Start Competing: T’au Empire Tactics
The T’au are one of the youngest factions in Warhammer 40,000, both in-universe and in the real world. They originated at the latter end of 3rd edition as a brand-new army, combining two aesthetics in one – the anime-inspired Tau, with sleek, futuristic battlesuits , hover-tanks, and drones, and the savage Kroot, a birdlike race of carnivorous hunters who can adapt their biology by consuming the dead of other species. It’s fair to say that the battlesuit element had the greater appeal and subsequent releases for the faction have focused near-exclusively on this part, adding an ever-greater variety of battlesuits large and small. However, in 10th edition Games Workshop have gone all-in on updating the rather tired Kroot models, replacing all of the 3rd edition plastics and metals/resins and adding more units to that part of the range as well.
Faction Overview
Despite its far-future setting, the soul of 40k has always been about getting up close and personal and fighting in close combat – boltguns may be an iconic part of its image, but so are chainswords and power fists. Most factions tend to acknowledge this, offering a combined-arms approach – even the Astra Militarum, a very shooting-focused army, have a variety of combat units available to them. The T’au have typically bucked this trend, with a near-exclusive focus on shooting and no meaningful combat units at all. Kroot have somewhat plugged the gap, but they haven’t generally been good at fighting, just less awful than their Fire Warrior equivalents. The other secret to T’au play, however, has always been movement – lots of their units can fly (though this is less meaningful in 10th than it was in the past) and have good Movement values, and good T’au play revolves around not just constructing a static gunline, but instead on playing a mobile, aggressive style to get your deadly firepower into the right place at the right time.
How to Play T’au Empire in Warhammer 40k
Looking for advice on how to play T’au? From getting started to playing at competitive events, we’ve got you covered with these articles.
- Competitive Faction Focus: T’au Empire
- Detachment Focus: Kauyon
- Detachment Focus: Kroot Hunting Pack
- Detachment Focus: Mont’ka
- Detachment Focus: Retaliation Cadre
- Competitive Stats for the T’au
Hobby
Want to know how to paint your T’au? Whether you’re looking for a classic canon scheme or putting your own spin on it, check out our HTPE guides here.
How to Paint Everything: T’au
How to Paint Everything: Rockfish’s Se’al Te’am T’au
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