Bandai Hobby - Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon - #01 RaD CC-200 Orbiter Nightfall 30 MM 1/144 Model Kit

It’s best to think of the Armored Core model kits as their own line of unique model kits separate from 30 Minute Missions. I expect anyone buying one of these is primarily a fan of the Armored Core video game series anyway. Though Gundam model kit fans will also have fun with this. I expect even Warhammer fans or LEGO fans would have fun making and painting this if they enjoyed the game Armored Core.One of the main benefits in my opinion is the level of accuracy to the source material. This model kit looks like you took the 3D model straight from the game and turned it into plastic model form. I think that including that level of accuracy was important because you probably spent hours rotating and looking at the 3D model in the game itself. It’s impressive and satisfying to have such an accurate representation of the flagship Armored Core that you can actually pose and play with.Speaking on that - the ability to pull off poses is impressive. There’s a good range of motion in the legs and hips. The knees also have a good bending gimmick. The elbows are limited by the design but that’s accurate to the source material, and the shoulders have a strong and flexible joint that is hidden under the shoulder armor which fits on with a clip. Everything on this kit is easy to build, and comes out extremely solid yet flexible for basically every action pose you’d expect an Armored Core to do. Even the accessories have a good posing factor.The accessories are one weapon for each hand, and one for each shoulder. The left hand weapon, the Pilebunker, also has extra parts that you can swap to replicate the transformed shape of the weapon including the extended spear. All of the accessories come in default grey plastic. It’s also possible to attach weapons from Gundam model kits or 30 Minute Mission model kits into the hands or other hard points in the shoulders and left arm.The color separation is great and will result in a satisfying straight build. It definitely looks mechanical. But if you want it to look like an accurate scale model and more similar to the version you see in the game, you will need to do some panel lining and painting. The panels on the legs, torso, shoulders and all over the body really pop once finished. All you need for this is a black fine tip sharpie. You will also need a little red paint for the lights on the eye, shoulders, and chest camera. It’s not too hard to apply, the way the head is constructed makes it easy if you paint the eye before building. For the other spots, just dot a little red paint on. If you want to get more advanced, some of the inner frame parts have pistons and other details that look great painted in silver.I would also recommend doing weathering or battle damage to a model kit like this. When you play Armored Core, your mech will get splattered with dirt or snow and get blackened from battle damage. On top of that the game allows you to choose different types of battle damage in the painting process in-game for aesthetic purposes. I’m sure many players chose to use these scuffed looks for their Armored Core to make it look more rugged. I chose to do some simple sponge painting for my model kit. It’s simple and recommended. All you need to do is wet a piece of sponge with a little grey paint, and dab it onto the surface of the model kit as a finishing step. Of course you could also choose to make your model kit look pristine instead if you prefer that. What’s wonderful is that it looks excellent either way.My only complaint regarding this kit is that the antenna that protrudes forward from the chest camera is a slight break risk.Highly recommended model kit as an Armored Core and Gundam fan.

Kit includes everything needed, and figure works perfectly!

Nicely done well worth it

Packaged safely, quick delivery. Item as described.

It's not like any other 30 Minute Missions kit, as the joints are different and loaded with fine details. A little paint and panel lining really punches up the look of the Nightfall.

The piece was straightforward to assemble and looks great on my desk

Not only is this model kit really cool, it's well made and the modular parts means I can toy around with other parts and weapons if I felt like it. I was worried it being put together piece-by-piece might make it harder to pose (unlike the Ayre model), but it's quite flexible for good posing too!

It's the Zimmerman pack. It has a Zimmerman in it. What more can you possibly ask for? Another Zimmerman?Well, actually, this includes 1 whole Zimmerman and like another 0.8 Zimmerman, because they have "left" and "right" versions, and you only really need the muzzle device/shield/whatever thing and the optic and its cable to have another one.It would've been nice if they just included those 2 tiny pieces, but they need to make money I guess, and I'm happy to throw money at this excellent 30MM AC line.