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There are older topics discussing chaos effect on tyranids, but I didn't want to necromance really old threads, so I though better to start a new one.

The realm of Chaos is formed by the emotions of mortals. Therefore if the Tyranids devour the entire galaxy, there will be no lifeforms left and therefore by extension Chaos will be destroyed. Unless the presence of Tyranid lifeforms can somehow sustain a form of chaos, but even this will go once the Tyranids move on to their next galaxy.

Consequently Tyranids are the greatest threat to Chaos.

This puts Chaos in a difficult position. It needs to preserve the races that it currently preys on, in order to ensure its own survival. As I see it Chaos has two options.

Option 1.) Try to conquer enough of the galaxy to have the resources to combat the Tyranids when the main invasion arrives. An unlikely outcome considering the failure since the start of time for Chaos to gain full domination. And such a war of conquest may make the galaxy, and thereby Chaos, even more vulnerable.

Option 2.) Will need to support other alliances, (Man/Eldar/Tau) etc, that may unite to fight the main invasion. In order for this to happen it will necessitate a change in Chaos that may be permanent.

Discuss

Chaos doesn't want to preserve the other mortal races. By its nature, it is chaotic and self-destructive. It does things without thought of reason or consequence, so it only takes the Tyranids into account as far as how they can further Chaos' presence in the galaxy (the fear and emotional resonance they inspire in the Imperium is a sweet delight for the forces of Chaos). The plots and machinations of the Chaos Gods, while on the surface mundane, are labyrinthine and incomprehensible. They think on a level we aren't able to understand.

Option 1.) If enough of the Warp bleeds into the Imperium, the efforts of the other races won't even matter. At that point, no-one wins because the galaxy turns into a maelstrom of chaotic energies - not unlike the Warp itself - until Chaos burns itself out. It's unlikely the Tyranids could survive or benefit from this scenario as the warp contains little to no biological matter as we know it. It's likely they'd either leave the galaxy when they realized there's nothing good to eat, in the same way that they try to avoid Tomb Worlds, or they'd die out from a shortage of biomass. Tyranids have eaten Daemons before, but those Daemons were anchored to the material universe. If the Immaterium fully bleeds into the material universe, the Daemons would no longer be creatures of flesh and blood, but beings made of the pure energies of the Warp itself. Its unlikely the Tyranids could adapt to eating the Chaotic energies of the Warp, especially given they still have trouble digesting the Living Metal of the Necrons.

Option 2.) This would absolutely, unequivocally never happen.

 Darth Bob wrote:
Chaos doesn't want to preserve the other mortal races. By its nature, it is chaotic and self-destructive. It does things without thought of reason or consequence, so it only takes the Tyranids into account as far as how they can further Chaos' presence in the galaxy (the fear and emotional resonance they inspire in the Imperium is a sweet delight for the forces of Chaos). The plots and machinations of the Chaos Gods, while on the surface mundane, are labyrinthine and incomprehensible. They think on a level we aren't able to understand.

Option 1.) If enough of the Warp bleeds into the Imperium, the efforts of the other races won't even matter. At that point, no-one wins because the galaxy turns into a maelstrom of chaotic energies - not unlike the Warp itself - until Chaos burns itself out. It's unlikely the Tyranids could survive or benefit from this scenario as the warp contains little to no biological matter as we know it. It's likely they'd either leave the galaxy when they realized there's nothing good to eat, in the same way that they try to avoid Tomb Worlds, or they'd die out from a shortage of biomass. Tyranids have eaten Daemons before, but those Daemons were anchored to the material universe. If the Immaterium fully bleeds into the material universe, the Daemons would no longer be creatures of flesh and blood, but beings made of the pure energies of the Warp itself. Its unlikely the Tyranids could adapt to eating the Chaotic energies of the Warp, especially given they still have trouble digesting the Living Metal of the Necrons.

Option 2.) This would absolutely, unequivocally never happen.

Ah yes very interesting. I guess it comes down to whether the Chaos Gods have a sense of self-preservation. The acuity shown to Alpharius & Omegon, which showed Chaos burning itself out after a Horus victory, would suggest as you say Chaos not being ultimately self-preserving

Good point about necron living metal. As necrons are souless, and I think emotionless, perhaps they would inherit an ex-tyranid ex-chaos galaxy

Theres a story bit in the nids codex where this happens. Bugs invade a shrine world that was guarding some small warp portal. The imperial defenders mostly evacuate and the rest get eaten. The portal opens up and daemons run out looking for a good time.

They both fight for a while before realizing they're not able to get food (biomass and emotions) from their enemy and lose interest and wander off.

So yes it does seem like their goals are mutually exclusive.

AngryHat wrote:
Theres a story bit in the nids codex where this happens. Bugs invade a shrine world that was guarding some small warp portal. The imperial defenders mostly evacuate and the rest get eaten. The portal opens up and daemons run out looking for a good time.

They both fight for a while before realizing they're not able to get food (biomass and emotions) from their enemy and lose interest and wander off.

So yes it does seem like their goals are mutually exclusive.

Actually the deamons at first win and slaughter a bunch of nidz as the nids try to eat the deamons but then the Nidz change tactics realizing the deamons are not food but a threat to them feeding on the world so they adapt to just kill the deamons and overwhelm them destroying their physical forms driving them back to the warp and finish eating the world.