I 3D Printed 5 Warhammer Armies. Here's What I Saved.

Summary

The video compares the cost of building five Warhammer 40,000 armies and terrain with Games Workshop (GW) kits versus 3D printing. The creator started playing at the beginning of 10th edition and says access to 3D printing made collecting armies practical—especially Adeptus Mechanicus, which would otherwise have been prohibitively expensive for him.

Collections and Estimated GW Prices

• Adeptus Mechanicus: A roughly 3,000-point collection, including Skitarii, Sicarians, vehicles, walkers, Kataphrons, characters, and an Archaeopter. Estimated replacement cost: $2,203.
• Grey Knights: Terminators, Paladins, Purifiers, Interceptors, characters, and five Dreadnoughts. Because the army is relatively elite, it needs fewer models on the table. Estimated replacement cost: $1,464. The creator also likes that printing lets him use models in the older “firstborn” scale.
• Adepta Sororitas: A roughly 2,000-point collection with Battle Sisters, Sacresants, Seraphim, vehicles, and characters. Estimated replacement cost: $1,184.
• Imperial Knights: Six Armigers and three larger Knights. Estimated replacement cost: $1,030.
• Space Marines: The collection includes units such as Hellblasters, Intercessors, Heavy Intercessors, Bladeguard, and Centurions. It also includes a printed Mastodon, which the creator says he has not played but enjoyed painting. A Forge World version was estimated at around $700.
• Terrain: The creator printed two tables but compared only the 11th-edition-style table. Equivalent GW terrain would cost about $170.

The creator estimates that the armies would cost a little over $8,021 in GW products, or $8,191 including terrain. These estimates use GW store prices rather than second-hand prices.

Printing Costs and Estimated Savings

The creator’s printing setup includes a Bambu Lab P1S bought for about $400 and a Mars 5 Ultra bought for about $260. His estimated Warhammer-related materials and running costs are:

• Printers: $658
• Terrain filament: $32
• Resin: about $360
• Isopropyl alcohol: about $200–$300
• Gloves: about $200–$300
• Washing and curing station: about $100

The creator puts the total cost of printing at roughly $1,450, including sales tax, and estimates net savings of about $6,771 compared with buying the collections and terrain from GW. STL purchases are not included. Even allowing another $1,000 for files, he estimates savings of about $5,771.

These are personal estimates, not a universal calculation. The creator notes that file prices vary and that some costs—such as replacement parts, troubleshooting, and time—are difficult to quantify.

Practical Takeaways

• 3D printing can make a large or expensive collection more affordable and provide models for older, discontinued, or Legends units.
• Resin printing involves extra work and supplies, including file preparation, printing, support removal, washing, curing, gloves, and alcohol. It also requires a separate, appropriately ventilated workspace. The creator stresses that printing is not a time-free substitute for assembling plastic kits.
• Printing terrain with inexpensive PLA can also be economical; the creator says two spools were enough for a complete terrain table.
• For players whose main army is not Space Marines, the creator recommends considering a small Space Marine collection—around 1,000 points—as a flexible alternative when their main army’s rules are unsatisfying.
• The creator’s conclusion is that neither buying kits nor printing is the “wrong” way to enjoy the hobby. The right choice depends on cost, time, and personal preference.

Gamers and Sources Mentioned

• Homebrew Hobbies — the creator and channel; no personal name is given in the subtitles.
• An unnamed friend, whose first-tournament experience the creator plans to discuss in a future video.
• An unnamed Imperial Knights player the creator met at a tournament.
• Sources and services mentioned include Games Workshop, Forge World, eBay, Patreon, and online STL creators.