The Alternative Armies Blog

Welcome to the Alternative Armies blog. This blog tells you all about what we are up to and it is where we post our latest tabletop gaming news and articles.
We cover Flintloque and Slaughterloo, High Fantasy, Other Ranges as well as our 15mm scale fantasy, science fiction and historical ranges.
Our game systems and free content such as PDF downloads and reading articles. Enjoy and do dig back in time to see what was going on before now.

Feel free to comment and ask questions. We are always happy to help gamers with their hobby.

Friday 29 December 2017

2017 is ending and 2018 beginning with ten percent off everything!

Thank you so much everyone for such an excellent Christmas and as the new born year of 2018 reaches us and ushers out the old year of 2017 Alternative Armies is celebrating with ten percent (10%) off literally everything on our website.  Site wide there is ten percent off every code and product and another ten percent off all bundles and divisions.  This includes all books and all digital downloads as well as all pro-painted options too.  Everything on the website.  Have a browse and join us in new year joy. Go HERE.  


It would take me an age to tell you all about what we have at Alternative Armies from the mighty and vast Flintloque range to the big ranges of 28mm fantasy as well as lots of 15mm scale ranges plus classics such as Laserburn and contenders like Grinning Skull and Sengoku not to mention Loud Ninja Games and Ganesha Games too.  We have two dozen wargame titles in print and as downloads.  


The best thing to do is to go along to our home page and then to look at the sections along its top from New Releases to Digital Downloads and then on into the World of Valon.  From there the drop down menus, when you hover over them and then click on the one you want, for 28mm Fantasy (including Fantasy Warlord) and then Ganesha Games before Our Other Ranges (lots in there new and classic, hundreds of miniatures including Erin and 6mm sci-fi) and then onto all of the 15mm scale ranges by genre with Historical, Fantasy and Science Fiction each with collections within them.  Lastly scroll right down to the bottom of the front page and click on the Events and Collected Bundles for the best value on the site.  Go HERE.


This offer runs until the end of the 2nd of January 2018 when it will automatically cease and revert to normal. Shipping options remain as normal with standard mail and airmail or signed for option. Select during checkout as normal.  We will start shipping orders around the 5th of January but we will be prepping for them from the 3rd (including the Big Mouth Beast bundle pre-orders).  We love our work!

Welcome to the New Year!

GBS

Friday 22 December 2017

Big Mouth Beast bundle of three with free worldwide shipping Christmas only!

Alternative Armies Christmas Treat! From Friday 22nd until morning of 26th December 2017 you can pre-order our big fantasy release for January 2018 before its general release.  Purchase a bundle of three VNT38 Big Mouth Beasts and you automatically get free worldwide shipping on them.  We will send out your order at the start of January two weeks before the general release at the normal price and paid for shipping rate.  Go HERE.  Excellent!


This four day Christmas Offer is our gift to you if you play 28mm and 15mm Fantasy or Sci-fi or Flintloque or if you play Horror or Post Apocalyptic or anything else; the Big Mouth Beast is great for many settings.  Note that if will get free shipping on orders for the VNT38 bundle BUT if you put anything else in your cart along with them then shipping applies as normal. Free Worldwide Shipping applies only the VNT38 Big Mouth Beast bundle of three.  After this Christmas offer period the bundle will be taken down for normal release as a single in the middle of January 2018.  Go HERE and get yours first!


VNT38 Big Mouth Beast
It is little more than a maw upon fast running legs!  Rows of serrated teeth within jaws which could eat a man whole!  Six eyes look for prey and its legs take it with great speed and nimble grace across any land flat or hazardous.  The Big Mouth Beast was sculpted by Kieran Billings and is a creature of nightmare. This multiple scale suitable monster is composed of four high quality resin parts and when assembled (with a small degree of pose choice).  


These parts are the body, the lower jaw, the left leg and the right leg and once assembled (which is not difficult as it is a durable wargaming model) the monster is approx 50mm long and 30mm tall with the mouth having internal detailing.  


It is suitable for 15mm as a mighty beast or 28mm as a normal sized creature.  It could be inter galactic spawn, it could be a wizard's creation, it might be from the dungeon dimensions or roaming the wastelands.  It will fit right in with your campaigns.  The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted and it shown by us on a 50mm square base.  We show other miniatures from our ranges for scale and these are not included.  These are a 15mm scale HOF90 Cultist Holy Gard (in yellow and 16mm tall), a 15mm scale MDA47 Illusionist (black robes and 17mm tall), a 28mm scale VNT31-05 Liche Lord (Undead Hero and 30mm tall) and lastly for Flintloque there is 5024 General Saindoux (30mm tall).  Go HERE.

Merry Christmas from all of the team at Alternative Armies!

GBS

Friday 15 December 2017

Adding Cavalry to my Witchlands forces by Andy Jefcoate

Well jingle my bells! The sixth in a series of linked Flintloque articles by Andy Jefcoate about his forays in the Witchlands and in Flintloque. If you missed the first to fifth articles where he got his starter set and then tried it out followed by a nail biter of a scenario and then get his Pug Dogs marching then you can read them on our blog HERE. In this article he expands with more riders. With pictures of his own painted collection. Read on and enjoy! GBS 



Adding Cavalry to my Witchlands forces

As I mentioned a couple of articles back, my Witchlands forces have been very pedestrian and would benefit from adding some cavalry. Not only are these units the fastest and often hardest hitting, they look great too!

Since I started wargaming several decades ago I've always thought that cavalry are great. There's something very dramatic about charging at the enemy on horseback armed only with something sharp (unless you are the one facing the sharp end of course!).

With most historical Napoleonic armies the majority of cavalry was usually fairly light, being used for scouting, seeing off enemy cavalry, attacking isolated units on flanks or pursuing enemies that break. I therefore feel that it should be the same with Flintloque with the majority of cavalry units filling these roles. However there are also some heavy cavalry units used as a hammer to smash a hole in the enemy forces. These are my absolute favourite units and I always like to give them a place in my forces, but that is something for another time after my forces have grown.


Initial cavalry choices
So what did I pick first. Well, as my Witchlands force already had Zombiski Cossacks on foot, I had to have some mounted Zombiski Cossacks. These fit perfectly with the scenario of harassing a fleeing army and appearing where the enemy least expects it. They are interesting models with an irregular look, although I gave them all green jackets to tie the unit together. I initially bought a unit of 5 as my games are still small but I'll expand the unit very soon. Having said that I did buy a mounted Vampyre to lead them. This was mainly because I liked the miniature but it also gives them more tactical options and additional punch in combat. 

For the Ferach force I just had to have Elf Witchlands Cavalry. The background of these is great with remnants of various units banding together to fight back against their pursuers. These irregular cavalry are not quick to paint due to their varied uniforms but look very good and again fit in perfectly with the theme of a fleeing army. I bought a unit of 5 of them too so as not to make them too powerful a unit for a small game. 



Dismounted Cavalry
All shots fired at mounted characters in Flintloque always strike the mount first (unless it is an aimed shot) as mounts are generally larger than their riders. This means that there is a high chance that characters will end up on foot after their mounts are shot from under them, especially if the scenario involves infantry and cavalry. 

This was another reason why I bought the units I did. I already have 8 dismounted Zombiski Cossacks so I have more than enough to use if and when required. At the same time Witchlands Elf Infantry work perfectly with the Elf Witchlands cavalry as many of the poses and uniforms are similar. I therefore bought and painted several infantry figures to match the cavalry, meaning that all options are covered.



Continuing Narrative
This was easy as the Zombiski Cossacks had already been involved on foot, but some of their mounted brothers have now joined the pursuit of Saindoux's forces (despite the attentions of the Pugglesberg Jagers).

Elf Cavalry that are survivors of decimated units have also been drawn towards Saindoux's growing band. They are very welcome as they can scout further afield than the light infantry giving the general a better picture of the surrounding region. They can also help to defend the Ferach force against attacks by enemy cavalry. 

The sought after LE015 Scooby Doom and Raggy limited edition set from the authors collection

Initial games involving cavalry
With Cavalry now being involved I've moved into using the full Flintloque rules as set out in the 'Death in the Snow' game book. My first game was cavalry only, with the Elf Cavalry having to stop the Zombiski Cossacks getting past them. This let me get used to using cavalry while the scenario was very simple.

I've since expanded into infantry and cavalry games with the cavalry operating on the flanks attempting to attack the flank of the opposing infantry while preventing their counterparts doing the same. This is good fun tactically with the games often becoming a swirling melee rather than 2 lines attacking and defending as can often happen with infantry only games.


In Conclusion
It's good to finally have a combined arms force as it gives you many more scenario options and more tactical options during play. It looks great on the tabletop too!

So what's next on the list, I'll let you know in my next installment in the new year.............

Thank you for reading.

Tuesday 5 December 2017

CA8 Flat Doors 28mm one sided for your buildings or dungeons released!

God rest ye merry gentlemen upon these doors you can rely.  From Alternative Armies these will not take you astray and with tidings of comfort and joy we offer you a brand new pack sculpted by Elton Waters.  Three different one sided doors for use against any flat surface in 28mm scale!  Go HERE or read on.  Additionally this is our last release before we cease shipping for Christmas which will occur on the 15th December.


CA8 Flat Doors
Take these portals and add them to any structure with a flat surface.  These doors are great for scratch building, dungeon questing, buildings and more.  Suitable for fantasy and any other pre-industrial setting. The rear side of each door is blank. This code contains three different 28mm scale white metal doors. Here are their sizes running from left to right in the main image. The large door is 45mm tall and 38mm wide. The medium door is 36mm tall and 28mm wide. The small door is 28mm tall and 18mm wide.



These scenic items do not require assembly and are supplied unpainted. Select your choice from the options on the page. Choose from a pack, three packs with a 10% saving applied and single doors in any amount.  Excellent value! The other image shows our 28mm miniatures for scale only and not supplied.  5024 Escape the Dark Czar Elf Officer and VNT31-05 Liche Lord.  Go HERE.


We have a trio of Weekly Deals which run Monday to Sunday each week; current offers are above.  Each week three different offers all at 20% off normal price for a code in that range on all of its options including painted and ready for play as well as whole units if applicable.  We have a Flintloque code deal, a High Fantasy code deal and a 15mm scale code deal.  Get something for your wargaming and check them out every Monday when they change. HERE.  We also have a Latest Releases page where all of our codes from about the last six to ten weeks of releases are sited as well as in their own pages.  If you want to see what Alternative Armies has been doing it is a great place to start.  All of our ranges, all our game systems, 28mm and 15mm.  All HERE.

Merry Cryptmass Everyone from here in Joccia!

GBS

Friday 1 December 2017

New Chain Gunner Team for Sulphur released!

Now at Alternative Armies a brand new code for Sulphur II in 32mm scale. A pack containing a two woman Chain Gun Team which is now added to the larger and smaller vehicles, characters and of course the mecha in the range. Sulphur 32mm post-apocalyptic tabletop game of mayhem and creeping mists. Go HERE for the range with all codes plus the game book in print and as a digital download too. Read on for more information plus a link to download a new free article with rules and scenario for the game. 


SHW3 Chain Gun Team 
This high quality grey tone resin 32mm scale pack contains two different infantry support miniatures. Excellent for your wasteland gaming! These models are single piece and made for slotta bases. Parts are lettered for easy reference. 8.00GBP.  Go HERE.


A Free Article for Sulphur – Sulphur Storm! 
Download a full five page expansion of rules plus a free scenario directly from Alternative Armies written by the authors of Sulphur II. Click HERE and you can find the link on the web page too. 

SUL1 Sulphur Game Book
SKIRMISH TABLETOP RULES FOR POST APOCALYPSE MAYHEM 
A4 Format. Colour Covers. 68 Pages 

Sulphur is a set of sci-fi skirmish rules with its own extensive range of 32mm miniatures including infantry, vehicles and heroes. Sulphur has a distinctly post-apocalyptic feel to it which creates battles between rusty and improvised looking war wagons, ragged looking infantry squads, menacing heroes and satisfyingly impressive heavy weapons. The rules allow players to customise their war-wagons with their favourite weapons and equipment - and the vehicle miniatures themselves all come with a range of weapon options. Armies will be led by a number of heroes, characterful individual warriors with their own profile and special attacks. Infantry are divided into a number of categories such as Light Infantry, Assault Infantry, Warriors and Heavy Weapons. Each infantry squad has a particular function on the battlefield which if used correctly will improve their chances of success. Players need to learn how to use these troops to their best advantage as well as how to combine them with other squads in their force for maximum efficiency and effect. For instance, using light troops to identify targets, using heavy weapons to weaken and suppress the target and then sending in the warriors to finish the enemy off at close quarters. Sounds easy? Not so in practise! This means that it is not just a case of the dude with the biggest gun winning the day (although the game does have plenty of big guns!). The right troops have to be used at the right time in the right way. And beneath all of this the sinister threat from Sulphur, the insidious creeping mist and shadowy nightmares that lie within it - waiting to terrorise and devour even the bravest souls. It’s the apocalypse folks - and it’s going to get nasty! 


SUL2 Sulphur Game Book Digital Download 
Get the book as a paid for digital download from us direct to your device from our website. Add to cart and get immediate link for download upon payment. This is the same book as the print version. As with all Alternative Armies titles this version of the book is 20% cheaper than the print version. 

Thank you for your support in bringing this range back to the world with us now with brand new codes!

GBS