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The Great Devourer. Tyranids. A species of extra galactic super predators. Terrifying, night unstoppable. Devouring planets on their path. They exist only to consume and gain biomass, leaving planets stripped bare of life...
Now, there is a long standing hypothesis that the Tyranids are not so much attacking as running from something. Actually, the way they strip planets and LEAVE them speaks in favor of this theory.
If all you want is biomass, why leave? Why not continuously farm a whole star system? It is waaay more efficient.
But what can be so powerful and terrifying? Is there an even bigger and more terrifying predator lurking outside the Galaxy? What can possibly have “bigger teeth and claws” then the Great Devourer without being ridiculous and messing up the wh40k setting?
And then it struck me. Don’t try to be more predatory and scarier. Go the other way.
If tyranids are THE apex intergalactic predators, then there are no “bigger teeth and claws”. No. Apex predators fear and run before not bigger teeth (there aren’t any) but before giant tusk, trunk and superior intelligence. The savannah is ruled and formed by elephants, not lions. Herbivores rule the Earth. Predators scuttle around nipping at the weakest, smallest and occasional ill. They should be careful not to annoy the ruling giants or they get squashed like a bug.
The Coalescence
The type 3-4 Kardashev scale civilization.
Inspired by Stephen Baxter’s Xelee, Carl Sagan’s “Contact”, The Culture...
The really BIG GUYS come into the wh40k galaxy.
To Coalescence, tyranids are bugs. Pests that eat refuse at the fringes of Dyson swarm farms or bite at an occasional fringe planet with young vulnerable intelligent life. Then RUN or get squashed. In fact, tyranids evolved exactly as that. Pests in Coalescence’s back yard garden. Hence their voracious single minded nature and ability to eat and grow on the run.
Coalescence engineers whole galaxies, making them more suitable for life.
They are good, rational and stable.
Coalescence are not a species, but a brotherhood of thousands species originating from different worlds. And yes, there are survivors of Old Ones, pre fall humans and even Men Of Iron among them. Descendants of long forgotten expeditions.
Tyranids devour planets.
Coalescence turn whole star systems into Dyson sphere habitats, Dyson tree farms or leave them alone as pristine safe and clean nurseries for new young intelligence that will eventually join them.
Tyranids blot our the warp with a shadow.
Coalescence bend and rebuild the Warp by their sheer willpower into a stable safe and beautiful computing system and transportation network. Where they go, it’s not even Warp anymore, but Metasphere.
Imperial ship with Geller field falls there by accident, it will be like a pigmy savage in a loincloth, prepared to hide from predators. And finding himself in a middle of a modern high tech business center meet informatorium meet airport.
I guess that can drive crew and navigator insane too.
The coming of Coalescence was felt as several hive fleets at the fringe going restless, trying to disperse. And then going silent. Dead.
Then the Dyson Sphere appears. Single ship size of a star system.
Then things get interesting. Things get grim.
So... you can ask me “how can you introduce something like that without breaking the balance, the grimdark spirit of the setting?” “Oh, the goodie goodies? Seen that. We have the Tau!”
Well... first the interesting part.
Coalescence Sphere that came into the galaxy is... basically an analog of pest control squad. They are out for the tyranids. They didn’t know the state of other life. They presumed it to be your regular young intelligence. Simple, maybe a bit troubled, promising to one day grow and join the Coalescence.
Instead, they found a dying, twisted, violent mess of a galaxy.
Many of the Coalescence decide to wipe this cancerous, tyranid infested galaxy clean, so one day new life may grow. Some... the few actually think that maybe there is hope and try to talk to the saner aborigines. Some eldar, some humans and tau. Even try forming alliances with various results.
So no, the Coalescence doesn’t break the grim darkness and war. Just introduce a new kind of horror. Fear of being... well... put down. Like a mad dog. And fear that maybe one that decided to do so may just be not that wrong in his decision. Fear of giants that can just step on you. Not because they are evil, but because YOU are.
Tabletop
How to make Coalescence interesting on tabletop? By making them truly a distinct faction!
Like tyranids, their playstyle is vastly different from that of other factions. Even more so.
Remember the giant and the elephant analog?
Miniatures
On the tabletop, Coalescence always operate with one model and one only.
The Cleanser
Inspired by BOLO series, The Cleansers are giant super intelligent machines specifically designed for... you guessed it, tyranid extermination.
They come in a “hull” boxes and “turret” boxes.
Basically, the idea behind players and collectors appeal will be an ability to build your own giant customizable between battles super heavy awesome looking floating hovertank. (Too many words, getting carried away, sorry!)
Turrets and systems are cool looking base mounted guns or gyzmos that fit in slots on the hull.
There will be different sized hulls for building different points value of an “army”. From land raider sized, to bigger then a warlord titan.
Playstyle will be interesting and fun. Think “Ogre” or any good turret defense game. Coalescence will win or loose a battle by how you deploy turrets and how you maneuver and turn them on the hull.
The enemy may target hull or strategically knock out turrets and devices off it.
For example, there’s a powerful gun with a shield generator on it’s rear. Forgot to turn it facing that approaching broadside battlesuit with a railgun? You’re in for a lot of hurt.
The enemy made a mistake by flanking you with a tank while putting anti tank infantry in front of you? They are in trouble if you turned that rear shield turret correctly the on your movement phase.
In terms of visual esthetics... The Cleanser s are massive, with lots of details “floating” on transparent bits, or even on magnets. Some parts are nanotechnology flowing, almost liquid or organic looking. Think “Rakka” aliens meet Halo “Forerunners”.
Coalescence weapons love crowd control and area of effect, with some deadly super heavy sniping guns.
Think stasis wall generators that stop units, guns that make organic matter crystalize and become nonorganic while staying there and becoming obstacles... so on.
They use Metasphere extensively. Shutting down enemy’s psychic powers, cutting tyranid swarms off the Hive mind without killing the synapse. Teleporting themselves or the enemy.
The Cleansers are designated tyranid extermination machines. Against other factions you will have to adapt and improvise and have fun alongside your opponent.
Against tyranids you can have special scenarios that allow you to unleash absolutely stupendous size of swarms that come back when killed in huge numbers.
Overall, despite the Coalescence nature, I really would like to see it interesting, not completely alien and out of place (there are humans there too!) playable and not game breaking, also it is hard to make so.
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