Why are Tau not popular?

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**Morgasm the Powerfull**

I've held. that, since the Tau belong in the same category as all those other smaller empires and nations that get name dropped every once in while - Draxian Hegemony, Ulumeathic League, Worldweave of the Noisome Reek, Church of Dracolith and so on -that they are, at least in part, a nod by GW for the players - a reminder that there's a larger galaxy outside of the big factions, and that those thousands of factions can be used in games too.

At least I felt that way back when they were released when it seemed that we might get models for various races - mercs and what not - since back then GeeDubs was more open to releasing more homebrewy Chapter Approved rules in WDs, like rules for using animals and armylists for feral orks and kroot mercs.

Oh, those old Chapter Approved books were fethin' cool and inspirational.

**Asherian Command**

In short... They Don't fit the setting

In Longeate simplified paragraph... The Tau often get away with no consequences what they do is so abysmally small that they have no long term effects on the galaxy. Every war and battle with them is extremely short (in terms of the universe). They never really face consequences or face a suitable threat that could destroy them entirely. Always being seen as 'non-proper' threat, which is why they are often ignore by the major races. They don't really seem to have anything interesting about them other than, they have mech suits. But their aesthetical details are out of place, they don't really 'fit' the setting. While most of their books written about them are often poorly written or make everyone dumber than bricks to make the tau seem smart. The Tau currently use subpar tactics and manage to pull the win out of thin air. Because they are not liked because of the clear bias whenever someone writes them. Read any of the tau books and you'll find most of them are poorly written (especially if its from their point of view). The best books about them are from the imperium side of view (War of Secrets etc). Cause the tau really don't have anything in depth about them compelling all they have is 'the greater good' and thats about it.

**=Angel=**

cmspano wrote:

=Angel= wrote:

The eldar are the most advanced race and their line soldiers don't get strength 5.

The eldar are the most advanced race in a lot of areas but not in every area. Their anti grav tech is better than everyone else's for sure. Tau are experts at weapons technology. That's what they do best. The Eldar have the webway, very good anti grav tech, and wraithbone. That's really about it, that's what they're good at. Tau's navigation technology is way behind them, but their weapons systems are far better and their defensive tech is often better.

If you compare their weapons in similar riles it's not just their regular small arms that are better than Eldar

Pulse Carbines are better than Shuriken catapults
Burst Cannons and SMS are arguably better than Shuriken Cannons
Railguns are better than Brightlances
Tau Plasma rifles are smaller and easier to use than Eldar ones(rapid fire instead of heavy d3)
Rail rifles and Sniper Drones are better than ranger rifles

Eldar do have handheld melta weapons, Tau only have suit mounted fusions so there's that.

Then you can consider a lot of guns that Eldar don't really have something analogous too.
HYMPs and Ion Rifle/CIBs for medium strength fire.
The host of big tau guns on suits Ghostkeel and larger
Pulse rifles, a long range infantry rifle
Pulse blasters, a short range infantry gun that's also better than a shuriken catapult.

Also consider other technology. Like Drones. Eldar are a dying race where every death is a blow to them, and yet they don't have even simple AI controlled drones like the Tau use everywhere. Wouldn't something like that be a huge priority for a dwindling race?

I think it's safe to say that the Eldar as they exist in 40k are not the most technologically advanced race. They used to be, but the Imperium also used to be incredibly advanced in science but aren't anymore. They developed true sentient AIs, robust STCs, and all kinds of amazing tech but now don't even know how their guns work.

Advanced =/= powerful. A musket is more powerful than a 3d printed 1 shot derringer, despite the latter being more advanced.
Necron weapons pull you apart in a stream of molecules, but an ork solid fuel rokkit is stronger. Eldar weapons use black holes to accelerate a stream of monomolecular blades at you. Tau weapons are particle accelerators. Both are outclassed by big shootas.

The tau plasma rifle is actually worse than the Imperial equivalent- it is not man portable. You could argue this represents a martial philosophy (suits get the good stuff) rather than a limitation of the tech, but you could argue the same for starcannons (as eldar have plasma grenades)

Then you can consider a lot of guns that Eldar don't really have something analogous too.
HYMPs and Ion Rifle/CIBs for medium strength fire.
The host of big tau guns on suits Ghostkeel and larger
Pulse rifles, a long range infantry rifle
Pulse blasters, a short range infantry gun that's also better than a shuriken catapult.

Also consider other technology. Like Drones. Eldar are a dying race where every death is a blow to them, and yet they don't have even simple AI controlled drones like the Tau use everywhere. Wouldn't something like that be a huge priority for a dwindling race?

I think it's safe to say that the Eldar as they exist in 40k are not the most technologically advanced race. They used to be, but the Imperium also used to be incredibly advanced in science but aren't anymore. They developed true sentient AIs, robust STCs, and all kinds of amazing tech but now don't even know how their guns work.

The admech don't have anything analogous to some Tau options right now- the Tau range has been explored more. The Tau have no counter to warlord titans- that doesn't mean they won't in time- the current range of knight class dakkamechs seems to be heading that way. When the Eldar race is explored, its typically through aspect shrines (fw's ghosts with the lasers) factional development (pirates, ynnarri) or variants on existing vehicles rather than new stompy robots.

This is because there is little in Tau infantry or characters to explore- shooty robots are the extent of their appeal.

As per AI- there are in universe reasons why the Eldar (fall) and Imperium (AI rebellion, chaos scrapcode) forbid AI use.

**John Prins**

Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be. The Tau fill a much needed viewpoint in the setting - the young up and coming race in a big bad galaxy full of big bad things they're largely ignorant about. We get to see them lose their wide-eyed innocence. We didn't get to see that with any of the other races - they've all been at war forever, it's all old hat for them. The Tau are like the protagonists in a horror movie franchise - we, the audience, know what they're up for, but the Tau really have no idea. It's like watching humanity spread into the galaxy, only more blue and noseless.

**Alcibiades**

Does every Tau player except me play gunline or something? My army is usually everything mobile.

**Asherian Command**

John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be. The Tau fill a much needed viewpoint in the setting - the young up and coming race in a big bad galaxy full of big bad things they're largely ignorant about. We get to see them lose their wide-eyed innocence. We didn't get to see that with any of the other races - they've all been at war forever, it's all old hat for them. The Tau are like the protagonists in a horror movie franchise - we, the audience, know what they're up for, but the Tau really have no idea. It's like watching humanity spread into the galaxy, only more blue and noseless.

If they have a codex it is implied they are. Space Marine Chapters and various other imperial factions are because they are a massive faction.

Tau are only a very small part of that universe they've never faced the black legion, or a massive tyranid invasion. They barely seem relevant as it is currently. Their innocence has not been lost yet, the few that have lost their innocence are considered insane.

I dislike how tau have progressed especially with bigger mecha suits and even bigger suits.

So far their equipment is more powerful than the most advanced weaponry in most factions. While also being completely untouched by chaos or the plague wars.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Alcibiades wrote:
Does every Tau player except me play gunline or something? My army is usually everything mobile.

No. thats the most popular and best list is the mobile forces.

Many people don't like tau because they can do everything but melee well.

**SHUPPET**

Asherian Command wrote:

Alcibiades wrote:
Does every Tau player except me play gunline or something? My army is usually everything mobile.

No. thats the most popular and best list is the mobile forces.

Many people don't like tau because they can do everything but melee well.

I don't think so. How's that Tau psychic phase going?

**IronBrand**

Asherian Command wrote:
John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be. The Tau fill a much needed viewpoint in the setting - the young up and coming race in a big bad galaxy full of big bad things they're largely ignorant about. We get to see them lose their wide-eyed innocence. We didn't get to see that with any of the other races - they've all been at war forever, it's all old hat for them. The Tau are like the protagonists in a horror movie franchise - we, the audience, know what they're up for, but the Tau really have no idea. It's like watching humanity spread into the galaxy, only more blue and noseless.

If they have a codex it is implied they are. Space Marine Chapters and various other imperial factions are because they are a massive faction.

Tau are only a very small part of that universe they've never faced the black legion, or a massive tyranid invasion. They barely seem relevant as it is currently. Their innocence has not been lost yet, the few that have lost their innocence are considered insane.

I dislike how tau have progressed especially with bigger mecha suits and even bigger suits.

So far their equipment is more powerful than the most advanced weaponry in most factions. While also being completely untouched by chaos or the plague wars.

Yeah, codices should be saved for the larger armies, like harlequins.

**Asherian Command**

IronBrand wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be. The Tau fill a much needed viewpoint in the setting - the young up and coming race in a big bad galaxy full of big bad things they're largely ignorant about. We get to see them lose their wide-eyed innocence. We didn't get to see that with any of the other races - they've all been at war forever, it's all old hat for them. The Tau are like the protagonists in a horror movie franchise - we, the audience, know what they're up for, but the Tau really have no idea. It's like watching humanity spread into the galaxy, only more blue and noseless.

If they have a codex it is implied they are. Space Marine Chapters and various other imperial factions are because they are a massive faction.

Tau are only a very small part of that universe they've never faced the black legion, or a massive tyranid invasion. They barely seem relevant as it is currently. Their innocence has not been lost yet, the few that have lost their innocence are considered insane.

I dislike how tau have progressed especially with bigger mecha suits and even bigger suits.

So far their equipment is more powerful than the most advanced weaponry in most factions. While also being completely untouched by chaos or the plague wars.
Yeah, codices should be saved for the larger armies, like harlequins.

Harlequens are a major faction hahaha.

They've been hinted at being larger of a force for decades... you know build up? Tau sorta came out of nowhere. (just like the primaris) And their rushed development has caused lots of issues already in the lore.

**SHUPPET**

IronBrand wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be. The Tau fill a much needed viewpoint in the setting - the young up and coming race in a big bad galaxy full of big bad things they're largely ignorant about. We get to see them lose their wide-eyed innocence. We didn't get to see that with any of the other races - they've all been at war forever, it's all old hat for them. The Tau are like the protagonists in a horror movie franchise - we, the audience, know what they're up for, but the Tau really have no idea. It's like watching humanity spread into the galaxy, only more blue and noseless.

If they have a codex it is implied they are. Space Marine Chapters and various other imperial factions are because they are a massive faction.

Tau are only a very small part of that universe they've never faced the black legion, or a massive tyranid invasion. They barely seem relevant as it is currently. Their innocence has not been lost yet, the few that have lost their innocence are considered insane.

I dislike how tau have progressed especially with bigger mecha suits and even bigger suits.

So far their equipment is more powerful than the most advanced weaponry in most factions. While also being completely untouched by chaos or the plague wars.
Yeah, codices should be saved for the larger armies, like harlequins.

you picked a really poor example with this one. You could have picked like, Legion of the Damned or something, instead you went with the race that tries to dip it's handiwork into everything

**IronBrand**

SHUPPET wrote:
IronBrand wrote:
Yeah, codices should be saved for the larger armies, like harlequins.

you picked a really poor example with this one. You could have picked like, Legion of the Damned or something, instead you went with the race that tries to dip it's handiwork into everything

I picked the one that actually has a codex even though it only has 8 units and a fortification.

**Blndmage**

The 3rd ed Necron codex only had 13 different units, 14 if you count the Destroyer Lord, but it was an upgrade.

**Giantwalkingchair**

Personally speaking, ive never enjoyed a game against tau. Aside from the clear ridiculous levels of shootiness that has blasted my off the table before i could even make it halfway across the table in the past, ive not liked their looks.

Too clean and sleek and just ugly looking to me but thats personal taste.

My experiences against them have always left me sour to the point that i wont play againt Tau unless there is absolutely no other option for me whatsoever. I have not yet however played them in 8th, so maybe experiences have cha ged with it, but im hesitant to risk wasting my time on a game i probably wont enjoy.

Also in my area its always been battle suits battle suits battle suits and it just gets boring to see.
I would be more inclined to try a game against someone who fielded tau more like a dark mirror federation. Where their army has warriors and kroots and vespid and ethereals. Thatd be great to see on the table, exotic aliens banded together for the sinister self serving good join us or die side of things. But nope, why have that when you can BATTEL SOOTZ!

**SHUPPET**

IronBrand wrote:
SHUPPET wrote:
IronBrand wrote:
Yeah, codices should be saved for the larger armies, like harlequins.

you picked a really poor example with this one. You could have picked like, Legion of the Damned or something, instead you went with the race that tries to dip it's handiwork into everything
I picked the one that actually has a codex even though it only has 8 units and a fortification.

You picked one that has it's hands in everything, as your choice in example of a faction that isn't a major player in the lore. You done goofed.

**IronBrand**

SHUPPET wrote:
IronBrand wrote:
I picked the one that actually has a codex even though it only has 8 units and a fortification.

You picked one that has it's hands in everything, as your choice in example of a faction that isn't a major player in the lore. You done goofed.

It's a small subfaction of a dying race. It's not really a major player anymore. Especially if you're just talking about the harlequins by themselves and not the Eldar as a whole.

**ValentineGames**

50% of Tau hate is simply because it has become the normal thing to do to be accepted within a group.

**cmspano**

Giantwalkingchair wrote:
Personally speaking, ive never enjoyed a game against tau. Aside from the clear ridiculous levels of shootiness that has blasted my off the table before i could even make it halfway across the table in the past, ive not liked their looks.

My experiences against them have always left me sour to the point that i wont play againt Tau unless there is absolutely no other option for me whatsoever. I have not yet however played them in 8th, so maybe experiences have cha ged with it, but im hesitant to risk wasting my time on a game i probably wont enjoy.

You should play against them in 8th, they're not a top tier army at all. They were really good while commander spam was a thing but after GW killed it they dropped a lot in power. They're not winning any tournaments AFAIK. Eldar still outclass them with their ridiculous cheese. Tau don't have a good answer for knights outside of commanders either.

Giantwalkingchair wrote:

Also in my area its always been battle suits battle suits battle suits and it just gets boring to see.
I would be more inclined to try a game against someone who fielded tau more like a dark mirror federation. Where their army has warriors and kroots and vespid and ethereals. Thatd be great to see on the table, exotic aliens banded together for the sinister self serving good join us or die side of things. But nope, why have that when you can BATTEL SOOTZ!

You need new people to play against. Tau suits aren't very good. Commanders are great, Broadsides aren't terrible, Riptides are supposed to be pretty decent but nothing like in 7th. Stealth suits have a use, they're pretty good at it. Crisis suits are garbage, like really bad. Ghostkeels are ok, good enough for a casual game, not good enough for competitive play.

Kroot are absolute garbage in 8th which is sad, but Fire Warriors are very good. Most of the Sept traits are good for FWs and they work both in a gun line or in an aggressive style of play. I think 3 Tau battalions with 90 fire warriors could be really strong. You would still have about 1000 points left for suits and heavy stuff.

You're going to always have suits in tau though because that's the only thing that makes them special. It's also the only way to get anti vehicle firepower that's remotely acceptable. Hammerheads are never going to bring down a knight army. 3 Commanders with 4 fusion blasters might.

**John Prins**

Asherian Command wrote:
John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be.

If they have a codex it is implied they are.

Codexes only imply GW thinks people will buy a force as an army. If it was actual significance, humanity would have:

Codex: Imperial Guard
Codex: Imperial Fleet
Codex: Ecclesiarchy
Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus
and maaaaaybe Codex: Ultramar (they have 500 worlds, after all)

**Solar-powered_chainsword**

Reemule wrote:
I don't like tau cause:

Ugly models.
Seems fishy.
Anime is a tired genre.
Kroot are dumb.
Ascetically they are not pleasing.
The greater good?
Drone Markerlights what?
Have they ever been good?

I'm sorry, I don't really get, well, pretty much any of these points. I mean, Ugly Models is the same as they're not aesthetically pleasing, sure, that's fine. You don't like anime, which I guess I kind of get, but not that much. Other than that, I've never got the anime vibe. However, you don't really explain why Kroot are dumb, and the remaining three are questions. Saying something about the Tau with a question mark isn't really a reason.

Leman Russ Annihilator?

See, it's not really anything. I'm not sure what your point is, it just seems to kind of be muddled and confused.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Vitali Advenil wrote:
One, their playstyle isn't very dynamic. Granted, it's more dynamic than a Gorillaman Gunline since Tau have interesting things like infiltrators and other little tricks, but it's by and large a gunline.

Two, their fluff and design has always struck me as kind of boring. I mean, what exactly are they from a fluff standpoint? Imperials are the "good" guys who resort to awful things just to keep going, Chaos is the corrupting force behind most of the horrible stuff in the universe, necrons are instigators of the old war that began all this crap and are an ancient threat, Eldar and Dark Eldar are the hypocritical fops who think they're all high-and-mighty despite the fact that they've screwed over the universe the most, orks are the genocidal, war-mongering, irredeemable race that somehow serves as this setting's comedic relief, and Tyrannids are the absolutely terrifying beings from another galaxy that are probably the biggest threat out there. The Tau though? They're just some random upstart race that has decent technology.

That, and their designs are utterly boring. They're basically skinny, blue humans piloting Mobile Suit Gundams. None of their robots even seem that menacing compared to the Imperium or especially the orks.

Tau seem to be the ones who are the "good" guys who resort to awful things to keep going, not the Imperium, who is more of an example of backwards superstition leading to evil things, not evil things done for the greater good, pun absolutely intended. In addition to this, if anything they have some of the most uniqueness as everyone else. They're the only faction that actually makes permanent allies. They're the only faction that seems to be advancing their technology level. They're the only faction that is hard sci-fi as opposed to magic, be it Warp or C'tan based. They're pretty much the core faction. They're possibly the most unique of all factions, as opposed to the rest of them, who could all be described the same way you described the Orks, barring the humor element. All other races are certainly genocidal, war-mongering and irredeemable, when it comes down to it.

It just seems very bizarre that for all the criticism I've seen of the Tau that they don't fit into the 40k world, you're now saying that they fit in so well that they're not unique among the other factions.

**Konradleijon**

I thinks that’s because of the red scare

**Solar-powered_chainsword**

=Angel= wrote:
bibotot wrote:
I am getting the feeling this particular faction is very unpopluar.

Having a racial immunity to chaos corruption in 40k is like having all the lights on in a horror movie- its just not the same atmosphere.The tau just don't fit in 40k for that reason, their struggles are purely military and don't involve any deeper consequences for them. For a human to recover an artifact of unknown provenenace- he risks chaos possession, opening warpgates to hell, simply going mad from some alien influence or revelation. The tau just sit there in their labcoats, smelling like day old sushi, treating it like a rock they're studying.

What? Orks have an immunity to Chaos. Necrons have an immunity to Chaos. Immunities to Chaos are par the course for 40k.

**SHUPPET**

Tau are the core faction and more unique compared to the other races than Tyranid or Necrons (who are just the comedic relief races)

lol this race certainly inspires a unique brand of fanatacism to say the least

**AlmightyWalrus**

This idea that the Tau are the only ones inventing new stuff is pretty adorable too. It's not like we just had a new and improved version of Space Marines with new wargear hit the field or anything...

**Solar-powered_chainsword**

Bremon wrote:
I was 15 when Tau were released and I hated them instantly. No one in my group liked them either thankfully so we never really had to acknowledge their existence. Their fluff and initial rules and design just seemed antithetical to what we liked about 40k.

My friends played marines and chaos; power armour is cool and playing an army of the elite guys fighting for humanity’s survival was interesting. I, and others, played Eldar because they had the most advanced technology and a bitter backstory. A friend liked Tyranids because they are a massive threat that no one understands that will eventually take over the galaxy.

Tau takes a big dump on this. All of a sudden our GW Overlords delivers a new race with grav tanks, better weaponry than Eldar/Marines, guns of multiple flavours to make everyone jealous, but a book and new kits, and, worst of all, a “good guy” to potentially inherit the universe (there wasn’t much dark stuff insinuated about the tau back then from what I can remember).

“They’re weak, they can’t handle melee” well most of my eldar couldn’t exactly handle melee back then either and I had a ton of guardian defenders lol.

We stopped playing in 4th and apparently Tau have only gotten more deserving of hate in the years since.

Sorry, you liked the Eldar for having the most advanced techonology and a tragic backstory, and your friends like marines for their power armor and fighting for humanity's survival? What about the Tau has "taken a big dudmp" on that? Do the Eldar no longer have the most advanced technology? They do. Do they not have a tragic backstory? They do. Does power armor still exist? It does. Do the marines still fight for humanity's survival? They do. Of literally every single reason you named for you or your friends liking the army you like hasn't changed from the T'au.

The criticisms you're making don't, in any way, relate to the things you're saying you like. What, is the new faction bad because it has "a book and net kits"? What kind of complaint is that? That new factions have to get new things? That's literally the most useless complaint that could possibly be made of everything. Can new factions also not have grav tanks? Multiple factions in 40k do already, what's your point? The only actual criticism you've made is the "good guy" thing, with everything else being weak meandering about any chance of a point.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:
This idea that the Tau are the only ones inventing new stuff is pretty adorable too. It's not like we just had a new and improved version of Space Marines with new wargear hit the field or anything...

Sure, the Space Marines have started doing so now, but that's a proper change up in the way the factions are. The Tau's shtick was "Innovating", and that's something the Imperium is stepping on now, but it is definitely a Tau trait the Imperium have just started doing.

**Asherian Command**

John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
John Prins wrote:
Asherian Command wrote:
In short... They Don't fit the setting

The setting is huge and there's plenty of room for most anything. I'll agree that the Tau aren't major players in the galaxy, but not every faction NEEDS to be.

If they have a codex it is implied they are.

Codexes only imply GW thinks people will buy a force as an army. If it was actual significance, humanity would have:

Codex: Imperial Guard
Codex: Imperial Fleet
Codex: Ecclesiarchy
Codex: Adeptus Mechanicus
and maaaaaybe Codex: Ultramar (they have 500 worlds, after all)

We have a codex imperial guard....

Imperial Navy doesn't fight on the ground so....

Ecclesiarchy already exists with Sisters of BAttle

Adeptus Mechancius already exists....

Codex Ultramar / Space Marines

Bad examples probably?

**Dandelion**

Asherian Command wrote:

We have a codex imperial guard....

Imperial Navy doesn't fight on the ground so....

Ecclesiarchy already exists with Sisters of BAttle

Adeptus Mechancius already exists....

Codex Ultramar / Space Marines

Bad examples probably?

That's you missing the point: IF size of the organization were the only criteria (or the main one) for having a codex then grey knights, BA/DA/SW, Custodes, Imperial Knights, etc.. would not have codexes. Now do you believe that the Blood Angels chapter is large enough and powerful enough to take on the Tau single-handedly? If not, then any complaint about Tau being too small or irrelevant is moot.

**AlmightyWalrus**

Solar-powered_chainsword wrote:

Automatically Appended Next Post:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:
This idea that the Tau are the only ones inventing new stuff is pretty adorable too. It's not like we just had a new and improved version of Space Marines with new wargear hit the field or anything...

Sure, the Space Marines have started doing so now, but that's a proper change up in the way the factions are. The Tau's shtick was "Innovating", and that's something the Imperium is stepping on now, but it is definitely a Tau trait the Imperium have just started doing.

They've been making new stuff all along. Land Raider patterns, Predator patterns, one out of seventyfive bajilion lasgun patterns and so on. Tau inventing stuff faster doesn't mean the Imperium hasn't been making new things.

**=Angel=**

AlmightyWalrus wrote:
Solar-powered_chainsword wrote:

Automatically Appended Next Post:

AlmightyWalrus wrote:
This idea that the Tau are the only ones inventing new stuff is pretty adorable too. It's not like we just had a new and improved version of Space Marines with new wargear hit the field or anything...

Sure, the Space Marines have started doing so now, but that's a proper change up in the way the factions are. The Tau's shtick was "Innovating", and that's something the Imperium is stepping on now, but it is definitely a Tau trait the Imperium have just started doing.

They've been making new stuff all along. Land Raider patterns, Predator patterns, one out of seventyfive bajilion lasgun patterns and so on. Tau inventing stuff faster doesn't mean the Imperium hasn't been making new things.

They have been primarily recovering old designs which were lost, or expanding laterally into the arsenal of the Imperium- this is a tank pattern produced on this fw, this is the arvus lighter, a non combatant transport, this is a command rhino variant, and so on.
Whenever they pull stuff out of their ass like the Stormraven and centurions, it is implied to have been in use for centuries if not millennia.

When the tau 'innovate' a new thing, it dates that thing, like the primaris are dated to the end of M41.
If you want to play a game set in the age of apostasy, alien wars, any given historical conflict, Tau don't belong and neither do Primaris. The setting of 40k cannot absorb broad innovation and remain a static setting. It has to become a rolling timeline- but can't because they are too close to M42.

**Snake Tortoise**

I suspect it's partly because their aesthetic doesn't immediately tell you what they're about, and partly because the other, generally older, factions have had a longer time for their miniature ranges to mature.

Take one look at tyranids, orks, necrons and dark eldar models and you'll have a good idea what they are. Tau, not so much.

Personally I don't mind their basic infantry and tank equivalents, and I really like all the kroot models, but don't like the battle suit aesthetic at all and wouldn't field any variant of them

**Grimtuff**

Snake Tortoise wrote:
I suspect it's partly because their aesthetic doesn't immediately tell you what they're about, and partly because the other, generally older, factions have had a longer time for their miniature ranges to mature.

Take one look at tyranids, orks, necrons and dark eldar models and you'll have a good idea what they are. Tau, not so much.

I would daresay that is intentional.

Tau on the surface look like the typical shining white knight come to save you, but they have a dark underbelly to that if you dig a little deeper.