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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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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.
===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 ascended Tyranid Hive Fleet, Splinter Fleets of [[Hive Fleet Behemoth|Behemoth]] and [[Hive Fleet Kraken|Kraken]] continue to plague the [[galaxy]].{{Fn|3}}
==See also==
*[[Bio-ships]]
==Sources==
{{cite}}
*{{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
===Uncited===
*[[Codex: Tyranids (4th Edition)]]
