# Technology



## mohare6 (Feb 23, 2008)

Who's more advanced technologically, eldar or tau? Not in terms of game rules or anything but in fluff.


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

I would have to say Tau. There tech is advancing at such a rate that if it isn't more advanced right this second then by the time you read...



... this, then it will be. 

Whats more Eldar tech is based more on spirits stones than anything else so theres a limit on what can be done with it. Tau tech doesn't rely on any one particuler thing so they use anything they can get there hands on.


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Tau is tech, Eldar is magic.

Plus, Eldar stuff is antiquated. It says so in my _The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer_

-Dirge


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## RobouteGuilliman (Mar 11, 2008)

I would say it is hard to compare considering The Tau is a relatively new race and the Eldar is virtually extinct. Personally, if I had to compare the two technologically as of right now, I would say Eldar. They conquered the galaxy and owned the stars, and they still possess the technology that contributed to that.


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## G_Morgan (Mar 3, 2008)

RobouteGuilliman said:


> I would say it is hard to compare considering The Tau is a relatively new race and the Eldar is virtually extinct. Personally, if I had to compare the two technologically as of right now, I would say Eldar. They conquered the galaxy and owned the stars, and they still possess the technology that contributed to that.


Not sure if that's true. I'm sure I've read that the Eldar have forgotten how plenty of technology works. It's just they have a valid excuse unlike the Imperium that has practically done everything in it's power to forget.

The Tau are behind the Eldar and will be for some time. Eldar technology manipulates the warp and only one race has managed to surpass them technologically by means purely of the materium.


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## FarseerNo3 (Mar 7, 2008)

Eldar, if Eldar rebuild they will be so powerfull


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## Desolatemm (Feb 2, 2008)

Hmmm..... lets see here..... The Eldar have warp technology. Oops, did they just win the battle? Seriously, the Tau have nothing that compares to the power of the warp. Tau have awesome suits with cammle toed pilots, the Eldar have awesome suits with x-conehead spirits as pilots. We have mastered the art of crystaline lasers and plasma weaponry. On the other hand, Tau do have a better understanding of "programming". by that I mean they have bomb targeting capabilities and pin-point accuracy. Their skimmers still have the occasional problem of crashing, at least more than the good 'ol Falcons :biggrin:. I think there is a huge difference in the TYPE of technology they both excel in. The Tau are good with "programming" and are really tech. support styled. The Eldar are good with break-through, "no other race can touch this scientific feat" type technology (more scientific). When it comes down to it, Eldar still win in my books

Mark one win for the cone heads! 
Mark one loss for the cammle toes!

Hm, how hard is this Eldar "super psycher" stuff? Let me give mind war a try. VOTE FOR ELDAR OR I WILL RIP YOUR BIG TOE OFF......:angry: 



Did it work?


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## DrakeBluedragon (Feb 14, 2008)

It`s not exacly a fair compairisin seeing as most of eldar realies on psycic energy and well the tau lack any form of psy... But in terms of anti-grav they win, beeing the only tech that i can think of that doesnt rely on psy . Though tau do have better computers!


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## Desolatemm (Feb 2, 2008)

The Eldar do not rely on psych for anti-gravity. The sprirt stones do nothing but help pilot. The spirit within doesnt make the thing fly, they require jet engines just like everyone else :biggrin:. I think the Eldar surpass the Tau with their holo-fields and vecotred ENGINES. But for real, the Tau marker lighting is primitive by concept, but still totally bad ass.


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## Pariah Mk.231 (Mar 2, 2008)

Tau don't even come close to Eldar tech. Just look at the weaponry. The pinnacle of Tau firepower is the railgun (hyper-accelerated magnetic propulsion) ... the Eldar use this for their basic weapon that just about everyone gets: Shurikan weaponry.
Wraithcannons/Distort-Cannons open a stable warp-hole that will completely obliterate anything it hits. Tau get headaches trying to comprehend that the Warp even exists.
Eldar armour responds to impacts and re-inforces the area hit. Tau armour is still just solid material.

EDIT:

Just to add to what I said, the Dark Eldar have an even better grasp of technology then Craftworld Eldar. Their vehicles and weapons all utilise their technology on a far more sophisticated level.


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## Desolatemm (Feb 2, 2008)

very well put! The Dark Eldar also have a better understandin of the warp by means of transportation. HAHA, I'll jsut open up a portal right here and let my entire army tramble all over you!


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## Pariah Mk.231 (Mar 2, 2008)

They're actually still using the webway for the use of portals, they simply open a gateway to the webway tunnels where their units are waiting. Dark Eldar still avoid the warp as much as any other Eldar.


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

Shurikan weapons could also be described as a shotgun. A shotgun that fires molecular size disks. Woo-hoo.

Eldar tech also relies heavily on wraithbone, and spirit stones. Plus, most of Eldar technology, isn't technology. It's magic. Think about it. How do Eldar make vehicles? They _sing_ wraithbone into shape. How does Iyanden continue to fight? They have a host of undead spirits trapped in wraithbone armor.

Meanwhile, the Tau BUILD the things they use, piece by piece. Seeing as the best and brightest of Eldar "technology" is a Fire Prism, which is in all regards an oversized Lascannon, I'd say the Ion Cannon beats it for higher tech.

The Tau do have one critical failing though: They are not able to use Warp travel. But then again, neither are the Eldar. The Eldar (and their more fascinating and highly unpleasent cousins) use the Webway instead. But this also raises the question, does the Webway go everywhere? Would the Eldar be unable to use it to go _anywhere_?

So, with both the failings in mind, the Eldar are more advanced, yes, but the Tau have better technology.

-Dirge


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## Revelations (Mar 17, 2008)

mohare6 said:


> Who's more advanced technologically, eldar or tau? Not in terms of game rules or anything but in fluff.


This is a fairly ambiguous question. It's like asking whether or not Japan or America is more advanced in Technologies. Japan is by far ahead in the field of Robotics, but America is ahead in the field of Silcon. 

Both the Tau and the Eldar are advanced in various ways, each having certain advantages over the other. While Eldar have a better understanding of the Warp and can utilize it to greater extents, the Tau's knowledge of Mecha far surpasses anything in the galaxy, save with the guarded knowledge of the Machine Cult. 

Tyranid aren't exactly advanced, since their "technologies" reside primarily in bio-engineering, exceeding every other race we know of. But a Venon Cannon will tear through infantry as easily as a rail-gun. 

One also has to consider Orks, who inherently know how to build, operate and loot/modify other races vehicles. They could construct their own Mecha, albieght with their own unique dangerous, that would work just as well as Tau Mecha, in Orc opinion anyway. 

As far as Eldar "magic" is concerned, anything beyond what we understand is usually attributed to magic. Travel back to the age of smithing with a blow tourch and they'd thinkg you were the devil himself. "Singing" could easily be considered harmonically based/tuned technologies. (Kind of nifty if you think about it)


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## Luciferi (Mar 2, 2008)

IMO the Tau in terms of making stuff out of raw materials like Battlesuites (I know the Eldar have like warwalker things that a pilot can get in but they look like really bad chicken walkers and aren't much of an actual suit.) and Railguns and things to anihilate the enemy the Tau seem more advanced.

But then again manipulating the warp like the Eldar do with D-Cannons and making the webway (Back when they knew how to anyway) has/had to require quite a high level of techonology don't you think?

Also supposedly Eldar Wraithbone is stronger than Adamantium. Anyone else heard this?


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## Desolatemm (Feb 2, 2008)

Luciferi said:


> Also supposedly Eldar Wraithbone is stronger than Adamantium. Anyone else heard this?


That would explain the Wraithlords ability to survive just about anything :biggrin:


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## uberschveinen (Dec 29, 2006)

Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't scientifically founded. Sufficiently advanced tech, is, after all, indistinguishable from magic. that Tau technology is understandable is just proof that it is not nearly so advanced.

Technological superiority in 40K goes something in this order.

Kroot are the lowest tech race. They have a second-hand understanding of Orkish technology.

Orks are next. They have crude technology that can't actually function on its own merit. 

Chaos has some human technology, but their understanding of it has devolved as their own tech relies much on the rules of a fundamentally different universe to the main one. I would hesitate to call anything manufactured in the warp technological as warp technology does not rely on concrete analysis and application of laws.

Humans and Tau are roughly equatable. Human technology runs the gamut from sticks with rocks tied on to single examples that approach the Eldar's lower technology levels. This range makes it very hard to calculate some sort of mean technology level. Tau have more examples of more 'sleek' technology, but I would hesitate to call most of it more advanced. It is simply applied in a more useful way because of a lack of mysticism. Tau also have a lower technology peak, and significant gaps, namely any warp-based tech.

Eldar are much more advanced than either. Their technology has plateaued before humanity existed, and has advanced beyond ability to comprehend. Most significantly, their wap-based technology has advanced to the point where it is integrated into the most basic functionings of their society.

Tyranids are easily forgotten. However lacking they may be in their other fields, they are masters of biotechnology to such an extent that no other species is remotely comparable. Since they have evolved along a different technological path comparison is difficult, but they have clearly reached the absolute limits of biotechnology. I would put them around or above the Eldar as they have pushed their primary field of technological advance further.

The C'tan, sinc they provided the Necrons with their technology, are the undisputed masters of technology. This is expected, as their comprehension and mastery of the physical universe is equatable to the Chaos god's mastery of their own.


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## G_Morgan (Mar 3, 2008)

uberschveinen said:


> The C'tan, sinc they provided the Necrons with their technology, are the undisputed masters of technology. This is expected, as their comprehension and mastery of the physical universe is equatable to the Chaos god's mastery of their own.


I thought the technology was originally created by the Necrontyr but the C'tan could manipulate it in ways they could not understand?

Certainly the original necrodermis bodies of the C'tan were created by the Necrontyr.


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## uberschveinen (Dec 29, 2006)

Not in the codex they didn't. The C'tan directed the technological evolution of the Necrontyr along the lines of pure science until their scientific mastery bordered on the metaphysical. Without the C'tan they would never have had it.


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## Lucus009 (Mar 19, 2008)

mohare6 said:


> Who's more advanced technologically, eldar or tau? Not in terms of game rules or anything but in fluff.


Tau-Guns
Eldar-Warp (web-way) Travel 
Simplicity at its best :grin:


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## uberschveinen (Dec 29, 2006)

Tau firearms technology is not more advanced. Humanity will be able to replicate all of theTau's weapon systems in several dozen years, but gravitonic propulsion is well beyond us. It requires both a vastly deeper understanding of the physical structure of the universe and a massive level of pure science research.


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## striking scorpion (Nov 11, 2007)

It depends greatly tau are more "techonilly" but the Eldar are advanced in the other sense of techongly


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## Daneel2.0 (Jul 24, 2008)

Eldar are the trust fund babies of the 40K universe. Practically everything they have was handed to them by the Slaan. They really aren’t all that creative except in terms of psychics. That doesn’t mean that their tech isn’t top notch however. You may hate their daddy’s credit card, but it has a hell of a limit.

Tau on the hand have no ability with psychics at all, but they are really tech savvy, and growing at a rapid clip. This advancement isn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, certain or potentially unlimited. They may hit a plateau that they can’t get over. It can and does happen as the standard pattern of advancement, barring outside help. Unfortunately they haven’t gotten to the point where they can match off against the Eldar in terms of how advanced they are overall.

So right now, Eldar. In the future, almost certainly Tau.


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## Angel of Retribution (Jul 10, 2008)

Daneel2.0 said:


> So right now, Eldar. In the future, almost certainly Tau.


Not necessarily. For Tau to become superior they would need time, that is something not guaranteed in the 40k universe. Im sure if the tyrinids hit Tau worlds all their tech wouldn't count for squat. And if they eventually tuned into the warp for means of travel or any other reason, im pretty sure their tech rate would slow as they dealt with chaos.

And would the Eldar let the Tau become the most technologically adept race in the universe, would they let the Tau surpass them...i don't think so, and to strike while their technology is still more advanced would probably beat the Tau down or at least slow their growth rate significantly. 

Just a thought or two...


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## Wolf_Lord_Skoll (Jun 9, 2008)

Eldar are far more advanced.... look at the death spinner. It fires molocluear sized string that travels so fast it simply slices through almost anything. What do tau have? Really fast bullets.


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## Autarch of Bahls (Aug 2, 2008)

and the Eldar have something called swords. you see, when your in close combat, you find the guys with sword and tell them to help you, or, if your Eldar, you do it yourself.:victory:


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## Krovin Rezh (Jun 26, 2008)

Angel of Retribution said:


> Not necessarily. For Tau to become superior they would need time, that is something not guaranteed in the 40k universe. Im sure if the tyrinids hit Tau worlds all their tech wouldn't count for squat. And if they eventually tuned into the warp for means of travel or any other reason, im pretty sure their tech rate would slow as they dealt with chaos.
> 
> And would the Eldar let the Tau become the most technologically adept race in the universe, would they let the Tau surpass them...i don't think so, and to strike while their technology is still more advanced would probably beat the Tau down or at least slow their growth rate significantly.
> 
> Just a thought or two...


I think you're hypothesizing based on some false assumptions. To start, the Tau are far more resilient than you give them credit for.

The Tau have already met the Tyranids and were "able to scatter and destroy an entire splinter fleet without the loss of a single vessel" with the leadership of Commander Shadowsun. (Tau codex, pg. 46)

They have also stymied a full crusade of the Imperium and bounced right back in what is known as the Third Phase Expansion. 

The Tau are uniquely adapted to life in a galaxy overrun with Chaos. They have no psychic impact at all in the Warp, and that makes them useless and all but invisible to the Warp Gods. If we think along the lines of natural selection, the Tau are destined to outlive every other race that is tormented by the corruption of the Warp.

As for the Eldar, why would they have any reason to hate the Tau? The Tau have found a relatively peaceful lifestyle that maintains balance even in a hostile galaxy. That is exactly what the Craftworlds are striving for with their strict teachings. And the Tau, of course, would typically welcome any Eldar they meet to diplomatic relations with their Water Caste. Unfortunately, the Eldar are far too stuck-up and proud to actually let such talks amount to much. Chances are that the Tau would at least learn something from the Eldar, though.

Sorry, that went a bit OT. I feel that the Tau are about equal with the Eldar in terms of the advancement of traditional technologies. However, augmented with "magic" pysker powers, the Eldar tech is still much more capable. Remember that the Eldar held the power over a even sun before the Fall, and they still hold that level of knowledge in secret.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

...but...

1 - the 'crusade' they stymied was partly abandonned due to the far more rapid and serious advances of the Tyrannid Hivefleets, since which time the Imperium's been pretty busy. If (sure, it's a big if) the Imperium could concentrate on the Tau for a relatively short time, the Tau would be finished. In a year or so, if that. They only have about 20 systems (or something). The Imperium has millions (or something). The numbers may be wrong, but's it's that magnitude of difference we're talking about.

2 - as was pointed out earlier, the Tau cannot colonise the Galaxy without FTL travel; as FTL travel in the 40k universe pretty much implies the Warp, they can't do that without increasing their psychic potential thereby exposing them to Chaos. The price of freedom from Chaos is being stuck in their local systems. Any Galaxy-wide race or empire implies susceptability to Chaos.

3 - you correctly I think state that the Eldar are to proud (and, let's face it, just racist) to learn from the Tau; but they're not so stupid as to let the potential competition steal the lead. They would crush the Tau without any qualms if they thought the Tau were a serious threat (if they could of course). The fact is, the Imperium is a bigger obstacle to the Eldar than the Tau, and I'm sure the Eldar are quite happy for the Tau to fight the Imperium and _vice versa_. The Eldar have time on their side. Let your two opponents exhaust each other, then pick over the pieces. That's what _I_'d do...

laying the long game cyclops:


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## Krovin Rezh (Jun 26, 2008)

I will agree with you on 1 and 2, but my experience with the fluff of the eldar is that they are not interested in crushing other races that are not a threat to their way of life. 

The Craftworlds are mainly concerned with the forces of Chaos because they're destroying the galaxy. The Eldar actually do not mind the Imperium so much. They just know how easily the humans can accidentally make things worse for everyone. The only other times the Eldar attack are when Farseers need to change the course of the future to avert greater threats, and if they are themselves under attack.

In the case of the Tau, they have the enlightened leadership of Aun'Va and the Ethereals to keep them from making the wrong decisions. It's hard to imagine a galaxy ruled by the Tau being nearly as bad as the current one, and the Farseers must be able to see that.


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## Angel of Retribution (Jul 10, 2008)

Who's to say what is right and wong? What is right to the Imperium may be wrong for the Tau. What is wrong for the Eldar may be right for the Tau etc....one mans dream is another mans nightmare. I haven't been in 40k very long and i don't have the wealth of knowledge some of you guys out there have but i have seen that the Eldar are racist and arrogant, im sure they would have no problem in handing the Tau their doom. But right now i think they've got their hands full with Slaanesh. 

But the Tau are also a magnificently arrogant race...thinking their way is the correct and only way and then destroying those that dont believe. That doesn't seem very righteous to me. Sounds just as nasty as the rest of the galaxy. But if they keep on going like that they'll end up pissing someone off enough to where they get there arses handed to them in bin bags.


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## vorbis (Nov 20, 2007)

eldar dont use magic see clarkes third law


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

I absolutely agree with Angel here... the Eldar are terrible racists (I say this as someone who plays Eldar), and the Tau are unbelievably smug & patronising.

There are [/i]no[/i] good guys in 40k, IMHO. Orks are the closest in my opinion, because they're neither evil not hypocrites, after that it's probably 'nids and Necrons, who are just doing what they do. Oh, and the Dark Eldar, who, though evil, are at least _honest_ about it.

Not high flyers in the "good guys" list usually, any of them, but, frankly... 40k is a moral cesspool. Really. They're only "good" in comaprison to decadence of the Eldar, humans and chaos, and the presumption of the Tau.

:feeling sullied cyclops:


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## me987654 (Aug 10, 2008)

The Tau have FTL travel.... .what they don't have is navigators.. .which limits them to very short jumps


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## cooldudeskillz (Jun 7, 2008)

i think the necrons are more advanced in technology than eldar or tau.


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## arhain (May 6, 2008)

in the old tau codex has some nice words about the tau from eldrad

and how are the eldar racist they are surrouned by people who just want to kill them


and every one in 40k is arggroant


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

arhain said:


> ...and how are the eldar racist they are surrouned by people who just want to kill them...


The eldar are racist because they believe their 'race' is better than any other 'race', just like any other racist does.

The odd sensible Eldar (Elda?) like Ulthan the Perverse doesn't change the general thrust of Eldar society. Nor does the fact that their neighbours want to kill them. At least part of the reason their neighbours want to kill them is that they are horrible racists. Just like the Humans in 40k.

The Tau and the Orks aren't racists though, Orks will kill anyone, and Tau will assimilate anyone. Racial heirarchy theories aren't necessary for either of these cultures... in the case of Orks, I use the term "cultures" rather loosely!

:social studies cyclops:


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## Cato Sicarius (Feb 21, 2008)

Eldar aren't really racist. They just say things like "Inferior Humans!", because they're scared that the "mon-keigh" might come along and kick their asses. This way they 1) put this thought out of they're heads and 2)try to intimidate the "mon-keigh", which ultimately doesn't work. They have forseen the days when the Tau own half the Galaxy, the Tyranids are warring with them, the Orks have all ganged up, and ultimately the humans and Eldar and Necrons are being (to qoute from Star Wars) "hunted down and defeated!".

P.S. Ultramarines have had enough insults! Start mocking other armies!


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## Col. Schafer (Apr 15, 2008)

Let’s look at it like this- The Tau can hover and have perfect mobility. The Eldar can hover and have perfect mobility and can teleport (web way portals (If DOW applies))

On the other hand the Eldar had longer to work on it.

Oh, and the Tau are racist, their just willing to allow "inferior races" to jump on the bandwagon.


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