Hive ship

Wraith Hive Ships are the main components of the Wraith fleet, and the centerpiece of their entire society. Hive-ships function in a role very similar to the city-ships of the Ancients.

Overview
A Hive ship was a massive Wraith type of mothership was capable of carrying unknown hundreds of Wraith along with their dart fighters. Large parts of their internal structure was used to house stasis cocoons from where Humans were stored for later feeding. There were a number of corridors within the large vessel with a fine mist covering the floor. They were one the largest ships known which were far larger then an Earth 304 vessel.

Despite their size, the ships were quite capable of entering a planets atmosphere and landing. They were even capable of surviving for countless centuries in such conditions to the point where vegetation and the planet's environment had grown around them. This did not affect the ship as it was quite able to rise off the surface once more with little diminishment in its capabilities.

The ships blue hulls appeared to have been alive and in fact are organic in nature having been constructed through a unique type of biotechnology that was capable of growing at a rapid rate. This has afford the Wraith Hive ship a number of advantages such as hull regeneration though they lack any form of shield technology. Furthermore, this had an effect on their capacity to enter into hyperspace for extended periods of time.

There were approximately sixty hive ships or more at the time the Atlantis expedition arrived, but at least fourteen of them have been destroyed since then, with more destroyed during the Wraith's internal conflict and their war with the replicators. After learning that Atlantis was still out there, the Wraith sent a fleet of Hive ships to bombard Atlantis from orbit, but the city-ship's shields prevented much damage. Another use seen by the Tau'ri has been to dispatch Wraith Darts on their planetary culling runs for their respective hive-ships. According to the hive-ships' computers, the Wraith hive-ship dwarfs its other opponents in size, being more than 13 times the size of a Tau'ri 304.

As they have no shields, weapons are considerably more effective against them. It has been demonstrated that several well placed drones from a Puddle Jumper can cause critical damage. However, the hull on hive-ships is known to regenerate because they are organic. The specifics of the time required are not known but it can be inferred that it takes time. Extended use of the hyperdrive also affects the organic elements of the ship.

The ship was also capable of deploying a type of tagging device onto a planet which appeared as a beam of light which appeared to highlight that the planet was claimed by a particular Hive.

Command and control systems
The vessels command structure was dominated by the ships ruling Hive queen though there were occasions where a male was in command. Control of the starship, however, resided on the ships bridge where there were numerous consoles as well as view screens present. At such a location, the bridge crew were capable of commanding the mighty ship's weapons, engines and other similar systems. These controls contain a type of neural interface that only responds to the unique telepathic signature granted by Wraith DNA. The ease of control depends on the amount of Wraith DNA present in the individual, typically it was taxing on individuals with minor quantities of Wraith DNA, whereas full Wraith have shown no fatigue.

The second most important position within the command structure was the throne room where the queen resided. From here, important data was conveyed to the ruler of the Hive and projected onto a mist-like screen. This allows a queen or male commander in charge to observe data that was transmitted from Wraith tracking drone during their hunts for Runners.

Another aspect of the ship was the data storage chamber which contained the ship's databanks as well as archives that contain all the information that the Hive had received. There was also the control room which appeared as a vital location when the Wraith began their culling and battle operations. Along the corridors and hallways were also a number of computer consoles through which the crew are capable of accessing certain systems. From these points, a Wraith is able to patch into the communication system and allow for transmissions to be sent from the ship to a nearby planet. Access to such controls also allowed a user to hack into the main systems and disable important systems such as weapons.

The ship's external sensors allowed them to detect other vessels, but not when they were in hyperspace. Though typically the Wraith were unaccustomed to intruders invading their mighty ships, an alarm system was present which activated when enemies had infiltrated the ship and took the form of a constant shrieking noise in the background.

Hanger and transportation systems
The large bulk of the Hive ship allows it to contain a unknown high number of Wraith darts allowing it to serve as a type of carrier vessel. Hanger doors on the outside of the ship remain open and allow swarms of darts to be launched at any one time. These were typically done so during cullings or between fights against enemy ships where the sheer number of darts provide the Hive ship an advantage in battle.

The hanger itself was quite massive with numerous platforms where the darts are capable of landing. Railings and ladders present allow Wraith warriors or high ranking Wraith males to enter or exit the craft. When a dart was returning to its Hive ship, an automated signal was sent which took control of the returning dart and guided its entry back into the vessels cavernous hold. From there, a doorway mechanism allowed the pilots to go deeper into the Hive. According to one source, two of the large structures that stick from either side of the Hive ship serve as control centers for the darts. In close quarter engagements, the darts were typically not launched as enemy weapon fire resulted in a high rate of death among the darts. In addition to this, an attack on the ships hanger bays can result in secondary explosions, possibly capable of crippling the Hive.

Furthermore, a typical escort of three Wraith cruisers were present with the Hive ship which were attached to the vessel in hyperspace, after which they worked to defend their mothership from harm.


 * Its unknown if the ships possess a transporter system similar to a Wraith laboratory in order to allow for quick movement throughout the vessel as its not been observed on the show but it is quite possible.

Offensive and defensive systems
The Hive ships contain a potent weapons array that encompasses most of the ship and fired the same bluish bolts of energy as those of the Wraith darts. The sheer size of the ship simply allows the vessel to fire dozens of such energy blasts at a target at a constant rate which was even capable of depleting the ZPM powered shields of the Lanteans. Certain bolts were somewhat larger than others and during close quarter fighting with another Hive, they were capable of causing a great deal of damage and even destroyed an opposing Hive ship, though the close nature of the engagement can mean mutual destruction, as shock wave from the first ship may destroy the victor as well.

Furthermore, the weapon fire was capable of depleting the strength of an Earth 304 class vessel making such vessels potent threats in open engagements. This made them even more serious threats when in groups, as their combined firepower was capable of destroying a target easily. The remedial weapons array was one such important battery onboard the vessel, and a lucky shot was capable of disabling it, reducing the Hive's firepower. Unlike a number of species, the ships of the Wraith do not possess shield technology and instead rely on their organic hull armor to protect them from enemy weapon fire. Power was capable of being diverted from other systems and channeled into the organic hull increasing its capacity to regenerate from the damage it had sustained. This provides a number of advantages for the Wraith, as whatever damage the ship sustains manages to heal given time. The problem with this was that it was difficult to coax the systems into bypassing damaged areas.

There were a number of problems with the lack of shields, however, as it meant that weapon damage was often easy to attack the ship with even well placed drone weapons being capable of ultimately destroying the vessel. Furthermore, the organic hull was incapable of defending the ship against Asgard plasma beam weapons which only required several shots to destroy the gargantuan Hive ships.


 * In both The Defiant One and Reunion Wraith shields were seen which demonstrates that the Wraith do possess some elements of shield technology though do not seem to employ them on a large scale. Its possible its because the nature of drone weapons meant that such shields would have been useless against the Ancients.

After the reinforcement of the Atlantis Expedition from their home galaxy, the Wraith hive ships developed an effective countermeasure against their transporter devices. This was the creation of a jamming field that surrounded the ship in electromagnetic static which prevented a target lock from being acquired. As long as the system was up, it was impossible to beam an object to or from within the jamming fields radius.

Detention and cocoon systems
The nature of the Wraith meant that they had a desire to capture their enemies alive in order to feed on them. The first form of location were their detention facilities which were large chambers where enemies were placed in after being captured. A skeletal door mechanism prevented their escape and it was only capable of being accessed through a telepathic interface that was on the outside. A careful application of sharp blades that pierced the skin membrane did create damage in the system and was capable of opening the door. However, this was a rare sight to see and prisoners were often trapped in such locations until freed or escorted by the Wraith.

The second form of detention were the cocoons created by the Wraith. These were a typical sight among Wraith installations and consisted of an alcove present on the wall inside of which a Human was present. They were encased in a sticky substance that trapped them within the alcove and had a sedative effect on them typically trapping them inside. Most subjects were unconscious when inside the cocoon though some were active enough to plead for help or attempt to escape. Subjects that were suffering from certain physiological conditions that might mean their deaths were often placed in the cocoon which sustained them for some time.

Hyperdrive
The Hive ship contains a hyperdrive unit allowing the vessel to enter and exit hyperspace. However, unlike the Asgard or the Ancients, these hyperdrives were not intergalactic in nature which restricted the species to their own galaxy. Furthermore, the ship was not able to make long jumps into hyperspace as the radiation from subspace was damaging to the ship's hull. This necessitated making "pit-stops" to regenerate before returning to hyperspace. As such, it was possible to plot their journeys due to these stops.

As was the case with most races, the hyperspace signature of the Wraith Hive ship was unique in subspace which made it a weakness against the Attero device. Typical Wraith tactics involved targeting an enemy hives hyperdrives in order to disable them.

The ships were quite capable of moving at sub-light speeds, allowing for an effective entry onto a planet. They were even capable of departing the planet after they had landed.

Holding Area
Hive ships contain holding cells for prisoners and immediate feedings. The door to the cell is of a webbed pattern that opens upwards. Such a cell was used to hold the Athosians and Atlantis Expedition members, led by Colonel Marshall Sumner, who went to Athos when a culling occurred. The cells appeared to be controlled telepathically by Wraith commanders.

Sheppard, his team along with Aiden Ford's strike team were captured and placed in a holding area on another Hive ship. They were given open view to the telepathic mechanism that the Wraith guards used to open the doors. Ronan used several knives to pierce the mechanism which opened the door.

Data Core
The data core was a location deep inside the Hive ship which served as a central computer for the vessel. It contained a great deal of information which included the deployment of other Hives. The Genii along with the Atlantis Expedition's flagship team embarked on an infiltration mission of a sleeping Hive ship where they uncovered details on Hive ship deployments in a region of the galaxy. The chamber was secured by a door mechanism which was breached by Rodney McKay allowing Cowen to use an interface device to get the necessary data.

Laboratory
Within the massive ship resided a special chamber that served as a laboratory for the Wraith species. These rooms contained numerous data consoles and equipment allowing them to conduct experiments on various subjects which included genetics. The computers were not hooked directly into the ship systems which prevented unwilling subjects from damaging the vessel. The chamber had consoles that ringed around its circular form with a central structure that was fused from the ground to the ceiling. The door mechanism to the room was capable of being sealed to prevent prisoners from escaping.

The scientist of a Wraith commander made use of his Hive ships lab in order to study the Hoffan plague so that it would be possible to determine if a Human had the immunity or not. He became convinced at one point that he found a full proof method whicsh resulted in his excruciating death when he attempted to feed on one of his test subjects. Rodney McKay and Doctor Carson Beckett were brought to this lab to help the Wraith find the unique genetic condition for the Hive.

Control room
Deep inside the Hive ship resides a chamber which contains a central platform on which a holographic image of the galaxy is maintained and is used by the Wraith to determine their positions. Typically, three consoles are present at which three higher male ranking lieutenants are stationed. In this control room Teyla witnessed the holographic map on a Hive ship heading towards Atlantis through her Wraith telepathy. She was able to determine aspects of their plan and the route they were taking before the Wraith used the connection to temporarily take control of her.

Hibernation chambers
The hibernation chambers are areas within a Hive ship where the Wraith enter into their hibernative states that can last centuries. They are located in the ceiling of the vessel and tended to by a number of caretakers that watch over the sleepers. A female Hive Keeper remains in charge and her death can unleash an activation mechanism that awakens the Wraith. Major John Sheppard killed the Hive Keeper of a sleeping Hive which resulted in all the Wraith around the Pegasus galaxy awakening.


 * It's unknown how the Wraith exit the chambers but considering their ability to stick to walls easily, they presumably exit it as normal and climb down the walls till they reach the ground.

Meeting chamber
This was a large open chamber where two Wraith warriors typically guarded the entrance and a Wraith high ranking commander was present. It appeared to have been used as an interrogation room by the Hive's ruling Queen where she brought prisoners before her and interrogated them.

Colonel John Sheppard was brought to this room when he was captured on a Hive ship as part of a mission to infiltrate and destroy it. He was saved from being fed upon by a Queen by Aiden Ford who had freed himself in order to save his former friend.

Hive Commander's Chambers
The high ranking male commanders possess a considerable amount of power within the Hive. They possessed their own chambers which contained a door mechanism and at times had Wraith warriors present to guard the entrance. Inside the room there was a small enclosure which had a single large organic screen dominating its surface that streamed with data. It was here that the commander resided when he was not needed.

Carson Beckett was escorted into the commander's quarters when he demanded to see him in regards to finding a means to detecting the Hoffan plague among Humans. Once there, he refused to continue his research and goaded the Wraith into feeding on him. However, Carson had infected himself with the plague which poisoned the commander and killed him. With his death, Doctor Beckett managed to procure a weapon and attempted to escape from the ship.

Bridge


One important location within a Hive ship is the bridge where the high ranking Wraith commander resides along with the crew at various stations. There are no seats and the Wraith must stand at their stations with their hands placed on the machines. These bridge controls make use of Wraith telepathy allowing them to command the vessel through their thoughts. Those individuals that possess Wraith DNA within their blood were capable of accessing these controls though it placed a strain on them.

From the bridge, a commander was capable of rerouting ship controls to systems like hull regeneration.

Throne Room
The throne room is where the Hive Queen (or any other such ruler) resides. The room is deep within the hive ship, where the Queen sits upon a large throne (that has the appearance of stone or bone). A large open area allows for people to meet with the queen, and an adjacent dinning room can serve food, although those who eat there are usually fed upon soon after. There are normally Warriors guarding the main entrance to the throne room.

In front of the throne resides a projector which beams imagery for the ruler to see. These images can be projected from probes and take the form of a two-dimensional image that has mist-like qualities.

Dart bays
There are dart bays on the port and starboard sides of the hive ships. The vessels carry many darts, which erupt from the hive and swarm the intended targets. The bays have no doors to keep opposing ships in or out, allowing an intruding vessel to enter the hive ship with relative ease. The dart bays are usually a high priority target, as the resulting secondary explosions are quite large causing extensive damage to the hive ship.

When a dart approaches the Hive ship, it enters an automated docking program.

Known hive-ships

 * Atlantis' Hive-ship
 * Primary's Hive Ship

Known destroyed Hive ships
When the Atlantis Expedition first knew about the estimated number of hive ships in the Galaxy (of at least 60), the numbers started to diminish and now at least 28 are known to have been destroyed, eliminating at nearly half the known hive ships. More ships were likely destroyed while the Attero Device was active, but this has yet to be confirmed. Here is a list of known ships that were destroyed:
 * One destroyed by the Ancient satellite.
 * One destroyed by nuclear weapons activation from a Puddle jumper.
 * Three destroyed by the Daedalus beaming nuclear weapons on board.
 * Two destroyed by attacking each other.
 * One destroyed by the Orion.
 * Atlantis' Hive-ship destroyed by another hive-ship.
 * One destroyed by the Odyssey beaming a nuclear weapon on board.
 * Two destroyed by attacking each other.
 * One destroyed during the Battle of Asuras.
 * One destroyed by ramming into the Wraith cloning facility.
 * One destroyed by Teyla's Hive ship during the Battle of the Wraith Alliance.
 * At least twelve were destroyed during the war with the Asurans.
 * One destroyed after being infected with a virus caused by Dr. Keller's gene therapy drug, split in half, and sinking in the oceans of M35-117.
 * In an alternate reality, at least four ships were seen being destroyed by the Phoenix, and at least two more were seen being destroyed by Michael.