[Being a study on the methods and culture of the ancient Necrontyr race]
Transmitted: Magos Biologis Research
Station: Nespis VIII
Received: Nallisea III
Date: 8827999.M41
Astropath: Prime Torel
Ref: INQ.XB.929/T
Collated by: Magos Biologis Justov Thon
| Tau Battlesuits The Tau make use of four forms of battlesuit, which I will describe below. The most common battlesuit is the XV8 Crisis. The XV8 is a 3m tall suit with moderate armour and great versatility, able to be equipped with a number of weapons combinations. For movement, the XV8 is able to use either its 'legs' or a power dual hover engine mounted on its back, similar to the engines used in Tau vehicles. The XV8 is also equipped with communications equipment, allowing its wearer to communicate with other XV8's and Tau units, as well as a sophisticated targeting system that can be upgraded to allow for individual targeting and additional weapons targeting. XV8's can also be upgraded with shield generators and drone controllers, allowing the pilot to control a pair of drones. The XV88 Broadside battlesuit is an upgrade of the XV8, with heavier armour and armament. The XV88's typical armament includes two shoulder-mounted railguns and two missile racks. The weight of these armaments prevents it from using the dual hover engines employed by the XV8, and therefore the XV88's movement is rather limited. The massive recoil of the rail guns, which are fired simultaneously, is offset by the XV88's reinforced suspension, but it still requires the VX88 to remain standing in one position for an extended period of time, making it vulnerable for that time. The XV88 can be upgraded with the same targeting, communications, shield, and drone control packages available to the XV8, giving the XV88 great potency in battle. The Stealth battlesuits are much smaller than the XV-series, and much less upgradeable. However, this does not diminish the danger presented by them. Stealth suits give their wearer the equivalent of power armour, with the bonus of chameleonic mesh weaved into the upper layer of the armour. This allows the suit to blend into its surroundings. The suit also contains climate controls and radar absorbing materials, making it all but impossible for any form of sensors to spot the suits. Each suit is equipped with a jump pack similar to those used by the Adeptus Astartes, and armed with a burst cannon, giving each suit adequate firepower. Stealth suits are usually seen in groups of five to ten. The fourth battlesuit mentioned above is so far a barely upgrade of the XV88, which I've taken the liberty to dub the XV88U at this time. Our only records of it come from the testimony of soldiers who have faced it and a few battlefield holos of the XV88U operating. The XV88U's main armament appears to be a larger version of the railgun. Though I cannot fully establish what they are, the XV88U is known to be armed with a number of other weapons as well. It seems to have the same upgrades used by the XV8 and XV88. The suit is 16m to 18m in height, with heavily reinforced legs for movement. The body is egg-shaped, similar to our first generation Sentinels, allowing it to contain many systems while not exposing the majority of those systems to enemy fire. This, coupled with XV88U's heavy armour, allows the suit to take multiple hits without being affected. All of this is uncornfirmed, as there has been little information gathered about the XV88U, and holos are not always the best method to judge something's height, effectiveness, and equipment from. I will add more information in an Addendum once it becomes available. APPENDIX I: Resources The information in the above report was pieced together from debriefing testimony, battlefield holos, my own conjecture, and the study of several damaged battlesuits and a few undamaged battlesuits. The debriefings, holos, and damaged suits come from many locations, as we have been encountering the Tau ever more frequently. The undamaged suits were retrieved from a cache on Yurle Von, captured by a team of Storm Troopers that moved into a Tau storage facility and cut down every Tau inside. These suits have given us a great deal of information about the Tau's weapons, hardware, communications, armour, drone control, shields, and motive devices. APPENDIX II: Images Appended to this report you will find some images recorded from battlefield observation equipment. These images give you a rough idea of what the Tau battlesuits are like in size and form. They are very useful for helping our forces distinguish between the different types of Tau battlesuit, as well as aiding in familiarization with the locations of key weapons points.
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