War on Terror - The Boardgame

Thursday 30th November 2006

War on Terror Launch Party!

So finally it's arrived, the day we 'officially' launch War on Terror, the boardgame... 1,343 days since we first had the idea.

We got to the Frontline Club nice and early for set-up, a great venue for the party, huge Don McCullin Vietnam war photographs on the wall, a big stack of the games in the corner, our life size cut-outs and a couple of games set-up for people to try out.

Luckily not everyone we invited turned up, as we'd sent out 300 invites for a 100 capacity venue. But the party soon picked up as friends, family, journos and 'industry people' started to show. Before long a couple of people had found some WMDs and won themselves EVIL Balaclavas, which got the festivities flowing.

The Terrorist Pinata was one tough mother and it took about seven people and three Andy T knuckles before it finally burst it's guts all over the floorMr Pete Um was doing wonders on the decks and the beer and wine was flowing nicely. After some power-mingling it was time for speeches, taking to the stage Andy S explained in some detail how this was a 'serious product', which must have worked as we sold most of our stack of games by the end of the evening. Andy T chipped in with his usual 'fuck 'em all' and 'lets have fun'.

Which was the war cry to start Terrorist Bingo! Everyone had their cards in their hands, puzzling over grainy photographs of odd looking men, women and beards. Due to our loose definition of 'terrorist' (we did try to track down an internationally agreed definition, but with no luck) people soon started complaining that it was a bit tricky. A few people shouted BINGO only to be told that they didn't know their terrorists and getting sent back empty-handed.

Just when we started to worry that we were losing the crowd, an old friend Laz comes up trumps and walks away with an original Tom Morgan-Jones illustration. Seconds later a Small Fish dude wins a framed WoT world map... Shortly followed by Justine who takes home a set of WoT, which her boyfriend illustrated, so maybe she'll get it signed.

Bingo over and everyone starts to get the fever. More dancing, drinking, dice rolling and WMD hunting ensues. It was soon time for the Terrorist Pinata... The dangerous Caroline is up first and the Pinata is down on the floor in one vicious hit. But it held strong so Andy T took his life into his hands and held it up for a succession of drunk people to swing a big stick at it.

But the Pinata was one tough mother and it took about seven people and three Andy T knuckles before it finally burst it's guts all over the floor and a crazed scramble over the sweets began.

The end of the festivities and people started to head off home with WoT under their arm, smiles on their faces and sweets in their pockets.

The end of the party and we looked around to see that we'd managed to destroy a fair chunk of the Frontline Club, it seems we're too punk for boardgames, and possibly too punk for nice venues. Hopefully nothing too permanent in the damage stakes and we would like to thank everyone at Frontline, and everyone who came along, for a great night.

- posted by TerrorBull Games on 30 November 2006 - 0 comments

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Thursday 30th November 2006

Parliament Square Protest Game and Petition

The night before our protest and launch party, a large package turned up containing 300 spare balaclavas.

As well as providing us with many EVIL challenge prizes, we thought it would be almost impossible not to have fun with so many balaclavas. As soon as we get our act together, you can expect a series of bizarre and scary videos, featuring a cast of thousands. Well, three hundred.

So anyway, we'd applied to protest on the day of our launch party at Parliament Square. We were down in London anyway. May as well complain about something while we're there.

We called World Peace, which remarkably everyone agreed on, even Andy T who had just been bombed to kingdom come.After an early start, we rocked up bang on time and scuttled over with our banner, table, chairs and game. First thing we realised was that Parliament Square is a "public space" - complete with benches and pleasant flower beds - that's surrounded by a four lane roundabout of constant traffic. Not one pedestrian crossing exists from the pavement around the edge to the space in the middle. Brilliant.

We set up the game, eager to play, and erected our banner urging everyone to sign our petition. Sadly, only a handful of brave souls risked life and limb to cross the road and do so, but still plenty of drivers/cabbies/busfulls of tourists saw us.

Brian Haw came over to check us out. We felt a bit pathetic at first, protesting for just an hour in the face of Brian's two thousand day peace protest, but there was no pecking order here. Brian was just happy there were other people doing something and trying to make their voice heard.

We got a few names to kick-start our petition but weirdly our petition still hasn't been approved by the team at no.10, so we can't link to it yet. Sorry.

We even sold a game, surreptitiously, to one lady who couldn't resist the £10 Parliament Square discount.

But all of this was mere distraction to the main event - a full game of War on Terror in Parliament Square. In doing so, we broke two of our three EVIL challenges. So come on, you've seen how easy it is.

We upped the starting stakes as we knew time was tight and the world was tri-partitioned in the blink of an eye.

Andy S turned up some great numbers, including a lucky city on an 8 in the unlikely wastes of Nowhere.

Andy T was in the Americas and Australia, obviously hoping, at some stage, to pincer movement Tom in Asia.

Fighting soon broke out in Europe in the no-man's land between the three Empires and before the second round had barely begun, Tom went and nuked the British Isles. Andy T was understandably miffed at this and was about to launch a murderous assault in retaliation when the Old Bill came up and informed us our time was up.

We tried to slip him a quiet 50m note to look the other way and let us carry on, but to no avail. Fun and games over. We just had time to call World Peace, which remarkably everyone agreed on, even Andy T who had just been bombed to kingdom come.

So no one was hurt, no one shot, arrested, or even slightly ruffled. There was one strange bloke who insisted we were "new world shills", whatever that means. But apart from that, everyone was lovely and supportive. Maybe this is the first of many 'protest games'.

- posted by TerrorBull Games on 30 November 2006 - 0 comments

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Wednesday 29th November 2006

On the eve of the party

First off, we need to apologise for our last blog post. We relayed information that we had 'written in blood' that the UK pre-orders were 'in the system' last Friday, and that they would be "sorted". Because we're excitable little pups we read this as "posted out to people", but alas we've yet to get our heads around this business lingo.

So, the latest information, and sorry that it's so unclear, is that if you're in the UK* and you ordered your game before the 13/11/2006, then they should be arriving Friday at the latest. Once the backlog is clear we'll make a start on all orders post-13/11/2006 orders.

Hopefully Brian Haw might be up for a game. We're thinking of making him a laminated, all-weather protest setWe now know that there are a few boyfriends out their who don't believe they've got a present coming. It seems we've spoilt some birthdays and that sits heavy with us.

So sorry that the last mile is drawing out, but we really appreciate your patience.

The launch party plans are coming together. Our life-sized(ish) suicide bomber turned up yesterday and he looks great. The Terrorist Pinata is taking some kind of shape and we're tired of looking at bad facial hair after making 100 Terrorist Bingo cards.

As we're in London for the party we're taking the opportunity to launch our Petition to call on the Prime Minister to launch an independent inquiry into the legitimacy of the 'war on terror'. After Downing Street refused to accept our petition of two challenging Tony Blair to a game, we thought we'd try a different approach.

So we're going to be playing War on Terror, the boardgame in Parliament Square from 11.30 to 1pm tomorrow, Thursday 30th December. If you're passing, do drop by and say hello and sign the petition. We'll be the ones sitting around a table, rolling dice and wearing an EVIL Balaclava. Hopefully Brian Haw might be up for a game. We're thinking of making him a laminated, all-weather protest set.

But the real news of the day, some dude went to the effort to send in a new card for the game. Cheers Ian! Although we have spotted a flaw in your card mechanics....

Roll on the party!

* US & Canada... Running smooth. Europe and 'elsewhere' pre-orders have all been dispatched.

- posted by TerrorBull Games on 29 November 2006 - 0 comments

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Friday 24th November 2006

They're on their way...

During the course of publishing War on Terror, the boardgame we've learnt a truth about business, and possibly even life, that we'd like to take this opportunity to share with you... NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS UNTIL IT HAPPENS.

So although we have it written in blood that the UK games* should have already started to arrive at people's doorsteps, we're just not too sure until we start hearing about people getting into trouble with EVIL Balaclavas.

Andy S is on 'Terrorist Pinata' duty whilst Andy T is busy working on 'Terrorist Bingo' cardsHopefully as soon as all the 1,366 pre-orders have cleared the system things will settle down and we'll have a much clearer picture on delivery times to the various corners of the globe.

The Long War is just beginning, our launch party is next Thursday. Preparations are in full swing, Andy S is on 'Terrorist Pinata' duty whilst Andy T is busy working on 'Terrorist Bingo' cards. We've already run out of invites, so if you've not got yours, that's because you're not coming.

Retail news... The first shop to take on the game has already sold out, firebox.com have balls the size of Scotland and have taken quite a few copies off our hands. A few small independent games stores have been in touch, which is nice. Expect a full stockists list soon.

Of course, people are now playing the game and game reports are springing up, as well as reviews. We've had a first submission for the Gallery of EVIL but no challenge winners yet. So there's everything to play for...

* U.S. and Canadian citizens should already have their copies. We've been told that European deliveries and any orders for 'elsewhere' in the world should be arriving within 5 working days.

- posted by TerrorBull Games on 24 November 2006 - 0 comments

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Monday 20th November 2006

We got the games!

So 1,500* boxes of War on Terror cleared customs on Friday and we drove down to Essex to pick a few up.

It was a little weird because for starters we were being followed by a small film crew (for a possible documentary). Then when we arrived at the warehouse, we were made to wait outside in the rain, while the games were driven out to us. It felt like a drugs drop. Only more dodgy.

So sorry if you were expecting dramatic photos of sky-high towers of WoT shipping cartons - the "sensitivity" of our game (it cries at chick flicks) meant that we weren't allowed to take pictures.

Here follows a brief exchange with some of the warehouse staff:

Bloke A: What's all this about then?"
Andy S: It's a board game, called 'War on Terror, the boardgame.
Bloke A: Bloody hell!
Bloke B: Whatever next!
Andy T: Yeh, and you get a free balaclava with each game.
(game gets pulled from the box)
Girl A: Wow! I want one.
Bloke B: Love the artwork.
Bloke A: I'm going home, tell me when this shit's cleared out of the warehouse.

We also got our first order from the Houses of Parliament... Apparently they're going to get one for the tea room. Bad luck, Bloke A.

Anyway, the games are being dispatched as we speak. If you advance-ordered yours, it should arrive any day. Please be patient though, since they have about 900 back-orders to get through.

In other news, our Stateside friends have also been receiving their games and they've wasted no time in playing it either. The first official session write-up has appeared on Board Game Geek and we were relieved to read they loved it. We also got our first order from the Houses of Parliament. Can't say who, though.

Oh, and if you haven't bought the game yet, what are you waiting for? Also, check out the new EVIL Gallery, send in your photos and you could win yourself an 'evil' balaclava.

* The other 3,000 arrived today on a separate ship.

- posted by TerrorBull Games on 20 November 2006 - 0 comments

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