History Characters / Warhammer40000TauEmpire

* GunboatDiplomacy -- They use this quite often, and are happy to back up their generous offers with a grand show off force when making them. Notably, most of the other factions skip the "diplomacy" part of this trope and move directly to the "gunboat", so that should tell you something.

** The other Tau castes themselves to the Etheral caste. The Ethereals have the absolute loyalty of the other castes, and those other castes see the Ethereals as being messianic figures who hold wisdom that is unquestionable. With the noteworthy exception of the [[DefectorFromDecadence Farsight Enclaves]], they are more than happy to serve.

** TranquilFury -- Or they may lose their temper, [[TheSlowWalk advancing boldly]] behind [[BeamSpam a fusilade of plasma fire]].

* HumongousMecha -- {{Averted|Trope}}. Despite their [[{{Animesque}} anime influences]], the Tau have no giant robots, understandably considering such things to be impractical from an engineering and technological standpoint. They do use some war machines in the same mass class as titans in the form of [[AirborneAircraftCarrier Manta Destroyers]], but these are small atmospheric-capable starships rather than mechs. However, they are arguably the widest users of MiniMecha in the setting, with large numbers of battlesuits to support their infantry.

* MedievalStasis: Averted. The Tau are the only race (besides arguably the Nids) who have made significant technological advances in the last 10,000 years.

* MissileLockOn -- Tau seeker missiles are very fast, have great endurance, and their programmable warheads allow them to serve in both an anti-air and anti-armor capacity, but they require a lock-on from a [[LaserSight Markerlight]] designating their target before they will fire. The usual usage of this trope is {{subverted| trope}} though, as seeker missiles fly so quickly that all but the most attentive pilots will not even realize they have been locked onto before they have time to attempt a HighSpeedMissileDodge.

** Their natural resistance to Warp phenomena due to their lessened Warp presence, combined with the relatively low amounts of Chaos raiders in their sector of the galaxy, means they are especially naive about daemons and Chaos worshippers. One early fluff article actually references them facing against a Slaanesh warband -- and misunderstanding the references to their patron god to instead be references to the warband's leader.

* OneSteveLimit -- {{Averted|Trope}}. There are at least three, possibly four, different distinct characters in the fluff all named "Kais". One from [[AllThereInTheManual the Tau codex]], one from [[TheLastChancers a novel]], and [[FireWarrior one]] or [[DawnOfWar two]] from VideoGames, all refering to different characters. "Kais" means "skillful" in Tau, and is presumalby a common given name among them.

* TooDumbToLive -- What the rest of the Galaxy consider them as in regards to [[TheCorruption Chaos]], the [[TheLegionsOfHell horrors of the Warp]], and [[everythingtryingtokillyou various other nasties]].

** There's also the bonding ritual between Fire caste warriors. Except marriage can occur between more than two group members. And, while humans signify marriage by wearing rings, Tau signify marriages by carrying ''[[{{Badass}} knives]]''.

* HiredGuns

** An average member of Badass Normal Army of the Imperium begins his military training at the age of 16-18 with the conscription to the PDF. Every single member of the Fire Cast learns to wage war since childhood.

Due for a Codex Update for the 6th Edition in the First Quarter of 2013.

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: In contrast to what was said above, this is [[AvertedTrope averted]] with any Tau not in the Fire Caste, particularly the Ethereals. While even the lowest ranked Ethereal has ostensible authority over the highest ranked Fire Caste, Ethereals do not train in combat (except for certain ritualistic dueling methods) and will not be much of a force in combat. Despite that, they may still accompany hunter cadres in the field, as their mere presence is a kind of combat multiplier in itself, with every Tau present clearly focused on the essence of the Greater Good and willing to lay down their life without hesitation, fear, or protest if necessary.
* BadassNormal -- OK, so they aren't [[PunyEarthlings normal humans]] like the other BadassNormal BadassArmy in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', the [[TankGoodness Imperial]] [[RedshirtArmy Guard]]. The Tau ''are'', however, aliens who are physically weaker than humans and have no psykers. All the Tau have at their disposal to fight the hordes of superpowered and supernatural beings that threaten the empire, is [[HigherTechSpecies their]] [[BeamSpam formidable]] [[MiniMecha technology]] and [[ThePowerOfFriendship their]][[TheAlliance allies]].
* BeginnersLuck -- La'Kais, protagonist of the game ''FireWarrior'' manages to take on and defeat both Imperial and Chaos forces by himself, up to [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu taking down a Lord of Change]] on his first day of live combat, with some help from both Tau and Ultramarine forces with Chaos. Unfortunately after that he was hit with a bad case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was mentally broken by the experience, though it's suggested he'll get better. (He doesn't. The book also reveals [[spoiler: [[GodWasMyCopilot that Khorne was helping him]]]])

* AlienHair -- The Kroot are more dissimilar to humans in that they have long quills growing out of the back of their heads, as well as many smaller quills growing about their bodies. These quills are actually sense organs - air vibrating against them provides the Kroot their sense of hearing in the same manner that ears provide humans a sense of hearing.

* CringeComedy: The Kroot have a sense of humor that tends toward finding amusement in making others uncomfortable. For example, turning up their natural pheromones to an obviously pungent level, and standing around Tau diplomats who cannot stand the smell but at too polite to object, or offering humans meat from their own species and acting offended if they do not accept because the find others squeamishness about food hilarious.

* Demiurg: short miners and traders, have their own unique ships.
* Galgs: are green, scaled, frog-like creatures.
* Human Auxilaries (Gue'vesa)
** AlienHair -- Some human ''Gue'vessa'la'' shave their heads to resemble Tau hair, a single lock at the back of the head.
** LesCollaborateurs -- Humans who fight for the Tau Empire for various reasons.
* Hrenian
* Ji'atrix: ethereal beings with an affinity for spacefaring.
* Morralian
* Nicassar: a psychic race with ships that are powered by their captains.
* Ranghon

* BeginnersLuck -- La'Kais, protagonist of the game ''FireWarrior'' manages to take on and defeat both Imperial and Chaos forces by himself, up to [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu taking down a Lord of Change]] on his first day of live combat, with some help from both Tau and Ultramarine forces with Chaos. Unfortunately after that he was hit with a bad case of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was mentally broken by the experience, though it's suggested he'll get better. ([[ItGotWorse He doesn't.]] The book also reveals [[spoiler: [[GodWasMyCopilot that Khorne was helping him]]]])

[[folder:Kroot Mercenaries]]

[[folder:Tau Human Auxilaries]]
-> ''or "Gue'vesa"''
* AlienHair -- Some human ''Gue'vessa'la'' shave their heads to resemble Tau hair, a single lock at the back of the head.
* LesCollaborateurs -- Humans who fight for the Tau Empire for various reasons.

The Tau are known for two things: their advanced technology, and their Greater Good. The Tau have embraced technology in a way the Adeptus Mechanicus deems blasphemous, and even their basic infantry are armed with energy weapons the envy of Imperial soldiers, while their elite warriors wear flying battlesuits that can lay waste to entire squads, but it is the philosophy of the Greater Good that is the Tau's most dangerous creation, [[TheAlliance as they actively try to recruit other races into their empire]]. The barbaric Kroot, a species of bird-like aliens that seek evolutionary upgrades by [[CannibalClan feeding on their enemies]], were an early success, while recently the insectoid Vespid have been brought into the fold as well. Many humans also fall prey to the promises of Tau technology and a society less transparently brutal than the Imperium. This leads many to label the Tau the "good guys" of 40K, which is true to some extent - the Tau will at least offer you a chance to surrender before dragging you into the fold by force, and will only put you into concentration camps if it's for the Greater Good. Throw in the fact that the Ethereals are suspected of MindControl as well as the notion of a race [[FantasticCasteSystem rigidly divided into castes]], and you have a classic StrawDystopia.

The Tau are known for two things: their advanced technology, and their Greater Good. The Tau have embraced technology in a way the Adeptus Mechanicus deems blasphemous, and even their basic infantry are armed with energy weapons the envy of Imperial soldiers, while their elite warriors wear flying battlesuits that can lay waste to entire squads, but it is the philosophy of the Greater Good that is the Tau's most dangerous creation, [[TheAlliance as they actively try to recruit other races into their empire]]. The barbaric Kroot, a species of bird-like aliens that seek evolutionary upgrades by [[CannibalClan feeding on their enemies]], were an early success, while recently the insectoid Vespid have been brought into the fold as well. Many humans also fall prey to the promises of Tau technology and a society less transparently brutal than the Imperium. This leads many to label the Tau the "good guys" of 40K, which is true to some extent - the Tau will at least offer you a chance to surrender before dragging you into the fold by force, and will only put you into concentration camps if it's for the Greater Good. Throw in the fact that the Ethereals are suspected of MindControl as well as the notion of a race [[FantasticCasteSystem rigidly divided into castes]], and you have a classic [[MarySuetopia Straw Dystopia]].

[[folder:Vepsid]]

* AlienHair -- The Tau only grow hair in a single lock at the back of their head, which they typically let grow shoulder length on Fire Warriors and sometimes longer in other castes, typically resembling a top-knot. Some human gue'vessa'la shave their heads except for a spot in the back in imitation of this. The Kroot on the other hand are more dissimilar to humans in that they have long quills growing out of the back of their heads, as well as many smaller quills growing about their bodies. These quills are actually sense organs - air vibrating against them provides the Kroot their sense of hearing in the same manner that ears provide humans a sense of hearing.

* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation -- The Kroot are commonly depicted in official artwork with dull green skin similar to Orks, but there canonically exist a variety of other skin tones including red and black. Coloration is usually divided up by kindred, but even the same kindred can change skin color over the course of a few generations depending on what they have been eating.[[note]][[WildMassGuessing It can be speculated]] that the dull green skin commonly shown might be due to the Kroot homeworld of Pech being subject to an Ork invasion centuries ago and the current population having to fight off (and feed off) those Ork's [[AlienKudzu feral descendants]], adopting their skin color in the process.[[/note]]

* BeePeople -- The Vespid, an insect-like race who evolved on {{Floating Continent}}s in a gas giant, with their social structure centered around hive-families called strains, are one of the newer additions to the Tau Empire. [[StarfishLanguage Initial communication proved difficult]], but once [[TranslatorMicrobes translation devices were built to breach the language barrier]], the Vespid joined the Tau eagerly, as the Greater Good already meshed well with the Vespid's own values of hive-over-individual, island-over-hive, and species-over-island.

* BizarreAlienBiology -- The Kroot, plain and simple. They have no dedicated urinal or rectal orifaces; any indigestible components (which are very few to them) are regurgitated up through the mouth. This also serves as a birth canal (see below). They also have multiple stomaches, quill-like sensory organs on the backs of their head (and in other places), and distinctly unhuman musculature that makes them a lot stronger than they look.
** BizarreAlienReproduction: Kroot have no genitalia, as humans recognize them, instead using specialised pores to secrete and absorb genetic material -- the only reason we know they come in male and female, instead of being hermaphroditic, is because the fluff says so. The gene-secreting pores are located on the palms of the hands, while the gene-receiving pores are located on the small of the back -- so sex, for Kroot, essentially consists of a backrub. Once fertilised, the female converts one of her stomaches into a womb, regurgitating the offspring once the pregnancy is ended.
* BladeOnAStick -- Two examples:
** Ethereals sometimes wield an Honor Blade, a staff with a pair of {{Absurdly Sharp Blade}}s at either end. An Ethereal trained in its use is said to be able to [[ImplausibleFencingPowers spin the staff around so fast]] as to make the blades on the ends almost invisible. The Honor Blade is primarily used to settle disputes between Ethereals in [[{{Flynning}} stylized, bloodless duels]], where the sharpness of the blades is used to highlight an Ethereals' restraint and self-control, rather than intent to kill. However, when someone who has no regard for the Greater Good draws near an Ethereal, said restraint need not apply.
** The Kroot use long rifles with a pair of [[SinisterScythe scythe-like]] [[BayonetYa bayonets]] at either end. The Kroot use these [[MixAndMatchWeapon both as a rifle, and as their primary melee weapon]], harkening back to their ancient bladed fighting staves before they adopted firearms. The weapon's great length, combined with the Kroot's own taut, whip-like muscles, allow it to strike with great force when swung in wide arcs.

* CannibalTribe -- The Kroot draw heavily on this trope for their imagery. They consider eating the flesh of another creature a way of showing respect for that creature's strength. Inevitably though, [[IAmAHumanitarian sentient creatures are what they considered the strongest]]. Their culture revolves around finding strong creatures to eat, which is what drives much of their mercenary aspirations. If it puts up a good fight, it will make a good meal, and [[CannibalismSuperpower that makes the Kroot stronger]].

* CreativeSterility -- A characteristic of the Kroot. Though not unintelligent, the Kroot's lack of creativity is what kept their technology at a crude black-powder level for a long period of time, and they were unlikely to go any further than that on their own. That was all changed when Orks invaded their homeworld, and the Kroot's own [[LegoGenetics innate ability to absorb and incorporate genetic information]] from what ([[IAmAHumanitarian or whom]]) they eat allowed them to take advantage of the Orkish GeneticMemory and gain spacefaring technology. In fact, the creative portions of their brains are literally smaller and less developed than the logical-rational parts. In humans, this would be the equivelant of having a smaller right brain than a left brain.

** Kroot who eat too much of a certain creature are locked into an evolutionary dead-end. For example, eating quadrupeds over other animals results in the Kroot lineage permanently becoming Kroot Hounds.

* FeatheredFiend -- Though they have quills instead of feathers, the Kroot are descended from alien avians, and retain their ancestors' beaks and light bones.

* FullFrontalAssault -- Kroot's sexual organs are the [[ExoticEquipment pores in their skin]], so they feel little modesty about the bareness of their bodies, and since the small quills scattered about their flesh are sense organs, they prefer to have them exposed to better feel and smell their environment. If they wear anything, it is usually light and utilitarian, such as belts and pouches for carrying things, or something small and ceremonial like a head dress or necklace.

* LegoGenetics -- Kroot are able to instinctively select [=DNA=] sequences from the prey they eat and add them to their own, so that a Kroot kindred that fights Orks for a few generation will develop a green coloration and heavy musculature (indeed, the Kroot only managed to leave their homeworld after eating some Orks and gaining the ability to instinctively build spaceships). After a messy past incident, the Tau make sure the Kroot don't eat anything [[TheCorruption Chaos]]-related, and Kroot leaders also make sure they don't eat any Tyranids, although since apparently Genestealer hybrids taste absolutely ''vile'', this is a frivolous law except in emergencies.

* NobleSavage -- The Kroot are seen as this within the Tau Empire, where the Por'hui media portray them as a race of {{Proud Warrior| Race Guy}}s with respectable combat skills, and evidence that even primitive races can find a place in the Greater Good. For their part, the Kroot find this concept quaintly amusing at best, not giving much care to what others think of them, and happy to just go along with it as long as the Tau provide them opportunities to grow stronger. And, to be fair, there's more than a little truth to the propaganda.

* PowerIncontinence -- A flaw of the Kroot is that their ability to [[LEGOGenetics incorporate genetic material]] from creatures that they eat can only be controlled by making dietary choices, and not all choices are good ones. For example, a kindred that eats only dim-witted herbivores will find itself able to digest plant matter they could not before, but will also become more dim-witted themselves. This is a major reason for the Kroot's [[IAmAHumanitarian eating of sentients]]: it allows them to maintain their intelligence. The role of the Shapers in Kroot society is to understand what would be most advantageous to eat, and to direct their kindreds' diets to those.
* PrivateMilitaryContractors -- The Kroot aren't actually all that interested in the Greater Good (or rather take its doctrine of selflessness only up to the level of their own race rather than the empire as a whole), and will hire themselves off as mercenaries on the side.

* TheQuisling:
** Gue'Vesa, humans who fight for the Tau Empire for various reasons.
** Anghkor Prok could count for the Kroot, having sworn them into alliance with the Tau and therefore having enough prestige to command Tau troops, though the kroot don't really mind working for Tau ''most of the time''.

* SchizoTech -- {{Averted|Trope}} with the Tau themselves, but present with less technologically-advanced societies inducted into the Tau Empire. For example, the Kroot, [[CreativeSterility being not particularly creative]], had a very slow pace of technological advancement, and their technology was jumped ahead when the Orks invaded their homeworld and the Kroot [[CannibalismSuperpower absorbed]] their GeneticMemory of how to build more technologically advanced devices. Couple this with technology granted to the Kroot as payment for services rendered, and Kroot societies are free mixes of advanced technology with traditional Kroot tribal crafts. For a battlefield example, the iconic Kroot rifle is a breach-loading longarm that also functions as a double-ended BladeOnAStick, yet it fires very advanced munitions provided to the Kroot by the Tau to give it a deceptively high stopping-power per shot.

* SpaceAmish -- Again, obviously not the Tau themselves, but their Kroot allies. After consuming Ork Mekboyz and gaining their gene-coded technical knowledge, the Kroot entered a period of rapid technological development and expansion that almost got them all killed off by an Ork fleet. Anghkor Prok, critical of a culture that led them into war before failing to defend them, has led the kroot in looking to the past and living in a more "traditional" society.

* StarfishLanguage -- The Vespid are so different from other races in their mentality and the manner in which they communicate that communication is only possible through the use of a special "communion helm" translation device built by the Tau and worn by strain leaders. The Vespid joined the Tau Empire eagerly after communication was established, and there is some speculation that this might have been because the helmets do more than facilitate communication, but nothing has been confirmed...

[[folder:Other]]
* Tau Human Auxilaries: humans who sided with The Greater Good over the Empire.