Biomatter Swarms

For the Legacy version, see: Biomatter Hordes.

The Biomatter are a highly aggressive alien species of unknown origin. Living in vast communities known as 'Hives', Biomatter swarm over planets like a wave, establishing vast living colonies and assimilating all organic matter in their wake so as to grow and evolve. They make little use of technology, instead utilizing biological engineering to create weapons and tools ranging from razor-sharp blades to 'firearms' that use searing acid or armor-piercing spines. What technology they do use is stolen from conquered foes, such as starships that are seeded with spores before being sent to planets to spread the hive. Since their initial discovery decades before the outbreak of the Great War, dozens of worlds have fallen to the swarms, and more hives continue to be discovered as explorers venture into new territories. Incapable or unwilling to reason and seemingly impossible to control, the swarms attack any and all in their wake, making them a threat to all known life in the galaxy and prompting many galactic powers to devote vast resources to exterminating the hives, most famously the Peacekeeper's Anti-Biomatter Task Force (ABTF).

History
The origins of the Biomatter are a matter of intense debate among scientist and historians across the interstellar community; multiple theories have been proposed over the years in an effort to explain where and how they came to be, but without any conclusive evidence, they have proven impossible to confirm with any certainty. The most widely-supported theory postulates that the swarms were created artificially and were set loose on the galaxy once their creators could no longer contain them. Several empires in the modern era have been blamed for creating the Biomatter as either a biological superweapon or as a tool of imperialism, though the accused deny such claims at every opportunity. There are others that believe that the creatures evolved under very specific circumstances, but since no true equivalent of the Biomatter has ever been discovered, this hypothesis is dismissed as impossible by the greater scientific community. Extragalactic origins have also been proposed, as has the idea that they originated from the Warp.

Certain groups have taken a more superstitious view of the Biomatter, believing them to be demons or evil spirits that have manifested in the flesh. Some Repzork hold the belief that the Biomatter are creations of Syleris as a part of her scheme to undo creation. The Virisus are a notable exception in that view the swarms with religious reverence, claiming them to be angels of their god, Legion, who is said to have appeared in a vision to King Hor'or, prompting him to begin infusing his troops with genetic material derived from the swarms in the events leading up to the Necraal Schism. Whether Legion was a figment of Hor'or's imagination, a leader of one of the hives, or even a supreme organism that controls the hives, remains unknown. Cults devoted to the Biomatter have emerged elsewhere in the fringe regions of interstellar space, some going as far as to propagate infestations and sacrificing individuals to their gods.

Pre-Great War
Encounter Codename: Outbreak

The earliest recorded Biomatter outbreak occurred several years before before the start of the Great War when a spore of Hive Fafnir landed on Mitacen, a colony of the Mardle Empire. While the spore was still dormant, Research Base 738 sent out a team of scientists to gather samples of the then-unknown organisms for study. Shortly after the samples were brought back to the facility, the Biomatter, including the samples, became active, leading to the deaths of much of the facility's staff. Biomatter from the spore soon attacked and overwhelmed the facility, as well as a nearby settlement, killing all but a handful of colonist who managed to escape on a cargo ship. The Mardle initially attempted to cover up the incident, but subsequent attacks by Fafnir on nearby colonies made concealment impossible, and other empires soon began efforts to study the new alien threat.

Encounter Codename: Gauntlet

The next major outbreak occurred at Qualiot, which had been recently colonized by the Flewrits, who were unaware of the emerging threat. A spore landed near the colony's capital, prompting the Flewrits to send a mercenary who had recently arrived to investigate. By the time the mercenary arrived to survey the site, the swarm had already produced a sizeable colony with numerous maturing birthers. Dozens of warriors emerged to attack the mercenary, who narrowly escaped in time to warn the Flewrits. Hours away from reinforcements and lacking the manpower necessary to eliminate the hive, the Flewrits evacuated the planet. Much of the populace managed to escape, though Qualiot itself was deemed a total loss.

Encounter Codename: Laboratory

Three weeks after the fall of Qualiot, the Salatrans began studying the Biomatter in the hopes of uncovering a weakness. They recovered samples from Qualiot, Mitacen, and other colonies and brought them to a genetic research facility on Phytaurs. Not long after they were brought to the facility, several mutariors escaped and infected both researchers and other creatures being held within the facility, leading to an outbreak. Before the creatures could escape the facility, a lockdown was initiated, though at the cost of most of the facility's staff. Instead of immediately destroying the facility, the Salatrans decided to observe the Biomatter through what remained of the installation's camera systems while maintaining a strict perimeter around the base. The information gathered from these observations would later be provided to the fledgling Peacekeeper Alliance, which was established less than two weeks later. After a month of observation, the installation, and all Biomatter within, were terminated.

Encounter Codename: Blight



A derelict frigate seeded with a spore from the Tiamat hive crashed on the Repzork frontier colony of Nalg-11. Their first encounter with the swarm, Repzork forces were caught completely by surprise by the infestation, leading to the fall of two nearby outposts. A distress signal was sent out while the defenders held their ground for as long as possible. Fortunately for the Repzork, the freezing conditions and limited biomass in the area hindered Tiamat's efforts to grow, and the hive was soon unable to replenish its losses. Repzork forces then rallied and pushed the Biomatter back to their landing site, quickly destroying the hive with whatever weapons they had available. Reinforcements arrived roughly an hour later and promptly quarantined the planet and all personnel as they began investigating the swarms.

In the months that followed, more planets fell under attack by Tiamat, prompting Imperial Command to assign the 500th 'Purity of Flames' armada, under the command of Admiral Elseron Nethali, with the task of purging the infestation. Sector 05-4, also known as Quarantine Zone Black, the sector containing all planets known to have been attacked by the Biomatter, was established thereafter, and all civilians were evacuated as Elseron went on the offensive.

Great War Era
Encounter Codename: Assault

What would become the first major engagement between Peacekeeper forces and the Biomatter occurred two years after the start of the Great War on the sparsely-populated world of Ozelion, which was held by the Minomits. A cruiser with a spore from Fafnir crashed in a lush jungle near the planet's environment. The nearby biomass allowed for a large colony to develop at an unprecedented pace. The colony was evacuated by a nearby WBI fleet that beamed down all of its forces for a last-ditch effort to save the planet. After a lenghty engagement that saw the destruction of most of the defenders, air support arrived, enabling the Minomits to establish a perimeter around the hive, which was then destroyed by an orbital strike, ending the infestation and marking the first known victory against the swarms.

Encounter Codename: World Eater

A little over a month after the attack at Ozelion, Dralix, a colony of the Dragoneteran Monarchy, suddenly ceased communication with the rest of the kingdom. A fleet was sent to investigate and discovered that the planet had been completely overwhelmed by the Biomatter. Several teams were sent down to search for survivors and to study the colonies. One of the survey ships flew too close to one of the hives and was pulled down to the ground by the hive's tendrils. After fighting off several waves of warriors, the survey team managed to repair their ship's communicator and sent out a distress signal. After several minutes, reinforcements arrived to extract the team. Dralix was then quarantined and bombarded until it was reduced to a lifeless husk, finally exterminating the dug-in hive.

Encounter Codename: Ractia Infestation

Several Biomatter spores landed on the Kastalian colony of Ractia in quick secession, sparking a widespread infestation. A distress signal was sent out and was soon answered by a mercenary who agreed to provide assistance to the Kastalians. Despite the defenders having vastly superior armor and weapons, the Biomatter were simply far too numerous for them to contain. After defending themselves against countless waves of warriors, reinforcements arrived and evacuated the surviving Kastalians.

'''Encounter Codename: A Need for a Virus

During the Dragoneteran-Tegotian War, the Dragoneterans discovered that the Tegotians were establishing a base within Monarchy territory. With most of their troops already on the front lines or defending the core worlds, the Monarchy looked into weaponizing the Biomatter. Using samples gathered from Dralix, Feverclan, and other infected planets, they developed an airborne virus that would mutate creatures much like a mutarior. A spy successfully infiltrated the Tegotian compound and deployed the virus. It was then that security became aware of his presence and attempted to capture the spy, but the virus proved to be far more potent than originally anticipated. Within minutes, dozens of soldiers had been infected, throwing the Tegotians into disarray and allowing the spy to escape. The planet was quarantined until the threat was eliminated, but several spores managed to escape, spreading the swarm across several planets. The Tegotian offensive was delayed for weeks as the empire fought to contain the infestation.

The incident remains the first and so far only time that a Peacekeeper has weaponized the Biomatter. Due to the severity of the virus, the Monarchy attempted to cover up its involvement in the incident and destroyed remaining samples of the virus, but ACI soon discovered the Monarchy's role and alerted the Peacekeepers, who strongly condemned the Monarchy for their actions and promptly banned the weaponization of the swarms. The Dragoneterans narrowly avoided charges on the grounds that those affected were primarily military targets, but they were required to destroy all of their research. In the weeks that followed, it was noted that certain Hives, notably Apophis and Fafnir, were using a virus similar in nature to the Dragoneteran weapon, leading many to believe that the hives had successfully integrated the virus into their biology.

Encounter Codename: Turn on You

A Cronen spore landed near the Skrey outpost of Heatwave, which was located on one of the Skrey's arid colonies. Not knowing what the Biomatter were at the time, the Skrey sent out a scouting team to investigate. The scouts were promptly attacked, though some managed to escape back to the outpost. The Skey attempted to hold back against the swarm, but were quickly outnumbered and overwhelmed, the survivors escaping on a Behemoth transport. Though the planet was lost, the primitive nature of most Skrey vessels made it difficult for Cronen to spread, preventing a full-scale infestation within Skrey territory.

Encounter Codename: Contract

Amid an ongoing skirmish between the Skrey and Cronen on the planet of Eghan, a Repzork fleet, which had been secretly monitoring the Skrey since their attack on a WBI colony several months prior, stepped in to assist the Skrey. Though unwilling to receive their help, the Skrey begrudgingly accepted their offer. The two forces successfully eliminated the hive shortly thereafter. The Repzork used the opportunity to get in touch with the Great Clan that was currently leading the Skrey, and after lengthy negotiations, inducted the Skrey into the Warlord Pact.

Encounter Codename: Survival

A major turning point in the growing fight against the Biomatter occurred at Rotunin, a wealthy corporate colony that was located in neutral space. Though its dealings with both Peacekeeper and Warlord officials made an invasion by either side unlikely, the planet still maintained formidable defenses, including a private army and anti-orbital batteries, which led officials to believe that the planet was immune to all but a large-swcale invasion. Their sense of security was shattered when a carrier containing a massive spore of Tiamat began approaching the planet. Though orbital defenses had managed to break the ship apart, this only resulted in a shotgun-like effect that spread Biomatter across a much wider area than it would have otherwise. The densely-packed ecumenopolis provided more than enough biomass for Piru to establish a sizeable colony. Panic swept across the planet as civilians attempting to flee, clogging the streets and making colonists easy prey for the swarms. Unable to stem the tide, the defenders abandoned the planet, which was bombarded a few days later.

News of Rotunin's destruction swept through both Peacekeeper and Warlord channels. It remains the largest and bloodiest infestation to date, with many estimating that billions had died over the course of the attack. It shattered the notion that the Biomatter were only a threat to outer-rim colonies and backwater worlds, prompting civilians and public officials across the region to push for their nations to devote more resources to combating the swarms. Many Warlord nations established their own specialized Anti-Biomatter units or doubled their efforts in discovering the swarm's weaknesses and how to exploit them. Within the Peacekeeper Alliance, the destruction of the Biomatter became a part of their mission to protect the weak, and deliberations began as to how to best handle the crisis.

The Task-Force
After many days of deliberations, the Peacekeepers established a specialized unit known as the Anti-Biomatter Task Force, or ABTF with the goal of protecting Peacekeeper-affiliated and neutral worlds from the Swarms. Drawing troops from most of the Alliance's members, most notably the Empire of Diablos and Aeveria Confederation, the ABTF's diverse arsenal allows it to take on the hives no matter the circumstances. Warlord defectors have also joined the ranks of the ABTF either out of dedication or as a means of seeking penance without having to fight their own. Since its inception, the ABTF has proven instrumental in safeguarding the sector against the encroaching swarms. Despite setbacks, numerous worlds have been saved, and countless new weapons and tactics have been developed as the hives continue to evolve. Many believe that with enough support, the ABTF will one day contain and perhaps even exterminate the Biomatter entirely.

The creation of the ABTF has since led to many copy-cat groups forming. These are generally located in neutral space and accept members from both Peacekeeper and Warlord powers. With less funding and equipment, many such groups have collapsed shortly after their creation; however, a few have survived and have risen into prominence, though they still cannot compete with the ABTF.



Encounter Codename: Judgement Day

After several victories against the Biomatter, the ABTF's mettle was tested when a spore from Fafnir landed on a colony deep within Diab territory. With most of the ABTF's forces elsewhere, it was up to a local Diab contingent to contain the infestation, which had already established a foothold on the planet. Within the contingent was a small group of Diab bio-troopers, including Specialist Heimdall, widely considered to be one of the best specialist the empire has to offer. After fighting through the infected colony, Heimdall successfully infiltrated the hive and planted a powerful explosive inside the hive. The explosive detonated just as Heimdall escaped, destroying the spore and ending the infection.

Encounter Codename: Sentience

A spore of Fafnir landed on the Flytal colony of Yintil, near the planet's northern pole. The governor sent an immediate request for assistance to the Taskforce, who arrived in time to prevent the swarms from overwhelming the colony. A pitched battle ensued, during which a mercenary who had been fighting alongside the ABTF was captured by what appeared to infected Necraal who had established a base on the far side of the planet.

Part 2 The mercenary was held captive in the base for the next several hours, during which he realized that the Necraal had somehow retained their sanity despite their infection. He was eventually rescued by a Flytal agent, who upon hearing the mercenary's story, rushed him back to ABTF's command center. By the time they had reached the base, the Necraal were already engaging ABTF. The combined might of Necraal armor and Fafnir's forces shattered the ABTF's defenses and threw their forces into disarray. The mercenary and Flytal operative narrowly escaped the planet, but most ABTF personnel were either killed or captured, including the Diab captain, Varth, and his subordinates.

The attack baffled Peacekeepers and Warlords alike, both of whom launched investigations to uncover what had happened. Similar attacks would occur elsewhere, leading many on both sides to believe that the Necraal were in some way directly involved. Their suspicions were confirmed when agents within the Kingdom revealed that King Hor'or had been augmenting his troops with Biomatter and in the process had begun worshiping a being known as 'Legion'. These revelations led to Crown Prince Bael'thir Anduish'ent'mar instigating a coup attempt with the aid of the Pact, culminating in what would become the Necraal Split and the creation of the Virisus.



Encounter Codename: The Horror

Taldrin was a small Acropolan colony located on the fringes of their empire. Far from the Great War and the Conkirites, the planet was lightly-defended and was considered to be of little priority. This would ultimately prove to be its downfall when Apophis attacked the colony. Unable to repel the invaders, the colony was soon overran, leading to the deaths of most of the planet's population.

Encounter Codename: Crystalline Horror

A Delani expeditionary fleet came across a massive deposit of valuable resources on an unnamed planet in the far reaches of their territory. Four fire teams were sent down to the planet's surface. But shortly after landing, three of the teams went dark. The remaining fire team found one of the lost teams, which had been infested by the Biomatter, who had been in a state of dormancy beneath the planet's surface until the Delani's arrival stirred them awake. After fighting their way through the hive's defenders, the Delani evacuated and the planet was quarantined.

Encounter Codename: Hunted

A spore of Piru landed on a sizeable Nepharian colony. Initially, the Nepharians appeared victorious; the spore was quickly contained and destroyed. In truth, some of the Biomatter had survived by burying themselves deep underground. As the hive festered, mutariors moved to the surface and infected several individuals, but did so in a way that showed no outward symptoms. This allowed the host to gather near strategic locations undetected. It was then that the hive launched a second attack, emerging directly into the colony's capital. With the aid of their infected hosts, the Biomatter were able to subdue the city's defenders, and eventually, the planet.

Encounter Codename: The Biological Assault

An Aeverian colony fell under attack by the swarms of Apophis. An ABTF taskforce soon responded, and after suffering considerable losses while evacuating the colonist, bombarded the swarms from orbit. Once the hive had been sufficiently suppressed, ground forces were deployed to eliminate stragglers. After over three weeks of continued engagements with surviving elements of the hive, the planet was deemed safe for recolonization.

Process of Infestation
The process of infecting a planet begins as soon as a spore or Biomatter-containing vessel lands on a planet. The once-dormant organisms on the vessel awaken and the latent biomass is used to make feeders and warriors that search the surrounding area for resources, bringing back any they find to begin growing birthers. At this stage of infection, the Biomatter are at their most vulnerable; depending on how large of a vessel they used to get to the planet, they may not have the forces to engage in intense fighting. Rapid containment can usually end an infection here, however; they can quickly surpass this stage with sufficient biomass.

The next and longest stage of infection begins once enough biomass has been accumulated to create a hive composed of numerous birthers. These birther hives are capable of producing hordes of warriors and create the larger known breeds such as Gargantuals. Hordes of warriors scour the land, eliminating any resistance with sheer numbers while the feeders continue their task of gathering biomass for the continued growth of the hive. If allowed to grow, entire regions will become converted and covered in infected bile, birthers, and deadly tendrils. They also begin to burrow into the earth, using the tunnels to fit more birthers, storage, and as a covert method of attack.

The expansion of the hive will continue until all biomass it can find is converted. Typically, this means that most if not the entire planet has been cleansed of all non-Biomatter, resulting in the complete destruction of the biosphere. This is not always the case, as the Biomatter do tend to ignore certain regions if they have trouble getting through them, such as regions with extreme temperatures. As a result, some pockets of uninfected life can still exist on a planet, at least temporarily.

If any space-faring vessels are abandoned on the planet, the Biomatter will claim them as their own and will proceed to seed the vessel, filling it with latent biomass, proto-birthers that can make small warriors and feeders, and a number of dormant feeders. These commandeered vessels are then driven by the Biomatter towards a new destination, spreading the infestation further.

When the hive is no longer in any danger, the production of warriors is ceased and the hive begins to enter a state or dormancy. Infected organisms, warriors, and feeders, all rendered useless, are converted into biomass to use later. They are replaced with a few specialized guards that constantly patrol the hive and release pheromones that help wake up the hive when it detects a threat. Over the period of a few weeks, the hive will begin to move its assets underground. Birthers, tendrils, everything on the surface is converted back into biomass and put in an underground burrow. In their place, strange organisms similar to plants grow on the surface, seemingly providing the hive below with a source of energy.

Once the process of going underground is complete, the hive will go into stasis. From this point on, it will do nothing unless it is provoked and is completely harmless so long as the planet is avoided.

Hives
The Biomatter, unlike the sentient races of the galaxy, do not have a single, unified leadership. Likewise, they are also not centered in one vast region of territory. Instead, individual hives of Biomatter exist in different regions of the galaxy, each under the control of a different hive mind. No hive is exactly like the other, each has different mutations, unique breeds, and particular physical traits, all derived from the biomass they have absorbed or evolved to defeat their foes.

The inner workings of the hives and the hive minds are a topic of constant debate, theories, and conjecture. It is known that once a swarm of Biomatter have left the influence of one hive, that they will then attempt to form a new hive and hive mind. While it is obvious how the hive is formed, the process of creating the leader of the hive is unknown, and the few attempts to learn how have been unsuccessful. Likewise, how the hive mind is able to project its influence across light years of space is also unknown. Given that a live hive mind has never been captured, it is unlikely that these questions will have answers anytime soon.

There are currently five known active hives: Fafnir, Piru, Apophis, Tiamat, and Cronen.

Fafnir
The most infamous of the hives, Fafnir has been active in the region for at least a century and has been involved in the Great War for as long as it has been going. They played a role in some of the largest battles against the Biomatter, such as the 'sentience' incident. They are believed to be the largest hive, with a few hundred worlds having been infected over their history. Currently, Fafnir is attacking the Diabloians, IAE, and Karahotdoum, with occasional incursions into nearby races.

The most notable physical characteristic of Fafnir Biomatter is their large, muscular forms. Each organism, from the smallest to the largest, is notably bigger and stronger than those of other hives. This is believed to be an adaptation developed to combat Diabloians and IAE Genen Infantry such as the Doomtrooper. Their sheer weight and strength allows larger organisms to overpower most any foe, though this comes at the cost of mobility. Fafnir is notably slower than other hives, moving more as a slow wall rather than a tsunami of flesh.

Unlike the other Biomatter hives where one can find out the 'genetic heritage' of the hive with relative ease, it is incredibly difficult to do the same with Fafnir. Fafnir has consumed so much genetic material from so many different sources that it is nearly impossible to pin-point exactly where a trait is derived from. Much of the genetic material has also been broken up and re-arranged as the hive consumes more. It may never be known just how much Fafnir will have consumed in its lifetime.

Fafnir is notably aggressive towards other hives. Whereas most hives seem content with guarding their own territory and typically run into each other by chance, Fafnir seems to sometimes deliberately attack other hives. Reports of Fafnir invading a planet owned by another hive are not unheard of, and they will always go after another hive if they both land on the same planet. The reason why the hive is so aggressive is not entirely clear, though most have come to the conclusion that the hive likely integrated an inferior version of the Diabloian's frenzy into the brood and utilize a special pheromone to prevent friendly fire while making them instantly hostile to everything else.

The battle between Fafnir and the races of the Great War is as old as the Great War itself. Numerous efforts have been made to eradicate Fafnir, but for one reason or another, they have been unsuccessful in completely eradicating it. For every planet cleansed, another will inevitably fall. The fact that the IAE utilizes the hive as a biological weapon only complicates the matter. Some believe that the hive will only be completely destroyed once the Great War concludes.

Charotid
The Charotid is essentially an overgrown and highly aggressive feeder. These creatures resemble a gigantic mouth lined with spiked teeth and possessing four legs for walking around. Jutting out of its sides are a number of spiked tentacles that it uses to impale prey and drag them into its maw where they are converted into biomass. Once unable to eat anymore, the Charotid makes a beeline for the nearest birther, depositing its catch before heading back to collect more. Even if its spiked tentacles are removed, the creature is still capable of charging towards prey and biting them with gruesome results. The best way to dispatch a Charotid is to shoot directly into its maw.

Apophis
Hive Apophis is the second largest hive and is active in the territories of the Aeveria Confederation, Zaretian Monarchy, and formerly the Luminarian Rebels. They were first documented by Aeverian researchers near the fringes of Aeverian space. For the first few years of the war, Apophis was harassing all nearby factions with equal frequency. However, as the war progressed and the Zaretians began loosing to the combined Aeverian-Luminarian front, the hive began to attack the vulnerable Zaretian colonies much more frequently than before. The actions of Apophis have been insurmountable in helping to understand the Biomatter's behavior.

Apophis is the only hive known to have reverted some of its adaptations. Some mutations present during the early half of the war have been phased out in favor of specialization towards the Zaretians. At this time, they have a carapace to give them limited protection from projectiles. They also have a long, whip-like arm that has either a spike or a razor sharp claw at the end for dispatching enemies from a fair distance. Not many other notable mutations seem present, likely due to Apophis' preference towards weakened territories that can't defend very well regardless.

Much like its adaptations, Apophis' genetic code has gone under numerous changes over the course of the war. Near the beginning, it was a mix of its numerous prey, much like any other hive. Now that the hive focuses primarily on Zaretian targets, material derived from Aeverian or Luminarian sources are less apparent. The most notable result of the integration of Zaretian genetic material is an enhanced regenerative ability, as well as a layer of soft scales covering the majority of the brood.

With the Luminarians dealing with personal business and the Zaretians too busy fighting the Aeverians, Apophis has been largely put in the back of many people's minds. The Aeverians have little to worry about, their most important worlds behind a blockade no infected vessel has the hope of getting through. The Zaretians would love to get rid of the pest, but can't dedicate too many resources to fighting them, and have as a result adopted a defensive strategy. Unless the situation changes, Apophis will keep rampaging through the system.

Piru
Appearing on records a little over twenty years ago, Piru is a large hive that has become a menace to many of the neutral nations. Mainly the Holy Nepharian Empire, Transmetallic Confederation, and to a lesser extent, the Gronian Imperium. Reports of engagements with the Wingle have also come to light, but this is believed to be due to the Phyla Kran conflict rather than an incursion into Wingle territory. Relatively little information exist on the Gronian's encounters with Piru due to their isolationist nature, but it is assumed that the Gronians do not consider them anything more than a nuisance. The Biomatter, having no way of hiding their vessels, are more likely than not caught by the Gronian's extensive sensor relay and destroyed long before they hit an inhabited world.

Piru's adaptations are largely a response to the Nepharians and the TmC. Much of its brood wield incredibly sharp claws that, while ineffective against armor, are perfect for slicing through rank-and-file Nepharian infantry. They may also wield large spikes capable of piercing the thicker armor present on TmC infantry. The most notable mutation of Piru is the number of arms each creature possesses. Likely due to fighting TmC melee infantry, most of Piru's brood have at least four arms on average, if not more. Piru has developed no notable defensive mutations, likely due to the energy weapons that are so prevalent in the region. Flesh or carapace, it does not matter; plasma will melt it.

When observing its genetic code, Piru seems to show a preference towards using material derived from TmC sources over others. Many traits from Chromium, Aumpnuuk, and others have been found in increasing number whereas hardly any Nepharian traits are to be found. This has resulted in worrisome adaptations, such as the development of thermal vision and and an, albeit still primitive, version of the electrical organs found inside Aumpnuuk.

With most of the neutral races preoccupied with infighting and foreign affairs, little effort has been made to eliminating Piru. However, with the Nepharian's conflict with Kran over and the Nepharian main territory sending them up-to-date equipment, they stand a much better chance against Piru, at least for the time being. Whether or not the Nepharians will push their advantage remains to be seen.

Drulgr
Drulgr are Piru's answer to energy shielding. The creatures, which stand slightly taller than Gualarins, are incredibly muscular. They wield no blades or spines, instead relying on pure brawn to overpower prey. When they engage a foe, they attempt to knock them down and will then proceed to relentlessly pummel them until their shielding is overwhelmed. They do not stop once the shield goes down, and will continue to attack unless either killed or the victim has been reduced to little more than a bloody pulp.

Tiamat
First reported by the korvar a few months before their entry into the Great War, Tiamat is a young, rapidly expanding hive that developed somewhere in a largely unexplored region of space. Since its discovery, Tiamat has quickly become a menace to a number of races, most notably the korvar. They have also attacked the betel, xeverra, and zorock, though currently these conflicts are sporadic and minor by comparison. Many believe that they will eventually begin fighting the khasii as well.

With much of its weight being thrown at the korvar, Tiamat's mutations have developed almost exclusively to counter them. Like hive Piru, Asag Biomatter have large spikes capable of piercing thick, heavy armor. In some cases, these spikes can go straight through the thinner parts of a battlesuit. Like Apophis, Much of Tiamat's brood is partially covered in a carapace that gives it protection against ballistics, with the exception of explosive rounds. The hive is also noted to liberally use the massive strains of Biomatter such as the Gargantual and Jentrillion in order to break through heavy armor lines and fortifications.

Upon viewing Tiamat's genetic material, one would find that it is mostly filled with things derived from the korvar and various animals from their planets. This is because of how easy it is to acquire material from there than it is other host. Betel worlds have relatively little biomass and the Xeverra live in a nomadic fleet, using their robotic proxies and heavy armor do most of the fighting. Meanwhile they have not made much progress against the Zorock, whom they have not adapted to yet and only engage sparsely.

What will ultimately come of Tiamat is still up in the air. Their fight with the korvar has been very back-and-forth, with both sides making progress. Scales have begun to tip in the korvar's favor now that they have a dedicated task force, but the korvar's inexperience with fighting such a foe means ground assaults can go either way. The situation may worsen if the hive is allowed to absorb more biomass from other sources.

Gortralk
The Gortralk is a large, hulking creature that, while smaller than a Gargantual, still towers over most of its brethren, being over three times the height of a Korvar battlesuit. They are armed with four large spikes which protrude from their limbs and are covered in an especially hard carapace that provides limited resistance against explosives. They operate as tank hunters, barging straight into the thickest enemy lines and using their immense strength and spikes to tear armor elements to shreds. They have been observed as being capable of plucking smaller vehicles off the ground and tossing them a limited distance, making them all the more dangerous. The quickest way to dispatch a Gortralk is either air power or destroying its well-armored head.

Elvernok
The most recent of Tiamat's mutations, the Elvernok is a diminutive creature slightly smaller than than outstretched Diabloian hand. They are designed to climb unto a soldier and find a gap in their armoring. Once it finds one, it will began to rip and tear at it with its claws and teeth, creating a sizable hole. If it makes a large enough hole, it will then go inside of its victim, tearing them apart from the inside. It should be noted that unlike the Mutarior, the Elvernok currently does not have the capacity to take over host. Whether this will change or not remains to be seen.

Basic Warriors
Warriors come in a multitude of forms, from the lowly Ramorphinds to the powerful Gaularins. They all share a common purpose, kill anything that moves, so that the Feeders can consume it. The general types of BioMatter Warriors are, in order of power: Click on any creature for more information.

Mutants
The BioMatter hordes also contain a variety of creatures mutated by the Mutarior organism. These various creatures belong to a variety of Epic War races, yet all share one thing, they serve BioMatter unflinchingly, under control of the Mutarior embedded inside their brains.

Special Creatures
Aside from their basic troops, BioMatter forces contain several creatures with more specific roles. There are the shooters, who attack enemies at range from behind the main horde; Feeders, who collect organic matter from behind the frontlines; and Epics, who provide the horde with seige engine capabilities.

Birthers
The most common sign of an infection, Birthers are akin to gigantic fungi. They are large, stationary mounds of biological material connected to each other by tendrils. These interconnected birthers form the 'bases' where feeders deposit their collected biomass. This biomass is used to make more warriors, birthers, and feeders, all of which are released through large pores that dot the surface of a birther.