Sining wrote:
So..... Anyone from row received anything yet?

 OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:
Hmm lets see

we got an extra power/doom track from the 60K stretch so since the rules changed a bit during post/KS having 3 power & 1 doom might be right?

the faction cards were certainly upgraded to cardstock (800K stretch) ,

but since nothing was mentioned about the tracks I guess we may have had unrealistic expectations

 DrunkenBoxer wrote:

 OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:
Hmm lets see

we got an extra power/doom track from the 60K stretch so since the rules changed a bit during post/KS having 3 power & 1 doom might be right?

the faction cards were certainly upgraded to cardstock (800K stretch) ,

but since nothing was mentioned about the tracks I guess we may have had unrealistic expectations

My faction cards that came in the box were cardstock, but according to the stretch goal they're supposed to be thick cardboard.

Regarding the ritual and doom tracks and faction card material -

There was a KS exclusive stretch goal to have faction cards made of the die cut material (i.e., just like the punch outs). That is for backers only, and will be sent with the 2nd wave - also, just to be clear, ALL 7 faction cards will be sent to EVERY backer even if you don't own the other faction expansions (it's just easier for us, call it a bonus).

There is not a goal about the ritual and doom tracks being die cut, and no plans to do so.

However, the cardstock material is 400gsm - that is pretty heavy weight material for game components like this. I think that because the die cut material is so massive compared to other games (it is 3mm, while most games have 2mm or less) the cardstock components don't feel so comparatively heavier to other games' components as the die cuts do. And then, there's the comparison between the die cuts and cardstock itself in this game - of course punchboard is a LOT thicker, but 3mm is thicker by a greater margin, even though the 400gsm is pretty heavy. So, I think it is a comparison issue.

What we actually did before the KS - before I was even a part of GEG - was go through Sandy's vast library of games and just look at components to see what we wanted. Our cardstock is actually pretty beefy. Do this experiment on your own - take the cardstock material away from the CW die cut counters and compare its cardstock (in another room so CW doesn't see you doing it) with other games you own. I think that, in general, the comparison will either be favorable to CW, or at least equal. At least I hope so! modest Sandy has thousands of games, plus we consulted Panda on what was really good, thick cardstock material, so I am thinking if you do compare your experience will be similar to ours as newbie game publishers.

hope that responds to your concerns - let me know otherwise.

 OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:
I'm not so sure, if somebody complains about something (especially where there is a clear difference between the very thick map board and the thinner doom/ritual tracks) you might well get people thinking it's thinner than it actually is

It should be fairly simple for those with the game to actually check both compared to the punched tokens and to actual paper/card from elsewhere

(I really hope it is misinterpretation rather than Panda having cut corners)

Posted by Sandy Petersen

Because of storage errors (our manufacturer placed no padding inside the shipping boxes), we have found that there is more damage to the shipped product than expected. We actually produced three times as many replacements as the industry standard, but even this might not be sufficient. We are concerned, and in fact are going to ship all replacement parts personally, from Sandy’s house – if we run out, we are going to cannibalize our own retail copies of the game (originally intended for us to sell). As a tiny company, we obviously would prefer not to bankrupt ourselves due to an error not of our making, but we also want to help everyone, and that is our top priority.

Let me hasten to add that the vast majority of people have not had problems with their copies. It's just that the "tiny minority" is not as tiny as we'd expected!
News for the EU

I realize you are all champing at the bit to get your games, BUT we have taken a step that may delay your game a little longer. Before you summon up a Byakhee to carry us off, let me explain.
We are taking quotes from our EU logistics team on how to pack the EU games so they will be better-cushioned than the American shipment. The team tells us that most of the damage in the North American copies probably happened in the last leg of delivery – when the USPS or Fedex guys basically threw boxes around the back of the truck. SO, we are trying to see if our logistics team can pack the boxes better!

We hope for your patience on this – it will add only a little more time, but should greatly reduce the chances of damaged figures! We are trying to learn from mistakes!
Replacement Policy

Because replacement takes time, and we want to you to be able to play your game as soon as possible, we hope your first resort is to try to repair the damaged items on your own. In most cases, this is a simple process, and almost all problems fall into one of two categories.
My Figure is Warped!

Many people have reported that some of their figures (most often nightgaunts) are twisted so they lean in a non-Euclidean direction. If this bothers you, it is stunningly easy to fix – simply immerse the bent part of the figure in hot water (not boiling, but too hot to comfortably hold your finger in) until it heats through, and then bend it back into shape.
Occasionally (not often) this loosens the glue on the figure, and a piece may come off. Not to worry. This is easy to fix, too! Read on.
My Figure is in Two or More Pieces!

Some figures have popped out of their base, or have had an arm, wing, or tentacle come loose. In most cases, the break happens along a glue line, and you’ll see a peg-and-socket joint you can fit the missing limb into. To repair such a broken figure:

1) check to see that it fits back into the joint smoothly. (If not, you may want to use the hot-water treatment described above to squeeze the figure back into the correct configuration.)

2) If old glue is left in the joint, you may want to clean it off first (scraping with a fingernail often works).

3) get hold of some glue! We recommend airplane glue or plastic cement – this seems to work better than superglue. Zap-a-Gap works like a charm. Many backers say Gorilla Glue is great for this purpose too.

4) Place a tiny drop of the glue into the socket, or on the pin (but not both). Fit the piece together, and wait for the glue to set.

5) Presto! It’s fixed.

In some cases, these fixes won’t work, perhaps because the plastic is actually cracked (though even those can sometimes be glued together seamlessly), or because the damage is not glue-able (like a torn faction card). In this case, we are happy to help. Please follow these steps:

1) Take a clear photo of each damaged component.

2) Send the photograph to us at support@petersengames.com. It is helpful to also include an itemized list of the damaged components. For example, “the Black Goat faction card is torn, and one Byakhee is missing a wing”.

3) Include your order ID from the tracking e-mail. It’ll look something like “7717690-MCP”.

When we get your e-mail, we will store it (sadly, that's all we can do for now). When we get our copies of the game from the shipper (no, we don’t have them yet), we will retrieve your mailing, assemble the missing pieces, and ship them to you at no cost (to you, that is.)

Sandy Petersen

P. S. for those in North America still awaiting your shipments, I feel your pain. I just got my OWN tracking number today, so I am apparently in the last group shipped! *sigh*

Update #165 Jan 23 2015

Belt yourselves in, fellow cultists! We have a long tome for update 165!

Where Is My Bonus Stuff?
Do not fear! ALL of the expansions, collectibles, add-ons, etc. are coming. This first shipment is just the core game. The rest are being produced right now (see photographic proof). We are upset enough about the delays that we have switched manufacturers for the expansions. Our new Chinese factory says they are actually ahead of schedule on production, but we are traveling to check on them (after Chinese New Year). Trust, but verify.

We expect all production to finish this summer. We are keeping a close eye on both quality & speed of production (in that order). Here are some great pictures showing where things stand at this time. We actually have images of all of the sculpts, but are showing you two for now.


Asenath Waite pre-production figure
Asenath Waite pre-production figure


Tsathoggua pre-production model
Tsathoggua pre-production model


Tsathoggua disassembled. He comes assembled - this is just to let you see part of the production process.
Tsathoggua disassembled. He comes assembled - this is just to let you see part of the production process.

Address Changes

If you have gotten a tracking number, it is too late to get your address changed. Contact your post office or someone at your previous residence and have them forward it.

Replacement Policy

If you got your box, and any parts were damaged in shipping, please read update 164 for step by step details on how to do your own repairs or, as necessary, to get replacements. We ship all replacement parts personally, from Sandy’s house – if we run out, we shall cannibalize our own retail copies. For these and other issues PLEASE mail our helpful cultist at support@petersengames.com. Sending a personal message to Sandy on kickstarter about replacements actually delays the speed of your response, because all he can do is forward it or ask you to contact support@petersengames.com anyway.

Sandy does read and answer the messages – it’s just that if it’s a customer service issue, there is a faster, far more efficient way. To summarize – the fastest way to get your game up and running, if you are one of the unfortunate minority who got an impaired version of Cthulhu Wars, is to read update 164 first, and follow the steps therein. If your problem is not addressed in update 164, contact support@petersengames.com. Note that we do not yet have our set of replacement parts from the factory, so we cannot send anything out to y’all until it arrives (and it won’t arrive till after all backers have their copies). We ask for patience.

European Shipping

We are told that the ship is landing in the EU on Monday, January 26th. Then they have to be vetted by customs. The fulfillment house says they can get everything out the door in 48 hours, but we are examining the feasibility of opening all the boxes and cushioning them, which would cause more delay. This is your absolutely last chance to get any EU address changes in before shipment. To get an EU address change accomplished, e-mail Arthur@petersengames.com. I reiterate – for a last-minute EU address change, e-mail arthur@petersengames.com. For other customer service issues, mail support@petersengames.com.

Australian Shipping

The shipload to Australia won’t leave till Thursday, January 29th. We are told there was a “technical issue”, and it had to be “rebooked” on a different vessel. We will know the estimated arrival date next week (and will post it here), but we assume it takes a week or two to travel across the sea.

Rest of World Shipping (Eastern Hemisphere outside of Europe and Australia)

To my frustration and chagrin, it has STILL not left China. (This is one of the reasons that we switched manufacturers for the expansions.) They will be sent directly from the factory to your home, via a commercial postal service. The factory says they start shipping on Monday, January 26th. They estimate 3-5 days before all are mailed, and then 3-5 days of transit time per package. This means they should all be mailed off by next Friday, and then they should reach your shores in about another week. We are told that with individual packages like this, there are usually no customs concerns.

chaos0xomega wrote:
But on the downside of that, as others have stated, the doom/ritual tracks and the faction cards are really really flimsy cardstock. My faction cards seem to be in good condition, but my ritual and doom tracks are already showing signs of wear and tear (primarily fraying along the edges), and I only just now opened the damned box. I think these are really components that should have been printed on a rigid heavy cardboard like material. I dont expect something as thick as the punchouts/board itself, but I'd expect something with a 1mm thickness at least. Basically my rule of thumb is, if its an essential component of gameplay, and it ISNT a game card meant to be shuffled in a deck/held in your hand, then I shouldn't be able to easily bend it.

Shipping & Replacement Parts

For a while, we were worried about how many replacement parts we’d need to supply, but it turns out it was not nearly as serious as we’d feared. Most damage is minor or can be easily repaired, and it seems we’ll have plenty of parts to replace the bits that can’t be fixed. So no worries. Remember – if you have damaged bits, check update 164 for how to fix them or to get replacements as needed.

Australia’s ship is estimated to arrive February 15th.

The European ship landed yesterday (January 26th), so is going through customs at this time. It is headed to the warehouse, then on to you. Our shipping & logistics partner for the EU has decided not to repackage all the boxes, in order to get them to you ASAP. This means you will get your games at least two weeks sooner.

The ROW (Rest Of World) is shipping from China this week and should all have been shipped by Friday, after which it will make its way to you.

In the Americas, most of you should have gotten your games. I, Sandy Petersen, still haven’t gotten mine, so if you haven’t gotten yours yet, I feel your pain.

Here’s another shot or two from our prototype process. Some people seemed concerned that Asenath Waite seemed “slick” in the last shot – that’s just how she’s designed. Her enfolding tentacles are smooth and shiny – that’s the intent of the sculpt for better or worse.


Ithaqua in his glory


Ithaqua's sidekick, Rhan Tegoth