BPM offers two materials ("PLA" and "high resolution resin"). Most of the pictures show the lower-resolution PLA material with flaws and print lines. The on-line scuttlebutt was that the resin prints were much better, so I ordered a selection of 12mm vehicles to see for myself. Some impressions:
The resin prints do indeed look much better than the photos of the rough and staircased prints all over the web site.
All the models have good proportions, and are instantly recognizable. None have the tree-trunk barrels common in this scale.
The details look good. As usual with small models, rivets are oversized, handrails are too flat, plates and hatches stand out too much (too thick), seams are too wide, etc. But this is how they remain visible and paintable and durable, so I have no objections. I think the STL designer did a great job, and I agree with the decisions. I have nothing to say about the accuracy of such details; I'll leave that evaluation to others, and you should be able to see them in the web site photos if you're concerned about that.
All of the models have print lines. They are mostly very light (except the deeply corduroyed undersides, where nobody will see them). They may be light enough to go unnoticed at wargaming distances with brush-on paint jobs, but I worry they may be deep enough to ruin washes and maybe drybrushing, which will matter on the the monochrome desert tanks and Russian tanks I want. I won't know until I try painting them in a few months.
The models vary in quality.
I like everything about the Hummel except the gun shield. The raised surfaces on either side of the gun embrasure are stepped so badly they look like louvers. I don't think I can fix that. I am uncertain if I should buy more of these.
I desperately hope I can make the T-34/85 look good under paint. It has beautiful proportions, the hull is a single durable piece, the turret is nearly free of print lines and fits tightly in its hole, rotating without play. Unfortunately, the front and rear hull slopes and top of hull have a lot of print lines.
- Ix
is excited to paint something new.
