[Aun]

Well my guestion is, would a Tau kill a Tau-Genestealer? I'm asking because no Tau has ever killed another in over 2,000 years and would they be willing to kill something that looks so much like a Tau? And if they would kill a Tau-Genestealer hybrid would they still be mentally unharmed?

[khanaris]

Originally Posted by Aun

Well my guestion is, would a Tau kill a Tau-Genestealer? I'm asking because no Tau has ever killed another in over 2,000 years and would they be willing to kill something that looks so much like a Tau? And if they would kill a Tau-Genestealer hybrid would they still be mentally unharmed?

Yes, but it might take an order from an Ethereal. It would have to be made fairly clear that the hybrid or hybrids were no longer to be considered a Tau. If the hybrid was itself an Ethereal, the Tau would have a pretty big problem on their hands. That is possibly the best attack vector the Tyranids have against the Tau. It would basically require that an Ethereal be the one to kill the hybrid directly.

[calmsword]

This is one of the best concepts I've thought of in regards to Tau killing Tau. Now, normally Tau don't kill other Tau (it is anathema to their way of life) and this zeros out the idea that there will be some kind of O'shova/O'Shassera showdown.

But Genestealer Tau? This has happened once, and was written by a terrible writer who did not consider this fact, and in this case the Tau hired Kroot mercenaries to wipe out the family. In the end I guess Genestealer Tau aren't Tau are they?

But i don't think that this would ever happen due to the Tau way of breeding which involves heavily screening potential mates. So I can't see the Genestealer cult being able to exceed the First phase of contamination.

[40kenthusiast]

At the end of For the Emperor some Shas may have been infected...

I think the Tau wouldn't have a problem with killing the Tau-stealers off...but that it would be the last option. I can envision them coming up with a more humane option (prison, etc.) if they caught the infection in time.

[calmsword]

but that doesn't mean they generate offspring- i think the Tau have the most resistance culture to Genestealer infection.

[krupintupple]

The Tau Empire does hold powerful bonds of kinship and social construction at the forefront of its society, with their 'greater good' philosophy. I'd wager that they initially would be against it, but once the situation was realized, they would probably unanimously agree that the hybrid was indeed no longer considered Tau, and in fact, a direct attack against their society; thus the killing would begin.

Also, since they have no infighting, I'd think the hybrids wouldn't stand much chance of surviving, especially since the whole society would band together against them, taking firm stands against anyone displaying hybrid-like or infected tendencies. I'm sure they wouldn't mind the extra two minutes before heading off to the showers to submit to a brief internal scan and to walk nude past drone-scanners, to prove their purity, for the greater good.

[thecuriousmonke]

I can imagine it now.

"You must kill the hybrids for the 'Greater Good'!"

Boom problem solved. Every Tau picks up a pulse rifle and starts killing the hybrids for the Greater Good.

Heck, you could even imagine:

"You must bake muffins for the Greater Good."

Wacky Tau :P

Then again this is coming from a guy whose troopers spend like half the day praying to a corpse :P

[canderous]

Would you kill a zombie? There is your answer.

[Genmotty]

Originally Posted by canderous

Would you kill a zombie? There is your answer.

Very well put. Thats basically what the argument boils down to (not talking undead). Would the Tau kill something that is them, but not them, if you get my drift. Yes, the Tau would kill a hybrid, but probally have some quames about doing so. As a necessary evil.

Genmotty

[Aun]

Would you kill a zombie? There is your answer.

The problem is that the Tau that are infected are still normal. They don't even remember being infected. The Genestealer infection is recessive, so the offspring of an infected tau are perfectly normal looking but their offspring are true Tau -Genestealers but both are still servants of the Hive Mind. It's very hard to tell if someone is infected, that is how genestealers infeltrate so effectivly. *

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