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#1
Games Discussion / Re: Expeditions: Samurai
Last post by Asid - Today at 12:06:45 AMExpeditions: Samurai Now Available in Early Access!
Fri, August 7, 2026
We hope you will choose to join us in our Early Access, and help us refine Samurai into the game it deserves to be.
It's been a bit of a whirlwind for us since we announced Expeditions: Samurai two months ago. The game had already been in development for nearly 4 years at that point, and it was an incredible relief to finally be able to talk about some of what we'd been through, the new studio we had built, and above all the what the fourth game in the Expeditions series would bring to the table: a rich and colourful setting in Feudal Japan, a dynamic gameplay loop with lots of room for player creativity, and above all full 2-player campaign co-op.
Today we have released the game in Early Access, and you can now buy it at a generous discount for the first week if you want to help support our project and have an opportunity to give your input on the game while we still have time to act on it!
We're unbelievably excited to share this game with you and collect all your thoughts and suggestions.
Expeditions: Samurai
CRPGParty-Based RPGStory RichRPGChoices Matter
7 Aug 2026
The sun rises on another civil war, as you land in Japan aboard a battered Dutch ship. Thrust into command of its motley crew, you must navigate the politics of Sengoku-era Japan using stealth, diplomacy, or violence in this party-based RPG where every choice matters.
New
-34%
£26.75
£17.65
Expeditions: Samurai
If you're still unsure whether this game is for you, we've collected a few early press previews for your perusal:
Expeditions: Samurai Early Access Preview—Rising Sun
"Expeditions: Samurai genuinely hooked me with both its gameplay and its presentation. It's a deep and complex RPG that also never really feels slow or overly bloated. It maintains all the hallmarks of the best RPGs while also feeling new and innovative."
Expeditions: Samurai successfully takes the long-running series East – Big Boss Battle (B3)
"Minor, Early-Access-solvable issues aside, Expeditions: Samurai is easily the strongest entry in a strong series. The writing is fantastic, with plenty of dramatic, well written (and voiced) story beats littered throughout. The willingness of the developers to drop you into a world that explains itself through actions and conversation, rather than babying you or dropping a wall of text on you, is welcome, and I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing it continue its journey through Early Access."
https://turnbasedlovers.com/review/expeditions-samurai-preview/
"So far the game has been a lot of fun, but I am still pretty early in the game, and the fact that this was an early preview build definitely showed."
And if you want to really get a feel for the game before you pull the trigger, here is a lovely long gameplay video of a co-op session by Just Noris and Pixelated Apollo - just please beware major spoilers:
YouTube™ Video: First Look at Expeditions: Samurai - with @PixelatedApollo CO-OP Special
Views: 159
Together with @PixelatedApollo we are looking at Expeditions: Samurai the new install of the Expeditions Series. Already in this EA, you can see and feel the early ripples of gravitas of your...
We hope this has helped convince you to opt into our Early Access and take the game for a spin. For detailed information about what this Early Access version currently contains, and what our update roadmap looks like, check out our news update from yesterday.
Campfire Cabal
Fri, August 7, 2026
We hope you will choose to join us in our Early Access, and help us refine Samurai into the game it deserves to be.
It's been a bit of a whirlwind for us since we announced Expeditions: Samurai two months ago. The game had already been in development for nearly 4 years at that point, and it was an incredible relief to finally be able to talk about some of what we'd been through, the new studio we had built, and above all the what the fourth game in the Expeditions series would bring to the table: a rich and colourful setting in Feudal Japan, a dynamic gameplay loop with lots of room for player creativity, and above all full 2-player campaign co-op.
Today we have released the game in Early Access, and you can now buy it at a generous discount for the first week if you want to help support our project and have an opportunity to give your input on the game while we still have time to act on it!
We're unbelievably excited to share this game with you and collect all your thoughts and suggestions.
Expeditions: Samurai
CRPGParty-Based RPGStory RichRPGChoices Matter
7 Aug 2026
The sun rises on another civil war, as you land in Japan aboard a battered Dutch ship. Thrust into command of its motley crew, you must navigate the politics of Sengoku-era Japan using stealth, diplomacy, or violence in this party-based RPG where every choice matters.
New
-34%
£26.75
£17.65
Expeditions: Samurai
If you're still unsure whether this game is for you, we've collected a few early press previews for your perusal:
Expeditions: Samurai Early Access Preview—Rising Sun
"Expeditions: Samurai genuinely hooked me with both its gameplay and its presentation. It's a deep and complex RPG that also never really feels slow or overly bloated. It maintains all the hallmarks of the best RPGs while also feeling new and innovative."
Expeditions: Samurai successfully takes the long-running series East – Big Boss Battle (B3)
"Minor, Early-Access-solvable issues aside, Expeditions: Samurai is easily the strongest entry in a strong series. The writing is fantastic, with plenty of dramatic, well written (and voiced) story beats littered throughout. The willingness of the developers to drop you into a world that explains itself through actions and conversation, rather than babying you or dropping a wall of text on you, is welcome, and I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing it continue its journey through Early Access."
https://turnbasedlovers.com/review/expeditions-samurai-preview/
"So far the game has been a lot of fun, but I am still pretty early in the game, and the fact that this was an early preview build definitely showed."
And if you want to really get a feel for the game before you pull the trigger, here is a lovely long gameplay video of a co-op session by Just Noris and Pixelated Apollo - just please beware major spoilers:
YouTube™ Video: First Look at Expeditions: Samurai - with @PixelatedApollo CO-OP Special
Views: 159
Together with @PixelatedApollo we are looking at Expeditions: Samurai the new install of the Expeditions Series. Already in this EA, you can see and feel the early ripples of gravitas of your...
We hope this has helped convince you to opt into our Early Access and take the game for a spin. For detailed information about what this Early Access version currently contains, and what our update roadmap looks like, check out our news update from yesterday.
Campfire Cabal
#2
Games Discussion / Re: Breathedge
Last post by Asid - Today at 12:06:39 AMBreathedge Is Free to Keep for 48 Hours!
Fri, August 7, 2026
Greetings, comrades! There's very little time left before Breathedge 2 enters Early Access, and we're ready to present the game's launch trailer! A real one, too—with the Man, the Chicken, outer space, and jokes that somehow manage to sink below rock bottom.
Alongside this masterpiece of auteur cinema, we'd also like to give you the first game—the one and only Breathedge. For free!
Maybe, by some miracle, you never got around to downloading it from a torrent. Maybe you want to explore its incredibly deep lore through the Man's dialogue. Or maybe you simply collect games you'll never play. Either way, this news is for you.
The original Breathedge will be free to keep on Steam starting August 7 at 10:00 AM Pacific (5:00 PM UTC). The giveaway will run for 48 hours, ending August 9 at 10:00 AM Pacific.
Grab it even if you have absolutely no use for it. It might come in handy someday.
Now, a quick update, since we're already here.
We're actively polishing Breathedge 2, fine-tuning tiny details, localizations, textures, and countless other little things that are really wearing down our ass...ets and our nerves of steel. So far, though, everything is going perfectly according to plan. Luckily, we don't have one, or we'd definitely be behind schedule.
Overall, the game is completely finished and has been tested inside and out. It even works. Naturally, we're certain you'll manage to break it within the first ten seconds after launch, so the programmers are already stocking up on energy drinks. But that's another story.
Besides the game itself, we've also started gently poking the Steam page with a stick: updating old text, materials, and assorted bits of capsule art. We're trying to pass every certification, get everything working nicely on Steam Deck, cram the game anywhere it will fit, and tell everyone within reach. In other words, we're going through the usual pre-release panic while awaiting your devastating reviews.
So, business as usual.
And if you have no interest in the game whatsoever and only opened this post looking for links to our social media, there they are—all the way down below. Message us, call us, send us videos.
You can even email us at
info@breathedge.com
And, of course, you can wishlist Breathedge 2. There are only a few weeks left until launch, making this your final chance to wishlist Breathedge 2 before it comes out. After that, sadly, this opportunity will be gone FOREVER, and you'll only be able to wishlist a game that has already been released. Don't miss out!
Breathedge 2
SurvivalAdventureFirst-PersonActionRPG
Aug 31, 2026
Sent on a reckless mission, you find yourself in outer space filled with numerous dangers and things to explore. Build, craft, manage your crew, look after the chicken, and defeat the evil space corporation in this new breathtaking survival game.
Available: Aug 31, 2026
Breathedge 2
-100%£19.99 £0.00
Fri, August 7, 2026
Greetings, comrades! There's very little time left before Breathedge 2 enters Early Access, and we're ready to present the game's launch trailer! A real one, too—with the Man, the Chicken, outer space, and jokes that somehow manage to sink below rock bottom.
Alongside this masterpiece of auteur cinema, we'd also like to give you the first game—the one and only Breathedge. For free!
Maybe, by some miracle, you never got around to downloading it from a torrent. Maybe you want to explore its incredibly deep lore through the Man's dialogue. Or maybe you simply collect games you'll never play. Either way, this news is for you.
The original Breathedge will be free to keep on Steam starting August 7 at 10:00 AM Pacific (5:00 PM UTC). The giveaway will run for 48 hours, ending August 9 at 10:00 AM Pacific.
Grab it even if you have absolutely no use for it. It might come in handy someday.
Now, a quick update, since we're already here.
We're actively polishing Breathedge 2, fine-tuning tiny details, localizations, textures, and countless other little things that are really wearing down our ass...ets and our nerves of steel. So far, though, everything is going perfectly according to plan. Luckily, we don't have one, or we'd definitely be behind schedule.
Overall, the game is completely finished and has been tested inside and out. It even works. Naturally, we're certain you'll manage to break it within the first ten seconds after launch, so the programmers are already stocking up on energy drinks. But that's another story.
Besides the game itself, we've also started gently poking the Steam page with a stick: updating old text, materials, and assorted bits of capsule art. We're trying to pass every certification, get everything working nicely on Steam Deck, cram the game anywhere it will fit, and tell everyone within reach. In other words, we're going through the usual pre-release panic while awaiting your devastating reviews.
So, business as usual.
And if you have no interest in the game whatsoever and only opened this post looking for links to our social media, there they are—all the way down below. Message us, call us, send us videos.
You can even email us at
info@breathedge.com
And, of course, you can wishlist Breathedge 2. There are only a few weeks left until launch, making this your final chance to wishlist Breathedge 2 before it comes out. After that, sadly, this opportunity will be gone FOREVER, and you'll only be able to wishlist a game that has already been released. Don't miss out!
Breathedge 2
SurvivalAdventureFirst-PersonActionRPG
Aug 31, 2026
Sent on a reckless mission, you find yourself in outer space filled with numerous dangers and things to explore. Build, craft, manage your crew, look after the chicken, and defeat the evil space corporation in this new breathtaking survival game.
Available: Aug 31, 2026
Breathedge 2
-100%
#3
Games Discussion / Re: Bargains / Sale
Last post by Asid - Today at 12:06:29 AMBreathedge Is Free to Keep for 48 Hours!
Fri, August 7, 2026
Greetings, comrades! There's very little time left before Breathedge 2 enters Early Access, and we're ready to present the game's launch trailer! A real one, too—with the Man, the Chicken, outer space, and jokes that somehow manage to sink below rock bottom.
Alongside this masterpiece of auteur cinema, we'd also like to give you the first game—the one and only Breathedge. For free!
Maybe, by some miracle, you never got around to downloading it from a torrent. Maybe you want to explore its incredibly deep lore through the Man's dialogue. Or maybe you simply collect games you'll never play. Either way, this news is for you.
The original Breathedge will be free to keep on Steam starting August 7 at 10:00 AM Pacific (5:00 PM UTC). The giveaway will run for 48 hours, ending August 9 at 10:00 AM Pacific.
Grab it even if you have absolutely no use for it. It might come in handy someday.
Now, a quick update, since we're already here.
We're actively polishing Breathedge 2, fine-tuning tiny details, localizations, textures, and countless other little things that are really wearing down our ass...ets and our nerves of steel. So far, though, everything is going perfectly according to plan. Luckily, we don't have one, or we'd definitely be behind schedule.
Overall, the game is completely finished and has been tested inside and out. It even works. Naturally, we're certain you'll manage to break it within the first ten seconds after launch, so the programmers are already stocking up on energy drinks. But that's another story.
Besides the game itself, we've also started gently poking the Steam page with a stick: updating old text, materials, and assorted bits of capsule art. We're trying to pass every certification, get everything working nicely on Steam Deck, cram the game anywhere it will fit, and tell everyone within reach. In other words, we're going through the usual pre-release panic while awaiting your devastating reviews.
So, business as usual.
And if you have no interest in the game whatsoever and only opened this post looking for links to our social media, there they are—all the way down below. Message us, call us, send us videos.
You can even email us at
info@breathedge.com
And, of course, you can wishlist Breathedge 2. There are only a few weeks left until launch, making this your final chance to wishlist Breathedge 2 before it comes out. After that, sadly, this opportunity will be gone FOREVER, and you'll only be able to wishlist a game that has already been released. Don't miss out!
Breathedge 2
SurvivalAdventureFirst-PersonActionRPG
Aug 31, 2026
Sent on a reckless mission, you find yourself in outer space filled with numerous dangers and things to explore. Build, craft, manage your crew, look after the chicken, and defeat the evil space corporation in this new breathtaking survival game.
Available: Aug 31, 2026
Breathedge 2
-100%£19.99 £0.00
Fri, August 7, 2026
Greetings, comrades! There's very little time left before Breathedge 2 enters Early Access, and we're ready to present the game's launch trailer! A real one, too—with the Man, the Chicken, outer space, and jokes that somehow manage to sink below rock bottom.
Alongside this masterpiece of auteur cinema, we'd also like to give you the first game—the one and only Breathedge. For free!
Maybe, by some miracle, you never got around to downloading it from a torrent. Maybe you want to explore its incredibly deep lore through the Man's dialogue. Or maybe you simply collect games you'll never play. Either way, this news is for you.
The original Breathedge will be free to keep on Steam starting August 7 at 10:00 AM Pacific (5:00 PM UTC). The giveaway will run for 48 hours, ending August 9 at 10:00 AM Pacific.
Grab it even if you have absolutely no use for it. It might come in handy someday.
Now, a quick update, since we're already here.
We're actively polishing Breathedge 2, fine-tuning tiny details, localizations, textures, and countless other little things that are really wearing down our ass...ets and our nerves of steel. So far, though, everything is going perfectly according to plan. Luckily, we don't have one, or we'd definitely be behind schedule.
Overall, the game is completely finished and has been tested inside and out. It even works. Naturally, we're certain you'll manage to break it within the first ten seconds after launch, so the programmers are already stocking up on energy drinks. But that's another story.
Besides the game itself, we've also started gently poking the Steam page with a stick: updating old text, materials, and assorted bits of capsule art. We're trying to pass every certification, get everything working nicely on Steam Deck, cram the game anywhere it will fit, and tell everyone within reach. In other words, we're going through the usual pre-release panic while awaiting your devastating reviews.
So, business as usual.
And if you have no interest in the game whatsoever and only opened this post looking for links to our social media, there they are—all the way down below. Message us, call us, send us videos.
You can even email us at
info@breathedge.com
And, of course, you can wishlist Breathedge 2. There are only a few weeks left until launch, making this your final chance to wishlist Breathedge 2 before it comes out. After that, sadly, this opportunity will be gone FOREVER, and you'll only be able to wishlist a game that has already been released. Don't miss out!
Breathedge 2
SurvivalAdventureFirst-PersonActionRPG
Aug 31, 2026
Sent on a reckless mission, you find yourself in outer space filled with numerous dangers and things to explore. Build, craft, manage your crew, look after the chicken, and defeat the evil space corporation in this new breathtaking survival game.
Available: Aug 31, 2026
Breathedge 2
-100%
#4
Games Discussion / Re: Starship Troopers - Terran...
Last post by Asid - Yesterday at 12:02:51 AMNews from the Jungle (DLC)
Thu, 6 August 2026
Attention, Troopers!
Pack your sunscreen, grab your trusty Morita rifle, and prepare yourself for tropical warfare in the sweaty, untamed wilds of planet Vega-V.
A new DLC is in the works, and it will be one of the biggest yet, including 9 new player units, 4 Arachnids types, a 9-mission story campaign and 5+ new Territory Mode maps.
You'll be tasked to hold on to isolated jungle outposts, defend ever-expanding colonies, hunt dangerous Arachnids deep in the jungle and unveil the horrors of a long-lost underground shelter.
Would you like to know more?
More tactical intelligence will follow soon. In the meantime, feast your eyes on this exclusive teaser screenshot, showcasing the lush (and lethal) new environment alongside a few of the new lower tier units:
Thu, 6 August 2026
Attention, Troopers!
Pack your sunscreen, grab your trusty Morita rifle, and prepare yourself for tropical warfare in the sweaty, untamed wilds of planet Vega-V.
A new DLC is in the works, and it will be one of the biggest yet, including 9 new player units, 4 Arachnids types, a 9-mission story campaign and 5+ new Territory Mode maps.
You'll be tasked to hold on to isolated jungle outposts, defend ever-expanding colonies, hunt dangerous Arachnids deep in the jungle and unveil the horrors of a long-lost underground shelter.
Would you like to know more?
More tactical intelligence will follow soon. In the meantime, feast your eyes on this exclusive teaser screenshot, showcasing the lush (and lethal) new environment alongside a few of the new lower tier units:
#5
Mission Discussion/AAR's / Re: D.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednes...
Last post by Asid - August 06, 2026, 01:14:59 AMD.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednesday Mission 5/8/26
#6
Games Discussion / Re: Distant Worlds 2
Last post by Asid - August 06, 2026, 12:08:50 AMDev Diary #1 - An introduction to the upcoming DLC
Wed, August 5, 2026
What is a Pirate?
What is a Pirate? In Distant Worlds 2, the term Pirate refers to a variety of space-based survivors of the cataclysm that ended the last Great War against the Shakturi, who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Some are more focused on trade and espionage, others on raiding and fighting, some prefer a mix of everything. Living in space across generations has been very difficult and very dangerous and their past experiences with planetary civilizations give them a distrust of what they call "dirtsiders".
The Pirate Story - the Age of Shadows
Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising, take us to the Age of Shadows, to a time before the base Distant Worlds 2 game and the events told in that and the following storylines. The Age of Shadows is the time period after the cataclysm that befell the galaxy at the end of the first Great War against the Shakturi but before the previous planetary empires recovered enough to return to space and rediscover their history.
After the first Great War between the Freedom Alliance and the Shaktur Axis, the remaining fragments of civilization in the galaxy collapsed and those who remained found themselves engaged in a desperate struggle for survival that at times looked certain to fail. As they realized the terrible fate that had befallen them, the few surviving Shakturi went on a final rampage that was halted only as the last of them perished to the Xaraktor virus. That virus and other bio-weapons unleashed in the final act of that terrible war were still actively spreading for many years after the Shakturi themselves were eradicated from the galaxy.
The Planets and the Plagues
The planets themselves were the worst affected. After the galaxy-wide seismic cataclysm caused by the interaction of the Haakonish Gravitic Doomsday weapon with the Shakturi Wormholes and the Freedom Alliance experimental wormhole blocking technology, most planets were already devastated. Multiple waves of plagues then swept over them over decades and centuries and the survivors in space found that trying to trade with or help those who remained on the planets often exposed them and their dwindling populations to these risks.
The Merciless Hive
The survivors in space and on the planets also faced merciless slaughter at the hands of the Hive, who were composed of the insane remnants of the Gizureans. The Gizureans had become psychotic after Shakturi control of their damaged Queen was abruptly severed, leaving vast numbers in a feral state that roamed the galaxy consuming all in their path. The former Gizurean worlds were abandoned as the Hive took to the stars in whatever ships could be found or captured. Largely due to the terrible casualties from all these calamities, most of what was previously known about technology, history, culture and space travel on the planets was lost.
Survival in Space
Only in space did some knowledge survive. Here the few remnants of the fleets of the Freedom Alliance and the Shaktur Axis initially continued to fight each other as well as the Hive. They recognized that the devastated planets, where the plagues were still active, held no future for them. Attempts to recolonize or restore civilization during this time all failed. They realized that to survive, they needed to remain in space, to remain mobile and evade the Hive until the planets themselves were either free of plague or devoid of population.
Over generations, these nomadic survivors scavenged, built and re-built their ships and bases many times. They defeated what remained of the Shakturi, but their battle against the overwhelming numbers of the Hive lasted for centuries and still continues. Many perished, but some survived and while they were unable to fully maintain their previous technology, they still knew how to travel faster than light, how to exist in space, to mine for the resources they needed and how to build fast and powerful ships that could protect them from the Hive and other menaces.
The Shadowports and a New Era
Over time they also lost their previous identities and separated into smaller factions, each with different goals. The largest space settlements became "Shadowports", neutral centers of trade, technology and information. Some, following blindly in the footsteps of their Freedom Alliance ancestors, foresaw a future where they would be able to once again establish a more orderly galaxy, with colonized planets, trade and an organized military. Others, either because of the trials they had been through or because of their origins with the Shaktur Axis, were more concerned with raiding, pillaging and destroying what was left, until they would sit alone as the final survivors of a dying galaxy. These then, are the "Pirates" of the Age of Shadows.
On the planets, over many generations, the viruses evolved and finally became less severe, allowing civilization a chance to re-establish itself. After many terrible battles, the Hive became less numerous, largely because of the actions of the survivors in space, but also due to a shortage of "food" to consume on the planets, which led to periods where the Hive was entirely dormant before waking and raiding again. This was just enough respite for the planetary survivors to multiply and with the help of their remaining legends and the ruins of their ancestors, rebuild a basic level of technology and begin to repopulate their worlds.
A New Galaxy Rises
The space-based survivors were busy enough surviving and fighting each other that at first the recovery that was taking place on the few remaining inhabited worlds went unnoticed, but eventually the exploration ships of the pirates discovered that the worlds they previously thought to be tombs now had the beginnings of new civilizations, already with population in numbers that far exceeded the survivors in space, but with technology that was much more primitive. The response of the pirates to these newly discovered planets varied, and in some cases, they simply ignored them while they dealt with their own problems. For the most part though, they made contact, in some cases peaceful to trade for resources and food, in others hostile to pillage and take what they would in goods and slaves or to maintain their own dominance of the space lanes.
This is where the Age of Shadows in the game begins. There are independent worlds with just enough technology to return to space, but only with a few ships and initially only within their own systems. The pirates have better technology and knowledge of the galaxy. The Hive is still a real threat and active from the start, though fewer in number and with some smaller ships. New story events and artifacts related to Pirate history are scattered across the stars. Lone Pirates and Pirate Factions and Independent Worlds compete to see which will achieve fortune, fame and power.
Your Story, Your Choices
Several futures are possible. The first is one where the planetary civilizations are allowed to grow and expand into space and regain a measure of their former glory, following along towards the original Distant Worlds 2 story. The second is where the pirate factions are able to manage the rise of the planetary civilizations, control them, exploit them and eventually conquer them to establish an entirely different kind of galactic order, depending on which type of "Pirate" emerges triumphant. A third might be that what remains is destroyed and consumed by the Hive, if it is allowed to grow out of control.
The Age of Shadows, in short, is a struggle for survival and an ongoing battle to determine the future of the galaxy. Will it be a strong, united and advanced galaxy that the Shakturi find on their eventual return, or simply smoldering ashes?
You can also choose to start play with the new Pirates (either playing as an Empire or a Pirate) in the classic era of the base Distant Worlds 2 game after the Age of Shadows has ended. For the greatest challenge and to extend the story as long as possible, start as a single ship Lone Pirate in the Age of Shadows, eventually become a Pirate Faction, then a Pirate Empire of Anarchy which attempts to conquer the stars.
The choice is yours, the Galaxy Lives On.
WISHLIST THE NEW DLC NOW:
Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising
Wed, August 5, 2026
What is a Pirate?
What is a Pirate? In Distant Worlds 2, the term Pirate refers to a variety of space-based survivors of the cataclysm that ended the last Great War against the Shakturi, who are willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Some are more focused on trade and espionage, others on raiding and fighting, some prefer a mix of everything. Living in space across generations has been very difficult and very dangerous and their past experiences with planetary civilizations give them a distrust of what they call "dirtsiders".
The Pirate Story - the Age of Shadows
Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising, take us to the Age of Shadows, to a time before the base Distant Worlds 2 game and the events told in that and the following storylines. The Age of Shadows is the time period after the cataclysm that befell the galaxy at the end of the first Great War against the Shakturi but before the previous planetary empires recovered enough to return to space and rediscover their history.
After the first Great War between the Freedom Alliance and the Shaktur Axis, the remaining fragments of civilization in the galaxy collapsed and those who remained found themselves engaged in a desperate struggle for survival that at times looked certain to fail. As they realized the terrible fate that had befallen them, the few surviving Shakturi went on a final rampage that was halted only as the last of them perished to the Xaraktor virus. That virus and other bio-weapons unleashed in the final act of that terrible war were still actively spreading for many years after the Shakturi themselves were eradicated from the galaxy.
The Planets and the Plagues
The planets themselves were the worst affected. After the galaxy-wide seismic cataclysm caused by the interaction of the Haakonish Gravitic Doomsday weapon with the Shakturi Wormholes and the Freedom Alliance experimental wormhole blocking technology, most planets were already devastated. Multiple waves of plagues then swept over them over decades and centuries and the survivors in space found that trying to trade with or help those who remained on the planets often exposed them and their dwindling populations to these risks.
The Merciless Hive
The survivors in space and on the planets also faced merciless slaughter at the hands of the Hive, who were composed of the insane remnants of the Gizureans. The Gizureans had become psychotic after Shakturi control of their damaged Queen was abruptly severed, leaving vast numbers in a feral state that roamed the galaxy consuming all in their path. The former Gizurean worlds were abandoned as the Hive took to the stars in whatever ships could be found or captured. Largely due to the terrible casualties from all these calamities, most of what was previously known about technology, history, culture and space travel on the planets was lost.
Survival in Space
Only in space did some knowledge survive. Here the few remnants of the fleets of the Freedom Alliance and the Shaktur Axis initially continued to fight each other as well as the Hive. They recognized that the devastated planets, where the plagues were still active, held no future for them. Attempts to recolonize or restore civilization during this time all failed. They realized that to survive, they needed to remain in space, to remain mobile and evade the Hive until the planets themselves were either free of plague or devoid of population.
Over generations, these nomadic survivors scavenged, built and re-built their ships and bases many times. They defeated what remained of the Shakturi, but their battle against the overwhelming numbers of the Hive lasted for centuries and still continues. Many perished, but some survived and while they were unable to fully maintain their previous technology, they still knew how to travel faster than light, how to exist in space, to mine for the resources they needed and how to build fast and powerful ships that could protect them from the Hive and other menaces.
The Shadowports and a New Era
Over time they also lost their previous identities and separated into smaller factions, each with different goals. The largest space settlements became "Shadowports", neutral centers of trade, technology and information. Some, following blindly in the footsteps of their Freedom Alliance ancestors, foresaw a future where they would be able to once again establish a more orderly galaxy, with colonized planets, trade and an organized military. Others, either because of the trials they had been through or because of their origins with the Shaktur Axis, were more concerned with raiding, pillaging and destroying what was left, until they would sit alone as the final survivors of a dying galaxy. These then, are the "Pirates" of the Age of Shadows.
On the planets, over many generations, the viruses evolved and finally became less severe, allowing civilization a chance to re-establish itself. After many terrible battles, the Hive became less numerous, largely because of the actions of the survivors in space, but also due to a shortage of "food" to consume on the planets, which led to periods where the Hive was entirely dormant before waking and raiding again. This was just enough respite for the planetary survivors to multiply and with the help of their remaining legends and the ruins of their ancestors, rebuild a basic level of technology and begin to repopulate their worlds.
A New Galaxy Rises
The space-based survivors were busy enough surviving and fighting each other that at first the recovery that was taking place on the few remaining inhabited worlds went unnoticed, but eventually the exploration ships of the pirates discovered that the worlds they previously thought to be tombs now had the beginnings of new civilizations, already with population in numbers that far exceeded the survivors in space, but with technology that was much more primitive. The response of the pirates to these newly discovered planets varied, and in some cases, they simply ignored them while they dealt with their own problems. For the most part though, they made contact, in some cases peaceful to trade for resources and food, in others hostile to pillage and take what they would in goods and slaves or to maintain their own dominance of the space lanes.
This is where the Age of Shadows in the game begins. There are independent worlds with just enough technology to return to space, but only with a few ships and initially only within their own systems. The pirates have better technology and knowledge of the galaxy. The Hive is still a real threat and active from the start, though fewer in number and with some smaller ships. New story events and artifacts related to Pirate history are scattered across the stars. Lone Pirates and Pirate Factions and Independent Worlds compete to see which will achieve fortune, fame and power.
Your Story, Your Choices
Several futures are possible. The first is one where the planetary civilizations are allowed to grow and expand into space and regain a measure of their former glory, following along towards the original Distant Worlds 2 story. The second is where the pirate factions are able to manage the rise of the planetary civilizations, control them, exploit them and eventually conquer them to establish an entirely different kind of galactic order, depending on which type of "Pirate" emerges triumphant. A third might be that what remains is destroyed and consumed by the Hive, if it is allowed to grow out of control.
The Age of Shadows, in short, is a struggle for survival and an ongoing battle to determine the future of the galaxy. Will it be a strong, united and advanced galaxy that the Shakturi find on their eventual return, or simply smoldering ashes?
You can also choose to start play with the new Pirates (either playing as an Empire or a Pirate) in the classic era of the base Distant Worlds 2 game after the Age of Shadows has ended. For the greatest challenge and to extend the story as long as possible, start as a single ship Lone Pirate in the Age of Shadows, eventually become a Pirate Faction, then a Pirate Empire of Anarchy which attempts to conquer the stars.
The choice is yours, the Galaxy Lives On.
WISHLIST THE NEW DLC NOW:
Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising
#7
Mission Discussion/AAR's / Re: D.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednes...
Last post by Rinix - August 06, 2026, 12:06:23 AMHere's my screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/steel-beasts-5-8-2026-FicQQr4
The plan
Oleg defends the main road
B-3 defends the north road
Enemy tanks attack the north road, where only B-3 is defending, A-11 is sent to the north road
B-12 inflicts casualties
A-11 finds itself surrounded by advancing tanks
B-14 inflicts more casualties
A-11 continues to fight
Victory
The plan
Oleg defends the main road
B-3 defends the north road
Enemy tanks attack the north road, where only B-3 is defending, A-11 is sent to the north road
B-12 inflicts casualties
A-11 finds itself surrounded by advancing tanks
B-14 inflicts more casualties
A-11 continues to fight
Victory
#8
Mission Discussion/AAR's / Re: D.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednes...
Last post by Rinix - August 05, 2026, 05:56:45 PMQuote from: Oleg on August 05, 2026, 05:50:29 PMTwo tanks and a B-2 platoon for me.Added.
#9
Mission Discussion/AAR's / Re: D.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednes...
Last post by Oleg - August 05, 2026, 05:50:29 PMTwo tanks and a B-2 platoon for me.
#10
Multiplayer Missions, Events & Announcements / D.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednesday ...
Last post by Rinix - August 05, 2026, 02:44:08 PMD.O.W. Steel Beasts Wednesday Mission 5/8/26 @ GMT18:00
This scenario is a simulation and does not have any political message.
Operation Sizzling Dragon (4.379) 1.0.3 by ben
This scenario is a simulation and does not have any political message.
Operation Sizzling Dragon (4.379) 1.0.3 by ben
Operation Sizzling Dragon
Author ben
SITUATION:
Enemy:
- An Olvana Peoples Army Tank Battalion is approaching from the East.
- They are equipped with Type 96 tanks and Type 86 infantry fighting vehicles. (T72B1 and BMP2)
- Enemy Intent: Find and engage 2nd Tank regiment in order to prevent their further advance South.
Own:
- BRAVO Squadron 10x CV90/35.
- A1 Platoon 4x Leopard 2A5A1-DK.
Bravo 11 has just spotted an enemy column of Type 96 tanks and Type 86 infantry fighting vehicles marching West on route DEVIL!
You have not yet been observed.
MISSION:
Guard the East Flank of 2nd Regiment in order to prevent enemy disruption of their advance south on route KING.
EXECUTION:
- At your discretion.
- You may end the mission at any time once the Enemy attack has been repeled.
FIRE SUPPORT:
- 4 tubes 120mm mortar: 54x HE, 15x SMK each.
SCORING:
- Repel the Enemy Attack = 60%
- Survival of your forces = 40% (10% lost = 40%, 90% lost = 0%)
Victory = 60%
Major Victory = 80%
Dogs Of War Vehicles : (in mission)
Leopard 2A5A1-DK:
Click here
CV 90/35-DK:
Click here
********************************
** Notes **
********************************
SB Version: 4.3103
Mission Name: Operation Sizzling Dragon (4.379) 1.0.3
Created by: ben
Available at: https://www.steelbeasts.com/files/file/3191-defense-at-vollsjo/
Modified by: N/A
Multi-Crew: Yes
Single Crew: Yes
Largest command: Company
Smallest command: Crew Position
Mission Duration: 360 minutes
Minimum number players: 2
Date: Wednesday Mission 5/8/26
Time: 18:00 GMT
Time (local): Click here
Teamspeak IP: 104.153.105.2:35200
Room: Steel Beasts Pro
Player Skill/Ability:
• Complete at least 1 tutorial for Leopard 2A5 or CV 90/35-DK.
• Working knowledge of Comms procedure.
• HAVOC designated members and Red Alert.
• Our goal is to have the DOW session more immersive and realistic.
Manning list:
B-66 CV 90/35-DK:
Leopard 2A5s
A-11:
A-12:
A-14:
A-13:
CV 90/35-DKs
B-11:
B-12:
B-14:
B-21:
B-22:
B-24:
B-31:
B-32:
B-34:
Any position:
Mission discussion Click here