Mantic Army Giveaway – only 3 days to go!

Hear ye, hear ye! We here at the Unseen Lerker office have been having a darn hard time seeing straight lately – the world seems awfully, blindingly bright these past weeks. Seeing as we’re located in Nottingham, England, it certainly can’t be sunlight afflicting our vision, so what’s up? Aha! There! It’s the ultra-shiny properties of the Big Prize Load we’ve currently got sitting in our office.

In case you hadn’t heard, we’re currently giving away a brand new fantasy wargaming army. No, your eyes haven’t gone too, you did read that right.

In our most recent battle report, in issue 6, we featured the models from rising star company Mantic Games in a clash of Dwarfs vs Undead. After the game, we managed to use our patented Jedi Mind Tricks to convince the chaps at Mantic to let us give away a brand new version of one of the armies used in the report!

Anyone can enter the draw – it’s easy. There are three ways to get entered into the competition:
1) Subscribe to the magazine, at www.unseenlerker.com/subscribe
2) Renew your existing subscription via the same link
3) Get a friend to subscribe (you’ll both be entered into the draw)! Just be sure to drop us an email and let us know your names.

For all the juicy details, including seeing what’s up for grabs, GO HERE. As Morty Finkle and all good Nike salesmen would say: “Do it. Just do it.”

We’ll be drawing the winner on Saturday the 15th of January and announcing the result both here on the website and in Unseen Lerker issue 7, due out at the end of the month.

Unseen Lerker issue 6 – Colonel Mustard’s weapon of choice

Well, it’s that time again. The premier independent fantasy gaming magazine continues its run of ambling shenanigans and outrageous fashion advice (seal fur is soooo in this season) with its October—November edition. 

Still at 56 pages of full-colour, eye-melting goodness, the latest issue contains: 

- Wayne’s World: a brand new series of hobby articles written by Wayne Kemp of Heelanhammer podcasting fame. This issue he provides his unique take on building a Rat Ogre Bonebreaker from an all manner of bits and pieces, using a plastic River Troll as a basis.

- A Legend Never Dies: it may sound like the title for a James Bond film, but it’s actually a coverage of the recently held Giant Fanatic tournament, wonderfully written by our Danish agent in the field, Jimmi Stender. GF is one of the premier events in Europe and Jimmi gives us all the hot gossip on what went down, who did what, and what colour the carpet was (just kidding – there was no carpet). Also included is an interview with one of the organisers, a familiar face, about the merits of a newly conceived Line of Sight system that was used.

- Army Showcase: “Old School” Chaos Warriors. Matt Birdoff is one of the most prolific Warhammer players in the USA. He’s owned eight Chaos armies over the years, each a little whackier than the last, and this issue we showcase his latest weird and wonderful creations.

- HUGE Kings of War coverage. Included with the magazine is a copy of Mantic Games’s Kings of War, a brand new set of fantasy gaming rules that you can use with your existing miniatures. We also managed to land an interview with their CEO Ronnie Renton, get the Test Dummies to do a review of the rules, score two units of Undead Cavalry to give away, use their studio armies in a Dwarfs vs Undead battle report, and even use our patented Jedi Mind Tricks to convince them to let us give away an entire army!

Intrigued? As always you can check out a 10-page preview of the magazine HERE.

Unseen Lerker 2010 GT Results

The results for the recently held Unseen Lerker GT are available here

Island of Blood competition – winners announced!

Thanks to all of our new and current subscribers who participated in our recent Island of Blood competition. Below you can find the lucky winners, who have also been notified by our most highly trained psychic chimpanzees.

1st prize (Island of Blood boxed set) Edmund Herzig (UK)
2nd prize (one year subscription to HeelanHammer and BadDice bonus content) Jim Lindqvist (Sweden)
3rd prize (a spangly Unseen Lerker dice set) Martin Gaska (USA)

Keep your eyes peeled for more competitions in the future.

Charity auction: limited edition Beastman standard bearer

In issue 5 of Unseen Lerker we had a special painting article focusing on a special model: the limited edition Beastman standard bearer sculpted by Alex Huntley and produced by Maelstrom Games for the participants of the 2010 European Team Championships.

Below you can view the painting tutorial, written by professional painter Joe Sturge. Joe part owns and runs Ibis Miniatures, a miniature painting business. You may remember Joe’s winter-themed Wood Elf army from the 7^th edition Warhammer rulebook, or his previous articles in Unseen Lerker.

‘Creative Splatter’ article

We are auctioning off this wonderfully painted miniature in the name of charity. The auction will run between Thursday the 30^th of September and Sunday the 10^th of October, and all proceeds will be donated directly to the Red Cross Foundation. The auction details are below.

Where it is: www.ebay.co.uk

Auction number: 370431868749

Seller name: ibisminiatures

Item description: RARE Warhammer Beasts of Chaos Army Standard Bearer

Unseen Lerker issue 5 – tastier than stranger’s candy

Issue 5 of the most talked-about publication since How To Tell If Your Spouse Is An Anarchist, continues things in style with more savvy wit than Steve Martin (though with better hair) and more pretty pictures than Mugatu’s Derelicte campaign.

The magazine has expanded to 56 pages this issue – the biggest ever – and within you will find:

- Event Spolight: The European Team Championships. The UL team was on the scene in Germany, and report back with tales of inappropriate drunkenness and other debauchery, a run-down of the ebb and flow of the Fantasy tournament, and interviews with Jordan “Captain America” Braun and Rasmus Hammer, the team coach from Denmark.

- Creative Splatter: a step-by-step painting guide to Maelstrom’s limited edition Beastman standard bearer figure, produced for the ETC. Resident painter Joe Sturge also talks about tea, moustaches, Russel Crowe, and asparagus.

- The Hobby Corner: James “Domus” Hyde explores the methodology and execution behind theming your Warhammer army.

- The Dark Side: Russ Wakelin of the D6 Generation podcast returns to tell us all about Wyrd Miniatures’ latest game: Malifaux.

- Battle Report, between Asger Sams Granerud (Dark Elves) and Anders Nøhr (Empire), two leading members of the victorious Danish ETC team. Their game includes topsy turvy dice rolls, killing blow, Final Transmutations, and even a little bit of swearing (in Danish, it’s okay).

- Plus, we give away the aforementioned Beastman ETC figure and a full set of the Mystery Express board game.

As always, you can check out a free 10-page sample of the issue HERE to get a taste of what you’re in for. You can subscribe to the magazine by visiting our website, http://www.unseenlerker.com/subscribe. For anyone wishing to buy single issues we recommend checking out Maelstrom Games who offer the best postage deals for international customers. If you are already subscribed then rest assured that your copy should arrive in the post in the next few days – the flying monkeys are already on their way! Also, don’t forget that there are still a few days left in our Island of Blood competition too, so get your friends to subscribe for a chance to win a full Island of Blood box set!

Unseen Lerker Issue 4 – more fun than joining a cult

 What’s that, up there in the sky? It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Unseen Lerker(man)!

The latest and greatest independent gaming magazine on the scene may not be faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound, but the knowledge, humour and pretty pictures contained its 44 hallowed pages will sate your wargaming thirst like a great big slice of juicy war-termelon.

 Within the murky pages of Issue 4 you will find:

 - A rundown of Maelstrom Games’s Summer Incursion event, held at their ultimate gaming venue in Mansfield, including photos of the winners, the players and the BBQ, plus an interview with head organiser Gary Moore.

- The Dark Side: a brand new column discussing alternative games systems, this month featuring Russ Wakelin of the internationally acclaimed D6 Generation podcast talking about his favourite game of all, Warmachine.

- The Hobby Corner, with world famous eccentric painter Joe Sturge, who tells us all there is to know about paintbrushes, Dali, and gruel.

- Army Showcase featuring the swashbuckling Swedish Tomb Kings of Jacob Scott, including genies, flying carpets, parasols, and maybe even an elephant.

- A special Wood Elves vs Empire 8^th edition battle report between two of the Unseen Lerker staff, testing out the new rules and one of the rulebook scenarios.

- Plus all of the usual features, like the Test Dummies reviewing River Horse’s Shuuro game (and giving a copy away), a Special Characters interview with the man behind the European Team Championships, a review of the new Red Dead Redemption video game, and a Reader’s Rant written by a woman!

As always you can check out a full quarter-length sample of the magazine HERE.

Unseen Lerker Issue 3  - Locked, Loaded and Lubed

Step right up, step right up, don’t be shy now. Issue 3 of Unseen Lerker (or “The Bi-Monthly Guide To Weasel Trimming”, as it’s known in South Africa) has rocketed into the atmosphere with all of the grace, speed and intensity of a flying pancake.

This issue we continue to improve upon the style and layout from Issue 2, while staying true to our core of quality content and affable readability. We were, however, told to stop publishing photos of women in rollerskates, so we’ve now been forced to replace that section with, well, stuff about toy soldiers. A shame, really.

Issue 3 contains:

- Event Spotlight: Adepticon
James Hyde takes a walk on the American side and brings us back tales from the largest Games Workshop based weekend in the USA. Included are pictures of kissing Daemonettes, an interview with the overall WHFB champion, and a full breakdown of all the different tournaments running over the two days.

- Tactic-Attack: Dodge the Dragon!
Our regular tactician, Loke D, has gotten all inspired by a recent Pixar animated film and decided to focus this month’s Tactic-Attack article on how to deal with big, scary, flying monsters. He’s crazy like that.

- Army Showcase: Wayne Kemp’s Skaven
This awesomely converted and painted horde of rodent critters is the winner of many Best Army awards, and after seeing it in the flesh at Tempest Rising (the first Unseen Lerker run tournament) we really couldn’t go past including it in this month’s issue. Put on your bib and get ready to drool.

- The Hobby Corner: A Basis For Basing Basic Bases
Some of you may know Joe Sturge from his winter Wood Elf army in the WHFB rulebook. Others may remember him from the Deadly Cream Pie incident of 2002. Regardless, we managed to track down professional painter and pastry fiend Mr Sturge just long enough that he could pour out some of his scrambled thoughts into something resembling an article on improving your figures’ bases.

- The Test Dummies
This time our gullible duo of lab rabbits (I mean, volunteers) try their hand at The Uncharted Seas, a miniature wargame set at sea! While we can’t guarantee they won’t say “Avast!” a few times, we can guarantee that we’ll be giving away a full copy of the game they tested plus two starter fleets to one lucky subscriber. The winner isn’t drawn until Issue 4, so subscribe to Unseen Lerker for your chance to win!

- Battle Report: Blood Brothers
High Elves vs Dark Elves is always a grizzly affair, and who better to recreate it than two of the top players in Australia – Andrew and Jeff Galea. Included are outrageous Leadership tests, a frisky Hydra, some brotherly banter, and for the first time a very sexy turn-by-turn map…tracker…thing!

- Plus a whole other bunch of stuff
Including our usual book and video game reviews, prize giveaways (including custom UL dice and an UL t-shirt), an interview with the man behind the new, spangly RankingsHQ site, and no references to Sam Worthington whatsoever. Nope, not one.

Don’t forget you a view a full 10-page sample of the magazine for free HERE!

Unseen Lerker issue 2 is here !

That’s right, folks, it’s that great new gaming magazine you’ve all been waiting for – Unseen Lerker! Issue 2, which has been described as “a product more appealing than sugar”, is here.

The hippest new publication in town gets things rolling in earnest with more interesting content than you can shake a Mexican at (no offence to Mexicans intended, you’re just so shakeable is all). Included in issue 2 are:

- A HUGE coverage of the recently held Bad Dice Masters event in the UK, featuring a whole smattering of photographs, player profiles, a full rundown of the event, and an exclusive interview with the overall champion Keith Wilkinson.

- Kim Otto Nielsen’s STUNNING army: the Eternal Waaagh! Straight from Denmark and Giant Fanatic where it won 2nd Best Army in a field of over 100 players, this very quirky army must be seen to be believed.

- Special Characters: an interview with Peter Van Lijsebetten, a collector, hobbyist and gamer from the dark and mysterious depths of BELGIUM. Find out more about this man’s strange obsessions…

- The Test Dummies: a brand new column in which two men are sent out into the world in search of interesting alternative games. This month we GIVE AWAY a full Core Set of Warhammer: Invasion The Card Game, as well as The Skavenblight Threat expansion pack!

- A battle report from two of the top players in SWEDEN, featuring Orcs and Goblins and Tomb Kings in a battle of wills, washing lines and parasols. Don’t miss it!

- And of course all of our regular sections, including Loke Andersen’s Tactic-Attack with all you ever need to know about diverting, James Hyde’s Hobby Corner with an eye for building terrain for your battles, a Reader’s Rant analysing the very essence of being cool, and a truckload more random bits that we can’t even remember writing.

What’s more, we recently kidnapped a penguin named Moritz from the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, and as fortune would have it he’s also quite talented in terms of graphic design. So we’ve put him to use, and Unseen Lerker now has a much cleaner, crisper feel to it.

You can check out a 10-page preview of issue 2 HERE.

Issue 1 highlights:

Unseen Lerker is the latest, shiniest addition to the collection every dedicated gamer should have on their bookshelf. Contained within each bi-monthly issue are game reports from top players, expert painting and modelling tutorials, army showcases, interviews, event spotlights, an international list of upcoming tournaments, numerous reviews of books, movies, video games, and whatever else we can cram into each action-packed issue!

• Army Showcase: Russ Veal’s Chaos Horde

One of the most gorgeous armies on the planet, displayed in glorious full colour photographs for you to admire, plus an in-depth interview with Russ himself.

• Special Characters: an interview with Marcelo Rouco

Marcelo Rouco, current #1 player in Australia, has achieved a rankings score unmatched by anyone in history. In this two-page interview we learn a little bit about not only the gamer, but the man himself.

• Event Spotlight: Giant Fanatic

A full coverage of the biggest tournament in Denmark, including masses of full-colour photographs, the Unseen Lerker review, comments from veteran players in attendance as well as an interview with one of the top organisers.

• Plus all of our regular features

Including a tactics article by Loke Andersen, The Hobby Corner with James Hyde, our hefty reviews segment, and an intense 10-page battle report between two of the UK’s best players: Andy Isherwood and Andrew Chesney.

To get your copy simply click here

Also, don’t forget to check out our free forums section where you can chat about your all favourite hobbies, the magazine itself, and why full cream milk is better than skimmed. You can also keep updated with all the latest Unseen Lerker news by checking out the Lerker Blog or signing up to our email list.

To view a sample of issue 1 please click here