wh40k genestealer question

[dragon]

most of the hive is mindless and directed by the larger creatures. But even the larger creatures show limited individuality to put it I guess. Genestealers on the other hand are able to infilitrate and blend into a society to undermine it.

My questions is where do they fit into the scope of things for a hive fleet, and does the hive mind know what they are doing and can it influence them?

[SylasGaunt]

IIRC..

Genestealers run at a higher level of independence than most other nids and are basically an invasion vanguard. They go in, subvert and spread, etc. Once they reach a certain level of population though they start sending out a psychic 'Food over here!' sign for the hive fleet which comes on over to om nom nom things. Once the hive fleet gets closer and pulls the 'stealers into synapse range we fall into the normal 'nid method of operation.

[OmegaChief]

Pretty much that yea, though once they have a big enough population of Stealers they get themselves a Patriach/Brood Lord and recreate the Hive Mind in miniture until the Hive Fleet arrives.

Of course even a lone 'steaer is pretty damn smart, I'd venture about human level smart.

[Simon_Jester]

Perhaps the genestealers have a built-in capacity for intelligence as a backup (since they often operate out of range of the Hive Fleet), but automatically revert back towards the 'normal' Tyranid practice of collective consciousness when given the opportunity? The hive-mind signals could act as an override to their normal individualized intelligence.

[Chris OFarrell]

It does seem that when the Hive Mind gets in range, the Synapse creatures that control the 'Stealers get linked in, thus bringing all the genestealers under its control that way. But as has been noted at times in certain books, unlike normal nids, they DO retain their intelligence even if you kill the local creatures controlling them and linking them to the hive.

We've seen situations where Genestealers have been sent to disable planetary detection networks and even planetary defenses in advance of a Hive fleets arrival. The Hive appears to keep using them this way during the initial invasion to disrupt efforts to defend against the attacks, although we do see at times that it will bring them into the fight directly alongside normal 'nid creatures, especially again in an infiltration role, to open breaches that the nids themselves can use.

After the planet is subdued, they are just like all the nids on the planet and all other biomatter, converted and consumed by the Hivefleet, and any useful knowledge/advances are bred into the next generation.

[andrewgpaul]

For added fun, the current Codex: Tyranids has a unit of "Ymgarl Genestealers", which can "mutate" their form rapidly in a matter of minutes*. They appear to have been separated from the Hivemind, and travel around the galaxy trying to reassimilate. However, the Hivemind apparently doesn't want them, or even their biomass, and keeps leaving them behind.

* a reference to the Genestealers as they appeared in the original version of 40K, before they were linked with the Tyranids.Then, the infestation and hybridisation of a victim happened during a battle, not over the course of generations.

[Firnagzen]

I seem to remember something about genestealers instinctually fleeing from the encroaching Hivefleet; because they'd lose their individuality and/or be consumed by the hivefleet. The instincts were built into them so they'd move to other planets, and then signal the 'nids as to where their next target would be. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I picked that up from at all. Can anyone back this up?

[OmegaChief]

While that seems logical, I can't recall reading anything about it, I'll go through what sources I have, but all I've got is 3rd/4th edition stuff, so if it's newer or older I won't be able to find anything.

[NecronLord]

I seem to remember something about genestealers instinctually fleeing from the encroaching Hivefleet; because they'd lose their individuality and/or be consumed by the hivefleet. The instincts were built into them so they'd move to other planets, and then signal the 'nids as to where their next target would be. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I picked that up from at all. Can anyone back this up?

That's in Deathwatch: The Emperor Protects.

[Firnagzen]

Which would be odd, because I've never read that book before...

*shrug* Well, there you go.