Building Better Worlds Arrives Well Ahead of Schedule!

The eagerly-awaited new supplement for Free League's ALIEN roleplaying game, Building Better Worlds, has docked at my personal space station 11 days ahead of schedule.

The chunky 292-page, gorgeously illustrated, hardback book, which focuses on campaign play for colonists and explorers in the terrifying universe of the Alien franchise, is due to arrive in game stores on January 16.

However, I'd seen on message boards and Facebook groups that people placing pre-orders had been receiving their books well ahead of this date and so I was pleasantly surprised that mine landed today.

Start The New Year On A Better World

The next supplement for Free League's ALIEN RPG, Building Better Worlds, will launch on January 16.

Read all about the long-awaited guide to creating explorer and colonist characters and running an "open-world" style campaigns here, then get your order in here.

Now Your Player-Characters Can Explore Dark Corners of The Universe

Alien Day (April 26) seems an apt date to open pre-orders for the next supplement for Free League's wildly popular Alien roleplaying game.

All the wonder and danger of the stars is yours - if you can just wipe the grime off your face and dig the dirt out from under your fingernails first.

Building Better Worlds is the long-awaited guide to creating explorer and colonist characters and running an "open-world" style campaign.

Airless moons circle swirling gas giants, eager to be transformed into tomorrow’s paradise. Dark ancient mysteries wait to be unearthed beneath a millennium of debris. Searing solar flares boil your flesh and blacken your bones as you harness their power to light a hundred worlds. Long lost mysteries lie entombed in the frozen hearts of icy comets. Unstable tectonic plates shift to drown iridium mines in scalding lava. Even the truth of humanity's origins awaits you out there, orbiting some dying star. And out there amongst it all is something truly horrifying - something that nature never intended. Something alien.

This new book for the multi award-winning game system contains:

● History of Colonization – the story of humanity’s reach for the stars.

● Creating Explorers & Colonists – expanded character creation rules for life on the frontier.

● Gear & Ships – an extensive chapter with new gear and spaceships, gloriously illustrated.

● Extrasolar Species Catalog – new Xenomorphic creatures to encounter.

● The Lost Worlds – the framework and backstory for a frontier campaign.

● Expeditions – six thrilling expeditions into uncharted space, playable in any order.

● The Endgame – the final showdown with everything at stake.

Author Andrew EC Gasker's Q&A On Colonial Marines Operations Manual

New RPG Supplement For Pre-Order: Time To Enrol In The Colonial Marines

Armour piercing rounds sizzle through raw flesh as plasma beams sear swollen retinas. Acrid smoke chokes down your throat before you realize what’s burning is you.

Chemical attacks melt your armour, simmer your eyeballs, and fuse your helmet to your skull, while bioweapons turn your insides out and pulp you into a quivering mound of black jelly.

Welcome to war on the razor edge of space, marine—where nukes are yesterday’s news, pulse rounds are cheap and a human life is only worth its weight in stock options.

It’s a living hell—but none of that’s as bad as the flashes of gnashing metal teeth that terrorize you every time you try to close your eyes—like some monster just split your head open and crawled inside your dreams. Sometimes you’ve gotta wonder what the hell it’s all for.

But no one pays you to ask why, only to follow orders. You’re just a grunt—no offense. So lock and load your pulse rifle, marine—you’ve got a job to do. Protect and serve the citizens and colonies of the Outer Rim colonies—no matter what the cost.

The next highly-anticipated supplement for the Aliens RPG is now available to pre-order from Free League: The Colonial Marines Operations Manual.

As the pre-order page explains:

"The book will be shipped to you in March, 2021. You will get a complete PDF of the book prior to shipping. As a further pre-order bonus, you get at PDF art book collecting stunning high-res art pieces made by Martin Grip, Gustaf Ekelund and Jarek Kubicki. Perfect to have on a device at the gaming table, to set the mood of the gaming session!"

The Colonial Marines Operations Manual gives you all the tools you need to run a full open-world campaign as the iconic Colonial Marines.

The book's contents include:

• History & Organization – the inside story of the illustrious Colonial Marine Corps. 
• Creating Marines – expanded character creation rules for grunts of all kinds. 
• Weapons & Vehicles – an extensive chapter with new gear, gloriously illustrated. 
• The Frontier War – the framework and backstory for a Colonial Marines campaign. 
• Factions on the Frontier – the powers that be and their dark agendas. 
• Marine Missions – six thrilling missions for your Marines, playable in any order. 
• The Endgame – the showdown against a deadly enemy, finally revealed. 

The book will set you back approximately $39.99, with the exact price dependant on currency rates.

The Marines Are Coming

Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen, the Colonial Marines supplement for the Alien RPG is expected by the end of the year, at least in PDF form.

According to the latest Free League newsletter, the massive campaign book is planned to land "before the holidays".

Hopefully, the print iteration won't be too far behind.

Alien RPG Writer Andrew E.C. Gaska Answers Fan Questions

New Alien Box Sets From Free League Have Docked At GAME OVER Station!

My glorious new box sets for the Free League's Alien RPG docked at GAME OVER Station today... and I couldn't be happier.

I can highly recommend both the Starter Set (although check the original post for the contents list as it does duplicate a lot of what has already been released) and Destroyer of World, the next Cinematic scenario.

ALIEN STARTER SET AND DESTROYER OF WORLDS RELEASED BY FREE LEAGUE TODAY!

Free League has released two new box sets in support of its award-winning Alien RPG today: the Starter Set and the Destroyer Of Worlds adventure.

Pre-orders are being packed and will be dispatched shortly, and you can now order the box sets from the Free League store or, if you prefer PDFs and just want it all in digital format, via DriveThruRPG.

The Starter Set is designed to be the perfect entry point into the game and the Alien universe.

It contains everything needed to start playing:

• A 104-page condensed rulebook
• The 48-page complete Cinematic scenario Chariot of the Gods by Andrew E.C. Gaska
• Five pre-generated characters to play
• A huge full-colour, double-sided map, with one side depicting chartered space in the year 2183 and the other floor plans for the Chariot of the Gods scenario
• 84 game markers for keeping track of characters, motion tracker pings, and more
• 56 custom cards for weapons, personal agendas, and initiative in combat
• A set each of ten engraved Base Dice and ten Stress Dice, designed specifically for the Alien roleplaying game.

Destroyer of Worlds is a complete Cinematic scenario, written by sci-fi novelist Andrew E.C. Gaska just like the previous Chariot of the Gods.

In Destroyer of Worlds, players take the roles of Colonial Marines.

The scenario is designed for three to five players plus the Game Mother, and it’s a gauntlet of one hell after another.

Expect it to take three sessions to complete.

This boxed set contains:

• The main Destroyer of Worlds scenario book
• A huge double-sided map of the Ariaricus moon colony on one side and the Fort Nebraska space elevator ground base on the other
• Seven pre-generated characters to play
• Custom cards for weapons, vehicles, and personal agendas
• Player maps and handouts

Alien RPG Named "Game Of The Year"

At this year's (virtual) Gen Con, the gold Ennie Award for the Best Game Of The Year went to Free League's Alien RPG.

And check below for the recording of the live-streamed actual play of the scenario Hope's Last Stand:

Hope's Last Rest Actual Play For Gen Con Online

As part of this year's very different Gen Con experience (it's all virtual for 2020) Free League will be streaming an actual play of its Alien RPG scenario Hope's Last Rest on the Free League YouTube channel, starting at 3 pm EDT (8pm UK time) this Saturday (August 1).

You can click through now and set a reminder so you don't miss it.

What's In The Box?

Victory Condition Gaming takes a look at what's inside the upcoming Alien RPG box sets from Free League.

Free League Wins Alien Day By Opening Pre-Orders On Two New Box Sets

Today, in honour of Alien Day, the annual 4/26 celebration of the Alien franchise and fandom, Free League has announced not one but two major expansions for the official Alien RPG: a boxed Starter Set and a brand-new Cinematic scenario entitled Destroyer of Worlds.

Both titles will be released in August and can be pre-ordered today via the official Alien RPG website. If you pre-order, you will get complete PDFs well ahead of the official release day.

The boxed Starter Set is designed to be the perfect entry point into the game and the Alien universe. It contains everything needed to start playing:

• A 104-page condensed rulebook.
• The 48-page complete Cinematic scenario Chariot of the Gods by Andrew E.C. Gaska.
• Five pre-generated characters to play.
• A huge full-colour, double-sided map (format 864x558mm), with one side depicting chartered space in the year 2183 and the other floor plans for the Chariot of the Gods scenario.
• 84 game markers for keeping track of characters, motion tracker pings, and more.
• 56 high quality custom cards for weapons, personal agendas, and initiative in combat.
• A set each of ten engraved Base Dice and ten Stress Dice, designed specifically for the ALIEN roleplaying game.

Destroyer of Worlds is a complete Cinematic scenario, written by sci-fi novelist Andrew E.C. Gaska just like the previous Chariot of the Gods.

In Destroyer of Worlds, you take the roles of Colonial Marines as seen in Aliens (1986).

The scenario is designed for 3–5 players plus the Game Mother, and it’s a gauntlet of one hell after another. Expect it to take three sessions to complete. This boxed set contains:

• The main Destroyer of Worlds scenario book.
• A huge double-sided map (format 864x558mm) of the Ariaricus moon colony on one side and the Fort Nebraska space elevator ground base on the other.
• Five pre-generated characters to play.
• Custom cards for weapons, vehicles, and personal agendas.
• Player maps and handouts.

Jonathan Hicks Pods His Love Of Alien

In this week's episode (episode four) of The Farsight Podcast, author Jonathan Hicks discusses his love for Alien, how its aesthetic has influenced his gaming as well as his upcoming Those Dark Places (and his appreciation of Free League's Alien RPG).

You can find the podcast episode here via Anchor or through your podcatcher of choice.

Actual Play: Home Sweet Home

Two rival families put their differences aside to build a future. But when disaster strikes how far will they go to protect what they have built, and how long will new-found loyalties last?

This three-and-a-half hour session of Alien RPG was the last session of CovidCon, Effekt podcast's mini online convention for patrons in the time of lockdown.

Dave runs “Home Sweet Home” the Con adventure he was writing for Free League’s presence at UK Games Expo and Gen Con. These events *may* still happen this year, so if you don’t want spoilers check out some of our other sessions.

New Box Sets Due To Land In August

Brilliant 20-minute interview, on Box To Board, with Free League's Tomas Härenstam about forthcoming products, including some more tantalising details about forthcoming Alien RPG material.

It looks like August is going to hurt some wallets with two box set releases: a Starter Set, containing everything you need to run the Chariot Of The Gods scenario, and a smaller box set for Destroyer Of Worlds, the Cinematic sequel to Chariot.

Free League is aiming for a simultaneous release of these two.

Then, before the end of the year, they hope to get out a thick book about playing Colonial Marine campaigns.

Watch the video for more details, and a taste of the many other great projects Free League is working on.

Interviews with Tomas Härenstam Of Free League About The Alien RPG

Last year, Tomas Härenstam, CEO of Free League and the creator of the Alien RPG, talked to Egg Embry of ENWorld about the game, its mechanics, themes, art work etc

Catch up with the interview here.

While you're riding in your "wayback machine", you might also want to check out this pre-launch interview with Tomas on the Mud & Blood podcast, about Free League's penchant for horror games.

It also references this episode of the Effekt podcast, where Tomas introduces the Alien game to the wider world last April.

"Stop Your Grinnin' And Drop Your Linen"

In an interview today, tying in to the launch of the Amazon TV series based on Tales From The Loop, Tomas Härenstam, Free League's CEO was asked what else the publisher was working on, and he replied:

"Lots of things! We have many Alien products in the works – first up is a new Starter Set and a new Cinematic scenario called Destroyer of Worlds, and then a Campaign book for Colonial Marines."

I'd heard of Destroyer of World and the Colonial Marines book, from the excellent Effekt podcast, but the Starter Set was exciting news to me.

I know where my hard-earned pennies are going.

Fifty Percent Off Core Rules PDF Price

At the moment, the PDF of the core rulebook of Alien is being offered on DriveThru for half-price.

Free League has slashed the cover price by 50 per cent in response to the current global lockdown.

A BETA PDF IS COMING IN A FEW WEEKS!

This week's newsletter from Free League Publishing revealed that those of us who've pre-ordered the Alien RPG (and already got our sizeable 'quickstart' preview PDF) should be receiving a Beta PDF of the full game soon.

Of this unexpected bonus, the newsletter says:

"Behind the scenes, we're working very hard on the full rulebook, and we expect to be able to share a Beta PDF of whole thing with you in a few weeks.

The full game contains lots of material beyond the Cinematic Starter Kit, mostly focused on fleshing out the Alien universe for Campaign play.

One really meaty chapter of the full rulebook deals with life in space in 2183 AD, and a big part of that chapter is focused on something every self-respecting sci-fi RPG needs – spaceships.

The rulebook will include comprehensive rules for starships, how to modify and upgrade them – and how to fight fast and brutal battles with them."

I know a lot of people have been keen to see how the game handles space travel, where it sits between "hand-waving" and "ultra-crunchy".

Artwork by John R. Mullaney