Palladium Books® Weekly Update – July 1, 2016

By Kevin Siembieda

Happy Independence Day! I hope those of you in the USA enjoy the long weekend.

I know a lot of you will be traveling so I’m just going to dive into the meat of things. Travel safe and have fun. Here’s what’s happening at Palladium.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #74 – at the printer – ships in July

The Rifter® #74 is an awesome issue and two-thirds is “official” source material. There is a lot for Rifts® and Splicers®. All fun stuff. Ships in July. We will let you know exactly when as soon as that date is nailed down.

UPDATE The Rifter® #75 – End of July or August release

Wayne and the guys will be diving into The Rifter® #75 when they return after the Fourth. A few things are already earmarked for it.

UPDATE: CS Heroes of Humanity – Available now!

Rifts® Heroes of Humanity is epic story, CS secrets, ways to refresh and change existing men-at-arms characters, and new information and focus on Coalition Juicers, Psycho-Stalkers, Combat Cyborgs, and psychics. Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity™ shakes up the status quo and breathes new life into any Rifts® campaign set in North America. This is a sourcebook every Rifts fan is going to want.

UPDATE: CS Heroes of Humanity Arsenal Sourcebook – July or August

This week was filled with work on The Rifter® #74 and other matters, but I’ll be back to writing and editing CS Heroes of Humanity™ Arsenal full steam after the Fourth. The HoH Arsenal sourcebook is jam-packed with new Coalition weapons, power armor, robots, combat vehicles, and other goodies. It is a companion title to Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity™ but works as a stand-alone sourcebook as well.

UPDATE: Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans – August

In production and it is an incredible resource. Never before revealed information about Atlantean Tribes, new magic tattoos, all kinds of new information! Secrets of the Atlanteans is a far-reaching Dimension Book with applications for characters and adventures on Rifts Earth, Phase World® and across the Megaverse®. Looking like an August release.

UPDATE: Hell Followed sourcebook for Dead Reign®

The Hell Followed cover art from E.M. Gist arrived this week. You can see it along with the full description elsewhere in this Update. Meanwhile, Nick Bradshaw is working away on the interior artwork. September or October release.

UPDATE: Robotech® The Masters Saga to be released in 8½ x 11 format

Wayne and I will be doing the typesetting and layout next week! 160 pages; $20.95 retail. An August release.

UPDATE: Rifts® Ultimate Edition and 160+ other PDF titles on DriveThruRPG.com

Now available as a PDF, Rifts® World Book 28: Arzno™, along with the Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity™ FREE Preview and Rifts® Ultimate Edition along with more than 40 other Rifts® titles! Many other Palladium RPG titles are also available as PDFs right now from DriveThruRPG.com, with more Rifts® and other Palladium game titles coming to PDF in the weeks and months ahead. Watch for them.

Recent PDF titles include Rifts® Ultimate Edition, Rifts® World Book 27: Adventures in Dinosaur Swamp™, Rifts® World Book 26: Dinosaur Swamp, World Book 25: Rifts® China Two, and World Book 24: Rifts® China One, among many, many others. There are also previews of Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity™, The Rifter® #73, Northern Gun 1 & 2, Lemuria, Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms, Bizantium and many other Palladium titles. Things remain in place to see 2-3 new PDFs of Rifts® World Books and other titles added every week.

In addition to the titles listed above, The Minion War™ series of books, the Rifts® Coalition Wars®/Tolkeen series, Chaos Earth® Resurrection, all of the Dead Reign® (Zombie Apocalypse) titles, Splicers® RPG and most issues of The Rifter® are available NOW! So are first edition rules of the Heroes Unlimited™ RPG and sourcebooks, Palladium Fantasy RPG® and sourcebooks, The Mechanoids®, and much more, available on DriveThruRPG.com.

Available right now:

NEW on DriveThruRPG.com – Rifts® Paper Minis – $2.99 per set

The first batches of paper minis for Rifts® are now available for download. These 28mm minis are presented in two formats, outlined and blank background, and each includes tech pattern bases. Tri-fold flat versions are also included in each set. More to follow.

Palladium Collectibles Available in Kevin’s Online Toy & Collectibles Store

A wide range of art and collectibles have been selling over the last few weeks. Nice. I hope you enjoy your items, be they out of print books, signed titles, rare hardcovers, original artwork, toys or other goodies. Original art are one-of-a-kind items, so when they are gone (like the TMNT sketches and Rifts® illustrations), they are gone. Many other offerings are signed, limited editions or are items that have been sold out for some time.

I’ll continue to pull things out of my personal collection and Palladium archives. A bunch of toys have been added to my online store with more to come.

More collectibles, artwork and toys are added almost every week. Palladium collectibles, hardcovers, out-of-print titles, original artwork, and toys and items from my personal collection are on my ebay store. We add items on a regular basis and offer sales, so check it out from time to time. Includes one-of-a-kind original artwork, prints, Rifts® and Robotech® artwork by Kevin Long, me and others. There is also a range of limited editions, rare book titles and limited edition hardcovers, toys and more available with frequent new items added. Items include original art, out-of-print titles, redlined proofreader photocopies signed by me and the staff, signed manuscripts with editors’ corrections, some original art, hardcover books (including Rifts® Lemuria, Northern Gun™ One, Northern Gun™ Two, Megaverse® in Flames™, Beyond the Supernatural™ Gold, Rifts® Machinations of Doom™ Gold and Rifts® Ultimate Gold), hundreds of toys and action figures, all from my personal archives and collection. Take a look every weekend or two for new items added.

http://stores.ebay.com/kevinstoys-artandcollectibles

Enjoy the 4th of July weekend ...

Please enjoy a fun, safe Independence Day weekend. I’ll probably work a bit but I’ll also be taking some time off to recharge the batteries. I hope to catch a movie or two, as well as catch up with Daredevil on Netflix. Meanwhile, I saw my doctors on June 30th, and received glowing reports. Apparently, I’m a fast healer, with bone already forming over the break, and my doctors were thrilled with my range of motion and progress with physical therapy. Me too. Have a fun, long weekend and don’t forget to place those orders for the large format Robotech® Masters Saga Sourcebook, The Rifter® #74, and Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity. Keep those imaginations burning bright.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer, Game Designer

The Rifter #74

NEW! The Rifter® #74 – At the printer – Ships in July

Rifts®, Splicers® and more awaits you in The Rifter® #74. And some material is official.

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.

Rifter® #74 Highlights:

The Rifter #75

NEW! The Rifter® #75 – In final production – Ships end of July

Rifts®, Splicers®, mutants and much more awaits you in The Rifter® #75.

Robotech The Masters Saga Sourcebook

Robotech®: The Masters Saga Sourcebook – New, large format 8½ x 11 sourcebook – 160 pages

Robotech®: The Masters Saga™ Sourcebook is being enlarged to the standard 8½ x 11 inch format and 160 pages. Artwork will be given the deluxe treatment – large, clear, and detailed to go along with the wealth of information about the Second Robotech War, the Army of the Southern Cross, its combat forces, mecha, weapons, and vehicles. The same comprehensive treatment is given to the invading Robotech Masters.

Forget the corny drama, the emphasis of this sourcebook is on the Second Robotech War and the equipment on both sides. Making the Masters Saga a big mecha and equipment book that you will want in your collection. Did you know the Army of the Southern Cross used power armor and Battloids in addition to their famous mecha? You’ll find out all about it in this comprehensive 160 page sourcebook. Much of it described and statted out in an “official” capacity for the very first time in this sourcebook. Note: Only the size, size of artwork and layout has changed. The text and data are the same as the manga-sized edition.

Wolfen Empire

BACK in STOCK: Wolfen Empire for Palladium Fantasy

The Wolfen Empire is growing. And that means trouble for humans, Dwarves, and other people as the Wolfen flex their military might and begin to study magic in earnest.

The Wolfen Empire™ sourcebook provides insight and history about the Wolfen, their past, present and goals for the future. The Wolfen are poised to become the next great civilization, but at what cost? Six fleshed out adventures plus a 101 adventure ideas table give players and Game Masters plenty of material for exploring the Great Northern Wilderness and encounters with the Wolfen.

Villains Unlimited

BACK in STOCK: Villains Unlimited for the Heroes Unlimited RPG series

It’s the reference book that never gets old – 80+ superhuman villains, a secret organization that supplies villains and criminals, another that hunts superhumans, plus rules and tables for creating your own super-organizations, Game Master playing tips, and more.

All of it provides Game Masters with bad guys and ideas for adventure, because each description presents the villain’s origin, motivation and goals. Just drop ‘em into your campaign and watch the super abilities fly. That’s why Villains Unlimited™ has been a fan favorite for years.

Century Station

BACK in STOCK: Century Station

City, Villain & Heroes Sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited RPG

Century Station™ is a compelling cityscape described and mapped. It is a great location to base a Heroes Unlimited™ campaign or a place to visit. The 51 superhuman villains, some of whom are members of villain teams, provide instant antagonists that can be dropped into any game at any time. Likewise, the 40 dynamic heroes can be used as NPCs (Non-Player Characters) or as pre-generated player characters, plus there are weapons, equipment and adventure ideas galore. All ready for you to incorporate into your campaign in an instant.

Each villain and hero provides Game Masters with ideas for adventure, because each description presents the villain’s or hero’s origin, motivation and goals. Century Station™ and Villains Unlimited™ are both excellent resources for gadgets, weapons and inspiration for creating your own heroes, villains and conflicts.

After the Bomb RPG

BACK in STOCK: After the Bomb® RPG

– Stand alone game and suitable for Heroes Unlimited RPG

Ever wonder what it would be like to play an intelligent, humanoid eagle? What about a sword wielding turtle or ninja rodent, or heroic wolfman, or a flying pig? In After the Bomb® you can turn a mouse into the size of a gorilla, or keep him small and sneaky, but with special animal powers, psychic abilities and human speech and intelligence. Or create that winged humanoid eagle who preys upon criminals. Or maybe that giant hamster, let alone mutant lion or tiger, is an animalistic brute who hunts other mutants (humans and animals!) and feasts upon them like a monstrous predator. The choices are yours.

After the Bomb® lets you mutate any animal you can think of, into a heroic crime-fighter set in our modern world or a mutant animal survivor of post-apocalyptic Earth — think Planet of the Apes on steroids. An environment where humans struggle to survive in a devastated (nuked?) world, and intelligent mutant animals appear to be the inheritors of the planet. Fun. Wild. Imaginative stories await.

The After the Bomb® RPG and its future world setting is one of the late, great, Erick Wujcik’s most fun and lasting creations. Play it as a stand-alone game or use AtB as a resource to create mutant animals that can be dropped into your Heroes Unlimited™ game, Aliens Unlimited™, Rifts®, Phase World®, Robotech® or just about any game setting. Play them as mutant animals or aliens from another world, heroes or villains, victims and fugitives, but get After the Bomb® because its mutant creations can fit many roles and are a blast to play in any setting.

Heroes Unlimited RPG

Heroes Unlimited RPG – Reminder

Want to play superhumans and caped heroes, mutants and aliens, power armor clad champions and super soldiers? The Heroes Unlimited™ RPG lets you create them all and more.

The game is called Heroes Unlimited™ because it enables you to create every type of superhuman and comic book hero you can imagine. Bring your favorite comic book heroes to life or create an entirely hero of you own design. Then weave adventure adventures set in our modern world but one where superhumans, heroes and villains make our world even more exciting and dangerous. If you know and love comic books, you know what happens next.

A complete game, all you need to get started is this 352 page rule book, a few friends, dice and an imagination. With several sourcebooks back in stock, and comic book heroes the rage in film and TV, we thought we would remind people about just how awesome the Heroes Unlimited™ RPG really is. Order yours today.

Coalition States Heroes of Humanity

NEW! Rifts® Secrets of the Coalition States – Heroes of Humanity – Available now!

Rifts® CS Heroes of Humanity™ changes the landscape of Rifts North America and beyond, presents ways to upgrade and improve existing Men-At-Arms characters with Advanced Training, and includes new character classes, weapons, equipment, alliances and conflict to inspire epic new adventures.

Rifts® Heroes of Humanity™ outlines the battle for the soul of humanity. The Minion War™ has spilled onto Rifts Earth. At the epicenter of the invasion is North America. If either of the two rival demonic forces succeeds in conquering the continent, the rest of the world shall follow and Earth will be annexed to Hell. The demon hordes believe no one can stop them. The Coalition States has something to say about that.

For the first time in history, the Coalition States, Northern Gun, the Manistique Imperium, Lazlo, New Lazlo, Free Quebec, the Cyber-Knights, Lemurians, True Atlanteans, D-Bees, mages, mercs and many, many others stand together against a common enemy. Meanwhile, the Splugorth of Atlantis, Archie Three, the Republicans and the Vanguard engage in their own shadow war against the invading demon hordes, and each other.

Heroes of Humanity Arsenal

NEW! Secrets of the Coalition States: Heroes of Humanity Arsenal Sourcebook – Summer

The name, CS Heroes of Humanity™ Arsenal says it all. New Coalition armor, power armor, robots, combat vehicles, and related material.

NEW! Rifts® Haunted Tech – Summer

The Republicans decide to make their move while Archie Three is waging his own shadow war against the demonic invaders. The result unleashes a menace Archie has kept contained and locked away for 300 years. And he is not happy about it.

Rifts The Disavowed

Rifts® Secrets of the Coalition States: The Disavowed™ – Summer

“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team

The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.

Coalition States Heroes of Humanity

Rifts® World Book 28: Arzno

Looking for vampire slayers and anti-vampire TW devices? You need to visit Arzno. Arno is a mercenary city built on the edge of the Grand Canyon. It is a force for good, but threatened by the encroaching vampire menace from Mexico who have marked the mercs for destruction. Arzno™ has plenty of fun source material, Techno-Wizard power armor and weapons, a vampire invasion adventure scenario and other adventure ideas. Available from Palladium in book form and as a PDF from DriveThruRPG.com.

The Rifter #73

NEW! Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans – Summer

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

Garden of the Gods – a Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook – Summer

This has been a secret project of Kevin Siembieda’s that he has been plotting and writing in what little spare time he has. The Garden of the Gods is said to be a holy place watched over and even frequented by the avatars of the gods. According to legend, the god may visit heroes and followers in dreams or in person by an avatar of the god, to be given guidance, inspiration, heroic quests, and gifts of knowledge and magic. More details about this title will follow.

Hell Followed

Hell Followed – A Dead Reign® Zombie Apocalypse Sourcebook

At 160 pages, Hell Followed™ is the largest Dead Reign® sourcebook yet. Spring or Summer release. Can you survive the Zombie Apocalypse? Find out by playing Dead Reign®. The results may surprise you.

Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook: First Responders – Fall

The Great Cataclysm has devastated civilization, but humanity fights for survival. The struggles of civilian law enforcement, fire and rescue, and everyday men and women are some of the most epic tales to be told in a world gone to hell. They fight monsters, aliens, the paranormal, the elements, and each other, all with the hope of reclaiming their lives from the Chaos.

Robotech RPG Tactics

Robotech® RPG Tactics Wave Two is coming ...

– but you can get started with the core box set and Wave One expansions right now

If you love Robotech®, you want to take a look at this game. Beautifully detailed game pieces of your favorite Robotech® mecha, and fast playing rules that capture the Robotech® experience in a new, exciting way. And this is just the beginning. We have so much more planned for the years ahead.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ "Starter Box" (Main Box Game) – Cat. No. 55100 – $99.95 retail price. 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. Get yours now, so you can build your armies and have them ready when Wave Two is released.

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs are available to retail along with the main box game. Here are the SKUs and retail prices:

DriveThruRPG

Palladium PDF Books – download from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made more than 100 PDF products available for digital download from DriveThruRPG.com, as well as Fantasy Paper Miniatures, Game Master resources and other good things with more to come. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

Schedule of Upcoming Releases

Also coming:

Upcoming Palladium Books® Convention Events

Palladium Books does not have to be an exhibitor at a convention or be counted among the guests to support that convention. We are happy to support events running Palladium games with prizes for best players, other swag, and donations to charity auctions. If you are a Game Master running Palladium gaming events, or a convention hosting them, PLEASE contact Palladium Books via the Help Desk or the Megaversal Ambassadors, or call the Palladium offices to get our support. Just give us plenty of advance notice so we can confirm the conventions and the Palladium gaming events, determine the swag and ship it out. Plus we are glad to promote conventions and gaming events right here in the Weekly Updates. Below are just some of the conventions hosting Palladium game events this year.

Gen Con Indy – Indianapolis, Indiana – August 4-7, 2016 – Palladium Books® – Booth 823

Gen Con is coming up fast and we hope Palladium Books will be a big part of your plans there. There are dozens of scheduled Palladium gaming events including Rifts® and Robotech® RPG Tactics™, a special convention discount coupon you will NOT want to miss in the Gen Con Coupon Book (especially fans of Rifts® and Robotech®), and a bunch of Palladium madmen will be on hand to chat and sign books.

Highlights Include:

Palladium Creators at the 2016 Gen Con:

And maybe a couple others to be added.

http://www.gencon.com

GrandCon – Grand Rapids, Michigan – September 16, 17 & 18, 2016

Looking for a nice medium-sized convention of around 2,000 gamers? Then consider GrandCon in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s only about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Westland, and even closer for folks living in Livonia, Plymouth, Novi, and cities farther west. Ideal for any Michiganders and gamers living in Illinois, Indiana and maybe even Wisconsin and eastern Iowa.

I (Kevin Siembieda) am a guest along with Sean Patrick Fannon, co-author of Savage Rifts® for the Savage Worlds game system, and many other guests. Sean and I will be doing panels about Savage Rifts® and role-playing game design, world building and running gaming events (I’ll probably run Lord DeSilca/Fantasy and/or Beyond the Supernatural), and Palladium Books will have a few tables in the dealers’ room manned by Wayne Smith and Charles Walton II (with artwork for sale). All of us will be present to chat with gamers and sign books. I am thrilled to have a rapidly growing game convention like GrandCon in western Michigan, and they have even bigger plans for 2017. Michiganders, help support this convention. We need and deserve a large gaming convention in our state.

http://www.grand-con.com

© Copyright 2016 Palladium Books Inc. All rights reserved.

Rifts®, The Rifter®, RECON®, Splicers®, Powers Unlimited®, Palladium Books®, The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Megaverse®, The Mechanoids®, The Mechanoid Invasion®, Coalition Wars®, Chaos Earth®, Dead Reign®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, Coalition States, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Minion War, Mysteries of Magic, SAMAS, Savage Rifts®, 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.