Tunneler

Tunnelers are creatures found in the Divide in 2281.

Background
Tunnelers were the pre-War inhabitants of Hopeville who took refuge underground during the Great War. After the war, they were heavily mutated by radiation of the Divide with a particular mutation adapted for underground life. They are predators, making their nests and living beneath the ground in the Divide. They lived underground all the time and had no knowledge of the surface world, until atomic warheads detonated when the Courier unintentionally brought a package from Navarro containing a copy of ED-E which activated several of the nuclear warheads that were still underground in their silos since the Great War, causing great earthquakes and storms, and split open the ground, revealing the world to them. Despite that, they don't like natural light and try to keep beyond the reach of the sun by staying in tunnels and low brightness areas.

By 2281, the tunnelers may pose a threat to the Mojave wasteland in the near future, as they can spread quickly via underground tunnels, forming nests as they go. Tunnelers reproduce quickly and hunt in large packs, enough to become a significant hazard. When they are in packs, they can easily tear apart a deathclaw.

Biology
The tunneler appear to be reptilian-humanoids with dark, scaly skin, large bio-luminescent eyes and chitinous spikes protruding from their shoulders and heads. Tunnelers are found underground, as their name implies, and are noted to be afraid of bright lights and loud noises. Every now and then they will flee from combat and head back underground. This can be seen easily by throwing a flash bang or firing a flare gun at a tunneler. Their over-large eyes appear to be an adaptation to the conditions of their preferred habitat and may be sensitive to light, which would explain their extreme aversion to weapons like flash bangs and flare guns.

Gameplay attributes
Tunnelers will flee from a multitude of things such as:
 * Flash bangs- These will startle them and cause them to run away and become paralyzed, however they must detonate at a close proximity to take effect.
 * Flare Gun- Tunnelers will only be frightened by the flare gun if they are hit. When hit they will flee as long as they are on fire, but if you miss and the shot lands at their feet they are less likely to.
 * Flamer- Although not directly damaging them with anything other then fire damage, firing a flamer at them will usually cause them to burrow and resurface in another location.

Tunneler
These are the most common type of tunneler and will deal medium damage, but they always attack in groups and will swarm anything in their way, making them deadly opponents.

Hulking tunneler
Hulking tunnelers are the second largest of the tunneler family, second only to the tunneler queen. They are quite rare and are not as fast as regular tunnelers but if they hit you there is a good chance you will be knocked down.

Tunneler queen
The largest of the tunnelers, the queen combines deadly speed and hard-hitting attacks to kill even a Deathclaw. Whilst there is only one (located in the Cave of the Abaddon) it has only 50 Hp less than a deathclaw making it a formidable opponent.

Venomous tunneler
The smallest of the tunneler family, they are also quite rare. they are faster than the regular tunnelers but their attacks do less damage, but the venom can quickly overpower an inexperienced player, and as they swarm with regular and hulking tunnelers even a high level player will be killed in a matter of seconds.

Appearances
Tunnelers appear in the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Lonesome Road.