New From Gambody: A Fully Workable 49-Piece MechWarrior Atlas 3D Model

BattleTech fans! If you haven’t checked out gamer-specific 3D model marketplace Gambody yet, you really should do so. We’ve followed a lot of their impeccably designed models as they’ve been released, and most recently they shared with us a new set of game-related 3D printable Halloween masks, one of which was in the likeness of Atlas, the most popular MechWarrior from the MechWarrior Online game. Now the Gambody team has created a new Atlas model, this time a fully workable, multi-piece, incredibly detailed figure of the bipedal vehicle.

Gambody describes the model as a LEGO set, featuring 49 3D printable parts and instructions on how to assemble them into a 25 cm (or 9 inch) tall figure. The model, which you can download here, was designed by Maverik, who previously created a 27-piece 3D model of Catapult, another MechWarrior, which quickly became the most popular model on the site. His new Atlas model may very well defeat its predecessor in terms of popularity, though, because it really is an incredible design, with intricate details and perfectly workable joints.

The joints, according to Maverik, were the most difficult part of the design; he knew they needed to be even more well-crafted than those on the Catapult model. The torso and head weren’t exactly easy either, though.

“It is all about the way the Atlas head is positioned on the torso,” Maverik says. “I had to pay great attention to the head’s details, to make it look like the Atlas the video gamers know.”

He definitely succeeded – and in a short amount of time, too. The Atlas model took Maverik only ten days to complete.

“The short timeframe for completing the Atlas 3D model was due to the experience I had gained from modelling Catapult,” he adds.

In typical Gambody fashion, the team 3D printed the model on their in-house Ultimaker 2 as soon as it was finished, and painted it in excruciatingly detailed, realistic (well, “realistic” as applied to a giant bipedal warrior vehicle) fashion. They’ve become pros at combining various painting techniques including hand-painting with different brush sizes, spray painting, and creative utilization of acrylics and other materials to give the print the look of rusted, worn, battle-damaged metal.

“MWO Atlas 3D model is inspired by the most powerful and feared Mech of all time,” Gambody states. “Being equipped with an Autocannon 20 and Medium Lasers, the Mech can take down any lighter Mechs in one shot. This ability makes it sought after by fans of the video game, enabling them to gain additional power and an ally in their online BattleMech Universe.”

You can download all of the STL files for Atlas here for $29.99. It should be easily printable on any type of 3D printer – though Gambody adds that it would look especially fantastic printed with SLA technology. You can watch a video of Gambody 3D printing the figure here. Discuss in the MechWarrior Atlas forum at 3DPB.com.