I was looking at a box of plastic Uruk-hai scouts I've had in the closet for about 5 years and noticed the detail is pretty poor, even compared to the older Fighting Uruk-hai plastics from The Two Towers starter box. I've also noticed that newer plastics (Morannon Orcs, models from The Hobbit range, etc) use a harder, darker colored plastic compared to the older stuff. The newer plastic is a bit more brittle, but appears to hold detail much better.

My question is this: Does anyone know if more recent production plastics (darker material) from older molds produce better figures that the older production (light grey) plastics from the same (old) molds? I wondering if I were to buy a box of the 10 figure Uruk-hai scout plastics (since these are from the newer material run) whether the detail would be better on these than the ones I currently own.

To be honest.. I don't think the detail of the scouts is that poor.. I mean helmet, face, cloth, etc is all very clearly modelled. And what details would you want to add to leather armor/shirts? I don't really understand your criticism.

_________________
Check out my WIP: www.one-ring.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=24858

I guess I could post some pictures, but comparing the plastic Uruk Scouts to the metal ones, there is a huge difference in how clear the details are. Specifically the facial details like the mouth and teeth. The edging on the armour is very non-defined. When I compare the plastic Uruk Scouts to the Plastic Fighting Uruk-hai, there is also a noticeable difference in the clarity of the detail. The plastic Uruk Scouts I have look like they were left out in the sun too long or something, the details are just soft and not sharp at all.

I've been going through all my old models and kits and this was something I noticed. Other kits I noticed that have a similar problem include the plastic dwarf warriors and the plastic wood elf warriors.

There is definitely a change in the type of plastic they are using over the last 3-4 years. I'm not sure exactly when they made the switch. The older plastic is lighter in color and a little more flexible whereas the newer plastic is darker, harder, and a bit more brittle. Thin bits break off easier. However, the newer dark plastic seems to have better detail.

I know what you mean, and yes, there is a newer, darker type of plastic in use.
I bought some of the old plastic Uruk scouts from ebay though and have nothing to complain about. Fair point, that the details on metal or new plastic might be finer.. but my scouts dont look "blurred" nevertheless!
Have a look:

_________________
Check out my WIP: www.one-ring.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=24858

Metal has always been able to be more detailed than plastic, but the new darker plastics have more detail but are less flexible.

The new dwarf plastics are WAY better sculpts than the original ones. I don't know if it's the material, the molds or just an improvement in techniques and/or skill over the last decade.

There were definitely at least two "batches" of goblins too, the second having more detail than the first - I haven't bought any for years now, there may even be yet more iterations but the first ones that came out had less sharp detail than the ones I bought several years later.

_________________
My LotR and 40k blog, Realm of Battle board, dwarves, gobs, space wolves and battle reports. http://simbattleboard.blogspot.com/

The new plastics have an amazing amount of detail, I'm sure you could see that yourself!

_________________
I'm the good and the bad; you must be the ugly
I'd mess up your face but your momma did it for me!