Mold lines left on models - a crime against humanity or no big sweat?

I've never seen the point of drilling barrels. Possibly because I'm exclusively a xenos player and dark eldar guns aren't drillable (I am certain you'd destroy the model if you tried on most of these weapons) but even on rank and file marines it seems more bother than it is worth. A simple dot of black paint in the middle of the barrel is far faster, less finicky, not capable of destroying your model and looks identical on a tabletop quality model held at arms length. If you want to do it for your champions that makes sense, but trying to argue your opponent shouldn't use their troops without drilled barrels is snobbishness at best, if not outright cheating and bad sportsmanship. *eyes Cpt Codpiece*

I feel that obvious mold lines should go but if you have traces left in out of the way places that will only be seen on close examination then that's okay. I do agree that display models done by professionals for exhibition should be held to a higher quality though, and that definitely includes the 'Eavy Metal team.

I tend to clean my models of moldlines and drill barrels (if possible; and necessary). I'm not much for one to fill up the gaps between 2 parts to get an ultrasmooth finish though. I might try to sand the seams, but that's as far as I go.

I think that they don't drill bolters and such because they don't sell them that way. With the modern kits nowadays, when I see GW pictures with open barrels, I expect them to come that way.

Building and cleaning models is my favorite part of the process, its when the whole feel of the model is figured out.

Poll added :)

I'd say removing mold lines is a must. It's as much a part of the assembly process as making sure you don't have spikes of sprue sticking from your edges.

Drilling gun barrels seems like more of a preference thing though.

Well first lets say its about two things. First do I drill my barrels and clean moldlines? Yes. It's preparation before painting, just like filling a gap with liquid greenstuff or clipping off flash or basing. I cant not do it for my own models.

Now do other people have to do it? No, of course not, they are free to do as they wish. However I am also free to judge that model as unfinished. I understand newer gamers...maybe its tricky for them...ok fine, but cleaning moldlines requires very little skill, and once taught drilling a barrel is easy. It ruins a good paint job and just looks lazy.

GW models come incomplete. They are not fit for purpose new, you have to build them and paint them. So the idea that their may be some extra maintenance along the way is hardly surprising is it? :)

Nowadays I try to hit the more blatant mold lines, but if I miss the smaller/less obvious ones I don't worry too much about it. And I did make a few stabs at barrel drilling, but I couldn't find a good way to consistently get a nice, centered hole. A quick dab from a Sharpie is much less hassle and looks just as good from arm reach distance.

I know I certainly have figures with lines, and I put in a lot of effort. Almost no one i know puts that much effort into removing them. Really the only time they do is when I do their figures or help assemble them. I can live with legs or arms heads bug me though.

What people do to their own armies is totally up to them. A professional painter. Ie someone that gets paid to do the job should know that a paint job starts well before the first brush is lifted. I get fed up if seeing models from these so called experts that have had a half hearted assembly and a rushed spray job. Double the crime if these are the experts trying to sell the model. The whole GW trend at the moment seems to be aimed at 5 year olds with cartoon models and crap paint jobs. Shame on them. Just shows a lack of pride

I'm not particularly fussed about drilling barrels, but mould lines make models look absolutely awful. It doesn't matter how good the paint job is, if you can see where the thing has been moulded it's going to look crappy.

The very first thing I teach someone new to the hobby with their shiny new models is to remove the mould lines. They'll regret it otherwise and if you teach them to do the important things early on it will save them a lot of effort later paint stripping and removing mould lines from old models.