HEXTECH Borealis Ship- 6mm

Great Model with Detail and Flexibility

The Borealis is a great “miniature” that has many outstanding features. It had exquisite details that you might not expect on such a large model. The assembly instructions are straightforward, and the expandability feature is outstanding. Due to its size, it is easy to paint, but it can be a bit unwieldy. The only caveat here is that the stern section can be difficult to paint all the surfaces between and around the engines. The selection of modules is good, and they have good detail. As an example, the locking pins for the ’Mech Bays are designed to look like brackets to hold the ‘Mech in place during transit. This is an imaginative approach with great attention to detail, evident throughout the model. However, there are a few drawbacks, but nothing serious. First of all, you can purchase any configuration you like, but if you want to add modules to complement the build, there is a small problem. Additional bays are only sold in groups of four. In my case, I only wanted two additional cargo modules and two tanker modules. While I understand the limitations of 3D printing, it would be nice to be able to mix and match modules. Next is the incredibly close tolerances with which the ship is constructed. While under most circumstances, close tolerances are good, after a coat of primer and a coat of paint, I had trouble getting the module to slide into place on the ship’s spine. It took no small amount of force to get them to seat properly. Strangely, this turned out to be beneficial, because none of the locking pins would go more than halfway through their respective modules. Since the modules were seated so tightly, I just cut off most of the locking pin and glued the decorative ends in place on the modules. Overall, an absolutely great “miniature”. I am so impressed with it that I’m planning on purchasing a dedicated DropShip. I just have to decide on which one.

Felt like Christmas morning

First, a shout-out for Tabletop Terrain in general. Extremely responsive customer service, and my package arrived much faster than expected. Well done. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I pulled my mech-bay Borealis out of the package. This is not a small model. It's beautifully rendered with plenty of detail. I was looking for a painting project that would take me some time. This certainly fits the bill. I haven't started painting it yet- I'm still working out the paint scheme- but I'm very much looking forward to the process. Another nice thing about the Borealis is the potential for customization. This model comes with extenders that allow for additional pods, so plenty of mixing and matching is an option. Very cool. One thing I would like to see (and this is not a complaint, but my own imagination at work) is one more set of pods to choose from, based on the cargo or tanker pods, but with a number of bigger guns. Imagine: one moment you're looking at a Borealis freighter or tanker, completely non-threatening, and the next moment it's a pirate vessel exposing its hidden guns for a close-range broadside, or a disguised merc ship laying down fire to clear its own LZ as its mechs deploy. Could be fun. Even as it is, the Borealis is a very nice addition to my collection. Five stars.

Great expansion pieces to my dropship. So much to paint now. 😀