumps. Without a Navigator now it would be practical suicide, but it is possible.

**Co'tor Shas**

I'm not sure what you are saying here..
Navigators used to be required, but are now?

Tau have the tech (as they reverse engineered it, so it should be identical), they don't have the requirements. Besides, kroot have warp travel, so that helps.

**Ailaros**

Inquisitor Bob wrote:so don't lift a finger to stop dictators destroying democracy.. Yet if a civil war against a dictator slowed the tithe they would destroy both sides.

lol, yup.

TheCustomLime wrote:They'd send in the Imperial Guard and mop them up with horrific, incalculable casualties after months of brutal artillery and pointless frontal assaults. The PDF would be slaughtered to a man.

Fixed it for ya

Maximus Bitch wrote:How did Tau manage to survive and prosper? lol

By accident. Not dissimilar to how they're continuing to survive at the moment.

**Grey Templar**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
I'm not sure what you are saying here..
Navigators used to be required, but are now? Tau have the tech (as they reverse engineered it, so it should be identical), they don't have the requirements. Besides, kroot have warp travel, so that helps.

They still aren't required. But not having one is like trying to cross the pacific in a rowboat.

And no, the Tau's reverse engineering is not identical to the Imperial Warp drive they used as a model. They failed to fully replicate it(because they have no understanding of the Warp or psykers to help them)

The Kroot have warp travel, but the Tau don't know that. The Kroot keep it secret.

**Co'tor Shas**

Grey Templar wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
I'm not sure what you are saying here..
Navigators used to be required, but are now? Tau have the tech (as they reverse engineered it, so it should be identical), they don't have the requirements. Besides, kroot have warp travel, so that helps.

They still aren't required. But not having one is like trying to cross the pacific in a rowboat.

And no, the Tau's reverse engineering is not identical to the Imperial Warp drive they used as a model. They failed to fully replicate it(because they have no understanding of the Warp or psykers to help them)

The Kroot have warp travel, but the Tau don't know that. The Kroot keep it secret.

~~I'm pretty sure the nisaccar have warp tech, they are an entirely psykic race. I'll have to check.~~ (nope, psychically propelled ships, not interstellar travel, or at least how we think of it)
Also, the dermiug.

And this quote

The Tau were able to duplicate the warp drive of the alien ship but the initial test flights were disastrous. Achieving transition to the Warp required more than technology, it required psychically attuned minds and the Tau race boasted no psykers. Without them to guide the transition no amount of power could breach the dimensional barriers. The best the Tau could do was make a partial transition, forcing themselves into the void that separated Warpspace and real space before they were hurled out again like a ball held under water then released.

Emphasis mine.

**PhillyT**

The imperium does not eradicate all aliens. They allow many to exist as long as they are not seen as a threat or an obstruction.

**Grey Templar**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
I'm not sure what you are saying here..
Navigators used to be required, but are now? Tau have the tech (as they reverse engineered it, so it should be identical), they don't have the requirements. Besides, kroot have warp travel, so that helps.

They still aren't required. But not having one is like trying to cross the pacific in a rowboat.

And no, the Tau's reverse engineering is not identical to the Imperial Warp drive they used as a model. They failed to fully replicate it(because they have no understanding of the Warp or psykers to help them)

The Kroot have warp travel, but the Tau don't know that. The Kroot keep it secret.

~~I'm pretty sure the nisaccar have warp tech, they are an entirely psykic race. I'll have to check.~~ (nope, psychically propelled ships, not interstellar travel, or at least how we think of it)
Also, the dermiug.

And this quote

The Tau were able to duplicate the warp drive of the alien ship but the initial test flights were disastrous. Achieving transition to the Warp required more than technology, it required psychically attuned minds and the Tau race boasted no psykers. Without them to guide the transition no amount of power could breach the dimensional barriers. The best the Tau could do was make a partial transition, forcing themselves into the void that separated Warpspace and real space before they were hurled out again like a ball held under water then released.

Emphasis mine.

That isn't proof they duplicated the warp drive with 100% accuracy.

And despite them having subjugated psychically attuned races, none of them have been willing to share(nor have the Tau asked) their warp drive technology.

**Ailaros**

Grey Templar wrote:That isn't proof they duplicated the warp drive with 100% accuracy.

They're tau. They wouldn't be the nauseating Mary Sues of the 40k universe if they didn't copy it exactly and then made a few stupidly easy tweaks that everyone should have seen to make it work 300% better, with a fresh, minty scent.

**Iron_Captain**

At best the Imperium would turn the xenos into industrial slaves. But most likely they would just send in a clean team.

**Co'tor Shas**

Grey Templar wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
Grey Templar wrote:
Co'tor Shas wrote:
I'm not sure what you are saying here..
Navigators used to be required, but are now? Tau have the tech (as they reverse engineered it, so it should be identical), they don't have the requirements. Besides, kroot have warp travel, so that helps.

They still aren't required. But not having one is like trying to cross the pacific in a rowboat.

And no, the Tau's reverse engineering is not identical to the Imperial Warp drive they used as a model. They failed to fully replicate it(because they have no understanding of the Warp or psykers to help them)

The Kroot have warp travel, but the Tau don't know that. The Kroot keep it secret.

~~I'm pretty sure the nisaccar have warp tech, they are an entirely psykic race. I'll have to check.~~ (nope, psychically propelled ships, not interstellar travel, or at least how we think of it)
Also, the dermiug.

And this quote

The Tau were able to duplicate the warp drive of the alien ship but the initial test flights were disastrous. Achieving transition to the Warp required more than technology, it required psychically attuned minds and the Tau race boasted no psykers. Without them to guide the transition no amount of power could breach the dimensional barriers. The best the Tau could do was make a partial transition, forcing themselves into the void that separated Warpspace and real space before they were hurled out again like a ball held under water then released.

Emphasis mine.

That isn't proof they duplicated the warp drive with 100% accuracy.

And despite them having subjugated psychically attuned races, none of them have been willing to share(nor have the Tau asked) their warp drive technology.

We've gotten a tad off track, my point tau don't lack the tech, they lack navigators. Their tech might not be as good as the imperiums (a side affect of having to reverse engineer it), but it's not the tech's fault that they can't fully warp travel. It's the fact they are not a psykic race. Let me quote again "Achieving transition to the Warp required more than technology, it required psychically attuned minds and the Tau race boasted no psykers. Without them to guide the transition no amount of power could breach the dimensional barriers."

Sorry I'm a bit late, away from my PC.

**Dark Apostle 666**

A peace loving, non-military and entirely passive alien species?
Sounds like nothing more than a live-fire exercise to toughen up green imperial guard regiments to me.
Slave labour, maybe, but I doubt the Imperium would bother shipping them off-world for that purpose.

If the Ordo Xenos are satisfied that they're of no use alive, then the "Hippies" would go the way of the dodo, very fast.

**Inquisitor Bob**

PhillyT wrote:
The imperium does not eradicate all aliens. They allow many to exist as long as they are not seen as a threat or an obstruction.

Uuuuh, I don't think the VERY OCCASIONAL jokearo count as MANY!!

And even then, not even close to Decree Imperialis..
The only reason Adeptus Munitorum or Imperialis Missionaries wouldn't wipe out the entire species is because they didn't have enough ammo or a VERY POWERFUL Inquisitor told them not to..
(and even then Missionaries would still try to sneak in a kill or two..)
And Since those two forces pretty much RUN the Imperium...
Now if a free-lancing Rogue Trader or even a world long Isolated from Munitorum/Missionaries found them, that's a completely different story.

**Jehan-reznor**

Remember the game Abe's Odyssey? That will the future of these aliens, food for the nearby forge world.

**Frozen Ocean**

Maximus Bitch wrote:
How did Tau manage to survive and prosper? lol

Warp Storm, hinted at being caused by the Eldar.

Grey Templar wrote:
Because there was a Warp Storm which cut off the system and destroyed the colony ship heading for the planet(they crashed on the moon, which is where the Tau found the warp drive and made their own inferior version)

Here is the sum of information regarding this topic in the Tau Codex. I have the 3E Codex somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment.

Tau 6E Codex wrote:"789.M35 - The Adeptus Mechanicus Explorator vessel Land's Vision makes the first discovery of primitive Tau."

"With engineering centres in every sept working diligently, the Earth caste provided innumerable innovations, but the inventioon demanded by the Ethereals - faster propulsion technology to drive starcraft - eluded them. At last, the quantum leap came from Fal'shia Sept, where they finalised development of the ZFR Horizon Accelerator Engine. An ingenious design, this powerful new mechanism allowed ships to attain near-light speed. It was this device that would usher in the next phase of progress." This happens immediately before the Damocles Crusade.

"The first sign of the invasion came from the scanners of Pra'yen, the outermost planet of Dal'yth Sept. After picking up unusual readings, the Tau switched to long-ranged optics and were shocked to see great rents opening in space, with the massive Imperial battleships and their supporting fleet emerging out of nowhere."

"In the aftermath, the Ethereals demanded a full study of captives and recovered equipment. The Earth caste declared much of the technology to be inferior, and some was simply too unstable to contemplate using, such as Imperial plasma devices. There were some eye-opening discoveries, however, and the Earth caste was in absolute wonder over a Warp engine they obtained. With no knowledge or understanding of the realm known as the Warp, they found the strange apparatus utterly unfathomable. To their further frustration, the captured humans that had operated it seemed to possess no actual understanding of its mechanisms either, running the equipment solely through the application of superstitious rituals and chanting." What part of this says "reverse-engineered it into an inferior version"?

"Technical constraints proved a barrier as well, for the Earth caste have constantly been seeking ways to develop starcraft with faster engines to allow them to bridge the vast gulf of empty space between star systems."
"In order to reach those more distant systems earmarked as desirable by advanced scouts, the vast armadas of Tau starcraft had been outfitted with the latest Earth caste modifications. The ships' propulsion systems were upgraded so that when magnified by impulse reactors, the engines could obtain faster speeds - propelling starcraft forwards at hitherto unthinkable velocities. To further lessen the burden on those space-faring craft with the longest journeys, the Earth caste had outfitted transport craft with large stasis chambers - allowing Hunter Cadres or whole commands to shift to far distant battle zones months or years away without actually aging a day in the process." This seems to be the new fluff regarding Tau FTL, with no Warp involved.

Grey Templar wrote:No its definitely to do with tech. Without psykers they couldn't fully understand the Warp Drive. And thus made a version only capable of doing very short, and slow, hops.

Give them a real warp drive and it would do absolutely nothing for them. You need the psychic components to make the full jump, and a navigator to make it there in one piece.

In the old fluff, where they did "Warp hops", it wasn't because their technology was inferior - it was because they were being safe, and because they lacked Gellar fields and Navigators and so couldn't Warp-jump without being eaten by the Immaterium. Please note that this fluff is as old as Battlefleet Gothic, so it's pretty questionable (see above). The fluff does make it a point to mention that, in spite of lacking psykers and an understanding of the Warp (something that seems to be unable to be measured in any fashion by machines that don't have a psychic component or operator), the Tau were nevertheless capable of using it to attain FTL simply through the sheer power of their science, determining the "hop" method. BFG states that, although their technique was approximately a fifth of the speed of Imperial Warp travel, it was completely safe and much more reliable.

Grey Templar wrote:There is still definitely a tech component, which is no less vital than Navigators.

Navigators are actually NOT necessary. Navigators appeared after the warp drive was invented, they simply enabled ships to make longer and more accurate jumps(the first were still far longer and faster than what the Tau currently have)

The Warp was less turbulent then, and that allowed for safer jumps. Without a Navigator now it would be practical suicide, but it is possible.

Navigators are necessary. They are the only ones who can see the light of the Astronomican, and thereby navigate. This is why they are so important to the Imperium, and are tolerated in spite of being horrible mutants.

Basically everything you're saying is "The Tau suck and are inferior to the Imperium in every possible way". Let me guess; you hate the Tau? You're simultaneously denouncing the technological aspect of Warp travel and the psychic aspect, and it mostly just seems like you're doing that to try to make a point about how terrible the Tau are.

**Trondheim**

TheCustomLime wrote:
They'd send in the Imperial Guard and mop them up with minimal, if any, casualties. Then have the regiments involve settle the planet and claim another world in the Emperor's name. Glory to the Imperium!

This but only with more zeal, fury and brimstone involved, All around good times

**PhillyT**

Inquisitor Bob wrote:
PhillyT wrote:
The imperium does not eradicate all aliens. They allow many to exist as long as they are not seen as a threat or an obstruction.

Uuuuh, I don't think the VERY OCCASIONAL jokearo count as MANY!!

And even then, not even close to Decree Imperialis..
The only reason Adeptus Munitorum or Imperialis Missionaries wouldn't wipe out the entire species is because they didn't have enough ammo or a VERY POWERFUL Inquisitor told them not to..
(and even then Missionaries would still try to sneak in a kill or two..)
And Since those two forces pretty much RUN the Imperium...
Now if a free-lancing Rogue Trader or even a world long Isolated from Munitorum/Missionaries found them, that's a completely different story.

Several alien empires and races are essentially ignored by the imperium as they deal with legitimate threats. Most likely the Ordo Xenos would send an inquisitor or staff to live with and catalogue the race, determine any long term benefits, and make a decision from there.

The assumption that they kill all aliens isn't really accurate. It is a cost benefit issue.

**BrotherVord**

The imperium doesn't care if the xenos are peaceful or even if they are useful. They would be purged for being xenos. End of story

**Grey Templar**

PhillyT wrote:
Inquisitor Bob wrote:
PhillyT wrote:
The imperium does not eradicate all aliens. They allow many to exist as long as they are not seen as a threat or an obstruction.

Uuuuh, I don't think the VERY OCCASIONAL jokearo count as MANY!!

And even then, not even close to Decree Imperialis..
The only reason Adeptus Munitorum or Imperialis Missionaries wouldn't wipe out the entire species is because they didn't have enough ammo or a VERY POWERFUL Inquisitor told them not to..
(and even then Missionaries would still try to sneak in a kill or two..)
And Since those two forces pretty much RUN the Imperium...
Now if a free-lancing Rogue Trader or even a world long Isolated from Munitorum/Missionaries found them, that's a completely different story.

Several alien empires and races are essentially ignored by the imperium as they deal with legitimate threats. Most likely the Ordo Xenos would send an inquisitor or staff to live with and catalogue the race, determine any long term benefits, and make a decision from there.

The assumption that they kill all aliens isn't really accurate. It is a cost benefit issue.

That is only because they usually have way better things to do.

They allow some advanced races to continue to exist because the effort it would take to eradicate them would take away from more important war zones.

But if its a single primitive race on only a single colonizable planet then they'll send in a Guard regiment to take over the planet. Planets are really valuable.

**PhillyT**

True, though they might also just ignore the race until they are sure it has some value or is a threat. There is fluff of Ordo Xeno's members living for decades amongst a race before making a decision on how to proceed.

It isn't a black and white "purge the alien" that is just propaganda for the most part to keep the troops from questioning. Those in the know seem to take a more nuanced approach.

**Kiwidru**

"The xenos are really friendly and peace loving."

"What's more, when the Imperials espouse their religious creed, the xenos wholeheartedly accept it."

"The xenos agree with what the ministorum priests are saying. They accept and believe that the GEOM is the one true god of the galaxy."

I cant even fathom a situation where all those criteria are met.

How could a civilization be peace loving and then wholeheartedly join an empire taht is more or less dedicated to war?

id think, at best, a complimentary xeno would be a ratling/ogryn type relationship, where the mutants can serve an expendable military use.

**darkcloak**

The guy who posted the mushroom cloud has the right of it...

Unfortunate, but there is no San Francisco in the grim darkness of the future.

**Rune Stonegrinder**

Would have never made contact and if they did would never share religion.

Kill the entire populace with a virus bomb via exterminautis the inquisition has done it to other worlds to prevent lesser races from advancing...Original Tau lore was they got lucky, inqusition was on the way to wipe them out but a warp storm prevented it.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Virus bombs were used more offten than any other type to purge unwanted populace...at least where no chaos was present

**Kane84**

Maximus Bitch wrote:
Let's say one day an Imperial vessel chances upon a xenos world.

The xenos of that world only inhabit that particular world. They have not spread to other planets yet.

The xenos are really friendly and peace loving. They are also free of any Chaotic taint. What's more, when the Imperials espouse their religious creed, the xenos wholeheartedly accept it.

The xenos agree with what the ministorum priests are saying. They accept and believe that the GEOM is the one true god of the galaxy.

In this case, what would the Imperium do? Would they live and let live? Or would they still exterminate these hippie xenos?

Exterminatus.

**Iron_Captain**

Kiwidru wrote:
"The xenos are really friendly and peace loving."

"What's more, when the Imperials espouse their religious creed, the xenos wholeheartedly accept it."

"The xenos agree with what the ministorum priests are saying. They accept and believe that the GEOM is the one true god of the galaxy."

I cant even fathom a situation where all those criteria are met.

How could a civilization be peace loving and then wholeheartedly join an empire taht is more or less dedicated to war?

id think, at best, a complimentary xeno would be a ratling/ogryn type relationship, where the mutants can serve an expendable military use.

The funny thing is also that the religious creed of the Imperium says that all non-humans are vile abominations that must be purged.
If those xenos accept that creed so wholeheartedly, the Imperium does not even need to send its clean team, the xenos will purge themselves and the Ministorum priests will cry from witnessing such a beautiful divine event

Self-purging xenos would be the Imperium's wet dream

**Inquisitor Bob**

lMFAO- iron caltain have throne dammed exalt for that!!

Automatically Appended Next Post:

PhillyT wrote:
True, though they might also just ignore the race until they are sure it has some value or is a threat. There is fluff of Ordo Xeno's members living for decades amongst a race before making a decision on how to proceed.

It isn't a black and white "purge the alien" that is just propaganda for the most part to keep the troops from questioning. Those in the know seem to take a more nuanced approach.

As I've said before.. The situation your posing is if a lone inquisitor retinue found the planet...
Op was asking if the IMPERIUM would except it.. And that's 9/10 vote of hellz no so far

Automatically Appended Next Post:
And a radical inquisitor at that