Shadowstar Corsairs hopes to combine “quick tactical engagements” with a long term political game based around resource management and map control.
When it comes to science fiction there is perhaps no concept more beloved than that of the beaten up ship and its ragtag crew eking out a living among the stars. Hoping to give tabletop gamers a new taste of that classic idea, game maker Ryan Wolfe crafted Shadowstar Corsairs a space opera miniatures game where players are given a beaten up ship that they can use as a foundation for an empire.
Described by Wolfe as his “dream game,” he currently hopes to raise $95,000 via Kickstarter so he can transform Shadowstar Corsairs into a fully fleshed product that tabletop fans can buy, bring home and play. With 28 days (currently) left to go, its backers have already contributed more than $17,000.
The game itself will combine “quick tactical engagements” in space and on the ground with resource management, map control, combat and diplomatic moves aimed at giving the player a variety of “long term” options. Players will also have to choose between different ships that they can “mix and match” as their fleets and resources expand. The game plays out via “concise” turns where players can use actions to enlist new crew members, gather resources, make political plays and, if they choose, attack the ships of their competitors. Combat, designed by Wolfe to be quick, will be “resolved with no more than a single card [and] die roll on each side.” The base Shadowstar set will contain everything needed to play, including miniatures, dice, game cards, player mats and a modular game board. It will cost $69 for non-backers.
All in all, Shadowstar Corsairs looks like something I could personally really get behind. Setting aside the fact that I’m a sucker for “use your humble ship to take over the galaxy” stories, the game as shown in its rules PDF and Wolfe’s various videos definitely looks like one that’s both fun and well thought out. Take a look at it yourself and, if you’re inclined, maybe even throw a few dollars Wolfe’s way. It’s not like the world would be a worse place with on more well-made space game, after all.
Source: Kickstarter
