Dogs of War, Soldiers of Fortune, Guns for Hire, etc., or whatever title you feel appropriate to give them, they are what this update is all about.
I am a huge fan of all things mercenary, whether the real life exploits of them in ancient and modern history or fictional tales spun in movies, novels, comics, and other media. The type of people that become mercenaries range from the courageous adventure seeker to the bloodthirsty psychopath. Their motives for fighting are many and varied and in the game of war, the stakes are high; the reward is sometimes money but most often, death.
Anyway, this update consists of 5 customs. I made these guys over the course of the past year but just recently took pics and wanted to post them. I always found doing customs of mercenaries to be the most fun and their possiblilites are endless. They can fit anywhere in any story or situation and always makes things interesting. Doing some original characters is a nice change of pace from the monotony of doing remakes of already established characters.
I figured it would be better to post a few in one post rather than do a bunch of individual posts. I hope you guys like them.
First up is Otara.
Otara- Mercenary
Parts used:
Head- The Corps!
Torso- Sure Fire 02/ PTE vest
Arms- Zandar 86
Waist- Sure Fire 02
Upper Legs- Beachead 86
Lower Legs- Chuckles 87
MP5- Agent Annika
File Name- CLASSIFIED
Place Of Birth- Otara, New Zealand (UK)
Former member of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS). An ethnic Maori, who takes his name from the notorious slums he was born and raised in. A brilliant tactician and fearless in the face of battle. Pragmatic and cunning.
This another custom where I cut and fused a removeable vest to a torso, much like my Lt. AK Waters custom.
Next is Vas.
Vas- Mercenary
Parts used:
Head- Leatherneck 93
Torso- Metal Head 90
Arms- Star Viper 89
Waist- Harball 86
Upper Legs- Shockwave 88
Lower Legs- Salvo 90
AKS74U- Marauder Inc.
Knife- Duke 92
File Name- Krainova, Vasily P.
Place Of Birth- Perm, Russia
Former member of the elite Russian unit, OMON. As a combat soldier serving in Chechnya, his unit was ambushed and captured by Chechen militants. Although brutally tortured daily for weeks while in captivity, Vas manages to disarm and kill his captors but not before his fellow soldiers were executed. Presumed dead, he slips back into Russia and allegedly murders his commanding officer. Began his mercenary career fighting in conflicts in The Balkans and Central Africa. A moody and dangerous man.
Next is Duroc.
Duroc- Mercenary
Parts used:
Head- Sagat 93
Torso- Major Bludd 00
Arms- Big Boa 87
Waist- Sea Slug 87
Upper Legs- Sneak Peek 87
Lower Legs- Dusty 85
NVR Rifle- Marauder Inc.
Knife- Cross Country 93
Ex-sergeant in the French Foreign Legion Paras and drill instructor. A former bare-knuckle brawler in the backalleys of Paris. A loud, arrogant and brutish man with a penchant for violence.
Who doesn't like bald-headed, tattooed mercenaries? The tat on his left arm is a skull with a dagger and on the right is a black eagle.
Next up is Wheeler.
Wheeler- Mercenary
Parts used:
Head- Flint 91
Torso- Flint 85
Arms- Leatherneck 93
Waist- Leatherneck 93
Legs- Wild Card 89
M4- PTE
M1911A1 pistol- Marauder Inc.
Binoculars- PTE
Backpack- Hawk 86
File Name- Wheeler, Donald W.
Place Of Birth- Longmeadow, Massachusetts
Ex-Navy SEAL, one of the youngest in the Navy. An ardent naturalist who prefers to be outdoors with nature. Very easy going with a lust for adventure.
This is my first time doing blue jeans on a custom. Just something different from the norm.
Last is Ortega.
Ortega- Mercenary
Parts used:
Head- Dynamite 95
Torso and Arms- Leatherneck 93
Waist- Footloose 86
Legs- Chuckles 87
M16 w/ grenade launcher- Marauder Inc.
A native of Sierra Gordo, Ortega was once a member of the country's elite National Guard until the government was overthrown by a military junta supported by COBRA. Escaping to the bush, he joins the counter-revolutionary forces led by El Jefe, supported by the US through the help of GI JOE. Becoming disillusioned over El Jefe's betrayal of the revolution and the prolonged subjugation of his people, he decides to leave Sierra Gordo. He roamed the globe as a soldier of fortune, fighting in many conflicts, and a few times ended up fighting once again alongside GI JOE. Ortega hopes one day to return Sierra Gordo once his country is free.
Ortega is the oldest custom out of the bunch. I actually made him 4 years ago, using him only when playing with my joes. I decided to take pictures of him only recently just to include him in this post. Better late than never, right?
Although I didn't specifically make these guys to be an mercenary team of sorts, I decided to do a group shot of everyone together, just for aesthetic reasons.
Still, that is so damn fine work again. The jeans look good especially paired with the camo jacket. The head is, well, one of your best. So much more character now. A Flint torso without manboobs. Perfect.
