A Beautiful Model... But I Hate It

 The Cathayan Sentinel is a beautiful model... But it is also the worst model I have ever built.

At the moment I have him in two basic halves. I am not sure at this time how to achieve this. I skipped the step where I was supposed to attach the torso to the legs for two reasons. Firstly, I'd tried three times already. Second, I correctly guessed the arms would also be a pain yet easier to accomplish unencumbered by the legs.

Starting with the boots, each boot has two internal pieces that it recommends you paint before assembly. Not sure that was remotely a possibility and if I'd tried the amount of reglues I've had to do would have ruined the paintwork had I even attempted it. These internal pieces don't have a clear place to go. There's a mark I think they rest against but the instructions are far from clear and the pieces don't feel their way to fit. God how I miss building the Corvus Blackstar. That kit felt like it belonged together, you could drop the pieces and they'd fall into each others arms, marrying up seamlessly. On each boot there are four external bits and if you start with the wrong one you have no idea how they go. After much trial and error I found a bit that sat flush at the ankle (not the top of the boot like I assumed) and once that was in the other piece fit to that. But pick the second piece first and you are grasping at straws, yet no instruction was given for this. They all just go on at the same time.

Finishing the legs wasn't too bad once past the knee, but then we come to the skirt. Again we get vague sort of round the edge instructions, with very few obvious anchoring points. I think I have it right, but I'm not sure. It doesn't fit well with the torso, and the only thing that stops me stripping back and trying again is I can't see the torso fitting to the legs better without the skirt.

Speaking of the torso, it has a (paint before assembly) internal piece that just hangs in there. This one DOES say assemble step by step... But for the life of me I couldn't. With the two halves glued together, I managed to find a fit that felt ok. But they should have been put on one at a time. 

The arms again have awkward vengeance that don't sit well or seem like they want to meet up. 

The torso seems to have a groove to align the position but the rest of t he torso doesn't have a secure connection to the legs. You are then supposed to apply a 5 piece belt to it. I have tried doing the belt after in the hope of scoring up the connection. Nope. I have tried doing the belt to just the torso to see if that is easier. Can't seem to fit that way either. The belt buckle has a clear spot and sits beautifully. The arm joints were once again unclear for positioning, and feel flimsy. The shoulder pass are held in by little more than a prayer and the liberal application of plastic blue to anywhere the thighs rubbed effectively.  Not does the head seem a comfortable fit. I am leaving it to dry overnight and may try further tomorrow. I am considering pulling half the bloody model apart at this stage. Hell I'm even considering chopping the bigger up as battlefield terrain, but I'd rather not go  there. When complete I think it will be a beautiful kit. Right now I don't think it could even be picked up or pivoted without breaking. 

I'm not normally a critic of GW but this one is so frustrating, I would not build another if you paid me.