Swarm vs. Swarm
Who are the Zerg and their history
In the distant past, the Zerg were altered by the Overmind to wage war on the Xel'Naga race. Like the Tyranids, the Zerg devoured and assimilated everything in their path.
The Zerg need to collect the essence of living beings to evolve and survive. Now they resemble the Kroot — allies of the Tau race from Warhammer 40,000, who devour enemies and evolve.
All Zerg were subservient to the Overmind. They were led into battle by Cerebrates — neural nodes of the Overmind responsible for specific tasks. Cerebrates commanded broods numbering from millions to tens of billions of Zerg.
The Overmind perished attacking Aiur (the Protoss homeworld). The Cerebrates regained control of enough feral Zerg, leaderless without the Overmind, to force the surviving Protoss to evacuate. If the Tyranids found themselves in a similar situation, they would not be able to regroup so quickly.
In StarCraft II, Kerrigan replaced the Cerebrates with Broodmothers. Mothers are less resilient but can be just as dangerous.
Zerg forces. Strengths and weaknesses
Every Zerg is a perfect biological weapon that performs strictly defined functions:
- Leviathans drop troops and structures.
- In the air, Mutalisks deliver swift and devastating blows, and their evolved forms prevent enemy ground and air forces from getting close.
- On the ground, hordes of Zerglings and Hydralisks overwhelm by numbers, while giant Ultralisks absorb damage.
- Specialized bugs can infect, control, and pull in unsuspecting enemies.
- Exploding Banelings, Infestors, and Infested Terrans destroy even very large enemies.
Together, different species can overcome any obstacles, destroy barriers, and reach the enemy. If a frontal assault fails, the Zerg use specialists or move underground with Nydus Worms. If even that doesn't help, they will have to evolve to the situation.
The Zerg have very good regeneration – even better than the Tyranids. And their slime-like biotechnology drains life from the ground, making the Zerg stronger.
In the campaign, the Zerg represented a periodic threat. Either they were about to destroy everyone, or they allowed others to go about their business. During the Fall of Aiur, the Zerg managed to move to Shakuras (the capital of the Dark Templar) along with the retreating Protoss.
In StarCraft 2: Wings of Liberty, the Zerg ceased to be perceived as a threat, as they constantly lost to Raynor's Raiders. In StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, Kerrigan did most of the work – a large part of the campaign could be completed with her alone.
Throughout the StarCraft 1 campaign, the Terrans controlled the Zerg and pitted them against each other. By the end of StarCraft 2, the race could not fully adapt to this vulnerability.
The faces commanding the parade
For most of both games, the Zerg were controlled by the Queen of Blades. In StarCraft 1, she loved to betray and destroy her allies. Her plans would not have worked if at least one of her victims had communicated properly with others.
In StarCraft 2, her plot armor became even thicker – she became the chosen one who could defeat the dark lord Amon. By the end, Sarah Kerrigan even transformed into a goddess who went to live with Jim Raynor in an unknown place.
After Kerrigan, the Zerg were commanded by Broodmother Zagara. Ironically, she learned from her queen but became one of the most adequate and diplomatic characters in the universe. Alas, Zagara is far less powerful, and her plot armor is much weaker.
The infected OSD Vice Admiral Alexey Stukov joined the swarm. The Zerg virus made Stukov stronger but less perceptive.
Periodically, troops are led by the ancient Zerg Abathur — the master of evolution, who is better than others at altering Zerg DNA. After the events of StarCraft 2, he participated in a conflict during which he was almost torn apart but left alive — in case his abilities were needed.
What are these Tyranids?
A great threat from beyond the galaxy. The activation of the Astronomican (a navigational beacon controlled by the Emperor) attracted the attention of hive fleets. The arriving Tyranids began to devour all life in their path — after them, planets were left as bare rocks.
Only the most powerful factions were able to repel the Tyranids, but victory came at a heavy price. Rumor has it that the invasion was just a test of defenses (in every sense of the word). According to the most optimistic calculations of the Inquisition — the Imperium can survive if every inhabitant takes up arms and fights.
The Tyranids are so terrible that Games Workshop uses them to devour undesirable Space Marine chapters and the Squat race (space dwarves).
Tyranid forces. Strengths and weaknesses
A Tyranid invasion begins long before the hive fleet arrives. Genestealers and Lictors are sent ahead. If there are intelligent life forms on the planet, Genestealer cults begin to seize power and weaken the planet's defenses. Lictors seek out commanders and discreetly eliminate them. Having succeeded, they send a signal to the hive fleet to arrive for dinner.
The Tyranid collective consciousness generates the “Shadow in the Warp.” This psychic phenomenon prevents victims in the sector from calling for help, receiving reinforcements, and slowly drives them insane.
In space, bio-ships devour the enemy fleet. Once above planets, they deploy troops. The land, water, and air are filled with bloodthirsty creatures that eat, tear, and shoot at enemies. No armor can protect against their claws, acid, and weapons. Millions of warriors are sent to any point of resistance just to learn the enemy's strength and find weak points. After the attack, new warriors change genetically to better overcome the terrain and local defenders. With each passing day, the Tyranids will grow in number, and within a couple of months, no one will be able to stop their chitinous hordes.
After victory, all biomass on the planet is absorbed and transferred to bio-ships. From it, losses are replenished and troops are increased. Digested defenders are studied to create new species or enhance existing ones. The hive fleet will set off in search of new food and will devour until it consumes everything or is destroyed.
Only the most powerful factions can stop such a scourge. Inquisitor Kryptman subjected planets in the path of the hive fleet to Exterminatus to starve it. At his suggestion, a poison was developed that proved more effective. Commissar Ciaphas Cain used a bio-ship from one Tyranid hive fleet to destroy another hive fleet. But for such a trick, one needs to capture a bio-ship of a warring hive fleet alive.
One can bombard the hive fleet from a distance. This will not stop or even slow down the advance, but it will reduce biomass reserves, and with it, the ability to produce new fighters. Alas, the Zerg do not use such tricks — they prefer closer engagements in space.
Creatures commanding the parade
Tyranids are subservient to the embodiment of hunger beyond the galaxy, the Hive Mind. Norn Queens in hive fleets spawn different types of Tyranids according to the will of the overlord. And synaptic creatures cover the planet with a network that allows the Hive Mind to control troops. If a synaptic creature dies, ordinary Tyranids will temporarily turn into wild animals — until the fallen are replaced.
Condition: prohibition of devouring enemies
Both races evolve by devouring enemies. If allowed to do so, the conflict will turn into a battle of Zerganids and Tyrazergs. The situation with the Kroot could also repeat, where they overate Tyranids and began to obey the Hive Mind, which means instant defeat for the Zerg — the Hive Mind is orders of magnitude more powerful than the Zerg overlords. It's better to assume that the participants in the conflict have developed a severe allergy to each other's flesh.
How the Zerg and Tyranid war would unfold
Subversive work before the arrival of the Tyranids will go terribly. Genestealers will not be able to replenish their ranks due to the peculiarities of Zerg reproduction. They will not be able to infiltrate power structures, government bodies, or educational institutions. Simply because the Zerg have none of this. Only Lictors will have a minimal chance to eliminate the command, but then the war will end before it even begins.
Let's imagine that a new hive fleet, arriving late in the galaxy, accidentally stumbles upon a sector with Zerg. The “Shadow in the Warp” covering the sector will have no effect — Zerg encountering Tyranids will ask for help and receive it. The arriving fleet will decide to attack the bio-ships, but this will be a mistake — even Leviathans will be quickly torn to pieces in space combat.
The worst possible scenario will happen: the Tyranids will gain complete control of space. They will hover over Zerg-controlled planets and begin to deploy troops to the surface. In response, the Zerg will be able to employ the best possible tactic: surround concentrations of Tyranids and destroy them before their numbers reach critical mass.
The Zerg's anti-air defenses will not be able to effectively destroy falling Tyranid spores. Over time, even the Zerg will not be enough to intercept incoming Tyranids. A ground war will begin, where for the first time the Zerg will face a numerically superior enemy.
The Zerg will quickly learn to identify synaptic creatures. Specialists will be able to quickly isolate and eliminate them, turning the surrounding Tyranids into wild animals. They will be able to successfully infect and control enemies. But the Tyranids will quickly adapt to the Zerg virus.
Lictors and Genestealers will hunt Drones (workers), weakening the Zerg economy. The Tyranids will breed creatures that will eliminate the creep necessary for Zerg troops. Tyranid interceptors will be bred against Infestors and Banelings.
Clashes will occur on land, underground, in the air, and in water. The evolutionary capabilities of each side will be strained to the limit. In the end, Hive Tyrants will appear on the battlefield — the embodiment of the Hive Mind. Their ability to control troops surpasses that of the Zerg because they operate in larger-scale conflicts. With improved tactics, the Tyranids will achieve victory. If the Hive Mind learns to control the Zerg, as the Terrans do, they will lose faster.
The Zerg's situation is not entirely hopeless. But only under certain conditions:
- If Abathur can create a poison or virus that will weaken the hive fleet.
- Zagara and Stukov need to launch a desperate attack to introduce the poison into the heart of the enemy.
The risk is great, and the chances of success are negligible. But if they succeed, it will be a complete and undeniable victory for the Zerg.
Analysis
The war between the Zerg and Tyranids can be called the “War of Surprises.” Both races are accustomed to using cunning, treachery, and numerical superiority. It would seem that they should be comfortable and accustomed to fighting each other — just adapt and attack. In reality, both sides nullify many of each other's advantages and force them to seek new ways of waging war.
If the Tyranids are ideal invaders and killers, constantly mutating and adapting, the Zerg have problems with the inconsistency of their power. In StarCraft 1, they were used at moments when an all-encompassing threat was needed. In StarCraft 2, they became a shadow of themselves, on a leash with Kerrigan.
However, it must be admitted that although the Zerg can never defeat all Tyranids, they have a better chance than the Protoss or Terrans.