{{citeTyranidsPortal}}{{IntWik[[Image:HiveFleetsMap.jpg|Destination=Schwarmflotte}}<br clear="all">{{NidPortal}}thumb|right|350px|Hive Fleet incursions on the [[TyranidsGalaxy]] cross the [[galaxy|galaxies]] and the massive voids in between in massive, locust-like '''Hive Fleets''' are massive locust-like [[Tyranid]] swarms, comprising billions of millions of sentient creatures including the actual [[bio-ships]], living spacecraft used to cross interstellar space and the voids between [[galaxy|galaxies]]. Each creature of the Hive Fleet is an inseparable part of the [[Hive Mind]].

Of the 3 major == Overview ==[[File:HiveFleetSpacefleet.png|thumb|right|200px|Tyranid Spacefleet{{Fn|6}}]]An entire Hive Fleet invasions, two entered the galaxy through is directed by the single coordinating will which is its [[Eastern FringeHive Mind]], but one is moving up formed from below the galactic plane. The ships contain everything required to sustain the fleet; some ships being purely for crushing resistanceuntold billions of individual consciousnesses, the larger ships contain birthing pools to create the huge land armies each of which is a living creature in the Tyranids and even more ships when the need arisesfleet. The nutrients used as food and raw material are replenished by scouring conquered planets of every cell of biological matter, including all Mankind still searches vainly for the Tyranids it seeded onto higher beings they suppose control the planet. Because the Tyranid forces are recycled in this way the "design" of the Tyranid warriors can be altered by genetic engineeringHive Fleets, allowing the Tyranid forces to rapidly adapt to overcome any enemy. Furtherand though such mighty creatures exist, they no more control the Tyranids absorb the DNA of defeated enemies, allowing for further genetic diversityHive Mind than single brain cells control a man's body. It is believed the [[Genestealer]] and [[Broodlord]] are derived from human DNAsum of the Hive Mind which motivates it, the [[Zoanthrope]] from [[Eldar]] and the [[Biovore]] from [[Ork]] DNAnot its constituent parts.

By Three major Hive Fleets have invaded the nature of the hive fleetsgalaxy, fierce resistance on a planet will only make the fleet stronger in the end; for this reason only a few tactics have been found to work. The first is to draw the Tyranids each coming into a large ground battle, forcing conflict with the fleet to deploy as large a ground force as possible. Once this is achieved, the planet is evacuated, following with [[ExterminatusImperium]] as the Tyranids strip the life of the planet. This tactic is effective as Hive Fleets are dependent on the impetus gained from absorbing each conquered planet; Of the three major Hive Fleet will also have lost the biological "energy" expended to conquer itinvasions, including all of two entered the bio-material of galaxy through the ground forces and by the nature of Exterminatus will not be able to recover any [[Eastern Fringe]], but one is moving up from below the planetgalactic plane. This tactic is extreme and also damaging to the Imperium, as it destroys The Hive Fleets encountered thus far are just a valuable and habitable planet every time. It has been projected that there may not even be enough habitable planets in the galaxy to stop splinter of the main Tyranid threat, especially if more Tyranid fleets arrive from outside invasion force that is traveling through the galaxyvoid between galaxies. {{Fn|1}}

The process bio-ships contain everything required to sustain the fleet; some ships being purely for crushing resistance, the larger ships contain birthing pools to create the huge land armies of the Tyranids and even more ships when the need arises. The nutrients used as food and raw material are replenished by scouring conquered planets of every cell of stripping a biological matter, including all the Tyranids it seeded onto the planet . Because the Tyranid forces are recycled in this way, the "design" of life usually occurs through:<br>1) Insinuating [[Genestealer]]s in the populationTyranid warriors can be altered by genetic engineering, allowing the Tyranid forces to rapidly adapt to overcome any enemy. This step isn't always necessarily presentFurther, the Tyranids absorb the DNA of defeated enemies, but allowing for further genetic diversity.{{Fn|2a}} It is believed the [[Genestealer Cult]]s are frequent enough to warrant mention.<br>2) and [[Mycetic SporesBroodlord]] are launched derived from the Hive Ships, and [[LictorHuman]]s and other TyranidsDNA, such as the Genestealers, begin the attack.<br>3) The Hive Fleet moves into close orbit, having defeated local resistance in space.<br>4) The Tyranid Forces land in full, [[Zoanthrope]] from [[Eldar]] and begin the attack.<br>5) The bodies of the slain on the planet are thrown together into [[digestion poolsBiovore]], where from [[Capillary TowerOrk]]s are lowered from the Hive Ships to gather nutrients.<br>6) All forms of life are extinguished, all nutrients are gathered, and the Hive Fleet leaves the empty husk of the world for anotherDNA.<br>{{Fn|2b}}

[[File:HiveFleetMoloch.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Hive Fleet [[Moloch]]{{Fn|7}}]]By the adaptive nature of the Hive Fleets, fierce resistance on a planet will only make the fleet stronger in the end; for this reason only a few tactics have been found to work. The first is to draw the Tyranids into a large ground battle, forcing the fleet to deploy as large a ground force as possible. Once this is achieved, the planet is evacuated, following with [[Exterminatus]] as the Tyranids strip the life of the planet. This tactic is effective as Hive Fleets are dependent on the impetus gained from absorbing each conquered planet; the Hive Fleet will also have lost the biological "energy" expended to conquer it, including all of the bio-material of the ground forces and by the nature of Exterminatus will not be able to recover any from the planet. This tactic is extreme and also damaging to the Imperium, as it destroys a valuable and habitable planet every time. It has been projected that there may not even be enough habitable planets in the galaxy to stop the Tyranid threat, especially if more Tyranid fleets arrive from outside the galaxy. ==See Also=Splinter Fleets===*One of the most insidious aspects of the Tyranids is the difficulty in eradicating a Hive Fleet. Should a fleet become decisively defeated, some portion of its strength will invariably escape and slowly build up its strength by quietly consuming more biomass. It may take years or even centuries, but these '''Splinter Fleets'''' will rise again to pose a threat. Moreover, such Splinter Fleets will have learned the lesson of their primogenitors defeat and have adapted accordingly.{{Fn|3}} While [[Hive Fleet Leviathan]] is currently the largest and most ascendent known Tyranid Hive Fleet, Splinter Fleets of [[Hive Fleet Behemoth|Behemoth]]*and [[Hive Fleet Kraken|Kraken]]continue to plague the [[galaxy]].{{Fn|3}} *<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">File:Kadaku Orbit.jpg|Day 4 of a [[Leviathan]] splinter fleet's invasion of [[Kadaku]] in the [[Recidious System]].{{Fn|5}}File:Hive Fleet Leviathanfleet (The Tithes ep 2).jpg|Oncoming Tyranid fleet heading towards [[Ystrad]].{{Fn|4}}</gallery> ==See also==

==Sources=={{Citation issues}}*{{Endn|1}}: [[Warhammer 40,000 5th Edition Rulebook]], pg. 215*2: [[Codex: Tyranids (3rd Edition)]]**{{Endn|2a}}: ''Creating Your own Hive Fleet'', pg. 36**{{Endn|2b}}: ''Species 457 Structure & Analysis'', pg. 37*{{Endn|3}}: [[Codex: Tyranids (10th Edition)]], pg. 12-14*{{Endn|4}}: [[The Tithes (Animated Series)]]: Episode 2: Harvest*{{Endn|5}}: [[Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2]] - Prologue cutscene*{{Endn|6}}: [[White Dwarf 146 (UK)]], pg. 15*{{Endn|7}}: [[Flames of Damnation (Comic Anthology)]] – ''[[Predator & Prey (Comic)]]'' ===Uncited===*[[Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition)]]*[[White Dwarf 145]] (1992), Tyranid army list [[Category:Hive Fleets| ]]