- Feb 12, 2008
- 27,732
Hello again!
Here I am with another review on Mantic’s products, namely their Zombies in this case. Those lovely chaps sent me some more freebies bless their hearts, so I said I would write another review.
However like last time I would like to make one thing very clear:
This is an unbiased review, as I advised Mantic Games when I agreed to it.
For the purposes of this review I will be comparing them to GW’s equivalent, as most of us either have them or have seen them, and so provides a good basis for comparison.
Step One: Purchase
So how much are these going to set up back compared to the GW equivalent?
Mantic
Mantic Zombie Horde – multi part plastic kit - 60 Models: £30.00 (consists of 2x Zombie Regiments)
Mantic Zombie Regiment – multi part plastic kit - 30 Models: £18.00
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Zombie Horde - multi part plastic kit - 20 Models: £18.00 (includes Musician and Standard Bearer).
Again Mantic blows Games Workshop straight out of the water. The same price gets you an extra 10 zombies. If you wanted to try and get 60 zombies with GW that would set you back a hefty £54.00, the same with Mantic is £30.00 – that’s £24.00 cheaper! Or put it another way:
£54.00 at GW = 60 Zombies
£60.00 at Mantic = 120 Zombies
Mind boggling xd But, let’s hold our horses before we all go rampaging to Mantic’s Store – are these Zombies worth it, or is it the case we are paying less because they aren’t as good?
Packaging
I don’t feel it is necessary to go into this section again, if you want indepth details check out the review on the Skeletons and Ghouls found here, as the packaging is the same:
https://www.vampirecounts.net/Thread-Review-of-Mantic-s-Skeletons-and-Ghouls-by-Disciple-of-Nagash
Bluntly put, Mantic’s packaging is far better and can be re-used can well if you have the mind to.
Inside the Box (Regiment)
So inside we have:
Foam Packing (sounds silly to list it, but I think it is good to show your figures are being well protected)
30 Undead Zombie figures
1 Undead Poster Guide and Sticker Sheets
2 Mantic Points (these are stickers that work a little like a loyalty scheme)
30 20mm bases
Pretty much the same as the Ghouls and Skellies, good thought and looks artistically better.
The Sprues
So last time this was where GW started to claw back some points….and this time round it is no different.
Mantic seem to have followed a path more similar with the Ghouls than their skeletons, in that their sprues can be found a little lacking in extra’s or versatility. They have a few extra heads, an extra arm here and there but that is really about it.
There is enough difference to create a small unit of different looking models, but in a unit of 30 there will definitely be some repetition, and in the 60 man horde, well you will have to accept a lot will look exactly the same. Finally they do not have an option for a Standard Bearer, it’s not a huge loss as you would have to be insane to be using one and giving easy VP to your enemy, but it’s still something to bear in mind.
This is a bit of a blow, as against GW’s Zombies they do loose out, as the GW does have a lot of options with weapons, guts and extra bits etc. I would have hoped that Mantic would have progressed from their Ghouls and tried to put a bit more into the Zombies. I should note however, there is a good chance of kitbashing between the Ghouls and Zombies, though I have not yet tried it.
Construction
Easy peasy. I put the ones pictured together in a couple of minutes. They use almost a ball/socket affair, with the arms and waist having dips that the torso easily glues onto. The heads go on nice and easy as well.
Some of the arms are already set in place on the torso however, and the heads fit on a flat piece meaning they can be turned left and right, but not up or down or rotated. So comparing to GW, they are a little more restrictive, however anyone with a bit of effort can twist and tweak if necessary.
Personally I like this easiness, like I said about the Ghouls and Skellies, if I have loads of them to put together I want them to be as easy as possible. So in this case Mantic gets my vote, purely because I can see myself putting a full 60 man horde together very easily. For those who do like to adjust every little aspect of your many models however, again bear this in mind.
But….and this is a big BUT…..the waist joints do leave a bit of a gap in some areas. They do not fit flush and after examining them, if I was to use them I would have to do some green stuffing into those gaps. Personally I think it is needed, however the best way to describe it to the rest of you is this:
When putting together GW Ghouls, all of you should have noticed the torso and the legs had gaps / did not fit flush – did this bother you? Did you greenstuff it? If so, it will be the same with Mantic Zombies, if not, you probably won’t be bothered here either.
Quality and Detail
Probably the deciding category – do these models cut the mustard when it comes to detail?
Yes.
The detail on these guys is good, in fact not is not, it’s superb. From the shrivelled skin with bones underneath, to guts hanging out, they are at least equal if not better than GW’s in this regard and I have no problem saying you are definitely getting value for money. Even down to the fingers it is very impressive, and I mean the hands are actually scaled right, unlike GW’s clown hands.
In this section Mantic in my opinion has probably taken a step further than GW, and easily win over GW.
Design
This category is really based on opinion, i.e. do the Mantic Zombie’s design look the part more that GW’s?
Well the only opinion I have is my own, so as far as I am concerned, yes they do. GW’s models, whilst ok when they were released are looking dated.
It’s like comparing a 60’s zombie, to one out of the movie 28 Days Later. I love the old zombie films, but they are a bit comical compared to today’s zombies which can scare the crap out of you, and that’s how I feel about GW’s.
Mantic’s on the other hand look more up to date, and like they do actually want to come along, tear a chunk out of you and feed on your brains. They are posed better, either shambling or limping along, and just feel more at home in the dark gothic Vampire Counts army.
Final Decision
In some ways this decision is easy. Mantic’s Zombies are far cheaper than GW’s and are actually in some ways much better with a bit more detail and better design in my opinion. They will look great painted up and lurching across the battlefield and so I would suggest any VC player to seriously consider getting them.
The only downside is as I said before, their lack of different models and extra bits, combined with the extra work needed on the waist joint. It is something that needs to be thought about before buying, and it is something I will actually be mentioning to Mantic in hope of finding out if they are going to produce additional sprues.
Should it put you off though? No, not really. You are going to have loads of the Zombies (well you had better if you want them to actually do anything useful!), and in this case the downsides don’t come anywhere close to beating the upsides.
You get loads of detailed zombies for a fantastic price and in the end they will look good, so once again Mantic gets a thumbs up from me.
Hope this has helped you all, and as usual any questions just ask.
Cheers
Disciple of Nagash
Here I am with another review on Mantic’s products, namely their Zombies in this case. Those lovely chaps sent me some more freebies bless their hearts, so I said I would write another review.
However like last time I would like to make one thing very clear:
This is an unbiased review, as I advised Mantic Games when I agreed to it.
For the purposes of this review I will be comparing them to GW’s equivalent, as most of us either have them or have seen them, and so provides a good basis for comparison.
Step One: Purchase
So how much are these going to set up back compared to the GW equivalent?
Mantic
Mantic Zombie Horde – multi part plastic kit - 60 Models: £30.00 (consists of 2x Zombie Regiments)
Mantic Zombie Regiment – multi part plastic kit - 30 Models: £18.00
Games Workshop
Games Workshop Zombie Horde - multi part plastic kit - 20 Models: £18.00 (includes Musician and Standard Bearer).
Again Mantic blows Games Workshop straight out of the water. The same price gets you an extra 10 zombies. If you wanted to try and get 60 zombies with GW that would set you back a hefty £54.00, the same with Mantic is £30.00 – that’s £24.00 cheaper! Or put it another way:
£54.00 at GW = 60 Zombies
£60.00 at Mantic = 120 Zombies
Mind boggling xd But, let’s hold our horses before we all go rampaging to Mantic’s Store – are these Zombies worth it, or is it the case we are paying less because they aren’t as good?
Packaging
I don’t feel it is necessary to go into this section again, if you want indepth details check out the review on the Skeletons and Ghouls found here, as the packaging is the same:
https://www.vampirecounts.net/Thread-Review-of-Mantic-s-Skeletons-and-Ghouls-by-Disciple-of-Nagash
Bluntly put, Mantic’s packaging is far better and can be re-used can well if you have the mind to.
Inside the Box (Regiment)
So inside we have:
Foam Packing (sounds silly to list it, but I think it is good to show your figures are being well protected)
30 Undead Zombie figures
1 Undead Poster Guide and Sticker Sheets
2 Mantic Points (these are stickers that work a little like a loyalty scheme)
30 20mm bases
Pretty much the same as the Ghouls and Skellies, good thought and looks artistically better.
The Sprues
So last time this was where GW started to claw back some points….and this time round it is no different.
Mantic seem to have followed a path more similar with the Ghouls than their skeletons, in that their sprues can be found a little lacking in extra’s or versatility. They have a few extra heads, an extra arm here and there but that is really about it.
There is enough difference to create a small unit of different looking models, but in a unit of 30 there will definitely be some repetition, and in the 60 man horde, well you will have to accept a lot will look exactly the same. Finally they do not have an option for a Standard Bearer, it’s not a huge loss as you would have to be insane to be using one and giving easy VP to your enemy, but it’s still something to bear in mind.
This is a bit of a blow, as against GW’s Zombies they do loose out, as the GW does have a lot of options with weapons, guts and extra bits etc. I would have hoped that Mantic would have progressed from their Ghouls and tried to put a bit more into the Zombies. I should note however, there is a good chance of kitbashing between the Ghouls and Zombies, though I have not yet tried it.
Construction
Easy peasy. I put the ones pictured together in a couple of minutes. They use almost a ball/socket affair, with the arms and waist having dips that the torso easily glues onto. The heads go on nice and easy as well.
Some of the arms are already set in place on the torso however, and the heads fit on a flat piece meaning they can be turned left and right, but not up or down or rotated. So comparing to GW, they are a little more restrictive, however anyone with a bit of effort can twist and tweak if necessary.
Personally I like this easiness, like I said about the Ghouls and Skellies, if I have loads of them to put together I want them to be as easy as possible. So in this case Mantic gets my vote, purely because I can see myself putting a full 60 man horde together very easily. For those who do like to adjust every little aspect of your many models however, again bear this in mind.
But….and this is a big BUT…..the waist joints do leave a bit of a gap in some areas. They do not fit flush and after examining them, if I was to use them I would have to do some green stuffing into those gaps. Personally I think it is needed, however the best way to describe it to the rest of you is this:
When putting together GW Ghouls, all of you should have noticed the torso and the legs had gaps / did not fit flush – did this bother you? Did you greenstuff it? If so, it will be the same with Mantic Zombies, if not, you probably won’t be bothered here either.
Quality and Detail
Probably the deciding category – do these models cut the mustard when it comes to detail?
Yes.
The detail on these guys is good, in fact not is not, it’s superb. From the shrivelled skin with bones underneath, to guts hanging out, they are at least equal if not better than GW’s in this regard and I have no problem saying you are definitely getting value for money. Even down to the fingers it is very impressive, and I mean the hands are actually scaled right, unlike GW’s clown hands.
In this section Mantic in my opinion has probably taken a step further than GW, and easily win over GW.
Design
This category is really based on opinion, i.e. do the Mantic Zombie’s design look the part more that GW’s?
Well the only opinion I have is my own, so as far as I am concerned, yes they do. GW’s models, whilst ok when they were released are looking dated.
It’s like comparing a 60’s zombie, to one out of the movie 28 Days Later. I love the old zombie films, but they are a bit comical compared to today’s zombies which can scare the crap out of you, and that’s how I feel about GW’s.
Mantic’s on the other hand look more up to date, and like they do actually want to come along, tear a chunk out of you and feed on your brains. They are posed better, either shambling or limping along, and just feel more at home in the dark gothic Vampire Counts army.
Final Decision
In some ways this decision is easy. Mantic’s Zombies are far cheaper than GW’s and are actually in some ways much better with a bit more detail and better design in my opinion. They will look great painted up and lurching across the battlefield and so I would suggest any VC player to seriously consider getting them.
The only downside is as I said before, their lack of different models and extra bits, combined with the extra work needed on the waist joint. It is something that needs to be thought about before buying, and it is something I will actually be mentioning to Mantic in hope of finding out if they are going to produce additional sprues.
Should it put you off though? No, not really. You are going to have loads of the Zombies (well you had better if you want them to actually do anything useful!), and in this case the downsides don’t come anywhere close to beating the upsides.
You get loads of detailed zombies for a fantastic price and in the end they will look good, so once again Mantic gets a thumbs up from me.
Hope this has helped you all, and as usual any questions just ask.
Cheers
Disciple of Nagash