Devourer

Chapter 224: Pride Cometh Before the Fall

Chapter 224: Pride Cometh Before the Fall

The combat conditions in Hell were proving to be a fascinating challenge, though not insurmountable, far from it actually. My Hive was performing well enough, but it was clear that the designs I had made for Terra weren’t fully optimised for this new environment. Temperatures ran higher here, water was scarcer, and the endurance my Hive could achieve on Terra wasn’t quite matching up in Hell. Still, these were manageable adjustments, not crises.

One of the more immediate issues was the armour of my soldiers, which had started to show minor wear more frequently. There were no catastrophic failures, and the damage was manageable, but it was enough to make me pause. It wasn’t a glaring problem, but a little voice in my mind suggested I dig deeper. Perhaps a subtle flaw in the Hell Hive genome was the culprit, a tiny inefficiency that had gone unnoticed until now. Addressing it could provide a valuable edge and improve resilience dramatically.

The scarcity of water and the heat were factors, too, but neither felt like a true roadblock. It simply meant that my Hive’s systems needed tweaking. Improved thermal resistance, better resource recycling, and perhaps a localised adaptation to Hell’s resources would likely do the trick. These were growth opportunities, not signs of failure. My Hive had already proven its ability to adapt in Terra; with a few modifications, I was confident it could also excel in Hell.

It’s all about these minor adjustments. The water issue, for example. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. The reliance on water, which worked fine on Terra, is actually reducing the Hive’s fire resistance here. Water’s not the problem itself, but it’s not helping in this hellish environment. What I need is something better suited for Hell. Something that doesn’t just keep them hydrated but actually helps them adapt to the heat.

Minerals. Hell’s soil is rich in minerals. Why not use that? I can swap some of the water out in the blood for those. The minerals will do more than just hydrate they’ll improve their internal heat resistance. A simple shift, really, but it could make a huge difference. And it’ll free up the water for other things. The Hive will need it for growth, for supporting the soldiers in more efficient ways. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone.

And then there’s the armor. If I adapt the Hive’s systems to take advantage of the mineral-rich soil, I can strengthen the exoskeletons, make them more resilient. The soldiers will be able to endure longer in combat, and the Hive’s overall structural integrity will improve.

Alright, so if I’m going to harden their bones with these minerals, there’s something else I need to account for. It’ll make them stronger, sure, but heavier too. That added weight from the denser bones could be a problem if I don’t think ahead. They’ll be slower, less agile, maybe even more prone to fatigue if I don’t adjust things.

The solution’s simple, though. More muscle. If I increase the muscle density in the Hive, they’ll be able to move with the same speed and power they had before the bones were hardened. The muscles will need to be stronger to carry the extra weight, so I’ll need to tweak their genetic structure to increase their muscle mass proportionally.

It all comes down to the ratio, doesn’t it? Muscle to bone, armor to weight, strength to agility, finding that sweet spot is the key. Too much muscle and I’m going to have to layer on more armor just to keep them protected, which in turn adds weight, which, you guessed it, makes them slower. Too little muscle, and the denser bones won’t be supported properly, and the extra weight could cause fatigue or worse, immobility.

And then there’s the armor. More muscle needs more protection. But the armor can’t just keep adding up; I can’t have them looking like walking tanks. If the armor gets too heavy, it negates everything I’ve done with the muscles. So, I need to keep the armor light but strong enough to handle the hits. Something that moves with them, not against them. The more armor, the more weight, there’s no getting around that. But how much armor is enough to withstand Hell’s heat, the brutal terrain, the impact of combat without slowing them down?

I need a ratio that can handle the load. The bones are getting stronger, so the muscles need to scale up to match. But the moment I bulk up the muscles, I need to consider how much heavier they’ll be, and then I’ll need just enough armor to prevent them from being vulnerable without slowing them down. It's like a constant push and pull between resilience and mobility, strength and speed. The right ratio could make the difference between an optimized Hive that thrives in Hell and one that collapses under its own weight.

The front, Warfare in Hell is about firepower, just stack armour in the front and that will work.

For these soldiers, the focus is on frontal armor. The chest, abdomen, and legs will be reinforced with denser, heat-resistant materials, allowing them to withstand the brunt of direct attacks. I’ll need to make sure that the armor is thick enough to hold up against the extreme temperatures and violent combat, but not so heavy that they’re unable to maintain their momentum. They’re designed to take hits, push forward, and hold the line, so the more durable the armor, the better.

However, the rest of the body needs to be lighter. I’ll reduce the armor on the back and limbs, areas that aren’t exposed as often, to save on weight and allow for more mobility. These soldiers will have more muscle to support the additional weight upfront, making them more powerful in direct confrontation. The goal is to create a well-protected unit capable of absorbing damage without sacrificing their ability to stay mobile and effective in the heat of battle. The heavy front armor will be the cornerstone of their durability, while the rest of their design keeps them functional and ready to engage.

I ordered the creation of one of these new units, the ones with reinforced frontal armor, to be grown in the Hive’s cocoon. It took an hour or so for the process to complete time well-spent refining the specifications. When it finally emerged, the soldier was imposing, its chest and legs covered in thick, heat-resistant plating, the material dense but still flexible enough for movement. The back and limbs were lighter, the armor designed just enough to provide protection without hindering agility.

Now, it was time for the first tests. I ran a few basic trials, starting with heat exposure. The soldier was placed in a simulated zone with temperatures comparable to Hell’s worst environments. The armor held up well, barely showing signs of stress even as the temperature climbed. Next, I tested its endurance against direct impact. I had a few other members of the hive strike the soldier, aimed at the front where the armor was most concentrated. The blows landed with force, but the soldier stood firm, taking the hits without faltering. There was no immediate sign of fatigue exactly what I’d hoped for.

The flaw became apparent the moment the soldier began moving. At first, it seemed fine, abit on the slow side, but stable. But as soon as it picked up momentum, I could see the problem unfold. The added weight in the front, combined with the muscle density, created too much forward motion. The soldier couldn’t compensate once it started moving, and the momentum threw it off balance. Each step felt forced, as if the soldier was constantly fighting to catch itself, its movements jerky and unnatural.

When the soldier tried to pick up speed, the momentum made it difficult to stabilize. The heavier torso and legs pushed the soldier forward, while the lighter back couldn’t help anchor it properly. As a result, it couldn’t maintain a smooth, controlled pace. It was fine when stationary or moving slowly, but any attempt at a more fluid movement caused the soldier to lurch forward, as if it was about to topple.

I needed to adjust the back legs to fix this imbalance. Broadening the feet would give it a more stable base, allowing the unit to plant itself more firmly on the ground. I could extend the surface area, making it harder for the soldier to lose its footing during fast movements. But that wasn’t enough, the hind legs themselves would need more power to push against the weight of the front. I’d need to increase their muscle density and structure, making them stronger and more capable of supporting the added load without sacrificing speed.

By reinforcing the back legs and widening the feet, I could create a more stable foundation for the soldier. The power from the hind legs would counter the forward momentum, helping to distribute the weight more evenly across the body. This design shift would allow for better movement without the soldier stumbling under the strain. The additional muscle in the hind legs would also ensure that it could push through obstacles or combat situations without faltering, even with the heavy frontal armor in place.

I’d need to rerun the tests once the adjustments were made, but this fix seemed simple enough. A broader, more powerful set of back legs could balance out the extra weight in the front. It was a logical next step.

With the back legs now adjusted to better support the front armor, I realized I had an opportunity to enhance the soldier’s offensive capabilities as well. Since the soldier’s front was now a heavy wall, it made sense to take advantage of that by developing an additional ranged weapon. The idea clicked I could add tendrils along the back, capable of shooting poisoned spines. This would allow the soldier to strike from a distance while keeping its armored front safely facing the enemy.

The tendrils would emerge from the back, designed to reach over the heavily armored front legs and torso to shoot spines with precision. The tendrils themselves would be flexible and strong, capable of launching multiple spines in rapid succession. By adding this new element, the soldier could effectively strike before opponents even got close, using the advantage of range while remaining shielded by its durable front armor.

It could engage enemies from a distance, disorient or damage them with poisoned spines, and then close in for a more direct fight once they were weakened. The tendrils wouldn’t be overly bulky either, thanks to their placement along the back, and the extra weight wouldn’t disrupt the newly balanced back legs. Instead, the tendrils would be lightweight yet deadly, adding versatility without compromising mobility or defense.

If somehow the enemy got too close, well... this design was originally a melee unit...

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Xolres sat hunkered against a wall as the sounds of battle raged around him. He glanced to his left and saw a fellow soldier get hit in the head with a spine. The shard of bone went right into his right eye and he fell backwards on to the ground twitching.

The other soldiers fired too but met with the same result, whatever this thing’s armour was their shots were doing nothing. Then a flame spear struck the creature and the attack went through. The creature, went tumbling back over the wall but soon more started to appear.

Xolres and the other troops desperately started firing back, and their shots did nothing. Melee troops entered the fray and he saw one soldier’s axe bury itself in the thick armour only to be stuck. The soldier panicked and tried to wrench it free but with an almost annoyed bash the creature smashed the soldier off the wall and right down into the swarming mass below.

Then there was a large explosion as one of the artillery pieces on the wall exploded and Xolres was thrown onto the ground. His head was spinning and he froze when he realised he was right on the inner edge of the wall.

He scrambled to his feet and looked for this rifle but it was nowhere to the be seen. The wall had devolved into a desperate melee that they were rapidly losing. If the wall was lost then this fortress was finished it had no interior defences, thanks to the hubris of the original designers.

Xolres was just about to flee when this dog like beast tackled him and pinned him to the ground. He could smell it’s purtid breath on its face as he gazed up in terror at the maw filled with razor sharp fangs.

“I must say I always prefer hound-type bodies.” the beast said with a feral grin and Xelros froze when he realised that the hive soldier just spoke.

“Stupidly designed fortress, isn’t it?” the hound said almost conversationally.

“But then again I suppose it is fitting for your kind, as the Old Gods once said.” the hound said as he grinned.

Pride cometh before the fall...

◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.♚.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦

Ego strolled around the now decimated throne room and saw his soldiers dragging the general across the floor in a bloody heap.

“Gentle.” Ego snapped at the soldiers who stilled before trying to be more careful with the heavily wounded general.

General Modred was just a shredded mess, his legs were gone and his right arm was just a mass of shredded muscle. His left arm looked broken in four places, it was surprising that he was even alive.

“This one is valuable, don’t want any of your breaking it.” Ego said as he approached the shredded general.

“As for this one’s female companion? We have the three little ones as well.” a nearby Praetorian grumbled out.

“Irrelevant, dispose of them.” Ego replied and the Praetorian nodded before sending out a message out into the hive mind.

“Everything goes, except for officers and experts. Civilians are not needed.” Ego added.

“Extract information, then assimlate the biomass.” Ego ordered and an affirmative was sent out across the Hive Mind.

“You can talk...” Modred rasped.

“Yes we can. Is it truly that surprising?” Ego said and the other soldiers gave way so Ego could speak to the mangled demon face to face.

“We thought you were mindless beasts.” Modred gasped.

“I know, funny how deception works doesn’t it? Or have you forgotten that every part of you came from somewhere? The things that made you also made us.” Ego said with a laugh.

“Then my family...” Modred rasped out.

“Ah you think because we have free will, we can be reasoned with. But here’s the kicker, that whole empathy thing, that's something firmly in your side of the court.” Ego said as he booped Modred’s broken nose with his paw.

“We don’t have that, because we don’t need it. Case and point.” Ego said smugly before biting down and riping Mordred’s right arm off. Before munching it down and swallowing.

Mmmm crunchy

Take him away and suck the information out of his brain...