20% off RRPT'au Empire · 29 models · 4 kits
£122.00 of contents → £87.20 (save at least £34.80)
How to Paint T'au
Clean ochre battlesuits, smooth panels and crisp decals
Prices in £ for the UK
Before you commit
How hard to paint
62of 116 easiest
About average
Model size3 out of 5Detail density4 out of 5Technique demanded3 out of 5
Compare all 116 factions →
What it costs to start
£87.20
£0.26 per point
Combat Patrol: T'au Empire, cheapest shop we track
Compare armies by value →
Painting ratings are our judgement, with the reasoning on the comparison page; prices are live and dated.
Start T'au Sept — boxes & paint sets
The boxes we can price for this faction, cheapest first, and the paint sets that cover most of the recipe below.
20% off RRPCovers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
+40
at Loaded Dice· priced 13 SepCovers 9 of 12 colours in this scheme
Army Painter Warpaints Fanatic Mega Paint Set
50 paints
£136.00
£160.15-15%
+38
· compare 4 shops· priced 1 OctCovers 8 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
Covers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
Vallejo Model Color - American Colonial Set
16 paints
£38.39
£47.99-20%
+4
· compare 3 shops· priced 3 JulCovers 7 of 12 colours in this scheme
Recommended recipe
How the scheme reads on a model
Armour — base to highlight
Base coat
Shade
Layer
Highlight
Edge highlight
- Base coatFlesh BaseVallejo · Panzer AcesView paint
- ShadeOrange ToneArmy Painter · Warpaints Fanatic Wash WP3207PView paint
- LayerTau Light OchreCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951340View paint
- HighlightSunny Skin ToneVallejo · Model Color 70.845View paint
- Edge highlightSkin ToneVallejo · Game Color 72.099View paint
Additional details
Trim
Weapons
Leather
Skin
Lenses
Basing
Sept markings & lenses
- TrimNecron CompoundCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Dry 99189952048View paint
- WeaponsJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy MetalArmy Painter · Warpaints FanaticView paint
- LeatherBeasty BrownVallejo · Game Color 72.043View paint
- SkinBestigor FleshCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243View paint
- LensesChronus BlueCitadel (Warhammer Paints) · DryView paint
- BasingEnglish UniformVallejo · Model Color 70.921View paint
- Sept markings & lensesScarlet BloodVallejo · Game Color 72.106View paint
1
Base coat
Lay the foundation colour down over primer, slightly darker than the final tone.
Very Close
Close
Close
CloseDiscontinued
2
Shade
Wash the recesses to add depth and separate the details.
★ Our pick for shade
Exact Match
Very Close
Gore-Grunta Fur
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Contrast 99189960114
from£4.16· compare 6 shops· priced 25 Sep
Very Close
Close
3
Layer
Rebuild the main colour on the raised areas, leaving the shade in the cracks.
Tau Light Ochre
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951340
from£2.33· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
★ Our pick for layer
Exact Match
Very Close
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
Bloodtracker Brown
P3 · Privateer Press Formula P3 SFP3-N151-S
from£3.48· compare 2 shops· priced 1 Oct
4
Highlight
Pick out the upper edges and surfaces that catch the light.
★ Our pick for highlight
Close
Barbarian Flesh
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Close
Close
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from£2.33· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
CloseDiscontinued
5
Edge highlight
Sharpen only the sharpest edges for a crisp, finished look.
★ Our pick for edge highlight
Very Close
Close
Details & accent colours
Everything else on the model - metals, skin, leather, lenses, basing and this faction's signature accents.
Metal — trim
Trim and bare plate. Basecoat steel, wash dark, then edge bright silver.
★ Our pick for metal — trim
Very Close
Very Close
Very Close
Close
Shining Silver
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Metal — weapons
Bolters, blades and casings. Dark gunmetal, washed black, edged with bright steel.
★ Our pick for metal — weapons
Very Close
Close
Close
Adepticon Magnesium
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S42
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
Similar
Leather & pouches
Straps, holsters and bare wood. Mid brown, shaded, then drybrushed a lighter tan.
★ Our pick for leather & pouches
Exact Match
Very Close
Flameon Dark Green Brown
Monument · Monument Pro Signature Series MPA-S25
£4.29at Loaded Dice· priced 13 Sep
CloseDiscontinued
Skin & flesh
Faces and hands. Basecoat, a flesh wash into the recesses, then build the highlights back up.
Bestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951243
from£2.33· compare 5 shops· priced 1 Oct
★ Our pick for skin & flesh
Very Close
Barbarian Flesh
Army Painter · Warpaints
No shop price tracked yet — the paint’s page has every seller we find.
Very Close
Very Close
CloseDiscontinued
Eyes & lenses
Lenses, eyes and energy. A bright spot colour that pops against the armour - dot it on and add a white glint.
Very Close
Very Close
Close
Basing — earth
Groundwork. Earth basecoat, drybrushed bone, finished with your choice of grass, sand or snow.
★ Our pick for basing — earth
Very Close
Very Close
Very CloseDiscontinued
Close
Sept markings & lenses
Red lenses and sept symbols pop against the ochre armour.
★ Our pick for sept markings & lenses
Exact Match
Evil Sunz Scarlet
Citadel (Warhammer Paints) · Layer 99189951303
from£2.33· compare 4 shops· priced 1 Oct
Very Close
Exact MatchDiscontinued
Very Close
Buy It as a Box
Paint sets that cover this recipe - a set is usually cheaper than buying pots one by one.
Covers 9 of 12 paints in this scheme (75%) — base coat, shade, layer, highlight and more.
Or cover 92% of the recipe with 2 boxes (£216.05 total):
Your paints
Tick off what's already on your shelf — whatever's left is your shopping list.
12 paints in this scheme
Price this recipe
12 paintsfree UK delivery over £20
- not stocked: Flesh Base, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Chronus Blue
£4.99 UK delivery, 1-2 working days, free over £65
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Orange Tone, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Chronus Blue
free UK delivery over £75, £3.99 below that
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Sunny Skin Tone, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Chronus Blue, English Uniform
postage per seller
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Tau Light Ochre, Necron Compound, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Chronus Blue
free UK delivery over £75, from £2.66 below that
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Orange Tone, Tau Light Ochre, Necron Compound, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Chronus Blue
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Tau Light Ochre, Sunny Skin Tone, Skin Tone, Necron Compound, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Bestigor Flesh, Chronus Blue, Scarlet Blood
prices shown on Amazon at checkout
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Orange Tone, Sunny Skin Tone, Skin Tone, Necron Compound, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Chronus Blue, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
- not stocked: Flesh Base, Orange Tone, Tau Light Ochre, Sunny Skin Tone, Skin Tone, John Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal, Beasty Brown, Chronus Blue, English Uniform, Scarlet Blood
totals excl. delivery · affiliate links
Flesh Base
Vallejo
No price tracked yetOrange Tone
Army Painter
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctTau Light Ochre
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctSunny Skin Tone
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepSkin Tone
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepNecron Compound
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctJohn Blanche Masterclass: Heavy Metal
Army Painter
No price tracked yetBeasty Brown
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepBestigor Flesh
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
at Merlin's Miniatures· priced 1 OctChronus Blue
Citadel (Warhammer Paints)
No price tracked yetEnglish Uniform
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 SepScarlet Blood
Vallejo
at SnM Stuff· priced 24 Sep
Recommended Box Set
Combat Patrol: T'au Empire Affiliate links — how we make money What's inside this box
The fastest way to start a T'au Empire army — a boxed force to paint with this scheme.
£122.00 of contents → £87.20 (save at least £34.80)
Best price
£87.20Wayland Games
in stock · priced 25 Sep · free UK delivery over £20
cheapest of 4 UK sellers · save £17.80 vs the most expensive · excl. delivery
Want the codex too? At Loaded Dice (UK):save £23.01 vs RRP
Shopping from the US?save $25.50 vs RRP
Every T'au Empire kit and box, priced
Prices compared across the shops that stock them — boxes ranked by cost per model.
T'au are the sci-fi army of the setting, and their painting reflects it: large, smooth battlesuit panels, clean colours, and a tidy, almost vehicle-like finish with decals and sept markings. They reward neat basecoating over heavy weathering.
The signature look
The classic T'au Sept scheme is a warm ochre/tan armour with white and dark contrast panels, black recesses, and red or blue accents on lenses and sensors. The look is clean and high-tech - flat, even colour with sharp panel separation.
Painting smooth armour
T'au battlesuits have big flat areas where brush marks and patchiness show, so:
- Thin your basecoat and do two or three even coats (an airbrush is ideal but not required).
- Shade only the panel lines, not the whole panel, to keep the surfaces clean.
- Highlight edges crisply - the angular suits suit sharp edge highlights.
Panels, decals and accents
Break up the ochre with white or dark grey panels and plenty of decals (sept symbols, unit markings). Glowing lenses and pulse-weapon coils in red or blue give the high-tech finish its final pop.
Tips and common mistakes
- Keep it clean. T'au should look manufactured, not battle-worn - go easy on weathering.
- Panel-line, don't slather. Shade the recesses only so flat armour stays smooth.
- Use decals. They are core to the T'au look and far easier than freehand markings.
Recipes are generated by perceptual colour matching against our cross-brand paint database. Use them as a strong starting point and test paints in person when precision matters.