Village Gamer

Kerberos Productions, which launched its first Kickstarter campaign last month for the sci-fi wargame Sword of the Stars: Ground Pounders, continues to offer the general public, as well as Kickstarter supporters, the opportunity to get hands-on with the game by releasing an Android device Alpha demo to Google Play for free.  As well, the PC Alpha demo, which was released through GamersHell.com in August, is being updated with air and engineering units. Inspired by classic wargames like Panzer General, Ground Pounders is a hex-based, turn-based science fiction strategy game, designed to give gamers a new twist on traditional turn-based warfare.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ulomg-owq0s]

In the final release version of Sword of the Stars: Ground Pounders, players will control an army from one of three playable factions, each comprised of several dozen of types of units. As the general of this high tech science-fiction army, you will lead your heroic Ground Pounders across a variety of alien worlds, increase their experience levels and abilities over the course of three military Campaigns, and use them to unlock special Combat Cards that can add unique effects to every phase of gameplay.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGwxq5yNfus]

Ground Pounders will be playable in single-player mode or head-to-head in multi-player battles. Multi-player match-ups will also be playable across multiple platforms — the game in development will allow players on a PC to lock horns against players on all Android-compatible devices. But to get there, Kerberos needs the support of strategy gamers who have long sought a classic-style wargame that they can play at home or pick and up play on the go.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yyh4yG9Ews]

The Kickstarter campaign for Ground Pounders is unusual, with the developers seeking just $42,000 to cover the final three months of development, rather than more typical campaigns which attempt to raise the full budget for a full dev cycle. Instead, Kerberos has plans to take the game from its current Alpha state through an exclusive Beta period to release at lightning speed—with the projected final release date being December 2013. At press time, the campaign has 10 days to go and has raised $ 16, 661 of its $ 42, 000.00 goal.

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxd3Ik1bdds]

Base Features:

• Control one of 3 armies – Human, Tarka, and Hivers
• 80+ units covering land, sea, and air
• Battle across alien worlds on exotic battlefields, including airless moons, lava plains, and meteor blasted wastelands
• Seize orbital superiority and call down bombardments on your foes
• Build airfields, fortify areas, and repair or destroy bridges
• Improve your unit’s experience and abilities over 3 campaigns
• Unlock and collect combat cards for each race.
• Build unique decks and even tune them for specific battles
• Dozens of scenarios to play in skirmish mode or cross-platform multiplayer
• Scenario and unit editors will allow players to create and trade battles
• SotSdex filled with lore details on famous units, personalities, battles and weapon systems

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGEFO1OeICo]