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An XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit leading XV25 Stealthsuits against their foe
An XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit is at the pinnacle of Tau stealth technology, a Tau Battlesuit created specifically for use behind enemy lines in the most gruelling conditions. These might Battlesuits loom several times the height of a Fire Warrior, and mount a full array of repulsor jets upon their carapace. They are equipped with an arsenal of heavy weaponry, and are supported by a wealth of high-tech hardware and counter-sensory warfare suites. XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits can tear apart entire armoured squadrons and massacre rank upon rank of enemy infantry in sudden ambushes. The firestorm of their onslaught is such that the foe often believes a whole army must be attacking them from an unexpected quarter.
History
Until recently, the deployment of XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits was restricted to covert missions only. In truth, development of these potent Battlesuits was completed around the beginning of the Third Sphere Expansion, but it was decreed by the Ethereals that these new weapons should remain hidden until their unveiling held the greatest inspirational value. Pilots were chosen from pre-vetted candidates who were extracted from Stealth team operations and transported to a secret facility on J'ka'vo station, on the fringes of the abandoned Sept of N'dras. From here following orders from Aun'Va himself, the first generation of Ghostkeel Battlesuits performed a range of deep-cover operations, ranging from the Vadenfall Station sabotage to the assassination of Cardinal Bocsh. With the current success of the XV104 Riptide Battlesuit, the time has been judged ripe to reveal the freshly named "Ghosts of N'dras". Suddenly, this insular band of warriors has been thrust into the light, their existence changing from a secret to a propaganda exercise virtually overnight. Recruitment of XV95 Ghostkeel pilots has now begun across the Tau Empire, as has production of the Battlesuits themselves; soon enough the armies of every Sept will possess XV95 Ghostkeel wings of their own.
Tactical Role
An XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit
The tactical applications of the Ghostkeel are many and varied, ranging from unleashing devastating strikes behind enemy lines to ambush-hunting alongside Hunter Cadres. XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits can be seen as the epitome of the Tau Mont’ka "Killing Blow" stratagem -- striking precisely where they need to with unerring accuracy and overwhelming force. Used to sow confusion and destruction in the enemy ranks, the XV95 is a terror weapon designed to leave the enemy in a state of panic and disorder as they search in vain for their mysterious attacker. Enveloped by overlapping stealth fields projected by its attendant Drone, XV95 Ghostkeel are virtually invisible even in open terrain. Targeting arrays and scopes simply slide off its holophoton projectors, while scanners and auspexes are baffled by the Battlesuit's electrowarfare suite, pinging back false readings and contradictory data.
Each Ghostkeel is piloted by single, highly trained Shas’vre, a former XV25 Stealthsuit team veteran. This focussed warrior is supported by an integrated AI that assists him in operating the Ghostkeel’s many complex systems and monitors his physical and psychological wellbeing during extended operations. As Ghostkeel pilots spend long periods of time isolated in enemy territory, many form unusually strong bonds with their Battlesuit AI. Indeed, in some cases these eccentric warriors become so introverted that they prefer the company of their suit’s AI to that of other Tau. XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits are typically deployed in squads of one to three Battlesuits.
Known Formations
- Heavy Retribution Cadre - Heavy Retribution Cadres consist of a squad of XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuits working in tandem with two units of KV128 Stormsurge Battlesuits, with the Ghostkeels acting as invisible forward spotters that feed targeting data back to the Stormsurges. Thus, when when a Heavy Retribution Cadre opens fire, the blinding firestorm produced is truly terrifying. Even the most colossal enemies stand little chance when caught amid this sudden monsoon of destruction.
Armament
Coming Soon
Sources
- Codex: Tau Empire (7th Edition), pp. 30, 49, 89, 106
- Games Workshop - XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit
- White Dwarf Weekly Magazine #89 (10 Oct. 2015) " XV95 Ghostkeel Battlesuit", pp. 5-9
Gallery
