After all, who doesn't want to play in a radioactive tropical paradise overrun by giant mutated bats, cats, chameleons, pigs, and chickens?
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| The "Aloha Islands" from the unofficial Fallout:Hawaii project |
And as one adventures around the islands, listen to the news and great tunes on:
https://fallout-gravel-pit.fandom.com/wiki/Aloha_Islands
Fabulous work. I would also include:
Yeah, I've clearly been overthinking this one :-)
Would make a great setting for "Gamma World" too!
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| Map from the "Fallout: Paradise" project (also seemingly abandoned) |
The Vault 20 Resort was more than some cold steel tomb. It was a marvel of ingenuity! It was a testament to the idea that the American way of life could not only survive the bombs, but flourish.
It served as a sort of giant advertisement for the other vaults. An idyllic beachside resort on top, and a mechanical marvel in the depths below.
Inside vault 20 every whim was cared for. The dwellers could desire for nothing, for all was given freely. There was no overseer. Instead, a ZAX mainframe named Akua managed the vast army of food replicators and Mr.Handy robots. All this was supplied via a deal with RobCo Pacific.
The residents were supplied with holographic video games, delicious food, digitally simulated beaches, and even plentiful drugs. Not to mention the debauchery between the original wealthy male and female dwellers.
Of course, this doubled as an experiment to how Humans react to ultimate pleasure at the cost of authority and the outside world.
The first two generations of dwellers spent their days thanking the gods of vault tec for their existence. Yet, as it turns out, Humans are not built simply to consume. The third generation formed an idealized cult of the “real world” and tried to stage an uprising to open the vault doors.
This was the one pleasure overseer Akua could not allow. They began to hate the machine and dismantle his robot helpers. Then they came to despise all technology, seeing it as something that degrades the soul and leaves one as a shell of their potential.
When things turned violent, It was long and brutal but the dwellers prevailed. One of their leaders was a wacky woman named Irene. She had re-interpreted Hubologist texts from the vault database. Then she adapted them to their circumstances.
They stepped out into the world as a Luddite cult (inspired by a very bad misreading of “nature” even though they had never seen it.)
Meanwhile, a group of ghoul surfers had taken up camp in the resort. The two groups merged and the Tideripper collective was slowly born.
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| "Abandoned Hawaii" by Sebastian Wagner https://www.deviantart.com/sebastianwagner/art/Abandoned-Hawaii-464485965 |
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| Waikiki in the movie "Godzilla" (2014) |
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| "A rare photograph of the nuclear devastation of Honolulu, taken from Moloka'i beach on the 23rd of October 2077 at 06:21 am" |
Concept art from the www for a lapsed dev project in one of my favourite franchises. Really appeals to me as I pass many of these landmarks weekly if not daily. Pity that development appears to have stalled a year or two ago.
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| USS MISSOURI museum ship, Clarke Island (reminds me of Rivet City from Fallout 3) |
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| Pearl Harbour - echoes of Libertalia from Fallout 4 |
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| Iolani Palace |
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| A Vault entrance by the ocean |
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| China Town |
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| Honolulu Zoo, under Diamond Head crater |
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| Mutant sharks!!! |
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| Mutant boars |
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| Postcard by "Rezllen" on Twitter https://x.com/Rezllen/status/1808304700636516786?s=20 |
Another week away for work - this time back to my alma mater: the US Navy War College in Newport, Rhode Island. It was my first time back since graduating as a foreign student, 11 years ago!
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| Display of original models and floor tiles from the development of "War Plan Orange" |
Wonderful to visit and spend time in this facility.
I'm privileged to be a proud alumnus.
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| "Watch those corners.." |
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| "Lets Rock!!!!" |
With the movie soundtrack in the background and near constant movie quotes around the table it was a wonderfully intense and focusing game. I played Private Frost with an M240 incinerator unit and my goodness it was effective! You gotta get up close and personal with it but when you do you can really burn away those Alien drones. And when you do, its waaaaay better than "using Harsh Language". All the characters have different skills and traits, reflecting their specialties.
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| "Man, I'm telling you, I got a bad feeling about this drop" |
Our Mission was to find Newt and of course she was at the far end of the Hadley's Hope complex which made it a really tough mission. Even better, the gaming group also play RPGs together so they quickly got well into character for a wonderfully immersive and narrative experience.
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| Hudson on the firing line: "Come on and die you bastards! You too! Oh, you want some of this?" |
The escalating game system made for growing intensity and complexity, which was fabulous. The game's group resource management through a shared card deck is particularly clever and while it seems simple enough, as the game progresses it become clear that managing it together is vital. As a result, Lt Gorman's leadership skills and collaboration between the characters brings a real feeling of small unit teamwork.
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| "lay down a suppressing fire with the incinerators and fall back by squads" |
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| "I guess she don't like the corn bread either" |
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| Covering Ripley collecting Newt, Cpl Hicks makes the ultimate sacrifice with a grenade (Gorman style) to clear a path for the ladies behind him. Colonial Marines Silver Star awarded posthumously |
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| But untimely, it didn't end well for our heroes... |
Thanks indeed to Dave, Tom, Scott and Charles for the great hospitality, great game and awesome company. Unit next time gents!
Another AHPC Season comes to an end - this was my 11th but the first I've entered while living overseas (which was quite challenging!). World events and work travel cut into my time but that made my brush time all the more enjoyable for its restorative effects.
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| Somehow, it always feels like more while I'm painting it! :-) |
This year saw me tackle some different projects: Dystopian Wars, Astronauts and Cosmonauts on the moon, a new Crimean War army, and some Retro- SciFi figures. Naturally, the broad shift away from GW figures meant my skull count was well down this year!
I really enjoyed the return of the Bonus Rounds this year and entered all three. I was thrilled to pick up a shared second place in the "Toy Story" theme with my Moon Walkers.
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| Some statistical analysis to keep Miles happy! |
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| The struggle is real: well done Alan! |
Thank you fellow challengers for making it such fun, particularly our ANZAC paint and chat crew for the banter (and having Curt dial in for the start was especially cool!). I hope we can continue these sessions post challenge. 
Accolades as always to Curt, Sarah and the fabulous minions who enable the entire enterprise. I deeply appreciate the time, effort and focus they deliver with a wonderful sense of humour.
Posted to the AHPC blog here:
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/03/from-paul-og-season-16-wrap-up.html
Aloha & Mahalo!
The Angels are a compact but highly capable Galacteer squad deployed for boarding actions, sabotage missions, and planetary patrol operations. Their barracks is also the source of the Angel Martini; a cocktail with a reputation across Starbase Epsilon-4 for its remarkable strength and suspiciously high fuel-cell compatibility.
Team Leader: Sergeant Stacy – Tactical leader. Cool-headed and decisive, Stacy keeps the team focused when missions go sideways, which they frequently do.
Team Members:
Trixie Tachyon – Scout and reconnaissance expert. Fast, agile, and always the first through the hatch during boarding actions.
Vera Vega – Veteran blaster specialist and the squad’s steadiest shot in close combat.
Cassie Comet - Practical joker and a crack shot with a Rocketship Burst Laser.
Molly “Deadeye” Dawn – When missions require heavier firepower, Molly's signature atomic grenade launcher gleefully turns entrenched enemy positions into expanding clouds of ionized debris.
Daisy “Dynamo” – Engineer and mechanic of the Angel's rocketship Calypso. Daisy keeps the patrol ship flying long past the limits recommended by Galacteer maintenance protocols. When accompanying the team in the field, she provides technical support, demolitions expertise, and a fathomless capacity of dry wit.
As one of the Galacteer’s most capable field leaders, Starfire commands the Astro-Angels. She is renowned amongst patrol crews as calm under pressure, lethal in combat, and impossibly photogenic in danger zones. A combination that has made her a favourite subject of Galacteer newsreels and recruitment posters across the frontier worlds.
Together they keep the Galaxy safe from savage aliens, barbaric Space Pirates and the merciless Robots Legion!
Miniatures by Hydra Miniatures and based old school with sand (that I collected from Waikiki Beach!). I tried some new colours and techniques (like lipstick!) that were challenging.
This was my final submission to AHPC16, posted here:
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/03/from-paul-og-galactic-gals-70-points.html
which brings this challenge season to a close - thanks once again to Curt and the amazing Minion team who bring all of the goodness together!
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Painting Notes
Pixie Pink Warpaints Fanatic AP
Sly Blue Vallejo Model Color 70961
Corvus Black GW
Moot Green GW
Flash Gitz Yellow GW
Dead white Vallejo Game Color 72001
Apothecary White contrast
Basing
Raw sand and PVA
DARK SAND Model Color 70.847
Sepia Shade Game Wash 73.200
Drybrush again with dark sand
Pick out rocks with Vallejo Game Color Bonewhite 72.034
Presenting my first two Russian battalions for my 28mm Crimean War project. While the Russian Army of the time was renowned for having largest cavalry contingent on the continent, Infantry still made up the bulk of the Army. These are typical Line Infantry battalions of a Regiment, each of which fielded 4.
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| Two Battalions with Regimental officers advancing in Attack columns |
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| 1st Battalion (white shoulder tabs) - all in helmets |
I enjoyed a good dose of the inevitable "basing dilemma", badly overthinking it before deciding to go with groups of poorly drilled troops with intermingled casualties, representing both bad training and a stoic intent to get to grips with the invaders regardless of cost! Groups of 8 figs make a line unit in Sharp Practice and I figured that four units per Battalion would give some good 'visual heft' as the attack columns advance.
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| 2nd Battalion (red shoulder tabs) with mixed helmets and forage caps |
Figures are mostly plastic Warlord figs with some metal models by Great War Miniatures mixed in. The former are relatively monopose, but the seperate heads let you impart some great character with modest turns. The latter are wonderful sculpts and mixing them in gives a more dynamic look. Colours by Battle-Flag.com
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This project was to be a full Regiment of 4 Battalions plus an artillery and a troop of Cossack cavalry but when real life got in the way I opted to not sacrifice quality just to 'get it done'. I really enjoyed building them and the rest will follow post Challenge.
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| The army grows! |
These units and their Regimental Officers tally 67 foot and 1 mounted figure - my biggest submission of this Challenge to take me across my 500 point target line. Just in time!
Submitted to the Challenge here:
https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2026/03/from-paulog-russians-of-crimean-war-345.html
Painting Notes
Zandri Dust spray undercoat
Greatcoats - Lavado Sepia Shade (Game Wash), Zandri dust drybrush
Trousers - Dead White (Game Color), Apothecary White contrast (GW)
Boots - thinned Corvus Black (GW)
Straps - Ulthuan Grey (GW), then white highlights
Muskets - Oak Brown (Warpaints Fanatic)
Skin - Pale Flesh (Game Color 72003), Reikland Flesh Shade (GW)
Collars - Mephiston red (GW)
Swords - black base coat, Warpaints Leather Brown, Gold hilt
Shoulder Boards
Light Blue = GW Ice Blue
Red = GW Mephiston Red
White = Dead White (Game Color)
Backpacks - oak brown (army painter)
Bedrolls - Celestra grey GW
Staff Officer in green frockcoat
Basecoat - 50/50 Yellow Olive (mode
Colour 892) / Guarsian Green (Warpaints)
Wash - game colour green ink (72.089)
Highlight - waaagh flesh GW
Basing
Group infantry bases: 80x40mm
Individual figs on flat 25mm rounds (Renedra)
Battlefield Accessories Ground compound mix
Wash with 50/50 thinned GW Agrax
Drybrush highlight - GW Zandri dust
