Is it Greater & Good?

By Mark Wilson
Images Copyright of Games Workshop, used without permission

Having played Tau since they were first released back in 2001, I was rather excited to get my hands on the updated codex early, even if only for a couple of hours so I could research this article.

The first part of the book is given over to recounting the history of the Tau as a race and feels comfortably familiar. The gains made by the Tau during the Eye of Terror global campaign have been incorporated, and the Tau have begun their 'third sphere' of expansion, adding new colonies to their nascent Empire.

There is a description of Tau Military organisation, from the basic Fire Warrior team up through the Hunter Cadre that makes up a typical Warhammer 40,000 army to a wholesale colonisation effort including each of the Castes under the guidance of the Ethereals.

Wargear:

All the old favourites are still here, along with some new experimental equipment like the Failsafe Detonator which allows a battlesuit pilot to sacrifice himself in order to secure the escape of his fellows. Another example is the Stimulant Injector which releases controlled doses of painkillers into the suit pilot’s bloodstream, allowing him to fight on despite injuries.

The Markerlight has been updated extensively, with a variety of benefits that may be used. Each markerlight hit may be traded in for a single instance of these benefits, many of which are cumulative. Among the benefits are increased Ballistic Skill, decreased cover saves and decreased leadership for pinning tests taken by the target unit.

While I'm here, I might as well drop a word or two about Drones. There are two new varieties introduced in Codex: Tau Empire, Marker Drones and Sniper Drones. Gun, Shield and Marker Drones are available to any character with a drone controller and are now subject to the same movement rules as the unit they are attached to. Shield Drones now have the same toughness value as their controller. Marker Drones carry a networked markerlight, allowing the controller's unit to use its markerlight hits. Sniper Drones are fielded in specialised units ¬¬– more on those later.

HQ:

Commander: Coming in two varieties, Shas'el and the more experienced Shas'o. Both are veterans of many years of combat, first spent on the line as Fire Warriors, and later piloting Battlesuits.

Taking the field in the highly adaptable XV8 "Crisis" battlesuit the Commanders are a capable and mobile leader for your force. The Commander may be joined by a bodyguard of Shas'vre piloting Crisis Suits further increasing their combat potential.

Ethereals: The saviours as well as spiritual and philosophical leaders of the Tau, the mere presence of an Ethereal on the battlefield will inspire the Fire Caste to greater heights of bravery.

Elites:

XV8 "Crisis" Teams: What to say about these? Adaptability is the keyword. Weapons and other equipment may be selected for a wide variety of options. Well suited to use either as a mobile reserve or as roving hunter units.

Stealth Suit Teams: Equipped with the lightweight XV-15 or the newer Xv-25 Stealth suits these Tau roam opportunistically, striking at targets of opportunity as and when they present themselves. Rather less durable than the larger Crisis suits, a Stealth team needs to be used carefully.

Troops:

Tau Fire Warrior Teams: The mainstay of the Tau armies, the humble Fire Warrior is equipped to a high standard with a pulse rifle or carbine and Tau body armour. Fire Warrior teams create a firebase from which the rest of the army strikes.

Kroot: Units of Kroot, with optional Kroot Hounds and Krootox Riders, support the Fire Warriors with their expert field craft, ranging ahead of the lines and scouting through rough ground. They are also more capable than the Tau in close combat, especially when the unit includes Kroot Hounds.

Fast Attack:

Tau Pathfinder Team: Fire Warriors with pulse carbines and markerlights carried into battle in a Devilfish APC. These units scout ahead of the main force, harry the enemy and pinpoint targets for the rest of the force. With the option of upgrading a small number of Pathfinders to carry rail rifles they can be a dangerous unit when used well.

Piranha Light Skimmers: The first new addition the Tau forces is the Piranha a small two-Tau skimmer armed with a burst cannon and two gun drones. Fielded in units of up to five this one seems well suited to the gunship role. With a quick weapon swap the fusion blaster variant makes a serviceable tank hunter.

Vespid Stingwings: The 'other' Alien race in the Tau army, the Stingwings of Vespid are an insectoid race well adapted to negotiating difficult ground. Carrying short ranged neutron blasters that make a mockery of even power armour.

Gun Drone Squadrons: Drones no longer suffer a reduced Ld for low numbers. Free roaming

Heavy Support:

Sniper Drone Team: Equip a lone Fire Warrior with a big remote control and three drones programmed and stabilised for greater accuracy with rail rifles attached, then slap a stealth field on each of them. Now you have a Tau Sniper Drone Team.

XV-88 "Broadside" Battlesuit Team: With twin linked Railguns the Broadside is the most heavily armed Tau Battlesuit. Well able to defend itself with the use of a Smart Missile System or optional twin linked plasma rifles and with access to most to.

Hammerhead Tank: Mostly unchanged from the previous Codex, with an option to add Gun Drones or nose wing weapon pods carrying burst cannons or a smart missile system. The railgun option combines high powered anti-tank and wide area antipersonnel firepower into the same weapon, while the ion cannon is a high rate of fire weapon with enough punch to deal with light vehicles and most infantry.

Skyray Missile Defence Tank: Modified from the Hammerhead, and with the same nose weapon options, the Skyray turret carries a rack of six seeker missiles and two networked markerlights, it is able to sit back out of sight of the enemy while Pathfinders and Team Leaders call in missiles or instead prowl forward selecting its own targets.

Transports:

Devilfish: The standard Armoured Personnel carrier of the Tau, the Devilfish carries up to twelve warriors into battle. With a burst cannon mounted on the chin as standard and the option of mounting either a smart missile system or a pair of Gun Drones on the wingtips the Devilfish is more than able to provide fire support for its passengers once it has arrived.

Special Characters:

Two new special characters are described in Codex: Tau Empire. Aun'Va is an exceptionally old Ethereal, always attended by two ceremonial Honour Guards. He is the guiding hand behind much of Tau history.

O'Shaserra, Commander Shadowsun, is the New Hero of the Tau Empire. A dynamic leader for the new age of expansion, piloting an experimental XV22 battlesuit O'Shaserra has commanded the conquest of new worlds in the Third Sphere of expansion.

Commander Farsight hasn't been forgotten, the renegade Fire Caste Commander and his breakaway faction make an appearance.

The Colour Section:

What would a Codex be without a dozen or so pages filled with full colour photos of the forces described? With full page spreads depicting different elements of the Tau forces, example camouflage schemes and plenty of inspiration for your own Tau force.