2018 Battletech Plastic Miniatures Review and Comparison
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2018
- Here's review of the miniatures contained in the new Catalyst Game Labs Battletech Box sets releasing 4th Quarter 2018.
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When I get a mech that's got a mold flaw, I like to work with it during painting and make it look like it was a sloppy repair job or something, some of these mechs may have been running for centuries and I like to play that up.
I keep wanting to get into Battletech, but it is the minis that always keep me at bay. These are definitely the best I have seen as far as pre-assembled plastics go on their end; there is actually some dynamic feel to the mechs finally! but I also must scratch my head when I see the quality of other plastic PVC minis being produced by CMON or Mantic or any other number of game studios. These seem like they would be super easy to design and cast and make with clean detail.
I think it was to meet deadlines and lower the box set price
they need to sell these on the sprues so we can assemble and pose them ourselves
Or at least off the bases
Well you could chop off a arm or two and glue it back on.
Posable limbs would be quite fiddly and delicate, possibly have some pre posed so there is a choice of poses but they won't be as strong as the normal figures
@@stephenhurley4296 I don't mean action figure style posable, I mean table top miniatures style posable, as in what GW and other miniature companies do by putting their models in multiple pieces on a sprue so we can glue them together ourselves in more active poses.
Though that comment was 3 years ago and now days you can easily get them 3d printed in whatever pose you want.
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would be nice if these drop as lance kits and in parts so we can build them.
Yes, just like back in the day! Lance kits are a good way to go!
Scaling looks much improved, detail still seems a little soft. Overall the designs remind me a lot more of Heavy Gear's aesthetics than Battletech figs generally do, without completely losing the recognizable elements of the classics.
When I got my AGoAC box back in 18-19, my Battlemaster had a pretty bad mold flaw in the left hip area. Luckily, Catalyst took care of it with a new one for me. The minis also had a lot of the same clip points and flashing that you had here. My Dad just got into the game this year and his Beginner and AGoAC boxes have been mostly free of any errors, minor mold lines and a few small clip points. That's a good thing for me since I get to paint them up for him!
Ironically I actually want your battlemaster, that particular type of flaw lends itself to battle damage. I'd paint it to look red-hot as if the groove has just been cut by a laser and maybe add some green stuff as molten metal dripping down
Battle damage was my first thought too. These machine are not in pristine condition normally.
I just discovered this channel and I am so stoked! I used to play Battletech back in the 80's and 90's. Now I just collect and paint the miniatures. I really do prefer the older pewter miniatures, but I would try to paint a few of these new ones.
I believe there are new pewter miniatures!
Thank you for the detailed review!
I'm on the fence. I love the new sculpts and poses (pre-assembled makes sense for a quick setup) but I also wish they were on sprues for easier custom modification.
I like plastic miniatures. My only concern is if this type of plastic will take primer and paint well without rubbing off (like the old 3rd edition plastics)
New sculpts are great. Thanks for showing them next to the old sculpts. Gives a great compare and contrast.
I am going to try to separate the torso from the legs and magnatize them so I can swivel them on the table.
Lucas Elder how did it go?
I really like the sculpts, but man, those QA issues are seriously concerning. Hopefully those will be addressed once they go into mass production, because when you break down the cost, it really is a good deal.
The quality is crap.
Was really hoping for higher detail miniatures. These models have the detail of a over-primed mini. The lines just aren't as sharp as I'd like for them to be. I really hope they offer some metal versions of these, they might hold true better than this plastic.
My big dream is to have model kits or action figures of the battlemechs in the style of the Super Robot Chogokin line or something like Kotobukiya's mech kits.
I get why they went with pre-assembled as it adds to the "open and play" thing. And the sculpts are cool, but the plastic is putting me off a bit. Thanks for the closer look.
Yeah, the plastic is not as good as it could be, but I am just glad we got new sculpts that hold paint
They could easily have integrated pre magnetized torsos.
It would be nice if one could easily get these in Europe and other BT stuff (books, map packs etc)
I hope these Game of Armored Combat mechs are eventually released separately in lance packs or individually. I would like to get multiples of a few of these to paint up for different factions.
I'd like that too. The blind grab singles aren't really my thing and I don't want to keep buying box sets for 8 mechs when they can be split up.
Those minis were a little rushed to meet Gencon deadline. I like the poses, I like the size and I like the detail. I hope that minis in the retail boxes will be a little cleaner.
I'm a little disappointed that the Griffin is not in the full set. Was looking forward to getting my hands on that one.
It may be in there as a crummy cardboard standee
Great in depth review! I've been a long time fan of mechwarrior and the battletech universe but am just now getting into the minis, and I bought both box sets as well as some other minis to kick start myself off with. The minis i've gotten in the boxes are pretty darn clean to my eye. I'm not an expert but as far as I can tell, all i've seen is the usual molds lines with a little flash here and there.
I think it's so funny that people are legitimately complaining about plastic miniatures. If you don't like them, don't use them. If you don't want them, give them away or sell them. They can be fixed. They can be painted. They can even be modified. Who cares about a little flash if you can X-Acto away and have it look fine? They're also a lot cheaper than metal or more detailed mini's. If these were the top-of-the-line mini's that they _could_ be, the box set's pricing would be inflated accordingly.
Battletech is getting renewed and resold in 2018/2019. The fact it's survived so long and even thrived is fantastic. Why mope about changing production value in the core box set of the umpteenth release when there are plenty of other options?
Edit: I do agree that building them yourself could be fun. Perhaps even preferred. If these aren't that way, oh well? Get some that are? 3D-print your own or have someone else do it for you? I dunno. Just seems like a lot of fuss and bother from some people for something that could easily be remedied with a little thinking.
Admittedly I regret not grabbing a second copy of the larger "Game of Armored Combat" while I could, these days it seems hard to come by.
Being across the pond has it's challenges. I order from a couple smaller UK game companies from time to time so I know the feeling of high shipping costs.
@@CamoSpecsOnline I don't think it helps that many of the miniature based war games on the market end up smothered/drowned out by the behemoth that is Games Workshop in the UK.
I'm not very far from Ral Partha's headquarters and despite being the main producer and distributor of mini's for BattleTech (along with a few other IP's) I've never seen any of their products on the shelves of FLGS in the county RPE is based in or in the neighbouring county I frequented prior to Covid restrictions.
Nothing wrong with the battle master, it just has battle damage from a previous battle.
Original C&C soundtrack in background detected.
I like :D
Don't like the 'dipped in acetone' detail level on the sculpts though...
Yeah. However, it should take line scribing well
Thank-you for your thorough review. The models look good to me soft plastic and all. They have a lot of flat surfaces good for insignia,numbers etc. They also look as if they would be fun to detail up a bit with styrene strip,sheet and rod. Also sounds like you could disassemble them if you are careful and reassemble them to a pose more to your liking. Price sounds good too. Are the minis yet available outside of a box set with rules etc?
I don't get why you're so upset over the flash. Every model I ever got, regardless of company or whether it was plastic or metal, had plastic on it.
It looks like the same plastic as the last box set / alpha strike lance packs, so I'm not sure what all the complaints about the "soft" plastic are. Those minis were fine as far as that goes, just a little too static in their poses since they were all single piece sculpts.
Yeah, people like customizability (which I do too btw), but they forget this is a set to get ppl. into the game fast with, so it's not in pieces that have to be assembled. I'm sure they will release more sets w/ the more traditional "bits" in them for customization later on.
@@NodDisciple1 I think the multi-part but pre-glued method on these is a really good balance. Playable right out of the box, but it shouldn't be difficult at all to apply a little solvent to get them apart if you want to reposition them. Nice compromise compared to the old one piece plastics, I think.
Yeah...just carving that one Griffin's (?) foot to do the treads is going to be a bit or work. :P
What do you do to undo glued minis? Stick them in the freezer? Use some sort of compound on sale? I know I like to leave some minis unglued tbh. Examples, the 2'nd Edition Warhammer and Rifleman "Unseen" minis. Their arms stay in their pegs and are able to move around if you leave them unglued.
@@NodDisciple1 For plastic, usually isopropyl alcohol to get the glue off, as it doesn't weaken the plastic too much.
I love the review, thank you for sharing so much insight and your modeler's perspective for the new box set
the catapult seems a little large, but I agree the sculpt is great
@@colbyboucher6391 mwo designs are a mixed bag imo. don't know know why everyone loves them. robs BT of it's style and identity imo.
Tbh I've had much worse issues with metal miniatures - I've had mechs that were cast with misaligned, uneven torsos, and heck some of the newer mechs aren't even sculpted that well. The Cuirass has some noticeable asymmetry and it was made in 2017. All things considered I think these are a big step in the right direction, and those poses are boss.
I think there are new pewter minis
I’m not surprised that there are QA issues with the batches that were rushed for GenCon. That said, soft plastic aside, we’re finally getting updated sculpts and designs that look great. I’m eagerly awaiting these sets being released.
Also jealous of those who have them already.
How do you separate the plastic parts that are glued together? Do you just warm it up to separate them?
Cut them or try to pry them off. A soak in something like simple green would probably weaken the bond but I didn't try it yet.
You can sand/file ALL of that flash. It's so easy to fix, why would that be a problem? All other model companies have flash on their models. Yeah they came pre-assembled, but there wasn't a single figure you showed that couldn't be fixed. Just not sure what the real issue is there.
Nice review and nice usage of the MW2:Mercs soundtrack!
Huh...looks like a return to the classic 'Unseen' designs on some of those.
Then again...we're at the point we might as well get these things 3D-printed on demand, and get better choices on the details and posing.
And less part flex
New thunderbolt is awesome, love the launch covers on the catapult, awesome actually looks like an assault mech….bad ass
This is a very good video. Clear image with a little depth of field issue, but not really a bad thing, and three audio is good. Too bad the subject matter narrows the views.
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Looks pretty good. They didn't change the basic forms intact.
I love everything BattleTech and have played it since the 80s but I've got to say, with games like W40K, Beyond the Gates of Antares and War Machine, these sorts of models just don't really hold up in terms of details or ability to customise the various poses. Sprued models would have been better.
I will say the Battlemaster looked nice. :)
While I do like the improved scaling and the newer style of these minis the casting quality and soft details do really detract from the overall desirability of this game. Not an auto-buy as it could have been.
They need to sell these in kits. Seriously. The only way to get these damn things is in the starter box.
Camo...I'm going to get this starter set and I haven't painted a mini in ages, let alone 6 mm (which is harder to do details on then larger scale). Since you seem to be very good at this, can you link some videos of yours for prepping and painting minis? I'm particularly bad at "jewelling" and doing the really small windows. Also, painting small logos, etc...are obviously problematic. I could use transfers, but the edges on the transfers tend to show. Also doing camo on a "weathered" mini since the stripes, blotches, etc...tend to be "fresher" looking than the rest of the paint on a weathered mini. 01:45 For that one, I'm planning to clip the under-plastic off and stuffing a small rock under there to cover it up. It just seems "off" to me when you have a base w/ unpainted sand, dirt, etc...on it and the "rock" is painted. 12:37 It's not pretty, but you could paint that as battle damage or a improvised repair of some sort.
Sure, Jeweling: th-cam.com/video/CO66C_FJa2o/w-d-xo.html
Detail Painting: th-cam.com/video/QFHy3y3xFEM/w-d-xo.html
Decals: th-cam.com/video/yWxNSIooIF4/w-d-xo.html
Plastic Mini Prep: th-cam.com/video/T5rsZ-NN35w/w-d-xo.html
Weathering: th-cam.com/video/w2LG6fM34-M/w-d-xo.html
I already clipped the filler peg underneath the foot on my Locust as well. Rocks, sand, cork, or putty will always work well if you want that spot filled.
Ty Mr. Specs. I got quite a bit of homework ahead of me. I'm just glad I know the basics by default from earlier training.
Happy to help!
When are you going to release your new Hot Water Trick video?
@@CamoSpecsOnline It's Brother Malachai on my phone acct. I finally got back to working on my Cat and Awesome. Let alone the other mechs. Just wanted to thank you for the guides.
Another "not a fan of pre-assembled models". No disrespect intended to whoever is actually putting these together but I'd honestly rather just do it all myself, thanks all the same. I do like most of the details as compared to the older versions, but... They're still badly lagging compared to the kind of stuff, say, GW is putting out (yes, yes, I know the resources GW has to throw into things like this is colossal by comparison with Catalyst).
Cool video, thanks for this.
What glue was used for these? is it something I can dissolve with some alcohol/simple green, or is it CA/plastic cement and I have to just saw everything apart if I want to repose?
It's almost assuredly CA. I have been able to pop a few parts/limbs off but I think it was just poor glue contact. I've resorted to cutting and then throwing in a pin for reposing.
Is Catalyst going to produce mechs like the Marauder? I still have a lot of the original Metal Marauders but it would be nice to see them produced again.
Yes, they're a part of the kickstarter production miniatures that's underway now
While the quality control on that Battlemaster is a little disappointing, this particular defect I think is actually a good opportunity to model some battle damage on the mech when you paint it.
As someone that loves the Battletech video games but hasn't played the tabletop but has recently got into playing GW tabletop, I was really excited to hear about a new release but these models look really bad. I would really like to get into Battletech but the miniatures just kill it for me as the quality looks rather low and I would really hold out for Alex Iglesias designs as they look far better to me, however I assume that there might be a copyright reason that this isn't possible?
burnout800 In a nutshell, stupidly the physical game and digital game rights for Battletech (and Shadowrun) ended up split, and while there is some cooperation, after the whole Unseen debacle CGL naturally wants nothing to do anymore with designs which they don't own themselves lock, stock and barrel. I generally like both, anyway, so it's no big deal for me.
08:51 Does this mean that maybe we'll get the Warhammer, Archer, Rifleman, and Marauder back? Those were my favorites of the old Inner Sphere "Unseen" Era. The Archer, Rifleman, and Warhammer were well kitted and had good stats. The Marauder was...meh, but it looked awesome. I will probably use the Catapult and Awesome mechs to tide me over and I can get the other four to form a starting two "Gun Line" Lances.
Future box set releases are contingent upon the success of the current box set sales. I don't work for CGL or IWM so their plans for the other formerly unseen mechs is not something I have any information about.
I absolutely hate the monocle on the commando....the old TRO drawing has the head sideways and the "ear" or "neck bolt" has been misinterpreted by one artist as a sensor, and that seems to be carrying forward.
a few of these (espescially some of the old versions you show off in comparisons) look like dougram models. are the two connected somehow?!
the answer to your question is complicated; a good breakdown can be found here: www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen
Awesome review, you are a hero!
Just got the beginners and regular new Battletech box sets in from Catalyst (finally available). Really impressed with the new sculpts, not Warhansa but affordable. Do you know anything about when or if we'll see more plastic releases with the new sculpt styles? Can't find anything on the Catalyst, IronWind, or Battletech websites.
Looks like your Battlemaster was stuck with a Large Laser at the knee. LOL!
06:51 It'd take some work, but you could make the missing treads with some very careful knife and file work and green stuff to fix mistakes. I'm considering doing that when I get my box. I'm kind of picky that way. :-S
That works, I typically use green stuff and use that to make new tread.
what I would like to know as a person who is new to tabletop battletech is are we getting more and when?
Next year: www.kickstarter.com/projects/450703636/battletech-clan-invasion
I love the look of these models - I got my start with the 25th Anniversary edition and the famously bad plastic sculpts in there, I think I had the early run with the horrible mould defects that made so many of them almost smooth in terms of lost detail.
Will be hoping to split one of these boxes with my mates when they arrive in the UK - any idea when they'll be available for us limeys?
Glad you like the new models, they will hopefully be in retail stores and distributors at the end of January or early February 2019.
I was so excited to get that box set. Especially after the frustration of catalyst constantly delaying its release. Once I got it I was disappointed as hell. TERRIBLE minis. I’m a pretty decent painter and even then they still looked like garbage. I ended up throwing away all of them but the Atlas. And I never throw any game related item away.
Oh so true I just bought this edition off ebay and was so disappointed with the minis. Horrible quality and even the size seems off by 25% or so. Way too small.
Wow I just bought the Introductory box on ebay(the older 25th anniversary ) The minis are horrible quality and look about 25% too small. These look much better.
I want to pay more for better miniatures. It's the most important thing in a wargame for me (with the rules at the same spot). That's why I play Infinity the game, and I wish the battletech had that quality. The Mechs look ok, but could be much more.
This video now says 3 years old and i dont like remembering time exists
Me either!
My minis were fairly well done. However my catapult has some major flaws in it 😢
Contact CGL and let them know so you can get it replaced.
Camo Specs Online in the works m8 👍
12:21 Have you made, could you make, or could you suggest a video on how to paint a miscast as either an improvised repair or as battle damage?
Brother Malachai I did a photo tutorial on repairing miscast areas but that was many years ago and it would probably be good to update that with video content. I’m much more inclined to fix the mold line or damaged area before paint than to paint around it as an attempt to hide or incorporate it but I so see what you’re saying.
I'm just incredibly happy that the designs are not those bricky monsters as in MWO or BT-videogame. Those flows and preassemble though? eurgh.
It's good to see Battletech heading in this direction. However, pre-assembled 'Mechs? No thanks. I would rather have the miniatures on the sprues and have to remove and assemble them myself. With all arms, legs and torsos being separate pieces. Additionally, the soft plastic looks pretty nasty, and is probably why the miniatures don't look as detailed as they potentially could be.
same here.. makes it easier to buy enmasse... also on spru allows more posing to be done as well as weapon switch outs.... and lastly.. and mistakes are 98% yours at that point... :)
Everything needs to be ready to use, no one has any patience anymore.... sigh.
I'm new to the hobby. I plan on getting the IWM minis eventually, but so far, the alpha strike packs have been a godsend. The lower cost makes me much less worried about screwing up the paint while I'm learning. I'm still intimidated by the idea of trying to pin and pose them, and there have been several occasions where having the model ready to play out of the box (before I've had time to touch it) has come in handy when trying to match BV's with someone.
Same here. Let me buy the sprues. I have no faith in some Chinese, or whatever, factory worker assembling my mechs up to my standards.
What you guys may be missing.... is the point. This box set is meant for someone totally unfamiliar with the game to open and play immediately. Not for you to expand your forces.
Like the sculpts , they’ve come a long way . Love the game and lore . But the miniatures were always lacking compared to other mecha miniatures on the market . Looking forward to the new box set . Great review video
How do I get in contact with the guy making the video ?I dont see a contact anyplace.
I found some of my old battle mech from the urban set. Now I've become a better painter of miniatures. How can I remove the old testers paint of these mech so that I can repaint them? Thank you
If you look up videos on stripping used or old miniatures you'll find a myriad of solvents and chemicals to help you decide what is best for you. If your miniatures are plastic or resin, then you need to be careful about what you use. For metal and plastic I typically use Castrol Super Clean, but for metal painted with enamel, I use water clean-up furniture stripper like Kleen Strip which is very strong and requires safety gloves and a respirator.
@@CamoSpecsOnline older plastic models
@@jboubel Okay then you'll want to use oven cleaner or automotive Brake Fluid.
@@CamoSpecsOnline OK thx I'll try those. Hopefully I don't mess them up
00:05 What is that Mech w/ what looks like a feathered Headdress?
Huron Warrior
If you get stuck with pre pose they really should have taken more time on the cast. The detail is awful and blurry. Bummer.
What are miniatures made of? Can it take damage from isopropylic alcohol?
They're a type of PVC plastic so isopropyl will not harm them.
I'll add though that some folks have said that isopropyl can soften the plastic if left on too long or soaked. I'd use it to brush and scrub but wouldn't let the models sit in a container of alcohol to avoid this.
When arr they going to sell the boxes? 🤔
They had a small batch at GenCon, but that sold out within a few hours. Mainstream sale is due out later this year.
The frame rate in this video is awful... every time you even slightly move the model everything goes all blurry. Consider using a lower resolution if it means a higher frame rate because the motion blur destroys any detail you might want to show off.
Thanks I just upped the settings in OBS to 60fps to see if that will fix the issue.
Oh lord I love the insanely ugly design of those old models. They have such character. The modern ones looks sharp! But theres just something so misshapenly appealing to the old school
I love the nostalgia of the older ones and the updates and details of the new plastics. I'm happy Battletech has started becoming more popular again.
So we're looking at 4th quarter?
Yes, October to November time is what was passed along.
Camo Specs Online you have made my week. You're the first straight answer I've gotten. I hope catalyst keeps this promise.
*Edit: promise referring to the 3rd quarter date in the website
LOL leave the IWM Battlemaster out to keep people liking the new one more? hahaha. I like this new Battlemaster but the IWM one is just menacing.
I haven't played Battletech since the 90s. It was fun, but some of the blocky mech designs put me off. When I ran across the greatly improved Catalyst Game Lab redesigns I was hooked back in.
Welcome back, you're not alone in your experience and BT players are coming back in greater numbers.
@@CamoSpecsOnline Awesome! I'm trying to get a few of my friends into this game as well.
I just got my box set. My Catapult had the damn Mickey Mouse ears. Sigh. They didn't really have to send these pre-assembled. The kit was not that complicated to begin with.
Sorry to hear that, I sense a hot water bath on that Catapult's future.
@@CamoSpecsOnline I tried to use the "freezer" method to undo the glue. All I got was two broken-off lauchers. That can be fixed w/ a simple pin, but it's still a royal pain in the a_s. On the upside, I do intent to reinstall them pointing partially upwards to show them performing indirect fire.
Yeah some of the glued connections are stronger than they look. If you aren't looking to repose a part, it's probably best to try the hot water first but I'm glad you've got an alternate plan and I'm sure it will look good with a bit of tilt on the launchers since that's what they're supposed to do anyway!
@@CamoSpecsOnline Yeah...it's just that I always imagined the Catapult being more of a back line unit (more so than the more tanky Archer) that used the likes of Locusts to perform call for fire missions. Someone would give them the coordinates and they'd let the missiles loose towards that general area and hope the allies aren't too close. I really hope that agreement w/ Harmony Gold will finally allow some of the Unseen to return.
You gave money to Harmony Gold?!
akiraguy you may not know so to be completely upfront, “we” CSO are not involved in any Battletech or any other company’s intellectual property ownership. That being said, the HG lawsuit was recently thrown out.
Camo Specs Online oh okay. I thought you also got copyrighted by that sleazy deuchebag of a 'company', and forced to settlement with them.
Now tell us how many were designed by SDF Macross designers.
I miss pewter. GW was first to fully convert.
Oh my, I'm so dissapointed with soft plastic..
Max Whitar it's not very soft.
definitly soft compared to GW's plastic figs....
Mike Whitaker do you want to pay GW prices? It's still good product and it paints just fine. It is also far less fragile than GW plastic. I wish Reaper would make their Bones line out of the plastic Catalyst is using.
The new sculpts have way better proportions. I’ve always thought battletech just looked disco and lame. These miniatures are changing my mind.
Glad to hear it, I really like the direction the new plastics have gone.
I wonder how a company that is managed that bad is still running. CGL cannot lose this license fast enough
I can appreciate the effort in the re-sculpt but frankly to me they all look middle-aged and chubby. Thanks for the video though. It saves me from making a purchase I'd regret. It would have been great if they worked the models more closely with MWO and BT for continuity across brand instead of hashing out an entirely new re-sculpt. The fact that they are still using the SAME type of soft chew-toy plastic is a big turn off as well.
The quality is so bad lol
sorry, but these are garbage compared to what Ral Partha was putting out in the 80's. The "detail" on these looks like someone went nuts with primer. They rank right up there with the old green army men. Kudos on staying positive.
Jonny One-Truck they give me a 2-5yo child sandbox toy feel...
Detail is relative when most of the "detailing" on the 80's models either doesn't make sense or is just there to add some sort of interest to otherwise simple models. I have a bunch of classic Battletech mini's and I love the retro cheese, but a lot of them really need some redesign love if you wanna appeal to anyone other than people with 80's nostalgia.
*slow clap* congrats Catalyst .. you are reaching GW pricing :/
Thomas Riccardi and at nowhere near comparable quality. These models look as if you took a GW plastic model, dipped it in acetone and let the details just melt off.
Gotta agree there. Also who in their right mind buys a boxed set and expects to get 2 minis? Fasa's 3rd edition had TWELVE mins!
Uhhh have you bought Battletech mini's before? Cause the cheapest you can usually find any metal alternatives is around $10-15 per mech, and then you've gotta buy the bases separately too and here we have a $14-20 box with 2 mechs, maps rules etc, and a box with 8 mechs etc for $45-50. How is that not equal to or exceedingly better than what we were previously able to get our hands on? Heck the new lance boxes can be pre-ordered for $15 online now. The detail is better that what we've gotten before, and the price is too. Even if the models approach "GW prices", you don't need 100+ models to play. Not really sure what point you're trying to make here.