Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hey fluff fans! Can anyone enlighten me as to the origin of the Tyranid species or is GW still keeping quiet on it? I think I read somewhere (poss. lexicanum) that the Imperium thought they could have been self producing/replicating biological weapon created by another extra galactic race that went rampantly out of control.
Thoughts and ideas would be cool, no worries if not!!!

All that's known for sure is that they've been to other Galaxies before arriving at the Milky Way.

As far as the fluff states, they're simply an extragalactic predatory race that's believed to have arrived in our galaxy after devouring a trail of galaxies that put us next on the queue. IIRC, old fluff says that the Imperium first encountered them on planet Tyran, hence the name. At first, they believed that the Tyranids originated from that world, but have since confirmed extragalactic origins.

Not much is known beyond that really. Obviously many of the creatures in the Tyranid Genepool that the Imperium has thusfar encountered have been created from biomass found in our galaxy, hence the resemblances in some of the creatures.

Metallifan nailed it. Although I always wondered how they confirmed their extragalactic origins.

The were tracked to the Galactic East (missing ships, destroyed planets etc.) after the first attacks and fleets continue to arrive from the East from outside of the Galaxy. The interesting thing imho, is that they are they ONLY known extragalactic race. What they did outside of our galaxy is completely unknown (which is rather scary), but it is assumed that they have consumed other galaxy worths of planets.

Jimsolo wrote:Metallifan nailed it. Although I always wondered how they confirmed their extragalactic origins.

My guess is that they came to realize the Tyranids were from darkspace when attacks popped up all along the Galactic East.

It's grimdark enough with Chaos and Necrons around, Tyranids just make it grimdarker. Another race introduced would just make grimdarker grimdarkest

I personally think that the Tyranids don't come from anywhere. They ate up their galaxy a long long time ago, and since then, their home is just whatever massive fleet is now slowly drifting towards the Milky Way.

In this regard, they're something like "If you can't get your food at your home, get your home at your food". Sensible approach really IMO

Fiend wrote:The were tracked to the Galactic East (missing ships, destroyed planets etc.) after the first attacks and fleets continue to arrive from the East from outside of the Galaxy. The interesting thing imho, is that they are they ONLY known extragalactic race. What they did outside of our galaxy is completely unknown (which is rather scary), but it is assumed that they have consumed other galaxy worths of planets.

i thought the Tau were from outside the galaxy. Or am I completely wrong on that?

Bloodfrenzy187 wrote:

Fiend wrote:The were tracked to the Galactic East (missing ships, destroyed planets etc.) after the first attacks and fleets continue to arrive from the East from outside of the Galaxy. The interesting thing imho, is that they are they ONLY known extragalactic race. What they did outside of our galaxy is completely unknown (which is rather scary), but it is assumed that they have consumed other galaxy worths of planets.

i thought the Tau were from outside the galaxy. Or am I completely wrong on that?

They are from a section of Ultima Segmentum with a tight cluster of solar systems. They were protected by warp storms for thousands of years after being discovered by the AdMech around M35.

I guess the answer to OP is Yes, from out of nowhere.

Edit:
lol. Everyone completely jumped on this question. At least I was first.

Bloodfrenzy187 wrote:

Fiend wrote:The were tracked to the Galactic East (missing ships, destroyed planets etc.) after the first attacks and fleets continue to arrive from the East from outside of the Galaxy. The interesting thing imho, is that they are they ONLY known extragalactic race. What they did outside of our galaxy is completely unknown (which is rather scary), but it is assumed that they have consumed other galaxy worths of planets.

i thought the Tau were from outside the galaxy. Or am I completely wrong on that?

Completely and utterly wrong, unfortunately. Do not pass "Go". Do not collect $200

Bloodfrenzy187 wrote:i thought the Tau were from outside the galaxy. Or am I completely wrong on that?

Short answer : yes.
Long answer : they were found around the 35th millennium, and before the Imperium could wipe their asses out, some Warp Storms erupted, only for them to emerge from it 6000 years later and make it unworthwhile (read "we have better things to do than send men to fight a race that's advanced enough to kill them") for the Imperium to finish the job

Bloodfrenzy187 wrote:

Fiend wrote:The were tracked to the Galactic East (missing ships, destroyed planets etc.) after the first attacks and fleets continue to arrive from the East from outside of the Galaxy. The interesting thing imho, is that they are they ONLY known extragalactic race. What they did outside of our galaxy is completely unknown (which is rather scary), but it is assumed that they have consumed other galaxy worths of planets.

i thought the Tau were from outside the galaxy. Or am I completely wrong on that?

You are completely wrong on that.

My personal theory on Tyranids?

They started off like "Gremlins". Adorable fuzzy cuddly critters.

But then?

Then someone fed them past midnight...

They probably started off alot like Kroot. Damn DNA stealing xenos. That's why you need to kill all Xenos! They startr of all friendly but then they eat your galaxy!

I see, Damn warp storms stopping the Imperium from wiping out xenos.

Lol! Yeah, I bet 'nids where cute as kittens before someone fed 'em!!!
Okay then, how about this: Surely the Chaos Gods have a vested interest in fighting the Tyranids coz IF the 'nids consume the galaxy then there is no emotion or soulstuff to keep the Gods in existence.
No life= no slaves= no stuff= starvation for said Gods, right? Not even the Necrons or C'tan would do well coz there is nothing to 'Harvest', non?
Ooh... my head spins...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Lol! Yeah, I bet 'nids where cute as kittens before someone fed 'em!!!
Okay then, how about this: Surely the Chaos Gods have a vested interest in fighting the Tyranids coz IF the 'nids consume the galaxy then there is no emotion or soulstuff to keep the Gods in existence.
No life= no slaves= no stuff= starvation for said Gods, right? Not even the Necrons or C'tan would do well coz there is nothing to 'Harvest', non?
Ooh... my head spins...

KamikazeCanuck wrote:Damn DNA stealing xenos. That's why you need to kill all Xenos! They startr of all friendly but then they eat your galaxy!

Yea. You gotta be wary around those Chromosome Thieves...

SpeedingParticle wrote:Lol! Yeah, I bet 'nids where cute as kittens before someone fed 'em!!!
Okay then, how about this: Surely the Chaos Gods have a vested interest in fighting the Tyranids coz IF the 'nids consume the galaxy then there is no emotion or soulstuff to keep the Gods in existence.
No life= no slaves= no stuff= starvation for said Gods, right? Not even the Necrons or C'tan would do well coz there is nothing to 'Harvest', non?
Ooh... my head spins...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Lol! Yeah, I bet 'nids where cute as kittens before someone fed 'em!!!
Okay then, how about this: Surely the Chaos Gods have a vested interest in fighting the Tyranids coz IF the 'nids consume the galaxy then there is no emotion or soulstuff to keep the Gods in existence.
No life= no slaves= no stuff= starvation for said Gods, right? Not even the Necrons or C'tan would do well coz there is nothing to 'Harvest', non?
Ooh... my head spins...

Indeed they do. With no souls or thoughts the gods would die. Plus the hivemind appears to be as powerful as a Chaos god.
Necrons don't care. They want the death of all things and if Tyranid eat the galaxy and then leave they're fine with that.

No, Necrons want the death of all things to feed their star gods. If there's nothing left to take as food, then they can't feed their Star Gods, can they? That's also the reason why they went into hibernation for a bit, they're wasn't enough life in the universe.