Mycetic Spore
The term Mycetic Spores cover a wide range of spores utilized by Tyranids.
Microscopic
Clouds of microscopic Mycetic Spores are used to blanket a planet during the latter days of a Tyranid planetary assimilation. These spores have a three fold purpose1:
- Accelerate plant growth. This helps in reclamation of organic materials in the soil.
- Poison plant and animal life, making it useless as a food source. This weakens resistance.
- Breaks down cells to help in digestion by the Hive Fleet.
Medium
Spore Mines
Template:Lex-De
Main Article: Spore Mine
Spores are used as weapons.2 They are either ejected by Biovores, Spore Chimneys, or seeded from orbit. These usually fall into three categories: poisonous, acidic, or fragmentation.
Large
A Mycetic spore is the Tyranid equivalent of an Imperial drop-pod.1 A Mycetic spore is usually used to launch the vanguard attack upon a planet though they have been used as boarding vessels as well.2
A Mycetic spore can contain anything from the basic Ripper to a Carnifex, larger organisms are transported at a later stage of the invasion when the Bio-ships have entered a low orbit and are mopping up any resistance.
Sources
- 1White Dwarf 254(us) "Tyranid Planetary Assimilation Analysis" by Sherman Bishop
- 2Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition)