The railgun is the Tau Empire’s signature heavy weapon: a linear accelerator that fires a solid slug fast enough to punch through tank armour. It’s the reason Hammerheads and Broadside suits are feared across the 41st Millennium.
What the railgun actually is
a railgun is a linear accelerator. A series of cylindrical superconductive electrodes surrounds the barrel and uses standing wave acceleration to push a solid slug to hypervelocity. No explosive propellant, just raw electromagnetic force.
That slug hits hard enough to punch through the front glacis of a Space Marine Predator. Against a Baneblade it won’t penetrate the same spot, though repeated hits can still damage the side armour.
Who carries it
The Hammerhead Gunship is the iconic railgun platform, and the Broadside Battlesuit carries a twin-linked version. Both trade rate of fire for one devastating shot.
Bigger platforms exist. Mantas and Tiger Shark variants mount Heavy Railguns that can knock out super-heavy vehicles and even Warhound Scout Titans. At the top end, Tau starships group railguns into batteries, firing one barrel at a time so the next is loaded and charged before the first fires again.
- Rail Rifle: infantry-sized, used by Pathfinders and Sniper Drones.
- Heavy Rail Rifle: newer-generation Broadside Battlesuits.
- Railgun: Hammerhead Gunships and Broadside Battlesuits.
- Heavy Railcannon: KX139 Ta’unar Battlesuits.
- Heavy Railgun: Mantas and Tiger Sharks.
- Starship railgun batteries: the largest versions, mounted on capital ships.
Submunitions and special rounds
Hammerhead railguns can swap the solid slug for a bundle of sophisticated submunitions, which is handy against large infantry groups. Heavy Railguns on aircraft fire a guided submunition round with stabilising fins for extra lift and range in atmosphere.
That submunition trades raw penetration for accuracy and coverage. Against starships it’s aimed at weak spots in armour, since it can’t punch through the way a standard slug does.
How it fits Tau warfare
The railgun is the purest expression of Tau doctrine: stand off, aim carefully, and destroy the target before it closes. It’s a sniper’s weapon scaled up to tank and starship size.
Starship railgun batteries are considered comparable to Imperial weapons batteries, though they fire sequentially rather than in a single salvo. That’s a rare case where Tau technology doesn’t fully solve the problem of scale and power draw.
Key facts
- The railgun is a linear accelerator that uses superconductive electrodes to fire a solid slug at hypervelocity.
- Hammerhead Gunships and Broadside Battlesuits are the main railgun platforms.
- It can penetrate a Predator’s front armour but not a Baneblade’s, though side hits can still hurt.
- Heavy Railguns on Mantas and Tiger Sharks can destroy super-heavy vehicles and Warhound Titans.
- Railguns can fire submunition rounds for anti-infantry or anti-starship work.
- Starship railgun batteries fire one barrel at a time and are comparable to Imperial weapons batteries.
FAQ
Can a railgun destroy a Titan?
Heavy Railguns on Mantas and Tiger Sharks can take out Warhound Scout Titans. Standard Hammerhead railguns are more suited to tanks and heavy infantry.
What’s the difference between a railgun and a rail rifle?
They use the same accelerator principle but at very different scales. A rail rifle is man-portable and used by Pathfinders; a railgun is vehicle-mounted and far more powerful.
Why do Tau starship railguns fire one barrel at a time?
They’re so large and power-hungry that firing them all at once isn’t practical. Firing sequentially lets each barrel reload and charge before it fires again.