So I have been in deep research and planning mode these last few weeks. I have made some progress on scaling and printing the helmet.
For future me notes:
Color Key:
Red-In progress
Blue-Selected
ARMOR COMPONENTS
- Helmet-3d print
- Under Torso-foam
- Chestplate-?
- Shoulder Pads x2-?
- Bicep plates x2-?
- forearm gauntlets x2-?
- Ab armor-?
- cod piece-?
- butt plate-?
- hip plates x2-?
- thigh armor x2-?
- shin + knee x2-?
- boots x2-?
- belt clip-?
UNDER ARMOR
BDU
Gloves x2
- neck sleeve
- shoes
belt
- gun straps
WEAPONS
I need to select 3 pistols from this list, 1 AR, and a possible secondary rifle. (Highlight means I selected)
- M6G PDWS (Reach)-3d print
- M6D PDWS (CE)-?
- M6C PDWS (2)-?
- M6C/SOCOM or M6S (3ODST)-?
- M6G2 PDWS (3)-?
- M6H PDWS (4)-?
- MA5C ICWS (3)- 3d print
- MA5K Carbine (Infinite)- 3d print
- BR55 Service Rifle (2)-?
- SRS99D-S2 AM (3)-3d print
- M7 SMG (2)-?
- a few M9 frags
This is a solid plan so far, especially since you’ve already locked in some of the big pieces.
For the parts you still have marked with “?”, I think both foam and 3D printing make sense depending on what you’re more comfortable with.
Chest / Ab / Cod / Butt plates:
Foam is lighter, cheaper, and easier to fit, especially for larger panels. That said, if you prefer cleaner edges and sharper detail, printing these can be easier from a design standpoint and give you more consistency.
Shoulders / Biceps / Forearms:
These work well either way. Foam keeps weight down and is more forgiving for movement, but printed parts definitely win on crisp detail and symmetry. A mix of foam bases with printed detail plates can be a good middle ground.
Hip plates / Thighs / Shins / Knees:
Foam is usually the more comfortable route here since legs take a lot of movement. Printing them works too if you’re confident in sizing and want everything rigid and uniform.
Boots:
I’d still recommend real boots either way, then foam or printed armor shells on top depending on comfort vs. detail.
Weapon-wise, for a Punisher ODST I’d personally lean toward:
- MA5C or MA5K as a primary to keep the ODST identity strong
- M6G / M6C / SOCOM-style pistols fit the grounded Punisher vibe really well
- M9 frags and mags add a lot visually without much extra effort
At the end of the day, foam tends to win on comfort and cost, while prints win on detail and ease of design. Both can look great once paint and weathering tie everything together.
Really cool concept, looking forward to seeing how you tackle it.