STALKER

[Frank3k]

I started this one a while ago; I never played S.T.A.L.K.E.R, but I read the novel it's based on "Roadside Picnic". This figure is definitely closer to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game than the novel. It's a combination of several Dragon 1/35 figure kits German WWII policeman, SEAL and bits and bobs from other Dragon kits. The gun is a Trumpeter G-36 minus the stock. The mask is just a piece of plastic carved to shape. The arms and hands were cut and repositioned to allow a more natural (and positive) grip on the weapon. Many figures seem to have a very dainty, airy hold on their guns. The hood is Magic Sculp 2 part epoxy putty. The figure was painted with black AK Interactive primer and Vallejo Dark Sea Gray, which is an excellent match to the background color of the decal:



I used one of the Trumpeter camo decal sheets that Jeff sent me. This one is the German ISAF. As usual, the decal took some manhandling and copious amounts of decal softener to conform to the shapes. Photographing models in harsh sunlight really brings out the defects! I noticed that the decal wrinkled in a couple of spots. That can be fixed. Or I may leave it as a natural wrinkle.









The decals were sealed with Vallejo satin and the figure was weathered. The rock is lava from Amboy Crater in the Mojave. The base is a laser cut card from a company no longer in business.

To quote the final line of the book:

 "HAPPINESS FOR EVERYBODY, FREE, AND LET NO ONE GO AWAY UNSATISFIED"

[taiidantomcat]

Nice  :)

[Buzzbomb]

That came out quite well.

Good conversion work

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Great looking figure Frank.  Certainly glad to see all of those camouflage decals being put to good use.  I had the STALKER video game for a very short time.  Attempted to play and became quickly discouraged.  Gave the game to my neighbor's kit and hopefully he got more enjoyment from it than I did.  I vaguely remember the player skin in the game but do not recall any overcoat type garment, perhaps that was an acquisition during the process of playing the game.  You certainly do bring these figures to life with the more natural looking poses. 

[ChernayaAkula]

Good job!  :) That really looks the part. Even without reading the thread title, I'd have thought of STALKER immediately.
Hard to believe the camo is made from decals. Looks great.
The (long) G36 is one of the best weapons in the game, accurate and hard-hitting. And if you mess with the game's files a bit, you can even add an M203 grenade launcher to it. 
Loved the book (you can read it in full from a link at the bottom of the Wikipedia page) and the games. Spent so many hours in "the Zone".
Should my modelling mojo ever return (strangely enough, both the planning and acquisition mojos seem just fine), I want to build a couple of STALKER dioramas. There are so many cool set-pieces in the game that would make for great dioramas. 

<...> The arms and hands were cut and repositioned to allow a more natural (and positive) grip on the weapon. Many figures seem to have a very dainty, airy hold on their guns. <...>

That always stands out, doesn't it? It's always odd to see figures with buttstocks not properly pulled into shoulders or weapons
somehow "hovering" in the hands. I suppose it's because the kit manufacturers want to use generic weapon sprues instead of making new weapons for every single kit, but it would look a lot better if they didn't try a short-cut here.
I like Zvezda's approach here (from the 1/35 "Soviet Paratroops in Afghanistan" set), with hands moulded to the weapon (and an additional weapon without hands).

LINK to review

<...> I had the STALKER video game for a very short time.  Attempted to play and became quickly discouraged.  <...> 

That's too bad, really, although I can see where you're coming from. The game takes a while to get up to speed. And that there are lot of bugs and crashes probably doesn't help either.  But once you get past that (and with the help of some online forums to work around some of the  bugs), it's an awesome game. I don't think I've ever played another game that felt so "fitting". The scenery, the music, the stories of the NPCs even, all added to that bleak, dystopian feeling. And in its day, it looked absolutely fantastic.

[Cliffy B]

All it needs is an anomaly on the ground! 

You're making want to dust off my old copy of the game and re-install it now...  :)

[Jeffry Fontaine]

All it needs is an anomaly on the ground! 

You're making want to dust off my old copy of the game and re-install it now...  :)

Or pick up ArmA2 Operation Arrowhead so you can load the DayZ Namalsk mod and get the anomalies plus zombies

[Brian da Basher]

Well done, Frank! You always achieve such stunning realism with your paintwork!

Brian da Basher

[Old Wombat]

I have STALKER on this laptop..... You're making me think about firing it up, after I've CoD'ed myself out, & adding to the inordinate hours I've already spent playing it, Frank.

My favourite is the original, bugs & all, the follow up games just got worse. Less gritty, more comic-book.

[Frank3k]

Thanks for all the comments, guys! I just got back from a vacation at the hospital where I won a fisticuffs with a blood infection.

Cliffy - I should find a small anomaly or a battery and put it on the ground next to the figure... good idea!

Moritz - I have that figure set. The only minor issue is painting the hands and weapon. I guess the trigger finger can be modified to show some trigger discipline if you don't want the figure to be in the middle of a firefight.

I was tempted to use my Airjeep build and this figure in a STALKER themed diorama.  If I make another figure it'll probably be closer to the book, although I don't think Red carried much in the way of weapons.