Gary_81
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- Nov 1, 2019
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Lock N Load
Sculpted by Charles Agius
Box Art by Arnau Lazaro Azcarate
Cast by Broken Toad
Concept by Abrar Khan
Produced by Robot Rocket Miniatures
Scale 1:9
Price at the time of writing £55.00
Materiel Grey Resin
Packaging and contents
I ordered Lock N Load along with another model directly from Robot Rocket Miniatures and they arrived quickly and secure together with no damage at all. The model came secure inside a black cardboard box made with a nice sturdy thick card stock, offering ample strength against any bumps it might receive in transit. The box has a black gloss engraving on the top of the companies logo which looks very nice and professional, and on the bottom is a nice piece of concept art.
Inside the box everything was secured by foam pads, these are similar to the ones found inside jewellery boxes with the velvet feel on the top surface. The three smallest parts of the kit where also kept separate in a small plastic bag to prevent any damage to them which is welcome extra protection.
The contents consisted of 7 resin parts, these are the torso and head, the right arm, the left arm, the rifle and left hand, the right hand, the gun stock and the radio.
Kit Components
Torso with Head
The first photo I have added is a size comparison along side of SK Miniatures Cantiniere bust. I have added this as both models are 1:9 scale and both of female subject matter and this is why I got a shock when I opened the box. This really is a big model and feels larger than any of my other 1:9 scale kits when you compare the head sizes, which has allowed for a lot of detail to be put into this kit without it being so tiny it would be a pain to paint.
The model has the remains of a casting block on the bottom of the model and a mould line on the left lower side, apart from that there is no other clean up needed.
Firstly I would like to talk about the beautiful expression the sculptor has achieved on the face one of deep contemplation and an almost serene look to her, I love how the eyes have been sculpted closed with the detail of the eyelashes making the effect so realistic.
I also really like how one side of the face is masked by some well sculpted hair complete with a braid, and the other side is exposed showing the scars of war. I love how the sculptor has managed to show the inner workings of her cybernetic enhancements it really is a testament to the power of 3D sculpting when paired with a great sculptor and an excellent caster, Broken Toad really do excel at achieving the impossible with there casting skills.
We have some further cybernetics down the back of the neck and some kind of materiel on the front and partially on the side of the neck also. Part of what gives this model it's bulk is the vest with it's special forces look to it. I love the radio cord across the back and what looks like spare magazines in the front. This really is well sculpted with great attention to detail like the stitching on various sections, and a lot of different textures such as the straps and the velcro like surface on the front top section all with a different feel to the touch.
Left and Right Arm
The left arm has a casting block at the top on the connection point and a mould line running down the front of the arm, both are easy to remove and clean up.
This arm is fairly simple with only some bandage wrapping as detail on it but it has been well sculpted to show the musculature of a veteran soldier while still maintaining the feel of a female arm. Such a large blank area really does give potential for some nice freehand tattoo work and I'm sure there will be lots of interesting designs on painted versions of this model in the future.
The right arm has a tiny pour spout on the elbow and a mould line along the back of the arm. This really is another testament to the sculptors and casters skills as the detail on this piece is crazy. All the wires and the netting are so intricate and fine yet the design is so good it all looks real. Another nice thing about this arm is how everything matches up perfectly with the torso when it is put in position, it's always good to see a well designed model that makes a modellers life easier. I think with this piece it is best to let the photos do the talking.
The Rifle and Stock
The rifle has a casting block on the bottom of the grip and a small mould line along the bottom. The hand gripping the rifle has been beautifully sculpted and carries on the bandage wrapping from the arm, you even have some nicely sculpted nails on the ends of the fingers which is some great fine detail.
The rifle to me looks as if they just shrunk down a real one it's that detailed, you even have the safety on both sides accommodating a left or right handed shooter. I'm sure a lot of research must have gone into this part and little things like the scope, the torch and the rail on the top add both interest and realism.
The stock has only a small mould line around it and that is all. It fits perfectly with the rifle and carries on the nice design and detail work. This rifle really looks like it will be fun to paint and it would look great with some weathering and wear and tear from combat use.
Right Hand
The right hand has a casting block on the bottom a run off connecting the dog tags to the arm and a mould line just on the underside.
The detail continues with some more of the bandage style wrapping and a nice fingerless glove complete with fabric texture sculpted on. We also have a wire going from under the bandage into the back of the hand which matches up perfectly with the design of the rest of the right arm. I really like the clenched fist holding the dog tags which have also been beautifully sculpted. The fingers have been sculpted so well that they aren't all parallel and they seem to be applying different levels of pressure in the grip. Areas of realism like this really help to bring a model to life and show that anatomy and subject study have been taken into account to get the best end result.
Radio
The radio has a little casting block on the bottom and a small mould line on part of the side, both which will take little effort to clean.
Like the riffle the radio has been sculpted to the same high standards of realism and quality.You have a great looking key pad well laid out and a microphone grill at the top of the front, and even the dial on the top has been sculpted with a grip texture. This part fits perfectly on the side of the vest and lines up with the radio wire so it actually looks like it fits into the side. For such a small part it's great to see that it got some attention and care as sometimes rushed small parts can ruin the look of a otherwise great looking model.
Final Thoughts
The first thing I would have to say about this kit is it is a testament to the quality of casting being produced by Broken Toad, I can see why so many companies trust them to handle there casting work.
As my first order from Robot Rocket Miniatures I am really happy it is more than I expected. As I stated at the start this is a big piece and after purchasing so many 1:10 and 1:12 busts recently it really felt nice to have such a big model as a change and I don't think it will strain my eyes when painting either
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.The subject matter and how it has been executed on this are excellent, I really love the feeling and emotion you get from this model. The expression on the face as she grips the dog tags really does give you a sense of the loss suffered in war, and this really made the model stand out from the crowd for me.
I think this model also covers a lot of different collectors as you have a female bust but also a military bust and a scifi bust, there aren't really any limits on how realistic of fantastical you could paint it either.
As a company I can only say good things about Robot Rocket Miniature from my first experience, and as a collector I can recommend this model for anyone as the quality is great and at £55.00 I really felt I got great value for money.
Gary
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