WHFB Phoenix - Unboxing and sprue-review

Warhammer Fantasy Battle Flamespyre Phoenix. 400 SEK. Contains two sprues, one 20 mm base and one WHFB-chariot-base + one pin for mounting flying creatures.

Bought it today, Saturday. There were no painted examples in the store and the boxes of the new WHFB-stuff was/were discreetly set in the back of the store - which is strange, perhaps this model's premier release was not this Saturday but the Saturday before?

This is the sprue with the main wings and phoenix-fire addons. All the parts has little to some mould-lines, as expected. But as learnt over these maybe 10 years of LotR-hobby from GW is that freshly produced plastics are in better shape than when the sprues are older. Might sound abundantly clear, but for me it wasn't.

... and this is the sprue with the frost-addons.
    A phoenix is in itself a rather high fantasy thing but just like dragons are also a high-fantasy thing, there are quite a few examples of well done dragons that look realistic in their own way. And this is a phoenix that is well done and looks "realistic", well, believable is the correct word - remember it is done for Warhammer Fantasy which is the epithomy of over the top and high-fantasy. Lately, many of their models have gotten better and I have also become desensitized of the OTT and Extreme Skull Ornamentations (the skulls can be filed down to find a fine model below said skulls), but the trend is: Better proportions.
    Some birds have heads that are larger than you'd expect. As this is natural and happens in our God-given nature, I am inclined to not mention the rather large head on this phoenix. But I will do it anyway: The head is quite large.

With this 399 SEK model came one 20 mm square base for the foot version of the phoenix rider, one chariot base and one (1) transparent pin for mounting of flying creatures. It is the flying pin version 1.1 that presumably doesn't break as easy. I stress-tested it, because I have extras, and this new one was a lot more sturdy than the old ones.
    The detail is very good and I almost feel love towards Games Workshop for producing this kit. The feeling passed quickly, but that has nothing to do with GW or the models, it is just that feelings tend to pass quickly in my mind and heart, what, with being a llama and all.

I give the model 5 llama-teeth out of 5 llama-teeth and this review, with pointless sidetracks and talks about feelings, a lousy 2 out of 5!

Phoenix: 4,8/5. Not a full 5 due to the large heads.
Elf-rider: 0/5 for Lord of the Rings-fans and probably a 3,7/5 for WHFB-players. The positive thing is the inclusion of separate leg parts.
Sprues: 5/5. With the trend of putting alternative parts in one kit, these two sprues hit the five.
Price: 3/5. I find the price more than acceptable. It is still just one model, though. And for 400 SEK I could sponsor a New Delhi-low cast family of nine for almost ten (10) days! Lucky for me I do not wish to sponsor a family of nine (9) New Dehlians but rather buy this one (1) phoenix-model.