Tau Commander

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Tau Commander

Commander is the Imperial translation of a Tau rank.[1] The Tau rank includes two grades, Shas'o and Shas'el. Both ranks indicate the authority to lead a Hunter Cadre and usually see the officer go to war in a Battlesuit. Tau Commanders differ in doctrine depending on their Sept of origin. Commanders hailing from Vior'la, Tash'var, and Kel'shan are noted for their personal kills while those from Elsy'eir and T'olku are known to be more cerebral in nature.[4]

Overview

Regardless of specific rank, all Tau Commanders are consummate warriors and tacticians who have worked hard to achieve their status. The Tau'va offers no shortcuts to promotion to such a rank, performance and skill are the only methods of success, and all have risen from the lowly rank of Fire Warrior Shas'la and completed multiple Trials By Fire. Depending on the situation, a Commander may be called upon to lead anything from a Cadre to Coalition.[15b] The number and size of previous commands is reflected in the rings confining their long scalp lock.[15c]

There are vast differences in the approach and philosophy between Tau Commanders. Some prefer to lead from the front to push their own Battlesuits to the fullest in an XV85 Enforcer, while others may prefer to dominate the skies in an agile XV86 Coldstar. Commanders from Vior'la, Tash'var, and Kel'shan are particular noted for their personal skills, and are often accompanied into the thick of battle by a bodyguard guard of Crisis Battlesuits. Those from Elsy'eir and T'olku are usually more cerebral, ordering their troops from behind the front and only entering the fray upon great need. Despite their skill, there are still times when the hubris of a Tau Commander can get the better of them, and in such situations the Ethereal Council will rein them in. If a Commander erred in an especially shameful way, an Ethereal may order a Malk'la take place.[15b]

Shas'el

Shas'el is the second highest rank which a Tau Fire Warrior can attain. A Shas'el usually only gains the rank after years of training and battle experience. A Shas'el will usually command smaller engagements of small Cadres leaving full Cadre and multi-Cadre actions to a full Shas'o.

Shas'O

Shas'o redirects here. For the anthology, see Shas'o (Anthology).

A Shas'O is the highest rank in the Tau army which a Fire Warrior can attain. Becoming a Shas'O means going through several Trials By Fire and progressing up the ranks from Shas'la to Shas'ui to Shas'vre, then becoming a member of another commander's bodyguard, to Shas'el and then finally to Shas'o. After becoming a Shas'O, the only remaining option is to either teach at an academy, become a military advisor to the Shas'ar'tol or join in politics and be on one of the many councils in the Tau Empire. Besides death, this is the only way a member of the Fire Caste can leave the Tau military.

Some Shas'O wear armour with inverted colour schemes. For instance, O'Shaserra and O'Kais both wore white armour with sept markings picked out in yellow, the reverse of the regular T'au Sept's colour scheme. O'Shovah is another example of this. Whether this is the norm for Shas'o is unknown.

Equipment

Tau Commanders typically go to war in a XV8 Crisis Battlesuit or its many variants, such as the XV85 Enforcer, XV8-02 Crisis Irdium, or XV86 Coldstar. Some famous Tau commanders have even been issued the experimental XV22 Stealth Battlesuit.[2a]

These Battlesuits are equipped with a wide array of advanced weapons on both of their battlesuit arms such as a High-Output Burst Cannons, Plasma Rifles, Fusion Blasters, Missile Pods, Airbursting Fragmentation Projectors, Cyclic Ion Blasters, and Flamers. They also have access to the most advanced Special Issue Battlesuit Support Systems such as a Shield Generator, Positional Relay, Command & Control Node, and many more. They are also frequently accompanied by support Drones.[20b]

Notable Tau Commanders


Miniatures

  • Tau Commander in XV8 Battlesuit (2006)

  • Tau Commander in XV8-05 Battlesuit (2013)[3]

  • Tau Commander in XV86 Battlesuit (2015)

  • Tau Commander in XV85 Battlesuit (2015)

See also

Tau Admiral

Sources


Tau Empire Forces
Leadership Ethereal • Tau Commander • Fireblade
Troops Fire Warrior Team (Strike Team • Breacher Team) • Pathfinder Team • Stealthsuit Team • Drone Squadron
Battlesuits XV8 Crisis (XV8 • XV8-02 • XV81 • XV84 • XV85 • XV86 • XV89 • Warmaker) • XV15 Stealth • XV22 Stealth • XV25 Stealth • XV26 Stealth • XV95 Ghostkeel • XV88 Broadside • XV9 Hazard
XV46 Vanguard • XV104 Riptide • XV107 R'varna • XV109 Y'vahra • KV128 Stormsurge • KX139 Ta'unar
Vehicles Devilfish • Drone Harbinger • Hammerhead • Piranha • Sky Ray • Tetra • Swordfish
Aircraft Barracuda • Manta • Orca • Sun Shark • Razorshark • Tiger Shark • Remora • Dorsal • Harpedo
Auxiliaries Kroot Shaper • Kroot Carnivore Squad • Kroot Hound • Krootox • Knarloc • Great Knarloc • Vespid Stingwing • Gue'vesa
Special Characters Aun'va • Aun'shi • Shadowsun • Farsight • Darkstrider • Longstrike • Twin Lance
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