So, I am starting a new campaign using the Twilight Crusade adventure as a launching point and I just bought the Tau Character Guide, so I am eager to use that. The player in our group who plays Tau in 40k has signed on to play a Fire Warrior, and I've decided to keep it at the one Tau PC to keep the Tau as an element in the Rogue Trader mix without overpowering the central themes of Rogue Trader.

Here's my problem: What role should I have my Tau PC take on in the NPC Hunter Cadre? I would like his character to have a fairly involved role in the story - he is a PC after all and needs a reason to keep interacting with the Rogue Trader and his crew. However, I cannot make him TOO important because he is a Rank 1 Fire Warrior.

Obviously as a PC with Fate Points he is more powerful than any NPC Fire Warrior, so I was planning on making him a Shas'ui and giving him a squad of Fire Warriors to command, which would put him in the chain of command. He could perhaps also be designated as a liason for the cadre with the humans, therefore giving him plot justification.

Any ideas? Has anyone run Twilight Crusade with Tau PCs, and if so, how did you handle it?

My tau was known for her techno-know-how. I shoehorned her into a game of Deathwatch myself, and though I intended for her to be a badass fighter (which she is) she's also come to fill the role of tech-marine in the group. I don't know if you have an explorator in your group or not, but that's how I went. You can also give them piloting, since the same skills used for battlesuits can help them become star fighter aces.

His character could have a back-history involving being familiar with humans, on both sides of the battlefield. He could have not only fought against the Imperium in the Jericho Crusade, but fought side by side with Gue'vesa troops as well, even befriending a few of them, giving him a good general idea of human behavior and mindset. If the rest of the Cadre is relatively unfamiliar with dealing with humans (other than what their training videos dictate), he could be the natural choice to work closely with the human party members, despite being of relatively low rank. Granted, this gives no crunch benefits whatsoever, but it is a good way to make his involvement with the characters away from his cadre a bit more plausible. As you said, being a liaison would be good plot justification.

He could have standing orders to report any concerns he has about the human party to his commanders (which the other players would be unaware of), and whether or not he does so could be something roleplayed with you that could effect the direction the story goes as the game progresses. If he plays his Tau straight, there are likely to be numerous concerning things the party does that could put him in the position of dilemma over what decision to make.

My tau was known for her techno-know-how. I shoehorned her into a game of Deathwatch myself, and though I intended for her to be a badass fighter (which she is) she's also come to fill the role of tech-marine in the group. I don't know if you have an explorator in your group or not, but that's how I went. You can also give them piloting, since the same skills used for battlesuits can help them become star fighter aces.

Wait... a Tau palling around with a Deathwatch Kill-Team? No...