Long-range weaponry had always been a weakness of Tyranid Bio-ships, and they could not break through the Space Mine field quickly. Soon, the Tyranid Fleet would enter the range of Fengrao II's anti-aircraft weapons, where it would suffer even heavier blows.
Left with no choice, the swarm consciousness sent large Bio-ships ahead to improve mine-clearing efficiency. To ensure this assault succeeded, it had deliberately strengthened the Bio-ships' overall defenses. Some had heads almost entirely encased in thick carapaces.
Accepting casualties, the Tyranid fleet began forcing its way through the Space Mine field. The swarm consciousness had ten thousand Tyranid Bio-ships; it could afford some losses.
Seeing the Tyranids launch their reckless assault, Rottooth Boss ordered his subordinates to pour out fire just as recklessly, striving to weaken the Tyranid Swarm's fighting strength as much as possible during the long-range engagement.
But there were simply too many Tyranid Bio-ships. After suffering casualties among more than a thousand Bio-ships, the swarm consciousness still achieved its objective: over six thousand ships pinned down the Orks' space fortress and the Ork Fleet, while three thousand moved to encircle Fengrao II.
Some small Ork space stations and gun platforms remained in synchronous orbit around Fengrao II, but facing so many Tyranid Bio-ships at once, they were destroyed before they could hold out for long.
The weapons that truly inflicted heavy damage on the Tyranid Bio-ships were the anti-aircraft positions at Fengrao II's north and south poles. The Orks had built both regions into what amounted to iron continents.
Battered iron plates and tunnels were everywhere. Here and there, one or two pitch-black openings were visible. Some housed enormous Lance emitters, others missile launchers.
Many towering "towers" rose above the metal continents. Vast numbers of Greenskins raced across them in all manner of vehicles, delivering ammunition