HOT154 Skeleton Giant released 15mm Fantasy Range

The mighty HOT 15mm Fantasy Range adds its one hundred and fiftieth fourth code and to give it its due it's an Undead release of some height.  A new Skeleton Giant with battleaxe; a behemoth to lead your horde of Skeletons, Zombies, Mummies and others in a game system of your choosing.

Under a blazing sun High Elves ready themselves to take on what was once flesh clothed and is now through necromancy given animation.  Will their cavalry and bows be a match for so much bleached bone?

HOT154 Skeleton Giant:  A single piece metal miniature of 40mm height to top of head.  Armed with a battleaxe and shown with Wraith Cavalry and Wraith Infantry for scale.  You can see all of the Undead in the range by refining the ‘filter by’ option on the website.

There are many Monsters in the HOT Range including Dragons but few are so terrifying to mortals as the HOT100 Ghoul Dragon which is 65mm tall and 95mm long.  We marked the event of the one hundredth code release with this hulk of rotting flesh and we do so again with a saving off the beast now.

This is our last 15mm scale release news before the massive Winter Mega Event commences 24th October.

Thanks for your Time!

Jes Goodwin Centaurs restored added to the 80s 28mm Barbarian Range

The good work of restoring the classic 1980’s high fantasy ranges of Asgard Miniatures proceeds at Alternative Armies with two more requested poses by Jes Goodwin. These followed up on his restored Barbarians Collection and fit right in with them. These lovely examples were painted by the talented Studio Maxi Costales who has done such sterling brush work on so many returned classics. In the woods below with our useful Handcart behind them.

Part of the Fantasy Monsters (FM) Range of which we have now restored about eighty percent of the one hundred poses each of these Centaurs is part horse and part man standing about 40mm tall.  Have a gander at the FM range for all manner of monsters and creatures.

Shown for scale DA18 High Elf Adventurer from the Dungeon Adventurers Range which is 28mm tall.  The new codes are FM99 Centaur with Bow and FM100v2 Centaur with Spear which follow up on FM98 Centaur with Sword.  These are our last restored releases for this month.

One of the first collections Alternative Armies returned to the world was the twelve pose strong Barbarians by Jes Goodwin.  These are offered as singles and two different sets of all twelve.  The first set gives a small saving and the second set gives you FL24-01 Midsummer Druidess for free included (one of the FL24 Winter and Summer Heroines set).

Thanks for your Time!

Adventurers Party 1993 by Andy Cooper remastered returned to website

We are delighted to present returned to our website the ten poses of the Adventuring Party sculpted in 1993 for Alternative Armies by Andy Cooper.  Along with remastering them we now have them in new pictures and they are as singles and a set of all ten.  See them along with Evil Adventurers, Halfling Walking Party, a Wizards Progress, Deadly Foes, Classic Fighters and more.  Great for any game system in 28mm scale.

FL22 Adventurers Party:  Made up of the original codes of FL13 and FL14 you can enter the dungeon or the wild woods with Fighters, Thieves, Cleric, Bard, Barbarian, Half Orc and Female Halfling.  Metal miniatures in 28mm scale in the 90’s style.

Save with the set of all ten or seek out the singles as codes FL22-01 to FL22-10 such as FL22-02 The Bard above.

Our ongoing process of offering all miniatures as value packs and singles is now just about complete on the Adventurers and Wizards Range which includes the remastered Winter Knight (FL10) on foot and also mounted on a superb armoured horse.

Right now we have not begun on the Dwarfish Host Range as it still has its original images with packs (choose singles within the packs) but we have refreshed the molds of the Dwarf Runic Golem.  This magic construct stands 65mm tall and is easy to put together.

Thanks for Reading!

Courier Bot with Package 28mm free in all orders until 31st October 2024

“There is a five credit handling charge on that package sir.  Yes, five.  Why?  Well I handed it to you so its a handling charge.  No need to get upset.  Please don’t point that at me.  No…  Buzzz….”

It can be a tough robotic existence being a Courier Bot and that is no lie.  This little fella ain’t the cutest but he is totally free in all shipped orders placed with Alternative Armies until 31st October 2024.  As long as the order is shipped (no Digital Download orders only sorry) and as many orders as you wish and anywhere in the world.  When we say free we mean it; no catch.

AS029 Courier Bot:  Use this robot miniature in any game system of your choosing.  Comes in two pieces one of which is the bot and the other the package which can be inserted into the carry area of the robot or left out.  Heavily built to carry large weights Courier Bot’s can be seen trudging about the ‘ped ways’ of many mega cities. 28mm Scale metal miniature.  Total height of 25mm.

Above you can see the new robot next to other miniatures for scale.  The Lost Arena Marine, a Star Ranger as well as one of our Alternia Mascot Miniatures and of course our first ‘bot’ too.

The AS023 Info Bot will deliver your messages or relay directions or questions which is very helpful when out and about.  See our Former Free Codes Collected page for this and everything else we have offered in orders all with a saving.

The Alternate Stars Range contains generic 28mm miniatures such as War Bots, Star Rangers, Ship Crew as well as Human and Alien characters for your table.  Oh and Space Brains and a floating Eyeball too...

There is also the AS014 Weapons Set which can be had as a pack or as single pieces ideal for adding to your characters.

CA2 Halfling Walking Party discover an ancient monument VNT54-03 Icon 

October 2024 will see two more galloping classics restored in the Asgard FM Range and new bony releases in the HOT 15mm Fantasy Range and the Undead Legions Range on the bigger side too.  We have also recently remastered Andy Cooper’s Adventurers in our FL Range ten poses from the early 90’s; an article on that will happen.  There will be a new spooky release in the Seasons of Celebration Range too.  We will then take a wee breather as it were before we embark on what you have been waiting for..the massive Winter Mega Event 2024!  All by the end of October 2024.

Thanks for Reading!

Shia Khan Empire 28mm Ion Age many new releases!

A bloody massive release today with not only the very last of the original 1990’s 28mm Ion Age Range being restored in new molds but also many new models too.  Legionary Gun Team along with the original two portable weapons and two further versions of each and a new propulsion system too.  Our final releases until the free Icon in every order ends on 3rd October.  These releases see us complete the upscaling of the 15mm Ion Age Range portable weapons.

If you would like to read in depth about the Selene and Hypnus and their use by the Shia Khan Empire then see this new ARTICLE.  Above a Hypnus platform on anti grav unit next to a hulking Warlord.

Six new platforms in 28mm scale to add to your Legions in support of your Legionaries, Malig Goblins, Betrayers and others in their task of conquering Humanity.  Every portable weapon and the anti gravity base is a value pack with saving and the Legion Gunners are a value pack and singles as with all other nearly 290 poses in the range.

IB80 Legionary Gun Team (2 Miniatures) (IA244, IA245) 

IB86 Khanate Anti Gravity Propulsion Unit (goes with IB79,IB81 to IA85) (includes hover base)

IB79 Mars 20mm Chain Cannon Selene Portable Weapon Platform (kit)

IB81 Maia Scatter Cannon Selene Portable Weapon Platform (kit)

IB82 Juno Laser Cannon Selene Portable Weapon Platform (kit)

IB83 Hydra Swarm Cannon Hypnus Portable Weapon Platform (kit)

IB84 Helios ADS Hypnus Portable Weapon Platform (kit)

IB85 Triple Jupiter Hypnus Portable Weapon Platform (kit)

Remastered and returned to the expanding 28mm Ion Age science fiction range are the original two terror robots known as Psycoborgs for the effect they have on Human troops. At 60mm tall these mechanical sentinels are heavily armed and very hard to stop. Unlike Maligs and Beotan Lyconthropes who rely on savagery and sheer numbers or the Legionaries who make use of skill these robots are silent in their actions.

Now with the restoration of the entire original range back to the website we are embarking on a raft of new infantry poses for the Prydians and the Shia Khan with something greatly asked for appearing in coming months...an entire platoon of them...

Thanks for Reading!

Selene and Hypnus Portable Weapons of the Khanate

Taken from Academy Auto Trainer Series 66 produced on New Glastonbury in 4337IC in the aftermath of the Return of the Khanate.

The first encounters with infantry support grade weapon platforms came with the initial break out from the Belkus Depression by those Shia Khan forces which had followed the digging machines.  Though a watch was kept on the edges of the crater, which has once been the famed passages of the labyrinth, by planetary defence platoons they were rapidly overwhelmed by the aliens which poured out into the sunlight.  The digging machines had no more than cleared their drive sections of the soft dirt and Legionaries as well as accursed Maligs followed them.  Being some distance off due to the background radiation left over by the detonation of the fusion core the defence troopers had time to made transmissions back to Pelacan city to inform and then call for reinforcements.  What was not expected from vids and audio from the gateway chamber was the immediate reach the enemy had.  It was the first encounter with code name Selene and code name Hypnus portable weapon platforms.

Floating forwards at a steady pace with two alien operators running alongside each of them the Selene platforms opened fire first upon elements of the 3rd Pelacan Regiment at a range beyond their ability to strike back.  A barrage of 20mm cannon shells and laser beams were followed by the shrieking rage of 12.7mm rounds by the thousand and it killed many of the troopers who were unable to find thick enough cover.  It was however once the aliens drew closer and the troopers loosed off anvil rounds and bursts of grenades from their Moth type 12's that the other Khanate platforms entered the fray.  The Hypnus have a single operator who seems to be bonded to the weapon platform by a chair behind a thick gun shield.  The weapons carried by the Hypnus are dangerous in their own right giving off in many cases a degree of radiation or gene potential damage.  Atomic Destabilisers and Triple Plasma mounts tore through Aketon armour and the hulls of a half dozen Steornede Battlesuits at close range with ease.  This led to the loss of the craters edge and marked the start of the remorseless advance of the aliens.  Portable weapon platforms have proven tough to deal with without armoured support and the Khanate makes great use of them especially in urban areas to hold taken junctions and structures.  

There are six primary kinds of Portable Weapon used by the Shia Khan Empire in support of its Legions. The Selene is more plentiful and has been observed with Legionary Gunners as well as Maligs and even Betrayers.

“During the ancient Ban of Prejudice the Espaten was a powerful tool for support in the street fights which raged in underground cities across the Precinct.  In recent years the original gun has been present in all campaigns and it has been broadened as well.  To deal with Battlesuits and larger infantry formations as well as indirect fire missions there are now six variants.  These are  the same weapon systems as used by the new Havelock Type 57 being rolled out to Muster Regiments right now.”  Academy Auto-Trainer Series 07, New Glastonbury, 4325IC

The Prydian Army as well as the Marcher Barons and Condot Companies have an array of Portable Weapons to support their troops.

Combat Robots and Sentient Machines in The Ion Age read this Article on our Blog.

A special article for The Ion Age which tells the story of Combat Robots, the Grima series from concept to miniatures in two scales plus the story from the universe explaining why Artificial Intelligence (Sentient Machines) are outlawed in Prydian Space. 

HOTT at Colours 2024 the day plus results and sponsored prizes

It was our pleasure to sponsor the recent tournament with prizes and to give this account of the results of the day.  Enjoy the read and if you would like to approach us for sponsorship please send your details to sales@alternative-armies.com and we will see what can be done.  We have an array of HOTT 2nd Edition 24AP Armies which include all needed miniatures with saving and free element bases.  All miniatures taken from the HOT 15mm Fantasy Range and Tabletop Miniatures 15mm Range.

HOTT @ Colours

Fourteen players gathered (14th September) for a 15mm Hordes of the Things tournament at the annual Colours Wargames Show in the south of the UK, hosted by Newbury and Reading Wargames Society. Taking place in the Newbury Racecourse Grandstand, traders and historical demo games predominated. We were fortunate to be provided with an excellent, well lit area for our Hott competition, and the players graced this with some great looking armies and scenics.

Starting at 10 a.m., I organised a total of five rounds, and by the end of Round 4 there were four players in contention for the top spot.  After a tense Round 5 Mark Skelton emerged the winner, scoring four wins from his five games, using mean-looking Aliens of Acheron.

Alternative Armies had kindly sponsored the event, with some neat 15mm scale models, and NRWS chairman Colin assisted with the presentations. Honours went to 1st (Mark Skelton), 2nd (Martin Myers), 3rd (Pete Duckworth) and Last Place (Simon Finney, taking the much sought after ‘Thrower of Ones’ trophy). An additional prize for Best Presented Army, a tough choice with the great standard of armies brought along, went to Keith McGlynn’s colourful  ‘Dobbies Revenge’ force. Other armies spotted included everything from Don Quixote to Space Orks, Japanese Fantasy, Garden Gnomes and Riders of Rohan. In Hott, ‘anything goes’, so imagination and creativity can run riot.

Many thanks to Gavin at Alternative Armies for his kind sponsorship, which was much appreciated, to all at NRWS for the opportunity to play at such a superb venue, and to the great players for making the day a success. 

Further details can be found on this public Facebook group.

Here are the detailed results of the tournament:

The Newbury and Reading Wargames Society had provided an excellent, well lit space for the fourteen competitors to play, and the competitors graced this with some great looking armies (we used 40mm frontage / “15mm” scaled rules).

We were playing a total of five rounds, and by the end of Round 4 there were four players in contention for the top spot. A pseudo-Swiss Chess Round 5 followed, at the end of which Mark Skelton emerged the winner, acquiring 20 points for four wins out of five games.

NRWS’s family team of Colin Cockburn and granddaughter Bobbie kindly assisted with the presentations, trophies going to 1st, 2nd and Last (‘Thrower of Ones’) place. NWRS’s Robert helped out by judging the Best Presented Army, a difficult task due to the great standard of Hott armies brought along.

Prizes awarded were:

Winner : Mark Skelton, Alternative Armies 15mm Skeleton Hott Army.

2nd : Martin Myers, Alternative Armies 15mm Dwarf Command pack.

3rd : Pete Duckworth, Alternative Armies 15mm Sitting Dragon.

‘Thrower of Ones’ : Simon Finney, Alternative Armies 15mm Griffon.

Best Presented Army : Keith McGlynn, Alternative Armies 15mm Scenics.

Final points scores 

(based on 5pts win, 2pts winning draw, 1pt draw, 0 pts loss).

    Mark Skelton ……..20

    Martin Myers ……..19

    Pete Duckworth ….18

    Colin O’Shea ………15 (2 generals killed)

    Baldie (aka Lee).….15 (1 general killed)

    Neil Mason …………12

    Keith McGlynn …….11 (1 general killed)

    Connor Truby ………11 (0 generals killed)

    Mark Fry ……………..10

    Peter Card ……………9

    David Cox …………….6

    Pete James ………….5 (22 AP destroyed)

    Jane Williams ………5 (12 AP destroyed)

    Simon Finney ……….1

(Tie break = head-to-head, Strongholds, Generals, Army Points)

Armies Used :

Mark Skelton - Locals of LV-426 (‘Aliens’ of Acheron theme)

Martin Myers - Don Quixote de La Mancha

Pete Duckworth - Dorothy and Chums (Wizard of Oz)

Colin O’Shea - Early Bornu (African Sahel)

Baldie (aka Lee ) - Baldie’s Boyz, Space Orks

Neil Mason - Garden Gnomes

Keith McGlynn - Dobbie’s Revenge (Clark Ashton Smith inspired)

Connor Truby - Orcs and Dino’s

Mark Fry - Riders of Rohan

Peter Card - Ghost Dance (Native Americans)

David Cox - Barbarians (Copplestone)

Pete James - Japanese Fantasy

Jane Williams - Chess

Simon Finney - Orcs