I would hesitate to have anyone play an Ethereal since GW has been so tight-lipped about what makes them tick and their ultimate motives (they've definitely been playing up their sinister elements in recent fluff). Still, a low ranking Ethereal as the group's negotiator is doable.

For the Vespid, maybe make them similar to the Drone Operator in that you play the Strain leader and start with two comrades, with the ability to buy up to 2 more. Technically speaking, Vespid are incapable of communication with the Tau unless wearing the Communication Helm (again, implied to induce mind control). Could be offset by "If this helmet is destroyed or removed, all communications are at -50" rule.

For Gue'vesa, I'd make it similar to the standard Regimental creation system, but the squad gets Common Lore (Tau Empire), Language (Tau) and +20 to starting Logistics. All human enemies that engage them have the Hatred (Gue'vesa) talent, and the squad suffers a penalty to hit enemy Priests (since they are allowed to worship the God Emperor within Tau space).

I remember reading a book where a human tried to pilot a Battlesuit in desperation, but he was cooked alive inside the cockpit within seconds of the hatch closing. Not sure if this was a defense mechanism or the human body can't handle the battlesuit, so maybe lock Gue'vesa out of the use of battlesuits and instead open up Tau Vehicles and Imperial ones (fluff is pretty clear that human auxiliaries have industrial capacity to make their own lasguns, so the ability to manufacture or restore some Imperial vehicles wouldn't be lost on them).

Only thing I can see missing is a dedicated Operator for Devilfish, Piranha or Hammerhead vehicles. Unless the Drone Operator was meant to cover that? Maybe make a Sniper Drone Advanced Class for Operator instead?

There was a reason that I put the (Drone) part in brackets, because I wasn't entirely sure how I wanted to handle it. Your way does make a lot of sense. Keeping the regular Operators and having them able to specialise into Drone Operators.

As far as Gue'vesa goes, these rules are specifically intended for Tau Firewarriors and Kroot, mainly. I was just intending to use standard Imperial Guard classes for the Gue'vesa, but I'm always open to suggestions.

When I find the time, I need to get some more work done on this. I haven't had the opportunity to get a brainstorm going recently.

I remember reading a book where a human tried to pilot a Battlesuit in desperation, but he was cooked alive inside the cockpit within seconds of the hatch closing. Not sure if this was a defense mechanism or the human body can't handle the battlesuit, so maybe lock Gue'vesa out of the use of battlesuits and instead open up Tau Vehicles and Imperial ones (fluff is pretty clear that human auxiliaries have industrial capacity to make their own lasguns, so the ability to manufacture or restore some Imperial vehicles wouldn't be lost on them).

There was a reason that I put the (Drone) part in brackets, because I wasn't entirely sure how I wanted to handle it. Your way does make a lot of sense. Keeping the regular Operators and having them able to specialise into Drone Operators.

As far as Gue'vesa goes, these rules are specifically intended for Tau Firewarriors and Kroot, mainly. I was just intending to use standard Imperial Guard classes for the Gue'vesa, but I'm always open to suggestions.

When I find the time, I need to get some more work done on this. I haven't had the opportunity to get a brainstorm going recently.

No worries. Tau are my favorite race so I'm very invested in this one.

I think, to differentiate between Vespid and Drone operators, the Vespid acts as a special Sergeant class with hyperspeed options.

The Drone Operator can be more like a Weapons Specialist in that each drone can have a different payload, and the controller can jump to a new one each round of combat as long as s/he isn't in close combat.

Decided to drop Vespid for now as I'm struggling to get the juices flowing even with the Tau classes atm. Made Drone Operator into Operator, and added Drone Operator as an advanced specialisation.

Trying to convene a brainstorm on Skype, so input is welcome on this quarter as well.

Alright, I think the Tau rules are serviceable, and just need a playtesting now. If people like, I can throw together a sample Farsight Enclaves Cadre.

I am in, dude.

If it is all the same, I would like to play Shas'ui.

By that I meant stats lol, but if people want to figure out a good time to run a game, I can see about figuring something out I guess. The only serious concern is probably going to be timezones on that front. I'm not what you'd call keen for play-by-post, on the simple grounds that I've never played in one, much less ran one.

I assumed you were going to run a PbP to playtest your system.

I have run multiple PbPs and I moderate a site with a small, dedicated group of gamers from all over the world (Japan to Ireland to the States to Australia) who post daily. If you wanted to run it there, that wouldn't be a problem.

The reason PbPs fail is stagnation. As long as the GM is on the players to make their 1/day posts and the players are on the GM for updates - and everyone is held accountable - it works.

I am currently running an OW game with 8 PCs and everyone gets their posts in daily. It is incredible.

Farsight Enclaves Devilfish Strike Cadre

Origin - Fortress World (Orks) (3 Points)

CO - Maverick (2 points)

Regiment Type - Mechanised Infantry (3 Points); +3 Agility, -3 Perception, Operate (Surface), Rapid Reload, Pulse Rifle w/ 4 Clips per Squad Member, Suit of Tau Combat Armour per squad member, 2 plasma grenades & 2 photon grenades per squad member, One Devilfish Transport per squad.


Hardened Fighters - (2 Points); +2 Weapon Skill, Street Fighting, Mono Upgrade

Farsight Enclaves Combat Training (3 Points) - Members of the Farsight Enclaves gain the Weapon Skill aptitude.

Standard Kit; Field Kit.

Sword (Apply Mono Upgrade) (5 Points)
Blacksun Filter (8 Points)
Target Lock (15 Points)
Chrono (2 points)

Good work!

I think for the Gue'vesa I wouldn't worry about them either. Since most of them are made up from captured soldiers you could potentially just use the rules for mixed regiments with everybody making a character from whatever regiment they came from and then the GM deciding how much access they have to old Imperial equipment and new Tau equipment in their new regiment.

New Regimental Option

Drawback - Gue'vesa (2 or 5 Point Drawback) - This regiment contains Gue'vesa auxiliaries, either having them attached, or being comprised entirely of them. In the latter case (for games in which the entire cast are Gue'vesa), apply this as a 5 point drawback in place of the Traitors drawback (See Shield of Humanity). Gue'vesa members of a regiment with this drawback suffer a -10 penalty when attempting to harm or interact with members of either the Ecclesiarchy or the Adeptus Mechanicus (select an option at Regiment creation). For example, any Ballistics Skill test made with the intention of harming a member of these religious organisations, or any attempt to Charm or Deceive them. These penalties stack with any other appropriate penalties for a given situation.

Following some good work on the part of one of my players, the talented Khornedog, we can present to you the rules for Vespid Auxiliaries.

For a Vespid character, please generate characteristics as you would for a human auxiliary, and then apply the following Support Specialism;

+10 Toughness, +5 Agility, -5 Intelligence, -10 Fellowship

Aptitudes - Agility, Ballistic Skill, Perception, Toughness, Fieldcraft, Finesse, Defence

Skills - Acrobatics, Awareness, Dodge

Talents - Catfall, Cold Hearted, Exotic Weapon Training (Neutron Blaster), Weapon Training (Fire Caste)

Traits - Alien Physiology (Vespid), Dark Sight, Disorientation*, Flyer (10), Natural Armour (1), Natural Weapons (Claws), Non-Imperial, Speak Not Unto The Alien, Wings*, Vespid Hovering*

Equipment - Neutron Blaster (See Deathwatch), Communion Helm (4 Armour, Head, Scarce)

Wounds - 10 + 1d5

Advances - Elusive (As Eldar Swooping Hawk, see The Dying Race), Hardened Chitin*

Disorientation - When critical damage is done to a Vespid's head (this does not include effects induced by a Righteous Fury), the Vespid loses the ability to communicate fluently with non-Vespids, and suffers a -10 penalty to all tests until a new Communion Helm is acquired.

Claws - A Vespid's unarmed attacks have the damage profile d10 pen 4

Wings - A Vespid's wings count as limbs in their own right for the purpose of Called Shots, and cannot be protected using manufactured armour.

Vespid Hovering - Given Vespids use their wings to hover across the ground most of the time, rather than walking, a Vespid may ignore difficult terrain similarly to the use of Maglev Coils by a techpriest, and hover over reasonably sized obstacles at the GM's discretion. Any greater feat of flight, however, requires use of the Vespid's Flyer trait.

Hardened Chitin (300 x Natural Armour value) - Increases the Vespid's Natural Armour, to a maximum of 4.

I am going to transfer my current Rogue Trader inspired all-Tau game to your aptitude system. I will let you know how it goes.

Looks cool and like something I will need in the future when I pit my brave PC Guardsmen against the Space Commies.