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.

Tuesday 24 April 2018

Rotten Spotters free Flintloque scenario six for Escape the Dark Czar

It is my pleasure to present to all the players of Flintloque the sixth free scenario in the Escape the Dark Czar arc for download from our website or right here in this article.  It is a fun and different continuation of the scenario arc and can be played solo with ease.  Can you spot the mortals before they escape your cavalry?  Find out now!  Go HERE for all our free downloads or read on for the link and more information.


Rotten Spotters – Flintloque Scenario
The sixth scenario for Escape the Dark Czar arc sees Captain Preserovitch now once more back in the saddle and hunting for General Saindoux and his growing band of survivors with his savant zombie Cuirassiers.  Will his mounted Zombies find the mortals as they search the the snow covered landscape in the midst of a  falling sun for survivors sneaking through their line?  In this special rules solo scenario you take the part of the Undead on the hunt if playing alone or as them and the mortals for two players. CLICK HERE to download it from our website hosting.




This scenario builds upon the miniatures from the beginners set which has ten resin 28mm miniatures plus bases and the core rules booklet for a fantastic starter price HERE.  It makes use of the Al-Garvey Goblin Legion which are great characters and the only Goblins in the service of the Emperor Mordred; see them HERE.  The stars of this new adventure are the newly released Preserovitch Cuirassiers on Undead Horses which you can see HERE and they are the mounted versions of the Undead in the beginners set and they go great with the new three figure Colour Party for Captain Preserovitch's troops which is HERE on the website.  If you have been playing the previous scenarios you will be all caught up but if not then you need the 'beginning in Flintloque' page.





Beginning in Flintloque.  This page on our website HERE begins your journey with the best Fantasy Napoleonic tabletop game in the world and it is where you will find all the codes used in the scenarios in the arc as well as scenics and free items such as the scenarios and video reviews of Escape from the Dark Czar and Death in the Snow by the Talking About Gaming independent channel.  There is also a page on our blog for those new to the game HERE.


It has been a big month at Alternative Armies and we will return in May with new releases across our ranges including Flintloque and more free content too.  But more on that at the right time.  For now enjoy this new free scenario and see if you can dodge the Rotten Spotters!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Tuesday 17 April 2018

Alternative Armies releases for April 2018

Let me begin by thanking our customers for their kind words, their custom and their involvement across Alternative Armies over the last three weeks.  The March to War event is now over and packages will begin winging their way across the globe from the morrow and will continue until everyone gets their order.


It was a grand event and saw a dozen new releases across the Flintloque, High Fantasy, Sengoku, HOF 15mm Sci-fi, HOT 15mm Fantasy, EH Monsters and Oddness and battlefield scenics too.  See them all above in 15mm and 28mm scales.  Sengoku Monster Hunter a new set of rules in print and digital download.  Go HERE to our new releases page for the fullness of them.


Later this month we will have a free Flintloque scenario continuing the adventure of General Saindoux as he Escapes the Dark Czar.  So until then!

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Wednesday 11 April 2018

Article 9 A whiff of Grapeshotte in the morning by Andy Jefcoate

Big Guns! The ninth in a series of linked Flintloque articles by Andy Jefcoate about his forays in the Witchlands and in Flintloque. If you want to catch up on the first to eighth articles where he got his starter set and then tried it out followed by a nail biter of a scenario and then get his Pug Dogs marching plus more Cavalry and Witchlands forays plus Converting Marshal Ney and more then you can read them on our blog HERE. In this article he gets to grips with Grapeshotte! With pictures of his own painted collection. Read on and enjoy. GBS


A Whiff of Grapeshotte in the Morning

As I mentioned at the end of my last article I ordered the 5027 Grapeshotte expansion book as I wanted to add artillery to my games of Flintloque. I will also need artillery pieces in the future to build combined arms forces for Slaughterloo, and to be honest what self respecting Napoleonique General would go to war without any cannon!


What's in the Grapeshotte book?
Firstly the Grapeshotte book is impressive in itself, as well as full rules for using artillery in regular Flintloque games, it includes information on all Firelocks and Artillery pieces available to all of the races of Valon across all the theatres of war. It would therefore be useful to have whichever Flintloque army you collect.

If that were not enough there is so much more included in this book. There are rules for siege warfare which includes advanced rules for using artillery, so if you've ever fancied making a breach in a fortress wall and leading a Forlorn Hope into it then this book is also for you. 

As well as rules for Gunners there are plenty of other new troop types including Engineers, Sappers, Guard Infantry, Mounted Infantry and Cavalry on foot (as a temporary troop type if they find themselves on foot during a game). 

There are also the sterling Appendices which are short articles giving advanced rules and mechanics for special units and characters that are fun and inspiring for scenarios. I can't tell you about all of these now or the whole article will just be a review of the book! Needless to say if you are a fan of Flintloque I think you should pick up a copy if you haven't already.  It is a fantastic resources for all the other books and it is a great read in its own right too.


My first artillery piece
This sounds like something you would buy a pre-School child and who knows there could be exactly that sort of thing available in Valon! For me though, I decided on a Ferach Elf artillery piece in the form of 59527 a Howitzer along with crew from pack 51035 9eme Artillerie de Ligne (Witchlands). I also picked up a limber and two horses to pull it, pack 5101LT



I purchased only the one gun to try out the rules before deciding what additional artillery I needed. The crew figures can be allocated to whichever artillery piece you want to field so will always be useful and the limber was purchased so that I have a full artillery piece for Flintloque or Slaughterloo with all scenario options covered.

Assembling the models
As with all models in the Flintloque ranges there was very little in the way of flash to be removed from the models and they fit together nicely. This is always worth mentioning as I appreciate it as a model maker and it shows that the manufacturer cares about supplying a good quality product.  The metal used is a high quality white metal too.

For the Howitzer itself, the wheels fit snugly to the gun carriage and the barrel slots nicely into place, very quick to do all round. I didn't base the gun as I won't need a base for Flintloque, but I have prepared a 50mm x 50mm base for the gun to loosely sit on if I use it for Slaughterloo which is what many mass battle players seem to do.




The limber went together just as easily, but unlike the cannon I decided to base it to make a sturdy playing one piece. I used a 50mm x 75mm base which will work for Flintloque or Slaughterloo. I initially glued the limber and one horse to the base for ease of painting with the other horse temporarily glued to a piece of card. As you can see from the pictures I drilled through the limber pole so that I could pin it to the horses and make the whole thing more solid. 

Painting the artillery piece and crew
Being a Ferach artillery piece the gun carriage and limber were painted green, with any metal painted in a dark gunmetal colour. The barrel of the Howitzer was painted in a gold which dulls down nicely once a black ink wash was put over the whole model.  It is a brass cannon.

The horses were both painted in a mid brown with blue saddle cloths, and a lighter brown used for their harnesses. 



As these crew models are similar in style to the Ferach Elf Witchlands line infantry and all wrapped up against the cold, I used similar colours to the infantry so that they all match in together. These also had an ink wash before a dry brush of mud to make them look equally grubby!

The continuing narrative
It was only a matter of time before Saindoux picked up an artillery piece. Many have been lost in the Witchlands as the speed of the retreat and the terrain have taken their toll on the limbers and horses, but as a Howitzer is pretty light (as  cannons go) it's been less prone to getting bogged down and can move relatively quickly. It's currently used to guard Saindoux's mobile headquarters but is also available to give a counter-attack a bit more punch if required!

The advantage of the speed of the Ferach retreat is that the Undead haven't been able to bring any of their own artillery forward as yet. As Saindoux's force grows and slows down this cannot continue indefinitely though!


Using a Howitzer in Flintloque
This model can be used as either a 3.5 Inch or 5.5 Inch Howitzer, but I've been using it as the 3.5 Inch version for the following reasons.
  •  It's a medium sized artillery piece so it needs 4 crew which is exactly the number I have.
  • The 3.5 Inch Howitzer in my opinion better matches the narrative listed above being lighter and more manoeuvrable.
  • It only costs 75 points for the Howitzer plus the cost of the crew.
  • I didn't want an artillery piece that was too powerful in a small game.

My initial experiences have been good and while I am still learning I have found the following to be useful. 

A Howitzer fires indirectly so it can be hidden behind terrain avoiding the crew being shot at but still being able to bombard the enemy (beware the minimum range of 39cm though). The Howitzer can also fire Caseshotte which is devastating at shorter ranges but needs line of sight to do this. 

When building a force with an artillery piece I would always recommend adding infantry, especially light infantry to help protect the gun and crew who are vulnerable on their own.  The cannon is a mighty one shot monster but it is really slow and takes time to load...protect it!


I wouldn't put the gun in the middle of your battle line, as by putting it towards one end (but not actually on the end to avoid it being flanked) you can angle it to target the enemy as they get closer to your own troops but while still being over 39cm from the gun. This obviously comes at a risk and how close to your own soldiers you do this depends on how much of a risk you want to take.  The only way the enemy can avoid this fire is to get nearer to the Howitzer which can be rather dangerous if it fires Caseshotte their way!   

What's next 
As mentioned in an earlier article I would like some heavy cavalry for both sides but I am also very interested in the expansion to the 5024 Escape from the Dark Czar set. Captain Preserovitch's force are Cuirassiers but while the original six figures are all on foot having lost their horses they are now getting reinforcements from their regiment both on foot and mounted with the new release Cuirassiers and Colour Party. I'll let you know how I get on.

Thank you for reading.

Andy

Tuesday 10 April 2018

VNT42A Lord Ruza on Armoured Horse 28mm pack released

You got a mighty champion upon a huge Wyvern with the release of VNT42 and we thought you might like the chance to have Lord Ruza on a different mount so it us our pleasure to present to you this character on an armoured horse.  Go HERE for this leader of your cavalry formations for a high fantasy army or read on for more details.  March to War (free shipping and gifts and offers) is on until 16th April 2018 and for details read HERE.  This is our final reveal release of the event!


“When he came to the north lands we mocked his speech and his war garb.  He was nothing to us and he wore no hides or skins of beasts brought down by skill of arms in the cold wastes.  We tried to take his horse and his armour and we were made to pay for this insolence in blood.  Two score of us he killed without seeming to care or make an effort.  Perhaps Dagga had answered our prayers for a champion to lead to us to the south for pillage and soft women.  Perhaps our lord has simply wished for adventure.  Either way we now follow him and echo a name to the hills and valleys which will bring death to the those who resist us. Lord Ruza!” - Caltus Mac Drow.


VNT42A Lord Ruza with Lance on Armoured Horse
Lord Ruza is a general of a fantasy world of evil forces. This 28mm high fantasy code contains one white metal rider in elaborate plate amour with separate arm plus lance tip, lance end plus vampire bat plume as well as resin armoured warhorse and a length of brass rod.  A great commander for your armies of Humans or Evil or Chaotic forces.  Suitable for any wargame system.  This code is supplied unassembled and without bases.  It is shown assembled and mounted on a 50mm long base.  Price 6.00GBP.  Go HERE.



Above are some more images for you to see which show this pack alongside FL10 The Winter Knight and also OH31 Durzum Dwarf Killer our Giant Troll.  Another 28mm scale rider on horse and a monster which is 100mm tall.


Lord Rusa is the same rider which is mounted atop the Wyvern Kildane (VNT42) which you can see HERE as a center piece for your army.




Alternative Armies has many other Human fantasy miniatures in our Adventurers and Wizards range and our Knights and Footsoldiers range for 28mm scale.  Have a look through for anything which catches your eye.  Excellent quality, choice and value.  There is a video review of FL22 on our blog which you can watch HERE on the Talking about Games channel.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Monday 9 April 2018

Preserovitch Colour Party and Mounted Cuirassier unit releases for Flintloque for April 2018

Alternative Armies is delighted to present all of our releases for April 2018 for Flintloque and Slaughterloo in the World of Valon.  New packs and units to expand the 5024 Escape the Dark Czar beginners box for the game as well as the much bigger Undead Army of the Dark Czar in 28mm scale. A three figure colour party to give more command poses to the core six Savant Zombies in the beginners box.  A full unit of twelve infantry using all these poses.  A full unit of the same Savant Zombies as mounted riders on skeletal horses.  


You can now have Captain Preserovitch on foot as well as his full unit and that unit as cavalry. Sculpted by Sam Croes. Excellent!  Go HERE for them or read on.  March to War (free shipping and gifts and offers) is on until 16th April 2018 and for details read HERE.


“The wind whipped and pulled at the sodden and torn greatcoat around his cold shoulders.  Near frozen rain beat on his unblinking eyes but Captain Preserovitch did not feel it.  He no longer felt anything.  What he had been..if he had ever been anything other than a puppet of his masters...was gone.  Under him his horse stood perfectly still for it, like him, was no longer alive.  It's simple senses bound to his own by the same arcane means that gave him his unlife.  His Zombie troopers were spread out in a lone line; each of them just visible to the next.  They were a net which had been cast wide to catch those fleeing the Witchlands especially the Elvish lad who carried the golden eagle of Mordred.  Preserovitch knew that the band of mortals would have to come this way and that he sat across their path but this storm was making it hard to spot his prey.  They would have to pass and pass close to be spotted.  Their muskets would be useless after one shot in this weather so it would be cold steel for the kill.  The Cuirassiers waited....”
Extract from 'Rotten Spotters' solo scenario for Flintloque.


5024D PRESEROVITCHS CUIRASSIERS ON UNDEAD HORSES
The Savant Zombie Cavalry on Undead Horses of the 5024 Undead characters!  This code contains five different 28mm scale zombie riders in armour with plume topped helmets as well as five resin horses. The riders are officer Preserovitch with sword raised, standard bearer with skull topped pole, a musician with two separate kettle drums and arms raised, trooper with musket raised and trooper firing musket. The Horses come with a separate saddle roll plus one will have the kettle drums too. Easy to assemble and these are the characters from 5024C and 5024B mounted versions. Here are your choices for Flintloque (Skirmish) and Slaughterloo (Unit) players from this 28mm white metal miniatures code:

5024D Five Miniatures - Skirmish Pack
(Officer, Standard Bearer, Musician with Kettle Drums, Sergeant, Trooper 1, Trooper 2) with Resin Skeletal Horses.

5024D-U Ten Miniatures - Unit Pack
(as 5024D with five added Troopers) with Resin Skeletal Horses.

5024D-T One Miniature - Trooper Booster
(one trooper pose from 5024D) with Resin Skeletal Horse.

You can also purchase each of these options pro-painted and based ready for play. These miniatures are supplied with bases and are supplied unpainted (unless purchased painted and based in which case they will be delivered finished and ready to use out of the box). Note that due to their nature our hand painted miniatures may vary from images shown but we maintain a high tabletop standard.  18.00GBP Go HERE.


5024B PRESEROVITCHS COLOUR PARTY (3 MINIATURE EXPANSION TO 5024)
Add further command poses to your Savant Zombies!  In the 5024 Escape the Dark Czar beginners set you met Savant Zombie Captain Preserovitch and his dismounted cavalry troopers. This code contains three 28mm white metal command pose Zombies to expand his section into a full unit's worth of command poses. A Sergeant with Musket, a Musician with separate Kettle Drums and a Standard Bearer with pole. Expand your Savant Zombies for a bigger game of Flintloque! You can also purchase each of these options pro-painted and based ready for play. These miniatures are supplied with bases and are supplied unpainted (unless purchased painted and based in which case they will be delivered finished and ready to use out of the box).  Note that due to their nature our hand painted miniatures may vary from images shown but we maintain a high tabletop standard. Scale and scenic shots are for illustration and these miniatures are not supplied. 6.00GBP Go HERE.


5024E PRESEROVITCHS DISMOUNTED CAVALRY UNIT
A full skirmish sized unit of Twelve Savant Zombies from 5024 codes! For those new to the Escape the Dark Czar campaign or those who wish a full Flintloque section or Slaughterloo skirmisher unit this code contains twelve 28mm miniatures taken from 5024C and 5024B giving you an officer, standard bearer, musician, sergeant and a mix of five different trooper poses armed with musket and sword. Twelve dismounted cavalry Savant Zombies in a mix of resin and white metal with a saving. Look to 5024D for the mounted Cuirassier version of these miniatures.  Look to 5024B to get single Savant Zombies to boost your unit. You can also purchase each of these options pro-painted and based ready for play. These miniatures are supplied with bases and are supplied unpainted (unless purchased painted and based in which case they will be delivered finished and ready to use out of the box).  Note that due to their nature our hand painted miniatures may vary from images shown but we maintain a high tabletop standard. Scale and scenic shots are for illustration and these miniatures are not supplied. 22.00GBP.  Go HERE.

If you want to get into Flintloque then begin with Escape the Dark Czar and our free resource downloads, videos and gaming group.


5024 Escape from the Dark Czar – Beginners Box Set for Flintloque
The bitter retreat from Moskova is where you begin your adventure. Take command of General de Brigade Hugo Saindoux and his three fellow survivors as they attempt to evade death and escape from the Witchlands.  On their heels are a group of Savant Zombies, the finest Undead in the ranks of the Dark Czar, who are led by Captain Preserovitch.  Their task is to capture the golden eagle standard carried by the young Elven drummer boy Ayers Quinte de Toux.  Will the survivors outwit the living dead?  In this set is a twenty page booklet containing the core rules of Flintloque the Skirmish which will get you playing as well as character profiles and three introductory scenarios as well as the story of the Witchlands campaign.  Written by Gavin Syme (GBS).  




Included are ten high quality resin 28mm miniatures are in the set designed by Sam Croes.  Four mortals (An Elf, young Elf, Dogman and Ogre) and six Savant Zombies.  Ten bases for your miniatures and two percentile dice.  All you need to get playing and to begin your adventures in Flintloque.  You can purchase the boxed set unpainted or painted and based ready for immediate play.  You can also get the figures as singles too.  Go HERE.  You can also get the booklet on its own as a paid digital download HERE


If you want to talk about Flintloque and see what is happening or to ask questions then join our Alternative Armies Tabletop Gaming Group on Facebook where I lurk and will be happy to talking gaming and Flintloque with you (plus Ion Age if you like).


We have a page on the website called Beginning in Flintloque which full of codes and free resources, such as this and other review videos, giving a way into the vast World of Valon as we release more miniatures and other things which follow on from 'Escape the Dark Czar'.  Things on this page are your start with the game of Flintloque.  Now includes single characters, cavalry and more.


Rotten Spotters
Coming late on this month an original one player (solo) Flintloque scenario in the arc for Escape the Dark Czar which sees Captain Preserovitch now once more back in the saddle and hunting for General Saindoux and his growing band of survivors.  Will his mounted Zombies find the mortals as they search the the snow covered landscape in the midst of a storm for survivors sneaking through their line?  In this special rules solo scenario you take the part of the Undead on the hunt.  Publishing for free in the forth week of April; watch out for it.


Andy's 9th Flintloque Article later this week!
Later this week we will have for you the ninth article on Flintloque from fan and player Andy Jefcoate and this time it is all about him taking the artillery and exotic weapons expansion book 5027 Grapeshotte to task for his collection.  He puts his first field gun into his collection. For all of Andy's articles click here for his tag on our BLOG

We hope you like these new releases for April 2018 and as always we thank you for your support and for enjoying the best black powder fantasy setting in the world.

Thanks for Reading,

GBS

Friday 6 April 2018

VNT42 Lord Ruza on Giant Wyvern with 200mm wingspan released

Now released at Alternative Armies our largest model and a fantastic 28mm centre piece for any evil or chaotic themed army.  Lord Rusa rides to war atop a Giant Wyvern armed with a long lance.  This model kit comes in a combination of high quality grey tone resin, white metal and brass rod pieces and was sculpted by Sam Croes. We think its bloody awesome and we hope you like it too. Towers over the field.  Go HERE or read on for more.  March to War (free shipping and gifts and offers) is on until 16th April 2018 and for details read HERE.

“I would not have thought it possible but then none of us had ever seen a warlord like Lord Ruza before.  He had united the northern tribes with a sword dripping with our blood and through 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 to Dagga none of us know how but in word and deed the wyvern knelt and allowed itself to be climbed and then saddled.  Now we ride and march behind Lord Ruza and the Orcs flee and the Dwarves piss themselves.  After all 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 Rusa with Lance on great Wyvern Kildane
This monster with rider code, currently our biggest and most in depth model ever, contains one high quality grey tone resin very large monster kit in 28mm scale (four parts being body, head, left wing, right wing) as well as a white metal rider (Rusa, a Chaotic allied Human in elaborate plate armour) with a two piece saddle as well as a lance tip and lance end cap in white metal.  Also supplied is a length of brass rod for the shaft of the lance and two lengths of brass chain to allow Lord Rusa to control Kildane. It is supplied as shown once built but it is supplied unpainted and unassembled from us.  It is not a complex build but does require a degree of modelling skill.


When built this winged monster with its rider stands at 170mm tall with a wingspan of 200mm . The Wyvern (which is VNT33 Kildane on its own) is supplied in four 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. Suitable for any fantasy wargame system. Assembly required using visual guide to pieces from our images shown and some care and this code is supplied unpainted.  If you would like your Lord Rusa with lance mounted on an armoured horse check out code VNT42A. Note items not from VNT42 are shown for scale only and not supplied. Go HERE.  Price 32.50GBP.

Scale Photo with 28mm Elf from 5024
Scale Photo with VNT42A Rusa on Horse
Lord Rusa vs The Giant Troll!

Alternative Armies has some other 28mm codes which are large and an excellent centre piece for an army.  Here they are and if you want more information please  click through to them.

Dwarf Golem
Old English Dragon



Giant Troll with free Orc Champion

The Wyvern with free Human Knight

Titanic Cyclopes

Treasure Hoarder Dragon

Thanks for Reading,

GBS