Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I've just been looking over some Mantic and GW minis for a few army projects I am nearly finished. And I think some of the Mantic versions just look better!
- The Phoenix. The Basilean Phoenix is the best Phoenix I have seen on the market and it is cheaper than the GW Phoenix, which is a pretty underwhelming, 2D model by comparison.
- The Giant. I think the Mantic Giant has a lot more character than the GW versions. I just like it a lot. You could argue that the GW ones are better though.
- The Orc Warboss on Wyvern. I think the mantic Wyvern has better proportions than the currently available GW one. If Azhag was still available I'd probably prefer him, but when you factor in price it becomes hard to argue with the Mantic version.
- Mantic Ghouls - I just much prefer the realistic proportions and look of the mantic models to the GW Crypt Ghouls. I think the GW models are cool, but maybe for something other than a ghoul.
- Mantic Zombies - much better than the GW plastic Zombies. Kinda unbelievable GW haven't released a better version in plastic.
- Barbarians - I think the Northern Alliance Barbarians look much better than Chaos Marauders.

On the Sci Fi side:
- Corporation Mules compared to Taurox. I think the design on the Mules is far better and they look great. The Taurox has really weird design and it's got these silly guns pointing at the doors and so on.

In general of course, GW models are a bit better, but any other areas where you think Mantic are doing a better job aesthetically?

I think the only one of those I agree with you on is the Phoenix. Not to say some of those sculpts don't have some redeeming features, but generally speaking I'd rather the GW versions of all of them.

going with the GW version of the Zombies over the Mantic ones is strange


models I have had on my desk from both:
Mantic Zombies > GW Zombies
GCPS > Cadians
Mule > Taurox
Interceptor > every Marine flyer

most other things are too different in design to really compare them and more up to personal taste, I like the Evil Dead style skelettons more than the GW ones yet won't say those are better
for Ghouls I like the classic GW metal ones hence I prefer the Mantic version over the plastic GW ones

same for Babarians, GW ones are classic 80ies from Manowar Covers (both are based on the work from the same artiest though) while Mantics NA models are more like Game of Thrones Northman

Giant is tricky, as it is too big for my liking anyway but would prefer it over the new Mega Gargant (I prefer more classic fantasy here)

 kodos wrote:
going with the GW version of the Zombies over the Mantic ones is strange

I must be the only one who doesn't hate GW zombies (don't love them, but I find them perfectly serviceable).

The problem with the Mantic ones are the poses, they're too dynamic given there are too few poses. Put them in a regiment and looks like the Michael Jackson "Thriller" video with them all dancing in sync. You've got the dude with his left arm raised, the dude receiving a reverse low five, and the dude reaching like a child wanting to be picked up by its parents, and I think that's it?

The GW set by comparison gives you enough to make a reasonably random horde, and I don't mind the stiff looking poses for the undead, just the heads and heads are a bit too big.

The Ghouls have a similar problem.

the frame has 3 different legs, 3 different bodies (1 with both arms fixed) and 3 arms

GW frame is 5 bodies, 5 legs, 5 pair of arms without weapons and some arms with weapons
so less dynamic but with more variation (reasonable random is personal taste I guess because they have all the same static pose and just arms up or down and weapons make the difference)

yet the oversized hands and that you cannot build all without weapons is killing it for me

but I can see why someone does like the GW ones more, yet for this style I would go with the Fireforge Games Zombies

I for one think Mantic's plastic Chaos Dwarfs have significant advantages over GW's plastic Chaos Dwarfs

Hah! Well, I thought about including the Chaos Dwarves, but I thought people might point at the Forge World ones and to be fair those are a lot nicer in my view than the Mantic ones. If you're doing a Chaos Dwarf army though you could do a lot worse than those Mantic ones.

I like the mantic skeletons but aesthetically the GW ones look a lot better. I used GW skeleton cavalry for my mostly mantic undead army.

With stuff like goblins I prefer the "common goblin" aesthetic that Mantic have gone for over the Night Goblin look, but the old goblins were terrible and I haven't seen the new ones yet. I also really hate the Mawbeast design, I think it is terrible and I really wish they had gone with wolves. Wolf-squigs just doesn't work for me.

I like the Mantic Zombies and Ghouls better, but the lack of poses is a serious draw back.

If the Mantic Phoenix has a option to leave the sunglasses off I would prefer it, but I do find those sunglasses distracting.

The Mantic Chaos Dwarves are so close to being great. It is such a disappointment how close they came.

 StygianBeach wrote:

If the Mantic Phoenix has a option to leave the sunglasses off I would prefer it, but I do find those sunglasses distracting.

I had to look that up
Should've just been the "deal with it" glasses

New Mantic gobboes look nice and it's cute how every piece of equipment on the sprue comes for a different enemy faction.
But aesthetically I currently prefer Shieldwolf forest goblins.

I really liked the Undead Zombies and ghouls and you did have to do considerable swapping to get a good variety between them.

Another of my favorite Mantic sculps was the Ogre Berserkers - they were metal, but super nice, IMHO.

Most of their recent stuff, the goblin range especially really has some character to it and has the fun, demented element that is needed without going overboard.

Also, GCPS vs. GW cadians/catachans is no contest, they're closest in style to FW elysians (even come with drop packs) and just as good, kinda wonder if the range is why GW quietly squatted them in 9th. They're still the one army I'm building as cross Mantic/GW since it's pretty easy to do and the mule and flyers look amazing.

I am hoping that ogres get a sprue some day, the overall style is brilliant, and the metal/resin models made after the initial plastic release improve on the style a lot.

Most of the best sculpts are in the sci-fi range, which has had far more high-quality releases, but a lot of it doesn't have direct GW-analogs.

I think the mantic ghouls are yards better than the gw ones, but i've never been able to stand the gw ghouls. The whole "poking bones through themselves" thing has never worked for me.

I like the new Basileans a lot more than the Empire or Bretonnia’s basic foot soldiers.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
I like the new Basileans a lot more than the Empire or Bretonnia’s basic foot soldiers.

The Basileans are pretty good apart from the weapons.

What I like and dislike about the Basileans though is how much of a blank slate they are.

The Basilean characters are good, but I'm not a huge fan of the aesthetics of the troopers. Fine for a High Fantasy kingdom of Paladins of course, which is what they are going for, but I prefer a more grounded aesthetic for my human factions in Fantasy games.

I'm going to be using their Phoenix in my Elf army. Because it is awesome, Deal With It shades and all.