Warhammer: Lord of the Endless Monster Horde [258]

But even with such terrifying results—destroying nearly 6,000 Tyranid bio-ships—the swarm still refused to retreat.

The war was proving far tougher than Dante had imagined, but with two Primarchs, over 600,000 Space Marines, the Emperor's avatar, and Custodes, he was confident of eventual victory.

"I've driven them off for now, but the Tyranids haven't given up. They're massing new bio-ships. Yesterday's battle destroyed most of them, but they're already rebuilding," Rhodes explained.

The Tyranids had realized he could only defend, not attack. If he had shown more aggression, they might have left, but their numbers were simply overwhelming.

"Lord Rhodes, if you need help from the Blood Angels and our successor chapters, just say the word.

With the ground threat gone, we can support you in space. All the battle barges near Baal are at your disposal.

Over 20 successor chapters have come, most bringing two or three battle barges.

They've all been waiting in a safe zone, ready to deploy whenever you give the word," Dante said.

"Even so, all our ships together are only about 120 battle barges. Against tens of thousands of Tyranid ships, we have no chance," said former Black Templar High Marshal and now Rhodes' deputy, Avarrich.

They could form a defensive position and hold out but would have to wait for Guilliman to send more troops.

"No. There won't be any more reinforcements. The battle must end in ten days—I need to return to Macragge," Rhodes said, shaking his head.

There would be no second relief force; Macragge itself was short-handed, with no unified Imperial response.

"Ten days! Frankly, Lord Rhodes, just holding off the Tyranids is a feat. Wiping them out in ten days is nearly impossible," Dante said.

The war had become a stalemate; unless thousands more battle barges arrived, the Tyranids couldn't be driven off. But with over 600,000 Astartes, the Tyranids would never take Baal. In ground combat, they held no advantage.

"I'll think about it, Commander Dante. For now, gather all available barges from Baal and combine them with mine.

Form a fleet. When my fortress comes under siege, I'll alert you. Then you'll act as a strike force, breaking into the Tyranid lines," Rhodes instructed.

"Understood, Lord Rhodes. The Emperor protects—you will lead us to victory," Dante said.

"Lord Rhodes! If not, we could use boarding actions.

We can carry special bombs and use teleport bracelets to infiltrate Tyranid ships, just like last time," Titus said, arriving.

Their first mission with Rhodes had been such an action, blowing up several Tyranid hive ships. Regular melta bombs couldn't destroy the largest ships, but Rod's Golden Age super-bombs could.

With that experience, Titus was confident they could repeat the feat.

Dante and Avarrich nodded—boarding was a viable tactic, using shuttles to get close.

"It's a way, but not easy to pull off," Rhodes said.

"Lord Rhodes! At the Tyranids' current production rate, in three days their fleets will be back to full strength. They'll launch another all-out assault.

Their main target is you. We could form strike teams with a few small stealth ships, hit the hive ships, and pull off a hundred boarding actions—destroying hundreds of hive ships and crippling their fleet," Titus said.

Rhodes nodded. With his two small carriers, he could transport 50,000 marines, and with over a hundred new shuttlecraft, they could catch the Tyranids off-guard. But there was still a critical problem.

"There's a key issue—the psychic power of the hive ships' Norn Queens. Without protection, we can't board them."

Last time, they'd succeeded thanks to Rhodes' psychic shielding.

Without it, ordinary marines would be killed by the Norn Queen.

"We can have Librarians take your place.

The Blood Angels and our successors can muster 30 Librarians, each shielding a boarding squad," Dante suggested.

"No. That's not enough—you'd need at least a hundred.

And of all your Librarians, only Mephiston and Tycho are strong enough to withstand the Norn Queen's power.

I've faced the Great Devourer's psychic might firsthand, and only Mephiston or Tycho-level psykers can stand against it—any others would be sent to their deaths," Rhodes replied.

To implement this tactic, they needed something special to suppress the Norn Queens, at least briefly.

Suddenly, Rhodes had an idea—since Tyranids were essentially bugs, among Ultra monsters, the one best at beating bugs was Volcano Bird Baton.

Baton was available in the basic system shop, and Rhodes could spend 100,000 credits to get him.

Rhodes decided to take a gamble—maybe Baton's upgrades could turn the tide.

Opening the system shop, Rhodes bought Volcano Bird Baton for 100,000 credits.

Baton: height 62 meters, weight 33,000 tons.

A powerful carnivorous bird monster, it feeds on other bug monsters.

Rhodes skipped the details and went straight to Baton's upgrade options.

Height and weight could each be upgraded six times, at standard cost.

Baton could fly, with three available upgrades—eventually able to fly in space, like Melba.

His flame breath could reach 40,000°C.

The flame could be upgraded twice more, increasing temperature and range. At max upgrade, it could reach 100,000°C.

Baton also had venom attacks—three upgrades (2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 credits).

Even at the base, it could poison Ultra warriors; at max, it could instantly kill one.

Most importantly, Baton had a unique skill: Bug Nemesis Howl.

It could naturally suppress all bug monsters, emitting a special soundwave with soul energy, crippling bugs.

First three upgrades increased power and range; the fourth allowed it to affect cosmic bug monsters in space; the fifth was the ultimate—soul-level suppression, killing ordinary bugs instantly, with a range of one AU.

At max, this howl could slaughter bugs en masse—he was the perfect Tyranid counter.

During boarding, unleash this monster, and let him scream near the hive ships—guard bugs, brain bugs, and even Norn Queens would be suppressed.

The Tyranids' painstakingly gathered forces could be wiped out by a few screeches.

"Lord Rhodes, do you have any good ideas?"

"Yes, I have a way!"