Acting as the fist of The Empire of Daqin, tiger forms are among those Daqinren that are famed. Composing the lance of their military might as members of the armed forces, tigers are genetically enhanced for combat, and are in every way superior to the baseline human both physically and mentally by a large margin. As the front-line storm troopers of choice for The Empire, the Tigers are made to go on the offensive and take the fight to the enemy at the cost of long term endurance. Most Tigers are slim, yet strong, being built for speed and power, sporting a very athletic, sporty physique as a result. Though not always found in martial occupations, they have a record of being straightforward and aggressive despite their proud and dignified demeanor. The are also often painted as brash, arrogant and short tempered by hostile propaganda as well, but their propensity for loyalty and friendship has always been a constant.
Appearance
Strong and athletic, the Tiger Forms can be among the tallest of the Daqinese with their own tallest generally being around 7'2", while the shortest are usually around 6'6". Despite this fairly reasonable range, most measure somewhere in the middle. Additionally, their bodies are fit and visibly well toned without being overly bulky with muscle mass, something not common among the general populace. Though they are generally of Far Eastern descent, it is not too uncommon for their skin tone and features to vary with genetic stock from other ethnicities. The Tiger Form's defining traits are also their namesake however, as each individual possesses fur covered feline ears in place of their human ones, as well as a long tail. In general, the standard fur pattern is orange with black stripes.
Of course, exceptions exist, but are quite rare.
Enhancements
As the spear of the Empire, the Tigers are specially modified for better performance in the battle field and for the assault in particular. The most obvious modifications include increased speed and strength over the already genetically improved Daqinese citizen. In the field, they have been observed easily lifting and carrying 100 kg (228 lbs) over an extended period of time without strain, and sprinting at 64 kpm (40 mph) over shorter distances. Additionally, both their eyesight and sense of smell are drastically improved. Their vision is rated at roughly 20/5 and comes with an increase flicker rate, allowing them to pick up motion at long ranges. Meanwhile, their sense of smell allows them to track enemies and better analyze situations, and comes with an improved mental fortitude which allows them to ignore unpleasant scents.
Less obvious, but perhaps more important, are the changes made to their nervous systems. The biggest, most obvious change when examining them however, would be the secondary brain. Located in the pelvis inside its own separate skull, it is much smaller in size, being roughly the same proportions as a walnut. It serves to as a repository of memories and knowledge that comprise the individual, and allows for individual survival should the head be destroyed. To further enhance survivability, their bone structure is heavily modified to include organic nano-fiber suspensions, making their bones incredibly difficult to completely break.
In addition, the improvements not only accelerate their reaction times, but also improve their thought process and mental capacity, allowing for advanced technological interfaces. Meanwhile, additional reinforcement and enhancement to both their nervous and circulatory systems grants additional positive and negative g-force tolerance. Next, their nervous system includes an extension in the form of their tail, which allows them to directly interface with their technology. Meanwhile, their biology has also been enhanced with faster regeneration, allowing them to recover from wounds more quickly as well, however, this has come with increased risk of cancer, which is considered a minor annoyance.