28 July, 2016
As the Release Date for In Defiance of Dictators gets closer and closer, we are ramping up our Space Store for the new products! Starting Monday, August 1st, we'll be opening up pre-orders for In Defiance of Dictators as well as the Second Edition prints of Corporate Wars and Loyalty and Vigilance.
We've also made the fiction of the Hull Breach universe available, as Digital Downloads. This is a great way to catch up with the history of the game, if you're just joining us at IDOD!
This is the Galactic News Network Newsminute for March 28th (1st writethru)
EPSILON ERIDANI (GNN) - Fifteen people are dead and dozens more injured after a terrorist bomb exploded in a shopping center in the city of New Manilla. The bomb detonated during the lunch hour and multiple reports suggested a second device had been placed but not gone off. Eridanus Security officials said that four Red Nova Faction agents had been killed in a shootout in a suburb three miles outside the city when security forces acting on a tip raided an apartment. Red Nova Faction has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
ORION PRIME (GNN) - Sheldon Whipple has officially announced that he is running for President. Whipple, 62, retired from the Republic Defense Force after a long career that ultimately found him serving as the Sky Marshal. Considered by some to be the greatest leader in RDF history, Whipple is the first to declare his candidacy for the election, where he will likely be pitted against incumbent Maura Lang.
TAU CETI (GNN) - Anaheim Manufacturing CEO Leonard McKendle is facing renewed calls to resign. Anaheim Chief Technology Officer Ban Yuanjun issued a statement to GNN moments after the company's most recent board meeting on Monday demanding that McKendle step down. Ban told GNN that he had commissioned an independent investigation of McKendle's background after he "received information that calls his qualifications to lead the company into question."
SHERMAN SYSTEM (GNN) - An RDFN task force folded into the Sherman system late Sunday night after six merchant transports were attacked there in the last four days. RDFN officials confirmed that the task force would patrol the system for the next several days in an attempt to deter further pirate activity. The deployment was met with a statement of reserved support from Xeros Engineering CEO Elise Pond, who cautioned the RDF against establishing a permanent presence in the system that is home to 74 million colonists.
This is the Galactic News Network Newsminute for March 24th (1st writethru)
ASHEVILLE, CAROLINA SECTOR (GNN) - RDF and Colonial forces recently clashed in the Carolina Sector, with casualties potentially in the thousands. Reports indicated that at least one RDF battlecruiser was lost with all hands during an attack against an orbital station, and that several other ships sustained heavy damage and retreated from the battle. RDF officials told GNN only that there were several 'police actions' underway in the sector and that no further details would be released.
EPSILON ERIDANI (GNN) - The Bank of the Galaxy's Board of Directors today confirmed Colleen Briggs as the next Chief Operating Officer of the Stellar Gate Tax Bureau. The bureau, a BOTG subsidiary which administers stellar gates across dozens of star systems, has faced intense criticism over the last several years over its poor returns. Analysts said the SGTB has struggled to maintain its grip on the increasing volume of merchant traffic on the frontier. In a statement, the bureau board said it is confident in Briggs' ability to expand the bureau's market share.
ALPHA CENTAURI 3 (GNN) - Singer Svetlana Marquez continued her ten-planet live tour today, performing at the sold-out Yeung Memorial Auditorium. The performance was broadcast live via the OmniNet and watched by an additional 3.3 billion people around the galaxy. The 23 year-old singer's latest album, "Love on the Solar Wind," reached the top of the pop charts within hours of being released last standard month and by some industry metrics has outsold every other album released this Solar year.
Ever want to break the rules of Hull Breach, and get away with it for a good cause? Now you can! Our friends at No Ordinary Gamers will be hosting a Charity Game Day at Abubika Gaming, 3131 Union Rd, Gastonia, North Carolina 28056. This work is done with The Knightly Order of the Fiat Lux. This is the first of what we hope will be an annual event. One of the games will, naturally, be Hull Breach!
The charity we'l be playing for is The Arc of Rowan. They host a Summer Day Program that provides a secure, positive environment that meets the physical, social, emotional and educational needs of children ages 5 – 21 years of age with developmental disabilities. It also provides support for families by offering a quality program. The cost this year per child is $315. We are hoping to raise enough money to send at least 2 children to camp if not more.
Website URL:
The event is scheduled from 11AM to 8PM on Saturday, March 26, 2016.
Greetings Commanders!
Here are a couple of After-Action Reports from the field, in which players just like yourselves detail their triumphs and crushing defeats.
Commander's Log Entry
Andrew Lamont
Lieutenant Commander
Anaheim station RD6682
Bank of the Galaxy reps came to us and said they were claiming our territory. They said they would send a fleet to acquire it. Naturally we built up our fleet in preparation, but when we checked BotG’s sector, they hadn't built much of anything. We picked up some radio chatter about not being able to get ship components. You'd think they would have sorted that out before threatening us.
We sent a small scout force to test their defenses. The scouts only took minor casualties before getting out. It was then that we realized not only could we stop the creeps from taking our territory, but we also had a chance to take a shot at them and claim that sector for the Company.
We built a few more ships just in case, then launched an allout assault. What little defense they could muster was no match for our pilots. We ripped through their ships and obliterated their station. Poor guys never had a chance.
Sir,
On last Saturday, August 8, I had the pleasure of hosting a Hull Breach demo/tutorial for my friends. We had six players including myself, four of whom do not own the game and two of those four had never played before. I will elaborate further in my report below. Also, I am trying to figure out a good date to host a scenario with these friends, as they have enthusiastically requested that I schedule another game; and to host a demo at the store I mentioned. I will keep you informed as those plans develop.
Players in picture:
1. Me (not shown), Operative, playing as Anaheim
2. Kenny Morris (far left), 2nd game, playing as BOTG
3. Jason Kolp (left), 3rd game, playing as STG
4. Michael Maggard (center), potential Operative, playing as RDF
5. Kyle Schaare (right), 1st game!, playing as Xeros
6. Joseph Carroway (far right), 1st game!, playing as Colonists
Summary: The players who had already experienced Hull Breach were excited to get back into the action and help me initiate our friends who had never played before. As an enthusiastic BOTG player, I may have overhyped their strategic abilities, since poor Kenny was constantly harassed; becoming the 1st player to fall, drowned at last in Xeros ships.
As the newer commanders grew more confident and learned the ropes, the more experienced ones attempted to initiate battles, drawing the newcomers out. This tactic backfired on Michael, when he found himself with naught but his station, some marines, and a few wings of fighters. Joseph and his Colonists decided to strike while the iron was hot, and managed to finish off the hated RDF with reasonable losses.
Meanwhile, I had been biding my time and trying to build a strong, well-equipped fleet before launching a full scale assault. Unfortunately, that made the remaining players prioritize my destruction, and send all their interceptors and tactic cards to hinder my movements. While Jason and the STG giggled in the background, amassing a fleet too large for anyone to face directly, my own forces were whittled down during an attack on Xeros that went horribly wrong, and any ships I had left were almost powerless when the STG came to finish me off.
Kyle, to his credit, quickly grasped the concepts of play and used Xeros' production capabilities to their full effect. When he managed to add the mighty Phoenix to his fleet, he thought that he was ready to deal with the Tax Gate once and for all. However, his eagerness to eliminate his foe caused him to forget Xeros' weakness: lack of marines. After a devastating volley phase, Kyle could only groan in frustration as Jason's troops stole his precious flagship in plain view. While he stayed and fought bravely, destroying both his and Jason's fleets, he was unable to complete his objective. Worse still, he was nearly defenseless when the Colonists came calling one turn later. A Pioneer militia company swiftly put him out of his misery.
Last, but least, the STG never recovered from their epic battle with Xeros. Jason's luck seemed to have run out, as he did not manage to draw any more ships to defend his beleaguered station. The stalwart Colonists had weathered everything thrown at them, and with no other commanders left in the game, they were ready to tell the tax collectors exactly where to shove their repossession notices and reporting forms. With his station still scarred from the battle with Xeros and no fleet to speak of, Jason surrendered, and Joseph claimed victory in the name of the Deep Space Colonists.
With tutorials interspersed with gameplay, the whole demo went from 3:00pm to 12:30am. Banter, trash talk, and the scent of pizza flowed freely, and a great time was had by all. The guys are definitely looking forward to me hosting another demo, and Joseph and Kyle have expressed interest in purchasing the game, online if necessary. There was particular interest in testing their might against Azathoth, which I am gleefully looking forward to hosting. We shall see how confident they feel when they are staring down an elder god...
Here be some details on an event in North Carolina. It's like so humongous big!
So hey, we're still here! And we have stuff to tell you!
