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Fallout Wasteland Warfare – Raider Power Armor Done!

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It took me all week but I’ve gotten the Raider Power Armor finished which brings this fairly lengthy project to an end. For the first time ever, I decided to write a little bit of fiction about this mini who I’ve named Mrs. Smiley. So before I show you her, I’ll regale you with her backstory which also happens to explain her paint job a bit more.

Stephanie hated her job. She taught elementary school students who took delight in tormenting her. “No, Mrs. Smiley.” “I hate you, Ms. Smiley.” “You’re stupid, Ms. Smiley.” She felt powerless and most days were an exercise in humiliation. When the bombs dropped, Stephanie was relieved. Liberated even. Nobody was going to pay her to teach anymore, even if she wanted to. Stephanie and her husband tried to scavenge and grow their own food. Anything to survive in the harsh new world.

One day seven men came to their camp and pointed guns at them while they took everything. Her husband, Matt, snapped. He tried to fight the men unarmed but it was hopeless. They shot him and walked away with all of Stephanie’s possessions. Stephanie was stunned. Everything she knew was gone. She should have cried, she should have been devastated, but instead, she started shaking uncontrollably.

She found a piece of coal near the firepit and drug it across her face from one side to the other. Stephanie started to laugh. This world had kicked her around for long enough. Nobody was going to tell her what to do anymore. She was going to do whatever she wanted and Mrs. Smiley’s gang of raiders did exactly that. Boston quickly learned that you say no to Mrs. Smiley at your own risk.

If you haven’t played Fallout 4 or its been a while, here is what the Raider Power Armor looks like in-game so you can judge how close I was to the reference material.

Since I just finished off the back of the miniature and then the front end of the car, there isn’t too much to say about the mini other than I discovered why its useful to have reddish and orangish rust colors. You don’t necessarily want to mix them on the same piece of metal but they’re great on contrasting colors. Here’s a look at the side which is really just an excuse for me to show you how I painted the front end of the car.

I have very little experience painting cars but I’m pretty proud of how the front end came out on this mini. I really enjoy the designs of cars in Fallout (which mix classic designs and sci-fi futurism) and when I was growing up, I often celebrated Dave Stone and I’s birthday by going with my Dad to a classic car/hot rod show that was close to my hometown. I don’t know why so many people flocked to the boring area where I grew up but I grew to appreciate classic cars from 50’s-70’s. From a strictly visual sense, cars today can’t compare to what used to be made, in my humble opinion. So it was definitely fun to tackle this tiny piece of car. I need to try and buy the only piece of car terrain that Modiphius makes sometime soon as I think that could be really enjoyable to work on as well. Its been on my radar with all of the street terrain I have done as well.

As I teased last time, there is one “problem” left. Technically, Mrs. Smiley is the last raider I had to paint but I used the new AK Interactive acrylic rust paint on her and AK Interactive enamel paints on the rest of the gang. So I was very curious to see how Mrs. Smiley compares to the rest of the Raiders. My fear is that they need to be touched up to match her a bit more. Let’s take a look and see what we think!

While the colors are different, I’m not sure that I need to repaint any of the raiders which is a relief. I have two raiders that need some rust applied so I’ll work on those and then I can take some group shots of the whole gang. I think some cinematic photos using the terrain I finished recently is in order too!

Speaking of, I figured out what Fallout scenario I want to play next and its one I’m pretty excited to try. I just need to carve out some time to do that and write up a battle report. So you can expect that in the nearish future as well.

25 thoughts on “Fallout Wasteland Warfare – Raider Power Armor Done!”

  1. Stunning work on the raider! Those rust effects look really right. A lengthy process perhaps, but I think it paid off.

    Fun to read the background story for her as well. I never considered writing fiction or backstories for painted miniatures, but it increases the fun of seeing the mini painted!

    As always this makes me excited to read any future battle reports / scenario playthroughs. 🙂

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    1. Thank you, mate! I tried my best to bring the game to life with this miniature. I’ve never written backstory for miniatures either but I thought it’d be fun to do that here. I think GW used to do it for Warhammer in older White Dwarf magazines which is probably where I got the idea.

      The battle report is one that I see and get excited to play so I’m hoping it proves to be as good as I imagine it to be. We shall see!

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  2. Great back story for your new model Jeff, the model evokes the reference perfectly, and I think the other raiders fit well with it, as you would have variation in colour.

    I too used to go to car shows when I was younger, as my dad loved American Cars, his favourite one he owned was a Z28 Camaro Daytona Road Racer with 7.6 L racing Engine, and I even got to drive it when I was 19 ! LOL

    Look forward to seeing your next game, and reading all about it.

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    1. Thank you, Dave. It was nice to use the old creative writing skills. I’m really glad you think the gang will look good together too. I’m looking forward to wrapping them and eventually using them in a game.

      I’m glad to hear you enjoyed going to car shows too. Your Dad had excellent taste in vehicles as well! My Dad owned a Gran Torino which is the car he’s most proud of, I think.

      I need to figure out a way to get that game in soon. I’m eager to play as its been a while!

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      6. Indeed, though if we are picking dream car, there’s three I’d choose Mach 1 Mustang, Corvette Stingray, or the Ford Falcon (Mad Max’s car)

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    1. I’m glad to hear it, John! You’re exactly right on the car part in the ground. Its a shame that you can’t see the headlight from the front as I think its the coolest detail on the mini!

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  5. The advantage of being offline while on vacation and visiting family I can comment on the finished product! You are getting really good on doing rust effects and making things look weathered. I agree with others that you don’t need to go back and touch up the other figures. That said, on your terrain piece the traffic cone really stands out being too clean looking.

    I like the backstory you provided, I tend to do the same in my head as I paint figures but never have the skill to write them down.

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    1. You certainly timed that nicely! I hope you enjoyed your vacation as well.

      I’m glad to hear that you think the rust is improving. I would agree with you on that. It will be interesting to compare some minis I painted a few years ago with some I intend to paint this year at some point. That might really show off the growth.

      I’ll see if I can come up with something for the traffic cone too. I’m pretty sure you mentioned something about that when I worked on the barricade so it could use some work!

      I commend you for giving the MESBG minis backstories. It is a lot more daunting to do that because you’re entering into Tolkien’s world or at least that’s how I tend to think of it!

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      2. I’ll see if I can’t “touch it up” for you. The real test will be if I can remember to show my work next weekend or not.

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  6. really good effects and I think the other miniature previously painted are a fine fit. Though even if they weren’t I wouldn’t recommend repainting them. Paint new stuff, never go back to the old. 😀

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    1. Thanks, Stew and I’m in agreement. Repainting old stuff is not fun and its something I will go to great lengths to avoid. I commend people who repaint armies they already own. I don’t think I could manage.

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  7. WordPress just ate my response, and i’m sure the app much have eaten the one I did before that several days ago – so I’ll keep it brief since I’m typing it a third time 😦

    She looks great, the offsiders also look good. Repainting can be a good thing, but apply judiciously, and touch-ups are not a big deal, but again only do when needed.

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  8. Fantastic, I love Mrs Smiley already! The painting is excellent and really feels right for the character of the mini. Are you planning to do one of the Fallout campaigns with her at the head of her gang?

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    1. Cheers, mate! I’m glad you like the character, as rotten as she is. I need to get some more terrain done but at some point, yes, I’d love to do a campaign. There are quite a number of raider-inspired scenarios so there is plenty of potential for that.

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