The Tau rain pulse fire upon their enemies.

On the Eastern Fringe of the galaxy, a new race has emerged to challenge the might of the Imperium of Man and the other established races in the 41st millennium. They are the Tau, a surprisingly advanced race that has organized itself around a single guiding principle known as "The Greater Good."

By setting aside individualism to serve the needs of society as a whole, the Tau have developed and expanded at an astounding rate. In just over 6,000 years, they evolved from savannah-dwelling primitives to space-faring colonists.

This unhindered progress has given the Tau confidence that there is no obstacle that their society and their science cannot overcome. Indeed, they believe that they can help the rest of the galaxy find their way to peace and prosperity. All the other races must do is devote themselves to serving the Greater Good.

Not surprisingly, the established races have other plans. To help "bring them around," the Tau have invented some of the most lethal ranged weaponry in Warhammer 40,000. Their basic troop type, called Firewarriors, are armed with Pulse Rifles and Pulse Carbines that can punch through armour like a comet through a dust cloud.

Pulse weapons would be devastating enough, but the Tau also have power armour and anti-gravitic vehicles galore. Their Crisis and Stealth Battlesuits have unrivaled mobility on the battlefield, popping out from behind cover, firing an thunderous barrage, and disappearing again before the enemy can react. The Tau's Hammerhead Gunships pound opposing forces to bits while their Devilfish Troop Carriers reposition Firewarriors for better shots. At a distance, the Tau can lay waste to all but the hardiest of enemies.

Yet, the Tau disdain up-close fighting and are unskilled in hand-to-hand combat. They have hired the mercenary Kroot to make up for this lack, but the Tau still try to avoid close-quarter engagements. Despite this limitation, the Tau are an emerging force in the galaxy that the established races cannot ignore.