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 another 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 Malefactor model, a sort of Rhino APC for the bugs. It is similar to the Harridan model, in the fact it can carry a small brood into battle while smashing aside opposition to deliver it’s contents.
This guy came out of the box in three pieces, torso, and two arms. 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.
Along with the other Armorcast Tyranid models, this one is more “slug like” and not a member of the Hexapod family(six appendages) like all the other current Tyranids. But I like him all the same!
Above is some sweet modern art featuring how maybe the Malefactor would look today, if Forge World ever put one out.
I even managed to find some rules for using all the old Tyranid big bugs in the current rules set recently. They are included in the Lords of Battle Apocalypse Datasheet download over on the Fly Lords of Terra site. You can check them out here.
They all seem to be loosely based on the Tyranid Monstrosities “VDR” system from Chapter Approved 2001 with a twist of some newer stuff thrown in.
The Malefactor was armed with Acid Jets and Frag Spines, with more recent rules editions giving it Scything Talons to be able to punch though think armor of fortresses and disgorge it’s contents inside.
Frag spines as I remembered them just conferred offensive grenades (something Tyranids most certainly can use), but I guess in the rules above they have a more offensive profile.
Acid Jets would be neat if it was the big Hellstorm template from Apocalypse! (insert menacing snake like noise here)…..
More info on this big baddie below, courtesy 40k Wikki:
A Malefactor is a large Tyranid assault creature that is able to transport a brood of other Tyranid creatures into battle under its thick carapace. It is surprisingly fast and is armed with Acid Jets and Frag Spines.
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.
