MMP Updates

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Chas Argent

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The purpose of this thread is to have a place for MMP folk to periodically post updates to ASL products in development and production. We will try to keep regular updates flowing as news becomes available.

Here is the first:

Valor of the Guards


Brian Youse is laying out the box and maps. The counters are done and waiting to be gang-printed with another run. He expects the box to be done any second so it can be proofed and then go to press.

Derek Spurlock is laying out the rules and cleaning them up.

Charlie Kibler has the scenarios laid out and is working on the photos. After that they will go to the proofers.

Blood Reef Tarawa Gamers Guide

Keith will be adding the map art as well as one final article into the guide, which is the last step in layout for him. After that it will go to proofers.

Journal 8

There are two scenarios left to finish. Brian needs to layout out the articles.

Expect Journal 8 to go up for preorder soon.

Doomed Battalions Reprint

DB is waiting on the full map sheet run to be completed. Also, the new counter sheet and scenario layouts from The Last Hurrah and the previous Doomed Battalions need to be proofed, especially because we know there were errors in the last batch of DB counters.

Code of Bushido/Gung Ho! Reprint

As of last week, there were only 7 cases (i.e., 42 copies) of Gung Ho! left. Keith is working on laying out the combined reprint and has made good progress on the counter sheets. It will go up for pre-order once the layout has reached an advanced state, most likely some time this fall. Currently the assumption is that the combined pack will also include some out-of-print PTO scenarios, much like the Beyond Valor 3rd Edition did.

Please see the thread I started yesterday on that topic should you have suggestions.

For King and Country Reprint

FKaC is waiting for other projects with counter sheets which need to be run. One problem with the ASL print runs is that the counters use a different stock that most other games so ganging counter sheet print runs together is not as easy. It will go up for preorder when ready but will not have a # it needs to hit to be produced (but those who preorder will still get a 25% price break, obviously)

Out of the Attic #2

Layout of this will begin soon for issue #2.

Action Packs 4 & 5

Play testing continues on the scenarios for both of these products and is progressing quite well. I am about to send a number of the scenarios out to proof readers. The production map art will not be started until the full map sheet set artwork has been proofed, corrected and completed.

Meanwhile, preliminary map design has begun for future AP projects and I have started to look at both the Rare Vehicles project (which would obviously include counters) and a possible Deluxe Action Pack which would include all the original boards (a-h, re-done in the SK-style) as well as some new ones.
 

Chas Argent

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Here are some examples of Keith's labors on the Japanese reprint; all of these counter sheets have been built up from scratch since no layouts existed from the Avalon Hill days...
 

Chas Argent

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Play testing on the last of the Journal 8 scenarios was wrapped up last night at Brian's house. Now all that remains is the layout.
 

Chas Argent

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Two quickie updates for you today:

We've put the Normandy Action Pack scenarios into play test at Da Yousehouse and I have sent Brian the artwork for the three boards, which he will send off to the map artist.

Also, attached are two images from the Blood Reef Tarawa Gamers Guide which Keith has created for some of the examples of play.
 

Chas Argent

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Here are two glances (both are still in progress) from Valor of the Guards:

The first is some of the layout Derek Spurlock has done for the rules.

The second is an example of play Keith Dalton has laid out.
 

Chas Argent

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Here's another, more complete example-of-play page from the Blood Reef Tarawa Gamers Guide, with the text.

Makes me wanna play some landing craft!
 

Chas Argent

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Folks-

From Brian...

"Journal #2 counters will NOT be printed with VOTG at this point since VOTG counters are ready now and the J2 reprint, while doing ok, is not a lock at this point and we feel we can not wait any longer to get VOTG printed.

We do have the DB reprint coming right up so should J2 reprint surge ahead, it shouldn't be much of a wait as we'll print it with DB.

Sorry. We are slave to one thing when printing, the sizes and materials of the countersheet printrun."
 

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MMP Preorder site problem

MMP is experiencing problems with its preorder page. You can place orders but cannot finalize them.

Tech support has been notified and is working on the issue. As soon as the site is back up we'll post over here to let you know.

Thanks,

Keith
 

Chas Argent

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A quick Valor of the Guards update from Brian:

-box layout 80% complete, waiting to import map
-map layout is about 80%+ complete
-countersheets are at the printers waiting for proofs
-scenarios are being corrected after first round of proofing
-rules are being proofed by Perry, Tom and crew

Also, the web site issues for the pre-order page have been repaired.
 

Chas Argent

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An end-of-the-year update from Brian on Consimworld:

Valor of the Guards, The Devil's Cauldron, and the Blood Reef Tarawa Gamers Guide should all be coming off preorder in January.

In a week or so, once the last bits of proofing are done, Adam/Niko and folks can put their efforts on getting Warriors of God and A Most Dangerous Time out. They'll possibly be printed together, or in some combination with Rock of the Marne as they use the same type of countersheet material. I'd hope all three of these are off preorder in the first quarter of '08.

Burma reprint and South Mountain are in the state where some items are printed, we're waiting on other items from the printers, and one big thing (the box) isn't done and still has to be given to the printers. So they're in production as well. I wish we could say first quarter of '08 but that would be 7 boxed games in 3 months and there is no way that is going to happen (esp. with 2 of those games having over 3000 orders - that's a lot of boxing and shipping).

My current best guess is that South Mountain will be next after the current push (VOTG, TDC) since it is farther along and has the most already printed.

Meanwhile, once Derek is done with his VOTG responsibilities I'm hoping to foist off the cleanup of DB for reprint on him. If VOTG didn't scare him off.


And we have the looming giant ASL Mapboard reprint hanging around out there - the art is in and its just a matter of a few good days to put it all to a hex grid and changing hex colors then proofing it again and again. I probably should do that prior to the Journal layout.
 

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The Normandy Action Pack map proofs (i.e., boards 53-55) have arrived from the artist and look beautiful :D

...and now we have to check them for any potential corrections and add the final touches to them before they're "done".
 

Chas Argent

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From Brian today, on Consimworld:

VotG individual preorder shipping nearly completed (less than 150 or so). Retail/wholesale orders should be shipped by end of week i'd assume. Then on our website for direct sales.

Ops 52 shipping 10% completed.

TDC individual preorder shipping started (today).

South Mountain - several components received, all rest except box at printers, box sent to printers tomorrow.

Rock of the Marne - components except box sent to printers waiting for proofs.

Warriors of God
- components sent to printer waiting for proofs.

ASL Starter Kit #2 reprint
- approved today, all printers working on reprinting components.

Various ASL products - in layout/proofing.

We anticipate the next P# update will be next week/1st week in March. We are expecting it to include the ASL Action Pack #4, SCS Bastogne, and Where Eagles Dare / Hell's Highway ("south" portion of TDC) with other titles I'm probably forgetting at the moment
 

Chas Argent

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re: VotG Shipping Update

Folks:

Shipping VotG, which was on pre-order for over two years and garnered 3,080 orders (when retailer orders are taken into account) is a huge operation to begin with; and the problems have been compounded by the very length of the pre-order, which means that credit card issues have been proportionally higher than normal. This, in turn, has led to more and more people calling or emailing to inquire about their order, which slows down the folks doing the collating, charging and shipping even more. There is such an enormous volume of email to go through, messages to return, and phone calls to answer that its simply not been possible to be as efficient about replying to everyone as is the norm for MMP. On top of all this Case Blue, a huge game in its own right, shipped just before VotG, and then The Devil's Cauldron, another giant release, is shipping now, and to people who've been waiting even longer; TDC was put up for pre-order in January of '05.

In short, this is a period of collating and shipping unlike any which MMP has gone through before, and may ever again, given the sheer size and numbers of these releases. That probably doesn't help anyone who's still frustrated at their wait, and with little or no information but speculation to work with, but it will all get worked out in the end, and you will get your games. Please recognize that it's a pretty unique situation and hold tight.

Continue to use problems@multimanpublishing.com for concerns about your pre-order.

Thanks for your continued patience.
 

Chas Argent

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Two quickie teasers of the work being done by Dave Childs on Chapter G, and Derek Spurlock on Chapter F...

Note that NONE of this is final, FYI... ;)
 

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ASL Action Pack 5: East Front



Hi guys, just repeating this so it stays on top in the locked thread.
 
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kdalton

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From Brian on CSW

In response to when Doomed Battalions and Journal 2 reprint are going to ship:

There are a lot of proofers going over everything else (chapter H, counter sheets were re-laid out, scenarios) so I'd say proofing is what's holding it up at the moment. A few good weeks for it and it's off to the printers.

We plan on ganging up the J2 missing counter sheet and ASLSK1 counter sheet with these, so all 3 should (I hope!) be back by the holidays?
 

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It would be great to see any of these in time for Christmas. Thanks for the clarification, Keith.

BTW - And for the Portal chasers on the board, the above is a genuine, no-sarcasm statement.
 
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