Welcome.

This is the Official Website and Blog of Ryan Scott McCullar. I am a Professional Graphic Designer, Writer, and Visual Artist currently working for the State of Illinois. Previously, I was an adjunct college art professor for 20 years who also worked in marketing and communications. 

Outside of my day job, I am the creator-owner of THRILL SEEKER COMICS ANTHOLOGY Pulp Action & Adventure Series featuring The Yellow Jacket: Man of Mystery™ that I write and illustrate under my independent publishing banner named Bandito Entertainment™. I also currently write and illustrate the brand-new comic strip series SEA SHANTY FUNNIES™ featuring the public-domain character POPEYE. 
Visit www.thrillseekercomics.com and www.seashantyfunnies.com for more information on the comics.

Topics of Interest Covered: Comic Books. Music and Vinyl Record Collecting. Films. Books. Action Figures. Philately (Stamp Collecting). Karate. Politics. Blogging and Life.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are my own. This is my personal account and does not reflect my employer.

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Price: $6.99 (print copy) + U.S. shipping and handling | $3.99 (Digital)

Thursday, April 17, 2025

GAMING/COMPUTERING: 3D Designing Pieces for AXIS & ALLIES

It has been a few weeks since I've blogged. I've been busy on the homefront working on renovations and clean up at my home. Not much else going on. I did reconnect with one of my friends last night that I haven't spoken to in a while. Also last Sunday evening, I spent some time working on my stamp collection which I haven't done in about six months with all of the moving around of rooms and renovations at the house.

However, over the past couple of days, I've been tinkering around with a new project. I've created some of my first 3D designs in a free software program. I thought I would share some of those first images.

At the end of last year, I bought a Bambu Mini A1 3D printer. I haven't even opened the box or set it up just yet. I'm still brand new to 3D printing. I bought the 3D printer with the intentions of making my own game pieces for AXIS & ALLIES board game and perhaps a few custom action figures and/or other little trinkets that might be fun to make.

Two nights ago, I went over to Tinkercad.com and started playing around. I'm new to using 3D cad software, but hope my graphic design and computer knowledge skills would help me acclimate.

For AXIS & ALLIES, I designed four custom submarine pens from scratch and added anti-aircraft guns to three of the four sub pens.  I downloaded the anti-aircraft gun design from Thingiverse (courtesy/credit of PerotheLegoman) that I slightly altered with one tiny connector piece that I added. It is based on the original 1986 AXIS & ALLIES game piece.

The sub pens are based on the size of the original Xeno Games sub pens from the late 1980s/early 1990s where you could place a submarine inside the pen. Xeno Games made one of the first third-party expansion sets for AXIS & ALLIES back in the day that I originally owned. I tried to mesh the Xeno Games design with two other different designs that I’ve purchased recently that didn’t quite work for me how I wanted. I added my own spin to it and wanted the AA guns on top that are built in. The over-the-top triple submarine pen I will reserve for a German Kriegsmarine Wulfpack of subs. Shock and awe to make my son Mitch have a laugh the next time we play. 

A fourth submarine pen was created as a variant that is camouflaged under a rock formation for those secret sub pens hidden in places like hard-to-find Greek Islands, etc. This was inspired by the secret Nazi base from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

I also made myself major and minor factories from scratch by building on geometric shapes. The "regular" factory shown here isn't mine but was a download (courtesy/credit of TWEAV270 on Yeggi) based on the original A&A factory that I used for reference to design mine in scale.

I’m not selling anything here and I’m not ready to share anything just yet. I’m doing this for myself. I just wanted to make these my first 3D prints and see if they’ll work out for me.

Just all for fun and I thought some of you might get a kick out of it.

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