- "Quite interesting these... Tyranids, their species is comprised of beings more like organic machines than a true creature. Hive Fleet Pishacha truly has developed those traits into something... difficult."
Hive Fleet Pishacha is believed to have been formed from the remains of Hive Fleet Behemoth and now tears through the Segmentum Ultima, consuming, growing, gaining strength. Though it lacks the size and uses the tendril formation much like later Hive Fleets, Pishacha is dreaded due to its unusually aggressive (even for Tyranids) tactics, obviously acting on Behemoths old instincts. Pishacha is famed for its sheer speed and force, crashing against the enemies ranks with endless swarms smaller Tyranids.
Hive Fleet Pishacha is also noted for various unique adaptations, the foremost being evolution of orbital bombardment. Hive Ships of Hive Fleet Pishacha have evolved biomorphs that act as high yield explosives, chemical weapons, and even biological pathogens, all of which can be unloaded onto any world with surprising accuracy.
Hive Fleet Pisacha is also highly evolved in the art of ship-to-ship warfare, and even the most brilliant Imperial admiral has watched his fleet picked apart by Pisachas Bio-Ships.
Hive Fleet Pishacha also has an unusually high number of air born bioforms, vast swarms of Gargoyles, Shrikes, and Sky-Slashers often herald Pishachas invasions. Even winged Cortex Leeches, Gene-Stealers, and Lictors are noted among Pishachas swarms.
History[]
Origin[]
Hive Fleet Pishacha was a tendril of Hive Fleet Behemoth that managed to survive its parent fleets destruction, and since that time has become a grave danger to all beings within the Galactic East, consuming, growing, becoming stronger with each conflict. Pishacha developed a particular skill for attacking and seeking out space faring vessels, often smaller bio-ships will lie in wait at particular trade routes or even lie in ambush within ore rich asteroid belts, knowing that prey will inevitably come to such areas.
Fall of Mistorma[]
Mistorma was a verdant paradise world for the Imperial elite of the now lifeless Broma Sub-Sector. It was the capital from which the wealthy and rich nobles ruled from atop their ivory towers and cared not for the hardships of the people they governed. And the Imperium was fine with the suffering of the people of Broma so long as the nobles sent full coffers back to Terra. But the luxury would not save them from the coming swarm. Hive Fleet Pishacha, ravenous following the dissolution of its parent Hive Fleet, tore into the poorly defended Sub-Sector like a Cyber-Mastif to a raw piece of meat. World after world fell in quick succession, and, to the horror of the nobility, the Hive Minds "Shadow in the Warp" had effectively kept the Tyranid menace unknown until it was at their doorstep. Mistorma was devoured, not as rapidly as one would think, but instead suffered a steady barrage of virus bombings and Cortex Leech swarms. When the skies finally darkened with Sky-Slashers and Gargoyles, little remained alive to resist them. The once vibrant planet was reduced to a vacuum swept wasteland in less than a Terran month.
Eradication of Fleet Broma[]
The Imperial Navy contingent of the Broma Sub-Sector was hunted down both in various systems and even within the void of deep space, there was no escape save for the few who abandoned their posts long before the Shadow in the Warp set in making Warp Drives useless or suicidal to use. This was the first example the Imperium ever saw of Hive Fleet Pishachas highly evolved ship-to-ship combat instincts, as the Hive Fleets vessels successfully out maneuvered and overwhelmed all Imperial ships that dared stay in the Broma Sub-Sector.
Infestation of Arthos[]
The Necron Slave World of Arthos once belonged the the Necron Estomik Dynasty, a carefully cultivated world, ripe with life. Two of Hive Fleet Pishacha's ravenous tendrils reached out for the planet, though the Necrons quickly intercepted one, their forces were not large enough to halt the other, and the losses incurred in the resulting Space Battles cost the ancient warriors dearly. The Necrons had no way to know that the Tryanids were considerably intelligent, and were even less aware of Pishachas highly evolved skill in naval warfare. The swarm descended upon Arthos with its trademark savagery, ripping through the local void defenses and quickly gaining a foothold via the use of various virus bombings that crippled the organic slave militias that made up the bulk of the defending forces. And, much to the machine lords surprise, many of their once obedient flock suddenly rose up under the banners of various Gene-Stealer cults!
Enraged by such daring betrayal, the Lord of Miricals himself arrived to put down the rebellious flock and exterminate these foul "Insects". But for once, the Phaeron's arrogance betrayed him, he gravely underestimated the might of the Great Devouerer. His Immortals were mighty but soon Pishacha's numbers took its toll, slowly..one by one..his Immortals were forced to either fall back or face a shameful defeat. Outraged, Okiri'sho took to the field personally, despite the tactful warnings of his Protractinor, Jinnk'shaw, who was honor bound to accompany his Phaeron on the battlefield. Though the Phaeron could have just as easily dispatched his Deathmarks to eliminate the "Hive Tyrant" of the swarm, honor demanded that Okiri'sho deal with the vermin personally, soon his cold, machine eyes rested upon the terror that was known only by its Imperial designation... Harbinger. The winged beast and the ancient lord did battle for hours before, finally, he slew it. But Ovkiri'sho was astonished to learn that, far from defeated, the Tryanid menace actually grew in strength following its leaders demise, soon the cause of such unity assaulted him in transit back to his lines, The Onslaught. The Phaeron was already damaged in the titanic battle earlier and if it were not for his loyal Protractinor, Jinnk'shaw, Okiri'sho may have been permanently dishonored by the vile beast, instead it was Jinnk'shaw who suffered the indignant loss of his right arm.
Urged by his court, the Phaeron had little choice, the few loyal slaves were evacuated and Arthos, now in its death throes thanks to Pishacha, was destroyed from orbit by the Necrons superior weapons. However, a large portion of the tendril managed to retreat and had already gorged itself on nearly 28% of the planets total biomass.
Tactics[]
Hive Fleet Pishacha prefers the tried and true tactic of overwhelming numbers used by its proginator, Behemoth, and thus its ranks teem with Warriors and Hormagaunts as is standard. It also has an unusual preference for Cortex Leeches which are often delivered in huge swarms, unchecked the vile monsters could turn an entire infantry platoon into nothing more but driveling zombies. Often lightning fast assaults are used to break the foes lines and are followed by endless swarms of smaller bioforms. Thus the Hive Fleet relies heavily on Raveners, Mawlocs, and Trygons. As is standard, Carnifexes, Hierodules, and Viragons form the vanguard of Pishachas swarms, sweeping away any lingering fronts that remain after the intial assaults by areial and subterranean biomorphs, however it should be noted that Pishacha seems to rely on sheer numbers as opposed to large, more powerful biomorphs.
Pishacha has also developed various aerial bio-forms, from the already known and identified Harridans, Shrikes and Sky-Slashers, to greatly feared Phantoms (Airborne Lictors) and Fiends. (Winged Gene-Stealers)
Pishacha also makes use of various biological, chemical, and viral weapons, each more deadly and crippling than the last. Myriad examples have been identified by the Magos Biologis as being specifically tailored to a particular species or even the environment of the planet in question, some are even tailor made to spread through the ventilation systems of various ships. These are often synthesized by Pishachas Gene-Stealer cults prior to the invasion and further utilized by the fleet to weaken any potential resistance.
Space Hulks[]
Gene-Stealers bearing Pishachas colors have been encountered upon three Space Hulks, each of which habitually appear near populated worlds. Thus Gene-Stealers and Fiends of Pishacha have been encountered all over the Galaxy.
Edifice of Despair[]
The Edifice of Despair is home to the fabled Crown of Hexus. Hexus was a techno-barbarian pirate queen in the ages long before the Imperium, she was rumored to be an Alpha level psyker and it was said that her crown allowed her to conquer whole worlds with but a whim, bringing the people of worlds to the knees with her very will. It is believed that the Crown is some sort of psychic hood of untold power, and thus the Edifice of Despair has become a grave for adventures and treasure hunters alike. Recently an elite Terminator Squad led by Alpha Legion Champion Thane Shinoda of the Alpha Legion Cell M824 delved into the dark halls of Edifice of Despair for the Crown. The squads eons of experience and their own resolve kept them alive in those infested halls, though one Terminator by the name of Gladius Alacant suffered the loss of his eye in battle with the Brood Lord, and another by the name of Serverus Hall was paralyzed by Gene-Stealer Rigamortus Fluid and the Cells Apothacaries have yet to revive him.
Unfortunately the squad could not procure the Crown of Hexus and was forced to retreat. Now the Alpha Legion searches for the Edifice of Despair, and the prize it contains. Little do those who skulk the hulk know, Hexus is not truly dead, her mind haunts the hulk, tormenting and killing those who invade it.
Maw of Terror[]
The Maw of Terror has been sighted within the borders of both Segmentum Ultima and Tempest, and was responsible for the Fall or Ghoran and Blight of Simmon among many other great tragedies. Many are the Space Marine, Rouge Trader, Chaos, and Adeptus Mechanicus forces that have attempted to delve into the dark bowels of the Maw of Terror, and few are those who have returned. The Maw of Terror, in addition to being rife with Gene-Stealers, is also home to some of the most advanced Pre-Imperial weapons and technologies ever uncovered.
Garden of Sorrow[]
The Space Hulk Garden of Sorrow was first uncovered by the Eldar of Craftworld Ka'Lae'Eath, who were quick to mobilize a unit of Aspect Warriors to the hulk, for an Eldar Ghost Dragon was detected by the Craftworlds systems and Farseer deep within the Hulk. The Soul Stones of The Garden of Sorrow were too much for the Eldar to pass up and now the wretched Hulk is stained with the blood of the Aspect Warriors who fell in battle against the teeming swarms of Pishacha Gene-Stealers and Cortex Leeches that infested the Space Hulk like maggots on a corpse. It vanished back into the Warp before the Eldar could complete their task and now, the Eldar track The Garden of Sorrow across the Calipsia Sub-Sector.
Viruses and Chemical Weapons[]
Hive Fleet Pishacha has developed a vast array of deadly toxins and viruses that as of yet are poorly understood at best by the rest of the Galaxy.
Known pathogens are as follows: (Note, all time spans of effectiveness are taken from reports of in field Imperial Guard units)
Fleshing Virus- The Fleshing Virus is an extremely deadly and horrific virus used as an airborne or waterborne agent, once inducted into the body, the victim suffers a relatively swift and agonizing death. Within half an hour, or shorter depending on the amount of exposure, the targets flesh and bone marrow has melted and rendered down into a soupy puddle surrounding its bones. The Fleshing Virus is often deployed via specialized Mycetic Spores that release vast amounts of the airborne strain into the upper atmosphere. Often these spores are deployed within contested areas of combat or heavily populated areas.
Liquid Glass- A simply debilitating toxin often seen in Pishachas Venom Cannon and Venom Shredders, not to mention in the fangs of various Gaunts and Rippers, Liquid Glass rapidly forms shards of organic crystals once in the victims bloodstream. The effects are almost immediate and debilitating, as the prey items bloodstream sends the razor sharp fragments slicing through their bodies, cutting up various organs and leading to agonizing death as the victims internals are reduced to ground meat.
Neurofire- A potent toxin, often found in Gaunt and Ripper venom glands and on Venom Cannon and Shredder crystals. Neurofire has a highly acidic quality, though it is dormant for a few blessed seconds before it is fully dispersed through the victims body, once it activates the pain is beyond debilitating. Nurofires effects on the prey items brain however, are the most notable, blindness, coma, and death all happen in short order upon the viruses activation.
Rigamortus Fluid- An odd poison, that can be both in water sources and in Gaunt, Ripper, and Gene-Stealer venom glands, Rigamortus fluid renders the prey item totally paralyzed in less than thirty seconds.
Weapons[]
Whilst often seen armed with the various weapon symbiotes that most other Tyranids are seen armed with, Hive Fleet Pishacha has developed some unique weaponry apart from its fellow Tyranids.
Tox-Spewer- A catch call term for any symbiote that sprays the target with gouts of acid or toxic substances, often seen on Gargoyles in the form of rifle like growths, also seen on Warriors and Shrikes and Heavy Tox-Spewers are seen on larger biomorphs such as Carnifexes and Hive Tyrants. Tox-Spewers can do damage not unlike a Melta, totally removing any trace of infantry targets and reducing main battle tanks to but smoldering wrecks, Tox-Spewers are also used to burrow through enemy fortifications.
Venom Shredder- Identical to the larger Venom Cannon but on a much smaller scale the vile Venom Shredder is a pistol-sized symbiote, capable of very rapid fire. The venom crystals fired from the Venom Shredder can rip through all but the finest armor and its toxin is powerful enough to kill a full grown man in less than a miniute. Often this symbiote is seen on Termagaunts, Gargoyles, Shrikes, and Warriors. Often two symbiotes take up the Tyranids lower arms, doubling the firepower.
Toxin Glands- Nearly every infantry bioform of Hive Fleet Pishacha has some delivery system for deadly poisons, be they fangs, poisonous saliva, venom drenched claws, spore vents, or deadly tail stingers. These are mostly found in Rippers, Gaunts, and their airborne counterparts. However, Gene-Stealers, Lictors, Warriors, and Raveners have also been known to make use of Pishachas deadly toxins.
Unique Units[]
Fiends[]
Fiends are winged Gene-Stealers, often forming the vanguard of Hive Fleet Pishachas invasions and are its most mobile assault units. Like normal Gene-Stealers they are fast, strong, and undeniably cunning. Fiends are often led by a Fiend Lord which is little more than a winged Brood Lord.
Phantoms[]
Phantoms are winged Lictors, designed to infiltrate enemy lines and sew terror in advance of the swarm. They are beyond deadly, with their innate speed and cunning, not to mention bearing rending talons in place of hooves and the ability to produce toxic spore clouds to mask their approach or retreat. Phantoms are greatly feared for even as they fly, they are totally silent.
Reavers[]
Airborne Raveners, capable of burrowing and bursting from the ground to take flight, they are the ultimate assault breed, truly no defense can hold them back and their speed and ferocity is the likes of which few can survive.
Shrike Superiors[]
The pinnacle of the Shrike warrior breed, these aerial warriors are supremely deadly, being stronger, faster, and bearing more synapse power than standard Shrikes. Often Superiors lead their own small packs of Shrikes or large swarms of Gargoyles.
Unique Bioforms[]
The Onslaught[]
- "Don't you understand!? IT, CANNOT, DIE!"
- —Unknown Imperial Guardsman referring to The Onslaught
The Onslaught is a unique Tyranid Warrior Prime that seems to act as an intermediary between the Hive Fleets first assault on a new world and the arrival of the Hive Tyrant. Often it is seen leading Pishachas swarms as a front-line commander and vanguard, even after the Hive Tyrants emergence. The Onslaught is considerably more potent than any other Warrior-Class breed. The Onslaught is larger, stronger, faster, and far smarter than any other synapse creature of its size, and has been referred to as a "Junior Tyrant" in the past to sum up its abilities.
The Onslaughts namesake however, comes from its unique ability to "Rise from the Grave" sometimes only minutes after its apparent demise. This is due to what the Magos Biologis call "The Onslaught Genome", when The Onslaught falls in battle, the synaptic shock of its death dose not send nearby bioforms into a frenzy but instead instigates the nearest Warrior to rapidly mutate into The Onslaught. There is no limit to how many times this can happen and theoretically, so long as one Warrior is alive in the swarm, The Onslaught will be there to lead its fellow Tryanids to bloody victory.
During its "rebirth" The Onslaught augments its current symbiotes to deal with the threat that eliminated it and thus can not only adapt the swarm but itself as well. However, The Onslaught often bears wings, to better coordinate Pishachas teeming swarms, and get the drop on its foes. It is also seems to prefer rending claws that can coat themselves in bio-plasma when in use making them equivalent to power weapons, in addition to this it may also be armed with any war gear seen on standard Warriors albeit of a far more potent quality, such as Bone Swords wreathed in bio-plasma, Lash Whips that can punch through tank armor, a Barbed Strangler that actually launches out branches from its initial target to chain foes together, and much, much more. The one consistent weapon The Onslaught is always armed with is a deadly tail-stinger that can deliver molecular acid directly into the foes bloodstream and spray a tightly controlled (or widely spread) jet of acid at a distance.
The Onslaught is a nigh unstoppable adversary, impossible to truly kill, and constantly learning and evolving new ways to bring its prey to its inevitable doom. The Onslaught often seeks out the preys leadership and decapitates it, leaving the rest of the enemies forces severely weakened to the swarm. It is in this role as "The Champion of the Swarm" that The Onslaught seems made for, to lead the forces of Hive Fleet Pishacha to victory by not only setting the example for the swarm, but also by personally destroying any hope for resistance, cutting down any foes who dare lead against the tide of fangs and claws.
Often the Onslaught is accompanied by a cadre of deadly Warriors or Shrikes, which, under The Onslaughts command, can be considered the equivalent of an elite assault squad. It has also been seen with a personal force of Gaunts of various breeds, though often it is either Gargoyles or Hormagaunts.
Harbinger []
- "It is the fury of the swarm. The culmination of the savagery of the Tyranid race, it is Harbinger... and it is coming."
- —Unknown Magos Biologis, final duty log as Research Station Beouin was overrun by Hive Fleet Pishacha
Harbinger is a Hive Tyrant unique to Hive Fleet Pishacha. Harbinger is a massive winged monstrosity that, like the standard Hive Tyrant, is a beast created solely for the total annihilation of all who dare oppose the swarm. Harbinger is only summoned by Hive Fleet Pishacha when it must harbor its most violent of assaults and when the foe has proven to resilient to bring down without the untamed savagery of Harbinger. Harbingers mere presence is enough to drive the swarm into a bloody frenzy the likes of which have not been seen in any other Hive Fleet, as if it was Behemoths wrath reborn in a single being. Harbinger is unmatched in battle, as it can fly at great speeds and strikes with its supersonic screech being its only herald. The screech alone can actually kill mortal men. Harbinger is always wreathed in toxic spore clouds that can kill any non-Tyranid being that comes in contact with it, and its very blood has an acidic quality that can melt a fully armored Space Marine in bare seconds.
Harbinger is the fury of the swarm given form, the undying bloodlust and ravenous hunger for death that is the Tyranid race. Its weaponry reflects this, though Harbinger can be equipped with any weapon a standard Hive Tyrant can be equipped with, it is built for and excels at close quarters combat, and is often armed with mighty Bone Swords and massive Crushing Claws.
Harbinger leads the teeming hordes of Hive Fleet Pishacha from the front, spearheading the onslaught at the strongest points of resistance, crushing anything that dares stand in its way.
Should Harbinger fall, it can be reborn within hours, but its death would cause most of the swarm to fall into a disorganized frenzy and provide the beleaguered defenders a chance to strike back...provided that the Onslaught has not already reorganized the swarm.
Quotes[]
Of[]
Feel Free to Add Your Own!
- "*Chuckles* How cute... they think they can fly! LET'S DANCE FLIES!"
- —Harakht Luvt
- "Throne do these bastards ever end? There isn't enough prometheum in the galaxy to burn each one of these flying roaches. Get me a damn flakk missile! the bastards are in the air! Throne they are bloody everywhere!"
- —Dragons Amaranthine Captain at the fall of Sarritus
- "I think they're adorable!"
- "Next time I will not permit these...animals to escape. They are not protected by the necrontyr codes of honor, smite them anyway you wish."
- "These abhorrent shapes call to mind, fearful dreams from ancient time. Were the gulf of stars, I to cross, should I find kin of mine?"
- —Ashur-El Artashumara's Dream Interpreter
Trivia[]
- A Pishacha is a flesh eating demon from Hindu mythology, they prefer dark areas, and like to stalk graveyards. They are described as having a dark complexion, bulging veins, and red protruding eyes. They could also change their shape at will, and could even turn invisible. Often they possess human beings and drive them mad.