Plastic? Metal? Pah, filthy casuals. You ain't a true a tabletop gamer 'til you've done gone whittled a squad of Space Marines from fine maple spruce...
Gareth Topping If you have the dedication to carve your own models from wood, miniwar game companies would clamor to hire a special edition release of spruce models. cha-ching
You could probably make them with a laser. I don't think anyone is willing to pay for how many man-hours of work is put into hand carving detailed miniature models.
A very solid review. One thing you didn't mention - and that's the most important factor imho - is that standard spray undercoat sticks to plastic much better than to metal (or resin for that matter). That's the second thing (in addition to weight) that contributes to the metal models being so prone to paint chipping. Nowadays, I simply don't paint metal models, ever - just for that reason: I simply can't stand the fact that the paint job that I put so much effort into can (and will) be ruined so easily.
I used to really like metal models, and then for quite a while I wound working mostly with plastics but even then I kept saying how much I preferred metal. Fast forward to a couple of years ago (after working with styrene and resin almost exclusively) and I got a miniature from the Andrea Miniatures Warlords 40mm line and realized very quickly that I now hate working with white metal; its so much more time consuming and requires so much more work to clean up and get ready for painting. About the only I still like about metal miniatures is that they're more resilient in certain ways; for example if you accidentally put a lot of pressure on something like a weapon while you're building/painting, you're more likely to just snap plastic whereas white metal will usually bend and can then be straightened again. I know many people don't care for the Bones line, but in my opinion they're not that bad. I believe they use a type of PVC and while it certainly is much softer than other plastics that can work to your advantage. Fixing bendy weapons and limbs just requires hot water and cold water, and you can also do this to re-position other parts of miniature like arm poses, legs poses, etc. Also, converting them, specifically where you're removing pieces, is pretty easy as well. The earlier miniatures had a problem with soft detail, but some of the new ones they've released are pretty comparable to their metal miniatures in terms of good, clean details.
Excellent videos for my classes of ESL. Great accent, pronunciation and perfect talking pace. My pupils love your videos and they feel encouraged when they come to understand the 80% of your words which is a great success for them. Carry on like this! Best regards from Spain
When I first started getting into models, they were mostly metal...I got out of the hobby for 10+ years and came back to a lot of the Reaper models have been converted into plastic, etc and it took me back a bit but I am getting used to working with it and I think I prefer plastic as far as prepping/working with them goes. I still have a TON of metal models to work on, so I'll compare and see how I feel about them in the future. Great video as always, thanks!
I finally found your channel again! Was watching a couple of videos about a year ago, but I never subscribed because I wasn't watching on my own computer; not logged in. I really like your videos. Great, varied content. Motivates me to pick up the hobby again! Keep it up!
I have to say how well this video is done in my opinion. Giving examples of each benefits and negative. Different scenarios and I really liked how the plastic was subdivided. The knowlage to explan how models are made and how different companies operate is fantastic, a great bonus. Oh, and I loved how he stated the currency he was talking about. Most don't.
Definitely prefer plastic models. Only problem I've had is buying them off eBay, it's hard to strip them without damaging the detail. Metal models are much easier to strip and repaint
SadisticSlayer thanks! I tried looking online for good chemicals that won't damage the model but everyone is American so I couldn't find any of the recommended products in Australia
Believe me, try Listerine and a toothbrush. Just leave the component inside the liquid for about 4 or 5 hours. The plastic isn't damaged at all and you get a nice mint miniature.
Plastic is easier to work with and paint, but I like the weight and feel of metal models, and the old cartoonish Rogue Trader, and early warhammer fantasy miniatures hold a special place in my heart. ;) And lets not forget one of the most important thing. Threatening to DREADSOCK someone is just not at all intimidating with a plastic model...
I was unhappily shocked when the first metal mini came in the mail and it was flat. The pictures on the order form didn't show this at all and I've never ordered another metal mini.
As a 40k player, I love my plastics, so much easier to repose, refit, convert, and all that like you said. However, I like to have a spattering of metal models in my collection for, well, nostalgic reasons. Also, it is easier and more precise to use a jewelers saw, or even that saw that came in the 6th edition Citadel tool kit on plastics than using just the flush cutters. A small miter box of sorts can help get some nice angular cuts and such as well. I play Ultramarines so the only limits with modeling are really just my imagination.
When assembling large metal models i have been using a two part putty epoxy. I have found it in dollar stores and hardware stores. It comes in a tube, with the blue putty rolled around the white. You cut off the amount you need and knead it together, much like "green stuff". Once you get a consistent color you can attach your parts. This stuff will dry ROCK HARD, you can be sure that it will hold your model!
I actually can see worlds of difference in detail on plastic models vs. the metal ones. The plastic on a lot of 40K models is much more pronounced than a lot of the older metal ones.
One thing about model weight is it's easier to add weight (to the base, if nothing else) than it is to take it away. One issue with low-volume molds versus high-volume injection molding is that the injection molds are not flexible, and so that can result in draft angle issues that would be less problematic with a flexible mold. I've been picking up some D&D figures here and there and I have seen that kind of issue here and there on some of them - like one side of the face will be well-sculpted but then the other side (the side that wasn't directly facing the mold) will be kind of mal-formed, because the mold had to be designed in a way that would allow it to separate. Careful parts design can get around that problem (possibly increasing the parts count in the process) but designers don't always take the time (or expense) to get that right.
Although Reaper Bones does have it's drawbacks, mainly somewhat less detail, bent parts are not really one of them. You can fairly easily reposition a bent weapon for example by dipping it in boiling water, bend it to where you want it and then fix it in place by dipping it in cold water. There's a tutorial on this at the Reaper site. However, the detail is somewhat lacking on smaller models, so I mainly use it for larger models where the detail isn't as much affected. Add to that the low weight and low price making really large pieces more accessible and durable.
Pretty much echoed my opinion on the two materials. And for gluing metal models better, I've found some companies make the joints between parts complex, curved surfaces, so it's not just a shallow ball and socket. Sometimes, even increasing the size of each part, so the joint to attach an arm isn't just at the wrist, or right at the shoulder, but may even include part of the shoulder blade or pectoral area. It also generally means that the seam is much better hidden, since it follows the contours and edge details on the model, but it also means that it's much harder to customize the position of the mini. My favorite company that does (or rather, did this) was Rackham; their poses are so dynamic and interesting, and the various models in a unit were all posed so differently from one another, that I never felt the need to mod them, and I am a *habitual* modder of GW minis. GW is getting a bit better about parting lines with their newer models, but I still marvel the the ingenuity of how Rackham managed to cut up their sculpts for casting. Unfortunately, they went out of business and their minis are hard to find. They decided to switch from making exquisite metal minis to mostly making really shoddy prepainted plastic models, and went under. Tragic. (Incidentally, one of the reasons why GW sculpts are getting better is because a number of Rackham's sculptors work for GW now. LOL)
One of my more painful memories regarding metal miniatures is that i had just finished a rat ogre for my mortheim warband. I waited for the varnish to dry, took the model in hand and.... dropped it.... there was a mere second of joy having a finished model in hand, doing a last checkup on the model. That joy turned instantly into a mixture of rage and sadness.. When I inspected the damage it was shocking how much i had to repaint...
I find that I prefer buying metal models if I'm buying over ebay and it's been painted over. It's just so easy to clean and strip. However with new and in box/on sprue stuff, I prefer plastic.
I've almost exclusively shifted to plastic models. In GW land, the last metal models I bought were Daemonettes of Slaanesh. The originals with the big crab claws were great, but the next run that were all flimsy and skinny frustrated me too much to get them to stay together. Or perhaps superglue has become crappier over the years. Recently (ish) heard about CA bonder, but I'm over it. Plastics are amazing quality, far easier to work with, and far easier to convert. And so much lighter when carrying around an army. :)
Due to the fact that plastics moulds are very hard - there have to be some shape concessions that the flexible moulds for metal didn't have to make. Presently I'm painting some Blood Bowl Skaven. Many have rings/bands around their tails that *should* be circular, but instead are off-angle ovoid shapes so they can be extracted when the two sections of the mould separate. The flexible moulds used for metal can be displaced some, when a model is pulled and, in this case, would allow for a more natural shape on this particular item. I've seen similar concessions made (some space marines feet where they meet the greave) when it comes to plastics. But there's always ups and downs
My first Resin model was finecast and was a mess. Not only didn't I feel any oils on the model to know it would destroy the paint job I also didn't know you really shouldn't cut it for safety purposes. One thing hat is a positive and a negative is that it bends. Now the reason this is both is because you can warm up a fine-cast model under hot water or whatever heat source you use to temporarily make it more bendable and a short time after will stay in the pose you have bent it to. Hope this helps many unaware customers like myself as I had no problems with plastic models besides sometimes the thin pieces are broken easily off the sprue.
One thing plastic models can do that metal seems to be unable to achieve are the models that are intended to look like they are flying. Nagash, Celestant Prime, new St. Celestine are all things metal probably couldn't achieve
Great overview. Here's one consideration from a gamer's perspective, and it kind of ties into your point on plastic being easier to build: You can buy plastic models and play with them the same day. Rune Wars just comes out and my buddy and I see the core set on the shelf. We say "hey that looks neat, we should play it tonight" and buy it. He reads the rulebook while I assemble the minis. We're playing in a few hours and looking to buy more as they're released. Now let's pretend they were metal. We see it on the shelf and say "Hey that's neat." Conversation ends there and dollars stay in wallet.
I still prefer metal for the weight but oh dear the chipping... I used to hate plastic but the detail is fantastic now so I don't mind anymore, it has come a long way!
A couple years ago I bought a stack of tiny "rare earth magnets" and I use those for either stuff that I expect will need an extra boost to stay together (big heavy models, or crappy joints, etc), or for models with multiple equipment options. As as example, I have a leman russ battle tanks for warhammer 40k, and those things come with a ton of options for what gun you want on the main turret. I shaved off some of the plastic on the main turrent hinge (the part that can pivot up/down, and that the cannon barrel glues on to) and shaved off a little plastic on the end of each cannon and stuck a magnet inside the barrel. When I want to switch between tanks (say I want to have a big plasma cannon instead of the big chaingun) then I can simply pop off one cannon and stick the other on, since it's held in place with magnets not glue. They don't generally work for smaller "single guy" type models, but for larger things like monsters or tanks, etc, they work great.
I prefer my individual troops, characters, and small vehicles to be metal but when you get to the medium to large models, such as tanks and titans, those really need to be made from plastic. As for working with metal models I have had problems getting them to stay with glue especially the wings of the metal Belakor model i have from GW. The only solution I really see to make sure a metal model stays together is to solder it which I haven't tried myself but will if I ever get around to buying a soldering iron.
For historical models, plastics are the way to go. Buying certain periods, you are looking at less than a dollar a figure vs. $3 to $5 for metal. The last two armies I made had over 260 infantry in each (Roman and Carthaginian). So $500 or $1,500 t0 $2,500 dollars for troops. When you did the GW pricing video, $7 and $10 dollars per figure for plastic you have to assemble. My next project will be using GB models, 44 to a box at $38 dollars. The quality between the metal and plastic is the same.
To add a little weight to the minis that are plastic I take some strong tape and stick a penny under the base, with gw’s 28mm has room for it and makes it harder to tip over
Always loved metal because fo the weight and when I started most models were lead then white metal . As of now I don’t really have a preference though I hate gluing metal together with a passion .
Fairly new to miniatures. Have to say I am leaning towards plastics ones as a favourite to build ( favorite being ragnar skysplitter) though I like the weight of metal. It also might just be me but I fine the plastic easier to prime and paint.
My preference is lead for figures and plastic for vehicles or buildings. The reason for this is the weight. The heavier items don't move on the table. So to make the plastic items heavier I epoxy some lead fishing weight inside the items. :) PS: keep everything way from the edge of the table.
I've seen it argued that cheap, bendy plastic is that it won't break in transit/when dropped. So clumbsy kids are less likely to break a model and have to finish a game with a 1 armed space marine. Though personally, I don't think the trade off is worth it. The spiders (Rock Striders) in my copy of Nexus Ops are prone to pulling wheelies due to bendy legs.
having a similar discussion on another forum. think the problem comes in when companies move to single cast. then you loose some detail. but 'assembly required' plastic models is great.
I am just getting back into D&D from the '80s. One of the things I enjoyed was painting the lead minis. I can't seem to find any of the new plastic or resins with the same level of detail. The good metal minis would have detail down to individual rings of chain mail and leather strapping and knots on scabbards. Of course there were cheap ones designed to throw some paint on for massed armies but I enjoyed painting the ultra fine detail. The minis I looked at recently at the local game store have almost no detail. Is there a brand of the new minis known for its detail?
The most common dnd models in stores are the less high quality preprimed models like the stuff wizkids makes. It’s what he was talking about in the video with “bendy” plastics. You might want to check out some historical model brands or try stripping off the heavy primer.
I came into wargaming with 2nd edition 40k, although strictly speaking I tried Warzone before that (still have the second edition Warzone box set) so most of my gaming pieces back then were metal. However 3rd edition brought us the multi-part plastic Space Marines, and the rest is history. In Malifaux I have a pretty even mix of 1/1.5 metals and 1.5/2.0 plastics, maybe more plastics now. I do prefer certain metal models, like the alt Doc MacMourning, to the plastics. I think the old metal Sue looks a bit better than the new one too. I do find paint has a tendency to rub off edges on the metal with handling, but that's just how it goes.
I haven't bought anything from GW for many many years, at the moment I just buy specific models that I really like form my favourite independent sculptor, but, for me a big difference between metal and plastic (especially in the earlier days of plastics - certainly back in the 80s and arguably as far as into the 2000s), is not just the quality of the detail in terms of crispness and fineness but also the fact that the nature of the way most plastic sprues are made means that there are no undercuts. GW seems to have gotten a lot more creative with how they put sprues together so that it looks better, but I've seen modern examples from GW where it it still a problem.
I like the concept, but the execution is still a little problematic. I'd love to see some of the stuff from your new printer up close. Thanks for watching!
I am a person that doesn't care what material the mini is. If I need a particular figure for a particular role, then no problem whether it be metal or plastic.
As for preference, I prefer plastic, tolerate metal and most resins, but really dislike fine cast due to how brittle it is and how much flashing you need to clean off it.
Personally I prefer hard plastic miniatures over metal ones. The plastic cement actually solder the plastic together making your joint super strong. Also I found that polyurethane primers actually bond A LOt better on plastic, making the paint less prone to chip or peel.
Old video I know but my friend have been playing Warhammer for years and years where I am only just starting. They swore by using thumb skin as a catalyst between the metal and glue. As of yet only one arm has fallen off of any of their models after 10-12 years of moving them around and being rough with them
I really like the weight of metal. For me though my big bugbear is multi-part kits. I much prefer single castings or casting requiring minimal assembly. I resent the hours spent having to glue fiddly little bits together.
I've dropped some infinity models and they've exploded into their constituant pieces all across the floor. They definitely don't bounce like my space orks do.
While I don't have much experience with the reaper bones line I have heard after washing them you don't want to use a primer because it dries extremely tacky and will stay that way, it better to give them a very light base coat with acrylic before you go to your regular base coat. The Wizkids line you definitely want to prime even if it says the are preprimed. Personally I just like metal minis , I grew up with Ral Partha and pewter minis hold a magic to me. I build steel buildings and have use the epoxy we get on jobs a lot of times and it works great. Personally I've never seen a metal mini break from light drops off a table however I have numerous friends that were carting resin ones just around in dice bags n such only for the arms or weapons to be broken off . These are of course just my experiences
Any thoughts about the sheer number, and variety of metal miniatures available vs. plastics? It seems that there is a vast amount of metal figs to choose from. Whereas if you are looking for something outside of the more popular game systems (Frostgrave for example), there are significantly less plastic options.
Absolutely, the cost of plastic production is ridiculous. However, I think those high production costs are one of the main benefits that metals will always (at least for the foreseeable future) have over plastics. The lower manufacturing costs for metals allows for a far grater variety of figures to be produced, giving us far more figs to choose from. After all, we gamers/modelers do love our options.
Now this might be because a short between my head phones but paints seem to behave differently on the two materials even when painted on top of the same type of primer
Great Vid!! Why would a company favor Resin? I would imagine it's the same metal cast as for harder plastic, but is Resin cheaper? It's also toxic to work with as far as dust particles, so I'm not sure why a company would pick that material. I love Wild West Exodus miniatures, but when I bought one, it was really not great. The resin was very inconsistent, which turned me off. Thoughts?
Ron Raducanu Resin can hold sharper details than plastic so is the go-to choice for a top of the range detail piece. The other reason, as Atom mentioned, is the cost of those injection moulds which requires a big upfront investment in their manufacture and the plastic melting and injection equipment..... it simply isn't economic to do plastic on models that will have small production volume. The Engineering Guy has a really good RU-vid video on plastic injection moulding that illustrates this well.
So the injection molding equipment is cheaper when you use Resin? Or does Resin not use injection molding? Sorry for the silly questions, but I really have no idea about these things.
Ron Raducanu No problem mate, questions are good :) Resin production is definately cheaper than plastic, using rubber polymer moulds (a bit like metal models do) and a vacuum chamber. The resin is mixed from a powder and liquid and then poured into the mould which is suspended in the chamber which is then activated. Once a vacuum is achieved this pulls the liquid resin into all recesses of the mould and it is then left to set and cool (the resin hardening reaction is exothermic). As long as everything was set up and executed correctly any air bubbles will rise to the top of the mould and sit in the casting key and not affect the quality of the final part. If not properly cooled the part can be bent when removed from the mould but this can normally be corrected by warming it up and bending back into shape.
Ron Raducanu You're welcome :) If you want to see a bit about quality issues on resin models have a look over at my channel where I did a video about it.
Resin, metal and injection plastic all have their pros and cons, but the bottom line in terms of the amount of detail delivered from the original sculpt is, resin best, then metal, then plastic. The rubber moulds used for resin and metal allow for sharp edged details, right angles and undercuts that you can't have with steel moulds. That said, a lot comes down to how good the sculpt is and how good the mould maker/caster is. The finest metal miniatures in terms of detail (imo) were produced by Rackham. The level of sharp detail on those isn't possible with plastic. Plastics are undeniably quicker and easier to assemble and convert, so ideally I'd go for plastics for rank and file troops and have character models in metal or resin.
I happen to love metal over plastic any, its more akin to the classic historical tactical map models used in campaigns, the little lead soldiers ones, don't get me wrong I've seen some fine cast models, but those were bigger, think action figure size & commemorative sculptures, like one DC & Marvel have, but I suppose its all in the quality level of the work itself, there might be the certain quality of the metal & the way it feels. But there was certain plastic glue, friend of mine used on his metal ones, pretty damn efective
Plastic gets my vote. Metal is just too much of a pain to work with and nowadays, where there is very little difference in level of detail, there's no contest. Little - if any - flash, small gates, easier prep... I really can't think of anything where I prefer metal.
I prefer metal models, because it feels like they will still have some kind of worth, even if no one will play the game anymore. It's also easier to repaint. Bigger models (bigger than ogres 28mm) are maybe impossible to produce in metal, and it hurts when big chunks of metal need a lot of time to be fixed. "Karamasovs throne" was the same pain as the "penitent engine" for the SOB's.
one thing I learned when I built my Mantic Earth elementals (metal) I used a very very small amount of liquid weld... which worked well, I've done plenty of metal work and basic repairs with Liquid weld...
I prefer plastic models in most cases. There is only one extreme downside to them I have encountered: it can be a real pain to disassemble such a model. especially if a plastic glue was used.
I really don't like metal models, I have been trying to build up my Warmachine army but the metal fights me every step of the way. Then again the plastic they usually have is not fantastic either which really bums me out. I did get the convergence battle engine though and it was GW grade plastic and molding so that was a real joy to put together. I am really hoping PP continues the move towards the kind of manufacturing as I really like their designs and game system, but the prep work is killing me at the moment!
I prefer metal. Part of that is that I just subjectively prefer that there is some weight to it. If I'm going to spend $30 on a mini, it's nice if it doesn't feel identical to a plastic toy soldier I can buy in bags of 50 at the dollar store. Partly it's aesthetic. Many modern plastic models are computer designed and look like bad cgi to me. They're a little too clean and precise. Metal models are far more likely to be hand sculpted, and I prefer that more organic look. Partly it's practical - a properly pinned metal mini is pretty much bomb proof. It will survive falls, dice hits, even being chewed on by the family pet/toddler. I've had plastics break during transport inside the foam case because a sword, spear, antennae etc was just too delicate and brittle, and there's really no good way to fix that once it happens. Yes metal is heavier, more inertia etc, but it bends rather than breaks, and just needs to be straightened again to be fine. Metal is a giant pain in the ass to convert, but this can be a good thing, depending on your perspective. It means you're less likely to mess up as it forces you to go slow and will resist damage, so a slipped file or blade isn't really a big deal. Of course, you can always mix the two and in fact, my favourite conversion in my collection is a combination of metal and plastic parts.
Warmachine heavy jacks went from $50 to $35 when they started using plastic. For myself, I like metal models, in part because I started buying used and stripping, in part because I play a LOT of Infinity (I'm pretty sure you can't get the main body of a plastic model that thin) and in part because I live in Florida and GW plastic will melt in my car. Mostly though, I just prefer painting metal and like the feel. I think it's important to note that Citadel Finecast was NOT resin, or at least not resin the way most people and casters use the term. Forgeworld is a (I think polyester) resin, although it has way more filler than I'd like. Resin is what they make speed boats and hot tubs out of.
when the economy's rubbish, the prices of metal in general costs more to he company in question. Plastic is relatively less volatile price wise if you're a bigger company creating big numbers of minis so the price of initial tooling is covered I'm also curious what people's opinions on gws fine cast are a few yrs down the line
Gotta keep your plastic models out of the sunlight coming into your car if you are travelling with them. Nothing sucks like a sun warped 75 dollar tank.
Plastic all the way for gaming, had way to many metal models chip off after being dropped or even just bumped against one another to the point where I'd actually avoid metal models for in games right now... even with multiple layers of varnish on top the heavier models can and will chip when dropped. That said some of the best games out there are still using metal only minis, Infinity, Guild Ball and the knight models games just to name a few
I will say this about metal I find that over the years of working with plastics/resin where the glue bonds quickly I have become spoiled. Because the glue bonds in 10 seconds or less. Metal, was holding pieces together for minutes waiting for glue to bond and more than a few chaos marines ended up with added skin details...that are my own skin bonded to the miniature. This frustration lead to me buying superglue accelerate. Holly SHIT do I love this stuff now! Glue on one piece accelerant on the other. Bam! Glue starts to cure in about 3 seconds. Down size is the bond is weaker against sheering force but strong enough to hold against weight and pull. Down side is you can't use this stuff with plastic models. Why? It will eat your plastics.
in my opinion: for a beginner, a metal model should be the first thing to paint. conversions, kit bashings, etc. comes later. once a metal mini is glued properly (I recommend pinning and use of 2K epoxy glue. use CA glue with utmost caution and wear gloves.), priming and painting it are the first obstacles to overcome and learn what proper techniques are. also, once properly primed, painting a metal mini to a good standard makes a pro. also, as stated: a metal mini is much more forgiving. you messed up your painting? drop the mini in solvent and redo. (you meay ned to reglue the mini, but that's done quickly.) I like my metal minis, as they put a certain oomph behind their actions. :D
No difference in detail? I'm afraid that's simply not true. Unless you're only talking about resin models or soft plastic, which typically use the exact same mold as the metal versions. If we're talking harder plastic models (like say GW's plastic models)... there's a pretty big difference. Plastic models are considerably higher in detail than metal models due to the factors of being able to be in multiple components to create more elaborate models that you simply can't do with metal. A model like Nagash is not possible with metal. Therefore you can have more dynamic models and the detailing on said features is higher (and cleaner) as well.
i just used fingernail polish remover on my plastic lieutenant model. i had to trow the head away because it was mush(good thing i did not glue it yet) and the rest is barely melted ( noticed it fast enough).
Which one I prefer depends from situation. In most cases I prefer plastic unless it's small model that's other version is bad resin one like those GW's Finecasts then I prefer metal.
Don't really have a preference, if i see cool model i buy it, exception is failcast and restic, junk stuff You forget that there is also difference in the metals, in the 80's lead alloys were okay, and metal mini's were a lot softer, in the 90's you had white metal which is a lot harder (to work on)
No preference really. I still have a couple dozen Reaper Bones from from the Bones II Kickstarter and will have a ton more from Bones III when that gets fulfilled. However, I must confess, after painting quite a few of the Bones, both from the Kickstarters and later purchased from their site, I am no fan of the material. While it is cheap, later castings have even greater flash and more prominent mold lines. Mold lines were bad already. However, I do appreciate some of my plastic Warmachine 'Jacks. I find myself using a lot less pinning with the plastic that with the metal ones.
metal all the time. i play battletech and between ironwind metals and catalyst game labs plastics ill always pick metal when buying single units. im not saying catalyst does a bad job but, i like the metal minis better.
Andrew J Quite right, Battletech miniatures just don't feel quite right in plastic. I like the weight of the metal, and when on the pewter hex base they have a very pleasing quality feel to them.
I agree 100% with you... playing a game that is about giant robots, you want your miniatures to have that weight about them when you move them across your hex map. Light mechs feel light compared to heavy and assault mechs when you pick them up, you know what you are handling. Plastic just doesn't give back that same feel. Bring back the lead miniatures!!!! But what they say about metal miniatures falling over and breaking or chipping is very true too, that's why I hate multi part miniatures like the re-seen Marauder, Battlemaster, Warhammer, Thunderbolt, etc. The original ones were the best.
i've got 3rd edition metal chaos raptors (or it was 4th? the Champion got the pair of lightning claws and one is pointing)... they are UNPLACEBALE, they can be placed only on plain surface MAYBE.... if you try on a 1° slope, they'll do a rovinous fall, ruining the paint... while a plastic model can be placed everywhere and thrown on the wall with no consequences. The only way to handle metal minis without doing damage, is to treat them like the Holy Grail
Depends on what your interest in these minis are for. If it's gaming than plastics might be better, but if for display then metal is what I prefer. I don't game much anymore, so most of my minis are metal. In fact, 99% of my minis are metal and if they stop making them in metal (seems to be the trend), then I will stop buying them.
Can't agree more, although I prefer playing with them. I recently started to collect old metal miniatures via eBay to transform my armies into metal armies (except a few ones, which are only available in plastic and I still own). But I'm not going to buy any more plastic miniatures. Metal is the real stuff!!!
resin vs plastic vs metal... its all a tricky question... one that can even get into legal issues if you try to make money from it.. resin is good for the fact that it can be easy for people to use at home to make their own stuff.. ie you need just 1 or 2 more power swords or shields for a squad and you dont want to or cant afford a whole new box for just those pieces... or your doing a conversion piece and the parts needed just dont exist on official models.. ie thunderhammer for a dreadnaught...... but resin also has a dark side, where people try to replicate whole units or armies and then try to use them in a tourney or sell them for their own profit...... resin also has issues where it can also need to be pinned like metal models at times... plastic is a good light weight material for models but can be easy to mess up too.. ie you cut the wrong bit while trying to remove from its spru....also removing paint is near impossible without damage...and if you use the glues that partially melt the plastic than any mistakes are harder to fix... personal experiance also shows pinning on really large models are occasionally needed, plastic though does allow for some creative modding too, magnets can fit in many models without too much work.. ive done this on dreadnaughts to allow torso twisting.. that and when a dreadnaught dies, you leave the legs and remove the torso...instant terrain now.... in general, magnets used with plastic vehicles allows a lot of flexability... want an easier way to change turrets, or add sponsons for a new game without having to have compleatly different models... because we all know WYSIWYG.... and vehicles are easily the most expensive per model... then there is metal... good for special characters or models, and for many people, metal is a better material for showcase pieces... also, they are much easier to strip paint from if you need to redo a model.. most metal models will require pinning.. although if your sure its all set where you want, then JB Weld is a good item to use "sparingly" to glue the parts together.. also some armies "at least in 40k" feel better as metal models... Necrons for example.. the one real issue with metal models is when trying to glue plastic or resin pieces to it.. and while models with mixed materials from the package are rare, they have existed.... over all it really depends on what you expect from the model.. whether you want to lug a heavy one "if that choice is there" or slave for days on clone painting dozens or hundreds of plastic soldiers.. "Imp. Guard.. Tyranids.. as prime examples" and most likely a plethera of other reasons as a caveot, i dont like the soft plastics like reaper bones is using... even if there are ways to "straighten or fix" the models, they just seem to not maintain their look and quickly look like crap...
I prefer plastic models now a days... I think they've surpassed metal in detail and are able to do more justice to the sculpt. I do miss the 10 pound Ral Partha pewter dragons though!! 😜
i dont mind most types, however i dislike the metal Infinity figures a lot...beautiful when assembled n painted, but they suck to put together for most part in my opinion. hopefully the company grows enough to do plastics or resins in near future.
Has anyone mentioned the fact that metal models contain lead, that has to be a negative? They may not now but the older ones certainly do. You need to be careful to wash you hands and not touch your face during handling.
Another missed opportunity to mention Battletech...CGL is moving toward making a great deal of 'Mechs available in HQ plastic with great detail. Something we'd have loved in the mid 90s when FASA was pumping out crappy plastic models and charging an arm and a leg for the metal versions. I'm starting to think you don't like Battletech... :(
Tabletop Minions Like I said the other day, I totally get that. I guess I just feel like going to a tabletop gaming channel that only discusses a couple different types of games is like going to a classic car channel and the main thing they talk about are Mustangs and Pontiac GTOs because it's what they drive. It's a Mustang and GTO channel, not a classic car channel. Ya know? I know you're probably tired of me mentioning the game. I just hope for a mention here and there of it.
Plastic might have sucked back then, but they're solid as hell detail and assembly-wise. They're flexible with techniques to paint them, so beginners to experts can do a lovely job if guided right. They're also many times lighter and work with paints + glues much better than metal or resin ever will. Metal models now, they've aged poorly. They suck to glue. They're heavy which stops them from falling over but they could also chip your damn toe bone if dropped from a far enough height. Detailing them is a pain in the ass without spraying them in a primer, and you'd best make sure you've got all of it because the tiniest speckles of missed paint will show.
