Tau Codex Narrative Review – Part 3

Welcome, fellow commanders of the T’au Empire! In this blog post, we’ll delve into the latest Crusade rules for the T’au in Warhammer 40K, focusing on the newly introduced Battle Traits and Crusade Relics. These rules enhance the narrative and strategic depth of your campaigns, perfectly encapsulating the unique characteristics of the T’au. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the Greater Good, this review will provide you with a detailed overview and analysis of how these elements enrich your Crusade experience.

The T’au are renowned for their advanced technology, tactical flexibility, and commitment to the Greater Good. The new Crusade rules for the T’au Empire reinforce these themes, offering players a blend of military strategy and ideological expansion. Unlike previous editions, these rules provide a more immersive and narrative-driven approach, capturing the essence of the T’au’s quest to bring unity and order to the galaxy.

Battle Traits

When a T’au unit gains a Battle Trait, it receives unique abilities that reflect its battlefield experiences and specializations. Here are the detailed traits available for different T’au units:

Battlesuit Units

1. Sentry AI
   • While Battle-shocked, models have an Objective Control (OC) characteristic of 1 instead of 0. This trait reflects the advanced AI systems that ensure Battlesuits remain partially operational even under severe stress, allowing them to continue contributing to the mission despite the odds.
2. Warden Drones
   • Once per battle, change the Damage characteristic of an allocated attack to 0. This showcases the protective bond between drones and their pilots, emphasizing the T’au’s reliance on technology for defense. The drones’ loyalty and sacrifice ensure the Battlesuits’ continued function in critical moments.
3. Reactive Thrust System
   • Use the Heroic Intervention Stratagem for 0CP once per battle. This highlights the agility and advanced propulsion systems of T’au Battlesuits, enabling rapid response to threats and reinforcing their role as versatile and mobile units on the battlefield.
4. Integrated Targeting AI
   • Hits are scored on unmodified rolls of 5+ when using the Fire Overwatch Stratagem. This demonstrates the superior targeting algorithms of T’au Battlesuits, enhancing their defensive capabilities and ensuring that their counterattacks are more lethal and efficient.
5. Electrochaff Backups
   • Subtract 1 from Hit rolls of ranged attacks targeting this unit if the attacker is more than 18″ away. This represents the Battlesuits’ electronic warfare systems that disrupt enemy targeting at long range, providing them with a crucial defensive advantage against distant threats.
6. Leaping Flame
   • Gains Stealth ability after advancing until the next Movement phase. This trait emphasizes the mastery of advanced combat tactics, allowing T’au Battlesuits to evade enemy detection and position themselves advantageously on the battlefield.

Ethereal Models

1. Esteemed Leader
   • Add 1 to Coordinated Leadership rolls. This reflects the inspirational presence of an Ethereal, boosting the morale and coordination of nearby units. The Ethereal’s leadership is crucial in maintaining the unity and effectiveness of T’au forces.
2. The Healer’s Hands
   • Ignore one failed Out of Action test. This shows the Ethereal’s ability to heal and sustain their followers, ensuring the survival of critical units. Their almost supernatural healing arts reinforce the T’au’s emphasis on the wellbeing and resilience of their troops.
3. Heralds of the T’au’va
   • Gain 1 Diplomat point on a roll of 5+ if the Ethereal survives the battle. This illustrates the Ethereal’s role in spreading the philosophy of the Greater Good, fostering loyalty and cooperation within the T’au Empire and among its allies.

Pathfinders, Strike Team, and Breacher Team Units

1. Merciless Marksmen
   • Ranged weapons gain the Lethal Hits ability. This reflects the hardened experience of these units, showing their deadly accuracy born from long combat experience. Their idealism has transformed into a relentless efficiency on the battlefield.
2. Quick Shots
   • Use the Fire Overwatch Stratagem for 0CP once per battle round. This demonstrates their superior reaction times and marksmanship, making them formidable in defensive situations. Their training ensures they are always ready to repel enemy charges.
3. Practised Aim
   • Add 1 to the Ballistic Skill of ranged weapons. This highlights their proficiency in targeting weak spots, enhancing their effectiveness against tough opponents. Their consistent training and battlefield experience have honed their skills to a razor’s edge.

Kroot Units

1. Takers of Heads
   • Add 1 to Hit rolls against CHARACTER units. This reflects the Kroot’s instinctual focus on eliminating enemy leaders to destabilize their forces. Their predatory nature drives them to target and decapitate the leadership of their foes, creating chaos and confusion.
2. Prey Slayers
   • Re-roll Hit rolls against a selected enemy unit. This shows their dedication to hunting down specific targets, whether for a Shaper’s command or a mercenary contract. Their relentless pursuit ensures that their chosen prey does not escape the battlefield alive.
3. Technological Trophies
   • Melee weapons gain the LANCE ability when charging MONSTER or VEHICLE units. This demonstrates their adaptation of high-tech weaponry to take down formidable foes swiftly. The Kroot’s ability to leverage advanced technology highlights their versatility and effectiveness in various combat scenarios.

Crusade Relics

Relics provide powerful enhancements to T’au CHARACTER models, reflecting the rich history and technological prowess of the Empire.

Artificer Relics

1. Seismic Destabiliser
   • Causes mortal wounds to an enemy unit within 12″ and not fully visible, with increased damage if in ruins. This relic illustrates the T’au’s ability to undermine enemy fortifications, forcing foes out of cover and disrupting their defensive positions with localized tremors.
2. Serenity
   • ETHEREAL models grant +1 Leadership to nearby units. This relic represents the calming and inspiring presence of the Ethereal, fostering unity and resolve among the T’au forces. The Serenity aura ensures that T’au units remain steadfast and focused under pressure.
3. Krep’chak
   • Once per battle, improve a melee weapon’s Attacks, Strength, and Armour Penetration after destroying an enemy unit. This relic showcases the Kroot’s deadly efficiency and the mystic power of their traditional weapons. The Hungering One becomes more potent as it tastes the blood of fallen foes, enhancing the bearer’s combat prowess.

Antiquity Relics

1. Onager Gauntlet
   • Provides a powerful melee weapon with Devastating Wounds for BATTLESUIT models. This relic reflects the T’au’s innovative weapon designs capable of piercing even the toughest armor. The Onager Gauntlet is a relic of the Damocles Crusade, symbolizing the T’au’s resilience and adaptability in the face of powerful adversaries.
2. The Be’gel Hunter’s Plate
   • Grants a 2+ Save and Feel No Pain 5+ to BATTLESUIT models. This relic emphasizes the protective technology and historical significance, potentially tied to Commander Puretide’s legacy. The armor-cladding adapts and reacts to incoming impacts, providing unparalleled defense against enemy attacks.

Legendary Relics

1. The Tidecrystal
   • Once per battle, enhances ranged attacks against targets near an objective or improves defense near an objective. This relic demonstrates the strategic brilliance of the T’au, utilizing advanced tactical overrides to dominate key battlefield positions. The Tidecrystal embodies the essence of T’au warfare, combining advanced technology with superior strategy to secure victory.

Conclusion

The new T’au Crusade rules significantly enhance the narrative and strategic depth of the T’au Empire in Warhammer 40K. The Battle Traits and Crusade Relics not only offer powerful gameplay benefits but also immerse players in the rich lore and unique tactical philosophy of the T’au. Whether through the precision strikes of Battlesuits, the inspirational leadership of Ethereals, or the deadly efficiency of Kroot, these rules ensure that every game contributes to the grand narrative of the T’au’s relentless pursuit of the Greater Good. Embrace these new rules, and may the Greater Good guide your path to victory!

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