"Plastic Vehicles v. Resin/Metal, Concensus?" Topic

A few years ago, I built my first plastic vehicles for use in gaming, some M113, a M35, and a M48. I have discovered that I do not like using them for a number of reasons. The light weight (despite being weighted with some lead shot)results in them easily being inadvertently moved if bumped, sometimes they slide on hills and whatnot, and they have been damaged mostly while being moved in their box. Literally, every time I've used them (not many), I've had to repair them. I've use plastic airplane models for decades without much problem, so the problems with the vehicles have surprised me.

I also have hundreds of metal and resin vehicles that I have been using for decades. Occasionally, one of them gets a broken barrel, or the edge of a fender gets bent/chipped painted, but overall, damage is rare.

I'm unhappy enough with the performance of the plastic models, that I'm probably not going to buy any more plastic vehicles. But with the increase in plastics for gaming in 15mm and 1/72, I've pretty much only seen positive comments, and expressions of appreciation for the plastics. Based on my experience, I am somewhat surprised by this.

So I'm curious, is it pretty much universal that plastic vehicles are a good thing? Is anyone else less than satisfied with the plastics?

I have about a 50/50 mix of resin and plastic 28mm vehicles. I like the weight and feel of the resin/pewter vehicles better. The tend to stay put when bumped and they travel better. I find the plastics take a little more care to transport around to keep fenders, tracks, and barrels from bending while still in the foam cases. What I don't like is that some of the plastic kits have more fiddley bits that can snag on the foam when you pull the vehicle out. Those little items tend to shear right off. All that being said, I like the plastics for ease of conversion and price. I can just about double the number of vehicles I can buy with the hobby budget if I go with plastics.

The smaller the vehicle, the more I like resin or metal. MBTs in plastic are fine with me, but jeeps, light tanks and the like (in plastic)get attached to bases to make them more "grounded." Plastic mgs and small caliber guns do snap off with frustrating frequency making metal much more attractive.

I try to only use plastic kits these days for 20mm WW2 and only resort to resin or metal kits if a kit is not available or crazily priced.

Plastics are far easier for me to work with, and while may take longer to build, they dont have the issues associated with resin (which breaks just as easy) and metal (which constantly chips!). I also find that plastic kits in general terms offer a crisper finish that better suits my painting style than the softer detail on some metal and resin models.

I have had no issues with damage on plastic kits, and mine reguarly fly to attend shows in the UK. The last two trips overseas, one by plane and one by car/ferry, had no breakages, the worst i have encountered in four years of flying with my models is a couple of tank commanders coming loose, never any vehicle damage, although a metal model did get paint chipped of its hull. I do however base all my vehicles and this protects them in storage and in transit. It stops them knocking together, a particular pain with metal, lesser so with resin and plastic. Also the lightweight of plastic is a huge bonus when travelling…

Never had any issues with any moving on terrain.

I glue a piece of steel to the underside of my vehicles and then store/transport in boxes lined with strong sheet magnet. I can carry the boxes sideways and the vehicles won't shift. Not that I do but still…

I pick the size of the steel so little if any can be seen when on the tabletop.

Back when I started miniature gaming WW2 I bought Airfix and Minitanks. That was what was available. Then all metal kits became the norm and I bought them. I still buy them. Then the metal and resin vehicles made their appearance. I've been buying them.
As for preference, I would rather buy plastic kits of vehicles because I find that the new ones are better made. The detail has gotten better and better. They go together so much more easily than anything else I've encountered. They are easier to paint. And they are light weight. That last item is real important these days, as I'm disabled and can't carry much weight.
They are more fragile than most of the other options. But I understand that and behave accordingly.

I'm a fan of plastic vehicles, as a rule, and like resin compared to metal.

I think your breakages issue may well have something to do with you weighing them down with lead shot.

One of the advantages of plastic – figures and vehicles – over lead (or even over some resin) is that, when dropped on, say, a carpeted floor or a cloth on a wargames table, they often just bounce as they are light enough to do so.

Similarly, when packed in my transport of choice (KR multicase) I never get an issue with plastic or resin models if the case is dropped or handled roughly.

Metal vehicles (and figures) will often break under their sheer mass when they hit the ground (or my KR case is dropped), although the metal is, I suppose, stronger than plastic.

A plastic kit or figure that is weighed to be similar to a metal model is just asking for trouble on the conservation of momentum front: all the fragility of plastic and all the mass of metal.

I would never weigh down a plastic kit – vehicle or figure.

John T

I'll take plastic over metal every time. Lighter weight makes them far easier to transport and detail has been better then most metal vehicles as well.

Breaking barrels is the worst problem, metal ones take a LOT to break a barrel and they are more easily fixed.

I am a fan of plastic in both minis and vehicles. I have a metal skdfz 251 and it weighs as much as a 4-5 tanks in plastic.

I guess I am the lazy guy in the crowd. Plastic kits are too much fiddling for me unless there is no option.

I have not had a metal kit for years. The ones I had were about as bad as plastic due to the vehicle sides being warped. Fit was a nightmare.

So resin is my choice. Britannia vehicles usually have so much character. I don't use lots, so the fact that the stowage is all the same is not a problem for me. I often add a few more pieces for variety and paint the stowage different shades of olive or khaki for variety.

Tom

You are going to get stuff for both sides I expect.If you are happy for folk to reveal their personal preferences then i would go for metal. i like the tactile feel. Metal also tensd to be more robust (fewer pieces) than older plastic models but new plastic ones designed for gaming are very robust too. Barrels are a problem on all tanks when the turret sticks but the player still keeps pushing on the barrel. Transit damage is usually down to quality a of packing and roughness of the baggage handlers. I have been taking metal tanks trans atlantic for about 25 year with no damage. once again that is due to packaging more than the medium. Many metal vehicles do have simplified detail and oversized detail to allow for game handling.

It is god there is a choice!
These are only my personal experiences so don't take them as authoritative.

martin

Here is a comparison on assembling models.
I am building a LW British Flames of War "army".

I bought tanks from Plastic Soldier Company and artillery from QRF and D Glory.
The tanks had quite a few parts, as expected. But being plastic, that was no problem. OG 25pdrs on the other hand had to have flat surfaces filed flat, and I had to hold the pieces together for minutes to get the cyanoacrylate to grab, even in this heat and humidity.
The plastic tracks were annoying, with my pet peeve being once again as with metal that the most visible part was the messy joint.
Somewhat of a wash.

I don't travel with mine, so snagging on foam is not an issue.

So I'm curious, is it pretty much universal that plastic vehicles are a good thing? Is anyone else less than satisfied with the plastics?

Plastic has good points and bad points.
I am a bit messy and have yet to master not getting glue fingerprints on flat surfaces.

I generally prefer metal, and/or resin and metal.

However, the exception is when having to cart them off to play at away games. Then, plastics are preferred.

Nothing like picking up an all metal MkIV with skirts, FEELS like a tank! 90% my 28mm AFV's are all metal.
Peter

Prefer plastic. But then my other hobby is plastic modeling, so the transition was natural. But I will use resin and/or metal where necessary. I game WWII primarily in 15mm.

Damon.

I'm about 60% Plastic 40% resin in 20mm.

As far as plastics go, the PSC and Armourfast kits that make up the bulk of my collection have built and painted up quickly and no complaints about durability overall (although I've lost a few MG34s on my Armourfast HTs). Generally if a kit is made by PSC these days I don't bother looking elsewhere.

I've got resin from Britannia, EWM, S&S and elsewhere. Build time tends to vary on the casting job and the amount of air bubbles. Haven't had many casualties there, but they don't take a fall nearly as well as the plastics do!

I also have a few all metal kits from SHQ and SGTS Mess, nice kits but can be more fiddly to assemble and I've had a few problems with miscasts out of the box.

@ Piers -- I was shocked to hear that your metal models chip – especially as I am often in awe of your painting. If paint is chipping off metal models it is generally because you aren't using a good primer. I use an etch primer, and in a recent discussion a special metals primer was recommended.

I like to have lots of vehicles, and in 20mm, with metal models, thats a lot of weight. I can't ever recall finding a metal model that wasn't inferior in terms of detail to resin or plastic, or in terms of ease of construction and fit of parts, so metal is definitely in third place.

PLastic kits can be fiddlier but on the flipside, I've bought plenty of metal kits with few parts that barely fit together.

For 15mm I like Zvezda … but PSC OK … proper metal a la PP still a joy and resin OK (really I think the quality of the model is more important than the material – but I do pack out plastic models with plasticine to give them a bit more weight)

Phil

plastic is a reasonable choice if the vehicles are for personal use and to be kept in a private collection.

However if you are putting them together for resale, they do not hold their value over time. Besides breakage many customers do not want to pay a high price for put together plastic.