"Annihilate these traitors!!!"
"For the Emperor!!!"
When Imperial Navy ships engaged Chaos vessels, they showed no mercy. Machine spirits strained for 120% output. Loyal barrels never overheated—that was the machine spirit's righteous fury.
The tin cans were much the same. Though their ships' machine spirits were mostly twisted, heretics loaded with heightened fervor against the Corpse-Emperor's lapdogs.
This fleet wasn't commanded by a Death Guard captain. It was led by a higher Nurgle daemon: "Heart-Eater." A company comprised multiple grand companies. This Death Guard grand company, named the "Pus-Blood Grand Company," fielded seven hundred Chaos Space Marines, supported by heretics, armored formations, and daemon engines.
A Pus-Blood Grand Company comprised two Plague Companies of variable strength. Grand companies and companies were generally commanded by Death Guard Lords.
The Death Guard vessel on the battlefield was a grand cruiser named "Heart-Eater," larger than a standard battleship. The accompanying ships were escorts and supply vessels.
Long-range engagement commenced immediately. Lance batteries, macrocannons, torpedoes, rapid-fire weapons—every weapon system hammered the enemy.
Both sides possessed void shields. The battle wouldn't end swiftly.
Then Heart-Eater began its performance.
Boarding torpedoes launched from Heart-Eater pierced void shields, embedded themselves in Imperial hulls, and disgorged their contents.
Armed crewmen waited, weapons raised. A massive boot kicked open the boarding pod's hatch. Rotten, stinking effluvia poured forth, enough to sear eyes.
The crewmen didn't hesitate. They opened fire. The Death Guard inside simply walked through the bolter storm. Rounds dented his armor or ricocheted.
He wielded an enormous plague axe. With his Death Guard brethren, he began harvesting the ship's crew.
†Boarding actions. In Warhammer 40K, always brutally effective!†
The Imperial fleet was in deep trouble. They couldn't effectively counter boarding. Their firepower couldn't sink a grand cruiser swiftly. As for the Nurgle escorts? The Death Guard didn't care.
The Swarm Overmind watched Nurgle escorts ram Lunar-class cruisers. Scores of tin cans swarmed aboard.
†Good grief. These tin cans are here to stock up on ships, aren't they.†
That opening boarding run—clearly a ship-seizure play.
†Glad I didn't join that mess. Hm?†
The Swarm Overmind hadn't joined the melee. But two Nurgle escorts approached, accelerating toward the Leviathans.
†I don't trouble you, and you dare trouble me?†
Utterly underestimated!!!
The Overmind had held his fleet back, fearing plague adaptation losses. But two escorts? Who did they think they were?!
Engage!!!
†I'll handle this personally.†
The Swarm Overmind's Leviathan extended colossal tendrils, seizing the approaching Nurgle escorts and dragging them close.
As expected, the Nurgle escorts launched boarding torpedoes. They dared board a bioship.
Understandable. Nurgle forces hadn't yet encountered Tyranids. And Nurgle cultists were masters of flesh and plague. They likely believed themselves capable of subjugating bioships.
Boarding torpedoes punched into the Leviathan's bulk. Plague spread within. But the Leviathan was immense; plague effects were minimal.
"I smell life!"
The hatch opened. A Death Guard Lord, wreathed in green miasma, strode forth.
Zerglings and Hydralisks surrounded him.
"Embrace the Plague Father's mercy, fearless lifeforms! Hahaha!"
Abathur, observing through Zergling vision, made a request.
"Overmind. I require live specimens. Can enemy corpses be transported to the Leviathan's evolution chamber?"
†Kill him. Let him and his Plague Father taste the Swarm's fury.†
Hydralisks attacked. But their spines proved ineffective against Ceramite power armor. Most spines merely penetrated armor without transfixing.
Behind the Death Guard Lord emerged two Death Guard Champions, wielding great axes raised before their faces against Hydralisk spines. They advanced with heavy strides.
That ponderous weight—the CMC-300 power armor of StarCraft's "fifty-caliber brothers" couldn't match it. Not that the brothers were weak. Space Marines were simply designed that powerful.
After all, Space Marines could carry their multi-ton power armor unaided, even without jump packs.
The brothers' CMC armor resembled Tau battlesuits. Impressive-looking, but less protective than it seemed. Still far superior to their unaugmented flesh.
Raynor's CMC-400 model approximated early Space Marine power armor in capability.
Back to battle. Zerglings rushed forward, attempting to shred Death Guard Champion power armor. But the Champions reacted swiftly, sweeping axes, cutting Zerglings down.
They accelerated. Long strides brought them before Hydralisks. They seized Hydralisk heads, crushing them against walls.
Before they could withdraw, Banelings rolled to their feet. Detonations rocked the corridor.
†Heheheh. That did it, right?†
But the Overmind's trusty Zergling-Baneling tactic failed. Baneling acid barely damaged the Champions. Acid didn't corrode their flesh. The explosions tore their leg armor.
†Tch—acid immunity? Nurgle's blessings are that potent? Fine. Explosive shock still hurts!†
More Banelings surged forward. Acid couldn't kill them. Concussive force still damaged.
But more and more Death Guard boarded the Leviathan. Three hundred Death Guard now stood within. That was a third of some Space Marine Chapters' total strength.
"Overmind. Partial analysis of enemy plague complete. New strain uploaded to evolution pool."
[Acquired Roach Variant—Taintedform Roach. Contains specialized infectious microorganisms. Following Roach ingestion: most organs ceased function. After multiple generations of Roach death and adaptation, Roaches established symbiotic connection with microorganisms. Full adaptation achieved. Acidic saliva coats enemies, reducing target movement speed.]
†There it is! My new Roach variant!†