Hold up, this isn’t the Calibarn. If you saw my Aerial Rebuild post, I said I was going to the HG Calibarn next, but I decided to do the Demi Barding first so I wouldn’t be overwhelmed with really good HGs that doing anything else would be pale in comparison. The Barding doesn’t compare to any of the Aerials, but I’m surprised what I was able to pull off with it.
The build is relatively simple, but it still holds better than any modern HGUC kit that uses polycaps. C-clips are abundant, the feet are hollow, and honestly those are really my two complaints with the kit, everything else is pretty solid, but nothing groundbreaking. Although I didn’t build the Demi Trainer myself, it does build very similarly because it simply reuses the runners from the Trainer.
Detailing: I did quite a bit more painting than I expected to do. I painted everywhere where Bandai provided stickers for, dabbed more gray paint on the body, used green paint as an accent color, and painted red anywhere there were thrusters. I decided to go all out on using Vallejo Steel on the backpack, and hey, it adds a lot as it’s only two colors OOB. I then panel lined using dying pens as I’m still saving a fresh pen when I build the Calibarn, added a few decals, and gave a flat topcoat to wrap things up.
Overall, this was a fun and quick build. I didn’t think much once I assembled everything together, but when I posed ‘er up for photos, the Demi Barding kinda rocks hard. Chuchu is piloting this after all, and I had to replicate her chaotic energy within her mobile suit, so I did. It’s great how well the beam rifle can be held up as a melee weapon, Bandai definitely knew what we wanted to do with it. That being said, that’s all I have to say about the Barding. Swear next time, I’ll be back with the Calibarn.