I know we are a bit late to the party, as the Sector Imperialis Large Base Detail Kit was released a couple of months ago along with the Sector Imperialis base sets. However I just got my hands on the set and wanted to share my opinion on its contents and casting quality, including some HQ close ups of the sprues included.
The box is priced at 26 Euro / 20 pounds / 33 dollar and comes with four sprues. There are two different designs, so you get each sprue twice. That makes two sets of 36 different bits of rubble, 72 bits in total. I don’t know why they decided to include each sprue twice, I think it would have been more convenient to sell just the two unique sprues for half the price and leave it up to the customer whether to buy multiples or not.
A flyer, 32 mm, 25 mm and 40 mm base for reference.
Most of the bits are based on the design of the Sector Imperialis game board. A lot of pieces like the shattered floor parts or the barrel are cut at a slight angle, which will create a more three-dimensional effect when glued to a base.
The sprues are cast in China, like the Sector Imperialis and Age of Sigmar Shattered Dominion bases, and most of Games Workshop’s other recent terrain kits. Taking a closer look at the sprues, you can’t help but notice how washed out and blurry the details are. This is a problem with all China produced kits, but on this kit it is even more noticable.
Comparison to Games Workshop’s usual quality. Check out the “rivets” on the large piece with the Imperial saint.
Comparison with a floor piece from the Cities of Death building sprue.
Conclusion
Even though I heard of the quality of the kit before, I still felt a bit cheated when I bought the box, as the details were even worse than I expected. There are some great bits there, which would make awesome looking bases if only the detail would be there. The pieces are so flat and washed out, that you would have a hard time catching the details with drybrushing and washing. With texture paint, stippling and edge highlighting you can cheat the eye and make them work, still this set could have been so much more, as the concept is great.
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I wish I could see your review earlier… Will try to make a ruturn in my local shop. Awful cast. Shame on GW!
Thanks for the review, i was wondering wether the kit was OK or not (seems not !). It is a shame since the design is good, but the price tag is not here.
For the lack of quality, to be honest it has more to do with the price GW pay their suppliers than the quality the Chinese can product. Being a bit familiar with China recasts, i can say they can produce top quality !
I have the Shattered Dominion equivalent and I'm disappointed with it. Not so much because it isn't what I expected – I knew from reviews that the detail wasn't very sharp, for example – but because I'm disappointed in a general sense that so little was ultimately made of something with such obviously amazing potential. The pieces will adequately suffice for what I bought them for, but that's all, and they could have been so much more. Their actual design is superb.
If you don't think they are up to quality I would return them. Gw can only try and improve casting if they recieve direct and honest feedback
Thanks for the honest, insightful review Stahly.
I did wonder why these pieces looked a bit odd in 'eavy metal photos, a bit flat or 2-dimensional, as if they were photoshopped onto the miniatures.
I love most of the things gw do, I'm a painter who games rather than a gamer who likes painted figures, and as such I don't mind paying premium prices for quality products.
I'm well aware that some people don't like the super detailed but fragile route that gw have taken, personally I love it. However, cheaply finished bases put on quality miniatures is like putting a budget frame on a da vinci…
I'll give these a miss thanks.
Thanks for the review. I think the China terrain kits they make for fantasy/AOS are ok, cause they are depicting something more "natural" and the lack of sharpness is not so noticeable there. Example the stone portal archway I think is pretty good.
But I'm staying away from anything they make for 40K. The quality is just not good enough. I'd rather pay a higher price for something better.