TAU PIRANHA: THE SWIFT HARBINGER OF DEVASTATION
Ah, the Tau Piranha. Fast, sleek, and mean — like that tiny fish you swear ripped your finger off at the lake last summer. Only this one comes packing pulse carbines and fusion blasters, not tiny teeth. Seriously, this isn’t your average water hazard — it’s a zippy little death machine on skimmer legs.
BUILT FOR SPEED AND LETHALITY
The TX-4 Piranha is like the caffeine-fueled messenger of the Tau Fire Caste — a lightly armored skimmer that zooms across the battlefield faster than you can say “run for cover.” It seats two crew members: one to fly the thing and the other to blow stuff up. Powered by anti-gravity tech and jet thrusters that basically make it hover like it’s got a personal force field, the Piranha can glide over terrain, dodge obstacles, and generally embarrass anything slower than it.
Its armor is made from something fancy called Fio'tak — a nano-crystalline metal that’s light, strong, and apparently doesn’t mind getting scratched. This lets the Piranha keep its speed without turning into a glass cannon. Plus, it’s got these nifty little winglets on the sides that carry gun drones. These tiny robotic buddies either boost firepower or go off on solo missions. Basically, the Piranha travels with its own little drone squad — because why wouldn’t it?
A SNEAK PEEK INTO HISTORY (BECAUSE LORE IS COOL)
The Imperium first spotted the Piranha during a diplomatic mission on the Tau world of Dal'yth — where it was just casually ferrying Tau diplomats around like a fancy hover limo. But don’t be fooled by the serene first impression. It was during the Taros Campaign that the Piranha showed its teeth (pun absolutely intended).
At Hydro Processing Plant 23-30, these speedy skimmers played havoc with the 114th Cadian Regiment’s relief column. They lobbed seeker missiles, zipped between Chimeras, and generally made life miserable enough to delay the entire force — paving the way for the Tau to take control. Later, in desert combat, Piranhas relentlessly harassed retreating Imperial forces, proving their worth as both scouts and hit-and-run specialists. If my fellow blogger James tells you anything diffrent dont listen 😂
Since then, the Piranha’s armor and weapons have been upgraded, and it’s become a beloved tool of the Fire Caste. Getting trained to pilot one is like earning a spot on the Tau’s ‘fast and furious’ squad — highly competitive and seriously prestigious.
“I’ve been in the thick of countless fights, but nothing haunts me like the Tau Piranha. Those skimmers don’t just move fast—they vanish and reappear like ghosts, striking from every angle you didn’t see coming. You take your shot, but by the time you pull the trigger, they’re already gone. Against those things, you don’t hope to outgun them—you just learn to favor the Tau, because the only thing worse than getting hit is never knowing where it came from.”
— Captain Marcus Valen, 114th Cadian Regiment
BATTLEFIELD STATS: QUICK, TOUGH, AND DEADLY
MOVEMENT (M): 14" — Blink and you’ll miss it. This skimmer is the Usain Bolt of the battlefield.
TOUGHNESS (T): 7 — Tough enough to shrug off a few hits, but don’t expect it to tank your grandma’s shotgun blast.
SAVE (SV): 4+ — Not invincible, but better than your average scooter.
WOUNDS (W): 7 — Enough to keep it zipping around for a while, but not a battleship.
LEADERSHIP (LD): 7+ — Tau crews are calm, cool, and collected — probably because panicking would end poorly at 60mph.
OBJECTIVE CONTROL (OC): 2 — Fast enough to grab points and skedaddle before anyone notices.
ARMAMENTS: PUNCHING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT
The Piranha’s weaponry is all about efficiency. It carries a Burst Cannon that tears through infantry like a hot knife through butter, and if it needs to take down something tougher, the Fusion Blaster brings melta-4 power to melt tanks faster than you can say "armor value." For long-range shenanigans, there’s two yea not one but two! Seeker Missiles — like a guided missile with a grudge. And let’s not forget the Twin Pulse Carbines — perfect for quick-fire cleanup when you need that extra bit of damage.
TACTICAL ROLE: HIT-AND-RUN SPECIALISTS
Piranhas aren’t your typical slowpoke tanks. They’re nimble, fast, and hit hard — perfect for flanking, scouting, and harassing enemies. They can work alone or in packs of up to three, making them flexible little nightmares for enemy forces.
On the battlefield, you might see them darting past your lines, zipping between friendly troops (who’ve gotten used to their annoying swoosh), or diving in to finish off fleeing enemies. They support Pathfinder teams by exploiting Marker Lights to turn their bursts into devastating precision strikes — like your annoying friend who always knows exactly where to shoot.
SPECIAL ABILITY: DRONE HARASSMENT TACTICS
The Piranha doesn’t just rely on speed and guns. Its two Gun Drones can wreak havoc by forcing an enemy units within 12" to take a Battle-shock test at the end of the movement phase — basically giving your opponent an extra reason to be scared.
MASTERING THE PIRANHA: TIPS AND TRICKS
SPEED IS YOUR ARMOR: Don’t try to stand and fight; zip in, shoot, and zip out before they can blink.
TARGET PRIORITY: Use Fusion Blasters for tanks, Burst Cannons for infantry, and Seeker Missiles for the big guns you want gone yesterday.
TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK: Coordinate with Pathfinders for Markerlight support — turning your hit-and-run into hit-and-missile devastation.
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE: The Piranha isn’t a fortress on wheels; keep moving or get cooked.
DRONES FOR THE WIN: Use those pesky drones to mess with enemy morale and make them second-guess their every move.
CONCLUSION: STRIKING FAST, STRIKING HARD
The TX-4 Piranha is a shining example of the Tau philosophy — speed, precision, and overwhelming firepower, all wrapped up in a nimble package. Whether it’s darting around the battlefield to wreak havoc on infantry, sniping tanks with fusion blasts, or terrorizing enemy morale with drone harassment, the Piranha is the Fire Caste’s secret weapon for lightning-fast devastation. Just remember — it’s not just about how hard you hit, but how fast you’re gone before they can fight back.
“Speed is our armor, firepower our bite—never underestimate the Piranha.”
NEXT WEEK ON FIREBLADE!
WE TRADE THE LIGHTNING-FAST PIRANHA FOR THE SLOW, HEAVY-HITTING BROADSIDE. NO SPEED RUNS HERE — JUST MASSIVE GUNS AND UNSTOPPABLE POWER TO CONTROL THE FIELD. GET READY TO SEE HOW THE TAU BRING DEVASTATION WITH RAW MUSCLE AND UNYIELDING FIREPOWER — BROADSIDE STYLE!
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