Don't get me started on CBT designs and engineering, suffice it to say there are indeed some like me who can't overlook some of that and model it so that it looks like it would work to me (a mechanical design engineer, I design automation), and then some folks keep it closer to CBT. So yea, personally I throw away all that bull about future materials because when it comes down to it, that area is likely to be struck by a weapon, it's on a warmachine, and that's a critical location, you can try and cry about future materials and how this isn't RL and crap all you want, it's still a warmachine, designed to take abuse either via weapons or just the wear and tear in all different environmental conditions.
When it comes down to it, it's an artist's choice and I really may not agree with it (and I think there are definitely times I think a compromise needs to be struck because you really can't make something that small), in the end, the game engine doesn't care how the model is sized.
