Is anyone else finding new sculpts less inspiring?

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Particularly space marines. The new ork kits are pretty dope though.

 

AoS has some beautiful sculpts, and a lot of stormcast models seem to make better SMs than actual SM kits.

 

tornus the eternal is a better sanguinor than sanguinor.

 

theres some dude with rib armor and a skeleton helmet I think that makes a better chaplain than any of the actual chaplain models.

prosecutors with a head swap and trimming of some comet iconography are better SG than SG. (Also released around the same time)

 

but then there’s also how many of the sculpts just look fantastic even if they can’t be easily proxied into 40k

 

the exodite KT was generally well received but still got a pretty good amount of criticisms. No big wild hair, too clean looking, some critiques of the mounts’ design.

 

talked about this a bit in r/AoS and a lot of people there feel 40K is just too set in stone for design philosophy and what not and after the bad reaction to primaris being released means we’ll never see any particularly exciting new kits for fan favorite factions.

 

and I can’t argue much. Anyone here feel similarly?

 

Edited September 5 by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[Grotsmasha]

LESS, maybe a bit, but still not uninspiring.

 

Look at the new Asmodai vs. the two previous versions, and the newer Wolves models.

Look at the new Nightbringer vs. the old version, I can't wait to see a new Deceiver.

 

I can see where you're coming from for Codex Space Marines, but that's their thing. They're from a rigid military organisation.

 

I also agree that there's some AMAZING things going in the AoS range (particularly the Underworld range).

HOWEVER, it's much easier to to forward in technology (in so far as the hobby) than it is to model regression, meaning it's much harder to take 40k models and force them into a viable AoS army (Orks probably being the exception) than it is to up-tech an AoS faction into 40k.

 

[Antarius]

In some ways it seems like there's been more freedom with designs in the AOS range, which is probably a function of it being a new setting (I know it's been around for a while, but it's new relative to 40K and much less codified at this point). They've certainly been trying things out in a way we're very unlikely to ever see in 40K (scary looking orks, underwater elves, brand new factions or factions that are completely different takes on traditional factions and tropes etc.).

As for 40K, I think it depends a lot on the range. I'm vary of inadvertedly resurrecting the "firstborn vs primaris" "discussion", but I think it's fair to say there's been a shift away from the more archaic looking marines and a more streamlined look in general (which is being reversed to some degree, in some areas). For the other 40K ranges, I think there's a lot going on but it's all within the realm of touch-ups and reimagining of an existing design aesthetic, so I think it's always bound to have less of an "Wow! This is completely fresh!"-effect. There's also the fact that there's simply not an unlimited design space left within the established look, feel and theme of the existing factions, so it's hard to come up with something with a lot of wow-factor (in a good way, at least).
I tend to like the 40K aesthetic a lot, so it doesn't bother me overall (although I may have issues with specific models or units, of course), but I can see why some might find it inherently less inspiring.

[Doghouse]

Mostly in terms of construction. Kits used to be to intuitive to construct but to me feel more like vanity products on behalf of the sculptors. I do see some exceptions of late with stuff like the new Orks though which is encouraging. 

[Lathe Biosas]

I find the new sculpts less appealing from a gameplay and transportation side.

 

AoS centerpiece models like Nagash are such a pain to transport, we are using blank bases labeled, "NAGASH."

 

40K is slowly moving in that direction with spindly models (see new Custodes) that have thin fragile break points that make you not want to carry your army with you. (I've been sourcing 3d printed heads as the ones that come in the boxes make Necron Flayed Ones look sturdy).

 

It's either that or they are so bulky and ilconceived (ie the new Drop Pods with the tactical rocks and permanently open doors) that you can't take them with you anywhere.

 

 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

7 hours ago, Antarius said:

In some ways it seems like there's been more freedom with designs in the AOS range, which is probably a function of it being a new setting (I know it's been around for a while, but it's new relative to 40K and much less codified at this point). They've certainly been trying things out in a way we're very unlikely to ever see in 40K (scary looking orks, underwater elves, brand new factions or factions that are completely different takes on traditional factions and tropes etc.).

As for 40K, I think it depends a lot on the range. I'm vary of inadvertedly resurrecting the "firstborn vs primaris" "discussion", but I think it's fair to say there's been a shift away from the more archaic looking marines and a more streamlined look in general (which is being reversed to some degree, in some areas). For the other 40K ranges, I think there's a lot going on but it's all within the realm of touch-ups and reimagining of an existing design aesthetic, so I think it's always bound to have less of an "Wow! This is completely fresh!"-effect. There's also the fact that there's simply not an unlimited design space left within the established look, feel and theme of the existing factions, so it's hard to come up with something with a lot of wow-factor (in a good way, at least).
I tend to like the 40K aesthetic a lot, so it doesn't bother me overall (although I may have issues with specific models or units, of course), but I can see why some might find it inherently less inspiring.

Even with LoV.

they brought back a faction that’s been unplayable and OOP for 20+ years. Had a lot of flexibility on what they could have done with them, and what did they do? Midget marines.

 

40k sculpts aren’t bad or ugly, but generally they’re just not inspiring me much anymore.

 

like the new centaur and hippogriff…good looking models, but just very ‘meh’ over all.

between years of constantly changing the rules every few months to me just straight up not liking 11th’s core rules, if the models aren’t inspiring I have no real reason to engage with the hobby considering how expensive kits are.

[darkhorse0607]

I think there are still some good ones out there, personally liked the new Victrix Guard, the new Shield Captain, a lot of the Necron stuff, I can even appreciate things like the new Ork Boyz even though I don't paint a lot of Orks so I probably won't get them. 

 

With that though, I find more often than not lately, there's a "but" with a lot of the new stuff. 

 

Obviously this is my opinion, but as some examples,

 

-The new Custodes are pretty nice, but they feel imbalanced from a sculpting side. When you cram a ton of detail into the top half of the model, you can't leave the legs basically bare without it feeling weird

 

-I hate the fact that they decided everyone tippy-toeing off rocks is good for the new vanguard. They know how to do more dynamic sculpts, they could've, they chose not to.

 

-Thought the new Deathwatch kit was kind of lackluster

 

-The new Blood Angels (minus the characters) are either non-existent or a downgrade

 

-Deathwing were missing some character in their sculpts and rely far too much on just saying "here they have hoods and tabards, that makes them Deathwing"

 

Etc.

 

Some of this was my fault. For example, I had been waiting to restart my Blood Angels until the primaris update happened, I expected more given how the Templars were treated. My bad. 

Some of it isn't though. I don't know if it's the pace of releases, the fact that it's easier to slap some detail on something with digital sculpting before moving on to the next project, or maybe newer designers, but something just feels off with the 40k side that you don't really get with the specialist game studio or AOS as often

 

I still have some issues with the new Heresy stuff, but I still think the plusses there outweigh the minuses so I've been enjoying more of that lately. 

[SvenIronhand]

One point of disagreement. Lot of people want gak like huge, very powerful centerpiece models to enter 40k (even more than the extent to which they have) to which I say: Hells no.

[Indy Techwisp]

3 minutes ago, SvenIronhand said:

One point of disagreement. Lot of people want gak like huge, very powerful centerpiece models to enter 40k (even more than the extent to which they have) to which I say: Hells no.

 

My army already has it's 1 big centerpiece model (technically 2 but the 2nd is inherited from AoS) and IMO that's already too much.

No-one else really got a centerpiece model of similar scale until Fulgrim and his is (appropriately for Slaanesh) excessive in scale.

[Evil Eye]

I'll definitely second @Doghouse on the point of newer kits being annoyingly unintuitive to build, and also seeming more like an attempt to show off what GW can do with CAD sculpting and plastic moulding rather than actually making kits that are fun to build and make good, sturdy gaming pieces. The Horus Heresy kits aren't quite as bad (I was able to build a Leviathan without instructions even) but then again you still have things like the Mk. 6 pauldrons being split down the middle.

 

As for the actual sculpts, I find they're definitely getting a bit one-note and are more focused on looking "impressive" rather than looking good, if that makes sense. They're improving in some areas, and I have to say I quite like the majority of the Armageddon box but even then they couldn't help themselves with some of the effects and tactical rocks. The worst offenders though are definitely remakes of named characters.

 

Someone mentioned the Nightbringer and I have to be honest I'm a bit "meh" on the new one; it's quite overdone with the pose and the lightning effects and such, whereas the original was far more understated.

Another example of GW going too far with trying to make a big flashy centrepiece instead of an actual gamepiece, IMO at least, is Logan Grimnar. The actual model isn't bad at all to be fair but paired with the wolves and the MASSIVE tactical rock on one massive based, it seems more like a mini-diorama than anything meant for tabletop use.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

28 minutes ago, Evil Eye said:

I'll definitely second @Doghouse on the point of newer kits being annoyingly unintuitive to build, and also seeming more like an attempt to show off what GW can do with CAD sculpting and plastic moulding rather than actually making kits that are fun to build and make good, sturdy gaming pieces. The Horus Heresy kits aren't quite as bad (I was able to build a Leviathan without instructions even) but then again you still have things like the Mk. 6 pauldrons being split down the middle.

 

As for the actual sculpts, I find they're definitely getting a bit one-note and are more focused on looking "impressive" rather than looking good, if that makes sense. They're improving in some areas, and I have to say I quite like the majority of the Armageddon box but even then they couldn't help themselves with some of the effects and tactical rocks. The worst offenders though are definitely remakes of named characters.

 

Someone mentioned the Nightbringer and I have to be honest I'm a bit "meh" on the new one; it's quite overdone with the pose and the lightning effects and such, whereas the original was far more understated.

Another example of GW going too far with trying to make a big flashy centrepiece instead of an actual gamepiece, IMO at least, is Logan Grimnar. The actual model isn't bad at all to be fair but paired with the wolves and the MASSIVE tactical rock on one massive based, it seems more like a mini-diorama than anything meant for tabletop use.

Yeah the new sculpts are fantastic looking, but they just tend to be generic I guess?

 

like the new VGV look fantastic as sculpts, but they’re just rehashes of the old sculpts more or less. Just upscaled.

[The Yncarne]

Everything has a very settled look for several editions. I’m very happy with the eldar from the past 5 years, but it’s more consolidation and resizing than evolution. I also resent all the ribbons, tassels, and swords breaking during transport 

[gideon stargreave]

I absolutely can’t agree that they are uninspiring. The variety of human models is astounding, so making eg. Unique guard squads or imperial agents is easier and cooler than it’s ever been; The new orks are stunning with just enough 2nd ed nostalgia references; the exploration of quieter corners of the universe through kill team is brilliant. I’ve bought, built and painted more the last three years than in the previous thirty put together 

[Jukkiz]

Whole primarinades line seems to be tad... over saturated and just boring. There was ideas and now it seems that only intercessors/tacticals are most well thought of anything else. Hover tanks, suppressors, whole gravis line is just meh. Doesn´t really say space marine but something akin to starcraft and marauders. 

Something with modern marines just feels weird. Like they lost their identity to appeal to corporate shareholders and going weird tacticool with their names, weapons and looks. 

[Nocturne Noble]

Personally, I'm really pleased with the new Primaris aesthetic. Heavy bolt pistols aside, I especially like the new curvier jump pack design with the fins and Gravis armour has endeared itself to me on account of how many Aggressors I own for my Salamanders.

If I had one major gripe with the range, it'd be the twin ironhail autocannon on the Invictor Tactical Warsuit; it looks so bland and unmenacing, merely a bigger version of the twin heavy stubbers it already has. I've got two from dual Raven Guard Combat Patrol boxes and I'm loathe to build one with that gun, and I don't care to magnetise it either.

Ultimately, I think sculpt detail has improved significantly over the years, even if you don't acknowledge the improvements to proportions, the new Custodes are sublime! I could never go back.

[sitnam]

I think loyalist Marines (specifically vanilla and Blood Angels) have a had a bad few years and with some real stinkers, and I think there have been a few hit or miss designs outside of that (those awful Sehketar robots made me drive I'll just collect Tzeentch CSM with a smattering of Thousand Sons instead of going more into pure TS)

 

But I think a ton of other stuff has been fantastic. I don't know how far back everyone else is going, but the Necron refresh got me into that faction, the new Kroot were amazing, Kill Team releases are awesome, and SoB are fantastic. In general I think most non-LSM factions are eating very well.

 

Note this is all from the perspective of a collector/hobbyist, not a gamer. Whether or not big centerpieces make good gaming pieces is irrelevant for me, what matters is that they are good painting projects

[Brother Eleysium]

Personally the sculpts have improved over my tenure of hobbying and playing the game in general.(twenty-three years total which is hard to think about) The quality of the model casting, the details, the ease to put them together, and especially the fact that my dreadnoughts and certain tanks aren't 5-10 lb blocks of pewter... That being said, there are also models that GW has released in the last several years, that I just flat out face palm on...

 

The Desolation Squad and the Invictus Tactical Suit really grind my gears. To me both units are comical at best, and I'll never own either. If I ever field them, I use models that I have modded to represent them and always let a new opponent beforehand. I also don't like the fact that the kits are by and large cookie cutter, and there is a lot less room for variety across units if you field more than one in the same army.

 

But, as I mentioned above, GW has definitely improved overall over the course of my experience with the game.

[HeadlessCross]

On 9/4/2026 at 7:30 PM, Inquisitor_Lensoven said:

Particularly space marines. The new ork kits are pretty dope though.

 

AoS has some beautiful sculpts, and a lot of stormcast models seem to make better SMs than actual SM kits.

 

tornus the eternal is a better sanguinor than sanguinor.

 

theres some dude with rib armor and a skeleton helmet I think that makes a better chaplain than any of the actual chaplain models.

prosecutors with a head swap and trimming of some comet iconography are better SG than SG. (Also released around the same time)

 

but then there’s also how many of the sculpts just look fantastic even if they can’t be easily proxied into 40k

 

the exodite KT was generally well received but still got a pretty good amount of criticisms. No big wild hair, too clean looking, some critiques of the mounts’ design.

 

talked about this a bit in r/AoS and a lot of people there feel 40K is just too set in stone for design philosophy and what not and after the bad reaction to primaris being released means we’ll never see any particularly exciting new kits for fan favorite factions.

 

and I can’t argue much. Anyone here feel similarly?

 

I know I'm in the minority, but I think the new Sanguinor is a vast improvement over the old one. It feels less cluttered and beefier while still being regal. 

 

I simply just don't buy the new models because I'm slowly turning everything I own into upscaled Mk2-Mk3, but I think the new models are objectively good. 

[HeadlessCross]

3 hours ago, Brother Eleysium said:

Personally the sculpts have improved over my tenure of hobbying and playing the game in general.(twenty-three years total which is hard to think about) The quality of the model casting, the details, the ease to put them together, and especially the fact that my dreadnoughts and certain tanks aren't 5-10 lb blocks of pewter... That being said, there are also models that GW has released in the last several years, that I just flat out face palm on...

 

The Desolation Squad and the Invictus Tactical Suit really grind my gears. To me both units are comical at best, and I'll never own either. If I ever field them, I use models that I have modded to represent them and always let a new opponent beforehand. I also don't like the fact that the kits are by and large cookie cutter, and there is a lot less room for variety across units if you field more than one in the same army.

 

But, as I mentioned above, GW has definitely improved overall over the course of my experience with the game.

I'm curious what bugs you about the Invictus. The Heavy Bolter pistol is a bit silly I'll grant that. 

[Kallas]

7 hours ago, Brother Eleysium said:

Personally the sculpts have improved over my tenure of hobbying and playing the game in general.(twenty-three years total which is hard to think about) The quality of the model casting, the details, the ease to put them together, and especially the fact that my dreadnoughts and certain tanks aren't 5-10 lb blocks of pewter... That being said, there are also models that GW has released in the last several years, that I just flat out face palm on...

 

The Desolation Squad and the Invictus Tactical Suit really grind my gears. To me both units are comical at best, and I'll never own either. If I ever field them, I use models that I have modded to represent them and always let a new opponent beforehand. I also don't like the fact that the kits are by and large cookie cutter, and there is a lot less room for variety across units if you field more than one in the same army.

 

But, as I mentioned above, GW has definitely improved overall over the course of my experience with the game.

 

Yeah, I'd agree with this pretty much everything here. GW's technical modelling is just head and shoulders above previous generations. Every new iteration of a previous model has major technical improvements on detailing, posing, proportions, basically every part (eg, Howling Banshees, Imperial Guard, all of it). There are stinkers, of course, and that's nothing new in and of itself - there have been stinkers in previous generations of models (eg, SM Centurions) - so I don't think that's necessarily a problem, or indicative of a problem.

 

One thing I would deviate from Brother Eleysium's point of view, and agree with Evil Eye's, is that a lot of models seem to be more flash than quality in terms of their aesthetic. Nightbringer and Logan Grimnar are both good examples, but I'll add in possibly one of the best models GW has ever made, full stop/period: Lord Kroak.

 

I love the Lord Kroak model, I think it is a fantastic model overall and, like I said, probably one of - if not the - best models GW has made to date. But, I think it is still missing some of the je ne sais quoi of the original - even though in pretty much every way possible it is an upgrade; there is a underlying statement about such a powerful figure when it has a certain simplicity to it, and while the old Kroak model is absolutely rendered in lesser detail, with less panache, and with less glorious scale, I can't help but greatly enjoy that this immensely powerful character is so muted in his prior form.

 

To liken it to one of the other examples Evil Eye provided, the Nightbringer's new model absolutely has more detail and more oomph, but there's something about the simplicity of the original that has, in my opinion, more presence. The previous version of the Nightbringer feels more like the genetic memory of the grim reaper that was hinted at in some of the earlier lore, whereas the newer one, while technically far superior misses the mark by being much busier in terms of detail and posing.

 

Maybe it's just grognardery, but it does feel to me like many modern centrepiece models have a lot of flair but not as much presence. If I can use one of my own models, one of my favourite Space Marine models ever to try to illustrate my point, this Captain model lacks dynamic posing, lacks that centrepiece panache - but to me the simplicity of the pose presents a more compelling, more imposing figure: this Astartes is not concerned with the battle, everything is in hand, they are calm and surveying the field ready to take on what comes next. That same lack of dynamism, the simplicity, lends itself to a stronger sense of power where the new Logan Grimnar is clearly a technically extremely well detailed and great model, but the exaggerated kind of swagger feels kind of forced.

 

So I suppose to sum up, yeah I do kind of feel like new sculpts are less inspiring, albeit on an aesthetic level, not on the technical level. They are inspiring, but in the manner that they are trying too hard which in turn makes me less inspired 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Xenith]

Agree, a lot of the models now have a soulless aspect to them. I think this is largely. A product of CAD rather than traditional hand sculpting.

 

They have done a decent job with the Armageddon intercessors in making them unique. 

 

I think they lost their way a bit with marines, one of the reasons I was drawn to them was the 'warrior knight' aesthetic with checks, dags, flames and a massive jetpack. All of these have been removed to make them more ...'professional' I guess? But it's changed the whole feel of the models. 

[Antarius]

I think most of their ranges are absolutely more inspired than previously, but I also think a lot of models, maybe even entire ranges, aren't.

I think one aspect is CAD, not necessarily because it is inherently less inspired, but because it allows for adding a bunch of what I can only call "surface level flash" that sometimes tend to take over the models. Sometimes it's not really a problem, but when it is, models seem to become exercises in "look what we can do now!" rather than well-thought out and well-executed works of art (for lack of a better term; you don't have to necessarily agree that miniatures are art).

I often find myself trimming a lot of details off models and I almost always find that it improves them vastly. For example, I think there's a great model hidden beneath the surface-level mess of Mortarion, but the numerous details and effects, while impressive, just seem to obscure the profile and impact of the model.

[Karhedron]

Overall I think the modern sculpts are fantastic. They are what I imagined the models looking like 30 years ago. Sure we get the odd dud now and then (cough-Coteaz-cough) but the majority are excellent. I certainly don't think that they are soulless as the soul comes from the painting IMHO.