Xeno Swarm (CivBE)

Xeno Swarm
Melee Unit in Beyond Earth
Required	4  Harmony 1 Xenomass Alien Adaptation
Moves	2
Base Unit Strength	22

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Game info

• Melee unit of the  Harmony Affinity. Requires Alien Adaptation, Harmony Level 4.

The Xeno Swarm is a mixed squad of human soldiers and adapted alien lifeforms. Simple, versatile melee assault unit, attacking with both conventional weapons and venom-based alien weapons. Their regiment composition is a mixed unit of 3 Wolf beetles, 2 Raptor Bugs, 1 Manticore and 2 Human trainers.

Unit Upgrades

Tier 1

Xeno Swarm are unlocked roughly around the same time Tier 3 Soldiers, their basic alternative are unlocked. However, while they only have marginally less Strength, they are about 25% cheaper in Production, so if you have an abundance of Xenomass, Xeno Swarms can be useful early on.

Xeno Swarm attacking an Aegis (left) and their upgrade pose (right)

Subject	Tier 1 (Xeno Swarm)
Tech Prerequisites	Alien Adaptation
Affinity Prerequisites	4  Harmony
Resource Cost	1 Xenomass
Production Cost	145 Production
Combat Strength	22 Combat Strength
Movement	2 Movement
Perk Choice A	--
Perk Choice B	--

Tier 2

Tier 2 Xeno Swarm unlock at the beginning of the late game and while their Strength is only slightly better than Tier 4 Soldiers and less than the other first uniques of other Primary affinities, their cost is incredibly low - less than a Tier 4 Soldier at only 205. They also receive powerful bonuses in Miasma as well as a signature death move, which allows them to act as berserkers. Xeno Swarm are very powerful in hordes, especially when backed up with air support which deals with ranged snipers such as a SABR.

Subject	Tier 2 (Evolved Xeno Swarm)	Tier 2 (True Xeno Swarm)	Tier 2 (Prime Xeno Swarm)
Tech Prerequisites	Alien Adaptation	Alien Adaptation	Alien Adaptation
Affinity Prerequisites	12  Harmony	10  Harmony 4  Purity	10  Harmony 4  Supremacy
Resource Cost	1 Xenomass	1 Xenomass	1 Xenomass
Production Cost	205  Production	205  Production	205  Production
Combat Strength	54  Combat Strength	54  Combat Strength	54  Combat Strength
Movement	2 Movement	2 Movement	2 Movement
Perk Choice A	20HP damage to adjacent enemies on death	20HP damage to adjacent enemies on death	20HP damage to adjacent enemies on death
Perk Choice B	+40%  Combat Strength in Miasma (stacks with passive)	+30%  Combat Strength when attacking	+20%  Combat Strength when adjacent to a friendly unit
Passives	+20%  Combat Strength in Miasma	+20%  Combat Strength in Miasma	+20%  Combat Strength in Miasma

Civilopedia entry

The early colonial experience with Wolf Beetles left a marked impression on military scientists. This was the first time humanity had experienced a hive species whose soldier caste were a match for human soldiers. Research into the hives also revealed that these soldiers were relatively inexpensive for the hive to produce (in terms of absolute resources and opportunity costs). The prospect of a military unit made up of inexpensive, human-controlled swarms of biocrafted warrior creatures was too appealing to pass up.

The Xeno Swarm proved its designers proud: Even without a complete understanding of xenomass and alien biochemical morphology, it was possible to genetically manipulate existing xenospecies into weaponized versions. Designer pheromone receptors meant that a given swarm could be bound to a single human herder, who directed her swarm's attacks. The initial cadres of Xeno Swarm officers were drawn from military medical staff, who had the requisite theoretical biology background to understand their creatures and the changes that bound them to their charges. As it was unknown exactly how living with a swarm for an extended period of time would affect the herder, testing for inclusion into the Xenodriver Corps was rigorous and comprehensive. The candidates reacted with a mixture of exasperation and humor; one popular joke was that the testers were looking for a species of human-shaped xenos that had managed to infiltrate the population.

On the battlefield the Xeno Swarms were a powerful force multiplier. When Xenodrivers were targeted by snipers or drones, their uncontrolled swarms would frenzy, making them faster and far harder to kill than when they were under direction. Losses of individual soldier xenos were easily replaced; it took fewer than two weeks to raise one from seed matrix to fully-developed soldier. The Xenodrivers became folk heroes - lone soldiers fighting on the front lines, arriving with a skittering tide of powerful, slicing mandibles at key points to turn the tide of battle. Even the occasional whiff of ichor could be overlooked in light of the success of the Xeno Swarm and the pioneering of the Xenodrivers.

See also

• Battlesuit (CivBE)
• Xeno Cavalry (CivBE)
• CNDR (CivBE)

Gallery