| abstract
| - The Stingwings hail from the storm-wracked, high-pressure world of Vespid where they evolved amidst drifting, lighter-than-air rock islands. Each island is an independent nation with its own leadership and traits. Upon first contact with the Tau, the Stingwings displayed no hesitation in joining the Tau Empire and now fight in Tau armies where they are afforded an uncommon respect by the warriors of the Fire Caste. There are a number of characteristics that make the Stingwings extremely valuable to the Tau, mainly due to the way that they were well-equipped to prosper in their homeworld's harsh and lethal atmosphere. The first factor is the Stingwings' weaponry. Each Stingwing carries a Neutron Blaster fitted with a crystal harvested from the deepest reaches of Vespid's cloud seas. The weapon was designed by the Tau Earth Caste and is capable of emitting a short-ranged but deadly stream of radiation that will ignore all but the most sturdy of armour and reduce biological matter or delicate machine components to cinders. The second advantage is their wings,which makes them one of the few sentient species encountered in the galaxy capable of unpowered flight; a Vespid can weave in and out of cover to close in on their foe. Those few warriors who have survived a Stingwing attack state that they appear from nowhere, darting out of concealment to unleash a devastating burst of neutron fire. These two features combine to dictate the most common tactic used by the Stingwings. The Tau frequently direct their allies to attack through dense terrain -- the type of ground from which the enemy would scarcely expect the Tau themselves to approach. It often comes as an unpleasant surprise to the enemy when he discovers the flank he thought was anchored by dense terrain has in fact been infiltrated by fast-moving aliens. The Tau, specialising as they do in combined arms warfare, launch mechanised and Battlesuit attacks at key enemy points, timed to strike at the exact moment the Stingwings assault. The Stingwings are often integrated into Tau Hunter Cadres that are configured as fast-moving, highly mobile forces, where they act as scouts alongside infiltrating Pathfinder Teams. Vespid have also been deployed as reserves for Cadres possessed of a high number of Crisis Teams, their speed and maneuverability allowing them to respond to orders and react to threats with astonishing speed. It is a great compliment to the Vespid as a species that the Fire Caste regards the Vespid Stingwings as skillful and reliable allies, an honour yet to be paid to the mercenary Kroot of Pech. To date, the Tau Empire has fielded Vespid Stingwings in a number of campaigns against the Imperium of Man where they have gained a terrifying reputation and are already subject to a number of battlefield myths. One early account that was believed by many was that the Vespid were prone to consume their fallen. This tale was taken as canon by many in the Imperium's upper command echelons, but is now believed to have been a simple case of misidentification between the Stingwings and the more barbaric Kroot. The name "Stingwing" was in fact an appellation coined by the Imperial Guardsmen of the 15th/11th Army Group that was posted to defend the Imperial frontier worlds bordering the northern marches of the Tau Empire. The name is entirely appropriate to the aliens' style of attack and they are feared by almost every sentient race that has faced them in the field.
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