Print your own army - ready to battle in a few hours?

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**monkeyh**

Here's a thread I started about the future of 3D printing and minis:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/30/423440.page

The question here is, if you could print out in 3D all the miniatures and vehicles you wanted (assuming the technology was adequate and you could get your hands on it and the cost not prohibitive) in full colour ready to battle would you prefer to do this or would you rather build and paint them yourself?

I voted no by the way.

**Easy E**

I would like to be able to create my own 3D designs, and color them on the computer, and then print them out to assemble.

I know next to nothing about the technology, so I'm not sure this is even feasible.

**SilverMK2**

I'm with Easy E - If I could alter the models on the computer and print them in full colour, that would be good.

Alternatively if I could print bits in full colour then assemble them myself and just touch up the colours on the bits I chop up or sculpt I would be happy - converting is my favorite bit.

**endtransmission**

I certainly wouldn't want to print out full colour models, but I'd certainly be interested in being able to print out parts for models to assemble them myself

**motorhead1945**

Hell yeah!
One of the greatest annoyments in this hobby is that you need multiple kits to get all equipment you want for 1 unit... you have to strive through your bits box only to find out that you really don't have another bit that would make your miniature perfect.
Plus, I don't like painting, but converting. So being able to create my miniatures on the computer would be awesome.

**Saintspirit**

I would probably try it out, manely to make models I didn't have the possibility to build. However, I think I would prefer to paint them myself.

**Portugal Jones**

Yes, if I had a star trek replicator, I would totally be using that to make my minis.

**Piz**

Maybe if it is possible to print them uncolored and unassembled, for models that I would have a harder time getting. Otherwise no, one of the main reasons I'm getting back into 40k is the assembling and painting part of the hobby.

**Bat Manuel**

I think having a nice army ready to go whenever you wanted it would be nice and it wouldn't stop you from painting or building when you wanted to.

**solkan**

There's this phenomenon associated with plastic model building where people take models made out of solid color parts, and put the parts together. THEN they paint on top of the colored plastic because they want the colored plastic parts to look nice.

You're not going to eliminate assembly and painting unless your 3D printer includes a robotic assembly and paint application system.

**mikhaila**

People would have to shift from complaining about GW's prices to complaining about the price of printers and the cost of printing supplies.

**Lar'shi**

i voted no it might Fail-print

**Brother SRM**

I love painting too much to do prepaints, even if I had to texture them beforehand in 3Ds Max or whatever.

**candy.man**

In regards to printing in colour, I think it would kind of depend on what colours the machine would be capable of. Hypothetically I could see the machine only capable of printing in single basic colours (entire frame is one colour), meaning one would still have to do the detailing and ink washing (which is not too bad IMO).

Ideally, if a machine could the above, I’d be all over it.

**ph34r**

candy.man wrote:In regards to printing in colour, I think it would kind of depend on what colours the machine would be capable of. Hypothetically I could see the machine only capable of printing in single basic colours (entire frame is one colour), meaning one would still have to do the detailing and ink washing (which is not too bad IMO).

Ideally, if a machine could the above, I’d be all over it.

3d printers can currently print full color in sandstone as well as some limited plastics.

**Ratius**

Assuming the quality of the prints were GW standard+ bring it on.
Lets get battling for me.

**Lord Rogukiel**

I would stick what I already have, its one of the best bits of the hobby.

**Gnawer**

How is it different from paying someone to assemble and paint an army the way you want?

Assuming, of course, that cost / quality will be about the same in both cases.

**EvilTim**

I'm 50/50 (Yes I'm an awkward bugger!)

(Use 40k Eldar as an example)
I think yes, I would for tricky models, like Harlequins (GOD-DAM CHEQUERED PATTERN)

BUT, at the same time, there are some models were the joy is in the assembly & painting, I ONLY got into Eldar armies because I had 3 Wraithlords because I just love modelling and painting them.

**gannam**

considering 21% of the people here voted to have pre painted, printed models, I think that if you extrapolate that, the money is there for either GW or some other company to step in and try and capture that market.

**Albatross**

I would definitely print them out fully primed, definitely. It would let me crack on with painting straight of the bat instead of trimming mold lines and other assorted annoyances.

**timetowaste85**

I love building my own models and painting them. That's why I got into the hobby. But I can understand the drive NOT to paint 200+ night goblins and focus instead on your unique models. Because of this, I picked a bit of both.