Bloodhowl
Active member
I think it used to be down to the caster/moldmaker. Because the mold cavity for spin casting is initially rough cut to fit the figure and then pressure (and heat?) are used to conform the mold around the figure, the tab size would depend on the skill of the moldmaker in cutting the mold. Once figure companies saw the "blank space" of the tab (or maybe the casting company), I think they decided to use it as a means to mark it for identifying year of the sculpt, company, and race/name of the figure, which would also help a casting company keep different clients sorted for delivery of product.
Just speaking on GW, their plastic injection molded troop box kits do not have tabs, but their finecast characters do. The sprue on the finecast is very similar to what you would get from injection molding, but I don't know if that is how they are casting their resin. If they are using injection molding then there really is no need for the tab, unless it is to strengthen weak ankles, as you pointed out earlier.
