Is it just me or do all the new figures have a lot of parts?

[Kingsguard 358]

Seems like new figures come in a LOT of pieces these days. What's with that? Used to be you just had to put the arms and head in. Now torsos are in two pieces and all the arms and legs are separate. I just got an Imperial bunker and even the little greebles on the roof are separate. Why would they even do that?

[SunDancerGE 104]

• Build options
• smaller parts are easier to cast with a lower rate of miscast
• pose ability on minis
• get the sprue as flat as possible to make casting even more failsafe

[robertneaves 22]

The B1 heads in two parts is absurd.

[SunDancerGE 104]

4 minutes ago, robertneaves said:

The B1 heads in two parts is absurd.

yes but also no. Again, you can manipulate the pieces to give your minis more dynamic. Thought at that scale it is a bit over the top

[5particus 205]

15 minutes ago, SunDancerGE said:

• Build options
• smaller parts are easier to cast with a lower rate of miscast
• pose ability on minis
• get the sprue as flat as possible to make casting even more failsafe

i built 2 squads of ARCs last night and tried to swap over some of the arms to get some different poses but they would need a lot of trimming to get them to fit. I preffered the Phase I's, they had a lot of customisablity with just a pin and hole joint rather than precise fit that can only go in one way.

Edited September 24 by 5particus
spelling

[SunDancerGE 104]

FFG sure has some options for future releases

[Alpha17 2,853]

It's actually a good thing.  More pieces show a shift towards more posing or customization options.  They're not handling it perfectly now, with arms often being locked into one pose, but the potential is there.  Compared to other wargames, like Bolt Action, for instance, these are still pretty mild in both number of pieces and customization options. 

[Lochlan 1,034]

2 hours ago, SunDancerGE said:

yes but also no. Again, you can manipulate the pieces to give your minis more dynamic. Thought at that scale it is a bit over the top

You can't really put the head pieces together in different ways, though.  I'm pretty sure the head is in two pieces for casting reasons, as there's no other reason to do it.

[thepopemobile100 977]

7 minutes ago, Lochlan said:

You can't really put the head pieces together in different ways, though.  I'm pretty sure the head is in two pieces for casting reasons, as there's no other reason to do it.

Nah it was to make up for the B2s not having a head at all.

[Darth 2Face 235]

2 hours ago, Alpha17 said:

It's actually a good thing.  More pieces show a shift towards more posing or customization options.  They're not handling it perfectly now, with arms often being locked into one pose, but the potential is there.  Compared to other wargames, like Bolt Action, for instance, these are still pretty mild in both number of pieces and customization options. 

It is a good thing for some. I agree that it greatly enhances the modeling/hobby aspect of the game. Some really enjoy that aspect.

For others, it is a huge turn-off. Legion used to be much more accessible to first-time table top gamers because the simplicity of the models created an added level of accessibility. The sprues can be much more intimidating for new players. Even for experienced hobbiest/gamers, it is easy to go to far. I went in on the Robotech RPG Tactics kickstarter (biggest gaming mistake of my life), and those are far worse than anything I've seen in Legion. Half of what I have is still on sprues and I have no intention of ever building them.

Long-term though, I would tend to agree with you. It doesn't take long to become comfortable with the hobby aspect. You just have to be willing to start. I wonder if the compromise is to use soft plastic for simplified starter kits and then have the other expansions be on sprues. I don't know how feasible that is with needing different factories and the need for some models to be hard plastic for practical reasons (B-1s).

Edited September 24 by Darth 2Face

[Caimheul1313 2,990]

3 hours ago, robertneaves said:

The B1 heads in two parts is absurd.

Better than the three to four part heads of Marvel Crisis Protocol. I've also dealt with smaller bits on skeletal miniatures in the past, without as much detail. Doesn't make it better, but it's not unique to Legion is all I'm saying. As least plastic glue means the head halves don't stick to your fingers unlike if the were a single piece in the soft plastic... Not to mention how bendy the models would be. 

 

3 hours ago, 5particus said:

i built 2 squads of ARCs last night and tried to swap over some of the arms to get some different poses but they would need a lot of trimming to get them to fit. I preffered the Phase I's, they had a lot of customisablity with just a pin and hole joint rather than precise fit that can only go in one way.

I've found hard plastic is better for this sort of conversion though, plastic glue helps with the gaps a bit. 

@Darth 2Face So one of the things I don't always like about mixed media model lines is that typically models are not made in multiple materials. So for instance, if someone wanted to avoid the hard plastics models, they would be limited in what models they could use. Similarly, if a model kit was only released in soft plastic, then people who wanted the extra modeling capabilities of hard plastic would have to settle for a lower quality model. Making the same unit in both materials (long term as opposed to a switch over) leads to SKU bloat and the two boxes are competing for the same sales. 

[Darth 2Face 235]

43 minutes ago, Caimheul1313 said:

 

@Darth 2Face So one of the things I don't always like about mixed media model lines is that typically models are not made in multiple materials. So for instance, if someone wanted to avoid the hard plastics models, they would be limited in what models they could use. Similarly, if a model kit was only released in soft plastic, then people who wanted the extra modeling capabilities of hard plastic would have to settle for a lower quality model. Making the same unit in both materials (long term as opposed to a switch over) leads to SKU bloat and the two boxes are competing for the same sales. 

That's an excellent point that I hadn't considered. I guess it is better to (mixing metaphors) have the company pick a road and then the players can rip off the band aid and deal with the consequences.

[Kingsguard 358]

Look at the bunker though. Like why does each computer console need to be in like 7 pieces? Why do the little Greebles on the sides of the roof need to be separate from the roof?

Why do the mandalorian helmets need to be in two pieces? Why do torsos need to be in two pieces? It doesn't make sense to me.

Edited September 24 by Kingsguard

[smickletz 200]

3 hours ago, Kingsguard said:

Look at the bunker though. Like why does each computer console need to be in like 7 pieces? Why do the little Greebles on the sides of the roof need to be separate from the roof?

Why do the mandalorian helmets need to be in two pieces? Why do torsos need to be in two pieces? It doesn't make sense to me.

It’s just how the mold works. No nefarious scheme. To get the level of detail without misprinting, sticking, or other mishaps some surfaces need to be smooth while others have the print. That means two pieces for B1 heads. It’s actually a fascinating process. 

[smickletz 200]

Things I’ve enjoyed in the new hard plastic:

• B-X droids (so customizable and easy)
• Grievous
• STAPs (now that I have a plan for the stupid ball joint)
• AAT

Things that were fine

• B1s (super poseable!)
• Droidekas
• Bunker (love the customization possible with lights, magnets etc but didn’t do any of it)

What I didn’t enjoy:

• Mandalorians. I didn’t realize how much I would miss push fit for my Rebels
• flight stand ball and socket. I tried but the STAP just kept breaking free from a makeshift support and is slightly tilted. Now I have a better plan for the next try. Also, basically requires you to paint before gluing and playing. 
• Dooku and Op Luke in soft plastic. Hard plastic sabers are better!

[Caimheul1313 2,990]

@smickletz If you don't mind playing with unpainted models, you can temporarily attach models to flight pegs using poster putty. It won't hold up to rough use, but should be good for the most part.

[DarthDanMan 3]

Personally, I'm not really into the hobby aspect at all. Thus I've had two corps of B1s still in their trays for half a year, and I just use the bases for them when playing with my friend.

[Khobai 371]

I definitely like push fit over having to clip parts off a sprue

I hate that so many of the new models are on sprues

[XR8rGREAT 236]

I enjoy it. After building 3 bolt action armies and a saga army I’m liking being able to do the same thing but with star wars.

[John79 47]

I have yet to put together a hard plastic miniature, but expect no different when compared to a more traditional model, aircraft, ships, automobiles.  Because the soft models where fewer parts, I enjoyed puttying them together so that I could use them in a game the same day I purchased them.  I don't think I will be doing that with the new hard plastic models.

 

[Lochlan 1,034]

13 hours ago, smickletz said:

Things I’ve enjoyed in the new hard plastic:

• STAPs (now that I have a plan for the stupid ball joint)

The first STAP I assembled I found them to be extra-fiddly B1s (which I actually enjoyed assembling), specifically when it came to putting the rider on the STAP itself (which is super easy to assemble and goes together great).  Having to glue the feet to the speeder and the arms to the body and to the controls all at the same time seemed impossible, and likely would be without a glue that has a decent working time.

I haven't gotten around to painting mine so I haven't attempted the flight stand yet.

[buckero0 1,956]

@smickletzsmickletz

 

What's the plan with the ball joints before i ruin mine?

[buckero0 1,956]

I haven't seen any benefit for me as a buyer or hobbyist yet in the sprues.

Maybe there's something coming, but so far it's been 

1.more expensive

2.more time intensive

3.less customizable

[oreet 396]

Level of detail on the sculpts is significantly better on the new/sprue ones.

That said, I HATE HATE HATE assembling B1s and Droidekkas. 

So far, everything else on a sprue has been fairly easy, but those 2 types of droids......

Edited September 25 by oreet

[Ilostmycactus 52]

Hard plastic sprues are superior to soft plastic in almost every way. Sprues are only really detrimental when an "action pose" such as a twisting jump physically prevents posing in other ways. Soft plastic has a tendency to warp. Ffg said 2 part b1 heads were specifically a casting solution. They don't make things many pieces for no reason. So, imagine b1 heads but because they're so small, the plastic can be warped in any way. Or any droid arm or leg that would look like a noodle. Mold lines on soft plastic have a tendency to roughen instead of scrape smoothly.  Hard plastic has a multitude of extra parts. It works with plastic glue which is vastly more forgiving than superglue. The fit on soft plastic is more sloppy. Try to switch extra arms on p1 clones and you'll find a lot of them don't actually fit or leave large gaps.

 

For hard plastic I prefer limbs that attach flatly than with pegs like old space marines because a torso angle won't throw you off. Still, you're free to cut pegs a lot of the time. And, sprues are a useful bonus for hobbying. They can make rubble or beams, walls, act as test strips for effects and paints, and other creative ideas.