Story idea I'd like to see for a Tau novel

[Panxer]

I had an idea for a book featuring the tau and whatever Imperial counter element dan abnett or sandy mitchell can competently throw together... It goes like this...

The Tau are on the verge of their 3rd and 4th sphere expansion and have been toying with the idea of controlling the Tyranids as bio-weapons... They have a secret base on a remote moon to conduct their experiments, the IG or the Spazmareenz can come in, mess stuff up, kill the bugs, squich the Tau, hug their emperor, and save the day.

This is something I'd read which I've never seen in a 40k novel. Perish the day where we change stuff up a bit...

[ElectricPaladin]

What I most want to see is a Tau novel that's just about the Tau. Maybe some Gue'vesa characters trying to make a go of it in Tau space. I dunno... the first human with the stones to demand to be allowed to pilot an XV8? Or the trials and tribulations of an all-human regiment in the Tau military, trying to prove themselves to their alien comrades, while at the same time dealing with the fact that their urge to prove themselves is, itself, a constant reminder of their alien individualism? Or just more about the Tau without the requisite "Imperials show up and smash faces" nonsense.

[bfmusashi]

Back in when the Daemonhunters codex was in force I proposed using a lobotomized and enslaved carnifex as a familiar for my Ordo Malleus aligned Inquisitor. I still like the idea (and still might pursue it after Rockenstein's Monster is complete), but I can't come up with a counts-as for it in the Grey Knights book.

[ElectricPaladin]

Back in when the Daemonhunters codex was in force I proposed using a lobotomized and enslaved carnifex as a familiar for my Ordo Malleus aligned Inquisitor. I still like the idea (and still might pursue it after Rockenstein's Monster is complete), but I can't come up with a counts-as for it in the Grey Knights book.

Not quite the same, but enslaved and mutilated zoanthropes could easily be counts-as henchmen psykers.

[bfmusashi]

I could even skip the whole 'stand on your tail damnit' problem and give them little human parts like there's some Alien Resurrection heresy going down. Radicals make the best villains.

[ElectricPaladin]

I could even skip the whole 'stand on your tail damnit' problem and give them little human parts like there's some Alien Resurrection heresy going down. Radicals make the best villains.

Ooh! You could use water effect to make floating zoanthrope heads in jars!

[Mr Mystery]

Back in when the Daemonhunters codex was in force I proposed using a lobotomized and enslaved carnifex as a familiar for my Ordo Malleus aligned Inquisitor. I still like the idea (and still might pursue it after Rockenstein's Monster is complete), but I can't come up with a counts-as for it in the Grey Knights book.

Dread knight on a lead?

[Asymmetrical Xeno]

There definietly needs to be more alien-perspective books. I'd love to read from the PoV of Tau and Necrons ect. They did books from an alien perspective in the 1930's (mission of gravity, dragon's eff ect) so it isn't exactly a new thing, but seems to of died off because people seem to want to shove it down everyones throats that protagonists must be human to be able to enjoy reading a book. Really quite a tiresome and narrow view.

[Dalleron]

counts as dreadknight, regarding the enslaved big bug. Model it up with someone on the base controlling and you should be golden.

[Panxer]

What I most want to see is a Tau novel that's just about the Tau. Maybe some Gue'vesa characters trying to make a go of it in Tau space. I dunno... the first human with the stones to demand to be allowed to pilot an XV8? Or the trials and tribulations of an all-human regiment in the Tau military, trying to prove themselves to their alien comrades, while at the same time dealing with the fact that their urge to prove themselves is, itself, a constant reminder of their alien individualism? Or just more about the Tau without the requisite "Imperials show up and smash faces" nonsense.

Totally a good idea.

There definietly needs to be more alien-perspective books. I'd love to read from the PoV of Tau and Necrons ect. They did books from an alien perspective in the 1930's (mission of gravity, dragon's eff ect) so it isn't exactly a new thing, but seems to of died off because people seem to want to shove it down everyones throats that protagonists must be human to be able to enjoy reading a book. Really quite a tiresome and narrow view.

Capital.

[LordGrise]

I'm with EP... not so much with Panxer, as I think the Kryptmann Gambit thingie has been done, properly, and need not be revisited. Sorry, Panxer.

Now, what I'd like to see would be a series, first book primarily from the Tau perspective, where a bunch of Space Marines get their butts saved by the Tau, who then treat them honorably and get them back to their home. Sequel would be from the SM perspective primarily, and would be the relevant SMs, and by extension their Chapter, repaying the debt of honor by coming to the aid of a Tau world, probably one with a huge human population (thereby remaining true to the Emperor by protecting Humanity) - and also thereby earning the enmity of the Inquisition (Hereticus, NOT Xenos), and therefore the Ecclesiarchy - and what happens from that. Think Celestial Lions. The third book, mixed viewpoints: the remnants of said SM Chapter re-establishing themselves in Tau Space, probably under contract to protect the Gue'vasa of the system they fought for; the progenitor of said SM Chapter - likely the UltraMarines - investigating with the (covert) assistance of a Water Caste Audit Team, (I keep seeing this shrimpy little guy named Vor'Kosigan in it, somehow) finding the treachery, and ultimately forming a coalition of major SM chapters and finally standing up to the Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy and saying, in essence, Back Off. (Way overdue, IMHO, as often as SM chapters have been screwed by them...) Series ends with Water Caste diplomats leveraging this to get the Imperium to recognize the Tau Empire as a separate Realm, in exchange for the Tau agreeing to quit trying to assimilate Imperial Worlds, with the SM chapter already in Tau space to act as the watchdogs, accepting rotating assistance (and resupply) from the DeathWatch. Tech exchanges to proceed thru the Mechanicus, (so they come up sweet). Thus laying the groundwork for how it can possibly be that vanilla Space Marines and the Tau are Battle Brothers on the Allies Chart. That's what I want to read.

Never happen, I know. Except it's my gameworld when it's in my house, and I already have Tau-badged Space Marines with essentially that backstory. ::grin:: Couldn't come up with another explanation for why SMs are BB with the Tau.

As an aside, y'all do realize that the Water Caste would be the logical source of Tau spies and assassins?

[Panxer]

You've really thought this out... It's good. I like it. But your premise has been done from a different angle with the penal legion.

The water caste assassins angle is nice! I'm just tired of the imperial perspective...they've done almost everything else, why not this? Or something like it?

OOH! Or perhaps a story from the perspective of Shas'Vre bodyguard... That would be an interesting take.

[gcsmith]

the shadowsun last of kiru's line book was Tau point of view, just saying.

[bfmusashi]

I frankly love the Dreadknight idea. The idea my radical has also shoved a teleporter on his heretical science project is friggin' delicious.

[Panxer]

I thought the reason Tau are bb w/ sm's was because the Emperor told Guilliman that the Tau were warp null and were incorruptible by the warp? Something about being necessary to help defeat chaos.

[bfmusashi]

I thought the reason Tau are bb w/ sm's was because the Emperor told Guilliman that the Tau were warp null and were incorruptible by the warp? Something about being necessary to help defeat chaos.

Much like communism, that was a red herring.

[Panxer]

What does religion have to do with it? This is a hobby sir...

[Rissan4ever]

Back in when the Daemonhunters codex was in force I proposed using a lobotomized and enslaved carnifex as a familiar for my Ordo Malleus aligned Inquisitor. I still like the idea (and still might pursue it after Rockenstein's Monster is complete), but I can't come up with a counts-as for it in the Grey Knights book.
Dread Knight? Perhaps, in addition to lobotomizing the Carnifex, they also upgraded it with some augmetic limbs and a teleporter.

[Magus]

What I most want to see is a Tau novel that's just about the Tau. Maybe some Gue'vesa characters trying to make a go of it in Tau space. I dunno... the first human with the stones to demand to be allowed to pilot an XV8? Or the trials and tribulations of an all-human regiment in the Tau military, trying to prove themselves to their alien comrades, while at the same time dealing with the fact that their urge to prove themselves is, itself, a constant reminder of their alien individualism? Or just more about the Tau without the requisite "Imperials show up and smash faces" nonsense.

This one could draw some interesting parallels with the American Civil War, with the Gue'vesa as an emancipated regiment.

[Magus]

I could even skip the whole 'stand on your tail damnit' problem and give them little human parts like there's some Alien Resurrection heresy going down. Radicals make the best villains.

I like the idea but its got more of an Ordo Xenos feeling to me.