The first of my models for this year’s Monster MAYhem challenge, at Dead Dick’s Tavern and Temporary Lodging, I have a Reaper Bones model – the “Burrowing Horror”. This is their legally distinct version of the D&D Monster, the “Bulette” – which in turn is one of those old-school monsters that were Gygax based on those old toys that were mixed in with the little cheap bags of Dinosaurs that – if you’re of a certain vintage – you probably got as a kid.
As with many of these large but low-detail Bones models, this wasn’t hard to paint. Sure, I could have painted it a lot better than I did, shading the scales more realistically and so forth. Instead, I did a very simple job with it since it’s a verrry basic sculpt, and one made from the original, tacky, shit-tier Bones PVC. Even after firstly priming the whole models in watered-down liquid greenstuff, then priming it for a second time with Reaper’s Brown Liner, then painting it almost entirely with Reaper’s HD paints, I dared to varnish it with paint-on AK interactive varnish – leading to this piece of shit model ending up tacky.
So it’s done. It’ll go into a case until I need it for a D&D game (so possibly forever). No prizes for guessing that I skipped Reaper’s most recent Bones Kickstarter entirely. Easier and cheaper and better quality to just buy a resin 3d printer and a pile of STLs via Patreon. Finally, here’s the scale shot with everyone’s favourite scale model – Berkeley aka “Chainsaw Girl”.
Azazel's Bitz Box. 
Bugger on the tackyness, but you took a lump of poorly detailed plastic and made it look good.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I wouldn’t go so far as “good”, but it’s certainly usable. 🙂
LikeLike
Some of us like seeing the Afrika Korps tackling these monsters mind you! 😉 I think it’s come out really well! 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Haha – it’d be a huge beast set if against the DAK! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Turned out pretty decent mate – all things considered 😊👍
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cheers for that Alex!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent work mate, and yes I am of that age that had one of those plastic dinosaurs as a kid ! LOL
LikeLiked by 2 people
haha yep, there’s more than a good few of us!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice it looks like a lizard version of a bulldozer- great stuff.
Cheers,
Pete.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think D&D treats them as a kind of Land Shark. 😀
LikeLike
I really like it, and yes I have some of those plastic monsters up in the loft. though never knew they were related to D&D till much later on. We are hopefully going to do an (old plastic figures) challenge soon where you post up pics of your old plastic “army men” I might try and find my old Bulette!
Cheers Roger.
LikeLiked by 3 people
That’d be cool. Some of mine may still exist, but they’d be in deep, deep (lost) storage at my parent’s place somewhere. Best I can probably do would be Rogue Trader-era models, as I don’t think I have m(any) of the old Minifigs left…
LikeLike
Looks great, given it’s a pretty basic sculpt. I painted one of these for Monster May(hem) 2020. Happily I didn’t have any issues with tacky plastic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers Matt – anmd yeah, it’s very basic. Good to hear that yours wasn’t tacky!
LikeLike
Your experiences with this mini are what scare me with Reaper. I have no patience for those kinds of issues as well. I’m sorry you had to deal with the headaches. With all that said, I think the color scheme looks great and makes this a creepy crawler. Excellent work as always, mate!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Honestly mate, I’d say if a Reaper model is Bones (white) then skip it. Any other material (including Bones Black or Bones USA) then you should be good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers, mate! I’ll try to remember this. I’ve not had an occasion to want or need any Reaper minis yet but I’m sure that will change with time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You can at least trust their metal models to generally be pretty good quality!
LikeLike
Pingback: May 2022 – Personal Painting Round-Up, Monster MAYhem ’22 Round-Up | Azazel's Bitz Box.
That takes the old bullett to 11,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Compared to the old toy, it sure does! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person