Null:
Well I'm glad my efforts have not gone to waste ! I appreciate the kind words. As you will see from her fluff, she has crossed paths with the Fal'shia 9th before.

As for the plasma rifle, it wasn't a hard conversion, it just took me awhile to do. Glad you like it! Same as the bases. 

The bodyguards will look a lot nicer when done, but I'm happy that you can see what I was going for.

Che:
The dome on the base is from the Battle for Macragge box set. I got an extra one in an eBay deal an have been chopping it up for bitz ever since.

Theambit:
Yeah, helmets are a must for everyone in my cadre. I always thought it was so dumb that characters were always bear-headed! A little shrapnel could put then out of the battle!

As for scorching the plasma rifle, any tips on how to do so?

My scorches don't look that great so I can't give you any real good advice. Sorry

Heavily drybrush with dark brown, gradually fading away to nothing. Then, drybrush pure black on the end of the gun, again fading away to nothing, but over a much shorter distance.


Just be warned: this does tend to cover up most of the base color, so I suggest testing it on a spare gun before you risk your nicely painted model.

"Shadowsun" looks fantastic! I would like to see a short story about her!

Thanks for the tips guys, I will be trying the scorch marks on a test piece first, but I will post once I give it a go. And thanks for the good vibes Termie!

---

So here is a group photo of all the stuff I painted this past week.

Now let’s get to the detail shots!

The DX-7 Disengagement Drone is complete! Yes, I can see that he is a bit crooked on his base and that will be resolved later. Also, his twin Flamers are a bit off, but those weapons were just put there because I had them lying around. Still, I’m happy with how he turned out!






And here is a shot of Shas’El Sa’cea Lynu’nan and his Drone:


Shas’El Kais’Lar also is celebrating a new arrival: here Command Link Drone is done!




Only two Shield Drones left and she is 100% done!

Also, I have two Pathfinders w/ Rail Rifles done!


Only one more done and that will be the final addition to my Pathfinder squads. As I said before, I am convinced GW will be making a plastic Pathfinder kit in the future, so I will hold off adding anymore. If anyone is interested in unused metal Pathfinders, I have a ton, so PM me if you are interested!

---

>DX-7 Disengagement Drone<

Background:
As the Tau spread the Greater Good throughout the galaxy they have, with increasing regularity, encountered many species which rely heavily on hand to hand combat as a means of waging war. Such brutal and unsophisticated methods are viewed as barbaric and disdainful to the Tau and it is avoided at all cost. To compensate for this, the Tau employ a wide array of powerful, ranged weapons to keep their enemies at bay. However, not all of these brutes can be stopped and hand to hand melees are a very real part of war in the 41st millennium. While some unimaginative minds suggest that Tau should be equipped with powerful close combat weapons, the vast majority of Fio engineers have sought a more practical solution.

In the past, close combat many times meant death for a pilot and to try to escape such melee’s often resulted in the Tau being run down. This occurrence was hoped to be stopped by the creation of the Failsafe Detonator, a piece of wargear developed for XV8 pilots as a last resort. The device is meant to detonate the suit, killing many nearby attackers and hopefully allowing other Tau previously caught in an assault to escape. While this did occasionally prove useful, the loss of a pilot’s life was unacceptable. As such, the Fio of the Fal’shia 9th Research Cadre were tasked with developing an alternative. The result of their research was the DX-7 Disengagement Drone.

Based on the same chassis as the standard Heavy Gun Drone, the DX-7 goes a step further by upgrading the density of the armor and the power cores, enabling the drone to wield weapons normally used on XV8’s and allow it a comparable level of resilience. The Drone can then be equipped to compliment the armaments of the XV8 squad it is accompanying and will be synched through a standard drone controller to a commander or team leader. Unlike Shield or Gun Drones, the DX-7 has a more complex data cluster, enabling it to operate on its own in the event of the linked pilots death.

Of course, this is by no means a replacement for the skilled Crisis Suit pilots. The battle matrices’ and combat algorithms programmed into the drone are no match for the instincts and initiative of a live Fire Caste warrior. But what the DX-7 does have is the ability to be expendable. Equipped with a Failsafe Detonator, the drone is programmed to move into the path of a pursuer and detonate to allow the controlling suit to survive and move into a better firing position. This would then replace the need for a pilot to give his life to allow his comrades to escape.

As they currently require further testing and experimentation before they are mass produced, limited quantities of these drones have been made and are usually reserved for commanders. Among the ARC-16’s, DX-7’s have been provided for use by the command staff; especially Shas’El Sa’cea Lynu’nan.

Because of the experimental suit he is equipped with focuses on engaging enemies in close assaults; the DX-7 has found a perfect opportunity to be tested to its limits and has performed admirably. Of course, the rate at which he is going through such drones has raised some concerns, but the fact that he is still alive to request them is testament to the drones ingenious design.

---

So there you have it! Hopefully next update should see some sorely needed background for Aronoc the Tracker!

Hey Wolfs16

Nice!

The drone looks (suitably) larger for some reason, is that a Forgeworld model? I also liked the background you wrote. IMHO this is realistically what the Tau would develop for close combat.

Now I've just got to figure out how the work order to the Fal'shia 9th got approved without my knowledge!! *runs off in search of Fio'O He'bentu*

- Null

It's a ForgeWorld heavy gun drone (link). They're about 1.5x the diameter of a standard drone, IOW, the perfect size for mounting battlesuit weapons.

Peregrine is indeed right that you are looking at a Forgeworld Heavy Gun Drone. It is a neat concept model, but I have seen a lot of casts that didn't turn out well. So...buyer beware? Maybe it's just me...

Hello everyone, small update for ya today!








This is Shas'Vre Sa'cea Eio'kio. He is the last team leader of my Stealth Contingent and he has been able to sneak his way into getting some advanced technology. Obviously, I used the Shadowsun helmet, which I think looks way better on the bulkier XV25's. For his Burst Cannon I used one of the XV9's Burst Cannons, since I thought it looked cooler. I also added a koto bit to the chest. Other than that it is a standard suit! As for his stealth effect, he is mean to be rematerialized from some concrete barriers like my last XV25; as they will be in the same squad.

Questions or comments are welcome. Hopefully I will have some background updates soon!

Updates!





So here are my two Marker Drones; all cloaked and sneaky. They are part of Stealth Team Eio'kio.
Here’s the crew so far:


I also finished my last Rail Rifle Pathfinder.


These guys won’t be getting any background and will just make up the cannon fod- er..um, numerous members of the ARC-16’s.

---

Okay, so I am going to be adding an assault looking Kroot squad to the army, so I wanted a Shaper that really looked the part. But instead of making him use a blade, I wanted to give him a Pulse Carbine to mix things up a bit. However, I really like the mask thing that the Shapers wear, but since they don’t make one in plastic, I didn’t feel like green stuffing it and I had like three other metal Shaper models, I decided to convert an existing one.



Of course, Green stuff is required to fill the gaps and some Kroot Krap will be attached to the model to hide some ugly spots, but I think it’s looking pretty good! I chopped off the left arm of the model and shaved down the right shoulder a bit. Then I chopped down the grip of a Tau Pulse Carbine, chopped up a Kroot aiming arm and then attached the two. I then pinned the arms in place, shaving down one of the Kroot hands till it fit through the Carbine to steady it. What do you guys think?

Hey Wolfs16
*I like that*


Man, I love the Shaper. Not a huge conversion - but the small details make it look real slick! Is he going to have anymore Tau goodies attached to him (Like some of your other Blood Quills) or are you keeping him "backwoods style"?

Oh ya, I think your cannon fodder is kind of expensive - No ? They look great though. (*Sigh* Poor little guys)

- Null

Thanks Null! Yeah, I'll actually be Krooting up the equipment a little bit, but considering the fact that he is a standard Shaper, he really doesn't need much extra.

Outstanding work as always Wolf!



Perhaps instead of writing fluff for the pathfinders themselves you could put in some fluff about the use of rail-rifles in the ARC-16s instead? Seeing them without some background just seems like such a waste to me.

Kakapo42:
You know, you're right. Let's rectify that, shall we?



--Aronoc the Tracker--
>Pathfinder Team Mont're<
Background:
Aronoc is a member of the Blood Quills kindred that had separated from their people and traveled the stars. While they were eventually reunited, the Travelers (the name the Blood Quills use for these rediscovered relatives) have developed their own genetic quirks. The one that is most obvious is their natural affinity for technology. Because of this, the Fio of the ARC-16’s have taken the time to equip the most ambitious volunteers with modified Tau equipment, even having some train in the Tau way of war.

Aronoc had always been a good hunter, yet he excelled in tracking prey in a variety of conditions. These skills got him noticed by Shas’Ui Mont’re, leader of the ARC-16’s top Pathfinder team. On several occasions, Mont’re would invite Aronoc to their training sessions in the battle dome; at times allowing him to run a few exercises with the squad. His performance far exceeded the Shas’Ui’s initial estimates and before long he was at every training session. Monr’te even requested some modified Pathfinder gear be constructed for him.

In time, Mont’re felt that Aronoc’s skills would greatly augment his squad and allow them to perform their duties more efficiently. So the Shas’Ui took the information to Shas’El Lar’shi and requested that Aronoc be assigned to his squad. The Shas’El agreed without hesitation, feeling that the arrangement would be an excellent example to the rest of the cadre. After getting the final okay from the Master Shaper, Aronoc was then made a permanent member of the Pathfinder team.

With as much exposure as the team had with Aronoc, fully integrating him into the squad was effortless. He quickly picked up on the subtle hand signals and other formation or threat indicators used by the team, enabling him to operate in combat situations almost immediately. On the battlefield he has proved his worth over and over, helping the squad track particularly dangerous Tyranid bio-forms or locate wounded personnel. And his physical prowess has also proven beneficial, saving the team from any beasts who make it past their guns.

With the transfer being such a success, plans are being made to include a Kroot tracker in each Pathfinder team and possibly expanding that to other Tau formations.

---

The Rail Rifle and its use among the ARC-16’s:

To the ARC-16’s, the powerful Rail Rifle finds a place in covert assassination missions, a task which more often is needed when facing a foe other than the Y’he. At times when the Or’es’gue’la or the forces of the Mon’tau threaten Tau troops, a few well placed Rail Rifle rounds can eliminate a leading or inspirational soldier, often sapping the momentum of an invasion force. On the regular battlefield, specially trained sniper units will accompany a Pathfinder team, picking out targets of opportunity while the rest of the squad focuses on using their markerlights.

Update time! I have been slowly painting away at Lar'shi's bodyguard and have been working on some Firewarriors and Kroot. I should have more on those guys later. For now I figured I might show a little sneak peak of the painting progress on the first bodyguard:





So this is really my usual scheme with a little more read thrown in. I will have to do a bit more work on his arms (obviously not pictured), so they won't be painted anytime soon. Still, he is coming along!

But that is minor. Just proof that I am working on some Tau. However, this is what I would like to share some more of:




Here are the finished background pieces for Stealth Team Mesa'Ko. I have posted the background for two of the characters already, but I am re-posting them here for completeness sake. You will notice a reference to the Stealth Contingent, something which I will explain in an upcoming article (just waiting for the artwork to get done!). Also, there are several mentions in here about the ARC-16's secret mercenary activities. I have eluded to this over the course of most of my cadre's background, so to find an explanation of it, read Master Shaper Natar Luco's background. I plan on writing up a little summary post in case folks don't want to read all my extensive background. Oh and there is one more secret left to the ARC-16's which I hope to reveal in a background story. I just really suck at 3rd person narratives, so it will take a little time. Anyway, without further ado:


--Stealth Contingent--
>Shas’Vre Sa’cea Mesa’ko<

Background:
Hailing from Sa’cea Prime, Mesa’ko was one of the first Stealth Suit pilots to join the ARC-16’s after they were formed following the events Ge’nesha. During the fighting, every Stealth suit pilot was tasked with going deep into an underground Y’he hive to eliminate a key synapse creature. While they ultimately succeeded in their mission, none of the pilots made it out alive. Because of their predecessors noble sacrifice, the new Stealth pilots had a lot to live up to.

During Saal training, Mesa’ko excelled in close range firefights, executing perfectly timied Mont’ka’s which left his opponents dazed and vulnerable to other cadre elements. Once he was promoted to ‘La he pursued the ways of the Pathfinder, eventually gaining command of his squad. From there he found himself offered the chance to pilot a Stealth Suit, one of his people’s specialties. Having served in that role for eight tau’cyr, Mesa’ko has earned much distinction as an experienced and highly skilled Shas’Vre.

One would expect someone of his status to maintain a level of measured dignity and poise. But Mesa’ko is anything but poised. Being a practical joker and incurable optimist, Mesa’ko enjoys spending time making friends than he does fighting. Yet this does not mean that his laid back attitude makes him an ineffective leader. On the contrary, his positive words have been able to inspire those following him through some of the darkest times in battle. And his expert targeting skills have earned him the respect of his peers and fear from his enemies.

Despite some initial distrust from Lar’shi, Mesa’ko has become part of the Shas’El’s inner circle; being briefed regularly on the progress of the Blood Quills in recovering more of the Projector technology. While he at first had reservations on the whole idea of working behind the back of the Empire, he now agrees fully with Lar’shi that the Y’he need to be stopped now, lest the whole Empire drown in a wave of teeth and claws.


--Stealth Contingent--
>Shas’Ui Sa’cea Is’eoro<

Background:
When Master Shaper Natar Luco and Shas’El Lar’shi were considering what Tau could be used to take part in their first mercenary assignment, Is’eoro was the first one selected. He is a veteran Stealth pilot, who has served the ARC-16's for many tau’cyr. In his old cadre, he had been known to challenge authority, so his former Shas’El was eager to be rid of him when he had been recruited by the ARC’s. However this rebellious side, while seemingly a detriment to his effectiveness, has proven to be quite the asset to Shas’El Lar’shi.

Is’eoro’s records show that his reported incidents of insubordination arose during occasions where questionable orders were given and Is’eoro took what he felt was a moral stand. Lar’shi has played heavily on this innate desire for justice; carefully manipulating his viewpoint till he came to see the “righteousness” of Lar’shi’s personal crusade against the Tyranid. This made accepting mercenary assignments seem like a necessary part of the ARC-16’s activity, even though it must be kept from their superiors. Is’eoro has accepted and led many missions, secure in the knowledge that what he is doing is truly for the greater good of his people.

But even though he seems unshakeable in his loyalty, Lar’shi has made sure that Is’eoro is kept regularly monitored. One can’t be too careful after all…


--Stealth Contingent--
>Shas’Ui Sa’cea Dal’Cha<

Background:
Dal’Cha was one of the two Stealth pilots recruited into the ARC-16’s from his cadre, the 4th Augmented Rapid Reaction Cadre. He was at the evacuation of Ko’ra’cha City when the Y’he invaded his world. Every Stealth team was tasked with eliminating any synapse creatures leading the swarm, while the rest of the local cadre focused on holding back the tide. Dal’Cha, along with Shas’Ui Ufa fought side by side, using their stealth technology to sneak up on and eliminate any unsuspecting Synapse creatures. Through steady aim and fast reflexes, Dal’Cha and many other Stealth pilots were able to survive and be evacuated from the overrun city. These skills served him well during the many conflicts the ARC-16’s have had against the Y’he menace. This has also allowed him to undertake many mercenary missions; helping the Blood Quills to complete contracts as quickly and quietly as possible.

Dal’Cha has always been one to look at the bigger picture and has seen the validity of Lar’shi’s claims as to why their cadre must assist the Blood Quills in recovering these devices. But instead of being swept up in the talk of honor and duty, he feels that the arrangement must be viewed as temporary; a means to an end. He is then careful not to allow himself to desire any of the spoils gained after a successful contract, as such desires could lead one away from the greater good. During each mission, he is always the conscience of the group, reminding and correcting others of the role they must play. Because no matter what happens, they must not forget that they serve the Empire and not the Shas’El, a lesson some seem to be forgetting.


--Stealth Contingent--
>Shas’Ui Sa’cea Ufa<

Background:
Ufa was the second Stealth pilot to be accepted by the ARC-16’s from the 4th Augmented Rapid Reaction Cadre, following the victory at Ko’ra’cha. But unlike his companion Dal’Cha, he was not chosen to partake in any mercenary activity.

Master Shaper Luco felt that he lacked a fortitude needed to keep a secret; something that any Tau undertaking these assignments would need. In fact his name, Ufa, means “fragile,” or “breakable.” He received the name during his training, since he lacked confidence and self assurance. Surprisingly this hasn’t diminished his fighting ability, but it does make him easily manipulated by strong personalities. Luco felt that a mercenary would need to be able to withstand the judgment of others, something Ufa is unable to do. Lar’shi agreed, since he would need Tau who could withstand scrutiny or criticism from their superiors; not ones who would spill their guts under pressure.

So Ufa remains ignorant of the secret assignments undertaken by some of his team mates, being told that they are undertaking classified missions. Thankfully he has never even inquired of the details, fearing that such questions would be over stepping his bounds. Dal’Cha has always hoped that his young friend continues ignorant, as no doubt revealing the truth of what they actually are doing would seriously hurt Ufa and shatter his trust.


--Stealth Contingent--
>Shas’Ui Sa’cea Savon<

Background:
A quiet and reserved Tau, Savon is not new to the Stealth Contingent of the ARC-16’s. But he is newly serving in his role as a Stealth suit pilot. During his time as a Pathfinder, he earned his y’he’mont’mesa during a grueling three day battle against a never before encountered Y’he bio-form. The creature had a unique ability to spawn vast amounts of Rippers, often from the bodies of the victims it attacked.

The local cities had been scoured clean of life and the Tau forces faced an unending sea of Rippers which appeared from any spot they could fit their worm-like bodies through. While the Tau struggled to retake the planet, they often found their forward reconnaissance parties disappearing, only to find the tattered remains of their weapons and equipment surrounded by a writhing mass of Rippers. With time not on their side, the ARC-16’s were called in to locate and eliminate this leader-beast. Hopefully its death would stem the tide of these creatures and allow the Tau to gain some steady ground.

Savon, a Pathfinder ‘La at the time, was instrumental in the creatures eventual destruction. His team, an experienced group of Pathfinder, carefully hunted the creature till they were able to approximate its location. Acting as the Kauyon lure, Savon stood in the middle of an open plain, hoping to tempt the creature to attack as it seemed to prefer isolated victims. Sure enough, the beast appeared and dove for the seemingly hapless Savon. But unbeknownst to the Y’he, the rest of the Pathfinder team stood ready in surrounding fire positions and unleashed a collective stream of pulse and rail rifle fire on the beast. Writhing under the withering hail of fire, the creature hit the ground; seemingly dead. But unfortunately for Savon, this ordeal would not end here.

Before they could celebrate their perceived victory, they began to hear a rumbling. From the far side of the canyon where they had planned their ambush, a swarm of Rippers began pouring in, called to action by the psychic cries of their master. Seeing the new threat, the Pathfinder team called to their Devilfish for pickup, but was met only with static. It seemed that for the time being, they were on their own.

Just as the Shas’Ui began making a retreat plan, the winged creature they thought dead bolted upright and charged the surprised Savon. By sheer chance, he managed to avoid the creatures scything talons, instead he was slammed against the creatures body, getting his forearm armor stuck in chink of the its carapace. The beast flew upward and freed Savon, who scrambled to grab hold of something so he would not fall to his death. Clinging to its wiping tail, Savon held on for dear life. The Y’he attempted to whip him off with some furious movements of its tail but was unable to shake the persistent Tau.

On the ground below, the Pathfinders realized that retreat was not an option, since they would never be able to outrun the mass of squirming and biting mouths that flooded the valley below. Climbing higher up the steep cliff face, they radioed for whatever help that could be provided, while firing on any Rippers that got close.

In the skies, Savon was barely able to think straight as the dizzying journey took its toll. With a swift whipping of its tail, he was thrown from the creature, just as they neared a plateau. Now free of its load, the beast turned and dove down to finish its prey. Knowing that only seconds remained, Savon kneeled and tried to focus his weapon. He aimed as best as his spinning head allowed and pulled the trigger, only to be greeted with a click. While he had plenty of ammo, his carbine appeared to have been damaged in the fall.

Just as it seemed hope was lost, a voice suddenly began speaking in his ear, “Savon! Mark the target!” Not even asking questions, he aimed his still functioning Markerlight at the fast approaching beast.

Cringing, he soon expected to feel his body being torn apart, but was surprised when a blue bolt of energy impacted on the winged monstrosity bearing down on him. In the skies above, a flight of Barracuda’s flew by. With a three tone pulse over the comm, the Air caste way of saying “you’re welcome,” the pilot rejoined formation and flew away. Savon turned to see that they were not alone and a flight of Tigershark bombers were vaporizing the thousands of fanged mouths that had tried to crawl out of the valley. And most welcomed of all was the sight of the teams Devilfish; damaged, but still flying.

After the team was recovered, many were quickly promoted for their skill and bravery. Savon quickly rose through the ranks and was soon given the privilege of wearing XV15 Stealth armor, a dream he has had since he was a young ‘Saal.

The tale of his ordeal has become legendary among the ARC-16’s, even earning him respect from Ge’nesha veterans. Of course, like all stories it has become exaggerated over time. Some say that Savon threw his rifle aside and tackled the beast as soon as he saw it, while others say that Savon rode the creature into the direction of the Barracudas, jumping onto a ledge at the last minute. For his part, Savon has always kept quite on the details, preferring to allow the story to be embellished by others. However, this is not out of a sense of pride. But rather, Savon understands that when facing such a horrifying foe, soldiers need heroes and tales of survival to give them courage and hope. So Savon will play the reluctant hero till another Tau with an even greater story comes along. Then, he can disappear back in the shadows as he would prefer.


--Stealth Contingent--
>Shas’Ui Sa’cea Tash<

Background:
Tash was a Tau who seemed like he was born in a Stealth Suit. His expert piloting allowed him to infiltrate and systematically assassinate the leaders of an invading Gue’la force, allowing the Tau to overwhelm the disorganized survivors. Such abilities soon brought him to the attention of Shas’El Lar’shi and he was quickly transferred to the ARC-16’s. Yet for all his skill, he could not avoid the mass of teeth and claws that surrounded him on his first mission with the ARC’s.

The Y’he had encircled his team and Tash was soon forced to fight in close quarters against the unpredictable Ymrgal Genestealers. While they attempted to flee the creatures ambushed his la’rua and quickly killed two of his team, but the Tau fought back tenaciously and managed to escape. Navigating the long stretch of the tunnel they had taken flight through, the Stealth teams finally made it out into the open; each member scrambling to get through the narrow opening before the monsters at their heels caught up to them. Tash held the rear, pushing the Ymrgal’s back while his team escaped.

With the last member making it to safety, Tash turned and jumped out through the opening. But just as he was about clear of the tunnel, a tentacle arm lashed out and grabbed hold of his leg. Tash scrambled to grab hold of the edge, but with unnatural strength the beast dragged him down into the darkness. Suddenly, the world went black.

When Tash awoke he was in a Fio medical bay. A quick look at his body showed numerous deep scars and, worst of all, a missing right arm. Before he could react he was greeted by the attendant Fio doctor and his somber Shas’Vre, Mesa’ko. While the Fio fitted him with a bionic, Vre’Mesa’ko explained how they rescued him from the clutches of the beasts, but not before he was badly injured. The good news though, was that the Fio had cleared him for physical therapy and with time he would be back on the battlefield.

But while he faked a smile and joked with the jovial Shas’Vre, Tash felt sick. All his life he had been the best at what he did. He was always confident, always so sure of himself. But now he saw how little those feelings meant. He thought he was at his best on that mission, his first mission with the ARC-16’s none the less. But still he failed. Even when he completed his physical therapy and was cleared for active duty, he worried that he may very well lack the skill he once thought he had. He felt like he needed a true victory, something that would help him regain his confidence.

Now, he views each coming battle as a chance to again prove what he is capable of. He had allowed himself to become cocky, but not anymore. He would regain his lost honor and he would again prove himself a true asset to his cadre and not the liability he felt he had become.

---

So there you have it. More to come as I suddenly feel a big creative writing spark! Any comments or critiques are welcome.

Hey Wolf,
It's been a long time since I've commented on your thread(s), and in truth I put off reading all the fluff for quite some time. I've caught up on most of it now, and I've been appreciating the top-rate conversions and painting all along. I really like the story for these guys, and the whole cadre. You've taken an idea that is totally offensive to traditional fluff and put the hard work and thought in to make the idea believable and workable in the canon environment. So many times people want their cadre to be different by making it the only one where the Tau have psychic powers, or the only one where all the soldiers are hybrids. I love this idea because it's almost as wacky as those ones—tau acting as mercenaries!—but I really believe it.

The other thing that I love about it is that you have weaknesses in your characters. Not only is the Shas'el a bit on the prideful side, but you have this great stealth pilot Shas'ui with self-esteem issues. Few realise that having flawed characters can make for better fluff. Awesome.

Thank you for your kind words Didi, they really mean a lot to me.

When I was working on my cadre's background, I really wanted something that was unique. So instead of taking outlandish ideas like Ethereal Pheromone Control (ugh, I hate that) or super ultra mega tough Tau, I thought, "what exactly makes the Tau unique?"

What stood out to me about the Tau is their utter devotion to their cause and each Tau's desire to do whatever is needed to live up to that. Fulfilling any role in Tau society is viewed as honroable, so for one to be unable to completely fulfill their role must be maddening. When an Ethereal is killed in battle (fluff wise, not rules wise), the agony of the loss drives the Tau to not go into a homicidal charge, but a slow and steady stream of fire is poured on the enemy; never relenting, never turning back. So what if an enemy foils your plans at each turn? Would a Tau truly take the loses in stride? Or might they mentally continue to attack it, letting it eat away at them until they can figure out a way to overcome it.

So what if you take an already prideful commander and task him with helping the Empire defeat the Tyranid menace? Well, then you have a volatile situation on your hands. To Lar'shi, every failure by the ARC-16's means that they are failing in their mission. To add to that, the true scope of the Tyranid invasion is slowly being revealed to the Tau, only making his desperation worse. Also, the Tyranid killed the one Tau that Lar'shi truly looked up too, so the conflict has become personal for him.

All these factors have led him down a path where he genuinely feels he is doing the right thing. Luco's background reveals more about the Projectors and why undertaking mercenary assignments is necessary to success. Perhaps there were better ways, but this is the path Lar'shi has gone down. And to add to that, he has taken many of the cadre's high ranking officers down with him, so to speak. It has become like a web of lies, with each lie needed to support the one before it. I don't think that Lar'shi could let this all stop, even if he wanted to. I hope to reveal his justifications a bit more in a fluff piece I'm working on, but that is the gist of it.

Essentially what we have in the ARC-16's is not a story of a "rogue" cadre; but a story of some Tau doing what they feel is truly in the interests of the Greater Good. In the end, they feel that the ends will indeed justify the means. And they don't do this for power or glory, but to save the Empire from what they see as its greatest threat.

As for the background of each of my Stealth pilots and other bio's, I'm really happy you like them. When I first started writing these, I wanted each of the characters to be able to have an entire short story with them as the main character. I wanted them each to be unique individuals. Suddenly they are not just stiff characters, but actual "people" who can shape the future of the cadre. That means that they are going to have some level of insecurity or some type of emotional or mental flaw. This helps the reader to connect to alien characters, since Tau culture is very different then ours.

Hopefully all this is coming off well. I appreciate any and all constructive criticism about my work, be it background, painting or modeling. I am always looking to improve!

So I thought, well what if a Tau

(Blows dust off of thread) Oh man, it has been too long! Let's say we give this guy a little update, huh?




So I finished one of the bodyguards for my Shas'El! (As I was posting this I realized that I did not paint the jet engines on him. Oh well, I'll do that later I guess!)






I am quite pleased with how he turned out. In fact, he looks pretty snazzy next to my Shas'El!

---

--Bodyguard &Tactical Adviser to Shas’El Lar’shi--
>Shas’Vre Sa’cea Is’eoro<

Background:
To be chosen as the bodyguard for a Shas’El, one must be both tactically adept and a fearsome warrior. Shas’Vre Sa’cea Is’eoro is one such Tau. Of Shas’El Lar’shi’s two personal bodyguards, Is’eoro serves to advise his commander on strategy and intelligence. Being a survivor of Ge’nesha, Is’eoro proved himself to be extremely quick on his feet; often providing vital information to Tau forces on how best to adapt tactics to deal with the changes of battle. This brought him to the attention of Shas’El Lar’shi and the commander came to rely on him more and more as the ARC-16s fought against the Tyranid. Yet, it is not just his qualities as a tactician which have earned him Lar’shi’s trust, but it is his unswerving loyalty to the Shas’El.
To Is’eror, Lar’shi was the only reason the survivors didn’t fall apart on Ge’nesha; the commanders strategic thinking saving many Tau lives. This had earned Is’eoro’s undying respect. So when time came for the Shas’El to pick his bodyguard, Is’eoro was the first to be chosen. Of course, Lar’shi played on Is’eoro’s loyalty till he was able to manipulate him into accepting the need to engage in mercenary work. Eventually convinced, Is’eoro saw it as a logical extension of the ARCs role in combat. If they were to defend the interests of the Empire, then they would need to utilize every resource available, even if that course of action would disagree with many traditionalists in the Fire caste. However, this would require that the cadre keep a tighter grip on their records and reports, do whatever they could do to keep their activities from prying eyes.

As such, Is’eoro has been essential in ensuring that mercenary activities engaged by either the Blood Quills kindred themselves or combined elements from the ARC-16s, never interfere with the greater battle plans of the Tau. He also ensures that records of these actions are kept secret and proper alibis be coordinated for all who need them. This often puts him at odds with Shas’Vre Mont’mesa, who has sought to expose the cadres unauthorized activities in the past.

One of his most notable (some would say, infamous) victories was on the newly settled planet of On’ock where several Tyranid mycetic spores had been detected. The ARC-16's were summoned to locate and eliminate any of the scout organisms that had landed. But upon making planetfall, the cadre was ambushed by a large group of Karakack Freeborne, a guerrilla group made up of the remaining indigenous alien inhabitants who refused to submit to the Greater Good. They had been a troublesome thorn in the side of the local Tau colonists for some time and had recently begun to increase their attacks. But the ARC-16’s were able to easily overcome even this large scale attack; sending the surviving Karakack into disarray. Knowing that time was short and they could not afford any distractions, Lar'shi ordered Is’eoro to take two of the cadres Stealth Suit teams and follow the survivors back to their base. Once located, they were to eliminate whatever was left.

Carefully stalking their prey, the Stealth teams followed the aliens till they located the entrance to what could only be assumed was their underground base. Using their advanced technology to their advantage, the teams were able to infiltrate the facility while Is'eoro stayed outside to coordinate. But what they found was not a small group of soldiers, nor a stockpile of weapons, but a cities worth of Karakack refugees. While there were hundreds of soldiers, there were even more civilians; females and children. But Is’eoro did not let this discovery distract him from his duty.

Splitting his teams into groups of two, he ordered them to search the facility to determine its strengths and weaknesses. Fortunately, the primate-like Karakack were in a flurry of activity. The defeat of their ambush party had severely weakened their fighting force and many wounded were being attended to. The people were far too distracted then to notice the way the air seemed to shift when the suits passed by. This allowed the teams to mapped out the facility, completely undetected.

The underground bunker was supported by six, naturally forming pillars, and a careful assessment had determined that if at least five of them were destroyed, then the ceiling would collapse. In addition, the Karakack had built five escape tunnels which could be used as exit points for the Tau, or could be sealed off to prevent escape. Armed with this information, Is’eoro planned his attack.

Issuing the Stealth teams explosives, Is’eoro ordered that each pillar and exit be rigged to detonate upon his orders. The teams then proceeded on the mission, exactly as planned. But just as the last of bombs was put into place, a Karakack soldier managed to detect one of the suits and opened fire, killing the pilot. An alarm rang out through the facility and the aliens began searching in earnest for anymore intruders, while beginning an evacuation. If the stealth teams would be discovered, they would no doubt be destroyed. And even though the bombs could still be set off and the mission accomplished, the loss of that many warriors was unacceptable to Is’eoro. Instead, he decided to provide a distraction so his teams could evacuate.

After confirming that his teams were at a safe distance, Is’eoro began setting off the explosives one by one, essentially covering the escape route of the team as they made for the exit. This of course meant that chaos began engulfing the cavern. Panicking civilians began scrambling to different exits, only to find out too late that another set of explosives had been planted there. But just as the stealths were about to make it to the exit, a large group of Karakack soldiers cut them off. They were not going to let any of the Tau make it out alive and they prevented the team from moving forward.

Knowing that time was short, Is’eoro pushed the jump jets of his xor’vesa to propel himself at the entrance. Despite the frenzied soldiers that poured out to meet him, Is’eoro would not be deterred. Using his AFP, he cut through hordes of the Karakack till he was able to make it through the entrance. Heavy weapons fire met him as he emerged into the base, but were quickly silenced by his missiles. The stealth team saw their opportunity and rushed the defenders, while Is’eoro provided cover fire. Eventually the teams make it to safety and the Shas’Vre took a moment to look at the scene. The facility was in ruins. Fires were spreading everywhere and chunks of the ceiling had begun falling; crushing many Karakack and blocking off exits. In fact, the only viable exit now was the one Is’eoro stood at.

Thousands of the aliens began swarming in his direction. At this point, some would have had a crisis of conscience. After all, even though some weapons fire was heading his way, most of the fleeing Karakack were civilians. But Is’eoro was not one to let his judgment be compromised by such sentiments. If they escaped, these aliens would no doubt continue to resist the Tau presence and could hinder the progress of this world in providing for the greater good. Is’eoro knew his duty.

Aiming his missile pod, he fired at each of the remaining two support pillars that hadn't been destroyed and quickly fled through the exit. The missiles wound toward their target, impacted, and with their destruction, the entire cavern was brought down. This act alone officially ended the Karakack species beneath thousands of tons of rock.

Is’eoro felt no remorse. They had rejected the Greater Good and the destruction of these aliens was decreed by the Ethereal’s. None will stand in the way of progress.

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So there ya have it. I should have a bunch of Auxiliaries done soon, but the cold weather has made it hard to spray any primer. Hopefully it won't be another two months before this is updated again!

Another fabulous piece of fluff written. I particularly like how you depicted the Stealths working in this piece. It almost reminds me of how I play with my Stealths, hehe.

Glad you liked the background Ell'ran. I enjoyed writing it and hopefully it fleshes out more of the inner workings of the cadre and how they keep things under wraps.



So I decided to add some more auxiliaries to the ARC-16's. Unfortunately, they are all metal! So first up we have some Krootox. I really like these guys and I really hope they become viable in the new codex. They are not done, of course, but here is my progress so far.



Now I also bought some Vespid off of Xanadu and decided to try something a little different in their painting process:




I first painted them Boltgun Metal, then gave them two washes of Asurmen Blue. I really like the effect, but now I have to make the detail bitz brighter so they don't fade away.

Hopefully I can get these guys done soon and be able to get cracking on that Barracuda of mine!

I'm not a fan of the vespid models at all but your metallic blue looks really sweet. I know you'll make them look great; if only the canvas was better.

The krootox look awesome. Your scheme as always is striking. Though I thought these guys were in retirement for a while?