Mercenaries & Privateers Late Backer / Pre-Orders

Created by Jason R. Williams

Mercenaries & Privateers is a card expansion for the Swords & Sails epic game of diplomacy, conquest, and intrigue set in 1000 AD. You can get all the original items which were available with the original Kickstarter while supplies last. You can even add items from our Tali, Roman Knucklebones and Micro-Role Playing game if desired. Look for the Separate Shipping Add-On to request shipping the current items (previously manufactured) as soon as we can and not to wait for everything to come at once.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Mercenaries & Privateers Update: Manufacturing Complete
over 2 years ago – Sat, May 28, 2022 at 10:05:48 AM

We have finally completed manufacturing after several delays due to closing and shutdowns in China.  We are sending the Mercenaries & Privateers expansions via Air and it should arrive at our fulfillment centers in the next several weeks.  

We had planned on delivering everyone's rewards by now, well before the normal convention season, but now as Origins Game Fair is only 10 days away, we may be able to allow for pickups at Origins for those who will be attending.  We still may not get the shipment in time, especially since the games need to get through customs.  Either way we will be getting everyone's awards to them before the general retail release, which is not expected for 6 to 8 weeks.

Our cost for the air freight has increased by 50% from our estimated amount due to the affect fuel costs have had on shipping costs and air freight in particular.  We will still be delivery all the rewards without any increases.

A big help would be for all the backers to ask their local game stores whether they carry Swords & Sails, Tali, and the new expansions for S&S as any retail sales is based on demand and buzz from the fans.  If they do not ask them if they could.  I am working with FunAgain distribution which they can pre-order from or they may be able to order from GTS Distribution, ADC Distribution, or ADC Blackfire in Europe.

For those that will be at Origins, search for VRGames in the schedule to look for the games we are running and partner's games we are helping sponsor.  We will be at Booth 1334 and we have GAMA Member spotlight tables with Swords & Sails games using the new expansion running through the days Weds 8pm, Thurs 10:30am, 2pm, 8pm, Fri 10:30am, 2:30pm, 8pm, Sat 10:30am, 2:30pm, 8pm, Sun 9:30am.  Available now for sign-up.

Hope to see some of you at Origins.

Jason.

M&P Update: Manufacturing is continuing.
over 2 years ago – Wed, Apr 13, 2022 at 07:45:34 AM

Hey everyone.

I have quick update to let you know that the factory has let me know, that although manufacturing has started, it has been affected by all the COVID-19 closings in Shanghai.  

The factory itself is still running but it has impacted schedules and supply lines.  This coupled with the longer and later than expected time for sample creation and corrections. I just recieved the final dice samples less than 2 weeks ago, as the shipping was delayed from Shanghai, due to the COVID shutdowns.  

The factory is now saying production will be completed 3rd or 4th week in May, but they are doing thier best to speed that up.  I will be air shipping all the KS reserved copies as soon as I can, once they are completed.


Till then, I can share images of the final dice samples and thinner tuck boxes.

Also, since shipping will be so close to Origins, we will be able to offer rewards pickup at our booth.  We will also have events at origins using both the new M&P cards and the two new minors.  Let me know if you will be at Origins as we could have a backers thank you event, in addition to the S&S events.


Thanks everyone for all your support.


Jason.

VRGames / VR-Soft at GenCon and Origin's this summer
over 2 years ago – Wed, Mar 30, 2022 at 08:53:37 AM

VRGames / VR-Soft.com will be running demos and Exhibiting at the Origin's Game Fair, June 8th-12th in Columbus OH, and then running Demo's at GenCon,  August 4th-7th, in Indianapolis, IN.

We are looking for volunteers to both run demos and some booth support at Origin's and just run demos for GenCon.

We will have a limited number of Badges to offer and even more limited amount of hotel rooms for volunteers, based on the amount of hours being volunteered.   We will also be giving VRGames product as part of the compensation for volunteering, and a cool VRGames T-Shirt with game artwork for everyone who helps.

For earning the badge for helping and depending on the number of volunteers we are getting, we will require 12 to 16 hrs of help split over all 4/5 days of gaming Con.  For receiving 1/4 of a room (limited), we will need a minimum of 24 hrs of volunteer hours.

If you are interested in helping at less than the 12 to 16 hours of help, then we can still give you either a one day (or 2 one day) passes and / or VRGames products as part of your compensation, based on working a 4 hr shift, for a one day pass (The one day passes are only available as compensation for the Origin's Game fair, but VRGames product is available for both).

Please contact me if you are interested in helping.


Thanks,

Jason.

M&P Update: March Already?
over 2 years ago – Fri, Mar 04, 2022 at 04:28:55 PM

Hi Everyone,

I apologize for not sending an update for the Month of February, but we have been very busy just before the Chinese New Year (last week of January and into first two weeks of Feb.) working with our manufacturer on trying to get all 3 of our new Swords & Sails Expansions passing all the QA for production.  

Then we also have run into a problem with us needing to change our fulfillment partner in North America, Quarter Master Logistics which we have partnered with for the last 5 years.  They have decided that we are to small (i.e. do not make them enough money) and they have other clients that need to use the pallet storage space that my games are taking up.   So they have decided to not renew our contract and have kicked me and my inventory to the curb.  Luckily, I already had a good business relationship with Hit Point Sales, which also has a sister organization for Kickstarter fulfillment with FunAgain games.  So we will be using FunAgain Games for this KS and for all future KS for the North America market.  

So all this drama, working to move inventory around, and finalizing the M&P expansions, has really kept me busy, but we are almost there with the proofs for all items except the dice of the two new Minor Players.  Hopefully, the factory will finish the dice proofs by next week and we will then have physical sample proofs sent to us, next week.  I do have virtual proofs which I can share, and here they are.

M&P Tuck Box (fold & Cut lines are in red)
1st sheet of M&P Card backs
1st sheet of M&P card fronts
2nd sheet of M&P card backs
2nd Sheet of M&P card fronts
M&P Fold-Up rules
Khazar Minor Player Add-On, Tuck Box - Fold & Cut Lines in red
Khazar First Turn Sheet and updated reference sheet (Folded into quarters - blue line)
Khazar Diplomat, Army, and Fleet cards (Front & Back)
Khazar control marker punchouts
Armenian Minor Player Add-On Tuck Box (Fold & Cut lines in red)
Armenian First Turn Sheet / reference sheet (Folds up into quarters)
Armenian Diplomat, Army, and Fleet cards (Front & Back)
Armenian Control Marker Punch-outs

The wooden Ships and Army cubes, as well as the dice we will show photos of when we receive the physical proofs, hopefully in a few weeks.


As always, thanks for your support, I think we are still on track for fulfillment in late April / Early May, as long as the Russian / Ukraine war does not disrupt shipping.


Jason.