Zombies versus Tyranoids

[Alyster Wick]

So I just moved to a new area and am trying to start up an Inquisitor group at a very active local GW store.  While I run some test games I'm trying to put together some potential campaigns to use as hooks.  So far I have two ideas, I wanted to run them by the conclave (along with some suggestions on rules).  I hope no one from that store peruses this site because I'll be giving away the campaign twists...

Zombies:

Starts out as a simple zombie outbreak.  It's always a good excuse to bring inquisitors in and has a lot of potential for intrigue and subplots with Chaos factions and Istvanians. 

The twist I want to throw in is when a high ranking member of the mechanicus with a mostly mechanical brain gets bitten and, while physically turned into a zombie, retains his previous humanity because of his mechanical brain.  From here a number of events can happen, the mechanicus priest trying to cure himself, taking sides with the zombies, etc etc etc.

I was looking for some feedback as far as how over the top this sounds.  It interested me because the mechanicus zombie has the potential to be an intriguing and powerful foe while also being a great target for an enterprising inquisitor to capture.  Great set up for conflict (IMO).

The zombie-chanicus would be a ton of fun to make (along with perhaps some unique praetorians), plus I thought it would be fun to include new gamers by having everyone in the group build one or two zombies for the final scenario (I was picturing a streamlined Zombie system where they all go last at speed 2 or something).

Tyranoids:

This may very well send some fluff buffs over the edge.  I'm counting on everyone to reel me in if this one seems a little crazy.

The premise around this campaign would be that an inquisitor virus bombed an active tyranid occupied planet into the stone age.  A team swoops in to study the planet which was in the middle of the tyranid life cycle when they extinguished all life.  Of course, many inquisitors are interested in this opportunity to study (there were important imperial artifacts on the world before the nids came and the ecclesiastary wants them, there was lost tech, cue explorators, chaos is up to something, etc etc).  From here any number of conflicts can take place.

The problem is, not all life was killed.  There is a very primitive form of tyranid still oozing around the planets surface and they being to infect some of the teams on the planet (I got the idea for this looking at some of the tyranid glands while clipping bits off of old spruces for easier storage and I thought to myself, "those glands look like crazy alien slugs").  These infected members (the "Tyranoids") begin displaying tyranid characteristics though retain their humanity. 

Some try to find a cure, others bask in their newfound strength, then the psychic infected begin to realize they can communicate with a nearby Hive Fleet.  Of course, this is when the proverbial "sh*t" gets "real." 

The twist at the end of this is that the primitive slugs were only finding hosts so that when the fleet arrives they have a nice fresh stock of tyranid genetic material to jumpstart the planet.  The poor schleps who thought they would ascend to the Hive Fleet end up on the dinner/supply table.

I know it's a little crazy, but it allows for some great modeling opportunities (and a fantastic excuse to use different types of 'nids, you know you all just thought of the Mawlock model...)

_______________

Anyway, both of these scenarios are a little "out there."  I suppose I could start off with something simple like a daemonic apocalypse cult or a planetary governor getting assassinated but I decided to swing for the fences and try something a little out there.  Let me know if I've completely left the reservation, cheers!

[Myriad]

I'm not sure the tyranids have much of a life cycle, but the idea of some nids surviving in an overly hostile environment is certainly usable.

I'd go with the first idea though - the idea of a zombie mechanicus has lots of potential.

[MarcoSkoll]

Zombies: Could work, but as far as "retain his humanity" - any Tech Adept of that ranking doesn't have much of their humanity left. Retain their sanity is a better description though.

The better of the two ideas.

Tyranids: As far as I understand it, Virus bombs reduce all organic life to a complete sludge and then as a result of the flammable gases produced, burn most of the rest of the face of the planet off (and "burning" all/most of the oxygen at the same time) - basically reducing it to a ball of rock.
Virus bombing basically does what a hive fleet would do to a planet anyway - the only upside is that you kill the Hive fleet at the same time.

Let's argue there is still a thin atmosphere that can support the right 'Nid organism. Firstly, how does it infect the humans who would have to be walking the planet inside the space suits they'd need to even walk the planet?
And secondly, why would the Hive Fleet have any interest in a ball of rock that has nothing but a couple of scraps of life (i.e. the searching parties, and a couple of 'nid slugs) on it?

[Alyster Wick]

You make too many good points Marco.  I knew when I though harder about it these things would come up, I guess I was just in willful denial because I liked the idea of it.  You have to admit that the idea of having a campaign set on a tyra-formed world would be awesome (from a gaming and modeling standpoint), I guess I was just looking for an excuse to be able to do it plausibly (since anyone on a tyranid infested planet in a group of 3-5 people has a life expectancy of about 5 minutes). 

I'm going to go with the zombies especially since I like the idea of getting everyone to contribute by making a couple (should make for a very fun battle report).  I am going to continue tinkering with the tyranid idea though, I just think it's really fun.

[DapperAnarchist]

In defence of the Tyranoids idea - 1) various Tyranid creatures (rippers and Carnifexes, usually) have survived Exterminatus by various means - burrowing, or simply being too damn tough. You could drop the "take-over" theory, and simply have it warband vs warband vs unexpected Nid attack...

[Inquisitor Cade]

While I'd go with the zombie idea just because it seems easier and just as compelling and fun, the tyranoids could still work if the virus bombs were down graded to a more primative exterminatus device. Maybe the radiation from extensive nukeing some time ago has just dropped enough to allow servey teams to investigate weather or not the planet is good for anything.