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 August 2014

56601 Finkelstein Dogman Division Special Offer!

THE CONFEDERATION OF FINKLESTEIN
A MULTITUDE OF TINY STATES

Perhaps the greatest allies of the Ferach Elves can be found among the member States, Duchies and Principalities of the Confederation of Finklestein. A mixture of Dwarves, Ogres and Dogs inhabit this vast area, and the Ferach Emperor has called upon all of them to serve in the fight against his enemies. They have answered this call to arms in droves, swelling the ranks of the Ferach force and securing the front in embattled Krautia against their former friends in the now defunct Krautan League. The Confederation is a loose collection of over one hundred Stattes, or kingdoms, some of these have power others are comic opera baronies who command little more than a few fields and some cattle.

Many of these small states are inhabited by Dogmen who make up about a third of the total region's population. Finklestein Dogmen make fine soldiers and appear in many different uniforms. In fact it is one of the most fertile places on Valon for the creation of a personal army!

We have brand new pictures of one of our favourite and most popular Slaughterloo Divisional Army Packs now on our website. This will allow you to see just what is in this whole army (which can also be broken down and made into a dozen or so Flintloque sections) with a divisional picture and pictures of each part of it too. But that is not all!




Alternative Armies has an offer on the 56601 Finklestein Dogman Division where you can save not only 18% off the list price of all the constituent units when bought separately but also a FREE set of 56537 Dogmen Engineers worth 14.00GBP included automatically in the division box when purchased. Excellent! You can see the Finklestein Division HERE. Total worth is 209.88GBP and price is 166.00GBP including free worldwide shipping.

Pro-Painted and Based Divisional Offer

If you are a fan of our pro-painted miniatures then we can make an extra offer to you. On our pro-painted stock page on the website we have the actual Dogman Division which features in the new pictures for sale. It offers the same saving of 18% off list price AND it has a painted and based set of 56537 Dogmen Engineers worth 25.00GBP included free! This is the exact division which you will be purchasing and there is only one in stock which comes with free unit flags as pictured worth about 20.00GBP too. First come first served. Total worth painted and based as seen is 540.60GBP and price is 420.00GBP including free worldwide shipping. You can see it HERE.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

OH2 Hob Goblin Raiders at Alternative Armies


“Keep your stout wooden doors locked and make sure the iron of the bars that criss cross your windows is strong for raiders come in the mornings dawn to carry away your precious things.  Breaking down the doors they will take your coin and your finest clothes. Howling they will make threats in a tongue on Man can make sense of. Tearing through the windows and their rusted bars they will take your offspring and your wenches.  All for the same end.  The slave markets of the far off hot lands.  Leering orange skinned goblinoids have no honour but they know greed and they know skill.  Fear the Hob Goblin Raiders!”

This code contains five different 25mm/28mm white metal miniatures approx 20mm to 25mm average height. Great quality, great choice and great value too.  Go HERE.

Poses in this code are as follows:

OH2-01: Hob Goblin walking with Spiked Club.
OH2-02: Hob Goblin ducking and leering with Shield and Axe.
OH2-03: Hob Goblin with raised Sword and Shield.
OH2-04: Hob Goblin in horned helm with Sword and Shield.
OH2-05: Hob Goblin with long curved Sword.


These miniatures are not supplied with bases and are supplied unpainted. Select your choice from the drop down product menu.  Choose from a pack, three packs with a 10% saving applied and single miniatures.  Total choice!  Assembly is required with some white metal miniatures.

The Alternative Armies classic high fantasy range dates from the period of the early 1990's through to the end of that decade.  Designed by leading names in the wargaming industry and highly successful in its day this range has been on hiatus.  Alternative Armies, under the name 'Project Darkhelm' is dedicated to re-mastering, re-molding and re-releasing this entire range back onto the market.  We will be doing this work at a measured pace and a weekly rate maintaining high quality and excellent pricing. During and beyond this process Project Darkhelm will see the range continue to be expanded in the mediums of white metal and high grade resin using top industry designers in new releases.  Every pose in each pack is unique with no duplicates making them perfect for skirmish wargaming, roleplaying and unit building for any battle system. 

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Friday 22 August 2014

A Flintloque and Reaction System Rules Supplement by Bob Minadeo

Combining Alternative Armies' Flintloque with THW's Chain Reaction 3.1: Final Edition and their Napoleonic Supplement, 95th.

CLICK HERE to download the PDF free

An Introduction taken from Orcs in the Webbe written by Craig Andrews:

95th is a game of rollicking skirmishes in the historical fiction vein. While I quite enjoy black powder historical fiction, black powder fantasy fiction is just as enjoyable.

For those of you unfamiliar with the wonder that is Valon, it is a fantasy world populated by the usual suspects; Orcs, Elves, Dwarves. It also contains a few less usual; dogmen, bipedal toads and rabbits, to name but a few. Valon was once your typical fantasy world until, that is, the advent of black powder. Having harnessed this destructive new power the fantasy races destroyed the remaining humans and fell to fighting amongst themselves in a manner strangely analogous to our own Napoleonic Wars.

Alternative Armies, the publishers of the fine Flintloque rule/source books offer a comprehensive range of 28mm figures portraying the Greats, not so Greats, and downright Ingrates locked in battle on the fields of Valon. Those wishing more information on Valon, its wars, and its people can find more information on Orcs in the Webbe, and the Alternative Armies website.

Flintloque is a great game in its own right, and interested parties ought to give the free Lite rules a spin. That having been said, I do enjoy the Two Hour Wargames way of war gaming and what follows are the rules I use to play games of 95th set in the world of Valon. I do hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Thursday 21 August 2014

DH9 Dwarf Adventurers at Alternative Armies

“Its not all about battles lad. Most times when out of the mountain holds its for the seeking of treasure. Dragons might love gold but we Dwarfs deserve it more since the winged beasts have the sky as their domain while we hold to the ground and gold comes from the ground after all. You can get a lot done with a band of talented beards by your side. Someone to seek out the dungeons or tombs or strongholds. Another to pick the locks and another to make sure the magics at work are put to the side. Then the axe wielded with considerable skill to deal with whatever claims ours as its own. Lastly someone to make the runes and the invocations to keep what is now ours...well ours. Against all comers. So its not all about battles sometimes its about adventure!”

This code contains five different 25mm/28mm white metal miniatures approx 24mm average height. Great quality, great choice and great value too. Go HERE.
Poses in this code are as follows:

DH9-01: Dwarf thief with Dagger.
DH9-02: Dwarf hero with Halberd in plate armour.
DH9-03: Dwarf cleric in plate mail.
DH9-04: Dwarf beserker with axe.
DH9-05: Dwarf wizard with staff.

These miniatures are not supplied with bases and are supplied unpainted. Select your choice from the drop down product menu. Choose from a pack, three packs with a 10% saving applied and single miniatures. Total choice! Assembly is required with some white metal miniatures.

The Alternative Armies classic high fantasy range dates from the period of the early 1990's through to the end of that decade. Designed by leading names in the wargaming industry and highly successful in its day this range has been on hiatus. Alternative Armies, under the name 'Project Darkhelm' is dedicated to re-mastering, re-molding and re-releasing this entire range back onto the market. We will be doing this work at a measured pace and a weekly rate maintaining high quality and excellent pricing. During and beyond this process Project Darkhelm will see the range continue to be expanded in the mediums of white metal and high grade resin using top industry designers in new releases. Every pose in each pack is unique with no duplicates making them perfect for skirmish wargaming, roleplaying and unit building for any battle system.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Tuesday 19 August 2014

LEU03 Princess Julianna marches into eternity....


The last sets of the third limited edition unit code from Alternative Armies is now sold out.  Hence the Princess Julianna marches into eternity only to be seen now second hand or in our 'swop drawer' if we ever get any back to us for exchange.  The final sets went out of stock overnight and my thanks to those who snapped them up.

You can see the sold out page HERE on our website.  It will remain there for reference in the future. It joings the also sold out LEU01 Bella Manicotti and LEU02 Moldsk Guard units.  Each of these units has a story behind them but as I have publically before the story behind the Princess Julianna is the most touching and real to me.

We may create another limited unit code and if you have ideas as to what it might be then tell me by email or in the comments.  You never know...we might just do it.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Friday 15 August 2014

ORB Orc Rock Band – Spinal Crack


“The smell of smoke on the rancid air.  The hum of power and the flash of lightening.  Screams and chants.  Be this battle and the sound of slaughter?  No its Spinal Crack and their latest album at full volume.  An Orc Rock band from the era before music shattered and collapsed into floppy hair and corporate sound bites.  These hard rockers will give you bites for real!  A 25mm scale collectors set brought back to life by Alternative Armies.”

Not everything a wargamer wants has to do with putting troops onto the field.  Sometimes something a little different, a bit special makes an appeal to a wargamers nature and says 'I speak to your soul' and the Orc Rock Band is just such a thing.  Originally released by Tabletop Games in the early 1980's and now restored to glory.  Excellent characters or a superb diorama or just for fun.  You can purchase every part of the ORB set as single miniatures or small collections as well at the resin stage too.  Or get the whole band and the stage with a small discount or even three sets with another 10% off if you are looking for something to impress with.  White Metal except for the Stage which is cast in Resin.  Go HERE.

Here is an outline of the parts of ORB Orc Rock Band:


ORB0 Rock Band – Complete with Stage
(Contains all the parts as per the image shown including the stage)

ORB1A Orc Drummer on Seat (1 Miniature) 
ORB1B Centre Drum Set (1 Piece) 
ORB1C Side Drum and Cymbal Set (2 pieces)
ORB2 Female Singer (1 Miniature)
ORB3 Female Backing Singer (1 Adult themed Miniature)
ORB4 Orc Bass Guitarist (1 Miniature) 
ORB5 Orc Lead Guitarist (1 Miniature) 
ORB7A Mike Stand (1 Piece) 
ORB7B Speaker (1 Piece)
ORB7C Amp Deck (1 Piece) 
ORB6 The Stage (1 Piece with Wood Planking Effect)

This set is supplied unpainted and unassembled.  Images of every part are on the web page (blogger could not handle all the pictures..sorry!).

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Alternative Armies is now on Facebook!

 
As of the start of this week Alternative Armies is on Facebook with its own page. This is an expansion of our website and blog presence and its a place where I will be putting all the news, releases, offers, specials, articles, fiction and more. Indeed if you are on Facebook you can comment and show us your miniatures and games using our thousands of codes. 
 
So have a look by clicking on the link and if we are of interest please hit the 'like' button. I might even run some competitions once its all purring away nicely. Go HERE
 
Thanks for Reading.
 
GBS

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Flintloque Lite now free to download in Italian language


Thanks to the efforts on the Chimerae group in Italy and its group of Flintloque wargaming fans we now have an Italian language version of the free to download Lite Rules.  These are complete with all needed text and tables and so on.  Its a full version.  These guys have done a great job and to celebrate the link to download the file is below and also the same announcement in my awful attempt at writing in Italian.

Grazie agli sforzi sul gruppo chimere in Italia e il suo gruppo di Flintloque appassionati di wargame ora abbiamo una versione in lingua italiana dei liberi per scaricare Regole Lite. Queste sono completi di testo e tabelle tutto necessario e così via. La sua una versione completa. Questi ragazzi hanno fatto un ottimo lavoro e per celebrare il link per scaricare il file è al di sotto e anche lo stesso annuncio nel mio tentativo terribile a scrivere in italiano.

Click on this link to download the PDF direct from our dropbox folder:  DOWNLOAD

This file can also be found on the Notable Yahoo Group which is the place to be for all Flintloque chat.

Thanks for Reading or Ciao!

GBS

Thursday 7 August 2014

VNT01 Eternal Guard at Alternative Armies

“We made a mistake when we failed to bury the fallen in deep corpse pits. A mistake that cost us all dear at Black Heart Lake. The army marched past the foul shores of that dead lake expecting to face only the fell lords and their minions. Little did we know that those evil doers had the services of a great Necromancer who had followed us and raised the dead. Corpse pits provide rich fruit and since this fruit had not been buried, only piled with those we had slain it meant that the army of the dead had caught up with us. On two fronts we split and I for my sins survived only by shedding my axe and mail and swimming the slimy waters of the lake. Even now I can hear the screams and the endless creaking and brittle motions of bones ending life. Dead sockets where eyes had once been.”



This code contains five different 25mm/28mm white metal miniatures approx 27mm average height. Great quality, great choice and great value too.  Go HERE.

Poses in this code are as follows:



VNT1-01: Skeleton with Great Sword and Helmet.

VNT1-02: Skeleton with Axe and Shield in armour and cloak.

VNT1-03: Skeleton with Spear and breastplate.

VNT1-04: Skeleton hacking with Sword.

VNT1-05: Skeleton with Sword and Shield.



These miniatures are not supplied with bases and are supplied unpainted. Select your choice from the drop down product menu. Choose from a pack, three packs with a 10% saving applied and single miniatures. Total choice! Assembly is required with some white metal miniatures.





The Alternative Armies classic high fantasy range dates from the period of the early 1990's through to the end of that decade. Designed by leading names in the wargaming industry and highly successful in its day this range has been on hiatus. Alternative Armies, under the name 'Project Darkhelm' is dedicated to re-mastering, re-molding and re-releasing this entire range back onto the market. We will be doing this work at a measured pace and a weekly rate maintaining high quality and excellent pricing. During and beyond this process Project Darkhelm will see the range continue to be expanded in the mediums of white metal and high grade resin using top industry designers in new releases. Every pose in each pack is unique with no duplicates making them perfect for skirmish wargaming, roleplaying and unit building for any battle system.



Thanks for Reading.



GBS

Wednesday 6 August 2014

Ferach Elf Line Dragoons the Parts

“Captain Sharke ducked the sabre that sliced through the cold air above his head and before the Elf realised his sword stroke had failed to decapitate the half-orc Sharke swung his own heavy blade and it smashed into the leg of the rider as he passed.  Blood fountained as the ruined leg drooped away from its owning body.  Sharke ignored the scream from the Ferach scum as he continued on and instead looked to the rest of his Rifleorcs.  After a day of walking the ridges of the mountains and avoiding the valleys where the Armoricans rode free they had been forced to cross an open plain to get to the next set of raised stony ground.  It had been a risk, Sharke had known that but they had waited until nearly nightfall and then started at a run across the plain.  It was not far and they had gone in two groups.  When he and the second group were a third of the way across the sparse grass the Elves had sprung upon them at a gallop and now they were fighting for their lives.  But the Dragoons did not have it all their way as bullets from Bakur Rifles spun in the seven grooves of the barrel whip cracked from the hillside where the first group were already pitch up and now lending fire to their fellows aid.  Captain Sharke grimaced and the scars on his face went a livid white.  Some of the Orcs were going to die in this crossing but now a lot more of the pointy eared horse botherers were going to end up worm fodder.”

The standard set of five horses for this new code
Back in the middle of July I put up a posting talking about the modular concept for Ferach Elf Line Dragoons.  If you have not yet had a look at it please read it before this article as it will help it make more sense to you.  Of course if you are a true Flintloque and Slaughterloo fanatic then you will have committed it all to memory by this time and know all about it.  So now I want to show you all a couple of images of what is literally the very first master tins to come out of the brand new master molds and to explain how it will all work for this modular set of white metal miniatures.  Read on.

There are two main focuses in terms of the parts of these modular dragoons.  These are firstly the horses and secondly the riders.  I will look at each in turn starting with the horses.

We wanted to create a set of pieces very much like the white metal ancestors we had seen from the 1970's for our horses.  Basing the design on the typical Ferach Elf horse which is that used by the 51502 Lanciers Rouge its a close match up and blends in well.  There are several pieces to a horse and they are the left side, the right side, the head and the base.  Three different left sides with two legs and three different right sides with tail combined with two different heads means realistically eighteen combinations of pose for the horses. The 'domino' base with its eight holes mean that all the possible poses will 'plug in' easily into place before being mounted finally on a resin cartouche base which we will also supply for free.

The Eight different micro kits for the Elf Riders
With the horses accounted for its time for the riders and these are a bit more original and unique for Alternative Armies certainly.  There are eight different micro kits of Elf rider.  These are an officer, musician, standard bearer, sergeant and four different troopers. Each is composed of white metal parts including legs, a saddle box, upper body, a head and a selection of weapons or special items.  As you can see from the picture the possibilities for each Elf are large with head position and body orientation along with arm selection and pose being your choice.  Armed with Sword or with Musket.  While the special items make your Eagle Bearer and Musician.  At a rough estimate we think that swoping parts about and posing you can get eight riders to about twenty four unique final poses.

So this means that when you combine up the options for the horses and for the Elves riding them you can honestly get around three hundred final cavalry poses or even more if you do a bit of conversions and scratch building yourself.  

This brand new set of miniatures looks like it will be given the following code and title at this time: 51533 Ferach Elf Line Dragoons.  There will be a core Flintloque set of five along with a Slaughterloo unit of ten (with a saving) and also options to purchase single troopers or command poses and also a separate option for the horses too.

Next time we will be a lot nearer to the release of these miniatures and the production molds will be made and ready.  I will be looking at the process of building one of these horses and one of these riders stage by stage.  I will not be doing this myself of course but instead Sam Croes will be your guide and his nimble fingers will show you just what is possible.

If you have any questions or just want to give us a thumbs up then drop me an email or comment here.  I was touched by the emails from the last time telling me that I had made the right choice and that Elf Dragoons were just what was wanted.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS 

The Crimson Bunionette - Flintloque Mini Campaign at OITW


Captured by Ferach forces Bette awaits execution in the prison of a small fishing town, all is not lost however as her true love, Oratio 'Horny' Hornblairer, is just off the coast and is headed to rescue her with some stalwart Royule Albion Navie marines.

Now on Orcs in the Webbe you can find the last scenario of Matthew Hartley's 'A Rhyme for Our Time' Flintloque mini-campaign. Captured by Ferach forces Bette awaits execution in the prison of a small fishing town, all is not lost however as her true love, Oratio 'Horny' Hornblairer, is just off the coast and is headed to rescue her with some stalwart Royule Albion Navie marines in this classic scenario from the Flintloque Archives.

Go HERE on OITW to find this scenario and then seek the others from there.

Excellent work from Mr Hartley.

GBS