The latest on Grapeshotte 3rd edition

Hello Barking Irons fans,

The month of releases and promotions on the build up to Salute 2010 is now underway with the announcement of the 15% off all orders on Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk's websites and the pre-order release of DarkeStorme the Skirmish (see previous posts for these). There is a lot to come yet but here is some news on the next Flintloque 3rd edition book.

Grapeshotte 3rd edition is the first Expansion Book for Flintloque which adds to the two published game books War in Catalucia and Death in the Snow. Grapeshotte adds the science and mechanics of all kinds of artillery, plus siege warfare, as well as a huge armoury of Valon detailing all the weapons from largest to smallest used by every army in the game world. Plus it has some small Sterling expansion articles including Vehicles in Flintloque and Faith in Flintloque to name two.

The mechanics were tested by the Notables Yahoo Group as well as the inhouse AA team back in December to February of this year.

I can tell you that Alternative Armies is aiming to have Grapeshotte at Salute 2010 for its day of release. In the next couple of weeks more news will be coming about this.

What I can say is that the draft of the book is looking great and the artillery rules are spot on for expanding your games of Flintloque.

Oh and yes, Carcass Dodo's are in the book!

Regards,

Gavin.

DarkeStorme can now be pre-ordered!

Hello Everyone,

Time passes so quickly for all of us and for me this week has been like lightening!

DarkeStorme is now out for pre-order before its release on 26th April (plus not only can you use the Salute offer code to get 15% off the price but you can choose 'direct collection' and pick up the book on the 23rd at the Salute show in person!).

You can order from Alternative Armies or 15mm.co.uk depending on wither you prefer 28mm skimish or 15mm skirmish for your fantasy gaming. The book is two scale and covers both.

On the sites you can read all about the book, see its list of contents and also four page images from inside the book too. Enjoy.

Here are the links for Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk

Also the ITA5 Column has now been published on Orcs in the Webbe. Go along and read it, its good fun and worth five minutes of anyones time.

Regards,

Gavin.

Salute 2010: 15% Offer from Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk

Hello Everyone,

Today sees the start of a month long offer from the two companies that support Barking Irons; that being Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk.

Until the 26th of April you can get 15% off any purchase from either company using a promo code which you can find on each website. And yes that includes copies of our own dear Barking Irons magazine too!

For full details please go to either site using these links here:

Alternative Armies

15mm.co.uk

Additionally if you are attending the show in London you can select 'direct collection' and pick up your order from the trade stand on the day; saving the postage too.

Happy gaming and take advantage of this great offer.

Gavin.

Inside the Alternative 5 - sent to Orcs in the Webbe

Hello Everyone,

The text for 'Inside the Alternative No 5' the regular intervew between myself and Craig Andrews at Orcs in the Webbe has now been sent it. The column will appear soon on the OITW site.

As my previous posting said the subject of ITA5 is DarkeStorme the high fantasy skirmish game set in the World of Valon which is about be to released for pre-order in a new improved format.

Its a long column this time packed with information on the game, the mechanics of the game, the background and more. Plus some additional questions about the Dracci, the possibility of a cross over Darke Age into Flintloque title and the relationship DarkeStorme has to Dresda the very first Darke Age skirmish game from Alternative Armies.

Its a good read and you will enjoy it so look out for the update.

Go HERE for Orcs in the Webbe.

Thanks,

Gavin.

HOF Fire-Team public playtest ends

Hello Barking Irons fans,

The public month of testing for HOF (Hordes of the Future) Fire-Team a brand new 15mm tile based gaming system built on Alternative Armies Firefight 2.0 engine has ended today. The HOF FT system is coming from 15mm.co.uk in April of this year.

The game will feature in Barking Irons with news of its release, an indepth look at the game and then scenarios and more for it. This will begin in Issue 3.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in the testing for their hard work and also Bob Minadeo, Mark Hannam and Bill Armintrout especially.

Above you can see a Command Team of four miniatures (from HOF1 Retained Command) all painted and based up for play. I look forward to trying them out soon enough!

Regards,

Gavin.

Green Knight - A DarkeStorme scenario for Barking Irons magazine

Hello Barking Irons fans,

This evening I have been working on a scenario for inclusion in a future issue of the Barking Irons magazine for the DarkeStorme high fantasy gaming system.

Its a scenario that features the infamous Green Knight (he of the Arthurian legend) and an unforunate travelling band of Elvish mercenaries who come across him in the woods at night. After refusing his challenge to single combat they attack him and well...he is somewhat hard to kill.

The full scenario is the first one made up using the new version of the game and its working well. For a player more used to Flintloque and its D10 mechanics, the D6 mechanic is a change but for me a welcome one (having been working on something for Mr Hobbs which will also see the mag in BI No 3). When it makes print the scenario will have rules for night fighting and also how to deal with an unkillable enemy.

The pictured Green Knight on his horse is from my own collection and is featured in the forth coming book.

For those who are interested the Green Knight mounted and on foot can be found here on the Alternative Armies site. Great value and very useful.

More on DarkeStorme in Issue 2 of the magazine and also in the upcoming 'Inside the Alternative' column on Orcs in the Webbe.

Regards,

Gavin.

Barking Irons No 1 mailing out continues

Hello All,

Sweat on the brow today at Alternative Armies. The mailing out of Barking Irons No 1 continues apace and should be complete by the afternoon of the 17th March 2010. This includes all trade customers as well as private customers orders.

Expect postings soon on DarkeStrome and also on Barking Irons No 2, though so feel free to email me and ask or comment here if something in issue 1 catches your eye before that.

I certainly expect there to be no copies of Barking Irons No 1 left by the time of Salute 2010 in April.

Thanks,

Gavin.

Barking Irons magazine No 1 - Out Now!

Celebrate Good Times!

Its been a while coming and I have had many, many emails and messages asking me 'when, when, when' but now its here. Barking Irons gaming magazine is now released in a superb first issue!

As you can see above the peoples of Valon are in full swing and those here on Earth will be merry also across this weekend in the local alehouse.

Some will read this and think...why no sales pitch, that's not like him...well here it is GO AND BUY YOUR COPY TODAY !!!

If you love Flintloque, Firefight 2.0, Alien Squad Leader, Age of Might and Steel or just want a damn good read packed full of content (often lacking these days in an age of shiny emptyness) then these 32 pages are for you.

You can get it from Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk. And if you are only buying the magazine you can use a super cheap airmail postal rate on the site of £1.00 in the UK or £2.50 ANYWHERE else in the world. Here are the links to the right pages:

Alternative Armies 15mm.co.uk

There is a detailed run down of the contents of the Barking Irons no 1 magazine for you here.

Thanks for reading,

Gavin.

Preparing the 'Inside the Alternative' Column No 5

Hello Everyone,

Its that time of the month again for me. The whips crack and the gears of war strain and heave...and that is just me getting into my chair! That task master Craig Andrews over at http://www.orcsinthewebbe.co.uk/ has twisted my hairy arm into another column for his most excellent site.

While I cannot give too much away I can give an idea of what the column will be on this time. To put it in short its on 'DarkeStorme the Skirmish'. Alternative Armies very own and most awesome high fantasy gaming system for both 28mm scale and 15mm scale miniatures.

Our green friend above was rendered by the Boy of Bronze, one Andy Gorman, a name you will all become more familiar with in the coming months. An angry sod and no doubt (not the Boy of Bronze of course...the Orc!).

He forms part of the new cover art for the next imprint of the game book which will be talked about in Inside the Alternative. Craig has asked me to give you all the low down on the game, its relationship to Flintloque and Valon and also what it holds for everyone's favourite destroyers the Dracci. Plus what changes the new imprint will bring to the game and when it will be coming out.

Look for the column later this month.....

Gavin.

Barking Irons Blog created

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to the Barking Irons blog! It is currently under construction and development.

This blog exists to discuss the content, the direction and the options of readers of the Barking Irons gaming magazine published by Alternative Armies and 15mm.co.uk.

Issue One of the magazine goes on sale in the week commencing 15th March 2010.

I am Gavin Syme editor of the magazine and also primary feature writer for the magazine.
Here I am known as the 'Barking Editor'. My bark is worse than my bite!

If you have any questions about the magazine please email me on this blog.

Cheers,

Gavin Syme