Tauntar

Tauntar
General Information
Intelligence	Sapient
Biochemistry	Carbon-based lifeform
Biological Information
Lifespan	~170 Earth years
Locomotion	Bipedal leaping, Bipedal/Tripedal Standing
Prey	Omnivore
Cladogramatical Information
Cultural Information
Personality	Honorable warrior mindset
Organization	Squads, Platoons
Affiliation(s)	Tauntar Régime UFCL (after Terran-Tauntar War)
Scientific Taxonomy
Other Information
Status	Near Threatened
Creator	Somarinoa

"Bipedal, mammalian race who are often noted for resting their bodies on their tails, making them technically tripedal. A warrior race, they are not well known for being defeated in combat." — Vacotor Database, Terran translation

Statistics

A Tauntar Soldier as they appear in Spore.

• Species Type: Omnivorous Terrestrial Mammalian

• Lifestyle: Social Warriors

• Hunt/Forage Success Rate: 80% Forage (75—98% success rate), 20% Hunting (23—70% success rate)

• Armor: Armor wearing is a common practice amongst the Tauntar. Much of their bodies are covered, although joints usually remain uncovered, except in space exploration or heavy warfare armors.
• Defenses: Natural defenses for the Tauntar race are few, although their one major tactic before the use of technologies was their ability to leap great distances, which when combined with their natural agility, made them difficult targets to take down.

• Weapons: While natural offenses are, like their defenses, few and far between, technological weaponry is a Tauntar's specialty. Naturally, Tauntars can deliver powerful kicks and punches, as well as hard bites to opponents. However, their technological prowess for offensive tactics has led to a wide variety of fatal weapons useful for battle. It is said that there is no word in the Tauntar language for "nonlethal weaponry".

• Tools: Tauntars manipulate their environment with two wonderfully-evolved hands, each possessing three, three-knuckled fingers and a two-knuckled opposable thumb. Their feet are completely incapable of manipulation, thanks to being evolved for hopping purposes.

• Method of Eating: Unspecified

• Reproductive Rate: Unspecified

• Gestation: Unspecified

• Offspring Incubation: Unspecified

• Number of Offspring: Tauntars usually have two young per litter. Assuming they are born of the same gender, they are encouraged to take on a habit of friendly competition between the two of them, which is the adults' attempt to have the two youth try to always one-up each other, thereby granting the entire species a larger set of greater achievements between each set of children. This actually works very well, and is one way Tauntars may become frighteningly powerful warriors.

• Offspring Survival Rate (before age of maturity): 80%—While Tauntars force their youths through a sort of initiation during the onset of maturity by sending them on "Warrior Quests", they typically attempt to adjust and tweak these quests just right to suit the individual Tauntar's natural abilities while at the same time testing them to their breaking point. Most survive these trials. While younger, the youth are trained heavily in their chosen professions, but are at the same time very well protected, as they are an investment for the Tauntar species' future in what they see as a dangerous galaxy.

• Singular/Plural/Possessive: Tauntar/Tauntars/Tauntar

Private Contractors

Djuuvii Corporation

Djuuvii are the primary manufacturers of ground mecha implemented by the Tauntar military, and also a major manufacturer of tracked vehicles, primarily APCs. Djuuvii is an ancient Tauntar word meaning "Victory".

D'taginok Industries

D'taginok is a branch of a scientific organization that are funded by the community. They take proven science and put it to use in weapons of war. D'taginok work on anything involving confusing scientific theories, and aided Grahh-Vorrus in developing the phase rockets by providing the actual phase technology. Many energy weaponry used by Tauntar weaponry is in fact developed by or with the help of D'taginok Industries.

Grahh-Vorrus War Manufacturers

Grahh-Vorrus is an older manufacturing company that was established 730 years ago by two retired Tauntar soldiers, named Grahh and Vorrus. They invented the first known long-distance explosive device, and they are very proud of this, even keeping the various prototype styles and a replica of the first "rocket" used in a museum quarter of their main building. Nowadays, they continue the tradition of designing rockets, bombs, and other explosive devices, although they now borrow from scientific theories to create even more devastating weaponry.

Technologies

Offensive technologies are the Tauntars people's specialty. They take great pride in the killing abilities of their ships, vehicles, and mecha.

Soldier Weapon Tech

Doom Fist

The Doom Fist is a pneumatic armature fit over the user's actual arm. Powerful hydraulics aid naturally-existing muscles to allow for a strong punch when used, but it also features concussive energy output like many of the Tauntar's weaponry. This makes it twice as deadly.

Disperser

Roughly equivalent to the riot shotgun, the Disperser is a concussive energy weapon useful only at close range. It releases a high-speed concussive blast that causes an automatic sonic boom at the barrel edge and can cause massive blunt-force trauma to foes within a 60° arc. This force is strong enough to snap carbon-based spines in two at point blank range, but does not cause any outside injuries so blood is only a factor if something within the victim's body pierces its way out or their armor punctures through their flesh.

The Tauntar soldier's primary close-range firearm, the Disperser works in a similar manner to a shotgun, yet uses concussive blasts of kinetic energy. This causes it to fire a little slower than a typical shotgun such as a Terran Ravager due to having to build up the necessary energy but packs a significantly more deadly punch.

Jolter

The Jolter is a general issue firearm that is built with miniaturized Shock Antenna technology to quickly accumulate ions in the necessary patterns to facilitate electrical discharge. As such, it can fire short but sweet strikes of "lightning", which can fry electronics as well as opponents easily. It has a slower rate of fire than many other species' answers to the weapon, such as Humanity's pistol, but packs a significantly more deadly punch.

As their primary firearm, the Jolter is best compared to an electric pistol. Like the Disperser, it fires slower than a typical weapon but packs a more deadly punch as payoff. The Jolter is also able to hold its charge so long as the trigger is held down.

Ender

The Ender serves as a Tauntar soldier's equivalent to a burst semi-auto weapon. Like many other Tauntar firearms, it houses a micro-manufacturing plant inside that allows it to be a frightening microsaw cannon.

Energy Machine Gun

A smaller version than the ones found on their vehicles, these EMGs operate in the same manner. Built into a rifle shape, these weapons are capable of firing concussive blasts at rapid-fire speed.

Ground Carver

The Ground Carver is an Arc Launcher-class infantry weapon. They are microsaw manufacturing plants that produce in rapid succession and launch vertically-oriented microsteel spinblades one at a time in an arc. Using nano-propulsion, these particular microsaws, once they come in contact with the ground and stick into it, will actually operate like a wheel of sorts and quickly move in a usually-straight path (although on occasion they will veer off course, a fact of life that operators must remain aware of when using the weapon). Even so, Ground Carvers are considered an excellent weapon for use to attack foes from the safety of a trenchway.

At a certain distance the spinblade is programmed to alter its own course to cut downwards to a few dozen feet below the surface to minimize later clean-up efforts.

Sucker Puncher

The Sucker Puncher is a mid-ranged firearm that fires a focused blast of concussive energy, making it almost like a mid-ranged sniper rifle. Although built around EMG technology, the power required to focus the blast into such a tight point prevents rapid-fire use.

Slivershot

A Tauntar's true sniper rifle, the slivershot is a vicious weapon of beautiful war. The projectile of the rifle is actually a small hyperdrive shunt. This tech activates the second the bullet hits a solid surface, which warps the immediate area around the hit spot, crumbling concrete, shredding metal and absolutely obliterating organic tissue. This weapon has caught the scrutiny of many galactic groups, but the Tauntars have neglected to remove it from the battlefield.

Phase Rocket

Similar to the vehicle-bound version of this weapon, the weapon fires phase-warp rockets. These are useful to take out war machines and decimate structures.

Thunderstriker

Considered the apex of Tauntar soldier weaponry currently available, this heavy weapon charges a massive ionized electrical current using a shock antenna before unleashing it upon a foe, frying circuitry and cooking flesh. Past the required charge build up needed to fire the weapon at all and up to a certain point, the longer the trigger is held down, the more damage the jolt will cause. As it charges it also gains an ability to jump targets a few times, though this can, for obvious reasons, be a dangerous risk.

Finalizer

A permanent and non-optional piece of the Tauntar soldier field armor, the Finalizer are shoulder-mounted energy cannons that convert the armor's kinetic shielding to deal damage to an opponent. This is considered a last-ditch effort to kill a target, when desperation gets down to the wire.

Sawbomb

Hand-thrown weapon taking the equivalence of a grenade. Not believing in such a thing as overkill, the weapon works as an EMP upon its initial detonate, which is quickly followed by a deathblossom of saws.

Unspecified deployable technology

A deployable piece of technology.

Vehicle Weapon Tech

Weapon technology is the staple of Tauntar military prowess, and is used in all other technology groups.

Phase Rockets

A phase rocket is a ballistic explosive that "phases out" of existence a fraction of a second after being fired, where it continues to track its opponent, only phasing back into existence a fraction of a second before hitting its target. This makes it nearly impossible to prevent it reaching its target, making it one of the most deadly weapons in the Tauntar's arsenal.

Distortion Rockets

A distortion rocket is a ballistic explosive that "distorts" the area within the explosion radius for a short time, causing a sort of rippling affect that can tear apart material caught in the blast, rupturing organs and even cracking heavy armor.

Microsteel Spinblade

Microsteel is a metal built through the usage of microscopic, steel nanobots produced by a nanolathe system. The nanobots will fuse to each other, compacting into an object, making steel that is far stronger than typical steel. Spinblades are reminiscent of circular saw blades that utilize the nanobots they are built out of to home in a little on opponents, although only enough to cancel out near misses.

War Machines

War Machines are used often during ground assaults, and are typically aided by large Tauntar infantry forces.

Land Sprinter

• Crew Capacity: 5
• Maximum Speed: 108mph
• Weaponry:
  • Energy Machine Guns
  • Surface To Air Phase Rockets

The Land Sprinter is the most common Tauntar war machine seen on any ground-based battlefield. The Sprinter is a mech, walking on two thick yet still stilt-like legs. Typically, they are deployed in sets of two, where the crews are brothers of the crew in their double. This is set up this way to allow one-upping one another to the full extent of their assumed abilities.

Land Pod

• Crew Capacity: 4 (+10 inside Land Sprinters)
• Maximum Speed: 83mph
• Weaponry:
  • Surface To Surface Distortion Rockets

The Land Pod is what one might consider the Tauntar's version of an APC, only instead of troops, it carries two Land Sprinters. While significantly slower than the walkers themselves, it possesses heavier armor paneling, and large treads for all-terrain movement. They only require a crew of four: two pilots and two weapon operators.

Starships

The Tauntar people take the most pride in their starships; while typically built into odd, angular shapes, the Tauntar do not see the use of "streamlining ships intended for space combat". Most Tauntar starships utilize a communication system that requires at least one large antennae to stick out of the vessel; a tactical fighter will disable these first. However, a tactical Tauntar fighter will protect this antennae at all costs.

Death Probe

• Crew Capacity: 10 (Only in use during routine maintenances)
• Maximum Speed: 500mph (cruising speed)
• Weaponry:
  • 6 Shock Antennae

Death Probes are usually unmanned, exploratory craft used for scientific expeditions, although they are very commonly conscripted as defensive vessels to protect key locations during times of war. Each probe has a complex AI installed on board, which can determine whether or not a vessel is hostile. They are considered a direct upgrade to the original Tauntar Probes, whose AIs occasionally went rogue and were known to kill innocents. To cut down on rogue behavior, maintenance crews are routinely sent to the Death Probes, to make certain everything is in working order. This usually takes a month, and therefore the probes are equipped to handle a full complement of engineers. Death Probes are incapable of hyperlight travel, and must be placed inside larger ships to move through large distances of space.

Voyeur

• Crew Capacity: Unspecified
• Maximum Speed: Warp 3 (Hyperspace Capable)
• Weaponry:
  • Microsteel Spinblades

Well-known as the smallest Tauntar starship capable of hyperspace flight, it is used for quick spy missions against enemy installments. Because of this, Tauntars may occasionally use them to enter warp speed in planetary orbit to disrupt planetary signals or even cause irreparable harm to the atmosphere. As spy vessels, they are only equipped with nanolathes, which are intended to construct microsteel spinblades at jaw-dropping speeds. These are attached to the two front 'wings', and can only be fired forwards, to avoid damage to the rest of the ship. During hyperspace travel, these spinblade bays close up to prevent hyper-turbulence damage.

Striker

• Crew Capacity: Unspecified
• Maximum Speed: Sublight
• Weaponry:
  • 4 Ion-Propelled Warp Rocket Bays
  • Microsteel Spinblades

The Strikers are the most common Tauntar starship on any space battlefield. Like the Voyeur, they are armed with nanolathes on the 'wings', which can construct and fire spinblades at an alarming rate of speed. They are also equipped with 4 rocket bays which construct warp rockets at a slower pace. Because Strikers are sublight craft, they must be carried into battle within the Destroyers' docking bays.

Kamikazer

• Crew Capacity: 1
• Maximum Speed: Mach 7
• Weaponry:
  • 8 Nuclear Chemical Isotope-Laden Missiles (Non-Detachable)

The Kamikazer is a Tauntar's final glory device. This is only used in dire situations, and piloting by a non-disgraced Tauntar is highly prohibited. These vessels are intended for extremely close combat, and cannot go any faster than hypersonic speeds. Each Kamikazer is streamlined for maximum speed and has a grand total of eight nuclear warheads permanently attached to it. All disgraced Tauntar are immediately trained in what is dubbed "drunken flight patterns" by other species, to maximize the effectiveness of the vessel. It is also very small, only requiring the piloting prowess of a solitary Tauntar. A Tauntar who sacrifices themselves through the use of one of these are immediately granted an honorable pardon, whether they hit their intended target or not. Because Kamikazers are sublight craft, they must be carried into battle within the Destroyers' docking bays.

There is a massive monument on each Tauntar world, where they construct a realistic statue of any and all pilots who have sacrificed themselves this way. Their statues are taken to the world they originated from, or where they considered home, so that their loved ones may visit their statue at any time.

Tauntar Destroyer

• Crew Capacity: 250
• Maximum Speed: Warp 5 (Hyperspace Capable)
• Weaponry:
  • Travesty-Class Nuclear Fission Missiles
  • 2 Shock Thrusters
  • 6 Mega Cannons
  • 6 Double Barreled Mega Cannons

These are the flagships of any Tauntar fleet. The Tauntar do not believe in overkill, and they have therefore went all out on equipping these ships to make them formidable foes. It is the Destroyers who typically carry the lighter starships into systems, many of which are sublight fighters.

Tauntar Battleship

• Crew Capacity: 399
• Maximum Speed: Warp 2 (Hyperspace Capable)
• Weaponry:
  • Deep Space Torpedoes

The Battleships are the capital ships of the Tauntar fleets. Oddly enough, they're not tremendously well-equipped, like the Destroyers before them are. Instead, they are intended to stay several million miles away from the actual battlefield, lobbing deep space torpedoes into the mix. Each missile is equipped with a complex VI system, so that once it enters the battlefield, it will avoid all friendly ships as well as pick out the most important enemy targets to lock on to. Battleships possess extremely thick hulls, and many weapon systems have a difficult time puncturing it. Several bulkheads provide the crew inside a measure of security, as well. An odd attachment to these vessels is several large fan-like objects, which constantly rotate all over the hull. These stir particles to create small electrical fields, which are then ionized to strengthen the ship's energy shield. Each particle fan is equipped with several nanolathes at its base to immediately begin repairs should one be damaged.

Trivia

• The Tauntar are one of Somarinoa's many ancient races, created back when he was in 7th Grade, approximately in 1997 — that makes the Tauntar 16-years-old.