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.

Sunday 30 November 2014

Gnome Cannon by Tony Harwood


I pick this post up from the talented Tony Harwood over on his own blog.  A lovely little set for Flintloque which he converted and painted up as his November 2014 project.  Three miniatures and a cannon all on the small side.


The cannon is made from many pieces from the 'bitz box' and has a custom base while the miniatures come from different codes.  Looking at them I see from the left: a Halfling gunner with sponger and a Halfing in apron then a Dwarf with sponger.  These are from 57000, 57001 which you can see HERE and also from 54501 Obidiah's Gun HERE.

There are currently no Gnomes in the miniature range and they would be literally the smallest miniatures in the Flintloque game.  We may do some in the future but at present Tony's are a fine stand in.  Actually I see them stacked on top of each other inside a trench coat style.  Ah, the madness of Flintloque eh!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Wednesday 26 November 2014

OH1 Nilbogs Backwoods Goblin Band Released!


“Swarm is not a word I use easily lad.  A swarm of animals of insects and things that crawl or fly and take to nests yes, those be swarms.  But swarm is the word used when talking of Nilbog.  That Goblin vermin is weak but he is strong in numbers and that makes him dangerous.  The Backwoods Band swore their loyalty to the warlord Karnok back when we were amid the ruins of Talno.  Goblins were to face us, we knew that.  But had we known of the swarm then perhaps we would not have fought among the ruins.  When the Backwoods Band arrived they surely outnumbered us a dozen to one perhaps more.  With sword and spear we made short work of each Goblin leaving them pulped at our boots but one by one my men were brought down by many hands and daggers.  So a swarm.  I would rather have faced a Wyvern...at least we would only have had to look in one direction for death!”

This code contains ten different 25mm/28mm white metal miniatures approx 18mm-21mm average height.  Great quality, great choice and great value too.  Go HERE.

Poses in this code are as follows:

OH1-01: Goblin with Dagger and Shield.
OH1-02: Goblin with Dagger and Shield.
OH1-03: Goblin with Bow.
OH1-04: Goblin with Dagger and Shield.
OH1-05: Goblin with Poleaxe and Shield.
OH1-06: Goblin with Poleaxe.
OH1-07: Goblin with Mace and Shield.
OH1-08: Goblin with Poleaxe and Shield.
OH1-09: Goblin with Bill Hook and Shield.
OH1-10: Goblin with Mace.



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 25 November 2014

Catalucian Dark Elf Division for Slaughterloo

51602 Dark Elf Division
Catalucia the land of the Dark Elves has suffered, really suffered in the Mordredian Wars.  Occupied and annexed by the Ferach Empire and its land fought over again and again as the Army of Albion tries to free it from the Tryant Mordred.  With its regular army in the main part scattered it has fallen to a mass of Guerrillas to fight the little war raiding and robbing the enemy where possible.  Will the scattered might of the Dark Elves be enough to free themselves with Orcish and Goblin aid?

We are in the process of updating some of our Slaughterloo Divisional Army Packs in terms of their images.  While this will take quite a while and will appear at intervals here on our blog we have decided that we will make this a treat for all of you too.  So to that end please read on!

We are offering for the period of one week from today an additional 5% off the boxed division with all miniatures and bases and also off the pro-painted and based division as it appears in the picture.  This price change has been applied on screen and is ON TOP of the 18% off list prices that the division began with.  Excellent!

Here is what is in the 51602 Dark Elf Division.

Line Infantry: 
1 Unit of 20 Dark Elf Guerrillas (51505-U) 
1 Unit of 20 Dark Elf Guerrillas (51505-U) 
1 Unit of 20 Dark Elf Catalucian Line includes Officer (51516-U) 

Light Infantry: 
1 Unit of 12 Dark Elf Light Infantry (51512-U) 

Cavalry: 
1 Unit of 10 Mounted Dark Elf Guerrilla Cavalry includes Bases (51532-U) 

Artillery: 
1 Unit of 6 Dark Elf Artillery Crew includes 2 Limber Horses (51515) 
1 Ferach Cannon includes Limber (59502) 

Extras:
1 Dark Elf General (51507-E) 
9 Elf Casualties (51030A & B) 

Bases:
13 Cavalry and 87 Infantry

So if you play Slaughterloo or wish to get all the Dark Elves you will need for many Flintloque sections in the dust of Catalucia have a look at this week long offer.  Right now you get 196.00GBP of white metal 28mm miniatures and resin bases for just 157.70GBP.  Superb!

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Monday 24 November 2014

Muskox for Trolkin coming soon in Resin


Alternative Armies is continuing the path towards the creation of a whole resin range of Trolka.  A step on this path is to touch briefly upon the Trolkin in one area and that is their riding animal the Muskox.  The decision has been taken to change the production method for the Muskox and from there create all of the molds and such required to allow them to be made in high grade grey tone resin.  You can see the results in this post here.  Rob Alderman's animal is exactly the same aside from the horns remaining metal and minor changes to the feeds.  So existing and future codes will fit upon it just as they have done with the Pummlig Riding Pig used by the Dwarf Uhlan cavalry.


That is not all however as very soon we are going to be releasing a Trolkin Artillery crew which has with it the also brand new resin Limber Muskox.  You can see the limber muskox here and there will be two of them in the artillery crew.  Converted from the riding muskox the limber beast is an excellent model.

All of this means that upon the release of the Trolkin Artillery Crew its price will be lower with the inclusion of resin animals and also that 57033 Colonel Skande Stoyne who rides upon a muskox will also be reduced in price on the same day.  Excellent!

We do not intend to do any more for Trolkin in terms of resin as only their mounts and beasts are to be included in our plan.  When their cavalry arrive on the field they will have resin mounts.  Our work on the Trolka continues and news will be coming of our progress when the time is right.


Remember you can download a full army booklet with a load of material in it for the Troll Races of Valon.  18Mb in size this PDF has the whole army for Trolka and for Trolkin, Flintloque stats, Slaughterloo profiles, fiction and a lot more.  Its on our dropbox public page and you can download it straight to your computer or device right now by clicking HERE.

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Flintloque Buildings more of them by Tony Harwood

Tony Harwood is a big fan of Flintloque and an expert model maker.  He has already completed and sold out one book about his modelling and now he has just about sold out a second book too.   Over on his own blog he has put up three images of buildings from the book which are in the style of the World of Valon and Flintloque.  Click through to read the full article but I have put the images with their quotes below.

A Stone Barn made of clay, cardboard and core with Flintloque Elf for scale
An Armorican Elf style Well made of blue foam, plastic card and card
A Catalucian Dark Elf Windmill made from plastic beaker and coffee stirrer sails
Find out more about Flintloque on our website on its main game page HERE.

Excellent work Tony and best of luck with the book.

GBS

Tuesday 18 November 2014

52014 Heinz DerMead released!


One such tale of misfortune and murderous intent is that of former master bier brewer Heinz Dermead.  Before the time of annulment Heinz was a young Dwarf with dreams of Troll hunting but those dreams came to nothing since Trolls vanished from the world to be replaced with Trolka and those big fellows were loyal to the same Emperor who commanded the troops of Heinz’s own city statte.  Another profession was needed for the young Dwarf and since combat with giants was no longer on the menu he decided upon that most vital to all Dwarves.  The art of brewing bier!

Travelling to Newenbeir for his training with the master brewers of the Turcher ale factories Heinz picked up the art of hops and wheat and of still and copper.  In a few years he was ready to head out in service of all of Finklestein in the role of a newly distilled master brewer in charge of a mobile brewery.  Every great city across central Urop has at least one place within it that assembles specialised wagons to accompany Dwarves into battle.  Its true that some Ogres and Dogmen also make use of the mobile breweries but it is to a Dwarf that they will turn to get their ale.

With his assistants and his serving girls following in a separate wagon Heinz Dermead sat in the front of his mobile brewery and grinned for all passers by to see.  He had his calling and he was going to assist the Dwarf kin in defeating those who would limit the lands of the bearded.  But it was not to be....

Along rutted tracks and passing trudging blue coated Dwarves the wagons sought out the frontier with Krautia and beyond that the city of Magabeir where the 36eme Legion de Nain was laying siege to the city.  It was to this Legion that Heinz had been assigned.  They did not arrive though since at a crossroads they ran into Burt Dewizier a disgraced brewer secretly in the service of Krautia. In the uniform of a Legion de Nain colonel this traitor stopped Heinz and  convinced him that he should turn the wagons over to him.  Keen to be seen to be reliable Heinz agreed and watched his dream roll away towards Magabier. It was two days before he realised he had been cheated.

Here we are in the festive part of the year once more and certainly the last twelve months passes with epic speed.  It only seems like yesterday when boxes of the Cryptmass Goblin House were zipping all across the world.  This season we have a brand new release for you all this month.  A superb single character miniature cast in white metal 28mm scale for use in Flintloque and Slaughterloo as well as many other game systems.  A Dwarf who knows the price of a pint and has a grudge to carry to....52014 Heinz Dermead.



The brewer is on special offer for the next month or so.  That's right he is half price!  1.00GBP rather than 2.00GBP per miniature.  You can also get this miniature pro-painted at the same saving by using the drop down menu on the product page.  Go HERE.

We will soon be putting up the Flintloque and Slaughterloo statistics for this character so that you can use him officially in your games.  Heinz is a bonus for Finklestein and Von Rotte Dwarves as he in stills a feeling of euphoric self confidence in battle.  Frederick Von Ales certainly took a copper shine to him.  

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Until Christmas Eve 2014 Offers at Alternative Armies


Its now the last part of the year and for Alternative Armies that means a couple of annual events.  Firstly the Cryptmass Season offers and releases (we call the Festive Season Cryptmass since on Valon its the time when the dead of Londinium get up to party with the living!) and secondly the Orcs in the Webbe advent calendar which every fan of Flintloque looks forward to.  So what offers do we have from now until the morning of the 24th December 2014?  Read on to find out and as always if you have a suggestion for a code to be put on a deal drop me a line and ask.  We had some nice input for this month from customers.

Here are our new deals and offers for the next month or so.  These can all be found on our WEBSITE.  We are focusing on the Festive Season and to that end we have 10% off the limited edition Christmas Trio of Dwarves LE022 Rudolfs Raiders, 15% off the fantastic PRM03 Centaur Claus and 15% off the 52503 Von Rotte Grenadiers (Unit, Skirmish, Singles).  We have a return of last years great festive season structure the 59007 Cryptmass Goblin House which is 15% off too. Not all miniatures are military and so we have 25% off the four in 52017 Dwarf Camp Followers. We have a superb half price offer on something to keep you warm the 54502G Campfire for any 28mm use.  Away from Flintloque and Slaughterloo we have two High Fantasy codes at 25% off the packs and singles within them and these are DH2 Halflings of the Gnomish Legion and DH2 Gnomes of the Gnomish Legion.  Lastly we have 15% off the most bad ass monster in the Typhon range the HE05 The Cadmus Dragon which has a wingspan of 100mm and would be a mighty fine white metal kit addition to a 28mm scale army too.  Excellent!


We had a fantastic response to making our latest Undead release 55016 Lady Rosafiend half price for a month with a lot of wargamers adding her to their orders.  So we have decided to treat you all again with our brand new Festive themed Dwarf release 52014 Heinz Dermead.  This new character code is 50% off during the current promotional period (1.00GBP rather than 2.00GBP).  Cast in one piece white metal and 28mm scale he is suitable for Flintloque and Slaughterloo as well as a whole host of game systems besides.  You can read more about him HERE.  Foamy!

Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Last Week of Current Offers at Alternative Armies


We have one week or so left on the current month to month set of offers on our products. This is how long you have left from today to take advantage of our Pumpkin and Scary Mask season deals. So set your face to spooky and read on. As always if you would like to suggest something to appear in our next set of deals and offers (these will be Cryptmass Themed) then do email us or comment. We do listen. Read on! 

Here are our current deals and offers. These can all be found on our WEBSITE page. We are focusing on the Undead and to that end we have 15% off the core 55508 Zombie Line codes for Flintloque and Slaughterloo as well as the fantastic 55505 Licantzrop Jagers light infantry Werewolves code also at 15% off. For gunners we have a superb half price offer on the 59503 Undead Artillery Set (three cannons and two limber sets). Just to get on the nerves of the Lady Rosafiend we have 15% off the 5005 Lady Wintermore's Fangs box set of characters with scenarios for Flintloque. Moving more towards fantasy we have a 25% off offer on the PRM01 Headless Horseman cavalry miniature and 25% off the VNT2 Wraith on Pteradon as well. Lastly we have a 25% off offer on a seasonal Erin pack of miniature ER25 The Celtic Half Dead for all your celtic themed Undead needs. Excellent! 


We have a great half price offer on our newly released female Vampyre 55016 Lady Rosafiend. That's right the Lady Rosafiend is 50% off during the current promotional period (1.00GBP rather than 2.00GBP). Cast in one piece white metal and 28mm scale she is suitable for Flintloque and Slaughterloo as well as a whole host of game systems besides. You can read more about her HERE and get her free game stats PDF from HERE. Seductive! 

Thanks for Reading. 

GBS

Tuesday 11 November 2014

Ferach Line Dragoons ride down the Dogs of Ostaria!

The Grand Charge!
We often take photographs for our website or blog or even our books, heck even just for us, but we don't show a lot of these images to wargamers. I wanted to show off a little something that we did a few weeks ago. For Flintloque a cavalry charge with three ten figure sections of 51533 Ferach Line Dragoons riding down a bedraggled (or should that be 'beagledraggled'!?) but equally sized Ostarian force of Dogmen. This was from an idea for a large scenario which would see if cavalry could triumph over infantry in a wooded and hilly setting. While the scenario is little more than a framework at the moment I took the chance to get some pictures of the climatic charge! 

View from the left two units of Dragoons charge home!
Dragoons on Foot advanced among Dogmen dead down the centre
Sounding the charge Dragoons sweep in from the right of the hill!
Each of the pictures has a caption to tell you what is happening. It was an excellent set up and great fun to take part in. A game of Flintloque this size would be even finer I think but it would be epic with seven sections in play at the same time. The Monich Beir Wars grand scenario has more but few do. 

Since we released the 51533 Ferach Line Dragoons we have been working on further sub-releases for them including a list of modular parts and specialised horses too. Added to this we have had requests for a foot or dismounted set of Line Dragoons and while this does not yet exist as a code we had put together a similar set for a regular customer. These miniatures on foot are all from the 5005 Lady Wintermores Fangs set and were actually the basis for the designs for the new cavalry. If you would like your own unit of ten or twelve done this way then contact us by email for a quote. 

Thanks for Reading. 

GBS

Friday 7 November 2014

Trolkin Jager codes released for Flintloque and Slaughterloo

It is the beginning of more releases for the world's premier and frankly only awesome 28mm scale fantasy black powder range for Flintloque and Slaughterloo.  Alternative Armies presents to you two brand new packs and a unit code for the Ferach Empire allied Trolkin of Copendaz the Lergo Jagers!  Go HERE or read on for more information.


57034 Lergo Jager Command
This pack contains four one piece 28mm scale white metal miniatures.  Trolkin Jager command with an Officer holding a Mace, Standard Bearer with Pole and Dwarf MkII Musket, Musician with Horn and Dwarf MkII Musket and a Sergeant with Dwarf Blunderbuss.  Each Trolkin is about 30mm to eye level being larger and bulkier than an Elf or Orc.  Supplied with Resin cartouche style bases.  This code can also be purchased pro-painted and based at an excellent price.  Pack price 12.00GBP.



57034 Lergo Jager Troopers
This pack contains three one piece 28mm scale white metal miniatures.  Trolkin Jagers with a Jager standing with Dwarf MkII  Musket, Jager aiming Dwarf MkII  Musket and a Jager kneeling firing a Dwarf MkII Musket.  Each Trolkin is about 30mm to eye level being larger and bulkier than an Elf or Orc.  Supplied with Resin cartouche style bases.  This code can also be purchased pro-painted and based at an excellent price.  Pack price 9.00GBP.


57817-U Lergo Jagers
This unit pack contains twelve one piece 28mm white metal miniatures.  Taken from codes 57034 and 57035 this is a Light Infantry unit composed of an Officer holding a Mace, Standard Bearer with Pole and Musket Dwarf MkII, Musician with Horn and Musket Dwarf MkII and a Sergeant with Dwarf Blunderbuss along with a random mix of three different poses of Trooper with Dwarf MkII  Musket.  Each Trolkin is about 30mm to eye level being larger and bulkier than an Elf or Orc.  Supplied with Resin cartouche style bases.  This code can also be purchased pro-painted and based at an excellent price.  Pack price 32.50GBP.

LERGO JAGERS
The Trolkin are unlike any other race on Valon they are still somewhat Magicke and their differing skin colours (from grey to red and yellow too) show this along with their distinct fashion sense. Trolkin soldiers always seem to wear uniforms that are too small for them despite their outfitter the ‘Marske’ trading company delivering as many as they need. Lergo refers to the way their troops are raised, a unique modular system that choosing the Trolkin by standard height and different colours to make up formations that can be re-purposed again and again. The structure of a Trolkin Regular line battalion is as follows. Two Battalions makes a Regiment. Each battalion contains one thousand Trolkin at full muster and has ten companies one of which is designated Jager (Light Troop) and one Mountain (Grenadier). Each company has a hundred Trolkin which are separated into two Platoons and a headquarters element. A Section normally has ten to fifteen Trolkin including an Officer, junior Officer a Sergeant or two, a musician and standard bearer, the rest being Privates. Line Infantry and also Sergeants are armed with a Dwarf MkII Musket, Officers have a variety of melee weapons or a pistol. Their uniform consists of a dark blue tunic, white breeches, a black shako and black shoes. Facing colours (cuffs, collars, etc.) are green, trimmed in yellow. Equipment is black and brown, with equipment straps being of white leather.

You can also field these miniatures as a more elite light infantry force with a change of uniform colours.  Read on:

THE KROLSBERG JAGERS
The purpose trained Light Infantry of the Trolkin, the Krolsberg are a refeshing, probably the most refreshing, sight for many cut off Elves and Dwarves in need of rescue from the Undead and the snow. They make use of Dwarf Jager Rifles and are naturals at survival in the Witchlands. The structure of the Krolsberg Jager’s is two Light Troop battalions and is as follows. Each battalion contains eight hundred Trolkin at full muster and has four companies all of whom are Light Troop. Each company has two hundred Trolkin which are separated into four Platoons and one headquarters elements. A Section normally has ten to fifteen Trolkin including an Officer, a lesser Officer, a couple of Sergeants, a musician and standard bearer, the rest being Knects. They are armed with a Dwarf Jager Rifle , Officers have a mace, Sergeants have a variety of weapons. Their uniform consists of a dark grey tunic, grey breeches, a black shako and black shoes. Facing colours are blue, trimmed in yellow. Equipment is black with equipment straps being white.


There is a full free booklet on the Trolka and Trolkin which you can download as a PDF from us by clicking HERE.  This booklet contains a full army list along with Flintloque rules, Slaughterloo rules, background, fiction, tales, pictures and much, much more in its eighteen pages.  Well worth a read!

The natural place for the Trolkin is in colder climes so it makes sense that the majority of their soldiers are in the Witchlands fighting against the Undead.  You can learn more about this campaign in 5026 Flintloque 3rd Edition Death in the Snow game book.  Trolka and Trolkin enjoy some advantages in battling against Zombies and Skeletons and indeed their physical size and resilience stands them in good stead against Vampyres too.  Click HERE to visit the website to read more. These new Trolkin Jager miniatures were sculpted by Rob Alderman who also designed the other Trolkin codes as well as other packs in the World of Valon range.


Thanks for Reading.

GBS

Tuesday 4 November 2014

Halloween 2014 scenario at Orcs in the Webbe for Flintloque


A new Flintloque scenario is online. From Craig Andrews over at Orcs in the Webbe:

An Orcs in the Webbe Original! As the long March out of the Witchlands continues, Margahrah and his surviving troop start experiencing strange dreams which lead them to a drastic course of action in this years Halloween Flintloque adventure!  CLICK HERE.

Its a fine read and its written by Tony Harwood.  I enjoyed it a lot.

GBS