The Tau have made extensive use of orbitals since their earliest forays in space. The Air caste had always been at the forefront of the conquest of the upper atmosphere and provided enthusiastic crews for the first orbitals. Many orbitals exist purely to provide homes for the Air Caste. Others are used for manufacturing and trade. Any Tau ship equipped with gravitic hooks can tow a single orbital instead of its entire complement of Orcas, in addition a Merchant can carry one dismantled orbital and an Explorer up to four. Normally individual orbital modules are assembled into arrays of up to five. In any event the first module of any orbital array must be the core module and no more than four other modules can be added to a single core. An Orbital costs points equal to its core module plus the sum of any other modules added.

Orbitals can be used when planetary defences are allowed.

Waystations are distributed through the Tau Empire. They mark out the main routes between Tau septs and are used to speed communications between outposts.

A waystation consists of a core module and a single security module. Because of their immense data handling facilities they count as having tracking systems. Their points cost is calculated in the same way as Orbitals.

A core module supplies the command, communication, energy and sensor facilities for an array along with habitats for all key staff. A core module and all its ancillary modules are treated as one model for game purposes.

Size: Defence/4
Speed: 0
Turns: 0
Shields: 1
Armour: 5
Turrets: 2
No weaponry

Each security module adds 1 turret to the Core module. Also each security module includes one of the following defence systems:

Launch Bay (strength 1, Barracudas or Mantas. Adds 10 points to the cost of the Orbital)

Gravitic hook (capacity 1 Orca. Adds 5 points to the cost of the orbital, plus a further 25 points if the Orca is included)

Railgun battery (strength 3 battery, range 45, arcs all round. Adds 15 points to the cost of the Orbital)

Ion Cannon Turret (lance strength 1, range 30, arcs all round. Adds 15 points to the cost of the Orbital)

Each manufacturing module provides habitats for its workforce and greatly expanded energy reserves.

Each module added raises the arrays' shield value by 1 to a maximum of 3. In addition the processing capacity of the modules drone intelligences acts as a tracking system.

Each module adds 10 points to the cost of the Orbital.

Habitat modules are used to allow more Tau to dwell on the array. These modules do not expand an arrays capabilities but they do make them larger. The module adds 1 to the damage points the array can absorb.

Each module adds 5 points to the cost of the Orbital.