Hive Fleet Ziz

A Hive Tyrant of Hive Fleet Ziz

### **Unique Traits**

Aerial Combat Mastery, Infiltration, Assassination, Sabotage, Strength in Numbers and Void Combat

### **Identification Marks**

Deft Blue and Mellow Yellow

**Hive Fleet Ziz** is one of many of the forces of the Tyranid Hive Mind. Absorbing Splinter Fleets that survived Hive Fleet Behemoth, this new threat has learned of the species inhabiting the galaxy as well as their tactics. It later made itself known throughout Segmentum Tempestus. They have been noted to be incredible skilled in Void and Aerial Combat, possessing many aerial forces to darken the skies of worlds and bringing death to the foes below. More frightening they have developed skills and tactics to perform tasks of infiltration behind enemy lines, disrupting communication and supplies, and assassination leaders. They have begun a campaign of corrupting the worlds in Segmentum Tempestus and have even begun assaulting Segmentum Pacificus.

## History

### Arrival to the Galaxy

Hive Fleet Ziz arrived into the Galaxy in 761.M41, at least two decades after Hive Fleet Behemoth. Hive Fleet Ziz encountered splinter fleets of Behemoth, survivals of its destruction at Macragge at the hands of the Ultramarine. Absorbing these fleets, the Norn-Queens realized that the races of this galaxy were far more resistant than originally anticipated. Through several discussions with the Hive Mind, Hive Fleet Ziz moved towards Segmentum Tempestus.

### The Orks

The planet they landed on, Roc XI, was already swarming with another race: Orks. These Orks had been living on this planet for centuries after the original human colonists died out. The Hive Fleet immediately assaulted the planet, wishing to find more information about this race for future conflicts, and to use Roc XI as a staging ground. Leading a surprise assault, the Tyranids managed to push the Orks back a great deal, taking over much of the planet. However, the Orks retaliated eventually, using Battlewagons, Deff Dreads, Killa Kans, Looted Tanks, Squiggoths and Gargants. Naturally, the Hive Fleet reacted with their own heavy units, but noticed the lack of air power among the Orks. Capitalizing on this, the Hive focused more on aerial units, using them to strike the Orks from above and destroying important areas or killing Ork Nobs.

The Orks were eventually disorganized and broken. Nobs and Warbosses were captured for Malanthropes to extract essence and learn more about the Orks. Eventually the Orks were eradicated, the few lucky ones able to escape off world. Once done, Brood Hives, Capillary Towers, Reclamation Pools and Spore Chimnies were swfitly built, along with other structures. Once Roc XI was finally fortified, Hive Fleet Ziz would continue its advance throughout the Galaxy. It had also developed a new appreciation for aerial combat and began focusing on creating more air strains and new ones too.

## Tactics

Primarily, Hive Fleet Ziz focuses on aerial combat. When invading a new world, Hive Ships will immediately begin launching attacks onto any starcraft between them in the target. Once the battle has begun, the ships will start dispatching ground forces. After reaching the planet's surface, air forces such as the Harridan, Gargoyles, Harpies, Hive Crones, will engaged the defenders while also targeting structures such as AA systems and long-range weapons. From afar, Biovores will give support, firing Spore Mines to destroy large cluster of defenders so the rest of the Hive Fleet can march through easily. Once these have been removed, the ground forces can move unopposed with the air forces granting assistance.

And as they also like to use strength in numbers, the Hive Fleet will send the larger Tyranid strains like Trygons, Carnifexs, Mawlocs, Tyrannofexs, Haruspexs and Hierophants into battle first, followed by the smaller ones such as Tyranid Warriors, Gaunts, Zoanthropes, Rippers, Lictors, Termagaunts and Hormogaunts to provide support, eliminate survivors and deal with places the larger strains cannot reach. Pyrovores also follow behind, consuming the remains of structures and bodies, to fuel the Hive Fleet for the next invasion. Hive Tyrants will take command on the battlefield, guarded by Tyrant Guards. Once a suitable distance has been made from the area of planetfall, Dominatrixs will be dispatched to command from afar and supply more forces, guarded by Hive Guards as structures are built too.
Should Hive Fleet Ziz arrive at a planet with a new species or discoveries, the rare Malanthropes will be dispatched to collect new material, guarded by Rippers, Gaunt Variants and Tyranid Warriors.

However, against planets that are heavily defended and could put up stronger resistance, the Hive Fleet uses a subtle approach. After learning how Hive Fleet Behemoth fell, Hive Fleet Ziz instead dispatches Genestealers ahead of the fleet. Following the normal tactics of others of their kind, Genestealers, they will infiltrate worlds and set up Genestealer Cults, bringing in inhabitants from the lower sections of the planet's society. These cultists will spread and then the Genestealers will focus on members of the upper echleons of the planet. They will target people of importance to the planet's defense and either bring them under their thrall, or remove them and install one of the cultists. Once ready, the cultists will rise up in arms and attack, destroying the planet's infrastructure, allowing Hive Fleet Ziz to come in and attack with little resistance.

In some cases, the Fleet will dispatched small groups of other bioforms to act as a vanguard. Normally smaller Tyranid strains under the command of several Hive Tyrants, these forces will engage defenders, supply lines and other places of importance. This is to help severely limit the planet's defenders from mounting a proper front when the rest of the Hive Fleet arrives. This tactic are used on worlds and sectors that are home to Space Marine Chapters, as Hive Fleet Ziz have learned from the remains of Hive Fleet Behemoth of the threat these superhuman warriors pose to their forces. In those situations, especially against the heavy resistance that Space Marines are known for, the Hive Fleet will resort to bringing forth the most powerful bioform constructed by the Hive Mind: the Swarmlord. The Swarmlord will take command of the vanguard and eliminate enemy leaders or lead the other strains against valuable targets.

## Unique Strains

* **Tyranid Raider**: A variant of a Tyranid Warrior, Tyranid Raiders are aerial fighters. Nimble flyers, they can fight from range or melee against their foes. Tyranid Warrior Primes are also among them, known better as Tyranid Raider Primes as they command aerial forces such as Harpies and Gargoyles.

* **Nest Crone**: