Senjutsu: Battle For Japan

Post Kickstarter Update #26: Scenario Book Spotlight, Production Update + Shipping Address Locked In
over 1 year ago – Fri, Jan 13, 2023 at 10:22:42 AM

Good morning, afternoon and evening backers!

Happy New Years to everyone, we hope you had time to spend with family and friends and managed to rest up.

Scenario Book Spotlight:

We've made a series of changes to the Scenario Books that optimise the product. All three have been extended with scenarios, art or both to provide a greater gaming experience.

Path Of The Ronin:

Path Of The Ronin follows the Ronin in a Solo (Solo-only) adventure through the "canon" adventures of the Ronin in feudal Japan.

There are six scenarios that take a Ronin and his deck through the components of the Core Game, pitting the Ronin against hordes of Ashigaru, Samurai, the Warrior, Student and the Master. Path Of The Ronin is wrapped within a graphic novel and includes narrative decisions that influence your deck, the various setups of each scenario and the narrative parts of the story. 

Each scenario is full colour and either provides a new custom map within the pages of the book itself or uses the maps from the Core Game.

Brothers In Arms:

Brothers In Arms features the Student and the Ronin (and their decks) in four tense Co-op scenarios. You can play these scenarios two-handed or with a friend. 

Each scenario feels very different from the scenarios featured in Path Of The Ronin despite also being fully playable only using the components from the Core Game. It lacks the narrative choices from Path Of The Ronin but balances this with longer, harder scenario battles that due to their co-op nature, have more paths to victory (or defeat!). 

Like Path Of The Ronin. there are opportunities to change the decks of both fighters and we made sure that Brothers In Arms also got the same full 'graphic novel' treatment as Path Of The Ronin.

Brothers In Arms has been placed into the same "book" as Path Of The Ronin under advice from the manufacturers. This has resulted in a more durable, high quality finish product (more on that at the end of the segment). 

Winds Of Change: 

The Deluxe Winds Of Change book has been extended with art and scenarios.

We decided to change tact on the scenario rules and more fully use the Core Game Ashigaru and Samurai than intended in our original vision. This has meant that each scenario satisfies two aims, it showcases and uses fighters from each Duel Pack but also provides players without that Duel Pack a perfectly valid way of playing each scenario from the book without owning the specific Duel Pack the scenario highlights. 

Additionally Raben took on a huge challenge in illustrating each Winds Of Change scenario in a different style- from Frank Miller to Mignola- it has resulted in a magnificent product that works even just as a graphic novel - before we factor in that it is playable as a Scenario Book. 

(IIRC early- on there were ideas of stringing the Winds Of Change along with the Path Of The Ronin to form a larger ongoing scenario book - but frankly playing the Ronin for 15+ scenarios in a row to create a connected campaign was rubbish. We made the above change because it fundamentally improves the game.

There is still the option to play any scenario as any Fighter you own. These rules feature in the book and will also feature in new scenarios we are including for free in the monthly challenges.)

Final Change: 

A final massive change has been made to the Scenario Books- the Scenario Books will be ringbound. 

This change cost us many thousand dollars across the entire Kickstarter print-run but it ensures that;

A) The books are uber-durable and will happily survive replay / reuse. We do not have to worry about the chance of a staple coming loose from the spine of the books, instead a metal ring binder will keep them together for longer. 

B) The books will lie perfectly flat on the table, meaning we could increase the length of each book without jeopardising your enjoyment at playing them.

Production Update + Timeline: 

Fulfilment Begins: Undetermined Date in March:

Post Senjutsu's release from Customs, we estimate most pledges will be with you, the backer, within 2-3 weeks of a day in March. The pledge will directly to your given address from the nearest fulfilment centre. We will be using fulfilment centres in 1) The UK, 2) The EU, 3) The US 4) Canada*  5) China and 6) Australia.

The time Senjutsu will spend in customs will vary but you will be kept informed via Updates nearer the time.

*This is a new win for Senjutsu, I have sourced a company with warehouses in Canada who will fulfil our product. 

Additionally we will not be using FunAgain Logistics, frankly our experience with their company has been less than optimal and I can't see us pursuing a business relationship in the future.

The main hurdle to March fulfilment is the below:

Covid And China:

China has reversed its Zero Covid policy and it has caused a predicted Covid Wave. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-64258799

900 million people with Covid, this will effect every product coming from China now until the Summer, from board games to everyday consumer items. I know the factories we work with have been effected- but as the removal of the Zero Covid policy was political, our reps are not at liberty to discuss with us how badly they've been effected. 

As such, we don't know of any concrete delays from this 900 million Covid case-count but as soon as we do, I will inform everyone in an Update (I imagine the fallout from this policy change will be a common headline post Chinese New Year. )

Translations Status: 

Senjutsu is being printed in a dozen languages. This has been an epic translation job for all of our fantastic studios. We have now received all but a couple of the language options back. These final language options are scheduled in for delivery on the 20th January and on the 1st of February. These final licensees know they are under pressure to complete- we are standing-by to check and sign-off the files and will add the remaining language options to the print-run as and when we receive them. 

Shipping Address Locked In: 16th January

Shipping Addresses will be locked in on the 16th January. After this date you will still be able to change your shipping address, by emailing us directly on [email protected] but you will no longer be able to change it via your survey.

This will happen at around 5pm (GMT).

If you have not completed your pledge but are reading this- please email [email protected] for a survey link. 

If you have still not completed your pledge, we will email you. If we don't have a completed survey, we cannot send a product. It costs us serious man-hours and money to keep your pledge on ice so if you see that reminder email, please make a note to respond to it!

Shipping prices will feature in the next Update, we are not anticipating any major changes but need to finalise numbers post-locking surveys.

Much love, 

James (and Paul!)

Post Kickstarter Update #25: Merry Christmas and the Haiku of Senjutsu.
over 1 year ago – Sat, Dec 24, 2022 at 04:52:55 AM

 Good morning, afternoon and evening Samurai poets! 

Today we've got a great Update about the Haiku that feature in Senjutsu- as well as office holiday days. 

Haiku:

During the Kickstarter Campaign for Senjutsu we asked for Haiku submissions as part of a contest. Originally we were going to feature a very small amount of Haiku but off the back of all the fantastic entries we decided to increase the number of poems featured. 

Please see below for all the Haiku that feature in Senjutsu: Battle For Japan Season 1. We have credited all authors in the Rulebook. Thank you for your art and your efforts! (Including the hundreds of poets who didn't quite make the cut!) 

Hold blade strong and true

Calming lake or raging sea

Now the choice is yours.

- ROBIN SKIPPER.

I am without fear

My honor defends the weak

I am Samurai.

- KEVIN SWIGER.

Winds clutch at my fate

The strong waves can hold me back

Or send my fury.

- MATTHEW S.

A fox, messenger

Bamboo forest, rising up

Sunset over waves.

- JOSH WATERS.

Breathe before you move,

Life or death is the outcome

Let your skills decide.

- MARCELINO COLLADO IV

Falling steel find flesh

Falling bodies find honor

Falling leaves forget.

- GENE.

Clear mind, addled blade

Divide man to unite land

Blood will nourish soil.

- SUPERFLY KID 36.

Morning light peaks out

Shading from behind the tree

Dew covers the grass.

- ROBERT COLOMBO.

Cherry blossoms fall;

steel cuts air and flesh alike

Man is born to die.

- JOE MCGEE.

Strike without warning

Walk silent and in shadow

Leave without notice.

- ADAM HOLMES.

A blade drawn quickly

A powerful downward cut

Your enemy slain.

- CURTIS.

In darkness one moves

Silent, swift, steady the hand

The perfect one strike.

- PHILIP LAWRENCE.

Lock and step, we are

Same soul but different forms

Stab and bite as one.

- DRIVEN MAD BY DIVING.

Warriors stand facing

Past battles remembered

Sword and mind awoken.

- TOM.

Shallow breathing wanes

Last Autumn leaf has fallen

The sun sets to black.

- CHRIS DAVISON.

The steel is forged in flame

Hardened in water, and war;

A perfect balance.

- AVALANCHE MAN.

And last but not least pride of place in the rulebook we have Scott J Poole's entry. Scott was a fantastic supporter of the Kickstarter and managed to get us dozens of crafted Haikus over the course of the project. To reflect this, we've featured our favourite of his Haikus with some custom art from Raben White.

Feet rooted in earth

Hands dance like water in air

Soul and steel afire.

- Scott J Poole.

Christmas Office Hours:

The Stone Sword Games office will be closed from the 23rd of December to the 4th of January. Any emails or Kickstarter messages sent during this period will not likely be answered by the team until they've returned from their holidays.

Much love (and Merry Christmas!),

The Stone Sword Games Team.

Post Kickstarter Update #24 Timeline Update, Christmas Office Hours + The Wakou Samurai Spotlight
over 1 year ago – Tue, Dec 06, 2022 at 06:41:03 PM

Good morning, afternoon and evening backers! 

Timeline Update:

Shipping Address Locked In: 16th January

Shipping Addresses will be locked in on the 16th January. After this date you will still be able to change your shipping address, by emailing us directly on [email protected] but you will no longer be able to change it via your survey. 

Additionally, around this date we will be releasing the final shipping costs for Senjutsu.

Shipping Charged: 28th February

The card on BackerKit's system will be charged the price of shipping for your pledge type and region. This money will then be allocated to your pledge and used to send the contents of your pledge to your delivery address.

 Max and I will chase any dropped pledges or uncompleted surveys during this time. Your survey must be complete in order to receive your copy of Senjutsu. Please email us if you have a problem finding your survey.

Fulfilment Begins: Undetermined Date in March

Post Senjutsu's release from Customs, we estimate most pledges will be with you, the backer, within 2-3 weeks of this March date. The pledge will directly to your given address from the nearest fulfilment centre. We will be using fulfilment centres in 1) The UK, 2) The EU, 3) The US, 4) China and 5) Australia. 

The time Senjutsu will spend in customs will vary but you will be kept informed via Updates nearer the time. 

Christmas Office Hours: 

The Stone Sword Games office will be closed from the 23rd of December to the 4th of January. Any emails or Kickstarter messages sent during this period will not likely be answered by the team until they've returned from their holidays. 

The Wakou!

The Wakou is a tough, seasoned brute and the largest (by girth!) of the Senjutsu Season 1 fighters. A lumbering hulk- his Signature Ability Cards are generally slower than other characters but are packed with unusual movement patterns and strong Status Effect inflicting attacks!

The Wakou is unique in that he has 7 Wounds but a reduced Hand Size of 4! This dynamic means you can make a lot of mistakes with the old sea dog before he is going to succumb to any of his Wounds- but you must make sure that you are cycling Stuns from your hand lest you be knocked out by having 4 in hand!

See the Falling Tsunami Jade Card above! The Wakou's movement patterns reflect his love for Sake and the staggering gait it lends him. 

The Wakou is one of the few fighters with unblockable attacks- reflecting his size and momentum. A clever use of the Broadside Slam above can gift the opponent with a crippling 3 Stuns! (If you bounce them off some terrain). 

The Wakou wields a Kanabo- a large metal studded club. This weapon is perfect for dealing Stuns to the enemy- helping the seaman equalise his own 4 Card Hand weakness by bringing the stunned opponent down to his level. The card's Initiative Speed 4 is solid and with a Focus Cost allows the Wakou to stagger out of reach of the enemy! 

His Drunk special rule converts all optional movement effects on Ability Cards into forced movement- meaning you're going to have to be wary of obstacles on the board when moving. However it has a super powerful second effect- you do not have to use the same direction for each step of a card's Movement Effect. 

For example, if the Wakou had an obstacle to his direct front, using a 2-movement "any direction" with a turn neatly allows the fighter to slip past the obstacle- effectively creating a whole new range of Movement Effects using the existing Ability Cards in Senjutsu's Season 1 release. 

Wrap-up: 

That's all for now- with one more 2022 Update coming in 2 weeks that will showcase all the fantastic Haiku's we have featured on our cards, rulebook and artwork from you fantastic Backers!

Much love,

James (and Paul!)

Post Kickstarter Update #23 Box art for Character Packs, Red Wax Mini close-ups and Deluxe Senjutsu Slip Cover reveal
over 1 year ago – Sat, Oct 22, 2022 at 03:38:16 AM

Greeting Samurai!

Its been a busy couple of weeks here at SSG HQ but everything is running smoothly with Senjutsu's progress. We don't have anything major to report on production at the moment, things are going well overall and the translations for most regions are well underway or finished.

Character / Duel Pack Art:

Coming with your pledge and Friendly Local Game Stores soon, here is the box art for Senjutsu's Character Packs.

I have also taken some photos of the Red Wax miniatures that were sent over from our manufacturers in China, they are looking amazing! Detail is deep and intricate and any manufacturer changes have vastly improved the structural integrity and dynamism of the sculpts.

Photo Note- some damage occurred in the post, a few of the models have been replaced or supplemented with 3d prints using the final manufacturer's files- these are just to show final designs and scale for illustrative purposes.

 Above, the Shadow Under Steel pack. We are super pleased with the detail on Hachiko's fur, which took a lot of work between our team and the manufacturer to get right.

 The Legends pack characters in their finalised glory! The final pack has two rowing boats to expand your coastal battlefield! 😃 

 The Wolf at the Door Red Wax characters! The detail on the baby cart really makes it a great centrepiece to any duel. We've worked hard to make sure that the manufacturer does the Yojimbo's hat justice- keeping the iconic shape and the undercut to make sure the character still looks awesome from every angle, including from below the brim of their headgear!  

Deluxe Slip Cover Art Revealed:

The team have worked together to make this fantastic Slip cover for the Senjutsu All-in Deluxe box, and we are all totally in love with it. This artwork will feature on the back of the Deluxe Edition's slipcase- allowing you to display either Senjutsu's default front cover art or this new colourful piece! 

(The Deluxe Slipcase comes with both the Deluxe Edition and the All-In Deluxe Big Box). 

Have a great weekend all!

Peace and Love, Max (and the rest of the SSG team!)

Kickstarter Update #22 Updated Fulfilment Date
over 1 year ago – Mon, Sep 26, 2022 at 04:12:45 AM

Good morning, afternoon and evening Backers!

Long update today, featuring a decision we’ve not taken lightly.

Our Policy:

On 29th July 2022, I stated that:

“What we don't want to do at Stone Sword Games is split the production into the various language options- as we feel this unfairly leaves some regions of the world without their product as other language options / regions enjoy the product. The English Language version of Senjutsu is finished- but we can't prioritise English / American Backers without excluding the rest of the world. “

This is something that Paul and I feel strongly about. We’ve seen many campaigns on Kickstarter place the needs and requirements of some Backers over others and we do not think this approach is fair, transparent or something that Stone Sword Games wants to aspire to.

Following the Kickstarter Update above, on August 12th, 2022, I stated that we would be working with Publishers to work out a timeline for production.

It has taken a few weeks to get all the answers back from the Publishers.

Paul and the team has worked incredibly hard over the last 6 weeks changing the files into every conceivable file format to help aid the Publishers but it has become clear that certain Publishers will not be ready until later this year.

There are various reasons for Publisher’s delays which we’ve listened to and accept as valid.

The Decision:

We are making the decision to delay Senjutsu's fulfilment until early 2023.

A fair and realistic deadline date for their finished files will be posted to Publishers today.

So why are we moving the fulfilment date?

This decision has really stung but we are going to wait for all publishers to be ready before fulfilling Senjutsu. The statement made in July was valid then and it holds now.

• We don’t want Backers in the UK or another territory to be enjoying Senjutsu whilst other Backers miss out. Keeping the product together stops this from happening.
• We absolutely do not want non-Kickstarter Retailers receiving Senjutsu before Backers do. This is not prejudice towards Retailers but instead displays our preference for making sure you, our earliest advocates, are prioritised. Keeping the product together stops this from happening.
• We do not want people waiting for Senjutsu Tournaments to have an advantage in some territories over others because they’ve received the game first. Keeping the product together minimises the chance of this happening.
• We want to minimise Fulfilment errors and the logistical challenges that will be faced by our distributors and shipping companies. Keeping the product together minimises the chance of this happening.

The miniatures are in production and ready to go. The plan is still to produce these miniatures ahead of the paper and card components in order to speed up the production of Senjutsu. 

See below for a preview of the final miniatures.

As a result of this difficult decision:

• Senjutsu will fulfil together in all languages, fairly and for all Backers. 
• We may enjoy reduced shipping rates; rates continue to fall and there is expected to be global geopolitical measures enacted over the Christmas and New Year period to get prices under control. This savings will be passed on to Backers if applicable. Shipping will be charged closer to final fulfilment.
• We will fully update the Tabletop Simulator module for the English Senjutsu Core Box demo so you can get playing if you own Tabletop Simulator.

A Personal Note From James (me!):

I just want to say that the office (me, Paul, Dan, Max, Chris and Raben) are all saddened by this decision- we really felt that Senjutsu's design process was smooth and led to a beautiful product that Publishers could quickly translate.

What we've discovered is that certain files types are desired by some Publishers over others.

Ultimately we (Stone Sword) are the little guys, a very small company in Nottingham (and we have been blessed to be working with these Publishers), changing the Publisher's source file types has been our burden.

We have lost around 6 weeks of labour, it has sucked and definitely has left the team a little stressed and working harder than ever before but I am immensely proud of their work for getting through this period.

As Backers you have been fantastic in supporting us, please continue to support our work and I know that, when Senjutsu fulfils early next year, the end product will wash away all of the stresses of the Kickstarter campaign process.

From myself. Thank you for being our advocates and for your understanding. 

Daimyo:

Martin Wallace's area control game Daimyo: Battle For Japan will be delayed until early 2023 as well. I don't want Stone Sword Games to become a company that launches games whilst their previous project hasn't shipped.

More details will drop over the coming months. Please support us and follow this project:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stoneswordgames/daimyo-battle-for-japan

Senso:

Every order has now shipped if fast-tracked shipping has been purchased (See last Update). This means we have shipped over 300 orders in the last week- well done to Max who has worked hard to make this happen.

(This includes orders made via Wix, up to the 12th September, which will be sent out early next week.)

This has been a difficult Update to write, what keeps us going is;

1) Knowing Senjutsu will be a fantastic release and...

2) Your ongoing support and goodwill.

Much love,

James (and Paul!) and the rest of the team at Stone Sword Games.