Xenos-bait
Xenos-bait is Astra Militarum slang for Guardsmen who have been driven mad by the Tyranids' Shadow in the Warp. It can also be inflicted upon Guardsmen who have had to suffer listening to the Xenos' constant chittering for long periods of time.[1]
Description
Those that are affected by it will become impervious to the reality around them or fatally disregard their safety in battle. This can result in the Guardsmen taking their own lives or launching foolhardy attacks against the Tyranids that will end in their deaths. During the defence of the doomed world Lazulai, Major Wulf Khan of the Catachan CMIII witnessed many of the Guardsmen defending the Cobalt Fortress become Xenos-bait.[1]
Several chose to fall from the vast heights of Cobalt Fortress' battlements in order to finally put an end to Tyranids' chittering. Others did so because they knew there was no chance of victory against the Xenos and that Lazulai would be consumed. Such was the case with the Cadian 2012th Guardsman Greiss, whose life was saved after Khan talked him down. She did so by reminding him that Lazulai was too important to fall and that General Kvelter had stated that her 2012th Guardsmen were the best in the Imperium. Not wanting to prove his General wrong, Greiss was able to shake off the feelings of Xenos-bait and Khan then gave him a task to keep his mind occupied. The Major also assumed that Captain Bligh of the 2012th, fell victim to the condition when he attempted to execute Khan's Catachan CMIII Guardsman Falke Adair. Her life was only saved by Khan's direct intervention, but the Major was forced to knock Bligh out in order to stop him. Even the Catachan CMIII were not immune from becoming Xenos-bait and it caused the deaths of the Guardsmen Velope and Lief.[1]
Sources
- 1: Deathworlder (Novel), Chapter 1
