Varzi Collective

[Sigma]

In the language of the Varzi, the name they have given their species roughly translates to “Mantis” in English. as their name suggests, the varzi are a race of highly aggressive spacefaring Insectoids made of many different castes. their central government is known by outsiders as the Collective headed the Queen and her Hive Lords.

The Varzi Collective was first encountered two centuries ago by alien explorers after they've conquered a backwater planet. this discovery instantly led to poor relations between the Collective and other galactic governments, as well as several wars ignited by the Varzi Collective. soon all Collective-held space was branded the Varzi Quarantine Zone, warning any who entered. the governments who the Varzi attacked even volunteered their own task forces to act as guards, however attempts to prevent more Varzi attacks have been less then successful.

Spoiler: Castes/WIP 

While there are hundreds of different minor castes within the Varzi Collective, There are at least a dozen or so documented castes in the Collective, but the possibility exists that more could be created should the hive find a niche that needs to be filled.

Spoiler: Drone 

The Drones are the original baseline Varzi that make up most of the population. they fill multiple roles within the Collective such as workers, caretakers and soldiers if needed.

Spoiler: Soldier 

The Soldier is easily the most versatile of the Collective's castes, able to fight on the ground and the air. while being nearly as numerous as the drones, the soldiers are also more weaker then their larger brethren when along, however in numbers they become formidable foes. Like the Drone, Soldier Varzi are the most easily recognizable representatives of the Varzi race.

Spoiler: Centurion 

The Centurions are heavily armored brutes that can withstand an incredible amount of punishment. They sacrifice speed and agility for pure defensive power. as the name implies, the Centurions act as brood leaders, often among the first seen moments before the Varzi attack.

Spoiler: Infiltrator 

The Infiltrators serve as a method through which the Varzi Collective could infiltrate enemy populations. Notable facts about the Infiltrators is that they could switch between their true Varzi form and that of their Secondary form. In their native shape, they appear as insectoid/humanoid creatures. Typically, they remain in their disguise but when they were in combat situations they tend to morph into their original form. they also act as assassins for when an important target is found nearby.

Spoiler: Praetorian Guard 

The Praetorian Guard are the most dangerous variety of Varzi in the Collective, but thankfully also one of the least common.

Their sole purpose is to protect the Queen and are never seen away from her unless it’s to fend off attackers or take part in battle unless ordered to do so.

Spoiler: Tanker 

Tankers are a morphological caste of the Varzi Collective. Generally black in overall coloring, they are nearly as large as the massive Plasma Bomards. Capable of tunneling alongside other castes as part of an assault, the Tanker is a huge creature used to batter through enemy battle lines, and absorbing tremendous amounts of firepower.

As well as being a tough brute in close combat, the Tanker is also equipped with a high-powered caustic flame weapon that can literally dissolve an entire squad of enemy Infantry or a single armored vehicle.

Spoiler: Plasma Bombard 

Plasma Bombards are massive creatures which have the ability to launch equally massive plasma bursts with such force that they can fly far beyond the orbit of the planets they are launched from, which can then deflect asteroids or slice a starship in two. They serve as not only the ground artillery, but also as a planetary defense caste for Varzi colonies. however, their roles are limited to fire support and long-range bombardment due to their huge size and the immense danger to nearby varzi should a plasma explosion burst near them.

Spoiler: Warrior 

Warriors are bred for use as the main ground infantry caste of the Varzi Collective, often the first sent in the slaughter. they are six-legged killing machines, using four of the legs to walk and their other two limbs as weapons. They possess powerful jaws, which they can use to literally rip a foe in half. Generally, a single warrior is very dangerous, but in the swarms they travel in they’re nearly unstoppable.

Spoiler: Hopper 

Similar in overall physiological design to the Warriors, the Hoppers have adapted a set of four, jagged, wings that lay across their backs; these give them the capability of short range gliding and high altitude. This is because the wings have barely enough muscle tissue controlling them to provide lift to a suitable height and not so much for prolonged flight. Once at the suitable height for gliding purposes, they set their wings rigid before charging off the edge and leaping into the air. While airborne, they can gain altitude by angling their wings similar to a plane, while they can jump as high as 50 meters into the air to aid them in getting off the ground.

The Hoppers are notorious for either decapitating foes as they glide past or piercing them with their stinger which emerges from the abdomen.

Spoiler: Drone Fighter 

The most common of the Varzi Hivefleet, they act as the main fighter craft for the Collective's space forces. They are incredibly fast and agile, and Their arsenal includes powerful energy weapons and biologically grown missile-type weaponry. as well as having multiple appendages such as a dangerous bio-energy tail or flagellum that can be used by them efficiently as a close-range weapon.

Spoiler: Overlord Drone Fighter 

One of the largest drone fighters in the Hivefleet, performing as bombers, anti-ship drones and assault troops. Twice the size of a regular fighter. Their external structure is made of a very strong energy conversion armor similar to the one found in most fighters that also makes them highly resistant to many types of weaponry. These large Varzi are strong enough to tear small starships apart. they are armed with the standard bio-weaponry and an incredibly powerful cannon capable of piercing, or destroying an enemy capital ship with a single shot. On the ground, these creatures can act as ground-assault walkers.

Spoiler: Larva