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So with the new switch to resin models and the price climb, more than a few people are upset, i have nothing to say about the price change, but would like to know more about resin. To anyone who has some experience with resin models: What are they good for? What are they bad for? Do you prefer them over metal? Or just add your own personal opinion on resin in general, all is welcome!

All comments are read and appreciated
-E

Easier to model. Far easier to model. As in no pinning or anything is required to get it to stick. But I also heard it snaps much easier then regular plastic.

Well I have worked with resin a few times, all have been kits from forge world, and basically working with resin it alot more presice and time consuming than working with metal (moreso with vehicles). The switch is going to be all infantry AFAIK and Im not sure if these finecast minis are going to require washing/flash removal but will be much easier to build then the current metal casts.

Ninjakinshu wrote:What I Don't get though is that, if allegedly resin is cheaper to cast then metals, then why the f*ck are prices climbing?

Because it's for the good of the hobby. By which GW means they want more money from you while cutting their costs to make up the money they shell out in legal fees to bully small companies.

I haven't had much experience with resin, but from experience, they are Warp On Earth to assemble.

Without seeing the actual resin they're using, it's really too early to say.

Some resins warp, some don't.
Some resins are brittle, some aren't.
Some hold superb detail, some don't.


If it's anything like what Privateer are using, I'm actually thinking it's an awesome change. No warpage, minimal mould lines, and much, much easier to work with than white metal.

I've only got one Forgeworld resin piece, and aside from having to wash the whole thing, I had a pretty easy time with it, much easier than with metal.
Considering how much they've publicly said they are making the switch to save money, I have no idea how they are justifying this cost increase...

MandalorynOranj wrote:I've only got one Forgeworld resin piece, and aside from having to wash the whole thing, I had a pretty easy time with it, much easier than with metal.
Considering how much they've publicly said they are making the switch to save money, I have no idea how they are justifying this cost increase...

The price hike is an across-the-board deal. The new Finecast stuff could've been made out of paper mache, they still would've raised the prices.

Personally, I love resin. I've played Death Korps, I play Elysians right now, and I've dabbled in casting bases and other accessories myself. It's a bit harder to work with than plastic, but holds much better detail, which I absolutely love. Delicious under-cuts you'll never get with a plastic mold. After working with it for a while, you get used to how it behaves and how to go about getting the bits ready for assembly.

But the above is resin in general. As far as the Finecast stuff goes, I think it's a good move on GW's part. Metal models will finally be relatively easy to convert, and an X-Acto knife will do instead of a freakin' jewelers' saw. And no more shattering when you tip them over! Pinning is no longer an absolute necessity! Models will actually not weigh a ton and a half! I honestly can't think of any cons, aside from the general price hike. The detail's going to be the same, so I'm all about it.

The pros and cons I see:

Pros:
Resin is easier to convert
Resin is lighter

Cons:
Resin is easier to break
They increased the prices



Overall I was happy they decided to switch to resin but with all the gak they just pulled they lost me as a customer, I will not spend more money into a game system that is trying to kill itself and my wallet with it.

I'll wait until I have a sample in my hands to comment on "finecast".

Like Insaniak said, there are many variables with resin, and unless we know the specific type, you'll likely be barking up the wrong glass house.

I hear it's loaded with carcinogens... seriously...

Yeah, but supposedly so is toast.

Belerephon wrote:I hear it's loaded with carcinogens... seriously...

It's a common misconception that resin is 'dangerous'. Yes, it's a bad idea to breathe in too much of the stuff, but that's true of plastic and super glue too. Resin is no more dangerous than any of the dozen other dangerous things we have to work with in this hobby.

That being said, I've worked with larg escale resin pieces, adn I have to say I'm pleased. I actually prefer working with resin than metabl simply because resin is so much easier to fix if it's bent or something. Just put it in warm water and ease the shape back. Besides having to give it a quick scrub, I'm probably going to be in favor of this decisions, buyt like everyone else said....

I want to see a real one of these 'Finecast' minatures before I pass judgement.

The ease with which they can be paint-stripped will be interesting to find out but I suspect we'll be waiting a while for that.

In case you guys haven't seen.

Queek Headtaker, Skaven character, in "finecast".

It looks pretty much like an injection moulding sprue frame.

Can't make out a lot of detail...I'm just waiting for the offiicial release and we can see the assembled and painted version. Does just look like your standard sprue though.

I'm a bit worried with those pics... the frames are all distorted and everything looks a bit messy with lots of snapping points for you to clean... Im really worried now.

Other resin manufacturers don't produce that volume of tags and other stuff to clean up. I guess it's a result of retro using models designed for metal casting.

Some of the bigger metal models will probably work a bit better as wings, heavy weapons, etc. won't put as much strain on joints.

That's the first time I have seen that image, how strange... an injection molded style sprue with a resin injected medium?

Um wow, that's not like anything I have ever seen in 20 years of modeling not just GW.

I am still skeptical, but at least detail wise, it seems like it might work. No idea about the property of the resin for durability. Hmmm...

From 1st hand experience I can say I have ordered and built the sprues (well tried) for the space marine veteran sargent from forge world,



which is about as similar to this as I can claim, and several pieces were unusable (sword and knife), but that didn't have the all the sprue connection points this has... ?



I think there's a reason the FW images show cleaned de-sprued pieces, because getting them off the sprues is almost impossible for thin little pieces like the sword in the space marine character bits. The skaven though, has the entire arm and sword together, which looks like it could be safely desprued and assembled, and if the resin was comparable to injection molded plastic and not to brittle, well, it might be ok!

I am concerned about the warped appearance in the sprue sides, look at the distortion, everyone knows what the square geometry from sprue on injection molded models looks like and these are really irregular.

Possibly low quality there, especially at top left sprue 1 and center top on sprue 3.

Hmmm.

You had problems with the sword and knife from the Character Bits?

Huh. I thought they were the easiest parts to get off. Just a bit of careful knifework and you're good.

[quote=Augustus
I think there's a reason the FW images show cleaned de-sprued pieces, because getting them off the sprues is almost impossible for thin little pieces like the sword in the space marine character bits.

Kanluwen wrote:You had problems with the sword and knife from the Character Bits?

Huh. I thought they were the easiest parts to get off. Just a bit of careful knifework and you're good.

Yea it wasnt impossible, but of the 4 I had even with careful knifework 2 of the swords broke, one in the blade and one at the handle. The 2 that lived were so thin I didn't really trust them for use. In any case combining them with plastic pieces to form a complete model was not something I was considering because of the brittle pieces I had. The other components worked well, like the arms and power glove.

Howard A Treesong wrote:...I can't help thinking metal casting just looks neater and more professional, these last few pics look like the product of someone doing some casting on their kitchen table. Maybe it isn't the final product though.

Indeed! Maybe it's not, I hope not. But it is revealing witht he plastic sprue round the model, different even from forgeworld, it makes me wonder if some of my assumptions about resin concerns might not be founded. I want to not be upset about resin, some promise here for that, but this sample image isn't quite enough to make me a believer yet.

Interesting though.

Augustus wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:You had problems with the sword and knife from the Character Bits?

Huh. I thought they were the easiest parts to get off. Just a bit of careful knifework and you're good.

Yea it wasnt impossible, but of the 4 I had even with careful knifework 2 of the swords broke, one in the blade and one at the handle. The 2 that lived were so thin I didn't really trust them for use. In any case combining them with plastic pieces to form a complete model was not something I was considering because of the brittle pieces I had. The other components worked well, like the arms and power glove.

No doubt about them being thin, but I didn't really find them to be dangerously brittle.

The bolter bionic arm has been used to replace Inquisitor Lok's sword arm, along with a combiflamer. Because really, what was that chap doing fighting Tyranids without fire?

Howard A Treesong wrote:...I can't help thinking metal casting just looks neater and more professional, these last few pics look like the product of someone doing some casting on their kitchen table. Maybe it isn't the final product though.

Indeed! Maybe it's not, I hope not. But it is revealing with the plastic sprue round the model, different even from forgeworld, it makes me wonder if some of my assumptions about resin concerns might not be founded. I want to not be upset about resin, some promise here for that, but this sample image isn't quite enough to make me a believer yet.

Interesting though.

Well, now with some pics of assembled Finecast minis up on the GW site, I can say that they don't look like "a new era in wargaming" or "the highest quality miniatures the world has ever seen." They level of detail doesn't seem changed from the metals, and the resin models themselves look the same as the plastic-resin that Privateer Press uses. As much as this'll be easier to work with than metal, it's definitely way overhyped.

Wev've seen like three models, and while I haven't been overly wow-ed, I'm willing to give GW the benefit of the doubts for now.

I'm just hoping we get a fine cast Commissar of some sort. I've been wanting to add some variety to my Commisssars for a while now.

Wait until you leave your army in the car for a few minutes on a hot summer day. Just like Forge World's Hydra Barrels, all the swords and gun barrels will be flaccid.

Resin sucks.

For FoW, you may want to look at the starter set (Open Fire) and 'Das Book' as a slightly cheaper way to get the rules and some minis, if you want what's in the set. I've heard 'Das Book' has all the rules removed from the HC rulebook to make the Open Fire mini rulebook as well as some scenario/theatre specific rules like boccage from various supplements.

Don't forget you'll eventually need a theatre briefing book for the appropriate period (early/mid/late war).

MandalorynOranj wrote:As much as this'll be easier to work with than metal, it's definitely way overhyped.

Of course it's over-hyped, they have to in order to make the price increase easier to swallow as well as draw attention away from the fact that the switch to resin was to make use of a cheaper casting material.