A standalone expansion for the Space War themed Deck Building Game Star Realms. Released on shelves on October 2018, the game is set in a new area of space following the events of the Unity expansion.
Centuries before the Blob invasion, the Trade Federation experimented with Warp Gate technology. With initial success a Colony Fleet sent through the experimental gateway. But the Fleet never arrived. An investigation showed that repeated use of the Gate creates "space-time fractures", resulting in failure. With many lives and wealth apparently lost, the experiment ended.
In the present, The Trade Federation is displeased with how the Colony Wars has turned out. They reinvest into the old experimental warp tech, and finally figure out how to use it safely. Far from the other factions, the Federation is able to expand into new worlds.
But spies got a hold of the new warp technology, selling it to the other factions. Now the Factions are once again racing to secure a position in this new frontier.
Part of a very successful Kickstarter campaign, Frontiers is the first set of nine to be produced. The other forthcoming expansions include:
- Stellar Allies, a booster pack of twelve multifaction cards.
- Command Decks, similar to Hero Realms Character Packs. Here, a Player takes command of one of the Multifaction Commanders and their forces. Along with the already established Unity, Union, Alliance, and Coalition groups, there are two new factions. The Federation/Blob Pact, and The Empire/Cult Alignment.
- The Lost Fleet, a Command Pack featuring the newly introduced group.
Frontiers can be played by itself, or integrated with previous Star Realms sets.
Star Realms Frontiers provide examples of:
- All Your Base Are Belong to Us / Storming the Castle: Presumably how the Empire gained control of the Captured Outpost. Depending on the player's preference or Commander alignment, it's either one of these tropes.
- All There in the Manual: The Manual for Frontiers contains the backstory of the Major Factions, as well as an introduction to each of the Challenges. The Kickstarter page explains the backstory of the Frontier set itself.
- The Cracker: In the backstory, hackers manage to gain access to the Trade Federation technology. They become very rich hackers once they sell the information to the highest bidders.
- Eldritch Abomination: The Dimensional Horror challenge. An extra-dimensional tentacled nightmare, it found our way into our universe as a result of the earlier failed Warp gate experiment.
- Forgotten Phlebotinum: The experimental Warp Gate technology. It was used a few times, and was mothballed because of a massive failure. It's only centuries later and lackluster profits that convinces the Federation to try using it again.
- The Fundamentalist: The Machine Cult forces in the Madness of the Machine challenge. Usually the Cult isn't this fanatical. But due to previous damage, one Brain World has gone a bit extreme. The supercomputer believes everyone must convert to the Cult, or die.
- Giant Squid: The Crusher looks and acts like the spaceship version of one of these. Even the art has the craft living up to it's name, destroying a space station like a kraken.
- Hive Queen: A Blob ship. Downplayed in that it isn't a Monster Lord. It is very huge, bright red, expensive, and very spiky compared to other less powerful Blob craft.
- Mighty Glacier: Blob Alpha. A ship that can deal a whopping amount of Damage, but has a high cost and no other abilities.
- Ramming Always Works: The Blobs have several new ships with this penchant. The art for the aptly named Pulverizer and Burrower cards has them slamming into enemy units.
- Solo Tabletop Game: Right off the bat, the game includes several extra-sized solo/co-op Challenge cards. In addition to the mega-sized Pirates of the Dark Star and Nemesis Beast, there are two new enemies to beat. Four of the Challenges are Faction specific, where the player must struggle against one of the Major Powers.
- Wave-Motion Gun: The Orbital Gun Platform is armed with one of these. The art shows several of these platforms, most of which is the Gun itself.
