Palladium Books® Weekly Update – May 16, 2013

By Kevin Siembieda

The Rifter® #62 is at the printer. Writing and editing of Rifts® Northern Gun™ One is coming along well, many other RPG projects are underway, and we've been finalizing our preparations to attend Anime North (May 24-26). Of course, the big news is these are the last four days of the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter.

Robotech RPG Tactics

We really do need your help – only 4 days left on Kickstarter

Palladium’s Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter is doing awesome and has gotten good press, but you would be surprised by how many gamers do NOT know about it. Gamers who would be excited about it and want to participate, if they did know about it. We know it’s true, because we are constantly running into them!

Please help spread the word. Just a couple days ago, Julius mentioned the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter during his regular role-playing game. He knew these guys were all wired and well informed, so he assumed they knew all about the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter. They did not. They were thrilled to learn about it. One player went immediately to the Kickstarter on his smartphone and made a pledge right then and there, exclaiming, “Oh, do I ever want in on this!” A couple others said they planned to do likewise when they got home. That’s THREE gamers in one game group who didn't know about the Kickstarter after three weeks and wanted to immediately participate.

Robotech RPG Tactics

This isn’t just about Palladium Books and Ninja Division, it’s about your fellow Gamers and Robotech® Fans. Guys and gals who will miss out on the opportunities of the Kickstarter if they don’t learn about it before it is over.

Please spread the word. Post about the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter all over the place. On your Facebook page and websites, on fan and gaming sites you frequent. Send out tweets, private messages and emails to your gaming pals, and do it today. Seriously. Do not underestimate the power you hold via word of mouth. Please help us get the word to role-players, wargamers and fans of anime and Robotech® around the world about the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter – a project they may very much want to participate in. If every one of you even told only two people that translates into tens of thousands!

Remember, the more successful the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter is, the more amazing we can make the product line and the faster we can release expansion sets. And we want to do it all: The mecha of each generation of Robotech – Macross, Masters Saga, New Generation, and Shadow Chronicles (planet-hopping and space combat). A successful Kickstarter, followed by the launch of the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ game line to the retail market later this year, will provide Palladium with the resources to make the game line fantastic. It will also enable us to build the company, increase production and give you more role-playing games at a faster pace.

Please help us make the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter a mega-success. And you can do so without even making a purchase. Help by spreading the word. Post links to the Palladium website or the Kickstarter directly. Talk about how excited you, yourself are about this expanding gaming line or what it means for a stronger Palladium Books.

Those of you new to Kickstarter will want to check out the FAQ at the bottom of the page and the small Update tab at the top of the page for more info, insight and updates. Something NEW is being announced and added EVERY DAY, sometimes several times a day. And wait till you see what’s coming via new stretch goals, new add-ons, new photos and information. So check back often and tell everyone about this opportunity. Thanks for your support.

Thank you for being you

Palladium fans are the greatest. I’ve said that for decades, because it is true. For me, Palladium Books has never been just about making money. It has been a means to unleash my overactive imagination and share my crazy imaginings with other like-minded maniacs like you. It has been about creating realms of adventure and traveling to strange, new worlds for all of us to play in. The Palladium crew and I have always appreciated our customers. Over the years, the bonds of mutual love and respect have only grown stronger. Palladium fans have become much more than “customers,” they are an extended part of the Palladium family. I’ve never known anything like the Palladium community and I cherish it more than any of you may realize. That community brings us joy and satisfaction and a camaraderie that is unlike most other fandoms. It is a rare and precious thing we have, and I’m glad to be part of it.

Heck, it is because of you that we are doing Robotech® RPG Tactics™. It was a positive and friendly fan campaign, online, asking Palladium to consider making such a Robotech® product line that got me to look into the idea. Once I became enthralled with it, everything else – Harmony Gold’s support, Ninja Division’s involvement, the Kickstarter, everything – seemed to fall into place. I feel like the hand of fate has been guiding us. Or maybe it has been the positive energy and magic of Palladium’s fans; and I include the Robotech® fans among them.

So I want to say thank you to all of you. Thank you for caring. Thank you for your years of support. Thank you for sharing your ideas and suggestions with us. We listen to them all, even if we don’t necessarily do them all, or take action as quickly as some might desire. You are appreciated, welcomed and respected.

I want to make this thank you now, before the Kickstarter ends, because this thanks isn’t just to those of you who participated in the Kickstarter. It’s to all of you, and I want you to know that.

UPDATE: Robotech® RPG Tactics Kickstarter at $830,000 – 4 days left

All aspects of the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ game line continue to be developed and expanded upon as the Kickstarter grows. We are in frequent contact with Ninja Division and Harmony Gold, and all parties are excited about the Robotech® RPG line.

Mid-day Thursday, as I write this, the Kickstarter has climbed to $830,000. That’s approximately $230,000 in just the last week – and there are 4 days to go. I think all of us feel like parents expecting their first child – excited, proud and nervous all at the same time. This Kickstarter means a lot to Palladium Books and Ninja Division on a lot of different levels. Whew, so yeah, we’re nervous and excited as all get out. I just hope Robotech® fans and gamers are as excited as we are. This game line is going to be great.

Design an Ace Contest

Robotech® RPG Tactics: Design an Ace Contest

All pilots, man your Valkyries! Invasion is imminent!

As Palladium Books and Ninja Division’s Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter comes to a close, we would like to invite all aspiring Veritech Ace Pilots to participate in a fun contest!

Design Your Own Ace Fighter and Squadron!

Prizes: Winners will not only receive their Squadron/Ace Pilot included in the rule book, but also receive a hand painted version of their Squadron/Ace Pilot's Veritech fighter painted in all three modes to add to your collection!

Instructions/Rules: (How to Participate)

Use the image here (or click the image above for a larger version), and email entries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than May 31st for a chance to have your squadron and/or ace pilot immortalized in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ main rule book!

Judging will take place the first week of June, and winners will be announced via email and Facebook. Our panel of judges will include the creative staff from Palladium Books, Ninja Division, and Harmony Gold!

Podcast with Kevin Siembieda

On Wednesday, I was supposed to do a “live” podcast with Matthew Daye at Gateway to the Megaverse®. Unfortunately, there were technical difficulties with the host site, TalkShoe, and we couldn't go live. After about an hour delay, we decided to do a recorded podcast and poor Matthew suffered technical problems on that front. Still, we managed to put together about a two hour show. It is available as a FREE download at http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=50867&cmd=tc.

We covered a lot of different subjects – not just Robotech® – and I think people should enjoy it very much. At least I hope so. I know I always enjoy doing them. Check it out.

Other recent interviews of note:

Not The Singularity: http://notthesingularity.com/3551/a-brief-talk-with-kevin-siembieda-about-robotech-tactics/

MTV Geek, Part 1: http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/04/25/kevin-siembieda-robotech/

MTV Geek, Part 2: http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/04/29/robotech-rpg-kickstarter-2/

Craven Games: http://cravengames.com/interview/kevin-siembieda-on-robotech-rpg-tactics.html

NOTE: Palladium Books is happy to arrange interviews and podcasts with me and other creators involved with Robotech® RPG Tactics™. Just give the Palladium office a call to make arrangements (734-721-2903). We want to spread the word everywhere. Thanks.

UPDATE: Robotech® RPG Sale ENDS May 20, 2013

Yep, our big Robotech® RPG sale ends the same night that the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter ends: May 20. The prices listed in our online store already include the 20% discount. It is wonderful to see so many new faces. Welcome, enjoy, and unleash your imaginations. We have some epic, new Robotech® RPG sourcebooks coming this Summer and Fall.

UPDATE: Palladium at Anime North – May 24-26, 2013

I can’t believe Anime North is next week. Yikes, time flies when you’re working on as many projects as we are. I am looking forward to this event and spending time with some of Palladium Books’ Canadian gamers. Carmen Bellaire will be running demos of Robotech® RPG Tactics all weekend, I’ll be on a number of panel talks, and Wayne Smith, Matthew Clements, and a number of other Palladium creators will on hand to chat and sign autographs. We’re also bringing a truckload of books so come on by to get the sourcebooks you are missing. We are always happy to sign books and chat with gamers.

Join the fun and meet many Palladium creators at Anime North. We’ll be running games, selling merchandise, signing autographs and having a blast. We don’t know when we’ll be back so please come over and have some laughs with the Palladium crew! I’m one of the Guests of Honor, and deeply touched to be the 2013 Momiji Award winner for significant contributions in anime, manga and/or Japanese culture. What a great honor.

Palladium Related Anime North Highlights:

Note: It is our understanding that the Palladium “booth” will be located in the Guests Autograph area, not the dealers’ room. Please find us. ;)

Anime North is a mixed media event that includes gaming, anime, manga, toys, cosplay, and other fun. For more information, go to http://www.animenorth.com.

DriveThruRPG.com – your place for PDFs of more than 90 Palladium titles and FREE book previews

The FREE Sneak Preview of The Rifter® #62 is available now (includes the missing Experience Tables for Rifts® Black Market), as well as Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook and an early one for Rifts® Northern Gun One (with a newer one coming in a few weeks), on DriveThruRPG.com for your enjoyment. There are also previews available for Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms™ (Revised Edition), Rifts® Black Market, Rifts® Lemuria, Dead Reign™ RPG, Endless Dead™ sourcebook and others. The original Rifts® Vampire Kingdoms World Book is also available as a PDF on DriveThruRPG, for those of you who may be interested.

More than 90 other Palladium titles can be found on DriveThruRPG.com as PDFs, including Splicers®, Rifts® RPG (the edition before RUE), The Rifter® #1-52, and first edition rule books and sourcebooks for Palladium Fantasy RPG®, Heroes Unlimited™, The Mechanoid Invasion® Trilogy, Beyond the Supernatural™ and lots of other good titles. DriveThruRPG.com also offers the Rifts® and Palladium Fantasy® Game Master Kits ($5 each; both written by Carl Gleba and complete with maps, combat matrix, character sheets, spell list, and 20 pre-rolled characters created by Julius Rosenstein).

UPDATE: The Rifter® #62 will ship next week – May 22

I approved the digital proofs of The Rifter® #62 at the printer on Tuesday and The Rifter® #62 will ship next Wednesday, May 22. It is a great issue. Check out the sneak preview on DriveThruRPG.com to get a glimpse at what you can expect. Another great issue filled with outstanding official and unofficial source material.

UPDATE: Rifts® Northern Gun One and Two

We have been continuing to work on this book and it is coming along nicely. Northern Gun™ Two is the book we dive into immediately after that.

Closing thoughts

These are exciting times. Great things are coming for you and Palladium Books. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm. Keep those imaginations burning bright and game on.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Writer and Gamer

Robotech RPG Sale

Robotech® Role-Playing Game Sale – Ends May 20, 2013

Yep, in conjunction with the exciting Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter, Palladium is offering a 20% sale on all Robotech® RPG titles; items in the store already marked down to the sale price. And yes, that sale is on everything in stock, including the signed and numbered Robotech® Gold Edition. Get ‘em while you can. Time is running out.

Robotech New Generation Sourcebook

Robotech® New Generation Sourcebook

The reprint of the Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook arrived at the Palladium warehouse just in time. We were down to our last couple of dozen copies of the first printing.

The Third Robotech War begins with the alien Invid laying siege to planet Earth. The Army of the Southern Cross is overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the enemy. Earth falls and is occupied by the Invid, but the war continues. Human resistance fighters wage a guerrilla war while they await the return of Admiral Rick Hunter and the UEEF fleet to liberate the Earth.

You play a new generation of bold heroes who dare to oppose the frightening and enigmatic alien overlords known as the Invid. You defend the human race against impossible odds and rescue the innocent from the alien tyrants.

The Rifter #62

The Rifter® #62 – Ships May 22, 2013

The Rifter® #62 is truly a spectacular issue with 48 pages of “official” source material for Rifts® (20 pages of “official” Rifts® Vampires source material, new Necromancy spells, a Northern Gun mech, and the missing Rifts® Black Market and Vampire Kingdoms experience tables!), detailed castle floor plans and descriptions that can be dropped into any Palladium Fantasy® campaign anywhere you need one, some epic Heroes Unlimited source material I may expand into a complete sourcebook in the future, plus news and information.

Since 2013 is the Palladium Fantasy® RPG’s 30 Year Anniversary, we are trying to include something special for the Fantasy RPG line in every issue. This issue has that detailed castle and many maps/floor plans, and the cover reprints the popular Kevin Long Palladium Fantasy RPG® cover from the 1980s. In fact, EVERY cover of The Rifter® in 2013 will be a fantasy illustration. Last issue was Amy L. Ashbaugh, this issue a classic Kevin Long, next issue’s cover will be by John Zeleznik and the October issue will be by Chuck Walton (we want to keep Charles working away on Northern Gun). Note: Writers & Game Masters, if you have some awesome Fantasy material (large or small) you’ve been thinking about sending in for The Rifter®, this is the time to do so. Thanks!

And The Rifter® is a bargain. Since this publication is a special product, it only costs $11.95 for a 96 page book. That’s less than what we charge for a 64 page sourcebook!

Each and every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory that helps players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and keep their games fresh. It provides useful, ready to go, source material gamers can just drop into their ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new monsters, villains, characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, adventure and ideas for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least two or three other Palladium game lines.

The Rifter® Number 62 includes:

Rifts Northern Gun One

Rifts® World Book 33: Northern Gun One

Northern Gun™ is the largest independent manufacturer of high-tech weapons, robots and vehicles in North America. Outside of the Coalition States, one could argue, no other kingdom is as powerful or influential, at least when it comes to technology and weapons. The manufacture and sale of Northern Gun weapons and vehicles has given virtually every kingdom, town, colony of settlers and adventurer group a chance to survive and prosper. Located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, NG has been the premier outfitter of mercenaries, adventurers and upstart kingdoms for generations. Now, for the first time ever, learn Northern Gun’s history, goals and plans for the future. Of course, that means new weapons, robots, power armor, vehicles and gear.

Rifts Northern Gun Two

Rifts® World Book 34: Northern Gun Two

More information about the weapons, vehicles and practices of Northern Gun, including the new rage of robot gladiatorial combat.

Rifts Megaverse in Flames

Rifts® World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames

The Minion War spills across Rifts Earth, where demons and infernals hope to recruit allies and use the Rifts as gateways of destruction. Their influence shakes things up across the planet, especially at locations where demons and Deevils already have a strong presence. Demons, Deevils and supernatural beings run rampant and wreak havoc across the world.

Robotech RPG Tactics

Robotech® RPG Tactics

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, strategy battle game that expands on the popular Palladium role-playing system to enter new realms of adventure.

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.

Rifts Vampires Sourcebook

Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook – Available Now

New secrets, new monsters and danger, new places to explore, new magic to wield, dark magic and forces to fear, new trouble and adventure in Mexico and the Yucatan. New conflicts between rival forces are brewing as Doc Reid prepares to take his private war with the vampires to a whole new level. Meanwhile, the vampires live like smug tyrants and gods, dominating an underclass of slaves and people used as cattle to feed upon. Learn more about the vampires, their rivals, allies and the humans who willingly serve them. A must-have guide for those who wish to travel deeper into the Vampire Kingdoms or play as vampires and their human minions.

Old Ones

BACK IN PRINT: Palladium Fantasy® Book Two: Old Ones

This is a massive adventure book, with maps and descriptions of more than 50 locations in the Timiro Kingdom. As if that were not enough to make this the ultimate adventure book, there is also information about the Old Ones and a few O.C.C.s.

Rifts Free Quebec

BACK IN PRINT: Rifts® World Book 22: Free Quebec

This World Book contains a wealth of information about Free Quebec, Glitter Boys and notable people and places.

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:

Dead Reign RPG

Dead Reign RPG – Back in print, and hot, hot, hot

Can you survive the zombie apocalypse?

Yes, you may think so. But there is only one way to find out for sure: Play the Dead Reign™ RPG. The core rule book is all you need to start playing. Rules are easy. Character creation is fast and fun. Combat, quick and deadly. Survival? Harder than you might think. Good luck.

Dead Reign™ RPG is the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. Civilization is gone, the dead reign, and the living fight to survive against impossible odds. Battle zombies, mad men and death cultists in a post-apocalyptic world where the last of humanity struggles to survive. Think you know zombies? Think again.

Civilization Gone Dark Places Endless Dead

Dead Reign Sourcebooks

Civilization Gone™: Dead Reign™ Sourcebook One. There is no army, no government, no help coming. You are on your own and things are only getting worse. Villains include madmen and pychopaths, bandits and raiders. Many random tables for encounters, houses, and survivor camp creation, and more. $12.95 – 64 pages. Cat. No. 231.

Dark Places™: Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Two. Using railroad tracks and subways, sewer tunnels, steam tunnels and other dark places to travel undetected by zombies. Many tables for random encounters, boxcar contents, zombies and more. Survival tips, new zombies like the Bug Boy, Sewer Crawler and Impersonator. $12.95 – 64 pages. Cat. No. 232.

Endless Dead™: Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three. Zombie hordes grow in number and strangeness. Where is the military? What’s next for the living survivors? Many new types of zombies, new O.C.C.s like the Wheelman and Zombie Hunter, the military and random tables for military bases, police and other places. Plus weaponizing vehicles, vehicle combat, Survivor caravans, and more. $16.95 – 96 pages. Cat. No. 233.

Upcoming Appearances

Anime North – May 24-26, 2013 – Toronto, Canada – www.animenorth.com

Kevin Siembieda is one of the Guests of Honor, but several Palladium creators will also be at Anime North in Toronto, Canada, to meet and game with you. The event takes place Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, 2013. Wayne Smith and other Palladium creators will also be present to chat and sign autographs. We are bringing a pile of books, prints and other goodies to sell in the dealers’ room. www.animenorth.com

Gen Con® Indy – August 15-18, 2013 – Indianapolis, Indiana

We can hardly wait for Gen Con this year as we hope to have advance copies of Robotech® RPG Tactics™ there. Not to mention a stock of new releases from throughout the year. We may even need to expand the size of our booth. Hope to see many of you there.

Note: There will be no Palladium Open House in 2013 or 2014.

© Copyright 2013 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® and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. Beyond the Supernatural™, Chaos Earth, 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.