So, first go check this : http://bloodofkittens.com/blog/2012/...tion-leak-and/ . Now, what do you think about the part with space marine protecting Tau?
I personnaly think this is an awesome turn of event, who could have see this coming? Also I think it's fixing a bid problem with the Tau Empire being the fact that they could be crush at any moment by any reasonable Ork Waaaagh! or Imperium Crusade or Tyranid fleet wave or Chaos intrusion. So let me know what you think.
I think it's pure hogwash and trolling, nothing more.
Nothing about it makes sense without resort to stroke victim logic. Why would the Ultramarines betray their position as the most uncompromising defenders of humanity? Why does the Tau empire need "protection" like a little girl? What fluff or game purpose is served by allying these factions? We know the Ultramarimes have spared the Tau in the past when confronted with a superior foe, but it's a long stretch from there to "allies."
If the inclusion of "Blood Angels and Necrons" as allied wasn't enough, this betrays the troll intent of the post clearly enough for me.
I'm personally taking that particular rumour with an extra large grain of salt, but if it is true then I really really dislike it. Between the whole "Ethereals were engineered" conspiracy theory and this, it makes the Tau look incapable of solving their own problems. I personally see no problems with the Tau remaining completely separate, in fact I would rather have wished for the fluff to go the other way, with Ultramar becoming the main competition for the Tau Empire and the two beginning a sort of cold war, building up forces and supporting smaller factions in proxy engagements but rarely actually clashing directly.
This just seems to be, if true (again, I highly doubt it is true), part of GW's attempt to make Space Marines literally the centre of the universe.
In both the Necron and Blood Angel codices it states that the Blood Angels and Necrons have been allies before. So that is actually plausible in the new edition. Nothing really trolling about that.Originally Posted by Formerly Wu
On the whole Ultramarine-Tau thing? Well we've seen how much the background can change, if not get completely rewritten, in one edition: Necron & Grey Knight codices so it is feasible that another major shift in the fluff can happen. If it is the whole "Imperium is fracturing" idea then I don't really see that big of a problem with it.
And it will actually give a reason for why Marines would join the Tau instead of just always falling to Chaos.
Yeah, but change to the point that a race that wasn't even in the Stone Age when the Emperor was put on the yellow toilet, not to mention in an area of the galaxy that the Big E never even visited? I'm sorry, but that doesn't fly without a sufficiently large retcon.
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From what I understand about these rumours the Emperor said the "unknown species on the Eastern Fringe" will be important SOMEDAY. So it doesn't have to be a major retcon. It was just his prognostication, his prescience that made this possible. He doesn't actually have to had been in Tau space .
Terrible if true. Bad writing. The only reason to include something like this is; A) GW writers want to justify why the Tau haven't been wiped out yet, or B) provide explanation for why the Tau and Space Marines/Imperial Forces can be allied.
And for both, it is unnecessary; Space Marines and the Tau Fire Caste allying to fight Chaos Space Marines, an Ork Waaagh! or the Tyranids, both being honourable, martial warriors makes far more sense than say, the Blood Angels joining forces with the Blood Angels!
Did the Emperor need to sanction the Eldar, to justify their continuing existence and the times they've worked with Imperial forces? Completely unneeded alteration.
Last edited by Rogue Star; 06-05-2012 at 08:27.
Most of the current background retcons can be classed as "completely unneeded alterations". But apparently it sells.
I think what we have to remember is that it's just a sentence on a rumour site. If it is true, you can bet what the book actually says will be much better than a one sentence summary. Right now, it does sound a bit crap... but a few (or more) pages in the rule book should hopefully make it sound better and more acceptable. The book won't just say 'The space marines now protect the Tau'. There will be big explanations and gaps will be filled that weren't there before.
As for it being there to justify 'allies' rules, GW really don't need to re-write fluff for that (or write any kind of fluff at all for that matter). There is precedent where they have allied (temporarily) because of a greater threat. People should be able to come up with their own reasonings for allies. Not that they need them. If you play nids and your friend plays space marines, if you want to play on the same side, just do it. It's only a game. Just have fun.
If it is true, I'd bet my beeswax that we've not got the full story. I remember all the complaints about the BA and Necrons being BFFs, when in actuality they just hadn't murdered each other on sight. Besides, with the possible re-emergence of Chaos the enemy of my enemy is my friend when huge cosmic nasties formed from the nightmares of sentient minds are smashing through into the mortal plane with the intent of consuming our souls and doing all manner of very horrible things with spikes and tentacles.
Does it? I'm not sure the new fluff has done that well in boosting the sales. Also... aren't the Tau somewhat resistant to the whisperings of Chaos, rather than flat-out immune? I thought the Necrons were the latter.
It's almost like this sort of thing comes up every time there's a new edition...
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We shall see. Though blood of kittens is hardly the most reliable site and have been known to post slightly untrue things just to watch the sparks fly.
Regarding the actual rumour itself, well it could happen. Though it sounds far too simplistic to be the entirety of any possible new background. Heres hoping if there is any truth to it, that it isn't quite so straightforward.
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I would say to begin with that Tastytaste is usually a highly reliable source. Also, I think the fluff was ready to get some big changes, I was getting bored of this mighty unbeatable gigantic imperium dealing with all the threats at the same time and being the enemy of everyone. Since it is said that the imperium is fragmenting, I can see some major and interresting developments in the story (it's almost like if we were watching some really long movie with unsuspected plot!). But I can also see how it sound very simplistic, I think it is something that may not enjoy every chapters. I'm sure that some of them will certainly not allied to the Tau Empire but at least not fight them. In fact, maybe it will be the case for all chapters (in which case, it would only mean for Tau that there's one less thing being able to wiped out their entire empire).
I also see no problems with the Tau remaining completely separate, but let face it, they are the weaker strenght of the galaxy. It's a miracle that their empire even exist and prosper. They certainly don't have the ressources to start a cold war with Ultramar. Instead they try to play it wisely by using their water caste (just to show how they know the precariousness of their situation). And since the astartes is said to slowly separate themselves from the imperium, it means they are now weaker then they have ever been (I'm talking about the imperial forces and the astartes). That makes everything less predictible on how the story will turn (and it's really exciting to see this roman empire collapse!)
Friend, tell me more please.It's almost like this sort of thing comes up every time there's a new edition...
Allies to me is the pinnacle of Mary-Sue BS. I hope this is not true. Everything up to that point I had no issues with really.
There's no justification needed. There are hundreds of lesser Xenos empires around the galaxy, from Argonites to Yu'vath, and they haven't been destroyed yet. The Tau receive more attention because they're playable, and because of their apparent manifest destiny to replace Mankind one day, but they aren't special in the fact that they exist.
You're right Idaan, but we're not saying Tau would be kill to the last, we're talking about there empire being fragile and so little. And yes the major difference with other species is their expansion ambitions. All the other species living in the galaxy are just surviving as well as they can or living in unexplore or war untouched part of the galaxy (please don't take this sentance as holly verity since I'm not a fluff writer for Game Workshop and probably never will)
Last edited by Ronin no Matsu; 07-05-2012 at 01:30.
Not completely true. The Tau very much don't have the resources for a war with the entire Imperium, but they're certainly able to take on a smaller portion of it such as Ultramar, especially in a cold war situation (as opposed to total war) where neither group directly engages the other that much. The Tau certainly don't yet have the capacity to wipe out entire other main factions, but when it's just a smaller part of a main faction (a moderately sized Ork Waaaaagh, a Tyranid spinter fleet, a subsector or possibly sector of the Imperium, etc.), they're more than a match.
The splintering Imperium, to me at any rate, seems more likely to distance the Ultramarines from the Tau, since if the Administratum and High lords go then Ultramar becomes the main (possibly only) form of Imperial authority in the Eastern Fringe.
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