What’s scarier than a giant spider? An Arachnarok Spider with hordes of goblins on top trying to spear you obviously!
If you could ride something this frightening into battle, why wouldn’t you? Go say hi to your local neighborhood arachnid friend and let’s learn about some lore!
In the World
An indestructible chitin hide, strong enough to withstand blade or bolt. Legs the size of full warriors ready to impale and trample anything in its way. Fangs sharp enough to shred through thick steel, devouring its prey. Arachnarok Spiders, the Spider-God’s incarnations brought to the battlefield. These beasts of war are taken and herded to the fray by the Spiderfang Grots.
Their Shamans calling and luring the Arachnarok Spiders out of their lairs with offerings and beating ritualistic drums. When they enter the battlefield the Grots often ride them on crude platforms. The Grots will hurl spears or fling balls of spiderweb into the battle lines.
Generally, there seem to be two kinds of Arachnarok Spiders, young and old. The younger ones are the most common to be taken into battle due to their aggressiveness. The Spiderfang Grots can lure them out of their lairs more easily because of their highly territorial nature. When finally being herded into battle they care little for the battleplans and ambitions of the Grots.
They scuttle around the battlefield looking for unlucky prey to jump and devour. Due to this, any Grot riders are usually holding on for dear life for fear of being thrown off their platforms and being the Arachnarok Spider’s next meal.
When Arachnarok Spiders turn older, their personality and behavior change too. Their dangerous aggressiveness turns into dangerous patience. They prefer to wait instead of hunt, sitting in their lairs waiting for offerings or some unlucky prey to stumble into their domain. This doesn’t mean they are useless in battle, however.
Their thickened hides make them even harder to kill compared to their younger kin. But their wisdom and calm nature are probably the most dangerous parts. Being able to be outfitted with flingers to hurl spiderweb to the foe. They are even able to communicate with Grot Shamans who then ride them to battle personally.
On the Field
On the Tabletop of the Mortal Realms, Arachnarok Spiders are one of the more common Behemoths one can find in a Gloomspite Gitz army. Mostly due to their cool looks and 14 wounds to tank quite some damage. They can be built in a variety of ways which all have their additions to the Arachnarok Spider’s already monumental power on the field. These being an Arachnarok Spider with Flinger, Arachnarok Spider with Spiderfang Warparty, Skitterstrand Arachnarok and a Webspinner Shaman On Arachanarok Spider.
All these variants have a few weapons in common, these being of the Arachnarok Spider itself of course. Its large Chitinous Legs have a decent range and damage output, but its most notable stat is the number of attacks. These are dependent on how many wounds the Arachnarok Spider has left. Going from 8 attacks down to 4 as the Arachnarok Spider gets worn down by the enemy. The same thing applies to its Monstrous Fangs, the rolls needed to hit will increase as it gets more wounds. Going from a solid 2+ all the way down to a 4+ to hit. The variants get weapons such as Crooked Spears or Spider-bows to bring in extra hurt from its crew.
Being giant spiders, Arachnarok Spiders have a couple of abilities that would make sense. Firstly all Arachnarok Spiders are Wall Crawlers. Skittering through terrain and making it a breeze to traverse. When the model moves it can pass through terrain just like any model that can fly. Secondly, all Arachnarok Spiders carry tons of Spider Venom. Its fangs being coated in the stuff ready to kill any prey. Any hit roll of 6 made with Monstrous Fangs causes D3 mortal wounds to the target. Thus causing even more damage to any foe unlucky enough to get up close.
These powerful Arachnarok Spiders are a Behemoth to bolster any Grot army.
