A tome of heretical proportions (and the obligatory shipping update)
9 months ago
– Thu, May 22, 2025 at 11:08:57 AM
Greetings Crusaders,
We have a lot to talk about today concerning the rulebook. But, first of all, an update on shipping:
Miniatures
Things continue to progress well. Iron Sultanate players rejoice, your rewards are now being sent too. Casual soup enjoyers, yours won't be too far behind either!
In terms of pure numbers, S3D plans on hitting around 8-9k total physical orders shipped (out of 12k) by the end of the month. So Heresiarch and Beast backers as well as those who ordered things like mercenaries and terrain, you don’t have too much longer to wait either! We’re still on track to fulfil the lion’s share of orders by the end of next month. Once again a big thank you to everyone for their patience and understanding. Everyone should be in the trenches by the summer!
Assistance
As always should you have any issues with your order, contact S3D and they will get you sorted: [email protected]. As a reminder we did a quick guide on how to quickly fix small issues like bent parts or remaining supports in a previous update.
The Dice
Some dice sets have already started arriving. If you haven’t been contacted by the folks at BoD or if there’s an issue with your order, contact them at [email protected].
The Book
We’ll get straight to the point here: the book is going to be late. We originally planned for it to deliver late next month but now we expect it to be August and possibly slipping into September for the tail end of things. The reason? It simply needs a bit more time. We’re currently in the final stages but don’t want to rush things.
Disappointing news, we know. We’re not happy about it either BUT there are good reasons for the delay:
Much more book for your buck
The pagecount, originally planned to be around 210 pages on the KS page, is now pushing 300. Given the success of the campaign we allowed oursrlves some extra leeway in terms of both art and lore… Ok, it was a lot more leeway actually. We’re talking about much more art as well as lots of expanded lore.
Our book designer Spiridon and Graphic designer Viktor (who hand wrote all the quotes you will see below, the mad lad) have been working overtime to produce a veritable feast for your heretical senses.
All these images are WiP and subject to change. Also, bear in mind that these are double page spreads designed for printing. Looking at them flat like this on a screen is not what they're meant for but we wanted to show you someting all the same.
The rules. Refined.
As many of you know, Tuomas has teamed up with Andy Chambers and Jervis Johnson to work on future rules for Trench Crusade. Between the three of them they’ve also been going over all the core rules extensively. Not just making minor changes here and there but also improving things like wording and structure. This should ensure an even smoother gaming experience and less ambiguity in certain situations.
License to sin
We’ve also decided to make this version of the book a kickstarter exclusive. We’re adding what’s called an “Indulgence”. You can look it up for all the interesting historical details but the short version is that it was a document that let you lessen the weight of the sins you’ve committed… in exchange for a nice donation to church coffers, of course.
If you liked all of the latin and fancy details that were included on the map, you’re going to love this and it’ll mark your book as something truly special.
So go on, you can sin just a little bit. It’s on us.
—
Once again Crusaders, we regret this extra wait but it will be worth it.
Also, note that this ONLY applies to the delivery of the physical rulebook. The digital version of the official 1.0 Trench Crusade rules will still be made available to everyone by the end of next month so you can crusade whilst the book makes its way to you.
Last thing: If you're attending UKGE next week, do feel free to stop by and say hi on stand 3A-430!
And with that, I bid you adieu again for now.
Trench Pilgrims and Court shipping. Dice update too!
11 months ago
– Sun, Apr 20, 2025 at 03:32:16 AM
Greetings crusaders!
We've all (just about) recovered from Adepticon, and we have some more news for you on how the project is going.
Production and deliveries
OnlyGames are still ploughing through orders.
Printing of New Antioch, Heretic Legion and Trench Pilgrims is complete and The Court of the Seven Headed Serpent now joins the fray. Pledges containing those factions, or a mixture of them, are on their way out the door.
OnlyGames are also getting things moving with the accessory sprues. Orders containing the Church Accessories and the already completed factions will start to ship out shortly.
All in all, almost 5000 packages have been shipped so far!
As always, if you have any issues, reach out to [email protected]
But we’re not done! In order to really crank things up to 11, we’ll be working with OnlyGames to bring in even more people to the production team with the goal of increasing the daily shipping rate. Obviously this does come at a cost but we want to get your rewards out to you as quickly as we can.
The Dice
Those of you who pledged for dice will shortly be receiving, or have already received, an invite from Baron of Dice. The email will be coming from [email protected], and will look like this:
All you need to do is open the invite and click on the "complete your purchase" button. This will take you to a standard ecommerce page where you can fill in your address and pay for shipping:
For delivery times, a small quantity of the dice will arrive in advance. These will be sent out on a first come, first served basis. The rest will follow around June.
Should you have any issues with this process, you can reach out to [email protected]
The Rulebook
The team is working feverishly on completing the rulebook, which is in its final stages. We’ll be going into detail about it in May.
UK Games Expo
The team will be at UK Games Expo from Friday May 30th to Sunday June 1st! If you're attending, we'd love to meet you. We'll have more information about that soon, including our booth number and what we'll have with us, so keep an eye on our socials!
Have a great end to the week everyone!
Shipping plan and physical pre-orders
11 months ago
– Mon, Mar 24, 2025 at 08:11:50 AM
Greetings Crusaders,
Another delivery update today but this time with more details on how orders are going out.
As we stated previously, March was all about OnlyGames getting up to cruising speed with deliveries. This past month has been about optimizing everything from printing and cleaning, to picking and shipping. Whilst these processes are nothing new to the OnlyGames team, the sheer volumes are, so they’ve been working hard to make things as efficient as possible, and we cannot thank them enough for it.
As it stands, they’ve gone from a handful of orders every day to hundreds. Additionally, we’ve had relatively few issues in terms of quality control and packing. Remember though, if you do have an issue with your delivery, you can write to OnlyGames at [email protected] to get it fixed. See our previous update for more details.
Which brings us to the order in which rewards are being sent out. Many of you have already noticed that the only orders that have gone out thus far are for Heretic Legion models. This is because OnlyGames wanted to start with shipping just one faction first, so as to be able to nail down the process before adding more and more products. As the Heretic Legion is the first faction in the list of product codes, this was the natural choice.
The order is as follows:
1 - Heretic Legion
2 - New Antioch
3 - Trench Pilgrims
4 - Court of the Seven Headed Serpent
5 - Iron Sultanate
6 - Black Grail
7 - Mercenaries
8 - Accessories
9 - Terrain
Now, originally the plan after finishing the Heretic Legion was to try and move towards a shipment order based on backer number. However, we have decided to continue going by faction, as not only does it make picking and packing much more efficient, it also allows OG to dial in the printing of each faction as we go, leading to far fewer issues and a better quality of miniature overall.
As it stands, all the orders with only Heretic Legion minis should have shipped, and orders for only New Antioch models should be on their way as you read this. Next will be:
- Orders with a mix of Heretic Legion and New Antioch,
- Orders with only Trench Pilgrims
- Orders with a mix of Heretic Legion, New Antioch and Trench Pilgrim models, etc, etc.
Obviously this is very different from the backer number order we talked about during the campaign. Additionally, we are aware that this means that Beast and Heresiarch backers will be some of the last to get their rewards. We sincerely apologize for the change, but it has to be done due to the sheer success and scale of the project. This is the order that will allow OnlyGames to deliver the entire campaign as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Therefore, if you ordered something that wasn’t Heretic Legion and haven’t received any news yet, don’t worry, that’s normal.
As always, a big thank you for your understanding and support folks.
Pre-orders
Now that shipping is well underway, we feel comfortable opening pre-orders for the physical miniatures. This is something that has been heavily requested, but we wanted to make sure that Kickstarter deliveries were sorted and on time before we did so.
You can find everything here: https://only-games.co/collections/trench-crusade
Note that these are a pre-order. They will not be shipped until the Kickstarter has been fulfilled, which is still planned for June.
Should you want to pick up any more models though, or if you have any friends that want to join you in the trenches, this is where you can send them.
Adepticon
As we mentioned in our last update, the team is off to Adepticon this week! Feel free to stop by and say hi on booth 612! Mike, Tuomas, James and yours truly will be there and we’ll have some neat goodies for sale.
Additionally, Tuomas will be doing a seminar on Saturday that will include some new reveals, including one of the things you folks requested the most… Don’t worry if you’re not going to be in Milwaukee though, Gina will make sure you get the scoop, just keep an eye on our socials!
Have a great week everyone!
Miniature delivery ramps up!
12 months ago
– Thu, Mar 06, 2025 at 03:09:18 AM
Greetings Crusaders,
It’s already time for another update! As you may have seen, shipments have started to go out and some are even already arriving!
So, let’s talk about that today!
Shipping progress
Shipping continues to ramp up as planned. As of last week S3D were shipping 100 orders per day and that number will continue to increase as we go forward.
We also visited the S3D factory again to check on things in person and what awaited us were bins and bins of Trench Crusade minis! We were honestly very impressed and, once again, a big shout out to the entire S3D/OG team for their excellent work.
At this point, we’re feeling very comfortable that we’ll hit the delivery window as stated during the Kickstarter.
How do I know if my package has been shipped?
One of two ways: First, you’ll be sent tracking information from S3D when your parcel ships out. Additionally, you can also go back to the link in the original email invitation from S3D and it will take you to a screen showing what’s in your order and what its current status is.
Receiving your miniatures
With many heretical packages about to be landing on doorsteps, let’s talk about the next steps!
Where’s my book?
I’m mentioning this first as we do still get a fair few messages about it: the book is not being sent by S3D. It will be delivered separately around June, hence why the shipping for it was paid separately.
Working with Resin models
As with all materials used for miniature making, resin does require some cleanup before assembly and painting. Additionally, as we’re dealing with the manufacturing and shipping of over 1.5 million individual pieces the process is very different from that of home printing. These prints will require a bit more cleanup than those produced by home printing or smaller printing services. However, rest assured that the quality of the details and the resin itself is still of the highest calibre. With a small amount of effort, you’re going to end up with some very pretty toy soldiers!
There are plenty of more detailed guides out there than what I’m penning here but this should be a good quickstart guide for you.
3D printing requires “supporting” parts of the model. The majority of models will still have some of these remaining on them. They will generally be finer ones that were trickier to remove during the bulk cleaning process or have been left on to help protect certain parts during transport.
These are easily removed with a modelling knife or clippers. If some seem a bit resilient, note that you can heat the model up in some hot water (but not too much, see below) which will make them more supple.
- Cleaning up support marks
When removed, supports can leave a small “dimple”. Note that the majority of these are very shallow and will simply disappear once you’ve undercoated and started some may be a bit more pronounced and can simply be scraped with a modelling knife and smoothed over with some fine sandpaper.
Note: do think to wetsand (ie. wet your sandpaper) when working with resin. The dust really isn’t great for you to breathe in.
As mentioned above, hot water makes the resin more supple. Using this, you can heat up certain parts of a mini in order to bend it back into place. Once the model cools, it should remain as positioned.
Don’t try to bend a part back into place without heating it up first. Resin does not handle flexion well, even S3D’s resin which is much more resilient than most.
Note: you can actually push this pretty far. The more you heat up a part of a model, the more it can be bent. I myself have used this to bend the ankles on a Lion of Jabir so that it could be positioned on a scenic base. There is a limit to this though so be careful!
If you want to work cut or clip your model to convert it or otherwise, I highly recommend using a small modelling saw for best results if possible.
Resin does not respond to “plastic” glues, you will need to use superglue.
Issues with models
To preface this next part, we stand by what is printed on the KS page:
If you have an issue with your models, We Will Fix It.
If you notice a problem don’t panic, don’t feel cheated or let down. Simply contact S3D and explain the issue and you will get replacements in a timely manner.
As mentioned above, with well over a 1.5 Million pieces being printed and shipped, there ARE going to be issues. This is inevitable. The S3D team has an excellent quality control process and are committed to providing the highest quality models they can but they, like all of us, are only human.
Thanks to your support we’re on the verge of pulling off something truly special here. If you can continue to do so during this period, which is going to be a hectic one, then I promise you we will not disappoint you, Crusaders.
A few problems of note:
The models will arrive basically mummified in bubble wrap. Breakages should be very rare indeed. We would ask that you check if a small amount of glue wouldn’t remedy the issue as this is by far the quickest and easiest solution for you and us. Of course, some parts may be too difficult to re-assemble and we will of course replace them.
As mentioned above, there will be some cleanup involved with supports. However, it may occur that due to a quality control or printing issue, pieces slip through where the supports tips have maybe fused to a particular detail on the miniature or left more than just a dimple when removed. Some of you may have enough hobby skills to easily repair things like this and don’t particularly care, for others though, we can of course replace these.
It goes without saying that if something is missing, we’ll replace it. This should indeed be exceptionally rare, due to the QC process, there is almost no chance a larger piece will be left out. Some kits have some finer parts to them, for example the Pilgrims or Heretic Troopers and these are much easier to miss.
Contacting us for assistance
For any of the issues covered here today, you can contact S3D via email: [email protected]
Please rest assured that they will get back to you and we will be trying to handle more urgent requests first.
Adepticon
March is going to be super busy for us with deliveries but the team will also be attending Adepticon at the end of the month! We’ll post more news about that soon but you’ll be able to find us on booth #612 and there’ll also be demo and free gaming tables running throughout the convention. If you get your minis assembled in time, feel free to bring them along and learn how to play!
Thanks for your time everyone and have a great end to your week!
Our Lady Immaculata Peniten
about 1 year ago
– Wed, Feb 19, 2025 at 08:36:47 AM
Greetings Crusaders!
A longer update today about a variety of subjects so do please read it through attentively!
Rest assured though, there’s a nice surprise waiting for you at the end!
Physical miniature production
The timeline we discussed in our previous update is moving along as planned. A handful of orders have trickled out but you should be seeing a LOT of movement very soon as the end of the month approaches. We’re about to go visit S3D to personally check on preparations so you can expect more details and photos very shortly.
As of writing 89% of you have completed your shipping survey for S3D. If you haven’t done so yet please endeavor to do so otherwise there may be a much longer delay in getting your minis to you!
Assistance
- I didn’t get my email invitation
Another batch of reminder emails should be going out before the end of the week so please keep an eye out for it. Additionally, please double check your Backerkit account to make sure you filled out the survey properly. If you still haven’t received anything after that, you can contact Shop3D here who will look into it for you.
- There’s something missing from my order
Please check your order on Backerkit before messaging us. If it’s something you forgot to add, our apologies but we cannot change your order at this stage. If the item in question is in your order on BK but missing on S3D due to an importation error or something similar, rest assured that we will fix it. You can contact us on Backerkit.
- I have a problem with the S3D site
For anything related to issues with the platform, please contact S3D here.
- I need to correct/change my address
Once you’ve submitted your address, you cannot change it yourself. OnlyGames has to do this for you. Contact OnlyGames ASAP to have your address changed. Please note that if your order has already been processed and shipped, they won’t be able to help.
Baron of Dice
Things are going swimmingly with the dice pre-production. We should have some nice shots of the finished product within the next month or so!
Here’s a sneak peak at the back of the tin:
Please note that it’s normal that you haven’t received an invitation to settle the shipping for these yet. That will come much closer to the shipping date. We will of course let you know when that is about to begin. Until then, sit tight, we’re in good hands with the BoD team!
The Third Party License
A lot of people have been contacting us about creating content for TC and what the rules are. We are still going ahead with our plans for a TPL but have had to rework things slightly to account for the success and popularity of the game.
We’re currently finalising the details of this and will do a full update about it as soon as it’s ready. Until then, basic copyright law and common sense is the way.
The Book
Design is proceeding apace but we still need to polish things up a lot more before we start showing it off.
Rest assured though, we’re very excited to be able to do so: the design is CRISPY and we’ve got so many surprises to reveal in terms of art and lore!
Speaking of which… I did promise you guys a treat.
You may remember that during the KS we unlocked a special character design by the Evil Lord Varlak AKA Andy Chambers.
As the campaign went pretty well we thought we’d treat ourselves and bring in a new artist to illustrate Andy’s design. We have a feeling you’ll get the same kick out of it we did.
May I present Our Lady Immaculata Penitens, created by Andy Chambers and designed by the legend that is Adrian Smith.
Sister Loretta was a member of a modest order of devotees to St Dionysia, who was scourged and subsequently martyred by a barbarian king in the 5th century. Together, the sisters maintained a tiny hospice within the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Heart in Ambireika in southern
Nubia. The remote Sanctuary had remained untouched by war for decades, even when the Legions of Mammon ravened to the south and west after the sack of Kerada.
In December, beginning three days after St Dionysius' Holy Day, the night showed the sullen red of settlements being put to the torch and thereafter each morning the smoke columns came closer. The injured and refugees fleeing to the Sanctuary grew from a trickle into a flood. Bitter, defeated soldiers, terrified peasants, dust-streaked, hungry children, each day brought more and the sisters could turn no-one away.
As the surrounding regions emptied, stripped bare by the followers of Mammon, food, medicine and water became barely sufficient. Supplies were rationed, and the rations were cut, again and again. As bellies emptied and the sick multiplied men became desperate, and inevitably, despite the sisters' protestations, harsh penalties were enacted upon thieves and looters both real and imagined.
Brutal discipline, devout prayer and sheer desperation kept the Sanctuary functioning across months of deprivation and torment, each day a dull, keening knife of despair. Finally, the Legion of the Fifth Golden Horn took note and closed in with the confident certainty of a hunter checking their traps. Even cornered, the people of the Sanctuary knew that surrender to the Prince of Greed's brazen demands offered no peace. Instead they chose to resist, accepting the finality of the grave, and the thin prayer of hope that someone, or something, would come to their aid.
Laughing at such temerity, the Golden Legion laid siege in unhurried fashion while awaiting their mortal followers. Hunger would do their work, aided by the slobbering belch of mortar and cannon as they rained shells down upon their hapless prey. More days and nights of torment and sacrifice followed with no hope in sight. All of the sisters perished one by one until only Sister Loretta was left, and nine-tenths of the people trapped inside the Sanctuary died before the first assault. Finally, on the seventh day, strident horns sounded in the Legion camp, but it was not to unleash the long-anticipated assault, it was a call to arms. Another war host glittered on the horizon and battle erupted in the besieger's rear, but as the new force came closer it became clear that they were deathless soldiers of the Black Grail.
The two forces, damned and dead, struggled like giants beside an ant hill and none can say who was the victor. The Sanctuary was overrun in the fighting and left in ruins, its defenders died to a man and woman, the sick and injured were slain in their cots, no refugee escaped the trap. And the final sister? The last of her order? The one who suffered, and witnessed, and prayed, and fought as everything she had ever known or cared about was relentlessly ground down into dust and despair? Well she lived, after a fashion, or at least she didn't perish in the rubble. Perhaps the Grail bestowed a gift upon her, or perhaps her apotheosis was truly Divine.
Whatever the truth, our Sister Loretta did not die that day, our Lady of Penitens - she rose again.
—
Obviously this is a work in progress, you’ll get to see the final product a bit later on along with her rules!
And on that note, I bid you all a good day!
