Originally, Tau Squadron was a part of the Imperial Navy, and not the Hammer specifically. Its pilots were incorporated into the Emperor's Hammer (Newsletter 2), and Tau was disbanded as a separate fighter squadron.

I t was later resurrected (Newsletter 15) and deployed on the SSD Avenger. GN Murtha (DK LRD VDR) was appointed as its first Commander. General Exar (Vader 96) was its first flight member.

B y Newsletter 16, GN Murtha had been replaced as Squadron Commander by General Paladin (Mstr Jdi). Trainee Stone (Q tip 22), later to be recognized as General, also joined the squadron at this time. However, due to the small number of recruits assigned to Tau, it has remained officially inactive.

W ith Newsletter 20, BG Havok (Gen Havok) assumed command. The squadrons new home was aboard the INT Harpax II.

A sweeping restructuring of the Emperor's Hammer Fleet on 25 July, 1995 necessitated, once again, the relocation of Tau. The squadron was placed aboard the ISD Colossus, and GN Melan Pyr (formerly FLT LDR of Pi-2) succeeded the recently promoted Brigadier General Havok, as the new commander of Tau Squadron.

B y late August of 1995, the Grand Admiral, the Grand Master of the Dark Brotherhood and the Dark Council decided that Tau should be moved once again. This time it was relocated aboard the Dark Brotherhood's Dungeon Ship Lichtor V, thus making Tau the de facto combat arm of the DB.

O n 9/1/95, CMDR Melan Pyr was promoted to Commodore of the DGN Lichtor V, and LG Sths Tor, Commander of Lambda Squadron was chosen to be Tau's new commander. CMDR Sths Tor was favored for this position due to his rank of Master within the Dark Brotherhood. These moves further solidified the link between Tau and the DB.

Tau and the A-9

A close association between Tau Squadron and the Dark Brotherhood of the Jedi, had been rumored for sometime. Tau was to be the first squadron to get the proposed A-9 Vigilance Interceptor. On 8/1/95, the Fleet Commander ordered the delivery of the A-9 prototypes to the squadron for testing.

CMDR BG Melan Pyr reported to the FC :"I have tried out the A-9. It's working fine. With lasers off, its closing speed is just under 200, which IS quite fast. It should serve well as a light interceptor" The final improved version was delivered to Tau a few days later.

The A-9 was given to Tau since its members are usually Dark Jedi as well. The A-9 allows a Jedi to use the Force in combat.

Elite Status.

After Melan Pyr left the Squadron, it became one of the least active Squadrons in the fleet. Most pilots thought (and think) of Tau as a weak Squadron, flying old, unshielded craft. A while ago (end 1995, begin 1996) Crona was promoted to the COM position of the Lichtor V. Melan Pyr, who was the FO at that moment, changed the status of Tau Squadron to Elite, which meant that only active Dark Brotherhood pilots may enter the Squadron. The inactive pilots were transferred out, and new, active pilots were placed in on their request (Pyr and Crona began asked pilots to join Tau).

Deathwatch entered the squadron when he requested the Tau Squadron Commander position. Crona and Pyr wanted Deathwatch to make the Squadron really elite, the most active squadron in the fleet. Crona left the Lichtor V after 2 weeks when Deathwatch joined Tau, and MG Murtha became the new COM. After a short period, Deathwatch had contacted all of his pilots, and began to get them active. Most pilots, such as Curraalt, were very active, and were keeping the Squadron active. Deathwatch also started a contest between the other elite squadron, Omega, and Tau. (Omega lost when they didn't get any TFRs) He changed the nickname of Tau to Dark Avengers and changed the flight names ( Flight 1: Demon Knights, Flight 2: Death Bringers, Flight 3: Black Death). He requested the Squadron to name their A9, just to show what bond excist between the ship and pilot. "You know that the ship is one of the thing a pilot must trust, so why not give it a name" Deathwatch said to Melan Pyr. Deathwatch also recruited the Squadron Commander of Theta Squadron, because he wanted to be in an active Squadron, so he didn't mind to be a Flight Member again. The whole Squadron got an envoyship ranking from the Grand Master.

Tau keeps getting flooded by requests of pilots to join when a position opens up. The squadron has started a mailing list. Mailing lists get around 100 to 300 mails per day. Tau takes on several other EH squadrons, and takes a CompuServe Squadron on, and wins all contests.

The end of "old" Tau

A lot of transfers in Tau at this time. Tau has no problem getting new pilots, though. Tau Squadron was purged not long after FA Crona was executed. After some rough cantina fights and some problems with higher officers, a lot of the Tau pilots, including Deathwatch, left the EH.

Deathwatch had a second squadron which he was taking to elite status, Rage. After Tau was purged, all Rage pilots were transferred to Tau.

Beginning of a new epok

The former Rage Squadron Commander, Kaerner took command of Tau after it was reactivated. CMDR Kaerner started reqruiting a whole new crew of elite pilots. With the transfer to Tau, it also became the new envoy squadron of the Dark Brotherhood.

The former so notorious active mailinglist was reactivated and instantly became very active. Alot of people disbelived in this new Tau, and said that the squadron was not really elite. After winning the global IWATS Fleet Competition with over 20,000 points (!) ahead of the EH CO's, these voices suddenly became quiet. Tau was back where it belongs, as #1.

Back to the Tau Commander's Office.