New Plastics Concerns

[ReubenHappens]

Hi all,

So I was initially excited by the new plastics, but when I bought the rail crew box set, I found the detail to be a bit fine and shallow. It seemed that the models lacked some expression as a consequence. I'm really liking the look of 2E, but I want to know, is my experience with the rail crew true of the rest of the line? Has the quality improved?

[pixelante]

No I agree, I think the Oiran are quite shallow too, so much so that the folds in the robes pretty much nonexistent in some places so you have to paint them back in. The faces are pretty much porcelain masks they lack any sort of expression.

On the other hand the McCabe box is pretty good, except for Luna who looks terrible and the stupid fragile whip.

[GTDemon777]

at first, it wasnt fragile, ie yamaziko's yari, but then it become obvious when something would snap. Personally, i am ok with loss of detail over paying more. i recall a majority of the reason to move to plastic was that metal got so expensive, the cheaper medium only got the price to stay the same

[ReubenHappens]

How about Yan Lo's box set? I have an interest in that...

[Roenalt]

I've been happy with all the plastics so far, detail shallow on some parts but there is a bit less exageration with proportion. imagine the rail worker in metal, his arm toold would be triple in thickness, plastic brings a bit more scale in. McCabe s whip should be coiled and in hand not some thin outstretched hope it doesn't break plastic

[Evilbleachman]

You could probably net some good results by just browsing the Miniature Showcase forum. There you will be able to view painted versions of the plastic models and see how they actually look with some paint on them.

I can say that the quality of the models varies from model to model. Often some of the models will have an overly smooth surface, instead of a nice and detailed one (for instance folds on a dress). For that other details are superb and better than the metallic versions.

The Yan Lo box is pretty decent besides Yan Lo's and Chiaki's clothing, which is rather plain. Though, one could argue it befits their style.

[Mako]

They do have less exaggerated folds on the clothing than the metals do. The fine details for the most part are much neater and better than the metals though, so it depends on your perspective.

I, for example, am quite happy to paint in the folds and creases to accentuate them, and I really like the way they have very fine detail and large smoother areas because I have more freedom with my painting. Others aren't as focussed on the painting side as me, and I know some have said its harder to get a quick paint job looking as good as it would on the metals.

They require a bit more work with the brush, but a lot less with the files and glue, I'd say is a good summary.

[Nickienogger]

The shallow sculpts look intimidating to paint as a change from metal miniatures where

we are used to lots of different depths.

I think many of us, like myself initially, are having knee jerk reactions of seeing how plastic details are shallower and therefore appear initially 'less detailed'. It genuinely has not been a problem as long as your not using thick paints, undercoats etc.

Once you get to paint it, the details are still there. And like the above, fine detail and scale has improved and these are good features.

[ImperialKnight]

at first, it wasnt fragile, ie yamaziko's yari, but then it become obvious when something would snap. Personally, i am ok with loss of detail over paying more. i recall a majority of the reason to move to plastic was that metal got so expensive, the cheaper medium only got the price to stay the same

Agreed I would rather have models that I would be able to throw at my opponent and do some damage should I lose the game.

Sportmanship smortsmanship

[mordos.engel]

I believe the minis are very well detailed, maybe less exagerrated though. The new plastic allows for some crazy dynamic poses and is much easier to work with.

I'm very satisfied by it and love the fact that folds are shallower. Real clothes don't fold that deep to leave crevasses for washes

You do need to be careful though because some parts are extremely small and delicate. The ashigarus's spears and Yan lo's staff are examples of this.

I'm currently building the Yan Lo crew and I'm digging all the details in the armor and the tiny flute the niece is playing.

Awesome stuff IMO

[ImperialKnight]

I believe the minis are very well detailed, maybe less exagerrated though. The new plastic allows for some crazy dynamic poses and is much easier to work with.

I'm very satisfied by it and love the fact that folds are shallower. Real clothes don't fold that deep to leave crevasses for washes

You do need to be careful though because some parts are extremely small and delicate. The ashigarus's spears and Yan lo's staff are examples of this.

I'm currently building the Yan Lo crew and I'm digging all the details in the armor and the tiny flute the niece is playing.

Awesome stuff IMO

The models are great no doubt, but I do penalize them heavily on their fragility. honestly I would rather have a more solid less dynamic model than the other way round. Lucas is being difficult with my normal methods of model storage. I had to re-glue the chains on the bald wastrel three times for it to stick...

Unless its for display only they have to be more solid or you get the Will Smith in Men in Black

"I feel like I'm gonna break this damn thing."

[Zac]

So far I've painted three metal gangs and three plastic gangs, and I can honestly say I prefer the plastics by far. The plastics are not so much less detailed as more in scale: your average metal sculpt has over exagerrated details which come from sculpting in a roughly 1:1 scale. Sculpting in a more realistic scale and then reducing the size, as is done with the plastics makes the models a lot more realistic and less cartoony.

The plastics are less solid of course, but careful storage and a few pins in key places make this less of a problem.

The Malifaux plastics do take more time to assemble and paint than the old metals, and than many other popular model companies offerings, but the quality of the offerings, and the skirmish style of the game makes this worth the extra effort in the long run: I can spend three times as long on each model and still get a game of malifaux before I get a game of 40k.

[Toki]

I have just built my first Malifaux plastic crew (Ten Thunders box)

Compared to other companies plastics (or plastic resins) these are very nicely scaled

My only concern is the lack of good numbering of parts or instructions (the sprue has numbers but these are far from clear)

But apart from that these are possibly the best plastic gaming figures I have come across (and after 30 years of modelling I've seen and built a few)

I really looking forward to the crews to come (just with some instructions please 1_Happy_Puppet2: )

[aka_hazard]

So far I have only dealt with box one of the new plastics, the Pathfinder and Traps.

The Traps I think are excellent and I don't think they would have been possible, as they are, in anything but plastic.

The Pathfinder I don't like. The main reason being scale. When I was assembling and painting it I thought it looked 'big' but put that down to the bear's head.

Then I noticed the Pathfinder's bended knee and I compared it to the bended knee of the metal Austringer.

The Pathfinder's knee is about twice the size of the Austringer's and this makes me wary of the other plastics.

[r4st4f4n]

So far I have only dealt with box one of the new plastics, the Pathfinder and Traps.

The Traps I think are excellent and I don't think they would have been possible, as they are, in anything but plastic.

The Pathfinder I don't like. The main reason being scale. When I was assembling and painting it I thought it looked 'big' but put that down to the bear's head.

Then I noticed the Pathfinder's bended knee and I compared it to the bended knee of the metal Austringer.

The Pathfinder's knee is about twice the size of the Austringer's and this makes me wary of the other plastics.

You haven't seen Ototo near the chained ball Torakage xD But those issues existed also before with metal, e.g. models like Silent One and December Acolyte

p.s. I love TT Archers scale and pose, IMO they're one of the best models in the game

Edited June 6, 2013 by r4st4f4n

[mordos.engel]

I agree that some models should have some instructions. Yin had some but it was really not necessary while Izamu didn't and I had to fiddle with the arrows before figuring out which was going where.

[Toki]

Yes it's very annoying to find some bits left over and have no idea if they are optional bits or a part you can not locate.

(I have 2 pieces left from 10 Thunders crew and its driven mad trying to find if I have missed something, and the pictures are no help)

[Mako]

. The Malifaux plastics do take more time to assemble and paint than the old metals...

Have to disagree there, as someone that's prepped dead justice, austringers and the coryphee in metal I could have prepped a whole plastic crew in the time it took to do one or two of those pains in the proverbial!

[IDislexiaHave]

I dislike the new plastic. Every single model feels like it has the smallest joints ever. And I look at my union miners and then look at the rail workers. They seriously look like they are annerexic and expected to be out on the rails pounding in stakes and lifting the steel bars into place all day? Not likely.

[ReubenHappens]

My issue was I feel like I'm dealing with a completely different scale to the metals. And I did like the exaggerated feel of the metals. And I like using washes, because I'm a middle-of-the-road painter.

But given as discussing preferences is a curiosity at best, do the other plastics roughly correspond to the rail crew details?

[Zac]

Have to disagree there, as someone that's prepped dead justice, austringers and the coryphee in metal I could have prepped a whole plastic crew in the time it took to do one or two of those pains in the proverbial!

I admit I haven't prepped any of these models. I would rather give them a try than take on the ten thunders archers heads again...

You're right though. There are exceptions to every rule. Whatever the specifics however, even if it takes you three times as long, they're still some of the coolest looking plastic models out there. I've not had one single luke-warm reaction to my guild snipers: to a man, everyone has drooled over them.

[JSKrush]

I have to add I am quite happy with the latest releases. Yes, the scale has changed and the exaggeration of features is lessened but the detail is improving compared to the first plastic sets, IMO. Vanessa, Tosharo, Yin, Wong, etc have all been great. I think what can also help is priming with the right sprays, painting with thinner paints and washes, and even using an airbrush for at least the base colors if you can.

Keep up the good work, Wyrd, and I can't wait for the new models at Gencon!

[killaminis]

I recently purchased Puppet Wars Unstitched to get a look at Malifaux's Plastic Endeavor and to see if I could get into a Card based game ( Vs Dice ). I must say, I was blown away by the detail of the plastic miniatures. My first reaction is to believe that the mold is brand new and that's why they look so darned good. I think the detail is great and there is quite a bit of open space to allow me to pull off some wicked blending. I've seen alot of figures over the years and I must say this is Wryd putting their best foot forward. I have no choice but to continue to invest in this product, just from a quality alone aspect. Kudos !!!

[zFiend]

The details are ok in my opinion, a bit expressionless as said here, that's true. I have to say I dont like them. They were annoying to assemble, they leave major gaps, they are way too fragile. I think I'll break them while playing. The depleted for example seem to be so fragile I dont think they will last long. And everyone other than Graves seems to be way too thin and small to be taken for a man or a woman. I would rather pay extra for metal and be pleased and amazed by the minis rather than pay less and be disappointed and afraid to use them