Penthesileia, Queen of the Amazons

Design Story – Penthesileia, Queen of the Amazons

Designing Penthesileia was much more than creating another miniature. My goal was to build a model that combines historical inspiration with practical FDM printing.

The biggest challenge: Support-free printing

The first versions looked great, but they required a lot of supports. I wanted a miniature that anyone could print on a standard 0.4 mm FDM printer without worrying about difficult support removal.

To achieve this, I carefully adjusted:

• the spear angle
• the shield position
• the cape
• the arm placement
• the overall center of gravity

Every element was slightly repositioned until all major overhangs stayed within printable limits.

Stability was just as important

Many fantasy miniatures look amazing but have fragile weapons, tiny contact points or very thin ankles.

For Penthesileia I reinforced:

• the spear shaft
• the wrist connection
• the shield support
• the feet
• the connection to the base

These changes are almost invisible but greatly increase durability during printing and gaming.

Finding the right pose

I wanted Penthesileia to look proud and fearless instead of overly dynamic.

The final pose creates a strong silhouette:

• spear ready
• shield protecting the body
• confident posture
• balanced weight distribution

The pose also improves printability because it avoids unnecessary unsupported areas.

Optimized for tabletop gaming

This miniature was designed specifically for FDM printing.

Features include:

• Support Free
• Stable Design
• 40 mm scale
• 0.4 mm nozzle friendly
• Easy to paint
• Durable enough for regular tabletop use

Painting

After printing, I wanted the miniature to remain enjoyable to paint.