Palladium Books® Weekly Update – Nov. 21, 2014

By Kevin Siembieda

Good News, Part One: The Coalition States Polo Shirt with Embroidered Emblem is DONE and ready to ship. Wow, they look sharp. Pre-orders shipped out today (Friday).

Good News, Part Two: ALL Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Rewards to Kickstarter backers in the United States have shipped. If you haven’t received yours yet, it should be arriving any day now – unless you are one of the half-dozen packages that were returned to Palladium as undeliverable as addressed. If you haven’t gotten your package(s) by December 1, PLEASE give the Palladium office a call (734-721-2903 order line). A call is better than an email as an email inquiry might get lost in the hundreds of emails Jeff Burke handles every day.

Good News, Part Three: Canadian Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Kickstarter rewards have been shipping all week. ALL but two dozen have left the warehouse and are already on their way to you! The rest should ship on Monday. Keep your eyes peeled, thank you for your support and game on.

Good News, Part Four: Those of you who pre-ordered Robotech® RPG Tactics™ at Gen Con Indy and live in North America, your orders shipped today. Those of you who had placed “pre-orders” in the Palladium online store are shipping on Monday.

Overseas Kickstarter Backers: Only those of you overseas and outside the US and Canada remain. We will start packing up and prepping your rewards next week and for the next few weeks. You are important to us and we will keep you updated on our progress. Please Note: Overseas distributors and retailers have NOT been shipped product. So our Kickstarter backers in other countries should still get their rewards (and pre-orders) BEFORE they appear in stores outside North America. See a more complete explanation in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Update elsewhere.

Good News Part Five: Robotech® RPG Tactics™ – in stores throughout the United States in time for BLACK FRIDAY Sales. Since ALL of the rewards have shipped to our backers in the USA and Canada (the last two dozen Canadian orders shipping on Monday), we were able to ship Robotech® RPG Tactics™ to our North American distributors. That means most of them should be able to get RRT product into their retail accounts in time for the Black Friday sales next weekend. USA Note: The “in store” release date is Wednesday, November 26, 2014 in the USA, but some stores may wait till Black Friday. Canada Note: The “in store” release date in Canada is also Wednesday, November 26, 2014. However, we suspect that most Canadian retailers are not likely to have Robotech® RPG Tactics™ in stores until the week after the November 26 (early December). But we don’t know that; they may be in stores by the November 26 street date or that weekend. Watch for it.

Meanwhile, The Rifter® #68 is near completion and should go to the printer on Tuesday, and Bizantium and the Northern Islands™ (for Palladium Fantasy®) is coming along nicely as well. You’ll love ‘em both. The art alone is fun and impressive. So much is going on that our heads are spinning.

UPDATE: Christmas Surprise Packages

Grab Bags are shipping like crazy, but sales are lighter than in past years. Please do not slam us with a mountain of orders at the last minute in December a week or two before Christmas! Please order yours TODAY. Only 3 weeks for guaranteed shipping in time for Christmas. Less than 5 actual weeks till Christmas Day!!!

As is tradition, each Weekly Update starting with this one will share a selection of comments from some of you who include brief comments in your Christmas Surprise Package order; see below. I hope everyone enjoys reading them. Ho, ho, ho.

BACK IN PRINT! Villains Unlimited^™ and Rifts^® Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids^®

Both of these titles are back in print. Place your order today. Sorry, Rifts® Book of Magic™ remains temporarily out of print and on back order. Not sure if we’ll have it back in print in time for Christmas. Probably not until January sometime.

UPDATE: NEW! Coalition States^™ Polo Shirt with Embroidered Emblem – Available now

The shirts got done sooner than we anticipated and have already begun shipping to those of you who had standing pre-orders. This shirt is pretty sweet. I’m already wearing mine. The Coalition States™ Polo shirt is an awesome gift for Christmas, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and just because you gotta have one. It is a high quality, 50/50 cotton/poly blend, hemmed sleeve, black polo shirt with an embroidered Coalition symbol of the Death’s Head with red lightning bolts and the words “Coalition States” underneath it. See the full description elsewhere. Available in sizes Medium to 5XL. Sorry, this item will NOT be available in Christmas Surprise Packages and is only available from Palladium Books.

UPDATE: The Rifter^® #68 – Autumn Issue – in final production – ships in a few weeks

Wayne and I are working through the weekend to send The Rifter® #68 to the printer on Monday or Tuesday. Should be ready to ship around December 12. Our apologies for the incredible delay of this issue. We just could not do it any sooner. It is another great issue with a terrific cover by John Zeleznik and one great piece of source material after another, including 17 pages of “official” Minion War/Megaverse® in Flames™ material that you are going to love. Meaty stuff that really rocks and sets up all kinds of adventures. Plus other great stuff for Rifts®, Heroes Unlimited™ and a Dead Reign®/Beyond the Supernatural™ crossover. I think The Rifter® is sometimes overlooked as a player and G.M. resource, so remember, everything in an issue of The Rifter® can be adapted to almost any game setting.

UPDATE: Palladium Fantasy RPG^®: Bizantium and the Northern Islands^™ – in production – December/January

With the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas affecting production schedules, I don’t know if we can get Bizantium and the Northern Islands™ released in December. It’s looking like the very end of December or more likely, the first week of January. The final edit has been stalled due to so much time shipping and dealing with various problems. The book is pretty darn cool and it will ship no later than January, but I think that is the unfortunate reality. We’ll continue to push for a December release, but I doubt it. No one is more disappointed than we are. Please try to focus on the fact that it is coming, and there will be more Fantasy books in 2015. I think Palladium Fantasy fans are really going to enjoy Bizantium and the Northern Islands™. We will keep you posted. Might be earlier.

90+ Palladium PDF titles available on DriveThruRPG.com

We’ll make sure to get some sneak previews of upcoming books into the available selection over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, spread the word that there are 90+ Palladium Books titles available as PDFs on DriveThruRPG.com with more to be made available in the coming weeks. They currently include the Coalition Wars®/Siege on Tolkeen™ series, Splicers® RPG, The Rifter® issues #1-56 (with more being added soon), and first edition rules of the Rifts® RPG, Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, and related 1st edition sourcebooks for each. And more! Like what? Like Fantasy Paper Miniatures and Game Master Kits for digital download. They are available only as PDF files and were designed special to help you run your games and build campaigns. There are also sneak previews of books and other good stuff. Check it out! And let other gamers know they are available too. We’ll be making more available on DriveThru in the weeks and months to come. So take a look on a regular basis.

WARNING: Only “3” Shipping Weeks till Christmas! Order your Palladium Christmas Surprise Packages soon!

Time is running out faster than you might think to get this great gift for yourself or other gamers! To guarantee delivery to most places in the USA and Canada, in time for Christmas Day and other holidays around the same time, we NEED to have received your Surprise Package order by December 15 – that’s ONLY THREE weeks away. Order your Holiday Surprise Package sooner than later. FYI: This date applies to shipments going out at the less expensive methods of shipping. UPS and Priority Mail will give you some extra days. If ordering “books” by Media Mail, you’d better get us that order by December 7, seriously.

I know some people are waiting till December so they can request a copy of Bizantium and the Northern Islands™, The Rifter® #68 and Graveyard Earth™, but while you may include these titles in your Wish List of 10-14 items, you may not get them – or you may want to order two or more Grab Bags – so don’t delay, order today!

The best deal in gaming. I have been putting $90-100 worth of product in 99% of the Surprise Packages that have shipped so far, and for only $42 plus shipping and handling! That’s why we ask for a long list of goodies that we can make selections from. Palladium staff signs EVERY book, if you request autographs. You always get my signature (Kevin Siembieda) and those of available staff and freelancers; usually 5-7 signatures per book, but sometimes more. For many of you, this is the only way to get autographs. It’s our way of saying thank you and Happy Holidays.

Surprise Packages are great gifts for Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays, anniversaries, housewarmings, and any occasion. They are also an excellent way to try a new game setting or fill in holes in your collection. You can also request prints like the two Northern Gun prints, Dog Boys Playing Poker print, Chuck Walton’s Lemuria prints, heck, any print we offer, plus Rifts® Christmas cards, bookmarks, back issues of The Rifter® and other goodies. Buy one Surprise Package or six.

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

Limited editions, rare book titles and limited edition hardcovers are all being added to my online store over the weekend. Alex and I will keep adding items as supplies allow and as I scrounge items up. They include out of print titles, redlined proofreader photocopies signed by me and the staff, signed manuscripts with editors’ corrections, some original art, hardcover books (including Rifts® Northern Gun™ One and Two, Megaverse in Flames and Rifts® Ultimate Gold) and other items available just in time for Christmas. There are also hundreds of toys and action figures, all from my personal collection. Alex will keep adding Palladium items over the next few weeks. All items in the store are from my own personal archives and collection. Take a look every few days as new items are added. There may be some items that are perfect as holiday gifts or upcoming birthdays and anniversaries.

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

UPDATE: Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™ – shipping like crazy

I covered most of it earlier. ALL USA backers have shipped! All but two dozen Canadian backers have shipped (and those remaining few will ship on Monday). That’s over FOUR THOUSAND backers whose Wave One rewards have shipped!

Shipping Overseas Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™ Rewards

You are far from forgotten and are very important to us. We will need to package them all, making sure each package satisfies the country’s shipping requirements (the maximum size in the EU is smaller than what is allowed in the USA, making things a little trickier), palletize them all by type, then put them on a ship and send them overseas to a central location for mailing throughout the European Union. A similar process will follow for Australia/New Zealand. It is our understanding that this method of shipping should reduce the end cost to the recipient. That said, the recipient will, of course, be responsible for any and all fees, taxes and duties their government may charge. What taxes, duty and fees MAY be applied is completely out of Palladium’s hands. Again, it is our understanding that this method of shipping will mitigate the cost to the recipient.

NEED Correct Addresses for Overseas Backers!

Please notify us of any change of address immediately! If your rewards go to the wrong address they might be lost and unreplaceable! Rewards sent overseas will start to be boxed and prepared for shipping starting next week! Get us any change of address immediately!! Please check BackerKit ( http://robotech-rpg-tacticstm.backerkit.com ) and make sure your address is correct. If anything doesn’t look right, please send us your address in a Kickstarter message or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the Palladium office at 734-721-2903 with your new information. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!!! Do not risk your reward going to the wrong address because YOU failed to update your address. NOTE: Palladium Books will NOT be liable for lost goods if you have moved and did not tell us in time (and the cutoff date was weeks ago). MOREOVER, you will be required to pay the additional shipping to redirect the package to the correct address, if that is even possible. Please save yourself time and money and make sure your address is correct right NOW. Thank you.

FYI: We have 5-6 US packages that have been returned to Palladium Books due to incorrect addresses. If you are in the USA, please call the Palladium office at 734-721-2903 with your new information. ORDERS ARE SHIPPING EVERY DAY.

Having CORRECT and UPDATED addresses is absolutely critical for backers in EUROPE and other countries. Contact us immediately! Please save yourself time and money and make sure your address is correct right NOW. Thank you.

UPDATE: 2015 Palladium Open House – May 14-17, 2015

Keep spreading the word! The 2015 Palladium Open House is going to be the best ever.

That’s it for this Weekly Update. We are thrilled that the vast majority of our Kickstarter Backers have been shipped and can hardly wait till we can send our rewards to our wonderful supporters across the rest of the world. I will continue to try to post more Murmurs and Updates, but the days have been relentlessly demanding and busy. I think all of us are on the brink of exhaustion. We’ll post a brief Weekly Update next Wednesday before the US Thanksgiving Day. I hope you enjoy the Surprise Package comments from fans like yourselves. Keep those imaginations burning bright and enjoy those Wave One Robotech® RPG Tactics™ products.

– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher, Game Designer & Surrogate Santa

Surprise Package comments from fans like you

Every year there is a section where the customer can offer comments and suggestions with his or her Surprise Package order. Every year, in acknowledgment of our fans, and because they are fun to read, we offer a sampling in the Weekly Updates. Our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have stuck with Palladium through thick and thin. Keep those imaginations burning bright, have a joyous holiday season and game on.

You have no idea how much your comments and support mean to all of us. Everyone at Palladium enjoys reading your brief comments. They always brighten our day. Thank you. Since I haven’t been posting as much as I’d like, I have tried to write a short response [in brackets] when applicable.

J.S. in Turlock, California, writes: Christmas is the best time of year. Merry Christmas to all at Palladium. Wishing you all the best.

[Thank you, J.S. The same to you and all our supporters. – KS]

J.M. in Boston, Massachusetts, writes: Can’t wait! Loved the first package. Got what I wanted in the first Grab Bag.

[J.M., I hope you like the next one just as much. - KS]

R.M. in Dutch Harbor, Arkansas, writes: Palladium Books ROCKS! Thank you for sharing your imaginations and Megaverse®.

[You are very welcome, R.M. And you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. We have ideas for a zillion new books and games coming your way. Game on. - KS]

The son of D.G. in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, writes: This is my first Christmas Surprise package. My dad gets one every year and today I am helping him paint up a batch of Rifts® minis for a game he is running later tonight. I can’t wait to get my own books and start introducing my friends in high school to Palladium.

[Awesome. I admire anyone who can paint minis. I’m an artist, but I just don’t have the patience to paint miniatures. Hope you enjoy the Surprise Package. Keep that imagination burning bright, and for spreading the word about Palladium’s games. Happy holidays. - KS]

J.S. in Rochester, Minnesota, writes (in part): Every year I get one of these, and every year I get the greatest stuff. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is AWESOME! Please, Kevin and crew keep up the great work. Thank you.

[Thanks for the enthusiastic words of praise and support. I always try to make EVERY Surprise Package special and fun. As for RRT, yeah, we’re pretty proud of it. Glad you love it so much. We do too. Is that silly? I think we’re just big Robotech® nerds who can’t believe we get to make the game everyone has wanted for 25 years. It doesn’t get much cooler than that. What an honor. A fan boy’s dream for everyone who worked on the game. - KS]

J.H. in Richmond, Texas, writes: I started playing Palladium games in 1988 with first edition Robotech®. I can not believe in that time [since] how much Palladium Books has been a part of my life, and with these Grab Bags for my holidays. I mean it doesn’t feel like Christmas without a Surprise Package.

[Thank you, J.H., for being a part of our life all these years. Glad you enjoy the Surprise Packages and our games. Let us know what you think of the new Robotech® RPG Tactics, if you get a chance. - KS]

C.P. in Seattle, Washington, writes (in part): I found Palladium’s games through my friends in middle school (1991!) with Robotech® and then Rifts®. I played sparingly as a kid, but I was obsessed with collecting Rifts® books – I just love the world. Palladium Books has always stimulated my imagination more than any other RPG books. I even Kickstarted Robotech® RPG Tactics™ just so I could get the art prints (love them btw). Any way, thanks for being consistently awesome and for being a fond part of my youth.

[We appreciate the kind words, C.P. I hope you are enjoying the latest Rifts® titles, and the NEW Robotech® RPG books as much as ever. And I hope you and other Robotech fans love Robotech® RPG Tactics™; it is close to our hearts. Thanks for supporting the Kickstarter. Watch out for more in the future. Enjoy and keep that imagination burning bright. - KS]

C.S. in Minneapolis, Minnesota, writes: I really like the products Palladium has been putting out in the last few years, especially the books. Though I would love to see the last Palladium Fantasy® Land of the Damned™ book someday. I love the super dark settings.

[Hey C.S., personally, I think we have been belting out some of the best products ever. We are enjoying creating the Dead Reign™ series, too. In fact, a 160 page sourcebook is already waiting in the wings to come out in early 2015. I had hoped to get to LOD-3 and the two BTS books this year, but that wasn’t possible. Next year. – KS]

R.W. in Buchanan, Georgia, writes: I think you guys are great. I’ve been collecting and really enjoying reading the content in these books, and all I want to see is Palladium Books become a household name worldwide.

[Thanks for the kind words and high praise R.W., we’d love to see that too. :) We’re working on it. We have some HUGE announcements to make in 2015; well, at least we think they are pretty huge. A couple of things that should create considerable excitement and positive buzz. - KS]

F.F. in North Miami, Florida, writes: I promised myself, “This year only 4 Grab Bags,” and guess what? This one is the 5th. OK, I promise myself, no more for 2014. I hope this time I can keep my word. :)

[Um, I just processed your 6th Surprise Package this morning, F.F. lol. I tossed in something I think will surprise you. I’m glad you love our games so much. Looking forward to meeting you in person at the 2015 Palladium Open House. Happy Holidays. - KS]

J.H. in Cadillac, Michigan, writes: Keep up the good work, but that Splicers® sourcebook you keep talking about would be nice.

[Actually, J.H., there are something like 5 Splicers® sourcebooks in the works. The question is, do we release several sourcebooks or do we revamp the core rules first? – KS]

C.P. in Golden, Colorado, writes: I have been very happy with every Christmas Surprise [Package] I have gotten so far, and I’m looking forward to this year’s!

[I think you’ll be tickled with this one too, C.P. Happy Holidays.

Robotech^® RPG Tactics^™ – Available in USA and Canada stores – November 26, 2014

Now that our faithful Kickstarter backers in the USA and Canada have been shipped their Robotech® RPG Tactics™ we can make the Wave One products available to customers and stores in both countries. Available in stores for Black Friday. Also available from Palladium Books. This game makes an awesome gift. Note: We only have 50 Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Battle Foam bags available. Once they are sold out it will be months before we manufacture more, if ever. Note: Those of you outside North America can place pre-orders, but your order will not ship until after items have shipped to our Kickstarter backers overseas first.

• Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Box Set (Main Box Game) – Cat. No. 55100 – $99.95 retail price. This is the game Robotech® fans have wanted for decades. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces.

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs will be available to retail at the same time as the main box game. Here are the SKUs and retail prices.

• UEDF Valkyrie Wing – Cat. No. 55201 – $36.95 retail.
• UEDF Tomahawk/Defender Destroids – Cat. No. 55202 – $32.95 retail.
• UEDF Spartan/Phalanx Destroids – Cat. No. 55203 – $32.95 retail.
• Zentraedi Regult Battlepods – Cat. No. 55401 – $36.95 retail.
• Zentraedi Artillery Battlepods – Cat. No. 55402 – $36.95 retail.
• Zentraedi Glaug Command – Cat. No. 55403 – $36.95 retail.
• Battle Foam Robotech bag/carrying case – Cat. No. 55107 – $120 retail (limited supply – only 50 available).

NEW! Coalition States Embroidered Polo Shirt – Available now

This is a shirt we could imagine being worn by CS officers and even Joseph Prosek II when working in his office or relaxing. Available in sizes Medium to 5XL. With the Rifts® 25th Anniversary just around the corner and the Coalition’s big role in defending Rifts® Earth in the Minion War, the CS embroidered polo shirt just feels right.

Coalition States “Polo” Shirt:

• Quality 50/50 cotton and polyester blend.
• Hemmed sleeves for a loose, comfortable fit.
• Black polo shirt with an embroidered Coalition symbol of the Death’s Head with red lightning bolts and the words “Coalition States” underneath it in white. Very striking, yet subdued. Screams Coalition elite.
• This is a classy holiday gift that should make any Rifts® fan smile.
• Price varies with size (see below). Each size has its own Catalog Number. We tried to keep prices reasonable.
  - Medium CS Polo – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563M
  - Large CS Polo – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563L
  - XL CS Polo – $22.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XL
  - 2XL CS Polo – $25.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXL
  - 3XL CS Polo – $26.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXXL
  - 4XL CS Polo – $28.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXXXL
  - 5XL CS Polo – $29.95 retail – Cat. No. 2563XXXXXL
• Available now.

BACK IN PRINT: Villains Unlimited^™ – Available now

The dark side of Heroes Unlimited™, Villains contains page after page of unique and interesting villains, anti-heroes and secret organizations. 16 pages of new material and new cover art.

• The Jury – self-appointed policemen of superheroes.
• 80+ villains and a dozen heroes/anti-heroes statted out and ready to drop into your game.
• Secret villainous organizations like Fabricators Inc.; eight in all. Plus rules to design your own organizations.
• S.C.R.E.T. and other government agencies to counter the threat of “super humans.”
• New weapons, gadgets, equipment and adventures.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda and Kevin Long.
• $24.95 – 224 pages – Cat. No. 501.

BACK IN PRINT: Rifts^® Sourcebook Two: The Mechanoids^® – Available now

A.R.C.H.I.E. Three and Hagan have inadvertently unleashed The Mechanoids® into the world. The Mechanoids® are creatures with one driving goal: To destroy all humanoid life! This book has it all. Source material, the Mechanoids®, new equipment, monsters and adventures. Written by Kevin Siembieda.

• 40 Mechanoids and their robots with complete M.D.C. stats.
• A.R.C.H.I.E. Three and his new creations.
• ARCHIE weapons and equipment.
• Five adventures, random encounter tables and adventure ideas.
• Optional Character sheets.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda. Art by Long and Ewell.
• $16.95 – 112 pages – Cat. No. 805.

NEW! Dead Reign^™ Sourcebook 5: Graveyard Earth^™ – Available now

If you love zombies and haven’t tried this game, it is time to do so, along with this compelling new sourcebook. The Dead Reign™ core rule book and sourcebooks capture the Zombie Apocalypse in a fast-playing, action-packed RPG of survival and terror.

The Graveyard Earth™ sourcebook expands the Zombie Apocalypse around the world, providing a wide range of ideas and settings for adventure. Every continent is given an overview with key locations noted across the globe. This includes likely and rumored Safe Haven communities, military outposts and data about what happened during the zombie outbreak and what’s going on NOW. Has any government survived? Is anyplace safe?

• The state of the world. Adventure ideas galore.
• Survival tips and many random generation tables for travel, survival, and Safe Havens around the world.
• The Zombie World Tour presents how the Wave and the Zombie Apocalypse have played out across the globe. Every country in the world has been touched and changed by the rise of the dead.
• Random Safe Havens by region.
• Many Random Tables for Settings, Safe Havens and more.
• Random Survivor Leaders, Zombie Threat Level Table and more.
• Trapped abroad? How do you get home in a zombie-filled world? Data and tables for aircraft landing conditions and travel by road and by sea.
• A must-have book for players and Game Masters alike.
• Adventure ideas for every corner of the world.
• Written by Matthew Clements. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda
• 64 pages – $12.95 retail – Cat. No. 235. Available now!

NEW! The Rifter^® #68 – December

This is traditionally the horror themed issue, but every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready to go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. And don’t forget, most of the material can be easily adapted for use in ANY Palladium game setting.

The Rifter^® Number 68 includes:

• Heroes Unlimited™ – Band of Bothers, a light-hearted adventure by Branden Loizides.
• Rifts® – Megaverse® in Flames/Minion War™ “official” source material by Carl Gleba and Kevin Siembieda.
• Rifts® – The Crusaders and the Black Crusade, Part 4: Arcadia, by Andrew Landers. More about Rifts® Atlantis and new magic tattoos.
• Dead Reign™ – 2 new theories about the origin of the Wave.
• “Brulyx?” – An Adventure for Beyond the Supernatural™ (not Dead Reign™) by Steven Dawes.
• News, coming attractions, product descriptions and more.
• Heroes Unlimited™ cover by John Zeleznik.
• 96 pages – $13.95 retail – Cat. No. 168. Ships December.

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG^® Sourcebook: Bizantium and the Northern Islands^™ – Ships December/January

In final production, but may slip into a January release. We will continue to shoot for end of December, but likely to be released the first week of January, 2015. Keep those pre-orders coming in.

Journey to the Island Kingdom of Bizantium, situated at the far northern peak of the Palladium World. Its vast fleets of merchant vessels and warships travel the high seas and bring untold wealth back to the kingdom, as well as exotic goods, people, customs, weapons and foreign magic. As foreign powers exert their influence on the throne, treachery and potential power grabs lurk in the shadows.

• New Waterchanter O.C.C. and 20+ magic spell new to the Fantasy setting.
• New Sea Serpents and the warrior sailors who hunt them.
• Sea Serpent generation table to create your own sea monsters.
• New animals of the North Sea and Sea of Despair.
• Sea serpent ships! Dead serpents turned into deadly, massive attack ships (as depicted on the cover). And the forgotten race who creates these ships and threatens sailors in the Northern seas.
• New O.C.C.s including the Serpent Chaser and Bizantium Marine.
• New weapons and equipment for sailors, mariners, soldiers and adventurers at large.
• New Bizantium ships including the Bireme, Ice Breaker and Battleship.
• Full time-line of the history of Bizantium.
• Bizantian society, culture, religion and magic.
• The Eoten of the Northern Islands, their mythology and influence.
• The Northern Islands described in full, cities and geography, as well as threats to sailors in the North Sea and Sea of Despair.
• Bizantium’s many shipyards, possibly the kingdom’s greatest asset.
• Key figures of Bizantium and political intrigue.
• The Noble Houses, Warlocks and foreign powers all trying to capture the throne of Bizantium for themselves!
• Written by Glen Evans. Additional text Matthew Clements and Kevin Siembieda.
• Cover by Chuck Walton and Eduardo Dominguez S.
• Interior art by Chuck Walton, Kevin Siembieda, Tanya Ramsey, Jeff Burke and others.
• 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 474 – December/January release (tentative; sooner if we can swing it).

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG^® “Paper Miniatures” – available now on DriveThruRPG.com

Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” is a new digital product line created by artist and writer “Madman” Mike Leonard. They are designed as full color paper game pieces that you print on a card stock, cut out and slide into a paper stand (all part of the package you purchase). A FREE Sample and the first two sets of Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures are available NOW on DriveThruRPG.

A Great Horned Dragon will be added, and two more Volumes are coming in the next month or two. And don’t forget, first edition rules of the Palladium Fantasy RPG® and several sourcebooks (and 90+ other titles including the Rifts® and Splicers® RPGs) are also available as PDFs. Have fun.

● Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” FREE Sample

● Volume One: O.C.C.s – 24 O.C.C.s representing each of the primary character classes – Men-at-Arms, Men of Magic, Clergy and Psychics.

• 28mm figures with a one inch base.
• All figures are designed in full color and look great.
• $5.99 for the PDF download.

● Volume Two: Monster Races – 28 R.C.C.s representing 4 Trolls, 4 Ogres, 8 Orcs, 8 Goblins and 4 Hob-Goblins. More nonhuman races to come.

• 28mm scale figures.
• All figures are designed in full color and look great.
• $5.99 for the PDF download.

● Coming Soon – Great Horned Dragon

• 28mm scale figure with a 10 inch wingspan.
• Designed in full color and looks great.
• $3.99 for the PDF download.

● Coming – Volume Three: Additional O.C.C.s

● Coming – Volume Four: Skeletons and Undead

What is a Palladium Christmas Surprise Package? Available now

Christmas Surprise Packages, or “Grab Bags,” are a long-running holiday tradition in which you can get several RPG titles at a substantial discount. It is our way to say thank you to our many fans for being so kind and patient, and for your years of support. You are appreciated more than you may realize. That’s why Santa Kevin personally handpicks each and every item for every Grab Bag, and reads every comment (returning a short comment whenever he can). No other company does anything quite like it.

Christmas Surprise Packages are not just for Christmas. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the Winter Solstice, or you’re looking for a gift for a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion that falls between now and February, a Surprise Package may be the ideal way to go. You get a ton of stuff on the cheap, you can get a bunch of autographs, and you look like you spent a fortune.

This is also a great way to try that game setting you’ve wondered about (Splicers®, Dead Reign™, Chaos Earth®, Palladium Fantasy®, Nightbane®, etc.), or to get something for your favorite Game Master, or perhaps to get your player group to consider a new game or setting.

Autographed books. For those of you who want them (which are most people), the available members of the Palladium staff and any freelancers we can lasso at the time are happy to autograph each and every book in your Surprise Package. This is the only way many fans, especially those in other countries, can EVER get signed books.

Send us your brief comments. There is a special form and format to fill out for Christmas Surprise Packages, including a place where you can offer your brief comments, suggestions, greetings and salutations.

• Request autographs and Kevin Siembieda and all available Palladium staff members and freelancers will sign each of your books.
• Get rare collectibles, art prints, select gold editions and special items.
• Try that game setting you’ve wondered about – Splicers®, Dead Reign™, Nightbane®, Rifts®, Chaos Earth®, Palladium Fantasy®, Robotech® RPG titles, etc.
• Fill holes in your collection.
• Get gifts for your G.M. and gaming pals.
• Treat yourself.
• Be surprised.

Only $42 plus shipping & handling to get $84-$90+ worth of Palladium products! First-timers are always nervous until they see the great value in their first Surprise Package. A typical Grab Bag has $85-$90 worth of product, sometimes more! Yes, sometimes more. Many people order 2-3. Some order 4-6, and some maniacs order even more! It makes sense, because it is a great way to fill holes in your own collection, treat yourself, get autographs, try new games and settings, and get your gaming pals gifts.

IMPORTANT! The Palladium Surprise Packages are designed to simulate the fun, joy and surprise of the Christmas Season of Giving. In this case, Santa Kevin needs you to submit a list of 10-12 Palladium products (or more) for EACH Surprise Package you request. That way you don’t know what you’re getting, just like when you receive a Christmas present. It is a surprise! Plus, Santa Kevin, who personally handpicks every item for every Grab Bag, may toss in something extra like a limited edition print, comic book, T-shirt, an issue of The Rifter®, or something else he thinks you’ll enjoy.

Click here to see the entire Surprise Package description.

Happy Holidays from the Palladium crew. May they be filled with laughter, joy and gaming.

NEW! Robotech^®: Expeditionary Force Marines Sourcebook One

– Formerly titled ‘UEEF Marines’

Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines sourcebook is set in space with the UEEF (United Earth Expeditionary Force) led by Admiral Rick Hunter. This valiant force of mecha-clad heroes travel across the galaxy liberating planets from the bondage of the Invid Regent, the Robotech Masters and other tyrants and monsters.

• New mecha and weapons of the UEEF Marines.
• New UEEF Marine character classes and background.
• Alien species and allies.
• Planet hopping, adventure and much more.
• Epic battles and adventure ideas galore.
• Written by Irvin Jackson. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda.
• 160 pages – $20.95 retail – Cat. No. 553 – January/February, 2015, release.

Coming BACK IN PRINT – Rise of Magic^™

A Rifts^® Chaos Earth^® Sourcebook – Winter

The return of magic has empowered humans with strange and wondrous powers, unlike anything quite yet seen (and different from most conventional types of magic). This only complicates things for Earth’s defenders as the line of distinction between “good guys” and “bad guys” begins to blur.

• Chaos Magic, new magic specific to the Chaos Earth® setting.
• More than 100 unique Chaos Magic spells.
• New magic O.C.C.s like the Blue Zone Wizard and Chaos Wizard.
• New evil magic users like the Chaos Witch and Demon Caller.
• More on NEMA and the Demon Plagues.
• Written by Kevin Siembieda.
• 64 pages – $14.95 – Cat. No. 662. Probably a January, 2015, release.

Megaverse^® in Flames^™ “Gold Edition” – Available now

It is a beauty. Signed and numbered. Limited to only 300 copies. Printed gold foil on black leatherette, signed by the Palladium staff, Matthew Clements and Chuck Walton. (You can get Carl Gleba’s signature at the Palladium Open House next May.) Makes a great gift for birthdays and holidays. All the Gold Editions do.

• 300 signed and numbered copies.
• Signed and numbered on the credits page by Kevin Siembieda and the Palladium staff and some contributors, including Matthew Clements, Chuck Walton and Ben Rodriguez.
• Black Leatherette cover with gold foil imprinting.
• Interior pages are exactly the same as the softcover edition.
• Written by Carl Gleba. Additional text by Kevin Siembieda.
• Hardcover art by Nick Bradshaw.
• 192 pages – $50 while supplies last – Cat. No. 876HC. Available now, only from Palladium Books.

NEW! Rifts^® World Book 35: Megaverse^® in Flames^™ – Available now

The Minion War is here and the demons seek to conquer Rifts Earth. They are bringing demonic armies by the tens of thousands across the dimensional divide, unleashing plagues, seeking out magic artifacts, recruiting monsters and mortal allies, and testing their strength against Earth’s military powers. Worse, they are building Hell Pits so that they can unleash Hell on Earth! Not to be outdone, the Minions of Dyval are doing all the same things. Clashes between demons and Deevils are increasing every day and turn into titanic free-for-alls when Earth forces join the battle. As demonic supernatural forces ramp up, enslave people and wreak havoc across the globe, the question becomes: Is this the beginning of a new Dark Age?

• Seven Hell Plagues.
• Soulmancer and Blood Warrior O.C.C.s as NPC villains.
• 50+ Soulmancy spells.
• Lord Kreelo and Megaverse Armaments.
• 40+ new weapons, armor and vehicles including the Walking Death, Meat Grinder, Carnage Tank, Flesh Armor, Bone Armor, Chaos Warrior Armor, charms, talismans, guns and more.
• Demonic armies, strongholds and places of evil.
• Calgary, the Kingdom of Monsters.
• Rifts® Cuba/Ciudad de Diablo, Harpies’ Island and other notable Hell holes on Earth.
• Seven Demon Lords, their Hell Pits and armies.
• Seven Deevil Lords, their Hell Pits and plans.
• Lord Doom, Pain and other forces in the Minion War.
• It is battleground Earth! Ideas for adventures galore.
• Written by Carl Gleba. A part of the Minion War™ “Crossover” series.
• 192 pages – $24.95 retail – Cat. No. 876. Available now.

NEW! Rifts^® Northern Gun^™ Two – signed & numbered print

The first batch of prints went to a select number of the Megaverse Insiders, but starting with Number 102, you too can get a signed and numbered Northern Gun™ Two Print. It is the striking John Zeleznik wrap-around cover without any text or logo to obscure the artwork. Limited to a total of 290 copies. Suitable for framing.

• Limited to 290 signed and numbered prints; 101 of which have already gone to Megaverse Insider crowdfunders. The remaining 189 prints are available while supplies last.
• The artwork is by the dynamic John Zeleznik.
• Each is signed by Charles Walton (artist), Matthew Clements (author) and Kevin Siembieda (author and publisher) in silver.
• Size: Printed on 17.5 x 11.5 inch glossy paper. 16x10 image area. Suitable for framing.
• Mailed rolled in a sturdy tube.
• $10.00 – Cat. No. PR811 – Available now.
• NG-1 Print by Chuck Walton – Cat. No. PR810 – is also still available – $10.00

NEW! Future Visions^™

– The Artistry of Charles Walton II – Available now

We call it Future Visions because it very much gives you a glimpse into the future of what is coming from Palladium Books. It is jam-packed with black and white artwork and concept art for several of the upcoming Splicers® sourcebooks and a couple other Palladium projects. Things we are excited about and want you to be, too. People can’t seem to get enough of Chuck Walton artwork, so here is an entire 96 page book filled with it. Some of the art is finished pieces, many others are concept art that may be tweaked and altered, or not used at all. Much of it is material you would never ordinarily see. If you like this book and it sells well, it can be the first of several Charles Walton II art books (and other artists?). We hope you enjoy it. It was a fun, quick and easy project to throw together. It didn't impact our schedule more than a few days.

• A 96 page trip into the future.
• All artwork is by Charles Walton II.
• All interior art is black and white.
• Splicers® art galore.
• Color cover by Charles Walton.
• Introduction by Kevin Siembieda.
• Behind the scenes insight by Siembieda and Walton.
• 96 pages – $13.95 retail – Cat. No. 2562 – Available now.

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:

• The Rifter® #53-54 recently added – available now.
• Splicers® RPG.
• Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, First Edition Rules.
• Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS, First Edition Rules.
• Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™.
• The Mechanoids® RPG and The Mechanoid Invasion® RPG Trilogy.
• Palladium Fantasy RPG®, First Edition Rules and select 1st Edition sourcebooks.
• After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks.
• The Rifter® issues 1-54.
• The Best of The Rifter®.
• Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook.
• And more – go to DriveThruRPG.com and check ‘em out.

2015 Palladium Open House (POH) – May 15-17, 2015

The 2015 Open House is going to be awesome. Take a look at the growing list of Palladium Creators who have already confirmed they will be attending.

• Ramon Perez – artist – Ramon has been working in the comic book industry at Marvel Comics, DC, Boom and other publishers. He is currently illustrating Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man: Learning to Crawl. Ramon remains “tentative,” but he hopes to clear his schedule to join the fun and hopes to be able to make it in 2015. I will update you when he confirms. Note: Everyone else in this list has confirmed.
• Amy L. Ashbaugh – artist
• Mark Dudley – artist and Game Master
• “Madman” Michael Leonard – artist, writer & Game Master
• Apollo Okamura – artist
• Benjamin Rodriguez – artist
• Charles Walton – artist
• Brandon Aten – writer & Game Master
• Matthew Clements – Palladium Staff – Head writer
• Greg Diaczyk – writer & Game Master
• Glen Evans – writer & Game Master
• Taylor White – writer, musician & Game Master
• Matthew Balent – writer (the Weapons & Armor series, Monsters & Animals, etc.)
• Thomas Bartold – writer and one of the original Defilers
• James Brown – Megaversal Ambassador & Game Master
• Jeffery Burke – Palladium Staff – Robotech® coordinator & artist
• Steven Dawes – freelance writer & Game Masters
• Alex Marciniszyn – Palladium Staff – editor, research, more
• Victor Peterson – Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator & Game Master
• Julius Rosenstein – Palladium Staff – proofreader, writer, Game Master
• Jeff Ruiz – Megaversal Ambassador Coordinator & Game Master
• Kevin Siembieda – Palladium Staff – writer, artist, game designer
• Kathy Simmons – Palladium Staff – Customer Service & POH Coordinator
• Wayne Smith – Palladium Staff – Editor, The Rifter®, Projects Manager & more.
• MANY more writers, artists and creators are expected to join this list.
• And we may have a surprise guest or two.

I think we may max out our attendance numbers for 2015, so make sure you order your tickets sooner than later to make sure you are not turned away. Palladium can only accommodate around 300 gamers total (plus staff and Palladium creators). Once we reach that number, the POH will be sold out. Order in the coming months or risk not being able to attend. If you wait till March or April, 2015 it may be too late!

A more complete description of the 2015 POH is in the online store and you can start purchasing your admission for the weekend or individual days as well as VIP Thursday (May 14, 2015). This write-up is just the highlights, please read the full description in the store. Remember, Price of admission covers ALL EVENTS, except VIP Thursday. There are no extra fees for gaming events, panel talks or autographs.

$45 per person for the Three Day Weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday; May 15, 16 & 17) when ordered in advance per each individual. ($60 at the door and after April 12, 2015, if space is available.)

$87 additional for VIP Night – Thursday – May 14, 2014. The VIP Night always sells out within weeks, so make your reservation as soon as possible. First-come, first-served. VIP Night is a special, one-evening event limited to around 120 gamers – 70 are available right now. VIP Thursday, May 14, 2014: 3:00 P.M. till 12:00 P.M. NOTE: As has become tradition, we hold a number of VIP slots to be offered at a later date – typically February – so that gamers who decide to attend at a later date have a chance at getting into the coveted VIP Night too. You get the delicious meal catered by Palladium’s very own Kathy Simmons (people rave about her meals), plus you get an extra afternoon and evening of gaming (opens late afternoon), a more intimate chance to talk with Palladium staff, artists and writers, and first crack at rare collectibles, prints and original art.

Other POH Highlights:

• 40+ Palladium creators. See the store description for details. In the past, the POH usually has 35-50 creators (writers, artists, editors, staff, Rifter contributors, etc.) attending. More than at any other convention or gathering anywhere, ever! And most are available to you almost the ENTIRE event to chat with you and sign autographs. Some will even run gaming events!
• 3 days of Palladium gaming.
• 100+ gaming events. Game Masters/Megaversal Ambassadors NEEDED!
• Many games run by the people who make them, including Kevin Siembieda, Julius Rosenstein, Carmen Bellaire, Brandon Aten, Greg Diaczyk, Taylor White and many others!
• 8-10 panel talks each day, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. Subjects run from player and G.M. tips, to writing and game design, to meeting various artists and more.
• Auction of art and collectibles.
• A family reunion atmosphere. Meet gamers from around the world
• And it all happens at the Palladium warehouse and offices, where the magic happens! Okay, not quite “all.” When the gaming stops around 1:00 AM every night, the hotel has a large conference room where you maniacs can continue to game till you drop. There is room for at least 8 games in the room.

2015 Open House Hotel – reserve your room now

You should reserve your hotel room today. Your card will not be charged until next May. Other hotels are booked due to a sporting event the same weekend, so other area hotels will be filled. RESERVE YOUR ROOM TODAY or the next available hotel may be 20+ miles away.

Comfort Inn

40455 Ann Arbor Road
Plymouth, MI 48170
Phone: 734-455-8100

Group Code: Palladium Books – you MUST request the Group Code “Palladium Books” at the time of booking to ensure the correct rate will be quoted and billed to you.

Dates of the 2015 Palladium Open House (POH): May 15-17 (May 14 is VIP Thursday), 2015.

$109.00 (plus tax) per night at the Comfort Inn, a.k.a. “Plymouth Clock Tower Hotel.” That’s $109 (plus tax) for a room with two queen beds or one king with a sofa that has a pull-out sleeper. ALL rooms have a micro-fridge and FREE high-speed wired/wireless Internet. The hotel also offers a FREE hot breakfast from 6 A.M. to 10 A.M. near the lobby, heated indoor swimming pool, a fitness center (24 hours), and a coin operated laundry. The large conference room is ours to use for around the clock open gaming. Reserve using Group Code: Palladium Books. And do it as soon as possible. The hotel has been remodeled, resulting in a smaller number of rooms. If you know you are coming to the 2015 Palladium Open House, we recommend you reserve your room today. Important Note: You MUST give them the Group Code: Palladium Books to get this rate. Call 734-455-8100 to make your reservation. The hotel does NOT charge your credit card until a few days before the event and you can cancel up to May 10, 2015. So there is no reason to wait.

2015 POH Game Masters needed

Palladium Megaversal Ambassadors, Palladium creators, and any experienced Game Master planning to come to the 2015 Palladium Open House – please let us know if you are planning to run one or more gaming events. Those who run three or more get special discounts, free T-shirt and more. We need plenty of games to satisfy 300 gamers. Your help is appreciated. Contact us by telephone (734-721-2903) or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

© Copyright 2014 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®, Chaos Earth®, and After the Bomb® are Registered Trademarks of Palladium Books Inc. RPG Tactics™, Beyond the Supernatural, 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.