DOES Games Workshop make the best miniatures in the world?

[YorkNecromancer]

Well?

We've all heard the claim. We've also heard the counterclaim - companies like Tamiya, Privateer Press, Prodos, Anvil Industries, Statuesque Miniatures and others could all lay claim to be the best miniatures company in the world in terms of quality, output, core concepts and so on.

But what does the community think? Given that this is largely a GW-based forum, I'd expect a 'yes' overall, but I don't know.

Also note, the poll is a binary because if you have an opinion, leave it in the comments. If they're the best: why? If not: why?

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

I find the question as silly as asking "What's the best movie/book in the world?"

The art of sculpture has innumerable styles, and when taken into the context of the miniatures market there are a crazy amount of competing, additional variables. Multipart vs. monopose, for instance - each of those can be consider a mark of quality, or a flaw. When you then consider that this topic's discussing a range of products it becomes even more meaningless of a question.

Edit: Think about it this way; the question assumes that all the qualities which could potentially contribute to the miniatures being the "best" can be quantified and ranked alongside each other in a sterile environment. I consider that to be a flawed assumption.

[Path Walker]

When it comes to mass produced plastic miniatures, yes.

Other manufacturers can make great stuff but no one can make the volume that GW can, boutique (and expensive) resin casts by small companies make make some of the most amazing sculpts but they'd struggle to make more than 200 of them

[Mr Mystery]

I think GW offer a good balance in their kits.

Detail is above many competitors, but not all.

Ease of assembly is above most competitors, but not all.

Conversion is easy enough.

They also produce kits up to the task of regular gaming. Other companies may offer highly detailed replicas, but without design consideration beyond looking ace in a cabinet.

So overall, whilst they may not be objectively the best in any given area, they offer a more rounded product.

[daboarder]

Do GW make the best miniatures in the world?

No, not anymore.

Many of their competitors are now making models that while being different aesthetics are technically just as good, or in some cases better, than those made by GW.

Infinity for example is using digital sculpting in the last year or so to release some AMAZING miniatures.






Those are just an single example of what the competitors in the market are releasing these days. Games Workshop still makes some very good models (the sigmarines despite me not liking the look and them being mono pose EWWWW are technically very well done from what I've seen) But to claim they are the best is no longer a relevant question in the world of miniature gaming

I mean seriously, compare those to the last imperial guard release, its NUTS, just nuts how much detail they have on them.


EDIT: Oh, those galwegians at the top, can you name them? thats how good the miniatures are

[Sonikgav]

GW are hit and miss for me. The smaller models, especially the charachter models look great, and theres lots of little details going on you dont always notice at first (like Devastators having reinforced boots) but GW are pushing up and up and some of their larger scale models are downright shocking.

The problem they have with things like the Riptide, Wraithknight, Knight Titan and most of the Large kits Forgeworld Produce is that theyre then starting to compete with more complex Model kits like the Bandai Gundams. Considering the price GW charge for a hollow, plastic statuette that you still have to paint yourself, you could get a fully poseable, pre painted and intricate kit filled with actual mechanical parts and design for half the price.

[Fueldrop]

GW models are good quality, for the most part and ignoring Finecast. However, when you factor in price you have to wonder whether basic troops are worth $11AU per model when you can get something similar from another company for 1/10th of the price. For a horde army that's a massive difference, and for most people that overrides any difference in quality.

[daboarder]

I find the big issue is that when GW scales up certain models they dont increase the detail they just increase the size of everything.

this is very noticeable in the tyranids, where the large models are just exaggerated takes on the same design concepts, a trygon or tervigon doesnt have extra detail on it, the ratios between all the elements are the same each element is just larger. Normally you would expect them to increase the amount of detail and individual components on a model as the size increases.

[lobster-overlord]

They used to be one of the best games manufacturers in the world. They are by far NOT the best at anything anymore. As exemplified by the other posts above, as well as so many other products out there.

I would venture to say Reaper is the best miniatures company based on product lines, price, quality, variety, and customer service. They don't have the best miniatures all the time, but the question is the poll is best minis COMPANY.

[YorkNecromancer]

Gonna have to disagree with you there. Reaper's Bones models are just freaking horrible. Agree that there are some lovely sculpts, and a frankly insane range of models... But the cheap-feeling Bones material is just disgusting to work with. It's too flexible, any thin details like swords come out wonky (even if you break out the hairdryer to heat-bend them) and the damn stuff's hydrophobic a fair bit of the time, so painting's not exactly easy... Not to mention it actively rejects the very concept of primer.

I wanted to like Reaper and their stuff, but nope, I ain't feeling it. The loveliest sculpts in the world mean nothing if I can't do anything with 'em. Forget Finecast - which wasn't great - because f GW had released a single model in that Bones material, the internet would have melted from the nerdrage.