[OW/X - Tau]: Operation Fireknife (Character Thread)

[Mazer Rackham]

++ 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.

 

Your Stats run as follows: Weapon Skill (WS), Ballistic Skill (BS), Strength (S), Toughness (T), Agility (Ag), Intelligence (Int), Willpower (Wp), and Fellowship (Fel).  Don't worry about what this all means at the moment, it's mainly for me, but will come in handy later.

 

To generate your warrior you must roll 2D10 and add it to the following Stats:

 

WS  BS   S    T   Ag  Int  Per  Wp  Fel

 20   25   20  25  30  30   25   25   25

 

Feel free to copy this into your posts, and modify it with your rolls.

 

You may re-roll one result once.  You may not re-roll your Wounds.

 

Also generate your Wounds (hitpoints) as follows: 15 + 1D5

 

You should then select a Home Sept, which will give you the following benefits:

• Tau'n: First offworld colony, Tau from this world are considered to be pioneers. (+5 to any Two stats)
• D'yanoi: Having been isolated for a time from the empire, its inhabitants are considered somewhat rustic and backwards (-5 to Fel, +5 to Per)
• Bork'an: A centre of learning and academia (-5 to Strength, +5 to Int)
• Dal'yth: A cosmopolitan and trader-friendly. (+10 Fel, -5 Toughness, -5 BS)
• Fal'Shia: A centre of technological development, Tau from here are considered great problem solvers. (+10 Int, -5 Strength, -5 Toughness)
• Vior'la: A major military centre of the empire, its Fire warriors are considered especially aggressive and skilled. (+5 WS, -5 Wp)
• Sa'Cea: Another military centre, this sept has a very high proportion of very disciplined and honourable Fire Warriors. (+5 BS, +5 Wp, -5 Per, -5 Int)

If there are other Septs you'd like to play as, please discuss with me and I can arrange how your Sept bonuses might look.

 

All PC's, regardless of Race or Specialty start with 1 Fate Point, which allows special abilities.

 

Tau Traits:

 

For The Greater Good!

The Tau value the group over the self, and further trust their comrades and commanders to always choose the best course of action. This enables every Tau to follow orders without hesitation or doubt. Once per encounter, a Tau Character may gain a +10 bonus to a Test made while directly following an order from another Tau Character. Additionally, if this order places the active Character into substantial danger to benefit the group as a whole, this bonus increases to +30 (GM’s discretion).

 

Non-Imperial:

This character was not raised among humans, and knows little about the culture and history of the Imperium. The laws, traditions, religion, and superstitions of Mankind are unfamiliar and alien to characters with this trait. The character suffers a –10 penalty on all Common Lore, Forbidden Lore, and Scholastic Lore Tests relating to the Imperium of Man.

 

Speak Not Unto the Alien:

This creature is a member of an alien species that is viewed with a mixture of fear and loathing, and different enough in form and thought as to make any kind of social interaction a greater challenge. This creature suffers a –20 penalty on all Fellowship-based Tests when dealing with humans, and imposes the same

penalty on humans. These penalties do not apply when dealing with individuals who have become familiar with him.

 

Non-Human Biology:

Medical preparations made for Humans will not work on Tau, and vice versa.

 

How do you Serve:

 

Fire Warrior: Most if not all characters will start as a Fire Warrior, (although other castes may be available), and your Equipment will be as follows - copy paste if you need to:

• Pulse Pistol
• Pulse Rifle/Carbine/Blaster
• 3 x Photon Grenades
• 3 x EMP Grenades
• 1 x Combat Knife
• Tau Battle armour (AP 6 all locations)
• Helmet has Blacksun filter (Dark vision), and Photo-visor (immune to Photon and Stun Grenades)

One Player will be designated as Kill Team Leader, or Shas'Vre equipped with a Ta'lissera which will allow special combat modes.

 

As we fill out your Specialties, they will be individually negotiated with each player.

 

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).

 

To generate your  traitor  er, Helper you must roll 2D10 and add it to the following Stats:

 

WS  BS   S    T   Ag  Int  Per  Wp  Fel

 20   20   20  20  20  20   20   20   20

 

You should then select a Regiment, which will give you the following benefits:

• Armoured: Gruntcrunchers don't have to walk far. (-5 WS, +5 Int)
• Recon: Think your way in, run like hell on your way out. (+5 Per, -5 Wp)
• Drop Troops: Always surrounded. (+5 Ag, -5 Fel)
• Hunter Killer: Search and Destroy - well everything. (+5 BS, -5 Strength)
• Light Infantry:  "Where's your Helmet?!" (+5 Ag, -5 Toughness)
• Line Infantry: The PBI.  (+5 Strength, -5 Int)

You may re-roll one result once.  You may not re-roll your Wounds.

 

Also generate your Wounds (hitpoints) as follows: 15 + 1D5

 

Equipment:

• Laspistol
• Lasgun or Combat Shotgun or Autogun
• 3 x Frag Grenades
• 3 x EMP Grenades
• 1 x Bayonet or Combat Knife
• Imperial Guard Flak armour (3 AP all locations, with Tau Combat armour chest cuirass (AP 6 to Body)
• Helmet has commbead (and uh, a Tau <3 sticker I guess)

These Player/s may select one of their number to be a Sergeant, who may exchange his combat weapon for a chainsword.  The Sergeant may also add +5 Fel to represent his status as an NCO.

 

Kroot: (Cheers Beren  ).

To generate your carnivorous hunter/gatherer/mercenary, roll 2D10 and add it to these stats below.

 

WS     30

BS      25

S        25

T        25

A        30

I         20

P        25

W       25

F        20

 

You may re-roll one result once.  You may not re-roll your Wounds.

 

Also generate your Wounds (hitpoints) as follows: 15 + 1D5

 

Kroot Kindreds:

• Bold Hunters: +5 BS, +5 to wrangling tests, +10 against Fear or Pinning Tests.
• Cunning Hybrids: +10 Int, +5 to Barter and Deceive tests, +1 Initiative.
• Headhunters: Pass all toughness tests vs toxins, beak loses primitive quality.
• Stalkers: May make Concealment and Silent Move tests as a free action, even when observed.

Kroot Mercenary Career:

• Starting Skills - Awareness, Concealment, Dodge, Silent Move, Speak Language (Kroot, Low Gothic, Tau)
• Starting Talents - Universal basic weapons training, exotic weapons training (Kroot rifle), universal melee weapons training, heightened senses (sight and hearing)
• Starting Traits - Natural Weapons (Beak, Unnatural Strength x 2)

Equipment:

• Skinning Knife/Mono-knife
• Kroot Rifle/Kroot Bow/Kroot Hunting Rifle
• Microbead
• Assorted pouches of roots, poultices, fetishes
• Worn leather armour (AP 2 Body, Legs, Arms) with up-armoured pieces (3 AP Arm/Leg)
• Leather cap (optional) (AP 2 Head).

Shaper Equipment:

• As Kroot, Plus:
• May Exchange Kroot Weapon for Pulse Rifle
• 2 x EMP Grenades
• 2 x Photon Flash Grenades.

A Shaper is a Leader of the Kroot and has mystical powers beyond even the ken of the Tau.

 

 

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:

 

Fire Discipline:
Type: Half Action
Sustained: No

 

The Shas'Vre calls for immediate, aimed fire on his target. Each Tau Character may make an immediate Standard Attack with a Ranged Weapon as long as it is at the same target the Shas'Vre is shooting at. In addition, each Tau Character gains +10 To Hit, due to their rigorous training and discipline.

The Needs of the Many:
Type: Full Action
Sustained: No

 

Most Tau prefer to rely on their technology and ranged weaponry, but occasionally some Fire Warriors feel the savage call of more primal warfare in their blood. These Tau relish the occasional chance to engage in melee combat, especially when protecting their allies.

The Shas'Vre risks his own life for his men, and declares a Charge Action against an enemy. If he hits with his attack, each allied Tau character currently engaged in melee with his target may make a Disengage Action as a Free Action.

Precise Hunter:
Type: Full Action
Subtypes: Attack, Concentration, Ranged

The Shas'Vre makes a Challenging (+0) Ballistic Skill Test. If he succeeds, he chooses a Hit Location on his target (like Called Shot). Each allied Tau character who attacks the target in their Turn may skip the Determine Hit Location Step of the attack (They must still succeed on their BS test) and hit the declared Hit Location instead. Attacks against the target’s Declared Hit Location gain +1 Penetration for each Degree of Success the Precise Hunter scored on his Ballistic Skill Test.

 

TBC...

Edited January 12, 2022 by Mazer Rackham

[Trokair]

Shas’ui Tau'n Monat  

 

The warrior later known as Monat, a given name aptly fitting and given as much in despair by her Teachers while a trainee than as a recognition of her achievements, was always a solitary Tau even as a child. Capable of playing with others and cooperative effort in schooling, yet never really part of the group at large.

 

These tendencies where noted early during basic training at the Fire Cast combat academy, and not wanting to let talent go to waste, even if it was not within the common range of Fire Caste disposition, arranged for her to be mentored by a war wounded Shas’vre who had served amongst the stealth specialist as a XV25 pilot.   

 

While Monat graduated with honours and attained Shas’la status, it was but barely, with the only areas of exemplary achievements directly linkable to the assigned mentors teaching. Like will beget like as one Drill Sergeant commented.

 

Upon completion of the standard term of duty as a Shas’la in a Fire Warrior Strike Team Monat was transferred fully into a Nighthunter Stealth Carde for additional training and her career trajectory was set.   

 

Stats

 

WS  BS    S    T   Ag  Int   Per   Wp  Fel    Wounds  Fate

23    47   32  43  49   42   39    35    29     18         1

 

Rerolled Per (original roll 8, reroll 14) as it felt more appropriate for the character to have good perception (though better Fel would probably have been the tactical re-roll).

 

Home Sept - Tau'n – Sept Stat bonus applied to BS and Ag 

Specialism  - Stealth Suit Pilot.

 

Equipment

• XV16 Stealth Suit  - AP 8 All locations
  • Jetpack

  • Enhanced Motive Systems

  • Environmental Seal

  • Stealth Field
  • Sensor Systems: Blacksun filters, multi-tracker, target lock 
  • Rail Rifle - Range 150m; S/-/-; 2d10+10 I; Pen 9; Clip 16; Reload 1 Full; Two handed; Devastating (1), Overheats -  Experimental System, if an Overheat is triggered instead of damage roll a d5, Power is drained and the corresponding system is out of action for one turn: 1 = Jetpack, 2 = Stealth Field, 3 = Suit Sensor Suite, 4 = Enhanced Motive Systems, 5 = Rail Rifle
• Pulse Pistol
• 1 x Combat Knife

 

Starting Skills: Common Lore (Tau Empire), Dodge, Logic, Literacy, Speak Language (Tau), Tech-Use.

Starting Talents: Fire Caste Weapon Training, Marksman, Rapid Reload, Supporting Fire, Unshakeable Faith.

Edited January 30, 2022 by Trokair

[Machine God]

Tony Keys

 

Gue'Vesa: Augmented by Tau supplementals.  

 

WS  BS   S    T   Ag  Int  Per  Wp  Fel  Wounds  Fate

 31  36   36  39  38  37   38   25   29   20         1

 

Equipment:

LaspistolCombat Shotgun3 x Frag Grenades3 x EMP Grenades1 x ChainswordImperial Guard Flak armour (3 AP all locations, with Tau Combat armour chest cuirass (AP 6 to Body)Helmet with comm-bead to the Tau Talk network courtesy of the Greater Good!Headkam footage beamed straight to your vid from my head! I see it and you see it!

 

Gue'Vesa - Sgt, Recon.

 

"It's great to be back out here in the thick of the action. Hi there back in Tau Lands, this is Tony Keys reporting from Operation Fireknife and sponsored by Krispy Flakes! All hail the Greater Good, my excellent friends!"

 

Tony Keys (although he pronounces it Kais) is a War Correspondent adapted by the Tau to save on drones. He has been fitted with experimental Tau technologies, notable his Headkam. 

 

A gregarious and inquisitive fellow who was keen to advance out of the Gue'La slum when his world had been annexed by the Tau. Keys 'Volunteered to be the eyes and ears on the front of the war so that a tau might be saved the tedious job.'

 

(Edit: Forgot to add Wounds and Fate)

Edited December 22, 2021 by Machine God

[Commander Dawnstar]

Shas'ui Bork'an Kyosha - Drone Handler

 

The product of a mildly controversial training program, Kyosha is a talented (if slightly eccentric) drone handler with an eye for detail.

 

Unity is at the core of the T’au way of war, cohesion forging individuals into a greater whole. While far from the most exemplary of Shas’Saal, no great leader or marksman, it was through battledome exercises that Kyosha’s true talent came to light. Her spacial awareness and ability to keep her cool in the chaos of battle was worthy of note, and when managing remote and automated systems she truly excelled. D’sho, they called her – twin-sighted – and she soon found herself earmarked for specialist training in the operation of battlefield drones.

 

Where Bork'an stood apart from many of its peers was the way in which it approached understanding. Though she certainly received an education born of the same foundation as all other septs’, Kyosha was a graduate of an experimental program in cross-caste learning. She and her peers not only studied the practical application and rudimentary maintenance of battlefield technology but also attended seminars meant for those of the Earth Caste. It was learning meant to inform and foster unity, to guide and ease future collaboration between Fire and Earth, yet rumours still abounded that it sought to erode the hard lines between castes...

 

Still young in Tau’cyr, Kyosha and her charges have nonetheless proven themselves time and again, and in the wake of a successful Trial by Fire only great things are expected of her.

 

Stats (inc. Sept bonuses)

 

WS  BS    S    T   Ag  Int   Per   Wp  Fel    Wounds  Fate

30    34   29  28  47   42   45    34    39     17         1

 

I used my reroll on BS (as my Sept would bring up my Int) but only managed to improve a 7 to a 9.

 

Equipment

• Pulse Pistol
• Pulse Carbine
• 3 x Photon Grenades
• 3 x EMP Grenades
• 1 x Combat Knife
• Tau Battle armour (AP 6 all locations)
• Helmet has Blacksun filter (Dark vision), and Photo-visor (immune to Photon and Stun Grenade

Edited December 22, 2021 by Commander Dawnstar

[Morovir]

Shas'vre Sa'cea R'nan

 

Named Longblade, Shas'Saal Sa'cea R'nan swiftly lived up to his name in training, proving himself skilled at range with his pulse rifle, though it would only be on the battlefield that he would be able to truly demonstrate his capabilities. As a Shas'la, he proved himself as a soldier, and, successful in his first Trial by Fire, he found himself swiftly elevated to membership of a XV8 battlesuit team after a short time serving as Shas'ui.

 

However, he swiftly found that while competent enough in a battlesuit, he lacked the flair that he had possessed as an infantryman. Failing his second Trial by Fire, he requested to be transferred back to the infantry, returning to the command of a strike team of Fire Warriors. Excelling in this role, by the time that another four tau'cyr had come around, he passed his Trial by Fire and was elevated to the rank of shas'vre, to great acclaim amongst his peers, to whom he had proven himself time and time again on the battlefield.

 

Although it was clear to him that, owing to his proclivities, he would never rise to the highest echelons of the Fire Caste, he was content with his position, knowing that it was according to the tenets of the Tau'va that his skills as an infantry commander were put to best use.

 

WS  BS   S    T   Ag  Int  Per  Wp  Fel

30   42   27  36  34  39   28   42   43

 

Tried to improve Strength, but rolled a 5 into a 7...

 

Wounds: 17

 

Fate: 1

 

Equipment:

• Pulse Pistol
  
• Pulse Rifle
  
• 3 x Photon Grenades
  
• 3 x EMP Grenades
  
• 1 x Combat Knife
  
• Tau Battle armour (AP 6 all locations)
  
• Helmet has Blacksun filter (Dark vision), and Photo-visor (immune to Photon and Stun Grenades)
  

[Beren]

Targykex - Kroot Mercenary

 

Targykex is something of an irritation for his Tau superiors, frequently breaking out into amused squaking cackles that they can't quite identify as being derisive or good natured. The truth is that he doesn't want to be here. His Kindred has seldom cared for the Tau's Greater Good, preferring the freedom to roam the galaxy and make their own independent contracts. Unfortunately, they made mistake of taking out a contract to deal with troublesome tresspassers without double checking what the tresspassers actually were. After the embarassment of discoverring that these tresspassers were actually a Tau advance scout force, the back-tracking and hasty 'explaining' the Kindred had to commit do in order to both fulfill their contract and convince the Tau that they were still working towards the Greater Good left Targykex and a handful of others effectively stranded as acting scouts while the rest took off again. Targykex resents this, but knows how to be patient. He will not do anything to do the comprimise the standing of his species or kindred with the Tau, nor will he abandon another Kroot.

 

Targykex is normally, when off the field, easily identifiable. His Kindred consumptive ancestry - carefully cultivated on the rogue planet of Orakyptra - gave them certain chameleonic traits that they exlpoit to hunt and set ambushes, but it was also a tradition among the kindred to express fluorescent fluerescent patterns when in positions of safety. These distinctive markings mean that Targykex is rarely mistaken for members of another Kindred, but he does often exploit the expectation that he will be so noticable to sneak up on and surprise his Tau colleagues in less obtrusive pattternings. He is also a skilled stalker and ambusher, preferring to use his Krootbow and knife in short ranged ambushes.

 

WS  BS   S    T    Ag  Int  Per   Wp   Fel   

38    39   37  40   42  39   29    37     30        

 

Rerolled BS, turning a 3 into a 14.

 

Wounds: 19

Fate: 1

 

Stalker Kindred- May take Concealment and Silent Move Tests as free actions, even when under observation.

 

 

• Skills - Awareness, Concealment, Dodge, Silent Move, Speak Language (Kroot, Low Gothic, Tau)
• Talents - Basic Weapons Training(All), Exotic Weapons Training (Kroot), Melee Weapons Training (All), Heightened Senses (Sight + Hearing), Mercenary
• Traits - Natural Weapons (Beak), Unnatural Strength (*2)

 

Equipment:

• Mono-knife
• Kroot Bow
• Microbead
• Assortes pouches of roots, fetishes and poultices
• Worn leather armour (AP 2 Body, Legs, Arms) with up-armoured pieces (3 AP Arm/Leg)

 

Kroot Bow

 

Edited December 23, 2021 by Beren

[Mazer Rackham]

+ DRAMATIS PERSONAE +

 

 

Race: T'au

Designation: Commander

Equipment Chassis: XV85 'Crisis-05' Battlesuit

Weaponry: Variable (Airbursting Munitions, Plasma Rifle, Fusion Blaster, AS-02 Shield Generator)

Signals and Telemetry Wargear (Blacksun etc).

 

 

Shas'O Sa'Cea Tu'uan Mal'Caor (Iron Spider)

 

Command Notes:

 

Hailing from Sa'Cea, this senior T'au officer has been active in many warzones.  Unconventional in extreme - by accepted Shas'ar'tol standards - his wide experience with irregular Coalition forces, skilled planning of multiple special mission tasks, and natural leadership lend him well to the proposed Operation Fireknife.  He is well-versed in the technological and operational capabilities of many races who are still enemies of the Tau, his tactical acumen holding off the Gue'la, the Ever Devouring Y'he and the brutish green Be'gel horde at the same time during his deployment to Baraban, where he was nearly killed by the audacious Gue'ron'sha of the Deathwatch.

 

Strategic Authority: Approved.

[Trokair]

Edit: wrong thread, oops, sorry, reposted in correct thread, this post can be deleted. Edited December 23, 2021 by Trokair

[Ancient_Sobek]

Shas’ui N’dras Anuk’Var

 

Pathfinder

 

Stats (inc. Sept bonuses)

 

WS  BS    S    T   Ag  Int   Per   Wp  Fel    Wounds  Fate

31    37    34  35  37   36   46     43   34      19           1

 

 

Equipment

• Pulse Pistol
• Pulse Carbine w/ Marker Light
• 3 x Photon Grenades
• 3 x EMP Grenades
• 1 x Combat Knife
• Tau Pathfinder armour (AP 4 all locations. +10 to Silent Move Tests and Concealment Tests)
• Helmet has Blacksun filter (Dark vision), and Photo-visor (immune to Photon and Stun Grenades)
• Sensor Drone (Fi’do)

Edited January 3, 2022 by Ancient_Sobek

[BadgersinHills]

Jaq'Arn - Kroot mercenary

 

Having left Pech as one of many young Kroot eager to fight and consume in the galaxy, she returned alone as a survivor of conflicts she does not speak of though none have thought it wise to ask. What is known is that the warband she was with was almost entirely destroyed at the In-Halon Deeps, where conflict between Aeldari and elements of the Astartes had raged, though how she survived is unknown. Proof of her travels is the iron badge she wears on her right arm decorated with a relief of a set of a gaping maw, sharp teeth open to devour whatever unfortunate foe comes in front of her. Curiously, this badge has an Imperial purity seal on it, though the wax is chipped and the parchment marred by the effluvia of war. This is one of a few odd trophies, a patterned scarf being another one.

 

She has been troubled by dreams ever since the events at In-Halon, though their contents are a secret. 

 

Despite her eccentricity, her prowess has been recognised by T'au officers and as such she has been assigned to the Operation. 

 

 

WS     47

BS      36

S        33

T        33

A        45

I         32

P        42

W       20

F        31

 

Kindred:

• Bold Hunters: +5 BS, +5 to wrangling tests, +10 against Fear or Pinning Tests.

Kroot Mercenary Career:

• Starting Skills - Awareness, Concealment, Dodge, Silent Move, Speak Language (Kroot, Low Gothic, Tau)
• Starting Talents - Universal basic weapons training, exotic weapons training (Kroot rifle), universal melee weapons training, heightened senses (sight and hearing)
• Starting Traits - Natural Weapons (Beak, Unnatural Strength x 2)

Equipment:

• Mono-knife
• Kroot Rifle
• Microbead
• Assorted pouches of roots, poultices, fetishes
• Worn leather armour (AP 2 Body, Legs, Arms) with up-armoured pieces (3 AP Arm/Leg)

Edited February 12, 2022 by BadgersinHills