- "The Hive Node creates hive web in a circular area around where it grows. The hive node is produced by the Drone and when the Queen when she lays her Egg sac."
- ―Overview from Aliens versus Predator: Extinction Alien Bestiary
Hive Nodes[1] were stationary organisms secreted by Drones on LV-742. Using their acid-secreting roots and tendrils, they leech tendrils from the surrounding area, be that metal or soil. These nutrients turned into 'living encrustations', which form Hive resin that nearby aliens can use to assist in regeneration.
Overview[]
Biology[]
Hive Nodes are ashen mound-like organism, with greenish coloring at their summit. Drones vomit them up, using a small portion of the hive's resources as they do. Once placed, the node begins to leech nutrients and secrete hive webbing in a fairly wide radius. Queens, too, secrete this resin when suspended on her egg sac.
Hive nodes are well-armored and robust organisms, being physically more resilient than Drones and similarly resilient to the Predaliens found on LV-742. This is because while they can comprise a hive, they are also used as "regroup" points outside of the hive for wounded aliens. Their nutrient supply is such that a Xenomorph who has lost most of its limbs can quickly regrow them. Xenomorphs that enter a regenesis state, such as the Ravager and some Drones, also recover much faster. The webbing increases the movement range of the Facehugger and defeats the Cloak used by Yautja as it emits "alien spores". These spores serve as an early warning system to Hive-dwellers of threats.
Though physically tough and armored, Nodes were unable to move or defend themselves. This made them vulnerable to medium and heavy-munitions, which would cause damage more quickly than the node could repair, eventually ending in death. A single marine was often enough to kill several, if unguarded. Fire and armor piercing weapons were particularly effective. Upon death, the Hive Node's restorative properties died with it.
Trivia[]
- Hive Nodes are unique in that they do not count as an alien unit, although registering as one on the map and having a health bar.
- Nodes heal Xenomorphs indiscriminately; for example, a node placed by a K-Series will heal a standard Xenomorph and vice versa. However, Xenomorphs can sense which node is theirs and will destroy rival nodes. To human eyes, rival nodes are identical.
- Hive nodes are the only unit that cannot be upgraded.