Wasteland Vermin

As mentioned in my last post, I picked up some Raiders along with my Brotherhood of Steel as part of my post Fallout TV show impulse purchases.

Having actually started playing Fallout 3 (I've not played any of the games before), I've come to realise just how often you run into them, and a few other forms of vermin, as you wander the Wasteland.

Progress has been slower on the Raiders for a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, not only do the models have more to them than the Brotherhood of Steel, but given that they are meant to be somewhat ragtag, thought needs to go into colours to stop them being too uniform.

Secondly, did I mention I've been playing Fallout 3, and I've been quite engrossed in looking inside every desk and locker in Washington, which has an impact on painting time.

As stated previously, Raiders are a ubiquitous threat, popping up all over the place. They also seem to draw their influences from Mad Max (which seems to be the default setting for post-apocalyptic wastelands).

For example, whilst most of the gun toying savages I've slaughtered in game look like they should be worshipping Lord Humungus, the Scavver here seems to be styling himself on Max, with an outfit straight out of Main Force Patrol.

However, the Psycho has the big hair of Beyond the Thunderdome. In fact, the multi-coloured and wackily-styled hair seems to be another trope of grim dark futures, which suggests that even in the worst circumstances, hairdressers will always have a secure future.

I went with a more vibrant hair colour (and the glowing eye lenses) to give a bit of pop to what was otherwise a drab colour palette, and I'm.pleased with the outcome. It suits the crazy vibe of someone who gets hopped up on drugs to go on a murderous rampage (mind you, I shouldn't judge, I'm currently addicted to Med-X, Buffout and Jet).

Bloatflies were the first denizens of the Wasteland I encountered upon leaving the vault (the Radroaches were encountered before leaving), and as I've had this metal fly knocking around in my bits box for a long time, it seemed fitting to add to my own corner of the Fallout universe, particularly as it seems to be pretty much the same model as one of the official resin ones.

I've gone off piste with the paint job, merging the green eyes and black body of different types of Bloatfly, but I like the contrast. It's pinned to the rock, which is actually cork coated in texture paint, from a hole in it's feet, suggesting the fly from larger model.

However, I'm pleased to add the Bloatfly as what I'm short of in my collection are the denizens of the Wasteland. I do have a suitable large substitute for a Radscorpion and some Giant Ants (although these don't have profiles in games), but given that I'm more likely to play Fallout: Wasteland Warfare solo, I'd like more gribblies for the sort of wandering/exploring encounters that make up a lot of the game - a Bloatfly fits this brief perfectly.

Acquired: 28
Painted: 250
Lead Mountain: 833