Palladium Books® Weekly Update – August 1, 2014

By Kevin Siembieda

It is mad-dash time for EVERYTHING, it seems. Still working our tails off. There’s news in this Update that I think you’ll like (such as a new Palladium Fantasy release nobody has been expecting). Read on and enjoy.

UPDATE: Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames – Ships August 8

Both Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ and Future Visions™ – The Artistry of Charles Walton II will ship next Friday, August 8, 2014, possibly a day or two sooner. The Gold Edition Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ will be numbered and signed by the Palladium staff. Limited to 300 signed and numbered copies. Gold limited editions should be ready to ship in early September.

For those of you coming to Gen Con, make sure you get your Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™ signed by SEVEN of the key contributors, including author Carl Gleba, publisher and writer Kevin Siembieda, artist Nick Bradshaw, artist Chuck Walton, artist Amy Ashbaugh, writer/editor Matthew Clements and editor Wayne Smith.

UPDATE: Future Visions – The Artistry of Charles Walton II – August 8

The Chuck Walton art book Future Visions™ ships August 8, 2014. This is a very dynamic and impressive book that will give you a big look at what we have in store for upcoming Splicers® titles, as well as a bit of behind the scenes insight about Chuck and Palladium Books. If you like the art of Charles Walton, you will love this book. And at only $13.95, it is a steal.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #67 – Ships Mid-August

Another great issue. ‘Nuff said.

NEW! Palladium Fantasy®: Bizantium and the Northern Islands

This is another one of the surprises we've been kicking around behind the scenes. A nice, meaty sourcebook for the Palladium Fantasy RPG®. The author is Glen Evans (you've seen his work in many issues of The Rifter®), and writer Matthew Clements is finishing his first editing pass on the book and making a few tweaks before it comes to me for a final review. I hope to be assigning artwork for it after Gen Con and see the book released later this year. See the full description elsewhere in this Weekly Update. I’m excited about this. Are you excited?

NEW! Coming this Weekend

Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” on DriveThruRPG.com

This is another semi-secret project (“Madman” Mike has been talking about it for a while in some circles) that is ready to launch. Paper miniatures created by artist “Madman” Mike Leonard for use in the Palladium Fantasy RPG. You’ll be able to get a FREE Sample, and buy two sets of Paper Miniatures. They look really good. Nice work, “Madman” Mike. They should be available on DriveThruRPG by Sunday, hopefully sooner. And don’t forget, first edition rules of the Palladium Fantasy RPG® and several sourcebooks (and 90+ other titles, including the Rifts® and Splicers® RPGs) are also available as PDFs. Have fun.

UPDATE: Robotech® RPG Tactics

On Tuesday, we received the 31 pallets of boxes for the shipping of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ that’s going to just our Kickstarter backers! That should give you some idea of the scale of this operation. Wild.

We can hardly wait to get that first container from China. Meanwhile, we have Blue Table Painting (and a couple other guys) working on some display pieces and something like 50 figures for demos.

As always, Palladium stands behind all of its products, so if you should encounter a problem with Robotech® RPG Tactics™ like a missing or defective game piece/sprue, etc., just give the office a call (734-721-2903) or contact us via most any other form of communication (email through Kickstarter, help board, snail mail, etc.), they should all get a result. For those of you in the USA, calling the office is your best bet for a fast response. Those of you in countries outside the United States, use the Kickstarter email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Robotech® Academy Kickstarter!

Don’t forget about the Robotech® Academy Kickstarter! This is Harmony Gold USA, Inc.’s proposed new venture to expand the Robotech® universe. And they are using Kickstarter to finish the pilot with the hopes of launching it as a new Robotech animated series. It is my understanding that concept work, a script, model sheets, new mecha designs and more are already done. Now they are looking to get the production of the pilot financed, at least in part, by Kickstarter. As a licensee of Harmony Gold, I like what I’m hearing about this new series, so check out this Kickstarter and get some cool, collectible swag in the process.

UPDATE: Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines Sourcebook One

– Formerly titled ‘UEEF Marines’

Diving into this title full bore after Gen Con for release later this year.

UPDATE Gen Con Indy – Palladium Books® is Booth #1223 – August 14-17, 2014

Please drop by the Palladium booth #1223 to pick up the latest releases, back stock items, a number of specialty products, art prints, original artwork, con sketches and a number of Convention Specials. Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™, Future Visions™ (the Chuck Walton art book) and a few hundred copies of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ will all be hot off the presses. Note: We can only bring a limited number of any product to sell. ALL items are sold on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last! Robotech® RPG Tactics™ in particular. First come, first served.

Meet, chat with and get autographs from a dozen Palladium creators (writers, artists, and staff). Enjoy demos of Robotech® RPG Tactics™, play in FREE role-playing game events at the booth (Gary Miller, NMI and others are running RPG games at the booth; sign up at the booth — this is in addition to the 50+ sold out events on the Gen Con schedule!), preview Carmen Bellaire’s latest game and . . . well, just come on over to enjoy the fun!

Palladium Books Gen Con Highlights:

Closing Thoughts

I hope to see a lot of you at Gen Con. We’ll be bringing all kinds of product, original artwork, one-of-a-kind collectibles, and some specialty products we think you will love. It is crazy busy here, so gotta run. Keep those imaginations burning bright.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer and Game Designer

Future Visions

NEW! Future Visions

– The Artistry of Charles Walton II – Ships August 8

We call it Future Visions because it very much gives you a glimpse into the future of what is coming from Palladium Books. It is jam-packed with black and white artwork and concept art for several of the upcoming Splicers® sourcebooks and a couple other Palladium projects. Things we are excited about and want you to be, too. People can’t seem to get enough of Chuck Walton artwork, so here is an entire 96 page book filled with it. Some of the art is finished pieces, many others are concept art that may be tweaked and altered, or not used at all. Much of it is material you would never ordinarily see. If you like this book and it sells well, it can be the first of several Charles Walton II art books (and other artists?). We hope you enjoy it. It was a fun, quick and easy project to throw together. It didn't impact our schedule more than a few days.

Rifts Megaverse in Flames

NEW! Rifts® World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames – Ships August 8

At the printer. The Minion War is here and the demons seek to conquer Rifts Earth. They are bringing demonic armies by the tens of thousands across the dimensional divide, unleashing plagues, seeking out magic artifacts, recruiting monsters and mortal allies, and testing their strength against Earth’s military powers. Worse, they are building Hell Pits so that they can unleash Hell on Earth! Not to be outdone, the Minions of Dyval are doing all the same things. Clashes between demons and Deevils are increasing every day and turn into titanic free-for-alls when Earth forces join the battle. As demonic supernatural forces ramp up, enslave people and wreak havoc across the globe, the question becomes: Is this the beginning of a new Dark Age?

Rifts Megaverse in Flames gold Edition

NEW! Megaverse® in Flames “Gold Edition” – Ships Early September

This book has so much cool stuff in it, we thought it deserved the Gold Hardcover treatment. Imprinted gold foil on black leatherette, signed by the Palladium staff, Matthew Clements and Chuck Walton. (You can get Carl Gleba’s signature at the Palladium Open House next May.)

The Rifter #67

NEW! The Rifter® #67 – Summer issue ships mid-August

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready to go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. And don’t forget, most of the material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

The Rifter® Number 67 includes:

Dead Reign Graveyard Earth

NEW! Dead Reign Sourcebook 5: Graveyard Earth – Ships Fall

When the dead rise and communications and power grids collapse, nothing matters except your own survival. But what about the rest of the world? What’s happening in other places? Has any government survived? Is anyplace safe? Dead Reign™ Graveyard Earth™ tries to answer those questions and others. And in doing so, provides gamers and G.M.s with more fuel for adventure.

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG®: Bizantium and the Northern Islands – Fall/Winter 2014

Journey to the Island Kingdom of Bizantium, situated at the far northern peak of the Palladium World. Its vast fleets of merchant vessels and warships travel the high seas and bring untold wealth back to the kingdom, as well as exotic goods, people, customs, weapons and foreign magic. With rich, ambitious Merchant-Princes all around him, Bizantium’s colonies on the Shadow Coast in a state of near-revolt, and powers from the Western Empire to the Eastern Territory trying to exert their influence on the throne, the oblivious King Raedaen IV is in troubled waters – and the sharks are starting to gather.

Robotech UEEF Marines Sourcebook One

NEW! Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines Sourcebook One

– Formerly titled ‘UEEF Marines’

Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines sourcebook is set in space with the UEEF (United Earth Expeditionary Force) led by Admiral Rick Hunter. This valiant force of mecha clad heroes travel across the galaxy liberating planets from the bondage of the Invid Regent, the Robotech Masters and other tyrants and monsters.

Chaos Earth Rise of Magic

Coming BACK IN PRINT – Rise of Magic

A Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook – Fall

Rescheduled for a Fall release.

The return of magic has empowered humans with strange and wondrous powers, unlike anything quite yet seen (and different from most conventional types of magic). This only complicates things for Earth’s defenders as the line of distinction between “good guys” and “bad guys” begins to blur.

Robotech RPG Tactics

Robotech® RPG Tactics – Coming to Stores Fall, 2014

This is the game Robotech® fans have wanted for decades.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces.

Mecha vs Mecha. Take command of the fighting forces of the United Earth Defense Force (UEDF) valiantly defending Earth from alien annihilation. Or lead the massive clone armies of the Zentraedi Armada to recover an alien artifact of immense power and enslave humankind.

Robotech® RPG Tactics Box Set – Cat. No. 55100

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics Expansion Packs

The first six expansion packs will be available to retail at the same time as the main box game. Here are the “official” SKUs and retail prices.

UEDF Valkyrie Wing

UEDF Valkyrie Wing

Build your fleet of Earth defenders with the Valkyrie Veritech Fighter; six figures total.

UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids

UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids

Expand your Destroid squad with these formidable walking tanks; four figures total.

UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids

UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids

Add some long range power and up-close punch to your army with these valuable Destroids; four figures total.

Zentraedi Regult Battlepods

Zentraedi Regult Battlepods

Expand your Zentraedi forces with their main infantry battle mecha; six figures total.

Zentraedi Artillery Battlepods

Zentraedi Artillery Battlepods

Give your Zentraedi legion greater firepower with these artillery and support Battlepods; four figures total.

Zentraedi Glaug Command Pack

Zentraedi Glaug Command Pack

This diverse pack provides your Zentraedi forces with greater tactical capabilities; three figures total.

Robotech Macross Saga Sourcebook

Robotech® Macross® Saga Sourcebook – New 8½ x 11 size – Available now

All the famous mecha and action of Robotech® starts here with the Macross® Saga when an alien armada enters Earth orbit. They have come to reclaim a lost spacecraft that crash-landed on Earth 10 years earlier. A space fortress that Earth’s protectors have rebuilt into their own flagship against alien invasion. The resulting conflict gives birth to heroes and becomes the stuff of legend, but the Earth will never be the same. Robotech® The Macross® Saga Sourcebook is now available as an 8½ x 11 inch sourcebook.

Note: This is the setting for Robotech® RPG Tactics™, so if you’re looking for more information about the mecha, Earth’s defenders, the Zentraedi invaders, and Macross Saga setting, this is the book for you. Epic adventure awaits.

A Robotech® Role-Playing Game Sourcebook:

DriveThruRPG

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

UPDATE: 2015 Palladium Open House (POH) – May 14-17, 2015

A number of you have reached out asking that we at least list prices so you can start planning the expenses for your trip to the Open House next year. My apologies for not getting up the full description and pricing long ago. We are buried. For now, here are some details and info. This is just for your information. You can not yet place your orders. But soon.

Price of admission covers ALL EVENTS, except VIP Thursday. There are no extra fees for gaming events, panel talks or autographs.

30+ Palladium creators. In the past, the POH usually has 30+ creators (writers, artists, editors, staff, Rifter contributors, etc.) attending. More than at any other convention or gathering anywhere, ever! And most are available to you almost the ENTIRE event to chat with you and sign autographs. Some will even run gaming events!

90+ gaming events. Game Masters/Megaversal Ambassadors NEEDED!

Many games run by the people who make them, including Kevin Siembieda, Julius Rosenstein, Carmen Bellaire, Brandon Aten, Taylor White and many others!

More panel talks than ever!

Auction and more.

A family reunion atmosphere.

And it all happens at the Palladium warehouse and offices, where the magic happens! Okay, not quite “all.” When the gaming stops around 1:00 AM every night, the hotel has a large conference room where you maniacs can continue to game till you drop. There is room for at least 8 games in the room.

2015 Open House Hotel – reserve your rooms NOW!

You should reserve your hotel room now. Your card will not be charged until next May.

Comfort Inn

40455 Ann Arbor Road
Plymouth, MI 48170
Phone: 734-455-8100

Group Code: Palladium Books – you MUST request the Group Code “Palladium Books” at the time of booking to ensure the correct rate will be quoted and billed to you.

Dates of the 2015 Palladium Open House (POH): May 15-17 (May 14 is VIP Thursday), 2015.

$109.00 (plus tax) per night at the Comfort Inn, a.k.a. “Plymouth Clock Tower Hotel.” That’s $109 (plus tax) for a room with two queen beds or one king with a sofa that has a pull-out sleeper. ALL rooms have a micro-fridge, FREE high-speed wired/wireless Internet and there is a FREE hot breakfast from 6 A.M. to 10 A.M. near the lobby.

Reserve using Group Code Palladium Books sooner than later. The hotel has been remodeled, resulting in a smaller number of rooms. If you know you are coming to the 2015 Palladium Open House, we recommend you reserve your room as soon as possible to get this superior rate. Important Note: You MUST give them the Group Code: Palladium Books to get this rate. Call 734-455-8100 to make your reservation. The hotel does NOT charge your credit card until a few days before the event (next year!) and you can cancel up until May 10, 2015. So there is no reason to wait. Get your room(s) reserved right away. Besides, I suspect POH attendees could take EVERY room in the hotel next year, so the sooner they know that, the sooner they can put MORE rooms aside for us. They don’t believe we’ll sell out the hotel. Silly, new management. :)

The hotel also offers a heated indoor swimming pool, a fitness center (24 hours), and a coin operated laundry. And the large conference room is ours to use, around the clock, for open gaming.

This is the hotel everyone knows and wants. You can start placing hotel reservations for the 2015 Palladium Open House now. Make sure you tell them the Group Code “Palladium Books.” This is a must to get the superior group rate.

© Copyright 2014 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Thundercloud Galaxy, Three Galaxies, Vampire Kingdoms, and other published book titles, names, slogans and likenesses are trademarks of Palladium Books Inc., and Kevin Siembieda.

Robotech® and Robotech® The Shadow Chronicles® are Registered Trademarks of Harmony Gold USA, Inc.

This press release may be reprinted, reposted, linked and shared for the sole purpose of advertising, promotion and sales solicitation.