Hive Fleet Lindworm

Hive Fleet Lindworm is a small, irregularly encountered, hive fleet that seems to silently worm its way past Imperial defenses and appear unexpectedly. It is rare for its behavior of bypassing potentially valuable biomass in favor of specific targets. It is unclear why they target specific things but the working theory is that they are a sort of “strike force” hive fleet with specific objectives.
The Inquisition is extremely concerned about the nature of Hive Fleet Lindworm as it acts with knowledge of high level Imperial secrets and the Inquisition doesn’t know how. Some suspect that they have some unique form of undetectable genestealers who are passing among the high echelons of Imperial society and gathering intelligence but there is no evidence of this. Others think they are a sort of “Tyranid Assassin Fleet”, acting on information provided by other hive fleets. Though their strikes are few their damage is hefty when they do strike.
== Genetics ==
Lindworm has similarities to Hive Fleet Leviathan in their genetic structure, suggesting Lindworm may be a splinter fleet or share an origin. They have never been shown working in concert with each other. Lindworm has some special developments in their bioforms, mainly in the areas of starvation resistance and sensory organs. Members of Lindworm can survive on less biomass for longer periods of time and have more acute and diverse sensory organs. It is noted that some of their numbers have organs used for detecting and analyzing psykers.
== Major Outbreaks ==
=== Yolandi IV ===
Lindworm forces appeared for the first time, extending from the Halo Stars, into the fringes of Imperial Space. The shrine world of Yolandi IV was targeted by Lindworm and completely destroyed. Sealed inquisitorial records showed that deep space scrying technology was being covertly housed there to spy on threats from the Halo Stars. The destruction was so absolute and Yolandi IV so far from the notice of most Imperial servants that it took 5 years for a passing Rogue Trade fleet to discover what had happened to them.
=== Percival’s Keep ===
Lindworm forces next appeared in the Athena Sector, deep within Segmentum Obscurus on the planet of Percival’s Keep. This medieval shrine world held several sacred relics that were mysteriously left untouched, as were most of the major cities. Instead Hive Fleet Lindworm’s forces decimated a small population center on the southern continent. Inquisitorial records showed that there was both a secret Officio Assassinorum Culexus Temple there that the Hive Fleet took out. They vanished before Imperial assets could be deployed.
=== Redwind Massacre ===
The Redwind was a black ship transporting psykers through the Gothic Sector for sacrifice to the Emperor. Hivefleet Lindworm destroyed the ship and its escorts and laid in wait to ambush other Black Ships that took the same route. They laid in wait on a moon nearby that black ships often stopped at for resupply. The location and nature of the moon was known only to a few in the Adeptus Astra Telepathica and it is unclear how Hive Fleet Lindworm discovered its location. Lindworm forces eradicated 6 black ships and their escorts before Imperial elements encountered and destroyed that part of the fleet.
=== Ordis Conundrum ===
Hive Fleet Lindworm was next encountered in the Chonma sector, despite no evidence of theory passing from the Gothic Sector. They made an appearance over the world of Ordis, so numerous they blotted out the sun. For three days they circled the planet but never attacked. Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, they disappeared. Supposedly, nothing was attacked, nothing taken, and no one injured. They simply appeared, orbited the planet, and left. Inquisitors of the Ordo Xenos theorized it was possibly a display of force, a distraction for another hive’s attack, or something unnoticed. The appearance was in Segmentum Solar, so close to Holy Terra that a Shield Host of Custodes was dispatched to investigate and intercept them but no attack followed and no further information was discovered.
=== Reaver Raids ===
The Reaver Sector, back near the Halo Stars, was next hit after the strange display at Ordis. Several worlds near the border of the Taninim Expanse were hit, destroyed, and added to the fleet’s biomass. They destroyed 4 regiments of the Imperial Guard who were sent to dispatch them.
=== Assassinating The Greenking ===
Hive Fleet Lindworm attacked a planet (Neblar X) that was under siege by Grotfiend the Mighty and his orkish/gretchin armies. The planet was near the Halo Stars and Grotfiend was pillaging Imperial holdings there. Lindworm ignored the Imperial defenses (as much as they could) and fully focused on trying to kill Grotfiend himself. Only by the intervention of the Royal Marines was the attack foiled. Forced to fight the orks, local Imperial forces, and 2 companies of the Royal Marines space marine chapter stopped Hive Fleet Lindworm and it was sent limping back into deep space.
== Trivia ==
* Artwork: The artwork for this Hive Fleet was from the 3rd edition Tyranid codex. It is used as an example of unique paint schemes, though a similar gaunt is used as a variant color scheme for Hive Fleet Leviathan.
Category:Tyranids