In the first article for this series looking at Beyond The Gates of Antares from Warlord Games we gave a broad overview of the game and its basic mechanics. With this next piece we're going to explore the background of each of the factions in some more depth and fill you in as to just who these enigmatic races are...

Boromites

Among panhumans, the Boromites are one of the more extreme physical morphs. Originating from the mining colonies of Borum, they have evolved from the early settlers into large, robust and thick skinned panhumans. They are among the toughest and most unusual looking of the human morphs.

The Boromites have expanded into all of Antarean space by leave of the Concord and the Isorians. The Boromites maintain strong contact with each other across these vast distances with the aid of the Freeborn, who have expansive and lucrative trade connections at their disposal.

When engaged in warfare, several guilds will combine to work together and see off a common enemy, using mining equipment as weapons. These would be the likes of mass compactors and the much feared frag borer. Their reflex armour shielding nodes which protect them are embedded directly into their own thick hide.

They also make use of beasts found upon any world they are mining, such as the fearsome lava mites, whose very breath can cut through the toughest fortification.

Freeborn

The Freeborn are merchants and traders, who, due to their neutral stance manage to deal with most the races in Antarean space. They maintain a few hidden worlds, acting as their main supply bases. They recognise only one authority, their own.

Each household has a lord, known as the Vardo. Feuds often erupt between rival houses, and against anyone who threatens their trade routes. They also deal in human services, such as hiring out mercenaries. Theses soldiers are armed and equipped by the Freeborn and are recruited by the rest of humanity that are spread throughout Antarean space.

When the Vardo goes to war it is with a mix of these mercenaries and their own troops, who, despite their links to higher technology, favour mag guns and reflex shielding, to save on costs (penny pinchers!). It is within the ruling class that the best weapons and armour are utilised.

The Ghar Empire

The Ghar are a vicious race, living only for war, expanding their empire to enslave all other humans. Descended from genetically bred slave soldiers, they have been at war with the Algoryn Prosperate for centuries. They are small, with spindly arms and legs and short bodies but are rarely seen out if their heavily armoured and armed battle suits.

Cruel and sadistic, they punish those who disobey their overlords commands, forcing them out of their armoured skins and into groups armed with basic weapons, either scouting ahead or using them as a living meat shield. The Ghar use weapons created in their slave factories or trade with the few freeborn that would deal with them.

The Algoryn Prosperate

The empire of the Algoryn is one of the largest and most advanced of the independent federations. On their borders are the Isorians, Panhuman Concord and the Ghar. As a result of the constant warfare between the Ghar, and occasional wars with the other empires on their border, the Algoryn society is that of a warrior culture.

Every citizen is a warrior, where service and duty are held above everything. It is in these elite armoured infantry units where the greatest honour is to be had. The Algoryn military features a strict segregation of caste and gender. Heralding from their home planet of Algoryn, they are another of the more extreme forms of panhuman.

Featuring crest like growths on their bald heads and scaly keratin forming on their arms, necks and shoulders, this protects them from the harsh twin suns of Algor.

The Algoryn go to war in practical and effective armour, with reflex shielding built into the suits, armed with mag guns. They also make sure to bring with them heavier plasma based weaponry in support. They are the most warlike of all the races.

Concord

The Panhuman Concord are the largest and most powerful of the civilisations in the seventh age. They are ruled by the powerful New Human, of which the Mandarins are the most dominant. These tall and hyper-intelligent beings are to be feared by all. These NuHu are few in number and differ from other humans due to co-evolving with the sentient integrated machine intelligence, IMTel.

The military arm of the concord, the Concord Combined Command, or C3, are made up of strike units, featuring plasma rifle armed strike troopers. They utilise drone technology as weaponised support. Protected by hyper light shielding, they are the most technologically advanced race in all of Antarean space.

Isorian Shard

The world of Isori was the first of Earths settlements to be terraformed, and colonised independently of our home planet. Second only to the Concord's empire, the Isorians are also ruled by the NuHu, but the two cultures differ in a strange way. At the end of the sixth age, the Isorians were cut off and became isolated for a time.

During the centuries they explored local space, coming across another interstellar species. During the long war, which led to the eventual defeat of these aliens, the IMTel absorbed a portion of their foes silicon-based organic technology, giving the appearance of the Isorians you see today.

Their military resembles closely that of the Concord's strike teams, but some of their weaponry is more…alien. Their infantry are armed with plasma weapons, but they wear space warping phase armour. This coupled with their look is further testament to their unique appearance.

I hope that gives you more of an insight into the various races and factions with Beyond The Gates of Antares. Watch out for more soon where we'll be playing out a battle between some of them to test their mettle on the field of battle.

Sam Phillips

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