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.

Monday 28 November 2022

MRP04 Venetian Ambassador 15mm Renaissance release

An Ambassador was a figure of governance and of civility in 16th century Italy.  Sent between powerful nobles and great houses to conduct the art of treatise and negotiation.  Sometimes seen at court or on the battlefield perhaps with the gainful notion of getting their own lord to contribute their troops to the cause.  This Ambassador is of Venice though he could be of Florence, Rome or any other likely place.

Now released a fifth 15mm scale personality on foot and same miniature mounted with horse.  Joining Leonardo Da Vinci, Cesare Borgia, Niccolo Machiavelli and Georg Von Frunsberg the Venetian Ambassador is in our Furioso Renaissance Range.  It joins over two hundred other codes of single miniatures, army bundles with free bases, rules sets, battlefield scatter terrain and buildings including tents.

Sculpted by Sam Croes and very useful as a nobleman or merchant as well as an envoy from one prince to another MRP04 Venetian Ambassador comes with the popular MRH02 Horse included.

Written by Steve Danes Furioso is a set of wargames rules that covers European warfare in the sixteenth century. The rules allow players to fight large scale land battles with a simple to use and enjoyable gaming system.  Furioso can be fought using any scale figures from 6mm to 28mm though we at Alternative Armies use it in 15mm scale.  It can be had in print and as paid digital download too.  

Furioso the Italian Wars is a supplement to the Furioso Rule Book for 16th century warfare which gives you a deep setting, historical battle scenarios, solo play rules and much more including the inventions of Da Vinci the master.  As with the core book it is in print and digital too.

Likely one of the most famous machines of war in history (though it never took to the field as far as we know) the Turtle or Tank has rules in Furioso Italian Wars and is a great wee 15mm model to put in your collection.  HOT101 Da Vinci's Tank.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Saturday 26 November 2022

DH16 Mountain Dwarfs 28mm Fantasy released

"The deep places and the halls of gold.  These are ours.  Be gone foul smelling Goblins and bone piles of the Necromancer.  You will taste our axes this night"

Now in our Dwarven Hosts 28mm fantasy range and adding to the fifty five other Dwarfs there plus Gnomes and of course Fnorr the Big 'Un a new pack of four miniatures which can also be had as singles in any quantity.

Each of these miniatures consists of a resin casting with a separate metal arm holding an axe.  Four different miniatures, four different arms and each arm will fit any of the four.  Each also comes with a separate shield which can be mounted on arm or left off if you prefer.  Average 24mm height.

DH15 Dwarf Runic Golem.  A resin 28mm scale kit is styled in the traditional manner of Dwarfs whose love of gold and mining has led them to use magic to artifice a big brutal runic golem to aid them in battle. Assembled from five highly detailed pieces with a small degree of pose the Golem is 65mm tall and is supplied with a 50mm square resin base.

We have a massive array of 28mm Fantasy of our own which you can see on the website collected by range as well as other ranges like Fantasy Warlord, Ganesha Games and the Asgard Tabletop restored.  Great for any game system. Here you can see VNT29-02 Stricken Adventurer which is in our Monsters and Creatures range which contains all manner of nasties for your adventurers to overcome and indeed chew on!

Barbarians of the Wilds.  Fantastic miniatures from the 1980's sculpted by Jez Goodwin and restored at Alternative Armies.  Singles or the set of all twelve with a saving or the set of a dozen with free Midsummer Druidess added in for free.  These fellows with deal with any monster!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Thursday 24 November 2022

FM53 Balrog by Nick Bibby at Asgard 80's restored and released

Fire and Flame from deep in the earth.  Sculpted by Nick Bibby in the 1980's for Asgard and now restored at Alternative Armies.  See it along with the FM76 Dragon Newt and over a hundred other restored codes in the Asgard Fantasy Range (25mm / 28mm Scale).

At Alternative Armies we are continuing the restoration of classic Asgard and Tabletop Games miniatures.  Thank you kindly for all the nice words and messages telling us that we are giving joy and happiness to wargamers and roleplayers who thought these designs lost to history.  2023 will see many more codes come back and their presence on our website expand into full defined ranges.


As you can see the FM53 Balrog is a mighty metal model standing 85mm tall and 120mm wide at the wings. Pictured here alongside contemporary 15mm Tabletop Games thief and 28mm Asgard Barbarian by Jez Goodwin.  Those two ranges are totally restored on the website.

HOTT 2nd Edition 24AP Armies.  We produce more than twenty different ready made armies for Hordes of the Things assembled from our fantasy ranges and supplied with all the needed element bases for free.  Elves, Undead (HOTT1007 above), Orcs, Goblins, Lizardmen, Elementals and many more.

Thank you for your support as always.

GBS

Wednesday 23 November 2022

AS014 Alternate Stars 28mm Weapons Set released

Requested by our customers of 28mm science fiction miniatures from the Alternate Stars range as well as the The Ion Age range and the classic Asgard and Tabletop ranges new weapons now released.  Great for adding to any figures in your collection in their hands or on their backs and so forth.

AS014 Alternate Stars Weapons Set (Pack or Singles)

This weapons pack contains eleven different 28mm scale metal weapons which will fit any human or alien soldier in suitable pose or open handed. They can also be fitted to the back or waist or used in scenic builds. Choose from the pack or singles in any quantity by letter as follows:

A - Shoulder Mounted Projectile Weapon (45mm long)

B - Shoulder Mounted Energy Weapon (25mm long)

C - Two Handed Beam Weapon (20mm long)

D - Two Handed Flame Weapon (25mm long)

E - Heavy Drum magazine Shotgun (20mm long)

F - Magazine top mount energy rifle (20mm long)

G - Sliver Rifle (18mm long)

H - Scoped Combat Rifle (27mm long)

I - Magazine top mount SMG (18mm long)

J - Bullpup type SMG (15mm long)

K - Pistol with fore mounted magazine (8mm long)


There are three different bits packs in the 28mm Ion Age Range too.  IAC01 Retained Conversion Pack as well as IAC02 Muster Conversion Pack and IAC03 Khanate Conversion Pack.  Above you can see IB29 Planetary Militia who make use of the Moth Type 6 Rifle which is to be found in IAC02.

Meet the lovely R.U.F.U.S which stands for “Robotic Unit Fighting or Utility Servant” and this type of Android is deployed across the Star Empire to bolster troops.  It is also used by merc crews and brigantines as added muscle.  Over time their neural nets develop personalities. Use this larger model (40mm tall) in any game system of your choosing beyond our little snippet of possible setting.  Useful in 28mm, 15mm and 6mm settings as a war droid or personality.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Monday 21 November 2022

Painted Miniature stock updated November 2022

Alternative Armies sells many thousands of painted miniatures every year to wargamers in the form of singles, skirmishing bands, units and entire armies.  If we have it then it is almost certain we will offer it painted if asked.  Our stock of ready to ship painted which you can see on Pro-Painted Fantasy, Pro-Painted Valon, Pro-Painted Science Fiction and lastly Pro-Painted 15mm Scale page.  As well as this stock we paint for customers to order.  

Our stock is now update for late November and among the eighty new additions are several festive range codes of Snowmen and a 15mm HOTT Xmas Army too.  See these on the Painted Fantasy Page.  This is our last painted update of the year.

Have a browse of the Painted World of Valon if you fancy a Flintloque or Slaughterloo painted code, or the Painted Terrain and Scenics of you want to populate your battlefield with items.  The Painted Science Fiction Miniatures page covers The Ion Age as well as other ranges.  Lastly our Painted 15mm Scale page gives you historical and other smaller scale offerings.

If you are keen on getting a quote for painting to contact us on sales@alternative-armies.com with a list of proposed codes.  Our prices are very reasonable and include the miniature, its painting, its base, scenic basing effect and varnish (if you wish it) plus secure freight.  It is first come first booked until our team of painter ladies is up to capacity for December 2022 cut off so delivery sits in January now.

If you would like a painted HOTT 24AP Army or a Flintloque section or a Fantasy Skirmish Band, a Lance of Retained for Patrol Angis or a whole Slaughterloo Division among many things then let us know.

Thank for you for your attention.

GBS

Friday 18 November 2022

Lionsguard Power Armour Command 6mm release by Bradley Miniatures

The Bradley Miniatures 6mm scale science fiction range has expanded by another code this day with the addition of a command element for the Lionsguard.  This was a new code most requested by message to Alternative Armies and as with other ranges we produce it has now happened!  See the whole range on our website and every code is a pack and single from it on its page.

BR038 Lionsguard Power Armour Command

Star Legion Command. Choose from a Platoon of 25 or a Sprue of 5. Metal Infantry.  Super Heavy Powered Armour.  Lionsguard Command as follows at the rate of 1 each per sprue of five.  Trooper with Melee Claws (A), Standard Bearer with standard and pistol (B), Officer with Sword and Pistol (C), Trooper with Flamer (D), Trooper with Gauss Cannon (E). Supplied in sprues of five. (Each Figure 9mm tall) or npw single pose chosen on the page. 

Here is the original BR011 Lionsguard Power Armour as shown here as well as the more typical troops of the Grenadiers (BR007,BR008 shown above, BR009) when you want to field some infantry in 6mm scale.

The Bradley range has many different vehicles including tanks, apcs, walkers, armoured cars, super heavy tanks, towed artillery plus bikes as well as cargo transporters and scout cars.  There is also the mighty Sekmet Assault Rigs titanic mecha and as shown above the mighty BR027 Corvo Dropship which is ideal for planetary landings.

6mm Terrain Range.  If you wish to populate a desert world or an arid land here on Earth then have a look at this range with twenty eight building options and also some saver bundles too.

USEME 6mm Science Fiction rules written by Vic Dobson.  Great fun and very easy to learn and generic rules set.  In print and as paid digital download too.

Thank you for Reading,

GBS

Wednesday 16 November 2022

Roll out the Barrels! Several new releases in our 28mm Terrain Range

We have an expanding line up of 28mm scale Terrain suitable for High Fantasy, Horse and Musket, Flintloque and other settings over on the website.  This increases with new codes giving you barrels, small barrels and powder kegs for your games.  As a pack, as singles and as saver bundles too.  While intended for 28mm use these barrels will give good account of themselves in the smaller 15mm scale too.

Joining our abandoned beer wagon, goods wagon plus barricades, campfire, tents and battlefield debris these barrels were sculpted by the boy of bronze himself Andy Gorman.  Shown above with the 59531 Barrel Barricade and 59530 Crate and Box Barricade.


59543 Barrels  (3)  (pack or single)

59543P Barrel Bundle (20 mixed) save 5%

59543BP Mega Barrel Bundle (100 mixed) save 15%

59544 Small Barrels (4)  (pack or single)

59544P Small Barrel Bundle (20 mixed) save 5%

59544BP Mega Small Barrel Bundle (100 mixed) save 15%

59545 Powder Kegs  (4) (pack or singles)

59545P Powder Keg Bundle  (20 mixed) save 5%

59545BP Mega Powder Keg Bundle (100 mixed) save 15% 


As you can see on the left is General Saindoux from the 5024 Escape the Dark Czar set for 28mm Flintloque and to the right is our 15mm scale MRP02 Niccolo Machiavelli on foot from the Altous Renaissance Range for scale purposes.

59541 Bread Oven. A roofed bread oven with separate chimney which has loaves of bread within the oven cavity, a bread shovel in place and wood for the oven to burn leaning against the side of the building. Excellent for any aspiring village or in a town. A focal point for a scenario or as part of your table. This building is 75mm tall.  We also have a separate code consisting of Loaves and a Bread Shovel too.


Battlefield Bits, Sprues and Accessories.  We have over a hundred codes which can be used to convert your miniatures, given them mounts, diorama terrain additions and more.  Fruit, Meat, Glasses, Bottles and much more.  Such as the useful BS29 Campaigning Back Packs which can be put onto any 28mm miniatures.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Monday 14 November 2022

Elf Revolutionary Duellists released for En Garde and Flintloque

The last new release for the World of Valon in 2022 is revealed!  A great code as pack and single miniatures too with three new Elves suitable for En Garde and for Flintloque too.  Heck even as officers of Elf Line units in Slaughterloo.


This painted trio kindly brushed into colour by Stone Cold Lead painting service. See their page over on Facebook



51049 Elf Revolutionary Duellists
This pack contains three 28mm scale metal miniatures giving you civilian or military officer duellists armed with pistol or rapier.  You can choose the pack or singles from the pack on its page. Elf in plain shirt aiming Pistol (A), Elf in Uniform aiming Pistol (B), Elf in plain shirt armed with a rapier (C).  Supplied with resin cartouche style bases for free. Very useful miniatures in 28mm scale sculpted by Elton Waters.


En Garde is a fast play new game of sword, pistol, horseback and other forms of duelling set in the fading days of the Crystal Empire. Rules written by Steve Danes author of Furioso and Monster Hunter.  You need only two miniatures to play and you can see all we have for it on the website including the book in print and as digital download (twenty percent cheaper) plus a bundle of book and ten miniatures with a saving.  There are also free files to read and game resources to make use of too.


Flintloque. These new miniatures fit right into skirmish gaming and can be used anywhere the Elves of Armorica have sent their troops. This means from the heat of Catalucia to the forests of Urop to the frozen nightmare of the Witchlands.  Slot them in with 5024 Escape the Dark Czar beginners set or 5026 Death in the Snow game book or shilling set.  You will find a lot of free resources on the Begin in Flintloque page including scenarios and character profiles.

We hope you like these new Elves and there will be more in the World of Valon in the bumper year that will be 2023!

GBS

Saturday 12 November 2022

Savage Lizardmen Flyers released and beast HOT 15mm Fantasy Range

“From a barbaric time in a savage land these cold blooded warrior and live in many tribes which often war with each other. Their armies shake the very ground as they advance in unity against the foes of their race.” 

Now released into the mighty HOT 15mm Fantasy Range the latest expansion to the Savage Lizardmen which now sees this army get three packs of flying riders and the beast they ride on its own too.  Above you see them swooping into action.  There are a total of twelve different riders and each pack contains four mounts and riders plus the sampler option of one random rider with beast.  This sampler option exists across the whole 150 packs of the range meaning skirmish gaming is very easy to achieve.




The new codes are:

HOT143 Terrorsaur Flying Creature (2)

HOT144 Savage Lizardmen Flying Blades (4)

HOT145 Savage Lizardmen Flying Warband (4)

HOT146 Savage Lizardmen Flying Bows (4)

The Terrorsaur will fit any human sized rider who is suitable for a horse as the sitting position can be high or low on the beast's neck.  Lots more pictures on the website from different angles.

Here is a scale shot of example Savage Lizardmen from the HOT133 Lizardman Behemoth to the HOT128 Lizard Ogre and then the warrior cavalry, flyer and on foot so you can see how they all work together.  There is a lot of choice now with eighteen different packs in the army.

UM002 USEME 15mm High Fantasy

This set of super simple rules gives you all you need for generic fantasy skirmish and mass battle with any miniatures.  In print and as digital download too if you want it instantly.  Read about what it has including 'between games' and 'magic system' too.  One of more than a dozen different titles in the USEME range.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Wednesday 9 November 2022

Sengoku 15mm Japanese Fantasy new Tanuki and rules too

Now released new miniatures for the mightiest range of fantasy creatures and humans in a mythical Japanese setting that there is!  The beginning of the next wave starts here with a couple of rather odd and collectable Tanuki.

As with the rest of the range every miniature can be had as a single and also as a pack with a small saving plus the excellent value Sengoku Sets which allow you to save more and get everything from each wave of releases in one place.  These codes as SGF205, SGF206 and SGFP58.

There are now more than two hundred different miniatures in the range almost all sculpted by John Bell includes these latest additions.  Here are rules for you to make use them in Sengoku Monster Hunter.

SGF205 Tsuitate Tanuki

The Tsuitate Tanuki acts as other Tanuki do in your game of Monster Hunter and should be allocated its Monster Marker as given.  It has the same game stats for a Tanuki as found on page 37 of the core game book.  When in play it is stationary and will not move but it does have a special ability.  Due to the elaborate portable partition it sits upon it may roll 1 d6 dice upon its activation and on a result of 6 another Tanuki emerges from behind the screen.  This is a typical warrior type armed with a club or a bow.  This continues until the monster is removed from play.

SGF206  Tanuki Rickshaw Cart

The Tanuki Rickshaw Cart is a special item in your game of Monster Hunter.  Allocate it a Monster Marker as normal.  The Tanuki pulling has the game stats for a a Tanuki as given on page 37 of the core game book but it is unarmed.  It has a rickshaw cart and will not abandon it for any reason.  When removed from play the cart also vanishes from play.  Any roughly human sized monster within 3cm of the cart may elect to enter it and then the cart will move 10cm in a chosen direction.  The monster may then leave the cart and act normally as it has not taken its action. The cart may hold only one passenger at a time.

If you wish to get in on making a name for yourself as a Guild Hunter in the excellent rules for one to four or solo play by Steve Danes then check out the Sengoku range where you will find two titles.  Sengoku Monster Hunter the core game book with all you need to play and Rampage its expansion which adds a lot to the game.  Both are in print and cheaper as paid digital downloads.

Those looking to start in the game are recommended to purchase the core book as well as SGFP1 Sengoku Set 1 and SGFP33 Guild Hunters along with a pack of SGFP32 Sengoku Monster Hunter Tokens.  These codes give all you need to play and act as a jump off point too.

Thank you for Reading,

GBS

Monday 7 November 2022

Lemurian Legio new packs join this exotic HOF 15mm army

The Legios of the Lemurians are their primary military force.  The ancient masters of Atlantis of whom of seven now live saw to it that their mighty science placed gene bred lion folk put in place as their protectors.  Against all foes the Legios march and wield their war glaives as well as bows and energy weapons made of resonance crystal.  Only the finest warriors leave the hunting packs to join the Legios where training and armour make them a match for any terrors arcane or of science.  Atlantis stands while the Legios guard it.

From the mind of wargamer and long time hobby creator Fred Richards comes the second stage of an entire new army within the HOF 15mm Science Fiction range.  A force which is equally at home in a fantasy setting and is far from the typical space opera or near future fare.  Across the rest of this year and into 2023 the Lemurians a race of lion folk will have an array of infantry as well as characters, leaders, small vehicles and more.  We follow the initial five packs with four more here. As normal you can have a pack or single poses from within it as with the rest the now more than 180 packs in the range.




As you can see Lemurians who operate in the Leonid Legions are taller and more graceful than a Human.  Natural hunters.  As such it is the females of their race who make up Hunting Parties while the males and females are both in the armoured legions.  As the army expands it will all be held in the range on the LEMURIAN tag for easy finding.  

Lemurians carry a variety of weapons.  They excel in the use of the glaive a war spear and they have 'firearms' which are formed of Atlantian Crystal which is also found in their floating war and guardian crystals.  Hunting parties are the core skirmish level of their warriors.

We hope you enjoyed our brand new race and the expansion of their army. 

Thanks for Reading,

GBS