Citadel Finecast Review
I know I’m a bit behind the game here, but I have been really lazy and just now have finally gotten around to writing my review on the citadel finecast. Games Workshop released finecast in May of this year, and it has taken some time for me to get around to giving a proper review about it. I will say that I cannot compare the Resin models to the Metal models, seeing as I got into this hobby late and was unable to try out the metal models.
So let us begin with my review on citadel finecast, and I will start with listing off what I view as the pros and cons of the medium.
Pros:
Very light material, you don’t have to worry about chipping and pinning.
Easy to work with, the material is like butter to a hot knife to work with.
Details, they are just stunning, very crisp.
Flash is minimal, and what flash is there can be scraped off with a fingernail.
Cons:
Much lower melting point, more prone to warping.
Higher price (if only due to Games Workshops yearly price increase)
Rampant miscasts (this issue is primarily with the first batches)
Material is soft (both a pro and a con, because you can accidentally take too much off)
Packaging is a nightmare to get into, cut myself a few times doing it.
Since my first resin model I have bought a number, but this review will primarily be about my first one which was a Tyranid Hive Guard. Since then I have also purchased another Hive Guard kit as well as a Tyranid Zoanthrope. They so far have all been beautiful models with just the most stunning details, crisp edges, and not a single detail is spared or overlooked. Every single one of them, even the ones I had that had some minor or major miscasts, were still wonderful.
My first one had a few minor bubbles in it at most, a few details were partially compromised by the bubbles. With a little green stuff to fill in the bubbles (though I have heard super glue works just as well) it was as good as a perfect cast. Once assembled I went on to priming, which worked like a charm, the primer went on very easily and the paint just stuck to the resin without any work at all.
Overall I believe that this is a good direction for the hobby, conversions with this new material is just so easy to do. The material doesn’t weigh NEAR as much as the metal they have used in the past, and is far less inclined to chip when dropped. I mean I cannot begin to tell you how many stories I have heard of a Tyranid Hive Tyrant, or Ork Nobs falling apart when knocked over, or paint chipping off. This is a problem I can thankfully say does not happen with the resin from finecast, its not heavy enough to fall apart, no pinning is required to strengthen the model, and there isn’t enough weight to the model to chip the paint should it fall over on the table.
So while I do have my gripes along with everyone else, the price for one, the miscasts, but while these things are annoying, I think the overall benefit is worth it. I have only seen comparative pictures, but from what I have seen the detail is better. The material is a dream to work with, even when there are miscasts they are usually so minor its easy to fix. Also, as an aside, should one ever have miscasts issues, Games Workshop has a stellar replacement policy, and there are no questions asked when you have to replace a borked up model. I know of no other companies that have that stellar of a returns policy, I had to replace my Zoanthrope when I noticed it was a miscast, and it was replaced with a new one literally right away with no questions asked, it was wonderful.
So I guess I can say, at least from my limited point of view, that I am happy that I came into the hobby when I did, so that I did not have to deal with the metal models. I am quite happy for this particular change in Games Workshop’s line of miniatures, because frankly I love the new finecast despite its flaws.
-EmeraldRoseWidow