Under the command of the Hive Mind, the Tyranids didn't recover the Tyranid corpses. Instead, they allowed them to pile up higher and higher, serving as stepping stones for the Tyranids behind them.
"Fragmentation grenade!"
The company commander in charge of the command quickly discovered this situation and immediately called for the soldiers to throw fragmentation grenades to blow apart the piled-up corpses.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
After a few grenades, the densely piled Tyranids corpses were immediately blown apart. But this only bought a little time.
Originally, the best weapon to deal with this kind of Tyranid swarm tactic should be a high-power flamer. Under the burning flames, the Tyranids would not only be unable to recover biomass but also prevent the current situation from happening. The hundred Astra Militarum stationed here were not without this weapon. However, in the long war of attrition, the fuel in the flamers had long been exhausted. Originally, the nearby jungle world of Kadaku could provide a continuous supply of promethium to the Astra Militarum in the Hive City. But now, that place had already become a feast for the Tyranids, even before Avarax.
Even though all weapons and equipment had been deployed, regardless of ammunition consumption, the Tyranids, surging like a tide, still broke through the Astra Militarum's line of fire. At the edge of the platform, a small number of Tyranids had already climbed up.
"Fall back!"
Seeing this, Marcus roared, then raised his chainsword and charged forward. The Astra Militarum stationed at the edge of the platform began to retreat in an orderly fashion under the company commander's command, while still providing fire support.
Marcus, who had rushed to the edge of the platform, raised his hand and split open the body of a Hormagaunt with his chainsword. Filthy Tyranids ichor instantly splattered onto the Kasrkin carapace armor Marcus was wearing. While using his chainsword to cut down all the Hormagaunts in his way, Marcus also controlled his psychic flying knife, rapidly harvesting the annoying Gun Worms.
At the same time, Tyranids had also appeared on other parts of the defensive line, climbing onto the platform. Aside from Straban, who, as a special forces soldier, didn't have much close-combat ability and was still using his heavy plasma incinerator to bombard the Tyranids below, Varius, as a tactical soldier, and Vespasia, as an assault soldier, both joined in the close-quarters combat.
The former constantly wielded his chainsword, providing cover for the Astra Militarum soldiers' retreat. The latter, once again, activated her jetpack, charging down into the Tyranids. Thanks to the advantage of the terrain, and the fact that there were no greatly threatening special units within the Tyranids, plus the efficient killing of the four of them, although an endless stream of Tyranids was still climbing onto the platform, they were temporarily unable to advance further.
The Astra Militarum who had retreated to the rear immediately deployed a second defensive line, and the heavy bolter machine guns began to fire again. Even though the gun barrels had become incredibly hot, even glowing red, the soldiers gripping the triggers did not stop for a moment. Once the heavy firepower suppression was lost, relying solely on hundreds of lasguns and the close combat of Marcus and the other three, it would be impossible to resist the Tyranid's advance.
The Tyranids were not brainless beasts. Under the command of the Hive Mind, the Tyranid Warriors wielding ranged symbiotic weapons had already aimed their devourers and venom cannons at the heavy bolter machine guns.
The next second, a sky full of corrosive venom and bone spikes surged towards the heavy bolter machine gun positions.
"Iron Halo activated."
Accompanying Straban's muffled voice, a shimmering blue energy shield appeared in the position. The sky-full of venom and bone spikes instantly poured onto the shield. After several ripples flashed on the shield, it returned to calm. The originally blue shield slowly turned yellow after enduring the fierce attack.
After manually deactivating the Iron Halo, Straban raised the heavy plasma incinerator in his hand. A huge ball of plasma exploded with a "boom" in the center of the ranged Tyranid Warriors.
Marcus recognized the equipment emitting the protective field at a glance. That was the Iron Halo, an incredibly rare item even in wealthy chapters like the Ultramarines.
Looking at Straban, who was enduring a large number of ranged attacks, Marcus couldn't help but feel a little envious. His current offensive capabilities were already excellent. Mind power for slaughtering minor enemies, hellgun and plasma for elite enemies, and meltagun and melta bomb for special units and BOSS units. Not to mention he also had a powerful weapon like the Iron Blooded Predator shoulder cannon. But in terms of defensive power, besides his own enhanced resistance, he only had one piece of Kasrkin carapace armor.
"I wonder when I'll be able to draw a defensive equipment or skill." Marcus thought to himself as he split open a Hormagaunt with his chainsword.
Just as Marcus was about to continue his attack, he was surprised to find that the Hormagaunts surrounding him were retreating in panic. And the commanding Tyranid Warrior began to roar towards the sky, seemingly urging on these Hormagaunts who were fleeing the battle.
Marcus was momentarily unclear about the situation, and only after a while did he realize that this was the title "Tyranid Slayer" taking effect.
Tyranid SlayerTitle
Effect: Slightly increases damage against various types of Tyranid organisms. Basic Tyranid organisms such as Gun Worm and Hormagaunt have a small chance to trigger a fear effect when facing you, causing them to break free from the Hive Mind's control.
Marcus could easily harvest the lives of Hormagaunts and Gun Worms with his psychic flying knife, thanks to the damage-increasing effect of this title. Otherwise, the flying knives might not be able to penetrate the dense muscles and bones of the Hormagaunts and Gun Worms.
As for the fear effect, this was the first time Marcus had successfully triggered it since obtaining the title. The Hormagaunts and Gun Worms that triggered the fear effect had completely broken free from the Hive Mind's control. No matter how the Tyranid Warrior roared, trying to re-establish synaptic links, these Hormagaunts and Gun Worms under the fear effect still retreated in panic driven by their survival instinct.
"I thought this title effect was fake; it only triggered now. The probability is too low, isn't it?" Marcus couldn't help but complain. Although he hadn't counted precisely, since obtaining this title, at least several thousand Hormagaunts and Gun Worms had died by his hand. The fact that the fear effect only triggered now was enough to show how small the probability was.
However, although the trigger probability was small, the fear effect was genuinely powerful. The Hormagaunts and Gun Worms caught in the fear state not only moved away from Marcus but also fell into a chaotic battle with other Tyranids around them. Within the originally uniform, tide-like Tyranids, a slight countercurrent suddenly appeared. Although the scale was not large, it was enough to disrupt the Tyranid's offensive.
Taking advantage of the cleared space around him, Marcus raised his hand. His hellgun fired a scorching laser beam, hitting the Tyranid Warrior who were constantly trying to re-establish connections with the chaotic Hormagaunts and Gun Worms.