Hello, fans of tabletop role-playing games! If your friend is new to the exciting world of wargaming and asks you what it is, what would you tell him? We'd say: Wargaming is not just a game, it's a world where strategy, epic battles, and deep lore come to life through gorgeous miniatures
From plastic to legend: the world of miniature warfare
No battle can be imagined without soldiers - and battles in the wargame universe are no exception.
Today we will shed light on the secrets of production, detailing the materials that give them life!
What miniatures are made of
With the development of 3D printing technology, enthusiasts have been able to create unique miniatures that accurately reflect the characteristics and features of their armies. Choosing the right printing material plays a key role in the quality and durability of the miniatures.
There are only 4 main types of materials for 3D printing miniatures, let's take a closer look at each of them:
PLA (polylactide). It is the most popular material for beginners because of its ease of printing and low cost. It is biodegradable and has low shrinkage, making it ideal for printing detailed models. However, PLA is brittle and can warp at high temperatures.
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). It requires higher temperatures to print and a thermal chamber to prevent distortion. This material provides strength and resistance to high temperatures, making it suitable for creating more durable miniatures. However, it can emit harmful vapors during printing.
PETG (polyethylene terephthalate with glycol). PETG combines the best qualities of PLA and ABS, offering good strength, flexibility and chemical resistance. However, PETG becomes excessively brittle and fragile when exposed to UV light. Also, extra is often added during printing, often resulting in "hairy" products.
Resin. These are used in stereolithographic (SLA) and DLP printers and provide exceptional detail quality with a smooth surface. They are ideal for creating miniatures with fine detail, but require post-processing and have high material and printing costs.
What we use to create miniatures
We use resin to print our stunning models, as it provides the best quality of detail. All DakkaDakka miniatures are printed using SLA (3D printing method, which uses laser and resin), which allows us to achieve high-precision detail with complex geometry. And to make these miniatures last a long time, they need to be cared for, which you can learn more about in our future articles!
Stay tuned!
We are proud to bring new, unique, highly detailed miniatures to the world of wargaming, and we look forward to seeing you in our ranks! Join us!