The Ork Great Warboss was naturally unwilling to be outdone. Of his several million Orks, half were hulking Ork Warbosses. All manner of powerful Ork mechs and vehicles filled the green tide. Gorkanauts, Stompas, Junkyards, and Mega-Stompas were everywhere.
Before the dozen or so tunnel entrances, the elites of both sides collided the instant they met.
Tyranid Warriors clashed with Ardboys covered in steel plating, locked in fierce, evenly matched combat. Some Tyranid Warriors had enhanced adrenal glands and claws capable of shredding the Ardboys' steel plates, while the Ardboys' choppas could cut down Tyranid Warriors with a single swing.
Snake Bugs replaced Termagants as ranged fire support units. Their opponents were not ordinary Shoota Boys, either, but Mekboys carrying shootas.
Large Tyranid organisms such as Tyranid Haruspexes, Hive Guards, and Tyranid Primes traded fire and collided with Ork Killa Kans, Ork Battle Fortresses, Gorkanauts, and Junkyards, inflicting losses on one another.
As the attackers in an assault against fortified positions, the Tyranids suffered heavier losses. But the Great Devourer had more troops and did not care.
The ferocious offensive lasted three days and three nights. The Orks lost a million, while the besieging Tyranid Swarm lost over ten million units, not counting the casualties suffered on the perimeter while blocking Ork reinforcements.
The Tyranids still failed in this three-day assault. The new Hive Tyrant became yet another trophy on the Boss Rack behind the Great Warboss.
The Great Devourer felt somewhat helpless. With this continued attrition, it could see the hope of victory, yet its repeated inability to reach that hope left it increasingly frustrated.
Suddenly, a powerful surge of psychic energy seeped out of the Warp, seeking to force its way into the Octaria System. It was so strong that it nearly pierced the Shadow in the Warp