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How aware are the tau of the traitor legions and renegades ? Would they be able to tell that say a Plague Reaper or a He'll Talon isn't an imperial war machine or the difference between a devestator and a havoc faction wise ?

Semi-aware, but their intel on them (being on the far side of the galaxy from the EoT, and thus very unlikely to encounter them) is woefully lacking.

There's a story floating around where the Tau get into it with a Slaaneshi warband. Violence ensues. When the Tau kill the warband's leader, they are left with the impression that he was Slaanesh, and so believed that they had killed Slaanesh itself (the Tau having no comprehension of the Chaos Gods).

 Psienesis wrote:
Semi-aware, but their intel on them (being on the far side of the galaxy from the EoT, and thus very unlikely to encounter them) is woefully lacking.

There's a story floating around where the Tau get into it with a Slaaneshi warband. Violence ensues. When the Tau kill the warband's leader, they are left with the impression that he was Slaanesh, and so believed that they had killed Slaanesh itself (the Tau having no comprehension of the Chaos Gods).

Is that official or fan made?

Official, afaik, but I dont do a lot of reading on the Tau, so I may be wrong.

It's about as official as GW fluff gets, which isn't very. Fire Warrior had a good bit where Captain Ardias gets pissed at a Shas'la for not understanding 'Kha-aous' as the great enemy. They can see it as their version of 'The Terror' but don't have much firsthand experience with Chaos itself.

Tau have encountered pretty much everything. I'd wager that they update their intel more frequently and more quickly than the Imperium.
If your standard Pathfinder bumped into a Chaos vehicle, His/her networked battle telemetry would immediately tell them exactly what they're looking at, before relaying the information to the Cadre.
Tau have had plenty of face-time with Chaos thanks to the Perdus Rift Anomaly (basically another Eye Of Terror located in Tau space.)

Taus see chaos as aliens , not deamons .
A good exaple who they see them is that in Dawn of War: dark crusade when they fight in Chaos base they only have comunications problems , not mind ones.

 Pada wrote:
Taus see chaos as aliens , not deamons .
A good exaple who they see them is that in Dawn of War: dark crusade when they fight in Chaos base they only have comunications problems , not mind ones.

... on the upside, the lack of psykers and the general state of the Tau soul means that chaos corruption isn't much of an issue.

 EmpNortonII wrote:

... on the upside, the lack of psykers and the general state of the Tau soul means that chaos corruption isn't much of an issue.

Though it should be for anyone else within the Empire.

SomeRandomEvilGuy wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

... on the upside, the lack of psykers and the general state of the Tau soul means that chaos corruption isn't much of an issue.

Though it should be for anyone else within the Empire.

Nope. Average Tau rates lower than average human... and there are NO Tau psykers to serve as a point for daemons to materialize or spread their influence.

Daemons corrupt mortals by tempting them... and to tempt someone, you have to communicate with them. If there are no Tau that daemons can communicate with, there's no corruption.

actually deamons can find a way to comunicate whith the Tau and "corupt" them not now but in many years, but as long they follow their ethereals they are protected. but if they all die, we all saw what happend to Farsight (his sword looks like the shords in HH novels in a way)

Tau are blunt not blank - they can be perceived by Daemons and the like but its harder.

Firewarrior - book and game, is actually quite good at showing how the Tau perceive and deal with Chaos. They do think the threat is massively overrated which is fair enough due to their bluntness but it also means that when they encounter full blown manifestations its pretty overwhelming but then that's true of most mortals.

As they have taken over a number of human worlds, they should start having more and more problems with daemonic incursions and cults in their space....

 EmpNortonII wrote:

Nope. Average Tau rates lower than average human... and there are NO Tau psykers to serve as a point for daemons to materialize or spread their influence.

I meant the non-Tau in the Tau Empire. Kroot, Nicassar and Humans that serve the Tau all possess Psykers. How they control their Psyker populations is unknown. If they're allowed to move to majority-Tau worlds wouldn't they be allowed to cull them? Are they allowed to purged Psykers for being Psykers at all? Do they have the same infrastructure in place to allow them to detect the Psykers? If not then the planets the Tau are annexing are potentially very vulnerable to Daemonic (and Enslaver) incursion.

SomeRandomEvilGuy wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

Nope. Average Tau rates lower than average human... and there are NO Tau psykers to serve as a point for daemons to materialize or spread their influence.

I meant the non-Tau in the Tau Empire. Kroot, Nicassar and Humans that serve the Tau all possess Psykers. How they control their Psyker populations is unknown. If they're allowed to move to majority-Tau worlds wouldn't they be allowed to cull them? Are they allowed to purged Psykers for being Psykers at all? Do they have the same infrastructure in place to allow them to detect the Psykers? If not then the planets the Tau are annexing are potentially very vulnerable to Daemonic (and Enslaver) incursion.

The Kroot, at least, keep to themselves overwhelmingly. Given that the Tau Empire has no problems with the Kroot going Chaos, I can only imagine that the Kroot have figured out a way to police themselves. Of course, one factor might be that Kroot have no natural psykers. The only way we know for sure they gain such powers is by eating a dead psyker.

As for the Nicassar, one of the few things we know about them, in general, is that they are physically unsuited for ground combat because of limited mobility... which largely limits the damage they can do. I'm also not sure if they have a home world or mix with other races at all- they might only exist on their ships.

 EmpNortonII wrote:

SomeRandomEvilGuy wrote:

 EmpNortonII wrote:

Nope. Average Tau rates lower than average human... and there are NO Tau psykers to serve as a point for daemons to materialize or spread their influence.

I meant the non-Tau in the Tau Empire. Kroot, Nicassar and Humans that serve the Tau all possess Psykers. How they control their Psyker populations is unknown. If they're allowed to move to majority-Tau worlds wouldn't they be allowed to cull them? Are they allowed to purged Psykers for being Psykers at all? Do they have the same infrastructure in place to allow them to detect the Psykers? If not then the planets the Tau are annexing are potentially very vulnerable to Daemonic (and Enslaver) incursion.

The Kroot, at least, keep to themselves overwhelmingly. Given that the Tau Empire has no problems with the Kroot going Chaos, I can only imagine that the Kroot have figured out a way to police themselves. Of course, one factor might be that Kroot have no natural psykers. The only way we know for sure they gain such powers is by eating a dead psyker.

As for the Nicassar, one of the few things we know about them, in general, is that they are physically unsuited for ground combat because of limited mobility... which largely limits the damage they can do. I'm also not sure if they have a home world or mix with other races at all- they might only exist on their ships.

They have human worlds now - that means Chaos cults and enslavers

 Mr Morden wrote:

They have human worlds now - that means Chaos cults and enslavers

No, because etherieal wont let any other belief exept greater good, as emperor did whith his Imperial Truth

 Pada wrote:

 Mr Morden wrote:

They have human worlds now - that means Chaos cults and enslavers

No, because etherieal wont let any other belief exept greater good, as emperor did whith his Imperial Truth

its not going to be an offical religion but underground cults -same as with Genestealers...... unless they culll psykers, the Tau are going to have this problem

I notice the tau seem to already be experiencing problems with their recent conquest in Argellan. Apparently they aren't aware what happened there and don't seem to be anymore aware despite the voices clawing at their garrisons mind.

 Mr Morden wrote:

 Pada wrote:

 Mr Morden wrote:

They have human worlds now - that means Chaos cults and enslavers

No, because etherieal wont let any other belief exept greater good, as emperor did whith his Imperial Truth

its not going to be an offical religion but underground cults -same as with Genestealers...... unless they culll psykers, the Tau are going to have this problem

Lingering paranoia in the human population could lead to self-regulation. How effective spontaneous witch hunts would be would remain to be seen.

 Mr Nobody wrote:

 Mr Morden wrote:

 Pada wrote:

 Mr Morden wrote:

They have human worlds now - that means Chaos cults and enslavers

No, because etherieal wont let any other belief exept greater good, as emperor did whith his Imperial Truth

its not going to be an offical religion but underground cults -same as with Genestealers...... unless they culll psykers, the Tau are going to have this problem

Lingering paranoia in the human population could lead to self-regulation. How effective spontaneous witch hunts would be would remain to be seen.

could be - although the Tau would likely crack down hard on "witch hunts" and other "silly supersitions" ?

Tau wouldn't call a witch-hunt a 'sill supersition'. They're scientists, they recognise the existence of psychic powers (the Nicassar are universally psykers), so they understand that untrained human psykers may cause a problem of some sort.

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Tau wouldn't call a witch-hunt a 'sill supersition'. They're scientists, they recognise the existence of psychic powers (the Nicassar are universally psykers), so they understand that untrained human psykers may cause a problem of some sort.

Source ?


Tau seem really blind to everything that involves the warp, psykers, the concept of Gods&Demons etc.

 Pada wrote:
Taus see chaos as aliens , not deamons .
A good exaple who they see them is that in Dawn of War: dark crusade when they fight in Chaos base they only have comunications problems , not mind ones.

I get the impression they see Chaos as the way the Emporer described it during the crusade. An alien realm, with powerful beings that can corrupt our material plane, but aliens none the less.

The Farsight Enclaves has some stuff about Farsight and crew battling them with some awareness of what they are, but not perceiving them as 'demons'. As they defeat the demons and pull out, Farsight looks back into a warp rift and comes to the realization of what Chaos 'is'.

The implied concept (not overtly stated, but I think a fair interpretation), would be something like what Horus tells Loken or similar. Something powerful that can corrupt our plane of existence, but aliens none the less. It has rules, we just don't understand all of them.

Which is more or less true depending on your point of view.

 Mr Morden wrote:

could be - although the Tau would likely crack down hard on "witch hunts" and other "silly supersitions" ?

It threaths the Greater Good, DC crusade threated them and third spere started , same as nid ,ork invasions whith they sent whole armys to destory them.Tau have inteligence from the water caste they will found them and they could wipe them out as enemys of the greater good. If that happens on start humans will start to fear.
And dont forget that when Tau take a new work the make them live in "medival era" until they are needed on war or prove themselves ,epsecialy humans ,as many are fanatics for the God-Emperor

and also :

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Tau wouldn't call a witch-hunt a 'sill supersition'. They're scientists, they recognise the existence of psychic powers (the Nicassar are universally psykers), so they understand that untrained human psykers may cause a problem of some sort.

 Maniac_nmt wrote:

 Pada wrote:
Taus see chaos as aliens , not deamons .
A good exaple who they see them is that in Dawn of War: dark crusade when they fight in Chaos base they only have comunications problems , not mind ones.

I get the impression they see Chaos as the way the Emporer described it during the crusade. An alien realm, with powerful beings that can corrupt our material plane, but aliens none the less.

The Farsight Enclaves has some stuff about Farsight and crew battling them with some awareness of what they are, but not perceiving them as 'demons'. As they defeat the demons and pull out, Farsight looks back into a warp rift and comes to the realization of what Chaos 'is'.

The implied concept (not overtly stated, but I think a fair interpretation), would be something like what Horus tells Loken or similar. Something powerful that can corrupt our plane of existence, but aliens none the less. It has rules, we just don't understand all of them.

Which is more or less true depending on your point of view.

yeah more-or-less that how they see it , just another threath that must me won for the Greater Good

 1hadhq wrote:

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Tau wouldn't call a witch-hunt a 'sill supersition'. They're scientists, they recognise the existence of psychic powers (the Nicassar are universally psykers), so they understand that untrained human psykers may cause a problem of some sort.

Source ?


Tau seem really blind to everything that involves the warp, psykers, the concept of Gods&Demons etc.

Exhibit A: The Tau have advanced technology, which can only be created through the scientific method.

Exhibit B: Battlefleet Gothic Resources: Tau Fleets, pg. 96. The Tau use warp-skipper drives to travel based on salvaged technology, meaning that they must be aware of the Warp.

Exhibit C: To Unite the Stars: Tau Vessels, pg. 107. "The Nicassar are a psychic xenos race who were the first addition to the Tau Empire."

 1hadhq wrote:

 Furyou Miko wrote:
Tau wouldn't call a witch-hunt a 'sill supersition'. They're scientists, they recognise the existence of psychic powers (the Nicassar are universally psykers), so they understand that untrained human psykers may cause a problem of some sort.

Source ?


Tau seem really blind to everything that involves the warp, psykers, the concept of Gods&Demons etc.

Exhibit A: The Tau have advanced technology, which can only be created through the scientific method.

What about Orks ? Tyranids ?

Exhibit B: Battlefleet Gothic Resources: Tau Fleets, pg. 96. The Tau use warp-skipper drives to travel based on salvaged technology, meaning that they must be aware of the Warp.

To know there is a plane you can partially use and to understand it isn't the same. Allies of the empire also don't share their tech....

Exhibit C: To Unite the Stars: Tau Vessels, pg. 107. "The Nicassar are a psychic xenos race who were the first addition to the Tau Empire."

Nicassar are a BFG thing. Not really found their way into codices or BRB. Cause "main" 40 has the Kroot as the first additon.
Basically no Problem, if it wasn't for the "we know better than you and don't listen" complex of the Tau. They may trade with their "allies", ok no argument there.

Just something to consider:

- you ask the major players of the 40k-verse about Psykers. Training of them , etc pp.
> an Ork may find that funny, says they keep a distance to the weirdboyz and some are really fond of the things that happen around those. But still a risk to end with a choppa in your skull...
> Necron stares at you, keeps on staring until you get very uncomfortable and maybe decides its better to show this one where his place is. Maybe you get away before that gauss weapon is ready..
> Tyranid looks hungry. Adds your biomass to the fleets resources. Answers ??
> Eldar is happy you ask the right Person. Begins to drone on an on how the Eldar do it, how inferior the lesser races are and why they never really get to the point where an Eldar considers them even at novice level so its not worth the effort to train those unworthy beeings..... too many answers, not helpful at all cause you learned a lot you didn't want to know...
> DarkEldar is happy to help you. Just follow into that dark alley.... answers you may find. Training is unnecessary they tell you, put those psykers down to be safe they say. And please stay..
> chaos creature, known as 'Demon'. Tells you lies, half-truths and offers those one-year-subscriptions to chaos for a discount. If you escape uncorrupted call yourself lucky...
> Human. Either calls the Arbites because you ask too many questions or starts a witch-hunt cause you talked so much about pesky witches and who wouldn't like the smell of burning witches?
- Only humans could offer useful info. Orks, Crons and nids don't care; Elfs deem non-elfs incapable of selfcontrol to use the warp, chaos isn't reliable and xenos may be so different from humans the info you get is useless.

The Eldar are actually rather fond of the Tau, and may actually be responsible for a lot of the intel the Tau have on the wider galaxy.

 Psienesis wrote:
The Eldar are actually rather fond of the Tau, and may actually be responsible for a lot of the intel the Tau have on the wider galaxy.

One of my favorite fan-based theories about the Tau is that they're an Eldar experiment. The Eldar have a switch that they can throw that will make the Tau capable of being psykers, and the Eldar are waiting until the right moment to reveal their battlesuit-wielding trump card to Chaos.

Well... Typically CSMs have mutations and beasts for identification.

 EmpNortonII wrote:


One of my favorite fan-based theories about the Tau is that they're an Eldar experiment. The Eldar have a switch that they can throw that will make the Tau capable of being psykers, and the Eldar are waiting until the right moment to reveal their battlesuit-wielding trump card to Chaos.

Personally, I prefer the theory that they're a Necron experiment to the same ends.