Diesel DM

Without years of experience in building WARMACHINE models I am not seeking to bring an expert opinion on which is better.  Nor am I an economist seeking to rationalize the cost of metals vs resins.  What I am offering is the viewpoint of a beginner, someone new to the hobby, who started with the plastic models.  I have read some other blogs and forum posts about this topic, but I waited until I had assembled and painted both a plastic and a metal model before offering an opinion of my own.

Plastics (Resin)

Plastic Ironclad Model

To call this new generation of models “plastic” is doing them a great disservice to potential new buyers.  A model made of plastic conjures up thoughts of model cars, a hard brittle plastic, lightweight and generally cheap feeling.  While plastic may be the correct technical term for it, it’s an injustice to these new models.  While I’m appreciative that Privateer Press is clearly labeling the new models, I wish they had chosen a word other than “plastic” to put on the box.  I think the term “resin” gives a much clearer image of what the models really are made out of.  It’s a very heavy, somewhat flexible material that may look like common plastic but does not feel like it.  I mention the weight of the resin as it is very important.  It takes away that cheap feeling of typical plastic models.  While the weight is good, it is nowhere near the weight of metal miniatures, which is also important.  Besides making it easier to assemble and transport, it also allows PP to make larger models as evidenced by the new war engines they are producing which are so large they come on a new 120mm base size.  Many of the warjack resculpts have also been made larger than the original metal sculpts.

The detail held by the resin is phenomenal.  I don’t know if the material allowed PP to use more detailed molds or the resin just hold the details better, but the resin models look amazing.  Being a flat gray color also makes the details pop out more.  It’s much easier to see and appreciate a bare resin model than is typical of a metal miniature.  Often for a metal miniature it’s necessary to at least put some ink on them to help bring out the details, shadows and shapes.  But the resins can do a passable job of this right out of the box.

When constructing miniatures from multiple pieces everything needs to fit together really well.  The slightest bends and twists can throw off multi-connection point attachments by quite a lot.  With such a small margin for error the plastic models fit together perfectly.  While some longer pieces may get bent, a quick hot water bath, straightening following by an immediate cold bath with rectify the situation.  Assembly is also eased as the resin is much easier to drill for pinning and easier to glue.  This workability also aids in flash and mold line removal.

Metals

The metals, in comparison are much heavier.  While the weight of the resins is a good thing, the larger metal warjacks are too heavy.  Overly dynamic poses can quickly lose the center of gravity making them prone to tipping over on the battlefield, either on level ground or slight inclines. Heavy limbs also require pinning, while on a resin model the option to just glue is there, if desired.  The weight of a couple of armies worth of heavy metal jacks and units can add up fast, making the rolling transport cases no laughing matter.

Metal Stormclad Model

The details held by the metal models has never impressed me.  Again whether this is material or mold dependent I do not know, but to me the metal pieces are just lacking in the same sharp edges and minute details offered by the resin models. I have to think that multiple metal pieces hitting against one another in the boxes and blisters must also wear down any finer details and points that may have been initially cast while the plastic would withstand the abuse of shipping much better.

After starting with the ease of assembly provided by the resin miniatures (a Cygnar Battlegroup Box), assembling a metal miniature is rather depressing.  Pieces are bent, twisted or just plain poorly designed and cast to the point where I’ve seen forum posts wondering if they got the wrong pieces.  Lynch’s left hand for me was a nightmare.  Aside from being tiny, being just a hand and part of the forearm, the connection was a nonsensical misfitting mess.  His right arm was little better.  I recently tried dryfitting together the Stormblades unit and was shocked at how badly they fit together.  I’m still unclear as to how I’m going to get the two-handed blade attached to the commander as the wrists are simply too close together to match up to the arms of the torso.

Conclusion

Privateer Press knew people would be scrutinizing a change to plastic, so they didn’t just make the plastic models as good as the metal, they  made them significantly better and bigger to boot.  I can only hope that Privateer Press continues resculpting old metal models into plastic, not only because they look fantastic, but they are a joy to assemble and the detail is unparalleled.  In fact if the Black 13th comes out in a plastic resculpt, I would purchase them again.  (And hopefully they would be to scale this time!)

Interestingly I heard recently that Games Workshop may be switching their Warhammer miniatures over to resins.  They could do worse than taking a look at what Privateer Press has done.  While leaving part of the “Full Metal Fantasy” meaning behind must have been a tough departure, they are doing it well and they have many folks wishing all their models were resin.