T'vaoan

The T'vaoans, referred by humans as the Skirmishers, are a uncommon subspecies of the Kig-Yar which serve the Covenant as a specialized group in the Covenant military.

Origins
The T'vaoans evolved on the isolated continent of T'vao on the Kig-Yar homeworld of Eayn. The largely different environment on T'vao lead to the Skirmishers evolving much differently than other Kig-Yar. When the Covenant made peace with the Kig-Yar after a battle in the Y'Deio system, T'vaoans were recruited into the Covenant's military.

The Covenant
Many T'vaoans served in the Human-Covenant War, often being lead by Sangheili or Jiralhanae.

In engagements prior to 2530, mixed units were more common; however, this changed toward the end of the war. Several Skirmisher squads saw action during the Battle of Hat Yai and Battle of Actium, among other engagements. During these engagements UNSC forces managed to capture the hologram technology used by the Skirmishers.

They saw extensive action during the Fall of Reach, and as a result of catastrophically high casualties, the Skirmisher ranks were utterly exhausted and the Skirmishers themselves nearly wiped out, though the subspecies on a whole did survive.

Post-war
Despite the amount of T'vaoans that died in the Human-Covenant War, many still remained. Some T'vaoans attempted to create a united Kig-Yar government to defend Y'Deio from threats, such as Chol Von. At least one Skirmisher joined Jul 'Mdama's reformed Covenant, serving as Vata 'Gajat's second-in-command.

Anatomy and physiology
Skirmishers are a subset of the Kig-Yar species hailing from the isolated environment of T'vao. The morphological variation among the Kig-Yar likely represents divergent evolution in response to varied environments on prehistoric Eayn. They are much faster and stronger than the more lightly-built common Kig-Yar, known to humans as Jackals. They have darker skin and stockier, squared heads with small yellow eyes. They also have more beak-like mouths and bony facial coverings. Skirmishers have true feathers on their heads and arms, unlike the Jackals' quills. A Skirmisher's voice is more raspy and guttural - this is because they have an expanding voice chamber on their throat. Skirmishers serve as Covenant shock troops, while the more lightly built Jackals see deployment as dedicated ranger or sniper units. Unlike other Kig-Yar, Skirmishers do not display color changes in their plumage when their moods shifted.

Their head shape appears to be more avian than their cousins; their skin tone is noticeably darker and not yellowish. They also run much faster than Jackals and can jump incredible heights. Like Jackals, Skirmishers have sharp talons on their hands and feet. While both subspecies are quite agile, Skirmishers are capable of sprinting at great speeds and leaping long distances. Male Kig-Yar from T'vao had much heavier upper body plumage than other Kig-Yar. Females from T'vao had a ruff of feathers on their heads and necks instead of scales. Young T'vaoan chicks are covered in a brown fledgling down which gradually moults and gives way to scales and plumage as they age.

The blood of a T'vaoan is thick and purple.

Culture
Skirmishers had a culture largely similar to most Kig-Yar, although most T'vaoans believed themselves to be superior over the rest of the Kig-Yar. Among T'vaoans, it was often considered "bad form" to treat a T'vaoan like an average Kig-Yar. Like other types of Kig-Yar, T'vaoan society was described as matriarchal. T'vaoans were attracted to shiny, glittery and glamorous objects. Males often squabbled amongst each other and would display their quills for females.

Role in the Covenant
The Covenant use Skirmishers as close-range combatants, attacking in packs and using lightning-fast flanking tactics, as opposed to Jackals, who are often used as defensive and long range combatants and assassins. Physically, they seem to be similar to regular Jackals, though in combat they do not wield large rounded energy shields like the Jackals. High-ranking Skirmishers do wear point defense gauntlets or wrist shields, medium sized ovular shields strapped on to their wrists, to help them deflect bullet and light plasma fire. Their eyes are also yellow with slitted pupils, as opposed to bulbous and pale.

In battle, T'vaoans are not typically issued with grenades. Skirmishers are the only members of the Covenant to use Type-27 holograms, namely just Skirmisher Champions and Commandos.

Trivia
Skirmishers bear a notable physical resemblance to dromaeosaurs such as deinonychus and the smaller, better-known velociraptor. Like the Skirmishers, the dromaeosaurs were reptiles with prominent avian features including feathers and lightweight bones. Dromaeosaurs are considered to be one of the main taxonomic links between dinosaurs and birds, perhaps suggesting a similar evolutionary progression among the Kig-Yar.

List of appearances

 * Halo: Reach
 * Halo: The Thursday War
 * Halo: Escalation
 * Halo: Mortal Dictata