Welcome to the Foundry Spotlight! Every month, we ask fans of our community content creation marketplace for the Genesys Roleplaying game, The Foundry to submit a request for the product they want us to take a closer look at. Then one of our RPG developers writes up an article about what they find fascinating and enjoyable about it!

This month, RPG Producer Tim Huckelbery takes a look at Something Strange by Scott Zunwalt, which can be found here!

Something Strange

Two things I have to start with: first, like all of us at FFG’s Roleplaying Department, I’ve been very happy to see all the great work folks have done for Genesys Foundry products. Second, I love horror, and so was delighted to see Scott Zunwalt’s excellent Something Strange become this month’s Genesys Foundry Spotlight subject. If you like horror, then this a perfect item for you. Even if you don’t follow horror that much, it’s still a great addition to any Genesys library.

So, what do you get in Something Strange? Quite a lot—it’s over 40 pages and packed with content. Most importantly, though, it’s a great example of modern horror. This setting allows for a great combination of horror staples like vampires and werewolves but in places and times that are very familiar to us. This makes things feel immediate and thrilling—what you’re playing could be going on while you’re strolling downtown or near that old abandoned house at the end of the street. Scott captures this right off the bat when he discusses the themes and tropes for Something Strange. Here we see magic and supernatural creatures (which could include you!) that could be lurking in the shadows of our own world. Monsters and magic users exist in Something Strange, and the words make it feel like they could really be out there.

You’re playing humans in this game and you get three new archetypes to expand on the four from the Genesys Core Rulebook. The Athlete’s ability to nimbly react to combat threats is perfect for humans who face superhumans, and I can’t wait to try it out. Along with these there are over a dozen careers to boot, so there are plenty of player options to pick from.

You’ll find lots of new talents for PCs in Something Strange, but there are two noteworthy ones that can make you a vampire or a werewolf. Rather than using new archetypes to create these supernatural beings, as might expected, Scott uses a new talent for each. This allows players to discover a hidden past or a supernatural aspect for their characters during play, and it’s quite clever. Both Vampire and Werewolf are Tier 1 talents, so it’s also easy to buy them whenever you want or even at character creation.

Additional talents work with them, so your vampire can gain Blood Potency or take on a Bat Form, while a werewolf can make a Summoning Howl or become an Expert Tracker. Overall, it’s a smart way to allow for supernatural player characters to emerge and grow in power.  

If you’re not feeling thirsty or hungry, though, there are also powerful talents for humans that help you cast magic with less effort or detect characters who are supernatural. And these PCs will need them—it’s a dangerous world when you step into the shadows.

The new rules within all add good flavor to the game. My favorite concerns weapon noise, a nice touch as modern weapons are generally very loud! Of course, you could equip your firearm with a suppressor (also included) but sometimes ya just gotta be loud as you kick the door open and blast away at the bloodsuckers.

Speaking of firearms, you get quite a few here—not too surprising as it’s a modern setting—but it’s cool to also see unique items like crossbows and tasers. There are also flashy cars and even helicopters for your hunters. I especially liked the magical items like Houdini’s Pocket Watch, which improves your Augment spells.  

As can be imagined given a horror tone, there is a plethora of adversaries (including some who can act as allies), plus named characters who can really add flavor to adventures.

There’s a great range of monsters, from moth men to jackalopes. Some things (literally) don’t even have names, like the mysterious “Specimen ZZ-331” (a very nice touch that clicks well with a modern setting).

If all of this wasn’t enough, Scott’s done superlative work in crafting a wonderful graphic design for Something Strange complete with cool art. It boasts a very creepy cover and a unified and appropriately sharp presentation style. Everything captures the setting; even the fonts feel like they are from a Hammer Horror film from the 70’s. These aspects may seem minor, but when well done (like here) they help to hold your attention as you’re reading and keep you immersed in the setting.

Bottom line: This is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking to do horror games. Even if you’re not planning on using the exact setting, Something Strange has enough cool weapons, talents, and monsters to make it worthwhile for many other games too. I really liked it, and I think you will too. I’m looking forward to seeing adventures in this setting as well, as the world it creates feels very compelling. So get out there and grab a stake—there’s something strange in the shadows!

Thanks, Tim, and thank you to Scott Zunwalt for your creation! If you enjoyed this Foundry Spotlight, be sure to submit your vote for the subject of next month’s Spotlight article. Send an email to foundryspotlight@fantasyflightgames.com with the name of the product you want us to feature in the subject, and your reason for picking it in the email.

“You may fire when ready.”
   –Grand Moff Tarkin, Star Wars: A New Hope

The Death Star may be the most visible symbol of Imperial might, but it’s not the only superweapon employed by the Galactic Empire. An even greater threat may be lurking in the shadows for those who stand in opposition to the Empire: the Onager-class Star Destroyer. Capable of leveling an enemy base from orbit or punching through an enemy cruiser with its heavy armament, this mysterious ship is a deadly addition to any fleet.

Soon, you’ll be able to harness the power of one of these specialized weapon platforms during your epic space battles with the Onager-class Star Destroyer Expansion Pack for Star Wars™: Armada! Join us today as we take a closer look at the many ways this ship can help you use the Empire’s most dangerous weaponry.

Out of the Shadows

Unlike the ubiquitous Victory– and Imperial-class Star Destroyers found throughout the Imperial Navy, the Onager-class Star Destroyer is a rare sight, only emerging from its veil of secrecy for sensitive Imperial operations. Despite this, it’s easy to see what makes it such a threat. Outfitted with a special battery armament that accounts for over half the ship’s length, the Onager’s power is evident from the first moment it enters battle.

It should be no surprise, then, that strategies involving the Onager focus on using this armament to deadly effect through ignition attacks—a new form of attack that uses a pool of dice and a special firing arc not associated with a hull zone. While undoubtedly powerful, ignition attacks are all the more effective because they can target ships beyond long range.

The Onager-class Star Destroyer measures its ignition attack from its targeting token rather than the standard attack range, allowing it to attack the CR90 Corvette at extreme range!

The first step to performing an ignition attack occurs at the end of a ship’s activation, when it can place its targeting token within its special firing arc at close range. Then, at the beginning of its Attack step, the ship must perform an ignition attack against a ship in the special firing arc as its first attack of the activation. The dice for this attack are gathered from the special battery armament like normal, but the range for this attack is determined by measuring from the attacker’s targeting token rather than the ship itself.

Anchored by its special battery armament, the Onager-class Star Destroyer is a threat to virtually any enemy ship in play, and two ship cards let you add one to your fleet in two distinct configurations. The Onager is still being refined, of course, and you can always choose to deploy it in its

experimental form

as a way to test the ship’s great potential. For a more well-rounded capital ship, however, you can always field a full

Onager-class Star Destroyer

that supplements its special battery armament with additional firepower in its standard arcs and gives it more chances to coordinate with friendly squadrons.

Beyond selecting exactly what type of Onager-class Star Destroyer you want in your fleet, you can also enhance the ship’s special battery armament itself. For a default ignition attack, your ship must place its targeting token at close range. But this can be modified by equipping it with more potent weapons.

Orbital Bombardment Particle Cannons

for example, stretch this all the way to long range while also spreading the damage the attack inflicts to the ships and squadrons close to the defender. The attack from some

Superheavy Composite Beam Turbolasers,

meanwhile, is slightly more limited in range, but can tear through a ship, inflicting a damage for each red or blue critical effect icon in the pool.

Given the impact an Onager-class Star Destroyer can have on a battle, it should be no surprise that the personnel you can assign to the ship also work to enhance its ignition attacks. A commander like

General Romodi

benefits the entire fleet by increasing the firepower of friendly ships making an obstructed attack—of course, this is especially useful for the Onager and its extreme long-range attacks that can easily become obstructed by ships or obstacles. Similarly,

Gunnery Chief Varnillian

can boost an attack by constantly swapping in a die from her card, helping you pile on extra damage or gain another accuracy at a critical moment.

The forward firepower of an Onager-class Star Destroyer is the ship’s defining characteristic and, as such, it is protected by heavy shielding. But this does leave your ship’s side and rear arcs exposed to attack. Thanks to her groundbreaking work with shield generator design,

Reeva Demense

can help remedy this weakness. If she’s a part of your crew, you can ready one defense token after becoming the target of an attack so long as the defending hull zone has at least one shield remaining.

Although they are a relative rarity, several distinct Onager-class Star Destroyers saw service in the Galctic Civil War, and the Onager-class Star Destroyer Expansion Pack lets you use the unique characteristics of three such ships. The

Cataclysm,

for instance, speeds up the process of making an ignition attack, letting you place its targeting token at the start of the ship phase at the cost of a concentrate fire token.

Similarly, the

does more than simply bombard a ship with its powerful cannons—it can also use its blue or black critical effects to target and destroy a specific upgrade on an enemy ship. Finally, because the Onager-class Star Destroyer can attack from such extreme distances, you’ll most likely want to keep its speed low while turning it to acquire new targets. This is easier with the

Rakehell,

which can reposition and line up shots with its special battery armament without moving forward at all.

Intensify Forward Firepower

The Rebellion scored a major victory when it destroyed the Death Star, but the technology behind this massive superweapon endures. Shrouded in secrecy, the Onager-class Star Destroyer is stark reminder of the Empire’s might!

Pre-order your copy of the Onager-class Star Destroyer Expansion Pack (SWM33) at your local retailer today or online through our website—with free shipping in the continental United States—here! These expansions will arrive at retailers in the fourth quarter of 2019.

“It’s a promise to the rebels. It’s called Inferno Squad.”
   –Admiral Garrick Versio, Battlefront II: Inferno Squad

The 2019 Star Wars™​: X-Wing World Championship may have concluded, but the battle for dominance over the galaxy still rages on. You can join the action and take the fight to the skies in the ongoing System Open Series, where you can compete for brand-new prizes and test your abilities against rival squadron commanders.

The new lineup of System Open Series events launches with a swarm of engagements taking place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from December 6–8 at PAX Unplugged. During these weekend-long events, you can take part in an array of fun side events and come head to head with other fantastic players as you face off in a two-day championship event, potentially earning numerous placement prizes, and if you finish within the Top 8, gaining an invitation to the next Star Wars: X-Wing World Championship!

Now, the time has come to take command of your squadron and fight for your faction! Test your piloting skills against some of the best players in the galaxy at a System Open event and win some of the greatest prizes offered in Star Wars: X-Wing!​

Armed for Action

Before you head out to your first System Open Series event, there are a couple noteworthy structural changes that you should be aware of!

The main event, the System Open tournament, will use the Hyperspace game mode instead of Extended. As before, each System Open Tournament will feature a two-day championship with six rounds of Swiss on Day 1, followed by set of single elimination rounds on Day 2.

Hyperspace Qualifiers are being replaced by the World Championship Qualifiers. Though both serve the same purpose, offering players extra prize tickets and another opportunity to secure their seats at the next World Championship, the World Championship Qualifier uses the Extended game mode and features five total rounds of Swiss, not six. As before, players may still join in on the action after being eliminated from the System Open Series main event, with byes for the rounds they missed, up until the Top 8.

A new addition to System Open Series side events are Aces High Pods. Using the Extended or Hyperspace game modes, these events can hold up to eight players per pod, with two groups of four players playing two rounds of the Aces High scenario from the Epic Battles Multiplayer Expansion, with some minor adjustments. All other relevant System Open Series event structure information can be found on the newly updated event page.

Now that you’re familiar with the new rules of engagement, read on to discover the prizes that await ace pilots!

Prize Station

Through the Prize Station, you can customize your personal prize package simply by participating in the System Open Series. By playing in the System Open tournament and other side events, you’ll earn a number of prize tickets as you play (and extra tickets for each win) which can be exchanged for a variety of rewards at the Prize Station. Choose the prizes that best suit you and customize your squadron as you see fit! 

At the new System Open Series events, the Prize Station will include alternate ship punch, promotional cards, an alternate art damage deck, tokens, and premium plastic cards, including Omega Squadron Ace, Bravo Flight Officer, and Red Squadron Expert!

Top 64 and Top 32 

At the heart of each System Open Series event is the System Open tournament, which features exclusive rewards for top competitors. On the line at each tournament is a suite of Inferno Squad-themed prizes, many of which will be awarded to players who make the Top 32 cut. For their efforts, these players will receive an acrylic red and black range ruler set and a spread of plastic cards featuring Iden Versio, Gideon Hask, Seyn Marana, and Del Meeko. In addition, the Top 64 players will receive a foam box featuring artwork of Iden Versio and the Inferno Squad!

Top 16, Top 8, and Top 4

Continuing the theme of this System Open Series, the Top 16 players will receive a set of Inferno Squad maneuver templates. In addition, each player who secures a Top 8 finish will earn a spot at the next Star Wars: X-Wing World Championship​! Finally, those who crack into the Top 4 will also receive a template tray to complement the previously-earned range rulers and maneuver templates.

Finalist and Champion

At each System Open Series event, the champion will be rewarded with a trophy featuring Iden Versio, a flight to the X-Wing World Championship, and an invitation to the exclusive Coruscant Invitational! Even if you make it to the final table but are unable to secure victory over your opponent in the final engagement, you’ll still walk away with a one-of-a-kind plaque, denoting your impressive achievement at this competitive Star Wars​: X-Wing event.

Ready to Launch

You can take the fight to the skies in the new System Open Series events held all around the world, beginning with a System Open in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from December 6–8 at PAX Unplugged. Check back on the System Open Series page soon as we begin to add more dates and locations for these exciting Star Wars: X-Wing events!

Take a look at the latest products from Fantasy Flight Games, now available at your local retailer or online through our webstore!

Dewback Rider Unit Expansion

The Empire often uses local creatures for its patrols, and in desert environments, Imperial troopers rely on dewbacks, mighty reptilian creatures that can survive extreme temperatures. Between the Sandtrooper rider’s array of weapons and the powerful claws of their mount, this duo is a force to be reckoned with.

Within this expansion, you’ll find an unpainted, beautifully-detailed Dewback miniature featuring a Sandtrooper rider with four distinct customization options: your Dewback Rider can be built carrying their standard shock prod, or you can equip them with three different weapons. On top of the ability to customize the look of your Dewback Rider, this Unit Expansion gives you plenty of ways to tweak how this unit operates in the thick of battle. Six upgrade cards accompany the miniature, letting you modify its armament, training, or the comms systems it carries into battle. Rounding out this expansion are a unit card and all the tokens you need to deploy it as a support unit for your Imperial armies.

Pick up your copy of the Dewback Rider Unit Expansion Pack (SWL42) at your local retailer today or online through our website with free shipping in the continental United States here!

“What difference does it make who started the war and who only wants to end it? No side is free of fault. It takes two to fight.”
   –Tee Watt Kaa, Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Starting today, you can experience Star Wars™: Legion in a whole new way using a brand-new format! This new way to play significantly reduces the size of armies, inviting players to adapt their playstyles and develop creative new strategies. Learn about how these intense, smaller-scale engagements alter the dynamic of the battlefield as developer Alex Davy highlights the tactical advantages that this format brings to the table. 

Developer Alex Davy on the New Star Wars: Legion Format

Greetings, Star Wars: Legion players!

I’m pleased to announce an official new format for Star Wars: Legion—Skirmish games! 

Skirmish games are played over the course of five rounds on a three-foot by three-foot battlefield, utilizing a new deck of twelve battle cards optimized for small-format play. This is the Star Wars: Legion experience stripped down to its very essence, a framework without an ounce of fat on it. Even so, it requires just as much tactical acumen, careful planning, and risk-taking as a standard game of Star Wars: Legion. I believe that players will have plenty to discover with the depth of this format!

The Skirmish format also offers new strategies and new opportunities for creative army building. Force-wielding heroes and villains are mightier than ever, but gobble up an even bigger percentage of your overall army size. Deadly short-range units like Fleet Troopers and Scout Troopers can come to grips with their foes more quickly, and heavy vehicles like the AT-ST and the AAT Trade Federation Battle Tank can impact the game in a major way from the start of the very first round. In short, it’s a whole new wargame to explore!

Ultimately, it is my hope that this format offers a great option for new players, veterans who want a new way to play, stores that want to run events but have limited space available, and anybody and everybody whose busy lives leave them with limited time in which to roll dice.

All of the information you need in order to start playing Skirmish games of Star Wars: Legion can be found in this

new document

(8.3 MB) that covers this exciting format. Assemble your army today and lead it to victory!

“If you are fighting only the present battle, you have already lost the war.”
   –Kitsu Motso

A short time ago, samurai and noble Hatamotos from the Great Clans of Rokugan gathered in Crane territory for the festivities of Winter Court. With Jose Luis Saenz of the Phoenix clan now bestowed with the prestigious title of Shōgun, this monumental tournament has formally concluded. But in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, the pursuit of glory and honor doesn’t end upon the conclusion of the Winter Court World Championship. For those samurai looking to sharpen their skills and prove their clan loyalty, a new opportunity is looming on the horizon—the Tides of War Kotei series.

For samurai all over the Emerald Empire, Kotei tournaments are battle-tested trials, offering a path of greatness that leads to Winter Court. Some of these tournaments will be recognized as Grand Koteis, which feature even more generous prizing and an exclusive set of spot gloss cards of each clan’s champion. Grand Koteis are truly inspiring events, offering the highest level of competition in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game that players can find outside of the Winter Court World Championship.

Whether a Kotei or a Grand Kotei, these multi-day events host a main tournament for players to participate in as well as fun side events to experience Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game in other ways while gaining extra rewards. At Kotei events, you can win a wide assortment of prizes, the prestigious title of Hatamoto, and an invitation to the next Winter Court!

The Tides of War series provides a story impact with wide ramifications. Each event will represent a clash between the clans as they engage in open warfare at the boundaries of their provinces, and occasional clan letters will track the results of these skirmishes. When daimyō vie for each other’s dominions, the ancestral territories of Rokugan may change hands along with vital resources.​

War has always been an essential element of the Emerald Empire. While there is honor in slaying an opponent in combat, it creates a ripple effect that can change the very shape of Rokugan. War is a bloody harvest, and you can never be sure what the crop will yield. Peer into the war-torn climate with “Bloody Harvest” by Josiah “Duke” Harrist, a new story which can be downloaded

here

(4.5 MB) to set up the new Kotei season!

Read on to learn about all of the new changes that the Tides of War Kotei season brings to the Kotei series and to see a preview of the riches that await those who rise to meet the challenge. 

The Tides of War

During the Tides of War series, players will compete to influence the outcome of the war by scoring wins for their clan. As the war rages on, three special event cards can be won—each awarded to one of the seven Great Clans of Rokugan. Each of these prize cards has its own unique criteria for how it is awarded at the end of the Kotei series, by using Tides of War points and Dissension points, which are determined by the clan’s win rates and matchups during Kotei top cuts—the size of which is dependent on the number of players in the event. 

The first prize card is Tides of War, an event card given to the clan with the most Tides of War points, which are earned by winning games during the top cut of Kotei events. The second prize card is Fiery Vengeance, an event card given to the clan with the fewest Tides of War points, due to having the greatest representation in the top cut but the fewest Kotei wins. The final prize card is Dissension, an event card given to the clan with the most Dissension points, which are earned by having the greatest number of mirror matches in the top cut of Kotei events.

At the start of the series, each clan will begin with a total of 40 Tides of War points, and every time a player defeats another player in the top cut, the winning player’s clan takes one point from the losing player’s clan. In the semifinals, the stakes are raised to three points, and in the finals, the stakes are raised to five points. Therefore, the winning clan of any given Kotei will earn many points for their clan, while the clans who do well in the top cut but fail to secure victory lose the greatest number of points for their clan.

Dissension points represent the infighting that’s unfolding within each clan amidst the Clan War. Each clan gains one point for each instance of a mirror match for that clan in the top cut of a Kotei, so the clan that competes against itself the most will earn the Dissension event card. If a clan is receiving Dissension points, it is neither gaining nor losing Tides of War points because it is not fighting the other clans—this allows the clan that performs well but is not given the opportunity to progress toward earning Tides of War or Fiery Vengeance to still earn a coveted prize card.

Kotei and Grand Kotei events still award Hatamoto status to the top player from each of the seven Great Clans, as well as both players at the final table. These players are also rewarded with Hatamoto game mats as well as an invitation to the next Winter Court World Championship! However, during the Tides of War season, you do not need the title of Hatamoto to make an impact on your clan’s standings. Any samurai on the battlefield can change the course of the war. 

Elemental Challenges are being replaced with Proving Grounds tournaments for the Tides of War season. Previously exclusive to Grand Koteis, these side events begin shortly after the Day 2 elimination rounds at each Kotei event. As before with the Kunshu season, players in Proving Grounds will compete for koku (prize vouchers), and those who go undefeated will win a reserved seat for the next Winter Court World Championship. Players who are eliminated from the main event during the elimination rounds before the Top 8 may still join the Proving Grounds tournament, entering with a bye for each game they’ve missed. With Proving Ground side events, Koteis and Grand Koteis offer players who were unable to secure their seat at Winter Court one last chance to do so.

As before, each Kotei and Grand Kotei will be accompanied by additional side events, which may include three-round Skirmish Pods, multiplayer Enlightenment Pods, and a Costume Contest. Each of these events yields koku, which can be redeemed at the Prize Station.

For more information about Kotei events, head over to our event page, or continue reading to discover the prizes you can win at these events.
 

Prize Station

During Kotei events, you can spend the koku you earn at the Prize Station for a variety of prizes fit for an accomplished samurai. Among these offerings is a spread of spot gloss character cards, including Ancient Master, Ikoma Reservists, and Hantei Daisetsu. Also available on the Prize Station are minimalistic role cards, and for just five koku, you can get one of each of these role cards (Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Void). Supplementing this assortment of cards are metal Mon tokens and unique acrylic honor dials for each of the seven Great Clans. Some Prize Station items will have a limited quantity per event, so be sure to spend the koku you earn wisely!

Top 16, Top 8, and Top 4

Players who cut their way into the Top 16 will be rewarded with a beautiful 2020 Kotei series deck box. Then, players who manage to finish within the Top 8 will take home a game mat with the same striking art and secure an invitation to the next Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game World Championship! Finally, the Top 4 players will receive an acrylic honor dial of Akodo Toturi, the former Emerald Champion. 

Hatamoto

After each day of Swiss, the top player from each of the seven Great Clans will receive Hatamoto status, along with one of the clan-specific Hatamoto game mats below, a commemorative Hatamoto pin, and an invitation to the next Winter Court World Championship! Players may also earn a triumph pin during a Kotei for defeating a Hatamoto.

Top 2

After the elimination rounds, both the winner and runner-up will be bestowed with Hatamoto status (if they did not earn it earlier during the Kotei) and will further be rewarded with a Hatamoto game mat signifying their coveted status and as well as a set of wooden ring tokens. 

Champion

In addition to every other prize earned, and any rewards gained from the Prize Station, a 2020 Kotei Champion will receive a game mat and a scroll with featuring an illustration of Akodo Toturi.

Prize Station

Like standard Kotei events, you may spend koku at the Prize Station for a number of different rewards. You’ll find the same spread of role cards, Mon tokens, honor dials, and character cards including Daidoji Uji, Ethereal Dreamer, Matsu Tsuko, and Utaku Tetsuko. Some Prize Station items will have a limited quantity per event, so be sure to spend the koku you earn wisely!

However, exclusive to Grand Koteis are spot gloss cards of the renowned clan champions like Akodo Toturi, Hida Kisada, Bayushi Shoju, and Doji Hotaru. At Grand Koteis you can get these cards from the Prize Station or through participating in side events during Grand Koteis, where at the end of a side event, the top player from each clan will receive a copy of their clan’s champion card. ​

Top 32, Top 16, and Top 8

After each day of swiss, the Top 32 players will be rewarded with a 2020 Kotei series deck box. Then, the players in the Top 16 will additionally receive this season’s game mat. Lastly, the skilled players who make it into the Top 8 will earn an invitation to the next Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game World Championship.

Hatamoto

After each day of Swiss, the top player from each of the seven Great Clans will receive Hatamoto status along with one of the clan-specific game mats below, a commemorative Hatamoto pin, and an invitation to the next Winter Court World Championship! Like Koteis, players may also earn a triumph pin for vanquishing a Hatamoto in battle.

Top 4

At a Grand Kotei, each player who makes the Top 4 cut during the elimination rounds will earn Hatamoto status if they did not earn it earlier in the event. On top of receiving this prestigious title, these players are also rewarded with a Hatamoto game mat. Lastly, the Top 4 players during the elimination rounds will also receive a set of wooden ring tokens.

Champion

In addition to every other prize earned, and any rewards gained from the Prize Station, a 2020 Grand Kotei Champion will receive a game mat and scroll featuring illustrations of the renowned Emerald Champion. But a Grand Champion is not only rewarded with physical prizes, they also receive a free flight to the next Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game World Championship! 

Fight for Your Clan

You can take part in the Tides of War Kotei series all around the world, beginning with a Grand Kotei in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from December 6–8 at PAX Unplugged. Check back on the Kotei Series page soon as we begin to add dates and locations for these exciting events!

“I don’t know what all this trouble is about, but I’m sure it must be your fault.”
   –C-3PO, Star Wars: A New Hope

Whether repairing a starfighter on the fly or translating the binary language of moisture vaporators, droids can perform tasks that other beings simply cannot. But sometimes droids transcend their programming, using their many skills to help their allies in wholly unexpected ways. Such is the case with R2-D2 and C-3PO.  

Throughout both the Clone Wars and the Galactic Civil War, these two iconic droids often took on critical objectives that sent them into the heart of battle—much to C-3PO’s chagrin. With the Crashed Escape Pod Battlefield Expansion for Star Wars™: Legion, you can make this dynamic droid duo an integral part of your Star Wars infantry battles.

In addition to a beautifully sculpted hard plastic crashed escape pod miniature, this expansion also includes hard plastic R2-D2 and C-3PO miniatures that can be become central objectives in two thrilling scenario that play out with six new battle cards. But R2-D2 and C-3PO can contribute more to your battles than simply serving as objectives. Two R2-D2 unit cards and two C-3PO unit cards invite you to add these resilient droids to your Galactic Republic or Rebel Alliance armies, while two upgrade cards and R2-D2’s three signature command cards open up even more ways to use them in battle.

Join us today as we take a look at what R2-D2 and C-3PO can contribute to your armies!

An Unlikely Pair

While an astromech and a protocol droid may seem out of place on a battlefield, R2-D2 and C-3PO possess an array of skills and experience that make them invaluable to allies like Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa. With R2-D2’s immense loyalty and drive pushing them onward, these droids form one of the most memorable pairs in the entire Star Wars saga, and this incredible bond continues in Star Wars: Legion.

R2-D2 and C-3PO are so inseparable, in fact, that they are the first Star Wars: Legion unit to feature the Counterpart keyword. While R2-D2 can be deployed on his own as an Operative, he is almost never seen apart from C-3PO. As R2-D2’s Counterpart, C-3PO can only be added to your army as a part of R2’s unit, with both contributing their abilities to the single unit.

Once they enter a battle, the droids form a complementary pair, helping each other as well as the rest of their army. R2-D2 is an expert mechanic, of course, and can keep your vehicles in top shape, even in the thick of battle. But he also leaps at the chance to save the day and, if he can make his way to an enemy deployment zone, will complete a secret mission that could push his army one step closer to victory.

Such a task requires crossing dangerous ground and, while R2-D2 launches himself into it with gusto, C-3PO takes a more cautious approach. Despite his numerous complaints, 3PO will always be there to help out in a pinch by calculating their odds of success. While this can help the droids remain safely inconspicuous, he can also relay this information to a friendly trooper unit, helping them become even more effective.

Whatever secret mission the droids may be on should certainly be a major focus, but this doesn’t mean they can’t aid your other troops. No matter how harmless he may appear, a large golden droid like C-3PO is sure to attract attention and you can also choose to use him as a diversion from your other troops.

Taking this approach will inevitably lead to damage, of course, and neither droid can generate much of a counterattack outside of a short-range electro-shock or a clumsy kick. But one of R2-D2’s greatest strengths is the innumerable devices he conceals within his casing. These devices allow him to overcome his limitations, and his signature command cards allow you to deploy three of these devices at strategic points throughout a battle.

With a sudden

Smoke Screen,

 for example, R2 can cover a friendly unit’s retreat or buy it enough time to advance on an objective. Similarly, if he chooses to use his rocket boosters to

Blast Off!,

 R2-D2 can make up for his limited mobility and the fact that he cannot climb or clamber.

Finally, R2 can even get creative with his many devices, using them in unexpected ways. Combining his rocket boosters with an oil slick can generate an

Impromptu Immolation

that greatly increases his offensive potential. Not only does this style of attack disregard cover, R2-D2 is free to scoot along on his secret mission once it’s over, most likely with C-3PO in tow.

Time For Heroics

R2-D2 and C-3PO may not be programmed for combat, but with a bit of pluck and determination—as well as some loud objections—these droids can change the course of your Star Wars: Legion battles! 

Add a crashed escape pod to your battlefields, available now for pre-order from your local retailer or online through our website with free shipping in the continental United States!

“Winning does not mean won.”
   –Kyrsta Agate, Star Wars: Aftermath

The Battle of Endor is over, and suddenly the Rebel Alliance finds itself in an unfamiliar position. Accustomed to running from the watchful eye of the Empire, the Rebels are now poised to take the offensive and make a decisive strike that could bring an end to the Galactic Civil War. As they do, a powerful new battleship leads their fleets: the Nadiri Starhawk.

Soon, you’ll be able to add one of these titanic warships to your Rebel fleets as you fight to take back the galaxy with the Nadiri Starhawk Expansion Pack for Star Wars™: Armada! Join us today as we take a closer look at how this powerful ship can help you turn the tides of battle.

Rise of the Republic

Constructed from the remnants of defeated Imperial Star Destroyers, there is perhaps no better symbol of the Rebellion’s newfound power—and the New Republic’s ascendance—than the Starhawk-class battleship. The largest and most powerful ship available to Rebel commanders, the Starhawk adds an imposing presence to any fleet that it backs up with pure brute strength.

As the first capital ship built by the fledgling New Republic, the Starhawk declares the Republic’s willingness to strike back against the Empire, and these intentions are made clear with the new salvo defense token it carries into battle. Rather than reducing or containing the damage a ship takes, spending one of these tokens allows a ship to launch an attack of its own after the Resolve Damage step of an attack made against it.

The Victory-class star destroyer attacks the Starhawk-class battleship Mark II. After damage has been resolved, the Starhawk spends its salvo token to fire back using its printed rear battery armament!

If the attack was made by a ship, the defender performs a salvo attack against the attacking hull zone using its printed rear battery armament. If the attacker was a squadron, however, the defender uses its printed anti-squadron armament. While dice cannot be added to a salvo attack, a retaliatory strike like this is the perfect way to whittle away at your opponent’s shields and hull while letting them know you won’t back down.

With the salvo defense token setting the tone, the Starhawk ushers in a new era of Rebel capital ships. With its heavy armament, the imposing Starhawk-class battleship can easily go toe-to-toe with a star destroyer and the Nadiri Starhawk Expansion Pack gives you two different ways to add one to your fleet. Both the Starhawk-class Battleship

Mark I

and

Mark II

feature the same upgrade bar, but mix up the ship’s attacks from each hull zone, giving you the freedom to choose the mixture of range and accuracy that works best for your strategy.

Such a large ship is bound to play a large role in your fleet, and you’ll want to assign the Alliance’s best personnel to it. In our announcement, we revealed that you can appoint the venerable

Kyrsta Agate

as the commander of your Starhawk, inviting you to spend a defense token, even when you would ordinarily be unable to do so. But you can also add

Agate

to a ship as an officer for a fraction of the cost, granting you the ability to ready an exhausted defense token with a red or blue critical result, even during a salvo attack.

Now that the Rebellion has amassed the power to sweep away the remnants of the Empire, some of its most well-known figures must step into new roles if they hope to usher in this new era. Although he’s best known for his exploits as a starfighter pilot, the legendary

Wedge Antilles

can still make contributions to your strategy as an officer aboard one of your capital ships. In this capacity, he acts as a mentor to your non-unique squadrons, granting them cloak until the end of the round.

Even with the firepower the Starhawk brings to the table, Rebel fleets are still likely to be outgunned by the large Imperial ships they regularly face. But a weapons team led by

Shriv Suurgav

can help you even the odds. For the cost of a squadron dial, they can strip a key upgrade card off an enemy ship at close range, forcing them to switch up their strategy in the middle of battle.

While the Rebellion’s many heroes can be of service to any ship that will take them, the Starhawk itself can be upgraded with some experimental technology that further enhances its effectiveness in battle. Along with the Onager-class star destroyer, it is the first ship to feature the Superweapon upgrade icon. But while the Onager-class star destroyer uses its massive particle cannons to bombard targets with heavy fire, the Starhawk takes a different approach. Its

Magnite Crystal Tractor Beam Array

can be used at manipulate an enemy ship’s speed, helping you get it right where you want it.

The Starhawk activates its Magnite Crystal Tractor Beam Array at the end of its activation, forcing the Imperial Raider to match its speed!

No matter who’s in command or what weapons it’s armed with, the Starhawk-class battleship marks a new era for the Rebellion, and a handful of these powerful ships took part in some of the pivotal battles that led to the rise of the New Republic. The

Concord,

for example, helped turn the tides of the Battle of Jakku in the Republic’s favor. This ship enters battle with an extra salvo token and can spend a defense token while its speed is 0, making it particularly difficult to bring down.

The

Amity,

meanwhile, excels at avoiding enemy fire while it closes in on enemy ships. Once it does, it’s not afraid to sacrifice some of its own health to deal crucial damage to the enemy. Finally, the

works closely with its squadrons to eliminate opposing starfighters before they become too much of a threat.

Defeat the Empire

The Rebellion is on the brink of claiming victory in the Galactic Civil War. Defeat the last vestiges of the Empire and usher in a new era of peace with the Nadiri Starhawk!  

Pre-order your copy of the Nadiri Starhawk Expansion Pack (SWM32) at your local retailer today or online through our website—with free shipping in the continental United States—here! These expansions will arrive at retailers in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Surely, her pursuers had given up by now. They had more important duties than pursuing rōnin across Rokugan. Her insults hadn’t been that cutting.
She spied smoke on the horizon, a slender stream curling into grey sky. The thought of warm food and shelter made her smile as she patted her horse’s flank and they upped their pace. Would the village welcome her, or drive her out? There was no way of knowing until she arrived.

The Emerald Empire is vast, stretching from the shimmering Jade Sea to the towering Kaiu Wall that guards against the terrors of the Shadowlands. In the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game, you have the chance to journey across this land as noble samurai, experiencing its wonders and facing its dangers with an upright zeal. But with Path of Waves, the world becomes richer than ever before, giving you the chance to see its least-traveled corners through the eyes of those who do not fit into the Celestial Order.

As your journey continues, you will see many small villages scattered across the empire and, while they may seem the same at first, you will come to learn that no two villages are alike. From small fishing villages along the coasts, to mining villages in the mountains and farming villages on the fertile plains, these communities function in near obscurity as small, largely self-governing societies paying rice tax to a lord who presides over them from a distance. Now, they are open for you to explore as your adventures in Rokugan continue.

Today, we are pleased to offer you a closer look at the fully-realized locations you can explore in the Path of Waves sourcebook for the Legend of the Five Rings Roleplaying Game—now available for pre-order at your local retailer or online through our website!

Twin Blessings Village

Every fortress in Rokugan requires farming villages to sustain it. The peasants who populate these villages vastly outnumber the courtiers and lords who rely on them to farm and fish the land, and for their part, the ruling lords provide them with the respect their positions deserve. After all, without their labor, the empire would starve.

Path of Waves offers Twin Blessings Village as a comprehensive example of one such village that can be explored as it appears within the book or easily modified to fit the needs of your campaign. The village comes with a complete map, as well as its own unique history and local legends for your adventurers to encounter and descriptions for how to bring different versions of the village to life in different territories. While you can play with the village in a neutral territory without adjustment, you may wish to place it under the governance of one of the Great Clans, shifting the types of crops it produces, terrain, and general attitude of its citizen. For example, if you encounter the village while in Crab lands, the villagers may have a stoic disposition and force visitors to earn their welcome, whereas vilagers in Dragon territory will be unaccustomed to rōnin in their high mountain towns, but welcoming to traveling monks and pilgrims.

While general attitudes may be guessed, rōnin never truly know what to expect from a village until they arrive. Most villagers are kind enough offer them food and shelter, and perhaps even hire them as protectors or laborers if they can afford it, but villagers who have had their hospitality abused by dishonorable rōnin in the past may not be so welcoming. If you are leading a band of wandering rōnin who come across a village where you are seen as nothing more than bandits or criminals, you may be forced to find a way to prove your honor and earn the right to stay. Otherwise, if such a course of action seems impossible, you may attempt to convince the villagers the you are some other type of traveler, whether it be pilgrim, merchant, or entertainer. But as with any type of deceit—no matter how necessary—you must use caution. If you are caught in a lie, the villagers will not take kindly to the deception; nor will their lord or any local samurai. 

Most villages are built near a source of water and they have a leader, a common store of food, and a centralized warming fire. Residents grow rice to pay the annual tax, and some keep livestock, while others grow additional crops. Larger villages may have more to offer, such as a blacksmith or sake house, but others you will see in the outskirts of Rokugan are little more than a few gathered houses. Since villages are so varied, they offer a plethora of options to integrate into your adventures, whether they be the central focus of a campaign’s conflict, such as in the Sins of Regret adventure, or somewhere to recuperate while the PCs are on a journey within a larger campaign. Twin Blessings Village is designed to fit into neutral, Imperial-held territory by default, but it can be easily adapted to suit any landscape or territory. How the story of the village plays out depends on you. 

Hirosaka

Much larger than villages, the towns of Rokugan bridge the gap between the vital work of the commoners to the efforts of the powerful aristocrats. Hirosaka is a typical Rokugani town that offers GMs a second type of ready-made setting where samurai can explore a smaller urban area. Like Twin Blessings Village, Hirosaka is designed to be governed by one of the Imperial families, but it can be easily translated to anywhere in Rokugan you wish to base your campaign.

Since it is intended to a core representation of a typical Rokugani town, Hirosaka is deliberately generic. For example, while specific past events and incidents that have affected the town in its current form are noted, there is no detailed history provided for Hirosaka. This allows a GM to place Hirosaka in any part of the Empire that suits their campaign, adjusting it accordingly and giving the town whatever history and background is most useful to their players. The town is yours to customize with helpful suggestions integrated throughout the town’s chapter in Path of Waves, whether you wish to make it a Crab Clan port with elegant architecture and plenty of facilities devoted to the arts, or a sprawling Lion Clan town filled with barracks and dōjō to reflect the clan’s general militant nature. 

Alternatively, you may choose to pull details from the town of Hirosaka and incorporate them into locations of your own design, giving a heart to a fast-paced city or turning a would-be sleepy village into a popular stop along a vital trade-route. Hirosaka offers vibrant locations and people ranging from the top of the social ladder to those of much lower status who may still be notable or influential in the town’s affairs. Depending on your adventure, you may take a trip to the governor’s estate or magistrate’s station, or take a visit the gambling house or sake works. With each location comes the chance to build new encounters and spin new tales to create an adventure unique to your players. The new NPCs and adventure seeds of Path of Waves can translate well to any campaign, no matter where your journeys lead, you are sure to find that every town, like every person, is more than meets the eye.

Untold Stories

The outskirts of Rokugan seem to exist in a world entirely separate from that of the noble courts and Imperial cities, but the villages of these areas are the vital foundation that allows the rest of the Emerald Empire to stand, and they have their own stories to tell. Take the road less traveled and discover the adventures that await in the forgotten heart of Rokugan!

Pre-order your copy of Path of Waves (L5R10) at your local retailer today or online through our website here!

“When you understand the path of the sword, your adversary can do nothing you cannot foresee.”
   –Mirumoto’s Niten

For five days, samurai from all over Rokugan competed in a grand tournament hosted by the honorable Crane Clan. Now that regent Bayushi Shoju has bestowed the title of Shōgun upon one worthy samurai, Winter Court has formally come to a close. 

At the 2019 Winter Court World Championship, players came together from all over the world to meet at the Fantasy Flight Games Center in Roseville, Minnesota and fight for their clan’s honor through spirited competition. But in Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game, only one can become the champion and attain the distinguished title of Shōgun. This year, that profound honor went to Jose Luis Saenz of the Phoenix clan.

After a series of challenging duels against formidable competitors, Jose faced off against a truly worthy adversary at the final table: Zachary Lowe of the Scorpion Clan. Despite having a significant card disadvantage throughout the match, Jose overcame this final trial and successfully defended the palace of Kyūden Isawa from the Scorpion threat. As the new Shōgun, Jose consulted with his Phoenix Clan advisors, and sparing no time, made a crucial decision that would shape the land of Rokugan forever, as detailed in the recent articles “The Cornered Lion” and “The Cornered Lion – Part II.”

As Winter Court came to a close, the time-honored Roles of Rokugan ceremony was held, where the top representatives from each of the seven Great Clans gathered to choose which elemental Keeper or Seeker role their clan members around the world would be able to include in their decks until the next Winter Court. However, for the first time in Rokugani history, it was unanimously decided that the roles should be free for all to use. The new

Imperial Law

document reflects the absence of these role restrictions, which were immediately lifted.

Once again, congratulations to our new World Champion, Jose Luis Saenz! Now that the Winter Court festivities have concluded, it’s time to take a look back at this momentous event and highlight some notable statistics.
 

A Legend Forged

It’s unknown what the future holds for the Emerald Empire, as the Great Clans brace for all-out warfare. But today is a new day in Rokugan, and with the freed elemental Keeper and Seeker roles, new opportunities are abundant. Now, it’s time to choose what part you’ll play in the war.

If you missed out on any of the Legend of the Five Rings: The Card Game action, you can catch up now and learn from the best players in the world by watching our archived streams on Twitch and YouTube!

Thank you to all of the players who competed in this year’s World Championship and made the event so special. Your energy and passion inspire us to make bigger and better Organized Play programs and events. We’re honored to serve the Great Clans and are already looking forward to the next Winter Court, hosted by the Phoenix Clan!​