As suggested by Bloodhorror

I like the detail achievable on the pewter pieces.

Plastic is very easy to work with.

I thought this was a poll on casting at home, so I voted resin.

Plastic because it is sooooo easy to work with. And when you are doing a lot of conversions cutting metal models gets really annoying really quickly, well at least it does for me.

To me it depends a lot on what the plan for the model is.

For conversion work, plastic is my preferred material, for the reasons others have mentioned, ease of conversions and such.

But if it´s a model that I´m going to use straight from the box, resin just captures details so much better, and will hold it better as well.

Pewter? Not a fan at all, it has a lot of old-school feelings connected to it, but with the current casting techniques for resin and plastic, I much prefer those two.

plastic all the way, easy to convert, easy to paint and glue easy to strip and clean, plastic is just alot better..i try to avoid metal figures as much as possible

Plastic is obviously easier to convert but I prefer the way metal figures are cast and I think paint holds to it better than plastic.

I voted plastic, but I wasn't sure what we were deciding on. Pewter gives greater detail (for a better looking sculpt) but plastic is easier to paint and work with.

Plastic or resin by far. I really dislike metal models. Even the smallest ones need pinning or them breaking is a question of when rather than if.

Also, I find they chip a lot easier, which is a ball-ache if youve done one, & hes sitting around waiting for the rest of his squad to be finished before you varnish the lot.

For casting at home ... Metal.

Ease of use and failures can go back in the pot for another go.

I have the skills and the tools to convert metal figures - and something that takes more effort to do is more rewarding for me - hence metal.

Plastic conversions are almost TOO easy (although given the hamfisted conversions I've seen noobs attempt...).

For commercially available figures, metal. It's easier to justify the prices when you can imagine them cast from unobtanium or gold or uranium.

Haven't really worked with resin, but I've heard it comes with its own set of problems. I'm torn, since I love the weight and feel of metal, as well as the detail a well cast piece can maintain, but plastic is just so darn easy to work with, as well as being super light, which makes transporting models easier and helps to keep them base-down on uneven terrain.

Metal models are better for heroes and HQ's, but plastic is better for units and conversions, still I find metal better, because of the details.

when I first started wargaming, I began with Warmachine. All I heard from Privateer Press & the folks on their forums was ''oh, metal figs are so much better! they are all detailed & stuff! so much better than the plastics that GW makes!''
not knowing any better, I was persuaded to believe that metal was the only way to cast a figure and anyone who used plastic was a chump.

then, I got into 40k. Imagine my surprise when I found only a marginal dip in quality [I still think plastics are improving, though, even now...but I'm no professional] & a massive increase in workability & functionality! no more pinning every separate piece of every single infantry model, no more 40-lb. carrying cases, no more jeweller's saws & Dremels to make conversions! wow. it was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders - it was no longer ''work'' to model, but ''fun.''
I find it funny that those same people now hail plastics as the Second Coming since Privateer has gone in that direction.

nevertheless, I perfer plastic but can appreciate the things metal offers...and even resin to a lesser degree, though I've heard it can be pretty toxic, so there's always that...

I still like pewter/metal. if only for their weight.

Even though they are expensive I feel slightly less ripped off owning a pewter mini rather than a plastic alternative.

I still have worries over resin for fine detailing. From smaller companies or garage workshops brittleness can be a big issue.

I voted plastic, but only because converting is my favourite aspect of the "hobby" part of the hobby, and converting metal is just no fun...

I would be super happy if GW phased out all metal figures (except maybe single model, HQ/special characters... maybe).

1. Plastic is easiler to clean mold lines.
2. Plastic is easier to do converseions with.
3. Plastic won't give you lead poisoning.
4. Plastic is lighter.
5. Plastic takes primer with fewer difficulties.

EDIT: I took this poll to mean "If you had the choice of buying the same mini in Plastic, Metal, Resin, or other, what would you choose?"

If the intent of this poll is 'What would you personally cast with?" I would not vote. I have no intention of casting anything other than hirst art block molds with hydrocal. thank you.

Plastic is easiest for generic things like SM captains or CSM lords ect but when it comes to special characters where you want that little bit more i'd feel ripped off if it wasnt metal.

I like both metal and plastic. Plasitic for its easy-to-manipulate-nature and metal for being rigid.
None the less I've used resin and other plastics as well. Nothing is save from my hunger for conversion.

Metal - For me, detail will always trump ease of use.

For me personally its a toss up between plastic and pewter. Plastic is easy to convert and cleans up in a second. Pewter is high detail and still fairly easy to clean up it just requires a few more scrapes with the exacto. Any more lead is not used for the most part. GW, hasn't used lead for 10 - 15 years at least. Reapers P-65 line contains lead but for all but 2 or 3 large monsters they are drawn from their other lead free lines. I would be surprised if Privater Press and Flames Of War used lead but i guess anything is possible.

Plastic definitely wins me over. Although I like the heavy feel of the metal models its just not worth the hassle of assembling or converting compared to plastic.

Metal feels better. And pewter has lots of character, IMO

I definitely like the weight of metal models, particularly for HQ units and such. I do like the workability of plastic though. What we need is some magical material that falls somewhere between the two...

Oh. i thought it meant home castings, so i put resin. oh well, i guess i meant plastic.

plastic all the way, resin is great for really advanced painting but i prefer plastic

focusedfire wrote:I like the detail achievable on the pewter pieces.

Hey Focused, The metal models are made of 99% Tin with a bit of Antimony thrown in as a hardening agent.

Back before pewter there was lead, I have worked with everything and plastic is easy to work with but breaks to easy, Lead was great to work with but toxic and if broken hard to work with, pewter is like lead but harder to work with dulls my blades. Resin I mainly use for large models like buildings hard to work with by hand as lotsa painting surface. I like green stuff and use it almost always so it depends on the model I work with figs/vehicles would be plastic, buildings cardboard, plastic, resin. Special figs teand to start out as pewter/plastic with green stuff.

I was used to using metal, the detail was great until the primer hit, then the detail was lost... Plastic used to suck unitl I got back into it, now the plastics look phenomenal!!! And when you drop one, it may break, but at least it fixable!

I'm still a bit new, but here's how I feel about them:

Metal: I love the weight that metal gives, it just... feels right. But they're a pain in various unmentionables to work with. Just... eesh. On the plus side, I have yet to have one break on me.
Resin: The only resin I've worked with was FW stuff, so it's a limited exposure, and frankly, I was... Intimidated by it. The level of detail is amazing, but that same quality makes me nervous about changing the stock models in even minute ways. Also, I was shocked at how brittle they were.
Plastic: Seems to be a nice balance. Not as tough as metal, or as detailed as Resin, but easy to work with and more... approachable.

So I voted plastic. Though that might change once I actually get around to actually painting anything.

Although, I think they have more detail in metal, I like working and playing with plastic. I always fear dropping the metal stuff.

My favorite has to be plastic, but I am turning into a resin fan. I don't however like the fact that every Forgeworld piece I buy seems to be warped or deformed in some fashion, but I digress. Overall ease and converting hands down best material is plastic. Hopefully when I order FW Imperial Lightning Fighter it will not be all jacked up!!

Mike

Resin. Detail of metal. Workability of plastic.
Also it doesn't require high temp or prohibitively expensive equipment.

The new dark plastics in the trygon and venerable sets and really nice and strong, very crisp and sharp too. Doesn't get better then that.

Well - assuming the models were 100% identical, I'd go with plastic because it's easier to prime. But for the time being (and it's getting very very close) metal still edges out plastic detail wise so for characters and only characters I'm ok with metal.

Plastic, it's the easiest to work with.

Plastic for "basic" units for good conversion and good neough quality, resin for unique or important characters for high quality

I prefer metal, the detail and undercuts are better. Plastic is ok though. I like resin, it's the best of the lot for detail but requires that bit more work, metal is more durable. If resin was cheaper though, I'd buy it more often.

I am surprised as many people went with anything other than plastic ... shocked actually ... none of them must be big on conversions.

I do like the detail of metal figures but weight for a whole army is too much. I like plastics due to its ease of use and weight savings. The details in plastics is steadily improving so the detail difference isn't that much.

I like the weight of metal - I'm of an age where I tend associate weight with quality.

My BA army has at least $5 in nickels (5 cent coins) glued to the underside of bases to give plastic models some heft.

Pewter all the way. I <3 Anima

Bear LaMorte wrote:I am surprised as many people went with anything other than plastic ... shocked actually ... none of them must be big on conversions.

Or we actually have enough skill to convert non-plastic. I hate the clean-up time a typical plastic model calls for.

Edit: Not meant to sound like metal lovers are better than anyone, just clarifying that plastic-lovers aren't the only ones who get to convert.

i like plastic because its easier to convert, easier to put together, and best of all: its alot cheaper

Plastic as its easier to paint. I hate metal with a passion.

Plastic, It's easy to paint, put together, convert and is alot cheaper!

Plastic= Cheap, Easy to paint and alows for easy cutting, and molding for conversions

I like metal because of the weight. Plastic is fragile and yes it is easy to convert

Like plastic. No pinning involved

I'm sort of surprised that metal and resin got as many votes as they did. I can understand if you're casting at home, but...

With metal, you're paying much more money for something which is all but impossible to convert unless you spend a ton of money on tools (including a respirator...), all for something that's heavy, has a really hard time holding paint, and for something that BENDS. Once you loose detail in metal (say, from a particularly bad tumble off a table), that's it, you're done.

With resin, you're paying MUCH more money for something that becomes soft and bendey when you so much as leave it in a hot car on the way to the gaming store. That and it's far more brittle. And far more toxic.

Plastic is, by far, the best way to go. Cheapest, easiest, and, now that they're getting technology better, holds detail just as well as metal, and is far more difficult to destroy, and is much better to paint.

There's a reason why GW has been moving towards all-plastic as fast as it possibly can...

Resin and then plastic. I hate dealing with metal and will gladly shell out 10-20 extra dollars for something that doesn't look like a PoS and weigh half a ton.

Generalstoner wrote:Plastic is obviously easier to convert but I prefer the way metal figures are cast and I think paint holds to it better than plastic.

the paint is not my issue, ever. I want a full army first, paint is not my priority

Plastic for sure, easier to glue together, easier to convert, and if you break plastic you can fix it, try doing that with metal.

Plastic for me.
I haven't had much problem with it(providing i actually have plastic glue when I convert instead of superglue)
Resin...I haven't worked with but I have heard some things about it.
Mainly how brittle it is and that sometimes your model is chipped/broken when you get it from FW
And metal looks good, but I rarely use it. I hate that it comes in a few pieces and I don't have the time to convert it, nor do I want to.
HOWEVER, if I where to cast my own custom pieces(might be doing that soon if finances work right) I would use metal over resin any day.

Plastic

I do like the metal figurines for their details, the poll was asking for standard model. Thus, I would have to go with plastic. Its easier to assemble and it doesn't weigh as much. It's good stuff ^^.

plastic for building, metal for painting

Plastic all the way! Only thing I preffer with metal is that it feels better when you hold it and it won't tip over as easily during gaming. *shrugs*

Metal all the way. Plastic warps too much in the heat, which ruins your paint job. Plastic cannot achieve the level of detail the white metal does. Plastic breaks too easy when you drop it. Plastic is harder to clean up properly. Plastic costs more to get the initial mold for than metal so it actually ends up costing quite a bit more in initial monetary layout. Plastic is too lightweight, so it doesn't sit properly on some tables, and slides too easily off of some terrain.


Until they can actually get the detail of plastic to be better than the detail of white metal then I will never ever like it. When I look at a dire avenger model and see that the models butt and grenade hanging off of it's waist pretty much flow into each other with no real 3d detail to separate the two, I have to ask myself what kind of garbage did I buy. I can cast that better in White Metal and actually get the level of detail right.

Plastic hands down.

I just can't stand the idea of pinning metal models together.

Plastic just holds without any hastle.

I do a lot of my own casting, and Although resin captures so much detail, it's a bitch to work with, I love plastic models, easy to convert and all that. Metal, its perfectly fine as long as the models not bigger than like a dreadnought


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I do a lot of my own casting, and Although resin captures so much detail, it's a bitch to work with, I love plastic models, easy to convert and all that. Metal, its perfectly fine as long as the models not bigger than like a dreadnought

Plastic. The detail just keeps getting better and it's easy to change and convert things.

Plastic, but my trusty Dremel has made converting metal easier!

Plastic is easier to glue together and is cheaper

Plastic, but my trusty Dremel has made converting metal easier!

Wait, I have a Dremel too, how do you use it to convert metal (metal is a real pain for me at times)?

Plastic, it's a lot cheaper than pewter and it's easier to work with.

TheCapm wrote:

Plastic, but my trusty Dremel has made converting metal easier!

Wait, I have a Dremel too, how do you use it to convert metal (metal is a real pain for me at times)?

Plastic, it's a lot cheaper than pewter and it's easier to work with.

What's a Dremel? Is it a power tool?

Melkhiordarkblade wrote:

TheCapm wrote:

Plastic, but my trusty Dremel has made converting metal easier!

Wait, I have a Dremel too, how do you use it to convert metal (metal is a real pain for me at times)?

Plastic, it's a lot cheaper than pewter and it's easier to work with.

What's a Dremel? Is it a power tool?

It is a small electric drill.

So long as it is a good quality resin, resin is my material of choice for both casting and building, but I have gotten some really really bad resin casts. For overall material consistency, factory plastic is a good choice as well. Pewter holds detail well but it is so heavy, leaving things unbalanced. Especially when it is a part metal part plastic piece.

I like resin for sure, but plastic is a close second....

Metal on the other hand...not my favorite. I'm glad there aren't a lot of metal Tau models

I prefer metal, but then my line of miniatures are all in metal

Metal details are cool but seeing the new plastic kits detail and the ease of chopping plastic up.

Vote goes to plastic excellent to convert and takes less time to build.

Plastic. It is easy to work with.

Metal for a good stand-alone model, plastic for any kit-bashing shenanigans.

Voted plastic just because it's easier to work with, but I do enjoy that heavy feel of a metal figure.

I absolutely despise metal.

It's very hard to work with whether trying to correct defects in production or just simply getting the pieces properly assembled. I've worked with pretty much every type of metal material released in the past 30 years and dislike them all.

Regarding resin and "finecast": I am completely underwhelmed. The figures are too light, to easy to screw up and the models I've worked with so far have so many defects that I've lost interest.

That said, resin bases are just fine. I'd still prefer full on plastic but when buying from a small shop I'll deal.

Now, why do I like plastic so much? The #1 reason is simply: glue.

I don't have to jack around with CA. Instead I can use one of the types that weld plastic. CA is brittle and dangerous. It's easy to glue fingers together and I absolutely won't let my kids (under 10) work with it. On the other hand, they can work with the plastic glues all day long and I don't have to worry about fingers stuck together.

Also, dont bring up that its "more expensive" to do plastic molds. At these price levels the cost of molds no longer plays a factor in production.

When it comes to my armys General I love the feel of a metal model in my hand. Though part of me likes resin as I am lazy and dont wanna repair my metal general

Definitely plastic, in some measure no doubt, because the majority of my experience with WFB/40K is recent. I do have a handful of metal figures, mostly characters/HQs, and they are fine, but have not done any modding to speak of on them. Don't hate metal, but can't imagine trying to do something like an Empire army all in metal.

Don't have any resin models, apart from a couple of bases, yet (although Mr. Varghulf is giving me a come-hither look), so will reserve judgement for the moment.

You know, 7 voted Other (write in), but I haven't seen a single post that suggests the other material. Perhaps they would be kind enough to enlighten us?

I'm guessing it's cheese.

Plastic is so easy to work with. Metal is alright, but not as easy to convert. I don't have any finecast models yet, so I can't judge the resin, but judging from the prevailing attitudes to it on this site, i'm not too optimistic. I'll still get some though, just to see for myself.

Voted metal and that will probably never change. I don't mind the other materials, just a personal preference. I enjoy the weight of the metal compared to lighter minis.

Metal all the way!

I like metal, cause I just love the feel of a heavy character model or a terminator in my hands while playing. I'm not against resin, I just would like to see GW create models that were created specifically for resin and not just use the 20 years old cast moulds.

That Diecast/Plastic.

Simply because I like any material that is roughly "cheaper" to produce with greater detail and still manages to cost me more.

I have to vote metal. Just got the Straken model and my god...it is just amazing.

Metal and/or certain resins. Simply because of the detail level, plastics are getting better but there is still a difference between them. I would rather have the minor inconvenience of assembling a model when considering how the final article looks.

Metal. The weight and feel of it is unbeatable and though plastic has come leaps and bounds from its humble beginnings, I still love painting metal. Not even for nostalgic reasons, I haven't been in it that long. For line troops, it would be less than ideal - and plastic really comes into its own for convenience and ease of assembly, but for a striking, dramatic single model such as elites and HQ's in army level -games, or every model in a skirmish game, Make Mine Metal.

Plastic. I love converting, and I love putting my guys into poses that I want to put them in, not what the manufacturer wants me to put them in. Plus, I love being able to use plastic glue that doesn't stick my fingers together when I try to use it.

On the other side of the fence, I prefer resin over metal. I absolutely hate pewter models. They don't stick together properly, I'm constantly seeing slight miscasts that make it near impossible to glue the model together correctly (I bought two Tankbusta kits to make rokkit launcha boyz, and not one of the models holding their gun with two hands fit correctly), and the slightest bump a few weeks/months down the line, and the glue will come apart. Plus, some of the models' sheer weight is enough to make them not stand up properly on the table.

While I don't buy much in the way of Finecast (a Big Mek and a squad of Tankbustas), I have yet to be disappointed. Every model fit together just fine, and it is so, so much easier to paint over metal because the material isn't shiny.

I like plastic for my troopers, but metal for my heroes unless they are gigantic, in which case I favour resin.

Like everyone else, I like plastic the best. But I prefer an expensive finecast mini that can be posed to a plastic mini with only one pose, like the Black Reach ork warboss.

Plastic because they are usually mutli-part kit.

I almost fainted with the surprise.....

Plastic all the way, althou I will miss the old Doombull moddel in metal

Wood

But Really I like metal characters.

Plastic über alles. I really like the clamp-packed plastic characters they did for WHFB recently, I really hope they're the shape of things to come