XV104 Riptide
The XV104 'Riptide' is a type of heavy Tau Battlesuit.[3]
Overview
The pinnacle of Earth Caste battlesuit development, it stands twice the size of the XV8 Crisis Suit series. However, it nonetheless is an extremely agile and fast suit, being easily capable of outmanoeuvring more crude Imperial walkers. Riptides are most commonly armed with a Heavy Burst Cannon or Ion Accelerator as well as Riptide Shield Generators, twin Smart Missile Systems, and twin Fusion Blasters or Plasma Rifles, giving firepower and protection to compliment their agility. The Riptide draws power from two primary energy sources. The first, the Fusion Reactor, is the standard and more reliable method of energy. However the Riptide is also equipped with a Nova Reactor, an experimental dark matter energy source that is only activated should the Riptide's Shas'vre pilot require a burst of extra power.[2] It proves itself as not much reliable but very powerful reactor, completely eclipse the past failures, when early prototypes of Riptides without nova reactors were too ponderous machines or else dangerously unstable.[4a] The Riptide can easily withstand the impact of a Krak missile[5a] or Krak grenades with only slight scorch marks.[5b]
The XV104 was first unleashed during the Third Sphere of Expansion at the Battle of Mu'gulath Bay. There, thanks to their manoeuvrability, advanced weaponry, and armour, the newly deployed Riptides were effective in countering cumbersome Imperial heavy tanks and static entrenched positions. However production of the Riptide has proven slow - the materials for the dense nanocrystaline alloy armour are difficult to obtain and the sheer volume required ensures that the XV104 is a rare commodity. As a result, only experienced XV8 Bodyguards are granted the high honour of piloting a Riptide.[3]
Known Tau XV104 Pilots
Images
XV104 with Heavy Burst Cannon and shield generator
XV104 with Ion Accelerator and shield generator
See also
Sources
- 1: Games Workshop
- 2: White Dwarf 400 (UK), pg. 4–5
- 3: Codex: Tau Empire (6th Edition), pg. 44
- 4: Codex: Tau Empire (7th Edition):
- 5: Blood Oath (Novella) — Damocles (Anthology):
| 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 |
