If you’re going proper competitive, there’s always gonna be models that aren’t worth learning, because some choices are just always going to be better, competitively. And these models that are worth taking almost always shuffle a bit as editions change over. So if you’re a hardcore competitive player, a new edition will almost always ‘invalidate’ some models anyway.
I always thought that the Nightmare stuff didn't necessarily have to fit with the rest of the game anyway - they're just fun alt sculpts. They aren't representative of the feel of the game.
To be fair I don't think it was really intentional in that other game either - they just weren't the best rules writers. There were as many examples of new models being rubbish on the table top as there were them being broken.
It will be PVC. So it is plastic, not resin, but yeah the same material as Aionius and Tortoise and the Hare, and presumably TOS stuff like you say. I don't like the material.
I think I have something like 10 crew boxes now and I've not even played yet...
There are some fantastic models in there. Phiona Gage, Corpse Candles, Banasuva, the Gorar, Iron Skeeters and the First Mate, and Ohaguro Bettari are my favourites.
Could be resin or something (either as a prototype or because the model will be but I assume they'll be plastic as normal), resin comes out in different colours sometimes.
I love 'em, personally. Big models usually do mean cool models for me. Bring it on I say. Plus there's nothing stopping you sticking to Malifaux and not playing The Other Side if you aren't a fan of the bigger scale.