Alien Empires · The Galaxy Bites Back
T'au Empire
The Greater Good — a young empire with the best guns in the galaxy.
About T'au Empire — Lore & How They Play
The Lore
The T'au Empire is barely six thousand years old — an eyeblink in this galaxy — and expanding fast, uniting alien races under the philosophy of the Greater Good. Optimistic, technologically brilliant and genuinely diplomatic, they are the closest thing the setting has to good guys, which worries everyone.
Their answer to the galaxy's hostility is engineering: battlesuits, drones, railguns and coordinated fire doctrines refined to an art form.
On the Tabletop
The purest shooting army in Warhammer 40,000: guided-fire rules let units mark targets for each other, battlesuits jump out, unload and jump back, and railguns delete whatever they're pointed at.
Melee is not so much a weakness as a rumour they've chosen not to investigate — screens, positioning and kill-zones are everything. If you like firing lines, target data and watching a plan come together, the Greater Good awaits.
The T'au Empire is a young, idealistic alien empire fighting for the Greater Good with the best guns in the galaxy. Battlesuits, railguns, drones and their Kroot auxiliaries make for a precise, shooting-first army with some of the cleanest sci-fi designs in Warhammer 40,000.
Start here
- Combat Patrol: T'au Empire: a ready-made cadre in one box
- Codex: T'au Empire (10th edition): rules for the T'au and their Kroot allies
- T'au Empire: Fire Warriors: the pulse-rifle backbone
- T'au Empire: Crisis Battlesuits: flexible, heavily armed battlesuits
- T'au Empire: Riptide Battlesuit: a big battlesuit with a big gun
Every kit here is genuine Games Workshop stock from an official stockist, supplied unassembled and unpainted, with fast UK delivery from our shop in Barry, South Wales. In-stock orders placed by 3pm on weekdays go out the same day.
Read more: T'au Empire lore in Faction Files, T'au Empire Army Analysis, the 40K factions hub.
Paint and browse: grab the T'au Empire Paint Set – 10 Essential Colours or the five-tone Warhammer Tone Pro paints, then explore the rest of the Warhammer 40,000 Xenos range.
Is it Tau or T'au?
Same army. Games Workshop now spells it T'au, but both spellings get searched.
Can I play a Kroot army?
The Kroot fight for the T'au Empire, with plenty of kits in this range, so a Kroot-heavy force is a fun option.
What colours do T'au use?
Ochre, white, red and blue septs are all popular. Battlesuits have big flat panels that are ideal for crisp edge highlights.
First Contact
Starting a xenos army?
Start with a boxed set — miniatures, rules and dice in one go. Free UK delivery over £65, same-day dispatch by 3pm on weekdays.
Shop 40K Starter SetsFrequently Asked Questions
The T'au are a young, technologically advanced alien race who seek to unite the galaxy under the Greater Good — a collective philosophy of mutual benefit. They rely on superior ranged weaponry and battlesuits rather than psychic powers.
Yes — T'au are one of 40k's premier ranged factions, with excellent guns across all unit types. Crisis Battlesuits, Riptides, and Hammerheads give them devastating firepower at range.
Yes. T'au are a shooting-focused army of battlesuits, Fire Warriors and skimmers that rewards good positioning. Every faction has rules for Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition, and new codexes are rolling out through the edition, so check the latest codex for your army before you build a list.
The Combat Patrol: T'au Empire is the ideal starting point, giving you Fire Warriors and a Crisis Battlesuit team. Adding a Hammerhead Gunship provides early armoured support.
The classic T'au scheme uses off-white armour with coloured sept markings. Key paints include White Scar, Wraithbone, Agrax Earthshade, and your chosen Sept colour. We stock the full Citadel range.
Yes — we stock the full T'au Empire range in our Barry, South Wales shop and online at loadeddice.uk with fast UK dispatch.