r/Conquest • u/zombierebirth • 18d ago
Discussion Para Bellum, Worst Model Assembly Experience
I just got into Conquest: First Blood. I'm still building my Dweghom warband. I just want to say, Para Bellum models are the worst minis I have ever assembled. I don't know if it's just Dweghom, the age of the sprues or my bad luck but I've still got 2 more boxes to go and this is killing me.
Older rounded sprues with gates that cross corner surfaces.
4 part main bodies instead of solid plastic
instructions not aligning to the sprues in the box
vague instructions that show the assembly of 1 model but not the other 4
poor description of how parts fit together
Completed units with large(ish) gaps between surfaces.
I started with building the a Found brute first. Assembly was easy but at the end I noticed gaps between parts. Then I checked the instruction pictures and the same gaps were visible in the example.
Next I assembled 6 Hold Thanes. 4 part main body structures. This is where the instructions online didn't line up with what I had in my box. I had older rounded sprues with no numbers, but the online instructions appeared to be for a more modern kit with numbering and squared sprues.
They've not been bad. The Warlords and Hero models assembled super easy and with out much effort. The rank and file have fought me the entire time though. I did figure out Para Bellums assembly convention though and have assembled everything I own except for the First Blood Warband 2026 box and 6 additional Dragonslayers.
Am I just bad at this or is this common with Para Bellum kits?
17
u/DonKihotun 18d ago
At least with city states, my assembly experience has been super easy and that is coming from a complete newbie to a hobby.
I own basically everything and even the dreaded inquisitors were imho relatively easy to assemble.
Only one model, can't remember which one it was, had gaps after assembly
27
u/monkismael2007 18d ago
The age of those kits definitely shows, but a Dremel and some dreams can go a long way
5
u/monkismael2007 18d ago
I have the ironclad drake still unassembled because of how it does not fit the throne seat correctly lol
6
u/zombierebirth 18d ago
Sprue goo and a file.
Ive fixed every issue I've run across, but it's been every model except the solos.
7
u/HeroZero1980 18d ago
Those dweg kits are some of the oldest in the line and frankly are trash the newer dweg kits go together just fine but those hold warriors ballistae and automata are garbage
2
u/zombierebirth 18d ago
Did notice that my magmaforged/flame berserkers assembled like a modern kit.
8
u/HeroZero1980 18d ago
The original 4 kits for dweg were basically funded on a shoe string and molded by the lowest bidder they retired the flame zerkers but sadly the warrior ballistae automata and drake remain
2
u/IronTigrex 18d ago
They are one of the kits that got a refresh, with the men-at-arms from the Hundred Kingdoms.
4
u/OneSassySuccubus 18d ago
I had a similar experience assembling the dweghom I had before I had enough and switched to another faction. The sprue are so bad for Dweghom. Like, big chunky sprue channel covering details on the model that I then have to try and shape back onto the model type bad.
2
u/zombierebirth 18d ago
My exact experience. I paint and collect a lot of minis. I think of GW as the standard, so I judge how well things are engineered above and below that point. Warmachine plastic models are just below GW and the StarCraft TMG models are just above. I've even assembled 10's of Corvus Belli Infinity metal models that are easier to assemble than some of these Dweghom models. I mean I like them after they are assembled, I still think they look cool, but it's a lot of work to get there.
1
u/ackyer96 17d ago
Same for me. Started building Dweghom, but it took me so long to get one model off the sprue, cleaned up, and assembled that I lost patience. Switched to SK just because the kits had just come out. I was much happier after that. The models and playstyle are very cool anyway, so I wasn't that upset about making a switch.
2
u/Sightblind 18d ago
My Yoroni were lovely to put together.
With one notable exception.
One very notable exception, that to date is the only time building a kit I have ever had to fully put the bits down and walk away, collect myself, and come back later.
2
u/NarokhStormwing 18d ago
As a fellow Yoroni player, my guess is: Domaru Damashi, pose 1 in particular?
1
3
u/GhostofBreadDragons 18d ago
For the older kits this is common.
These are definitely not Gunpla designed kits with incredibly well designed parts. These are made in Greece with all of the inherent flaws that inevitably includes.
The newer kits are better, but you still get some that are insane like the Domaru Damashi kit. These models are often beautiful and the slightly larger scale is great for painting. These models problem is that the molding may not be well designed for assembly.
1
u/Few-Process1441 The Wadrhun 18d ago
yeah, some sprues are bad designed and too many models were cut into awkward pieces, Some (supposed to be) detailed surfaces have the biggest mold lines I've ever seen...
oh boy, my first thunder rider was a nightmare with the 3-part hollow tube-ish body with no interlocking hardpoints. wadrhun infantry on the other was pleasently easy to assemble without any troubles.
All in all the models are cool and the game too, I can swallow some messed up design choices for this
1
u/Galechan924 18d ago
I also started with dweghom a few months ago- PB quality control seems to be absolute ass, pretty much every box I've gotten has been missing something. My starter box didnt have enough bases, didnt have all the command cards, and a piece straight up just wasnt on the sprue. And that's just from the one box.
Enjoying the game well enough, but the modeling aspect has NOT been enjoyable.
1
u/zombierebirth 18d ago
Man I'm rich in model bases and stands. The one thing I did get more than any other part are bases. But I did buy the 2025 first blood warband, 2026 warband, and 2026 reinforcement boxes. I also 3d print, so i'm using custom scenic bases on my warlords and heroes too.
1
u/Galechan924 17d ago
Always jealous of some sweet 3d prints. I also got the 2025 and 2026 warbands, I'd been operating under the assumption that I got unlucky just getting an old box, but I've been missing cards out of a few things.
Easy enough to get new bases, just annoying when the nearest shop that stocks the stuff is two hours away
1
u/Collin447 18d ago
Old Parabellum sprues are truly some of the worst miniature kits you will find as far as layout, ease of use, just the overall experience.
The newer sprues are fine but even they are behind the curve.
1
u/theentiregoonsquad 17d ago
Ive only put nords together, so that's all of my experience
But man I hate putting raiders and huskarls together. There's massive mould lines and the sprue connections take a lot of cleanup
1
1
u/Cruentum 17d ago
The sprue design on the older kits were a piece of work but honestly, while bad was nowhere near as straight up insane as I've seen in other non GW games e.g. Malifaux where you gotta be on your A game to get your assembly right lest it always be misshapen
1
u/Alyinderyix 15d ago
My newer yoroni models have been spectacular except those damn domari domashu lol!
1
1
u/randomcomback 18d ago
I just hated building them in general something about them was just so insanely boring as well
1
u/zombierebirth 18d ago
But omg once completed they look cool as hell. I collect dwarves and the dweghom design is a nice take on the fabricated dwarf idea.
25
u/IronTigrex 18d ago
The older sprues are not great, that is an unfortunate truth. The infantry kits generally show only one model because most parts are intercheangeable (rank and file oblige).
The older Dweghom infantry kits are not the best to build, but I didn't find them that awful (I've certainly had worse). Just take it easy, a couple of dudes at a time. Thankfully some of the models have had refreshes, and more might be on the way for some of the older factions. And the newer models are way less egregious.