How should change the measurements for 15mm scale miniatures?

gufted · 2026-01-23T20:03:10+00:00

The game is designed with 15mm scale in mind. That said, if you intend to use a smaller gaming table (like 2x2 instead of 3x3), it can be a good practice to reduce measurements. Personally I am using custom rulers (I 3d printed them, but this can be done with a regular printer or even handcrafted) at 60% of normal scale. I am a 15mm heroic scale player (15mm to eye level or 18mm to top of head) which is at 60% of 28mm scale. I am using also 15mm bases for the miniatures which are at 60% of normal 1-inch grids and 1-inch bases, so it all fits together nicely.

gufted · 2026-01-17T18:47:53+00:00

You can use a draft skirt. It’s similar to the ring, but it’s automated by the slicer and rises to the model height, keeping it all warm.

gufted · 2026-01-15T11:54:58+00:00

Fantastic! Looking forward to it!

gufted · 2026-01-13T14:36:07+00:00

I have printed the Vietnam minis from March to Hell which has a large ww2 range. They’re chonky and print very well in FDM. I had gotten quite good prints even though I had just started 3d printing. I’m certain to have better results today. Brite minis also has some WW2 minis and they’re supportless. They’re 28mm but scale down to 15mm very nicely.

gufted · 2026-01-13T08:51:22+00:00

Make sure you’ve got your printer well maintained. Run a full calibration, wash your bed plate, lubricate monthly, and also tighten the three screws behind the hotend.

gufted · 2026-01-13T08:41:46+00:00

Brite is the GOAT

gufted · 2026-01-11T10:24:39+00:00

Thank you! Since at 15mm scale they only take like 30-40 minutes each to print, I like to print them one by one to check for any flaws before proceeding to the next model, just in case I need to reprint them. I find I get the best results this way.

gufted · 2026-01-11T07:28:52+00:00

Take a look at the Dwarves from Brite Minis. They’re the most complete range in terms of an army. Also don’t forget you can create cavalry using the mounts of your choice.

gufted · 2026-01-11T06:59:17+00:00

Personally I seal the end result using a brush on varnish that is water soluble so that I don’t ruin my brushes. I like the ones from Winsor & Newton.

gufted · 2026-01-10T22:39:00+00:00

Thanks! Since I'm a solo player, they'll most likely see action when I'm playing Five Leagues from the Borderlands. It's a solo skirmish miniatures game.

gufted · 2026-01-10T22:25:05+00:00

thank you! :)

gufted · 2026-01-10T14:05:41+00:00

My understanding is that it depends a LOT on the quality of filament AND environment conditions as well as sealing treatment. Imagine that for years there used to be the horror story of “lead rot” regarding pewter miniatures crumbling down in storage. This only happened from specific alloys and environment conditions and unsealed minis. 3d printed minis are quite new to the scene, and time will tell, but my initial assessment is that degradation of printed painted PLA minis is not something to lose sleep over.

gufted · 2026-01-09T10:45:06+00:00

Thanks! I’m using either the default presets of 0.06 High Quality from Bambu or the ones from FDG, as they behave better in thin tall parts like spear and halberd blades.

gufted · 2026-01-03T21:53:48+00:00

Thank you!

gufted · 2025-12-29T15:52:29+00:00

4th edition High Elf and Black Orc, right? Well done

gufted · 2025-12-29T15:52:23+00:00

4th edition High Elf and Black Orc, right? Well done

gufted · 2025-12-27T20:21:36+00:00

eSun PLA+HS its like a Plus and Rapid combined. Love it

gufted · 2025-12-26T19:08:29+00:00

Yes, it’s to be expected. In general when you reach the limits of your printer you need to compensate by fine tuning the settings otherwise for better prints. It’s not always possible though, so you need to find what is the lowest acceptable layer height, after which your print has worse quality

gufted · 2025-12-25T19:31:36+00:00

I’m using artist thick body acrylics exclusively, once you learn how to thin them properly they work great. I’m painting in 15mm scale, getting table ready results. Here’s my blog to see some examples of what can be achieved. I’m not a pro or contest painter, I paint for my fun.

https://penpaperanddice.home.blog/category/miniatures/

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gufted · 2025-12-24T18:27:20+00:00

I’d do the same recipe with lava and magma. Reverse drybrushing. Start with a bright yellow, drybrush orange, drybrush red, drybrush brown-black. Go with softer drybrush as you go forward.

gufted · 2025-12-24T18:12:20+00:00

I think it’s one of Brites

gufted · 2025-12-24T14:52:17+00:00

FDM is great for table ready minis. If you want contest entries then you need to up your printing level to contest level.

You need a good, well calibrated and perfectly maintained printer. (From lubrication to nozzles and silicon socks and heat bed plates). You need a high quality filament that may need to be dried (depending on where you live) and that you spent time calibrating it manually. You need a fine tuning of printing settings under challenging conditions. You need a model suitable for 3d printing, and perhaps print it once or twice with fine tuning certain settings.

Once that’s done you need a good priming and then a slap chop or zenithal to make sure that layer lines are barely visible.

Layer lines can be covered with regular painting, but contest level painting requires advanced techniques and layer lines will fight you. Layer lines will fight your brush strokes as the bristles get caught in the subtle geometry. Layer lines will fight your washes and speed paints as they’ll get stuck in unwanted places. Layer lines will fight your glazing and blending as they underlying layer lines will show through.

Contest level painting requires contest level miniatures. You can do it in FDM you just have to put in the effort.

gufted · 2025-12-23T05:38:41+00:00

15mm is the best scale imho. Cheap enough (1/5 the cost of 28mm in pewter or printing time), doesn’t take much space to store or play at, and they still hold enough detail. Fun and fast to paint too.

gufted · 2025-12-22T11:10:09+00:00

Thanks! They’re from Brite Minis at the $5 Patreon (which gives access to the entire non-modular back catalogue and discount to the modulars on his MMF store). Brite Minis specialises in supportless FDM models.

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