The Conclave

The Ordos Majoris - Hobby, Painting and Modelling => The Dark Millennium => Topic started by: Discy on August 06, 2009, 06:03:26 AM

Title: Xenomorphs
Post by: Discy on August 06, 2009, 06:03:26 AM
I just flicking through the Scenario Creater PDF, and saw in the NPCs table something called a Xenomorph. What is it?
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: Simeon Blackstar on August 06, 2009, 08:24:00 AM
Literally, alien.  Commonly used for the Aliens from the Alien Quadrilogy though, which might give you a few more ideas.
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: precinctomega on August 06, 2009, 09:15:40 AM
Strictly speaking, a xenomorph is a creature with a body pattern that conforms to no other known body pattern.  Given the immense diversity of life on Earth, a true and indisputable xenomorph is hard to find.  Genestealers, for example, are arguably xenomorphs because they are vertebrates with six primary limbs.  But whether the additional pair of limbs is truly enough to call them xenomorphs is arguable.

R.
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: Macabre on August 06, 2009, 02:36:28 PM
Literally xenomorph means 'alien form', so by that it means anything other than human....(even Eldar could be considered a xenomorph)
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: Tullio on August 06, 2009, 09:06:40 PM
QuoteGenestealers, for example, are arguably xenomorphs because they are vertebrates with six primary limbs.  But whether the additional pair of limbs is truly enough to call them xenomorphs is arguable.

Well, Tyranids are pretty weird creatures anyway, considering the dual skeletons, respiratory systems and complete lack of normal reproductive and digestive systems.

I'm done with my pointless quibble. Considering the way "xenomorph" is used in the background, I'd translate it to "alien" in a 40K context

Tullio
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: Discy on August 07, 2009, 07:33:19 AM
Thanks for the info. I had thought that it was some weird shapeshifting alien, because there was already 'An Alien' under the NPCs table.
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: MarcoSkoll on August 07, 2009, 09:35:11 AM
You could treat it as a shapeshifter if you wanted. I've a feeling GW uses it in that sense on occasion.
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: Lucidum on April 13, 2011, 09:14:23 PM
In terms of 40K, imperial dogma dictates that anything neither daemon, non-human, non-abhuman, is a Xenomorph of Xeno. All aliens in 40k are xenos by imperial decree. Ergo, the major xenos races represented in Warhammer 40,000 are the Eldar, Dark Eldar, Orks, Necrons, Tyranids, and Tau.
Title: Re: Xenomorphs
Post by: Kaled on April 13, 2011, 09:20:02 PM
Generally it's considered bad form to resurrect old threads - if a thread hasn't had any posts in a while then it's probably best to just leave it...