Tau Escorts
From Lexicanum
Tau Escorts form the bulk of Tau space fleets and are designed to protect against other smaller ships rather than taking on enemy capital ships.
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Kir'qath Class - Defender
The Kir'qath is the Tau response to the Imperial Sword Class Frigate and is the only true escort in the Tau fleet. It is used in groups to provide close support for larger vessels but it cannot make more than a few consistent warp jumps before requiring one rot'aa to recharge its engines. To this end it is not used as a scout and groups are spread across Tau space and can be called upon when they are needed. It is armed with a Railgun battery and a Gravitic Launcher.1
Skether'qan Class - Messenger
The Skether'qan is the smallest self-sustaining vessel in the Tau fleet and is primarily used as a command and control centre. Most of the ship is made up of a Gravitic Drive and a hold and as such it is used as a scout due to its being small and manoeuvrable. Skether'gans tend to stick close to larger ships and use their weapons to fend off smaller enemy craft as they are armed with a sole Railgun Battery.1
Kass'l Class - Orca Gunship
The Kass'l was designed as an escort, however an engine small enough could not be created so it travels within the gravitic sheath of capital ships and is armed with a Railgun Battery and an Ion Cannon, making it a powerful gunship against other similarly classed enemy ships.1
Kir'la Class - Warden Carrier Escort
The Kir'la is part of the second wave of Tau ships to be produced after the Damocles Gulf Crusade showed insufficient strength in the Tau fleet. It is designed solely to defend the vast Or'es El'leath Class Battleships and comes in groups of up to three carried by the Or'es El'leaths. They are each armed with a Railgun Battery and an Ion Cannon.2
Kir'shasvre - Castellan Heavy Escort
The Kir'shasvre is a larger relative of the Kir'la class and is capable of independent flighting although it is traditionally deployed as an escort. It is directly comparable to the Imperium's Sword Class and Firestorm Class Frigates. It is armed with a Gravitic Launcher and Railgun Battery.2
Sources
- 1:To Unite the Stars (accessed 2007.07.11)
- 2:Tau Forgeworld Fleet (accessed 2007.07.11)
| Type | Design | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Ships | Tau Battleships | Gal'leath - Explorer • Or'es El'leath - Custodian |
| Cruisers | Il'fannor - Merchant • Lar'shi - Hero • Il'Pourri - Emissary • Lar'shi'vre - Protector | |
| Tau Escorts | several classes | Kir'qath - Defender • Skether'qan - Messenger • Kass'l - Orca Gunship • Kir'la - Warden Carrier Escort • Kir'shasvre - Castellan Heavy Escort |
| small craft | air/space bombers and fighters | Manta Class Bomber • Barracuda Class Fighter • Remora Drone Stealth Fighter |
| mercenaries and allies | Kroot vessels | Warsphere |
| Nicassar vessels | Dhow | |
| Demiurg vessels | Stronghold Class Commerce Vessel • Bastion Class Commerce Vessel |
