Way back in the 1990’s the newest wave of Tyranids models were originally hatched.
With the release of Epic series of games, a lot of models were created for each faction of 40k in to fill the vast tabletops of this game.
Chief among these for the Tyranids were the Exocrine, Haruspex, Dominatrix, and Malefactor models that towered over the smaller infantry stands.
Then Armorcast (one of the producers of resin models before Forge World) came along and bought the license to produce some of these large scale resin models for play in games of second edition 40k.
This gave birth to the first “Gargantuan Creatures” for the game as the Tyranids got 40k scale Exocrine, Haruspex, Malefactor. And now it seems like technology closed the modeling gap, and in 2013 we have plastic versions of some of these big baddies.
Today was the Haruspex model, a sort of “Tank” for the bugs. It is similar to the current Hierodule models, that are just beaters in hand to hand.
This guy came out of the box in four pieces, torso, jaw, 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!
Checkout my video review below, and have a great weekend gaming guys!
If you get hungry for more Armorcast Tyranids, check out their other kits: Exocrine, Malefactor.
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 the Las Vegas Open, each of which attracts thousands of 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 2011 Adepticon 40k Team Tournament. He was even featured for his painting in issue #304 of Games Workshop’s White Dwarf Magazine.
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.
