Re: Metal minis vs. Plastic

>From Chris Weuve

>1) Plastic casting material is muuch cheaper than metal.
>
>2) Plastic molds, on the other hand, are much much much much more
expensive 
>than metal molds, so much so that I think the above quote of $20k for a
new 
>mold may be an order of magnitude too small.
>
>For this reason, you only seen plastic minis in boxed games or in
bigger sets, 
>where they expect to sell a bazillion copies.
>

	Speaking as someone who got sucked into the wargaming hobby in
general by painting miniatures, I'd pay more for metal miniatures any
day.
They are crisper, stronger, generally more defined than plastic molds. 
At
least on a smaller, 'individual figurine or ship scale'.  Plus they feel
a
lot better when actually moving around the board/table.  They have a
whole
range of tactile sensations, there's nothing like whacking a really
chunky/heavy dreadnought six inches n front of a squadron of frigates.
Whereas plastic feels a trifle... well weak.  I just prefer lead based
miniatures, I'm not that keen on the new 'white metal' stuff, because it
seems a trifle brittle/hard.  I'm not sure, I keep meaning to get into
full
scale conversions etc. but my student budget is stopping me.  :(

>As far as the plastic detail versus metal detail, take a look at the
plastic 
>terminators in the new version of _Space Hulk_ -- pretty damn
impressive.

	Yes they are okay, but IMHO they're crap compared to the metal
version, and to top it off the Evil Empire is flogging them for almost
the
same price.  That's just f**ked.  I buy a lot of minatures simply for
display purposes/ the pleasure of painting them, and I have yet to see a
plastic miniature that cuts the grade.	However some of the resin ones
that
Grendal (???) puts out are very nice, or the heartbreaker ones, but
they're
generally largeish.  I don't know if its because the manufacturers don't
put
the effort in or what.	I mean GW generally make the best miniatures:
that's
a personal judgement, they make a lot of crap ones, but every now and
then
they make a good one.  However that's changing, has anyone else noticed
a
general increase in the quality of miniatures?	But I have yet to see
them
make a plastic miniature that I would consider buying for anything other
than cost considerations.  Or any other manufacturer either.

	Just my two cents err sorry, bucks worth

Loki
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Life is a comedy to those who think,
A tragedy to those who feel.
	  Denton

Loki
s953273@student.macarthur.uws.EDU.AU
University  of Western Sydney - Macarthur
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