Genestealers are the most insidious of these early invaders. As they scout out the planet, they also infect the planet's fauna with Tyranid genetic material. The corruption of the planet's native gene-code eventually results in hybrid native-Tyranid creatures that are subject to the will of a Broodlord or other representative of the Tyranid Hive Mind. The Hive Mind's influence is strongest in the vicinity of creatures such as Tyranid Warriors and the feared Hive Tyrants. These beings are able to communicate with their kin, not through language, but by a synaptic form of telepathy through which they relay and channel the will of the Hive Mind. Although they have similar names and share some characters and tropes, the settings of Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Fantasy are completely separate. For instance, the Chaos God Slaanesh in Warhammer Fantasy is not the same Slaanesh that appears in Warhammer 40,000. The Emperor of Mankind does not exist in Warhammer Fantasy and Sigmar does not exist in Warhammer 40,000. As the Great Rift tore open reality, Warp Storms ravaged the Baal System even as its worlds faced the Leviathan. Upon Baal itself, the battle between Blood The Tyranids do not build their starships and weapons from metal and plastic like the other intelligent races of the Milky Way Galaxy; instead, they use gene-splicing and bioengineering to grow them from the organic biomatter harvested from the planets they consume.

Typically, Tyranid hive fleets move in ad hoc formations known as "tendrils," migrating to nearby inhabited planets after consuming all the biological and organic material on a recently invaded planet and breeding, often reproducing many times their original number.

Collecting Your Army

This means that, by the time the Shadow in the Warp falls, it is already too late; these beleaguered planets are effectively on their own. They must fend for themselves and face the Tyranid swarm with the weapons they have to hand, or die in the attempt. The three Tyranid species most active during this stage are Vanguard Drone Ships, Lictors, and Genestealers. 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 there are often a very limited number of Tyranids involved at this stage, these specimens exhibit an uncharacteristic degree of self-preservation. The composition of the players' armies must fit the rivalries and alliances depicted in the setting. All models listed in the rulebooks have keywords that divide them into factions. In a matched game, a player may only use models in their army that are all loyal to a common faction. [13] Thus, a player cannot, for example, use a mixture of Aeldari and Necron models in their army, because in the game's fictional setting, Aeldari and Necrons are mortal enemies and would never fight alongside each other.

Every thought and action, every spark of life in the Tyranid species, is bound and interlinked into a single unfathomable consciousness, a great entity that stretches across hundreds of light years of space. This gestalt sentience is known as the " Hive Mind." Bereft of their means to call for reinforcements or safely navigate surrounding space, the worlds of the Imperium are easily isolated from the wider galaxy.

Combat Patrol Tyranids

In later editions they became a playable faction in their own right, and it was revealed that the Genestealers (first popularised in the board game Space Hulk) were in fact part of the advance reconnaissance element of the main Tyranid Hive Fleets. It is unknown if the Shadow in the Warp is created deliberately by the hive fleets, or if it is simply a by-product of the Hive Mind's innate synaptic control. In any case, the Shadow in the Warp creates fear and panic wherever it falls, instilling a pervasive dread into the minds of a prey world's defenders, plunging entire planets into misery and despair. This map displays the directions from which the major Tyranid hive fleets entered the Milky Way Galaxy from the intergalactic void before the opening of the Great Rift, ca. 999.M41 These varied breeds come together in large hordes, that sweep forward to create battlefronts that may be hundreds of kilometres in length. 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. This has caused one Imperial researcher, Magos Biologis Locard, to claim that the Tyranid Warrior is the most adaptable of any Tyranid species yet encountered.

Although the rules place no limit on how big an army can be, players tend to use armies comprising between a few dozen to a hundred models, depending on its faction. A large army will slow down the pace of the match as the players must physically handle many more models and consider each strategically. Larger armies also cost more money and take more work to paint and assemble.These creatures live in a highly symbiotic fashion, fusing into each other's flesh so that it is often impossible to say where one Tyranid creature ends, and another begins. In this way, Tyranid warrior-beasts wield living weapons that are literally extensions of their own bodies, each one a killing machine, perfectly adapted to slaughter its victims. Biovore • Tyrant Guard ( Hive Guard) • Lictor ( Neurolictor • Deathleaper) • Leaper • Pyrovore • Venomthrope • Zoanthrope The Tyranid Warrior is often a common trooper found in Tyranid armies. They have the ability to carry a wide variety of deadly biomechanical weaponry and other upgrades, making them suitable to take on many roles in battle. They are easily able to bring valuable long range firepower or high volume, short-ranged support to their Tyranid brethren. The hive fleet will also seed the planet with numerous Tyranid organisms, which will begin to biologically alter the planet's climate, surface and ecosystems to make it easier to consume.

While the towers may appear to be a Tyranid plant analogue, they are no less aggressive than the more mobile bioforms. Capillary Towers extend tendrils throughout the planet that can absorb indigenous species -- both plants and any small or slower moving organisms. As they do this, the towers also filter the planet's atmosphere, absorbing the biomass of microbes and small flying creatures. As their time in the system is both brief and stealthy, Imperial agencies may remain completely unaware of the foreboding intrusion. In those cases when a drone ship is identified, it must immediately be considered the highest priority target in the system, as destroying it before it can deploy its cargo may significantly delay any Tyranid intrusion.

Navigation menu

They possess few ranged weapons, but their sheer numbers and close combat specialisation makes up for the slaughter if they are led by a capable commander.