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First,

Connor MacLeod 665753 8184703 wrote: there are societies (historically and otherwise) that trade freedom and individuality for stability, security, and sustainability.

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” - Ben Franklin

I would say that is a poor argument for "Tau ain't evil!"

On topic,

Eldar have such a military advantage that they would succeed in an extermination campaign against the Tau. And to make it easier they would first direct some other enemy to them to soften them up and wear down their defenses.

 Lord Blackscale wrote:
Eldar have such a military advantage that they would succeed in an extermination campaign against the Tau. And to make it easier they would first direct some other enemy to them to soften them up and wear down their defenses.

Didn't the Eldar do that with the Orks, redirecting a Hive Fleet tendril through some Imperials to break up a nascent Ork Waaah? Sucked to be the Imps caught in the middle, but Crisis Averted!

I field tau so call me biased but as far as I can tell everyone is looking at this as the tau being on the offensive which in my opinion is kinda unlikely seeing as they don't have decent warp travel where they can hold their own when defending against ground troops and orbitals which would make waiting and preparing a better tactic

We're not looking at Tau being on the offensive at all. We're talking about how the Tau can't reinforce their planets as the Eldar attack them.

 Eastern_Empire wrote:
I field tau so call me biased but as far as I can tell everyone is looking at this as the tau being on the offensive which in my opinion is kinda unlikely seeing as they don't have decent warp travel where they can hold their own when defending against ground troops and orbitals which would make waiting and preparing a better tactic

Nope, as far as I can tell, Tau are destroyed both ways. Eldar excel against static targets, as it is where their hit-and-run tactics can make the most effect. Also, one does not simply out-tactic the Eldar.

Yeah, until the Eldar swept the slow-moving Tau fleet from space using their Seers to predict Tau dispositions and tactics. And then exterminated Tau planets from orbit.

All 'versus' arguments aside, the two factions have no real motivation to fight at this time. The Tau almost don't register in the Warp, which is key to the Eldar. Tau fleets move with painful slowness in both interplanetary transit and in-system modes compared to the Eldar. Heck, very few Eldar are even in the Tau region of the Galaxy, but they have the Webway to get them where they need to be in a hurry. The Tau are no more of a threat to the Eldar than they are to the Imperium of Man at this time.

And were they to become a threat Eldar Seers would sense it and the pointy-ears would hatch some nefarious and subtle plan... likely using some other faction as their catspaw. 'Let's you and him fight' is an excellent stratagem and a way of life for the Eldar.

My two cents.

I agree that there is really no motive for either race to engage in a full on war like that but because the tau have no psycic signature and no presence in the warp doesn't it make sense that any engagement with the tau would be difficult if not impossible to predict for the eldar and that the eldar wouldn't be able to see into the tau's future unless observing them through another entity

If the Tau were to deliberately engage the Eldar, the Eldar would see that their future included attacks by Null forces. Same thing if they saw huge death and destruction of Imperials / Orks / whatever by Null forces. The Eldar surely know where the Tau are, so it's not hard for them to put 2+2 together and understand who's doing it. It's not like the Eldar don't have experience with similar forces (Pariah, Culexus, Shadow of the Warp, etc.).

 Eastern_Empire wrote:
I agree that there is really no motive for either race to engage in a full on war like that but because the tau have no psycic signature and no presence in the warp doesn't it make sense that any engagement with the tau would be difficult if not impossible to predict for the eldar and that the eldar wouldn't be able to see into the tau's future unless observing them through another entity

People keep saying this - unless the fluff has chnaged the tau have a small psychic signature - they are "Blunt" not "Bank". Major difference.

Tau technology and strategy adapts very quickly to new threats. I'm sure the full might of the Eldar would wipe out the Tau but the Eldar would doom themselves in the process.

Think of all the souls Slaanesh would be receiving?

As a Tau player, the Eldar would win. Their craftworlds are massive warships that could probably beat almost every army out there, while Tau are still a growing civilizations, so it's not exactly fair.

You might as well ask who would win, a Deathstar or some Civil Era ironclads.

 Eastern_Empire wrote:
I agree that there is really no motive for either race to engage in a full on war like that but because the tau have no psycic signature and no presence in the warp doesn't it make sense that any engagement with the tau would be difficult if not impossible to predict for the eldar and that the eldar wouldn't be able to see into the tau's future unless observing them through another entity

Wrong in every way possible.

-Tau are not Blanks, they are described as blunt.
-Eldar can predict blanks, they have tracked down the Culexus Temple down and had a psychic vision that destroying it would be their downfall.
-The motive doesn't matter, this is just a hypothetical.

Eldar win. Again.

 Medium of Death wrote:
Tau technology and strategy adapts very quickly to new threats. I'm sure the full might of the Eldar would wipe out the Tau but the Eldar would doom themselves in the process.

Think of all the souls Slaanesh would be receiving?

Slaanesh wouldn't receive any souls unless the spirit stones are destroyed with the warrior.