Fans of Sins of a Solar Empire may have been dissapointed that the first micro-expansion for the space strategy game, Entrenchment, was officially delayed until early 2009. However today folks who pre-ordered the $9.99 expansion via Stardock's Impulse client will be able to download the beta version before its release.

As we have reported on before, Entrenchment will be the first of three downloadable micro-expansions for the Ironclad Games-developed title. This first release will concentrate on defensive units and weapons including massive defensive platforms. The other two expansions are due sometime later in 2009 but little info about them has been revealed yet.

Update: The beta has officially begun although the site states it will take several hours to get through all of the pre-orders so if you have one and haven't gotten your beta test yet, be patient.