Hey Hobby Fam, Felix is here with a review of Raging Heroes’ line of miniatures, Sci-Fi Sisters, the Toughest Nuns in the Galaxy. Oh, and he painted up a squad. Check it out!
Bottom Line Up Front: Good but not great minis. They filled a niche that’s about to get GW’d. I can only recommend these to people who just want to experiment with sisters and not mess around with metal or just need some spicy bits in their lives.
I’ve wanted to play Sisters of Battle since Dawn of War introduced them to me. I like angels. I like girls that kick butt. I blame Catholicism. Also, Alien & Aliens. But, metal is not my thing. Plastic is cheap. Plastic is light. Plastic is the future. GW said, “We’re making plastic sisters!” and I was pumped. A year is a long time to wait, so I gave Raging Heroes and their long-awaited Toughest Girls in the Galaxy 2 a shot.
I’m not disappointed per say, I just think they missed the boat on a few things.
The Un-Wrap
Believe it or not, the presentation is a big deal. Sometimes an average product can get away with its average-ness based on marketing and presentation, which in my opinion is an extension of marketing. The Raging Heroes website is solid. The package I got in the mail was nice and felt professional. However, it didn’t feel lux.
What is lux? Well, when you get an American Express Platinum card it comes in a silver colored box and inside is a piece of wood that holds the card. Underneath the card is a little silver tassel that you tug on to release the card. It feels like, “oh boy, this is legit.” Similarly, When you get an iPhone or a Nexus the packaging always feels lux. Forge World, recently, has begun doing this. You’re a big kid now and your toys don’t come out of a Cereal box. So, presentation 6/10.
Raging Heroes Examplar Pack Command & Troops €49.00 (On Sale)
Sprue
Oh boy. Not a strong point. Will the model stay on the Sprue? No, of course, it won’t, but this is part of the assembly. It’s a huge part of my user experience and It is lacking. We spend a lot of time with Sprues. I like to examine mine, check out all the little bits, and maybe even game plan which bits I want with which models. My personal gold standard for this is the Death Co. sprue; lots of little bits, all the options, so much flavor. Could the sprues have been designed better? Sure. But there’s a ton of combos in just two sprues.
RH’s are, well, far below that standard. The sprues aren’t squared, there’s excess resin flash, and several pieces of the itty bitty bits don’t even hold on while I washing and prepping them which meant I had to rinse them with a kitchen strainer. Unfortunately, it’s a mess. 1/10
The Models
Build. I get the option of multiple heads, that’s good, poses are amazing. There are several but not many posing options. GW has increasingly been creating minis that really only glue together in one pose; you need lots of hobby skills to hack alter some of the models they’ve put out. So, I can’t in fairness knock Raging Heroes for this but it was a missed opportunity. In my head, I don’t understand why these companies are getting away from being able to get a variety of poses and options out of one kit. This is the troop box, I’m assuming they’re going to want me to buy several of them? If they had other options I wouldn’t care. I’d buy one of each and shut up, but that’s not the case.
I get one box and not many poses. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Redemptor and Tau Battlesuit kits, (minus the storm surge) and so many options. Not with these ladies. Maybe I expected too much.
I know sculpting, manufacturing, and design isn’t cheap, but I feel like a troop box needs options. Lots of them. I want a squad that’s running, I want a squad that’s holding an objective, I want one that’s doing a radio call or taking heavy fire and ducking for cover; I am willing to pay more for said options.
Compared to sisters of silence, these build about the same which is to say, a pain in the bum. Except with GW I have twice as many options (melee or shooty) and cost a bit less after shipping and handling while having the added benefit of being used in 30k.
What I do like about this kit, is that you get a heavy flamer and some larger bolter options, and of course as many helmeted heads as un-helmeted heads. 5/10
Models & Painting: Super good models. Good details. Not GW level but awesome gothic models. Far superior to Metal Sisters. However, Sisters is Silence are, in my opinion, a bit better because they go together easier, come in both melee and ranged options, and the details are easier to paint. 8/10
The Wrap-Up
Recommendations: if you’re team Verruca, “I want it now!” and have the resources, buy a squad of these girls and experiment with your color schemes. They’ll stand tall, but a bit skinny alongside your sisters of Battle to add a bit of variety. I think it’s a good set. If you’re allergic to metal, you can grab 10 of these ladies and one of TGG’s great HQ models as your cannoness. Then add a squad of sisters of silence and Celestine to make your first battalion and splash them into your current army to see if you like the way they play before you flesh out an entire army.
Ultimately, they’re still a fun kit. They have some pretty great poses. If you’ve been building lots of GW’s bigger kits (Battle Suits, Oruks, and Primaris, oh my) like I have, You’ll want to re-learn, or practice, how to build itty bitty models. Understand these are small, lithe, Eldar like models.
IF your hobby dollars are tight, skip these ladies and prepare your hobby dollar for 2019 when GW makes your sister loving heart scream for mercy.
Final verdict: Good models that could have been great with a little extra effort on Raging Heroes part, 7/10
