Vault Dweller #3 / Groundwork /

Building dioramas is very addictive activity, only limit seems to be imagination and availability of modeling & scale resources. More details could be added, but there has to be an end to it, otherwise it may never get finished (wonder how it is with large diorama builds? sometimes it does feel like OCD!). Build continues, with main piece - fallout shelter entrance wall fitted to the base using super glue, what was not the greatest idea as it turned out, for super glue started melting polystyrene. Floor grid was fixed at the back, using PVA glue. I am not really fond of using PVA for such components, as this adhesive has got tendency to make card wavy, hence had to use minimal amount and keep floor panel in one position until glue cured for at least an hour. To cover irregular edges of polystyrene base I also used card, but for this purpose Timbond adhesive was used, which also started melting polystyrene but not to such degree as superglue & cured very fast.

With wall and floor grid in position I could carry on with remaining details. As featured in the game, vault door is not opening on any hinges, but being pushed out of its socket and rolled to one side (opening mechanism was left out). For this purpose, polystyrene slab with slots matching sprocket teeth was added at the bottom, edged with strip of card. Control panel that is located to the left from the door was build out of card, copper wire and it's sleeve. Few details, such as handle, speaker & overhead lamp, wires going down from the console were added. The display screen is to be added up after initial painting, as it was cut out of sticky jelly dot, to be painted on the bottom and around the edges to preserve it's transparency. This method it also good for car lights and general glass parts, see car windscreen at my previous dioramas - Triumph had not had windscreen edges painted and it looks rather odd, Simca 5 had this method applied and looks more convincing. The control panel has not been fixed to the base yet, it is going to be done after initial painting was finished, it may get in a way when airbrushing or block access for paintbrush.

The Vault is located deep underground, possibly in natural or man made cave. Hence, groundwork is to be kept rather simple, no flora is required as plants might have not survived years of radiation (if any at such depth), sand and rocks should be just enough. For this purpose I used standard modeling flock, fine modeling sand with large slate & fine slate (all from Citadel). First sand and flock were applied in single layer, secured with PVA glue which for this purpose is perfect. It was applied in front section of the base as well as against any corners & crevices where such material might have accumulated over period of time. When first layer of ground material had cured, large modeling slate was added at few points, and again covered with thin layer of modeling flock. Uncovered spaces were depressed in few places to simulate uneven ground.