Warhammer 40k Archives

The Devastating Onslaught of Hive Fleet Leviathan

Hive Fleet Leviathan, a terrifying force of Tyranids, has been wreaking havoc across the galaxy, leaving destruction and despair in its wake. The Imperium of Man has been struggling to contain this menace, but the Tyranids’ sheer numbers and ferocity have made them a formidable foe.

Early Encounters

The Eldar of Iyanden and Biel-Tan, fresh from their victory against the Tyranids at the Battle of Duriel, launched a campaign to purge the galaxy of this threat. However, their efforts were met with resistance from the Imperium, which saw their actions as a threat to humanity’s dominance. Forty Space Marine Chapters were mobilized to counter the Eldar’s efforts, leading to a series of brutal battles.

The War Spreads

As the conflict escalated, the Orks, who had been displaced by the Eldar’s purges, began to raid Imperial worlds. The Invaders and Crimson Castellans, two powerful Space Marine Chapters, clashed with the Eldar on the Agri-worlds of the Verdox System. Meanwhile, the Tyranids descended upon Verdox II, forcing Autarch Sunspear and his army of Ghost Warriors to fight a desperate battle against both the Space Marines and the Tyranid swarm.

Key Battles

• Tesla Prime: A major Adeptus Mechanicus facility was overrun by Ork looters, who experimented with the abandoned equipment, causing massive explosions that could be seen from space. When the Tyranids arrived, the Orks had mastered many of the new technologies, leading to a devastating war that spread to nearby worlds.
• Kalevala: The home of the Gene-seed of the Steel Confessors was assaulted by the Tyranids, but the defenders held out against all odds.
• Rigant: A peaceful planet was invaded by the Tyranids, who ravaged its golden plains.
• Gryphonne IV: A Forge World and home of the Legio Gryphonicus, a fearsome Skitarii legion, was overrun by the Tyranids, despite its formidable defenses.

Aftermath

The war against Hive Fleet Leviathan has left the galaxy in ruins. Countless worlds have been destroyed, and the Imperium is struggling to rebuild. The Eldar, realizing that the Tyranids are a threat to all life in the galaxy, have begun to work with the Imperium to find a way to stop this menace. But for now, the devastation continues, and the future looks bleak.

Other Notable Battles

• Gorgo: A tendril of Leviathan invaded the planet, but was repelled by Captain Sicarius and the Spear of Sicarius formation.
• Sondheim V: The Sky Sentinels Chapter was dispatched to reclaim the planet, but opted to call in Exterminatus instead.
• Shadowbrink: Leviathan battled both Imperial and Daemonic forces on this doomed world.
• Forgefane: The Iron Warriors’ supposedly impenetrable stronghold was consumed by Leviathan in less than a week.
• Lucius: The key Adeptus Mechanicus Forge World was invaded, but the defenders emerged victorious after months of fighting.