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Hello internet! I hope you are all conquering your enemies out there. I know that it has been some time since I have posted a battle report. This article will be about what I have been up to and the changes that I have seen in my competitive group.


My own play group is comprised of players that like to play with the top armies. Because of that I have barely gotten a game in over the last six months that wasn't against drukhari or ad mech, as those two armies are (still!) seriously overtuned. In my experience the games tend to be kind of boring, are often lopsided, and don't make for good battle report content because too often the game is over before it starts (depending on terrain and first turn). So the competitive games I've been playing haven't been very interesting and so I just haven't been interested in writing up a report.


Orcs: One exception to the endless slog of dark eldar and admech is that I did get a chance to play about a half dozen games against the new orc codex. I've played against a variety of builds (more on that at the end) and overall I don't think this is a codex that will win you games on its own. The cavalry units and things like the kill rig look good on paper, but can't move through terrain and can be very easy to roadblock as they end up needing to go through specific choke points. The infantry overall is too squishy. This leaves the buggies and to some extent the flyers as the good units out of which to comprise an army to win. The orc games were either blow out losses (when they focused on infantry or cavalry) or blow out wins (when all they brought was buggies). I'll be interested to see if anyone but the few best orc players can make the codex work outside of the buggies.


It all started with Drukhari....

I have been playing GW games for 31 years. Over the course of that time I have seen very different approaches to what models could be used. Early on in the games conversions and third party miniatures were outright encouraged. Making the coolest looking model possible was a huge part of the hobby through 4th edition. Cool conversions started to die in 5th edition, as 5th edition introduced true line of sight. True line of sight meant two things.... 1st people stopped building cool looking tables, especially tables that looked like historical battlefields, and started building tables with (increasingly) massive walls to hide things for pure game purposes. The second thing true line of sight did was make it so that big, awesome looking models were a liability as they could be seen. All of a sudden the concept of "modeling for advantage" became a thing. You no longer modeled for coolness factor, and the game in my opinion has really lost something from 5th edition on as a consequence of TLOS. Today's game rules might be better than it was in say 2nd through 4th edition, but the armies and especially the battlefields of those early days looked significantly better and more realistic.


Obviously after the Chapterhouse lawsuit "no models, no rules" became the standard. Also, in the modern era GW is not open at all to third party miniatures, and sometimes even discourages conversions of its own models. And new on the scene is 3D printing.


So in my particular play group 3D printing was typically considered a faux pas. The one exception to this was expensive forgeworld kits. The deal here was that it was often cheaper and better quality to buy forgeworld from recasters, and so even here 3D printing was not super common.


This reluctance, or social stigma, to 3D printed models has completely changed this year.


It all started with Drukhari. When the book came out it was obviously way too powerful with even a casual read. However due to a variety of factors most of the army was not available to be purchased at the time the book was released. So what was someone to do if they needed a lot of models to play with the most broken rules?


The answer was 3D printing, at least for a large portion of my play group. In particular early on it was grotesques and wrack squads. However I know of at least one player who has done quite well in mostly midwest tournaments where the entire army was 3D printed except for the Raiders. Because I started to face 3D printed armies all of the time I got a chance to inspect them.


Quality: In my opinion 3D printing is almost there. The wrack squads I could tell the difference between plastics and printed models because the printed models have slightly softer edges. This can be hidden to an extent with paint job, but if you put them side by side you can still always tell in my opinion.


The same was true but for the opposite reason on the grotesques. Printed grotesques hold the detail better than finecast, and simply look better. When painted, 3D printed grotesques look significantly better than the finecast genuine article, and are much cheaper to boot. The biggest way to tell the difference between the two is when you pick them up the printed grotesques are quite a bit heavier than the finecast ones (and probably look better at a glance). I find this quite sad, as it sort of means that GW could offer a better product if it simply 3D printed its own grotesques and sold those instead of the finecast.


So Drukhari was the hot stuff for months, stayed sold out, and slowly the Drukhari players, if they didn't print them themselves at least bought a number of their models from people who were printing. It was simply a matter of supply. However, this reality started to break the taboo.


Months passed and we got a second lolwhat codex. Admech models are in general very spikey and spindley, and are not great options to print. That said, here again I saw the next evolution of the 3D printing trend. Lots of my friends again jumped on this bandwagon for having clearly superior rules to other 9th edition books. Here the printed model of choice was the hounds. The hounds are lumpier and can still look good when printed. What was different here was that the model was NOT always sold out. It was hard to get for weeks here and there, sure. But while for Drukhari it was a matter of no supply, for admech suddenly it was about price. 3 hounds was simply too expensive, and now that 3d printing was becoming accepted (in the group) and so people would print just that portion of the army.


Volkite Culverins: The straw that broke the camels back for the rest of the group was the Volkite Contemptor. It is the opinion of many that this is the single best unit in multiple codexes and is simply underpriced and efficient for the number of shots and mortal wound output. But this is another expensive forgeworld option that has been impossible to get for some time. Due to the perception that these are necessary for competitive play because they are so good for their points, the last few people decided to either print and/or buy printed volkites so that they could go to tournaments.


Keep in mind, this all happened in about 6 months. It went from being taboo to 3d print, to being considered necessary as part of competitive play to 3d print. The change has been dizzying.


Are 3D printed models OK? This perhaps is the same question as conversions. As near as I can tell it is still the official rule at most tournaments that 3d printed models are banned. But who checks? How can you tell? I can tell because I've had the chance to inspect models pre and post paint from my friends. I know people that have gone to large tournaments with mostly 3d printed models, and have never been asked about their models.


As a long time GW fan I don't know that this makes me very happy, but at this point it seems like the inevitable outcome. I don't know that you can put this horse back in the barn. A combination of overpowered rules combined with supply shortages and a new technology seem to have changed the players relationship with models forever. Right now, GW is sold out, so they are not losing any sales TODAY. However, I wonder about the long term impact of this change.


And this brings me back to playing against Orcs. So, again, my group played a lot out of the codex using proxies. The conclusion, the book is pretty well balanced (read not good enough to win for you) outside of the buggies. And what do you know, I just learned that one of my friends has 3D printed an entire orc list, made mostly of 18 buggies that are hard to get.



So, informally, I know in my group that 3D printing is now seen as the way for competitive play. I am curious if other groups are seeing the same things. For the TOs out there, do you plan on enforcing a no 3D printed models at any tournaments? How would you even check? Is disallowing 3D printed models just making 40k play to win? I am very curious on thoughts overall.


Thanks for reading. Good luck out there!

RandomHeretic wrote:


I have been playing GW games for 31 years. Over the course of that time I have seen very different approaches to what models could be used. Early on in the games conversions and third party miniatures were outright encouraged. Making the coolest looking model possible was a huge part of the hobby through 4th edition. Cool conversions started to die in 5th edition, as 5th edition introduced true line of sight. True line of sight meant two things.... 1st people stopped building cool looking tables, especially tables that looked like historical battlefields, and started building tables with (increasingly) massive walls to hide things for pure game purposes. The second thing true line of sight did was make it so that big, awesome looking models were a liability as they could be seen. All of a sudden the concept of "modeling for advantage" became a thing. You no longer modeled for coolness factor, and the game in my opinion has really lost something from 5th edition on as a consequence of TLOS. Today's game rules might be better than it was in say 2nd through 4th edition, but the armies and especially the battlefields of those early days looked significantly better and more realistic.

Not true in the slightest. TLOS has been a thing since GW has made games. It was always there. 4th had an exception for area terrain, which ad its own rules, but all other terrain and models used TLOS.

Never heard of the "crouching Wraithlords" or people using RT Avatars prior to 5th? (I'm not just picking on Eldar players there, those are just two standout examples).

 Grimtuff wrote:

RandomHeretic wrote:


I have been playing GW games for 31 years. Over the course of that time I have seen very different approaches to what models could be used. Early on in the games conversions and third party miniatures were outright encouraged. Making the coolest looking model possible was a huge part of the hobby through 4th edition. Cool conversions started to die in 5th edition, as 5th edition introduced true line of sight. True line of sight meant two things.... 1st people stopped building cool looking tables, especially tables that looked like historical battlefields, and started building tables with (increasingly) massive walls to hide things for pure game purposes. The second thing true line of sight did was make it so that big, awesome looking models were a liability as they could be seen. All of a sudden the concept of "modeling for advantage" became a thing. You no longer modeled for coolness factor, and the game in my opinion has really lost something from 5th edition on as a consequence of TLOS. Today's game rules might be better than it was in say 2nd through 4th edition, but the armies and especially the battlefields of those early days looked significantly better and more realistic.

Not true in the slightest. TLOS has been a thing since GW has made games. It was always there. 4th had an exception for area terrain, which ad its own rules, but all other terrain and models used TLOS.

Never heard of the "crouching Wraithlords" or people using RT Avatars prior to 5th? (I'm not just picking on Eldar players there, those are just two standout examples).

TLOS in 5th-8th literally punched giant holes into peoples terrain collections for LOS purposes, and was fething dumb. One of the worst moves GW has ever made in terms of rules writing.

 Grimtuff wrote:



Not true in the slightest. TLOS has been a thing since GW has made games. It was always there. 4th had an exception for area terrain, which ad its own rules, but all other terrain and models used TLOS.

Never heard of the "crouching Wraithlords" or people using RT Avatars prior to 5th? (I'm not just picking on Eldar players there, those are just two standout examples).

I played those early editions a lot as it was my introduction to the hobby and I had more free time. In 3rd edition a model blocked line of sight to anything up to twice it's height. This was very important, and was a complete abstraction. It meant, for instance, for Tyranids that if you had termagants in front of genestealers in front of warriors in front of a carnifex and hive tyrant, the big boys couldn't be targeted until the gaunts were killed, and then the stealers and so forth. That is just one example. People used models to block for other models all of the time because the firing lines were an abstraction.

In 4th edition they made changes but it was also an abstraction. Here, you could only shoot the closest models to you unless you were targeting (the closest) monster/vehicle or you passed a leadership test. This had nothing to do with line of sight. This really let you feel how scary a 40k battlefield was because your troops were always just hammering away at whatever was closest. This is WHY a distraction carnifex, which got it's name in this edition, worked. As a monster, as long as it was closest it had to be targeted by the entire enemy army, and they simply ignored small arms fire.

In 2nd through 4th you could have battlefields that looked like battlefields because LOS was an abstraction. As soon as 5th hit the game has never been the same.

Whoah whoah whoah. . . did a post of mine actually addressing the topic of 3D printed models get removed for some reason? (Even though it said outright copying GW stuff was wrong)?

At the last tournament I attended the TO himself had an army where all the tanks were 3d printed. Suffice to say he didn't care whether people brought printed or 3rd party miniatures to that event.

Possibly it's a regional thing though, as the local tournament scene has always been a bit carefree about that as long as I've been playing.
I recall at one event I went to probably about 10 years ago there was a necron player who had built all his vehicles out of wooden blocks. Another time maybe 5 years ago I played a tournament game against a daemon army made entirely out of cthulu miniatures.

The only people here that find recasting or 3d printing of models bad, are those that who for some reason can't work with resin. And from what people are talking here, it has been like this since before I was born. Also the speed at which the recasting and 3d printing world is moving is huge. Last week I have seen sprues in hard resing of stuff made from the new GW plastic, which I thought was impossible to print, because of the details etc. Only God knows what in a few years people are going to be able to do with it. And GW is going to have to, sooner rather then later, do something about it.

3D printing is definitely the way forward, without question, and a horse that neither can nor should be placed back in its barn. GW's consumer-farming ecosystem has been building stress fractures for years now, with increasing model prices, worse and more expensive rules, limited supply and availability in a system that attempts to require the exclusive use of its models, and significant loss of community goodwill over recent incidents. Something had to give sooner or later, and now that you can get a magic goo fabricator, some good proxy files, and enough resin to print for $300 and change an army that can run over a thousand, that's starting to show.

Ultimately, all else being roughly equal, I would honestly respect an army that consisted of 3D proxy prints over one that consisted of unconverted GW minis. GW taking some long term impact can only be a good thing, frankly. They've gotten fat and complacent at the top of their heap, and a reminder that consumers could ditch them en masse might just be the kick in the pants that they need to actually start doing some work.

Maybe they could eventually sell STL files. Before the downward spiral of opinion that I've had on GW over the last year, I'd said out loud that I'd pay some pretty decent prices for "Official" STL files of their minis for home printing. Sure, there'd be piracy, but I frankly don't see how that'd be much different from the near future except in that GW would get some money out of it.

Yeah, I know, far fetched to suggest that from a company that can't even do digital codexes anymore.

RandomHeretic wrote:
I have been playing GW games for 31 years. Over the course of that time I have seen very different approaches to what models could be used. Early on in the games conversions and third party miniatures were outright encouraged. Making the coolest looking model possible was a huge part of the hobby through 4th edition. Cool conversions started to die in 5th edition, as 5th edition introduced true line of sight. True line of sight meant two things.... 1st people stopped building cool looking tables, especially tables that looked like historical battlefields, and started building tables with (increasingly) massive walls to hide things for pure game purposes. The second thing true line of sight did was make it so that big, awesome looking models were a liability as they could be seen. All of a sudden the concept of "modeling for advantage" became a thing. You no longer modeled for coolness factor, and the game in my opinion has really lost something from 5th edition on as a consequence of TLOS. Today's game rules might be better than it was in say 2nd through 4th edition, but the armies and especially the battlefields of those early days looked significantly better and more realistic.

Terrain these days is in a dire state.

It seems that, more and more, we end up with these symmetrical terrain set ups that suck the life out of everything.

And because of the size of GW's boxes, they couldn't fit playing surfaces that were 1x1 in size*, and thus they created their own size that fit inside their boxes. That size then became the "minimum" size for their games, which in turn led to the tournament crowd falling over themselves to adopt the smaller table size, which meant that all the various mat makers out there started doing new mats in that size (some exclusively in that size), and then you add the symmetrical terrain on top of that. So now we get smaller boards with boring terrain that always looks the same.

Add to that that GW's terrain is getting less modular (and certainly shorter!), and we have the current situation with terrain in 40k. It ain't great.


*They would later find a way around this for Necromunda, but too little too late I'm afraid.

I think this is a very good and necessary conversation to have.

My two cents:

We are going to start seeing (or are ALREADY seeing,) a split in the community over this issue. There are going to be "pure" stores/venues where using anything other than bog-standard gw models will NOT be acceptable... and then there are going to be the exact opposite.

It's my opinion that, eventually, the "let people bring what they want" type venues/tourney's (where 3d printing, alternative models, ect, are allowed,) will win out.

GW has been determined to metaphorically shoot themselves in the foot time and time again... and eventually, well, it's going to start causing them problems. I think one of the big changes to come over the hobby is the 3d printing one, and honestly it's only going to get more common from here.

No amount of lawsuits and temper tantrums by GW is going to change that.

ironically the thing gw seems to be doing to combat 3rd party/3d printing is the exact thing that's killing it in my eyes.

I'm sitting here, clipping out my kommandos from kill team, thinking to myself "you know...the thing that would maybe get me to pay GW prices is the fact that I would get to really make my own guys, customized and unique, by swapping various parts around from various kits and that feeling of cutting out all the bits and putting them in various piles to sort out and decide which to put together how was...basically all the fun of assembling models for me."

Right now, I don't think I'll ever buy a GW kit twice again. I'll just go see what 3rd party/3d print sites have as reasonable proxies.

I've always wanted an IG army but didn't want to do Cadians, and didn't feel like the old metals would give me the selection I wanted or come at a reasonable price. But then my friend and I just invested in a decent quality printer, and now I'm really looking forward to designing my own models in the years to come.

 Insectum7 wrote:
I've always wanted an IG army but didn't want to do Cadians, and didn't feel like the old metals would give me the selection I wanted or come at a reasonable price. But then my friend and I just invested in a decent quality printer, and now I'm really looking forward to designing my own models in the years to come.

See, that's exactly my point! And it's only going to get better from here :-)

leerm02 wrote:

I think this is a very good and necessary conversation to have.

My two cents:

We are going to start seeing (or are ALREADY seeing,) a split in the community over this issue. There are going to be "pure" stores/venues where using anything other than bog-standard gw models will NOT be acceptable... and then there are going to be the exact opposite.

It's my opinion that, eventually, the "let people bring what they want" type venues/tourney's (where 3d printing, alternative models, ect, are allowed,) will win out.

GW has been determined to metaphorically shoot themselves in the foot time and time again... and eventually, well, it's going to start causing them problems. I think one of the big changes to come over the hobby is the 3d printing one, and honestly it's only going to get more common from here.

No amount of lawsuits and temper tantrums by GW is going to change that.

the problem for the first groups is that as the technology improves and better and better printers become commercially available and affordable its going to become harder and harder to say what is or isn't an original GW model or a print.

The 'pure' tournaments are going to lose out simply because you won't be able to tell the difference at a glance.

Firstly for me, it's a case of ease of access.
For a 3d printed army I need to get a 3d printer, a PC/laptop (I might have that already but some people don't), find the files I want or I need to learn to create said files, then I need to learn how to do 3d printing, then I need to wait for either the parts or the model to print.
For GW stuff I go to a store or the webstore and buy the models.
3d printing isn't exactly brilliant for bringing new folks into the hobby.

However, the most important part of the hobby for me is kitbashing and converting. Since I was just a yoof, kicking about with my Boyz from Black Reach I've been making terrifying engines of destruction and characterful units. My current big project is two Watch Companies of Deathwatch where I am trying to get as many Chapters in as possible with as little repeats. Each model must be distinct and individual which has challenged me more than ever. How do I make this Marine look like a Black Templar outside of a shoulder pad? A scarred head from the Intercessor kit, little pendants and reliquary pieces from Captains and Sternguard and a Mk3 body to emphasise the knight aspect. With a printer I could just print all the exact parts I needed and it's no longer fun or challenging, it's just a chore.

I see recast sprues that looked perfect. How does stuff being 3d printed . stop someone from kit bashing the stuff? Plus there is the whole aspect of Dreadnought no longer costs 100$ to make and models, specially characters don't go for half as much. On top of that some of the designs that are sold by people online look better then the stuff GW makes.

3d printing is only at a glance not brining people in to the hobby. But go ask a new player if he would rather spend +800$ for the . GW original, specially if it has to include resin models, or pay a half or third of that in not original stuff. A ton of people are not going to choose the 800 plus option.

I'm fine with GW models, conversions, scratchbuilds, 3rd party stuff, 3d prints....

I'm also fine with shops setting whatever limitations the choose.
Well, except for "It must have been bought here!" Seriously, we had a local shop try that at one point. It didn't work out well for them btw.

Tourney wise? I'm not concerned at all what limits they apply as I'm not a tourney player.

ccs wrote:
I'm also fine with shops setting whatever limitations the choose.
Well, except for "It must have been bought here!" Seriously, we had a local shop try that at one point. It didn't work out well for them btw.

At the same time you can kinda see why a store might have a problem with everyone showing up with 3D printed armies and nothing that came from them.

I think we're a long way off form that being a reality, but they won't like that.

 Gert wrote:
Firstly for me, it's a case of ease of access.
For a 3d printed army I need to get a 3d printer, a PC/laptop (I might have that already but some people don't), find the files I want or I need to learn to create said files, then I need to learn how to do 3d printing, then I need to wait for either the parts or the model to print.
For GW stuff I go to a store or the webstore and buy the models.
3d printing isn't exactly brilliant for bringing new folks into the hobby.

However, the most important part of the hobby for me is kitbashing and converting. Since I was just a yoof, kicking about with my Boyz from Black Reach I've been making terrifying engines of destruction and characterful units. My current big project is two Watch Companies of Deathwatch where I am trying to get as many Chapters in as possible with as little repeats. Each model must be distinct and individual which has challenged me more than ever. How do I make this Marine look like a Black Templar outside of a shoulder pad? A scarred head from the Intercessor kit, little pendants and reliquary pieces from Captains and Sternguard and a Mk3 body to emphasise the knight aspect. With a printer I could just print all the exact parts I needed and it's no longer fun or challenging, it's just a chore.

ohhhhhh hohohohoho, no it isnt my good friend! Because eventually, you discover the joy of Meshmixer and other programs, which allow you to kitbash DIGITALLY and twist and bend and rescale and chop and dent and screw.

hmmm, I want to get one of those new Big 'ead bossbunkas, but I want one that's really unique and impressive. I'll just...take this AT18 scaled Warbringer titan head I printed previously that had kind of the skull shape I want.

then I'll stretch it out in the Height direction, add some tubes sticking out of the neck join. Plane cut it so it sits on the table at an angle like it's jutting out of the ground. Scale it up to approximately the in-lore size of an Imperator titan head, and add Ork emblems and big shootas and some kannons from grot tank files. Add some rocks around the base, throw in a "Keep out" sign I found...and it'll cost me about 2$ to make.

It is a HELL of a rabbit hole.

Honestly, the main thing that is driving acceptance is that GW can't keep up with demand, particularly for stuff like FW contemptors. GW goes and makes vulkite contemptors one of the best units in the game, and a unit that is accessible to roughly 60% of the player base...and then it's out of stock for more or less the last six months straight. There's only going to be one end to that, and it's not that competitive players are simply going to suck it up and not play them. People are even getting into recasting and 3D printing plastic, which they didn't used to do, because GW can't even keep its plastic range in stock and, again, competitive players aren't going to simply sit on the sidelines because GW is out of DE stock when GW makes DE the strongest faction in the game.

 Gert wrote:
Firstly for me, it's a case of ease of access.
For a 3d printed army I need to get a 3d printer, a PC/laptop (I might have that already but some people don't), find the files I want or I need to learn to create said files, then I need to learn how to do 3d printing, then I need to wait for either the parts or the model to print.
For GW stuff I go to a store or the webstore and buy the models.
3d printing isn't exactly brilliant for bringing new folks into the hobby.

This is the most "new thing bad" post I've read in a while.
Its very easy to reverse it completely, watch:

Firstly for me, it's a case of ease of access.
For a kitbashed army I need to get lots of kits, a bunch of tools (I might have that already but some people don't), find the parts I want or I need to learn to sculpt said parts from greenstuff, then I need to learn how to modify joints or parts without destroying them, then I need to actually sit down and make the model.
For 3D printing stuff I go to a website and buy the print.
Kitbashing isn't exactly brilliant for bringing new folks into the hobby.

Not to mention this is GW, so the cost of a starter 3D printer is about the same as the kits you'd need to buy to start kitbashing. I'd argue that anyone wanting to get into Warhammer would actually be BETTER buying a 3D printer as it's cheaper in the long run to find out if you enjoy the game or not. You can print a whole 2000pts army at a fraction of the cost of buying actual GW stuff.

One of my opponents in the Adepticon 2018 team tournament was using 3rd party Guardsman models, and no one batted an eye (and why should they, the models looked amazing!). Hell, I myself was using AoS Khorne Bloodreavers instead of actual Khorne Berzerkers, and they specifically allowed it. And Adepticon is a major event for 40k. So I would think if a big event like that is cool with 3rd party models, they'd be cool with 3d printed stuff as well. As long as the models are easy to identify and are the right size (to avoid any modelling for advantage concerns), nobody should care. If a TO has an issue with 3rd party/3d printed models, they are probably just a "GW White Knight" or an asshat and you shouldn't want to go to their event.

Personally I think 3d printing is one of the coolest technologies to be developed in recent years and is truly a game changer for the miniature wargaming hobby as a whole. It'll certainly be interesting to see where things go with it. I don't think companies like GW will completely switch to selling only STL files; they'll still have premade models available for those who don't have a 3d printer at home or who just don't want to take the time to print a ton of models (because at 4+ hours per print, it could take a while to print an entire army unless your printer has a pretty large buildplate).

The same thing is happening in my group/club: out of 70-80 members the number of 3D printers went from 0 a couple of years ago to almost 10 now.
We don't all play 40K (roughly half of us), so we print a lot of hobby related stuff for a lot of different games. Terrain, miniatures, tokens, bits, ...
Being part of a large group with some very experienced hobbyists (and proper artists) means that the sky is the limit.

The big push towards 3D printing wasn't caused by the lack of supply and competitive meta, but due to ever increasing prices and simple curiosity.
It's a hobby by itself and at the same time it's a great tool for the miniatures hobby we love.

My club is not part of a FLGS as we have our own venue with a gaming room and a hobby room, so there's no FLGS owner frowning on us for not buying official products and helping him profit off that.
Recasts were and still are very common in the club, as there never was a stigma for not using official stuff, but now 3D printing is definitely becoming a big thing.

As for what I personally print: despite having almost 10k points of official Tau models, I'm buying and printing STLs of alternative sculpts because they look amazing. Some files, especially the "premium" ones from patreons and third party sculptors, are on par or even better than original sculpts.
With the cheapest printer on the market ($170 one), using the most detailed resolution available, you can get incredibly detailed models with no print lines. Better looking models for a fraction of the price.

Do I still buy original models? Yes, there are some GW models that I like and I want to add to my existing projects. Even at club level we routinely put in group orders for official products, from various retailers.
But 3D printed ones are up there in terms of quality, the deciding factor is the looks. I just get the model I like more, either buying it or printing it myself.

Also most of the events here don't ban conversions and unofficial models (like 3D printed ones), just like they don't prevent you to play your blue marines as salamanders. As long as there's no modelling for advantage (ie the sizes and the bases are correct) and the loadout is not confusing, you're free to do whatever you want.

In terms of accessibility, there will most likely be a lot of people that don’t want to get their own printer, but as market penetration continues it will get more and more likely that everyone who games will know someone who has one, and can ask a favour and drop a bottle of resin.

Our local shop has 3d printers now, all legit sales.
Lots of terrain :0 it’s kind of amazing, can have basically anything I wanted printed off faster than GW could send to me.
Since my printer is too tiny for some things it’s been really convenient.

For RPGs being able to make characters, then have minis all custom made and ready to paint for the week after is just so crazy I still not used to it.

 Sim-Life wrote:

 Gert wrote:
Firstly for me, it's a case of ease of access.
For a 3d printed army I need to get a 3d printer, a PC/laptop (I might have that already but some people don't), find the files I want or I need to learn to create said files, then I need to learn how to do 3d printing, then I need to wait for either the parts or the model to print.
For GW stuff I go to a store or the webstore and buy the models.
3d printing isn't exactly brilliant for bringing new folks into the hobby.

This is the most "new thing bad" post I've read in a while.
Its very easy to reverse it completely, watch:

Firstly for me, it's a case of ease of access.
For a kitbashed army I need to get lots of kits, a bunch of tools (I might have that already but some people don't), find the parts I want or I need to learn to sculpt said parts from greenstuff, then I need to learn how to modify joints or parts without destroying them, then I need to actually sit down and make the model.
For 3D printing stuff I go to a website and buy the print.
Kitbashing isn't exactly brilliant for bringing new folks into the hobby.

Not to mention this is GW, so the cost of a starter 3D printer is about the same as the kits you'd need to buy to start kitbashing. I'd argue that anyone wanting to get into Warhammer would actually be BETTER buying a 3D printer as it's cheaper in the long run to find out if you enjoy the game or not. You can print a whole 2000pts army at a fraction of the cost of buying actual GW stuff.

You've quoted Gert and massively misrepresented them by choosing that a whole army needs kitbashing, Gert refers to simply buying an assembling an army and I'm in agreement with them. I'd need to shell out a few hundred upfront, have an expensive tool I'm reticent to use for fear of damaging, learn a whole new hobby and on top of that my other half freaks out about electrical items being left on overnight if it needs a long print, never mind the noise and I've a small house so no appropriate place to leave it running.

Conversely I could spend my usual £30 or so (if that) a month on proper kits/used items and have no hassle.

Regards the OP, I don't think 3d printing is the issue here. The lazy WAAC flavour of the month players you're encountering who likely have only been previously held back by not wanting to shell out the money are. Simplest way round it is enforce a painted to play rule (I know, I'll get whined at for this), that way they can force hop and print to their hearts content but then they can't slam down endless forces of grey resin to match the online meta.

It's fine, the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and even with a C&D team going all out they can't beat the internet

I can see GW next knee-jerk reaction being leaning on the bigger events to bend to their no printed toys whims, cos stupid is as stupid does

I got a 3D printer last year, and I've been using it mostly to print out things that are either no longer available (FASA era Star Trek models), were never available (1/100 GI Joe/Cobra vehicles for Team Yankee), can't get a model of (German Ferdinand/Elephant in 1/56 scale) or are completely new units, such as a Tau Mako or Tau bikes.

However, my feeble attempts to create existing models (1/56 M3 half-tracks), have so far given me the impression that if a model does exist, that in most cases, I'd rather go out and buy it, rather than try and hunt down a 3D print version of it.

I won't say it's been easy to set up and print, but it's been relatively fun and each model that successfully comes off the printer gives me as much of a rush as buying a new model kit off the shelf. It's not for everyone, just another level to the hobby like assembly, paint and play.

I don’t think it’s a big deal, do what you enjoy.

 Turnip Jedi wrote:
It's fine, the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and even with a C&D team going all out they can't beat the internet

I can see GW next knee-jerk reaction being leaning on the bigger events to bend to their no printed toys whims, cos stupid is as stupid does

In Flames of War and SW Legion the 3D printing minis are getting a lot of traction... The pandemic has probably been a turning point for this type of tech in the tabletop gamming scene... Hard to tell if this will wreck GW business model... But its certainly a mayor challenge.