How to print, cut and fold your paper minis
A paper mini is a strip of paper with your character on the front and the back. You print it, cut it out, fold it in half and it stands on its own base. One sheet gives you several in no time.
1. What you need
- A regular inkjet or laser printer.
- Heavy paper of 160 to 250 g/m² (65–90 lb cardstock). Plain 80 g/m² paper works, but the mini bends.
- Scissors, or better a craft knife with a metal ruler for straight cuts.
- A glue stick or double-sided tape.
2. Print
- In the editor, press Print, choose the base and the height and download the PDF. You can add several minis to the same sheet.
- Print at 100% or “Actual size”. Do not use “Fit to page”: it would change the base measurements.
- Check the 50 mm bar on every sheet with a ruler. If it is not 50 mm, check the print scale.
- Choose A4 or US Letter to match your paper; the PDF already leaves the margins printers need.
3. Cut
- Cut each strip along its outer line. Cut lines can be solid, dashed or just corner marks, depending on what you chose.
- Do not cut the fold line or the tab lines: they only fold.
4. Fold and assemble
- Score the middle fold by running an empty pen or the back of a craft knife along a ruler. It will fold cleanly.
- Fold the strip so the front and the back end up back to back, and glue the two halves of the figure together (not the tabs).
- Fold the two base tabs outward, one to each side. With the paper foot, also fold the reinforcement flap underneath and glue it: the mini stands on its own.
- If you use plastic stands, choose that base type when printing: the tab is shorter and fits the stand’s slot.
Which base size to use
| Size | Base | For |
|---|---|---|
| Small and medium | 25 mm | Humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins and almost every player character. |
| Large | 50 mm | Ogres, bears, horses and mounts. |
| Huge | 75 mm | Giants and creatures that take up 3 × 3 squares. |
The sizes match the 25 mm (one inch) squares of battle maps. The figure height is chosen separately; dwarves, orcs and goblins keep their size relative to humans.
Tips
- Print a test sheet on plain paper first to check sizes and colors.
- Matte paper looks better under table lights than glossy paper.
- For a group of enemies, print several numbered copies: each mini gets #1, #2… on its tab.
- If a pose with an outstretched weapon comes out too small, try letting it stick out of the base.