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Advancing Tau Technology

Ever seeking better, more efficient and more effective means of conducting combat for the greater good, Tau Scientists have been adding more items to the Tau armory in response to the unique challenges that encounters with other alien races have offered.

In order to provide the most flexibility with their weapons, Tau have developed the universal weapons bus (UWB), which allows all of their units access to the most effective weapon. Weapons come in three classes:

Handheld	These weapons are light enough and have small enough recoil to be used by infantry.
Hardpoint	Slightly larger and stronger, these weapons may be equipped by XV Battlesuits.
Reinforced Hardpoint	These weapons have hard recoil that would destabilize a jetpack-mounted unit.
Turret	With their massive firepower, these weapons may only be mounted on a tank’s turret.

Current units have the following weapon options:

Fire Warriors, Pathfinders, Ethereals and Kroot Carnivores	Handheld only
Krootox	One hardpoint
XV8 Crisis	Three hardpoints
XV15 Stealth	One hardpoint
XV88 Broadside	Four reinforced hardpoints
Devilfish Troop Carrier	One hardpoint
Hammerhead Gunship	One turret, two reinforced hardpoints

Choosing a weapon from the armory: Shas’ui team leaders, Gue’vesa’ui team leaders, Kroot shapers, Krootox, vehicles and any model of Shas’vre rank or higher may choose weapons from the Tau armory. In order to do so, they subtract the cost of their default weapon from the new weapons cost (this may be negative). For example, a Stealth Team Leader may upgrade to a Plasma Rifle of +6 points, or a Flamer for -4 points. Models with multiple hardpoints may twin-link their weapons for 1.5 times their points cost. Models may not have two of the same weapon unless they are twin-linked.

Tau must choose from plasma, pulse, rail or missile technologies. Humans may choose from those technologies and Imperial technology. Kroot may choose from any weapon.

Plasma Weapons

Contrary to their status in the Imperium of Man, Plasma weapons are seen as outdated and obsolete by Tau standards—powerful, but unpredictable and dangerous. Many experienced veterans, however, hold true to their plasma weapons, and as such they have remained in circulation.

	Range	S	AP	Type	Notes	Mount	Points
Plasma Rifle	See Codex: Tau for stats					Hardpoint, handheld	+16
Plasma Cannon						Turret	+35
Flamer	See Codex: Tau for stats					Hardpoint	+6
Heavy Flamer	See Codex: Space Marines for stats					Reinforced Hardpoint	+10

Pulse Technology

Currently favored by the Tau, pulse weapons are powerful, reliable, and easy to mass-produce.

	Range	S	AP	Type	Notes	Mount	Points
Pulse Rifle	See Codex: Tau for stats					Handheld	+4
Pulse Carbine	See Codex: Tau for stats					Handheld	+4
Burst Cannon	See Codex: Tau for stats					Hardpoint	+10
Long-barrelled Burst Cannon	See Codex: Tau for stats					Turret	+15
Fusion Blaster	See Codex: Tau for stats					Hardpoint	+12
Fusion Cannon						Turret	+24

Pulse Grenades

Any model with a pulse weapon that can take equipment from the Tau Armory can also choose to mount their weapon with pulse grenades for 5 points. Although only effective within 18”, grenades cause units wounded by the model to take pinning test. Pulse carbines always come equipped with pulse grenades, and this is already reflected in their points cost.
5 points

Rail Technology

Rail weapons are the forefront of Tau technology. As they begin to shrink in size and stability, Earth Caste testers have found the weapons munitions to greatly shrink, making them portable although packing less of a punch. They are still, however, able to liquefy armor at close range.

	Range	S	AP	Type	Notes	Mount	Points
Rail Rifle	See Chapter Approved for stats					Handheld, hardpoint	+14
Rail Pistol	12”	3	1	Pistol	+2D6 AP	Handheld	+9
Rail Gun (solid shot)	See Codex: Tau for stats					Reinforced hardpoint	+30
Rail Gun (submunition)	See Codex: Tau for stats					Turret	+50

Missile Technology

A compliment to rail weapons, missile technology increases in power and portability, as does its interaction with drone artificial intelligence.

	Range	S	AP	Type	Notes	Mount	Points
Missle Pod	See Codex: Tau for stats					Hardpoint	+14
Missle Launcher	36”	7	4	Heavy 1		Handheld	+14
Smart Missle System	See Codex: Tau for stats					2 Reinforced hardpoints	+20
Seeker Missle	See Codex: Tau for stats					Vehicle mounted	+10 each

Pulse Missles

Any model may purchase Pulse Missiles for their missile weapons. Pulse Missles explode upon contact, flooding the impact area with high-intensity light energy. They are blast weapons and use the small blast template.
+10 points

AI Missles

Any model with a drone controller (hard-wired or hardpoint-mounted) may purchase a Artificial Intelligence Missiles for their missile weapons. AI Missles do not require line-of-sight to target, relying on the drone intelligence instead. Smart Missle Systems come equipped with AI Missiles, and this is reflected in their points cost.
+10 points

Drone Technology

Relying on their efficent, expendable robotics, the Tau have increased the number of drones in their armies, and varied their roles. Models accompanied by drones can choose one of the following armaments for each drone:

	Points	WS	BS	S	T	W	I	A	Ld	Sv
Drone	4	2	2	3	3	1	4	1	*	4+

Guns

The staple gun drones fire at the same target as the attached model. Gun drones may be networked into units of up to ten drones that operate independently as a Fast Attack choice. They are programmed for self-preservation, and check leadership as normal. If their numbers drop to four or less, their leadership is equivalent to the number of drones currently in the unit. Gun drones may be equipped with a twin-linked version of any handheld weapon for 1.5 times its points cost (rounded up) or two handheld weapons.

Shield generator

This generator projects a small force field around the drone, giving it a 4+ invulnerable save. These drones excel at darting in front of danger, and have saved many Tau lives.
+11 points/model

Combat Lasers

Two small yet powerful cutting lasers are mounted on swiveling bearings at the drone’s base. In close combat, these act as two power weapons.
+16 points/model

Repair Nanodes

These drones hold many tiny, precise arms with soldering lasers, armor patches and liquid seutchers. During any shooting phase, roll 1D6, on a 5 or a 6, the drone has successfully repaired one wound or disabled armament. On a 6, an immobilized vehicle may again move. The player must declare ahead of time what the drone is attempting to repair. Because of their delicate parts, drones with repair nanodes do not receive any armor save. They may also be taken as a vehicle upgrade.
+20 points/model

Kroot Technology

The Kroot manage themselves, and only on rare occasions collaborate with the Tau as to improving their weapon technology. They are not fools, however, and understand that they must be well-equipped to further their species. Tau never use Kroot weapons.

	Range	S	AP	Type	Notes	Mount	Points
Kroot Rifle	See Codex: Tau for stats					Handheld	+4
Kroot Hunting Rifle	See Chapter Approved for stats					Handheld	+14
Kroot Gun	See Codex: Tau for stats					Hardpoint	+10
Kroot Bolt Thrower						Turret	+20

Imperial Technology

As they continue to clash with the Imperium of Man, the Gue’vesa continue to prove themselves supporters of the Greater Good, and their ranks swell. Their capacity to manufacture weapons is still limited, but many have equipment remaining from their guard duty days, and often scavenge weapons from the battlefield as well. Kroot have also been known to appear on the field wielding Imperial weapons, most likely as trophies.

Gue’vesa’la may be equipped with a lasgun, laspistol and close combat weapon, or shotgun at no extra cost. Models allowed to take equipment of Imperial Technology may take any item from Codes: Imperial Guard. These items are considered to have been scavenged from the battlefield, and as such are rare. No Tau army may have more than 10 points of Imperial Technology per 500 points of the army.

Tau Wargear

The Tau wargear represents their adaptation to the weaknesses they perceive in their forces as a result of engagements with new alien races.

Additional Hard-wired options

The following may be hard-wired upgrades to any Ethereal, Fire caste of shas’vre rank or higher, or a shas’ui team leader. Note that commanders may choose three hard-wired options, other models may only choose one.

Shield Generator

This generator projects a protective field around the model, offering a 4+ invulnerable save.
+22 points

Communication Client

This surgically implanted microphone, headphone and scope connects the model and its unit to the communications network (see below).
+3 points

Additional Wargear

The following wargear may be taken by any model able to select equipment from the Armory.

Bionic Limb Replacement

Often given to promising young warriors injured in battle and Ethereals, these robotic limbs provide a stronger replacement. They provide +1S. Benefits for bionic limbs do not stack with those granted by XV battlesuits, and these units gain no benefit from them.
+2 points

Combat lasers

Fitted to the butt of any ranged weapon, these high-powered and metal cutting lasers are wielded as bayonets and act as power weapons in close combat, ignoring armor.
+6 points

Anti-grav Platform

Gravitic platforms provide a stable firing base for a larger group of troups. So long as every model in the unit is within 3” coherency with the unit leader, they may act as if equipped with a Jet Pack. Note that units equipped with gravitic platforms always fall back 3D6” and must maintain 3” coherency with their unit leader until they regroup.
+3 points/model

Night Scopes

Tau commanders have learned that their technology greatly improves their effectiveness when depriving enemies of their most valuable sense: their sight. Only Commanders and Ethereals may take night scopes but if they do, the Tau player may re-roll any dusk and dawn rolls before the game. In addition, in any mission scenario in which the Tau are considered “attackers,” they player may choose to use the night fighting rules for that scenario.
+25 points

Vehicle Upgrades

Tau vehicles may also choose from the following upgrades

Magnetic Field Generator

Magnetic Field Generators project force in every direction from the vehicle. It is activated during the shooting phase, and unitl the end of the opponent’s subsequent turn, the vehicle improves all of its armor values by 1. Because the magnetic fields interfere with weapon ballistics, the vehicle may not shoot in the same turn that it activates the magnetic field.
+10 points

Communication Server

Com. servers allow for battlefield communication and tracking. During night fighting, any Tau units connected to a communication server can fire at units spotted by others within the network without having to role a spot check. Normal shooting rules apply.
+5 points