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.
Showing posts with label Grima Robot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grima Robot. Show all posts

Monday, 28 April 2025

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.

Thursday, 24 April 2025

Repair Bot new 28mm miniature free auto in orders until 29th May 2025

“Got a feed jam or a wonky drive motor?  Leave it to me.  I can fix it no problem at all.  Happy to help and at reasonable rates too. Now let me look in my tool kit….”

Until 29th May 2025 the brand new 28mm scale Repair Bot, added to the Alternate Stars Range; is totally free. Yes free. A two part metal miniature placed at the rate of one per package into your order.  Any number of orders and any size of order.  As long as the order ships out (no digital only orders sorry) then it will be included by us and you need do nothing but order.  You can also purchase the Repair Bot if you wish and you will still get one free in the package.  We like to reward our loyal customers.

AS030 Repair Bot: Use this robot miniature in any game system of your choosing. Comes in two pieces one of which is the bot and arm with tool box the other is its arm with claw and welding torch.  It is the role of the Repair Bot to tend to broken and damaged machines, other bots, military grade vehicles and much else.  Seen singly or in groups anywhere mankind places its cities. Total height of 25mm.



He is a useful fellow indeed!  Sculpted by Sam Croes.  You can also place it in the 28mm Ion Age Range as a service unit for Grima Combat Robots or the Planetary Militia.



We said goodbye to AS031 Warbot III (perhaps after a little fixing work post battle..above) it joined all the other Formerly Free Codes with a hearty saving (due to their large production runs) alongside previous free in packages such as the 28mm Courier Bot and Info Bot.


Our three 'bots will serve your needs.  Ask for information, deliver a package or get your hover car fixed.

Thanks for your Time.

Friday, 21 February 2025

Grima Combat Robot Gun Team new 28mm Ion Age

In the vast echoing expanse of the Vanda hydrogen refinery’s wide primary conducting corridor, two Grima Combat Robots stood vigilant, their angular, matte-white frames scarred from past engagements and faintly aglow under the harsh flicker of overhead lights. They flanked a hovering Espaten gun platform which mounted a formidable Valerin laser cannon thrumming with a low, menacing hum, its barrel traced with pulsing lines of blue energy. Cables snaked along the walls, hissing with the faint whine of pressurized air, water and other fluids. The Militia controller in charge of the robots was a hundred metres further down the corridor behind a thick barricade.  She angled the control unit into line of sight and issued commands to the waiting machines. “Enemy approaches….Hold Position...Rapid Fire...Avoid Overheat...Pin the Enemy...Enemy is Malig.

The Grima Gunner’s multifaceted optical sensors whirred in sync, clicking as they tracked the guttural snarls and staccato clatter of Maia 9.6mm gunfire echoing off the reinforced walls, the goblins’ hunched, sinewy forms bursting into view through a haze of distortion from flung smoke grenades. Yelling they sprayed wild bursts from their weapons.  “Enact Programme...Proceed.” 

With a sharp whine, the floating Espanten platform’s cannon came to life and its muzzle flaring. The second Grima, keeling directed the searing Valerin beam which carved through the front wave; vaporizing goblins mid-stride. Then, adjusted the angle, the robots unleashing a second blast that scorched a jagged line across the Goblins; silencing a chorus of Maia fire in a burst of molten flesh. The twin Grima Combat Robots remained unyielding, their servos hissing amid the acrid tang of burnt metal and flesh.  More Maligs were coming...a lot more.

New releases in the 28mm scale Ion Age this week as we add a requested code to the line up of Grima Combat Robots in the service of the Prydian Precinct.  Alongside gun teams for Retained Knights and Planetary Militia we have the first of two for these programmable soldiers.  The new two miniature gun team ‘man's’ the Portable Weapon as seen above and can be had as the pack or as singles like the range of the mighty range.

IB96 Grima Gun Team (IA281,IA282). This pack contains two 28mm scale metal miniatures.

IA281 Grima Gunner with enhanced optical viewer head

IA282 Grima Gunner kneeling with gun control unit


We have gun teams for Retained Knights, Muster and Planetary Militia which go well with all the Portable Weapon Platforms.

We have over thirty poses of Grima Combat Robot along with a four man male and four female control team for them.  Platoon packs offer the best value though the range is in packs and all as single poses too.

Malig Space Goblins the most numerous and expendable troops of the alien Shia Khan Empire. The new ones were sculpted by Sam Croes.

Work this year continues on The Ion Age and new editions of MOTH and Firefight to support the growth of the 28mm range.  News on this as it happens of course but for now we wish to thank you for the support of Alternative Armies and our space opera setting.  This is our sole release news in this scale and setting for February 2025.

Thanks for your Time

Thursday, 7 November 2024

Grima Robots 28mm wave two 16 new poses with Female Control Team

Last year we brought a new faction to the massive 28mm Ion Age range; Grima Combat Robots and their Planetary Militia controllers.  Those sixteen miniatures have now been joined by a further sixteen based on requests.  The range now nears three hundred poses with the second release of Grima Combat Robots with Female Planetary Militia Controllers!

The Planetary Militia are present on virtually every world of the Prydian Precinct and while the bulk of its troops are Men and Women there is another type of soldier who fights; the Grima Combat Robots. Under Human control at all times and incapable of independent thought these machines selflessly serve using the same weapons and equipment that regular Planetary Militia’s do. Specialist operators control them issuing programmed orders. 

If you wish to read in depth into the Gurtan Activation in 4302IC and about the Grima Robots there is an ARTICLE to glean more.

See all of the GRIMA ROBOTS or the PLANETARY MILITIA on the website refined searches.  These follow up on the brand new PORTABLE WEAPONS and their gun teams for Retained Knights, Muster, Militia plus the Shia Khan Empire last month.  Platoon’s give you two poses free, value packs give a small saving and as always every miniature is a single code too.  Here we go!

IP08 Grima Robot Rifle Platoon (IB92,IB93,IB94,IB95)

Sixteen miniatures with two included for free.

IB92 Grima Rifle Squad (IA265,IA266,IA267,IA268)

Dramatic Moth Rifle armed Combat Robot poses to expand your force.

IB93 Grima Rifle Squad II (IA269,IA270,IA271,IA272)

A fire team of Combat Robots with Rifles and a Charlatan Launcher.

IB94 Grima Close Assault Squad (IA273,IA274,IA275,IA276)

Armed with Urgan Combat Shotgun and Minstrel Taser these are urban assault robots.

IB95 Planetary Miniature Female Grima Control Squad (IA277,IA278,IA279,IA280)

The Female Human operators and maintainers of the Combat Robots.


Here is a painted example of the typical uniforms of the Grima Combat Robot taken from the first releases last year.  Every planet has its own ideas on colouration with some core worlds matching the robots to regiments of Muster or even Retained powered plate armour.  See code IP06 for the first platoon and packs IB63 to IB66.

Currently in the works at Alternative Armies are playing drafts of MOTH 2.0 and early work on a new edition of Firefight as well.  These, among many other updates, will feature mechanics for the Grima Robots.  

Finally on Thursday 28th November towards the end of the Winter Mega Event we will have the release news of the new 28mm Malig Goblins..the first since 1993.

Thank you for Time

Thursday, 26 September 2024

Selene and Hypnus Portable Weapons of the Khanate

Taken from Academy Auto Trainer Series 66 produced on New Glastonbury in 4337IC in the aftermath of the Return of the Khanate.

The first encounters with infantry support grade weapon platforms came with the initial break out from the Belkus Depression by those Shia Khan forces which had followed the digging machines.  Though a watch was kept on the edges of the crater, which has once been the famed passages of the labyrinth, by planetary defence platoons they were rapidly overwhelmed by the aliens which poured out into the sunlight.  The digging machines had no more than cleared their drive sections of the soft dirt and Legionaries as well as accursed Maligs followed them.  Being some distance off due to the background radiation left over by the detonation of the fusion core the defence troopers had time to made transmissions back to Pelacan city to inform and then call for reinforcements.  What was not expected from vids and audio from the gateway chamber was the immediate reach the enemy had.  It was the first encounter with code name Selene and code name Hypnus portable weapon platforms.

Floating forwards at a steady pace with two alien operators running alongside each of them the Selene platforms opened fire first upon elements of the 3rd Pelacan Regiment at a range beyond their ability to strike back.  A barrage of 20mm cannon shells and laser beams were followed by the shrieking rage of 12.7mm rounds by the thousand and it killed many of the troopers who were unable to find thick enough cover.  It was however once the aliens drew closer and the troopers loosed off anvil rounds and bursts of grenades from their Moth type 12's that the other Khanate platforms entered the fray.  The Hypnus have a single operator who seems to be bonded to the weapon platform by a chair behind a thick gun shield.  The weapons carried by the Hypnus are dangerous in their own right giving off in many cases a degree of radiation or gene potential damage.  Atomic Destabilisers and Triple Plasma mounts tore through Aketon armour and the hulls of a half dozen Steornede Battlesuits at close range with ease.  This led to the loss of the craters edge and marked the start of the remorseless advance of the aliens.  Portable weapon platforms have proven tough to deal with without armoured support and the Khanate makes great use of them especially in urban areas to hold taken junctions and structures.  

There are six primary kinds of Portable Weapon used by the Shia Khan Empire in support of its Legions. The Selene is more plentiful and has been observed with Legionary Gunners as well as Maligs and even Betrayers.

“During the ancient Ban of Prejudice the Espaten was a powerful tool for support in the street fights which raged in underground cities across the Precinct.  In recent years the original gun has been present in all campaigns and it has been broadened as well.  To deal with Battlesuits and larger infantry formations as well as indirect fire missions there are now six variants.  These are  the same weapon systems as used by the new Havelock Type 57 being rolled out to Muster Regiments right now.”  Academy Auto-Trainer Series 07, New Glastonbury, 4325IC

The Prydian Army as well as the Marcher Barons and Condot Companies have an array of Portable Weapons to support their troops.

Combat Robots and Sentient Machines in The Ion Age read this Article on our Blog.

A special article for The Ion Age which tells the story of Combat Robots, the Grima series from concept to miniatures in two scales plus the story from the universe explaining why Artificial Intelligence (Sentient Machines) are outlawed in Prydian Space. 

Thursday, 12 September 2024

Five new Espaten Portable Weapon kits for 28mm Ion Age Range

“During the ancient Ban of Prejudice the Espaten was a powerful tool for support in the street fights which raged in underground cities across the Precinct.  In recent years the original gun has been present in all campaigns and it has been broadened as well.  To deal with Battlesuits and larger infantry formations as well as indirect fire missions there are now six variants.  These are  the same weapon systems as used by the new Havelock Type 57 being rolled out to Muster Regiments right now.” Academy Auto-Trainer Series 07, New Glastonbury, 4325IC

Now that we have restored all of the original 28mm Ion Age Range codes in the Prydian Army and added motive units to the existing gun platform as well as new gun teams for Retained Knights and Planetary Militia we have five, yes five, further portable weapon platforms now released.  These five take the 28mm range into line with the 15mm Ion Age Range for portable weapons.  The new codes are:

IB72 Moth 88 Rotary Espaten Portable Weapon (Platform Kit)

IB73 Angis Cannon Espaten Portable Weapon (Platform Kit)

IB74 Bodkin Howitzer Espaten Portable Weapon (Platform Kit)

IB75 Valerin Laser Espaten Portable Weapon (Platform Kit)

IB76 Fretan Railgun Espaten Portable Weapon (Platform Kit)

Each kit has a built in saving of ten percent as all the value packs in the range do.  They are composed of resin and metal pieces and are easy to assemble being approx 50mm by 40mm and 25mm tall.  They will go with any of the gun teams in the range.

Move your guns on the battlefield using IB77 Tracked Espaten Propulsion Unit or IB78 Anti Gravity Espaten Propulsion Unit.  These fit all the weapon platforms.

For those wanting serious numbers with an excellent saving of two miniatures included free then check out the PLATOON PACKS which we have for Retained Knights, Muster, Grima Combat Robots, Legionaries, Betrayers and Malig Goblins.

This is the first of two big release announcements for the 28mm Ion Age Range this month keep your eyes peeled for the second..when the Khanate get their even bigger turn.

Thanks for Reading!

Thursday, 8 August 2024

Tracked Gremlins four new 15mm Ion Age vehicles released

“The sound of war treads never leaves you.  A rattle and such weight as they pass but as they pass they are your salvation. That was on the third day on the outskirts of Northern Sector and we were pinned down.  So many Maligs and none with a sense of self preservation.  Five regiments calling for support and with no Retained Knights that meant our own armour.  We were the first to be aided by the Gremlins.  Their missile pods made short work of the defensive ramparts the Goblins had erected.  I signalled the advance and in the cover of their hulls we dispatched the survivors.  The Star Port was near and whatever the Khanate were up to we would stop it.” Captain Abraham Tull, 48th Planetary Defence Regiment, Northern Sector.  4346 IC.


Following on the heels or should that be skirts of the new Gremlin family of vehicles in their hover variants we now release the four variants of this medium vehicle with tracked propulsion!  Above a tracked Gremlin AFV with Valerin Laser Cannon screens a fire-team of Planetary Militia in the new fallen snows. The Gremlin gives Planetary Militia, Grima and sometimes Muster added mobility and firepower that out classes the smaller Adder for weaponry and outpaces the much heavier Mullo classes of transport.  These are all our 15mm sci-fi releases for the month.



Four page free Patrol Angis download article covering Adder Combat Tankettes as well as lifter type Hazelwurm and Colabreta Carriers. All the variants of the steadfast Mullo Armoured Fighting Vehicle and most requested all of the variants of the new Gremlin Medium Vehicles. Go to the WEBSITE or click HERE to get it direct from our server.  Formatted as Callsign Taranis.


IAF186A Gremlin AFV Tracked with Bodkin AP Cannon (and Valerin) and hull turret    
IAF186B Gremlin MSV Tracked with Anda Missile Pods Turret and hull turret
IAF186C Gremlin APC Tracked Personnel Carrier with hull turret        
IAF186D Gremlin ACV Armoured Command Vehicle with command turret and hull turret



If you are new to the 15mm Ion Age range then our suggestion is to begin with the Patrol Angis book or game pack with miniatures, battlesuits and bases with a saving.  Once you are ready to progress from infantry level skirmish and want to add vehicles then seek out Callsign Taranis for this. The greatest foe of Humanity is the alien Shia Khan Empire.  In the third book of the series The Khanate Return you can add these aliens as well as Grima and Planetary Militia forces to your play in the Camarthen Prime campaign.  Books in print and as digital download.


The 15mm Ion Age Range contains many hundreds of miniatures as packs (choose single poses within them) and platoon packs which come with an extra free unique miniature.  Added fun!  Get Retained Knights, Destria Knights, Muster, Planetary Militia as well as Malig Goblins, Legionaries, Pioneers and much more such as the massive IAF146 Tohlic Armoured Crawler which carries an entire platoon!  See the ‘Filter By’ box on page to refine your look at the mighty range.

Tuesday, 23 July 2024

Platform Propulsion units released 28mm Ion Age range

“The platform itself is static on four titanium alloy struts with an integral titanium gun shield. It can be equipped with two kinds of propulsion.  Used by the Muster is the type 38 quad tracked Espaten Motive System which can keep pace with most infantry and used by the Retained is the MkXI Repuslar Motive System which holds the portable weapon just above ground level in a steady hover. Espaten Portable Weapons have gone from a relic of a bygone age to a core part of campaigning all across the Prydian Precinct.  They have earned their nicknames 'the spitters of death' on dozens of worlds.” Academy Auto-Trainer Series 07, New Glastonbury, 4325IC

Following up on last month when we released the classic Moth 88 Long Barrelled Cannon and Muster gun team along with brand new Retained and Planetary Militia gun teams we now give you the power of movement! Over 250 poses in the 28mm scale Ion Age range are joined by a tracked and a ‘repulsar’ anti-gravity propulsion unit which will carry your Portable Weapons on the battlefield.  All of the new releases are towards a new edition of MOTH the skirmish game rules but more on that nearer the time. Across this year we will expand the portable weapon itself and also restore and expand the Shia Khan ones too. 

IB77 Espaten Tracked Propulsion Unit: A resin model with four tractor tread units and a central area which fits any Espaten portable weapon. Features a small linkage panel to any control unit equipped gun team.  One piece with a length of 60mm and width of 30mm.

IB78 Espaten Anti-Gravity Propulsion Unit: A resin model repulsar type floating disc with a central area which fits any Espaten portable weapon. Features a small linkage panel to any control unit equipped gun team. One piece with a length of 50mm and width of 40mm.  Supplied with the lifter base included!

If you missed the news last time read the full ARTICLE or filter the range to PORTABLE WEAPON to see all those codes. Every miniature in the range is a single to be had and all fit into value packs which offer a saving off single prices.


The 28mm Ion Age Range and the 15mm Ion Age Range are both massive so we have a ‘Filter by’ option on the website where you can refine what you are seeing to certain things such as Portable Weapons.  The new 28mm propulsion units are scaled up from the 15mm ones.

For those wanting serious numbers with an excellent saving of two miniatures included free then check out the PLATOON PACKS which we have for Retained Knights, Muster, Grima Combat Robots, Legionaries, Betrayers and Malig Goblins.

We like to give our customers a treat so there is always something free in every package shipped out by us here in Scotland.  Until August 5th it is part two of our Devilish Imps; four any scale miniatures.  Read about this in the ARTICLE.  Totally free in orders included automatically.

Thank you for Reading!

Friday, 5 July 2024

Gremlin Hover Command vehicle 15mm Ion Age released

It was a game of cat and mouse..or rather it was a deadly fight between the vehicle patrols of the Planetary Defence Forces and the dug in Maligs with their heavy weapons. There is little doubt that the patrols would have suffered far greater casualties in pop up ambushes had it not been for the armoured command variants of the Gremlins which gave advantages. Not only in command and control but also in planning and the four Moth rotary cannons each carried were ideal for the twisted hinterlands of the city. Wasteful of fabricated ammunition possibly however the saving of lives always matters more. Over the course of a week the hinterland was cleared and advance into New Gwent could begin proper. The Star Port was a mess and the Khanate would pay. 
Captain Abraham Tull, 48th Planetary Defence Regiment, Northern Sector. 4346 IC. 
 
 
Following on the release of the hover variants of the Gremlin family of vehicles back in the spring we present the command variant of the same rounding out the lifters. Above Planetary Militia with a Grima Combat Robot secure a Hab Dome just vacated by a tesseran of Malig Goblinoids. The Gremlin is a family of variants which give Planetary Militia and sometimes Muster added mobility and firepower that out classes the older Adder for weaponry and outpaces the much heavier Mullo classes of transport. 
 
 
Four page free Patrol Angis download article covering Adder Combat Tankettes as well as lifter type Hazelwurm and Colabreta Carriers. All the variants of the steadfast Mullo Armoured Fighting Vehicle and most requested all of the variants of the new Gremlin medium vehicles. Go to the WEBSITE or click HERE to get it direct from our server. Formatted as the main book is. 
 
 
IAF185D Gremlin ACV Armoured Command Vehicle with command turret and hull turret
 
The other codes are: 
 
IAF185A Gremlin AFV Hover with Bodkin AP (and Valerin Laser) plus hull turret 
IAF185B Gremlin MSV Hover with Anda Missile Pods Turret and hull turret 
IAF185C Gremlin APC Hover Personnel Carrier with hull turreet 
 
 
 
If you are new to the 15mm Ion Age range then our suggestion is to begin with the Patrol Angis book or game pack with miniatures, battlesuits and bases with a saving. Once you are ready to progress from infantry level skirmish and want to add vehicles then seek out Callsign Taranis for this. The greatest foe of Humanity is the alien Shia Khan Empire. In the third book of the series The Khanate Return you can add these aliens as well as Grima and Planetary Militia forces to your play in the Camarthen Prime campaign. Books in print and as digital download. 
 
 
 
The 15mm Ion Age Range contains hundreds of miniatures as packs (choose single poses within them) and platoon packs which come with an extra free unique miniature. Added fun! Get Retained Knights, Destria Knights, Muster, Planetary Militia as well as Malig Goblins, Legionaries, Pioneers and much more such as the Xin Precinct shown above. See the ‘Filter By’ box on page to refine your look at the mighty range. 
 
Thanks!

Thursday, 20 June 2024

Ion Age 15mm free Patrol Angis download updated Prydian Vehicles

Prydia is aflame in civil war among the Marcher Barons and all the while the alien Khanate increase their hold on the Precinct.  Armour is the key to victory!  This free article gives an expansion for 2024 to existing vehicles in Callsign Taranis.  Slot it right into your second book of the trio.  15mm Ion Age Range.

You can see the download on the WEBSITE 

or click HERE to get it direct from our server.

A five page article covers the missing Adder Combat Tankettes as well as the lifter type Hazelwurm and Colabreta Carriers which are all Light Vehicles.  It has all the variants of the steadfast Mullo Armoured Fighting Vehicle and most requested all of the variants of the new Gremlin which are Medium Vehicles (recently released and still to come).  All of the Taranis Tanks which are Heavy Vehicles are already covered in Callsign Taranis.

Gremlins are Medium Vehicles used by the Planetary Militia and Grima Combat Robots in lower scale conflicts and in fights against Shia Khan Legions. Currently three hover variants under codes IAF185A, B and C.  There will be further Gremlins as per the game rules in this article later in 2024.

Mullos are hard hitting Medium Vehicles used by the Retained Knights as well as Muster in battle. There are three variants which are wheeled, tracked and replusar each coming with two turret load outs as well as three APC variants of the same.  Codes are IAF042A to IAF042F.

When you are deep in the city night and Malig Infiltrators are terrorising the innocent then the Hazelwurm will get your fire team to the block fast.

All of the Patrol Angis books can be had as print and digital download too on the website plus a game Game Pack with a saving which gets you started.

Lastly if you use this code during checkout (enter it into the voucher, discount box)  15once  your total will reduced automatically by 15% before shipping is calculated.  One use per customer (until 8th July) and applies to everything in the cart no matter what it is from the website.  Will not combine with any other promotion code.

We like to give our customers a treat so there is always something free in every package shipped out by us here in Scotland.  Until July 8th it is part one of our Devilish Imps; four any scale miniatures.  Read about this in the ARTICLE.  No catch..totally free in orders.