G'day all.
I will ramble on in this thread, it doesn't particularly have a point.
I went into my local GW store to consider getting a Terminator Librarian. This was a big step as my new year's resolution was to buy nothing at full price, (I'm in Australia!) but I wanted to see one as it would be my first fine cast model and I would have bought it too, but for a couple of things.
The store manager showed me the model and I checked for imperfections. I could only see the back of the model, but there were imperfections and missing details, which I pointed out to the manager. I got the other blister (they had 2 in stock) and it wasn't as bad, though still imperfect.
I WAS STILL GOING TO BUY IT!!
The fact that at this point I was even considering that it would be acceptable to patch up a brand new model just boggles my mind!
Anyway the store manager saved me (true story) by refusing to let me open the blister to check the front.
That was a commitment to buy on my part, and I feel, a lack of confidence in the product on his.
The final kicker is that I'd been looking on an American site inadvertently so thought that the price would be $28 or so. When I stopped looking at the model and saw the discretely placed price sticker I gave thanks for the store manager's reticence. $39? (comparison Catacomb Command Barge retails for $55) for one figure? That was crap/imperfect in two examples? That I couldn't open in the store?
I guess the moral is "Stick to your resolutions."
I find it baffling that GW can release brilliant models like the Coven throne and Stone tusk, exceptional scenery like the Fantasy buildings on one hand and this stuff on the other. Its like theres two different companies.
I know its just my experience, and I do hope others differ.
My goodness though, that price was just silly, even by Aus GW standards.