A Craftworld Aeldari Void Stalker-class Battleship, starboard view
The Void Stalker is the pinnacle of Aeldari starship technology, and is the Craftworld Aeldari equivalent of an Imperial Navy battleship.
Its speed and maneouverability make fighting a Void Stalker a tricky prospect in and of itself for any foe, but when combined with its weapons batteries, Pulsar Lances, and squadrons of attack craft like Darkstar Fighters and Eagle Bombers, the Void Stalker becomes a match for any starship that dares to face it in battle.
A Craftworld Aeldari Void Stalker-class Battleship, port view
Void Stalker-class vessels came as quite a shock to those fighting in the Gothic War when they first appeared. For almost the entire war, Aeldari pirate fleets had mostly consisted of escorts and a cruiser or two. However, when the Aeldari pirates allied with Lord Admiral Cornelius von Ravensburg in the wake of the Battle of Gethsemane, a new force arrived to roam the stars, hunting down everything from Chaos warfleets to an Ork space hulk.
Other Void Stalkers during the Gothic War pursued personal vendettas while the whole region was in turmoil. One attacked the Orks of the Cyclops Cluster and was often seen bombarding Ork positions on planets alongside Imperial forces.
Rumours abound that the ship was destroyed after single-handedly attempting to destroy a Space Hulk, later identified as the Misery of Platea.
Notable Void Stalkers
Notable Void Stalker-class Battleships include:
- Bright Star - The flagship of the Aeldari Executioners pirate band, the Bright Star was first seen in the Graildark Nebula during the Gothic War of the early 41st Millennium, but shortly thereafter was seen at the head of a sizable Aeldari fleet wiping out raiders in the Lysades sub-sector. The Bright Star also contributed greatly to the lifting of the Lethe blockade when it destroyed the Chaos grand cruiser Unstoppable Rage and several escorts, and crippled two other Chaos cruisers. It is claimed by the Craftworld Aeldari that before, during and after the Gothic War, the Bright Star has never been defeated in battle.
- Forge of Vaul - The Forge of Vaul was also active in the Gothic War, but did not amass nearly as sizable a roll of honor as that of the Bright Star.
Sources
- Battlefleet Gothic: The Pirate and the Alien - Eldar and Dark Eldar Vessels, pg. 50