Traveling and painting in 2026 part I

    

            Last year I updated every 6ish weeks. This year it will be an every month log. I will be starting off in Platinum for Delta, Diamond for IHG, and Diamond in BonVoy. I missed Delta Diamond by 1,800$.

            First weekend of the year I am on covering at Nano. Crown Plaza +5k a night. No painting, I was working the ankle. By the end of the trip I could run a mile without pain. One night in a Springhills, flat points and no painting. I ran 2 with knee and ankle pain.

            I am working every weekend in January, but the last. It is Delta One to Tel Aviv from JFK.I am first class on the way back. It was 120K miles to upgrade from 1st to One. My original ticket was 2500 round trip. Delta one was over 12k. 120k in miles is an international ticket and one in the states round trip. This is a one way deal. Delta One in the A330 is the newest, seat 6A. Even seats have more room.

            Delta One lounge in JFK is dope. Only the AmEx lounge in BA Argentina is close. I think if you travel all the time D1 is dope. If your a one and done or don’t fly a lot D1 experience won’t wow you. You have to be an AmEx club or miles lounge fly to feel the true upgraded love. Which creates something you can compare to other than eating Popeyes out of a box

            The food is excellent. % star is the restaurant. The Desert throughout is terrible. They do not change your silverware in between courses.

                The bar is free and all you can dream of.

            No IHG in the city we are staying in Israel. The host company set it up. Liers, a Crowne Plaza was around the corner and a 3rd of the price. I have never paid >4k for a two week stay!

            The wifi joined the last week. Then we bounce in and out to Cairo. Crown Plaza on points on the Nile, straight up river 3 blocks from the original Egyptian museum.

 

            Then Air France jacked my Delta tickets. All preventing Delta from fixing Air France's inability to get a plane off the deck, AF then stuck me on a British Airways flight home after failing to fly two days in a row.

20mm Shiny toys

             A ton of minis, 70. Cartel gangs, Euro gangs, PMC operators/VIP escort, and South American police.

             11 buildings, fields, 2 cars, and 100 pieces of scatter terrain.

    

                The brown house was my father's when he was little. I have been wargaming with them since high school. Sadly for 20mm they are taking up too much space foot print wise in a congested city environment. If it was just one or two they are fine. When multiple are down, they end up representing more than one building in ground scale. So new buildings, none were more than 4 bucks.

            And something new. I tried in the past and either could not keep up or didn't like the results. I am going to track what I spent wargaming. This includes minis, paints, terrain, 3d printing, travel and Cons. I don't think I will like the answer again. I am at 775 with 8 days into the year.       

                        440 3D prints + 100 paint + 175 buildings + 60 Epic Forumware

THE MOUNTAIN

Bought = 139

Sold = 0

Painted =0

28mm = 0

20mm = 0

15mm = 0

10mm = 0

Epic = 0

Terrain bought = 0

Terrain painted = 0

Printed Terrain = 0

Minis Printed = 0

Games 

Played = 

Games hosted = 

Books 

Bought = 

Read = 

2024

Bought = 95 +7 armies

Sold = 445 + 9 armies, 42 terrain

2026 Yearly Plans and Goals

 

            I will stick with last years Goals. The sell off has to continue. I don't want my girls dealing with a pile of minis I never did anything with other than buy them.

            1.) Extra 15mm ACW has to go

            2.) Warmaster Tomb Kings going

            3.) Forgeworld masters have to go

            4.) BFaS extras must go

            5.) Epic horded armies and terrain that doesn't or is not part of a table setup.

            Bang out enough Samurai to host most every Takeda battle.

            Design and post scenarios from book 1 and 2 of the Ranch series. Host "The Ranch" scenarios at home and Fall In. Continue to paint minis specific to the scenarios.

            I have minis and terrain inbound.

             These 3 groups of minis are around 80% done. The plan is to crush them while on the road traveling. The Falcata will be the biggest challenge as the Cavalry is what remains. I hate painting horses.

THE MOUNTAIN

Bought = 0

Sold = 0

Painted =0

28mm = 0

20mm = 0

15mm = 0

10mm = 0

Epic = 0

Terrain bought = 0

Terrain painted = 0

Printed Terrain = 0

Minis Printed = 0

Games 

Played = 

Games hosted = 

Books 

Bought = 

Read = 

2024

Bought = 95 +7 armies

Sold = 445 + 9 armies, 42 terrain

20mm The Ranch Scenario I "Doc's rescue"

 

            First time designing a scenario from a written account. 

            Surprise Elko is a real place. I think I have found the location of the ranch actual. Its fiction, doesn't real exist. In book one Jason gives a description of what he sees out side the front gate. The ranch is Southeast of Elko.

            There are 3 Vets in Elko. Only one even come close to what is laid out in the book.

Mission Brief

        Primary Secure Doc and his equipment

        Secondary Secure material supplies from the Hospital

ROE

        Only fire upon if fired upon.

        Render aid only if primary is secure and not engaged

Ranch Forces

            Jason D8 body armor M4 night vision

            Jill D10 body armor, M4, CLS, night vision

            Up armored technical

            Mark D6 body armor, M4, CLS, night vision

            Dave D8 (Ex-combat USMC) body armor, M4, CLS, night vision

            5 ton truck

Belligerents

            2 Drunks unarmed D6 minus 1

            2 Drunks armed with pistols D6 minus 1

            4 gang members arm and dangerous D6

Civilians

            11 wandering unarmed civilians

            1 Local cop walking into work D6 EDC