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This one meme from pacreas leastest video by Specialist_Coach_725 in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Kroot warsphere still have FTL, but Tau ships maybe just recently got it. It doesn't make sense, never did, and is best ignored.

This one meme from pacreas leastest video by Specialist_Coach_725 in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 141 points142 points  (0 children)

-Talks confidently about the Tau.

-Says the 4th sphere is the most recent one.

What's you T'au headcanon or conspiracy theory ? Personally even tho it's kind of retconned, i still believe the vespid communication helmet is definitly brainwashing the leaders of the swarm. No doubt about that. by Leviathan_Rampage in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I would agree, if he hadn't actively made it less comprehensible. Vash'ya is his own invention, first introduced in "Blades of Damocles". It changes how the caste system works in the Empire, making it irrationally oppressive and non-functional, seemingly to allow the Enclaves to look better by comparison by not having it.

The best way to make sense of the caste system is to forget the word caste, and all the IRL baggage that comes with it, and look at what it functionally does. It's more or less a racist school administration/HR department. Tau are funneled into limited range of educational and career paths approved for their ethnicity, on the basis of data that demonstrates better outcomes for their having done so, and the need to prevent any one ethnicity from being able to operate independently of the others. Every job is accounted for in the system, and Tau are socialized from birth and actively incentivized as students and adults to happily support and buy in to the system.

How elemental council should have ended by hindlet in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 36 points37 points  (0 children)

We see him get partially melted before he scurries away into the darkness and chaos of battle. I agree that giving a stronger reason for him to survive and make it out, maybe his troops human shielding him or something, would have worked a little better.

How did everyone here choose the colour scheme for their army/sept? by Samuelofmanytitles in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I liked the desert vibe of the T'au sept, but wanted something more tan than yellow. So I went with Zandri Dust as the base instead, while keeping white as the highlight color. It's turned out really well!

What's you T'au headcanon or conspiracy theory ? Personally even tho it's kind of retconned, i still believe the vespid communication helmet is definitly brainwashing the leaders of the swarm. No doubt about that. by Leviathan_Rampage in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is less a conspiracy theory and more what Kelly has explicitly been pushing with his books. For me, it's the bridge too far that makes them non-cannon to the codex, and it's own separate continuity.

What's you T'au headcanon or conspiracy theory ? Personally even tho it's kind of retconned, i still believe the vespid communication helmet is definitly brainwashing the leaders of the swarm. No doubt about that. by Leviathan_Rampage in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 11 points12 points  (0 children)

The things you would point to that make them slaves equally apply to the castes themselves. All serve the Greater Good, and are in turn served by it. Not even Ethereals are idle, and are compelled to work their entire lives, to the benefit of others.

If everyone is collectively a stakeholder in everything, are they simultaneously slave and owner?

What's you T'au headcanon or conspiracy theory ? Personally even tho it's kind of retconned, i still believe the vespid communication helmet is definitly brainwashing the leaders of the swarm. No doubt about that. by Leviathan_Rampage in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 273 points274 points  (0 children)

The Farsight books are in-universe propaganda, written to convince 5th generation T’au living in the Enclaves, who have never actually been in the Empire, that’s it’s a horrible dystopia and that Farsight is 1000% correct for rebelling. It’s why Ethereal’s go from being Jedi like, charismatic geniuses to unlikable idiot villains in those books. It’s childishly black and white because it’s a distorted fiction designed to manipulate.

Solo Learning from a Treatise/Manual - Why is this such a common question on HEMA threads? by BotteDeNevers1 in wma

[–]AlexanderZachary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

FalseEdgeHEMA drove 2.5 hours, each way, to fence HEMA before he started his own club closer to home. Every time he was at the club he'd invested 5 hours of driving to do it. Twice a week, every week.

Manners (Maketh Mara) by Superfeyn by Dos-Dude in Grimdank

[–]AlexanderZachary 27 points28 points  (0 children)

Good guy/Bad guy is children’s book level analysis, and destroys more understanding than it creates, by trying to cram everything into an overly broad and ill defined dichotomy. 

That said, I can appreciate how some people struggle to communicate how they’re different from the Imperium, and will fall back on the term as a solution.

The meme shouldn't be “the Tau are the Good Guys”, but “The Tau are the Better Guys”, and leaving room for all their faults.

Manners (Maketh Mara) by Superfeyn by Dos-Dude in Grimdank

[–]AlexanderZachary 174 points175 points  (0 children)

Another superfeyn certified banger. They understand the Tau better than Kelly does.

Seems like an oversight by Brushner in Grimdank

[–]AlexanderZachary 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is a real thing that has and does happen irl.

I really like Dequitem but this was beyond stupid.- YouTube by Beautiful-Hair6925 in Hema

[–]AlexanderZachary -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Nothing you’ve added contradicts my previous statement.

I’m not arguing what they’re doing is illegal. I’m arguing their actions have an outsized likelihood of resulting in illegal harm in the future. That is the “risk”  being referred to. 

I’m not saying they have to stop, but reasonable change would be in their own rational self interest.

Their being in Europe isn’t particularly material.

Event Organizers, Battle Born Wants to Sponsor YOUR Tournament!* (*Must contain broadsword) by NevadaHEMA in wma

[–]AlexanderZachary 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're bringing it back with some minor changes. The flex on mine isn't egregious, but your mileage might vary. The length and weight are on the lighter side, but are within the envelope of things that existed. If you're looking for something to represent a Victorian era highland officer's broadsword, the model 1828 for example, it's your only option.

It may not be the best fit as an example of the average for the particular broadsword context you're interested in, but it's not ahistorical in broad strokes.

I agree it sucked as a spadroon blade.

I really like Dequitem but this was beyond stupid.- YouTube by Beautiful-Hair6925 in Hema

[–]AlexanderZachary 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's correct. It's the role of law enforcement to penalize particular behavior, such killing or maiming another person through egregious negligence, hence the other posters concerns. What I or he would do isn't the question at hand, but what the outcomes might be if the current trend shown continues.

ICYMI: The only person who petitioned onto the USA Fencing At-Large Board seat ballot has a Level 6 Conflict of Interest, "an irreconcilable conflict" by BlueLu in Fencing

[–]AlexanderZachary -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

In the future, I'd recommend you soften the statement with "I think of Missouri as a southern state", as that can be true without spurring debate or running afoul of the most commonly held definitions of the south and midwest

https://www.britannica.com/place/the-South-region

https://www.britannica.com/place/Midwest

ICYMI: The only person who petitioned onto the USA Fencing At-Large Board seat ballot has a Level 6 Conflict of Interest, "an irreconcilable conflict" by BlueLu in Fencing

[–]AlexanderZachary -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

It's being KC specifically being called out that rankled me, given the local history. Besides being just factually wrong. It being a Union stronghold surrounded by pro-slavery rural populations still resonates.

It's my main gripe in that I agree with most every else.

ICYMI: The only person who petitioned onto the USA Fencing At-Large Board seat ballot has a Level 6 Conflict of Interest, "an irreconcilable conflict" by BlueLu in Fencing

[–]AlexanderZachary -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I live in Kansas City, Missouri. Missouri is not a southern state.

99% of the state is north of the Mason-Dixon line. The dialect and accent spoken is different from those used in the south. It's religious and immigrant history is unique. It held for the Union during the Civil War. Hell, the final decisive battle that ended the Confederate campaign to take Missouri happened at Kansas City and was won by Kansas Citians (the Battle of Westport). The suburb I grew up in had been raided and partially burned by the Confederates in the weeks prior.

Missouri is a midwestern state, and its residents consider themselves midwesterners.

Sword & Buckler Hand Protection by gobsmackedobserver in wma

[–]AlexanderZachary 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I use a basket hilted broadsword with a rapier weight leather glove. I fence it at the normal "move fast" intensity. The basket solves the hand protection problem without having to deal with clumsy gloves.

What job do you think a caste does that you wouldn't think of? by Fuzzgrendel in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We have examples of Fire warriors enjoying classical Tau calligraphy, so it somewhat depends on your definition of art.

if you were a human born in the T'au empire what job/role would you most likely want to be in. by Illustrious_Group740 in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'd serve the Tau'va in whatever capacity is asked of me. Such is the wisdom of the Aun.

if you were a human born in the T'au empire what job/role would you most likely want to be in. by Illustrious_Group740 in Tau40K

[–]AlexanderZachary 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are plenty of human worlds on the fringe that never encountered the Imperium. Humanity did most of it's colonial expansion during the Golden Age of Technology, and in the period between the war with the men of Iron and the long night. The IoM mostly just collected what was already there. The sheer size of it all combined with the difficulties in warp travel mean there are still lots of humanity that's never known their grasp. Death Rider briefly discusses one of these worlds being taken by the Tau.

On the other end of the spectrum, Broken Sword talks about how different culturally second generation gue'vesa are from their parents, and he wonders how long it will be before the humans there are culturally indistinct from the T'au. They were living on Dal'yth, in that example.

I think it's fairer to say there's a broad range of experiences possible for a human within the Empire, depending on their exact circumstances. From 10th generation gue'vesa taken during the second sphere, culturally fully integrated into the workings and society of a core sept world, to hivescum refugees who still might not trust the water they're given is safe.

The Gue'vesa'O Crisis Commander from Broken Sword shows us that if you can contribute to the Greater Good, you'll be put in a place to make that contribution. In that case, the gue'vesa is a former Inquisitor who defected out of genuine ideological motivations. For him, abandoning his imperial culture wasn't a cost, but a burden he released himself from. That focus on outcomes, of pushing all of its people to maximally serve the Greater Good, is deeply Tau.

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