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.

Thursday 24 August 2023

FL30 Human Hirelings 28mm fantasy new release pack and singles

"To the tavern go and take your coin with you.  While the glory and fame comes to those who seek adventure it does not do to allow your own life to be at risk.  Hirelings is what you want my lord.  Yes those men who will accept payment for going first into the fray.  Use their blades, their shields, their wits and their blood to further your cause.  No one will mind...there are always more Hirelings."

Our last new release for August gives you four 28mm scale metal miniatures ideal for any game system added to our Knights and Footsoldiers collection.  Fl30 Human Hirelings each with separate arms for a degree of posing. In the dungeon above they face out from 54502G Campfire against whatever monster comes their way….

As well as a pack with a saving each of these fine fellows can be had as a single miniature.  Ruben with his greatsword on his shoulder, Recene guard up with sword and shield, Zeno in his helmet advancing and the most handsome Cullen with axe and dagger at the ready.  See them battling against VNT48 Rock Monster which has been terrorising the simple farmers.

Perhaps the Hirelings are in the pay of the Dwarves? In the frozen wastes of the north FM19 Storm Giant (from the Asgard 1980’s Fantasy Range) is laying waste to the golden halls.  DH18 Mountain Dwarf Hero (free in all shipped orders until end of August 2023) has given the four coin and now the five are fit for a test of arms.

FL30 Human Hirelings (Value Pack of Four with Saving)

FL30-01 Ruben the Hireling 

FL30-02 Recene the Hireling 

FL30-03 Zeno the Hireling 

FL30-04 Cullen the Hireling 

A scale comparison between Ruben and the DH18 Mountain Dwarf Hero as you can see they go well together.

Thank you for your attention and see you all in September for a very different themed month...

Tuesday 22 August 2023

Psycoborgs Terror Robots remastered for 28mm Ion Age

“The Shia Khan Empire is, despite its ancient age and mighty power, not a sophisticated enemy on most battlefields. It is surmised that this and their apparent lack of interest in the value of life is down simply to having such endless resources at their disposal. Able to throw the lives of their soldiers away without care they can just send more to the flesh grinder of war. So the presence of robots in the ranks of the Legions was a surprise to Prydian commanders. A most unwelcome surprise as it became clear that the purpose of the robots was to inspire terror in and then exterminate Humans.

Dubbed Psycoborgs due to their appearance, some two to three times the height of a Human and man-like in construction. Their heads being like a skull and one arm mounting a support grade weapon they also could quite literally inspire terror. An unknown technology radiates from each robot and makes concentration and bravery exceptionally hard for regular troops and challenging even for Retained Knights. Psycoborgs operate either as single hunters in low intensity combat zones also aiding the conversion of Human Betrayers or as small groups typically of three robots within a platoon. Betrayers never act alongside these robots and Maligs rarely to do so. Legionaries and others seem unconcerned by their terror inspiring abilities. They are incapable of command and are given their programme by their commander in the field.” - IAB03 The Khanate Return an expansion for Patrol Angis


Now remastered and returned to the expanding 28mm Ion Age science fiction range (over 230 poses) 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 Beotans Lyconthropes who rely on savagery and sheer numbers or the Legionaries who make use of skill these robots are silent in their actions.



See these along with the Malig Goblinoids, the Legionaries, the Nox and others in the range all under SHIA KHAN as value packs, saver platoons and single miniatures for the first time.


If you are 15mm player and a fan of Patrol Angis you will already know of IAF134 Psycoborgs which were inspired by the larger scale and are a pack of six or a single miniature.  Rules for these aliens exist in The Khanate Return book.

Thanks for Reading!

Friday 18 August 2023

VNT42 Lord Ruza on Great Wyvern Kildane and also on Horse

“I would not have thought it possible but then none of us had ever seen a warlord like Ruza before. He had united the northern tribes with a sword dripping with our blood and though we offered him the choice of our finest steeds he refused. To him it was majesty more than anything which mattered. Power was firstly in the eye of the beholder and to look upon him in battle was to bring not only fear but abject terror. To win the battle before a blow was struck that was what our lord wanted. To achieve this he lured the Wyvern Kildane from its lofty perch among the peaks with raiding parties of our warriors. The beast ate hundreds of our number as our lord learned its ways and its nature. When the time came he captured it. I swear none of us know how but in word and deed the wyvern knelt and allowed itself to be climbed and then saddled. 

Now we march behind Ruza and the Orcs flee and the Dwarves piss themselves. Our lord makes the kill and then his beast consumes it. A partnership which suits them and us too. We are rich with the plunder of a dozen peoples!” - Caltus Mac Drow.

VNT42 Lord Ruza with Lance on great Wyvern Kildane: This monster with rider contains one high quality grey tone resin very large monster kit in 28mm scale (five parts being body, head, left wing, right wing & base) as well as a metal rider (Ruza, a Chaotic allied Human in elaborate plate armour) with a two piece saddle as well as a lance tip and lance end cap in metal. Also supplied is a length of brass rod for the shaft of the lance and two lengths of brass chain to allow Lord Ruza to control Kildane.

When built this winged monster with its rider stands at 160mm tall with a wingspan of 200mm . The Wyvern (which is VNT33 Kildane) is supplied in five parts with an integral base making it super easy to assemble and rugged for wargame use. The head is outfitted with harness and mount points for chain. A great centre piece for your 28mm high fantasy army. 

A Monster Suitable for any fantasy wargame system. 

By popular request there is a less grand version of Lord Ruza which is the same rider but mounted on an armoured horse with a shorter lance.  This is code VNT42A and has also been restored to the range on the website.  A fine general for your force.

DH18 Mountain Dwarf Hero:  A one piece resin 28mm scale miniature.  A leader for your Mountain Dwarf Warband and ideal to combine with DH16 Mountain Dwarfs and DH17 Mountain Dwarf Champions.  You will get this miniature free in your package from us (no digital download orders only sorry) at the rate of one per order until 1st September 2023.  No limit on the number of orders and you can also purchase this miniature as normal and you will still get one free in the package.

Thanks for Reading!

Thursday 17 August 2023

Asgard FM Fantasy Range 1980's sixth round last part: Critters

This Fantasy Month at Alternative Armies sees a free Mountain Dwarf Hero in every shipped order until 1st September as well as the entire sixth round of returned to the world Asgard FM miniatures. Sculpted by legends such as Nick Bibby, Jez Goodwin, Tony Ackland, Stan Pochron, Steve Tricket among others. 

This is the final part of the sixth round with all of the month’s restored now with pictures on the website. 





Critters for your tabletop or your dungeon. Spiders, Tick, Frog and Rat all sculpted by Nick Bibby.

Until 1st of September 2023 the Asgard FM Fantasy Range has 20% off every code in its collection. This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total. This discount applies on top of any shown reduction. An excellent time to consider one of the largest metal models we make the fantastic D6 Dragon Lizard Juggernaut (110mm long) which was also sculpted by Nick Bibby.

Thank you for your time and attention. 

GBS (Gavin Syme - Manager)

Tuesday 15 August 2023

FM66 Large Troll by Nick Bibby restored Asgard FM Range

Trolls are great foes and monsters for the gaming table and this excellent example from the 1980’s has now joined the others on the Alternative Armies website. Sculpted by Nick Bibby for Asgard Miniatures and part of the sixth round of restoration releases for the FM Range this metal miniature works in any scale. Well suited to 28mm use but also 15mm scale as a giant troll and 6mm scale as a suitably titanic one. 
 

FM66 Large Troll stands 45mm tall in total height and is armed with a long handled stone hammer. 
 
 
As you can see it is a fine menace for this month’s free DH18 Mountain Dwarf Hero miniature and could perhaps face off against many Dwarfs at the time time. Even a Troll deserves a girlfriend and this fellow is no exception...an interesting tabletop pairing with FM72 Female Troll also sculpted by Nick Bibby. 
 
Thanks for Reading!

Monday 14 August 2023

Asgard FM Fantasy Range 1980's returns sixth round: Monsters

Fantasy Month at Alternative Armies sees a free Mountain Dwarf Hero in every shipped order until 1st September as well as the entire sixth round of returned to the world Asgard FM miniatures. Sculpted by legends such as Nick Bibby, Jez Goodwin, Tony Ackland, Stan Pochron, Steve Tricket among others.

You can see the whole range nearing ninety five returned and we have a page just for Nick Bibby's work at Asgard HERE by request as well as the fantastic Dragon (now in resin) by Nick Bibby HERE.




Monsters come in many forms and this time the restored codes were all sculpted by Nick Bibby.

Our Dwarfish Hosts collection contains over 70 poses ranging from the mighty DH15 Dwarf Runic Golem to Dwarf Warriors, Shield Wall, Beserkers, Blunderbusses, Command, Adventurers, Bombard and Crew plus Gnomes and Fnorr the Big Un a demi giant. Until 1st of September 2023 the Dwarfish Hosts has 20% off every code in its collection. This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total.  This discount applies on top of any shown reduction.  

Until 1st of September 2023 the Asgard FM Fantasy Range has 20% off every code in its collection.  This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total.  This discount applies on top of any shown reduction.  

Thank you for your time and attention.

GBS (Gavin Syme - Manager)

Friday 11 August 2023

VNT33 The Wyvern Kildane returns a huge monster 200mm wingspan

“Swords drawn and pennants fluttering in the breeze the knights were assembled for battle.  They had rode and strode forth that morning their hearts strong for the killing of the beast.  Their lances and swords would put an end to the tyranny of the creature known as Kildane. Time passed and the sun moved across the sky and just as they thought the day to be without the prize the Wyvern came to them.  High up in the air a shadow crossed the glare of the sun.  A shadow that was large, far larger than they had expected.  As one they looked up....they saw their deaths there in the sky, wings spread and teeth as long as a man's arm."- The tale of Sir Alfred the only survivor of the Wyvern Kildane. 

In our Monsters and Creatures collection

VNT33 The Wyvern Kildane: One of our biggest models ever a high quality resin monster kit. When built this mighty wyvern stands at 160mm tall (to the wing top) with a wingspan of 200mm. Kit supplied in five parts being body, feet and base, head, left wing, right wing making it super easy to assemble and rugged for wargame table use. Also included is a Human Knight with great sword for free (FL12-05) in metal. 

Suitable for any fantasy wargame system. Assembly required and supplied unpainted.  Sculpted by Sam Croes.

If you liked the look of the free 28mm miniature included free with the Wyvern then it is one pose of five from FL12 Men at Arms (FL12-05) (pack or singles) and there is loads to choose from in the Knights and Footsoldiers collection on the website from which it comes.  Have you ever seen a flying moose with a knight atop it?

Later in the month the mighty Wyvern Kildane will appear once more in his guise as a mount for Lord Ruza so watch out for that (VNT42). 

Thanks for your time!

Wednesday 9 August 2023

Asgard FM Fantasy Range 1980's returns sixth round: Undead

This Fantasy Month at Alternative Armies sees a free Mountain Dwarf Hero in every shipped order until 1st September as well as the entire sixth round of returned to the world Asgard FM miniatures. Sculpted by legends such as Nick Bibby, Jez Goodwin, Tony Ackland, Stan Pochron, Steve Tricket among others there are a total of fifteen codes now on the website returned (images of all by month's end) adding to the full half of the range already there. 

You can see the whole range nearing ninety five returned HERE and we have a page just for Nick Bibby's work at Asgard HERE by request as well as the page for the fantastic NB1 Dragon by Nick Bibby HERE.



Undead is the theme here with three 28mm scale evil aligned miniatures now back!

Our Dwarfish Hosts collection contains over 70 poses ranging from the mighty DH15 Dwarf Runic Golem to Dwarf Warriors, Shield Wall, Beserkers, Blunderbusses, Command, Adventurers, Bombard and Crew plus Gnomes and Fnorr the Big Un a demi giant Until 1st of September 2023 the Dwarfish Hosts has 20% off every code in its collection.  This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total by 20%. This discount applies on top of any shown reduction.  

Until 1st of September 2023 the Asgard FM Fantasy Range has 20% off every code in its collection.  This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total by 20%. This discount applies on top of any shown reduction.  

Thank you for your time and attention.

GBS (Gavin Syme - Manager)

Monday 7 August 2023

Beotan Lycanthropes remastered for 28mm Ion Age

“Who would have thought that out here in the darkness, in the vastness of space, that creatures of our long gone ancestors nightmares would turn out to be real. I never did but then I have seen a lot since arriving in the Camarthen Cluster two years ago. Aliens who want our worlds; hell not just our worlds. They want us too. Brought to their heel or dead or worse. I ended up in the tundra so at least I was spared the lizards but here there are teeth..lots of teeth. My armour has their marks upon it and I do not have them repaired or painted over. Memory helps me survive. I will have to face them again. Werewolves...real ones.” 
Muster Trooper, South of Gadda, Southern Wastes, Camarthen Prime 4332 IC 


Now remastered and returned to the expanding 28mm Ion Age science fiction range (over 230 poses) are the original two Beotan Lycanthropes. At 40mm tall these metal savage slaves of the Khanate are terror troops used (much like the Psycoborgs) to break the will of Humanity to resist the Legions. Shown with IA152 Female Betayer Alpha as the Humans who side with the Shia Khan are often at the mercy of the Beotans. 



See these along with the Malig Goblinoids, the Legionaries, the Nox and others in the range all under SHIA KHAN as value packs, saver platoons and single miniatures for the first time. 



If you are a fan of Patrol Angis you will already know of the Beotan Werewolves as they exist as a full thirty three poses in the 15mm Ion Age range. In fact if you puchase the IAFP12 Beotan Ordos you get the unique miniature free included. Rules for these aliens exist in The Khanate Return book

 Later in this month we will restore the two 28mm scale Psycoborgs to the website with brand new photos. Watch out for that! 

 Thanks for Reading, 

 GBS  (Gavin Syme)

Tuesday 1 August 2023

Fantasy Month and free new Mountain Dwarf Hero 28mm in all August orders

Welcome to the middle of 2023 and a month all about High Fantasy.  Following on from the Flintloque event this Fantasy month every order shipped out from us in August will automatically get the new DH18 Mountain Dwarf Hero miniature included for free. 

On top of this a whole wave of restored Asgard FM Range Fantasy creatures are once more back in the world.  After several years away from the website the massive monster called the Wyvern Kildane has been put back into production with a free knight and as the mount for chaotic Lord Ruza too. 

A brand new pack FL30 Human Hirelings is in our Knights and Footsoldiers collection.  Also as single miniatures too on the website.

DH18 Mountain Dwarf Hero: One piece resin 28mm scale miniature. A leader for your Mountain Dwarf Warband and ideal to combine with DH16 Mountain Dwarfs and DH17 Mountain Dwarf Champions. You will get this miniature free in your package from us (no digital download orders only sorry) at the rate of one per order.  No limit on the number of orders and you can also purchase this miniature as normal and you will still get one free in the package.

The Mountain Dwarfs are clad in furs and armour and used to fighting in the deep places or in the snows of the highest peaks.  Stand them against your Goblins, Orcs and evil denizens.  Our Dwarfish Hosts collection contains over 70 poses ranging from the mighty DH15 Dwarf Runic Golem to Dwarf Warriors, Shield Wall, Bezerkers, Blunderbusses, Command, Adventurers, Bombard and Crew plus Gnomes and Fnorr the Big Un a demi giant.  There are also two different Dwarf Multitudes each containing a mass of miniatures with a saving or with the Runic Golem for free.  Until 1st of September 2023 the Dwarfish Hosts has 20% off every code in its collection.  This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total by 20%.  This discount applies on top of any shown reduction.  





We are hard at work restoring the Asgard and Tabletop classic ranges and while ranges like Laserburn, the Torture Chamber and Jez Goodwins Barbarians are complete we are more than half way through the Asgard FM Fantasy Monsters range.  This month the below have been brought back to the world and are on the website.  Covering Undead, Trolls, Creatures and more.  Until 1st of September 2023 the Asgard FM Fantasy Range has 20% off every code in its collection.  This discount is not on screen but it is applied automatically at checkout where it will appear on screen reducing your total by 20%.  This discount applies on top of any shown reduction.  

FM51 Wight       FM73 Zombie      FM68 Necromorph

FM58 Wyvern with Lizardman      FM64 Land Dragon and Lizardman

FM66 Large Troll      FM63 Ogre     FM71V2 BugBear

FM72 Female Troll    FM79 Grendel     FM62 Tick

FM67 Large Frog   FM75 Huge Spider FM77 Large Spider

FM78 Medium Rat

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VNT33 The Wyvern Kildane with free 28mm Knight.  One of our largest monsters and purposely sculpted for tabletop use being very dutable.  Swoop in on it today!


VNT42 Lord Ruza on the Wyvern Kilane and VNT42A Lord Ruza on Horse both return as leaders of your entire army!

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We also have more new pictures of the excellent brush work of Studio Maxi Costales as he tackles fantasy miniatures with further characters from the Fantasy Warlord Range which are now remolded.


Lastly we have restored four of the largest metal models of the 28mm scale Ion Age range.  The return of the Lycanthrops and the Psycoborgs to the Shia Khan Empire.

Thanks for Reading and see you in September!

GBS  (Gavin Syme – Creative Manager)