Writing FluffFor those of you interested in reading fluff (the storyline behind the 40k game) I am writing up the fluff behind my Tyranid force. Writing fluff is fun and challenging, and it gives you a better sense of what is going on and why your forces are fighting. For fluff to be interesting, it should have some conflict (just winning battles isn’t really conflict) and it should have some characters, and a sense of what is going on and where it is headed. Army fluff should also explain some things about the army, as I have explained my paint scheme and some of my tactics below. It is particularly difficult to write Tyranid fluff, without writing it from the perspective of the opponent. Tyranids are rarely named and are usually thought of as sort of a generic, faceless horde. This combined with the genuinely alien nature of the Hive mind, makes writing it in first person almost impossible, though I’ve seen it done on a couple of occasions. The Splinter FleetsAfter a huge battle on Ichar IV, one major spearhead of Hive Fleet Kraken was shattered. The scattered remnants of that fleet fled toward the galactic core, penetrating beyond the defensive lines drawn to contain them. These splinter fleets are now preying on unsuspecting worlds far from the warzones, and replenishing their strength as they continue onward. One of these splinters, consisting of only a handful of damaged bioships, detected a small Eldar craftworld and began stalking it from the shadow of a nearby comet. Mycetic landings in largely unoccupied areas allowed the Tyranid creatures to consume organic biomass and have several hatchings of ground swarm constructs entirely unnoticed by the Eldar population, except for a few, quickly devoured, settlements. As soon as the alarm was raised, mycetic spores were dropped on population centers and the entirety of the splinter fleet was thrown into the fray. After a week of intense fighting raging across the craftworld, the Eldar were defeated and the craftworld was rendered into more bioships. The Eldar biomass consumed and shared among the splinter fleet has caused it to take on Eldar names. The splinter fleet is now aware of itself as Heshianbaharr (Surrounding Storm) and the creatures that lay dormant in the abdomens of the bioships have designations given them in the battle for the craftworld by the Eldar. Although splinter fleet Heshianbaharr has grown from it’s conquest, it has learned as well. The actions on the craftworld taxed it to it’s limits and damaged it’s only Norn Queen. Heshianbaharr, in approaching a new planet, has changed it’s strategy slightly. Initial landings are in the cold, polar regions, where there is very little life. The creatures of the fleet have all now evolved a white and black carapace coloration to assist in stealth. Ground swarms hatched here move out stealthily into slightly more hospitable regions seeking food. Maugetar Jain (Silent Harvesters) move out ahead of the swarms, leaving trails to keep the swarms away from major settlements, to avoid discovery until the last possible moment. As more biomass is harvested, the ground swarms swell to great size, hatching as quickly as possible. Once the swarms are large enough, they begin to assault settlements. Bahzhakaim (Tempests of Blades) directing the swarms are careful to ensure that attacks only come from one or two sides, allowing the defenders to run away, leaving fewer defenders and costing the swarm fewer creatures. Those fleeing isolated outposts are herded into population centers, which are in turn herded toward any space ports. With those that can escape leaving hurriedly, the remaining defenders are rapidly diminished and consumed. Then the true work of draining the planet can begin, with spore chimneys seeding the air and causing the nutrient-rich plant life to flourish. After leeching the nutrients from the soil and draining the oceans and atmosphere, Heshianbaharr will move on, with new bioships full of dormant creatures, ready for the next conquest. If you enjoyed this, email me and let me know |