By Chief Antares Archivist David Horobin,
supported by Archivist-Aspirant Jon Harrington.
Special thanks to Rick Priestley, Tim Bancroft, Richard Carlisle and others that made this compilation of Antares history possible.
November 7 2025 marks the 10 year anniversary of the release of the “Beyond The Gates Of Antares: Strike Vector One – The Xilos Horizon” boxed set.
The Xilos-Aversary posts commemorate this momentous occasion.
Current 20th Century equivalent of IMTel technology describes BTGOA as:
“Beyond the Gates of Antares” began as a bold sci-fi vision from Rick Priestley and evolved through crowdfunding, community engagement, and a decade of passionate development before its bittersweet sunset in 2025.
And for this Xilos-Aversary there’s no better opportunity look back on the history of the creation and development of the Antares game and have it recorded here for all time (or until the next gate-cycle collapse). Especially since the throw away comment I made on Facebook a few weeks ago that “Someone ought to do a history of Antares”.
Jon Harrington kindly pointed out that the 10 year Anniversary of Xilos Horizon being released and would be great to combine the Xilos-Aversary with a as-close-as-one-can-get to an official history.
A deeper history is broken into different sections because there is just so much to write about.
Prologue: An introduction to the Xilos-Aversary & summary of the history
Part 1: Pre-Dark Space Corp (2010) to Kickstarter cancellation (Feb 2013)
Part 2: Post Kickstarter (Mar 2013) to pre First Edition (Oct 2015)
Part 3: First Edition (Nov 2015 to 2020)
Part 4: Second Edition (2020 to the Xilos-Aversary in 2025)
These will be updated with extra snippets of information as and when the Scrying Stones of Atherion reveal more of their secrets.
Over the next few weeks, the Archivists will be digging deeper into each of major time-frames and delighting your ocular implants with spicy morsels of Builder-Tech levels of knowledge.
But for those of you that cannot wait (or just after a “Brief History of Time”) Archivists have summarized a number of important milestones below.
Condensed History Overview
2010 –
Rik Alexander (computer games guy) shares an idea with Rick Priestly (table top wargaming guy) about potential to develop a table top game within a persistent Real Time Dynamic Gaming Universe.
2012 –
Beyond The Gates Of Antares is formally announced.
2013 –
Kickstarter begins, with the aim to raise £300,000 GBP.
Kickstarter cancelled 28 Feb 2013 before reaching the ending time.
2014 –
Alpha & Beta rules release.
First Boromite & Algoryn metals available at Warlord Games Day Open Day.
2015 –
Concord metals released..
Freeborn metals released.
Strike Vector One: The Xilos Horizon first edition box game goes on sale 7 November 2015 (and with that the first Concord and Ghar plastics).
2016 –
Isorian metals released.
Battle For Xilos supplement.
Rebel Ghar released.
Xilos Online Campaign.
First Antares Day (at Warlord HQ Notts).
2017 –
Open Signal, Dimensional Gates anthology books released.
The Chrysies Shard supplement.
Strike On Kar’a Nine Introductory game (with handy A5 version of the book).
2018 –
The Dronescourge Returns supplement.
Virai released.
Markov’s Prize novel released.
2019 –
V2.0 version of the game begins development; intent to streamline game overall and generally improve quality of life overall.
2020 –
Covid pandemic globally. Businesses in the UK who choose to place workers on furlough must not engage with economically productive work. This brought all activities relating to Antares to an abrupt halt.
2022 –
The Covid restrictions on economically productive work are lifted, enabling the V2 rules to be released.
Warlord officially moves production of the miniatures to Skytrex with the development of the game, background & rules maintained on a part-time basis by Rick P and Tim B.
Vorl are created, but the sad and untimely passing of the fantastically talented sculptor Joey Pruitt in December 2022 delays general release of the stl files.
2023 –
Vorl released as stl files on the Antares Nexus.
2025 –
Development of the game rules and background lore officially no longer supported by Rick P and Tim B; but placed into the hands of the community of Antares gamers to maintain their passion for this Universe.
So that’s it for the Prologue; but I’ll leave you to consider this time-bending conundrum:
“The IMTel is never wrong” is a common theme throughout the Antares Universe – BUT it has been significantly wrong once.
What was the one time the IMTel was wrong?
(Hint – there is a picture clue in the 1st Edition rule book about Josen).
Post your answers in the comments section below.
Correct answers will get a +5 Regurge upgrade to your own personal shard, to help you to really savour the last meal you had.
The answer will be revealed in the final Xilos-Aversary post.
Until next time!!
Antares Nexus 