Editing The Yaotl

[[File:Yaotl.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|right|alt=A Yaotl head|A Yaotl head]]


The Yaotl are a particularly disturbing case of evolution run amok. As a hermaphroditic species, either partner in a Yaotl mating can wind up pregnant; because this is a clear disadvantage for an individual, Yaotl mating takes the form of non-lethal duels, the loser of which is impregnated. In addition to this, the winner of a mating-duel grows in size and intelligence; this means that Yaotl society is by nature dominated by the most aggressive and ruthless individuals. Young Yaotl are via phermones compelled to serve their dominant parent until adulthood, further cementing the power of agressive Yaotl 'alphas'. The Yaotl have no qualms modifying their bodies with genetic treatments or biomechanical implants. Imperial scientists suspect the species modified itself wholesale twice in the past few thousand years; the first granting regenerative properties, allowing a impregnated Yaotl to survive the young chewing their way out of the womb to mate again in the future, and the second removing all warp sensitivity from the species. Why the Yaotl chose to perform this modification is unknown, but to this day the species goes out of its way to eliminate psykers whenever found. 

The Yaotl primarily inhabit the Halo Zone beyond the segmentums Pacificus and Tempestus, where they have built a sizable Empire. Lacking warp travel, the Yaotl instead utilize artificial wormholes forged in moon-sized industrial complexes. These must be towed at sub-light speeds to their destination, but once towed allow for near-instantaneous travel. The Halo Zone, however, is comprised primarily of small, cold stars and planets with low amounts of metals, and is thus incredibly poorly suited to the manufacture of such expensive constructs. To increase their living space, therefore, the Yaotl are forced to raid Imperial systems with sub-light armadas, stripping them of all available material and technology. The Yaotl have no interest in peaceful trade (it is the rare rogue trader who has the acumen to strike a deal with these repulsive beasts) and place no value in human life, even as slaves. That being said, the Yaotl do not seem to deliberately attack populations that don't stand between them and a resource or harbor psykers - which is little comfort to the few survivors of their raids.

Yaotl naval forces are based around swarming tactics. Other than their large wormhole carriers, the Yaotl primarily pilot frigate-sized vessels armed with railguns. Though more advanced than the Imperium in most aspects, the Yaotl do not utilize any form of void shielding, instead relying on holographic projections, electronic countermeasures and point-defense batteries; these defensive methods are all most effective when deployed in groups, allowing ships to support each other. On the ground, the Yaotl rely on stealth and speed, suddenly and brutally striking the enemy at the weakest part of their line or eliminating priority targets from a distance using their built-in weaponry.

Thankfully, Yaotl raids are restricted to the speed of light, making them rare. Though most raids are successful, those that encounter substantial imperial fleets often fail as the Yaotl cannot hope to match the Imperium's industrial capacity, meaning any protracted engagement is likely to result in a defeat for these foul xenos. And defeats they cannot afford; each fleet lost represents a century's accumulation of metals, each colony living space they can ill afford to loose. Though prevented from striking back at the Yaotl en mass by the nature of the Halo Zone, captured wormhole carriers allow the forces of the Imperium to destroy whole colonies; as such, these are high priority targets.