AT-43

AT-43
	AT-43: Operation Damocles box
Manufacturers	Rackham
Publishers	Rackham
Years active	2006 to present
Players	2+
Skills	Strategy
Website	www.at-43.com

AT-43 is a science fiction tabletop wargame using 28mm miniatures and terrain to scale developed and published by the french company Rackham.

Released in December 2006, the game features pre-painted plastic miniatures of mechs and infantry units with corresponding cards showing the stats and gameplay options for each unit type. The first published product in the game line is the starter box "Operation Damocles" which comes with (abridged) multi-lingual rules. The game also boasts a new "interchangeable-parts" feature that will allow player to reconfigure their models, although the first wave of miniatures in the starter box are only partially suited for that since most of their exchangeable parts are glued fix.

The full rule set will be available as a 126 pages hardcover on Feb 14th in France, a translated english version will be published Mid-March 2007, other translations will be published at the same time or shortly after.

Unlike the metal miniatures in its other games which are produced in-house, Rackham is outsourcing the production of the pre-painted plastic figures for AT-43 to China, but the French company has taken great care to supervise the production closely to obtain the highest quality in both production and painting.

Universe

In AT-43, humanity is at war with the technologically advanced Therians, a presumably robotic species bent on subjugating and transforming all planets for their ultimate purpose: the crafting of a "better", more organized universe under their rule, which they refer to as their "therian heaven". Humanity is seen by them as nothing more than pathetic, primitive animals. The center of mankind is the planet Ava, which came under attack by the Therians. The United Nations of Ava managed to push back the invaders, but bitter fighting left the planet in ruins. This pivotal event is referred to as the Trauma. 43 years later, the human forces launched a counterattack under the codename "Operation Damocles" on one of the Therian's so called Factory Planets, the starting point for the AT-43 miniatures game.

Besides the external threat of the Therians, humanity is still fighting against each other: The Red Blok, a revolutionary faction with communist ideals, is at odds with the United Nations of Ava.

An alien race with as yet unknown motives are the Karmans, highly evolved, sentient apes from the planet Karma. They are somehow allied with humanity in their war against the Therians, although not much is known about them yet.

Inspirations

Main inspirations for AT-43 were typical Science-Fiction tropes from the 1950's and 1960's, but updated with a modern slant. The Cold War and the escalating conflicts from that period are also themes in the game. Stylistically, the game tries not to depict a dystopian future, but a future where propaganda from each side paints everything in bright colours.

Armies

The U.N.A. White Stars are typical sci-fi space military, supported by heavy mechs.
Therians are an invading alien race with skeletal, cybernetic troops.
Red Blok is a second human army which will be available early 2007.
Karmans are an alien simian race, their availability has yet to be announced.

In addition, sources at Rackham indicate that there will be a total of 8 playable armies released, one per year.

Products

Rackham has cancelled the boxed army sets. See below for the '07 release schedule.

AT-43 Initiation Set: Operation Damocles

The Initiation Set box is both a complete game for 2 players and an introduction to the rules of AT-43. The White Stars forces face, over several missions, the terrifying Therian aliens on one of their Factory-planets. These scenarios allow you to get acquainted with the basics of the game in a simplified form at first, and then step by step into strategic depth. The box contains all the necessary material for two players to play the six missions of the handbook. Three bonus scenarios are also included so as to integrate forces from the White Stars and the Therian Army Boxes.

Contents of the box:

A 120 page full color Rules handbook in 5 languages (English, Spanish, German, Italian and French), with dozens of photos and illustrations; 19 plastic miniatures, assembled and painted (17 foot soldiers and 2 Combat Striders); 1 game support poster (illustrated on both sides); Terrain elements: 2 generators, 6 low wall sections, 1 container; Game material: 6 Rackham d6, 1 AT-43 ribbon ruler, and 9 AT-43 reference cards. Release date: December 1, 2006

2007 Release Schedule

The Army Boxes have been cancelled. Instead, items will be release in unit boxes. Here is the release schedule according to the AT-43 forums.

Mi-January 2007 :

- CRY HAVOC 13

- Ava Daily n° 1 (The Ava Daily is a free promotional newpaper )

- UNEL01 Unit Box : Steel troopers Box of 6 miniatures + 6 alternative heads. 3 cards : Steel trooper/Steel trooper with alternative equipment / Steel trooper sergeant

- THEL02 Unit Box Storm golems Box of 6 miniatures 3 cards : Storm golem (x3)

- ATAC02 Accessory Expansion Set 2

Mi-February 2007 :

- Ava Daily n° 2

- UNTA01 Unit Box : Steel TacArm Box of 3 miniatures • 3 Steel TacArm + 1 Torso / kit leader, with laser gun x 2 2 cards : Steel TacArm / Sergeant Steel TacArm

- THTA01 Unit Box : Bane goliath Box of 3 miniatures • 3 Bane Goliath + 1 Torso / kit leader, with nucleus gun x 2 2 cards : BG/BG alpha

- UNC102 Unit Box : Fire Toad Damoclès + Container.

- UNC103 Unit Box : Fire Toad with weapons variants, new color + Container • 1 fire toad with light laser cannon (x 2) + 1 container (with new card and weapon)

- ATAC01 Accessory Expansion Set 1

Mi-March 2007 :

- At-43 , Advanced Rules.

- Ava Daily n° 3

- CRY HAVOC 14

- THC202 Wraith golgoth Damoclès + Container.

- THC203 Wraith golgoth weapon variant, new color + Container 1 WG with medium nucleus cannon/medium sonic cannon + 1 container (with new weapon) • 3 cards : WG (medium nucleus cannon/medium sonic cannon)/WG (with new weapon)

- THEL03 Attachment Box : Storm golems Box of 6 miniatures including 1 overseer Storm Golem with nano blaster/reaper blades 2 Storm Golem with sonic gun 2 Storm Golem with flamer 1 Storm Golem with nano blaster/reaper blades • 7 cards : 5 overseer cards + 1 SG with sonic gun + 1 SG with flamer.

- UNEL02 Attachment Box : Steel troopers Box of 6 miniatures 1 officer Steel Trooper with laser rifle/combat knife/grenades 1 ST with missile launcher 1 ST with MG 1 ST with laser gun 1 ST medic with laser rifle/combat knife/grenades 1 ST mécano with laser rifle/combat knife/grenades 6 alternative heads with optic google • 8 cards : 5 officer cards + 1 ST withmissile launcher + 1 ST avec MG + 1 SG with laser gun

- UNRE01 Unit Box : Star troopers Box of 8 miniatures 7 Star Troopers with assault rifle/combat knife/grenades/casque + 1 ST with machine gun 8 alternative heads + 1 leader head + 1 leader head variant • 3 cards : Star trooper/Star trooper optic google/star trooper Sergeant

Mi-April 2007 - part of the April new releases:

- THC101 Unit Box : Hekat Mecha 1 C1 Therian Mecha • 2 cards : Hekat + Hekat Alpha

- THRE01 Unit Box : Assault medusa 4 Assault Medusa with nucleus rifle + 1 AM with nucleus gun 1 kit leader

AT-43

Universe

Inspirations

Armies

Products

External links

See also