So - how does our symbol of Earthian suppression fare?
Let me put it this way - there have been plenty of times where I’ve thought to my self “this kit looks great, and looks even better in the lightbox”. But this is the first time I can remember where I’ve thought “this looks just okay …
” … but it looks amazing in the lightbox”
There’s something about the way the light and shadow work to make the Dilanza Sol look dark and ominous, which is exactly the kind of look it needs.
Indeed, it’s amazing how a change in color palette and some soft lighting can turn a design that previously looked like a proud, gaudy gladiator into a cold, faceless murder machine.
Action Poses
Since this has fewer weapons than the other Dilanzas, I was concerned that it would be less poseable. But in a strange twist, I think it’s actually more.
Turns out the Dilanza Sol has a few things going for it:
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With the bayonet attachment (the part that extends the length of the gun, _not_ the beam effect part), the gun looks so much bigger and more intimidating, which makes for better looking poses.
Just a reminder that this kit comes with no open palm hands. I had to borrow this one from another kit -
The shoulders shields are so big that you can use them as actual shields:
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The beam bayonet adds a lot of extra flavor. It can take an ordinary flying pose and turn it into an attack pose instantly:
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The Dilanza Sol may not have a beetle-esque horn, but With the right pose, from the right angle, you can make its shields look like beetle wings, which is a lot of fun:
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As it turns out, one handed poses with a single rifle (or poses with akimbo weapons) are a lot easier to pull off than poses involving a two handed melee weapon:
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Again, the fact that it looks so dark and ominous in the lightbox means that even in a simple pose like this, it looks like it's coming to kill you:
There is an argument to be made that, with their big melee weapons, the other two Dilanzas are capable of even better action poses. But with the Dialnza Sol, everything is so much easier, which makes me more willing to try things.
Conclusion
I wrote a fairly long screed in my conclusion on the Standard Dilanza, and most of what I wrote there still holds true here. I will say, however, that I think the Dilanza Sol’s weapon set and shoulder shields actually make for better, more dynamic poses. I’m not sure if it will look better on the shelf, but it might end up looking the best in photos. That’s not something I was expecting.
One More to go …
There’s only one more Dilanza to go. Considering it is the first one to appear in the show, I suppose it is a bit silly to build it last, but so it goes. I’ll see you next time to put together Guel’s Dilanza.