I pre-ordered my copy of Battlelore from Cardhaus.com last week under the impression that ALL pre-orders were going to include the hill giant promo mini. However, when I E-mailed Cardhaus’s customer service dept. today they informed me that DoW hadn’t informed them whether or not the hill giant would be offered to them. So…Does somebody at Essen want to clarify this with our French compatriots?

Nope. Only pre-orders directly from your local Retail store (or directly from Days of Wonder) will include the Hill Giant. From their website: (http://tinyurl.com/y3u32p)

In fact, I was at Endgame (Oakland, CA) last weekend which was accepting pre-orders and had the Hill Giant to be given to all folks who pre-ordered the game. (Days of Wonder was demoing the game also.)

So the choice is yours - save money on the cost of the game and get the game. Support your local retail store, pay a bit more, get the Hill Giant as a token of appreciation.

I think Days of Wonder has been pretty clear in saying that only preorders from brick and mortar game stores (i.e., not online dealers) and DoW themselves would get the Hill Giant.

I sent DoW a complaining letter, but no response, yet.

My local game store happens to be an online store. It's technically not quite the closest, but since I see someone that lives next to it a couple times a month, it is by far the easiest. (So the online store has a service above and beyond any that I could get from a storefront.)

For any storefront location, I would have to drove ~20 miles each way to pre-order, then to pick up. Unfortunately, none are close to locations that I regularly visit, either, so it would be a special trip both times.

Alternatively, I could order from DoW, but in addition to retail, I'd have to pay shipping on top. So my "free" hill giant figure would cost around $30.

As a result, I protested to DoW outlining why I thought their stand was hypocritical and will not be pre-ordering Battlelore. It has moved from "gotta have it" onto my "try before buy list" and is starting with a negative impression.

I'd even consider sending the difference between retail and what my online store charges to charity (for out of date business concept support or other charity of DoW's choice) in exchange, but I suspect that offer would be rejected. (Love to be proven wrong, though.)

BTW, I've been to my online store location and it contains brick and mortar.

Or...

you could just call the closest store (which you admit is not your weird pseudo-B&M) to pre-order the game and pick it up when it comes in. Seems like a simple and less cantankerous stance and solution.

Since:

A. The store you prefer is not the closest
and
B. You can just call the closest store to pre-order...

You seem to have absolutely no point against DoW.

BTW, what exactly is hypcritical about their stance?

I love how so many people are complaining about DoW including the figure with orders that support FLGS. You people don't seem to understand that DoW doesn't owe you anything.

I could'nt agree more. Cheers to DoW for trying to support businesses who support the hobby!

Peace

I always feel dirty buying from the big online venders, but as a working college student I really have a hard time covering the extra expense of buying Battle Lore from the local guys. I feel bad now. I guess i'll just buy the forthcoming individual monsters from the shop.

I too applaud DoW for supporting the traditional brick & mortar game store with their promotion. I also understand that for some folks their hobby dollar is is spread a bit thinner than others. So I don't begrudge someone on a student's budget from saving a few bucks where they can. I was a starving college student once too.

I also applaud DoW for supporting the stores that provide the most visible access to the hobby. The suggestion to call your nearest store to make the preorder is quite reasonable: one trip 40 miles? I drive 240 miles from Tucson to Phoenix and back weekly.

They even bothered to make an exception for direct orders, for those who really live in BFE, but it costs a bit more.

Hmmm. I can't find a violin playing emoticon.

Another thought about the local store promo. DoW knows they'll sell to the hardcore gamers, but to really have a hit, they need to sell to the masses. To do that, you need local exposure.

Some guy will come into the store to pick up his preorder and be so excited that he'll break it out right then and set it up in the playing area. If he's there for an hour or so during a weekend, he'll probably sell another 2-3 sets just by being an unintentional live demo. The more people that play locally, the more they'll sell. Once the blisters come out, those that have the base game will be likely to pick them up on impulse when they go to the store to play or browse.

I can't believe how much whining a piece of plastic has caused in a group of adults.

AMEN! A great point that exposes the mass hysteria and irrationality present in some who criticize a company that is actually treating us and the hobby very well.

And regards to online purchases...

I have no problem with those who choose to use online retailers; I've used them myself (gasp!)

What I do have a problem with are those who whine that they don't get a $70.00 game AND a promo fig when they get the game for $50. Yeah, gee, what a hypocritical company.

Personally, I love OPTIONS. DoW is giving us options.

1. Full price plus extra fig.

2. Heavily discounted, but no extra fig.

What could be better than having a choice?