What YOU would like to see covered in 40K analysis.

[Darksider]

What kind of weapons and tech do the Tau give to humans who willingly join up with them?

IIRC it's pretty much come-as-you-are; I might be wrong, but I certainly don't recall them giving out much, if anything, to their vassals.

I recall seeing something on the U.S. WH40K website about modeling Tau Human Auxiliaries. It was sort of a mix of IG and Tau miniatures. They did have pulse rifles and carbines.

[Teleros]

Under the rules on the US site, they're armed with lasguns. Up to 2 can have pulse rifles / carbines, and the whole squad can have EMP grenades. The squad leader, if you have one, can also have a markerlight.

[NecronLord]

Indeed. It's worth noting that this is probably meant to represent a gue'vesa milita. Organised gue'vesa forces may or may not be better equipped.

[Teleros]

Well we know the Tau are happy to give the kroot some pretty powerful weapons and whatnot. Granted they're perhaps not as treacherous as humans can be (openly I mean, we all know they hire themselves as mercenaries to other races), but I could easily see more organised gue'vesa forces being as well equipped as regular fire warriors.

[Connor MacLeod]

We know the Tau do share some of their tech with those they assimilate or conquer, even the humans. And they also use trade to corrupt/manipulate racees into joining as well. This can include weapons. When/if I cover the Rogue Trader novles, in Rogue Star we see the Tau trading weapons to prospective human races (IIRC).

They don't trade quite everything though, as I recall. Their armor, vehicles, and communcations/sensor gear (what you see Fire Warriors equipped with) isn't traded, and I suspect the weapons themselves traded to "auxiliaries" are less powerful than what the Tau themselevs employ. The weapons in "Rogue Star" have sights, IIRC, but not integrated like the Tau use. and they probably would use similar pulse ammo to what the Kroot use (pusle rifles seem to be just a railgun firing an energy bullet anyhow.)

Edit: In the codex for the tau, the Kroot Shapers are sometimes allowed to carry pulse weapons and replace their Kroot rifles with it. Kroot rifles also have less power than the Tau weaponry.

On Taros, the commanders of the human auxiliaries are given pulse rifles (And "other superior tech") by the Tau, but their troops (those former PDF who swore to the Tau at least) kept their lasguns.
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We can draw two conclusions:

a.) Only the high ranking/elite/trusted are given anything resembling Tau-equivalent tech, ,at least in the military sense. WE see this with the human and Kroot auxiliaries (the Shapers and human commanders)

b.) Auxiliaries generally seem to keep their own weapons, at least in the short term. It may be that the Tau on Taros didn't have enough time or equipment to properly equip their human auxiliaries and had to keep them with lasguns. Or maybe they didn't trust the humans as much as the Kroot. Maybe the auxiliaries when they "prove" themselves are given better weapons in line with that the Kroot have. That seems a definite possibility, especially if the US rules as noted above do allow for "limited" pulse weapon deployment.

In any case they still seem to limit their military "gifts" largely to small arms and somewhat heavy stuff. Kroot, IIRC, aren't linked into Tau command and control nets the way the fire warriors are, and they aren't given anything like a micro bead analogue (or sensors.) I am betting the humans won't (but may use their vox and/or any comm beads THEY have...)

[Connor MacLeod]

The thing is, though, Cain's guys don't have night vision goggles

As far as we know, no they don't not for individual troops. The scopes could be infrared or "mono sight" as sources have indicated, though.

Moreover, they don't really seem to need it. The Valhallans Cain is attached to are mechanized - their chimeras and Sentinels both have auspex, and the data is all inked together. We also know (Duty calls) they can carry "Guard issue" cogitators, and probably auspex, if not magnoculars (which can also be infrared) so NVGs probably aren't as neccessary.

They CAN be issued.. its been seen in novles (storm of Iron, the Space Wolf novels metnion it) and the Uplifting primer does so as well.

[Venator]

They don't trade quite everything though, as I recall. Their armor, vehicles, and communcations/sensor gear (what you see Fire Warriors equipped with) isn't traded, and I suspect the weapons themselves traded to "auxiliaries" are less powerful than what the Tau themselevs employ.

Someone on another board commented on Rogue Star; apparently they traded naval-level Railcannons to the Traders, but their IFF systems kick in and violently disable the batteries if pointed at a Tau vessel.

That's from a memory of a second-hand source, mind, so I could be wrong.

[Shadowtraveler]

Having read Rogue Star, that is true, though it was an orbital station that had the railguns, not the Traders.

It's also interesting to note that the Tau were trading with two rival planets so they could fight against each other.

[Shroom Man 777]

As far as we know, no they don't not for individual troops. The scopes could be infrared or "mono sight" as sources have indicated, though.

Moreover, they don't really seem to need it. The Valhallans Cain is attached to are mechanized - their chimeras and Sentinels both have auspex, and the data is all inked together. We also know (Duty calls) they can carry "Guard issue" cogitators, and probably auspex, if not magnoculars (which can also be infrared) so NVGs probably aren't as neccessary.

They CAN be issued.. its been seen in novles (storm of Iron, the Space Wolf novels metnion it) and the Uplifting primer does so as well.

But Cain himself was wondering how the Tau Fire Warriors (or were they Pathfinders) could navigate the dark 'stealer infested tunnels without flashlights or other means of navigation - meaning that he was, at least, unfamiliar with night-vision technology or something.

It's really weird. Perhaps he was simply not expecting night-sight equipment to be that small.

[NecronLord]

But Cain himself was wondering how the Tau Fire Warriors (or were they Pathfinders) could navigate the dark 'stealer infested tunnels without flashlights or other means of navigation - meaning that he was, at least, unfamiliar with night-vision technology or something.

It's really weird. Perhaps he was simply not expecting night-sight equipment to be that small.

Tau are nocturnal. I don't recall the exact passage (though I do remember scoffing at it) it's possible their optics aren't equipped with proper night vision (remember, the blacksun filter is a special Tau upgrade) and Cain is able to tell that they're not.

[NecronLord]

Ahah. For the Emperor, P297.

"the tau [pathfinders] appearing to have some way of seeing in the dark. They certainly had no visible luminators, so I assumed the lenses on the front of their helmets enabled them to see in some way I couldn't comprehend. The Kroot had no need of visual aids of any kind, slinking through the dark as though they were born to it. Maybe they were, who knows."

Doesn't mean he's never used such things himself, just that he's not able to comprehend how they work.

[Shroom Man 777]

Hrm. There's nothing wrong with Tau being nocturnal. Maybe their ancestors lived in arid conditions, deserts, where activity during the day would be miserable and dehydrating, so they would do stuff in the night instead.

Though that would mean modern Tau would have dimly lit interior buildings and such...

[NecronLord]

Hrm. There's nothing wrong with Tau being nocturnal. Maybe their ancestors lived in arid conditions, deserts, where activity during the day would be miserable and dehydrating, so they would do stuff in the night instead.

Though that would mean modern Tau would have dimly lit interior buildings and such...

According to Kill Team, Tau cities do much of their business at night, and 'come alive' as it were at that time. They're quite capable of and undertake diurnal activity though.

[Imperial Overlord]

The thing is, though, Cain's guys don't have night vision goggles

Photovision visors are commonly issued to many Imperial Guard regiments as protection from flash and blinding weapons. Dark Heresy makes it clear that this is a secondary function of higher end photovision devices. Their primary purpose is low light vision. The Guard is actually swimming in night vision equipment.

[andrewgpaul]

Game mechanics I know, and out of date ones at that, but back in 2nd edition, the only armies that didn't include equipment for seeing through smokescreens as standard equipment on every trooper were Orks and Tyranids.

[Peptuck]

Ahah. For the Emperor, P297.

"the tau [pathfinders] appearing to have some way of seeing in the dark. They certainly had no visible luminators, so I assumed the lenses on the front of their helmets enabled them to see in some way I couldn't comprehend. The Kroot had no need of visual aids of any kind, slinking through the dark as though they were born to it. Maybe they were, who knows."

Doesn't mean he's never used such things himself, just that he's not able to comprehend how they work.

Makes sense, how the Imperium considers everything the Tau use to be "techno-sorcery." Cain also has a hard time believing that they can get plasma weapons that small, and is impressed by how fast battlesuits move and the power behind Tau railguns.

Maybe he's just not used to miniaturization, and lest we forget that he probably doesn't know how a lot of his own tech works, seeing how closely the AdMech protects the secrets behind their technology.

[Connor MacLeod]

Having read Rogue Star, that is true, though it was an orbital station that had the railguns, not the Traders.

It's also interesting to note that the Tau were trading with two rival planets so they could fight against each other.

From other sources (most recently I read 40K apocalypse) that's part and parcel of Tau tactics against the Imperium. encourage infighting and weaken them through many means, including diplomacy and trade.

[Connor MacLeod]

But Cain himself was wondering how the Tau Fire Warriors (or were they Pathfinders) could navigate the dark 'stealer infested tunnels without flashlights or other means of navigation - meaning that he was, at least, unfamiliar with night-vision technology or something.

It's really weird. Perhaps he was simply not expecting night-sight equipment to be that small.

We know from both Caves of Ice (Cain expresses familiarity with thermal scanners) and Traitors Hand (Sentinels have infraread, and Chimeras have auspex), so its debatable that he's totally unfamiliar with night vision technology completely. Nevermind all the other examples we have to draw on that I already mentioned.

As NecronLord basically said, its likely Cain can't figure out how the Tau can incorporate such technologies into the pathfinder's helmets.. its the feat of miniaturization or application that baffles him, not the actaul technology itself.

Remember also that the Guard is in some ways not consistent with handing out certain technologies. Some regiments might have access to infrared gear in some forms, others may not. And the form that gear takes can vary - it might be goggles or visors, it might be infrared scopes/sights, it might be magnoculars. Or, (in Cain's case) its probably auspex gear (either vehiciles mounted or personal.).

[Connor MacLeod]

The thing is, though, Cain's guys don't have night vision goggles

Photovision visors are commonly issued to many Imperial Guard regiments as protection from flash and blinding weapons. Dark Heresy makes it clear that this is a secondary function of higher end photovision devices. Their primary purpose is low light vision. The Guard is actually swimming in night vision equipment.

Hell, on Necromunda your average Ganger can get access to NVG or infrared stuff, and by Dark Heresy standards, NEcromunda ain't all that extraordinary.

[Connor MacLeod]

Sorry for the delay, I got occupied with othe rthings.

Given what I am seeing here I am guessing that the probable things people woudl like covered are:

1.) Tau

2.) Eldar

3.) More on Imperial society and technology.

Given that, the *probable* course on novels will take:

1.) Kill Team

2.) The two Rouge Trader novels by Hoare (which is fine because it has other tidbits I'd like to deal with)

3.) THEN I'll cover the Ghosts novels as far as I've gotten (Necropolis and Honur Guard)

For the Fluff/game stuff:

- I'll finish up with the Tau

- I'll post the Eldar codex stuff (at least what I have.) The Eldar stuff will probably mark a new thread, and I may throw in Dark Eldar as well.

Beyond that I really don't have any plans (at least for 40K stuff.) I am considering White Dwarf articles, but I may do a separate thread for that.

If anyone has White Dwarf quotes they'd like to throw in or add (A few of you have already done so, I appreciate it) feel free to send it to me. I'd love to have more of that to cover.

I'll l eave this "list" up for a few days and probably starrt moving onto Kill Team sometime this upcoming week if noone has any further suggestions or modifications.

[Black Admiral]

One other thing that might be worth doing - analysis of 40K aerial combat (albeit that might come in with doing Double Eagle).

[Balrog]

The thing is, though, Cain's guys don't have night vision goggles

Photovision visors are commonly issued to many Imperial Guard regiments as protection from flash and blinding weapons. Dark Heresy makes it clear that this is a secondary function of higher end photovision devices. Their primary purpose is low light vision. The Guard is actually swimming in night vision equipment.

Hell, on Necromunda your average Ganger can get access to NVG or infrared stuff, and by Dark Heresy standards, NEcromunda ain't all that extraordinary.

In Nightbringer even the PDF were issued "infra-goggles" to help see the heat generated by men and machines. Perhaps the Tau method is just a variation that Cain hadn't seen before.

[Teleros]

Given what I am seeing here I am guessing that the probable things people woudl like covered are
*Snip*

Don't see anything to complain about there. Eldar I'm not too fussed about, but we've had so much on Imperial & Imperial-related stuff so far that the other races probably ought to get a look in .

[Connor MacLeod]

Don't see anything to complain about there. Eldar I'm not too fussed about, but we've had so much on Imperial & Imperial-related stuff so far that the other races probably ought to get a look in .

The thiung is that is becuase there IS a ton of Imperial Related stuff. The Imperium is the largest and most diverse and most-written about aspect of 40K, next to perhaps Chaos or the Eldar. That size and diversity means that there's alot to cover. and part of the reason I havent covered the others yet is because I really don't have alot (yet.) and even then it varies. The Imperium will probably remain the best defined aspect of 40K (by me at least) for some time to come, and probably as a benchmark by which the others are measured.

Anyhow, I'm amending the list slightly. I'll just vent out what I have (codex wise at leat) devoted to the aliens - after the Eldar, I'll cover the Tyranids, then the Orks, and then probably the Necrons.

At some point I'll have to cover Xenology, ,and probably Tactica Imperialis and the Sabbat Worlds crusade book, but they're amongst the "unread" category yet.

[Connor MacLeod]

New update question.. (if a mod would please indicate the update so people might check)... I've got Xenology, Tactica Imperials, and the Sabbat Worlds Crusade book. I've considered covering them for some time, since I've done the uplifting primer and the Munitorum manual.

My question is, what would be people's preferencee in tackling them? Which first, whcih second, and w hich third? My own inclination is the Tactica Imperialis, but I'm curious what other people see.

Also, ,would anyone want to see the Damocles gulf edition of the uplifting primer? Ther'es not really a huge amount of new material but some of the details might be itneresting, though I may save that for far later.

This is purely informational, since I'm not sure when I'll get around to transcribing them.. they're not thick, but the pages are large and very text-dense.