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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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Carnifexes excel at thunderous charges, where their immense chitin-armoured bulk is used to crush or smash through any opponent or obstacle. They are not as swift as other Tyranid creatures but their brute force more than makes up for this. A Carnifex's stampede takes time to build force as their incredible alien musculature strains to propel it forward. As it builds momentum and reaches top speed, the ground shakes with each stride of the monster and foes are scattered or trampled before it, and only fortress walls or [[Super Heavy Tank]]s have any chance of surviving the ferocious impact.{{Fn|1b}} Most Carnifex kills registered come from high energy attacks — [[lascannon]], [[plasma weapon|plasma]] and [[melta weapon|melta]] weapon strikes to critical locations. With hides at least as dense as [[ceramite]]{{Fn|13a}}, Carnifexes can shrug off other small arms fire and even [[boltgun]] hits with minimal loss of function. Carnifexes are not very intelligent and in fact have little self-awareness. They will revert to unthinking rampages of destruction if not constantly supervised and guided by the [[Hive Mind]].{{Fn|1b}} All Carnifex species seem well able to adapt to extremes of environments, from arctic cold to desert heat.{{Fn|4a}}
The [[Imperium|Imperium's]] first recorded encounters with the Carnifex were in the battles against [[Hive Fleet Behemoth]] that lead up to the [[Battle for Macragge]]. As the Imperium tried to stop the Tyranids in space, Carnifexes were at the head of every boarding action.{{Fn|1b}} The strain of Carnifexes encountered became known as [[Screamer-Killers]] because of their terrible ululating shriek,{{Fn|14a}} caused by rasping plates in their esophagus that were used to energize a form of [[bio-plasma]] in their gut to shoot bio-plasmic bolts, and in some instances Screamer Killers were reported using an electrical field around their claws to build up an incandescent bio-plasma ball before launching it at a target over longer ranges.{{Fn|4a}} Despite the Hive Mind constantly adapting to new foes and theatres of war and produced increasingly complex organisms, the Carnifex has remained the standard heavy combatant. This is not just because of their toughness and combat effectiveness, but also because they are a relatively simple bio-design that doesn't require much resources to produce.{{CMEFn|13a}}
[[Image:Carnifex5e.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Carnifex{{Fn|1a}}]]
The Carnifex genus actually comprises many species displaying a wide variety of symbiotic weaponry such as the [[Heavy Venom Cannon]], [[Stranglethorn Cannon]], and [[Deathspitter]]s.{{Fn|2c}} They also can sport a number of support [[Biomorph]]s including [[Adrenal Gland]]s, [[Acid Maw]], [[Chitin|Chitin Thorns]], [[Enhanced Senses]], [[Spore Cysts]], [[Toxin Sacs]], and [[Tusks]].{{Fn|12}}
