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 sing your life wrote:

 Quarterdime wrote:
My Herald of Nurgle is a monopose plastic, and after assembling it I can't help but feel like monopose allows them to hide the seams between the different pieces even better than they used to. I barely had to touch it.

I'm thinking this is one of reason they're doing this.

As somebody who hates cleaning figures because of the mold lines and seams, I could approve of this if it wasn't that the preconfigured options tend to suck.

It probably does.

Whether the reduction in modelling effort justifies the reduction in modelling potential is of course a personal viewpoint.

Some might say that individual special character models are relatively uncommon compared to bulk infantry and do not need to be specially easy to put together.

 Quarterdime wrote:
My Herald of Nurgle is a monopose plastic, and after assembling it I can't help but feel like monopose allows them to hide the seams between the different pieces even better than they used to. I barely had to touch it.

Good point the usual torso/legs/arms/head leaves some obvious seams.

Other than the price, the single-pose characters are pretty great from what I've seen. The only ones I don't like are the Painboy and Commissar (simply due to aesthetics), the rest all look as good as metals and just as detailed. This does come at the expense of options, I grant you, but this was also the case with metal/finecast, the difference being that plastic is by far easier to convert.

The issue comes when the Forge World resin is the budget alternative and the single-pose plastics cost as much as a squad.

 Paradigm wrote:
Other than the price, the single-pose characters are pretty great from what I've seen. The only ones I don't like are the Painboy and Commissar (simply due to aesthetics), the rest all look as good as metals and just as detailed. This does come at the expense of options, I grant you, but this was also the case with metal/finecast, the difference being that plastic is by far easier to convert.

The issue comes when the Forge World resin is the budget alternative and the single-pose plastics cost as much as a squad.

I agree on the detail but sometimes I think they go way overboard. Like the Chaos Chosen from DV have (IMO) way too many fiddly bits and bobs on them.

Actually I love the DV chosen, I think they're among some of the best-made minis I've ever had, and the detail is well-defined enough that it doesn't become overbearing. I'd hold them up, along with the DFG Leviathan and the Malifaux 2E plastics as the shining examples of what plastic can do these days in term of detail and crispness.

I guess that's just a matter of aesthetic taste, so I can see why you don't like them.

 Paradigm wrote:
Actually I love the DV chosen, I think they're among some of the best-made minis I've ever had, and the detail is well-defined enough that it doesn't become overbearing. I'd hold them up, along with the DFG Leviathan and the Malifaux 2E plastics as the shining examples of what plastic can do these days in term of detail and crispness.

I guess that's just a matter of aesthetic taste, so I can see why you don't like them.

As far as the sculpt I think they look amazing (although I'm not a fan of the "Let's add weird faces!" motif on a few of them), just when I look at all the fiddly bits first thing isn't "How awesome" it's "How on earth am I going to paint that tiny thing?!" so that's likely why

GW's plastic models have always been a bit soft, thick and lacking detail compared to say Tamiya or Bandai.

That is partly to save moulding costs but also because you don't want a lot of fine detail on models that are to be used for wargaming.

And from the "What's New Today" article about the new plastic Mekboy:

The Mek comes with two right-arm options, one holding a huge wrench, the other wielding a killsaw. Kunningly, both the Mek’s head and right arm can be interchanged with any other Boy-sized model. I reckon a kit-bash with the Mek in the Lootas kit is in order.

 Ghaz wrote:
And from the "What's New Today" article about the new plastic Mekboy:

The Mek comes with two right-arm options, one holding a huge wrench, the other wielding a killsaw. Kunningly, both the Mek’s head and right arm can be interchanged with any other Boy-sized model. I reckon a kit-bash with the Mek in the Lootas kit is in order.

And that's exactly how they should be done.

Wanting a librarian on a bike with a force axe for my White Scars, the monopose plastic librarian is totally useless. So I've bought an old metal one on eBay, have to spend ages grinding it down, and GW have lost my business... Everyone loses!

 WarOne wrote:
I wouldn't be surprised if GW makes monopose miniatures so that it makes it that much more difficult for third party bits suppliers to have their pieces added to the original GW model.

I'm wondering if that's it. In between every piece of terrain and board you fight the game on being purchasable and this, I wonder if they are trying to do away entirely with the 'convert your own' and modelling/conversion side of the hobby.

They've launched new paint names, new names for existing armies, and I can easily imagine a similar thought process being behind this (or at least, it could be seen as a perceived benefit). So - you get none of the benefits of the material, which is multiple weapon options and layouts, none of the advantages of resin/metal which can hold more detail for the character sculpts, and then you have to pay more for it to boot. Not saying that the character sculpts are bad, but the bar seems to have been lowered somewhat.

I actually think that's why WD sucks so much these days. Much smaller number of games to write about, with less variation within those games and people doing less to the miniatures, and almost no room for creativity and ideas. It's like if you had a film magazine dedicated to only rom-coms starring Gerard Butler - doesn't matter how good the quality of the journalism or the insight offered by features, you're severely limited by the subject material.

Any one notice that stupid rock they keep putting under characters etc too? So dumb.

I think (like many things) they are killing off creativity by streamlining things. White dwarf, rules/books and characters are being streamlined and it leaves little room to play around or go wild.

It must hurt sales too. I dont know why anyone would buy more than one of the new commissars for example. Even with weapon and head swaps having the same stance and ceremonial rock to stand on kinda kills any idea of having multiples.

Its the kind of streamlining that cuts corners and denies room for change. Which to me seems like they are trying to reduce 3rd party input on their designs while at the same time cutting costs (is it cheaper to make non modular models in terms of design?).

I hate it. Especially that stupid rock many beasts and characters like to stand on.

On a related note, I've bought a couple of recent kits, the first new GW kits in some time, and I'm noting a trend for not only mono pose, but an apparently deliberate attempt to limit a kit's flexibility. Although, weirdly, it doesn't seem to be consistent.

The Burning Chariot is almost, to my eye, impossible to magnetise as both Herald and Exalted Flamer, unless one wishes to have a toe less Herald, or random Herald feet on the Disc when using an Exalted Flamer.

Similarly, the WoC Champion Of Tzeentch (the recent mono pose, plastic one) has part of it's feet moulded into the base, and part on the end of the legs, meaning, without GS work, one cannot use the model on an alternate base (such as a circular one for 40K for instance.)

Conversely, the Skull Cannon/Blood Throne kit is simplicity itself to magnetise.

Also, I think having plastic characters like that fits into the whole "We make toys for kids" kind of mentality.

If the rules didn't allow for variety (which would suck for everybody, admittedly) the monopose would make sense. e.g. if your SM Captain ONLY came with one of: Storm Bolter/Powerfist, Power Sword/Combi-Bolter and Power Fist/Plasma Pistol (going off of the monopose ones available now IIRC). But that seems too far-fetched even for GW to try, having set options for everything instead of variety.

Do the people complaining about monopose plastics realize that everything they're complaining about is true of the monopose metal/finecast models GW has been producing for decades? There seems to be this ridiculous assumption that "plastic" means "lots of customization options", when in reality these are just a replacement for awful metal/finecast stuff.

 Peregrine wrote:
Do the people complaining about monopose plastics realize that everything they're complaining about is true of the monopose metal/finecast models GW has been producing for decades? There seems to be this ridiculous assumption that "plastic" means "lots of customization options", when in reality these are just a replacement for awful metal/finecast stuff.

Yeah but the problem is that a single monopose plastic dude is replacing 4-5 different monopose failcast dudes, so if you have any repeats in your army list they will look like identical twins in an identical action pose.

 Swastakowey wrote:
Any one notice that stupid rock they keep putting under characters etc too? So dumb.

Foot on rock is a fairly standard pose amongst miniatures when sculptors are given free reign to dynamically pose something. Go have a browse through the Infinity range - they're really fond of it too.

 Quarterdime wrote:
My Herald of Nurgle is a monopose plastic, and after assembling it I can't help but feel like monopose allows them to hide the seams between the different pieces even better than they used to. I barely had to touch it.

Your Herald of Nurgle also cost nearly as much as 10 Plaguebearers and that makes no damned sense.

 lord_blackfang wrote:
Yeah but the problem is that a single monopose plastic dude is replacing 4-5 different monopose failcast dudes, so if you have any repeats in your army list they will look like identical twins in an identical action pose.

One pose that is a useful model is much better than having a 4-5 pretty catalog pictures of models that no sane person would ever buy. If the cost of getting rid of finecast is reducing the number of "options" I'm quite happy with that trade.

 -Loki- wrote:

 Swastakowey wrote:
Any one notice that stupid rock they keep putting under characters etc too? So dumb.

Foot on rock is a fairly standard pose amongst miniatures when sculptors are given free reign to dynamically pose something. Go have a browse through the Infinity range - they're really fond of it too.

I find infinity models yuck as well (not quality just look)

But it doesnt make me hate it any less. I was pretty annoyed to find my first rock character when I got given a Skink priest. Shortly after the commissar and bastilidon had one too. I wanted more bastilidons but I cant bring myself to buy another one its got that silly rock pose.

Some may like it, but I definitely do not.

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
I've been mostly getting metal the last few years (yeah I know, I know) but I hear the new Ogryns can only be put together one way. The right way. The GW way.

Yeah files and knives and bitz and green stuff can turn anything into anything, but GW does not seem to want to make it easy.

Tempestus Scions are the same.
You've got to cut off the cables to fit special weapons, and each option only fits on a single model. This means that a squad with 3 meltaguns will have 3 identical models, with the same pose.
The 'captain' model is the worst, with the cloak. He's holding a knife! I mean, who throws a knife?

I was so pissed by the Scions price ($35 for FIVE!) and lack of options (ONE of each special weapon?) they were the first IG kit I didn't buy.

Probably never will, there are so many other good sci-fi infantry out there now.

 Peregrine wrote:
Do the people complaining about monopose plastics realize that everything they're complaining about is true of the monopose metal/finecast models GW has been producing for decades?

because the monopose resin/metal don't more than some multipose 1/16 figures

I hated the MT box set, not just because of the price and lack of customization but also because the design look. I wanted 40k SS not Panociena expies!

IDK if they offer a monopose plastic Tau Ethereal but over the years GW have done at least six different metal Ethereal figures (plus Space Pope).

Obviously you can't use more than two in an army without breaking the FOC (if that counts for anything any more...)

 Kilkrazy wrote:
GW have done at least six different metal Ethereal figures (plus Space Pope).

But they're all at least very hard to find compared to plastic, if even currently available at all.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
GW really seem to be working backwards from what looked like a leading position.

I think you have summed up GW's apparent mission statement since 5th edition quite well. The 2009 (?) Space Wolf release was IMO the highlight of GW plastics in terms of quality AND value and it has sadly gone steadily downhill since then.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Kilkrazy wrote:
The idea of multi-pose plastic would be to replace multiple mono-pose metal figures with a single flexible kit.

Apart from the utility to the end user, GW would save by not having to carry multiple SKUs. For example, they could do a Space Marine Captain with enough optional heads, shoulder pads and accoutrements to customise the same kit to any of the variant chapters.

Or at least that would be my business reckoning, perhaps not GW's.

Or even a single space marine "power armor HQ box" with bits for them all. Some variant librarian bits, some variant chaplain bits, etc... all on one standard unit sized sprue. It could still make only two models but that IMO would be worth a $30 kit that leaves you with additional bits to bling out normal models with. $20 for a monopose model like a tau fireblade? Hell no... I just cut off a cape from a batman clix model I somehow picked up free a decade ago (can't even remember when) and added a sword to his hip instead. The new commissar is visually a downgrade from the old metal ones and I'm glad I've got a few spare of the old metal bolt pistol ready to execute version to plop into squads if I ever find the need (and the space in my case more importantly). I wasn't entirely happy with the space marine commander box but at least it came with plastic bits that were of alot of use (especially when I started making my Deathwatch truescale squad).

I'm dragging up an old thread but plenty of scope to convert the monopose plastics even with my limited skills;

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/378516.page

I thought the Space Marine and Ork releases were the best stuff GW has been doing recently. Everything else was average with some truly terrible business decisions.

 notprop wrote:
I'm dragging up an old thread but plenty of scope to convert the monopose plastics even with my limited skills;

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/378516.page

I have an acrylic cube I got given as a sample



This is Great News! because there is plenty of scope to convert it to anything I like, including a Stealth Suit.