Escape from the Robot Legion!

 OK, the last game was so much fun, but a sequel was promised....

★ CAPTAIN “ACE” McGUIRE and the Astro-Angels ★

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Episode 2: The Escape from the Robot Legion!

The Story So Far!

Captured in the jungle fortress of the Robot Legion, Captain “Ace” McGuire, his crew comprising the sultry Jane Hunter, heavy laser toting Rocky Rizzo, brilliant Dr. Zahn, plus the fearless Sgt Stacey and her Asto-Angels squad have fought their way free! 

But as the fortress crumbles, danger still lurks among the steaming vines and metallic war-beasts of this alien world…

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The Escape!

Through the steaming mists of the alien jungle, the fortress doors shuddered wide.

Stacey, bold commander of the Astro-Angels, swept her squad of gleaming-helmeted heroines from the corridor and into the jungle like the blade of destiny itself! Behind her came Rocky, jet pack roaring, Dr. Zahn, Jane with pistols gleaming, and dashing Captain 'Ace' McGuire, ever steady at her side.

But the Robot Legion, though foiled thus far, were not through with them! From the shadows slipped two hovering automatons, their crimson eyes blazing like demon lanterns. They scanned, BLEEPed in alarm,  and raced off into the jungle.

“Angels—deploy!” Stacey barked. The squad spread into battle line, rifles at the ready and faces expectant!

Just then, Jen the engineer pressed her sub-space radio to her ear, her face lit with a spark of hope. “Dropship inbound, Commander! She’s on her way!”

A cheer rose from the Angels —but it was drowned at once by a new menace! The fortress doors squealed open again, and two steel giants stomped forth, blaster rifles roaring fire. Bolts sizzled, scorching the trees and nearby corridor walls. One Angel staggered with a gasp, but none faltered!

“Hold the line!” Stacey’s voice cracked like a whip. Five rifles barked as one, their beams searing into steel! One robot collapsed in a heap of sparking ruin. The other lumbered onward, smoke pouring from its armoured hide!

Then—whoosh!—Rocky soared skyward on a pillar of jetfire, laser carbine blazing. The monster staggered beneath his attack but remained menacingly upright.

“You best leave my girls alone!” Jane shouted, her blue eyes flashing with fury. Twin bolts from her pistols struck true—the beast quivered, sparked, and fell into silence.

“Ha! That’s my Jane!” Ace laughed, his grin and perfect dentition gleaming through the gun smoke.

Dr. Zahn hurried to tend the wounded, his med-ray sweeping for wounds. He thoroughly checked all the shapely Angels for injuries, bringing forth a few giggles.

Jen’s voice crackled through the static again:
“Commander! Dropship landing—two clicks north!”

Eyes strained in the direction of the jet noises, just as the rain started to our down. As the visibility reduced, they all heard the engine thunder over the canopy, shaking the jungle to its roots. Hope surged.

But—out beyond the hazy rain—a lone Optio of the Robot Legion stepped from the vines, its single red eye burning through the wet haze like a hateful curse. But was it really alone?

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Next Thrilling Episode!

“Ambush in the Jungle!”
The Astro-Angels race for their dropship—but the jungle hides more than shadows! 

Can Captain Ace, Jane, and the Astro-Angels survive the Legion’s deadly trap? Or will their escape end in fiery doom?

Don’t miss the next electrifying chapter in the saga of Captain “Ace” McGuire and the Angels of Space!

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Disclaimer: we did this game as a bit of an experiment, as a follow up from our last adventure.

Rich played at home, sent me notes and pics, and I wrote it up in serialised style. Cant wait to see what happens when the dropship arrives!

Daring Rescue on Planet Thomas

A great day catching up with my mate Rich in Fairfax County. We've known each other since 2008 or so, and seen one another at work and gaming conventions alike, but this was the first chance we've had to roll dice together! Today he hosted me at his place for some classic SciFi pulp gaming using Wiley Game's Galactic Heroes.

Overall I found the game system intuitive, quick playing and fun! It flowed well and was all about cinematic action. Rich's great figure and terrain collection really made it immersive too, as you can see...

Yes, I may have used AI to make this but isn't it COOL!

The Mechanical Minions of the Robot Legion had seized Planet Thomas—and with it, the proud Galacteer Starbase! Now its shining towers were draped in steel tentacles of tyranny, its halls echoing with the clank of mechanical boots! Worst of all—beloved Galacteer heroine Jane Hunter was a prisoner of the fiendish machines, her fate dangling by a wire!

Only one man dared answer the call—Captain “Ace” McGuire! Dashing, daring, and just reckless enough to challenge the cold claws of the Robot Legion! Whispers across the fleet hinted that his zeal was more than duty—after all, wasn’t Jane Hunter his secret flame?

Ace wasn’t alone! By his side thundered Rocky Rizzo, trigger-happy sharpshooter with a Heavy Laser that could vaporize a tank-bot in a single blast! Dr. Zahn, cool-headed science officer and battlefield surgeon, carried his trusty med-kit, ready to patch up heroes on the run. And leading the Astro-Angels, a laser-rifle squad of daring dames, was none other than Sergeant Stacey, as bold as brass and eager to save her mentor!

Into the Jungle of Peril!

The rocketship set down beyond the reach of the Robot Legion’s scanner towers. The steaming jungles of Planet Thomas swallowed the Galacteers as they pushed forward, sweat gleaming on their brows. Suddenly—movement in the underbrush!

“Clankers at twelve o’clock!” barked Rocky. Without waiting for orders, he cut loose! KRA-KOOM! His Heavy Laser roared like thunder, blasting a hover-sentry into flaming wreckage!

Ace and Dr. Zahn dove aside as a gleaming Robot Centurion marched forward, flanked by two clattering sentinels, eyes glowing with cruel red light!

“Blast ‘em to bits, boys!” Ace shouted, drawing his laser pistol with a flourish. ZZZAP! A hover-bot exploded in sparks as he twirled his weapon back into its holster with a grin.

“Onward, men!” Ace cried, striking a pose that could have graced a recruitment poster.

The Angels Strike!

Sergeant Stacey surged ahead, her Astro-Angels fanning out with deadly grace.
“Go get Jane, Captain—we’ll scrap these scrapheaps!” she barked. 

The jungle blazed with fire as laser rifles chattered and a grenade launcher belched WHOOMPH! A chorus of zap! zap! zap! rang out like a symphony of destruction.

The Centurion staggered, showering sparks. But just as the tide seemed to turn, the ground shook. The trees trembled. Something monstrous was coming- fast!

From the shadows thundered a titanic Warbot, its steel fists the size of meteors, its glowing eye crackling with deadly energy!

“SEEK! FIND! DESTROY!” it boomed, shaking the very air with its metallic bellow!

The Warbot of Doom!

“Back off, Ace! This one’s mine!” roared Rocky, bracing his Heavy Laser. 

KRA-KOOM! The blast staggered the towering titan, but it charged forward, its laser-eye firing a sizzling beam that seared through Rocky’s jumpsuit and scorched his arm!

“Gotta keep moving—Jane’s inside!” Ace shouted, grabbing Rocky by the shoulder. Together they ignited their jetpacks, rocketing toward the sealed blast-door of the starbase.

“Our turn now - take it down, Angels!” Sergeant Stacey commanded, her squad unleashing a hurricane of laser fire. 

One shot—no one could tell whose—smashed through the Warbot’s glowing eye! With a hideous metallic groan, the giant staggered, sparks flew, and it toppled into the jungle with a crash that shook the heavens!

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall!” Stacey grinned, rallying her squad.

Into the Steel Fortress!

At the starbase door, Ace’s fingers flew across the controls. Sparks danced as he hotwired the lock. The door hissed open—revealing two steel sentries waiting inside, weapons raised!

Rocky didn’t hesitate. His Heavy Laser swept the corridor with BRRZZZZAP!—one robot collapsed in a smoking heap. Ace vaulted through the door, blasting the other into scrap with his trusty sidearm.

Dr. Zahn caught up and started binding Rocky’s scorched arm.
“I ain’t got time to bleed,” Rocky growled.
“Not on my watch you don't!” Zahn snapped, tightening the bandage with brisk precision.

Behind them, Sergeant Stacey and her Angels cleared the jungle of the last robot stragglers. The path to the heart of the base was open.

The Heart of the Base!

“Forward, Galacteers!” Ace cried, leading the charge down a gleaming steel corridor. But suddenly—ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! A squad of Robot Blasters ambushed them from the shadows!

The corridor became a storm of energy fire. Ace took a sizzling burn across the shoulder and stood stoically with a grimace. Rocky, for once, was forced to duck behind cover. But the Galacteers pressed forward with courage! One by one, the Robot Blasters fell, clattering to the floor in showers of sparks and scrap metal.

At last, the smoke cleared. Dr. Zahn slapped the panel on the final blast-door. It slid open with a hiss—revealing none other than Jane Hunter herself, looking resplendent in her tight green space suit with hair and make-up somehow intact.

“Jane!” Ace cried.

She rushed past the doctor with a quick “Thank you!” and flung herself into Ace’s arms, confirming every rumour whispered in the fleet!

To Be Continued…

The Galacteers had saved their heroine—but danger still loomed! For who commanded the Robot Legion? What fiendish master directed their steel claws? And what sinister plan threatened not just Planet Thomas, but the galaxy itself?!

Find out next time in… “Ace McGuire and the Shadow Over the Stars!”

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Great pulpy fun that was really enhanced by the themed cards produced by Wiley games. You can use any card deck of course, but it was way better using these ones!

Thanks again Rich, for a day of gaming that was out of this world!

See you next time Space Cadets!

Udvar-Hazy Aircaft Museum - Part 1

Off on another work trip this week, this time to DC- and I got a chance to visit the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport. Think of it as the Smithsonian's overspill storage spot!

https://www.si.edu/museums/air-and-space-museum-udvar-hazy-center

Starting with the Queen of the collection: OV-103 Space Shuttle Discovery, the third operational and most flown of the Shuttle orbiters whose key achievements include deploying the Hubble telescope, 2 missions to MIR and 13 to the ISS. Retired in 2012 after 39 missions.

I have now seen all but one of the surviving shuttle orbiters :-)

My most artistic shot of the day!

Two other gems in the collection were striking.  This first ever nuclear strike bomber needs no introduction. And as you can see, she dominates her Wing of the Museum

And the inimitable SR-71 Blackbird needs no introduction either!

An F4U Corsair hangs from the ceiling like my old Tamiya models (without the glue splodges). Famous in the Pacific War and piloted by legends like Major "Pappy" Boyington, USMC of the "Black Sheep" Squadron

A B-17G "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby": undergoing preservation.

For Korean War MiG Alley affectionados is the duelling duo of a USAF F- 86A Sabre and the MiG-15bis FAGOT-B.  

Similar but not quite the same as those I saw seen recently at Ford Island Aviation Museum in Hawaii. This MiG-15 is a Chinese Ji-2 modification but its history prior to being bought by an American collector in the 1980s in not known.

The elevated walkway through the main halls allows you to get some unusual aspects from above

This Sabre is one of the aircraft that was assigned to the 4th Fighter Interceptor Group at Kimpo in December 1950.

Thats probably enough pics for this post - standby for a Part 2 followup!

Lest We Forget - 80 years of Peace

80 years ago this week WW2 came to an end, having delivered damage, death and destruction at a scale previously unimaginable.

To commemorate I visited the surrender deck of the USS MISSOURI, located at Pearl Harbor, where the Japanese surrender took place while the ship was in Tokyo Bay in the shadow of Mt Fuji.

Notably/Coincidentally, US President Truman was from the State of Missouri
and his daughter had christened the ship

2 September 1945

My parents are visiting us at the moment from Australia and were able to share the experience, which was special.

The Instrument of Surrender on exhibit aboard USS MISSOURI

General MacArthur's Speech. The entire ceremony took just 23 minutes

Earlier this year, I was also able to view the German Surrender documents, which were on special exhibit at the National Archives in Washington DC, which I had not seen before. That was a bit special too, especially to see both in this 80th Anniversary year.

Field-Marshal Wilhelm Keitel signing the unconditional surrender, 8 May 1945

 

Lest We Forget the immense sacrifices of our forbears for our freedoms