January 4, 2026
Painted minis > printed promises
The Year of the 3D Printed Miniature (and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves)
Commenters roast broken tech promises as Warhammer fans say: the plastic army marches on
TLDR: A witty takedown says 3D printers never toppled Warhammer, they just became tools for terrain while the plastic empire thrived. Commenters applaud, debate AI’s role, and agree: hype fades but hands-on hobbies stick, because people value the joy of making as much as the result.
A snarky essay dragging years of “this will change everything” predictions got the crowd clapping like it was opening night. Readers loved the author’s roast of tech’s glass-door confidence, especially the jab that 3D printers would obliterate Warhammer. Instead, commenters cheered that Games Workshop still sells “overpriced plastic crack,” and the only thing 3D printers reliably disrupt is your Saturday when a print fails at 92%. Neonnoodle sighed that the early 3D-printing hype “hasn’t panned out,” while another voice called it one of the most entertaining reads on Hacker News. Nostalgia spilled in from ex-players reminiscing about rulebooks as thick as Bibles and mandatory hobby injuries (yes, everyone bleeds for their tiny soldiers).
The drama: purists vs pragmatists. Purists crowed that real hobbyists still trim, prime, and paint by hand; pragmatists shot back that printers shine for terrain—ruins, roads, and cathedral rubble—then you slap on paint and game. The spiciest twist? An AI parallel. One commenter argued that even if AI can churn out models, humans will keep crafting because the point isn’t speed, it’s soul. Memes flew—“touch grass,” “menu-font critics,” and mini painters flexing foam-lined cases that cost more than airline luggage. Verdict from the pit: hype fades, hobbies endure, and the minis keep marching while tech bros keep promising. Also, yes, Etsy is still full of cute printed goblins.
Key Points
- •The article critiques recurring tech hype and inaccurate disruption predictions.
- •VR headsets and self-driving cars are cited as examples of predictions that did not meet timelines.
- •3D printers were often claimed to disrupt Games Workshop and the Warhammer 40,000 hobby.
- •The article asserts Games Workshop remains unaffected by consumer 3D printing.
- •It emphasizes the importance of understanding user needs and the full hobby experience beyond manufacturing.