# Space Marine Eating A Tyranid



## SoL Berzerker (May 5, 2009)

So, I started a thread earlier talking about how Space Marines can practice cannibalism. Someone mentioned that is how Space Marines can learn, for example if a Space Marine eats a Tau brain, he can now speak their language. So what would happen exactly if a Space Marine ate a Tyranid brain? Would he have a link to the Hive Mind? 


Sorry for starting a second thread about this, but I figured if I do it this way I will attract more people to the conversation.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

Without some kind of psyker ability I would say no. 

It's never been done in fluff as far as I know so I'm not sure.


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## Iron_Freak220 (Nov 8, 2009)

I think it could work but there's a lot of cholesterol in Tyranid brain so most Space Marines try to avoid it.


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## Old Man78 (Nov 3, 2011)

The "omaphagea" is the organ that allows a spacemarine to "learn" from eating genetic material of another creature, the marine does not gain the knowledge of that creature but would be able to tell basic things about it, based on the hormone levels, nutrients or chemicals etc, this info is passed to the marine like a memory or experience but I imagine it would be very subjective. If a marine ate a piece of tyranid I think he would only gain the knowledge of insatiable desire to feed. My two cents


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

Wouldn't the physiology of a 'Nid be so "alien" , being form another galaxy and all that any data gained by eating its brain would be nigh on impossible to interpret ?


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## Lost&Damned (Mar 25, 2012)

i would assume that since the tyranids have now consumed such vast quantities of genetic information from our own galaxy that they, now at least are genetically/physiologically compatible enough for the marines to consume and interpret.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

Lost&Damned said:


> i would assume that since the tyranids have now consumed such vast quantities of genetic information from our own galaxy that they, now at least are genetically/physiologically compatible enough for the marines to consume and interpret.


The majority of tyranid biomass could probably be considered extragalactic in origin. 

And them having consumed local genetic material does not automatically mean they are making use of it. The Norn Queens will not incorporate local DNA if it is inferior to what they already have.


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## Pandora (Jun 19, 2012)

Tyranid: Tastes like chicken, if chicken was an extra-galactic alien. 

I would imagine they'd have to eat the mind of a synapse creature to even get an idea of what it's like to experience the Hive Mind. The lesser organisms operate on instinct and ravenous hunger and Marines already eat what we consider feasts. Even if a link was formed, it would probably be like Picard with the Borg. Marines could hear the Hive Mind in proximity to Tyranids(acting as an early warning perhaps) but they likely could not understand what they heard. Good luck finding a Marine willing to eat a Tyranid, though.


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## Over Two Meters Tall! (Nov 1, 2010)

I've always viewed most of the extra organs implanted into an Astares as descriptive narrative only the creation process, but not really practical. For example, the only time I've ever read about the Omaphagea Gland being used is in the Ultramarines novel, when the scout eats the Tau to get the secret code and flying instructions for their scout equipment... that was a lot more information than just a simple understanding of their home planets dominant elements.

Other than that, if an author wants to assert that a SM could eat a Tyrannid brain and get sucked into the hive mind, well there you go. I doubt GW put any more thought into it than that.

I've always wondered about some of the other hidden abilities of SMs that few or none of the authors use... why not spit acid at an opponent in the middle of battle to distract them while you cleave them apart, or to get out of captivity.


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## Tyreal Ardeus (Mar 28, 2012)

Oldman78 said:


> If a marine ate a piece of tyranid I think he would only gain the knowledge of insatiable desire to feed. My two cents


Pretty sure this ^



Over Two Meters Tall! said:


> why not spit acid at an opponent in the middle of battle to distract them while you cleave them apart


I think because spitting inside your helmet is nasty and would kind of melt away your faceguard. :laugh: 

And it is mentioned as an example that escaping captivity is something that their acid is capable of, given enough time. However most enemies are much more clever about holding their captives than "throw this 8 foot tall genetically enhanced behemoth god-of-war into a steel prison cell, that'll teach him!" Most of the time they put them in cuffs behind their back (40k years and that hasn't changed?) or in some kind of highly advanced holding or paralyzing cell from what I've read in novels.

*shrugs*

Guess it's more of a nifty situational implant. I mean pretty much all Astartes wear helmets, including commanders. The only reason that sergeants and commanders in the *games* don't is because they have to give main and important characters more personality than just a voice, a face is kind of needed. Fluff-wise, *no* space marine is stupid enough to go into battle without his helmet. That's retarded for centuries old super-warriors to do, and they know it.

Come to think of it, if that's the case, why the hell does this implant exist? Stupid acid spitting...

Holy crap segway! Anyways I don't think it would give any pertinent information to the space marine other than a sudden need to feed, and shed blood, and make things bleed and bloodBloodBLOODFORTHEBLOODGOD!... Oh wait...


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Tyreal Ardeus said:


> Fluff-wise, *no* space marine is stupid enough to go into battle without his helmet. That's retarded for centuries old super-warriors to do, and they know it.


Gotta love Captain Cato "Arrogant Herp Derp" Sicarius. In Nick Kyme's _The Battle for Black Reach_ novella he removes his helmet before the final showdown so that he will strike fear and respect in the heart of his enemy.

His enemy, the ork warboss. Yeah.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

His face would melt off seeing as how nids have acidic blood.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

not so given that Space Marines have acidic spit !


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## Archon Dan (Feb 6, 2012)

Spitting acid during hand-to-hand combat is probably viewed as dishonorable by many chapters. But Death Company are often seen without helmets and are probably crazed enough to do it. Since saliva is used to help start the breakdown of food, acidic saliva would just be more efficient. Of course, some chapters can't spit acid anymore, such as the Imperial Fists. But they do have initiation ceremonies for the Omophagea and Preomner as well. As has been said already however, who would be willing to eat a Tyranid? It's TOO alien.


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## gen.ahab (Dec 22, 2009)

Magpie_Oz said:


> not so given that Space Marines have acidic spit !


Let's dip a marines head in Fluoroantimonic acid and see how he goes.


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## bitsandkits (Mar 18, 2008)

gen.ahab said:


> Let's dip a marines head in Fluoroantimonic acid and see how he goes.


they would be fine, they have that PTFE skin thing going on for them


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

gen.ahab said:


> Let's dip a marines head in Fluoroantimonic acid and see how he goes.


Probably about the same as a 'nid I'd reckon


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## Lost&Damned (Mar 25, 2012)

The reason, if im not mistaken for space marines to remove their helmets (other than the fact it gives me a hardon) is supposedly (especially in the case of spacewolves) the fact that their helmets while the epitome of what the imperium can produce technologically are still inferior to the genes/powers the Emperor gave them, its a trade off, helmet gives protection and certain advantages, but without helmet makes you look badass and also means your own natural senses arent stifled.


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## Over Two Meters Tall! (Nov 1, 2010)

Besides, as modern Fire Fighters discovered, it's hard to grow a cool beard a la Space Wolves and wear an environmentally secure mask at the same time. Although I'm sure the technology works just fine somehow.


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## Wandering_Saint (Nov 6, 2012)

I'm not sure the last time GW updated the Ultramarines FAQ... But I think it'd be something like...

On a roll of a 3 on 3d6, one model in the unit got a bit too curious. It now considered its own model, and the unit is considered as taking a casualty. The model in question continues to have its individual profile and wargear, but will suffer from the Instinctive Behaviour - Lurk special rule detailed in the Tyranid Codex.

In all seriousness, I doubt it, unless it was a psyker. Even if he did eat a tyranid, I don't think it'd provide a direct link to the Hive Mind. I imagine what it might provide would be a series of reflexes depending on the creature who's brain got nommed (for example, if a Genestealer's brain got eaten, the space marine might recognize places to hide from sight, or even feel a strong urge to do so?) 
Think of it like an Eldar's brain being eaten. Just because he ate it, it doesn't give him a latent connection to the Warp.


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## Giant Fossil Penguin (Apr 11, 2009)

With the way genes are mixed-and-matched to make Tyranid strains, the 'message' that the Omophagea gets might be hopelessly muddled when it comes to anything specific i.e. location of strongholds, plans of attack etc.
However, the instinctive behavior might come through, so the Astartes might now be able to work out possible lurking spots, psychic 'trails' that point to the closest Synapse Creatures, scent markers of different organism groups. I'm not sure hunger would come through: I don't see that as genetic, rather it is imposed by the Hive Mind on its constituent parts.

GFP


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## Manithus (Mar 5, 2009)

Regarding the Betcher's Gland (the implant that allows marines to spit acid), which was mentioned earlier by Over Two Meters Tall! and Tyreal Ardeus, it has been used in a couple novels. The first one that comes to mind is _Black Tide_ by James Swallow in which a Blood Angels Sergeant is captured and uses it to escape from his cell. The other novel is _The Gildar Rift_ by Sarah Cawkwell in which Huron Blackheart spits acid onto a loyalist's chest plate to weaken it during their duel.


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## Grins1878 (May 10, 2010)

Pandora said:


> Good luck finding a Marine willing to eat a Tyranid, though.


Yeah, the pussies!

I'd eat it if it came in burger or fillet varieties.


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## PallasApollo (Dec 3, 2012)

The acid spitting thing with the helmet issue is assuming the ones who manage to capture (or even want to capture) an Astartes leaves his power armour on. Seems like a bad move to me. I suppose removing the power pack would make that more useful.

With the eating of the Tyranid brains, I agree with the no connection to the Hive Mind, but the physiological benefits would likely be an innate recognition of Tyranid pheromones, perhaps a basic understanding of the clicks and whatnot used to communicate between non-synapse creatures (like talking to hyenas, per se), and a swift realization that what you did was probably heresy to the Inquisition crazies and you should keep your mouth shut. If it DID give a psyker connection to the Hive Mind, it would also give the Hive Mind connection to the psyker, and that would produce all kinds of problems.


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## MontytheMighty (Jul 21, 2009)

Oldman78 said:


> The "omaphagea" is the organ that allows a spacemarine to "learn" from eating genetic material of another creature, the marine does not gain the knowledge of that creature but would be able to tell basic things about it, based on the hormone levels, nutrients or chemicals etc


Makes a lot more sense than acquiring "knowledge"


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