Rumor: Demiurg Auxiliaries

When the idea for this blog first came about, it was my intention to report mostly on the rumors of the upcoming Tau codex. While nursing the idea it quickly became apparent that; a) there simply weren't enough rumors to carry a blog for that long, and b) I have a lot to say about the Tau as a topic unto itself. So while the last article was less rumor and more discussion, I thought I'd take this instalment to pull things back on track and speak a little bit about another sizzling bit of hear-say, the Demiurg.

Demiurg Concept Art

In my first real post on this blog, about HQ's and the Troops they're rumored to unlock, I said that it relied heavily on a previous rumor, one that said Demiurg were available at all. This rumor doesn't drop the name Demiurg specifically, but in fact says that the Squats are making a come back as a Tau auxiliary. The community has followed up with some logical discourse on the subject, and has concluded that it was either a misinterpretation of what had been seen, or deliberate misrepresentation likely aimed at getting people talking. We all know what the GW rumor machine is like, and in truth, it's probably the best marketing tool at their disposal. You can find the original post here, with credit again going to stinger989 of the Warseer forums. Wikipedia is currently reporting that the Demiurg are confirmed for the Tau's next codex, but the article lacks citation, and I can find no evidence of any such confirmation, let alone GW saying anything about the Tau, aside from a recent update to their FAQ.

The rumor also included some information on the unit proper...

• It's a Troop Choice
• Toughness 4
• Strength 5, and it makes a note here that it has a “battle axe”
• 5+, and while it doesn't specify, I assume they're referring to it's armor save
• 5+ Feel No Pain, that's it's “intoxicating save” I might add
• and,  while Slow and Purposeful, it makes special note the unit is still able to charge the full 6”

We're left wondering about a few details, initiative, leadership, squad size, upgrades etc., but a quick summary makes it look like a slow moving, assault focused, scoring, tar-pit. Very shortly I'm going to sit down and write about the direction I think the new Tau codex should be taken in. We'll save that discussion for another day, and I'll simply say that the Demiurg as described here may very well be the death of that direction.

Demiurg Stronghold Class Vessel

The Demiurg, for those not in the know, are a mercantile, Dwarf-like race, responsible for introducing the Tau to ion based weaponry. They're ships have appeared in the Forgeworld produced 40k spin off game, Battle Fleet Gothic, where their ships exude a very industrial appearance, with even their battlecruisers being described as used primarily for mining. The few rough sketches of concept art we've seen reinforce this aesthetic, and would contrast as thoroughly with the Tau's smooth lines and polished armor, as the tribal Kroot do now. The Demiurg order themselves into Brotherhoods, but in terms of what that means, little is known. It could be that a Brotherhood represents a political faction, familial bonds, a military unit or perhaps a looser relation like a corporation. Whatever it's purpose, a Brotherhood as it exists in the lore today can be large enough, and powerful enough to single-handedly control the strongest of the known Demiurg vessels. While the Tau enjoy positive diplomatic and mercantile relationships with the whole of the Demiurg, they are largely considered allies, and not members of the Empire proper (with the exception of two Brotherhoods which have been quoted as joining the Tau Empire completely.) All in all, it paints the picture of a nomadic people, with each Brotherhood acting in it's own best interests. The lack of a home-world could also easily explain the fractured nature of their society, and the haphazard integration into the Tau empire.

Bentusi Concept Art

There is one other source of derivative information on the Demiurg we have at our disposal. You may have heard of a game called Homeworld? Originally developed back in 1999, by Relic Entertainment, it was an RTS of some popularity. Within the game existed a reclusive race known as the Bentusi, who once encountered, would sell Ion technology to the player. Now while that on it's own is a tenuous connection at best, consider for a moment that the Tau word for Demiurg is Bentu'sin, that the Bentusi have no home-world of their own, and that the 40k RTS, Dawn of War is produced by the very same Relic Entertainment. These two franchises together along with Company of Heroes (a WWII RTS based of the Dawn of War Engine) make up the studio's entire portfolio. A clear nod to the Bentusi, the Demiurg, along with the Tau, and Kroot, were among the candidates originally put forward as a new 40k race back in 2001, in which the Tau were ultimately chosen to expand current army selections. Though the Bentusi aesthetic contrasts heavily with that of their Demiurg counterparts, the remaining similarities make me wonder what else they'll have in common, and are a good avenue of approach for anyone looking to do some legitimate speculation.

There's no shortage of support for the Demiurg as a new unit within the Tau codex. With such a rich back-story, both in the lore, and their own development, it's clear the folks at GW have a personal connection with them. The financial gains alone from reintroducing a model that could be readily converted into Squats is reason enough for their being brought to market, and their future in our codex seems secure. But what role will they play? Will they work as the rumor suggests? A slow, tar-pit assault unit? Only time will tell I suppose, but I suspect we'll be hearing much more about these guys as the months go on. As always, thanks for reading!