Vespid

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This article is about the Vespid Species. For other uses of Vespid, see Vespid (disambiguation).

A Vespid warrior^[4b]

The Vespid (known as Stingwings by the Imperial Guard and Mal'Kor by the T'au)^[2] are an insectoid race allied with the T'au Empire.^[1]

History

A Vespid Stingwing Strain Leader^[5]

Hailing from the world of Vespid, the race was already fairly technologically adept when they were approached by the T'au Empire's Water Caste diplomats. It seemed unlikely that the Vespid would ever submit for the Greater Good, as their mindset was so freakishly different to anything the T'au could understand that their emissaries made little headway. However, after the Ethereals provided the Vespids with a custom-made communication headset, they suddenly became completely compliant, calmly accepting total annexation by the T'au Empire. Rumours have circulated ever since as to what true purpose these headsets serve.^[4a]

Vespid were at first mostly in the background of the T'au Empire and were rarely encountered by the galaxy at large. While useful as fast light infantry or scouts, the limitations of their communications helm made it hard for Fire Caste commanders to issue complex orders. Eventually a solution was found by giving Strain Leaders' helmets a neural link to the Fire Caste handler and issuing a Oversight Drone. Now, the T'au may finally utilise Vespids for complex independent operations where a Stingwing can operate in the field for weeks alone.

Biology

Vespid battle Tempestus Aquilons^[10]

The inhabitants of the planet Vespid are a bipedal, vaguely insectoid race which have a sturdy chitinous barbed exoskeletonthat encases their bodies. They stand somewhat taller than the average human and appear to be much faster, due to the chitinous wing-like protrusions on their backs which emit a ultrasonic tone, which they use to control and modulate their technology. They have three pairs of eyes running in two lateral lines down their faces; one pair perceives in the ultraviolet range, the second perceives the human visible spectrum, and the last sees in infra-red;^[10] exact limits are unclear, so the infra-red eyes could see in near infrared, allowing enhanced night vision by using otherwise-invisible ambient light, and/or long infrared, allowing vespid to see emitted (body) heat. Ultraviolet has fewer bands that would make sense for any organism to evolve to be able to "see"; since the vespid appear to breathe something very similar to air, the only uv band that makes sense is near ultraviolet, allowing for enhanced color vision in sunlight. While capable of flight, Vespid wings should not grant them this ability according to the Imperial understanding of aerodynamics.^[2]

Vespid are highly resilient organisms.^[13] Possessing not only considerable physical strength^[13] they also have strong radiation immunity and have the ability to digest almost any organic matter, allowing them to easily be fed in the field.^[10] Vespid are equipped with natural stingers on their abdomens, which Imperial propagandists claim are vestigial and purely for show. While this seems to be true for certain strains, others have demonstrated that these stingers can be venomous. Some vespid do not relish employing their stingers for whatever reason, but when used they are very much deadly against foes.^[13]

Vespid chitin color depends on individual strains.^[10] These strains differ between the many vespid nations, and are further diversified with variations in patterning, mottling, etc. Some strains have become renowned for especially pronounced physical or mental characteristics, such as heightened aggression or ferocity.^[13] The females are larger.^[2]

Society

Vespids live in hives of their own making and are ruled by a leadership class^[11a] that is protected by stingwings called royal bodyguards.^[11b] At the time of contact with the T'au Empire, the vespid dwelt primarily in floating "sata-cities" on their gas giant homeworld of the same name. Living in a highly segmented civilisation, there were over 300 individual vespid city-states at the time of contact with the T'au Empire, but they warred with one another infrequently due to a weapons technology level that made total war too costly to justify.^[1]

When hive leaders are in their defenseless pupa stage of life, they are taken outside of their hives by their royal bodyguards so that they can undergo "conditioning" by teams sent by the T'au Empire. The Ordo Xenos has long sought to capture one for study and experimentation,^[11a] but the vespid leaders are also protected by the T'au. The Shadow Hawks chapter once attempted to do so for the Ordo, but the mission ended in failure due to the T'au Empire's intervention.^[11d]

A Vespid Stingwing squad

As only those in leadership roles are provided with communion helms, the T'au rely on these leaders to make themselves and their philosophy understood by the vespid.^[1][2] The Water Caste has determined that vespid do not have individual names in a way understood by other sentient species, and as such T'au handlers typically give individual vespid warriors under their command code names, such as "VF-4".^[13]

Stingwing strains are highly sought after in T'au fire warrior cadres because of their high level of maneuverability. They are often used by T'au commanders alongside crisis battlesuits or used in a scouting role, backing up pathfinders. In the T'au language they are referred to as "Mal'kor," which comes from "Mal" meaning insect and "kor" meaning air.^[2]

Despite their use as auxiliaries and complex social differences, the T'au have come to greatly respect the vespid. Shas'ui handlers take great pride in the stingwings under their care, and the T'au have even given the vespid the honour of wielding certain battlesuit weapons, such as the T'au flamer.^[10]

Technology

The vespid's technology is based around exotic crystals only found on the bottom of the floating islands of their homeworld, which they manipulate with the ultrasonic sounds manipulated from their wings.^[2] At the time of their discovery by the T'au, the vespid had not yet developed spaceflight, but did possess weapons of mass destruction that made total wars between nations undesirable.^[1]

From the T'au, they have gained armour and weaponry, and a vespid communion helm that enables them to more freely communicate with other races (as their own language is extremely complex and for the most part inimitable). Their weapons are a mixture of T'au technology and vespid resources, which enables them to act as specialists against heavily armoured troops (specifically space marines, whom the T'au have always had difficulty in fighting).^[1][2]

The neutron blasters vespid stingwings carry are a unique blend of T'au technology and the unstable radioactive crystals that the vespid mine. The energy harnessed from the crystal allows the weapon to strip atoms off the target. Due to the vespid's wings creating different harmonic resonances within the crystal, they are the only creatures able to wield Neutron Weapons effectively.^[1][2] Recently, the T'au have developed a number of newer neutron weapons, such as the neutron sting, neutron rail rifle, neutron grenade launcher, and neutron grenade.^[13]

The vespid have stalactite-like nest vessel spacecraft, which they used as auxiliaries in the Farsight Expedition's Grand Reclamation Fleet.^[6]

Known Vespids

• Zchllchk - Strain Leader^[7]
• Alupka - Vespid mercenary^[8]

Known Strains

• Iridescent Nova^[12]
• Mal'aav^[11c] - Royal Bodyguards^[11b]
• Mal'bas - Royal Bodyguards^[11b]
• Firewing Strain - Orange and black coloured, known for their aggressiveness and ferocity. Typically serve alongside Vior'la forces.^[13]
• Starghost Strain^[13]
• Umbra Vortex Strain^[13]
• Nebulae Strain - Possess poisonous stingers^[13]
• Storm's Echo Strain - Said to possess a high level of hearing that allows them to percieve their enemies' heartbeats.^[13]
• Vespid Elder Strain.^[14]

Images

• 

  A Vespid warrior^[1]

• 

  Vespid miniatures^[3]

• 

  Vespid Stingwing squad for Kill Team: Hivestorm^[9]

Trivia

The following information is not to be regarded as officially sanctioned and/ or is not written from an in-universe point of view. A detailed explanation of the term "Trivia" as used in the Lexicanum can be found here.

"Vespid" is Latin for any social insect of the family Vespidae including wasps and hornets.

See also

• List of sentient species

Sources

• 1: Codex: Tau Empire (4th Edition), pg. 16
• 2: Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos, pgs. 26-27
• 3: Games Workshop Webstore: Vespid Stingwings (saved archive page, dated 13 November 2015, last accessed 24 January 2023)
• 4: Codex: Tau Empire (7th Edition):
  • 4a: pg. 35
  • 4b: pg. 36 Alien Auxiliaries
• 5: Deathwatch: Mark of the Xenos, pg. 26
• 6: Farsight: Crisis of Faith (Novel), Chapter Six
• 7: Voice of Experience (Short Story)
• 8: Liber Xenologis, pgs. 130-132
• 9: Warhammer Community: The Warhammer Preview Show: Operation Hivestorm – Descend From the Skies Into the Next Great Leap for Kill Team (posted 17/8/2024) (archive on 18 August 2024 from the original) (last accessed 17/8/2024)
• 10: Warhammer Community: Kill Team Lore – What’s the Buzz Around the Upgraded Vespid Stingwings? (posted 20/8/2024) saved page, original link: https://www.warhammer-community.com/2024/08/20/kill-team-lore-whats-the-buzz-around-the-upgraded-vespid-stingwings/ (last accessed 20/8/2024)
• 11: Games Workshop: Specimen Collection: Scenario and Battle Report (Saved archive page, dated 15 Jun 2006, last accessed 19 Sept 2024, original link: http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/tau/gaming/vespids/default.htm)
  • 11a: Scenario (Saved archive page, dated 19 Jun 2006, last accessed 19 Sept 2024, original link: http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/tau/gaming/vespids/scenario.htm)
  • 11b: Tau Force (Saved archive page, dated 19 Jun 2006, last accessed 19 Sept 2024, original link: http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/tau/gaming/vespids/1.htm)
  • 11c: Setup - Turn 3 (Saved archive page, dated 19 Jun 2006, last accessed 19 Sept 2024, original link: http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/tau/gaming/vespids/3.htm)
  • 11d: Turn 4 - Conclusion (Saved archive page, dated 19 Jun 2006, last accessed 19 Sept 2024, original link: http://us.games-workshop.com/games/40k/tau/gaming/vespids/4.htm)
• 12: Warhammer Youtube: 5 Days to Paint Our Kill Teams! (Posted on 10 Sept 2024, last accessed 13 Sept 2024)
• 13: Kill Team: Hivestorm, pgs. 22-25
• 14: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War Definitive Edition - Dark Crusade T'au Empire Commander Honour Guard Unit Vespid Elder Strain