A handful of scattered warships patrolled the T'au's third defensive line. No matter how hard their shipyards worked, they could not conjure a vast navy overnight. Those few advanced warships could no longer form an effective fighting fleet.
The T'au shipyards settled for the next best thing, producing large numbers of Explorer-class Starships fitted only with advanced engines and shields. They carried almost no weapons; durability and speed were all that mattered.
Shed every unnecessary burden and charge!
They could no longer bury the enemy beneath overwhelming firepower. The fanatical adherents of the Greater Good decided to abandon their old principles.
Their warships would charge in, overload their engines, and explode, taking the enemy with them!
The Greater Good never feared sacrifice!
They would spare nothing to see the Greater Good through this catastrophe.
Now, the Ambassador-class Cruisers carrying numerous Explorer-class Starships were bombers, and the starships hanging from them were their missiles!
A senior Ethereal-a major figure in the Secret Cult-personally received every Air Caste captain prepared to face death, bolstering their morale through hypnosis. Victory or defeat would hinge on one word: courage.
Courage would bring the Greater Good its ultimate victory!
Above the planets within the defensive line, half-fake orbital shipyards sat in Low Earth Orbit. Every large installation had a Tug Rocket attached.
Once the enemy reached their star system, they would pretend to dismantle them.
The timing had been precisely calculated. The enemy would just be able to see their "orbital shipyards," and when they arrived, the yards would be in the process of being "withdrawn to the planet."
The enemy would then assume they could rapidly construct shipyards and launch a ground invasion, giving the defenders an opportunity to inflict heavy casualties.
With nobody left aboard your ships, you could hardly continue your expedition.