Welcome to Flashback Fridays, where I dig deep for something cool that I have from back in the day. Which according to the comic Dane Cook was a Wednesday.
You always hear the question: “How did you get into the hobby?”, and for me it was getting bored with assembling fighter jet models.
I could never afford the good jet kits either. Plus those things had a ton of components, we’re spoiled by Games Workshop when it comes to piece count, believe me.
This week I dug out of the closet all my old Tyranid Armorcast Models from back in the Nineties.
For those of you that aren’t savy on the history of the resin side of Warhammer 40k, Armorcast had a license with Games Workshop to product large scale 40k kits back in the nineties mostly based of Epic 40k models.
And produce they did, from Tyranids to Titans, Armorcast cranked out these big boys for nearly a decade.
However the late nineties/ early 2000’s Forge World came along, acquired the licensing from Games Workshop , and starting casting their own creations. Of which are the Hierodules, MK1 Trygon, Hierophant, Harridan, Malanthrope, etc etc..
Today I’m featuring the Exocrine model, a sort of self propelled artillery model for the bugs that fired the first Bio Cannon (which is now on the massive Hierophant, and Harridan models).
This guy came out of the box in one piece, which was nice for “beginners” like me. All the normal working with resin rules applied here, but strangely from the directions they advised against using green stuff to fill gaps and bubbles because it shrunk over time.
I haven’t noticed that these days, but it’s funny hearing a disparaging remark about green stuff from so long ago.
Currently I haven’t been able to find a set of rules for this model in 5th edition, but the old datasheet from Second edition can be found here.
The Bio-Cannon does however have rules and is a 48″ Range STR 10 AP3 Large Blast Weapon. Not too shabby. Imagine multiples of these guys firing at once. Ouchies.
More info on this big baddie below, courtesy 40k Wikki:
An Exocrine is a large Tyranid creature bred for long range fire support. Its forelimbs are fused together to form a skeletal platform for a powerful bio-cannon that fires high velocity chitin shells with a silicon-based penetrator core. The bio-cannon is powered by a sudden surge of muscle contractions starting in the creature’s head frill combined with an electromagnetic boost from adapted nerve bundles.
The Bio-Cannon is a Tyranid Biomorph and is among the largest weapons yet encountered on Tyranid organisms. Equipped to titan-sized creatures such as the Hierophant and Harridan, the Bio-Cannon is triggered by a massive electro-chemical shock that spews forth a hail of highly venomous and corrosive maggot organisms. These organisms then impact on the target, splattering a rain of bio-acid and poison that can melt through nearly any material in a matter of seconds and reduce the unfortunate victim to a steaming pile of bubbling goo. – 40k Wiki
Checkout the Three Sixty, and have a great weekend gaming guys!
What’s your favorite or least favorite Tyranid Big Baddie? -MBG
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About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
