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Age of Sigmar occupies a strange spot in the resin printing world. It shares a scale with 40K (28-32mm heroic) but plays completely differently on the build plate. Where 40K is mostly infantry squads and vehicles, AoS swings between tiny Warcry warbands and centerpiece models that push the physical limits of your printer’s build volume. A Stormcast Eternals Vindictors kit is ten infantry. An Archaon, the Everchosen is a 240mm monster that won’t fit on most build plates without splitting.
If you’ve already read the best resin printer for Warhammer 40K miniatures guide, a lot of the hardware overlaps. The difference is what AoS specifically demands from a machine and where the trade-offs hit differently. For the full workflow from unboxing to painted model, the beginner’s guide to resin printing miniatures covers the basics.
What Age of Sigmar Actually Requires
AoS puts different pressure on a printer than 40K or DnD. Three things matter more here than in other Warhammer systems.
1. Scale extremes in the same army list
A typical AoS army includes infantry, heroes, and at least one large centerpiece. The scale gap between a 25mm Skaven Clanrat and a 170mm Mega-Gargant is enormous, and both need to look right next to each other on the table. Your printer needs to resolve fine chain mail on a 28mm soldier and still have the build volume to handle models that push 150-200mm tall.
40K has this problem to a degree (infantry versus knights), but AoS is worse. The centerpiece models in AoS are more organic (flowing capes, magical energy effects, tentacles, wings) which means more fragile geometry that requires careful support placement and clean resolution throughout. The resin for miniatures guide covers ABS-like options that survive these thin features better than standard resin.
2. Dynamic, organic detail
Where 40K is hard-surface armor plates and bolter housings, AoS is robes, bone, muscle, and magical energy. The detail challenge shifts from crisp mechanical edges to smooth organic curves. A Stormcast’s hammered metal plate needs clean, hard edge lines. A Nighthaunt model is entirely flowing fabric and ethereal wisps. A Lumineth Realm-Lords archer has a face that’s 3mm wide and still needs to look composed under a magnifying glass.
This means XY resolution matters, but so does Z-axis layer height. Organic curves show stair-stepping more visibly than flat armor plates. Printing at 0.03mm layer height instead of 0.05mm makes a visible difference on flowing capes and smooth skin. That’s a print time increase, but the result is worth it on centerpiece models.
3. Army size is wildly inconsistent
A Warcry warband is 8-12 models. A full 2,000-point AoS army can be anywhere from 20 models (elite Stormcast) to 120+ models (Skaven horde). The difference in print volume between those two army types is enormous. This means your build plate size matters, but how much it matters depends on which faction you play.
Elite armies (Stormcast, Ossiarch Bonereapers, Sons of Behemat) are forgiving on smaller plates. Horde armies (Skaven, Gloomspite Gitz, Cities of Sigmar infantry lists) are a slog on anything under 200mm wide. Know your faction before you buy.
The Recommendations
Best Overall: Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra
The Saturn 4 Ultra earns the top spot for AoS for the same reason it tops every miniature printer list, but the AoS-specific argument is stronger than for most systems: the 218 x 123mm build plate and 220mm Z-height handle the scale extremes AoS demands.
A Mega-Gargant printed in two halves fits. A full unit of 10 Vindictors fits in one run. A Morathi (snake body plus the rider) is tight but manageable with careful orientation. On a smaller printer, every one of those prints either requires more splits, more glue seams, or more print jobs chained back to back.
The 16K resolution (18um XY) handles both ends of the AoS detail spectrum. Infantry chain mail resolves cleanly. Nighthaunt fabric has smooth transitions. Lumineth face detail reads at arm’s length painted. I print on the Saturn, and the consistency across the full plate is what sold me. Edge models look the same as center models. When you’re printing a unit of ten and painting them as a batch, inconsistency in print quality is the thing that makes the painted result look wrong.
Print speed at up to 150mm/h helps with the longer print jobs that centerpiece models require. A 170mm Mega-Gargant half at 0.03mm layer height is still a multi-hour print, but the Saturn handles it without the bed adhesion issues that plague thinner-platform machines on tall prints.
Specs:
- XY resolution: 18um (16K)
- Build volume: 218 x 123 x 220mm
- Print speed: Up to 150mm/h
- Approximate price: $400-$450
Best for: Full army printing, centerpiece models, horde factions, and anyone who doesn’t want build plate size to be the bottleneck.
Best Mid-Range: Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra
The Mars 5 Ultra at 12K resolution (22um XY) produces AoS infantry and heroes that are genuinely excellent. The detail on a Stormcast Annihilator or a Nighthaunt Grimghast Reaper is indistinguishable from Saturn output at normal table distance and holds up under paintjobs.
The limitation is build plate: 153 x 77mm. For AoS specifically, this means units of 10 require two print runs. Centerpiece models need more aggressive splitting. And horde armies become a serious time commitment.
Where the Mars 5 Ultra works well for AoS is the smaller-format game modes. Warcry warbands (8-12 models) fit entirely on two to three print jobs. A small Warcry collection of three or four warbands prints on the Mars 5 Ultra without the plate size ever feeling like a constraint. If you’re entering the AoS ecosystem through Warcry, which is how a lot of people start, this printer handles that use case at a $150-$200 savings over the Saturn.
The 165mm Z-height is also adequate for most AoS heroes and monsters. You only hit the ceiling on the largest centerpieces (Archaon, Mega-Gargant, Nagash), and those require splitting on any consumer printer regardless.
Specs:
- XY resolution: 22um (12K)
- Build volume: 153 x 77 x 165mm
- Print speed: Up to 120mm/h
- Approximate price: $200-$250
Best for: Warcry players, elite army builders, hobbyists who prioritize detail per dollar over batch speed.
Best Budget: Anycubic Photon Mono 10K
The Photon Mono 10K at $199 or less gets you into AoS printing at the lowest entry price that still produces table-quality results. The 10K resolution (34um XY) is more than adequate for 28-32mm heroic scale. Infantry detail is good. Hero-level detail is good. The limitations show up on very fine organic detail (thin fabric edges, tiny faces), but those limitations only matter if you’re painting above tabletop standard and inspecting under magnification.
The 149 x 83mm build plate fits 5-7 infantry per run. For an elite army like Stormcast, that’s tolerable. For a horde army like Skaven, it’s painful. A 120-model army at 6 per plate is 20 print jobs just for infantry. If you’re planning a horde list, save for the Saturn.
The value proposition is clearer for AoS than for 40K, though. A lot of AoS players start with Warcry or a small 1,000-point army. At that scale, the Photon Mono 10K handles the workload without making you feel like you bought the wrong tool. And if you decide to scale up later, the budget printer guide covers the full entry-tier landscape.
Specs:
- XY resolution: 34um (10K)
- Build volume: 149 x 83 x 165mm
- Print speed: Up to 80mm/h
- Approximate price: ~$199
Best for: First printer, Warcry entry, small elite armies, and testing the hobby before committing to a larger machine.
AoS Printer Comparison
| Printer | XY Resolution | Build Plate | Z-Height | Infantry/Run | Approx. Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra | 18um (16K) | 218 x 123mm | 220mm | 10-14 | $400-$450 |
| Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra | 22um (12K) | 153 x 77mm | 165mm | 6-8 | $200-$250 |
| Anycubic Photon Mono 10K | 34um (10K) | 149 x 83mm | 165mm | 5-7 | ~$199 |
AoS-Specific Printing Considerations
Splitting centerpiece models. Anything taller than your Z-height needs to be cut in a slicer. For AoS models, cut at structural joints where a glue seam will be invisible after painting: waist joints, wing attachment points, weapon hand connections. Avoid cutting across smooth surfaces (a Nighthaunt’s flowing robe, a Stormdrake’s wing membrane) where the seam shows.
Thin features and ABS-like resin. Nighthaunt scythes, Lumineth bows, Kruleboyz shield spikes: AoS is full of fragile extended geometry. Standard resin snaps on these. ABS-like resin is non-negotiable for anything going on a game table. Expect to handle these models carefully regardless, but ABS-like gives you a fighting chance.
Round bases. AoS uses round bases exclusively. Print your own or buy in bulk. Printed bases are functionally identical to GW bases and cost essentially nothing in resin. This is a small advantage resin printers have over buying GW kits, where you get exactly the bases included and no spares.
The Old World connection. If you’re also interested in Warhammer: The Old World (square bases, rank-and-file formation movement), the same printer handles both systems. The Old World demands higher model counts per army than AoS, which pushes the plate size argument toward the Saturn even harder. The print quality requirements are identical: 28-32mm heroic scale in both systems.
Finding STL files. The AoS proxy STL ecosystem is robust. Creators like The Printing Goes Ever On, Highlands Miniatures, and TitanForge produce AoS-compatible ranges that are legal for casual play. The best STL sites for miniatures guide covers where to find them, and the MyMiniFactory vs Patreon comparison breaks down which platform gives better value for ongoing subscriptions.
Which Printer for Which AoS Player
Warcry-only or single warband: Anycubic Photon Mono 10K or Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra. Small model count, no centerpieces required, and the savings go toward resin and paint instead.
1,000-point casual army: Elegoo Mars 5 Ultra. Enough plate for comfortable unit printing, and the resolution handles heroes and leaders without compromise.
Full 2,000-point army (elite): Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra. Even elite lists benefit from the plate size on centerpiece models, and the Z-height handles everything in the range.
Full 2,000-point army (horde): Elegoo Saturn 4 Ultra, no question. The plate size difference between 7 infantry and 14 infantry per run halves your total print jobs, and horde armies are already a time commitment before you add painting.
For printer accessories, wash and cure stations, and the safety gear you need alongside any of these machines, the accessories guide and wash and cure station comparison cover both.