Hive Fleet Leviathan is the largest and greatest Tyranid Hive Fleet to invade th e Galaxy. It attacked in 997.

M41 from the galactic south. Unlike the majority of previous Hive Fleets that attacked from the Eastern Fringe, Leviathan instead s kirted under the galactic rim of the galaxy and then pushed upwards through the galactic plane, spreading its forces across a broad front that covered the Ultim a Segmentum, Segmentum Tempestus and even into the Segmentum Solar. Leviathan's strategy was to form its forces into two giant tendrils hundreds of light years apart in such a way that it stretched the Shadow in the Warp over the vast dista nce between the two tendrils, stopping all psychic contact between the trapped w orlds and the Imperium and also blocking Imperial reinforcements from navigating the Warp towards the beleaguered worlds.[1][2] One of Leviathan's main tendrils, which was on a projected course directly to Te rra, was eventually stopped at Tarsis Ultra. However, Leviathan as a whole remai ns undefeated and continues to assault the galaxy. Thus far Leviathan has consum ed countless worlds. In response, the Imperium is reinforcing entire Systems, ra ising thousands of armies and dispatching dozens of Space Marine Chapters to tro ubled areas; meanwhile, several Craftworlds of Eldar are using ancient destructi ve weaponry to reduce planets to Dead Worlds, and the Tau are developing new tec hnologies and weaponry to combat the Tyranids. However, Leviathan is only being slowed down rather than fully stopped, and it continues to assault all life in i ts path.[1][2][4] Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 Tarsis Ultra 1.2 Galactic Cordon 1.3 The Octarius War 1.4 Other Conflicts 1.5 Ongoing War 2 Colour Scheme 3 See also 4 Sources History Hive Fleet Leviathan attacked below the Galactic Plane, causing shock throughout the Imperium[1] In late 997.M41 the Imperium first lost contact with several systems in the Segm entum Tempestus. Inquisitor Kryptman implemented a great astrotelepathic augury, which became known as the Kryptman Census, and eventually made contact with eve ry documented planet on the southern fringe of the Imperium. The worlds that cea sed to respond began to form a pattern, and Kryptman identified it as the approa ch of a hive fleet of terrifying size.[2] Leviathan's principle attack formed two tendrils hundreds of light years apart. The Imperium lost contact with the worlds trapped between these two "jaws", and if these jaws closed they would devour all trapped inside.[2] Tarsis Ultra Main article: Battle of Tarsis Ultra The planet of Tarsis Ultra stood directly in the path of one of Leviathan's main tendrils, the tendril on a course towards Terra. Tarsis Ultra was defended by t he Ultramarines led by Captain Uriel Ventris, along with the aid the Mortifactor s led by Chaplain Astador, and supported by the 10th Logres led by Colonel Octav ius Rebalaq, the 933rd Death Korps of Krieg led by Colonel Trymon Stagler, and P DF Regiments headed by Major Satria. Inquisitor Kryptman was also present to imp art his extensive knowledge of the Tyranid threat. When the Tyranids arrived in the system, in 999.M41 or in 509997.M41[6b] depending on the source, and consume

d the planet Barbarus Prime, the Imperials launched an attack in space. Despite an initial victory in destroying a Hiveship, Kryptman wished to invoke Extermina tus upon the world Chordelis, as it was the next planet in the path of the Tyran ids. Ventris was vehemently against this and supported an alternative solution t o slow down the Tyranids by exploding a hydrogen-plasma refinery in space thereb y destroying another Hiveship. However, Kryptman lied to Ventris and with the as sistance of the Mortifactors invoked Exterminatus in spite of the Ultramarines' plan succeeding. The Imperials attempted the same space refinery trick again to destroy yet another Hiveship, but the Tyranids adapted to this ploy and the plan backfired on the Imperials, crippling their fleet and forcing the survivors to flee; Tarsis Ultra was left unprotected from space, allowing the Tyranids to lau nch their final planetary invasion.[2][9][10] Tarsis Ultra was besieged for several weeks, only just managing to hold out unde r the command of Uriel Ventris and later Kryptman. The tides eventually turned i n Imperial favour when Ventris and a Deathwatch Kill-team captured a Lictor from the original wave of the invasion. Magos Biologis Vianco Locard reverse enginee red the Lictor's genetic code to design a biological plague that would send an e arly generation Tyranid into hyper-evolution and thus kill the creature. If deli vered to the heart of the swarm it could destroy the entire tendril. Ventris the n joined the Deathwatch team in infiltrating the final remaining Hiveship and de livered the plague to the Norn-Queen. Slowly at first, but with gathering speed, the Tyranids turned upon and attacked each other. Their synaptic control had be en lost. At this point, the remaining Space Marine contingent of both the Ultram arines and Mortifactors were down to sixteen men. The majority of the remaining Tyranids froze to death under the harsh conditions of Tarsis Ultra with a minori ty surviving and taking refuge in warmer surroundings. The Imperial forces launc hed a counter-offensive which destroyed the swarm and stopped the invasion. Levi athan's tendril, on a course to Terra, was dissipated and the once-doomed worlds caught in between Leviathan's two main tendrils began to register on Imperial a ugurs again.[2][9][10] Galactic Cordon The rest of Leviathan continued to rampage further into the galaxy and so Kryptm an ordered a galactic cordon be established to slow the Tyranids' advance and bu y time for Battlefleet Solar and Battlefleet Tempestus to muster. The cordon for ced a band of worlds in Leviathan's path to be evacuated and many of them to be razed to the ground to deny Leviathan any bio-resources. Worlds already under in vasion were destroyed with Exterminatus just as the Tyranids descended to feed u pon the doomed planet, making them expend bio-resources to claim a world only to lose everything upon it. Kryptman's cordon condemned billions of Imperial citiz ens to death - the single largest act of genocide upon the Imperium since the Ho rus Heresy. His actions were met with outrage by many influential Inquisitors. H e was labeled a radical, a traitor, a fool and the Inquisition ultimately issued a Carta Extremis that stripped him of his title and reduced him to a criminal. But his cordon did succeed in slowing Leviathan's advance to a crawl.[2] The Octarius War Main article: Octarius War Kryptman, despite being cast out of the Inquisition, decided to harness the Tyra nid swarm and turn it against the galaxy's other enemies. He planned to use a te ndril of Leviathan to eliminate the Ork Empire of Octarius, as the Imperium was stuck in an ever-escalating war against Octarius that the Orks were dominating. Kryptman led several specially equipped Deathwatch teams into the caverns of Car pathia to attempt to capture a brood of live Genestealers in a stasis field. The mission was successful, although Kryptman's force suffered heavy casualties. He then planted the brood on board the Perdition's Flame, a Space Hulk that emerge d from the warp in the path of Leviathan. As the Genestealers awoke, he destroye d the moon of Gheist in order to divert the hulk's trajectory directly towards t he Octarius Empire. Despite the Ork's efforts to quash the Genestealer infestati

on, a tendril of Leviathan changed course towards the psychic signal of the Gene stealers and invaded the Empire. Within weeks, a dozen worlds in the Octarius Em pire became infected.[1][8] Depending on the source, the date of Leviathan's inv asion is either 989.M41 [8] or 999.M41 [4]. Leviathan was nearly stopped by the Orks at Ghorala. When Leviathan's fleet arri ved they were countered by every Ork vessel within a dozen light years, as well as extensive mine fields hidden amongst Ghorala's asteroid belt which tore Bio-s hips apart in cataclysmic explosions. Ork gunships assaulted the surviving vesse ls before they had time to react and the Tyranid fleet was all but destroyed. Ho wever a single bio-ship managed to break through the Ork blockade and hurl itsel f at Ghorala, heedless of pain or injury. It launched thousands of Mycetic Spore s onto the planet's equatorial planes. On the planet's surface, the small Tyrani d swarm cunningly adapted its tactics in order to slowly but surely gather more bio-resources and increase their numbers. When Skarfang, the Ork's leader, was k illed by Lictors, the Orks on Ghorala collapsed into infighting and became easy prey for the Tyranids. Each tribe was isolated and destroyed in quick succession until, within weeks, all the Orks on Ghorala had been killed. The bio-resources of the planet were turned into new bio-ships and the Tyranid infestation quickl y grew again and spread to nearby Ork worlds. The war eventually spread to Octar ius, the central world of the Empire. Never before had Octarius seen such bloods hed, and the war soon spread from the planet out to the entirety of the Octarius Sector. Other Ork worlds lost to the Tyranids include Orrok, Derragon and Kelto r.[1][5] The Octarius war contines to escalate. Recent reports indicate that the Tyranid Swarmlord has joined the assault on the Orks of Octarius. Kryptman's plan to hav e both xenos species destroy each other at first appeared to be successful. Howe ver, his plan backfired. Orks from lightyears around are flocking to Octarius, a nd are growing bigger and stronger on their diet of conflict. And every Ork devo ured gives more biomass to the growing Tyranid swarm, which is constantly learni ng and adapting new ways to defeat their foes. Kryptman started a series of even ts that is making both sides stronger. Whichever race wins the war will emerge s tronger than before.[1][2] Other Conflicts The Bio-Purge: Encouraged by their success against the Tyranids at the Battl e of Duriel, the Eldar of Iyanden and Biel-tan bring the Fireheart to other worl ds that lay in the path of the Tyranids. However their campaign of genocide to s tarve Leviathan brings Imperial retaliation, and forty Space Marine Chapters are mobilized to converge on the war zone. However some become embroiled with nearb y Orks, who themselves have been displaced by the Eldar's purges. However the In vaders and Crimson Castellans assail Iyandens forces as they move to destroy the Agri-worlds of the Verdox System. As the vanguard of Hive Fleet Leviathan desce nds upon Verdox II, Autarch Sunspear and his army of Ghost Warriors are caught b etween the vengeful Space Marines and the Tyranid swarm. Despite the odds, Sunsp ear's command ability pays off and the Eldar manage to draw the Space Marines in to a fight with the Tyranids.[12] Tesla Prime - A major Adeptus Mechanicus weapons testing facility. It was in Kryptman's cordon and was evacuated. While the Mechanicum attempted to remove a s much material as possible some equipment proved to large, or to dangerous to m ove and so was abandoned. Shortly after the last ship departed Tesla Prime Ork l ooters proceeded to raid whatever had been left. The explosions from their 'expe riments' could easily be seen from space. When Leviathan arrived the Orks had ma naged to master many of their new toys resulting in massive casualties on both s ides and causing the conflict to spread to many nearby worlds. The resulting war proved to be extremely helpful to the Imperium allowing them to fortify or recl aim many smaller strongholds against further incursions. Kryptman, at this point no longer part of the Inquisition, monitored the events on the planet through t he troubled dreams of Astropaths still loyal to him. The discovery that both xen

os species were exacting huge losses upon each other led to his discussion to st art the Octarius War.[1][2] Baal - Leviathan threatens the homeworld of the Blood Angels, resulting in m uch of the chapter and its Successors mobilizing for war.[11] The Battle for Kalevala - The homeworld of the Steel Confessors comes under assault. Rigant - A once-preaceful planet of golden plains and little else. The war f rom Tesla Prime spread to the planet.[2] Gryphonne IV - A Forge World located within Kryptman's cordon but the Adeptu s Mechanicus refused to abandon their planet, one of the principle forge worlds in the galaxy, to Exterminatus. Alone in an abandoned system, they prepared for war. The planet was the home of the Legio Gryphonicus, fearsomely disciplined Sk itarii legions, and could boast to have the finest defences of any world in the galactic south of the galaxy. However, within days, the planet was overrun by Le viathan; its Skitarii overwhelmed by hordes of Gaunts and the Legio Gryphonicus torn asunder by Tyrannofexes and Hierophants.[2] Gorgo - In 996.M41 a tendril of Leviathan, designated 'Gorgo's Talon', invad ed the planet of Gorgo. Despite the Cadian 23rd Lucky Dogs garrisoned on the pla net, it fell to the Tyranids within a single week. Captain Sicarius arrived at G orgo just as every living thing was being rendered down to bio-resources. He lau nched a devastating counter-invasion using the Spear of Sicarius formation to st rike hard at the swarm's Synapse creatures.[4] Sondheim V - Leviathan descended upon Sondheim V just after M'kar the Reborn had transformed it into his private pandemonium. Carnifexes battled Bloodthirst ers in the streets whilst Zoanthropes conducted psychic duels with Lords of Chan ge. The Sky Sentinels Chapter were dispatched to reclaim Sondheim V for the Impe rium. But upon seeing the situation they opted to call in Exterminatus instead.[ 1] Forgefane- Leviathan assaults this supposedly impregnable stronghold of the Iron Warriors and consumes the planet in less then a week.[1a] St Caspalen - A Missionary World that could put up little defence against Le viathan as its Planetary Defence Force was rendered ineffective by the insidious actions of Deathleaper, a unique Lictor created by Leviathan as the ultimate we apon of terror.[1b] Stormvald - A Tyranid swarm was singlehandily defeated by the Eldar Phoenix Lord Maugan-Ra.[1] Forgefane - A supposedly impenetrable Iron Warriors Fortress World which fel l to Leviathan after Trygons tunneled under the fortresses.[3] Ulik Sector - Space Marines from the Death Strike and Genesis Chapters under took a series of Exterminatus missions on worlds in the Ulik Sector before Levia than had a chance to consume them.[1] Battle of Bloodstar - Admiral Trankar of the Ultima Fleet ends his disastrou s campaign against Leviathan by allowing his fleet to be ambushed by two seperat e tendrils.[1] Valedor - A world populated largely by pilgrims and monks. It was overrun in a matter of hours.[2] St Capilene - An Ecclesiarchy controlled world that held out for weeks under the Sisters of Battle. The world fell a handful of days before the Tyranids wer e driven from Tarsis Ultra.[2] Ongoing War Leviathan continues its assault the galaxy. Two dozen Space Marine Chapters are known to be involved in containment operations, with Captain Aajz Solari of the Raven Guard in overall command.[6a] As of 997.M41 Imperial Guard Army Group Twel ve, comprised mainly of Catachan and Jornian forces, continues to hold out again st a tendril as reinforcements are being raised.[7] In 999.M41 a tendril of Levi athan has been identified to be on a direct course to the Blood Angels' Homeworl d of Baal.[5]