Hive Fleet Tyrannus

A recent tendril of the Tyranid invasion, **Hive Fleet Tyrannus** has assaulted the galaxy in the wake of the Great Rift opening. The Tyrannus is a relatively minor Hive Fleet that Imperial reports indicate was first detected entering the galaxy near to the Hadex Anomoly, it has managed to pass through the weakly defended space at great speed and has absorbed several splinters from the defeated Hive Fleet Kraken as well as being able to glut itself on the worlds left isolated as a result of the Great Rift.

While the Tyrannus appears at first glace to be relatively small in size compared to the larger Hive Fleets that fought in the Tyrannic Wars, this impression is deceiving; it is still capable of unleashing vast hordes of bioforms, burying its prey under sheer weight of numbers as tens of trillions rampage over the world while increasing its strength with every world devoured.

This new terror is tracing a coreward path along the line of the Great Rift and reports indicate that it is on a direct collision course with the Ork WAAAGH! of Gorskull the Destroyer and the Tau of the Viorl'yth Sept but most significant are the Necrons of the Ankhetekh Dynasty whose domain lies directly in it's path.

## History

### Discovery

The first unequivocal contact with Hive Fleet Tyrannus occurred in the later years of the Indomitus Crusade when the Swarm devoured the remote civilized world of Secoamrah X7F, a planet of some 8 billion, located near to the Hadex Anomoly on the eastern fringe. All contact was lost with Secoamrah in approximately 094.M42 in the Imperial Calendar, an attempt was made to re-establish contact but to no avail so the Falchion class Frigate Kraton was spared and sent to investigate. Upon arriving they discovered the tell-tale signs of a Tyranid invasion, each and every world within the system had been stripped bare, not a single living thing was found, further investigation discovered the shattered hull of a destroyer drifting in the void. The boarding party that was dispatched returned with pict logs and vid logs that showed the full scale of the invasion, upon reviewing the evidence they identified 7 Hive Ships and numberless hordes of lesser ships, the final log indicated that the ship had been attempting to flee when it was caught by the Tyranid forces but by luck or circumstance the ship's warp drive activated taken the ship away from the creatures only to return long after the Swarm had left. It has been determined that other Imperial Worlds in the vicinity had also been consumed. The captain of the Kraton gave a name to the new horror, Tyrannus.

### Doom of Sabamet Epsilon

The Imperial campaign known as the Doom of Sabamet Epsilon was fought during the period known as the Noctis Aeterna, approximately 108.M42 according to the Imperial Calender but the seeds were sown long ago. Since the opening of the great rift Sabamet had remained a peaceful world, law and order were enforced and except for instances of crime and insurrection the populence lived in relative harmony, even the influence of the nearby Tau Empire was of little concern for the planets rulers, but the people were not ignorant of the wider events, the ever present purple scar that bisected the sky was a constant reminder that the Galaxy had changed and Sabamet had changed with it for little did they know, their doom was upon them, a tinderbox was growing beneath them and it needed only a single spark to ignite.

#### Prelude

Sabamet Epsilon was a civilized world within the Dalthacror sub-sector, located on the Eastern Fringe it had long benefited from it's position to become a major economic hub, trade from Ultramar and beyond flowed in and out of Sabamet, even the Tau had visited in days past, it was the most populous world within the sub-sector with a population of some 17,000,000,000 and it mustered for the Guard once every generation. Covered in thick forests and vast oceans it was a beautiful world, long admired for it's arts and culture.

However unknown to the wider galaxy, Sabamet was hiding a dark secret, for many years the random acts of violence and insurrection had begun to increase in frequency amid a growing unease that the attacks no longer seemed random. Events came to a head when the Arbites precinct in the capital Dracvine was firebombed killing 17 Arbites, the resulting heavy-handed reprisals created a undercurrent of discontent and protests erupted all over the world. Realizing they were overmatched the PDF was mustered and the Planetary Governor requested aid from the Astra Militarum.

Three months later on the eve of the largest protest to date the promised aid arrived, 3 Regiments, the 52nd Valhalla, the 107th Faeburn Vanquishers and the 71st Mordant Acid-Dogs as well as a Company from the 21st Athonian Tunnel Rats. The 52nd Valhalla were immediately deployed to protect the capital although only a third of the Valhallans had been deployed by the time the protest began, the remainder of the Guard elements were ordered to move into reserve at Spaceport Primus in order to be ready for airlift to where they were needed.

The protest began early on the 117th day of 108.M42, it assembled at the city's outer habs and made their way into the city gathering additional protesters as they went, by the time they had reached martyrs square, the group had swelled to more than 700,000 filling the centre of the city to bursting. With the Arbites and a platoon from the Valhallans keeping the peace it seemed that the protest would pass without incident, no one knows who shot first but with the subsequent developments it seems likely that elements within the crowd wanted to escalate the situation, before any one could react shots rang out and within moments what had been peaceful turned violent. Cooler heads within the crowd appealed for calm but it was a wasted effort, anger that been boiling over for months erupted and from all around missiles and shots began raining down on the Arbites who formed a tightly packed line, the crowd rushed the Arbites line only to be gunned down but the overwhelming numbers forced the Judges back into their precinct while small squads unable to make it back to the precinct holed up in the nearest shelter they could find.

Throughout the night violence reigned, fires burned unchecked, homes ransacked and their owners killed, Judges that had managed to find places to hole up fought desperate sieges for hours before being evacuated. By the morning over 10,000 had died but it was a mere prelude to the horrors to come. The events of that day seemed to light a fuse and greater acts of violence erupted across the world, an armed insurrection had formed and battles between them and the Imperial forces became commonplace and in the capital a killer stalked the streets, victims were found mutilated and hanging from street posts. Declaring an emergency the Governor ordered all available forces to hunt down and kill whoever was orchestrating the events.

During a skirmish outside of the Capital a company of the Faeburn Vanquishers pursued the enemy into the tunnels beneath the city, not a single soldier came out alive. The Athonian Tunnel Rats, known for their excellence in tunnel fighting were sent in to root out the enemy, they had barely penetrated into the warren of tunnels when they came under intense fire from hidden positions, persevering they pushed deeper into the tunnels, fighting the enemy every step of the way. After 3 days they emerged but what they had found shocked and terrified everyone, the recovered bodies they had brought back with them were not human, they were something else, an horrific amalgamation of Genestealer and Human, they were hybrids.

At last the Imperial's knew what they were facing, a Genestealer Cult now known as The Scions of the Firstborn Serpent had been established on the world many years before, exactly when and how they had arrived on the world was unknown but now they had been discovered they erupted from their subterranean refuge. In every city and town hidden groups poured from every sewer, undercity and slum, overwhelming many poorly defended outpost's. Even within the largest cities the Imperium was hard pressed to retain control, at Dulameum the local PDF were almost destroyed when half of the regiment turned their guns on their comrades, the unit having been infested with hidden cultists, only the intervention of the Faeburn Vanquishers saved what remained. This scene was repeated across the world as the cultist, seeded within the PDF generations before showed their true loyalties while within the Capital the unseen killer, now dubbed the Hidden One continued it's rampage. But worse was yet to come for the Cult had to begun to call, the Shadow in the Warp was coming and with it the Tyranids.

#### Invasion

Within weeks of the Cult beginning to call its masters to the world, Sabamet was complety engulfed within the Shadow and all contact was lost. Isolated and alone Sabamet prepared it's defences as best it could while the Cultists attempted to undermine these preparations at every turn. A month after the world was engulfed the Tyranids erupted into the System, Captain Teryn aboard the Mars-class Battlecruiser Sternwrought took command of the Naval assets. His plan was to engage the Tyranids as they devoured Sabamet Zeta, the outermost planet within the system, he hoped to catch the Tyranids as they were fixated on the unfortunate World. What Teryn didn't know was that the fleet that was devouring Sabamet Zeta represented only the van of the Swarm and that an overwhelming number were still moving in from the edge of the system and by the time he realised he was outflanked it was too late, but the die was cast, Teryn had no hope of victory but led his small fleet consisting of an Escort Squadron and what few System Defence Ships Sabamet possessed into battle anyway but it was a futile effort, after the one-sided battle the Sternwrought was the last ship fighting but it was soon overwhelmed as 2 Hive Ships converged on it. Burning from prow to stern, it' armour plates eaten away by acid and it's guns silenced by roving bands of Tyranids that flooded it's hall's it lost structeral integrity and crashed into Sabamets moon, what was left of it was used to feed the Swarm.

With his only hope of stopping the Tyranids in space lost the Commander of the Defence of Sabamet, Colonel Mikal Lokk ordered an increase in construction of their defences and withdrew his forces from outlying settlements, the civillions having already been evacuated, abandoning them to the Cultist's in order to dig in around the major population centres, the Astra Militarum units and the heavy armour of the Valhallans were concentrated around Dracvine. Colonel Lokk's plan was to engage the Tyranids as close as possible to the main landing sites using mobile strike forces, inflicting as much damage as could be done before withdrawing his back into the main defences, he hoped that they could inflict enough damage on the Tyranids that the attacks on the main defences would not have enough strength to overcome them, counting on the harsh winter to further reduce the swarm's numbers and further hoping that reinforcements could break through the Shadow and come to their aid.

Much of the initial plan as executed swiftly with the exceptions of the PDF Units from the southern mining areas, the southern continent was infested with Cultists and many of the PDF and Civillion Militia units stationed there had already been decimated by Cultist infesting their ranks and the constant fighting they had already endured. Retreating under fire a column from Arkland made for their transports, they managed to reach the industrial sector before they were ambushed, cultists poured from the habs and factories, purestrain genestealers overwhelming hastily prepared defence lines, small groups provided stubbon resistance and the guns of the column's Leman Russ Tank slaughtered dozens and provided overwatch as the remainder of the column attempted to fight their way clear before a frak missile streaked from the second floor of the nearby factory, it impacted upon the glacis, blowing the lascannon from its mount, realizing the danger they were in the crew desperatly attempted to reverse, the turret slewing round as they did so, they had not gotten far when 2 missiles impacted simultaneously on the turret, penetrating the armour and detonating the ammo. Seeing the death of the tank the Cultists surged forward once more and slaughtering the PDF, in all over a thousand were killed while the Eklario PDF were overwhelmed and destroyed to a man in assault led by the Patriarch itself, scenes like this were repeated across the planet as Lokk desperately tried to consolidate his forces.

A week after the destruction of the Imperial Fleet Hive Fleet Tyrannus came within assault range of Sabamet Epsilon, the orbital station orbiting above the polar cap was the first to die as hundred metre spines smashed through its armour. The Hive Fleet then launched itself at the world, millions of Mycetic Spores streamed through the atmosphere, lightning fighters shooting thousands out of the sky while defence silos opened up, thousands of Topedos were fired but made little difference to the rain of spores while monstrously defence lasers were hampered by the changing atmosphere but did score some hit, notably that of a Razorfiend Cruiser that was raked by a pair of defence lasers leaving it drifting in the void only for it crash into the world. As the Hive Fleet grew closer the rain of Spores increased until they blotted out the sun but they were not fired blindly, the spores aimed for specific spots upon the planet, some landed in the southern reaches, others in the wastes of the northern tundra. Each spore is filled to bursting with Gaunts and other warrior organisms, as they land they disgorged their contents which immediately begin preparing for the assaults that are to come, anything unfortunate enough to be within strike distance is immediately attacked, torn to shreds to feed the swarm. Some Spores are also fired at the defences, at Brerton hundreds of spores landed within the second trench line precipitating an hour-long battle that cost the Imperium over 500 soldiers.

Once enough Organisms had landed they spread out in vast hordes, each heading for a separate target while flocks of Gargoyles took to the wing, ranging ahead of the swarms in search of prey. The first casualties of the Invasion proved to be one of the outlying Strike Forces, the Hive Mind had identified Strike Force Kappa as a threat early in the landings and led by the Gargoyles two separate swarms converged on the force, overrunning the lines in mere moments, only a determined defence by the Faeburn Vanquishers prevented a total rout, conducting a fighting retreat back to their drop-ships they escaped total destruction, but they still left over a thousand dead in the field, more importantly it opened up a path to Strike Force Gamma which was now isolated, over the next few days, contact was lost with most of the southern continent and at Brerton when it was overrun by the chittering horrors and their cultist underlings.

On the dawn of the 11th day of the Invasion the lookout's posted of Strike Force Gamma stared in horror as a horde that stretched from horizon to horizon descended on them, massive creatures the size of hab-blocks moving among it, 8,000 Guard and PDF garrisoned the Strike Force, and they moved from their staging to the front line while Hydra Flack Tanks and Leman Russ Battle Tanks moved into position. Frantic calls were made to Dracvine for reinforcements but none were available, grimly the defenders clutched their weapons and prepared to give their lives, watching as the range markers on their rifle counted down impossibly fast, the range marker turned from red to green and thousands of Lasguns and dozens of tanks and heavy ordnance opened up, the front of the horde jerked as the firepower hit home, thousands dying in seconds but not even making a dent in the gigantic horde. Closing the distance in mere moments the chittering horde slammed into the line like a tidal wave, millions of chittering horrors swamped the defenders, Hormagaunt claws cutting through flack armour like paper while the defenders fought back knife and bayonet, the line seemed to be holding, the Tyranids could not achieve a foothold but the storm of creatures increased and it was only a matter of time. The western end of the line was assaulted by the Hive Tyrant itself and bodyguard of massive Hive Guard, the line buckled and then broke allowing the creatures into the rear lines, with the rest of his line at risk of envelopment, Colonel Dryack desperately ordered his forces to retreat to the landing grounds, his Ichor splattered troops broke from the line while the troops behind them opened fire. They had barely made it from the trenches when the ground shook and the earth heaved as two massive Mawlocs burst from the soil, the Leman Russ Tank Gilded Heart immediately stormed forward towards the giant creatures, intent on providing some cover for the retreating soldiers. Bellowing in rage the Hive Tyrant charged forward, his great bulk impacted on the Tank, scything claws gouging great rents in the armour, soon the Tank ground to a halt, it's turret desperately turning to fire at its assailant but it could not turn fast enough and with a roar the Hive Tyrant ripped the turret from the hull while Gaunts swarmed all over it. Desperately trying to retreat the troops failed to see that they were now outflanked themselves as a massive horde moved in behind them, cut off and overwhelmed they were slaughtered, screams echoing in the air as the Tyranids swept over them and crashed into the remainder of the defenders, what was left of the force fought bravely but they completely overwhelmed, torn apart by a sea of scything claws, it was all over, not a single human made it out alive from the slaughter.

With the last defence line before Dracvine completely destroyed Lokk ordered the remaining Strike Force's to converge on the Capital, Valkyrie gunships were sent to airlift the more vulnerable Forces but casualties were high, roving bands of Gargoyles and their monstrous brood mothers downed many of the gunships, their passengers ripped apart as soon as they crashed into the ground, others attempted to retreat overland, Strike Force Delta, in position around Endrah moved from their positions and headed for the capital, harried very step of the way by the Tyranids they were in danger of being overrun, concerned about the losses these forces were taking, Lokk ordered Strike Force Alpha to move out and rescue Delta, led by the Valhalla Heavy Armour some 10,000 moved out from Dracvine 2 days after Strike Force Gamma was annihilated, they never made it, cut off they were overwhelmed and slaughtered to the last man in the Battle of the Bloody Field before they had travelled 10km, small groups holding doggedly before being killed while the huge Baneblade Voice of Valhalla was destroyed by a towering Bio-Titan, Aircraft circling overhead attempted to provide covering fire but were driven away, losing many of their number in the process. Without any support Delta was soon added to the tally.

#### Endgame

Colonel Lokk knew now that it was all over, Dracvine was surrounded and there were no more tricks he could play, it was only a matter of time before he and everyone else on the planet was dead but if he was to die he would make theTyranids pay in blood.

The first attack came the day after the Battle of the Bloody Field, Gargoyles swarmed out of the clouds and assaulted the defenders and while the Tyranids were eventually repulsed it cost Lokk over 300 soldiers. Lokk knew what the Tyranids were doing, unable to land and capture the trench line they were testing what firepower Lokk had left, the Hive Mind using the Gargoyles as mere cannon fodder, three more attacks came before the Swarm arrived.

Trillions of organisms surged forward while Gargoyles blotted out the sky, defence line after defence line was broken as the Tyranids pushed Lokk and his forces back through the city, every street became a chokepoint and every hab a bunker as the Tyranids were made to pay in blood for every inch they advanced. Outside Spaceport Primus the defenders made a heroic last stand, the defenders knew their death was upon them but they did not falter and battle was soon joined, as wave after wave of lesser Tyranid bioforms threw themselves at the stubborn defenders, who slaughtered them in droves with volleys from their Lasguns, before cutting those few that managed to reach them to pieces. Yet the valiant defenders could not hold, Line Breaker Carnifexes were unleashed, seeing their doom approach they began to sing, a battle hymn from the dawn of the Imperium was raised to the heavens and each man and woman gave their soul to the Emperor, Lokk was the last to die, throughout the war he had been plagued by the creature known as the 'Hidden One', the creature infiltrated the Colonel bunkers, slaughtered his advisors and hacked through his bodyguard, only to leave Lokk himself unharmed, covered in the blood and viscera of his closest aides.

The vile Lictor continued its brutal psychological torture of the Colonel by repeating this gruesome carnage for every day of the invasion, bypassing ever-increasing levels of security. Each time, the 'Hidden One' came within a claw's grasp of Lokk before once again mysteriously fleeing from the bloody scene.

The knowledge that the Tyranid assassin could eliminate him at any time was more than the Lokk's sanity could take, it was only at the last that Lokk was free of this terror and in one brief moment he knew what he had to do. Still firing his bolter point blank into the hordes he came face to face with his end, the 'Hidden One' Lictor that had been haunting him for months finally came for him, pierced by a dozen talons his eyes met his doom, he had one final act, as his life ebbed from him and knowing that he was finally free he pressed the detonator held in his hand and the explosive's he had hidden beneath the city detonated.

#### Aftermath

The world was theirs, the Tyranids had won but there was one last act to play, enthralled with their master's the Scions of the Firstborn Serpent walk forward, arms wide, into the seething avalanche of weapon-forms. They, too, are torn limb from limb. Only then did the true magnitude of their folly hit home. As soon as the planet's defenders were overcome, the Tyranids turned on them, wicked claws punching into close advisors and trusted minions, who died choking on their own disbelief. Purestrain Genestealers attack their devoted parents without hesitation, slaughtering them in a flurry of talons and snapping mouths. The mood of the cult swiftly changed from dogged loyalty to panic.

The final revelation comes both from within the cult and without. Those the cultists once adored turn upon them in the worst of all possible betrayals; any who seek succour from the Patriarch instead go to their doom. With its sentience subsumed by the greater Hive Mind, the creature becomes just another Tyranid, another nameless cell in the swarm. It is thus that even its most loyal followers are just a means to an end for the Hive Mind for it desire nothing more than to devour the Galaxy and none will stand in its way.

## Tactics

The coming of a Tyranid hive fleet is preceded by a smothering psychic signal that envelops entire star systems and disrupts all forms of Warp travel and communication. Swallowed up by psychic-static, whole worlds suddenly go deathly silent, giving no clues as to what is unfolding on the surface below, or of what terrors are about to befall. This is the Shadow in the Warp, and it heralds imminent invasion and horror. Unlike other Hive Fleets that have assaulted the Galaxy in the wake of Hive Fleet Behemoth it has not split istself into many different Tendrils as others have, rather Tyrannus swarms forward as one single whole.

#### Reconnaissance

The earliest stages of a Tyranid infection are best characterised by their subtlety. At this stage, the Tyrannus evaluate the planet's viability for attack and begin to infect the native life forms.

The first Tyranid species to make planetfall are Lictors and Genestealers, delivered weeks or months ahead of the main swarm by Vanguard Drone Ships. These bioforms share two critical characteristics for identifying new target planets and performing infiltrations: stealth and independence. All of the organisms involved have physiological abilities that are focused upon concealment. These talents are exploited to the utmost, so that they can initially observe the native environment safely.

As these creatures must be capable of acting light-years distant from the swarm, they manifest a greater degree of intelligence and animal cunning than would otherwise be expected.

Vanguard Drone Ships depend upon speed, their relatively small size, and their reduced psychic and propulsion signatures to enable them to quietly scout out new star systems. Once it has identified a suitable target the Vanguard Drone Ship's of Tyrannus will then launch themselves at the target planet, burning through the atmosphere and disgorging it's cargo, using itself as an immediate source of sustenance.

Lictors are it's primary cargo, Lictors are masters of unseen reconnaissance using it's chamelionic skin and their Feeder Tendrils, they scout the planet analysing the atmosphere, mineral availability, and the characteristics of all life forms. In addition, these fierce predators also target animals and even sapient creatures to absorb their memories as they devour them, as the swarm approaches they begin to weaken the defenders by systematically attacking isolated outposts and patrols. This information is compiled and sent back to the Hive Mind as soon as a synpatic node within range is available, drawing the swarm inexorabley to it.

#### Infestation

The arrival of the Swarm heralds the next stage of a Tyranid system invasion. As the Shadow of the Warp closes in too late for a planet to send out an astropathic or other psychic cry for help, it must trust in it's own defences to have any hope of surviving.

As it approaches a prey world, Tyrannus seeds its atmosphere with thousands upon thousands of spore clusters, each containing scores of dormant Hormagaunts and Termagants. These spores are unleashed as the Tyrannus enters the system and drift ahead of the main fleet, enetering the atmosphere weeks ahead of the main attack.

When its initial invasion swarms encounter resistance, each slain organism releases a powerful synaptic pulse. Upon sensing this psychic death cry, the spore clusters converge upon the kill-sign and immediately releases their living cargo, each organism driven to a frenzy by the echo in their predatory consciousness, thus even if a swarm is defeated it soon swells to massive proportions, drowning the luckless prey in a living tidal wave of chitin and flesh.

Prey able to mount a defence will a this stage attempt to stop the swarm before it reaches an inhabited planet, any vessel that can move under it's own power will be sent againt it but it is a futile gesture for the swarm numbers in the trillions, only a full battlefleet has a hope of stopping it. Once the Hive Ship has come into range of a target planet, it immediately begins to launch a rain of Mycetic Spores into the atmosphere and towards the planet's surface.

Each spore is filled with Gaunts and other warrior organisms, as they land they disgorge their contents which immediately begin preparing for the assaults that are to come, other strains begin to burrow deeper into the planet's crust, planting the spores that later grow into Capillary Towers. Mawlocs and Trygons use the tunnels to access life that hides within subterranean shelter's. Some of these pods are filled with microbial life. These hostile micro-organisms immediately begin to change the planet's atmosphere, oceans, soil, flora, and fauna. Complex organic molecules are broken down and recreated in formats that are best suited for absorption by the swarm. As the advance swarms begin's to engage the defenders other spores bear more complex Tyranid creatures.

At the same time that this rain of devastation begins, those Genestealers and Lictors which have already infested the planet reveal themselves. Using the knowledge that they have obtained, these creatures sow confusion through the ranks of the defenders. By selectively targeting officers and communications hubs, the infiltrators can effectively delay or even compromise a planet's defences.

As the Hive Ships approaches the rain of Mycetic Spores increases, choking the sky with tens of millions of Spores, during this phase of the encroachment, a planet's defenders must take rapid and decisive action or all hope may be lost. The defenders attempt to destroy the Mycetic Spores as they fall to the planet and will launch attacks against the landing sites, hoping to destroy them before they gain a foothold.

The Tyranid Hive Mind is a massive gestalt entity and possesses the ability to make a tactical assessment and modify its strategy, if the attack is failing they will readjust and attack in a different way. Countermeasures against Genestealers and their ilk are crucial to this stage. With the Shadow blocking all astrotelepathy communications, the defenders must be wary that even their more traditional communications do not break down.

#### Assault

Once the Tyranid forces have established a foothold on the planet's surface the final assault will begin, endless swarms of Gaunts, Gargoyles, and Genestealers rampage through the skies, across the land, and even under the oceans. Interspersed with these creature are the larger bioforms, these accompany their smaller brethren, these larger bioforms act as synapse creatures, direct links to the Hive Mind, dominating the minds of the lesser creatures and replacing it with the will of the Hive Mind, they act as the generals of the swarm sowing endless destruction across the planet.

The prey will inevitably congregate around the largest inhabited areas leaving the smaller settelments to face the swarm alone, one by one they are overwhelmed, as each of these outposts are butchered and their biomass absorbed so too do the swarms come together in massive hordes that sweep forward to create battlefronts that may be hundreds of kilometres in length. The defenders fight back with everything they have but with every bioform slain the spores seeded within the atmosphere weeks before converge upon them. Behind the battlefront, Capillary Towers, many thousands of metres in height, burst forth from the planet's crust. These towers consolidate the biomass that the swarm has already absorbed, using it to breed additional organisms to assist in the assault. Capillary Towers extend tendrils throughout the planet crust and absorb the toxic slurry that was once living creatures. As they do this, the towers also filter the planet's atmosphere, absorbing the biomass of microbes and small flying creatures.

Across the planet sheer numbers are used to simply overwhelm the preyound , sycthing Hormagaunts boldly engage any opposition in close combat, swooping Gargoyles attack any unfortunates that attempt to escape while massive Tyranid Warriors assault heavy defence points. As the prey congegate in larger group, sometimes sheer numbers prove inadequate to overcome the planet's defences, larger strains are spawned to assist in the battles, Dominatrix and Hierophant Bio-Titans the size of Imperial Titans and the supreme bioform, the Hive Tyrant, the ultimate link to the Hive Mind. In cases when a defensive point seems insurmountable, the Hive Mind is quick to adapt its strategy, Raveners and Trygons are used to burrow under defenders, attacking from behind or beneath enemy lines.

While the swarm will readily sacrifice thousands of bioforms to take a single metre of ground, it will not waste them needlessly. Alternative strategies are consistently employed, as the Tyranids are clear masters of adaptation. It is worth noting that the battlefront swarms that cross the planet's surface do not typically devour the planet's defenders. Rather, they leave a swathe of refuse in their wake to be consumed by the next wave of organisms.

This carpet of the dead also include those Tyranid organisms that the defenders have managed to overcome. Their deaths hold little meaning to the Hive Mind. They have served their purpose, and will serve the swarm once more after their corpses are devoured ensuring that even in death the Swarm does not diminish.

Over time the planet's very atmosphere and climate begin to change as the micro-organisms take hold, choking what remains of the planets life. By this stage, the invading forces have firmly established a presence on the target planet and the only effective recourse at this stage of the invasion is all-out war. Further even if the swarm were to be defeated the planet is doomed, the dfenders could not hope to eliminate every last Tyranid, all of these xenos bioforms are strongly resistant to biological and chemical toxins. Even the tiniest Tyranid organism has the potential to spawn more dangerous organisms given time and opportunity.

#### Subjugation

As the bioforms continue to battle the planet's defenders, other, more specilised strains begin sweeping up behind them, collecting all available biomass. Some of the substrates collected are used to generate additional Tyranid creatures.

In this manner, the planet's natural resources are turned against it, providing additional tools for the swarm. Behind the swarms, untold thousands of maggot-like Rippers are deployed from the sky that form massive, tightly packed swarms. With fang-filled jaws, they devour every organic substance they can find—living or dead. Once these abominations have eaten all they can, they slowly drag their bloated bodies towards digestive pools formed by the Capillary Towers. Rather than spewing the devoured biomass into the pools, the Rippers hurl themselves in, to be digested along with all that they devoured. New Rippers are continuously created to propagate the cycle of gluttony. As the planet's surface is depleted, specially adapted bioforms deplete all of the life in the oceans and within the planet's crust. The Ripper swarms also absorb rare Minerals that may later be incorporated into creating new types of the various weapon biomorphs. The only effective recourse at this stage is Exterminatus. Planets which have been subdued by the Tyranids are no longer salvageable.

#### Absorption

As the last of the system's defenders fall, the Capillary Towers begin to feed biomass back to the Hive Ship and its escorts. The massive living vessels orbiting the planet begin to feed, feeder tendrils extend through the atmosphere which make contact with the Capillary Towers, as they grow from the depths of the ocean to the tops of mountains, piercing the edges of the atmosphere. Biomass is drawn up the towers, through a combination of massive pumping organs and suction. Once the last of the defenders have fallen, the surviving creatures of the Tyranid hordes hurl themselves into the digestive pools near the Capillary Towers. Their bodies are broken down and devoured so that the biomass may be returned to the fleet to be recycled into new creatures for future conquests.

Along with their biomass, their memories, genetic innovations, and the gene patterns of all of the planet's native life forms are also absorbed. After the last vestiges of life have been absorbed, the Capillary Towers begin to absorb the planet's water systems. All of these liquids are transferred into the voidfaring organisms, some of which may grow dramatically in size as their storage vesicles expand to accommodate the newfound resources.

As this happens, the Capillary Towers themselves are also broken down so that their biomass may be reabsorbed by the Hive Ships. Finally, the planet's very atmosphere is absorbed into the Hive Ships, once the world has been left a barren wasteland devoid of even microscopic life the Hive Ships ponderously move away from the lifeless orb and move forward to prey upon another unfortunate world.

As it travels between systems, the Hive Mind analyses the new genetic patterns it has identified. Some of these may be used to develop new bioforms. Of course, these new strains may not appear immediately. The Hive Mind may save them for deployment at a time when a new strategy is required or new foe is encountered. Any defenders who arrive are far too late to save the planet. Their only possible hope is to spread word to neighbouring star systems, in the hopes that they might arrive before the Tyranid threat.

## Unique Bio-Forms

* **Tyrannus Lictor** - A unique bioform, the Tyrannus Lictor, also known by the defenders of Sabomet as the 'Hidden One' has been deployed by Tyrannus, it's strengthed carapace improves on it's chameleonic capabilty as well as being almost impervious to Lasweapons which simply dissipate's upon it's carapace while it's talon's and claws are specially adapted to not only slice through flesh and bone but also to dig, it creates a warren of tunnel's beneath it's prey, tunnels only the very bravest and stupid will dare to enter.
* **Line-Breaker Carnifex** - A specially adapted Carnifex that was first seen at the Doom of Sabomet Epsilon, it's arms had been modifeid to incorporate shield like growths and it's frontal carapace was strengthed and reinforced, combined this enabled it to withstand greater amounts of firepower, it is belived that it was created as a response to the unexpectedly stiff defence of Spaceport Primus during the final stand at the city of Dracvine.