Battletech, where my miniature wargaming started...

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
...and where my 3D printing is presently focused!

20220101_125107.jpg

So, I've 'retired' my starter box that I acquired in the late 90's. I had all the components still, and reloaded them into this box and put it on a high shelf for display only. After all, I now have the new Catalyst Game Labs Introductory box and a number of the current rules books (Total Warfare, Tech Manual, Tactical Operations, etc).

What I had trouble finding, were mechs though. See my other post in Resin about my 3rd party build using some awesome resin miniatures... I just struggle with letting my sons use those however, so I needed some more durable mechs. People have been 3D printing the Mech Warrior Online models (and a few modified 3d meshes from earlier Mechwarrior 4 and 3 single player games), so I gave it a shot not expecting much from my FDM printer (Lulzbot Taz 5).

Here are a couple of Urbanmechs I printed. Left we have one that is viable for 15mm (1:100th) scale table top games, or decoration, and on the right, the 6mm (1/285th) scale used for Battletech on the map sheets or miniatures rules.

20220108_110023.jpg

Just to the rear, you also see a primed Blackjack and Awesome in the 6mm scale. These all had a layer height of .14mm and a 20% infill. I found the need to use a raft as the feet on the 6mm scale are too small to effectively sit on my PEI print bed. They required support, and I used zig-zag at 30% at first but had to re-assemble the small ones a lot as that was too dense and pieces like feet and gun barrels fell off while I removed supports!

20220107_224154a.jpg

Here is the Awesome next to the resin Stratos Minis (Bullshark on the left, 3D print Awesome, Flashman, and CGL Griffen). I learned NOT to print in black for these in the future. The visual pain of trying to clean up black 3D printed plastic was enough... I will print the bases black however, as they have little detail I need to worry about, just some basic sanding.

20220108_110423a.jpg

Finally, I had to put this Urbie next to some of my 15mm army and see how it compares, and yes, it works perfectly. I'll try to dig up which model I printed on Thingiverse and post it later. I'm very pleased with the level of detail from the larger scale, as a final product. 6mm scale, well, the detail is good enough to serve as proxies until I get some better models (as in the plastic or pewter and resin kinds). In the mean time, I have some fun models to paint in odd ways, as well as some great beginner miniatures for my boys to paint.

20220108_100501a.jpg

After all, this is the real magic!
 

micahrogers

Moderator "Where am I, and how did I get here?"
Staff member
Moderator
I's great to see that your sons are getting into the game. I played Battleteck way back in the 90's, but my love has always been D&D... Great work on the minis, and good luck.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
So, for my first paint ups of my 3D proxies... I decided to do something I'm unlikely to do with actual models.

Create a Sunday comic strip inspired lance... Watterson's World Defense Forces militia... Lead by Calvin and Hobbes.

Printing stats: 3D Print Life gray Pro PLA

Extruder Temp: 200 initial layer/195 print temp
Bed Temp: 80 initial layer/ 50 print temp
Layer Height: 0.1mm
Infill: 20%
Supports: From bed, lines, @15%

20220115_102109a.jpg20220116_203412a.jpg20220118_203410a.jpg
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Here we go, a quick break down of each mech. 3D printed mech is between a CGL injected molded Griffin and a Stratos Minis resin "Bullshark" (counts as Maurader)

Calvin, Urbanmech:
20220122_154440a.jpg20220122_154607a.jpg20220122_154711a.jpg

Hobbes, Highlander:
20220122_154838a.jpg20220122_154939a.jpg20220122_155030a.jpg

Suzie, Blackjack:
20220122_161131a.jpg20220122_161147a.jpg20220122_161158a.jpg

Moe, Awesome:
20220122_161247a.jpg20220122_161302a.jpg20220122_161316a.jpg
 

Awry_Chaos

OKB-4155
Sudsy!!! Nice printing and painting! Good work on these. Battletech is an awesome concept. I hope we get a good movie or TV series someday!
 

micahrogers

Moderator "Where am I, and how did I get here?"
Staff member
Moderator
I need me one of those 3D printers... you can make such cool stuff.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
I need me one of those 3D printers... you can make such cool stuff.
It's a better time than when I started to get involved. 3D printers have dramatically dropped in price, given a second chance, I'd have saved what I spent on my Taz 5 and bought one of the sub $500 resin SLA printers available now instead! Don't get me wrong, the Taz 5 was (IS) a good investment given my training and background (Precison Machine, CNC, and 3D mechanical design), but since I end up making miniatures for games most of the time... Well.... You know. Early Adopter price to pay.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Quick update on my, as yet, unfinished 15mm 3D printed Mechs... Namely, the Hatchetman...errr.... Tinman! My aftermarket Stratos Minis STL scaled up from 6mm to 15mm scale has finally been painted! Well, mostly. I might refine this a bit. Or not. I'll sleep on it.

20221126_195430.jpg

20221126_195443.jpg

20221126_195451.jpg

I might, or might not, add some more to the urban camo here. Red hands, because, yeah, Clans hate melee and this was an Inner Sphere mech made just for that purpose, in urban environments.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
So, I've NOT fallen off the face of the Earth (yet), but I did get sucked into Battletech even more this year with my 3D printer(s). Resin one might be down, but I ended up creating quite the painting backlog that I've been working on since. Some of the last models the Elegoo printed were these mechs and helicopters:
mudgobber flight.jpg
My "Mudgobber" flight (hills are Hex Tech 3D printed on the FDM printer.
Tiger Lance 23.jpg
And my tiger lance with a couple urban fighters.
elevators and tarmac.jpg
Also, the FDM has been nocking out loads of hex tech terrain which I've been painting like these fighter elevators and tarmac.
CAV buildings WIP.jpg
As well as some FOB buildings (yes, it must belong to a Cavalry unit... How can you tell?).
hills on hex mat.jpg
Finally, this is what all the effort looks like in action on our dining room table. I have this wonderful mousepad material hex map, and the hex tech looks beautiful on it along with all the 3D printed and official models.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
The FOB those green CAV buildings will go into... Well, it was a few kilos of PLA (including the structures)! It's a beast!

FOB.jpg
My 12" (300mm) ruler for scale. Had to go to my garage to lay it out, didn't have enough room on the hobby bench for it setup! Needless to say, this will dominate a table top.
 

mijob

Tie designer
Staff member
Moderator
Awesome work it looks great. All your time and energy has paid off. Great work.
 

Sudsy

Well-Known Member
Every battle needs an objective! This is my months long 3D printing and painting project of the Thunderhead Studios Hextech Forward Operating Base. A mighty objective to defend or seize! I estimate about 2-3 kilos of PLA went into the foundation/walls, and buildings. Four rolls likely because I pinted other stuff in between parts for this.

20231008_132907.jpg20231008_132913.jpg20231008_132925.jpg20231008_132858.jpg
 
Top