Archon Studios recently launched the Starcraft Tabletop Miniatures Game, bringing one of the most beloved real-time strategy franchises of all time to the tabletop. We at Tale of Painters couldn’t resist picking up a box at Salute and taking a closer look. So here comes our unboxing of one of the Zerg Expansion Sets, the Hydralisks. Read on for our full review of this iconic Zerg unit, inc. high-res sprue images and a scale comparison with Space Marines.
The first wave of the Starcraft Tabletop Miniatures Game, inc. the starter sets, is available in stores now. The Hydralisk Expansion Set has an RRP of £35 / 45 € / $49.Â
Images © 2026 Archon, used without permission
Box contents:
- 4 Hydralisk miniatures (on 100 x 40mm oval bases)
- 2 Hydralisk burrow tokens
- unit card
- tactical card
- assembly manual
Zerg Expansion Set Hydralisk unboxing
Hydralisks rank among the most iconic and feared units of the Zerg Swarm. They tear into their enemies with a hail of razor-sharp spines, making them effective against a wide range of targets, and their ability to burrow lets them set up ambushes or reposition tactically. The two burrow tokens in the box represent this ability in-game.
The set includes 4 large models spread across three sprues. Build options are limited: you can mix and match the four heads freely between the bodies, but that’s about it. What’s great, though, is that the rules cards come straight in the box at no extra cost. A certain market leader could learn something from that.
Casting quality & design
As with all Archon Studios Starcraft miniatures, the Hydralisks come moulded in coloured plastic, in this case purple. Many Starcraft miniatures also include coloured transparent effect parts, but the Hydralisks don’t get those here. The bold coloured plastic (and the clear parts you find elsewhere in the range) gives everything a wonderfully nostalgic feel, reminiscent of 90s action figures. Even without painting, the models look significantly more striking on the tabletop than plain grey plastic.
The plastic Archon Studios uses feels marginally softer than Games Workshop’s, so take care not to cut away too much when cleaning up parts. On our copy, mould lines were very faint, the fit was excellent, and the injection points were very fine. Casting sharpness absolutely holds its own against current Warhammer kits.
The Hydralisk design captures the source material very well. The comparison with Tyranids is unavoidable, and there’s a clear family resemblance to the Tyranid models of 3rd Edition, which were themselves heavily inspired by the Alien franchise, particularly in the elongated heads.
Have you tried the Starcraft Tabletop Miniatures Game yet, or any other game from Archon Studios? Garfy painted the entire Masters of the Universe Battleground starter set a while back. Would you like to see more reviews of Starcraft? Feel free to leave a comment here or on our friendly hobby Discord channel.
Where to get
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8.5 Score
Pros
- Excellent casting quality and sharpness, on par with current Warhammer kits
- Rules cards included in the box, no separate purchase needed
- Coloured purple plastic looks great on the tabletop even unpainted
Cons
- Very limited build options beyond swapping the four heads
- No transparent effect parts, unlike some other sets in the range
- Softer plastic than GW requires extra care when trimming
Final Verdict
The Hydralisk Expansion Set adds to the confident debut for Archon Studios' Starcraft range. The sculpts faithfully capture one of the most iconic units in gaming history, the casting quality is genuinely impressive, and including the rules cards in the box rather than selling them separately is a welcome touch. At £35 for four large models with everything you need to play, this represents solid value and a challenge to the market leader.
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