Wow... I browsed through GWs website just now and realized that plastic sets have taken over in a big way. Metal is used more or less exclusively for special characters, all troops being plastic. It used to be possible to buy a whole army troops and all using metals only, but that options not there anymore...

Is this the way its going to be? I personally hate plastics, I just dont like the feel of them when painting.

If I had a choice Id use metal minis only, what do you guys think? Are you liking this development?

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"We are the sword of fire with which the Traitors shall be cut down."

They recently converted their WFB Chaos Knights from metal to plastic.

Metal: £35 for 5
Plastic: £12 for 5

I'll take plastic any day with that sort of price difference.

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Me too, it's also easier to work and mod IMO.

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My head is full of War...

[img]http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk120/Warhead40k/Tyranid%20Swarm/DSC02262.jpg[/img]

That's the way it's going yes, GW have gone for plastic in a big way. In Warhammer first war machines, special units and then characters have become plastic and the proportion of plastic to metal tend to increase as they re-do an army in their re-doing cycle.

In some ways I prefer metal myself, in others I prefer plastic, overall I'm in the middle.

The newer plastics are nice and I love bits, but there is a distinct difference in metal miniatures that were sculpted and player-assembled plastics.  Most plastic models end up looking awkward and lacking the dynamic character that you get from a metal mini.  You typically need to put in some serious converting and putty work to pull off a convincing plastic mini, especially if the model is representing something more organic like an Ork.  Plastic detail tends to be more soft & requires you to use paint to define detail that simply is not there.

There are still some items, like Killa Kanz, that shouldn't be metal any longer and will benefit from being reborn in plastic.

I'd expect metal to disappear at some point.  FW will pick up the slack with character models/artsy pieces in resin to fill the void.

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The Lost & the Dipped

I prefer metal minis, but if it helps to keep the price down plastic is okay.

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"I don't believe in destiny or the guiding hand of fate." N. Peart

Like most things in my life ... I'll take what I can get !    

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

I like both metal and plastic minatures. Plastic are easy to cut and convert. And usually able to het more variety of pose from plastic models- I hate it when you have units of metal models with only 2-3 poses. So plastic models are great for massed units.

However metal models can have more detail and can give some really fantastic looking character models.

So I think GW have got it roughly right with cheaper plastic units and more expensive detailed metal characters.

Cheers

James

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Of course then there's http://www.pig-iron-productions.com/hd_1_window.htm or http://www.hasslefreeminiatures.co.uk/p ... ?pack=1316:

many of which have found their way onto a 'cheap' plastic GW body.

When it comes to Warhammer, i am ok with plastics. But there is that certain feeling in full-metal armies, like Warmachine and Hordes (havent played them for a while, heard Privateer Press is going plastics?). I have nothing against plastic, but I do like metal more. Am I being materialracist?

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Eradication of Earth's
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BCP, does your question mean "Is GW phasing out metal minis" or "Is everybody phasing out metal minis?"

Probably the former. Simply put, for certain production numbers, metal minis are significantly cheaper.

I think the idea of non-metal tanks is unappealing.  You should pick up a Leman Russ, admire its weight, and be able to say "Hmm, this feels like a 20-ton tank to me".  With that said, I'll buy what I can get.

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author of Syncing Forward and other stories...

It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I've got my Milkbone underwear on.

Well, I can assure you that EW will be pure metal - at least until the cost of plastic moulding comes down .

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Tom Webb
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Well the cost of anything going down probably won't happen this millennium ...  But regardless metal is easier to strip paint off of, however plastic/resin "hold" paint better. Does not "chip" like metal.  However, some plastics and resins are a bit too fragile for gaming purposes like (Frakk'N!!!!!) F/W's !( Frakk'n amateurs! )   But for conversions plastic is a bit easier to work with ...

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Legion 4 "Cry Havoc, and let slip the Dogs of War !" ... "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."