So ... what's happening?
3D Printing
Having tried several 3D printers now - not without doing research but knowing a hell of a lot more now about not only 3D printing in general, but 3D printing for wargaming specifically - I've finally found my "one true love" 3D printer ...
The Prusa I3 MK3S. Honestly, this shouldn't be all the shocking to anyone in the know.
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| Prusa I3 MK3S |
This thing purrs like a kitten and hums along creating magical prints of exceptional quality and with minimal up front effort. I started with a FlashForge Creator Pro. Honestly, not a bad printer. Print quality was very good. The main drawbacks being bed leveling, keeping the bed level, leveling the bed ... you get the idea. It was a great learning printer. The Replicator+ was more costly but was the least suited for printing for wargaming/miniatures. It was a very convenient printer - being able to send files over my network and monitoring jobs remotely via a built-in camera, but the quality wasn't there - and most significantly, it was missing a heated bed. Makerbot isn't a bad company, they're just focused on the education sector - which isn't what I need.
So ... the Prusa I3 Mk3S ... this gets my HIGHEST recommendation possible.
KublaCon 2019 - May
KublaCon is going to be a fun time this year. We have a number of games lined up ... including an expanded version of my Charge of the Mumaks game:
- Friday, 1PM --- Roy Scaife --- Battle at Roncevaux Pass (28mm Napoleonic)
- Saturday, 9AM --- Dan Kerrick --- Battle for Endor (Star Wars Bolt Action)
- Saturday, 4PM --- Jay White --- Charge of the Mumaks (Lord of the Rings SBG)
- Sunday, 10AM --- Jay White/Adam Clark --- Toulon Harbour (1:300 Napoleonic Naval)
In addition to the above, lots of board games will be broken out. Speaking of 1:300 Napoleonic ships ... I've teamed up with Adam Clark and Roy Scaife for the Toulon Harbour game noted above. We'll have at least 32 ships out for this one ... maybe a few more (as we continue to build the collection). Adam Clark has laser cut and painted up an AWESOME looking shore battery for the French ...
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| 1:300 (6mm) French Shore Battery by Adam Clark |
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| 1:300 (6mm) French Shore Battery by Adam Clark |
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| 1:300 (6mm) French Shore Battery by Adam Clark |
It looks spectacular ... really looking forward to this game.
Lord of the Rings SBG
Lots more coming to the tabletop here ... I have a large expansion to my Haradrim and Far Harad forces ... as well as a 3D printing Minas Tirith model from Coastal Creations ...
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| Minas Tirith ... oh yeah! |
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| The main gate ... |
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| Opens and closes. |
Lots of cleanup to do here ... but a great model that will work fantastically for my games.
Battle of Hoth
Yup, I couldn't resist the power of the Hoth side. Actually, while Dan Kerrick has Star Wars (Legion) well at hand ... I've decided to take on the Winter themed stuff. John Lantz has opted to take on the Clone Wars as well so we have all the bases covered. Gotta love it! Dan is busy working on the Battle of Endor (ready for KublaCon) ...
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| Battle of Hoth Scenario Map |
Yup, it's been done before ... I know ... but I WANTS IT! There will be a more detailed post on this scenario and how I'm addressing various things ... but some teaser stuff below ...
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| Shipment #1 from Miniature Market ... more to come :-) |
I'm 3D printing the AT-AT model ... well --- THREE AT-AT models ... from Gambody ...
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| A great model ... picture from Gambody. |
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| Printing requires the maximum use of supports, here are the legs printing - need to do it vertically so that both interior and exterior leg details is best. You can see the massive support material (pulls off) around the legs ... the legs are only visible in the center of each pillar ... this is a 60 hour print job. |
As you can see, print quality for the Prusa is exceptional. This project is not for the feint of heart though ...
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| I've been printing the first AT-AT since Thursday evening, I figure about 1 week (and a day maybe) for each AT-AT. Here you can see some of the completed components. |
My AT-STs and T-47 Air Speeders are "in progress" ... just need the troops to get on the paint table ... and for Fantasy Flight to release the Rebel "veterans" so I can fill out the good guy forces rebel scum.
Pew-pew to victory!
Borodino
I've got my Borodino mat done now. Once again the talented David Skibicki has produced a great set of mats. I'll need to redo the river though ... not a big deal ... it looks great!
I've also picked up some Russian buildings from Hovel's and the massive church from Grand Manner.
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| Borodino Church Grand Manner |
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| Russian Buildings Hovels |
My Russian forces are still in progress ... getting there. Que the ACME factory music ... basing is making progress ... this is only a small fraction of the Russian forces in play ...
More to come here as progress is made.
The Alamo
Not for the near term ... but I managed to pick up this excellent Alamo model at a local flea market and plan to make use of it sometime in the next year or so. There are some outstanding miniatures available for this game ...
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| 28mm Alamo |
New Game Table
Last but not least is my new game table from Table of Ultimate Gaming ... which I had already mentioned in a previous post. This table is awesome. Just waiting for my dice tray attachments to show up.
And there you have it ... lots happening.
Dude you so have to make me an AT-AT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of cool stuff and fascinating what your doing with the 3D.
I went to Adepticon last weekend and found a gentleman running a booth making custom made tables or furniture really as his stuff was fantastic. That, one day, my make it into my home. One can dream (oh hoonneeyyy, would you like a new dining room table that has lots of cool draws, and dice trays attached to it... no?).
Love your blog, it's always amazing and interesting. I seriously don't know how you balance this all. I am doing my best to Spring clean and try to get down to just three solid subjects. But then I see your blog and out the window any of those thoughts go!
Cheers
Kevin
lol, thanks Kevin. I've been working on the wife to replace our small coffee table in the living room with 3x5 table ... so far no luck :-)
DeleteI don't know how I balance it all either ... thankfully I have a great gaming group with me and several people I throw money at to help me get things done. If it was just me nothing would get done ... between the rules development, planning, assembly, 3D printing, terrain, painting, basing, man ... brain hurty! :-)
Lots happening, indeed. You *do* have a day job, too, right? :-)
ReplyDeletelol ... I sure do ... man, if only I could win the lotto ... ha, not with my luck --- at this point I'd just be happy to roll a few 6's once in a while :-)
DeleteLooks like lots of fun stuff going on. I’m extremely jealous of your walls of Minas Tirrith. 😀
ReplyDeleteGood luck on all your projects!
Thanks Stew!
DeleteOH MY DAYS!!! All kinds of special goodness going on here :) Wondering if you need more AT-AT's than Mumaks?!?! If you need me to help gluing anything together you just let me know :)
ReplyDeletelol ... just finishing the first print of the AT-AT ... actually, it is done in 26 hours. 2 weeks per AT-AT to print ... and that is going non-stop. Gonna stick with 3 :-)
DeleteLooking forward to seeing the Alamo done! Ive just finished painting the same alamo you have it defintley looks like the hudson and allen model. Anyways will love to see how you play it out. Only problem ive had is having a bif enough table for the alamo compound.
ReplyDeleteCool! Fortunately I have enough space for it ... we'll see. Working on it :-)
DeleteWow! Overwhelming, I am so envious. The alamo at a local flea market? Where the heck do you live? They don't have flea markets like that where I live! Just wow!
ReplyDeleteVol
Yes sir, well - sadly I got it at an estate sale. There is a good group of miniatures gamers around the San Francisco bay area/silicon valley. :-)
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