For the Greater Weeaboo! - Tau novel inbound

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

OH MY GOD!

TAU BOOK!

http://www.blacklibrary.com/Images/BL/blog/2012/08/fire-caste-large.jpg


Hardy Fowler’s eerie cover for ‘Fire Caste’ (due for release in 2013) shows an Imperial Guard Commissar looking distinctly battle-weary as two huge tau battlesuits approach. Hardy has really captured the menace of these tau warriors and shows just how fragile a mere human is when faced with such advanced xenos technology.

SQUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I am very happy that there is a Tau book coming. :D

[Atrocity]

I came here for the topic title.

+1

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Come for the title, stay for the picture! :D

[Kyban]

The human (Commisar?) looks pretty awesome but also pretty doomed. It's a sweet picture, reminds me I need to read more Black Library. :p

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

He is a Commissar yes, and by the looks of it, he's taken a rather nasty Airbursting Fragmentation Round to the face. :D

[wittdooley]

I sorta hope it's from the Tau's perspective. Right now, it doesn't necessarily appear to be the case.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

It is from Tau perspective, it's called Fire Caste, full details in OP now.

[Galadren]

Usually you want to make the protagonist look awesome. Here the Commissar looks awesome. I'll wait until a synopsis is released before I call it a Tau book.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Those guys are in Battlesuits! Surely that makes them the most awesome?

[Galadren]

That Commissar looks like he's getting ready to take them on single handedly with a power sword and bolt pistol. How badass is that?

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Is he a Viking?

[ElectricPaladin]

I just managed to get an image of the title (I'm at work and my school's network blocks some images :mad:). Oh my freaking god, this looks awesome. I'm going to read the bejeesus out of this.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I may have to do Tau. I am not kidding around here.

[Kyban]

Originally Posted by The Black Library
Hardy Fowler’s eerie cover for ‘Fire Caste’ (due for release in 2013) shows an Imperial Guard Commissar looking distinctly battle-weary as two huge tau battlesuits approach. Hardy has really captured the menace of these tau warriors and shows just how fragile a mere human is when faced with such advanced xenos technology.

Pretty sure that's three battlesuits. :p
I have several armies including tau and can never give any of them enough attention. :(

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I have Marines, Necrons, and Eldar, though the latter is only temporary.

Wow, they ballsed up there didn't they?

[energongoodie]

I'm hoping we get new battlesuit models as good as those.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

It's only really the head and feet that are slightly different.

[Wildeybeast]

Even in a Tau a novel, an Imperium soldier still takes centre stage on the front cover. Sigh.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Take solace from the fact that this Commissar is now dead.

[SadisticMagician]

How huge is that guy's forearm?!

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

How huge is that guy's forearm?!

Hahahaha! He's an orang-utan Commissar! :D

[energongoodie]

It's only really the head and feet that are slightly different.

I can't agree I'm afraid buddy.

The Tau battlesuit is bobbins because of the poorly designed proportions. In this picture it has longer legs and bigger arms making it look much better, and not too dis-similar to the awesome looking Forge World models.

I've seen some great conversions that sort this problem out. I think I'm gonna try to convert one of mine cause they look too bobbins when next to the FW ones.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Well, I have always thought that the Battlesuits were incorrectly proportioned, back when I did Tau I used the FW ones because they were much better.

[Mrchilidog]

I think what really happend was the Comissar got in a fight with an obliterator that had morfed a waffle iron on one of his arms. Even the forces of chaos love a good waffle.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

I think what really happend was the Comissar got in a fight with an obliterator that had morfed a waffle iron on one of his arms. Even the forces of chaos love a good waffle.

With lots of syrup?

[Psychosplodge]

Your title is offensive good sir!
I demand satisfaction!


That Commissar looks like he's getting ready to take them on single handedly with a power sword and bolt pistol. How badass is that?

Who's he think he is? Cain?


I think what really happend was the Comissar got in a fight with an obliterator that had morfed a waffle iron on one of his arms. Even the forces of chaos love a good waffle.


With lots of syrup?

And lots of blue? O_o

[Diagnosis Ninja]

Saying that the commissar is the main character because he looks awesome isn't really a valid point. They always look awesome.

[Psychosplodge]

That's what they do isn't it? Look awesome while killing the enemies of the god-emperor of mankind?

[Tauownz]

+1 to more Tau books. In most books they put up a good fight only to fall at the end. That coin needs to be flipped.

[Psychosplodge]

That's cause they can't stand to any kind of attrition army in the fluff.

[alshrive]

I don't want to "poo-poo your electric frankfurter" but the battle suits are old models! i have no doubt that when they get remade they will be a lot more dynamic and fluid and absolutely awesome!

[Psychosplodge]

The last time they remade the stealth suits they did a terrible job...

[alshrive]

i quite like the current stealth suit models!

[Psychosplodge]

They don't look very stealthy...

I much preferred the smaller older ones, fair enough they could have added the other weapon option but still...

[Tauownz]

I hope you're right alshrive about the new crisis suits. They better be out of this world mech cool, no forgeworld xv84/xv89 crap. Total redesign would be nice. I'm partial to the original xv8 now, you can add some paulson heads and new weaponry and have a totally different look. As far as the stealths go I still like the original xv15's better than the new ones. That one model of the Ui' w/ his burst cannon in the air checking his wrist is my favorite. Anyone know if that model comes in resin now?

[JxKxR]

I don't want to "poo-poo your electric frankfurter" but the battle suits are old models! i have no doubt that when they get remade they will be a lot more dynamic and fluid and absolutely awesome!

Poop all you want that is an XV89. You can tell from the rounded head.

[Chris*ta]

That's what they do isn't it? Look awesome while killing the lowly minions of the god-emperor of mankind?

Fixed. ;)

[Anggul]

The world needs more Tau book. It is a woefully untouched area which has so much to offer.

I just hope the writer didn't actually listen to the part in Dawn of War (because no-one should ever reference Dawn of War for canon) where the Tau are all secretly evil and backward and treat the remaining humans like crap. Such Imperium-wank is not welcome. Not all xenos are directly evil, the whole point is the Emperor was manically against xenos for no good reason, hopefully they won't try to justify the Imperium and make the Tau seem evil and treacherous.

[ElectricPaladin]

The world needs more Tau book. It is a woefully untouched area which has so much to offer.

I just hope the writer didn't actually listen to the part in Dawn of War (because no-one should ever reference Dawn of War for canon) where the Tau are all secretly evil and backward and treat the remaining humans like crap. Such Imperium-wank is not welcome. Not all xenos are directly evil, the whole point is the Emperor was manically against xenos for no good reason, hopefully they won't try to justify the Imperium and make the Tau seem evil and treacherous.

Don't forget that the first aliens humanity encountered were the Orks, who tried to kill them for no good reason. The second were the Eldar who, if I recall correctly, tried to kill them for very good reasons that they didn't bother to share (freaking arrogant space elves). The third were the Dark Eldar, who also tried to kill them, and looked just like Eldar, to make things more complicated. The fourth were probably one of the various horrible murder mutant species of the dark future.

So, I think the early Imperium's xenophobia had some reasonable roots. Don't forget, though, that even during the Great Crusade there was the potential for alliances with the Interex, a human/alien merge civilization that included the Kinebrach.

After that, it was downhill.

Even now, though the Imperium has flirted with temporary alliances with the Eldar.

Anyway, you're probably right that the Tau will get blackwashed. I really wish the GW creative team would... just tone the setting down a little. I mean, giant tanks, hundred meter tall warbots, and worlds full of soldiers are cool, but sometimes it's a little too much.

[Marshal Colton]

The world needs more Tau book. It is a woefully untouched area which has so much to offer.

I just hope the writer didn't actually listen to the part in Dawn of War (because no-one should ever reference Dawn of War for canon) where the Tau are all secretly evil and backward and treat the remaining humans like crap. Such Imperium-wank is not welcome. Not all xenos are directly evil, the whole point is the Emperor was manically against xenos for no good reason, hopefully they won't try to justify the Imperium and make the Tau seem evil and treacherous.

I agree the Tau aren't evil and really shouldn't be portrayed that way (at least not in a book from their perspective), but in addition to the great points ElectricPaladin brought up, the Tau are attacking and conquering Imperial worlds. This doesn't make them evil, but it does show the Emperors hatred of aliens wasn't entirely misplaced.

[ElectricPaladin]

I agree the Tau aren't evil and really shouldn't be portrayed that way (at least not in a book from their perspective), but in addition to the great points ElectricPaladin brought up, the Tau are attacking and conquering Imperial worlds. This doesn't make them evil, but it does show the Emperors hatred of aliens wasn't entirely misplaced.

I always thought that the Tau are a great example of an antagonist for the Imperium, and I wish GW wrote more of the xenos races like this. They have a rational point of view (unlike the Orks), they don't make stupid decisions for the sake of producing plot (unlike the Eldar), and a galaxy ruled by them wouldn't be that bad (unlike the Tyranids). And yet, they have goals, ambitions, and values that put them at odds with the Imperium. Peace isn't (theoretically, anyway) impossible, it would just require compromise and settling on both sides.

[Psychosplodge]

Fixed. ;)

maybe they do both....


I agree the Tau aren't evil and really shouldn't be portrayed that way (at least not in a book from their perspective), but in addition to the great points ElectricPaladin brought up, the Tau are attacking and conquering Imperial worlds. This doesn't make them evil, but it does show the Emperors hatred of aliens wasn't entirely misplaced.

The tau ARE evil, their philosophy is join us or die, they're not dissimilar to communists or cults in how they organise their society. Their allies are merely expendable cannon fodder to protect the lives of the tau fire warriors, sorry for the greater good...

But no clearly not evil...

[Anggul]

The tau ARE evil, their philosophy is join us or die, they're not dissimilar to communists or cults in how they organise their society. Their allies are merely expendable cannon fodder to protect the lives of the tau fire warriors, sorry for the greater good...

But no clearly not evil...

Beats the hell out of the Imperium, whose philosphy is: 'Just die, no matter who or what you are.' :p

As for the 'cannon fodder' thing, no, that's what DoW tells you. They treat their allies with respect, not as cannon fodder, no-where in any official canon has it ever, ever said that they treat their allies like that. In fact, it specifically states that they treat them well and respect them. Even the Kroot, who although they see as savage in many ways, they respect what they are and applaud them for what they contribute to the Empire with their skills and talents. Allies are actually allowed to live quite separate from the Empire, it's just a case of them being part of it for the purposes of expansion and warfare, they aren't all put into little prisons with 'All hail Aun'Va' written on the walls.

In a galaxy of such things as 40k is composed of, they're the closest to 'good' you're going to get.


As for the Emperor, his stance against xenos wasn't based upon first contact, he knew that he wanted to kill every non-human before he even set foot off-planet. He is just a psychic construct whose only desire is to expand mankind and destroy all else, he has no reason to kill every single xenos regardless of who they are, he's just compelled to.

[Psychosplodge]

No the short stories in hammer and bolter and elsewhere tells you that's how they treat their allies.

All the races are essentially self serving and it's down to their leaders to decide what's best for them...

[Wildeybeast]

I agree the Tau aren't evil and really shouldn't be portrayed that way (at least not in a book from their perspective), but in addition to the great points ElectricPaladin brought up, the Tau are attacking and conquering Imperial worlds. This doesn't make them evil, but it does show the Emperors hatred of aliens wasn't entirely misplaced.

I wonder if the book actually will be from their perspective. Given that front cover, it's perfectly possible the book could be about the Tau, but from the view of an Imperial solider. Which would be bollocks.

[Psychosplodge]

could just be another guard book then..

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Seeing as it's called FIRE CASTE....

[Psychosplodge]

about killing the fire caste....

[Wildeybeast]

Seeing as it's called FIRE CASTE....

Bah. Given the raging hard on GW have for the Imperium and the picture which has an Imperium soldier front and centre, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was some nonsense about a human auxiliary joining them.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

He wouldn't be joining the Fire Caste, he would be with the rest of the auxiliaries.

[JxKxR]

I'll probable still read it if it's not from the Tau's perspective but wont be nearly as excited.

Oh for the greater good let it be about the Tau!

[Uncle Nutsy]

That burst cannon makes an A10's Avenger cannon look tiny.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

After watching Gangnam Style I really want to watch Battlesuits dancing.

[DrLove42]

Eldar books, then Dark Eldar books and now Tau...

Its like GW actually gives a **** about Xenos players....

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

HERESY! +BLAM!+

n

[Barghest]

After watching Gangnam Style I really want to watch Battlesuits dancing.

Different video. That one'll be called "Vior'la Style". As long as they keep Hyuna in it I'll be fine.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

To be fair, yeah, she is kinda hot