SHM111 Farfield and Mauser new 15mm release

“Mercenaries and privateers, Farfield and Mauser fight wherever there is profit to be found. When not under contract, they ply the space lanes in their twin ships, smuggling and seeking out opportunity. The two seem an unlikely pairing: Farfield the burly, brooding barbarian from a backwater star system, and Mauser the small, impish rascal from a metropolis-planet, wrapped in a Chameleon stealth-cloak. But each of the rogues complements the other's skills, and goads the other to ever more daring feats. Commanding their two crews of star-borne buccaneers, the two wandering sword masters seek adventure, whatever side it may come from.”

The SHM (Self Help Miniatures) Range expands today with a new aspiring sculptor’s first molded miniatures.  Two 15mm scale characters sculpted by Ed Willems great for your sci-fi table.  See the whole range of over one hundred codes of aliens, robots, humans, creatures, vehicles and more.  Rather odd and unique.

SHM111 Farfield and Mauser:  This pack contains two different 15mm scale metal miniatures which are supplied unpainted and without bases.

Alternative Armies likes to foster talent and interest and to that end back in 2008 we created the SHM idea. 'Self Help Miniatures' are designed by aspiring sculpters who in return for giving their creations to us to get into the hobby and gain experience. As a result a dozen designers have submitted designs to the SHM Range. If you are keen on seeing what it takes to get into this send us an email on sales@alternative-armies.com with your idea.

Have a browse for unique miniatures that otherwise would likely not exist. Designers in the SHM Range include: Sergio Gonzalez, Eli Arndt, Steve Hazuka, Fjodin (Nick Kondratov), Rob Alderman, Elton Waters, Jeff Worley, Hugh Bannerman, Layton Fellows, Eve Hallow, Tom Dee, Christian Cuello, Craig Armstrong and Will Grundy.  The range also includes Richard Smith’s entire Star Viking array of miniatures.

This is our last general new release before we announce the overhaul and upgrading of our website and our news site as well but more on this next week plus the next new free in all orders code...

Thanks for your Time.

3D Roleplay Con V 2025 the After Action Report

The fifth annual 3D Roleplay Convention took place over the weekend of 4th May 2025 and was a roaring success!  Alternative Armies sponsored again this year with prizes for the winners on the day from our 28mm Monsters and Creatures range. Here is organiser Hank’s account of the event.  If you have a tournament or convention and would like to ask us about sponsoring please make contact by email on sales@alternative-armies.com and tell us about it.  We have a budget set aside for this.  Take it away Hank and count us in for next time!

Saturday morning started bright & early with several volunteers getting up & converging upon the Peninsula Odd Fellows Lodge to set up nearly 20 large gaming tables. The terrain was set, armies unpacked & dice ready to roll as convention goers poured in around 9AM. Friends old & new arrived & we kicked off the convention with two fantastic games, Kryomek & Man O' War respectively. Early in the game of Man O' War, an Imperial great ship was set ablaze from stern to mast and an epic wizard battle ensued. Powerful greatships & other nautical war machines battled over the next four hours, with many shouts & laments on how the battle proceeded. 

Kryomek saw the Nexus marines make an impressive breach into an infested colony on planet Orion III, driving back the initial alien enemies as they emerged from the colony. The marines were able to immobilize a kryomek tank positioned on the northwest ridge, though it could still fire. Things started to go wrong for the marines as their Nexus battle tank fell to an alien bio-acid weapon wielded by the warmaster. Several helions then closed on the eastern group of marines & were able to drive the human menace back. By the end of turn 6, the marines were scattered & had not destroyed any kryomek eggs or rescued any colonists. So, the game ultimately went to the alien player.

From there, a hybrid WFRP 1st edition & WFB 3rd Edition game called "Dawn of the Golden Spawn" started & several players were tasked with Slaan warbands navigating their way during the spawning rituals as they witnessed the hatching of the sacred spawning of the cycle. Concurrently, a game of 54mm Inquisitor took place & folks seemed to really enjoy themselves. 

In the afternoon, there were lots more games played: some RPG's such as Shadowrun and other wargames like Rogue Trader with the "Battle at the Farm" classic scenario. There was also some WFB 2nd edition with the classic scenario "Terror of the Lichemaster", which was really fun. There was a tunnel mining siege game called "Sapper" that used the Siege rules supplement for WFB 3rd edition. Then, we had a local game creator demo his game Rumpus which folks spoke very highly of after playing. We ended Saturday with one of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay's first one-shots called "The Black Knight" from an old Dragon Magazine issue. We capped off the first day with a great session at the local watering hole. Many beers were had & new friendships made!

(Rogue Trader era Space Marines led by 28mm Ion Age metal miniature IA001 Retained Knight)

The second day of the convention was more relaxed & people played several pick-up games throughout the morning. Folks played an original scenario by one of the GM's of WFRP called "The Red Baths" which was visually and narratively stunning. Then, the massive centerpiece of WFB 1st Edition, "Ziggurat of Doom" took everyone's attention as dwarves battled goblin hordes in a last stand on an ancient ziggurat. One of the best looking tables of the convention! Finally, there was another session of "Sapper" & then a glorious session of MERP (Middle Earth Roleplay) from the 80's I.C.E. edition. High-powered minions of Mordor duked it out with a demi-god like wizard and colossal snake in the northern moores. 

All & all, 3DR Con V was a massive success. So many friends, laughs, and unforgettable gaming experiences. Everyone is talking about next year's con already!

Not Your Usual Flying Circus by Just Needs Varnish blog

It is not often that something takes us by surprise (the big Scottish spring storm of this year aside!) but when we were contacted by Just Needs Varnish Blog to show us an article he had published we were!  A flying circus indeed!  You can read the whole article on his blog where he takes a dozen Octopod Racers (HOF110) from the HOF 15mm Science Fiction Range and converts them into Steampunk or Weird War One flyers. Lovely work and a cool read too.

Sculpted in the main by Elton Waters the Octopods are an army within the HOF Range comprising infantry, casualties, jet bike and the jet flyer too.  Just as with the Rim Mercs, Cultists, Post Apoc Warriors among others the Octopods have a platoon pack ideal for skirmishing with a saving.

If you have painted, converted or diorama set any of our miniatures or written scenarios for our rule systems such as USE ME and would like to show us and perhaps be featured like this please email on sales@alternative-armies.com.  We would love to hear from you.

Thanks for your Time.

Lincombe Barn HOTT Tournament 2025 sponsored by Alternative Armies

We are delighted to announce our sponsorship and prizes given to Bristol Wargaming Club in England for their annual Hordes of the Things (HOTT) tournament. BarnHotT 2025! The event happens on Sunday 15th June 2025 and its a small 15mm scale friendly event with an entry free and free food for those playing too.  Read more and get involved on their WEBSITE.  Good luck to everyone on the day.

Alternative Armies has a huge array of suitable Fantasy miniatures in the HOT 15mm Range (HOT154 Skeleton Giant above) as well as the classic Tabletop Games 15mm Fantasy Range not to mention the mighty Sengoku 15mm Japanese Fantasy Range and our HOB 15mm Buildings.  

We also have over twenty different pre-made HOTT 2nd Edition 24AP Armies each of which comes with all needed element bases included for free.  Above is HOTT1001 High Elf Army.

Recently restored a true 1980’s classic monster F24 Seven Headed Hydra which is a very different take on this legendary foe to our own HOT35 Giant Hydra.

If you run an event and would like to ask about our sponsoring of it with prizes please contact us on sales@alternative-armies.com with its details and we will be in touch.

Thanks for your time.

Fomorian Axe Warriors new for 28mm Erin Celtic Mythology

“The true and original inhabitants of Erin are the Fomorians or the Fomori as they call themselves. Though other Peoples would debate this claim it is true that their remote ancestors battled the Partholan and were perhaps created by the Ancient Craft that raised Erin from the primordial black seas. The Fomori inhabit the cold seas and have many rocky enclaves of the coasts and roughly build stone fortifications inland; they even have a few Crystal Towers left from the times of Culach and his successors. 

A Fomori is a creature of the cold waters and though they stand from three feet to near twelve feet in height, with a normal Warrior being about six foot, they all have wet, scaly and blotched leathery skins.  The Sea Devils, or Helpers of the Fomori, are the smallest and weakest of their Peoples and the mighty Champions of the Fomori are the largest.  A typical Warrior will go to battle near naked armed with his teeth and sharp fingers carrying perhaps an iron sword or a spear and a poorly constructed shield. 

Lofty ideals form no part of the Fomori soul. They war for very simple reasons: conquest, cruelty, and avarice.  Their plans are evil and darkness embodied, none walk the coastal paths without one eye on the foaming waters of the cold sea.” - From Erin the game of Celtic Myth (2005) 

The original Fomorian Warriors (CM13 and CM16) in the Erin Celtic Myth range are 30 year old classics and have been remolded several times since.  We are proud today to announce the first of many coming new Fomorian Warriors!  Three new 28mm metal miniatures sculpted by Sam Croes. These three have as with EVERY other code in the range been added to the All of Erin Bundle which gives you everything in the range with a 5% saving built in.  The last new release of the Spring Mega Event 2025.

The new codes are:

CM33-01 Fomorian Warrior axe raised

CM33-02 Fomorian Warrior axe and shield

CM33-03 Fomorian Warrior two handed axe

The warriors of Fomor are bigger than Pucci but smaller than their Champions and Heroes.  They out bulk a Man but look puny next to Morc of Chicol the monster.

Every miniature in the range is a single and alongside this we have five different Warbands which give a force with a saving. A hero, champion and warriors.  Choose from Fomorian (above) or Pucci along with Sidhe, Firbolg and Milesian.

Thanks and may the gods be kind to you.

Skeletov Cossacks new for Flintloque and Slaughterloo

Like a cloud of glittering snowflakes the cossack riders of the Dark Czar hound the Grande Armee du Norde circling ever around its trudging troops.  Skeletons and Zombies drawn from all over the vastness of the Witchlands dressed in a multitude of colours and atop silent dead mounts. The Skeletov Cossacks are numerous and remorseless on the battlefield sweeping in on isolated groups and putting them to the sword.  They are hunters and chasers. 

New releases for Flintloque and Slaughterloo who take the side of the Undead of the Witchlands.  The new Skeletal Cossacks follow up on the Moskova Volunteers expanding the ranks as we move towards an entire new division of the dead to oppose the Emperor Mordred and his Elves.

55524 Skeletov Cossacks:  This code contains five different 28mm scale metal Skeletal riders and five Skeletal Horses.  Dressed in robes these Cossacks of the Donne are armed with curved sabres with bone hilts.  An officer with pistol, musician with horn, standard bearer with pole and two poses of trooper.  The horses are supplied with two pieces (55524H) easily assembled. As with all larger codes you can choose from the set of five riders with five horses or a unit of ten with a saving or a single pose with horse. Supplied with our resin cartouche style bases.

A horse made of nothing but animated bone? Indeed.  You can purchase 55524H Skeletal Horse (as used by 55524) on its own.  A two part metal miniature of two halves which fit together giving a hollow rib cage. Saddled and will fit most Human sized horse riders. Now in our Battlefield Bits Range with many other mounts and other useful things.

An article will come in late May 2025 which will give Flintloque and Slaughterloo game rules for these new cavalry of the Dark Czar.  It will also feature a Flintloque scenario set in the Witchlands which sees a patrol of Elf Dragoons ambushed by Skeletov Cossacks.  This will be a free article and download.

Get started with Flintloque or expand your collection with characters using 5024 Escape the Dark Czar beginners set which comes with rules and scenarios booklet as well as ten resin miniatures with bases and dice.  An ideal core to start you.

Here is a line up of a 55508 Zombie Line Infantry with musket next to a new Skeletal Cossack and one of the mounted Zombie Cuirassiers from 5024.

The 'volunteers' of the charnel city of Moskova and other places of the Witchlands. Often effective when used en-masse the Skeletons of the Moskova Volunteers are poor troops but they are effective against lesser enemies such as Militia or Landwehr.  Choose from packs 55028,55029,55030,55031 and 55032 (with single choices within them) or 55523 Moskova Volunteers a mighty 28 miniature unit with saving.  

Thanks for your time.

Malig Gun Team and Grima Controller Team new 28mm Ion Age

“The feral hatred the Maligs have for our combat robots is something to behold.  A Goblinoid must know; must realise, that it is a machine they are facing and so it is incapable or malice or returning their enmity.  Even so I have seen them try to stab, hack and saw at a Grima in hand to hand combat in the way they tackle a man. With venom.  Is it their nature?  Or is it something the Khanate have done to them?” - Major Kal Winter, 873rd Regiment of Prydia.  4346IC.

The last new 28mm and Ion Age releases of the Spring Mega Event 2025 are here!  As asked for by IonFans a Malig Goblin Gun Team and a secondary gun team for the Planetary Militia and Combat Robots.  These follow up on the new 28mm scale Retained Bike and Bike Base from the start of April. Visit the 28mm Ion Age Range or search by code or by ‘filter tag’ among the now near 300 poses.  Above you see the new gun teams servicing Portable Weapon Platforms.

IB91 Malig Gun Team.  Two new poses as a value pack or as singles codes IA285 and IA286.  See all the Maligs on the website.

IB98 Grima Gun Control Team.  Three new miniatures (including an Ammo Box) as a value pack or single codes IA283 and IA284. The controller overseer for IB96 Grima Gun Team and they can be used for other purposes too with the Planetary Militia.  See the Grima Combat Robots on the website.

Our expansion of the 28mm Ion Age Range continues apace and we want to thank you all for your custom and support.  Soon we hope to pass three hundred poses.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for your time.