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[[Image:TyranidArt2.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A horde of Tyranids<sup>7</sup>]]
The '''Tyranids''', also known as '''The Great Devourer''' are an extragalactic alien race, whose sole purpose is the consumption of all forms of genetic and biological material in order to evolve and reproduce. Tyranid technology is based entirely on biological engineering. Every function is carried out by living, engineered creatures, each of which collectively forms the [[Hive Fleet]], directed by a single [[Hive Mind]]. The Tyranids are seen as one of the gravest threat to the entire Galaxy. they seek only the consumption all organic life and can not be reasoned with or deterred in this quest.
The Tyranids are seen as one of the gravest threats to the entire Galaxy. They seek only to consume all organic life and cannot be reasoned with or deterred in this quest.
==Origins==
The exact origin of the Tyranids is unclear, save the fact that they are not of the [[Galaxy|Milky Way Galaxy]] and have only recently arrived here after traveling countless millennia in the intergalactic void. It is unknown which galaxy they originated from, or for how long the Tyranid race has been on its genocidal rampage. Indeed their very name is but a title given to them by the [[Imperium]], named after the planet where they were first encountered ([[Tyran]]). Whether they left their original galaxy after they had consumed everything of worth there or are in the flight of from another, even more fearsome race, is unknown. It is possible that they have been preying on other galaxies for since time immemorial.<sup>2-p61b</sup> According to another source, they have consumed one thousand galaxies and are responsible for the annihilation of millions of intelligent species.<sup>3</sup>
==Tyranid Forces==
* [[Tyrannofex]]es
In addition to these, there are also [[Dominatrix]]es which ensure good communication between all of the Tyranid forces. There are also [[Norn-Queens]] who live within the [[Hive Fleet]] and spawn new Tyranids. Originally creatures called [[Zoat]]s were part of the Tyranid force and some [[Magos Biologis]] believe that they are left over from a much earlier Tyranid invasion, although they appear to have disappeared from common sight{{Cite This}}.
===The Hive Mind===
===Synapse Creatures===
[[Image:TyranidArt.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A [[Carnifex]] leads a Tyranid swarm<sup>1a</sup>.]]
===Hive Fleets===
Tyranid forces are broken up into huge [[Hive Fleet]]s which appear to be moving independently of each other.
* Hive Fleet [[Behemoth]] - 745741.[[M41]](the Imperium's first official contact with the Tyranid species)<sup>1c</sup>* Hive Fleet [[Naga]] - 801.[[M41]]<sup>2a1e</sup>* Hive Fleet [[Gorgon (Hive Fleet)|Gorgon]] - 899.[[M41]]<sup>2b1f</sup> * Hive Fleet [[Kraken]] - 993.[[M41]]<sup>2c1g</sup>* Hive Fleet [[Jormungandr]] - 995.[[M41]]<sup>2d1h</sup>* Hive Fleet [[Leviathan]] - 997.[[M41]]<sup>1i</sup>
==Notable Tyranids Incursions in the Galaxy==
[[Image:tyranids incursions.jpg|nonecenter|500px|thumb|Tyranids Tyranid Incursions{{Cite This}}]]
==Planetary Assimilation==
In the process of assimilating a planet's biological and inorganic materials, the most important part for the Tyranids stage is the location of a suitable target. One method by which they accomplish this is the spectral analysis of distant stars to determine its their likelihood of supporting life.<sup>4</sup> However, the fastest and most common method is the use of vanguard organisms, millions of which range hundreds of light-years ahead of each Hive Fleet, investigating each star system they encounter for signs of life.<sup>4</sup> Once a suitable world has been detected, these bio-vessels spawn infiltrator-organisms, such as [[Lictors]], [[Genestealers]], or specialized [[Gaunt (Tyranid)|Gaunt ]] strains, and launch them onto the world via [[Mycetic Spore]]s. Once inserted, these organisms will seek out all life and target those of a highly-organized nature, such as [[human]]s, restricting themselves to lone targets so as to avoid revealing their presence.<sup>4</sup> Genestealers in particular will seek to infiltrate communities and create [[Genestealer Cult|cults]], not only to signal the planet is ripe for consumption but to weaken its defenses against the Hive Fleet's arrival.<sup>4</sup>
[[Image:Tyranid Fleet.jpg|thumb|right|Tyranid [[Bio-ships]] battling the [[Imperial Navy]] <sup>1d</sup>]]
As the psychic beacon of the infiltrator-organisms flourishes, indicating a rich feeding ground, so does the Hive Fleet home in on it, in the process cutting off all interstellar communications as the [[Shadow in the Warp]] blankets the target system. Upon arrival to the planet, the Hive Fleet will disperse within the planet's upper atmosphere and begin launching millions upon millions of Mycetic Spores.<sup>5</sup> Many will contain Tyranid warriors of various strains, from [[Rippers ]] to [[Bio-Titan]]s, and so come in a multitude of sizes. Others will deliver zoomorphic symbiotes and parasites, which target and mutate the planet's flora at a rapid rate. Within hours verdant forests are replaced with highly-aggressive alien vegetation, including [[Capillary Tower]]s, which begins the process of transforming the planet's atmosphere into a hothouse, turning the sky a sickly red and raising temperatures at an accelerating rate.<sup>5</sup> Other spores are nothing more than giant cyst-bombs, filled with viral and poisonous organisms which burst over population centers, killing millions of people in the opening hours of the attack. Each one will cover an area many hundreds of meters across with acidic digestive bile, starting the process of future ingestion.<sup>5</sup>
After the initial attack, vast swarms of flying [[Gargoyles ]] will herd the native population into the path of fast-moving hordes of Gaunts [[Gaunt (Tyranid)|Gaunt]]s to be viciously slaughterslaughtered. The defenderdefenders, often underestimating the TyranidTyranids's intelligence, make fighting retreats to buy themselves time to regroup from the onslaught, only to be encircled and destroyed as it becomes apparent they were merely herded into prepared killing grounds.<sup>5</sup> These last pockets of resistance will become the targets of larger Tyranid species, from Warriors [[Tyranid Warrior|Warrior]]s to Carnifexes [[Carnifex]]es and [[Bio-TitansTitan]]s, which eradicate the defenders with sheer offensive power.<sup>5</sup>
With resistance ended, consumption of the planet's resources begins. Bacterial agents and vast tracts of [[Ripper|feeder organisms]], pupated from the carcasses of native life forms, ravage the landscape of every ounce of biological matter before being collected into [[Reclamation Pool]]s, where the matter is rendered into a thick, nutrient-rich gruel.<sup>6</sup> This includes all mutated plant-life, which has finished altering the atmosphere into an oxygen-rich environment, and any infested organisms, who march blank-faced into pools' depths to be consumed by the Hive Fleet.<sup>6</sup> As the digestion pools swell, the Hive Fleet's ships cluster in low orbit as vast capillary towers emerge to link with proboscis-like feeding tubes and pump the biomass into them.<sup>6</sup> The final stage of the harvest is the consumption of the world's atmosphere and seas, with vast drone-ship haulers descending to low orbit and sucking up every useful element left. Eventually the Hive Fleet will depart, having left the world a desolate airless rock stripped down to the molecular level, to begin the consumption process on another world.<sup>6</sup>
Below is a general outline of a typical Tyranid planetary assault (in particular, this data is collected from the Tyranid invasion of [[Dalki-Prime]])<sup>12a</sup>:
== See Also ==
*[[Biomorph]]
== Source Sources ==*<sup>1</sup>: [[Codex: Tyranids (4th 5th Edition)]]*<sup>2</sup>*a: Cover Illustration**b: p. 6**c: [[Codexpp. 10-11**d: Tyranids (5th Edition)]] p. 15**<sup>2a</sup>e:pg p. 16**<sup>2b</sup>f: pg p. 18**<sup>2c</sup>g: pg p. 22**h: p. 26**i: pp. 28-29*<sup>2d2</sup>: pg 26[[Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition)]]**a: {{Cite This}}
*<sup>3</sup>: UK WD 145 pg 36, 37
*<sup>4</sup>: [[WD305US|White Dwarf #305 US]], p. 80
*<sup>6</sup>: [[WD305US|White Dwarf #307 US]], p. 98
*<sup>7</sup>: [http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat440179a&categoryId=400031§ion=&aId=5200004a Tyranid Art]
*UK WD 255 pg 49 ('''1''')
*UK WD 255 pg 30