The Hive was low on biomass, too low for the standard invasion force that would normally be sent to scour life from a newly discovered planet. The already dwindling reserves was being used to create the Haephestus Swarmlord. It would be days yet before the hulking monstrosiry would read full maturity and yet already it's keen mind was working on the problem of securing the planet.
If victory could not be won with quantity the it must be won with quality. Immediately the birthing pools sprang into live. The raw biomass boiling furiously as the Hive Mind, directed by it's cunning progeny began working on it's latest broods. Each organism took longer than normal to perfect but would be at least 50% more combat effective for little to no more expenditure of biomass.
The extra time it took for each brood to gestate posed a new problem however, new threats were approaching the system. If the hive waited too long they would not be able to farm enough biomatter to provide suffcient reinforcements to deal with the enemy.
To this end the Swarmlord sent out broods to the planet surface almost as soon as they were fully grown. Sent to more remote parts of the planet to set down the seeds for Spore Chimneys relatively unopposed.
Through pure strength of will the Swamlord had managed to wrestle some of the genestealers on the surface away from the HiveFleet Mothra who had also recently moved into the area. These genestealers were sent to scout out the choicest regions.
One such brood came across a habitat that was populated by a number of the prey that lived on this rock and they smelled blood. Large amounts of it. The air rich with the reek of extinguished life. A battle had occurred here, a massacre. There were thousands of bodies littered over such a small area. This was perfect! All that biomass to be harvested with no threat to the broods.
The genestealers sent out a telepathic signal to a nearby Tyranid Prime about the feast that was to be had.
Using the Prime as a beacon the Hive Mind called in every brood in the vicinity. After so long without sustenance, it was ready for the Hive to feed!
With an alien screech the swarm moved in to secure to location. As it was approaching the outskirts of the prey's nest the genestealers who had led them sent out a telepathic scream and went silent. A new threat had arrived.
The Hive could ill afford to lose this bounty and so sent every resource it had to hand to assist in claiming its prize. Not that it had much to send.
As the brood swarmed forwards to tackle with the new enemy, 2 spores dropped from the sky and a new brood of genestealers tore across the landscape to the enemies flank, tearing apart some of the enemy who were hiding in a derelict structure.
The spores spewed forth their contents, whips lashing at the marines who had the bad luck to be close when the pods fell. 3 mighty Zoanthropes let rip with the power of there mighty minds, only for 2 of the great blasts to fizzle out before they even touched the enemy. A brood of termagants from the other spore cried out as the devourers they were carrying spat out their payloads and mowed down a squad.
Catching sight of one of the prey who seemed to crackle with the power of the warp, the Prime sent his hormangaunt entourage leaping towards it and it's kin. With little regard for their siblings who were mown down by oncoming fire the gaunts crashed into the enemy line ripping through their number. A handful made it passed the frontline and pounced on the pysker causing a grevious wound before be obiliterated.
Biovores sat at the back of the field pumping out sporemines into the enemies number with little effect as a group of tyranid warriors lumbered passed to join up with the prime.
The enemy charged into the Zoanthropes and brought them low, breaking the much needed connection to the hive mind in the front lines. The Termagants, little noticing that the voice of the hive had gone silent mowed down another group of humans and the genetealers on the other side of the battlefield, not needing a direct line with the mind to operate tore through another group cowering in their path.
By this point however, the majority of the wave had been broken, no longer swamped down in melee the humans rallied and mowed down the termagants and most of the prime's entourage. The librarian and the human leader ripped the heart out of the genestealer charge before moving to the Biovores.
The prime and a few hive guard, unconcerned for their own well being tried their best to keep the enemy back but it was not to be.
The swarm and with it the prize of biomass was lost. The swarmlord's first gambit had failed. But now the larger creatures the hive had began spawning days before were beginning to stir. And soon the Swamlord himself would be active.
The battle was lost but Hive Fleet Haephestus may yet prevail.
If victory could not be won with quantity the it must be won with quality. Immediately the birthing pools sprang into live. The raw biomass boiling furiously as the Hive Mind, directed by it's cunning progeny began working on it's latest broods. Each organism took longer than normal to perfect but would be at least 50% more combat effective for little to no more expenditure of biomass.
The extra time it took for each brood to gestate posed a new problem however, new threats were approaching the system. If the hive waited too long they would not be able to farm enough biomatter to provide suffcient reinforcements to deal with the enemy.
To this end the Swarmlord sent out broods to the planet surface almost as soon as they were fully grown. Sent to more remote parts of the planet to set down the seeds for Spore Chimneys relatively unopposed.
Through pure strength of will the Swamlord had managed to wrestle some of the genestealers on the surface away from the HiveFleet Mothra who had also recently moved into the area. These genestealers were sent to scout out the choicest regions.
One such brood came across a habitat that was populated by a number of the prey that lived on this rock and they smelled blood. Large amounts of it. The air rich with the reek of extinguished life. A battle had occurred here, a massacre. There were thousands of bodies littered over such a small area. This was perfect! All that biomass to be harvested with no threat to the broods.
The genestealers sent out a telepathic signal to a nearby Tyranid Prime about the feast that was to be had.
Using the Prime as a beacon the Hive Mind called in every brood in the vicinity. After so long without sustenance, it was ready for the Hive to feed!
With an alien screech the swarm moved in to secure to location. As it was approaching the outskirts of the prey's nest the genestealers who had led them sent out a telepathic scream and went silent. A new threat had arrived.
The Hive could ill afford to lose this bounty and so sent every resource it had to hand to assist in claiming its prize. Not that it had much to send.
As the brood swarmed forwards to tackle with the new enemy, 2 spores dropped from the sky and a new brood of genestealers tore across the landscape to the enemies flank, tearing apart some of the enemy who were hiding in a derelict structure.
The spores spewed forth their contents, whips lashing at the marines who had the bad luck to be close when the pods fell. 3 mighty Zoanthropes let rip with the power of there mighty minds, only for 2 of the great blasts to fizzle out before they even touched the enemy. A brood of termagants from the other spore cried out as the devourers they were carrying spat out their payloads and mowed down a squad.
Catching sight of one of the prey who seemed to crackle with the power of the warp, the Prime sent his hormangaunt entourage leaping towards it and it's kin. With little regard for their siblings who were mown down by oncoming fire the gaunts crashed into the enemy line ripping through their number. A handful made it passed the frontline and pounced on the pysker causing a grevious wound before be obiliterated.
Biovores sat at the back of the field pumping out sporemines into the enemies number with little effect as a group of tyranid warriors lumbered passed to join up with the prime.
The enemy charged into the Zoanthropes and brought them low, breaking the much needed connection to the hive mind in the front lines. The Termagants, little noticing that the voice of the hive had gone silent mowed down another group of humans and the genetealers on the other side of the battlefield, not needing a direct line with the mind to operate tore through another group cowering in their path.
By this point however, the majority of the wave had been broken, no longer swamped down in melee the humans rallied and mowed down the termagants and most of the prime's entourage. The librarian and the human leader ripped the heart out of the genestealer charge before moving to the Biovores.
The prime and a few hive guard, unconcerned for their own well being tried their best to keep the enemy back but it was not to be.
The swarm and with it the prize of biomass was lost. The swarmlord's first gambit had failed. But now the larger creatures the hive had began spawning days before were beginning to stir. And soon the Swamlord himself would be active.
The battle was lost but Hive Fleet Haephestus may yet prevail.
(provided by CunningStunt)
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