The Tau Empire Is WAY Stronger Than We Think! | Warhammer 40k Lore 

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Tau have one big advantage: very little infighting. Also consistent tech advanments

I've always viewed the Tau as a armadillo/porcupine. Small but such a pain to kill that no faction can deal with them without catastrophic losses

I think the Tau's lack of connection to the warp is one of their biggest strengths

The Tau empire definitely sounds like a better place to live

I love the Tau because it's like they found a hard drive full of mecha anime and were like "That, we need to build that! Someone build that!"

I believe that the Imperium could beat the Tau in an all out war, but that it would take up so many resources, that the effort would leave the Imperium open on other fronts. Plus, both Tau and Imperium share many enemies.

I'm here because Witcher and Superman is now crating a show about a sci-fi universe I barely knew existed. And I'm immediately absolutely fascinated

One interesting thing about the Ethereals is that after returning to the T'au Empire to help Farsight and his soldiers were still immune to whatever influence Ethereals possess, meaning that either individual T'au are affected differently or the influence isn't as strong as some think. There is also the possibility that being away for so long weakened it's effect on T'au from the Enclaves.

There is an example of a Tau being possessed by a daemon of Tzeench and even developed psychic powers when he touched an unshielded imperial warp drive in the novel Farsight: Crisis of Faith

The Tau are also very interesting because they have to play such a careful balancing act. They have to be very careful about the rate they take worlds, they have to expand while not being seen as too much of a threat by the imperium to warrant a massive response while also being seen as just dangerous enough to not be worth the resources.

I'm late here but in the Farsight series of novels, a Tau water cast did in fact become possessed by a daemon. It's a major part of the story. Maybe it's bias because the Tau are my faction and O'Shovah is my favorite 40K character and I know a lot of people aren't fans of Phil Kelly's writing, but I thoroughly enjoyed the Farsight books and I highly recommend them to anyone interested in his story or the Tau in general.

It's always nice to hear T'au lore from someone that doesn't have audible contempt in their voice

One fun comparison I’ve seen is that the Tau are basically like the Dominion from Star Trek. Such comparisons inevitably conclude with “That’s right; the 40k universe is so grimdark, it makes the DOMINION look like GOOD GUYS!” xD

As a Tau player I'm excited to see you cover them well! You made a lot of good points that a lot of players don't realize. One possiblecorrection, in the first Farsight novel, I believe there was one singular Tau who became corrupted. Its been a while since I read the book, but I believe he was a water caste who ended up either going crazy or being corrupted by touching some artifact.

One main thing I would also like to point out. They are easily the youngest empire out of pretty much every faction. I feel that they are a glimpse of what the dark/golden age of technology was like before the AI revolt.

I think that the first faction that can recognise their own shortcomings will be the first to truly rise above the rest

I feel like Tau and Imperium can be described like this: *Tao* despite being smaller in number of combatants, they are much more advanced technologically and can negotiate with other species in order to gain victory at lower or possibly no casualties. *Imperium* is much bigger number-wise and their path of constant warfare makes them more combat hardened, but also unwilling to negotiate under the mindset of "You're with me or against me" and their stagnation or even regression technology wise caused by both fear of the past and the power of the church, makes them unable to go above, learn and advance and instead see people as a resource in a never ending war against everyone that isn't human.

Tau are like the anime protaganist at the start of a story.. everything is happy , great and going well.. untill something horrible is bound to happen that makes it all come crumbling down. The core Tau species might be immune to warp influence but what about all the other species, including humanity that come into their Empire.. ? That could spell disaster down the line.

The way I got into Warhammer 40k was a game called fire warrior all the way back in 2003. They were the my favorite race from that day forth.

GW should definitely put some emphasis on the Tau auxiliaries as a sort of neutral alien faction. Empires under the Tau doing their own thing as a collective army of the Tau

This is the first T’au video I’ve seen that really delves into the strengths of the T’au and puts them in a positive light… am I dreaming? Because this seems too good to be true! While I don’t disregard the other T’au videos from other RU-vidrs that attempt to show the T’au in a positive light, there’s really not that much. So far, Weshammer is the only RU-vidr that delves into the strengths and weaknesses of the T’au.

Regarding Tau AI, I wonder if it hasn't been such a problem for them because some of their "Greater Good" philosophy gets naturally imparted onto their AI? If they were to have some sort of robot uprising, my money is on it being a corruption or inversion of that philosophy.

The Imperium won't commit itself to wiping out the Tau at least as long as the Orks, Dark Eldar, Tyranids, Chaos, and Necrons are still around, which is forever. In other words, the Tau is safe.

I always saw the Tau as a very powerful but also very regional faction that the Imperium could probably defeat but it would never be worthwhile, given that they're good neighbors as Xenos go and their interests line up with the Imperium more often than not.

I love your chaos AI theory. It's far more interesting and thematic than just "AI too smart, therefore AI turn into murderhobos" for the 100th time. It's a great way to use what 40K has to make it unique, interesting, and make sense.

I think if the imperium stopped focusing on stcs and took a page out of the teachings of death watch by using the tech of their enemies as well inventing new things would help it immensely

"Our AI is safe", "We never had corrupted code" and "Nothing bad ever happened" is exactly the type of hubris that might bite you in the ass at some point in time. 😏

The Tau have been my favorite faction since they were first tintroduced. It's sad they don't get more love from the fans (or GW for that matter lol) Based on their progression of technology per amount of time, the more time goes by the bigger of a threat they will become. I think even if they just gained faster travel capabilities, or maybe some warp based travel like the other races, even that alone would increase their threat level.

The way I saw the Tau are like a more militaristic version of Stargate Earth. They started out as generally inferior in many ways than most of the powers of the galaxy, but they don't suffer nearly as much from most of the major pitfalls of the major powers and can leverage their localized strength concentrations to better take advantage of any local situation. This, combined with the inertia, disunity or other problems with their various enemies allowed them to learn about other civilizations and reverse-engineer a lot of their technologies and deal with their tactics after initial contact. Additionally, their willingness to do things that the powers wouldn't for various ideological or historical reasons, like making prolific use of AI and being open and inviting to other species, gives them opportunities to grow that other powers simply don't have. 13:06 I think it's important to note that one of the main reasons for this was the outbreak of the Horus Heresy screwing up the developmental trajectory of the Imperium. During the Great Crusade, the Imperium expanded at gratuitous rates, but they somehow managed to keep the entire operation sufficiently stable. There were many issues popping up that they either had to bear for the short term or far more often just patch up with temporary solutions, but it was always the intention to properly fix all of these issues once the galaxy was pacified of any serious threats to Humanity. However, due to the outbreak of the Heresy and the subsequent millennia of decline and decay that happened after, the Imperium could never reach a position where they had the power to actually do any of that. Problems that were once fixable would grow out of control, and what were once simple stopgap measures (I distinctly recall a quote by some Crusade-era Ultramarine captain about how the Thunderhawk was most likely just a temporary stopgap design due to resource constraints and after things stabilize or become more profitable, the Imperium will replace it with a newer, better ship)became the only ways the Imperium knew to deal with a problem, and many times said measures and procedures would decline in effectiveness due to stagnancy or loss in resources, knowledge and frankly any tolerance for creativity.

Video idea: how would the galaxy look in 45k or 50k? What would change and who would be the new dominant power?

Wes: "tau might be stronger than the imperum because of their advanced technology" Tyranids: "interesting. They taste good though"

The Tau sound more and more like the Federation adding worlds and peoples to their union.

I would definitely say that the Tau’s goal of the “Greater Good” definitely lends itself to AI better than Humanity’s generally selfish or war-mongering goals, so legitimately their AI may just never see them as dangerous or useless because they agree with the Tau way of life

Man I love your videos. As a long time 40K player and lore nerd, they strike a great balance between informative, fun, and just the right amount of silly in my opinion.

I’ve always used the Tau in the RTS and upgraded them so they have long range rifles. I was literally shooting my enemies outside of my fog of war lol

As a new player I’ve been using these videos as a crash course in warhammer lore and honestly they are so good!! really easy to understand, interesting and engaging, and I appreciate the clarity on opinion vs fact. These videos are defo a big part of why I’ve gotten so hooked on the world haha

I wonder if the new Daemon demigod of Technology/Invention had something to do with Humanity’s Dark Age of Technology and the revolt of the Men of Iron.

To summarize: the Tau have potential where the Imperium has stagnation, meaning that given enough time they could grow to be more powerful. Great video. Definitely liked and subscribed.

As a Tau player from the beginning, I have a few theories regarding a lot of the mysteries around them. I'm also working on my own chaos tau kitbash. One of my theories is that the ethereals, or at least the original ones. Are a group of old ones that have survived the war in the heavens. Learning from mistakes of having the physic presence of the Eldar, and the willingness to fight of the kroks. Mellowed out the kroks, and stayed around to keep the tau fighting as one instead of constant infighting and the eventual devolution to the orks we know today. Without the huge physic presence through the warp they are better attuned to prevent chaos corruption. As it is still possible for selected members recorded being possessed or at least influenced by chaos. By direct involvement of an already possessed object/creature/entity. Tau lore even states during the ethereals came out of really nowhere to stop the infighting of the castes. This presence of the ethereals also occurred almost immediately after the fall of the eldar and birth of Slannesh. Now the tau could have already existed and slowly changed to what we now know or Old ones created them during the war of the heavens, being to weak at the time forgotten about.

Lol, Wes knowing his audience so well, he literally puts in trigger warnings, I can't even xD

this just makes the tau sound OP, and i love it.

They have quality over quantity. In a number of factors they hold the advantage. The thing is from numbers alone the Imperium has it.

Ok if I ever start playing table Warhammer I'll definitely play tau

I believe the only thing truly keeping the Tau from being considered more of a threat than the Eldar (ALL Eldar as one faction) is that the Tau don't have true warp travel or anything else to match it.

I would love to see some lore come out with the Tau and the empire teaming up against the Tyranids. The ethereals meeting the hive mind/primarchs would be sick.

As a long time Tau fan, I see it like this. The Tau is the thematically the last hope the milky way has to produce an empire. I don't think after the Tau any other civilization will be lucky enough to grow out of this war torn hell hole that is the milky way galaxy. So, will the Tau follow the same path as the Eldar, Necrons, Humans that came before it? Rise up, just to come crashing down and become husks of their former selves? Or will the unity of the Tau stay strong and be a beacon of hope for the races of the galaxy to rally around and break the cycle that seems to plague every sentient race in the galaxy?

Love these vids, a great narrative and I love how passionate you talk about 40k

Hey Wes, I am a new player who, at the tender age of 44 years and 8 months, finally decided to pull the ol’ proverbial trigger and bought the Command Edition starter set. I’ve been watching your videos when I’ve had the free time and I’m really enjoying how you break down the lore and are obviously really passionate about Warhammer 40k. Please consider releasing your episodes as podcast episodes as well. I can’t watch RU-vid videos at work but I can and do listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks at work and I would like to be able to listen to to your content while I’m slogging through another shift.

Tau average life span of 40 is one of the most major issues when compared to all other factions

I always thought the fact that the Tau drones look like helmets and the servo-skulls are... skulls, was not an accident. Making the Tau as a society overall was an allegory for a humanity before its fall.

If the empire gave the tau a couple worlds in exchange for help with their everything they'd be chillin but ya know

The T'au need to have miniatures that represent the many, many Xenos races under their command.

Quick Question, are you gonna do more deep dive videos again? I enjoy getting to know a faction I’m unfamiliar with in one video

The Tau are on a constant technological incline The Imperium looks more and more like it's emperor by the day I'd say the Tau are much stronger than others give them credit for

And tbh the aeldari aligning with the Tau would be there best bet because other then psychic defence and advisory positions, they could co-exist well

I’ve also done a thought exercise along these lines. One of things you missed is the fact that the imperium can react faster through warp communication and travel, whereas the Tau still stuck with the slow, deep, sleep through deep space.

Like Wes said you gotta remember 2000ish years ago they were effectively cavemen and are now on par with technology from mankind that's wild progress if given 10,000 heck even another 1,000 years they may very well be on par with mankind's golden age.

You forgot one important mention. Their space travel is very slow compared to the Imperiums. It takes them much longer to go from world to world (they don't use warp travel). The Tau is usually outnumbered by all their enemies on most battlefields. If a large Tyranid fleet decided to hit Tau worlds it stops their expansion by a large percentage. Only way I can see the Tau actually coming out on top is actually working with the Imperium. Which seems more and more likely with Gulliman's open minded ideas.

Bro I love your videos, thank you!

There has only been one instance in which a Tau was possessed by a demon, though it was a technicality. Por Malcaor, a member of the Tau's Water Caste (the diplomats, linguists, and merchants of the Tau Empire) interacted with part of a marchine that produces Gellar fields for Imperial ships and got blasted with Warp energy as a result.

I feel like the Tau have an incredible potential for growth as a species. They'll easily outpace the self-sabotaging empire in the next 10k years.

i just recently started collecting T'au, so seeing them get some love really makes me feel nice

Big Tau fan, played mostly them in DoW1 and they are badass. To me, they are a much needed addition to the universe, as a faction that introspects rather than expand mindlessly, and doing things the right way before choosing to march further. Don't even need to expand that much because it's only going to be a liability, as observed by other factions. Efficiency, high-tech, and a hope for the future is what makes them tick, but they are cool exactly because they live in such an universe, and choose to an alternative way to prosper.

I would love to see the Squats make an alliance with the Tau. That team up would be amazing to see in action

25 billion Crisis Suits vs 1 kriegsmen seems like a pretty balanced fight to me.

I always loved the design of the Tau

In recent history with tau finally experiencing the warp and choas I dough they'd be as immune as people thing. The wrap doesn't affect them because they don't notice them but because the tau has started using the wrap they will and have attracted the deamons. Farsighted already has khorn trying to influence him

My running idea is that the T'au are chronomancy outshot of Necrontyns and even if not, I kinda like the T'au.

I feel like if the imperium Fell the Tau are mostly likely going to be the New Dominant Super Empire

I love that you dropped a heresy warning lol

25:56 I actually have a theory on this. The tau were saved by a warp storm when they were first discovered and have been shielded from many invasions by similar storms. We know there are entities in the warp that are trying to restore the war into the Paradise at once was. With the low to almost nonexistent warp presence. entities in the immaterial would definitely want to replace human populations with tau populations.

I would love to see more of the allied species get some attention in the model categories, some of the lore on them is old but modified to include the Tau but even a few elite shock troops or just the Vorgh to give them another giant unit.

It would ultimately result in diminishing returns, but I believe you overestimate how deeply The Imperium would need to commit to wiping out The Tau. The Damocles Gulf Crusade only failed because of the more pressing threat of the Tyranids necessitating a withdrawal. Last I checked, The Tau don't have a ready answers for any titan larger than a warhound either.

Yeah, yeah inquisitor that’s him right there heresy that’s all I need to say ( phenomenal video by the way excellent editing, and quality your channel )

Thanks for the heresy warning ⚠️ 😂❤ love it!

Great video Wes. If i was living in the 40K era I'd straight up make a bee line for the Tau territory and live there. Yeah the Imperium may be bigger but bigger don't all ways mean better. At least living on a Tau world would save me from having to eat Corpse Starch 🤮 I know if i was forced to eat that stuff I'd live in a state of constant rebellion.

How soon will Wes cover the Farsight Enclaves?

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only Weshammer's logic. And verily, it is excellent.

This video definitly contributes to the greater good!

I think if the imperium and the enclave can somehow tolerate each other to work toward a common goal, that would be a book I am willing to buy. Imagine a rag tag bands of imperial guards, fire warriors and stealth suits team try their hardest to cross the battle between other factions, like Ork vs Tyranids or Necron vs Eldar.

There was one tau I think known as the spiderwalker who was a water tribe member. He was considered a failure due to his inability to lie to people and was possessed by an exiled demon of tzeentch. Though the demon remarked that he would have to sacrifice alot of tau to make up the difference in their warp signature.

Wish I could see a chaos tau faction, like a Tau Ethereal gets warped by chaos and then spirals from there

Who needs population limits when you're charging chaos machine gun lines?

I'm so glad you made this video. The Tau is lowkey my fave faction

Brooo right when the world cup finals is happening , you uploaded damn

The Ta'u be gangsta' it'll the Churches strat walkin'

I have my own head-lore faction consisting of some Imperial Guardsmen, Tau, and Eldar, who after a lengthy period on some planet cut off from both the Tau and Human empires, making temporary alliances to fight off forces from other factions (Drukhari, Chaos, Orks, etc.), decide to make their alliance a more-or-less permanent thing and slowly begin to put aside their mutual xenophobia. It's the most natural long-term alliance possible in the WH40K universe. The Orks will simply fight, the Tyranids and Necrons want to kill everything else, Chaos wants to subvert everybody, the Drukhari want to torture everyone to death, and the Space Marines and Sisters are too indoctrinated. If I didn't have so many irons in the fire right now I might write a novel or two to explore the topic.

A tau did get possessed, it was a water caste member but for it to happen the tau literally touched a warp drive. I recommend reading the Farsight novels for more details. and it not a spoiler happens in the first quarter of the first novel

The Emperor protects! Unrelated note, looks like you've been losing weight Wes, congrats bud. You look great!

Thank the Emperor, you've lost the bandana! Now I can finally watch your videos.

Great video

When it comes to AI, I like the idea that it was a genuine AI rebellion without Chaos involved, but as we've seen, AI can be as different as people but they can individually have a higher impact. A single, super powerful AI can orchestrate an entire war effort, Galaxy wide, especially considering the capacity of ancient humanity. Not saying that it was a single AI, but that it would only take a few bad apples to really cripple the Galaxy. Thus, I would love to see a story of the Tau fighting against a rogue AI of their making and dodging the bullet, but coming out of the event VERY shook and more understanding of the Imperial Embargo on AI and in true 40K fashion, the event is shortly ignored and "lost" in order to maintain the status quo.

Dude I Fucking love your videos There’s a bunch of reasons why but it mostly comes down to your love and enthusiasm for the lore Your passion and dedication makes your videos hit different Keep it up I can’t wait to see where you go from here 🖤🖤

Fine! I’ll get Tacticus! Good video

I can hear Old Man Reacts say, "But they're the Toa." Question, would the toa be able to make space marines from their human population. 30:30 not realy as dark eldar can and have proved that they can protect their boarders against something like the tryanids but they don’t know how to handle people sneaking through their defences.

In my opinion I think the Tau's empire works because it is as big as it is, but as it gets bigger I believe that their strengths could and would eventually become weaknesses. Thanks for another good video and thought experiment, with a grimdark 40k flavor

One thing who will make you fear the Tau, imagine if they meet a necron dynasty with a leader who not so racist (after all, every overlord has his own personality so we can imagine one who is nicer), or the overlord think it’s good idea to use this species for his plan, and they make an alliance, so the Tau obtain some necron technology and with that they can boost all their machines. Imagine a species efficient like the Tau withe Necron technology. It will be wild

Regarding your crisis suit calculations, I'd object to the division by 4 used to estimate the number of Tau in the fire caste as there's no indication to my knowledge that their population is divided evenly between castes. Given the division of labor ascribed to each caste, I'd guess that the majority of the population (if not the vast majority) would be earth caste, followed by fire, air, and then water in rapidly decreasing numbers. Still a stupid high number.

That was some major heresy I just watched