The Nutcracker: Tactical Squirrel

I wanted to put together something that looks funny sitting on a desk or displayed alongside other tactical models and military-themed plaques. It is a detailed model of a Tactical Squirrel kitted out in a tactical vest, helmet, and night vision goggles, holding an AR rifle with an ACOG optic.

The real challenge was allowing it to stand without tipping over with the large tail with fuzzy skin. After lots of trial and error and many draft models, I finally was able to get a solid balance between the infill in the body and the tail.

Print Settings & Tips

Nozzle: 0.4mm works perfectly for the default size. If you plan to scale the model way down, you might want to swap to a 0.2mm nozzle.
Layer Height: The profile is set to 0.20mm, but dropping it to 0.16mm or 0.12mm really helps smooth out the curves and hide the layer lines.
Infill: The main body has 20% Cubic Infill and in the tail it is 0% (modifier added). Any change to these settings may result in the model being unbalanced and not standing on its own.
Adhesion: A brim is definitely required. The legs need that extra grip on the build plate, especially if you're printing fast.
Filament: Recommend PLA Matte, reduces layer lines and support removal is easier.

Thanks for the support and happy printing!

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