# Thoughts on the Tau



## NeonDante (May 14, 2009)

You hear a lot of complaining about the Tau, for various reasons. One of the common comments is about the warp storm that saved them from the Empire while their species was young. (Well, younger.) People complain that it's Games Workshop using a flimsy excuse to justify their survival, while others said that perhaps the Eldar were involved. (I don't believe they were, but I have to admit, it's certainly possible.)

The truth of the matter is, this is a nod to an actual event. The Japanese were invaded twice by the Mongolians. Their success was due in a big part to a series of storms, which were dubbed the Kamikaze, which means divine wind. (Which their WW2 suicide fighters were named in honor of.)


So please, no complaining about the giant warp storm that saved them from the significantly stronger foreign invader. It isn't a deus ex machina if it happened in real life.  As the Tau are obviously based largely on Japanese style, It's almost certain to be a nod to that.

And yes, I know many of you already know this, but I'm betting you aren't the ones hating on the bluies. :mrgreen:


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## imntdead (Apr 21, 2008)

NeonDante said:


> You hear a lot of complaining about the Tau, for various reasons. One of the common comments is about the warp storm that saved them from the Empire while their species was young. (Well, younger.) People complain that it's Games Workshop using a flimsy excuse to justify their survival, while others said that perhaps the Eldar were involved. (I don't believe they were, but I have to admit, it's certainly possible.)
> 
> The truth of the matter is, this is a nod to an actual event. The Japanese were invaded twice by the Mongolians. Their success was due in a big part to a series of storms, which were dubbed the Kamikaze, which means divine wind. (Which their WW2 suicide fighters were named in honor of.)
> 
> ...


Well said my friend :clapping: its good to see another history buff


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## Creon (Mar 5, 2009)

The Eldar did it. They needed more time for their manipulations to bear fruit. The Etherial class needed to be bred and developed so that their place in the Slann's plan could be taken by the younger race of nulls.


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## Gul Torgo (Mar 31, 2008)

NeonDante said:


> So please, no complaining about the giant warp storm that saved them from the significantly stronger foreign invader. It isn't a deus ex machina if it happened in real life.


I agree with most of your post, but I have to disagree with this last bit. A deus ex machina is a plot device that does not rely on reality for its classification, but on the plot of the piece. For example, World War II was ended when the good guys came up with a previously unknown weapon so horrifically powerful that their enemy had virtually no choice but to give up.

Nevertheless, were a novel to end that way, giving the good guys an "I Win!" button like the atom bomb to end a war would certainly be a deus ex machina.

The Tau example does not really fit the traditional definition because it occurs at the beginning of the story of the Tau, and not the end. GW's over-reliance on warp storms as a plot device is still rather irritating, though.

In any case, the complaints I hear about the Tau more have to do with whether an idealistic and even somewhat benevolent race belongs in the GrimDark. _Dawn of War _seems to have made some good headway in muddying their character, though.


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## anarchyfever (May 24, 2008)

Personally it seems more Chinese in design, As thats where the Japanese get(got) a lot of their culture from

edit, as for the warp storms, guess you have to look at the time and the possible events which could of caused it


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## NeonDante (May 14, 2009)

Hmm, good point. I guess deus ex machina do happen in real life.

Kaze ex kami?


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## Darkseer (Dec 2, 2008)

Thanks for the history lesson.
Yes, the Tau were created/nurtured by the Eldar. The original Tau Codex states more about this with an Imperial Crusade halted by intervention of the Eldar (which is omitted from the current codex) which is described as 'lights in the sky' and coincides with the arrival of the Ethereals on Tau who unite the Tau race.

If you can get a copy of XENOLOGY (probably out of print by now), the alien autopsies link the pheromone crystal in the Ethereals to that of a Q'uorl (spelling?) hive queen which was stolen by the Eldar on the other side of the galaxy.

All interesting stuff! :mrgreen:

Thanks to the original poster for a little history lesson :so_happy:


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## NeonDante (May 14, 2009)

And thank you for the future lesson.


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## deathbringer (Feb 19, 2009)

wow i never knew that darkseer
thats actually fascinating
so it was the eldar
dang
i can no longer argue
i am officially now my mates bitch


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## Darkseer (Dec 2, 2008)

nah, you're my bitch


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## Khorothis (May 12, 2009)

I like the Tau. Especially the women. :laugh: Tau Girl Pile comes to mind... :laugh:

The worst thing I heared about them is that they're supposed to be the WH40K equivalents of the communinsts. When I first heared that I thought I was going to murder the guy with a spoon, but then I recalled the rules of the Internet Argument and left the guy alone with his handful of IQ. Whats worse is that a lot of people believe this BS, their argument based purely on the idea that dying for the Greater Good is okay for the Tau, which is like communism. At this point I don't know if I should rage or laugh, so I just facepalm.


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## Tau22 (Apr 27, 2009)

OMG! Tau girl pile! Loved that pic!

Hmmm, interesting. Thanks for a little insight on history.
Well, there are more things that say the Tau are communists, I believe.
No money, as far as I know. 
They respect the lowest of workers in the empire.
Born a worker, are a worker.

Still, the idea is silly. Which is exactly why I depict them as such in my fic, kekekekek.

Tau girl pile...


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## Creon (Mar 5, 2009)

I've always seen them as more the equivalent of Warhammer asians. Japanese society is somewhat stratified and cooperative, similar to the Tau, and goes with the Anime' style roots of the Tau army. They also have strong elements of the South Asian Empire (Subcontinental India) in a strong and persistent Caste system. I would also say striving for teh common good is somewhat a Chinese Communist viewpoint, but not European Communist.


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## Death Shroud (Mar 1, 2008)

I don't recall a refernce to the Tau being saved by the intervention of the Eldar. I'll have to dig out my old Tau codex to check it out. I always thought that remaining Old Ones created the Tau.


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## Warlock in Training (Jun 10, 2008)

How is dying for the greater good any more communist than dying for the Emperor. Sending a Billion Psykers to there death each day to sustain a rotting corpse. Or how about the whole Inqusition. 

Gaurdsmen, "I hate being in the Gaurd" 
Inquisitor pops out of nowhere, "Heretic, I will smite thee"
"ah Damn..." (Squish)

Not exactly land of the free the Imperials.


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## NeonDante (May 14, 2009)

I don't think they mean Communism as "Ruthless evil empire" but more like the actual system of government. There are some similarities, in a socialist or communist gov, the state is put before the person, and the person serves the state. (Or in this case, the greater good.) Also, in most socialist governments of rl, god is the state and the state is god, so a massive theocracy like the Imperium really wouldn't count. Also, in a communism everyone is theoretically equal, just like the four castes. (with the etherials being the leadership, the exception that makes the system possible... so of course, it isn't a perfect communism.)


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## unxpekted22 (Apr 7, 2009)

right, its like a communism that actually works, something that i guess humans havn't gotten right due to those in positions of leadership being power hungry where as the ethereals are not and care for their race. _really not trying to spark some stupid politics debate_. just saying i dont think it should be considered complete B.S. if someone thinks the tau system of living is similar to certain communist or South Asian caste system ideals.


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## Khorothis (May 12, 2009)

Indeed.

I always thought that the Tau's society and government is perfect; mainly because it works and its failsafe, because the Ethereals release some hormones and there you go, all the Tau become friendly people. I wouldn't mind living with those guys, serving the Greater Good. Just don't sterilize me please like in DoW.  Otherwise how can I enjoy a Tau Girl Pile? :grin:


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## Inquisitor Einar (Mar 6, 2009)

Link the tau girl pie!


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## Khorothis (May 12, 2009)

Inquisitor Einar said:


> Link the tau girl pie!


I'd get my ass raepd, so I'll just tell you to visit 1d4chan, a wiki, then look for the Tau article. It should be there. And if you're there, read the "Angry Marines" and "Kharn" arcticles as well, they're a must-read, they're so awesome.


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## Tau22 (Apr 27, 2009)

Oh, my god! Kommissar Kharn! Such a nice guy!
And yes, 1d4chan is da BOMB, if you want a good laugh!


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## Farseer Beltiac (Jul 11, 2008)

I didn't really take the Tau to be communists, in communism everyone bows down swallows their pride, gives up the freedom and worldly possessions for your state to prosper, everyone makes the same amount of money like a Janitor makes as much as a doctor and so on. Communism wouldn't really work because humans are unwilling to give up their free will and submit to whomever, you can oppress and destroy but you can't take away the basics of human nature.

Now with the Tau, Farsight did rebel if I remember correctly, broke away from the greater good and claimed the Ethereals were false or something like that I'm probably wrong, but I wouldn't really consider them communists or Utopianist. Though Utopia was written centuries before the Manifesto before by Sir Thomas Moore. 

It would be impossible for it to work completely. The word for the Tau system of Gov., the correct word is Utilitarianism I believe. 

It's not like they are marching around singing "High Praise to Stalin" or Marx or whomever. Have you ever seen a communist state on Earth work fully? But maybe thier minds could but if so then why did FArsight turn his back on the Greater Good? Thier not perfect ideal beings for it either....

~Beltiac abides...and apologies on such a long thingy here lol


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## Farseer Beltiac (Jul 11, 2008)

Didn't know about the Eldar involvment either...pretty cool I'd say!!!:biggrin:


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## Khorothis (May 12, 2009)

I heared that Farsight's methods were too violent and bloody, hence the red colour pattern, and the Ethereals didn't approve of him becoming a ranged Khorne. Lexicanum doesn't make things clear either (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Farsight).


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## Fire starter Pyro (Apr 1, 2009)

NeonDante said:


> The truth of the matter is, this is a nod to an actual event. The Japanese were invaded twice by the Mongolians. Their success was due in a big part to a series of storms, which were dubbed the Kamikaze, which means divine wind. (Which their WW2 suicide fighters were named in honor of.)


Acctually if i recall the storm stopped the Chineses fleet from invading Japan not aided them in invading.

As far as the warp storm excuse goes i think that the pnly reason its such a filmsy reason is because its used so often for DIY ideas. But i didn't know about the Eldar connection, though i think its kinda week as from what ive read on them they seem to involed in creating livable planets than creating races to populate them.

btw The Tau are based off the Chinese culture as the whole five elements working as one is a key ideal in the Tao faith.


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## Farseer Beltiac (Jul 11, 2008)

Fire starter Pyro said:


> Acctually if i recall the storm stopped the Chineses fleet from invading Japan not aided them in invading.
> 
> As far as the warp storm excuse goes i think that the pnly reason its such a filmsy reason is because its used so often for DIY ideas. But i didn't know about the Eldar connection, though i think its kinda week as from what ive read on them they seem to involed in creating livable planets than creating races to populate them.
> 
> btw The Tau are based off the Chinese culture as the whole five elements working as one is a key ideal in the Tao faith.


oh yeah, I forgot to mention the religious aspects, plus commies don't like religon or faith at all. 

The reason the storm destroyed the fleet is because the Chinese shipwrights didn't like their Monghol overlords and made the ships poorly, hence they sank. 

I think some made it ashore but were horribly slaughtered by Samurai. China had invaded Japan at some point but they were forced out when all the city-states united, or so it it said in Shogun by James Clavelle. Anyway thanks for the info, I wasn't sure if I was right or not. It's been a while since I was on Lexanicum.


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## Fire starter Pyro (Apr 1, 2009)

Farseer Beltiac said:


> The reason the storm destroyed the fleet is because the Chinese shipwrights didn't like their Monghol overlords and made the ships poorly, hence they sank.


True plus the monghols pressed flat bottomed river boats into survice. creating the lagest fleet in history until D-day. 



Farseer Beltiac said:


> I think some made it ashore but were horribly slaughtered by Samurai.


Most were lost and sank to the bottom of the sea and were only found recently but there is evidance that the samuri butchered any monghols that did make it their Kublar khan was an idiot thinking that horse archers would make great marines. 



Farseer Beltiac said:


> China had invaded Japan at some point but they were forced out when all the city-states united


If i remember my chinese history(and my martial arts movies) right it was japan that invaded china at the turn of the 19th/20th century


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## BLvice (Mar 20, 2009)

Japan invaded China in the early 20th century prior to the outset of World War II. They also occupied several other southeast Asian countries, Korea being one of them. 

As for the Tau, in general, I don't mind having such a bright, virtuous faction because in all honesty they will never come to dominate the galaxy and amount to little more than a minor threat as compared to a force like chaos or the nids. However, should the Tau gain some form of long distance travel that connects them to the rest of the galaxy I could see them becoming more of a threat.


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## Cocakoala (Apr 27, 2009)

Shurely if the tau tech keeps progressing like it has been since the etherials came then if they are left to keep growing then they will severely out gun everyone else.

Just imagine Fire warriors but with guns which take out land raiders. And dont even try to imagine what the battlesuits would have.


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## Asmodeun (Apr 26, 2009)

rapid fire railrifle as a standard weapon. . . y'all can start runnin' now.


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## anarchyfever (May 24, 2008)

You've also got to think about the fact that as Tau can't use warp travel and so are progressing in faster ships, their going to have the fastest ships in the galaxy. Can you say Fast skimmer with an assault 6 rail gun + goodies, You get the jist.


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## Fallen Angel Sammael (Jun 18, 2009)

They have some good firepower...


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## NeonDante (May 14, 2009)

Farseer Beltiac said:


> It would be impossible for it to work completely. The word for the Tau system of Gov., the correct word is Utilitarianism I believe.


Utilitarianism is the philosophical belief that the most ethical action is the one that brings the most amount of good to the most amount of people. Their government seems to use that as one of their guiding principals, but I don't think there's a system of government called Utilitarianism. (I could be wrong on this one, and would love to know if I am.)

I myself am a Utilitarian, specifically a preference utilitarian (what defines "the most good" varies from person to person, unlike early utilitarianism which defined it as maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain, or some writings which have placed certain pleasures above others.) a positive utilitarian (meaning seeking happiness is more important then avoiding suffering.) and a common sense utilitarian. (as opposed to a rule utilitarian. Life's too chaotic to live by a series of ironclad rules, though they do make good guidelines.) 

By those guidelines, I'd say that the Tau society seems pretty good, and their philosophy of The Greater Good is a very utilitarian viewpoint. However, many humans and other aliens wouldn't be happy despite the good living conditions due to being second class citizens, and not in charge of their own race's destiny, but to each their own. Also, it seems like personal freedoms take a distant second to harmony. Not being able to marry out of your caste, for example, and the ethereal are always to be obeyed. Don't make waves, people! Of course, it's still better then most of the Imperium...


Oh, and about the storms helping the Japanese, that's what I meant. I guess I could have worded that better.


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## Col. Schafer (Apr 15, 2008)

1d4chan is now my favorite websight, I read the whole thing on karn. XD

As far as the tau:

I love the idea of the eldar masterminding the tau, I can just see CODEX: Eldar, and their tau minions. :biggrin:

The history lesson was interesting.

The tau are not communist at all, a debate a few months ago on this sight lead me to look up the actual defenition of communism, and it is esentialy a non-government with no classes whatsoever, where people do things because they need to be done, not because they are rewarded for them. (Note: this is a few months later, and a verry short paraphrasing of pages and pages of stuff I read, but you get the gist) In the Empier, you definately have classes, and you do things because the etherials tell you to.


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## Alexious (Apr 13, 2009)

As a loyal servant of the Imperium... allow me to ensure your education regarding the TAU is correct citizen.

Firstly. The Tau were first discovered in a little known backwater known as Whitesburg of the Kentucky IV system. This system had been cut off from society for several centuries. However as they were a backwater and had developed firearms, they had managed to survive. As you can see citizen from this early data plate taken over 12 centuries ago..

http://www.famousagents.com/wp-content/uploads/*******.JPG

This is what Imperial scholars now believe early Tau may have looked like. You can see the slight bovine form has begun to develop around the haunches and a primitive type of wheeled devil fish is sitting in the back of the picture.

It was not long before in recent history of this Kentucky system that the Imperial cruiser "State Trooper" detected a Tau warship known only as the "General Lee" on apporach for a small imperial settlement. This gave the Imperium its first look at the new evolved Tau, the great great grandfathers of the Tau that are the scourge of the Imperium today. 

+++DATAFILE CLASSIFIED UNDER INQUISITORIAL ORDER FROM LORD INQ BURGER KING+++










The attack was further captured here... The building was a orphan school for those poor children who had lost their parents to being shot to death in service of the Emperor.











Today the Tau are your enemy citizen and any you see or think you may see should be reported to your local Adeptus Arbite Judical Officer for further evaluation. 

REMEMBER THE TAU ARE EVIL, THEY ARE THE ENEMY, THEY MIGHT BE MUTANT AND REMEMBER FOUR LEGS EQUALS EVIL, TWO LEGS EQUALS GOOD AS LONG AS ITS NOT ORK,ELDAR,CHAOS, OR OTHER NON HUMAN TYPES.

By order of the "Anti-tau Special Reducation Unit"

INSPECTOR COMMISSAR ALEXIOUS.


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## NeonDante (May 14, 2009)

Oh, and for everyone who is checking out 1d4chan, make sure and look up Eldrad.

That guy is a dick.


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## Col. Schafer (Apr 15, 2008)

XD Eldrad _is_ a dick.


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