Hive Fleet Tarrasque

A seemingly lost tendril of the all consuming tyranid invasion, Hive Fleet Tarrasque is consuming its ways through the Halo Stars slowly but surely. It seems confused by the warp storms of the Koronus Expanse and constantly gets turns around in the perils of its navigation. Hearsay suggests that they may not actually be lost but instead simply feeding in a rich environment.
== Genetics ==
They are new strain of tyranid, generically separate from other species. They are primarily black and green in color. They are bioluminescent able to cause the green segments of their body to glow ominously or recede into a perfectly dark carapace. This makes them particularly dangerous in dark environments. They are noted not to be quite as numerous as the larger strains found elsewhere, on par with one of the splitters but totally genetically unique.
=== Autophagia ===
The bizarre genetics of Hive Fleet Tarrasque seems to have been twisted and they are compelled to attack and eat other tyranids. If given a choice between non-tyranids and other tyranids, they routinely attack the non-tyranid first but do not seem to coordinate with other tyranids. This is odd behavior as the Hive Mind controls them all just as surely as one controls its fingers. Odder still tyranids from Hive Fleet Tarrasque have been observed eating their own from time to time, though the point of this is not entirely clear. Ordo Xenos Inquisitors have suggested that Hive Fleet Tarrasque may be one of the following:
* The equivalent of “tyranid cancer”, of course implying that Nurgel has some hand in the affair. They may be tainted Tyranids, though more research would be required to confirm this.
* They may be a “seperate hivemind” or some kind of far-removed sub-mind or renegade aspect of the greater hivemind. Their position on the opposite side of the galaxy may be evidence of this or perhaps even the reason behind it.
* As the situation can only be created artificially in a lab, they may very well act like a normal tyranid strain if they were to contact other tyranids naturally. The artificial conditions may have triggered something. Perhaps the Tarrasque strain is has some kind of latent role as killer of rogue elements should they become infected. This does not account for the acts of occasional, casual, self-cannibalism among Hive Fleet Tarrasque’s own numbers.
=== Metal Consumption ===
The strain of tyranids founds in Hive Fleet Tarrasque are attracted to rare metals and have been seen consuming them. These metals get infused into the creature’s carapaces and as a result some of them have exceptionally hard layers of protection. It is noted that some of their eggs and larval states seem to appears as rare minerals. Because of this many explorers have detected high concentration of rare materials and never come back when they went to investigate.
== Major Outbreaks ==
* Wayne Binary Incursion: Hive Fleet Tarrasque’s most successful push brought it into range of Greystone, a populated haven in the expanse. Its moon is rich in the rare adamantium and is guarded not only by Adeptus Mechanicus and security forces but it serves as the primary operating base for the Wardens. The battle took place in an adjacent star system with a binary star known as the Wayne system. The Wardens, who primarily act in small groups or independently, had a difficult time with the invasion but fought them in the Battle of Wayne V, Wayne II, and Echo’s Reach. The Wardens and local security forces were joined by two Deathwatch kill teams from Jericho Reach. Though mighty, the forces of the Imperium were only triumphant due to the timely intervention by an Adeptus Mechanicus who utilized a Halo Artefact that repelled the Hive Fleet from the area. It is unknown why but Hive Fleet Tarrasque has left the area in a large sphere alone since that time. They will literally flow around an unseen sphere of space as if it were a physical barrier to them. This seems to have ensured Greystone’s and Wayne’s immunity from attacks from Hive Fleet Tarrasque.
* Den of Thieves Incident: A Rogue Trader fleet acquired some alien artifacts from the surface of a world that later were revealed to be the eggs of tyranids from this hive fleet. The ensuing massacre resulted in the consumption of the entire fleet- including the physical remains of the massive flagship “The Den of Thieves” itself. Three parties of the Adventurer's Guild chapter were lost during this incident.
* Two-Hunch Campaign: The minor forgeworld of Two-Hunch was consumed when Hive Fleet Tarrasque consumed it. To this day they infect the rich mineral tunnels of the planet, slowly feeding on the materials and using it as a sort of base of operations.
* The Brighgate Campaign: The Sons of Terra space marine chapter fought off a covert invasion of tyranids from Hive Fleet Tarrasque that was instigated by a genestealer cult. The attack was largely successful, consuming the biomass of two worlds and killing the Baron (chapter master) of the Sons of Terra before being pushed back.
== Swarmlord Rhône ==
For a time a powerful Swarmlord with an unbreakable carapace terrorized the galaxy. This being was known as "Rhône" or "The Beast of Rhône" after it lead a battle on an Imperial world with that name. It appears that the beast somehow ingested a great deal of Adamantium and its entire carapace was formed from the material. It was only when the Eld slayer Qildare killed it after it had been injured fighting the Eldar did its reign of terror end.
== The Green Ones (Genestealer Cults) ==
A farming commune known as “The Green Ones” on Iridos 4 has been confirmed as a Genestealer cult originating from Hive Fleet Tarrasque. They were purged in the 1st Battle of Iridos 4 after they infiltrated the local militia and began forced conversion. Several of them escaped, including their Patriarch. Since that time the Green Ones* have surreptitiously spread their seeds into many of the major civilization pockets in the Koronus Expanse. Their presence has been kept to a minimum through regular purges and holy wars against them whenever they so much as seem to appear but they seem impossible to kill. Their Patriarch, whose name is as varied as the name of his various cults, is most commonly called something approximating “Old Man Green”.
*Agents of the Imperium should be ever vigilant. This cult goes under many names including, but not limited to: Children of Iridos, That Harvest, Our Lady of New Hope, Third Salvation, The Emperor’s Own Hands, Salted Soil, She of the Green, The Tawny Man, Pappy Green, Harvest of Mankind, the Great Harvest, The 32nd Farmer’s Collective, the Glowing God
GreenWarrior.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Warrior
GreenGenestealer.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Genestealer
GreenGaunt.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Gaunt
GreenFex.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Carnifex
GreenLictor.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Lictor
GreenHiveTyrant.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Hive Tyrant
GreenThropeSmall.png|Hive Fleet Tarrasque Zoanthrope
Category:Tyranids
Category:Xenos
Category:Koronus Expanse