Shas'O R'myr (or "Commander Longknife" in the Low Gothic tongue) led the Tau Emp

ire's invasion of the Imperial mining world of Taros, called by the Tau T'ros. A
s the Tau Empire's Third Sphere Expansion began under the bold leadership of O Sha
serra (Commander Shadowsun), the Tau Fire Caste's Supreme Commander, Tau forces
began to seek out new planets in the Eastern Fringes of the Milky Way Galaxy tha
t were suitable for colonisation. This fresh mobilisation of the Tau Empire s mili
tary strength required the development of new military technology and many new l
eaders to be recruited from the Fire Caste. One such commander was Shas ar tol R myr,
who made excellent use of the latest experimental technology, including the XV8
Crisis battlesuit. At the start of the Third Sphere Expansion R myr was awarded a
command position under O Shaserra, and was responsible for several long-range raid
s against human colonies. R'myr first success came when he commanded the success
ful defence of the Tau world of Fi rios against invading Orks. His growing reputat
ion as a reliable, dedicated and tactically astute leader was sealed by his comm
and of the Tau s campaign to capture the Imperium of Man's desert mining world of
Taros.

Involvement in the Taros CampaignTaros was a frontier world and Tau Water Caste
diplomats had long been in contact with its Imperial Planetary Governor, trading
luxury goods for the planet s rare heavy metal strategic mineral resources. Both
sides had benefited from the arrangement, but it was just the first step in the
Tau s long term plan to eventually incorporate the planet into their expanding Emp
ire. When the Planetary Governor s illegal contact with the Tau was discovered by
the Administratum in the course of a desire to speed up Imperial mining operatio
n to increase industrial production in preparation for the defence of the Cadian
Gate during Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade, the Imperium s response was swift and p
owerful. A Space Marine strike forcecomprising a reinforced company of the Aveni
ng Sons Chapter was dispatched to remove the governor from power and execute him
, thus sending a strong message to the encroaching Tau that the Imperium would f
ight to keep Taros. Facing execution for their crimes, the Planetary Governor an
d the world's mine owning aristocracy turned to the Tau as an ally. Negotiations
saw Tau forces invited onto Taros to protect the planet and Shas'O R myr led the
first secret landings. His forces engaged the Avenging Sons Space Marines who ar
rived on the world using drop pods from their strike cruiser in orbit and after
fierce fighting around the governor s palace drove them from the planet because of
their superior numbers. Following this victory,R'myr moved against the governor
himself, removing him from power and quickly disarming his Tarosin Planetary De
fence Forces. The Tau commander also ordered the desert planet s Adeptus Arbites p
recinct surrounded and destroyed. The planet was now under the martial rule of t
he Tau and the Imperium again responded, launching a large army comprised of Tal
larn Imperial Guard Regiments against the Tau defenders in a counter-invasion. T
he fighting on Taros was fierce. For 100 days the Tau fought a mobile, defensive
campaign across Taros' savage deserts. Masterminded by R myr the Imperial Guard f
orces were worn down, broken and eventually forced to evacuate the planet with h
eavy losses, allowing the Tau Empire to bribng the Greater Good to yet another s
trategically important world.
Loss of Ethereal Aun'VreDuring the Taros Campaign the Imperium attempted to assa
ssinate R myr using an agent of the Officio Assassinorum's Eversor Temple. The att
empt failed, but R myr s mentor and guide, the Ethereal Aun Vre, was killed in the att
ack. Driven by grief and a desire for vengeance, R myr personally led the final as
sault on the Imperium s landing fields that ended the Taros Campaign in a complete
victory for the Tau Empire. R myr swore vengeance against the Imperium of Man for
the death of Aun Vre. The Ethereal s death at the hands of an Assassin has deeply a
ffected the commander, and as time passes his grief and hatred towards humanity
and the Imperium grows stronger.
Experimental WeaponryShas o R myr s personal battlesuit is the very latest incarnation
 of the advanced Tau XV-8 Crisis Battlesuit. It not only boasts the use of a uni
que experimental weapon, the double-barrelled plasma rifle, but also contains va
rious modifications to the suit's defence such as a strengthened shield generato
r and a modified Tau Vehicle Flechette discharger built directly into the armour
. R'myr is also often accompanied by a dedicated bodyguard in an experimental ad
vanced XV-81, XV-84 or XV-89 Battlesuit.