The Empire Strikes Back. New Stretch Goals!
over 2 years ago – Fri, Sep 24, 2021 at 09:28:41 AM

Greetings loyal subjects!

We have been reading your latest comments against your superiors, and quite frankly, they are extremely hurtful. Not one of you said, “I like my Imperials like I like my gods… all-knowing, merciful, and good looking.” We may be mighty rulers, we may have pillaged a few lands, but we have feelings too. 😭😭 Now, I must ensure my fellow Imperials are not traumatized by your nasty tantrums.

To make us all feel better, I’m hosting a dinner party! But I need you, my loyal subjects, to help me find some friends worthy of a seat at the table. Tell me about your favorite, most glorious Imperial powers - apart from me, of course. I’ll wine them, dine them, and perhaps someday even conquer them. We shall have a feast fit for history! But first:

“Who is your favorite Imperial?”

A weak smattering of applause breaks out, as members of the crowd look at each other with pity and amusement.

A defiant heckler raises their hand, “A dead Imperial is my favorite kind of Imperial!”

A young boy bursts out laughing, “Have your little party with your overdressed friends.”

A third bystander steps forth with a megaphone, “Enjoy your little roast. But we’ll have a roast of our own too. For every 'glorious Imperial' you invite, we will tell the world about all the inglorious deeds they committed.”

Toast or Roast?

• The Imperials want you to make their dinner party guest list. Recommend your favorite Imperial ruler for their feast. Drop a Kickstarter comment with #toast and let them know who your favorite ruler is, real or fictional. 
• The Rebels want you to counter by letting the world know why these tyrants are awful. Roast the Imperial powers who have been recommended by replying to a #toast comment with #roast. 
• Check out our stretch goals section for more details and to track progress!
• Complete the Imperial stretch goals to upgrade the Crown! Complete the Rebel stretch goals to upgrade the Shackle!
• Here’s an example: Imperial #toast: King Mufasa from the Lion King deserves an invite for his reassuring baritone and cloud cameo. Rebel #roast: He made all his subjects gather around to sing about being eaten by his newborn son. That’s messed up! Check this out: https://youtu.be/DFtBjc1dz7w?t=182 

 Here’s a mock-up of how good the Shackle and Crown will look at the end :

Major Event Alert! Become A Monument #2!
over 2 years ago – Thu, Sep 23, 2021 at 12:44:11 AM

How does oppression flourish? When people become bystanders to injustice, the oppressors have free reign to abuse their power. Historically, speaking truth to power is a premium, reserved for the courageous - for those with the reckless selflessness to dissent. There is a reason every dictator has prioritized censorship, silenced comedians, commentators, and dissenters.

Dissent has been used as a tool to illuminate, inspire and provoke citizens from times immemorial. The Americans dumped the source of their contentious tax into the sea. Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, and Jesse Owens raised his fist to black power.

In AZADI, dissent is a major mechanic used to defy the Imperials, with some help from your fellow rebels. Remember - dissent is every revolutionary’s strongest weapon and every regime’s greatest threat.

Become a Monument! Major Competition #2 - Dissent!

Tell us about the most remarkable acts of dissent that you have come across!

• Write #dissent with your answer in the comments section, along with a line or two about what makes them powerful.
• You can choose any real-world event. Can be historic, recent, or even ongoing.
• Entries will be judged on the basis of political relevance, uniqueness, and overall badassery.
• We are only accepting entries till Friday, 11:59 pm EST.
• Here’s ours: In 2015, inspired by a world-famous Swedish photograph from 1985 of a protestor hitting out at a Nazi demonstration, a statue of the woman with her handbag in full swing was set to be installed at the main square in southern Swedish town Växjö. But the council’s culture committee tore up the decision, claiming the statue promoted violence. In protest against the council’s decision, handbags started to mysteriously appear on statues across Sweden. Read more about it here: https://www.thelocal.se/20150219/swedes-rally-in-bizarre-handbag-protest/ 

The winner of this contest will be featured on one of our 6 Monument Cards! This is your chance to immortalize yourself as one of our beautiful illustrations.

SHASN All-Stars Contest Winner!

Our SHASN All-Stars contest had several delightful entries by many of you. The brutal Imperials hold nothing over your power-packed squads! We are excited for you to meet the winner -

🎊 Chris Williams is the face of our first Monument! 🎊

Here’s the winning entry:

#allstars (Kiwi Edition)

Capitalist: Stephen Tindall, a local NZ success story, started a store in 1982 called The Warehouse. He made work fun and respected his employees. Over 17 years he grew The Warehouse into a chain of stores nationwide, worth over NZ$1 billion. But he made sure never to forget the people who made up his team. Stepping down in 2001, he now runs the Tindall Foundation, focusing on environmental, social, and sustainability issues.

Supremo: Princess Te Puea Hērangi, Māori princess who founded Tūrangawaewae (A place to stand) marae (meeting house) at Ngāruawāhia in the Waikato region of Aotearoa New Zealand. She saved some 100 orphans during the influenza epidemic of 1918 and took them to Ngāruawāhia where she and her supporters built a community. She was a founding member of the Kingitanga movement which founded a Māori dynasty to challenge the British Crown.

Showstopper: Taika Waititi (Writer, Director, Actor, Artist. His credits include: Boy, Hunt for the Wilder People, Thor 3, Two Cars One Night, Jojo Rabbit, What We Do in the Shadows, Reservation Dogs, and the Mandalorian)

Idealist: Kate Sheppard, a key member of the women’s suffrage movement in New Zealand, whose efforts meant that New Zealand women were the first in the western world to be afforded the right to vote in elections, in September 1893.

Congratulations Chris Williams! The Rebels are thrilled to have you and your team leading the charge.

PS - We just completed this entire round of stretch goals! A big thank you to everyone for coming together. New stretch goals coming tomorrow, stay tuned!

Long live the revolution,

Zain Memon and Abhishek Lamba

New Ideologues, Who Dis?
over 2 years ago – Thu, Sep 23, 2021 at 12:43:53 AM

Greetings fellow rebels!

Today, our 4 Ideologues have taken a break from the frontlines for some big news!

BRAND NEW IDEOLOGUE ART!

This new artwork has been illustrated by our fantastic art director Soumik Lahiri - the visual genius behind SHASN and SHASN: AZADI.

“We wanted our new Ideologues to be ethnically and culturally diverse, but also be contextual to the periods of history that AZADI covers. A departure from the modern style of the existing Ideologues, I hope this new artwork helps immerse players into the story of revolution through the ages.” - Soumik Lahiri

These artworks are still WIP and will keep developing over the coming months. Do tell us what you think! We’d love to hear from you.

Contest Alert!

“Every joke is a tiny Revolution” - George Orwell

One of the best ways to strip somebody of power is to make fun of them. There’s a reason authoritarian regimes always go after the satirists and comedians first. Let’s make them proud and take down the Imperials a peg or two.

For our next contest, all you have to do is complete the following sentence -

“I like my Imperials like I like my…”

• Write #imperials and drop your answer in our Kickstarter comments section!
• Entries will be judged on the basis of creativity and humor.
• Remember, no hate speech or slurs.
• We will only accept entries until Thursday, 23rd September 11:59 PM EST.
• Here’s an example: "I like my Imperials like I like my Star Wars... in a galaxy far, far away."

The 4 winners of this contest will get their faces on one of our Foundation Cards!

The Showstopper Needs You!

We are almost done with this round of stretch goals! Let’s help get The Showstopper over the line. All you need to do now is tell us about your favorite creators from underrepresented communities. Simply write #showstopper with your answer in the Kickstarter comments section!

Long live the revolution,

Zain Memon and Abhishek Lamba

Major Event Alert! Assemble Your Squad of AZADI All-Stars!
over 2 years ago – Sun, Sep 19, 2021 at 04:11:12 AM

Every revolution has its heroes. When the walls of oppression close in, time and again, ordinary individuals have risen to the occasion to become the face of a movement. The Indian pantheon of freedom fighters celebrates figures ranging from Gandhi, the architect of nonviolent civil disobedience, to Bhagat Singh, the rationalist intellectual who opted for an armed insurgency.

History remembers those with the courage to lead from the front. Revolutionaries of all shapes and sizes have left their mark on our collective, cultural imagination. Today, Gandhi’s face can be seen on every Indian currency note. Popularised by Bhagat Singh, “Inquilab Zindabad” (Long Live The Revolution) endures as a battle cry against oppression heard on college campuses, protest grounds, and everywhere in between.

In AZADI, you too can build your legacy. Every time you trigger an Azadi Card or complete an action on an Azadi Card, you will earn a Legacy token. The more initiative you take, the louder your voice in the war room. The player with the highest Legacy chooses where new zones and Resistance Cards will be placed. You can also spend your Legacy to build a Monument, which comes into effect if your nation gains Azadi. These Monument cards offer massive new powers and can be upgraded to unleash even more combos. There are only 6 Monuments in the game, so move fast to get the one you want!

Become A Monument! Major Competition #1

Picture this: the most brutal, oppressive regime possible has clamped down on your country. Free speech is a thing of the past, dissent means a lifetime of imprisonment, and it’s either fall in line or into your grave. However, it is only times of crisis that inspire revolutionary leadership - individuals with the will to sacrifice and persevere through outrageous odds and dire consequences. Who do you want to fight by your side?

Assemble Your SHASN All-Stars!

Put together your squad of SHASN all-stars, who you would bet on to successfully seize Azadi from the jaws of oppression!

• Each rebel that you select must correspond to one of the 4 Ideologues - one enterprising Capitalist, one fiery Supremo, one thunderous Showstopper, and one utopian Idealist.
• Write #allstars with your answer in the Kickstarter comments section, along with a line or two about why you’ve picked this team.
• You can choose anyone - dead or alive, real or fictional. Go wild!
• Entries will be judged on the basis of their creativity, political acumen, and ‘oomph factor’.
• We are only accepting entries till 11:59 pm EST on Monday, 20th Sept.
• Here’s ours: Ozymandias from Watchmen (Capitalist), Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones (Supremo), Greta Thunberg (Showstopper), and B.R. Ambedkar (Idealist).

The winner of this contest will be featured on one of our 6 gorgeous Monument Cards! Here’s how cool you can expect this to look: 

Here’s your chance to immortalise your contributions to the revolution.

PS - We still have a ways to go for our current round of stretch goals! Give your favorite creators a shout-out on social media to help out the Showstopper, and mention your favorite organizations for change to help out the Capitalist! Check Update #8 for more details!

Long live the revolution,

Zain Memon and Abhishek Lamba

The Revolution Grows! New Stretch Goals Unlocked!
over 2 years ago – Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 03:47:12 PM

Greetings fellow rebels!

Congratulations on unlocking all the previous stretch goals! You have now added 4 additional AZADI cards in each of our revolutions! Our Ideologues have been deeply inspired by your contributions in keeping this movement politically engaged. Thank you for keeping the revolutionary fire alive!

We have compiled your incredible submissions on the AZADI BGG Page. Let this ‘Library of Revolution’ be a touchpoint for all future political and cultural rebels, and for anybody else seeking inspiration.

The most incendiary revolutionary media: https://bit.ly/3nFPrVk

Works of art that could be even better without their colonial/imperial themes: https://bit.ly/3nEFuHU

The most rousing songs of revolution: https://bit.ly/3zkyzWi

And now onto our next set of stretch goals!

The revolution cannot be won alone. The Capitalist is feeling generous and wants to share the glory. The Supremo is raging at Imperialist entitlement and delusion. The Showstopper wants to celebrate our allies, and the Idealist wants to transform our movement into a groundswell!

• The Capitalist | 4 Narrative Introduction Videos for the base campaigns! | Share at least 25 organizations amplifying underrepresented voices. ⚠️Write #Capitalist with your answer in the Kickstarter page comments section! (We love the work that Red Planet BnC is doing.)
• The Supremo | 6 Additional Foundational Cards | “Shit Imperials Say.” Share at least 20 ridiculous quotes by colonials and their apologists. ⚠️Write #Supremo with your answer in the Kickstarter page comments section and add a link to the source. (Here’s one: Phil Eklund’s essay in the defense of British colonialism.)
  PLEASE NOTE: The purpose behind this activity is not to signal boost problematic content or individuals, but to highlight and scrutinise the rhetoric that passes off as legitimate in our public discourse, so that we as a society can better ascertain what ideas we want to champion.
• The Showstopper | Add a multi-layered vacuform with lids inside the AZADI box |
  Make at least 20 social media posts tagging your favourite creators from underrepresented communities, and appreciate their work. ⚠️Tag @shasnthegame on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook in your post. (We love ThinkerThemer: https://twitter.com/shasnthegame/status/1438474604234694659)
• The Idealist | 2 Additional Unique Zones | 1150 backers on Kickstarter.

The Idealist is currently leading the stretch goal revolution but the Showstopper trailing far behind. Will the ??? Revolution see the light of day? The people of ██████████████ need your help!

PS - Don’t forget to tune in on Saturday for a major competition where you stand a chance to Become a Monument in the game! There are only 6 monuments in AZADI, so don’t miss your chance.

We'll be in touch. Over and out,

The Rebels