Grinding the ACKS with Tom Kratman

And Announcing the Winner of the ACKS II Treasure Tome Meme Contest

Friends, Aurans, Countrymen -

It’s time to grind your ACKS! Or it’s time for me to, at least. Tonight at 9PM ET I’ll be livestreaming an episode of ACKS To Grind with guest Tom Kratman, a Baen best-selling author of military science-fiction and alternative history.

If you haven’t been watching ACKS To Grind, it’s my weekly livestream with guests working in tabletop game design, fantasy and science-fiction writing, comic creation, and more.

Announcing the Winner of the ACKS II Meme Contest

I am delighted to announce that user Angry_Steak on Twitter has won the ACKS II Meme Contest for his entry. It was a difficult decision and we are grateful for everyone who participated! Angry Steak will be able to commission one full-color full-page interior art piece to appear as a chapter opener in the Treasure Tome.

Here’s the winning entry:

A few other choice selections:

To see all the amazing entries, click here.

Are You a Patron of the ACKS Patreon?

If you're interested in "what's next" for ACKS II, members of the Patreon are getting monthly updates and sneak previews from Before All Others: The Cyclopedia of Elven Civilization. One of the best perks of being part of the Patreon is the opportunity to help shape the design process by seeing the earliest drafts. Those who've been with us for the long-term know that Autarch (me, really) listens intently to the community's playtest feedback.

If you've never checked out the ACKS Patreon, you can find it here. The recurring revenue from the Patreon is what sustains the business during the long spells between Kickstarters, especially in 2023-2024 when sales of ACKS I have dried up during the transition to ACKS II. In today's economy, with inflation making every dollar count, I am exceptionally grateful to everyone who chooses to allocate some of it each month to helping keep Autarch in action.

Support the Community

Once you’ve pledged for the crowdfunding campaign, head on over to these community links:

• Autarch Discord with one of the smartest, nicest gamer communities around

• Autarch Reddit with a sub-set of the aforementioned smartest, nicest gamers

• ACKS Patreon with sneak previews of ACKS II every month

• Ascendant Patreon with a new character and story hook every month

• Autarch Facebook page with news and updates about our projects

• Autarch Twitter channel with brief comments and witty quirks

• Ascendant Comics Facebook page with sneak previews of the upcoming comics

• Ascendant Comics Instagram page with tons of art and cosplay

• Ascendant Comics Twitter channel with short messages and quirky wit

• ACKS Forums with discussion for the game

• Ascendant Forums with FAQ and Errata for the game