Vadriel
Bite my shiny metal ass!
The Zerg are totally ripped from Aliens, but are they good enough to beat out their inspiration/predecessors?
The lowdown (Alien features in Orange, Zerg features in Red):
Civilization:
-Hive structure/heirarchy. Individual warrior strains controlled by a big badass Queen that serves as an egg factory/unholy force of Hell.
-Hive structure/heirarchy. Individual warrior strains commanded by a tiered system of "leader" breeds that root themselves at a single governing force. Pre-Brood War, this was the Overmind. Post Brood-War, it's Kerrigan.
Intelligence:
-Queen incredibly intelligent, lesser breeds more instinctually cunning. All demonstrate problem-solving abilities and understand concepts such as ambushes, cause-and-effect, and taking advantage of weaknesses. All breeds capable of their own reasoning and planning.
-Governing strains serve as only intelligence. Without them keeping a tight hold on the Swarm, the bulk of the race devolves to pure savagery, even attacking one another. Intelligent strains capable of cogent communication, but your average individual no smarter than a feral dog.
Troop production:
-Queen generates eggs, which hatch into a larval stage that attaches itself to a suitable host (read: anything with a mouth) and suffocates the host to render it unconscious. While attached, it implants an embryo in the host's chest cavity that leeches nutrients until sufficiently developed, at which point it bursts from the host's body (usually killing the host) and continues growing until it reaches full size. Often, the gestating embryo will absorb more than just nutrients from the host, but also genetic material...this results in a high degree of variation in the adult form, based on many physical characteristics of the host. Only the Queen may produce eggs, but in some situations lesser strains have been known to metamorphose into Queens themselves. Away from the Queen, the larval stage is capable of living for long periods of time, and eggs can last virtually indefinitely.
-Central hive structure produces larvae, which individually evolve into whatever available genetic strain is deemed necessary, as dictated by the governing breeds. Individual Zerg cannot reproduce, only the Drone strain may morph into these central structures and begin producing larvae. Apart from the safety of the Hatchery, larvae quickly die off.
Combat Ability:
-All strains fully combat capable. Larval "facehuggers" generally most concerned with breeding, but are capable of strangling or tearing potential dangers. All strains are of a silicone-based chemical composition that allows for much greater durability, to the extent that all strains are able to survive in a vacuum. Body carapace is very durable, and the teeth and claws are harder than diamonds, capable of biting/slashing through the highest grade of metal produced by humans. Their body fluids are incredibly potent acids and under great pressure within the body; often killing a Xenomorph is as deadly as fighting a live one. All breeds are agile and able to climb on nearly any surface. They sense the world around them presumably through the detection of heat or electrical fields, resulting in them having no difficulty finding prey regardless of lighting.
-Servant and overseer strains non-combative. Warrior strains are highly diverse but generally terrestrial burrowers. They vary greatly in size and specific structure, but tend to share the common ground that most are highly physical fighters relying on sharp claws or teeth. Several strains (particularly airborne ones) have evolved to allow for expulsion of spines or caustic body fluids, giving them ranged attacks. Most combat strains are fairly durable. Master geneticists, the Zerg often analyze newly-encountered genetic material and incorporate it into their biological designs, constantly evolving new breeds from encountered species. Some suitable biological hosts are able to be "infested" and genetically "improved," but only by specific high-ranking Zerg strains.
Zerg Hydralisk (most commonly associated breed):
Xenomorph Warrior strain (most commonly encountered breed):
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So, this "battle" is on two different levels: pitting one fully-developed hive of each race against one another, who'd win? Also, in a one-on-one fight between a Zerg Hydralisk and a Xenomorph Warrior, who'd win?
Personally, I'm an Aliens fanboy...I think they'd wipe the floor with the Zerg imitators...but with both races being highly adaptive depending on what they encounter, the concept of a hybrid between them is far from unlikely, and truly scares the **** out of me, lol.
So, what do you guys think?
The lowdown (Alien features in Orange, Zerg features in Red):
Civilization:
-Hive structure/heirarchy. Individual warrior strains controlled by a big badass Queen that serves as an egg factory/unholy force of Hell.
-Hive structure/heirarchy. Individual warrior strains commanded by a tiered system of "leader" breeds that root themselves at a single governing force. Pre-Brood War, this was the Overmind. Post Brood-War, it's Kerrigan.
Intelligence:
-Queen incredibly intelligent, lesser breeds more instinctually cunning. All demonstrate problem-solving abilities and understand concepts such as ambushes, cause-and-effect, and taking advantage of weaknesses. All breeds capable of their own reasoning and planning.
-Governing strains serve as only intelligence. Without them keeping a tight hold on the Swarm, the bulk of the race devolves to pure savagery, even attacking one another. Intelligent strains capable of cogent communication, but your average individual no smarter than a feral dog.
Troop production:
-Queen generates eggs, which hatch into a larval stage that attaches itself to a suitable host (read: anything with a mouth) and suffocates the host to render it unconscious. While attached, it implants an embryo in the host's chest cavity that leeches nutrients until sufficiently developed, at which point it bursts from the host's body (usually killing the host) and continues growing until it reaches full size. Often, the gestating embryo will absorb more than just nutrients from the host, but also genetic material...this results in a high degree of variation in the adult form, based on many physical characteristics of the host. Only the Queen may produce eggs, but in some situations lesser strains have been known to metamorphose into Queens themselves. Away from the Queen, the larval stage is capable of living for long periods of time, and eggs can last virtually indefinitely.
-Central hive structure produces larvae, which individually evolve into whatever available genetic strain is deemed necessary, as dictated by the governing breeds. Individual Zerg cannot reproduce, only the Drone strain may morph into these central structures and begin producing larvae. Apart from the safety of the Hatchery, larvae quickly die off.
Combat Ability:
-All strains fully combat capable. Larval "facehuggers" generally most concerned with breeding, but are capable of strangling or tearing potential dangers. All strains are of a silicone-based chemical composition that allows for much greater durability, to the extent that all strains are able to survive in a vacuum. Body carapace is very durable, and the teeth and claws are harder than diamonds, capable of biting/slashing through the highest grade of metal produced by humans. Their body fluids are incredibly potent acids and under great pressure within the body; often killing a Xenomorph is as deadly as fighting a live one. All breeds are agile and able to climb on nearly any surface. They sense the world around them presumably through the detection of heat or electrical fields, resulting in them having no difficulty finding prey regardless of lighting.
-Servant and overseer strains non-combative. Warrior strains are highly diverse but generally terrestrial burrowers. They vary greatly in size and specific structure, but tend to share the common ground that most are highly physical fighters relying on sharp claws or teeth. Several strains (particularly airborne ones) have evolved to allow for expulsion of spines or caustic body fluids, giving them ranged attacks. Most combat strains are fairly durable. Master geneticists, the Zerg often analyze newly-encountered genetic material and incorporate it into their biological designs, constantly evolving new breeds from encountered species. Some suitable biological hosts are able to be "infested" and genetically "improved," but only by specific high-ranking Zerg strains.
Zerg Hydralisk (most commonly associated breed):
Xenomorph Warrior strain (most commonly encountered breed):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, this "battle" is on two different levels: pitting one fully-developed hive of each race against one another, who'd win? Also, in a one-on-one fight between a Zerg Hydralisk and a Xenomorph Warrior, who'd win?
Personally, I'm an Aliens fanboy...I think they'd wipe the floor with the Zerg imitators...but with both races being highly adaptive depending on what they encounter, the concept of a hybrid between them is far from unlikely, and truly scares the **** out of me, lol.
So, what do you guys think?
