Shardana: Hydro Trail GP

The year is 2395

Nearly a decade after the war that shook the Outer Colonies and brought the Avignon Empire to its knees, the Confederation of Shardana, an idyllic ocean world in the Aurelia System, has finally returned to relative normalcy. As the hulks of orbital warships float along coastlines lined with rubble, it’s clear that the worst has come to pass - and now, the only way to go is foward.

Forward into an uncertain, if ever so hopeful, future.

Organized by the Deadalus Consortium, an association of local companies aiming to "relaunch" the planet's economy, Hydro Trail GP is an all-new naval racing championship designed to "bring offworld engagement" to the otherwise niche Shardanian national sport. A way to show, through glamourous racing events and cutting edge technology, that Shardana is prepared for the future.

The eyes of the galaxy turn as one, craving entertainment.

Recruited from the ranks of the Consortium itself, five racing teams are taking part in the inaugural season - bringing with them old rivalries and setting the stage for whole new ones. And so, as the lights go green and jet engines roar awake, trillions of minds suddenly find themselves in tune - a single sentence flashing forth in that magical split second before all hell breaks lose on track.

For the love of God, please don't mess it up.

Shardana: Hydro Trail GP is a 4-player nautical racing board game inspired by WipEout, Rapid Racer and actual powerboat racing - bringing a mix of high-octane arcade action and high-stakes precision maneuvers to the comfort of a rules-light "racing tactics" system. 

Each player takes control of a BXS Series Racing Chassis, all designed for a particular driving style and armed with a unique Equipment Piece to turn the odds in its favor - whether it's simple Naval Airbrakes or Self-Repair Nanites.

By default, the game also comes with six courses through which said chasses can be raced, all of which are easily set up thanks to a modular "Marker Buoy" system - mirroring the way real powerboat competitions set up their courses. Thanks to this same modularity however, players can just as easily build their own tracks - a process facilitated by the Custom Venue Profiles available in the game's free Companion Booklet.

Fasten your seatbelts and link up your drink for Hydro Trail GP!