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"They are fierce indeed these Kroot, and savage. I look upon them and tremble at their ferocity. I can only hope that when the enemy sees them they tremble as I do."

— Por'Vre'Tau'Cho - Water Caste Envoy to Sy'l'Kell prior to the ambush of the 17th Brimlock Dragons

The Kroot are a species of savage humanoids who are a member species of the Tau Empire who evolved from avian creatures. Kroot are tall aliens (a good half-meter taller than most humans), their avian ancestry giving them a bird-like beak and long quills protruding from their heads like hair. Smaller quills, possibly the evolutionary remnants of feathers, can be found scattered over their bodies.

A unique feature of the Kroot is that they evolve by selecting traits of their defeated foes to absorb by eating them. Due to this, the many Kroot warbands across the galaxy often look radically different. Kroot leaders are known as Shapers; they are generally the Kroot with the best ability for recognizing desirable traits in defeated foes and tell his Kindred (the word for a Kroot clan) what to eat to suit the task at hand. For instance, a Shaper who wants his Kroot to gain muscle mass will take on campaigns against Orks to acquire the right DNA, while extensive feeding on flying predators will allow the Kroot to grow wings. This eating of their foes ties in with the religious beliefs of the Kroot: they believe that when a warrior of any race dies, his warrior spirit should be kept, and the only way to do this is by eating his flesh. The Kroot practice this in their "burial" customs, in which the body of the deceased is consumed by the kindred.

Kroot who prey extensively on a particular species will begin to take the characteristics of that creature. In sentient species such as Orks and Humans, they may also take on cultural aspects of that race as well. Kroot who have fed on Dark Eldar, for example, soon begin to show signs of the cunning and intense cruelty the Dark Eldar are known for.

In the case of animals, this sometimes leads to evolutionary dead ends. A Kindred will find itself locked into an animalistic and unintelligent form, unable to evolve themselves any more. Species such as Tyranids who also absorb the DNA of their prey are particularly dangerous for Kroot to prey upon, as they may acquire too many undesirable Tyranid characteristics. The ecology of the Kroot home world of Pech includes many species of animal that are partially Kroot, the results of a kindred's evolutionary missteps. The Kroot use these related creatures as laborers, pack animals, and even as weapons. The most common examples are the canine Kroot Hounds, the lumbering and powerful ape-like Krootox, the dromaeosaurid Knarloc riding beats, and the massive dinosaur-like Great Knarlocs. Another creature of note is the Kroothawk, an animal held sacred by the Kroot, possibly because it may be their evolutionary ancestor. There are other Kroot sub-species that are considered outcasts in Kroot society and are killed by Kroot if found.

In order to gather genetic material from all over the galaxy, the Kroot offer themselves as mercenaries, and sell their services to anyone willing to pay them. They travel the galaxy taking limited contracts from both major and minor races (most of which are too small to be included in the game), and are regularly employed by the Tau. While the contract with the Tau is supposed to be an exclusive one, the Kroot regularly send out their warspheres to continue their mercenary trade amongst the wider cosmos.

Technology

Outwardly, the Kroot seem to be a simple pre-industrial society, incapable of achieving (powered) flight, much less traveling through space. However, Tau observers on Pech have noted evidence that may point to an industrial base hidden on or even inside of some mountains. This may be explained by the Kroot feasting on the low-tech race that is the Orks. It's probable that the Kroot deliberately keep their general level of technology low, using it only for weapons and interstellar travel, in order to keep their species strong.

The Kroot's primary weapon is a rifle with design derived from the fighting staffs used by their ancestors. Originally a slug-thrower, the weapon was modified by the Tau to fire a charged particle similar to their own Pulse Rifles. However, the rifles are in fact used mainly in close combat, and to this end are fitted with blades on the stock and the end of the barrel. The Kroot also employ the Kroot Gun which is too big and unwieldy for one Kroot to handle. So it has been mounted onto the back of Krootox. Another Rifle the Kroot have is the Kroot Hunting Rifle which is more of a sniper rifle then the standard Kroot Rifle.

In addition to the Kroot Rifle that the Tau helped the Kroot construct, the Kroot themselves have other weapons that they have gathered while performing as mercenaries for other races or scavenged on the battlefield. These weapons include Splinter Pistols, Bolt Pistols, Sluggas, Shuriken Pistols, Power Weapons, and Close Combat Weapons and their two handed cousins the Splinter Rifle, Storm Bolter Shoota, Shuriken Catapult, Flamer, Plasma Gun, and Melta Gun. Kroot may also have wargear which include frag grenades, krak grenades, melta bombs, auspex, and totems.

Kroot Species

Kroot Shapers

The Kroot Shapers are the military and spiritual leaders of the Kroot. Shapers ensure the Kroot inherit only the good traits and that they do not reach an evolutionary dead end. On the board Shapers give the Kroot a 6+ armour save.

Kroot Carnivores

The Kroot Carnivores are the basic infantry for the Kroot they have the ability to absorb characteristc traits from the food or remains of any enemy the consume. It has been reported though that Kroot Carnivores can become tainted by Chaos by eating the flesh of Chaos worshippers.

Kroot Hounds

Kroot hounds are an example of Kroot that have reached an evolutionary dead-end. These Kroot have evolved into a canine-like kroot and cannot evolve out of it. In the game you can take Kroot hounds as a supplement to your standard Kroot. You can only have half as many hounds as Kroot warriors. The hounds further enhance the Kroot's close combat ability.

Krootox

Like the Kroot hound the Krootox is a evolutionary dead end. The Krootox is an ape-like type Kroot usually used to carry heavy burdens because of its immense strength. It has been noted by Tau on Pech that angry Krootox are something to be avoided, yet this is not seen on the board. Krootox are especially susceptible to instant death due to the exposed nature of their driver/gunner. To represent this they only posses a toughness of 3 when rolling for instant death. You can have three Krootox in your squad of Kroot warriors. Taking any eliminates the ability of the kroot to infiltrate. Krootox have a Kroot Gun mounted on their back which will lend some much needed firepower, but Krootox are mainly used for melee because of their a higher strength value allows them to tackle tougher oponents that normal Kroot cannot.

Great Knarloc

Great Knarlocs are similar in appearance to Krootox, except much bigger and faster, resembling nothing so much as a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Knarlocs are very difficult to control, and are goaded into combat by trained Kroot handlers. If the handlers are killed, Knarlocs may turn on their allies, even on other Kroot.

Sources

Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition)
Codex: Tau Empire (3rd Edition), pg. 29
Xenology (Background Book), pp. 49-50
Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos (RPG)
White Dwarf 263 (US), "Index Xenos: The Kroot"

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