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3D printing game miniatures


3D printing is changing tabletop gaming

I saw my first 3D printer years ago in a very fancy shopping mall in Tokyo. I watched enraptured as, layer by layer, an early filament printer formed a shoe out of nothing. Since then, 3D printing technology has moved on a lot, becoming more affordable and accessible than ever before. It has particularly exciting applications for the worlds of tabletop wargaming and roleplaying.

Though filament printers, that work by layering plastic from a spool, continue to have uses for tabletop gamers, especially for large terrain pieces, it is the development of affordable resin printing that has greater applications for the tabletop. Resin printers work by pulling a tray out of a pool of liquid resin that cures as it is exposed to ultraviolet light layer by layer. They can produce much finer detail without the streaking common to filament printing. There are many different resin printers on the market ranging in price from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. The printer is not the only expense; prospective printers will also need a curing station and a clean-up station, safety gear and, of course, resin.

Beyond the money, time is a factor that shouldn’t be overlooked. 3D printing is not as simple as plugging in a laserjet and hoping it will work. There is a lot of craft to be learned before you can 3D-print effectively. The maintenance of your printer, getting the setup correct and post-printing work all need to be learned. YouTube is an invaluable resource here, with guides by miniatures hobbyists such as Dana Howl, Squidmar and Miniac and 3D printing-specific channels such as The Maker's Muse, Thomas Sanladerer and 3D Printed Tabletop.

Another consideration is space. As well as not smelling pleasant, uncured resin produces hazardous fumes and irritants. Furthermore, it can be a messy process and not the kind of thing you should be doing on your kitchen table. Good ventilation is a must, in addition to protective equipment. Finally, byproducts of the washing process require proper disposal.

If your interest is just getting exciting new models and parts for your conversions and games, it’s worth paying a 3D printing company to do the work for you, which is generally not prohibitively expensive.

As the technology for 3D printers has developed, a wide range of miniature producers has emerged, selling the STL files needed to 3D print. There are broadly three places to get STLs: crowdfunding, subscriptions or direct sales.

A lot of creators make their miniatures available in a range of places, so if you don’t want to pay for a subscription or crowdfunding project for a complete range, you can usually buy an individual model on an STL store such as My Mini Factory, Thingiverse or Cults, or directly from artists’ web pages.

A bit of 'buyer beware' is prudent when using these services, as some of the sites are not very regulated and customer support can be limited. There are models on these marketplaces that are simple to print. However, there are others that do not work properly, do not come with support or need other modifications to the files to get decent prints. With that being said, 3D printing provides lots of opportunities for all sorts of tabletop games.

Companies such as Hero Forge let roleplayers create custom miniatures of their RPG characters that can be 3D printed at home or by the company for an extra cost. Image: Hero Forge

Tabletop roleplaying is one such area. There is a range of character design tools, such as Hero Forge and Anvl, that let you create extensively customised characters and then sell you the STL.

Furthermore, there are miniatures designers that produce models specifically for one RPG - for instance, Lair’s official range of Numenera miniatures. There are also a number of miniatures producers that offer adversaries, NPCs and monsters. The variety out there is stunning. If you want to run a cyberpunk game, there are minis for that. Something based on the Cthulhu Mythos? Perhaps Voidrealm Miniatures has what you are looking for. Cute Redwall-esque critters? Duncan Shadow’s got some. For that or truly depraved demons? Bestiarum Miniatures.

There are vast amounts of 3D-printed miniatures that can be used for tabletop games. Some are conversion bits, heroes, monsters and units for existing games, while others are miniature lines with their own unique game systems, such as One Page Rules.

3D printed miniatures can be used to bolster armies in games such as Warhammer with custom figures, or even used in games with no specific miniatures of their own. Image: alexkorp09/stock.adobe.com

It is no secret that a decent number of miniature producers are making proxies and parts that can be used in the games of wargaming giant Games Workshop. Scout the various producers and you can find a reasonable number of stand-ins - often under legally distinct names like Space Knights, Space Elves and Insect Warriors - compatible with Warhammer 40,000. I play Adepta Sororitas and - though Games Workshop’s own range is great - I get excited by the opportunity to incorporate printed parts into my lineup, both as a modelling challenge and to make my figures look unique.

Printing for Warhammer games is not without its downsides. Games Workshop doesn’t allow 3D-printed components or miniatures at lots of its official events, just as it does not allow traditional miniatures or other parts produced by third parties.

Expansion of 3D printing has also proved to be very useful in the fan revival of dead games such as Mordheim. Older specialist games like Mordheim have been out of production for a long time, making getting hold of the original miniatures hard and expensive - leaving fans with few options. 3D printing has enabled a wide range of new third-party miniatures for the gothic skirmish game, including by companies such as Heresy Lab and Monstrous Encounters. The same is true of Battlefleet Gothic, Inquisitor and Warhammer Fantasy Battle, helping to keep those systems viable.

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3D printing has also opened up possibilities for indie and miniature-agnostic games - games designed to be used with miniatures by any company or even just paper cutouts. Producing miniatures using plastic injection moulds is a difficult and expensive process. Because of the expense, smaller games companies tend to have limited plastic miniature lines. 3D printing allows them to produce larger 3D-printable ranges or rely on existing archives of models to fill their games in addition to conventional miniature producers. A recent example is Reign in Hell, Snarling Badger Studios' skirmish game explicitly built to use miniatures produced by other companies. With 3D printing, game designers can produce a game and not worry about the mini lines to go along with it, confident that there will be enough figures from existing miniature companies and 3D printing for people to play their game.

What makes me most optimistic about the future of 3D printing in the hobby is seeing the collaboration between game designers and 3D miniature makers. Odd games like Turnip28 can get miniatures produced independently by artists who get the vision of the game and want to make something for it.

This is a really interesting time to be a miniatures gamer or hobbyist. The ability of small artists to create miniatures and get them to market, and for people to print on demand, expands the possibilities for both hobbyists and gamers. As 3D printing technology becomes increasingly affordable and user-friendly, more people will find new uses and its place in the world of tabletop gaming will only grow.

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  • 90,000 manufacturing miniatures 28mm, dioram, game locations using 3D printer

    09. 03.2022

    Content

    • How to choose a 3D printer for miniatures
      • Advantage of 3D printing for miniatures 9000 9000 FDM
        • 9000 LCD/ DLP
    • Printing examples
    • Top printer rankings
      • FDM
      • LCD
    • Totals
    • 3D printing finds its application in various fields, not only as a production machine, but also as a reliable hobby assistant.

    Miniature figurines with amazing detail attract the eye. A little grotesqueness and slightly wrong proportions (otherwise it would be inconvenient to play or transport such a “little one”) are more than compensated by detailed elaboration and an abundance of small, at first glance, insignificant details. These are no longer just small table soldiers, but heroes with their own unique history.

    Warhammer 40k 9 miniature soldier0044

    Miniatures come in different sizes: from 6mm and more. The most popular today is the 28mm format. The creation of such figurines is really almost jewelry work.

    A 3D printer will help not only in the production of miniatures, but also in related areas, such as the creation of figurines, details of game locations, or, for example, elements of dioramas. To understand the advantages of 3D printing over classical manufacturing methods, it is worth remembering how such models are usually made at home.

    Advantage of 3D printing for miniatures

    Not everyone was ready to shell out a substantial amount for the purchase of a set of table soldiers, and sometimes the necessary heroes simply were not on sale. Then baked and self-hardening plastics for modeling were used.

    First you need to make a wire frame, so the finished figure will turn out to be more durable, and it will be much easier to keep all the proportions. The wire frame can be attached to the stand, which will make the miniature statue more stable, and it can be easily fixed in any position without fear of smearing small parts with your fingers.

    Wire frame for miniature

    Gradually, layer by layer, the volume of plastic increases on the frame. Each layer must be baked or dried well, depending on which plastic is used - self-hardening or baked.

    Gradually, we begin to add small details and work out the details. In fact, this is a very painstaking process that requires perseverance and some sculpting abilities. For a convenient study of small details, you may need special stacks for modeling, but they can be successfully replaced with improvised tools.

    Sculpting tool set

    The result is such a miniature statue.

    Miniature 28mm baked plastic

    By the same principle, large table figures, or some elements of dioramas, can be made.

    Sometimes a sculptor is more accustomed to working with plasticine. Then, after sculpting, the stage of preparation and casting of the figurine into a silicone mold is added. This method is suitable for small-scale production of a small desktop army.

    But it is necessary to properly prepare the figurine for casting. The finished "warrior", most likely, will have to be divided into several parts, so that it would be more convenient for the caster to remove the molds and make castings. During the cutting process, it is worth adding a few locks so that the finished castings can be easily assembled, like pieces of a puzzle.

    Molded figurine against silicone mold

    Some craftsmen have learned to cast metal copies. Such soldiers are usually made of low-melting metals (for example, lead) and cast in plaster molds. Sometimes a special silicone is used, but it is a little more difficult to achieve good shedding of a small product in a silicone mold.


    Cast metal soldier

    In addition to making figurines from scratch, some craftsmen remake ready-made miniatures. This is called conversion.

    Conversion in miniatures is a refinement, stylization or alteration of a finished figure. Unfortunately, not every hobbyist has good sculpting skills, and this alteration helps to achieve good results regardless of artistic skills. The main thing is to act very carefully.

    Conversion helps enthusiasts achieve amazing figurine detail, add some detail, change the pose, or create a new character that is not yet on sale.

    Lord of the Astral Claws turned to Chaos

    In addition to making the figures themselves, modelers create colorful locations to immerse themselves in the world of their favorite game. This is true not only for 28mm miniatures, but for example for DND games. Such voluminous locations allow you to immerse yourself in the world of your favorite game much better and make the game more exciting.


    Game location for board game Warhammer40k

    The creation of such locations is painstaking work, and both improvised and special equipment are used as material.


    Role play location

    A 3D printer allows you to produce miniature figures and game locations much faster. On the Internet you can find many paid and free models of 28mm figures from different universes or various elements of locations - houses, fences, mechanisms, etc. Adapting or slightly changing the finished 3D model for yourself is much easier than cutting and gluing a finished figure. And creative people with modeling skills are unlikely to have difficulties with the transition to “digital clay”.


    Warhammer40k universe 3D miniature model

    And of course, dioramas are worth noting. This is a separate art form with a scene or location frozen in time. Dioramas come in different sizes, but each of them impresses with its detail and careful study.


    Diorama based on the game STALKER

    Each diorama is unique, so the craftsmen use improvised materials to make it. Everything is limited only by the imagination and ingenuity of the artist.


    Diorama “Desert Hero”

    The main advantage of 3D printing is high detail and repeatability. If you need to make a small batch of miniatures, it will be much easier to print them than to cast, for example. Casting small items is a painstaking process that requires some skill and equipment. It is very difficult to achieve good pourability of small products the first time.


    From model to finished figure

    And for the manufacture of piece products, such as a diorama element, a 3D printer can replace many materials and tools for modeling. In addition, by using and combining different materials, it is possible to create models that are difficult or almost impossible to create manually. For example, using a special polymer, you can print optically transparent products that can imitate glass.

    Which technology to choose


    To begin with, it is important to determine the requirements for the printer - will it be used only for the manufacture of 28mm personal army or should it be a universal printing machine? It is important to understand what size the finished model will be, how detailed it should be, and how much time can be spent on post-processing.

    Depending on this, it is worth deciding on the technology by which the 3D printer will work. You can choose one of two technologies - FDM or photopolymer printing (there are several technologies, but DLP and LCD printers are currently popular).

    FDM

    FDM 3D printers use a plastic filament as a material. In a heated extruder, the filament is melted and extruded through a thin nozzle, so layer by layer, a three-dimensional model is grown.


    Working principle of FDM 3D printer

    Layer thickness and nozzle diameter can be changed in some printer models. The minimum layer is usually 0.1 mm. In some models of 3D printers, a layer of 0.05 is available, but for printing with such a layer, it is important to choose the right many settings and the print speed will be quite slow.

    Pros:

    • Large print area

    • Many different materials are available for every “taste and budget”

    • Inexpensive Consumables

    Cons:

    Of course, FDM printers are hardly suitable for making miniature figures, but they can be successfully used to print large souvenir figures, create game locations and some parts of dioramas.

    LCD/DLP

    The principles of operation of LCD and DLP printers are very similar. The material used is polymers that harden under the action of UV light. The only difference is that an LCD printer uses an LED matrix in conjunction with an LCD screen as a source of UV radiation, while a DLP uses a projector.

    Working principle of photopolymer 3D printer

    Pros:

    • The ideal surface of the finished figure

    • Many different materials available

    • High print accuracy even for the smallest items

    Cons:

    Photopolymer 3D printers are able to create miniature products that cannot be made using FDM technology. This technology will be an ideal choice for creating miniatures, small poster models, etc.

    Print examples


    Robot printed on Asiga Pro 4k


    Figurine made with Phrozen Sonic Mini 4k


    28mm 3D printed miniatures

    3D Printed Halloween Miniature

    3D printed play models


    FDM Cube Thrower


    Figure making process from 3D model to painting

    Best Printer Ranking

    FDM

    Creality3D Ender 3 (Build Kit)

    Features:

    Print technology: FDM/FFF

    Working area size: 220x220x250 mm

    Number of extruders: 1

    Max. extruder temperature: max. 255℃

    Closed Camera: No

    Heated table: Yes

    Plastic type: ABS, PLA, PETG, Flex, Decorative plastics, others

    A popular and unpretentious 3D printer that many makers liked. Creality3D Ender 3 is sold as a kit (assembly kit), but thanks to the detailed instructions, there should be no problems with assembly.

    Wanhao Duplicator 6 Plus

    Features:

    Print technology: FDM/FFF

    Working area size: 200*200*180mm

    Number of extruders: 1

    Max. extruder temperature: max. 260°C

    Closed Camera: Optional

    Heated table: Yes

    Plastic type: ABS, PLA, PETG, Flex, Decorative plastics, others

    Wanhao Duplicator 6 Plus is an updated version of the Duplicator 6. The new modification adds automatic calibration, printing resume after a power outage, and others. You can immediately purchase a printer with a closed case, this will allow you to easily print with composites. Wanhao Duplicator 6 Plus will become a trouble-free workhorse, and thanks to the “omnivorous” extruder, even a beginner will be able to print exotic materials without any problems, such as soft flexes or rubbers.

    FlashForge Creator Pro 2

    Features:

    Print technology: FDM/FFF

    Working area size: 200x148x150 mm

    Number of extruders: 2

    Max. extruder temperature: max. 240°C

    Closed Camera: Yes

    Heated table: Yes

    Plastic type: ABS, PLA, PETG, Flex, Decorative plastics, others

    FlashForge Creator Pro 2 is an almost professional dual extruder 3D printer. Thanks to the closed body, Creator Pro 2 has no problem even with composite materials, and two extruders allow the use of soluble support for complex models. Moreover, FlashForge extruders are independent, this allows you to print 2 mirror or identical models at the same time. This allows you to speed up the production of the same type of models. FlashForge Creator Pro 2 will not only be a good home printer, but also a great helper for a workshop or small production.

    LCD

    Anycubic Photon Mono 4K

    Features:

    LCD display resolution: 3840x2400 (4K)

    UV wavelength: 405 nm

    Working area size: 132x80x165 mm

    Layer thickness: 0.01-0.15mm

    Inexpensive, but fairly modern 3D printer with a 4K monochrome display. Anycubic Photon Mono 4K will be a good tool for printing miniature models.

    Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K

    Features:

    LCD resolution: 6.1" 4K Mono LCD

    XY positioning accuracy: 35 microns

    UV wavelength: 405 nm

    Working area size: 134x75x130 mm

    Layer thickness: 0.01-0.30mm

    The Phrozen Sonic Mini 4K is a compact high resolution 3D printer. It allows you to get accurate models even with an abundance of small details. Sonic Mini 4K is a good choice for those who need to print quickly and accurately.

    Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K

    Features:

    LCD resolution: 9.3" 4K Mono LCD

    XY positioning accuracy: 52 microns

    UV wavelength: 405 nm

    Working area size: 200x125x220 mm

    Layer thickness: 0.01-0.3mm

    With a larger work area, the Phrozen Sonic Mighty 4K allows you to quickly produce large models or small batches of small items. Such a 3D printer will be a good help for a small workshop or a hobby circle.

    Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K

    Features:

    LCD resolution: 7.1" 8K Mono LCD

    XY Positioning Accuracy: 22 µm

    UV wavelength: 405 nm

    Working area size: 165x72x180 mm

    Layer thickness: 0.01-0.3mm

    Phrozen Sonic Mini 8K is one of the representatives of 8K photopolymer printers, which can still be counted on the fingers of one hand. The high resolution LCD-matrix allows you to print figures with amazing surface quality and amazing detail. Such a printer is suitable for demanding printers who care about accuracy and the perfect surface of the finished model.

    Totals

    3D printers are gradually showing themselves to be great helpers in many areas, not only in medicine and industry, but also in home hobbies. Thanks to 3D printing, it is possible to produce small figurines or elements of dioramas much faster, paying more attention to the elaboration of details, rather than painstaking modeling or the search for exotic materials.

    And digitalization makes it much easier to share your work and finished models in the community or adjust them to your needs, for example, change the scale or adjust the pose.

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