A return visit to the USNWC

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 military student, 11 years ago!

Display of original models and floor tiles from the development of "War Plan Orange"

So many great things associated with the College but in particular it has led professional wargaming in the US Navy since 1863.  Part of that tradition is the development of the famous "Fletcher Pratt" wargaming rules, and it was the location where the Rainbow War Plans were gamed out, including the ultimately war winning War Plan Orange in WW2.

Wonderful to visit and spend time in this facility. 

I'm very privileged to be a proud alumnus

Another Glorious Day in the Corps!

"Watch those corners.."

A trip to Canberra this week saw me catch up with buddy Dave and his gaming cadré who, after lunch at a favourite brewery, kindly hosted me to a game of GF9's Another Glorious Day in the Corps! Wonderfully themed to the epic movie "Aliens", this is a co-op survival game in the tradition of Space Hulk and I had a total blast!

"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.

"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.

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. 

"lay down a suppressing fire with the incinerators and fall back by squads"

It also generated a real group dilemma of trying to build unit speed and momentum to achieve the mission, vs resting to regenerate the card deck to enable firing and other actions. Great mechanic that needs to be dynamically balanced across the game.

"I guess she don't like the corn bread either"

Fabulous game for one of my all time favourite movies- can't believe I haven't played it before, and even better with some beautifully painted models.

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

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!

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/256852/aliens-another-glorious-day-in-the-corps

AHPC 16 Round up

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.

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 tried something different with a YouTube video of my output. Click to play!

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.

And lastly, I got an entry into "Sarah's Choice" with my Galactic Gals

Overall I posted 828 points, exceeding my 500 point target and surpassing a 'career tally" of 9,000. Perhaps next season I can attempt to crack the 10,000 point milestone!

Some statistical analysis to keep Miles happy!

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!

Pulp SciFi figures

Like many of my generation I grew up watching Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (RIP Gil Gerard) which led me to love pulpy / retro SciFi. So, inspired by my games with Rich last year, I treated myself to some of Hydra Miniatures' fabulous "Retro Raygun" 32mm Pulp SF range in their annual Black Friday sale. Thus, I am pleased to introduce a new cast of characters:

The Astro-Angels

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:

• Polly Plasma – Assault trooper with nerves of steel. Known to walk straight into alien nests with only a smile and a plasma rifle.

• 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.

  

Technical Specialist:

• 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.

  

Captain Roxanne Rayburn - Callsign: “Starfire”

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.

And what team doesn't need a few Red Shirts to come along as a support act? Starfire and the girls often work with Rex “Skylark” Rourke, Ace pilot, and his plasma-cannon toting buddy Bruno “Bulkhead” Kessler.

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