Carnifex
This article is about the the Tyranid species; for the Apothecary tool, see Carnifex (Tool). |
Carnifexes are hulking, powerful Tyranid creatures used as living battering rams. They are often armed with the most powerful Tyranid Bio-weapons, and are used in shock assaults, spaceship boarding actions, massed battles, and for battering through fortified positions and tank formations.1
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Overview
Carnifexes excel at thunderous charges, where their immense bulk is used to crush or smash through any opponent or obstacle. They are not as swift as other Tyranid creatures but their brute force more than makes up for this. A Carnifex's stampede takes time to build force as their incredible alien musculature strains to propel it forward. As it builds momentum and reaches top speed, the ground shakes with each stride of the monster and foes are scattered or trampled before it, only fortress walls or Super Heavy Tanks have any chance of surviving the ferocious impact. The best way to survive a Carnifex's charge is to be elsewhere.1
Carnifexes are not very intelligent and in fact have little self-awareness. They will revert to unthinking rampages of destruction if not constantly supervised and guided by the Hive Mind.1
The Imperium's first recorded encounters with the Carnifex was in the battles against Hive Fleet Behemoth that lead up to the Battle for Macragge. As the Imperium tried to stop the Tyranids in space, Carnifexes were at the head of every boarding action. The strain of Carnifexes encountered became known as "Screamer Killers" because of their terrible ululating shriek that accompanied their ability to discharge balls of Bio-plasma, generated within their bodies and vomited forth as blinding balls of energy.1 The Carnifex genus actually comprises many species displaying a wide variety of symbiotic weaponry such as the Heavy Venom Cannon, Stranglethorn Cannon, and Deathspitters.2
Old One Eye is a unique Carnifex with the ability to regenerate itself from mortal wounds.
Basic Info
Ordo Xenos Departmento Analyticus Record 3 | |||
Designation | Carnifex | ||
Common Title | Screamer-Killer | ||
Species Name | Carnifex voracio, Carnifex vorantii, Carnifex ululare, Carnifex arbylis, Carnifex bilius | ||
Average Height | 5.5m at highest point | ||
Average Weight | 8-9 tonnes | ||
First encountered | Tyran | ||
Role | Heavy assault | ||
Threat evaluation | Very high |
Images
See also
Sources
- 1: Codex: Tyranids (5th Edition), p.46
- 2: Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition)
- 3: Imperial Armour Volume Four - The Anphelion Project
- Codex: Tyranids (3rd Edition)
- Codex: Tyranids (2nd Edition)