Star Wars: Rebellion’s first expansion will let you relive the events of cinematic prequel Rogue One

Star Wars: Rebellion is roundly considered to be one of the best of a good bunch of games based on the legendary film series, embracing the epic scale of the sci-fi space opera in whole during a galaxy-wide clash between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance.

Corey Konieczka’s grand strategy title remixes the events of the original trilogy, allowing players to live out the events of episodes IV, V and VI in a new order as the Imperial leaders try to hunt down and exterminate the base of the Rebel scum, wiping out any planets in their way.

Rise of the Empire, the newly-announced first expansion for Rebellion, will stretch the scale of the already expansive game further by adding in the narrative of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the cinematic prequel to A New Hope that hit screens last year.

As in the film, Rebels will gain control of Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor as they search for the plans to the Death Star delivered to Princess Leia by the opening of Episode IV, while the Imperials hire Director Krennic, the mastermind behind the under-construction Death Star. Although he doesn’t appear in Rogue One, Jabba the Hutt is also coming to the game as part of the new box.

In pure numbers, Rise of the Empire adds eight new leaders, 36 miniatures and over 100 cards, but there’s also gameplay additions in store.

Most notably, tactics cards have been introduced to support bigger-scale battles between the Rebels and the Empire, both on the surface of planets and out in space. The decks provides unique powers for units, revealed at the outset of combat rounds, that can affect both the outcome of each battle and the overarching story.

Rise of the Empire will be out for Star Wars: Rebellion this autumn.