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 Overread wrote:

 LunarSol wrote:
There's a lot of models whose perception of quality is based on the paint job. Harlequins are a good example of very nice model that still disappoint when people realize the texture on them is almost entirely painted on. You see similar things where people think there's texture in hair and stuff that is entirely freehand.

Infinity do this a lot, though its also that a lot of the detail on their minis is also very fine as well. So its a double hit. Couple that with some good photos and most of their models always feel surprisingly tiny compared to the photos.

That's less true than it used to be. I really started to notice the difference around the 2017 releases, but the digital sculpting has put a lot more detail, particularly in the hair and faces.

This utter utter utter utter utter utter fiddly sodbiscuit.

Sure, he looks great on the box. But having just (not quite accurately) built him?

Never. Again. Give me metal Hive Tyrants and Penitent Engines. Just not this awkward, fiddly, easily bent kit.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way!

GREAT looking model. Nightmare to assemble. I am dreading priming/painting/transporting ...

I guess boardgame plastic is too easy a target, but this miniature has a ton of mold lines because of undercuts, has been pre-assembled, making painting a pain, is mostly black, making details difficult to show, has a flesh-to-black transition for the face, then has the gall to lack details in the face. Here's the original 2D painting.



Now, look at how painters have pretty given up, "Screw it. I have to paint the rest of the miniatures from this D&D boardgame. Let's contrast this thing and paint bears."







I mean, you can see stuff in the last picture, but how does it look like the original painting!?!

Oh, boy. Okay, deep breath here.

A LOT of Age of Sigmar models. Look, I'm not saying they look bad. That's not at all the issue- they look awesome! But... I travel quite a bit. I always carry a case of minis with me- because everywhere I go, I'll usually find a place to game with someone. Age of Sigmar models do not travel well unless you get really, REALLY dedicated with pluck-foam (and sacrifice a good chunk of space). So many spindly little bits that pop off and snap away.

Obsidius Mallex from Blackstone Fortress AKA 'Chaos Lord with Thunder Hammer'. Honestly, in a box that came with a lot of amazing models- this one was underwhelming at best. So much of his body is covered by... hoses? Parts of the metal trim just 'stop' behind the leg. He looks like he's 'walking toward you menacingly' at a glance but if you look at the model in your hand, it's more like he's twisting- his hips are at like a 45 degree angle to his shoulders. This was a model that I just honestly tossed at the nearest Chaos Marine player, and I went and created my own Mallex out of other kits.

A lot of the Sisters of Battle. Honestly, one of them looks like Terry Crews in a wig. Yeah, I also know that GW's not really good with ethnic facial structures and tend to paint black people skin tone on a white face and it comes out looking like... well, blackface. However, some of the facial structures on the sisters heads look like dudes wearing wigs. No, not 'trans women', just some regular dude that found a wig in a costume shop and put it on as a joke. I can't say I've seen stubble on a Sororitas, but if I did- it wouldn't be out of place. Thank the Emperor for Helmets- because otherwise these models are great.

Multiple Forge World Necromunda Models. Uh, yeah. I can honestly say that the "floaty cyborg testicle on a stick", "angry wig man serving divorce papers", "'roid rage Randall", and "Angry Chainsaw Cannibal Boss" were absolutely awful. Not just from an aesthetic point of view- but the Eightfold Harvest Lord looked like a Finecast model from 10 years ago. Ortruum 8-8 has to be some kind of gag that Forge World is playing to see if people are stupid enough to pay $30 for a lump with random bits stuck to it.

Agreed on Mallex, The base model is good, but he looks like he is part sculpted by an intern. Lots of blobby hoses everywhere, looks like my first attempts at green stuff.

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:
Oh, boy. Okay, deep breath here.

A LOT of Age of Sigmar models. Look, I'm not saying they look bad. That's not at all the issue- they look awesome! But... I travel quite a bit. I always carry a case of minis with me- because everywhere I go, I'll usually find a place to game with someone. Age of Sigmar models do not travel well unless you get really, REALLY dedicated with pluck-foam (and sacrifice a good chunk of space). So many spindly little bits that pop off and snap away.

Oh I agree with you there. Khinerai for Daughters of Khaine look fantastic, but my gods they are not practical. Thin tails holding the whole body up (they wobble if you look at them); then on the end of each wing finger there's a long thin spike. Those are so easy to snap just assembling them. I tried foam and realised that to take what I wanted in foam that would protect it I'd hardly get any into a regular case. Because you can't snug fit it otherwise you'll tear off those thin prongs each time.

I fully agree on how impractical GW became with their models over the last 5 years or so. Some armies I only field in the house because I don't want to carry five big boxes just to bring 2000 points to a game

At the same time cases are not that big. There is ample room for firms ilke Battlefoam to make bigger cases that are practical to move things around.

Some of us do not have cars. I would honestly gladly go back to the size things were in 2005, just sculpted and cast using modern techniques instead of having to deal with Teclis' sphinx with a wingspan of an actual pidgeon.

Teclis and Sphinx is a really odd one honestly. I think many get the feeling it was two separate models mashed together because there's no real link between them, they are just posing. Teclis looks like he'd be better leaping off a base with some magic under him; sphinx just doesn't need anything else to be complete.

There's also the massive height of the kharadron boats, or the fact that if you glued the howdah on the idoneth turtle, it's so tall even a standard "large" transport case won' accomodate it. everything has massive antennae,feathers, bannerpoles and other unidentified spindly bits these days.

Totally agree with Adeptus Doritos’ assessment of delicate AOS models and the issues with Mallex.

All of the hoses on Mallex are obviously in place for technical reasons, to eliminate undercuts on the model and to allow it to fit on a single sprue.

To go along with the Teclis model I'd probably just add "any model that is depicted as flying/floating". Almost all of them have a really awkward pose or stupid connection to their base. Astorath, for example, trails metre-upon-metre of scrollwork beneath him to attach to his base, which looks bad in itself but makes even less sense when you consider what that'd look like if he was standing on the ground.

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:
I can't say I've seen stubble on a Sororitas, but if I did- it wouldn't be out of place.

Found it! The shadow on the Superior is... not optimal.

 McMagnus Mindbullets wrote:
I don't know what it is, but the new canoptek reanimator just looks awful to me

I know it's a great model and people love it, but the thing really doesn't do it for me- alas I've only seen them in pictures and on sprue, so maybe my opinion will change.

Agreed. Hate it. Can't get my head around how anybody could actually like it. The quality of the sculpt is fine, the design is awful

Also dislike the Skorpekh Lord. 3 legs.. 3 arms(from 2 shoulders).. boring and awkward pose. It's more Saturday morning cartoon goofy bad guy. Necrons did not need any more of that.

 Robert Facepalmer wrote:

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:
I can't say I've seen stubble on a Sororitas, but if I did- it wouldn't be out of place.

Found it! The shadow on the Superior is... not optimal.

The sister in the top, far right hand side- looks like Steve Buscemi with a bad haircut

My conclusion is: Sisters of Battle is where the ugly girls go

The pretty ones become Astartes.

Cronch wrote:
The pretty ones become Astartes.

On this forum, saying something like that is the equivalent of not just kicking the Hornet's nest... but tearing it out of the tree and throwing it into a mob of chimps on bath salts.

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:In defence of the Necromunda Floaty Fat Boy?

He’s straight out of Blanche’s artwork, which has long been proper wacky and visionary.

Just needs a better paint job.

The way you spell "swill" is quite odd...




For me the Ioneth Deepkin or however the hell you spell them.

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:In defence of the Necromunda Floaty Fat Boy?

He’s straight out of Blanche’s artwork, which has long been proper wacky and visionary.

Blanche's artwork is 2-Dimensional. That doesn't always translate directly to a 3D model. And 'wacky', sure. Visionary? Subjective. He ain't the first guy to make grimdark artwork. Blanche gets heralded as the grand master of 40k artwork, but... it takes a hell of a lot of polish to get his ideas to work as a miniature.

And yes, I know what Blanchitsu is. To each their own, but most of those models look like they smell bad and would be damp and warm to the touch. A lot of them just look like lazy slapjob paint on a cobbled-together model made from junk bits. I get it, some people say it's about a style and yaddayaddayadda.

But if you poop your pants on purpose, you're still an idiot for pooping your pants. It's not a revolutionary act that makes you a high-brow intellectual above us lowly plebs.

(Not "You=Grotsnik", but "You=General". But if you poop your pants...)

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:


And yes, I know what Blanchitsu is. To each their own, but most of those models look like they smell bad and would be damp and warm to the touch.

Given the subject matter, that wouldn't appear to be inappropriate in many cases with 40k...

 Vaktathi wrote:

 Adeptus Doritos wrote:


And yes, I know what Blanchitsu is. To each their own, but most of those models look like they smell bad and would be damp and warm to the touch.

Given the subject matter, that wouldn't appear to be inappropriate in many cases with 40k...

Oh, I've seen someone with Nurgle models that were...

How should I put this?

They certainly had the Grandfather's touch on them, and it was more authentic than cosmetic.

It was one of those things that I had to look around to see if someone was messing with me on hidden camera when he pulled Nurlge Daemons/Deathguard out of his plastic... receptacle...?

 thegreatchimp wrote:
Speaking of busy / cluttered models, I believe Mortarion is the worst offender of all. Pose is good, the detail of the sculpt is incredible, but completely excessive. There is just WAY too much going on with that model. It's as though the sculptor wanted to do as many different textures/materials as possible. In particular, the sheer amount of trailing objects is playing tricks with my eyes. I imagine it's also the absolute pits trying to store and transport it without bending something. Which is something that puts me off a lot of the recent large monster models, but I digress.

Busy models are my biggest gripe with a lot of modern designs. Digital sculpting makes it very easy to just add more stuff, especially with flimsy connections. It spoils the recognizable silhouette that a model needs to be readable at arm's length.

Take the old Typhus sculpt. He's a Terminator with some distinctive back vents and an enormous scythe. There are some nurglings at his feet, but they don't project out from the model and interfere with that silhouette.



Now compare to the new Typhus.



The basic design is the same, but now the model is all over the place. The focal point is the scythe, but its outline is interrupted by the billowing smoke and random flies. There's junk sitting on, sprouting from, or hanging off of just about every panel of the armor. It's just so busy.

This is what really kills the new Death Guard range for me. I enjoy the Nurgle aesthetic, but the sculpts just have too many tentacles, horns, and embellishments jutting out of every surface. Compare to the old Forge World Death Guard and there you see comparable levels of detail but a much cleaner silhouette, accentuated by the (consistent!) addition of the classic pickelhaube spike.

 catbarf wrote:

 thegreatchimp wrote:
Speaking of busy / cluttered models, I believe Mortarion is the worst offender of all. Pose is good, the detail of the sculpt is incredible, but completely excessive. There is just WAY too much going on with that model. It's as though the sculptor wanted to do as many different textures/materials as possible. In particular, the sheer amount of trailing objects is playing tricks with my eyes. I imagine it's also the absolute pits trying to store and transport it without bending something. Which is something that puts me off a lot of the recent large monster models, but I digress.

Busy models are my biggest gripe with a lot of modern designs. Digital sculpting makes it very easy to just add more stuff, especially with flimsy connections. It spoils the recognizable silhouette that a model needs to be readable at arm's length.

Take the old Typhus sculpt. He's a Terminator with some distinctive back vents and an enormous scythe. There are some nurglings at his feet, but they don't project out from the model and interfere with that silhouette.

SNIP

Now compare to the new Typhus.

SNIP

The basic design is the same, but now the model is all over the place. The focal point is the scythe, but its outline is interrupted by the billowing smoke and random flies. There's junk sitting on, sprouting from, or hanging off of just about every panel of the armor. It's just so busy.

This is what really kills the new Death Guard range for me. I enjoy the Nurgle aesthetic, but the sculpts just have too many tentacles, horns, and embellishments jutting out of every surface. Compare to the old Forge World Death Guard and there you see comparable levels of detail but a much cleaner silhouette, accentuated by the (consistent!) addition of the classic pickelhaube spike.

It's a bit perplexing that the Deathshroud Bodyguard based on the old Typhus model makes for a better Typhus (or model in general) than the actual updated models does...

 catbarf wrote:
Busy models are my biggest gripe with a lot of modern designs. Digital sculpting makes it very easy to just add more stuff, especially with flimsy connections. It spoils the recognizable silhouette that a model needs to be readable at arm's length.

Take the old Typhus sculpt. He's a Terminator with some distinctive back vents and an enormous scythe. There are some nurglings at his feet, but they don't project out from the model and interfere with that silhouette.

Now compare to the new Typhus.

The basic design is the same, but now the model is all over the place. The focal point is the scythe, but its outline is interrupted by the billowing smoke and random flies. There's junk sitting on, sprouting from, or hanging off of just about every panel of the armor. It's just so busy.

This is what really kills the new Death Guard range for me. I enjoy the Nurgle aesthetic, but the sculpts just have too many tentacles, horns, and embellishments jutting out of every surface. Compare to the old Forge World Death Guard and there you see comparable levels of detail but a much cleaner silhouette, accentuated by the (consistent!) addition of the classic pickelhaube spike.

Agreed -I couldn't have put it better myself. It's the classic mistake of trying to strengthen the defining style of something to the point that it becomes strained and loses its "elegance" (if such a word can be applied to bloated, rotting superhumans). The bony spurs / spikes on the range are my biggest gripe - they could have looked good, but they'e so large that they're anatomically impossible. On a side note, these two are very nicely painted though.

Saturday Night Typhus is definitely worse than the old Typhus, for sure.

I'm pretty sure the bone growths on the Poxwalkers are meant to be impossible - they're infected with a Warp plague, after all, so we shouldn't expect the results to be realistic.

I'll just... leave this here...

I always assumed the spiky growths on the poxwalkers and other DG models were supposed to suggest some kind of super-chordyceps fungal eruption rather than bone.

I forgot to mention, but it seems GW's sculptors might be learning, because the newly previewed Terminator character avoids the problems I mentioned before:

It's got a fairly clean silhouette, a decent amount of embellishment without it covering every surface of the armor, and a nice sense of direction and movement. I like it a lot.

 Duskweaver wrote:
I always assumed the spiky growths on the poxwalkers and other DG models were supposed to suggest some kind of super-chordyceps fungal eruption rather than bone.

It's neither. It says they are keratin in the DG book.

As for Typhus, I stand by what I said in my initial post ITT. Awful pose, great model.

All you have to do is do some quick snips to the limbs to rearrange them to a more pleasing pose. Like so: