The big question though, is do we pay thought the nose for Forge World models that reflect that time period in our favorite universe's history, or do we go our own way with conversions and third-party bits?
Let's pretend that money doesn't matter in this decision...Okay, let's at least pretend that for the length of this article money doesn't matter. We're going to attempt to make this purely about what's better for you, ready-made models that are available to everyone, or models that are unique to you and your force. Let's break it down.
Above we see an example of two very well done Heresy Era armies, the World Eaters and the Thousand Sons. Even more interesting, and amazing, to me is that both were done by one guy. Go check out Mordian7th at his blog, here and give him some well deserved props. Now answer me this question...will anyone ever create another army like either of the two he made? Let me help you out with this one...the answer is no. No one can duplicate what he's done exactly figure for figure, and that is something truly amazing to behold on the tabletop. Is this a cheaper alternative. No, not always. Third Party bits can be costly. There are even times when you chop up a 50 dollar model for one small part.
Don't look at me that way, you know better than to even ask if I've done that. Have you seen my Draigo model for my Grey Knights?
The one and only downside I can see to this method for creating your Heresy Era figures is the time it can take to actually get a project like this done. If you want a figure ready out of the box, this is not the method for you.
Let me be honest here before I go on...yes, I have purchased some of the Forge World figures. Now, with that out of the way lets dive into the why of the matter. Frankly put,their figures are amazing. The detail is anything but lacking, and the fact that they give us kits for vehicles, walkers, as well as infantry is a heck of an argument for going this route. There's something to be said for out-of-the-box solutions. And the models just keep coming. The biggest downside, besides the cost, is the combo of cleaning resin and the possibility of bad casts. Why did I throw bad casts in there? Because I live in the US, and this is a UK company with shipping involved. I've had my fair share of mis-shipped items in orders past, and I now try and reserve my orders to either Adepticon or Games Day when I can inspect them myself right there.
Ultimately, my own solution is neither option. At least, not either option exclusively I should say. While I own some of the Forge World models, and do indeed plan to buy more in the future, I enjoy modeling and converting too much to leave that out of any army project.
So what about you? Are you a fan of Warhammer 30,000? If so, what's your plan?
- Tim