Visitors to Tabletop Scotland this weekend were treated to an unexpected first look at the next stage for Guntower Games’ sci-fi board game, Pandora Celeste. The publisher was publicly playtesting and demoing the upcoming Pirates & Salvage expansion, a quiet debut for the new content at the Edinburgh convention.
The expansion was first announced earlier this year at UK Games Expo, with Geek Native reporting that a Gamefound campaign was in the works. While that crowdfunding launch has not yet been officially scheduled, the presence of a playable version at Tabletop Scotland suggests that development is progressing well. The Guntower Games stand, a popular spot throughout the weekend, gave players the first chance to contend with the new threats.
Pirates & Salvage introduces a new faction to the beleaguered crew of the CSS Pandora: a team of pirate marauders with their own chaotic agenda. This new crew includes Wekka Wabbit, a psychotic bunny with a penchant for explosives; Androidgyna, a rogue spec-ops droid; and The Whistler, a blind alien who uses echolocation to hunt his targets.
It’s not just pirates who are coming aboard. The expansion also adds several “Big Nasties” to the list of horrors stalking the ship’s corridors. These include The Garr’goyle, which defends itself by turning to stone; The Cyber-slaver, intent on ‘augmenting’ all humanoid life; and The Ulaar, a creature immune to all physical damage that can only be dispatched with a MediKit.
Notably, Guntower Games partnered with Arcadia Game Tables for their convention stand. Rather than using the often-uninspiring and sometimes shonky tables provided by venues, the Pandora Celeste demos took place on one of Arcadia’s professional, purpose-built gaming tables. This collaboration provided a stable and premium playing experience, preventing the common convention mishap of toppling meeples on a wobbly surface. It also served as a practical showcase for Arcadia, allowing potential customers to experience the benefits of a dedicated gaming table firsthand.
While Guntower Games has not yet made an official announcement to backers or via their website about the expansion’s public testing phase, fans eager for the latest information are encouraged to join the mailing list on the official company website.
Quick Links
- Pandora Celeste: Mailing List
A special thanks to All Rolled Up for sponsoring Geek Native’s coverage of Tabletop Scotland. You can find them in the trade hall and explore their fantastic range of indie RPGs and high-quality gaming accessories on the All Rolled Up website. You also also win £50 to spend with them.
