alt Hacker News> start collecting models
I don’t know anything about it, but I imagine there’s an STL file about any W40K figurine out there by now. And, probably, even more fan-made variations.
With hi-res resin 3D printers costing about as much as a W40K starter set, how can Wizards’ biz model hold?
Once you paint the figurine there’s no way to tell if it came from a store or from an at-home 3D printer.
I imagine Wizards may ban such things from official events and tournaments (if those are even a thing).
But do W40K hobbyists frown upon 3D printed figurines?
Really curious how the socio-economic dynamics of this are playing out. Figurine-based games seem to the the one area where consumer 3D printers can produce a 1-1 replacement.
For casual play you can absolutely use 3d printed models, and the STLs are out there in spades. Heck, you can use cardboard or rocks. But yes, for tournaments the rules are stricter. Big tournaments are the most strict. My local store allows 3d printed models but has a max % that can be printed vs authentic.