Tau Merchant Escort
Tau Merchant Escorts like most ships in the Merchan Fleet, focuses more on broadside and split arc weapons rather than frontal-hull weapons of the Protector Fleets. Because they are generally armed civilian vessels, Merchant Escorts don't get all that sweet warfare buffs, but they offset this by being cheaper and easier to swarm.
Destroyer
Basic
Kass'l
The Kass'l-class Gunship or the Orca-class Destroyer (Not to be confused with the other Orca) is a much more nimble vessel compared to the Kor'Vattra's other mainline escort, the Kir'qath. Equipped with both Railgun Batteries and Ion Cannons, its only pitfall is that it lacks its own Gravitic Drive, the Tau being unable to manufacture them on such a compact scale. Instead, they are transported via the Gravitic Hooks of larger vessels.
The Orca represents the mixed lance/macro weaponry option for the Tau Merchant fleet's Destroyers. Weak on the damage numbers and so-so as far as crits go, but overall considering the price its not that bad of a value. Even though you really need both weapons firing to do worthwhile damage, the fact that the Railguns can fire out to 13,500 before modifiers is a nice touch, especially if you choose to pick the fleet upgrade that extends lances ranges by 4,500. Could be fun to field a swarm of little snipers using the Orcas.
It is armed with 2 Light Ion Cannon Artillery and 2 Double-Barrel Light Railgun Turret.
- Length: 1.3km
Ordnance-boat
Skether'qan
The Skether'qan-class Starship or the Messenger-class Destroyer is not a true fighting vessel in its own right, possessing only a single small Railgun battery.
Instead, it stays near larger ships and uses its excellent manoeuvrability to stay out of danger as it uses its sophisticated Tracking System to aid other vessels in a fleet in targeting enemy ships.
Unfortunately, it has one if not, THE WORSE crit numbers out of any ship, let alone an 'ordnance-boat' with its absolutely abysmal damage. Its only saving grace lies within the Targeting Systems special ability, which increases the accuracy of Defense Turrets by 5% for the Messenger and all other allied ships within a 4,500 unit range. A few Messenger Destroyers can help supplement a Merchant fleet from facing possible Carrier focused players, possibly quite useful considering their use in multiplayer.
It is armed with 4 Light Railgun Turret.
- Length: 1.5km
Frigates
Basic
Kir'qath
The Kir'qath-class Starship or the Defender-class Frigate is an Escort vessel, and for a time was the only true Escort in the Kor'Vattra.
The Kir'qath is unusual for an Escort in that it is quite slow and not as manoeuvrable as the Imperial Sword-class Frigate that inspired it. It possesses greater firepower than a Sword, however, is equipped with both a multi-arc Railgun battery and a respectable Torpedo salvo.
In terms of the games, however, the Defender is an equivalent to the Castellan-class Protector Frigate instead, but drops the extended range of that ships macros to drop the cost while actually upping its damage and cpm numbers slightly.
Thanks to the homing ability of the Tau Seeker Missiles, having torpedo tubes on an escort is even more viable for them as a faction, since it allows them to launch salvos from longer distances which in turn makes it easier to combine strikes from multiple craft along with interceptor squadrons for coverage. You still need to be careful for highly manoeuvrable or just crafty players as they can still be dodged.
It is armed with 2 Missile Launchers, 1 Double-Barrel Railgun Turret and 2 Double-Barrel Light Railgun Artillery.
- Length: 2km
In Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 1 & 2
As aforementioned in the beginning, the Tau Merchants lose access to the Warfare bonuses that you can pick at the beginning of the match with the Protector fleet. One nice compromise is they have access to the Messenger's special defence turret boosting ability, only available on the Custodian Battleship for the Protector fleet.
| Vessels of the Tau Kor'Vattra and its Auxillaries. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spaceships | ||
| Space Station | Tau Space Station | |
| Battleships | Battleship (Tau Merchant - Or'Es El'Eleath Stronghold - Warsphere) | |
| Cruisers | Light Cruiser (Tau Merchant - Tau Protector) Cruiser (Tau Merchant - Tau Protector - Bastion) | |
| Escorts | Escort (Tau Merchant - Tau Protector - Nicassar Dhow) | |
| Logistics | Il'Emaar | |
| Dropships | Orca | |
| Landships | ||
| Titans | KX139 Ta'Unar Supremacy Armour | |
| Airships | ||
| Flying Fortress | Tiger Shark | |
| Aerospace Vessels | Manta | |