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[Shas'O'Sa'Cea'Bork'Cal'Kais]

When I got back into playing 40K (after my disappointment with Chaos left me less then thrilled with the hobby for 8 months) I picked up Tau, and have been happily playing them since I got back into the hobby. Recently, as a gift from some relatives, I received a few boxes of Space Marines. Not wanting to offend them, I built and painted some. I realized that with the Tau and Space Marine forces I have, I have quite a nice sized Apocolypse list. I was wondering if it is against the rules to have two teams ally under one banner in Apoc, or is it allowed?

[Masked Thespian]

Ruleswise there is nothing stopping you from using Space Marines alongside Tau in Apocalypse.  In fact, one facet of Apocalypse welcomes this; that being the concept of "bring all the models you own along and ignore points and Force Orgs", which quite a few people used to play once upon a time.

From a background point of view, it would be hard (though not impossible) to reconcile using Space Marines alongside Tau in normal circumstances, so if you're going to play in a game where the background is important to all the players you may not want to do this.


As a brief aside, as this is an Apocalypse question, it should have been posted in the Expansions forum, so I've flagged it for a move from a Moderator.

[Boneguard]

You can do whatever you want in apocalypse. Now there is an Ally matrix in Apocalypse to see if 2 army work well together or not.

According to the ally matrix fornd on GW: Tau and Space marines are Hated enemies -you will need a really good stroy to explain this alliance.

However I think there were a few fcase in the 40K Universe fluff where tau and space marines worked together against a common foe. IIRC in one case the Marines warn the Tau of the incoming Exterminatus.

[Shas'O'Sa'Cea'Bork'Cal'Kais]

Thanks for the topic move, I'm still getting used to this forum.

Thanks for the help. I may figure out a story involving how the Marines were in need of help, maybe close to being wiped out, and a Cadre rescued them for the Greater Good or something like that...

[Easyification]

Fluffwise, that wouldn't work. But then again, what does in Apocalypse?

[enderwiggin]

Fluffwise, that wouldn't work. But then again, what does in Apocalypse?

Of course that would work! Especially if the enemy were Tyranids or Chaos.
The Tau very much understand the old saw "An enemy of my enemy...", temporary alliances are nothing new and Ultramarines do respect worthy enemies.

[Khanaris]

As long as the enemy is Chaos, Tyranids, Orks, Necrons, Dark Eldar, or Eldar...

We already have some precedent, via Fire Warrior.  It could just represent a (very) temporary battlefield alliance.

[Zenai]

The enemy of my enemy is a problem for later.

But as the others have said its very, very temporary. Once the common enemy is gone, its back to fighting each other.

[enderwiggin]

The enemy of my enemy is a problem for later.

But as the others have said its very, very temporary. Once the common enemy is gone, its back to fighting each other.

Very true. 

[Wargamer]

As a rule of thumb, the following holds true to most factions:

The Imperial factions always work together.

Imperium, Tau and Eldar will work together if there's a serious enough threat. Temporary alliance only.

Orks and Chaos will work together if they can convince each other there's reason enough to. Temporary alliance only.


Dark Eldar could work as Mercenaries for Imperial Guard (NOT Marines or Inquisition!), Tau or Orks.


Necrons and Tyranids cannot ally with anyone except themselves.

[enderwiggin]

I like using the mad scientists approach with the Tyranids/Necrons.

Pretty much you count the army as something else in fluff but use the rules. It was hilarious when the Rogue Mechanicus planet we had being the basis for one Apoc game turned to the dark ways of AI and had an army of robots. 

[Silk Spectre]

I'm almost sure there is a reference in the SMurf book to Ultramarines and T'au uniting mid-battle in order to defeat the Necron threat on the planet before the SMurf fleet exterminatuses the planet (after the T'au leave)!
Also in the Tyranid book there is a reference to the Imperial Guard and T'au uniting in order to defeat the Tyranid threat (possibly use this as part of the Guard line that is being bolstered by SMurf forces).

[Zenai]

Haven't you seen my reply?

The enemy of my enemy is a problem for later.

But as the others have said its very, very temporary. Once the common enemy is gone, its back to fighting each other.

[Silk Spectre]

Haven't you seen my reply?

The enemy of my enemy is a problem for later.

But as the others have said its very, very temporary. Once the common enemy is gone, its back to fighting each other.

Yes I did actually, I read all posts in a thread before posting, I was only posting some examples of this.

[Shas'O'Sa'Cea'Bork'Cal'Kais]

Well, the SM team that I play is a Dark Angels successor, so the story could be something about the Fallen being present, and the Angels are only fighting with the Tau to get the traitor.