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If you won't miss Metal, please move along, this is a comisseration thread for those who like metal.

Who out there is going to miss metal GW models and why?

Until recently I would have counted my self among those who had little time for metal. I was building a large IG army and plastic rank and file were cheap (a relative comparison) and easy to convert, guaranteeing some diversity in the rank and file. Then I started playing skirmish games. With fewer miniatures, cost isn't quite as much of an issue and I began to see all the great sculpts in metal and the variation in pose that metal minis have that plastic mini's can't replcate without major conversion. Figures pointing with their entire body, crouching, leaping, with hands hidden, leaning, kneeling, etc, etc. Figures in truely dramataic and dynamic poses showing the skill of the sculptor.

Resin will have many of these attributes, but I'm also going to miss the heft of metal figures. There really is something nice about plunking down a nice heavy figure, or even better a nice heavy monster! Folks complain about balance issues, but it's usually nothing that can't be fixed with some fishing weights glued to the base. I like the weght of metal miniatures enough that even in my only-plastic days, I put coins on the bottom of my IG to add just a bit of weight. Also, metal parts can break apart, but resin just breaks.

Lasty of course is nostalgia. When I entered the hobby, (2nd edition) it was still mostly a metal range and conversions were usually done with metal bits! I've still some nice warm fuzzy feelings about that. Even though other companies make metal miniatures (many of them really good figs), it still seems like a loss.

Anywho, I'll continue to buy and convert metal and plastic (admittely, not much will be new GW purchases) but I do feel that something is being lost in the transition.

How do you feel about the end of GW metal?

I'll miss it. I love the feeling of metal. I love working with it.

RIP White Pewter

There are plenty of other (and IMO better) miniatures companies out there that will continue to produce metal miniatures.

Just because GW is going away from metal doesn't mean that it's going away permenantly.

Biccat,
True, I edited the post a bit to reflect this. Most of the metal I'm buying is not GW, but it still seems a shame.

RIP GW White Pewter then.

Felt like you were getting your money's worth and the Dreadsock will no longer be the same...

RIP Dreadsock, though I hardly knew you your exploits were many and entertaining, the justice you administered to the wicked in the defense of the innocent. Thou shall not be forgotten.

I'll miss the board-shaking clunk of putting a frickin' huge metal MC down by deepstrike. I don't play Nids anymore, but DSing a Flyrant was always a blast.

Eilif wrote:Biccat,
True, I edited the post a bit to reflect this. Most of the metal I'm buying is not GW, but it still seems a shame.

Just pointing out that there are alternatives to buying GW.

Some people on Dakka might be interested in learning that you do have a choice when it comes to little plastic/metal army men.

Eilif wrote:Who else is going to miss metal figures?

I will. Honestly I am in denial, I don't think it (resin recasts) can actually be done.

I built to many Forgeworld resin models for single figs and infantry (not vehicles/titans etc.). They just shatter and come apart, all the thin parts break and nothing is ever really strait, organic stuff can work, but swords and shafts and barrels never really look right. Pinning is hard, resin cracks and shatters, it's a terrible medium for play pieces. Resin models will never survive the rigors of transport and play.

Furthermore the price point for characters, like Eldraad, Lysander, Abadon or the Phoenix lords wont work, they just wouldn't be worth it if they weren't metal. I'm not paying 25$ a model for flimsy resin. Generally I don't think anyone else will either, and single models will either have to be metal still, from direct order only or disappear.

Some models I wont miss at all. That being said, I doo like to have metal HQs, just something about the extra weight that makes them feel like something special when compared to the rank and file plastic troops and vehicles.

That being said, there is always eBay for anyone who wishes to find some nice metal pieces to lead or fill out their armies.

I'm reserving judgement until I actually see the new resin minis in person. Could be better in some cases, less pining required, but more fragile than metal, so I'm really not sure at this point.

n0t_u wrote:RIP GW White Pewter then.

Felt like you were getting your money's worth and the Dreadsock will no longer be the same...

RIP Dreadsock, though I hardly knew you your exploits were many and entertaining, the justice you administered to the wicked in the defense of the innocent. Thou shall not be forgotten.

QFT

Will I miss the blind rage that comes with superglue persistently gluing every surface known to man except the metal surfaces I am trying to bond? Absolutely not.

I will certainly miss it. This resin stuff has little attraction to me, my immediate impression is that it will be brittle and likely to crack rather than being easy to cut about like their plastic kits.

Simply the resin stuff holds little to no appeal to me, especially with the silly price increase slapped on top. I don't see myself purchasing any.

Augustus wrote:

Eilif wrote:Who else is going to miss metal figures?

I will. Honestly I am in denial, I don't think it (resin recasts) can actually be done.

I built to many Forgeworld resin models for single figs and infantry (not vehicles/titans etc.). They just shatter and come apart, all the thin parts break and nothing is ever really strait, organic stuff can work, but swords and shafts and barrels never really look right. Pinning is hard, resin cracks and shatters, it's a terrible medium for play pieces. Resin models will never survive the rigors of transport and play.

This is a good point. I have a hard time seeing how things like banner poles or thin barrels can be done sturdily in resin. By sturdily, I mean being able to withstand the dangers of being owned by a 13 year old.

Redacted for civility and discourse.

I'll really miss it, I always get more of a sense of achievement when I pin, green stuff, and paint a great big metal model, or even just a nicely detailed character for a lord or hero choice. It always feels more like modelling to me and brings back memories of back when I was younger and the ability to make up metal models was a skill to develop, almost seen as for advanced modellers to me. A sad day for me, I'll be weighting my bases for sure with the new resin things!

Thank god I still have Ghazzy in metal. That's a lethal weapon in 17 countries.

Edited to remove my unfair hammering of Filbert.

Redacted for civility and discourse.

Deleted

Im so-so on this, metal was hard to stick, but the weight feels right somehow. I'm not liking the sounds of resin bending and shattering. At least I got Yarrick in metal - thats gonna be a collectors item someday.

I liked the fact that metal was cheaper then plastic and resin.

For the most part, I feel plastic is superior in most every way. However, I will say that I absolutely love the extra heft that a metal Ork Meganob has over a plastic equivalent. That is utterly awesome.

I'd think a transition to 100% injection molded plastic would make more sense.

For example I would be ok with a box set with EVERY special character out of a codex on a plastic sprue, like the spacehulk sprues for example.

Imagine that, as a box set, if it had Telion, Marneus Calgar, tSicaarius, possibly the (metal style) honor guard, and Tigurius on it?

Or possibly Tycho, Dante, Mephiston and the Veteran Honor guard.

All the Phoenix lords....

I'd pay 100$ for a box like that in plastic, but for resin? No way.

I just dont think that resin single models fits the direction their marketing has gone in for years, which is why I am in denial.

Even stll, nostalgically, I will miss the metal, I spent years with a jewlers saw making conversions the hard way, trimming metal models! Check out one of my really old Exarchs from my gallery:



ALL METAL!

I am actually relatively new (couple of years) but really enjoy having both metal and plastic. Metal for the heft (and usually they ARE the 'special' characters) I like that my metal Ghaz and his lead-weight Meganobs actually weigh more than the rest of my army. My Kans & Dreads are metal too.

I will probably try to get the Ork and Marine characters I want before the metal is gone.

I really like carving & converting my troops and vehicles with the plastic - but I don't think the 'new' resin will be as easy to cut & glue or be as durable. I guess I'll have to wait and see with the rest of you.

I have been scooping up old 'classic' metal Orks on Ebay for a while, so I guess there will always be an after-market alternative!

As I noted in a different thread, Studio McVey put out a limited edition resin version of their new models, then switch to metal which is a lot cheaper and unlimited.

I've got a number of Studio McVey's resin models and a number of their metal models. There is no doubt that very detailed models can be cast in resin, but they are essentially less suitable for wargaming due to the delicacy of the parts.

I don't know if the metal versions have less detail than resin. I don't think it matters anyway in a 28mm model. They have more detail than plastic. You can cram the detail into a plastic mould but a fingernail can erode it easily.

I'm definitly going to miss metal. The feel, the weight, and how well it paints. I've never worked with resin and probably don't want to pay the money to start now.

Looks like I'm just going to have to continue to work on my plastic conversions skills :]

Yes, making plastic conversions for metal characters, probably a much more common alternative.

I can't imagine that small thin bits - like the needle of the PainBoy's Dirty Syringe, will last for one night in my model case.

When the metal syringe gets bent, i just bend it back!

This might sound stupid but, are all metal models going to be made into resin ? I am most concerned about ghazghkull, the sag mek and the de range