GARPA IN SPAAAAACE!  OK, not just in space, but there’s a pair of space games for you this week, along with some OCS action and the non-explosive type of RPG.

Falling Stars: War of Empires (LNLP)
$2600 of $10k, ends 26 March 2015

With its new ownership, LNLP is branching out into digital products, too, and they’ve’ got a 4x space game out there for you to check out.  A strategic game that includes a heavy dose of negotiations with its ‘bartering’ mechanics, Falling Stars gives you more than just a ‘chat with people before you kill them’ vibe for its diplomatic channels.  Check out the Kickstarter page, or find them on Steam Greenlight, and stay tuned to GrogHeads for a preview soon.

Beyond the Rhine (MMP)
Preorder for $100, MSRP $134

OCS in 1944, as the Allies race across Europe’s Western front.  Anything else you need to know?  Truthfully, this is a BIG game – it needs a lot of table space, and takes a long time to play, which is pretty much what you want in an OCS game.  This one’s been in playtesting for several years, so you can expect a solid polish on it, and the OCS series is one of the most well-known in the business.  Blown bridges, random events, counteroffensives-not-named-The-Bulge, and more round out a very robust package.

RPG Pencil Dice (d20 Entertainment)
$4k of $2k, ends 10 March 2015

Six sides to a pencil, six sides to a standard die, both are used for RPGs, both are always in your bag, and they’ve never been combined… until now!  These aren’t just random 1-6 dice.  These pencils include NPC reactions, hit locations, treasure, and more.  Just roll the pencil across the table and see what you land on.  Oh, and there’s even a “Pencil Quest” RPG for free, so you’ve got something to use those pencildice for, right away.  Check out the Kickstarter page for the next batch of stretch goals, and go order a hundred or so!

Shadowstar Corsairs (0-hr)
$19k of $95k, ends 24 March 2015

This might be one of the most expensive board game campaigns we’ve ever seen, but they’ve raised an impressive chuck of change rather quickly, so they might make it.  There are a ton of spiffy components, and a fun space-opera adventure theme to it that comes across as equal parts Firefly and BattleStar Galactica.  Customizable ships, geomorphic maps, and a nifty action table give you a different twist on the “haul cargo around the galaxy” game, and there are a LOT of toys in the box, too.  Check it out and pick your pledge.

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And let us know if we’ve ever talked you into ordering something through GARPA! 🙂