How strong are humans physically compare to Tau

[Sarevok]

The Tau seem to humans like humans to Elders. They are smaller in height and live much shorter. What about other physical traits ? Are they weak to the point an average human can manhandle them like how an average Elder should kickass against any real life martial artist in hand to hand combat ?

[Kuja]

An average human soldier could take a water or air caste member apart in hand-to-hand combat; they're noticably weaker and more fragile than we are, and not trained to fight. Kage in the Last Chancers series is able to snap the neck of a water caste diplomat by slamming him into the wall.

Fire and earth caste members are closer to humanity in build. The fire caste are noticably stronger than their bretheren and are trained in hand-to-hand combat, although they still don't excel at it and any tau with half a brain will go for a gun over a knife. The earth caste are universally described as sturdier and more bulky, so they might be able to take a punch or two. As far as we know they both still lag behind humanity in terms of strength and durability, although the difference is less noticable.

Ethereals are a bit of a question mark. They're somewhere between fire and water caste members in terms of build, but they seem to train in a form of martial art and at least one of them busted out some serious Chow Yun-fat staff and blade during an ork invasion. Anything that can take down an ork hand to hand (let alone 'dozens' as said ethereal was doing) is more than capable of going toe to toe with a human in a fight.

[Rogue 9]

In tabletop, Tau are the only thing I will actively seek to assault with my Guard army, if that gives you an idea. But then again, in tabletop I have also witnessed a pair of crisis suits beat a Black Templar Marshal in Terminator armor to death, so make of that what you will.

[DrMckay]

Likewise, the Tau are also pretty much the only army I actively try to engage in hand to hand combat... Especially if I have some Rough Riders or a blob with some power weapons and a Commissar. Crisis Suits are nasty, but when it's 3 of them Vs. 27 guardsmen and 3 Sergeants and a commissar with power weapons, they go down pretty quick too. The Hammerheads and markerlight drones are pretty annoying though.

[Irbis]

In tabletop, Tau are the only thing I will actively seek to assault with my Guard army, if that gives you an idea. But then again, in tabletop I have also witnessed a pair of crisis suits beat a Black Templar Marshal in Terminator armor to death, so make of that what you will.

But... But... Crisis Suits don't have anything to negate 2+ save, do they...? And there is no way of arming BT IC with non-power weapon, and possibly even ID power weapon...

And then, there is Preferred Enemy, WS6, and much higher I...