Hi Alex,
A lot of the info I mention below is depicted in my blog, so be sure to check out the pictures and info on here if you haven't:
forwardmarchminiatures.blogspot.com.
I haven't seen any Irregular 2mm in person in years, partially because they stopped distributing in the US. This is one reason I decided to move into 2mm; there was a huge gap in the North American market for them. That said, since my figures are printed in plastic, they are definitely less "hefty" than Irregular. That said, the plastics used in 3D printing, whether using FDM or SLS technology, are quite tough; SLS in particular is almost indestructible. My figures were designed for the more expensive SLS printing, but also work on FDM printers. In SLS printing you get extremely crisp, fine detail, so that, for instance, on the "Bicorne Artillery" model you will be able to see every hat on all six free-standing crew members, and the gun distinct from the trail. It's still incredible to me how much fine detail 3D printers can create over metal casting.
Zoom in on this picture to see the bicorne detail on the Austrian gunners:
As far as file spacing goes, Irregular are solid "blocks" of infantry, with no space between the ranks or the files. With my figures, first off, there are always gaps between the ranks. As regards files, you get a few options. There are three kinds of infantry models in my range. Two of them use interlocking columns to model the soldiers. This allows you to see exactly how many soldiers there are on each strip; if you use SLS or FDM they should print up with a recess between each man, which can be used as a guide to paint them.
This model of some French was done on a on very cheap FDM printer without the high detail settings:
Here are pictures of SLS copies of the same file done by Shapeways:
Notice on the Shapeways model the bayonets printed. Each soldier in these models also also has own bayonet. So, for instance, on the 20mm strips, you have 75 figures in three ranks of 25 figures each, and 75 bayonets.
You can also use the freestanding infantry models. These are not at true 1:1 figure ratio, because the gap between the figures is too wide (they are at 4:3) scale, so 75% of the men are accounted for on the model). The advantage of these is that they look pretty cool, and you can get more detail onto them. I personally prefer these myself, just for the wow factor of being able to see so many individual figures:
The cavalry is also free-standing, and printed at 1:1.
These models are actually being used for a high-figure ration game for Leipzig where each flag represents a squadron - the flags are hand drawn and glued on, so don't let those distract you. The models themselves are at 1:1 figure ration and you can use them to create 1:1 squadrons, regiments, brigades, divisions, and even entire corps of cavalry with the correct footprint.
Here are some 1:1 infantry divisions deployed. The individual pieces are all 40mm strips, which cost about a dollar each to print. That's a lot cheaper frontage-to-dollar value than any other range in existence at any scale:
My range also comes with a growing range of 2mm terrain that is in exact scale with the figures. You can print out buildings very cheaply in FDM, or spend a bit more money for SLS copies and make molds from them (or just use SLS buildings, but that won't save you much over metal). Since I'm not selling figures, only the files of them, I don't care if you make molds, or even if you make molds and then sell them to other people (as long as they have are also license holders!).
So, those are some examples of what my figures look like. I don't want to get into a head-to-head with Irregular since they make a nice product, although I think it is very different from my own. You might ask on the 2mm and Micro Scale Wargames group on Facebook, as many people on there have both.
