Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, looking into the Tau Caste system, it seems like everyone has an official purpose. The Fire Warriors are the ground military, the Air Caste is in charge of spacecraft and space stations, the Earth Caste is in charge of drones, mechanical stuff and innovation and that kind of thing, and the Water Caste is in charge of the bureacracy and government type stuff as well as negotiations.

If that's the case, I'm really struggling to find a purpose for the Ethereal caste. While I understand that they act as the philosopher-king types, what do they spend their time doing? The negotiations and government-type stuff is already taken by the Water Caste, so I'm really unclear what they spend most of their time doing.

Secondly, whilst the Caste system seems fairly solid, there's many jobs that I don't know which category they'd fall into. For instance, what caste would chefs, or medical staff be in?

Guidance. They oversea projects, write ethical theories, stand as pillars of the empire. Basically the leadership role. A big part is mediating differences between the other groups. The firs caste say shoot them, the air caste says bomb them, the water caste says hug them, but it is the aun who make the final choice about what happens.

Chief's and medics are in the earth cast most likely.

Earth cast is the most numerous since it can compose anything from farmers to engineers and doctors.

The Ethereals are the oversees of the Tau. They're making sure that the gears are spinning without any problems.

As for the chefs... damn, that's tough. No idea really.

To understand the Tau castes you could think the Plato´s Republicae. The Artisans (Earth) are the workers, the proletary class, the warriors (Fire) are the defenders and the guardians of the traditions and the politicians (water) are the rulers and intellectuals.

GW added the Wind to fulfill the four elements of Empedocles, and then they added the Ethereals, the Ether or five element of Aristotle, the Spirit, the Soul.

More than indian casts they are the greek republican utopia, where there was no freedom to improve you status. If you was an slave, you only will be an slave. An to rebel against this and your falte is the most closely concept of sin in the pre-semmitic hellenic cultures, Hubris.

 Xathrodox86 wrote:
The Ethereals are the oversees of the Tau. They're making sure that the gears are spinning without any problems.

As for the chefs... damn, that's tough. No idea really.

Chefs make stuff. Earth caste. That's not to say that no one else can cook, but the professional food creation and delivery people would all be Earth caste.

Similarly with medical staff. The true professional doctors and surgeons will be Earth caste, but I'm sure the other castes will have paramedic types, especially Fire Caste combat medics.

Oh man. Diorama time. The 4077 M'ash field hospital unit. With Fio'vre H'WK'YE and his illicit space gin still... awesome

 Flinty wrote:

 Xathrodox86 wrote:
The Ethereals are the oversees of the Tau. They're making sure that the gears are spinning without any problems.

As for the chefs... damn, that's tough. No idea really.

Chefs make stuff. Earth caste. That's not to say that no one else can cook, but the professional food creation and delivery people would all be Earth caste.

Similarly with medical staff. The true professional doctors and surgeons will be Earth caste, but I'm sure the other castes will have paramedic types, especially Fire Caste combat medics.

Oh man. Diorama time. The 4077 M'ash field hospital unit. With Fio'vre H'WK'YE and his illicit space gin still... awesome

Man, for some reason the Earth Caste guys and gals seem like they have the most stuff to do. Engineering, medical work, cooking... It's not easy being them!