The Citadel Finecast metal to resin change thread.

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**Necros**

I don't think I'll be buying any finecast models for a while... I just went and got metals for everything I needed for my goblins.. I guess we'll see when new Necrons come out...

I guess all this price raising stuff doesn't bug me so much cuz I have enough stuff to paint right now I could go a year or more without buying a new model and still have plenty to work on...

**NAVARRO**

Necros wrote:I don't think I'll be buying any finecast models for a while... I just went and got metals for everything I needed for my goblins..

I should be doing just that for my gobbos also but unfortunatly theres other fishes to catch first and I'm not much inclined to panic buy.

**Inanimate**

Le Grognard wrote:
warspawned wrote:
Apparently the move to resin is actually costing GW MORE than producing in plastic, hence the price rise. Spin, or truth, make of it what you will, but I believe the person who told me this.

I've no doubt it's more expensive than plastic, but it shouldn't be as expensive as metal, unless the price increase is to try & balance the books for their investment, which they shouldn't have made if the money wasn't there in the first place

We'll have to wait & see what the prices are like...any bets?

Gotta be at least 10%, anything less wouldn't be worth it, and anything more would be a mad grab for cash. So I guess they'll prove me wrong and it'll be way above 10%.

10% sounds reasonable, but I'd put the cap at 15%. This switch must've cost them a lot of money, and I don't think the cut in material costs alone would validate this kind of move. What I hope for is that unit sales will spike for a month or so, leading to increased revenue and the investment being returned super fast so that they can cut the price back, but that's unlikely.

**BrassScorpion**

The Finecast announcement is the least troublesome to me of the four spear points customers were hit with last week. Here's why.

First, as there is a general price hike to much of their product line this coming weekend anyway, annoying as that is I wouldn't blame it on the Finecast change. This is the time of year GW usually has its annual price increase.

Second, I actually welcome the material change. After more than two decades in this hobby I've grown weary of certain issues associated with metal models. Now that the same or nearly same level of detail can be captured in plastics I've severely curtailed my purchases of metal miniatures the past couple years, especially since box sets are a much better deal for your money than buying single model blisters, many of which sell for more than $20 now. Though the prices will still be high for single Finecast miniatures, many of the larger kits that were still metal are extremely heavy and fragile because of their own weight. That issue will be mitigated with the change to Finecast. And plastics of any kind, polystyrene or resins, generally hold paint better than metal. I'm really looking forward to less paint touch ups on edges, especially pointed bits or bits with fine edges.

For me, the change to resin is a welcome one. The only remaining issue with these single models is the price. I do feel they've gotten way out of line the past couple years and unfortunately that problem is not going to be mitigated by the change from pewter to resin. But otherwise it's a welcome change and there are some models I would consider buying now that I would not before because I didn't want any more large metal kits.

**Ajroo**

BrassScorpion wrote: it's a welcome change and there are some models I would consider buying now that I would not before because I didn't want any more large metal kits.

i know its more expensive, but i can finally have azhag, without all the hassle of the massive model. worth it

**Mr. Burning**

Just read this on GW's website:

One thing you'll notice immediately when you pick them up is the exceptionally sharp detail on the model, which can only be described as staggering. For dedicated painters (which we all are to some extent) this is a dream come true.

If the original sculpt was soft how can finecast details be any sharper?

Just interested in how GW would get sharper detail off an existing sculpt (that metal failed to achieve). Or is the GW promoting the cap out of plastic being......the new plastic?

**TheFirstBorn**

Is there any news on them doing vossies in resin?

that would make my life..

**snake**

So should I even bother assembling and painting my terminators? Are they just going to be re-released as finecast?

**HAZZER**

Whats the point on redoing the whole white metal Ctadel range when new modles have just come out?
Well at least ebay get a benfit form this...rare opp average gauardsmen with heavy weapons...Very opp..This is becuase GW are stupid and think they will get more custumers doing this when they won't because of the huge price difference.
Or that armys with whine metail modles would be quite rare in a about 10 to 20 years or so..(Thats is GW are still going)...
Hope this is a good contibution.
HAZZER

**BrassScorpion**

i know its more expensive, but i can finally have azhag, without all the hassle of the massive model. worth it

When the Tyranid book came out with the new Swarmlord idea I really wanted to convert one, but I already have a massive metal Hive Tyrant and just didn't want to mess with another one. I would consider it now that the model no longer weighs so much. Storage and weight are an issue to me these days because I have so many models.

**Inanimate**

Mr. Burning wrote:Just read this on GW's website:

One thing you'll notice immediately when you pick them up is the exceptionally sharp detail on the model, which can only be described as staggering. For dedicated painters (which we all are to some extent) this is a dream come true.

If the original sculpt was soft how can finecast details be any sharper?

Just interested in how GW would get sharper detail off an existing sculpt (that metal failed to achieve). Or is the GW promoting the cap out of plastic being......the new plastic?

I don't know, really. In all honesty, that Emperor's Champion they featured looks exactly like mine after I based it with Dheneb Stone (not as grey, but you get it

). The chain around his neck, the handle on the sword, the blade, the skull purity seal, the fingers... all of those fine details are captured on the pewter ones as well. Maybe it comes down to a trick of the eye where details are easier to make out because of the darker, non-shimmery tone of the resin?

**HAZZER**

Guys read this from GW.

**Kanluwen**

Mr. Burning wrote:Just read this on GW's website:

One thing you'll notice immediately when you pick them up is the exceptionally sharp detail on the model, which can only be described as staggering. For dedicated painters (which we all are to some extent) this is a dream come true.

If the original sculpt was soft how can finecast details be any sharper?

Just interested in how GW would get sharper detail off an existing sculpt (that metal failed to achieve). Or is the GW promoting the cap out of plastic being......the new plastic?

Because they likely made the Finecast molds directly from the master, rather than making a master and converting to the other.

That's just a theory though.

**Dark Apostle 666**

Sorry, so do we know if this resin mix is "safe" to work with? Cos' I've heard some nasty rumours and I'd like this to be cleared up.
I hope this means the re-release of the CSM havocs and plague marines, both of which I avoided buying due to them being metal.

**Kanluwen**

Dark Apostle 666 wrote:Sorry, so do we know if this resin mix is "safe" to work with? Cos' I've heard some nasty rumours and I'd like this to be cleared up.
I hope this means the re-release of the CSM havocs and plague marines, both of which I avoided buying due to them being metal.

Yes. We know it, like all kinds of resin, is safe to work with.

Unlike the "other" resin, you won't need to work outside or with a dust mask/ventilation system in place because it's not pure resin--but a plastic/resin mix.

**Dark Apostle 666**

Thanks, I'm now quite excited about the new models. Hurrah for GW! (never heard that before...)

**BrassScorpion**

For those who cannot visit the GW website from their current locations, here's the announcement from today about Finecast:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/blogPost.jsp?aId=16700019a

Last week we made a little announcement about the new Citadel Finecast range. Of course, it's all been very secret-squirrel here at Head Office, so much so that only a few of us have actually seen the new miniatures. With that in mind, we decided to let the guys in the Studio write today's blog post, after all they are the ones that have spent the last few months living and breathing Citadel Finecast.

Andy Hall: Last week we announced something very special - so special in fact that it's nothing less than a new era in wargaming, as we launch the highest quality miniatures the world has ever seen - Citadel Finecast.

Wow, that's quite a statement isn't it? Nonetheless, it is very true. On the 28th of May we launch Citadel Finecast, miniatures of such exquisite detail that they are the closest representation of the sculptors' original that we have ever been able to make. Until you hold one in your hand and see it for yourself, it's hard to describe just how detailed they are.

So, what are Citadel Finecast miniatures and why are we making the change? Quite simply, Citadel Finecast is the next step in the evolution in tabletop miniatures wargaming. From the start, Games Workshop has always innovated and sought to increase the quality of our models - Citadel Finecast is the next step in that process. There are no other miniatures that exist of this quality and manufactured on this scale in the world, and we're proud and very excited for you all to see this for yourselves.

The Citadel Finecast miniatures are all made from a unique resin formula. For us as hobbyists, this is great news. The resin is easy to work with and quick to cut off the sprue, making assembling a miniature easier than it has ever been. Not only that, but it's incredibly light too, which means pinning wings and other heavy components will be a thing of the past. So, quick and durable, that's a good start. But of course, one of the main reasons for this change to resin was quality. One thing you'll notice immediately when you pick them up is the exceptionally sharp detail on the model, which can only be described as staggering. For dedicated painters (which we all are to some extent) this is a dream come true.

This Saturday is going to be a landmark day in Games Workshop's history. No matter which country you live in, when the doors of your local Hobby Centre open for business on Saturday morning, you'll find over 100 new clampacks and boxed sets of Citadel Finecast miniatures. This is your chance to come and have a look and make up your own mind about the bold claims I've made above. You won't be disappointed.

You should also make sure you pick up June's White Dwarf. In it I'll be discussing the new kits even further, and talking to such luminaries as 'Eavy Metal's Joe Tomaszewski about what it's like paint Citadel Finecast, as well as veteran miniatures designer Aly Morrison regarding what the future holds when sculpting for the new medium. To quote Aly: "In a way it will push us to try things we could never realise before; to add even more dynamism to the models." Being a hobbyist first and foremost, that's a very exciting thing for me to hear.

So, what next? Every day this week we'll be adding more images of upcoming Citadel Finecast models to the website leading up to the launch on Saturday. All you need to do is make sure you're at your local Games Workshop Hobby Centre this Saturday for the grand unveiling.

*

The Eldar range is often seen as the epitome of intricate, beautiful miniatures. Re-moulding them as Citadel Finecast pieces only helps to further that image.
*

Even the 'Eavy Metal team, veteran painters one and all, were in awe of the new miniatures. Details such as spirit stones and feathers are now cleaner and crisper than they've ever been.
*

In some cases, whole regiments have been converted into resin kits and the Blood Knights are the perfect example of this. These famously heavy models are now light as a feather, easy to assemble and extremely durable.
*

The finished Blood Knight Castellan is a piece of art in its own right. Areas of detail such as fur and hair are superbly well-defined, allowing you to really go to town with you paint-job. Even the armour plates have crisper, tidier detail.
*

Characters like Gandalf the White have never looked so good. Now re-born in Citadel Finecast, you can truly appreciate the level of detail that can be achieved - it's like looking at a new miniature.
*

Cloaks and capes require a superb casting to ensure a smooth surface for the painter to work on. The Citadel Finecast version of Gandalf is an outstanding example of that.

Now that you've seen a few of them, I'm sure a lot of you are thinking the same thing that I am: what one do you get first? After much deliberation, I reckon I'll be outside my local store pretty early on Saturday morning (6am with coffee in hand) to pick up Warlord Queek Headtaker. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there, where you can pick up the new models, have a look at them and choose which ones to add to your collection. I expect a lot of Games Workshop Hobby Centres to look like this

**Absolutionis**

From Facebook via comment:

Games Workshop: Also, chaps, we've spotted the odd comment about the safety of the resin. As with all our products, this has been vigorously checked. There are currently many formulations of resin used across the world. The resin material we are using for Citadel Finecast models has undergone testing by a leading international toy safety testing agency. They identified no risks to health and recommend no special precautions.

**HAZZER**

BrassScorpion wrote:For those who cannot visit the GW website from their current locations, here's the announcement from today about Finecast:

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/blogPost.jsp?aId=16700019a

Last week we made a little announcement about the new Citadel Finecast range. Of course, it's all been very secret-squirrel here at Head Office, so much so that only a few of us have actually seen the new miniatures. With that in mind, we decided to let the guys in the Studio write today's blog post, after all they are the ones that have spent the last few months living and breathing Citadel Finecast.

Andy Hall: Last week we announced something very special - so special in fact that it's nothing less than a new era in wargaming, as we launch the highest quality miniatures the world has ever seen - Citadel Finecast.

Wow, that's quite a statement isn't it? Nonetheless, it is very true. On the 28th of May we launch Citadel Finecast, miniatures of such exquisite detail that they are the closest representation of the sculptors' original that we have ever been able to make. Until you hold one in your hand and see it for yourself, it's hard to describe just how detailed they are.

So, what are Citadel Finecast miniatures and why are we making the change? Quite simply, Citadel Finecast is the next step in the evolution in tabletop miniatures wargaming. From the start, Games Workshop has always innovated and sought to increase the quality of our models - Citadel Finecast is the next step in that process. There are no other miniatures that exist of this quality and manufactured on this scale in the world, and we're proud and very excited for you all to see this for yourselves.

The Citadel Finecast miniatures are all made from a unique resin formula. For us as hobbyists, this is great news. The resin is easy to work with and quick to cut off the sprue, making assembling a miniature easier than it has ever been. Not only that, but it's incredibly light too, which means pinning wings and other heavy components will be a thing of the past. So, quick and durable, that's a good start. But of course, one of the main reasons for this change to resin was quality. One thing you'll notice immediately when you pick them up is the exceptionally sharp detail on the model, which can only be described as staggering. For dedicated painters (which we all are to some extent) this is a dream come true.

This Saturday is going to be a landmark day in Games Workshop's history. No matter which country you live in, when the doors of your local Hobby Centre open for business on Saturday morning, you'll find over 100 new clampacks and boxed sets of Citadel Finecast miniatures. This is your chance to come and have a look and make up your own mind about the bold claims I've made above. You won't be disappointed.

You should also make sure you pick up June's White Dwarf. In it I'll be discussing the new kits even further, and talking to such luminaries as 'Eavy Metal's Joe Tomaszewski about what it's like paint Citadel Finecast, as well as veteran miniatures designer Aly Morrison regarding what the future holds when sculpting for the new medium. To quote Aly: "In a way it will push us to try things we could never realise before; to add even more dynamism to the models." Being a hobbyist first and foremost, that's a very exciting thing for me to hear.

So, what next? Every day this week we'll be adding more images of upcoming Citadel Finecast models to the website leading up to the launch on Saturday. All you need to do is make sure you're at your local Games Workshop Hobby Centre this Saturday for the grand unveiling.

*

The Eldar range is often seen as the epitome of intricate, beautiful miniatures. Re-moulding them as Citadel Finecast pieces only helps to further that image.
*

Even the 'Eavy Metal team, veteran painters one and all, were in awe of the new miniatures. Details such as spirit stones and feathers are now cleaner and crisper than they've ever been.
*

In some cases, whole regiments have been converted into resin kits and the Blood Knights are the perfect example of this. These famously heavy models are now light as a feather, easy to assemble and extremely durable.
*

The finished Blood Knight Castellan is a piece of art in its own right. Areas of detail such as fur and hair are superbly well-defined, allowing you to really go to town with you paint-job. Even the armour plates have crisper, tidier detail.
*

Characters like Gandalf the White have never looked so good. Now re-born in Citadel Finecast, you can truly appreciate the level of detail that can be achieved - it's like looking at a new miniature.
*

Cloaks and capes require a superb casting to ensure a smooth surface for the painter to work on. The Citadel Finecast version of Gandalf is an outstanding example of that.

Now that you've seen a few of them, I'm sure a lot of you are thinking the same thing that I am: what one do you get first? After much deliberation, I reckon I'll be outside my local store pretty early on Saturday morning (6am with coffee in hand) to pick up Warlord Queek Headtaker. I look forward to seeing a lot of you there, where you can pick up the new models, have a look at them and choose which ones to add to your collection. I expect a lot of Games Workshop Hobby Centres to look like this

I've allready posted it:

Guys read this from GW.

**BrassScorpion**

HAZZER wrote:I've allready posted it:

I saw your post. You only posted the link. Not everyone can visit the GW website during the day because it is blocked from their work locations, so I posted the full text, not just the link. And I already stated that reason in my previous post! Now we have two more useless posts in this thread, yours erroneously pointing out that you "already posted it" and my unfortunately necessary rebuttal explaining to you why I posted the text with the source link. Wow, how I love forums sometimes.

Now that I can learn everything else I need to know about this topic in just a few days at my local store, I can unsubscribe to this thread which at this point has probably outlived its usefulness.

**Kroothawk**

yakface wrote:And GW have posted the finecast announcement:
http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/blogPost.jsp?aId=16700019a

HAZZER wrote:I've allready posted it:
Guys read this from GW.

Yep, you posted the link 2 hours after Yakface to be precise

**Manchu**

Merging duplicate thread:

tgf wrote:I post this once before and got accused of trolling, so I went to my LGS and talked to the owner and he allowed me to read the letter from GW. Finecast mini's will not be stocked in the US for the forseeable future. They will be special order only and stores are only allowed to order 3 of any finecast model at a time. In addition to that there was a warning about trying to circumvent the system. Finecast will be in very limited supply in the US.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/370983.page

**BladeWalker**

I, for one, welcome our new resin overlords.

Getting Vanguards and Sternguards first.

**whoadirty**

From the merged thread:

whoadirty wrote:And when the popular models (eg Hive Guard) sell out and Canada can't get the Finecast ones, what then?

Kanluwen wrote:Do you really think the entire current stock of Hive Guard, worldwide, is going to be selling out in 5 months? And do you really think that the entirety of Canada will not be getting Finecast?

That, if this rumor is true, is not the case. Your LGS will not be able to get Finecast. Your local GW shop will be able to.

Well, I can't buy them from GW's website and there is a whopping two NIB on Ebay, both from the UK. Oh, and my local GW shop is 600 KMs away. GW is making nothing easier on their customers.

**Kanluwen**

whoadirty wrote:From the merged thread:

whoadirty wrote:And when the popular models (eg Hive Guard) sell out and Canada can't get the Finecast ones, what then?

Kanluwen wrote:Do you really think the entire current stock of Hive Guard, worldwide, is going to be selling out in 5 months? And do you really think that the entirety of Canada will not be getting Finecast?

That, if this rumor is true, is not the case. Your LGS will not be able to get Finecast. Your local GW shop will be able to.

Well, I can't buy them from GW's website and there is a whopping two NIB on Ebay, both from the UK. Oh, and my local GW shop is 600 KMs away. GW is making nothing easier on their customers.

The "local" GW shop for me is across state lines.

You can't buy the Hive Guard from GW's website because they're being converted to 'Finecast'. They won't be back in stock till around the 28th.

**Kroothawk**

Here a summary of how I think the future of the miniature range is planned by GW:

1.) This week, all GW stores send their metal miniatures, including blisters, boxes and hybrid kits, back to GW central to be sold as direct only. Non-GW stores don't have the option to send them back. Only stores that can get mail order only things (called Premium stores from now on) can get metal miniatures from now on.

2.) The most important current metal miniatures are recast in Finecast. GW stores and Premium stores can stock these from 28th May onward (not sure if limited supply, then direct order again, or permanent), currently limited to ordering 3 per blister/box due to global distribution limits. Everyone else can special order them, but not stock them.

3.) There will be no new metal models, these will be released as Finecast from now on, maybe as "limited supply", going to "direct only" after about 3 months. New Finecast models start in June (Dark Eldar and Tomb Kings). New models can exploit the new materials greater ability to show details.

4.) This will tear huge gaps in the miniature range, as essential HQs and elites of certain armies are not readily available in many stores, armies without a plastic HQ always require a special order from GW to field a legal army. Customers are asked to convert an HQ from plastic boxes.

Don't kill the messenger. I don't like it either.

**Kilkrazy**

I wonder if GW will get their quality as good as the companies who have been producing finely cast figures in resin for years.

**H.B.M.C.**

Games Workshop wrote:"There are no other miniatures that exist of this quality and manufactured on this scale in the world..."

I love the smell of hubris in the morning...

**Kroothawk**

Just wait for next month's Finecast release to prove their global superiority:

**whoadirty**

Kroothawk wrote:Here a summary of how I think the future of the miniature range is planned by GW:

1.) This week, all GW stores send their metal metal miniatures, including blisters, boxes and hybrid kits, back to GW central to be sold as direct only. Non-GW stores don't have the option to send them back. Only stores that can get mail order only things (called Premium stores from now on) can get metal miniatures from now on.

2.) The most important current metal miniatures are recast in Finecast. GW stores and Premium stores can stock these from 28th May onward (not sure if limited supply, then direct order again, or permanent), currently limited to ordering 3 per blister/kit due to global distribution limits. Everyone else can special order them, but not stock them.

3.) There will be no new metal models, these will be released as Finecast from now on, maybe as "limited supply", going to "direct only" after about 3 months. New Finecast models start in June (Dark Eldar and Tomb Kings). New models can exploit the new materials greater ability to show details.

4.) This will tear huge gaps in the miniature range, as essential HQs and elites of certain armies are not readily available in many stores, armies without a plastic HQ always require a special order from GW to field a legal army. Customers are asked to convert an HQ from plastic boxes.

Don't kill the messenger. I don't like it either.

This is better set out in writing than what I attempted to do above. As an added bonus, discounters (of both online and LGS variety) lose a ton of business and the customer is forced to try and get it from GWs website.