†I want to withdraw.†
Three-way battles always reminded the Swarm Overmind of unpleasant memories. Like when the Zerg, with overwhelming advantage, crushed the Protoss-Terran alliance and took Aiur—only to be killed by Tassadar's "DUI" ramming attack.
Sure, the Overmind had willingly embraced death back then. But that collision still hit hard.
He hated mass clusterfucks!!!
†Sas, status on the Hive?†
"Overmind. New hostiles have appeared. They are slaughtering our infected in large numbers. But I can handle them."
The Overmind observed the new enemies within the Hive through his infected's vision. Clearly visible: Chaos Space Marines of the Death Guard warband.
These Chaos Marines were utterly unlike the Salamanders encountered before. Their power armor was corroded everywhere. Swarming flies and stomach-turning filth assaulted the senses.
In truth, they were even worse than they looked. Flesh had fused with power armor. Nurgle's blessings granted them supernatural regeneration.
His gaze lingered on a Death Guard raising his bolter. Feed cut out.
†Contract the line. Yield the Underhive to them. Hold the Bottom Hive—especially the Webway Gate. Izsha, open the Webway Gate. Deploy ground forces into the Bottom Hive.†
"Overmind, I can defeat these enemies."
†Follow orders, Zasz. I grant you command of all ground forces, including the Norn-beast. Protect the Webway Gate!†
Among the Four Gods' legions, Khorne and Nurgle demanded the most caution. Khorne's forces could ignore most ranged firepower. Nurgle's forces possessed terrifying regeneration and battlefield buffs.
No one wanted to fight in plague-spread environments. These plagues could infect machinery, accelerating decay and corrosion.
†Abathur. Prioritize Roach and Ravager production in the first wave. If the enemy's plague infects Swarm units, I need you to evolve plague-resistant strains immediately. Your performance, Evolution Master.†
The Swarm Overmind remembered Shadowbrink: Tyranids versus the forces of the Four Gods. It was a warning.
Until the Swarm evolved genes capable of resisting plague, committing full force would be unwise.
"As you will, Overmind."
The infected withdrew, fighting as they fell back toward the Bottom Hive. Nurgle's forces advanced into the Underhive, swiftly occupying it and some Upper Hive passageways.
Nurgle's first plague wave had shattered several Imperial defensive positions. Plague zombies replaced the infected, pressing the Imperial defenders.
The Bottom Hive's infected also came under attack from plague zombies. But plague zombies weren't true Nurgle servants—merely infected humans.
Zergling. Roach. Hydralisk. The classic Swarm trinity deployed in the Bottom Hive, butchering plague zombies. The zombies' feeble combat power crumbled against combined arms.
Then a new enemy appeared on the battlefield: a bloated, green daemon.
Nurgle's daemons—Plaguebearers—manifested. These twisted, humanoid entities, covered in pustules and weeping sores, were true daemons. They wielded plague-ridden swords, advancing with shambling gait and sluggish movements to engage the Zerg.
They moved very slowly. Zerglings could leap onto them, tearing horrific wounds.
But Plaguebearers felt no pain. Their blades swung unhindered, bisecting Zerglings.
Poor Zerglings. They just kept getting beaten up since deployment.
Hydralisks joined the fray. Ranged spine volleys pierced Plaguebearer hides easily, transfixing their bodies.
Still, the Plaguebearers seemed unbothered. Under fire, they laughed maniacally. Multiple wounds failed to fell them—and their injuries regenerated swiftly.
Frontline Roaches took hits. Their wounds, normally quick to seal, regenerated at a crawl.
Abathur had already identified the cause.
"Unknown toxin impairs Roach regeneration. Intriguing. Commencing analysis. Multiple microorganisms and unidentified energy signatures detected. Initiating countermeasure simulation. Insufficient samples. Require more samples."
As fresh Plaguebearers advanced to challenge the Roach line, yellow fire—like mortar shells—arced from behind, slamming into them.
Even Plaguebearers were shattered by such blasts, banished to the warp.
"Indeed. The Overmind's foresight surpasses our own. Ravagers. Annihilate these enemies!"
Only attacks that completely destroyed a Plaguebearer's head or body could banish them swiftly. This was why the Swarm Overmind had mass-produced Ravagers.
Never doubt the Zerg Swarm's adaptability. In this, the Zerg and Tyranids were kin.
Nurgle daemons possessed negligible ranged capability. Until the Death Guard tin cans arrived, Ravager lines were unbreachable.
Even the tin cans couldn't breach Ravager lines.
Sure enough, from the dark tunnel depths, Death Guard Chaos Space Marines entered the Swarm's view. They advanced—and Ravagers behind the lines immediately launched plasma fire at one.
The tin can, over two meters tall, was vaporized on the spot. Only a shoulder pauldron flew across the ground, tumbling several meters.
"...."
Witnessing this, the remaining Death Guard abandoned melee ambition and drew bolters, firing into the Swarm line.
But the Swarm never lacked fodder and ablative armor. Roaches held the intersection immovably, shielding Ravagers from every bolt round.
A Chaos Marine lobbed a plague grenade. It rolled across the ground to the Roach phalanx.
The Roaches stood firm, engulfed by plague.
"Sample acquired. Analyzing..." Abathur continued plague analysis.
"Remarkably tenacious life."
Even these tin cans were compelled to speak. "Such exquisite lifeforms. They belong to the Plague Father."
Witnessing Roaches enduring plague without perishing, a Death Guard called rearward: "Bring up the Plagueburst Crawler!!!"
A massive Plagueburst Crawler emerged from darkness. Its scale dwarfed even Space Marines standing beside it.
This vehicle, fitted with thick frontal armor, mounted an enormous Plagueburst mortar—its bore large enough to accommodate a man. Additional armaments flanked its sides and front.
"Open fire!"
A single round. An immense shell plummeted into the Zerg line. Over twenty Roaches and Ravagers perished in the blast. The ground cratered deeply.
Surviving Ravagers retaliated, lobbing plasma fire at the Plagueburst Crawler. Despite its bulk, formidable defenses, and high resilience, multiple deep craters scarred its hull. Near-total write-off.
"Fall back!!!"
The Death Guard recoiled, hastily ordering retreat.
"Formidable firepower. We cannot afford such losses here."
And this was only the beginning.
Further back, at the Webway Gate, Ultralisks stood ready. One command, and they would surge through every major passage into the Underhive and Upper Hive, rampaging to the Spire.
"Overmind. Should we assault the Hive?"
†No. Not yet. Await Abathur's analysis of enemy plague. Maintain defense. Await my order.†
The Hive front stabilized. But the Swarm Overmind had his own operations to manage.
He had anticipated a grand fleet engagement with the Imperium. Now the tin cans' fleet had interposed itself. Far more complicated.
The tin cans' ships appeared mechanical, but internal corruption had transformed them into flesh—bioships, in effect. They radiated plague. Until Abathur neutralized the initial plague vectors, ship-to-ship actions and boarding were out.
Moreover, engaging now risked fire from both sides.
Question: What do the Imperium and Chaos both hate?
Answer: Xenos. Both hate xenos!