Back Down the Rabbit Hole?

Not quite...  ...Mini-Me-Minor's friend likes the toy soldiers, the two of them use them to play wargames and RPGs.  He does, however, keep asking me if I have rules for 40K. 

We have a new independent games store open in the next town over, I went in to buy paint to support them and while I was there I thought I'd check out the new version of 40K.  I was completely floored by the current GW prices, so, no new version of 40K for me.   However, there is a new store I'd like to support plus they also have gaming tables open to all games, which solves the challenge of me and a bunch of kids playing games in my house/basement, something I'd prefer not to do. 

So now for my cunning plan, Mini-Me-Minor and friend(s) want to play 40k, I would like to support the new independent store, lets do both.

While I don't have the modern version I do have a rules for 1st ed 40K with the old Rogue Trader book, a crappy scanned copy the Astronomican (my original fell apart many years ago) and my old copy of the Compendium.

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Like every RT newbies I'll get them playing the rules using the intro scenario "Battle at the Farm".  For that I need Marines and Orks, as I don't want to pay GW prices it's time to do something different, enter the 3d printer.  Or at least that was the plan.

Off I went to the C-site and the T-site to look for cheap/free STLs, and was somewhat surprised to see them literally vanishing in front of my eyes.  I'd search one day and go back a few days later to see them removed in some sort of weird purge.  I did manage to get some files, and later guessed at what may be happening.  Apparently GW has some new battle-focused game with smaller figs, while folks had previously 3dprinted Epic figs, these were what was disappearing in the purge.  My guess was GW were issuing take-downs so folks had to buy their new figs instead of just scaling up the Epic 3d print figs.  

Anyhoo, I got some files and I've been printing, all have been scaled to 20mm.  Why 20mm?  Its small enough for small battles but big enough to skirmish properly and for characters to really stand out.  And Its my favourite scale, and I'm making them, so 20mm it is.

Orks, in the cartoony style of the earlies.  There's 30 plus leaders, plenty of Orks.

Then there's the Marines.  These are not all for me (honest), most are for Mini-Me-Minor and Friend.

Mk6, beaky Tac Marines.  In groups of 5, the squads of 10 came later.  Support weapons and other alternatives near the rear.

Tac Marines with Jump Packs

Comms, Techs and Dreadnoughts, one with laser cannon and two with heavy bolters.

Jet Bikes (plus dismounts) and Land Speeders

I found this funky stretched transport speeder, as yet I've no seated crew.

Chaplains

Officers

Medics and Psykers

Commanders and banners

The file for this one is called a FireRaptor, no idea if this is cannon or not, but I liked it.  I did this one in FDM, however, it is too small, its more 15mm than 20mm.  This one will be the in-flight version, I'll print an up-scaled version for a landed one (or two).

I've also printed a ruined farm, some walls and crops.  Painting is progressing, I'm doing the Orks and scenery, Mini-Me-Minor is going to paint the Marines.  We've been chatting about playing and painting, he's already bagged his pick of the Marines, its been really fun doing this project with him.  

Hopefully we will get to do the actual playing soon.