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++EDIT++ 03-03-2024 Started this army around 2018...Then it went by the wayside, around the year "2020" -I Found this start of an army in a crate in the spare room...brought it out and did a small amount of work on it...Fast forward to present day "2024" Dug it out of a Cupboard again, I think it's time to actually remove it from my shame file!, Thankfully it Coincides nicely with the upcoming release of the 10th Edition T'AU Codex -For the Greater Good. Mithril New Codex = Finish the Dang army, I have predominantly used Necromunda bases (although those new GW brand "Void War" bases look mighty tempting!!) I went for Castellan green worked up to Elysian highlights on all the fatigues for - pathfinders, Fire Warriors & Breachers, anyway here's my first WiP- pathfinder *Note - bases are not this cool shout out to the original tau colour scheme anymore. sorry for slightly blurred pic's , my phone camera is not the greatest cheers, Mithril

As a new year has started it’s time for another project! My son suggested that we theme our collection around the Eastern Fringe (we already have some Ultramarines and Nids) so the only thing missing was some T’au! The idea is to build 1250pts of each faction before we expand on them. So by the end we’ll have 3 full armies. So this will be the start of the T’au, the intention is for the Cadre to be as mobile as possible plus loads of Auxiliaries. Here’s the start, a Cadre Fireblade: I think I’ll add some snow to the base but apart from that I think he’s (For the Greater) good to go! Thanks for looking!

KY'VASH RECON CADRE STEALTH BATTLESUIT TEAM Stealth Battlesuit Team 01 - Shas'ui in XV25 Stealth Battlesuits with Burst Cannons, led by Shas'vre in XV25 Stealth Battlesuit with Fusion Blaster. Considered the natural progression for those Fire Caste warriors who serve as Pathfinders, elevation to the rank of Shas'ui allows - and, in fact, demands - training as a Stealth Battlesuit pilot. The XV25, only recently having made it to Ky'Vash alongside other more 'modern' battlesuit designs, is a point of minor consternation to those within the Recon Cadre. Traditionalists within the Ky'Vash Fire Caste consider the bulky, and situationally less flexible nature of the XV25 as compared to the previously favoured XV15 an inferior asset, though such opinions have begun to fade as the suit has proven itself compatible with the broader strategy of the Recon Cadre. While the XV25 has a highly effective stealth system, thus the designation, it retains the camouflage coating of all members of the Recon Cadre as a backup in the event of system failure. - They're just adorable chunky, aren't they? I quite like the old XV15's, but ultimately could not manage a printed/recast version of them that would work for me. Oh well. XV25 are fun, too, and they're VERY quick to paint! Possibly a bit too quick, that drybrushing is a bit dire. In my defence, I've basically run out of my grey, and went for completion rather than slow, steady progression so I wasn't left with anything un-brushed before I get a chance to go buy another pot. Probably back to space marines next, before I get back to the Tau for, depending on many things, either some fire warriors, fireblade, or Ghostkeel.

KY'VASH RECON CADRE FIRESIGHT SNIPER TEAMS Firesight Sniper Teams 01-03 Firesight Sniper Team 02 - Shas'la with Longshot Pulse Rifle Variant & Shas'la Spotter Firesight Sniper Team 02 - Shas'la with Longshot Pulse Rifle Variant & Shas'la Spotter Firesight Sniper Team 03 - Shas'la with Longshot Pulse Rifle Variant & Shas'la Spotter Firesight Sniper Team 03 - Shas'la with Longshot Pulse Rifle Variant & Shas'la Spotter And with that, all three teams are complete! This has been a fun little project, something of a proof-of-concept that I can enjoy kitbashing Tau without losing the more uniform, military vibe I'm after for the army. It helps that I've always enjoyed the mini-diorama style of stand-in, where two smaller models stand in as one. I find it very characterful, and it helps me tell what would otherwise be very samey units into something memorable, which is important for Crusade where I'll eventually be fielding them. Overall, I'm very happy with how they turned out. Up next for the Ky'Vash Recon Cadre: Probably Stealth Suits!

KY'VASH RECON CADRE FIRESIGHT SNIPER TEAM Firesight Sniper Team 01 - Shas'la with Longshot Pule Rifle Variant & Shas'la Spotter. While the Fire Caste of Ky'Vash make use of drones, like all T'au militaries, certain roles usually reserved for these sub-sapient AI constructs have instead been filled by specialist teams of Shas'la Pathfinders. Able to remain still and silent, even switching off their equipment to reduce their chance of being spotted by auspex scans, these two-Tau teams find ideal locations to pick off enemy officers and other high-value targets. The Longshot Pulse Rifle, while not as suitable for vehicle (or power armour) hunting as the rail rifle does allow for a higher rate of fire and reduced electro-magnetic signature, reducing the chance that the team will be slain by artillery or aerial strike before repositioning. The Longshot Pule Rifle resembles its Strike-Team equivalent, though with enhanced options and penetration power, at the cost of reduced shots per recharge. Often considered to be the natural stepping-stone between Pathfinder and Stealth Suit pilot, these sniper team positions are given only to the most promising of Shas'la, especially those who show aptitude for stealth and accuracy over the leadership capabilities that would otherwise see them groomed for Pathfinder team command positions. - This is one of the models I had in mind when I first decided to build a Tau army for 2024. I love making little mini-dioramas with multi-model bases, and as nice and drones are they never seemed appropriate for a sniper. This was built primarily from the Pathfinder kit, with the pulse rifle (and arms) from the firewarriors kit, and gun lightly enhanced with a larger scope. I did some minor cutting and positioning, but this was basically just a kitbash and base sculpting project. I think it came out quite nice! I have two more of these to do, one of which is being dry-fit as we speak.

KY'VASH RECON CADRE PATHFINDER TEAM 01 DRONE SUPPORT Pathfinder Team 01 - Drone Support. Gun, Marker, and Recon Drone. Techpriests of the secretive, and tightly monitored Xenocybernetica have performed extensive investigations into the 'Drones' employed in battle by the T'au Empire. These creations, seemingly autonomous or semi-autonomous in combat were initially suspected to be a budding form of Abominable Intelligence, though such fears have been largely quieted. The programming that drives T'au drones appears to be sub-sapient, and incapable of self-modification, its ability to act without direction merely the result of brute computing power, and a database of potential actions, rather than true 'intelligence'. It has been claimed, by some, that they could be a form of alien 'Machine Spirit', foul a thought as that may be. The T'au of Ky'Vash make extensive use of these constructs in battle, especially the large and well-armed recon drones utilized by Pathfinder Teams as weapons support and communications hubs, extending the operational range of these units before and during engagements. Some, often more veteran teams are known to mark their drones with kill-counters and mottos, marking their stealth-coated casings with small signs of ownership and care. Gun and Marker drones, directly guided by a Pathfinder Drone-Control Specialist. Recon Drone providing fire support for elements of the Pathfinder Team. - Finally! Took me long enough to get a warm, dry, and not too windy day to spray these little guys! I haven't painted a drone in the better part of 20 years, so it was fun to go back. The camo looks alright on the larger, flat tops, though I think I could have made the colour patches a bit larger. I'll mess around with the next set. With that, the Pathfinder Team is done! I'm pretty happy with how they came out. I'll be grabbing a squad of Firewarriors next, though that may not be immediate. Always important to ensure the pile of shame is under control before making it larger, right? Probably some more marines in my immediate future.

KY'VASH RECON CADRE PATHFINDER TEAM 01 Pathfinder Team 01, Pulse Carbines & Rail Rifles. Active in Sub-Sector Vyndax, the Fire Caste of minor sept world Ky'Vash lacks some of the heavier equipment of the core septs, but has proven to be a thorn in the side of Imperial colonial and extractive concerns within the region. Ordo Xenos representatives in the Sub-Sector have tracked reports of T'au recon and infiltration forces on multiple worlds, striking from hidden forward bases and ambushing supply convoys in the less industrialized and built-up Imperial holdings. Ky'Vash Pathfinder units range ahead of more substantial units and support platforms, quite literally 'finding paths' for less mobile segments of the strikeforce in the dense woodlands found on many of the once-terraformed worlds of Vyndax. Shas'la with Pulse Carbine. Shas'la with Rail Rifle. Shas'la Drone-Control Specialist. Shas'ui Team Leader. Note the bonding knife attached to her fatigues. - New Year, New Army! Also new blog, because it was about time. We'll see how I like doing things in here. Having spent most of 2023 building a non-optimal, primarily infantry space marines army, I've decided to do something different for 2024: That, but with T'au. Look, I like infantry! They're fun! This will, eventually, have a Hammerhead and maybe some Crisis Suits, but for now we're doing camo-clad footsloggers. The camo itself is a mix of AUSCAM woodland camo with what appeared to be a one-off Tau Piranha model I found online from like... 2018. This will be the standard scheme for the whole army, though the Pathfinders have more cloth, and thus actually less camo than the Firewarriors will have. Probably. I may end up leaving them with more black armour, we'll see what happens. Drones are pending, we've had some MOIST days, so they're waiting on my painting desk, unprimed.

In keeping with my other armies I will run a WIP for my as yet unpainted T'au before posting the completed models in my Kavaal Korst'la'sha'is thread. As I work through the list I will try to remember to post any details such as magnetisation techniques, tips etc but expect this thread to progress in fits and stops as I am currently bouncing between DA/AM and T'au trying to clear a massive backlog due to my well known addiction to grey plastic acquisition... So to start with here is the T'au painting backlog... HQ Commander Farsight x 2 (old style) Commander Shadowsun Troops Firewarriors x 78 Kroot x 9 Kroothounds x 8 Elite XV8 Battlesuits x 13 Fast Piranha x 2 Pathfinder x 22 Drones x 71 Sun/Razor Shark x 3 (magnets will be involved at some point) Heavy XV88 Broadside x 4 (New style) XV88 Broadside x 2 (Old style) XV88-2 Broadside x 1 Hammerhead/Devilfish x 4 Skyray x 2 Along with these there is also the need to repaint all of the old scheme models - it may take a while

https://youtu.be/aHsfgWvvVMI Cheers, Thoth

What’s everyone’s thoughts on the custom sept rules? For me, if I go down that route, I’m thinking A and D look decent

++ ONLY THE GREATER GOOD IS WORTH WAR ++ ONLY WAR/XENOS: TAU CAMPAIGN (ACTIVE IC THREAD). +++ OPERATION FIREKNIFE +++ "On the World of Kur'Sadesh, I go to my fate. The High Summer Conclave of the Aun'ar'Tol has decreed that I must go there to seek new blood for our allies, new voices for our Coalition. I trust the Caste of Princes as I do the Tau'Va, in my heart. My Honour Blade is one carried before me by great heroes of our cause, and to disappoint them or incur the shame of Malk'la is unthinkable. Yet my dearest friend I tell you, I know that service to this task will put me in the direst peril, which troubles my heart only less than returning to find the Great Terror. The Kor'vattra assure me they will defend me to the death, but once that happens, what then? - Xenos-Classified [TAU] Message received by emergency comm-buoy Imperial Adjunct 114-16-212. The Custodian Class Battleship was abruptly spat from gravitic drive slipstream and came to a breif stop before power ran through the hull, the engines stirred to motion by the Air caste crew. Smooth and efficient, the Fio had built the spacecraft well, unlike the ungainly ships of the Gue'la, which seemed banded together by iron bolts and hasps forged by blind madmen. Shas'O Mal'Caor studied the twin-boomed prow and its elegant curves and pleasing organic shapes. Such a vessel could hide in the depths of the seas on Sa'Cea, a shadow beneath the rolling waves, cutting through the liquid medium as surely as it cruised through vacuum. He reached up to his smooth scalp, the locks long gone. He stifled a grunt, they looked so pleasant and light, but hours crammed inside an XV05 on a humid forest world did not lend to wearing them. Beside him, the ship's Captain, Vre'Unzel stirred, lifing her own wrist communicator to her lips. "Slow to one third and begin a drone sweep for debris or ion trails." "Hai'Kor'Vre." The glittering spots of the scanner drones became a small cloud of glimmering light as they decanted from the launch bays. Around them, O'Mal'Caor could feel the sleek ships of this flotilla, Barracudas, Castellans and Wardens. Behind them by several Rotaa, were the combat group should he need them, but he hoped his plan wouldn't necessitate that. He stared down into the abyss, the lights of stars winking back at him, the binary star at the heart of the system two giant white orbs, crackling as they danced with each other in a strange honour duel. The Imperial World the Shas'ar'Tol named Kur'Sadesh rolled below them, the skies thick with clouds and ash. A prison world the humans called Perdition. Down there, somewhere, was Aun'la Du'Rega, and even now, as the klaxons sounded across the ship, he knew the Expeditionary FLeet had detected the attack ships of the Imperium. Perdition was one of those worlds he despised. Not because of the criminals or the Gue'La or the lunacy of their Throne-Prince's tyranny, but because it was so damn close to the border - close enough that the humans kept a close eye. "Assemble the Strike Team. I will meet them in the briefing room," he spoke at large to the room, hearing the snap to attention of his own aides. La'Du'Rega had been on her own for 6 Decs. And that was 5 too long. Introduction: You are aboard the Custodian Class battleship Blackstar, a heavily armed ship for even this class. It boasts a significant complement of Fire Warriors as well as Earth and Air Caste personnel. You have been summoned to this vessel by many different means, perhaps unexpectedly, or maybe you have known from a rumour that your name was on a list somewhere. The mission is not a secret. it is a rescue mission of an Ethereal Caste representative and her attendants on a mission of peace along with her Water Caste diplomatic envoy, Por'El Mesme, a veteran of contact with the Gue'la. Indeed, he insisted on Gue'Vesa troops being available for all expeditions, so they could spread the good word, and this may be why you are aboard. In any event, feel free to introduce your characters with whatever is foremost on their minds as well as what their day-to-day duties may have them doing before the are summoned to the briefing room.

++ ONLY THE GREATER GOOD IS WORTH WAR ++ ONLY WAR/XENOS: TAU CAMPAIGN - CHARACTER THREAD. +++ OPERATION: FIREKNIFE +++ "When the upstart Tau came from under their rock, their brought with them their heresy. Who are these thieves, who have not spilled blood for the soil now within the Emperor's Realm? Who would not stand against the might of His Armies with honour? Worse, who would dare betray His Holy Purpose to stand with them?" - Zealot Hyram Graff, Ecclesiarch of the Cathedral of His Majesty In Perpetuity. + Servants of the Tau'Va + Heroes of the Fire Caste: Trokair - Shas'Ui Monat, Stealth Battlesuit Pilot (F) Commander Dawnstar - Shas'Ui Bork'an Kyosha, Drone Controller (F) Morovir - Shas'vre Sa'cea R'nan, Fire Warrior Veteran (M) Ancient_Sobek - Shas’ui N’dras Anuk’Var, Pathfinder (M) Honoured Warriors of Pech: Beren - Targykex, Kroot Mercenary (M) Badgersinhills - Jaq'Arn, Kroot Mercenary (F) The Enlightened Gue'Vesa: Machine God - Tony Keys (Ex-Imperial layabout) (M)+++ DRAMATIS PERSONAE +++ Shas'O Sa'Cea Tu'uan Mal'Caor (Iron Spider) (M) Aun'La Bork'an Du'Rega Khalat (Merciful Word) (F) Kor'Vre Vior'la Unzal Or'es (Star Witch) (F) Por'El Dal'yth Mesme Mon'Wer'nat (Unclear translation: Either Double-tongued, Two-Faced, or Half-Truths.) (M) Building a Tau Kill Team: All PC's who begin Play as the Tau Race must first generate a set of Characteristics, which they should post in their Character Profile and Bio below. Please include some background for your Character, or use some of the following details to prompt you. Note that your specialisation is independent of your Stats and will be chosen from a list further down in this post. Gue'Vesa: All Gue'Vesa characters start with common Imperial gear, augmented by Tau supplementals. (Note they will generate Human Characteristics from Only War itself). Kroot: (Cheers Beren ). Additional Special Rules - Sworn to the Ta'Lissera (Team Action/Squad Modes): Although all Tau are equal, in following with the Greater Good, some Fire Warriors fall into positions of command. Unlike some other races, however, Tau commanders hold themselves to the same standards of those they lead. A Shas'Vre (with any member of his team who have participated in the Ritual of Communion) may, on a successful Leadership Test, declare the following actions once per combat. There is no test to enter Squad Mode, since the Characters count as always being in Squad Mode - however, the basic Squad Mode rules apply: All Characters must be conscious; All Characters must have LOS; All Characters must be within 30m. TEAM ACTIONS: TBC...

++ ONLY THE GREATER GOOD IS WORTH WAR ++ ONLY WAR/XENOS: TAU CAMPAIGN +++ OPERATION FIREKNIFE +++ "That the races of the galaxy do not understand their peril - or worse, choose to ignore it, demonstrates the fact they are at war with themselves. We succumbed to that barbarity long ago, and saw it for what it was. The ideas of the individual should be one of public good, of municipal service, yes indeed, the Tau'Va - and all that it entails. It is better that the brave few give their lives, so all of us may stand to greet the dawn once more." Aun'Vre Bork'an Lo'Shasanna Alcat'aa, Sage of Borkan, Speaker of the Ancient Truths. Introduction: So what is Operation Fireknife, other than something that would cut butter really well? Well, I'm glad you asked, Prisoner #442 Category Infrared Threat Level, let me explain. Simply put, this is a One-Shot in the framework of Only War, with Character Profiles from Rogue Trader, with gunfights from Deathwatch. If that's a mouthful, don't worry, all you need is a few D10's, the will to play the Tau race as you perceive them, and a willingness to engage in a narrative heavy, crunch-light campaign. I would suggest if you haven't already, that you take a look at The Die Hards, an OW game set up by our own Commissar Molotov, which gave us a little more of the human element in the RPG Nook, and now, we're going far far from that. In more ways than one. This is the opportunity to actually do a first on this Board, as there has rarely if ever been an RP campaign dedicated to a Xenos race - I am sure we've seen a few Tau or Kroot explorers here and there, but we have the blessing of the forum to write about factions we hardly understand or see - because it's from the human perspective. So what kind of challenges do we face? These are an alien race after all, how do we understand them? How do we roleplay something not really meant to be that deeply explored? Well there are some books (a good Deathwatch one actually) which show that Tau are just like us, having the same hopes and dreams, the same bitterness when their ideology comes up against the might of an Imperial STC iron boot. In short, there's nothing to stop us doing this. Execution: After some discussion, I've settled on building our characters from the Rogue Trader templates, if our players do not have access to them, don't fear, we'll build them in this thread before porting them over to the Character Thread for easy access for everyone. So, why are we using Rogue Trade profiles for a game about great big phalanxes of Imperial Guard? Simple: Rogue Trader characters are tougher than Only War ones, by about 5,000xp in starting skills and talents, so you as a player can be a bit more handy in a scrap. Similarly, Tau are squishy, and so the Companion rules from Only War will allow mistakes, heighten drama, and allow me to twist the emotional knife every chance I get. Regimental bonuses will be brought in as well, to further flavour our Characters. Essentially, this RPG: Kill Team, so we need to make allowances. There will be a rules framework, since we have to have some kind of arbitration to resolve the encounters our intrepid Tau face, but it's not going to be terrible cumbersome, since I fly by the seams of my trousers anyway, and I'll likely just ask for a dice roll. On that subject, I don't care how you roll your dice - Orokos, Roll-A-Die, the real deal on a table top - it's not an issue. I mean you can cheat if you like, but there's no winning a Roleplaying game, so just let the numbers come up, and if they aren't great, just adapt your story. Chances are, failing is actually better than success. The only real caveat is that this is a 24hour forum, and it will e a PBP (play-by-post) game and we will have to be patient as people turn up to post. Another thing we have to consider is when people don't post after a good period things can get bogged down or stale. As GM, I would advise that I will have to move the game on at some point for the benefit of the rest of the players - if you can, please let me know what the trouble is, real life happens, and we understand. This is a game, life comes first. If you're new to PBP games, or this forum in general, just a couple of pointers: This is my GM voice, in which I will impart instruction and information I think is pertinent, such as when I call for tests. This is an Out-of-Character voice, that you should all use for when you are doing things which are not narrative, such as rolling tests, asking quickfire questions or speaking to me directly as a PC to GM. Look here! How we roll the tests and such will become apparent through play. Rules Modifications: In the FFG books, there are many rules, and his one is mine: I will, can and do change rules to make the game more enjoyable or accessible for my players. When I do this, I will try at all times to act consistently and in good faith in order to keep things smooth, fair and even. We will also add special rules to Characters, Equipment, Weapons and Adversaries in order to "Make it Work". Extra rules will be contained in the Character Thread OP, so that you can refer to them whenever you like. Setting: TBD Location: TBD

Hello all. With the impending closure of Die Hards, and my previous comments and thoughts regarding Playing the Bad Guys, I was wondering if there was still any appetite for this. I understand this is a bit of a niche endeavour and that most people will likely want to play humans (still possible - sort of) or Marines (not really possible!) but I was wondering if an Only War type game for either Tau or Eldar might work. Originally I was thinking to base the alien kill teams on Deathwatch, which I still think could work maybe for Necrons, but now I think the Only War archetypes would be better for the original idea. It feels to me at least that Firewarriors, Kroot and vespid, along with Eldar Guardians and Aspect Warriors could be realised a little better by that system, and with the Companion Mechanic, could allow for more aggressive play against hardier threats. Any thoughts? I haven't tagged this onto the previous topic as it is a few months old now, and this is a proposal for a different, and smoother handling of the premise via Regiments (Sects/Kith) with all the benefits of the Tactical Role/diverse skillset of the Deathwatch mechanic, making an Only War Kill Team type Hybrid. My plan is for simple games, potentially one-shots with a possibility of carrying the characters further. OW: Die Hards can be seen as a good example of how I propose for the system/games to work, except with a bit more tinfoil to keep you safe and slightly punchier kit, and everyone calling humans Monkeigh. Thoughts?

A little background first. One of the players in my area has a Tau army with four Hammerhead railguns. After watching my vehicles get deleted. I started thinking about a way to reduce the usefulness of the Hammerheads. The following list is what I came up with. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but would like some feedback on its potential viability. (I started collecting a long time ago. For tradition, I use the same canoness I started out with, so her loadout is now Legendary.) I originally painted my Sisters as Bloody Rose because I liked the color scheme, and I've kept using the Order ever since. This is a 2,000 point list with a battalion and patrol detachments. Canoness Boudica Combiflamer, power maul, Mantle of Ophelia. Canoness Scathach Inferno pistol, Blade of Beneficence. Palatine Veridiyan Wrath of the Emperor, Blessed Blade. Four rifle squads of ten Sisters, each equipped with Heavy flamer and melta gun. Two fire teams of five Sisters, each equipped with melta gun. One fireteam of Zephyrim of five Sisters, equipped with plasma pistol. Three fireteams of Seraphim of five Sisters, equipped with plasma pistol, two hand flamers and two Inferno pistols each. Two fireteams of Dominions of five Sisters, equipped with 4 meltaguns each. Two fireteams of Retributors of five Sisters, equipped with 4 multi meltas each. Two fireteams of Retributors of five Sisters, equipped with 4 heavy bolters each. One fireteam of Retributors of five Sisters, equipped with 4 heavy flamers. The basic idea is to swamp him with infantry and meltas. Yes, I'm going to have to get close to really be effective. And yes, he's going to keep his Hammerheads in the rear. But part of the idea is to sweep over and destroy his infantry troops, leaving his vehicles exposed to the remnants of my troops, who will, hopefully, still have enough meltas and other weapons to take out his Hammerheads. That's the theory, anyway. Comments, criticism and advice gratefully accepted.

https://youtu.be/B3q2EzDY8Q0 Cheers, Thoth