XVT51 Tau Battle Titan

The XVT51 battle Titan is the first production model of the new titans in use by the Tau Empire (after 47 failed prototypes, and 3 test types). their production of a collaborative organization between Air, Fire and Earth caste officials (including O'shassera - commander Shadowsun herself), forming an above top-secret company known a NEN'VA (Loosley translates to "Secret Hope")
They are used as an extremely powerful (however extremely costly) solution to dire problems that appose the Tau empire, such as daemons, other titans, (specifically Necron) and Tyranid hive fleets.
It is most interesting that this titan is one if the bare few weapons within the Tau arsenal which uses limited forms of close combat.
==Manufacture==
The entirtey of the titans are manufactured in secrecy on the Kar'das Sept, under the direct authorization of NEN'VA. Average construction time can span from 6-7 weeks, including testing and metabolism and movement synchronization with the pilot. The Titans are usually put up for purchase by other septs, however NEN'VA does have a team of 10 titans with specifically selected pilots. What NEN'VA does with these titans other than aiding in the Empire's most ruthless battles is veiled in secrecy, though it appears to be a vast and complicated goal.
==Piloting==
Quite unique with the Tau models, (unlike imperial titans with multiple teams of crewmen operating the Titan on-board) the XVT51 only has a singular pilot who recives orders from a team of other operators and a main commander (known as a Korua'O in tau, meaning Air caste commanding team) through comm-link. The team is located within the safety of a Run'al (tau bunker), often many miles away from the battlefield, or an ship in orbit.
===Entry===
The pilot (often with the rank of a Kor'el or Kor'vre, or even a fire caste Shas'el) enters the Titan via a channel located at the back. They enter a large cyndrilical tube called an "Cockpit Plug"' which is then inserted into the back of the Titan's head. 
In circumstances of emergency the plug can often be ejected from the Titan, and can travel a considerable distance with the aid of thrusters built-into the plug. 
The plug has a navigational drone built into it's side, which operates as a co-pilot if the main pilot were to fail, and as a tracking system when the plug is ejected. This drone is completely controlled by the Korua'O and not the pilot (much to the frustration to the pilot)
==Arsenal==
The XVT51 is configured with five possible weapon mounts over it's body, two on the twin power generators located just behind it's shoulders, two on it's forearms and the fifth within it's chest. Mountable weapons include:
===Offensive===
* Heavy duty ion cannons: improved versions of the ion cannons available to Hammerhead Gunships, these cannons fire clumps of charged ions at high velocity (similar to that of a pulse rifle). The cannon is cannon of firing multiple rounds in succession, and is attached with cooling systems which allow fast recovery time for the weapon to be fired again. Best used for multiple, light to medium armored targets.
* Rail cannons: utilizing the same rail-technology used by XV88 broadside and hammerhead gunships, these cannons use magnetic propulsion to fire supercharged ammunition at extremely high velocity towards the target. These weapons have a considerable cooldown time with the exchanging of fuses and re-energizing of the barrel, and therefore are used as a 1 hit strikes against enemy structures and titans. Best used for single, heavy and/or theorietically inpenetrable targets.
* Sky-ray guided missile platforms:
===Defensive===
* AO barrier - (stands for Aun'Or'es, meaning powerful energy) a semi-materialized focused energy feild which is capable of neutralizing all energy (to a certain extent). This allows the feild to be used as a force feild against incoming missiles and the like.
The feild can also be used to neutralize other energy fields, such as a void Sheild used by an Imperial Warhound Titan. however, this is at the expense of it's own sheild dissipating.
This leads to a wide range if custom configurations for different purposes.
==Renegade Enclave Variants==
It is known that the Farsight Encalves operating independently from the Empire have obtained the technology to create their own models of the titans. The stolen blueprints are that of the XVT49 and XVT50 prototypes, and such their models are somewhat less-advanced and more malfunctional. The renegade types are often equipped with more that five weapons.
These models have their own arsenal which differs in many places from the standard Tau options. Weapons unique to the enclaves include:
===Offensive===
* Tactical Blade: A 9 by 3 meter reinforced metal alloy knife with a 3 foot thickness. It is stored within a compartment attached to the right generator. It is used as a close-combat tool against enemy titans in the event that the Titan is under close assault and/or without functional weapons.
* Barb-launcher: a multi barreled cyndrilical cannon that is usually attached to the shoulders of the Titan. The cannon launches dozens of metal barbs via rocket propulsion to the target. The spikes are electrically charged, which is often programmed to magnetise the spikes and attract to other metal targets. They can be used to electrocute organic or disable mechanical targets.
It appears that the renegade variants are a lot more focussed on close combat than their Empire variants.
==Notable Pilots==
===Shas'vre Ryo'ku Suraka===
Ryo'ku (age 19) is possibly one of the most well-known NEN'VA-based pilots. Having been training since she was twelve, she is very dedicated to her career, almost finding piloting a titan extremely fun and exciting.
Her skill in acrobatics play a large part on her operation of a Titan, with it often being seen flipping and rolling away from danger, as well as spin-diving towards enemies for close-quater fusion blasts.
She prefers to be up "close and personal" with her targets, using short range weaponry to deliver damage. Her fondness with close combat is also often declared as being "un Tau" almost, with her side tackling enemies or manually ripping off the weapons and guns of tanks and other titans.
===Commander Nightslash===
(Real name and age unknown, however belived to be around 50). A feared Farsight Enclave pilot of the Enclave model titan X1. He is an extremley skilled swordsman, inheriting his family's skill in close combat which can be traced down to primitive Tau fire caste ancestors.
==Diagrams==
Better ones coming soon!
Category:Tau Empire
Category:Xeno Weaponry