![New Game Round-up: Ashes to Ashes, To Russia With Love & Return We Will to Old Brazil](https://cf.geekdo-images.com/X8qZTU9q8efM43utKVVQ6Q__thumb/img/OWmXipVqktlhDuPRafb0jTJAvPw=/fit-in/200x150/filters:strip_icc()/pic2786349.jpg)
To start with, two expansion decks — the mono natural magic deck The Frostdale Giants and the mono ceremonial magic deck The Children of Blackcloud — will be released in April 2016, with illusion and charm magic decks to follow in August at Gen Con 2016. From the press release: "Following that, a box set with four decks and two new types of dice — Sympathy and Divine magic — will arrive in November. That will be followed in 2017 by going back to releasing two decks every three months, each of which will feature decks that explore combining the old and new dice."
PHG will open preorders for these first two decks — as well as an exclusive Lulu Firststone Phoenixborn promotional card — in February 2016. The Ashes base game and these two expansions will also be released in French, German, Italian, and Polish in April 2016, with other languages to follow later.
In 2016, Ashes tournaments will take place at the Origins Game Fair and Gen Con, and should you need encouragement to practice for those events Plaid Hat Games will release an Organized Play Kit in April 2016 to coincide with the debut of the first expansions, with this OP Kit containing "twelve alternate art Conjuration Cards for all participants, two alternate art Phoenixborn cards, one playmat, and instructions on how to access the current Tournament Rules, FAQ, and other downloadable content to help organized your events". Vega writes, "Depending on the popularity of the first OP kit, we plan to keep releasing new kits alongside expansions to the games every three months, depending on demand."
• Designers Nuno Bizarro Sentieiro and Paulo Soledade and Italian publisher What's Your Game? have already worked together on Madeira and Nippon, and they're partnering again on Brasil, although the title doesn't have a release date yet. An overview:
Most of the wealth in Europe had its origins in the colonies of that time. Brazil, for example, was the number one provider of gold, and Portugal lived a prosperous long time from it. Some people maintain that the industrial revolution was in part financed by the metal that came from Brazil.
The game of Brasil is played with cards. More than a simple game about mining, it requires that players combine actions to develop the region by building essential infrastructures like houses, stores, farms, churches and roads. Players build their path to wealth by keeping in mind the changing characteristics of the region, the moves and needs of other players, and the common good of the vibrant and prosperous Vila Rica.
Impressions from playtesting #SolariusMission which will be published by #Spielworxx 2016 3/4 pic.twitter.com/1ATD74MfOh
— ode. (@AndreasOdendahl) December 8, 2015
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn't open in the U.S. until December 18, 2015, but it's nigh impossible to avoid seeing Star Wars products everywhere you look — Star Wars limited edition Colorlicious Lipstick anyone? — including some that you might actually want to purchase but likely cannot, such as this Star Wars-themed Russian version of Seiji Kanai's Love Letter.
AEG's Todd Rowland posted the pic on Facebook, noting that "it can only be sold in Russia due to licensing reasons". Who will successfully deliver the plans for the Death Star to Princess Leia? If a Russian BGGer wants to make some cash from U.S. gamers, you know what to do...