Network News: GW’s actual statements about Finecast

ICv2 caught up with Games Workshop’s Trade Manager Andre Kieran at the GAMA Trade Show and asked him about GW’s progress in converting its huge line of miniatures with the new Citadel Finecast Resin process, and the direction that the leading tabletop game publisher was going with its extensive line of miniatures. 

Could you explain Finecast and how it fits into your program?

Andre Kieran: “It’s centrifically-cast resin—and what we are doing is for new launches going forward, like character models, special figures, those miniatures are now being made with this new resin.  You can see the detail, it’s definitely a big step forward and we are very excited about it.”

So going forward this resin will replace white metal won’t it?

Yes that’s right. We do have a backlog of things like Battle Fleet Gothic and Blood Bowl with metal miniatures that we still manufacture, that we still make available, that are made in metal.  A lot of times those things don’t come in packaging now. We still make them, because we think they are cool, but they might come in a baggie or a plain white box.

Well then, is it safe to say that you are phasing those metal minis out?

Yeah, I think that Citadel Finecast is definitely the future of what we are doing with those special figures.

How’s the reaction to the Finecast, we heard last summer that there were some issues?

Good question, what we had early on, we had some rumors about the melting temperature of the resin figures.  But that’s not the case. It has a similar melting temperature to our plastic models. We have been working very hard on the quality.  The Finecast product has been on the market for nine months.  When you are casting resin, the process can involve air bubbles and things of that nature, so we launched a product this fall called “Liquid Green Stuff,” which is for filling small detail gaps, and that product along with a brush, a hobby brush that is like a toothbrush almost, can be used to cover any blemishes.  You can definitely see what we are trying to achieve, a much more detailed miniature that is lighter in weight and much easier to do conversions with, similar to our plastic models.

As you can tell operation Soft Ball was in full effect, but still we get some valuable information about the future of Finecast.

Starting with, I can only assume Kieran meant by when saying, “centrifically-cast resin” he meant centrifugally cast resin, a method that is neither Fine or special. It is the same casting process that goes into making test models for later mass production, not mass production models themselves. Granted, most resin casting is done centrifulgally, but unless I am unaware of some new dazzling “centrifically-cast” process, Finecast may be nothing more than GW test products for mass consumption.

Next, we find that metal is dead, dead, and even more dead: once GW sells through their backlog of metal everything will become Finecast or plastic. Specialist Games games look like they will be the last metal model standing, with the ranges more likely being discontinued after supply runs out.

Now the last question was the, “Let’s get the Internet all in a frenzy” comment,

Sadly, no real breaking new news here. GW still would like you to buy “Liquid Green Stuff” and be on your merry way. GW though is really making a concerted effort to train our little gamer minds to accept Finecast problems. It can be seen in Andre’s response and reiterated in much of the promotional material for the new paint line.

Read or watch the new “Citadel how to paint” guide and you will know what I mean.

Still consumers are left with the same tired choices:

Accept Finecast will have problems; problems that GW has addressed by doing everything that is not just make a fraking better product!

Refuse to buy Finecast and miss out on any new models.

Buy Finecast and refused to fix any problems and let GW customer service keep sending models one after another.

As for me I will continue to buy Finecast because it is lighter and has no paint chipping problems, I just wished GW would have never called it “Finecast” along with promoting it as the greatest thing since the Cotton Gin.

No matter what choice you make I would like to apologize to Carl Tuttle in advance about ANOTHER Finecast article :p