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If a fully awakened tomb World was assaulted by a Tyranid hive fleet...Who would win?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I know the main argument for Tyranids will be that the Hive mind will adapt. I don't think it would be able to. Guass weaponry IIRC works on a sub-atomic level de-moleculizing foes. I can't think of how a totally organic army would be able to counter it. Not to mention the necrons fight in the same style, just endless waves of near impossibly powerful units.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I obviously am referring to the conflict from a fluff and not TT viewpoint.

Tyranids actively avoid Necron Tomb worlds in the fluff, some of them have null-field matricies that actively disrupt the energy of the warp around them, causing psykers pain, loss of powers, and demons and their ilk to flicker in and out of existance. It also as a side effect, disrupts or interferes with Hive Mind communications.

If that wasn't enough...hm...I think the lack of "fear" in the Necrons would work in their favor, tactics would be executed flawlessly. The ability to phase out for repairs, and then walk right back through a monolith portal, or just re-assembling themselves means they replace their losses faster than Tyranids.

The fact that slain nid's could not be re-used for biomass since they'd be molecular vapor would be a large drain on resources for sure.

And even if the Nids did win, not much in the way of bio mass to reclaim from dead worlds.

Except for the Necrons living metal. That would surely have to spawn some kind of awesome auto repairing bioconstruct.

Never has a Tyranid managed to adapt to consume Living Metal.

Maybe so. But whats to say that they cant though?

It hasn't yet happened, which obviously means the Hive Mind has tried.

They activly avoid Tomb Worlds because there is nothing to be gained and they would simply lose energy and Biomass doing it.

 Snrub wrote:
Maybe so. But whats to say that they cant though?

The Hive Mind leaves the Necrons alone for a reason.

The Tyranids stand to gain nothing from a war with totally inorganic matter, the Necrons being so thorough in their purging they have been known to stamp out life to the last bacteria. They stand to lose a great deal, Gauss weaponry completely robbing Tyranids of the ability to cannibalise their dead and replenish their numbers.

No, "Tyranids can't convert living metal" has never been explicitly noted, but it hasn't happened and is implied.

Ok sure they avoid Tomb worlds. Which sane entity wouldn't?
But surely the Nids would have to meet and beat the crons on a world that isn't a Tomb world at some point. What then? Is living metal any less useful to them then regular alloys?


Do you know where it is implied that they can't convert Living metal to biomass?

 Snrub wrote:
Ok sure they avoid Tomb worlds. Which sane entity wouldn't?
But surely the Nids would have to meet and beat the crons on a world that isn't a Tomb world at some point. What then? Is living metal any less useful to them then regular alloys?


Do you know where it is implied that they can't convert Living metal to biomass?

I'll be honest, I don't even recall them converting metals that aren't self-regenerating nigh-impenetrable super metals like necrodermis is.

The fluff hasn't really addressed it because any time Necrons and Tyranids fight, it tends to go poorly for the Tyranids (So far anyway).

Also, the Tyranids do not feel fear the way the more humanlike races do, and are not by any human definition of the word "sane".

 Grey Templar wrote:
It hasn't yet happened, which obviously means the Hive Mind has tried.

They activly avoid Tomb Worlds because there is nothing to be gained and they would simply lose energy and Biomass doing it.

This.

Tyranids avoid Tomb Worlds as much as they can as they would lose more than they would gain.
Necrons are perfect anti-Tyranid weapons.

 Brother Captain Alexander wrote:

Necrons are perfect anti-Tyranid weapons.

Incorrect - Orks are the best anti-Tyranid weapons. In fact, they're good against anything.

 Tadashi wrote:

Incorrect - Orks are the best anti-Tyranid weapons. In fact, they're good against anything.

Orks are good to, but in reality they are evenly matched. Just see Octarius War, after Tyranids overwhelm 4 worlds they stopped at 5'th with no gain on either side.
Against Necrons Tyranids have more to lose than gain + Necron weaponry is something they cannot adapt that easily.
And if we add that Necron warriors don't die so easily and that they can be repaired and brought back to life that makes them perfect anti-Tyranid weapons as Tyranids cannot kill them easy, have to put a lot of biomass to overwhelm them and receive nothing in return and cannot adapt to Gauus weaponry.
That is main reason why Tyranids avoid Tomb Worlds as we could saw in many Inquisitorial reports ( one was from Inquisitor Valeria ).

With regards to living metal. Do they phase out on damage?
If a monolith is damaged does it just sit there rusting? I thought all Necrons and constructs phase back to the tomb on destruction?

If that is the case, would the nids even get the opportunity to digest living metal?

 Eetion wrote:
With regards to living metal. Do they phase out on damage?
If a monolith is damaged does it just sit there rusting? I thought all Necrons and constructs phase back to the tomb on destruction?

If that is the case, would the nids even get the opportunity to digest living metal?

Don't know about the newcrons, but the oldcrons always disappeared once they took damage their battlefield systems couldn't repair, and upon arrival back to their home bases, are repaired by more advanced systems. Don't forget - the oldcrons WON the War in Heaven. They made even the ancient Eldar tremble and weep in fear.

That's what I thought happened but I don't know if it has been revised since the newcron dex.

 Eetion wrote:
That's what I thought happened but I don't know if it has been revised since the newcron dex.

Unfortunately, I can't help you there - I don't have a copy of the newcron 'dex, and I have no intention of getting one. The oldcrons will always be the true Necrons as far as I'm concerned.

 Void__Dragon wrote:

I'll be honest, I don't even recall them converting metals that aren't self-regenerating nigh-impenetrable super metals like necrodermis is.

The fluff hasn't really addressed it because any time Necrons and Tyranids fight, it tends to go poorly for the Tyranids (So far anyway).

Also, the Tyranids do not feel fear the way the more humanlike races do, and are not by any human definition of the word "sane".

Two incorrect statements there about Tyranids.

Tyranids can and do consume metals:

Strangle-vines tightened their grip on the ruins of an Imperial outpost, rendering steel and plastic down to their constituent parts ready for absorption.

p. 42, 3rd edition Tyranid Codex

Curving tusks of adamantium-laced chitin sprout from the Tyranid's head, allowing it to effect a devastating charge.

p. 33, 4th edition Tyranid Codex

Tyranids have also fought Necrons successfully, albeit in the context of attacking the Imperium themselves:

The Necron invaders of forge world Lucius are themselves crushed by a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Kraken.

p. 59, 4th edition Tyranid Codex

Much of the territory once ruled by the Charnovokh Dynasty lies far to the galactic southeast. Many of its dormant Tomb WOrlds were devoured by Hive Fleet Behemoth...

p. 10, 5th edition Necron Codex

Although the stereotypical Tomb World is barren and lifeless, not all are, or still are. Some may have had new life transplanted there by other colonizing races. When the gains are presumably great enough, Tyranids can and do attack Necron worlds. They appear to veer away from barren Tomb Worlds due to the expected gains vs. costs. It makes little sense to expend vast resources for little gain.

Iracundus wrote:

 Void__Dragon wrote:

I'll be honest, I don't even recall them converting metals that aren't self-regenerating nigh-impenetrable super metals like necrodermis is.

The fluff hasn't really addressed it because any time Necrons and Tyranids fight, it tends to go poorly for the Tyranids (So far anyway).

Also, the Tyranids do not feel fear the way the more humanlike races do, and are not by any human definition of the word "sane".

Two incorrect statements there about Tyranids.

Tyranids can and do consume metals:

Strangle-vines tightened their grip on the ruins of an Imperial outpost, rendering steel and plastic down to their constituent parts ready for absorption.

p. 42, 3rd edition Tyranid Codex

Curving tusks of adamantium-laced chitin sprout from the Tyranid's head, allowing it to effect a devastating charge.

p. 33, 4th edition Tyranid Codex

Tyranids have also fought Necrons successfully, albeit in the context of attacking the Imperium themselves:

The Necron invaders of forge world Lucius are themselves crushed by a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Kraken.

p. 59, 4th edition Tyranid Codex

Much of the territory once ruled by the Charnovokh Dynasty lies far to the galactic southeast. Many of its dormant Tomb WOrlds were devoured by Hive Fleet Behemoth...

p. 10, 5th edition Necron Codex

Although the stereotypical Tomb World is barren and lifeless, not all are, or still are. Some may have had new life transplanted there by other colonizing races. When the gains are presumably great enough, Tyranids can and do attack Necron worlds. They appear to veer away from barren Tomb Worlds due to the expected gains vs. costs. It makes little sense to expend vast resources for little gain.

Excellent assessment.

 Tadashi wrote:

Don't know about the newcrons, but the oldcrons always disappeared once they took damage their battlefield systems couldn't repair, and upon arrival back to their home bases, are repaired by more advanced systems. Don't forget - the oldcrons WON the War in Heaven. They made even the ancient Eldar tremble and weep in fear.

Newcrons do it to, if a unit is damaged it teleports to home Tomb World where Scarabs starts repairing it. So if fight is on 5'th planet of the system and tomb world is on 3'rd the Necron Warriors would be teleported to 3'rd planet after suffering damage, that's at least how I get 5'th edition fluff regarding this.

 Eetion wrote:
With regards to living metal. Do they phase out on damage?
If a monolith is damaged does it just sit there rusting? I thought all Necrons and constructs phase back to the tomb on destruction?

If that is the case, would the nids even get the opportunity to digest living metal?

If the equipment in question is damaged enough it won't phase out.

Necron warriors and other equipment can be damaged to where they can't phase out, in which case the husks can be recovered. And the Ad Mech tries to activly aquire such specimens.

The Ad Mech has even managed to reverse engineered Gauss weaponry, however they can't use it because the power requirements are enormous and the weapon must be perfect down to the molecular level or it will explode.

Really? Reverse engineered Gauss energy? Sounds Tech heresy to me. Didn't realise the Adeptus Mechanicus did that.

 Eetion wrote:
Really? Reverse engineered Gauss energy? Sounds Tech heresy to me. Didn't realise the Adeptus Mechanicus did that.

They do this sort of thing all the time. RnD is not dead, it just happens at a snails pace.

 Eetion wrote:
Really? Reverse engineered Gauss energy? Sounds Tech heresy to me. Didn't realise the Adeptus Mechanicus did that.

There's a lot of evidence that their "Machine God" is actually a C'tan. Which would make a lot of Imperial technology based of Necron technology.

 Darth Bob wrote:

 Eetion wrote:
Really? Reverse engineered Gauss energy? Sounds Tech heresy to me. Didn't realise the Adeptus Mechanicus did that.

There's a lot of evidence that their "Machine God" is actually a C'tan. Which would make a lot of Imperial technology based of Necron technology.

That's more of a proof that their "Machine God" is just a farce for other organization and Human cultures to not develop their own technology but let the Mechanicus do it instead, thus insuring their continued and unchallenged dominance over mankind's technology. "We shroud be the only one do it because we have blessings of the Machine God, you will only mess things up and do it wrong." - simple but very effective idea.

 Grey Templar wrote:

 Eetion wrote:
Really? Reverse engineered Gauss energy? Sounds Tech heresy to me. Didn't realise the Adeptus Mechanicus did that.

They do this sort of thing all the time. RnD is not dead, it just happens at a snails pace.

They took issue with the space wolves sticking lascannons on predators,

But I have no problem with them R&D but was referring to them to taking captured Xenos tech and 'copying it'
I thought heretical xenos tech was an affront to the glorious machine spirit.

 Shlazaor wrote:

Iracundus wrote:

 Void__Dragon wrote:

I'll be honest, I don't even recall them converting metals that aren't self-regenerating nigh-impenetrable super metals like necrodermis is.

The fluff hasn't really addressed it because any time Necrons and Tyranids fight, it tends to go poorly for the Tyranids (So far anyway).

Also, the Tyranids do not feel fear the way the more humanlike races do, and are not by any human definition of the word "sane".

Two incorrect statements there about Tyranids.

Tyranids can and do consume metals:

Strangle-vines tightened their grip on the ruins of an Imperial outpost, rendering steel and plastic down to their constituent parts ready for absorption.

p. 42, 3rd edition Tyranid Codex

Curving tusks of adamantium-laced chitin sprout from the Tyranid's head, allowing it to effect a devastating charge.

p. 33, 4th edition Tyranid Codex

Tyranids have also fought Necrons successfully, albeit in the context of attacking the Imperium themselves:

The Necron invaders of forge world Lucius are themselves crushed by a splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Kraken.

p. 59, 4th edition Tyranid Codex

Much of the territory once ruled by the Charnovokh Dynasty lies far to the galactic southeast. Many of its dormant Tomb WOrlds were devoured by Hive Fleet Behemoth...

p. 10, 5th edition Necron Codex

Although the stereotypical Tomb World is barren and lifeless, not all are, or still are. Some may have had new life transplanted there by other colonizing races. When the gains are presumably great enough, Tyranids can and do attack Necron worlds. They appear to veer away from barren Tomb Worlds due to the expected gains vs. costs. It makes little sense to expend vast resources for little gain.

Excellent assessment.

I second that excellent assessment.

Necrons might just go back into hiding while tyrannids consume the galaxy, why fight the tyrannids? They might send small numbers to fight but the tyrannids arent going to attack the necrons, necrons lack of registry in the warp probably means that they cant attract the nids and most tomb worlds are likely just a barren rock with nothing to offer in the way of biomass

Someone beat me to it..

 Grey Templar wrote:

 Eetion wrote:
With regards to living metal. Do they phase out on damage?
If a monolith is damaged does it just sit there rusting? I thought all Necrons and constructs phase back to the tomb on destruction?

If that is the case, would the nids even get the opportunity to digest living metal?

If the equipment in question is damaged enough it won't phase out.

Necron warriors and other equipment can be damaged to where they can't phase out, in which case the husks can be recovered. And the Ad Mech tries to activly aquire such specimens.

The Ad Mech has even managed to reverse engineered Gauss weaponry, however they can't use it because the power requirements are enormous and the weapon must be perfect down to the molecular level or it will explode.

More or less. I really have no idea if it's a malfunction on the newcrons side, but according to the most recent codex, if a necron is damaged beyond repair and if by any reason it can't teleport back for repairs, it self destructs leaving nothing behind to be studied.

Not only that, it goes to the detail saying the destruction effect looks so much like the teleport, the enemies can't be sure if it teleported or self-destructed.

I can only guess that when the necrons didn't self destruct, they suffered a Blue Screen of Death.

 Eetion wrote:

 Grey Templar wrote:

 Eetion wrote:
Really? Reverse engineered Gauss energy? Sounds Tech heresy to me. Didn't realise the Adeptus Mechanicus did that.

They do this sort of thing all the time. RnD is not dead, it just happens at a snails pace.

They took issue with the space wolves sticking lascannons on predators,

But I have no problem with them R&D but was referring to them to taking captured Xenos tech and 'copying it'
I thought heretical xenos tech was an affront to the glorious machine spirit.

Lets just say the Ad Mech is not uniform and they often enforce double standards