Tyranids
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In the fictional Warhammer 40,000 setting, the Tyranids are a nomadic alien race comprising many genetically engineered forms (see Tyranid genetics). They are the "Great Devourer" and are the "most alien race" in the Imperium.[1] They are an "elemental force" that seeks to consume all in their path, draining all planets of any possible resource with horrific speed.
Tyranids were first described in Rick Priestley's Rogue Trader, the first edition of the Warhammer 40,000.[2] At that time they were not an emphasised race in the game, instead representing a limited number of occasionally-encountered alien antagonists. In later editions the Tyranids became a playable race in their own right, popularised by a number of successful board games. Unlike most Warhammer 40,000 races, the Tyranids do not have a Warhammer Fantasy Battle counterpart, although they possess reptilian characteristics, similar to the Lizardmen & many of their larger units resemble dragons.
Tyranids are typically a close combat army and mostly rely on swarming their enemies through numbers.
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[edit] History
Tyranids are generally introduced as 'invading' the Milky Way galaxy from intergalactic space. This occurred at least three major times; but there were also four smaller, supposed scouting fleets, supposedly wiped out by the Imperium. The Tyranid Hive Fleets invaded in three ways. Their name, Tyranids, comes from Tyran, the first reported Imperial planet invaded.[3][4]
The hive fleets so far introduced by Games Workshop include Hive Fleet Behemoth, Hive Fleet Kraken, and Hive Fleet Leviathan. It is noted that these names are those ascribed to the Tyranid incursions by the scholars of the Imperium, rather than the Tyranid civilization themselves. Indeed, there is no evidence shown in the fiction that Tyranids even have language or civilization as understood by the protagonist civilizations native to the Milky Way, but the Tyranids appear only able to be communicated to by the Hive Fleet leader and become ineffective and uncoordinated if it is destroyed. Hive fleet Behemoth invaded in a giant swarm of close to 1,000,000,000 ships, and reached as far into Imperial Space as Macragge, the homeworld of the Ultramarines, before it was destroyed. Hive fleet Kraken was a large number of sub-fleets, which were eventually halted at the Battle of Iyanden and the Battle of Ichar IV. Surviving vessels spread out throughout the galaxy, forming the Splinter Fleets. Hive fleet Leviathan was made of a C shape approaching from below the galactic plane, spreading the phenomenon known as the Shadow in the Warp.
In addition, there are a great many references to covert actions by agents of the Tyranid species known as Genestealers. (The term species is used loosely, as the Tyranid's biology as described does not appear to conform to conventional Taxonomy). Genestealers are the principal antagonist in the setting of the game Space Hulk, and short pieces of fiction frequently describe human encounters with Genestealers from the point of view of individuals such as Inquisitors.
It has also been hinted, in the latest edition of the codex, that the Milky Way has been visited by Tyranids before. The Catachan devil is suggested to be a version of the Ravener. Others, such as the brainleaf, might also have similar connections. It is possible that they have been left behind by a hive fleet that passed through the galaxy millennia ago or are stranded tendrils of an attack group cut off forever from the Hive Mind.
[edit] Hive Fleet Behemoth
As described in the rule book and the novel Warriors of Ultramar, Tyranids were first encountered by the Imperium in the Eastern Fringe of the Galaxy, near the planet Tyran. Adeptus Mechanicus scientists noticed several worlds that had mysteriously lost their biomass and atmosphere, then the scientists themselves disappeared. Later an Imperial Inquisitor named Kryptmann visited Tyran and found a data file with information on the Tyranids, left behind by the former occupants before their deaths. This is when the Tyranids were first named, receiving their race's name.[3]
Despite this, several planets were devoured by the Tyranids, but Kryptmann could not call for help due to the Shadow in the Warp. The Tyranids, now named "Hive Fleet Behemoth" by the Imperium, progressed further into human held areas of space, eventually reaching the Ultramar sector, the realm of the Ultramarines Chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.
Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, recalled all his forces to the Ultramarines' homeworld, Macragge. There, he assembled a fleet and readied the Ultramarines to face the Tyranid vanguard. The Tyranids encircled and overwhelmed the lush garden world of Prandium - stripping its surface bare of life.
The Tyranids moved to attack Macragge itself. After a titanic struggle and great losses - including the heroic last stand of the Ultramarines veteran First Company, the Ultramarines prevailed. The Tyranids threatening Macragge were slain and moved to flee out-system. As the Ultramarines pursued, Imperial reinforcements arrived... just before the arrival of the Hive Fleet's second wave. The Imperials parted company: The Ultramarines raced to relieve Macragge, and the Imperial reinforcments faced the fresh fleet around the orbit of the gas giant planet of Circe. At the height of the battle, the Imperial flagship, Dominus Astra, charged into the heart of the Hive Fleet and triggered its warp drives, destroying both.[3]
[edit] Hive Fleet Kraken
The second wave of Tyranids to fight against the Imperium was known as "Hive Fleet Kraken". Its arrival was heralded by a score of genestealer rebellions and insurrections on the Eastern Fringe. Instead of throwing one mass of troops against the human armies, this swarm split into countless smaller fleets, each one enveloping a few planets, resulting in the loss of whole systems before reinforcements could arrive. Although this made each individual assault weaker and made some warp travel and communication possible, Kraken was attacking across a far vaster front than Behemoth. Two Space Marine Chapters based on the Eastern Fringe - the Lamenters and the Scythes of the Emperor - were all but destroyed, with only several fighting companies of each remaining. A vast portion of Kraken's strength attacked the Eldar Craftworld of Iyanden. Although eventually defeated, the Invasion killed four-fifths of the Craftworld's population; a terrible blow to the dwindling Eldar race.[3]
As the fleet faced heavy resistance, smaller sub-fleets combined, narrowing the range of the Tyranid advance as it pushed further into the Imperium. After the Battle of Iyanden, and the Ultramarines' successful crushing of the Ichar IV rebellion, the Imperium was able to predict where the remainder of Kraken's strength was moving. Troops were rushed to Ichar IV ahead of the Tyranids, where Marneus Calgar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines and victor of the first Tyrannic War, was immediately elected Supreme Commander. Once again, Calgar led the Imperium to victory. Yet this was not the end of Kraken. After the battle, the surviving vessels divided into a series of 'splinter fleets'. Although tiny by comparison, these continue to threaten isolated and poorly defended worlds, and increase their numbers with every consumed world.
[edit] Hive Fleet Leviathan
Five years after the defeat of Hive Fleet Kraken, Lord Inquisitor Kryptman began to notice the tell-tale signs of a Tyranid invasion.[4] Hive Fleet Leviathan appeared at the edge of Segmentum Tempestus with anomalous movement near the Dyson Sphere (a place rumored to be the resting place of the C'tan god, Outsider) and move toward the heart of the Imperium. Implementing the infamous Kryptman census, the Inquisitor burnt out dozens of Astropaths in the process of contacting every civilized planet on the fringes of the Imperium. Slowly the responses - and lack of them - formed a pattern, and the Inquisitor was able to chart the path of the Tyranid's latest Hive Fleet. Codenamed 'Leviathan', the fleet attacked from below the galactic plane, appearing as a pair of closing jaws, cutting off vast stretches of space from warp travel and astrotelepathy. A combined force of PDF troops, Imperial Guard and Space Marines fought the Tyranids in the Tarsis system. The Imperium had not been idle; a member of Kryptman's staff was able to engineer a deadly virus for use against the Tyranids. Captain Uriel Ventris of the Ultramarines took command of Deathwatch Kill-Team to the Tyranid Norn Queen, releasing the plague. Soon all synapse control was stripped from the Tyranids, and the Imperial counter-attack crushed the Xenos.
Leviathan continued to carve through the Imperium. Kryptman immediately ordered a galactic cordon to be established: each world within its confines was to be evacuated and subjected to Exterminatus - a decision that condemned billions of Imperial citizens to extermination. Kryptman was denounced as a radical, a traitor, and a fool, and was expelled from the Inquisition. Disgraced, Kryptman and his remaining allies within the Deathwatch refused to abandon their battle. Using a brood of captured Genestealers, Kryptman sent them into the Ork-dominated Octavius system. The Genestealers impregnated so many Orks that the entirety of Hive Fleet Leviathan altered course for the system. Kryptman allowed himself a glimmer of hope: his manipulation seemed to have paid off.
The Octavian Orks and Tyranids of Leviathan are now involved with destroying each other.[4] But those closest to Kryptman believe their master's victory is only temporary. Orks and Tyranids thrive on war; if the Tyranids emerge victorious, having devoured huge quantities of the specially-engineered DNA that makes Orks such good survivors, then the Imperium will face a far greater threat than imagined possible. Conversely, if the Orks triumph, they will attack the Imperium with unprecedented strength.
A secret council within the Imperium named 'the Strategic Collective' has been analysing details of the Tyranid's invasions, and recently convened to state their stark conclusion. The Hive Fleets the Imperium has faced to date are parts of a far greater whole, a whole that will arrive at the Imperium's borders in less than a century. They estimate mobilization levels will need to increase a minimum of 500% (effectively drafting every able-bodied citizen on every world in Segmentums Solar, Obscurus and Tempestus) to have even a hope of stalling the Tyranid advance.
[edit] Other Hive Fleets
Although Codex: Space Marines background fiction states that Hive fleet Behemoth was the first time the Imperium encountered Tyranids, other background fiction, dated earlier (within the fictional universe's dating system) tells of encounters with creatures having some similarities to the Tyranids (Horus Rising, for example, though this is widely disputed due to the Megarachnids physical traits that differ greatly from any known Tyranid life form). These stories are thought to relate to three earlier hive fleets: Tiamet, Ouroboros, and Colossus.[4]
White Dwarf issue 98 gives detailed information of the leaders of the Ultramarines chapter, and makes mention of a hive fleet called 'Locust', which the Ultramarines appear to have fought before Behemoth.
- Tiamet: Tiamet was named after a planet discovered in the 35th Millennium that was an unusual death world. It was determined by Xenologists working for the Adeptus Mechanicus that all life had a common genetic source. The explorers who were sent down onto the planet were trapped when their ship became contaminated and they were later overcome by the creatures inhabiting the planet. The planet was later lost after the Hive Fleet Kraken.[4]
- Ouroboros: Cardinal Miriamulus the Elder, of the planet Thracian Primaris, recorded a Chaos-like invasion. Upon further examination of equipment used during the battle and trophies collected, it was determined that it was, indeed, a Tyranid invasion.[4]
- Colossus: In the 38th Millennium, a group of Zoats came into contact with the Imperium. Although they claimed to be escaping from slavery, their murderous actions caused them to be deemed Xenos Horribilis and for them to be exterminated.[4]
- Wraith: Wraith are named so after there unique ability to bend the light around them making them extremely hard to see. There have also been many recordings of unique creatures belonging to Hive Fleet Wraith, such as the Land Shark, Tyritaur, Psycho Drones and what are commonly known as Tyranid Trains. First contact was made in the 40th Millenium, on The Ashworld of Tirith 5 in The Tirith System.
Also, in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook on the Tyranid page, there is also a colour scheme for a Hive Fleet known as Harbinger, which bears generally dark red carapace and chitin, and blue turquoise flesh. Another of the less known Hive Fleets is Apophis, which has black carapace, red flesh, yellow lines on the carapace, green blood, eyes and tongues. Included online are many other possibilities for players.[5]
[edit] The Invasion Process
To start the invasion, hive fleets launch mycetic spores, that burst open on impact and release a number of tyranid organisms that will build up the resources to extract from that world. Vanguard tyranids are released, and spore chimneys grow that alter the vegetation until it is grossly mutated and grown, under the control of the hive mind. Then the main tyranid army descends and lays siege. Capillary towers begin to rise up. After the eradication of any hostile life on the planet, the planet is stripped of resources and the genetic material transported to the hive ship via digestion pools and capillary towers. The atmosphere is then devoured by the hive ships. Then the fleet moves on, leaving a barren planet incapable of supporting life behind them.
[edit] The Hive Mind
Particularly learned protagonist characters in the background (generally Imperial human, but occasionally Eldar) are seen to refer to a controlling mechanism intrinsic to the Tyranid race, called the Hive Mind. The Hive Mind is the gestalt metaphysical entity thought to emanate from and exert cohesive control over all Tyranid individuals through psychic manipulation. In terms of the terrestrial Tyranids' encounters with other species, generally in conflict, the Hive Mind is explained as filling the roles of social hierarchy, linguistic communication and military command and control as used by other races.
The Hive Mind is delivered through "Synapse" creatures such as the Tyranid Warrior, and makes all tyranids in range all but immune to psycological assaults, resistant to even the deadliest blows, and under control. Tyranids out of Synapse range will revert to their natural instincts and/or move to within range of a synapse creature. The Hive Mind is represented in the tabletop games by various rules specific to players fielding Tyranids, and have a dramatic influence on the playing style of a Tyranid army. The presence of the Hive Mind is what separates Tyranids as an invading force able to devour worlds from stray Tyranids that act like animals and inhabit Death Worlds, such as the "Catachan Devil".[6][4]
As a thematic device, the Hive Mind is also shown as being responsible for widespread (light-year scale) disruption of Imperial communications and superluminal travel via a mechanism known as the Shadow in the Warp. This introduces complications to the affairs of Imperial protagonists in fiction featuring Tyranids, as the human characters find themselves isolated from outside aid via warp travel and doomed to face the Tyranid menace alone.
To date, only the Ultramarines' Chief Librarian Tigurius has ever made contact with the Tyranid Hive Mind and lived.
[edit] Species and Biology
The Tyranids are all of a basic genetic stock, characterised by six limbs, both an endoskeleton and an exoskeleton, external skeletal features distinct from an internal skull, carapace plates on their head and a series of spiracles on their heads and at the base of their tails. These traits have led some players (notably those who do not use Tyranids) to call the Tyranids "bugs."
What follows is a list of the major Tyranid genera - this list is by no means exhaustive. Starting with the Codex: Tyranids published during the 3rd edition of Warhammer 40,000 and continuing to the current iteration, players are encouraged to create their own varying forms of the Tyranids. The player has the option of fielding a basic Tyranid (or a squad, which is called a "brood"); then the player is given a list of allowed upgrades which they are permitted to apply to the creature(s). Certain combinations of upgrades are frequently given nicknames to differentiate them from other versions of that creature - for example, a Carnifex outfitted with multiple guns may be called a "dakkafex" (amusingly, after the Ork references to ammunition being "Dakka"); a brood of Gaunts upgraded to carry short-ranged spike-firing weapons known as 'spinefists' may be called "Spinegaunts". The most mutable of the Tyranids are the Carnifex, the Hive Tyrant, the Warrior, and the Genestealer.
[edit] Synapse Creatures
Lower, less evolved breeds of Tyranid are constantly kept in check by the more advanced synapse creatures which have much stronger links to the Hive Mind. The synapse creatures, which have the strongest link to the Hive Mind, include:
- Norn Queen:Though not seen within the game as there is no model, within the 40k universe the norn queen resides in the hive ships and births all the various Tyranids. 'She' has the ability to manipulate them at the genetic level, therefore rapidly evolving new species to combat anti-Tyranid tactics.
- Hive Tyrant: very large, very powerful creature with access to many upgrades. Also is arguably one of the strongest Tyranid species in the army next to the Carnifex.
- Tyranid Warrior: superficially similar to Hive Tyrants, but are smaller and more numerous.
- Broodlord: a larger, more powerful version of a Genestealer; similar to the Genestealer Patriarch described in the Second Edition background material. It is said that the broodlord is the first genestealer to make planetfall, hence, only one may be present per battle.
[edit] Large Tyranids
There are many other monstrous creatures that, while large, do not have the synaptic powers like the Hive Tyrant. They are all sub-sects of the Tyranid Warrior Genus. They include:
- Lictor : superbly camouflaged scouts, closely related to Tyranid Warriors. They have the ability to leap out of hiding at enemy troops, making them difficult to counter (they also appear to have the ability to work completely independently of synaptic contact as they often operate deep behind enemy lines).
- Carnifex: a large, tank-like creature, bred to spearhead assaults and/or provide fire support. The carnifex has more variations than any other unit in the tyranid arsenal, making it extremely versatile. It is one of the strongest units in the army.
- Ravener: fast-moving, snake-like creatures capable of burrowing underground.
- Tyrant Guard: Tyrant Guard act as large, durable meatshields for the Hive Tyrant. The tyrant guard are born without eyes, and can only see when near the Hive Tyrant itself. It was suggested in 3rd Edition they were engineered from Space Marine DNA, giving rise to the extreme resilience and armour not otherwise possible except in the very largest creatures. They have scything talons and diamond-hard rending claws to take care of anything that gets too close to their masters. Some have also been seen to have traded in their talons for a set of deadly organic "lash-whips", living tentacular whips with barbed spines on the ends. These whips have a mind of their own and will "lash" out at opponents, distracting them from the fight. They may also be equipped with Flesh Hooks, which are chitinous sinews fired by a sharp intercostal muscle spasm. As well as this they may be given Implant Attacks, which are barbed stingers on the tail of the Tyrant Guard, allowing them to deliver deadly toxins into an enemy.
[edit] Notable Large Tyranids
While the Tyranids are a Hive Mind entity and "recycle" their forces after each successful assault upon a planet, there have been occasional sightings of extraordinary individual creatures within the Tyranid armies. As the Tyranids never communicate with non-Tyranids, it is impossible to know whether these are actual individuals within the Tyranid community, or are new species that are slowly being introduced into the forces of the Hive Mind, but the latter is more likely.[7]
Despite their apparent infamy, they are no more individuals than other tyranids are, they simply are rarer and significantly more powerful (in both intelligence and strength) "prototype paragons" of their parent genuses, the Ravener, Carnifex, and Lictor, respectively. The Red Terror and Old One Eye also pioneered some of the newer biomorphs and weaponry, but the prototype versions they employ act somewhat differently than those later made available to their parent genuses, along with some abilities unique to them. All three of them have unique models with varying degrees of in-store availability as of early 2007; notable is that the Death Leaper was originally a conversion of an ordinary Lictor, before it was "mainstreamed" into its own model.
- Old One Eye: a monstrous Carnifex mutation with gigantic pincers and a missing eye. The creature was found on Macragge centuries after Hive Fleet Behemoth was destroyed. Originally presumed dead, Old One Eye tore apart the ship transporting its body. Notoriously hard to kill, it had the ability to rapidly regenerate even grievous wounds (to the point of completely ressurecting after a mortal wound), which led some to speculate that it was a genetic experiment of the Hive Mind. Something of interest to note is that it failed to regenerate the aforementioned lost eye, the scar burned down to the bone.[6]
- The Red Terror: a devastating beastial mutation of the Ravener genus first sighted on the mining world of Devlan. It was speculated that there may be more than one Red Terror, as with all of the Tyranid notable "characters", but any engagements there may have been with other such creatures yielded no survivors. It's often well beloved by tyranid players for its ability to swallow most kinds of opponents whole, preventing any cunning way of staying alive they can think of.[6]
- Death Leaper: a particularly vicious Lictor introduced during the Cadian Rise of the Swarm campaign. It was originally encountered by a Space Marine named Brother Erasmus. The two fought and both were wounded, Brother Erasmus losing an eye and an arm. As a result of the damage sustained in this battle, Death Leaper's chitinous exoskeleton provides him less protection than most Lictors, but Death Leaper's stealth is unsurpassed, and it is able to conceal itself in places where normal Lictors would be unable to hide. A fourth edition "Death Leaper" was also heavily involved in the summer 2006 campaign, Medusa V, but is identical to the Rise of the Swarm Death Leaper in name only, and acts simply as a "special edition" version of the Lictor model if the supplemental rules for it are not used.[8]
[edit] Tyranid Titans
Tyranids also utitilize creatures collectively known as bio-titans. For the 28 mm game player, these are only available as special order resin models; some metal miniatures are available for the Epic system. The Titans include:
- Malanthrope: resembles a very large Zoanthrope. They are psychic, but are more geared towards roles similar to the Tyranid Ripper.
- Trygon: resembles a very large version of a Ravener.
- Hierodule: resembles a very large Carnifex, they come in both scythed (Combat) and barbed (Shooting) variants.
- Hierophant: a massive, spider-like creature. One of the more powerful and largest bio-titans.
- Harridan: resembles a very large Gargoyle. Used to transport gargoyles themselves over long distances.
- Dominatrix: a specialised Bio-Titan, commanding the forces on the battlefield and providing the highest level of psychic control. They are said to be the female counterpart to the Hive Tyrant.
- Norn Queens, as described in the novel Warriors of Ultramar, and fill the role of the "queen" of the hive, similar to that of a queen ant.
[edit] The Gaunts
The Gaunt genus encompasses the basic units of a Tyranid invasion force. The hive mind has no compassion for them and are often expended like bullets from a gun, it is known for the tyranids to throw thousands of these pests at enemy emplacements just so there is no ammo left for the leaders. These creatures mostly have the same body type, which is generally man-sized or smaller; but each has different attacking traits:
- Hormagaunt: very fast-moving assault species with scythe-like talons.
- Termagant: similar to Hormagaunts, but trade speed and agility for ranged weaponry (specifically, the Fleshborer). These are used as the "foot soldiers" for the Tyranids and are the most common type of gaunt.
- Gargoyle: winged Termagants, with atrophied legs and the ability to spit plasma at short range.
- Spinegaunt: Gaunts armed with spinefist weapon-symbiotes. These are the least complex of the gaunts and act only as cannon fodder on the battlefield.
The Gaunt genus is very mutable, so every hive ship has dozens, if not hundreds, of their own variations among the billions of Tyranids on each ship. The four variations listed above are the most common, but over 400 variations have been documented.
[edit] Other Tyranids
The most unusual forms of Tyranid are those which may have incorporated the DNA of races assimilated during conquest. Examples include:
- Genestealer: Genestealers are much-feared assault specialists, capable of scouting and infiltrating the target of the main Tyranid army. Genestealers also infest space hulks with the aid of their hybrid offspring, who prepare special incubation chambers for their purestrain kin. When the space hulk in question is visited by looters or individuals legitimately looking for salvage, the purestrains are released, infecting the unfortunate explorers with Tyranid DNA. The first genestealers were contacted on the moons of Ymgarl, 200 years before Tyran: they were thought to be native organisms, and only after the defeat of Hive Fleet Behemoth was it discovered they were Tyranid organisms. This would suggest that the hive mind has been aware of humans long before the present threat.
- Zoanthrope: Zoanthropes exhibit psychic abilities. On occasion they have been shown to possess a synaptic link to the Hive Mind. The 3rd Edition Codex hinted that they were constructed using some Eldar DNA (hence their emphasis on psychic powers).
- Biovore: Biovores act as artillery for the Tyranids by firing Spore Mines at enemies. They resemble nothing more than large, bipedal bears (albeit "tyranidized") with large cannons growing from their backs. In 3rd Edition it was hinted they were engineered from Orks, as can be seen in their brutish looks (especially the head).
- Spore Mines are seen quite often when battling against Tyranid swarms of many sizes. They can sometimes come from creatures with a biomorphic weapon known as "Spore Cysts", but more often seen fired from barrels of the tyranid artillery units known as Biovores. There are several varieties of spore mines; Frag Spores, which explode in a manner not unlike a frag grenade, Toxin Spores, which damage enemies with a cloud of various neurotoxins, and Bio-Acid Spores, which are very effective in penetrating vehicle armour (and everything else).
- Ripper Swarms Rippers are small, worm-like Tyranids which live only to consume all that they can; they are generally only seen in large swarms, which traverse the planet during the final stages of an invasion, ingesting all that they can in order to speed along the ultimate consumption of all usable material on the planet. Energetic and persistent, when in numbers they can pull down and consume creatures many times their own size. They act independently, but can be caught in the area of a leader-beast's Synapse effect to be put to use in battle. They show surprising mutability. It is speculated that Rippers are a larval form of Tyranid. Eventually, the rippers will become bloated full of biomass, unfit for combat. At this point, they simply enter into the reclaimation pools and get melted down for reuse.
- Mycetic spores are organic transport devices used by the Tyranids to deploy seeding swarms in the initial stages of their planetary invasion, similar to the drop pods used by Imperial forces. They are released into the target planet's atmosphere from Tyranid hive ships in orbit, using various methods to slow down their descent enough for the Tyranid organisms inside to survive the resulting impact.
[edit] Discontinued Tyranids
The following creatures were part of the Tyranid forces in the very first edition, but were dropped completely afterwards. They also represent outside races that were "controlled" by Tyranids.
- Squigs: Small Ork DNA-based creatures that were quickly replaced by the more Tyranid-like Ripper Swarms. Originally introduced as part of the Ork race, and later revealed to be descendants of Orks modified by the Tryanids.
- Zoat: Mysterious reptilian, centaur-like alien species enslaved by the Hive Mind. The Zoat's telepathic powers were used to communicate with other species, a task the Hive Mind eventually deemed futile. The Zoat made its only published appearance in Ian Watson's novel Space Marine, in which a single Zoat tried to stall an Imperial Fist invasion of a Tyranid Hiveship. The Zoat was killed, but not before killing several Fists on its own. According to Games Workshop, Zoats are now officially extinct, having been destroyed in their entirety by the human Imperium.
[edit] Gaming and Gaming History
Early Board Game Incarnations:
Genestealers were introduced in the 1980s with Space Hulk, and later featured in Space Crusade, along with the short-lived Genestealer Magus. The first recognisable incarnation of Tyranid warriors appeared in Advanced Space Crusade in 1990, featuring biological weaponry such as boneswords and deathspitters.[9]
First Edition, Rogue Trader:
Tyranids were first mentioned under the heading Tyranids and the Hive Fleets, and were illustrated in a form not too different from their latest incarnation.[2]
The first Tyranids used conventional, non-biological equipment such as lasguns and flak armour (although the rulebook stated that these represented organic equipment with similar capabilities).[10] The principal unit available to the Tyranids was the Zoat, a centaur-like creature enslaved to fight on the behalf of their Tyranid masters.
Second Edition:
Second Edition Warhammer 40,000, released in 1993, featured the Tyranids in the supplemental books Wargear and Codex Imperialis, and then later in their own devoted army Codex. An extensive model range was released, representing most of the units described in these publications. The army was, however, very different from the factions previously seen in the game. Notable were the huge numbers of rank-and-file units a Tyranid player was able to deploy compared to most other armies due to their low points cost (second only to the Imperial Guard, according to many players) and the large and flamboyantly designed centre-piece models, very different from anything Citadel had released before.[3]
The tyranid player now had access to a range of unit types roughly equivalent to that of the other factions, including:Hive Tyrant, Termagants, Hormagaunts, the main adversary in Space Hulk Genestealers, Gargoyles previously seen in Epic 40,000, Tyranid Warriors, the Carnifex, Zoanthropes (a Tyranid psyker in addition to the Hive Tyrant), Lictors, and the Biovore.
Third/Fourth Edition:
The Tyranid supplement to Third Edition Warhammer 40,000, like most of the other supplements released at that time, focused on revamping the rules for the various units while maintaining the overall structure of the army, so that veteran players would not find their older collections unusable or less useful in the new edition. It did however add some new units and tweak the behavior of others. A brand new model range, somewhat different from the older ones, was released to coincide with the new publication.[6] New units included: the Tyrant Guard and Raveners.
The Third Edition Codex, as with a number of subsequent publications, included an army list which allowed far greater flexibility to the player than previous army lists, allowing extensive customization of units; at the time more so than any other available faction. Unit types noted as a 'Mutable Genus' in the main army list were permitted to be extensively modified by choosing from numerous options in the 'Custom Hive Fleet' section of the book. The options available bore a resemblance to the random equipment tables featured in Rogue Trader, but were no longer randomised.
The nature of the army list in Third Edition further cemented the Tyranid army's reputation for fielding vast numbers of models, allowing the player to overwhelm an opponent with weight of numbers. This was even more pronounced in the variant Seeding Swarm army list published in White Dwarf and later in Chapter Approved, which represented the initial stages of a massive Tyranid assault and even further emphasised the use of many expendable, 'cannon-fodder' type units.[11]
The release of the fourth edition codex heralded a new period for the Tyranids, with a new model range, new rules, and new units, most notably the broodlord, and revamped units such as the carnifex. This new codex also enables tyranid players to field a grand total of eight large Tyranids to be fielded in a 1500 point battle, although the player would still have to field compulsory troops choices. With this concept Tyranid armies can now boast either the many troops and/or a just few powerful units. One of the more overlooked abilities is the new "without numbers" rule, which allowed for literally an unlimited number of gaunts in a single game, emphasisizing the "cannon-fodder" trait of the Tyranids.[4]
Tyranids in Alternate Games:
The Tyranids are represented in three of the Specialist Games produced by Games Workshop: Battlefleet: Gothic, Epic, and Inquisitor.
In Battlefleet: Gothic, the game of space/ship to ship combat, they are represented by four models that represent the massive ships of the Tyranid Hivefleet.[12] In Epic, the game of large scale combat using smaller miniatures, they are represented by a combination of Titans and standard Tyranid troops.[13][14] In Inquisitor, the narrative skirmish game using Warhammer 40,000 type characters, the Tyranids are represented by the Genestealer and Hybrid models[15] under the generic roleplaying category of "aliens." They are individual members of the Genestealer Cults who work towards espionage and propagating their species in secret to weaken a planet's defences before an invasion, as opposed to being part of the Hivefleet army that seeks to swarm over all in their path and consume them.[12]
Tyranids in Video Games
It is worth noting that the Tyranids are the only Warhammer 40000 race that are not currently in the RTS title Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War although an unofficial modification is currently in production that will add them as a playable race. The fact that Tyranids are not (officially) present is likely due to their nature; as Tyranids do not create structures or technology in the same way as the other races (not to mention the lack of usable wargear because of this), it would be difficult to have them perform as the other races do in the game. Relic has also repeatedly stated that they wanted to include the Tyranids in Dawn Of War, but the game's graphic engine "wouldn't do them justice".
[edit] References
- ^ Priestley, Rick (2004). Warhammer 40,000, 4th Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-468-X.
- ^ a b Priestley, Rick (1992). Rogue Trader. Eastwood: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-872372-27-9.
- ^ a b c d e Chambers, Andy. Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tyranids, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-872372-90-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Kelly, Phil; and Chambers, Andy (2004). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tyranids 3rd Edition, 3rd Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-650-X.
- ^ Forgotten-Fleets. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-05-07.
- ^ a b c d Kelly, Phil; and Chambers, Andy (2004). Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tyranids, 2nd Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-650-X.
- ^ Tyranid Special Characters. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
- ^ Morgan, Steve; and Will, Drew and Taylor, Dave (2006). Fall of Medusa V, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-748-4.
- ^ Bass, Dean; and Colston, Chris (1993). Space Hulk. Eastwood: Games Workshop. ASIN: B000KOPQVO.
- ^ Genesis of the Tyranids. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
- ^ Chambers, Andy. Warhammer 40,000 Codex: Tyranids, 1st Edition, Nottingham: Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84154-317-9.
- ^ a b Specialist Games. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
- ^ Trial Tyranid Epic Rules. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2007-05-16.
- ^ name="Games-Workshop Online Store">Games-Workshop Online Store. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
- ^ Games-Workshop Online Store. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2007-05-29.
- Spurrier, Simon (2006). Xenology. Nottingham: Black Library. ISBN 1-84416-010-6.
- Watson, Ian (1993). Space Marine. London: Boxtree. ISBN 1-85283-840-X.
- Genesis of the Tyranids. Games Workshop. Retrieved on 2006-04-24.
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