Ultramarines Verus Tyranids Rogue Trader Oldhammer Art

Ultramarines vs. Tyranids: Oldhammer Chaos in the Alien Bio-Hive

A Clash in the Bio-Hive

This Oldhammer painting captures the raw chaos and horror of close-quarters combat between the Ultramarines and a horde of Tyranids deep within an alien hive. The scene is drenched in texture—slick, organic walls loom around the battlefield, dripping with alien ichor, while chitinous bodies clash against ceramite armor. The Tyranids are grotesque and vibrant, with vivid blue and purple carapaces, claws flailing as they charge the entrenched Space Marines. Green bio-plasma spews from a massive Tyranid warrior, scorching the air and lighting up the nightmarish cavern. The Marines, undeterred, fire bolt rounds into the swarm, their expressions a mix of grit and fury. Each face is uniquely rendered, true to Oldhammer’s character-driven aesthetic, giving even these transhuman warriors a distinct humanity.

Ultramarines Hold the Line

At the front line, a senior Ultramarine commander raises a chainsword, roaring orders amid the chaos. His ornate armor and crisp laurel mark him as a veteran of many wars, likely a Captain or Company Champion. The rest of his battle-brothers are equipped with bolters and heavy weapons, their pauldrons proudly bearing the blue and gold of the Ultramarines chapter. These warriors embody the ideal of the Codex Astartes—disciplined, strategic, and fiercely loyal to the Imperium. Despite the overwhelming xenos assault, they stand shoulder to shoulder in defiance. Oldhammer’s visual style emphasizes their individuality, with older, bald faces and expressive scowls instead of the faceless helmets often seen in modern 40K.

The Tyranid Threat Emerges

The Tyranids shown here are pure Oldhammer monsters—bulbous, spiny, and deeply alien. Dominating the left side of the image is a hulking Tyranid Warrior, firing corrosive bioplasma from its weapon-organ, its body an abomination of fangs, limbs, and insectile armor. Around it swarm lesser beasts, possibly Genestealers or early Hive Node creatures, twisted combinations of crab and lizard. This depiction hails from a time when the Tyranid aesthetic was still evolving—more surreal and grotesque than the uniform hive-beasts of modern depictions. These monsters represent the Great Devourer’s endless hunger, a galactic force driven by instinct and the Hive Mind. Their presence in the hive tunnel marks the start of an infestation that could consume entire worlds.

Echoes of Oldhammer Lore

This painting is a product of the Rogue Trader and early 2nd edition era, when Warhammer 40K was both pulp sci-fi and high-stakes horror. The Ultramarines here are the quintessential heroes of the Imperium, not just genetically engineered super-soldiers but noble defenders of humanity’s last bastions. They follow the Codex Astartes with near-religious devotion, seeing it as the blueprint to uphold order in a galaxy gone mad. The Tyranids, meanwhile, are the embodiment of entropy—an intelligence so alien it cannot be reasoned with, only resisted. This piece beautifully contrasts the two factions: the structured, shining warriors of humanity versus the writhing, chaotic horror of alien consumption. It’s a perfect snapshot of Oldhammer’s blend of comic-book boldness and existential dread.