Replacing the Tyranids with the Yuuzhan Vong (RAR)

[DudeGuyMan]

The problem with the Vong is that even if they got a solid crack at Terra, I don't know as they'd make the most of it. Their ships take on SW standard warships quite ably, and thus should have comparable firepower, so you would think them capable of a BDZ equivalent. Given the opportunity, though, they're much more likely to dick around with some halfass Vong-ish trick like worldshaping biological shit or pulling down the moon or something, rather than simple brute force.

[OmegaChief]

Given that Luna has been converted into an orbiting battlestation with lance batteries the size of capital ships, I would love to see them try thier moon trick on Terra.

And given the last time (It was a long while ago) we talked about SW level ships attacking Terra, he concencious was it wouldn't be easy even for a Palpatine era fleet, and horribley bloody for everyone. While the IoM can concivbley take that level of lossess and walk away (Though likly be dimished, potentially permenantly depending on how many irriplacable warships are casulties) I don't think the Vong can, especially if they do it right after arriving.

Though I've just realised, doesn't the Imperial Fists mobile planatoid fortress stop by Terra every now and then too? Potential obstical to work out as well, and of course you've got the Emperor himself capable of psychic dohickery perhaps (He's been shown to be potentially influencing things, most notably in the adventures of Sebastion Thor fighting the corrupt Ecclisarchy in almost-Heresy 2.0)

Somthing comparable to a raid on Terra did happen a while back, with the Necrons sending ships to Mars, even with all thier ubertech, surprise, stealth and speed they were all wiped out before they could achive thier objective (Even if one ship made it all the way planet side, which even if the Vong replicated I'm pretty sure a Xeno setting foot on Terra would have a very low life expecancy)

[PainRack]

Actually,while the vong could never become the threat the nids were, they could become a problem on the scale of a ork waaggghhh.

Here are the potential reasons.
The imperium response time to isolated worlds being attacked could be years,as identified in Xenos anthrology. dark heresy describes Imperium worlds as being isolated islands in the sea. Their defence policies is best described as castles,with individual worlds shouldering the burden of defence,stiffened by guard levies. More powerful worlds such as hive worlds,guard fortress worlds provide the capability to project power to defend worlds in the subsector. Levies from the sector provide more distant reinforcements as needed,or the ability to actually project offensive wars to reclaim lost worlds,buttressed by the space marines rapid response and immense combat power.

compare this to what we know of the vong invasion.
They first targeted isolated and less defended worlds.
nom anor and others created brushfires that diverted repulbic forces or delayed responses.
They were able to silence news of their invasion,although this was blamed on Borsk suppressing news of the blackout.


If such strategies were used on the Imperium, they could become stunningly effective. Imperium communications is fragile and less responsive than sw, their forces reaction time of months for offensive operations,weeks to months for defensive ops(gunhead for offensive, necromuda for def). feudal, feral worlds do not have the significant forces to defend against the vong,allowing them to secure bases and industry needed to sustain their decaying worldships. vong ground forces could inflate their numbers as they did with slave soldiers,a policy used in the begining of the war up to anakin rescue of tahiri before these shock troops disappeared. while the imperium has significantly larger light,heavy infantry and artillery assets,the vong has a comparatively larger "heavy armour" componentt. Technically, the ability of the void to absorb starfighter kiloton laser weaponery and proton torpedoes mean they"re invulnerable to any Imperium ground weapons but via exhaustion.

The imperium ground forces can bog down vong offensives,but not all such assets are so heavily defended that the vong would be bogged down,especially given the relativw invulnerability of their monsters. combined with their operational speed,where they conquered hundreds of worlds within two years could outrun the Imperium defensive strategy.

the real problems making the vong a minor threat at best is their numbers,inability to replenish losses and inability to actually avoid such losses.