The Tau are one of the coolest armies in the Warhammer 40k universe. Sure, they aren't as iconic as the Space Marines, but their mix of highly complex battlesuits and tribal warriors has always intrigued me. Fans of the faction have lamented their exclusion from Dawn of War II, and while that isn't changing yet as far as competitive multiplayer or campaign is concerned, those who love The Last Stand mode have a lot to look forward to with the all-new Tau Commander.
If you're unfamiliar with Dawn of War II's The Last Stand, here's a quick refresher. Up to three players team up to fight off waves of enemies, choosing from a number of heroes from the various races in Dawn of War II. Killing enemies without having any of your teammates fall yields multipliers, and also yields points. Once all the teammates are down the round ends, the points are tallied, and you gain experience for your character. You level up (to a max of 20), and gain new wargear to outfit your hero with.
The Tau army has a variety of warriors at their disposal, but the first thing that comes to mind for any fan of the race are their battlesuits. The relatively frail Tau get into super-powerful armored vehicles, raining destruction on their enemies from afar. They have no melee capabilities, and thus rely on their high mobility to keep them away from harm.
He's a cool hero to play in The Last Stand because they can seriously bring the pain. After they slam into the ground, giving themselves valuable distance from their foes, they can blast away at the enemy with everything from heavy plasma cannons to air-burst grenade launchers. They can also pick between taking twin-linked versions of their weapons or a shield. The shield doesn't give them any offensive capabilities, but some give additional special powers such as a kinetic pulse that can push enemies away.
Like all characters in The Last Stand, the Tau Commander can be customized to your playstyle via his wargear. If you want to be the team member that fights off mobs of lightly-armored units, you can take grenade launchers; a more vehicle oriented commander can take a heavy, slow-firing cannon. They're versatile and their weapons — like most in Dawn of War II — look fantastic as they fire. All the characters make you feel powerful in The Last Stand, but the Tau Commander is like a mobile gun battery.
The Tau Commander isn't without weaknesses, though. Melee units can tear him apart in short order, so to stay alive a clever player has to utilize both his jetpack and his ability to summon drones. The drones are essentially a buff for the Commander, as heavy turrets dish out extra damage, shield drones give damage reduction, and marker drones help make fire more effective. Depending on who you're teamed with and how you load him out (drones are part of your wargear), you can make him a fantastic support unit.
The Tau Commander launches on Thursday, October 20th for $9.99 on Steam. If you haven't checked out Dawn of War II then you definitely should pick it up while it's on sale until October 16th for 50% off.
