The T'au Empire boasts some of the most dynamic, impressive models in Warhammer 40,000. Try these to get your collection started!
With their sleek designs and advanced technology, the T'au Empire are one of the most unique playable factions in Warhammer 40,000. Players who like extreme mobility, versatility, and long-range firepower will find the T'au to be a perfect fit. The army's large Battlesuits and flying vehicles also make them an ideal choice for collectors to put on display!
Related: Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus - Beginner Tips & Tricks
If you're getting started with the T'au Empire, or can't decide which models to buy next, try one of these staple kits. They're not only some of the most iconic figures in the faction, but they're great on the tabletop as well!
New-in-box Warhammer models are unpainted and require assembly.
The standard infantry of the T'au Empire are consummate professionals, trained from birth to fight for the Greater Good. Nearly every T'au collection has at least one squad of Fire Warriors, and most will end up with several. The kit has enough variety that each soldier can hold a unique pose, giving your army a dynamic look.
Each Fire Warriors box contains enough components to build ten soldiers, equipped either as a Strike Team with long-range pulse rifles or as a Breacher Team suited to close-quarters assaults. Regardless of configuration, the kit also includes parts to build up to three drones which can be deployed alongside the Fire Warriors!
Get it on Amazon here!
Related: Magic: The Gathering - The Best Reprints In The Warhammer 40K Commander Decks
Every army needs a leader, and a T'au Commander makes a perfect choice to spearhead your collection! Piloting a state-of-the-art Battlesuit, a T'au Commander boasts an incredible array of weaponry that makes them a match for entire enemy squads! This model can be deployed on its own, or with an elite bodyguard of XV-8 Crisis Suits (sold separately) to maximize their firepower and durability.
This kit contains enough parts to build one T'au Commander, piloting either an XV-85 Enforcer that's ideal for fighting alongside a Crisis Team, or an XV-86 Coldstar that lets the Commander fly solo around the battlefield at dizzying speeds! Whichever Battlesuit you choose to build, the kit includes a vast array of armament, decoration, and pose options, as well as a single drone that can be built in three different configurations as well.
Get the T'au Commander on Amazon here!
Get the Crisis Suits on Amazon here!
Usually equipped with a mighty railgun, this hover-tank is one of the most feared weapons in the 40K galaxy. Maneuverable and well-armored, it has the ability to destroy enemy tanks in a single shot from enormous distances! The Hammerhead also has several secondary armaments to protect it from enemy infantry brave or foolish enough to approach.
Each kit contains enough parts to build one T'au gunship. While most players construct the kit as a Hammerhead Gunship, it can also be built as a Sky Ray Missile Defence vehicle perfect for shooting down enemy aircraft. Unlike most Warhammer miniatures, Hammerheads and Sky Rays have several moving parts, including the engines and turrets, letting you set up dramatic scenes on the battlefield.
Get it on Amazon here!
Related: Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector - Beginner Tips & Tricks
The heavy infantry of the T'au Empire, Broadside Battlesuits are equipped with weapons normally reserved for tanks. The result is a deadly combination, as Broadsides can make use of cover along with their superior armor to bring their firepower where vehicles couldn't normally go. Even a single Broadside can turn the tide of battle, and a full team of three is enough to take and hold a critical position with ease.
Each kit contains enough parts to build one Broadside Battlesuit, which can be equipped with a rail rifle or high-yield missile pods. It also includes one Shield Drone and one Missile Drone to accompany the pilot into battle.
Get it on Amazon here!
Towering over the other T'au forces, the Riptide is sure to be the pride of any player's collection. Its enormous size and smooth armor plating give hobbyists the chance to fully use their imagination when painting the model, and it uses ball-and-socket joints so that you can set the pose however you like. The Riptide can be modeled either standing at its full height or kneeling to line up the perfect shot.
This kit contains enough parts to build one Riptide Battlesuit, with numerous weapon, decoration, and pose options. It also includes the parts for two Shielded Missile Drones which can be deployed alongside the main figure.
Get it on Amazon here!
Related: The Best Video Games About Mechs, Ranked
If you want your army to be led by a legend of the T'au Empire, look no further than O'Shaserra - known as Commander Shadowsun to her troops. Held up as the undisputed master of T'au battlefield tactics, Shadowsun has earned her reputation time and again. Her custom XV22 Battlesuit boasts more weaponry than most tanks, and a tactical cloaking system to boot!
This kit lets players assemble and paint Commander Shadowsun in a dynamic pose, perched atop a ruined monument of the T'au's enemies, the Imperium of Man. It also comes with Shadowsun's unique drone companions, the MV37 Advanced Guardian Drone and the MV62 Command-Link Drone.
Get it on Amazon here!
We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! TheGamer has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.
Next: The Best Space Marine Kits For Warhammer 40K
Matt Arnold is an actor and writer based in New York. A lifelong gamer, he draws on a decade of experience in the tabletop industry. Support your local game store!