Ama'ya

1. #1Air Caste

   Keys: Air Caste, Kor

   The Air Caste of the T'au function not only as messengers, but also as the bulk of the T'au Protection Fleet and the T'au Merchant Fleet. The T'au of the Air Caste are even taller and more slender than the Water Caste, with long, skinny appendages and hollow bones. These traits are attributed to their lives lived mostly in low to zero-gravity voidships and void stations. This is exacerbated by Air Caste reluctance, if not outright refusal, to land on planets, as their skeletons have atrophied to the point where injury and broken bones are commonplace when they spend time in a gravity well. In the past, during the time of the Mont'au before the unification of the T'au tribes, the Air Caste had membranes stretching between their limbs, which allowed them to glide on air currents. T'au Air Caste pilots are recognised as generally superior to Human pilots due to their better fighter craft, though they lack a normal Imperial pilot's level of combat experience.

2. #2Autaku

   Keys: Autaku, nerd, dork,

   The T'au word for a nerd or dork

3. #3Au'taal

   Keys: Au'taal

   Au'Taal is a Tau sept established during the Second Sphere of Expansion.

   Au'taal Prime is a resort planet and is well known as a verdant and beautiful world, where only honoured heroes can retire, and is famous for its exotic fruits that are used when trading with other races.

   There are defensive platforms in the orbital space of this planet that bristle with weapon systems, because the Tau take the protection of their brave elders very seriously. Tau from this sept are known for their easygoing attitude toward their duty to the empire, and other Tau often regard them as lazy, despite or perhaps because of this attitude the aircraft of Sept Au'taal are nevertheless renowned for their resilience in battle

4. #4Barracuda

   Keys: Barracuda,

   The Barracuda air superiority fighter is the Tau's most common atmospheric aircraft.

5. #5Battlesuit

   Keys: Battlesuit, Her'ex'vre,

   Battlesuits (termed Her'ex'vre in the T'au Lexicon, meaning "Mantle of the Hero") are bipedal mobile armoured platforms used by the T'au. They incorporate many weapons, advanced armour, and a variety of systems, allowing them to fulfil many specific roles within the T'au military.

   Battlesuits are a type of advanced power armour, with the larger models likened by Imperial observers to fast-moving (and infinitely more graceful) Dreadnoughts. They vary in size, from no bigger than a Fire Warrior in standard armour, to being twice as tall as a Space Marine (with the new XV104 Riptide having surpassed even this). Battlesuits vary in role, from battlefield infiltration to fire support. Most are designed to be worn by a single Fire Warrior and are packed with advanced weaponry and devices, including multi-spectrum sensors and scanners useful for detecting hidden enemies, and recoil absorption technology which, while not providing the same stability as Terminator Armour, allows for accurate shooting of light weaponry while moving.

   Battlesuits are piloted directly by a neuro-link from the operator, which interfaces with the vehicle through a monofilament needle inserted through the back of the head into their brain. This allows the pilot to make the Battlesuit an extension of their own body movements, allowing for fast and fluid reactions. Modern Battlesuits are equipped with dense nanocrystalline alloy armour with liquid metal coatings, which while providing superior durability and protection to internal systems is also light enough to avoid unnecessary encumbrance. Damage to armour and internals can be transmitted to the pilot's nervous system as sympathetic pain via the inner cocoon, though only ever at level sufficient to inform pilots and never intense enough to distract.

   Only Fire Warriors who have served as standard troopers (or Shas'la) then passed the Trial by Fire can go on to become Battlesuit pilots. Anti-tampering systems are present to prevent their use by unauthorized pilots, enemy or otherwise; during the mission to assassinate Commander Brightsword, an Imperial saboteur attempted to pilot a Crisis battlesuit, but upon entering the suit's cockpit was fried to a charred corpse. If a Battlesuit is about to be captured, the pilot is trained to detonate a self-destruct mechanism to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

6. #6Be'gel

   Keys: Be'gel, Orks,

   The T'au word for Orks

7. #7Bonding Ceremony

   Keys: Bonding Ceremony, Ta'lissera, Communion, Marriage,

   The Ta'lissera, or Bonding Ceremony, is a Tau ceremony which has been translated by Imperial xenolexicons as "communion" or "marriage."

   T'au who take part in the ceremony pledge support and community to one another and may address each other by their individual names. The bonds that these T'au swear to each other are much admired and seen as embodying the best aspects of the T'au'va. The bond may be performed by any group of T'au, though it is most commonly Fire Caste warriors or Earth Caste work teams who undergo this ultimate expression of respect for one another. Cross-caste bonds do exist, for example Sub-Commander Torchstar is part of four T'au bond with each member from a different caste, though seem to be rarer.

   The Ceremony involves the use of the Bonding Knife. The participants in the ritual aim to draw enough blood from their mates for the ritual to be profound, but not enough for it to deal a major wound. The blood from the blade is then mixed in a ceramic cup. The ceremony is to be concluded by sunset. A special band and a betrothal sash are worn for the ceremony. Vows are made and exchanged, usually memorised by the participants.

   A common Fire Caste proverb is: Only in death are the bonded parted.

   The vows spoken during the Ta'lissera Ceremony are "Like the eternal circle, these bonds shall never be broken. For as long as one of us remains alive, so too do the others. There is no one t’au above another, all are as one, and the whole shall be greater than the sum of its parts."

   Although Imperials translate Ta'lissera as marriage, it is a bond that does not include intercourse. Within the Empire T’au do not select their own partners for reproduction, as those pairings are determined by the Ethereals in the Propagation Department. How this is done in the Enclaves, where there are no Ethereals, is unknown.

8. #8Bonding Knife

   Keys: Bonding Knife,

   The Bonding Knife is a ceremonial knife that serves as part of the Tau ritual of the Ta'lissera, in which a group is bonded together through ritualistic cutting of their flesh.

   Following their ritual bonding the knife is then carried into battle by the team leader, although it is not designed for use in actual combat, and serves as a reminder of the sacred bond the group shares. Fire Warriors who serve as part of a Battlesuit team may also undergo the process, although instead of carrying the actual knife into battle the team leader may instead paint a knife design onto his armour.

9. #9Bork'an

   Keys: Bork'an,

   Bork'an, sometimes rendered Bor'kan, is a Tau Sept, a world within the Tau Empire, known as an education, industrial, and manufacturing hub. Bork'an was originally the homeworld of the Poctroon, but after disease devastated their race the Tau inherited it. The sept was subsequently founded as part of the First Phase Expansion.

   Bork'an is renowned as the center of education for the Tau Empire and is home to many libraries, universities, and research centers, including the most prestigious military training center in all of the Empire. Its system also has many rich mining planets and Fire Warriors of this Sept are outfitted with especially fine equipment and weapons. The warriors of Bork'an known as cerebral and restrained and its population in general is amongst the most scientific, sporting the highest Earth Caste population. Some of Bork'an's most noted scientist achievements are stasis chambers and the first Pilot Battlesuit. Rumour has it that Bork'an science cadres were transported in secret to N'dras at the early end of the Second Sphere of Expansion to develop the deadly Ghostkeel Battlesuit.

   The Fire Caste of Bork'an benefits hugely from its scientific status. Every arm of their military boasts extreme technological advances, and in return for such boons their Fire Warriors are willing to test prototype technology on the battlefield. This can often be dangerous for the test subjects, who are honoured as va's'tuo or selfless tutors. Its signature system is the Battlesuit Overdrive Power Systems.

10. #10Broadside Battlesuit

    Keys: Broadside Battlesuit, XV88,

    The Broadside Battlesuit or XV88 is the heaviest variant of the Crisis Battlesuit. Used by the Tau, these Battlesuits' design is an effective compromise between offensive firepower, defensive protection, and tactical maneuverability.

    Broadside Battlesuits are only issued to Shas'ui veterans who have gained sufficient experience piloting Crisis Battlesuits. The jetpacks commonly found on Crisis suits are replaced with a Heavy Rail Rifles or High-Yield Missile Pods, some of the most powerful anti-tank weapons available in the Tau arsenal. It is known that the Great War of Confederation forced the XV88 Broadside to change their Heavy Rail Rifles to High-Yield Missile Pods to better tackle the Ork hordes that repeatedly assaulted their lines. These missile pods are sometimes more rarely replaced with twin-linked Plasma Rifles.

    Broadsides tend to be encountered supporting larger Tau formations, where one or more three-member teams are tasked with providing fire support for entire Hunter Cadres. Occasionally, a single Broadside is tasked with providing support for a smaller Tau force. They are most commonly deployed as lethal tank-hunters or as fast-moving artillery platforms capable of obliterating even hardened bunkers with their railguns

11. #11Broadside Battlesuit Team

    Keys: Broadside Battlesuit Team,

    A Broadside Battlesuit Team is composed of veteran Tau Fire Warriors who use a modified Crisis Battlesuit known as the Broadside Battlesuit. The standard jetpack is replaced with a massive Twin-linked Railgun system, one of the most powerful weapons used by the Tau. Consisting of one to three warriors, including the team leader, these units are tasked with engaging and destroying heavily armoured targets.

12. #12Cadre

    Keys: Cadre, Kau'ui

    Cadre or Kau'ui in Tau, is the basic organizational structure of the Tau Empire's military. Cadres are comprised by a number of Teams or La'rua under a Tau Commander. Most Cadres are standing formations in contrast to the Tau Military's larger formations: multiple Cadres may form together into a Contingent, or Tio've.

13. #13Castes

    Keys: Castes, Caste System

    The T'au caste system is a system of social division that divides all T'au into five distinct groups.

    Each caste is named after an element of nature, symbolising the purpose and temperament of the caste's members. A T'au's caste is determined at birth and inherited by one's parents. Inter-breeding is forbidden by the Ethereals. For a T'au to choose another caste for himself seems to be impossible, and held contrary to the notions of the Greater Good. The castes are based upon the racial and political divisions that separated the Tau on their homeworld of T'au during the time of the Mont'au. The Castes were first formally established after the Ethereals brokered peace between warring T'au factions at Fio'taun. Emphasizing the need for the Greater Good, the Ethereals decreed that the T'au would be formalized into castes, each known by the element that most befitted its role in the new T'au society.

    Overstepping ones lot in their Caste and undertaking actions relegated to another is one of the most grievous crimes in Tau society. For instance, an Earth Caste engineer is usually forbidden from using Fire Caste-issued weapons in a pitched battle without special permission from the Ethereals. Violation of this law commonly results in the accused being sent to a Re-education Facility.

14. #14Caste Ranks

    Keys: Caste Rank

    Trainee rank = SAAL Lowest rank = LA Second lowest rank = UI Middle rank = VRE Second highest rank = EL Highest rank = O

15. #15Charpactin

    Keys: Charpactin,

    The Charpactin are a race of sentient fungoid creatures who encountered the T'au Empire's Fe'saan Water Caste diplomats during the Fifth Sphere of Expansion.

    They communicate entirely in bursts of ultraviolet colour, whose strobing emanations prove surprisingly effective at subduing and transfixing living beings — making them docile and amenable. After the Water Caste observed this in action, the T'au Empire quickly negotiated a client-state treaty with the Charpactin and have since drafted many of the fungoid creatures into its growing Edification Corps.

16. #16Code of Fire

    Keys: Code Of Fire,

    The Code of Fire (translates also as 'the way of the warrior') is the guiding doctrine of Tau Fire Warriors. Originally the ancient way of Tau honour passed down generations since the hunter tribes of the plains of T'au, the Code of Fire set up a birth-to-death training system and code of military conduct that helped make the Fire Caste into the efficient military fighting force it is today. The central tenants of the Code of Fire are honour, obedience, duty, and self-sacrifice.

17. #17Combat Armour

    Keys: Combat Armour, Combat Armor,

    Combat Armour is the standard armour worn by Tau Fire Warriors on the battlefield. Constructed in two layers, the outer face is hard and ultra-dense nano-crystalline metal veneer bounded to an inner layer of high-performance, thermo-set, molecular polythene.

18. #18Commander Shadowsun

    Keys: Commander Shadowsun, Shadowsun,

    Shas’O Vior’la Shas’len’ra M’yen Sha’serra , also known as Commander Shadowsun, is the current Tau Empire supreme commander.

    Under her leadership, the T'au Empire has again grown with the Third Sphere of Expansion, formimg five colonies in a halo around the original Sept worlds, including in the Damocles Gulf, Perdus Rift and much further afield. This success was due in part to the Imperium being distracted elsewhere and the Tyranids and Orks being temporarily contained. Shadowsun went on to score a decisive victory over the Imperium in the Battle for Mu'gulath Bay, one of the greatest Tau victories over the Imperium.

19. #19Cryostasis Unit

    Keys: Cryostasis Unit,

    Cryostasis Units are a type of Tau technology. These pods are used to cryogenetically freeze the occupant inside, allowing them to be preserved for an extended period of time. They are commonly used by the Tau for long starship voyages, though other heroes of the Tau Empire may be put into cryostasis until a time of crisis where they are needed. This helps bypass the naturally shorter lifespans of the Tau.

20. #20Damocles Crusade

    Keys: Damocles Crusade, Damocles Gulf Crusade, Damocles War,

    The Damocles Crusade, also called the Damocles Gulf Crusade, was a major conflict fought between the Imperium of Man and Tau Empire in late M41 around the Damocles Gulf region of the Eastern Fringe.

    By 742.M41, members of the Tau Water Caste had established trade agreements with Imperial Worlds on the frontier, near the Damocles Gulf, and exchanges of goods and technology were common. Alarmed by this, Inquisitorial investigation of the worlds in question indeed found evidence of Tau activity. The conclusion was that they represented a major threat and Cardinal Esau Gurney of Brimlock called for a Crusade to purge the aliens. The Crusade was based around a dozen capital starships of the Imperial Navy, five provisional companies of Space Marines, and nineteen Regiments of Imperial Guard, seven of them from Brimlock. The first move was towards the Timbra Sub-sector where human colonists had coexisted with the aliens. The Crusade first reasserted Imperial rule in the rebellious Garrus and Kleist colonies. Individuals implicated in dealing with the Tau were seized and punished at a special assize held before the furious Crusaders. The Imperial colonies secured, the Crusade forces moved on and engaged the Tau for the first time on their own territory in the uninhabited Hydass System.

    In the end the Damocles Gulf Crusade had resulted in the Imperium gaining a healthy new respect for the fighting abilities of the Tau while the Tau Empire came to understand the true scale of Humanity's power in a Galaxy they had previously thought theirs for the taking.

21. #21Damocles Gulf

    Keys: Damocles Gulf,

    The Damocles Gulf is a region of deadly nebulae in the Eastern Fringe that forms the effective border between the Imperium of Man's Ultima Segmentum and the core Septs of the T'au Empire.

    It was across this void that the failed Damocles Gulf Crusade was fought between the T'au and the Imperium, the first time the two forces met militarily. Following the Imperial retreat the T'au solidified their control and, under the renegade Commander Farsight, captured sufficient new worlds on the human side of the Gulf to create the Farsight Enclaves.

    Subsequent T'au Spheres of Expansion saw their influence extend across and beyond the Gulf. They divided the region into distinct "parallels" and dispatched Water Caste diplomatic missions to prepare the way, such as the Whispertide Concordance and its overtures to the blighted Yuxa System. These actions goaded the Imperium, sparking a continuous series of engagements in the Gulf, notably the tit-for-tat Battle of Mu'gulath Bay, Fall of Prefectia, and Second Agrellan Campaign. At the conclusion of the latter battle the Adeptus Mechanicus unleashed an exotic weapon of such magnitude that Mu'gulath Bay was not only totally lost to both empires, but the destruction unleashed set across the entire Damocles Gulf, lighting it ablaze and effectively separating that side of the Imperium from the T'au. This also prevented any hope of reinforcement for the nascent Farsight Enclaves as they fought desperately in the War of Dakka. Such was the level of bloodshed and fire in the Gulf at this time that some speculate it helped create the Great Rift soon after.

22. #22Colonies

    Keys: Colonies, Colonization,

    Besides the populous Septs, there are also sparsely populated colonies.

    Colonization is the main way the T'au expand their Empire outside of war against hostile worlds. Their decision to colonize a world or not depends on if it can be an asset to the Empire and if the colony can cause the system it is in to prosper. Often the worlds selected are full of hostile lifeforms or barely habitable for the T'au. The colonists will have Fire Warriors to protect them though and over years of hard work, their worlds will become valuable resources for the T'au Empire. These colonies will then eventually turn into cities, that will serve as waystations for the T'au's further expansion efforts.

23. #23Commander Farsight

    Keys: Commander Farsight, Farsight, O'Shovah, Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr,

    Shas'O Vior'la Shovah Kais Mont'yr, more commonly known as O'Shovah or Commander Farsight, is the leader of the Farsight Enclaves, having lived for at least three centuries, considerably beyond the ordinary lifespan of T'au Fire Caste members. The breakaway Farsight Enclave maintains a strongly martial tradition closely based on the Vior'la Sept, O'Shovah's birthplace.

    Shortly after setting the foundations of the Farsight Enclaves, O'Shovah announced his intention to leave its Elemental Council and go into a self-imposed exile. Judging himself as unworthy and having seen too much during the experience on Arthas Moloch, Farsight left administration of the Enclaves to six of his closest advisors and left to wander the wastelands of Vior'los. He abandoned his Battlesuit and the Dawnblade, which were both kept to be studied by O'Vesa.

24. #24Dal'yth

    Keys: Dal'yth,

    Dal'yth is a Major Sept of the Tau Empire established between sometime 606.M38 and 792.M38 during the First Sphere of Expansion.

    Before being settled by the Tau Empire, Dal'yth had a wild ecosystem of deep blue foliage and slithering segmented beasts. It was tamed long ago during the First Sphere of Expansion and has been brought into compliance with prime-level colony standards ever since. Because of its high proportion of Water Caste members, Dal'yth has enjoyed beneficial trade agreements and has recently been counted as one of the Nineteen wonders of the Tau Empire.

    Today vast hexagonal urban areas cover the planet's surface, where marketplaces flourish, and many embassies are housed. Gel'byrn City is the largest metropolis in the sept. This sept has a disproportionate amount of Water Caste traders. Commander Puretide, hailed by many as the greatest military genius the Fire Caste has ever produced, was born here in 651.M41. Sub-commander Torchstar lived here with her bond-mates before defecting to the Farsight Enclaves.

    Dal'yth was the scene of heavy fighting between the Imperium and Tau during the Damocles Crusade. Though Dal'yth was ravaged and many of its colonies and cities were destroyed, it has recovered quickly, thanks to its busy trade ports. Large numbers of aliens can be seen here, alongside Water caste merchants and diplomats.

25. #25Devilfish

    Keys: Devilfish, TY7 Devilfish, TY7,

    The TY7 Devilfish is the armoured personnel carrier of the Tau Empire. It is the standard transport for Fire Warriors as well as Pathfinder Teams and serves as the chassis for the Hammerhead Gunship and the Sky Ray Missile Destroyer.

    The Devilfish has been the workhorse of the Tau ground forces since their first encounter with the Imperium of Man. It grants Fire Warrior teams much-needed tactical nobility, and are the backbone of highly mechanized Hunter Cadres. Powered by a dual anti-grav and jet propulsion motive system, the Devilfish is able to glide over the ground and is extremely mobile. This allows it to rapidly keep pace with advancing infantry and tanks and is capable of performing the killer offensive of the Mont'ka or the maneuver ambushing of the Kauyon. Despite being primarily a troop carrier, it is nonetheless well-armed to support infantry in the field.

26. #26Drone

    Keys: Drone, Kor'ves, Kor'vesa

    Drones are AI-controlled light hovering vehicles that perform a variety of civilian and military roles for the T'au. Unlike the Imperium of Man, the Tau make extensive use of these and other machine intelligences.

    Drones are conventionally disk-shaped, armoured, and equipped with an anti-gravitic generator and jet motors for propulsion. Their advanced processor unit has only a basic intelligence, which requires regular orders from their masters, often through a drone controller. They are also programmed for self-preservation, and will typically flee in the face of danger (drones without propulsion systems will instead self-destruct upon capture). However, Drones can network together, increasing their intelligence and processing speed. This allows them to operate in a group independently of a controller for long periods of time.

    Typical civilian jobs for Drones include message delivery or domestic services, as well as dangerous or tedious duties. This latter ability makes Drones popular for use by the T'au military in support of their organic forces. Despite this, the T'au do not treat their military Drones as expendable forces, instead as a way to augment and support their Fire Warriors in the field. The most common uses of these drones entail carrying and operating equipment presumably too heavy or bulky to simply be carried by a team member.

    Whilst more accepting of A.I. than other races, the T'au nonetheless have a taboo against creating self-replicating drones.

    The T'au word for Drone is Kor'vesa or Kor'ves which translates into "faithful helper"

27. #27D'yanoi

    Keys: D'yanoi,

    D'yanoi, whose name means "twin moons", was isolated from the main body of the Tau Empire for many years due to a fierce and unnatural space storm; this isolation led the sept to regress to a lower level of technological advancement. Although contact with D'yanoi has since been re-established, its inhabitants are still considered backwards and rustic by most Tau. The Sept has also seen many infamous Ork invasions, though its warriors have defeated each in turn, despite the horrors wrought by the greenskins. In particular, the actions of the veteran Broadside Battlesuit pilot Shas'ui Calon'oi when fighting the Orks have earned him the moniker of "Wavebreaker."

    D'yanoi inhabits a tidally-locked orbit, and complex interactions between this trait and the revolutions of its moons leaves the planet bathed in a constant twilight.[4] When the Tau first settled the world during the First Sphere of Expansion, D'yanoi was home to colossal reptilian beasts that had to be driven back by disciplined Cadres of Fire Warriors. The D'yanoi beasts consumed many colonists before this was accomplished.

    The planet of Vespid is only 3 light years to the galactic south of the D'yanoi sept. As a result, D'yanoi Hunter Cadres are frequently accompanied by Vespid allies.

28. #28Dorsal-Class Heavy Bomber

    Keys: Dorsal-Class Heavy Bomber,

    The Dorsal-Class Heavy Bomber is a type of colossal bomber aircraft used by the T'au Empire.

    The ordnance carried by the Dorsal can flatten a city, leaving only smoke and fragmented rockcrete in its wake.

29. #29Earth Caste

    Keys: Earth Caste, Fio

    The Earth Caste is composed not only of the T'au's labourers and technicians, but also artisans, scientists and engineers. They are usually credited with the significant leaps in technology that the T'au Empire has enjoyed. The members of the Earth Caste form the foundations upon which the T'au Empire is built. The inhabitants of this caste are generally short and stout of build.

30. #30Edification Corps

    Keys: Edification Corps, Edification, Political Officer,

    The Edification Corps are political officers of the T'au Empire.

31. #31Ethereals Caste

    Keys: Ethereals, Ethereals Caste, Aun,

    The Ethereals are the political and religious leaders of the T'au. They resemble the Fire and Water Castes physically, but are marked by a diamond-shaped ridge of raised bone in the centre of their foreheads. Their origins are unknown, and most T'au will never refuse a request made by an Ethereal. They are sometimes also found on the battlefield, but whether as leaders or observers remains to be seen. The leader of the Ethereal Caste is a T'au named Aun'Va, the Ethereal Supreme and Master of the Undying Spirit who chaired the Ethereal High Council and served as the head of state or Aun'o of the T'au Empire.

32. #32Ethereal Guard

    Keys: Ethereal Guard, Saz'nami, Tau Honour Guard, Tau Honor Guard,

    The Ethereal Guard, also known as the Tau Honour Guard, are Tau warriors who serve as the bodyguards and protectors of Ethereals, the undisputed leaders of the Tau Empire. They also act as a secret police force within the Empire.

    Specifically bred and trained from the Fire Caste for their duties, Ethereal Guards are physically large and well-muscled for Tau. They are also fanatically loyal to their Ethereals even by the standards of the Tau. These warriors are dressed in ritual garb but wear Recon Armour and wield Honour Blades.

    An Ethereal is always protected by at least two members of the Ethereal Guard. Besides acting as their bodyguards, Ethereal Guards also serve as the enforcers of the will of the Ethereal Caste and will arrest suspected dissidents with the aid of police Drones.

    Ethereal Guards use the honorific title Saz'nami, while the highest of their order are known as Shaz'ai.

33. #33The Eight

    Keys: The Eight,

    The Eight are an elite Battlesuit Strike team and war council operating out of the Farsight Enclave, led by O'Shovah himself. They are legends among the Enclaves' Septs.

    The Eight take to the battlefield as one, a band of fearless warriors operating some of the most powerful T'au weapons systems. Despite their rebel status, the Eight are an inspirational embodiment of the T'au warrior spirit, for whom no foe is too great, and no fight so desperate that victory cannot be seized. They are as devoted as any to the supremacy of the T'au race and it is this conviction that carries Farsight’s elite to victory over every foe that stands against them.

34. #34Elemental Council

    Keys: Elemental Council,

    Elemental Councils are the ruling body of each Sept of the Tau Empire.

    Each Elemental Council consists of a local representative from each of the five Castes of the Tau, plus a sixth seat which goes to a representative of a non-Tau race which is part of the Empire such as the Kroot for an "outside perspective". While each member may say their part, the ultimate word for Council decisions goes to its Ethereal member.

35. #35Elsy'eir

    Keys: Elsy'eir,

    Elsy'eir is a Tau sept, a world within the Tau Empire. The sept was founded as part of the Second Sphere of Expansion. Elsy’eir is a densely populated sept and has many moons, most of which are mined for valuable ores used in the construction of battlesuits. The main production facilities for the glorious XV104 Riptides can be found upon the glittering sept world of Elsy’eir Prime. The sept also is known for poetry, artistry, and creativeness.

36. #36Fal'shia

    Keys: Fal'shia,

    Fal'shia is a Tau Sept, a world within the Tau Empire. It was founded during the first Tau expansion.

    The Earth Caste of Fal'shia are renowned for their artisans and problem-solving. A good number of the Tau Empire's technical innovations were developed on this Sept. Fal'shia is also known to have vast quantities of munitions factories.

    Fire Caste warriors from this Sept are often the first to try out prototype armour, weapons and system upgrades, perceiving this as a great honour despite the casualties and malfunctions. They are more restrained and cerebral then warriors from other Septs.

    Forces of this Sept were involved in the Kaurava Crusade, commanded by Or'es'Ka.

    The famed hero Commander O’Shi’ur was killed fighting in the battle to save Fal'shia from a Tyranid invasion.

37. #37Farsight Enclaves

    Keys: Farsight Enclaves, Forbidden Zone,

    The Farsight Enclaves, known as the Forbidden Zone to the T'au Empire, is an independent T'au entity existing on the Eastern Fringe of the Imperium. Established and ruled by Commander Farsight, it has broken away from the T'au Empire and refuses any presence of Ethereals within its borders.

    The Enclaves include Tau from all castes save Ethereals as well as Kroot, Humans, and other T'au-affiliated species. Despite the break with the Ethereals, the Enclaves still venerate the ideals of the Greater Good.

    It should be noted that the Enclaves have diverged from the Empire's culture of preserving the lives of its members by embracing Farsight's belief that martyrdom is the highest expression of service to the Greater Good with the planet Lub'grahl's poles covered in memorial white stones for each life lost under the commander. Further cultural divergence from the Empire comes in the form of occupations within the Enclave being accessible to anyone regardless of caste, a notable example is O’vesa who serves on The Eight.

    Despite still following the Empire's Caste System, Farsight's philosophy emphasizes one of individual self-reliance for each planet. He has phrased this as "Let them stand by themselves, not merely follow, blindly obedient". As such, each world of the Enclaves stands ready to make its own decisions via a locally elected council. This is in stark contrast to the absolute authority that Ethereals wield over Tau Empire Septs. While the Fire Caste manages overall command of the Enclaves via The Eight and other major commanders, the leadership is described as being collective.

    The colours are the reversed version of the Vior'la Sept ones, the sept where O'Shovah grew up.

38. #38Fire Caste

    Keys: Fire Caste, Shas

    The Fire Caste composes the bulk of the ground military of the T'au Empire, and as such are the T'au most often encountered by the Imperium. They average as tall as or slightly shorter than an average Human, and are generally muscular. This comes from the Fire Caste's origin on the plains of T'au, the T'au homeworld, where they survived as hunters and warriors. T'au from the world of Vior'la tend to have slightly greater muscle mass than is common among their species because of the increased gravity of Vior'la.

    Members of the Fire Caste are the warriors of the T'au Empire, and as such are most often seen on the field of battle. They have been bred to be the strongest and most aggressive T'au, and weak strains are quickly weeded out. These traits come from the Fire Caste's origin on the plains of their homeworld, T'au, where they were hunters and warriors. Fire Warriors, as soldiers of the Fire Caste are known, spend their entire lifetimes in battle or preparing for it, constantly honing their tactics and working to improve their skills. The strongest of the strong are those T'au from the world of Vior'la, who have slightly greater muscle mass because of the stronger gravity of that planet. The Fire Caste is guided by the Code of Fire — a doctrine of loyalty, martial arts and merciless war, tempered by wisdom.

    Provided the warrior survives four years of active duty, he undergoes the first Trial by Fire, which can be anything from mere gladiatorial affairs to trial by constant combat. If the Shas'la survives his first Trial by Fire, he is promoted to the rank of Shas'ui, or Veteran. For every consecutive four years of service, the Fire Warrior undergoes another Trial. The higher one's rank within the Fire Caste, the more likely one is to become a Battlesuit pilot. Only those Fire Warriors who prove themselves in battle and pass their first Trial by Fire are eligible to don the Her'ex'evre or Mantle of Heroes and pilot a battlesuit. Upon attaining the rank of "O", a member of the Fire Caste may be allowed to retire from active duty and become an advisor to the T'au military's command, the Shas'ar'tol. Other than death, this is the only way to leave the T'au military.

39. #39Fire Caste Ranks

    Keys: Fire Caste Ranks, Fire Ranks, Shas'saal, Shas'la, Shas'ui, Shas'vre, Shas'el, Shas'O,

    Shas'saal = Underling Shas'la = Warrior Shas'ui = Veteran Shas'vre = Hero Shas'el = Noble/Knight Shas'O = Commander

40. #40Fio'taun

    Keys: Fio'taun,

    Fio'taun is a fortified city on T'au, originally constructed by the segment of T'au society that would later be known as the Earth Caste.

    It is legendary as the place where the Ethereals first appeared during a protracted siege between an alliance of the T'au of the plains and air and the T'au of Fio'taun. They eventually bartered a truce between the two factions, something that would lead to the unification of T'au and the establishment of the T'au Empire.

41. #41Fio'O Ke'lshan Sho'Aun

    Keys: Fio'O Ke'lshan Sho'Aun, Sho'Aun,

    Fio'O Ke'lshan Sho'Aun is an infamous Tau Earth Caste engineer from the Kel'shan Sept. Known for designing Battlesuits such as the XV107, XV109, and massive KX139, he is equally renowned for his resistance to the will of the Ethereal Council. He gained fame saving Ke'lshan from The Purge in 998.M41.

42. #42Fu'llasso

    Keys: Fu'llasso

    A political mess or overly complicated situation. The direct translation meaning 'cursed mind knot'

43. #43Greater Good

    Keys: Greater Good, Tau'va

    The Greater Good, or "Tau'va," is the central philosophy that unites all T'au. It teaches that every self-aware being is equal and plays an important part in T'au society. It tells its adherents to put away petty squabbles and unnecessary things to unite for the greater good of the rest of their species and of all other intelligent species in the galaxy.

    The T'au have no desire to destroy another intelligent species' religion or culture -- though it may not mean that the T'au respect their right to live as they please. However, while many embrace this ideology, and even some Imperial worlds have willingly joined the T'au Empire, other species fiercely resist adhering to the Greater Good to pursue their own freedoms, much to the dismay of the T'au, who see these desires as selfish and unenlightened.

44. #44Great War of Confederation

    Keys: Great War of Confederation,

    The Great War of Confederation, beginning 975.M41, was a large war fought between the Tau Empire and several Ork Waaagh!'s. Along with Hive Fleet Gorgon, it was the first time the Tau Empire truly fought for its own survival, and its effects helped pave way for the Third Sphere of Expansion.

    Shortly after the Farsight Expedition, ragtag Ork armadas suddenly emerged from the Western Veil Nebula. A staggeringly massive Greenskin fleet appeared, composing of several Warbosses each vying for overall supremacy. Given the size of the Ork armada, at first the Tau believed their scanners to be malfunctioning. However when the Tau did realize what they were facing, only the decrepit state of the Orks' spacecraft and their incessant infighting allowed for Tau preparation. The Tau nonetheless doubted they could stand before this massive threat, until Ethereal Supreme Aun'va gathered the leaders of every Sept and rallied them to a common cause - survival.

    Aun'va gathered the Septs closest to the Ork forces - Vior'la, Sa'cea, and Tau'n, and had them combine their forces in a delaying attack. Behind them, all other Septs would rush troops towards the front in a counterattack. The first battles of the war took place as the Tau Fleet launched hit-and-run attacks to stem the greenskin tide and lure their ships within range of powerful orbital defence stations. While this caused heavy Ork losses, a few greenskin sabotage ships managed to crash into the Tau stations and wreak havoc. Fire Warrior defenders were soon deployed aboard the remaining stations, and many desperate battles that lasted for months raged in the depths of space.

    By this point, each individual warband of Orks separated to follow their own goals, and this had the effect of breaking apart the Ork front and spreading it out over more than a dozen worlds. Whenever Orks made planetfall, the Tau garrison was reinforced with additional ground forces and stubborn defensive campaigns were waged. The Tau repeated this strategy on any location, even barren moons, for they believed that the Orks could not be given even a single foothold. Eventually the threat of total destruction was forestalled, and Aun'va deemed that the time was right for the next phase of his plan. Commander Shadowsun was taken out of stasis and by the time she had completed her reindoctrination, the war had been waging for six years. Shadowsun's leadership proved decisive, and leading her Hunter Cadre's was able to break the stalemate that had since endured. Shadowsun oversaw the clearing of Sa'cea, allowing for Tau forces to be cleared up and moved to new fronts. Like a star Shadowsun strode through the space from Vay’harra to Kormusan, defeating Orks without remorse. After the massacre of Orks at the K'resh Expansions, the Greenskin hold in the region was broken.

45. #45Gue'la

    Keys: Gue'la, human,

    Gue'la is the term in the T'au Lexicon, the language of the T'au, for the Human species.

    It contrasts with the term Gue'vesa which means "Human Helper" and is the name given to those Humans who have willingly joined the multispecies T'au Empire and now serve the Greater Good, including sometimes as auxiliary military forces to the Fire Caste.

46. #46Gue'vesa

    Keys: Gue'vesa, Human, Human Helper,

    The T'au Empire hosts a growing population of Humans, known in the T'au Lexicon as Gue'vesa, who were once a part of the Imperium. Ranging from ideological defectors who hate the brutality and corruption of the Imperial government to captured Imperial Guardsmen and their children who have known no other life than that among the T'au, they have been fully incorporated into the empire.

    While the Humans from recently conquered worlds are usually bitter at their defeat by xenos, they do often have T'au supporters amongst them from the start, and the number of these T'au sympathisers only grows larger as they realise the manifest economic benefits that the advanced technology of the T'au Empire can provide.

    For the most part, the Gue'vesa are content and treated well, and are even allowed to continue the worship of the God-Emperor -- though the T'au Water Caste moves subtly among them to discourage this religion and replace it with reverence for the Greater Good.

47. #47Gue'ron'sha

    Keys: Gue'ron'sha, Space Marine,

    The T'au word for a Space Marine

48. #48Gyoh'shu

    Keys: Gyoh'shu, battle formation,

    A battle formation. Forming into a single-file line, possibly with a leader at the front and back.

49. #49Hammerhead Gunship

    Keys: Hammerhead Gunship, TX7 Hammerhead Gunship, TX7,

    The TX7 Hammerhead Gunship is the main battle tank of the Tau army. It is based on the standard Devilfish chassis but sacrifices transport capacity for high-powered weapon capacitors and extra armour.

    This Tau grav-tank was first encountered by Imperial forces during the Damocles Crusade, where it was given its codename 'Hammerhead' and gained a fearsome reputation amongst the Imperial Guard, with Hammerheads demolishing entire armoured companies. It has since remained a staple of Tau military forces, and has been used on a number of worlds, including Gravalax, Taros and Pavonis. Since first being sighted, a number of variants has been introduced, most recently during the Taros Campaign.

    The Hammerhead usually operates at a distance from the foe, taking advantage of the superior range of its Railgun. And while the Hammerheads perform well in tank duels, the combined arms approach of the Tau requires much more from their main battle tank than just anti-armour capability. They often work closely alongside Fire Warrior and Pathfinder teams, mutually supporting each other and frequently using Markerlights to direct the powerful shots of the Hammerhead.

50. #50Hazard Close Support Armour

    Keys: Hazard Close Support Armour, XV9, Hazard Battlesuit,

    The XV9 'Hazard' Close Support Armour is a newly-introduced Battlesuit used by the Tau Empire. Though highly sophisticated and powerful, the XV9's introduction has caused controversy.

    At its core, the XV9 is a short-range close combat weapons platform, its reinforced chassis being much larger than any other Battlesuit design and using experimental technology to pack enormously-powerful weapons powered by a compact energy core. This loadout, besides going against typical Tau military doctrines, also requires a substantial expenditure of resources to produce. Traditionalist elements of the Ethereal and Earth Caste have argued that that these costs would be better used building more tried and true weapons, however those Fire Caste members who use it, especially members of the Ke'lshan Sept, swear by its ability to fulfil the counter-attack role.

    Because of the sophisticated nature of the XV9's controls, only Shas'vre with years of experience piloting Crisis Battlesuits are assigned to pilot the 'Hazard' armour. These pilots sometimes use the special title Shas'yr. They will typically operate in teams of one to three, including a team leader. Three of these teams will often operate as part of a Swift Protector Wing to perform dangerous battlefield duties.

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