Tau (Warhammer 40,000)

In the table-top wargame Warhammer 40,000, the Tau are a benevolent race fighting for what they call the Greater Good. They are actually a peaceful race when possible, asking if others will join their cause instead of fight.

The Tau also make use of mercenaries from other races (primarily the Kroot of Pech). The Tau are a relatively young race, but their technology is extremely advanced, so much so that the Imperium of Man has of late been wondering if the technological advances were all the Tau's doing...

Tau society is broken down into five castes: Fire (military), Earth (construction), Water (trade), Air (transportation), and the Ethereal (leaders). In times past, the main four castes (fire, earth, water, and air) were constantly at war with each other. Suddenly, the strange, mystical tau of the Ethereal caste began to appear, and they united the Tau.

The Tau prefer to fight in the back with powerful, long-ranged weapons. This seems to work for the most part, unless they are on a small battlefield. Then the enemy is able to engage in melee combat, in which the Tau do not excel. For this reason, and others, the Tau employ the Kroot.

The Kroot

The Kroot are the main mercenary force in the galaxy. They sell their forces to almost anyone who'll buy, as long as the price is right. The Tau have befriended the Kroot, and the Kroot have agreed to submit Tithed Forces to the Tau. But not all Kroot like this way of thinking.

Kroot are tall aliens (a good half-meter taller than most humans), their avian ancestry gives them a bird-like beak, and long quills protrude from the back of their heads. They evolve by selecting traits from the D.N.A. of their prey, and thus the many Kroot warbands across the galaxy often look radically different.

The Kroot believe that when a warrior of any race dies, his warrior spirit should be kept. They do this by orally consuming the bodies of their enemies and their comrades. Many other races consider this a repulsive habit, but it is completely normal to the Kroot.

The Kroot prefer to fight in melee, thus making a great contrast to the Tau. In fact, the main kroot gun, the kroot rifle, is fitted with multiple blades for this purpose. The Kroot's fearsome appearance and excellent stealth capabilities strike fear into the hearts of many with a mere thought.