# Chaos, in my Tau?



## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

Alright, so lately I've been thinking about starting a new army after not playing for a while. I stopped about a year ago due to some very complicated reasons. namely, ultramarines. I didn't mind smurfs at first but they get pretty boring when you realize everyone @ your club plays them or something like them. Recently i was hobby hunting when i fell in love with 40k again, and am looking to start a new army. at first I liked tau, but i wanted to do something very original, like chaos tau. I've done some research, and everyone seems to think they're the dumbest think since the snuggie because "Tau don't have a large enough warp presence". I (a fluff lover) was disappointed at first, but after some more research I found out that the Tau had a civil war. This made me think "What if the tau weren't possessed at all, but some backwater planet in the Tau empire rejected the greater good, and took off for some back water planet were they accepted the chaos gods in exchange for help defending their new home. I don't mean to say they would mutate or anything, just modify their guns and armor to show their new allegiance. I would play this army using the normal Tau codex, but with no Kroot or Vespids (for obvious reasons). I would also play a kind of guerrilla style game to represent them as a small force where casualties are unacceptable. 

but now come the whole point of this post. Is this plausible (fluff wise)? if not ill just do rogue tau.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

come on, its an interesting idea. I see you there, not replying.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Rogue Tau--a la the Farsight Enclaves--are your best bet. Tau have souls that are very, very hard to access from the warp, almost like they're hidden. It may have something to do with the fact that 

the Eldar purposefully designed the Tau to be an anti-chaos force (the Eldar wished to create "a swarm uncorrupted," according to an ancient alien monolith, in _Xenology_).


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

i dont think you get my point (or maybe im missing something). they aren't physically or mentally any different from normal tau, they just serve chaos as more for the sake of survival. thanks for the response though.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

You could easily justify a Tau force corrupted by Chaos. But most realistically it would be unwittingly, rather than willingly turning to Chaos.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

thanks, i really appreciate the input. since i never really wanted to do tau that were full on chaos, just allies with them, i think ill do rogue tau. not evil, but definitely not good.


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## Tzeen Qhayshek (May 4, 2010)

WJMcC said:


> thanks, i really appreciate the input. since i never really wanted to do tau that were full on chaos, just allies with them, i think ill do rogue tau. not evil, but definitely not good.


...that serve for their own good, instead of the greater good. I like it!


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## Samir_Duran (Apr 6, 2009)

Man! Xenology, for starters, IS NOT CANON! And secondly, EVERYTHING except for the biological parts is JUST a guess! Tau weren't created by Eldar. The statement in the Eldar Codex says so, when they say that Tau are totally alien to them, but the hero which the quote is, said that he feels a sort of paternal feelings towards their race.

And going further, I think the thing with Tau Worshipping Chaos is really good, and maybe, as they are unfit for real sacrifices or any mutations, they would capture their enemies in order to sacrifice them in rituals to bring their masters into this universe? Why not.


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

Samir_Duran said:


> Man! Xenology, for starters, IS NOT CANON! And secondly, EVERYTHING except for the biological parts is JUST a guess! Tau weren't created by Eldar. The statement in the Eldar Codex says so, when they say that Tau are totally alien to them, but the hero which the quote is, said that he feels a sort of paternal feelings towards their race.
> 
> And going further, I think the thing with Tau Worshipping Chaos is really good, and maybe, as they are unfit for real sacrifices or any mutations, they would capture their enemies in order to sacrifice them in rituals to bring their masters into this universe? Why not.


1st thank you for saying it so I don't have to. Just because 2 things happen close to eachother doesn't mean their related i.e. The day I was born an airline company went out of buissness...does that mean I caused it to close HELL NO!

The only problem I have is that the tau are supposed to be incorruptable....but I say go with it it's your army not mine.


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## spanner94ezekiel (Jan 6, 2011)

locustgate said:


> The only problem I have is that the tau are supposed to be incorruptable....but I say go with it it's your army not mine.


Incorruptible maybe. Immune to becoming disillusioned (i.e. Farsight)? No, I'd say not. Chaos Tau could work as they've maybe been deluded by an agent of tzeentch etc. Just not Khorne. Bloodthirsty Tau just doesn't work. Renegae Tau would be fine, just you couldn't have any ethereals.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

For those of you who are saying that Tau and Eldar aren't related, look again at Codex: Tau Empire. You remember that fluff bit where the Tau tribes are warring, when the Ethereals descend from the heavens (with mysterious benefactors) and unify them? I see that as more than enough of a confirmation, based on the language in which it's couched.

(don't have the codex on me, so I can't give a page ref.)

And what's this blather about Xenology not being canon? Has it ever been declared as such by GW reps? It's not a "Heretic Tome," a la _Space Marine_. Do you just disagree with some of the theories it posits, and so hold it to be invalid?

Everything is canon, even--no, especially--the stuff that contradicts (that's almost a direct quote of Marc Gascoigne's stance on the issue). Want another confirmation? Part II of this: "It’s all real, and none of it’s real." And besides, _Xenology_ doesn't present contradictions--it presents new theories, which may or may not be true. We've had intimations from GW that the Eldar-made-the-Tau one is true, too, so don't just go dismissing it out of hand.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

Samir_Duran said:


> Man! Xenology, for starters, IS NOT CANON!


Im not necessarily agreeing with anything else he said, but it is canon. Just as everything with a BL/GW/40k logo is canon.



locustgate said:


> The only problem I have is that the tau are supposed to be incorruptable.


No their not.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Child-of-the-Emperor said:


> No their not.


I do recall a WD battle report in which an Ethereal was possessed by a Greater Daemon...

This was soon after the first Codex: Daemonhunters came out, sure, so they were trying to showcase how you could justify the use of Grey Kngihts against various races, sure, but...what is WD if not the public arm of GW?


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## Yru0 (May 9, 2011)

One of the best Tau armies I've seen fluff-wise, probably won't dissapoint on the table either. I think it would not only be possible but LIKELY for rogue Tau to ally with chaos if given the chance, my own opinion. Simply because Tau don't seem to believe in gods (i look at communism as an example, no state religion, sorta religious to the state), so they wouldn't be commiting a betrayal, simply joining with someone who shares their interests...and even better for them, there's probably little strings attached due to the warps minimal effect on them, what fun would torture be for the gods if they can't feel the suffering?


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## GreatUncleanOne (Apr 25, 2011)

forgive if I've got background wrong in my head (so much else is) but wasn't there meant to be a connection between the necron deceiver and the ethereals. something along the lines that the deceiver wanted an army to be able to counter the other c'tan and their necron armies and also chaos. hence the high strength weapons with long range and the small soul presence to chaos.
as I said my memory may be making things up again


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## LukeValantine (Dec 2, 2008)

Actually fluff supported reasons that would be possible.

1) Being manipulated by chaos from a ideological or against a greater threat based agreement.
2) An alliance for the purposes of expanding tau held space.
3) More fantastically they could be manipulating them using fake transmissions, and orders from a long dead ethereal that the CSM's are impersonating.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

I always thought the Tau where created by the Old gods as a last ditch effort to defeat chaos. First generation they created where Eldar, second generate was both Orc and Human, third generation possibly Tyranids as a fail safe, fourth generation Tau. Can't remember which dawn of war game tau where first introduced it (The one after the necrons?) but I loved how psychic presence just came across as a buzzing sound over the radio.


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## Tzeen Qhayshek (May 4, 2010)

Xenology is canon as it was written by Black Library.


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## Samir_Duran (Apr 6, 2009)

WRONG! Not ALL of the Black Library is Canon, as many of it's novels defy the official Fluff. With the fluff, it''s like with the rules of the Armies codexes... As with Apocalypse: If the rules of Apocalypse doesn't cover it or interdict with those of the codex, the codes is the "higher" up. 

As for the battle report with posessed Ethereal... Man, i Have that issue, and it's not about a posessed ethereal, but abot the "unwitting fools" thingie, where the Tau are misled to believe that the greater daemon is on their side ( as he could said that he wasn't a chaos entity but a powerful alien)


And Mossy Toes, about the Tau codex history of the ethereals... I see it as a mystical belief that then primal Tau had believed. When you look at Jesus, would you say he was an alien with a purpose? No... Even if you're not a christian or believer, you still say he was a man with a really strong resolve. not a artificially created being made by aliens, but he was a mystical persona... So are the Ethereals who made their appearence in such mystical appearances...


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## Anarkitty (Jul 29, 2008)

There are theories that the Etherials were created by The Deceiver, by the Eldar, by Tzeench, or by some other entity. Nothing has been confirmed, and nothing likely ever will be.

That said, the idea of a rogue group of Tau allying with the Chaos Gods (rather than serving them) is an interesting idea. They would need to capture/ally with other races with a stronger Warp connection to actually do anything, which gives them a reason to take the battlefield.
Another possibility is that these rogue Tau found an abandoned Chaos temple (maybe Word Bearers?), and adopted the ideology and markings without ever realizing the "gods" mentioned actually exist. Think a group of Marines wearing Native American warpaint, or a squadron of fighter pilots naming their jets after Norse gods, but taken to a whole other level because they don't have to worry about offending anyone. It could be interesting to try and show in your paint schemes and conversions that they don't really understand the nature of the Chaos Gods, and are interpreting their limited information through their unique cultural lens.
Squads of Fire Warriors marked with a Tau-ified Mark of Khorne, because he's the "God of Battle". Or using the various marks simply as squad identifiers. Cosmetic changes like decorating battlesuits and guns with arrows and spikes. Daemonettes that look like female Tau painted on the noses of vehicles. Try to make their total misunderstanding of everything the Chaos Gods are as obvious as possible without it becoming silly.


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## Malus Darkblade (Jan 8, 2010)

Samir you a troll? First you're like Salamanders can have families next you're saying the Xenology book isn't canon? Also lol Starcraft


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Samir_Duran said:


> WRONG! Not ALL of the Black Library is Canon, as many of it's novels defy the official Fluff. With the fluff, it''s like with the rules of the Armies codexes... As with Apocalypse: If the rules of Apocalypse doesn't cover it or interdict with those of the codex, the codes is the "higher" up.
> 
> As for the battle report with posessed Ethereal... Man, i Have that issue, and it's not about a posessed ethereal, but abot the "unwitting fools" thingie, where the Tau are misled to believe that the greater daemon is on their side ( as he could said that he wasn't a chaos entity but a powerful alien)
> 
> ...


1) Dead wrong. In terms of rules what you say may apply; not in terms of novels. What's more, GW make both the codexes and supplements (such as Apocalypse and similar)--it's their perogative to say how the rules work. They have stated multiple times, however, that BL make fluff that is no less valid than theirs, and that all fluff--even the contradictory stuff--is true. Did you read the article I linked? It is written by one of Black Library's most respected authors, it cites actual GW's actual IP Manager, etc, and it categorically states that *all* fluff is valid, whether by BL, FFG or GW. You can't just pick and choose which novels you agree with and disagree with and/or percieve a fluff contradiction and then rule it as invalid.

Besides, how is the Xenology fluff invalid? It presents an alien that has a pheromone control crystal, it presents a Tau Ethereal that has an identical crystal, and it relates an ancient legend of the original aliens of the eldar kidnapping one of their queens to "build a swarm uncorroded." Sure, Darvus makes some suppositions (without stating the theory outright), but how does any of that *contradict *previous fluff? It adds new facts to the universe, not restates previously written facts.

2) Ah, thank you. I had misremembered.

3) Well then, we'll have to agree to disagree. That said, since I hold your supposition that Xenology is invalid to be patently false, I hold that there is enough evidence to reasonably suppose that the Eldar almost certainly created the Tau.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

spanner94ezekiel said:


> Incorruptible maybe. Immune to becoming disillusioned (i.e. Farsight)? No, I'd say not. Chaos Tau could work as they've maybe been deluded by an agent of tzeentch etc. Just not Khorne. Bloodthirsty Tau just doesn't work. Renegae Tau would be fine, just you couldn't have any ethereals.


I don't have a Tau codex so i don't know, but i was thinking i could field a unit that functions as an ethereal by portraying him as a leader that the rest of the army trusts completely.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

Yru0 said:


> One of the best Tau armies I've seen fluff-wise, probably won't dissapoint on the table either. I think it would not only be possible but LIKELY for rogue Tau to ally with chaos if given the chance, my own opinion. Simply because Tau don't seem to believe in gods (i look at communism as an example, no state religion, sorta religious to the state), so they wouldn't be commiting a betrayal, simply joining with someone who shares their interests...and even better for them, there's probably little strings attached due to the warps minimal effect on them, what fun would torture be for the gods if they can't feel the suffering?


thank you, im really looking forward to modelling this army now.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

Anarkitty said:


> There are theories that the Etherials were created by The Deceiver, by the Eldar, by Tzeench, or by some other entity. Nothing has been confirmed, and nothing likely ever will be.
> 
> That said, the idea of a rogue group of Tau allying with the Chaos Gods (rather than serving them) is an interesting idea. They would need to capture/ally with other races with a stronger Warp connection to actually do anything, which gives them a reason to take the battlefield.
> Another possibility is that these rogue Tau found an abandoned Chaos temple (maybe Word Bearers?), and adopted the ideology and markings without ever realizing the "gods" mentioned actually exist. Think a group of Marines wearing Native American warpaint, or a squadron of fighter pilots naming their jets after Norse gods, but taken to a whole other level because they don't have to worry about offending anyone. It could be interesting to try and show in your paint schemes and conversions that they don't really understand the nature of the Chaos Gods, and are interpreting their limited information through their unique cultural lens.
> Squads of Fire Warriors marked with a Tau-ified Mark of Khorne, because he's the "God of Battle". Or using the various marks simply as squad identifiers. Cosmetic changes like decorating battlesuits and guns with arrows and spikes. Daemonettes that look like female Tau painted on the noses of vehicles. Try to make their total misunderstanding of everything the Chaos Gods are as obvious as possible without it becoming silly.


i really like this idea, but i fell they should have some limited contact with the forces of chaos, not enough to really comprehend what they are, but more that they're beneficial to the army. I also really like the idea of trying to communicate this through the paint job. I can already tell you this ones gonna be a toughie to paint because i also want to communicate a kind of "dead world" feeling, not all dark and desert, but more barren and empty. of course ill have to include a lot of wear and tear too, its not like they've had a lot of access to weapons.

I'd also like to thank everyone else who participated in this thread. It helped me a lot. hopefully i can post some pictures in the future.


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

You'll have to explain your fluff to most people, as they won't understand the concept of Chaos Tau especially since many people have attempted the same thing. Suffice to say, it'll still make for a really cool fan-dex and army.


Anywho, I would like to suggest a few units, if that's okay by you?
Crisis Suits with a two-handed power weapon.
Firewarriors with a combat blade and pulse pistol.
Stealth Suits with combat blades, instead of burst cannons (and "Lictor" style abilities).
Option of receiving Marks, like CSM.
Slightly better close combat stats, at the cost of markerlights.
A Zombie unit (the Tau's technology, fused with Nurgle's "gifts" created the ultimate system).

That's about it for now. Good luck!


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

i dont mind explaining the fluff, but what i AM worried about is that it will come off as cheesy and stupid. like all those uber-marine home brew chapters that people *cough7yearoldscough* like to come up with. I want the army to have some depth to it. Besides, i hate the chaos tau that a lot of other people come up with, because itthe fluff doesn't make sense. 

I love the unit ideas, but since i'll only use the normal Tau codex for a while, I think i'll get some imp guard and model a brain control device, make them look dead, and field them as kroot, and later i can use them as zombies. they could be a sort of "tribute" to nurgle.


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## DestroyerHive (Dec 22, 2009)

> i dont mind explaining the fluff, but what i AM worried about is that it will come off as cheesy and stupid. like all those uber-marine home brew chapters that people *cough7yearoldscough* like to come up with. I want the army to have some depth to it. Besides, i hate the chaos tau that a lot of other people come up with, because itthe fluff doesn't make sense.


Lol, that's not nice . I think your fluff is fine tbh, because turning over to Chaos for protection is much more cannon than Tau getting possessed by Chaos. I also like how you take into account that they are not affiliated with daemons, since they do not leave a trace in the warp. 

Actually, I just got an idea! In order for the Tau to _want _to turn over to Chaos, they'd have to learn about it more in-depth first. Therefore, you can say that they questioned a group of cultist hostages, who taught them about the Ruinous Powers. Just more fluff options, and may also translate in a new fandex unit.



> I love the unit ideas, but since i'll only use the normal Tau codex for a while, I think i'll get some imp guard and model a brain control device, make them look dead, and field them as kroot, and later i can use them as zombies. they could be a sort of "tribute" to nurgle.


Excellent idea! I'd leave the Nurgle thing out though, - he isn't needed for this particular idea.


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## Maidel (Jun 28, 2009)

I see where you were 'trying' to go with this - but its a bit like the chaos sisters army, or the fallen grey knight army - if you bend the reason for the chaos bit just far enough it fits, but not very well.

I hope you have fun with the modelling project, good luck with it - but from a fluff standpoint its a HUGE stretch.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

i really dont like the idea of the Tau "unwittingly" turning to chaos. they honestly seem like a clever, sharp race that wouldn't fall for that. especially considering that chaos couldn't actually control, only trick them.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

thanks for the critique, but can i ask how its a stretch? it seems like something that would benefit both sides, tau get protection, chaos get tech.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

WJMcC said:


> thanks for the critique, but can i ask how its a stretch? it seems like something that would benefit both sides, tau get protection, chaos get tech.


It's mostly because Tau barely register in the warp and Tau are pretty intelligent. I'm not ruling it out, it's possible just a lot less likely to happen.


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## Maidel (Jun 28, 2009)

WJMcC said:


> thanks for the critique, but can i ask how its a stretch? .


Ok - ill go back to your original post to explain:



> it seems like something that would benefit both sides, tau get protection, chaos get tech


There is a contradiction in terms there. If the tau need protection and they turn to chaos (for help, not 'turning') then it implies that chaos dont need their tech in the first place. Tbh, if you look at chaos as a whole, unless you are talking about abbadon, they arent actually interrested in technology, they just mutate their troopers if they need something specific (eg obliterators).



> This made me think "What if the tau weren't possessed at all, but some backwater planet in the Tau empire rejected the greater good, and took off for some back water planet were they accepted the chaos gods in exchange for help defending their new home.


This falls for the same thing as 'necrons fighting tyranids'. This wouldnt happen because tyranids would never attack a tomb world because there is nothing their for them. In the same way, chaos has nothing to gain from an 'alliance' with the tau because they cant offer anything in return (see above).



> I don't mean to say they would mutate or anything, just modify their guns and armor to show their new allegiance.


You see, that just doesnt make sense either. Why would the Tau alter their apperance to appease something they are not worshiping or being controlled by. Chaos cultist alter their appearance to appease their gods, or have their apperance altered by the gods. The Tau altering their apperance and weaponry is like a guard company altering their guns and apperance because they happen to be on a mission with a blood angels detachment.


Im not trying to 'rain on your parade here' at the end of the day, its your money, your paint and your time - but these sorts of armies really 'irk' me. Its like people using the spacewolf codex with purple marines called the 'purple wolves' when it is strongly implied many times that the space wolves have no existing successor chapters. Sure you can say that it never outright says that, but its crowbaring something in to the background that 'doesnt sit right' and doesnt quite fit.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

did you not read my post? or am i missing something. turning to chaos actually seems like a pretty smart thing to do for some rogue Tau. I'm aware that its almost impossible for chaos to command tau against their will. but really, if i am missing something, tell me.


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## Maidel (Jun 28, 2009)

WJMcC said:


> did you not read my post? or am i missing something. turning to chaos actually seems like a pretty smart thing to do for some rogue Tau. I'm aware that its almost impossible for chaos to command tau against their will. but really, if i am missing something, tell me.


Sorry to jump again before you have had a chance to respond to my post above - but I think I maybe able to explain.

Chaos have nothing to gain. They want worshipers, something that cant worship them, cant be controlled by them is either something to be killed, or its a rock.

It may well be the smart thing for the tau to do (although thats HIGHLY debatable) but Chaos is so fickle and changable that if they dont get anything substantial out of the agreement they would bugger off and leave faster than a space wolf thats just seen the pub.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

thanks. and btw your not "raining on my parade" at all. thats exactly why i made this thread.k: this is exactly the kind of problems in my idea i was looking for, because those kind of armies irk me too. so on to my next question. rogue / mercenary tau?


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## locustgate (Dec 6, 2009)

Someone earlier did that it wasn't the tau that turned to chaos but their armor(possessed). If you use Fire Warrior as an example he walked through a chaos corrupt planet killed a DP and walked out with no extra limb. It states in multiple books that the tau have almost no signature in the warp, that would be like an ant worshiping an elephant, the elephant looks down at the ants..."Wtf are those dots doing?"
I support people making chaos/ different version of armies so long as it's not just a guy with a whole bunch of spikes stuck on.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

i wasnt talking to you, i was replying to Words_of_Truth because he said that its unlikely because tau dont register in the warp.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

good point.


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

Samir_Duran said:


> WRONG! Not ALL of the Black Library is Canon, as many of it's novels defy the official Fluff. With the fluff, it''s like with the rules of the Armies codexes... As with Apocalypse: If the rules of Apocalypse doesn't cover it or interdict with those of the codex, the codes is the "higher" up.


Im sorry, but you are wrong. _"Canon"_ in 40k has been described as _"everything or nothing."_ Absolutley everything that has a GW/40k logo on it (or another official affiliate such as Forge World or Black Library) is canon, regardless of whether or not it contradicts any other established lore. 

However, that having been said. The beauty about 40k lies in everyone's different personal perception of the universe. The great thing about an _"everything or nothing"_ (or _"loose"_ as ADB puts it) canon is that you can pick and choose what you want. But for purposes of debate, everything should be considered canon.

Check out Aaron's blog post on 40k's loose canon.


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## Maidel (Jun 28, 2009)

WJMcC said:


> thanks. and btw your not "raining on my parade" at all. thats exactly why i made this thread.k: this is exactly the kind of problems in my idea i was looking for, because those kind of armies irk me too. so on to my next question. rogue / mercenary tau?


Rogue. Who would they be mercenaries for? Non of the other major races has any purpose for mercenaries.


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## LukeValantine (Dec 2, 2008)

Maidel said:


> Rogue. Who would they be mercenaries for? Non of the other major races has any purpose for mercenaries.


Sorry to butt in but you just put your foot in your mouth so I thought I would show you where your shoe went.

Many factions rent out rogue traders, and mercenaries, and even xeno's for support Intel ect.

Hell in the cannon-fluff their is a entire ork tribe of merc free booters who work for the imperium for guns and scrap.


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## Rathios1337 (Jul 2, 2010)

Words_of_Truth said:


> I always thought the Tau where created by the Old gods as a last ditch effort to defeat chaos. First generation they created where Eldar, second generate was both Orc and Human, third generation possibly Tyranids as a fail safe, fourth generation Tau. Can't remember which dawn of war game tau where first introduced it (The one after the necrons?) but I loved how psychic presence just came across as a buzzing sound over the radio.


First off it was the old ones, secondly they created eldar ect to try and defeat necrontar (dont have my codex on me have no idea how it was spelt)
thirdly it states somewhere that humans found them in their tribal stage..... so it was only a few thousand years since the tau had evolved not the 64 million when the necrontar and the old ones where having their curb stomp battle :king:


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## Maidel (Jun 28, 2009)

LukeValantine said:


> Sorry to butt in but you just put your foot in your mouth so I thought I would show you where your shoe went.
> 
> Many factions rent out rogue traders, and mercenaries, and even xeno's for support Intel ect.
> 
> Hell in the cannon-fluff their is a entire ork tribe of merc free booters who work for the imperium for guns and scrap.


Okay, in that context you can get away with it. However most instances of mercenaries are humans hiring humans, or individual aliens. The imperium as a whole would not be hiring tau.

Any world that did hire them long term would find itself either purged by xeno inquisitors or simply declared rogue and exterminated from space.


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## LukeValantine (Dec 2, 2008)

Their we go, that's a far more reasonable interpretation and supported by most of the cannon fluff.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

heres a scenario for you. a local drug lord is having a lot of trouble from orks passing through his territory, but doesnt have the rescources to fight them himself. so he employs some tau mercs to kill the greenskins.


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## Maidel (Jun 28, 2009)

WJMcC said:


> heres a scenario for you. a local drug lord is having a lot of trouble from orks passing through his territory, but doesnt have the rescources to fight them himself. so he employs some tau mercs to kill the greenskins.


Question - why dont you want to do 'tau' - why does it have to be something else?


Just interrested.


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

Rathios1337 said:


> First off it was the old ones, secondly they created eldar ect to try and defeat necrontar (dont have my codex on me have no idea how it was spelt)
> thirdly it states somewhere that humans found them in their tribal stage..... so it was only a few thousand years since the tau had evolved not the 64 million when the necrontar and the old ones where having their curb stomp battle :king:


Old ones/Old gods, same thing 

The war against the Necrontar ain't over though, they are just dormant, it's still within the time frame imo. Orcs and Humans have failed, they are to scattered and to fraught to self destruction that all they can do is stem the tide. The Eldar are dying just as slowly but they have no power to confront the Necrons any more. 

Tau on the other hand are going the opposite way, they are evolving fast and expanding equally as fast. Their fundamental principles include integration, which is what the previous Old ones races didn't really have.

Their technology is ideal is ideally suited to count Necrons imo plenty of solid ammunition fired from long range with the ability to redeploy easily. It's not perfect but it at least keeps them alive without being swamped.

Anyway it's really only a theory I think but a credible one.


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## Diatribe1974 (Jul 15, 2010)

The Tau will eventually have "Chaos Tau" in their ranks (officially at least, much like what we see with the Imperium), but we won't see it happening until after the Tau Empire has massively expanded outwards from what it is today. In order to see that happen, GW has to move the ole 40k storyline forward in order to let that occur. So yeah, we'll be waiting awhile for it. But once they do move the storyline forward, you'll see that happen. Mark my words.


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## C'Tan Chimera (Aug 16, 2008)

Screw Chaos- go Farsight. _That_ would be a lot of fun since you could basically do anything with that. Plus melee Tau. Always a plus.


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## LukeValantine (Dec 2, 2008)

The only real dirrection you could go is renegade sept tau, who for some reason have rejected the ethereals rule, and are now outcastes from tau society. Something like a radical sect of fire caste who believed their caste is not given the rightful amount of privilege they deserved.

Hell if you want to still apply the merc aspect you could say that they being desperate and violent by tau standards are prone to acts of piracy, and contracting with xeno worlds that need protect, or more maybe they simply extort the resources of these inferior races in exchange for not wiping them out. After all most feral or rim worlds of the imperium get little protection from the imperium.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

Painting and modeling is a HUGE part of th game for me, and i really like the look and feel of a rogue tau army. But I also want to have my fluff in order.


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## WJMcC (May 25, 2011)

C'Tan Chimera said:


> Screw Chaos- go Farsight. _That_ would be a lot of fun since you could basically do anything with that. Plus melee Tau. Always a plus.


because the fluff don't fit, i decided that what ill do.


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## coalheartly (Jul 24, 2009)

Diatribe1974 said:


> The Tau will eventually have "Chaos Tau" in their ranks (officially at least, much like what we see with the Imperium), but we won't see it happening until after the Tau Empire has massively expanded outwards from what it is today. In order to see that happen, GW has to move the ole 40k storyline forward in order to let that occur. So yeah, we'll be waiting awhile for it. But once they do move the storyline forward, you'll see that happen. Mark my words.


Except for the whole, the Tau do not understand the Warp and have no psykers.


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