The Opening Story

The Variable Payload Raider, or Viper Suit, as the troops call it, is a modular mech chassis originally designed for construction, mining, and exploration. Intrepid colonists system-wide use Vipers in every manner of hard vacuum and hostile environment. The bipedal vehicles have proved to be rugged, durable, and easily printed and assembled, even from hobbyist weld-printers or simpler models of colonial material fabricator boxes (fabboxes).

Humans being humans, though, the Viper Suit was soon pressed into combat.  The modular nature of the Viper makes it able to be fitted with weaponry from the Earth Defense Forces, the Titan Marines, or any other faction that wants to protect its oxygen and ore. Protective plating forged to stop incoming micrometeorites can also resist small arms fire. Open-source weapon files and ammunition recipes are readily found on the SystemNet.

Mankind didn’t leave violence behind on Earth. The Viper Suit is proof that any tool, even one that is 18 feet tall, can be reforged into a weapon.

Tell Me More.  Now.

Like the opening text stated in such flowery prose, the Viper Suit is pretty simple.

It's a downloadable package of .stl files so you can print a physical model of the Viper Suit mech. Stereolithography, or STL for short, is the format most printers take.

At its simplest, The Viper Suit is hull, legs, and weapons, with the potential for more add-ons and other figures.  Where we go from there is a matter of stretch goals that will indicate how much more folks want. If things go well, there’s potential for redesigning some old 15mm Rebel Minis favorites, updating and refreshing the designs for both scales.

GunCATs, RUMV civilian vehicles, new power armors, detailed interior cockpits, stowage sets, and much, much more. And Jetpacks. Jetpacks!!!

Along the way, we’ll also have discounted digital files for 28mm and 15mm tanks, armored vehicles, and even Megatanks! Woot! Megatanks!

Will There Be Physical Models? I don’t have a printer. Yet.

While we encourage every hobbyist to get their own 3D printer, we understand that finances and space requirements don’t always make that possible.

We are going to sell commercial licenses, five on this Kickstarter, five others world-wide through other means, to service bureaus and entrepreneurs with printers who can take orders, print, and ship physical models to your address.

Or, convince your boss at work that the office really, really needs one. Don’t ask why, boss, just order it!

Which Printer Should I Get?

There are two major types of printers on the market.  FDM printers, which extrude a thin string of hot plastic layer by layer on top of each other until you have a physical object, or resin printers, which flash-cure objects out of a tank of gooey resin, layer by layer.

Both types are capable of great prints. Resin printers have a slight edge on detail and ease of operation, but can be messier to clean up. We recommend resin printers, despite the post-processing drudgery. Keeping a clean, well-ventilated workspace is key. Lots of rubbing or wood alcohol, rubber gloves, and paper towels helps.

The Viper Suit was test-printed on an Elegoo Saturn resin 3D printer. The Saturn has proved to be a reliable workhorse, with capable resolution, great speed, and a generous build envelope.   You can get one delivered via Amazon Prime for $500 USD.

https://smile.amazon.com/ELEGOO-Photocuring-Act...

Now, that’s a lot of money. You can go smaller, or you can split the costs with a friend, family member, or local gaming club. I highly recommend the Saturn, though. I have no affiliation or endorsement deal. I’m just a happy customer who likes things that work.

If the Saturn is out of the budget, there’s always the Elegoo Mars 2 Pro. It’s a proven printer with lots of aftermarket and consumer support. You’re limited in build envelope, but not resolution. It and other printers its size are probably ideal, if you’re just going to do 15mm Viper Suits.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0957CK52T

You can go cheaper, and you can often find the above printers on sale. Those are the ones we can recommend, though, for personal use.

Magnetization? What’s That?

Some parts of the model will need to be glued together. We recommend a gel super glue. Larger models like the Viper Suit, though, lend themselves to swapping out components.

There is an option for twist-lock joints at the shoulders, but we also made arrangements for magnets to be incorporated into the design.

Specifically, neodyminium magnets 8 millimeters in diameter that are 3mm thick. If you have 8mm x 2mm or 8mm x 1mm, those are cool, too, but you might need to stack them or combine them with steel washers for optimum hold.

You can buy a 100-pack of these magnets on Amazon at https://smile.amazon.com/DIYMAG-Refrigerator-Ma...

We have also found them at our neighborhood hardware store, though they are in smaller packs. It’s good to support your local hardware store, though. Unless they’re mean, of course.

I like Stretch Goals.  What Stretch Goals Are Planned?

We are but simple prototyper folk, and do not have outrageous demands nor extravagant dreams.

Here’s what we have planned.

At $250 USD- We fund!  That Viper Suit goodness is guaranteed to be in your inbox at the end of the campaign, once the money clears.

At $500 USD, If this initial goal is reached, we’ll offer our own 100mm and 50mm Scenic Bases and Base Toppers for existing bases. These round disks and accessories will be Industrial and Futuristic in nature.

If you want your own non-printed bases, we can recommend a set.  For 28mm Vipers, we endorse 100mm bases from Reaper Minis. They have their own injection molding machine, and keep things in-house. https://smile.amazon.com/Reaper-Miniatures-100m...

If’n you’re making 15mm Vipers, we recommend the 2-inch bases from Reaper (51mm for you metric types). https://smile.amazon.com/Round-Plastic-Miniatur...

At $1000 USD- JBR will sculpt up a detailed VPR Cockpit with control displays, ejection seat, and other fiddly bits. The referenc pic is from an A-10, so some liberties will be taken. And a jetpack for the Viper Suit. Because why not? Jetpack!!!

At $1500 USD- Off-Planet Colonial Stowage Set. Rolled-up survival bubble tents, bulk storage containers, tool boxes, personal storage units, ammunition cans, and even a beer cooler! Everything to make your life as a colonial militia Viper pilot a little easier. And a colonist-sized jetpack for your own figures. Jetpack!!!

At $2000 USD- Gun Drones and Repair Drones.  Is that power-spanner just out of reach? Have your robotic hangar buddy bring it over to you. Or lift that missile off you that fell of its ready rack. These drones will be modified and updated to serve as well as protect.

At $2500 USD- The CATs are Cybernetic Autonomous Troopers will be upgraded and redesigned for 28mm. Towering assault and support units with electronic minds of their own. They fulfill a variety of battlefield roles, from fire support to tank-busting. TomCATs, GunCATs, FireCATs, and even the anti-armor PanzerCATs! And jetpacks for the CATs. CAT Jetpack!!!

At $3000 USD- The Titan Marines liked the concept of the Viper Suit, but their cold arrogance forces them to shun all things from the Inner Planets. They want their own Viper Suit. With a jetpack. Jetpack!!!

At $4000 USD- The RUMV system enables you to mix and match dozens of parts to make the ideal tabletop vehicle. At this level, we can offer a Civilian Flatbed vehicle with multiple means of movement (legs, hover, wheeled, tracked, and a-grav) with numerous new accessories for that modular area in the rear(Camper, APC, Improvised Colonial Tank, Recovery Vehicle, etc.).

At $5000 USD- Myrmidon Power Armors (Basic Infantry Trooper). Rebel Mike and I came up with the Myrmidon powered armour (spelled intentionally for you UK types) a few years ago, but it never made it past the prototyping and master-casting stage due to budget concerns. Direct 3D printing changes that. This design will be updated and put into circulation in both 28mm and 15mm versions. They’ll be nice and big, too, to take one those other guys from forty thousand years in the future. Of course, they’ll have jetpacks, too. Jetpacks!!!

At $6000 USD- The Mama Snake, as we like to call her! Viper Suits can get to the battlefield under their own power, but the MegaTank Carrier/Recovery Version gets them there in style. Disembarking from a front or rear ramp, up to four Viper Suits can be carried on this mammoth armored vehicle. There are options for recovery cranes and weapon turrets to provide support for downed armors or recovery crews.

Pictured above is one of our MegaTanks.  It will be modified to become the Mama Snake.

No jetpack for the Mama Snake. Are you nuts?  She will have an a-grav option, though. ?

How Does This Work?

Backers will get the base Viper Suit immediately after funds are finalized via a link from WeTransfer.com or a similar file transfer site.

After that, depending on how things go, stretch goals will be fulfilled and made available for download. Could be days. Could be weeks. Could be a few months for the big ones, like Mama Snake. I make sure to test-print models before I make them available, so I’m not handing over untested digital junk to you.

Why Crowdfunding?

Why run a crowdfunding campaign? Why not just put these on an e-store and wait for things to trickle in?

There are a few things.

One, crowdfunding is a great marketing tool. It not only has a built-in audience, but it’s a great gauge of market appetite.

Two, these files will be available on a variety of STL Store platforms like Cults3D, CGTrader, and MyMiniFactory, once the initial campaign is over. You’ll be getting a better price and package deal with the fundraising campaign, though, so best not to wait.

About Rebel Minis Digital Direct and John Bear Ross

Rebel Minis has been serving the tabletop wargame community for decades, now. Mike Renegar started it from his home in Tennessee, and it has grown to be a worldwide presence.

Rebel Minis Digital Direct is a small offshoot where Mike has let John tinker for years, hoping something would come of it.

The Viper Suit is the result of that patience. Hopefully, it pays off.

John Bear Ross has been a digital sculptor for over 20 years, working for Rebel, Reaper, Wizkids, Khurasan, Critical Mass, Conflict Horizon, among many many others.

We have a known history of delivering above and beyond customer expectations, including our Motorpool STL Kickstarter Effort from 2020. We won’t let you down.

Before You Go

Thanks for your time for scrolling through my screed.

I hope you consider pledging at any level that fits your budget. If you can't afford it, a public mention would do a lot to help me get the word out, and it's completely free to post on social media or tell a friend. Throw a link out there.

Gracias!

Best,

Rebel Mike and JBR