Armchair Dragoons Forums

Wargaming => The Modern World => Topic started by: Barthheart on October 17, 2018, 10:03:48 AM

Title: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on October 17, 2018, 10:03:48 AM
Soooon!  :D



Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on October 17, 2018, 10:08:29 AM
Not sooon enough!  I wants my copy!
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on October 17, 2018, 10:12:25 AM
Yeah, looking like early Jan for us not in Europe..... :(
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on October 17, 2018, 08:46:22 PM
Y'all want to chip in and send me to Essen?

Ich spreche Deutsch and can probably bring back 3 copies...not counting mine, of course...

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bayonetbrant on October 17, 2018, 09:27:36 PM
Y'all want to chip in and send me to Essen?



I didn't realize there were any historical Napoleonic sites in Essen...
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on October 17, 2018, 09:43:53 PM
Y'all want to chip in and send me to Essen?

Ich spreche Deutsch and can probably bring back 3 copies...not counting mine, of course...

They aren't handing them out at Essen. Just have demo copies for press showies.

Not like DVG....  :tickedoff:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on October 18, 2018, 08:08:07 AM
Get Rich Quick Scheme:

Step 1: Set up a shipping company in Canada.

Step 2: ?

Step 3: PROFIT
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 03, 2019, 02:18:09 PM
After having ordered my copy back in March, I finally received a shipping notification just now that my copy of U-Boot is on its way.

Brant, I'll do a short unboxing vid of it. It still says "by May 10" so no idea how soon it will be here.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 03, 2019, 02:49:39 PM
After having ordered my copy back in March, I finally received a shipping notification just now that my copy of U-Boot is on its way.

Brant, I'll do a short unboxing vid of it. It still says "by May 10" so no idea how soon it will be here.

Man, I'm gonna be pissed if you get your before I get my copy..... :tickedoff:
They were not supposed to sell in NA until all had received their KS copies...

And thanks for doing the unboxing saves me from doing it...
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on May 03, 2019, 04:16:34 PM
Oh, man, you and me both.

How companies let that happen (DVG!) is well past me.

They fund based on our support and then treat us as an afterthought...

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 03, 2019, 05:37:03 PM
Don't blame me...heh, I even posted over on BGG I totally understand if KS backers get their copies first and it takes longer for me to get mine.

Sounds like the dev screwed the pooch with that, but they've apparently been very vigilant with updating and rooting bugs out of the app.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on May 04, 2019, 04:17:07 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/Yf86o3t.jpg)

So very weird.

Came home and there it was on my doorstep.  Nary a word from the supplier about its arrival.

TEN DEGREES DOWN BUBBLE!!
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bob48 on May 04, 2019, 04:21:56 PM
Looks like a big box - not as big as the Ogre box though, I'll warrant!
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: mirth on May 04, 2019, 04:27:52 PM
I like how they included a $10 bill. Nice touch.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 04, 2019, 05:19:50 PM
Nice, Cyrano!

I'm in the same boat, so to speak. Package said it shipped but no other updates, like what I get for other orders.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on May 04, 2019, 05:38:43 PM
Looks like a big box - not as big as the Ogre box though, I'll warrant!

Heavens, no.

Let's not be mad here!

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bob48 on May 04, 2019, 05:41:25 PM
 :crazy2:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Capn Darwin on May 04, 2019, 07:30:39 PM
Cyrano  How many hours until we see the U-boat on the virtual table top?  :nerd:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on May 04, 2019, 07:34:58 PM
It would seem these devs have taken a dim view of TTS implementations of their game.

Or, perhaps more correctly, have indicated they're working on their own video game version of U-Boot.

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Staggerwing on May 04, 2019, 07:54:52 PM
Looks like a big box - not as big as the Ogre box though, I'll warrant!

Heavens, no.

Let's not be mad here!
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on May 04, 2019, 07:57:30 PM
I suggested four legs to turn it into a coffee table, but that'll do just fine.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bob48 on May 05, 2019, 06:30:10 AM
Nice table, stagger  :bigthumb:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Staggerwing on May 05, 2019, 07:25:23 AM
Thanks. It might even seat two.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 06, 2019, 03:21:01 PM
After having ordered my copy back in March, I finally received a shipping notification just now that my copy of U-Boot is on its way.

Brant, I'll do a short unboxing vid of it. It still says "by May 10" so no idea how soon it will be here.

Man, I'm gonna be pissed if you get your before I get my copy..... :tickedoff:
They were not supposed to sell in NA until all had received their KS copies...

And thanks for doing the unboxing saves me from doing it...

I got an email from Phalanx this morning saying that they still hadn't shipped out Canadian orders yet but that they should arrive in Canada and get shipped by the end of next week.  Not at all pleased with the way they've bungled KS shipping.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 06, 2019, 07:15:39 PM
I can't complain compared to what you Canadians are dealing with. Strangely enough,  even with regular orders that ship via USPS, I get notifications through Amazon when they're at certain points along the delivery pipeline. With this game, I have no notification other than "it shipped May 3."
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 06, 2019, 07:49:39 PM
After having ordered my copy back in March, I finally received a shipping notification just now that my copy of U-Boot is on its way.

Brant, I'll do a short unboxing vid of it. It still says "by May 10" so no idea how soon it will be here.

Man, I'm gonna be pissed if you get your before I get my copy..... :tickedoff:
They were not supposed to sell in NA until all had received their KS copies...

And thanks for doing the unboxing saves me from doing it...

I got an email from Phalanx this morning saying that they still hadn't shipped out Canadian orders yet but that they should arrive in Canada and get shipped by the end of next week.  Not at all pleased with the way they've bungled KS shipping.

At least you got an email.... I've heard nothing....
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 06, 2019, 07:58:55 PM
Only because I pester them 1-2 times a week.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 06, 2019, 07:59:59 PM
Ah... I'm too lazy fer that... :P
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 10, 2019, 09:43:42 AM
Anyone else still have this outstanding for delivery?

My copy says it'll be delivered today by 8pm, but I'm having my doubts. I've not received any notifications other than 'shipped' on May 3.

Barth, I imagine you still have some time, right? That sucks. :(

Here's hoping we all get it sooner rather than later.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: mirth on May 10, 2019, 10:21:21 AM
Two of my buddies here in Maine got their copies earlier this week.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 11, 2019, 01:40:14 PM
Yesterday came and went and nothing delivered. All Amazon says is, it was "probably delivered." WTF is that? I've never seen any item I've ordered say "probably delivered."

Guess I'll just need to wait and see if USPS delivers it today, though my expectations aren't high. Hope you guys have yours on track to arrive soon.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 11, 2019, 03:48:56 PM
Nope.  Two weeks ago they said "two weeks".  Yesterday they put out a new update saying "end of the month?  Maybe?"
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 11, 2019, 04:33:02 PM
I talked to the seller on the phone about an hour ago; he said the distributor was saying 5/22 now, though he's confident that'll be the date. (Sure, okay.)
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bbmike on May 11, 2019, 04:49:28 PM
Yesterday came and went and nothing delivered. All Amazon says is, it was "probably delivered." WTF is that? I've never seen any item I've ordered say "probably delivered."

Guess I'll just need to wait and see if USPS delivers it today, though my expectations aren't high. Hope you guys have yours on track to arrive soon.

"Probably delivered"  :ROFL:  :2funny:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 11, 2019, 05:17:58 PM
Yeah, ain't that some shite?
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 16, 2019, 02:10:18 PM
Finally got my tracking number.  Game’s still in bloody Poland! 
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 16, 2019, 03:24:17 PM
At least you got that!  :censored:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 16, 2019, 04:26:50 PM
Daily pestering.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Cyrano on May 16, 2019, 04:59:30 PM
I now offer my animadversions:

1.  Love the sub.  A lot actually.  I've been a sub "guy" since before Silent Service on the Apple II and little has changed since.  So, yeah, toy factor of the sub itself is pretty high.  I had none of the assembly problems others have experienced, but I am never (OK, well, never may be a bit much but you take my point) breaking it down.  It's a display piece now.

2.  The resin bits -- the extra ones -- are fun, but wildly unnecessary.  One, in fact, is most often in the way.

3.  As a game, it's a heavy-ish worker-placement Euro with a well-done war theme.  No way it's a wargame.

4.  Contra my own words, it reminds me most of some of the weird games Paddy Griffiths dreamt up to engage his peers and students in which they played at being [INSERT THING] and he described what they were doing in real time and they had to react.  It is a most unusual experience.  The craziest bit so far has been realizing that the periscope, spotting binos, and TDCs are not scrolled in a traditional way when in FPV, but physically turned.  This has lead to numerous amusing moments with my son, playing the first officer, spinning around in his chair to spot the ship we're looking for.  Or, if you insist, it's a Kriegsspiel simulation with the app as umpire.

5.  There is a HUGE amount of granular resource allocation.  Perhaps, not yet certain, too much.  To do even routine things requires a certain number of men with a certain number of skills to be in a particular place.    This requires a SHEDLOAD of planning.  Taking the simplest example, turning the sub 10-degrees to starboard, accelerating to flank speed, speed, and then making only two more course adjustments, will wipe out your "regular" actions for your navigational specialists for an entire four-hour watch.  Those of us used to noodling the steering, depth, and speed as we go are in for a very rude shock.  As I say, I'm not certain, but it may be a bit too much.

6.  The random event system is fun if frustrating in the heat of battle.  Nothing quite like being told your toilet is plugged in section #3 and you've got to put a crew on it to fix it and surface the boat to deal with a toxic gas problem.

Sticking to milk runs and low difficulty at the moment, but the family is enjoying it so far.

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 21, 2019, 11:09:54 AM
My copy finally arrived just now. No notification, just showed up.

Pics to follow.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 21, 2019, 03:53:13 PM
First photo is what I saw when I first opened the game box.... quite the mess. Of the two decks of cards, one had come loose from it’s wrapper and was strewn throughout the box. The second was still wrapped tight and the top card has some significant chips/dings in the colour on the front face... not sure if that will affect play or not. A few punch board pieces had come loose but nothing damaged.

The second phot is everything that’s jammed inside after I sorted and punched it all. The U-boat parts can be seen in the lower left. It’s going to take some significant gluing to get it to stay together.... look like the punches are starting to wear out, large holes and small tabs. But I was planning on gluing anyway. The art work on those pieces is fantastic. It will look very impressive on the table.

Will be firing up the game and app this week.  :D
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 21, 2019, 05:15:18 PM
Still waiting on mine.  It's about 5km away but won't be delivered until tomorrow.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 21, 2019, 06:50:17 PM
Waiting on mine, too. The store I bought it from said it was expected by 5/22 but it's moot as I have to travel next week. I'll have to hit him up for an update.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: mirth on May 21, 2019, 07:28:11 PM
Waiting on mine, too. The store I bought it from said it was expected by 5/22 but it's moot as I have to travel next week. I'll have to hit him up for an update.

Maybe you missed it in the six other games delivered this week :P
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Staggerwing on May 21, 2019, 07:33:25 PM
Only six? Slow week...
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 21, 2019, 08:00:29 PM
Maybe you missed it in the six other games delivered this week :P

Uh...no.

Two others. One should be here tomorrow, the other hasn't shipped yet. I'm a little concerned about that - it's my first order from NWS and it's taking a while, but he's at least answering my questions on FB. For what I'm saving compared to Amazon, it's a good deal.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 22, 2019, 06:13:26 AM
Chris at NWS is a good guy and will take care of you. No worries there.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 22, 2019, 08:39:31 AM
His prices on Compass Games titles are insane compared to Amazon and Compass Games. :)
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bbmike on May 22, 2019, 08:40:48 AM
Is he Crazy Eddie?
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 22, 2019, 08:43:29 AM
Not THAT crazy.  ;D
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 22, 2019, 03:18:57 PM
Got my copy today.  One card was heavily damaged but apart from that, everything is present and in good shape.  Sad that I'm relieved that only one card was damaged.  Really wish I'd got this from a local store instead.

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 22, 2019, 03:26:02 PM
That really sucks, SDR.

My store is a city away from me and said they hoped they'd be getting it by today. Which means I should hopefully get it by the end of the week. If if if. And hopefully my churned-about copy isn't damaged that much either.

This should make a GREAT unboxing video.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 23, 2019, 02:57:39 PM
Replacement card is on the way.  Let’s see how it fares.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 23, 2019, 03:22:11 PM
Maybe they will pack in it the same size box the game came in and then they can toss it around for 8000 miles from Poland... :P
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 23, 2019, 06:04:30 PM
I also just realized that they sent me the wrong type of mat.  I got the thin neoprene one instead of the leather one. 
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on May 23, 2019, 06:07:58 PM
Eco-leather... from the hides of Ecos......  ???
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 23, 2019, 06:20:35 PM
Ecos?  Like hippies?  If you check closely, you can just make out the faded henna tattoos, the scent of patchouli oil, and hacky-sack bruises.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 23, 2019, 07:38:48 PM
Welp, hopefully will get my copy by the first week of June. :(
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: bbmike on May 23, 2019, 07:40:13 PM
So you can tell us about it at Origins?  :whistle:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 23, 2019, 07:41:29 PM
Nope. Moving into a new house. Money and time are both extremely tight once that happens.

Thank goodness for surveys and Amazon gift cards.  :D
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 26, 2019, 02:00:38 PM
Did any of you get the wooden nav pack? Was it part of the KS?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PPJKPB1?ref=myi_title_dp

$10 doesn't seem bad for a little flavor.

I'd love the mat too, but I'm also pretty sure that it's also a KS-only item.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 26, 2019, 02:55:13 PM
I did.  Not really worth it IMO.  The cardboard is nearly as good.

Cardboard on the left, wood on the right.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 26, 2019, 02:56:20 PM
Wow. Thank you, appreciate the comparison.

I gotta actually see what I have in my box first.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 26, 2019, 03:44:31 PM
We did a 4 player run through of the training mission yesterday.   

Initial thoughts:

This game nails the theme and atmosphere!  Everyone commented on how well the game presented itself and how powerfully the theme came through.

Components are great but they eat up a tonne of table space (and we ended up adding more in the form of a notepad and some graph paper).

The 3-D sub model is cool but it needs to be glued or it'll fall apart during play.  Storage is going to be an issue.  Glad I didn't get the 3D resin components and environmental hazards add ones because it's cramped enough with just the sailor minis.

Division of labour/tasks is wildly uneven and whoever ends up playing as the chief engineer doesn't get a lot to do.

The captain will be busy trying to keep track of everything that needs doing and stressing over the orders/morale track.  The first officer is the busiest person as they're responsible for interacting with the app and passing on info.  The navigator isn't too busy until a contact is found but then they're totally ensconced in playing with the nav wheel and tactical map.  The meal prep thing they're also responsible for feels like busy work.

The engineer has the  most routine tasks to perform but they just aren't that engaging or fun.   The app will throw up routine  maintenance tasks from time to time (usually while you're being depth charged) indicating what the problem is, how severe (green, yellow, or red), and how many men it will require (there are also 2 toolboxes available with limited parts that can lower the manpower cost).  The engineer's only real job is to prioritize his repair schedule based on his limited manpower and assign crew to repairs.  He still needs the captain to agree and issue orders though and the first officer is the one who will be able to track repair progress via the app.  Other than that, the engineer doesn't do anything until things go very, very wrong and the sub suffers a hull breach in which case the player has to correctly assemble puzzle pieces before a timer runs out an the damaged section floods.

We tried giving the engineer player other tasks like controlling the medic (1st officer's responsibility) and the meal prep (nav's responsibility) but these tasks aren't really any more engaging either.   I did see a post on BGG suggesting that players switch roles after each watch change.  That might be fun.

The way the orders track works for the captain seems very punishing.  Simply ordering everyone into position and setting course and speed nearly exhausts the available orders for 6 hours of game time.  We all thought it was too punitive but want to try a few more times before house ruling things.

Fun game.  Tonnes of atmosphere.  Needs some tweaking.  Can't wait to play again!
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on May 26, 2019, 03:49:16 PM
That's good to know. Though I'll probably be playing it solo for the foreseeable future. I only bought it after researching how many folks had a good time playing it solo, though it does need house rules. I thought I'd heard one about not issuing an order when setting course and speed, or other minor things like that (making them 'free' orders), but I imagine that's more of a difficulty level thing.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 26, 2019, 03:52:30 PM
We decided once someone was assigned to the hydrophone that that should only require one order rather than an order every time you went back to the hydrophone screen.  We also went with a free mobilization order during watch changes.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 03, 2019, 10:26:51 AM
Barth, did you get your copy yet?

SDR, did you ever reach out to your seller or the company itself regarding your damaged components?

Mine is supposed to be here today. My seller in Tuscon has been very responsive in communications and he even warned me of the poor packing issues. He told me to inspect the game carefully and let him know if there were any problems so they could figure out where to go from there.

I'm going to do an unboxing video when I have time, once it arrives. I'm morbidly curious.

Meanwhile, over at BGG, there's a thread complaining (well, many threads, but this one in particular is interesting) about the piss-poor packing (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2199776/laziness-packing-game-components-truly-appalling). The company rep (Michal) that responded to people in that thread was apologetic but stated they essentially just "forgot" a transport tray.  Many folks in that thread were very satisfied with the explanation, but I'm not sure this is forgivable, mainly for two reasons.

One, this is a professional company that has many, many other board games to its credit, not a first-time publisher. There's no excuse for skimping on packing/presentation.

Two, tied in to one, is that presentation. All board gamers are VERY visual people and get emotional interest in components, presentation, and the like. It elicits a response in our brains very much like an itch we can't scratch but can suddenly reach. We ALL know that giddy Christmas-like feeling of opening a board game for the first time, and game developers should know that feeling well, too. How the hell you can just 'forget' how people will see your game when they open the cover is mind-bogglingly ridiculous.

The other unforgivable part is, having to turn your customers into auditors, and have us have to sit down with a list of components in one hand and do a meticulous check of the contents with the other. I think we can agree there are certainly gamers out there that do this out of OCD or anal-retentiveness, though I cannot disparage that at all. A game is an investment, not just of money but of time and to an extent, emotion. I'm not one of those people. I trust companies to provide everything needed, but this is going to instill paranoia in me and make me want to start doing that. Not to mention the time it's going to take looking for every last piece and component, because there's a lot of different people in the thread there talking about one piece here missing or another piece there missing.

Makes me wonder if the dev had a conveyor belt of box bottoms going by a chute that they just poured components out of and hey, if everything got in, great...if not, oh well, we're "just humans!" :)
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 03, 2019, 10:48:57 AM
Yeah I got my copy. And it was pretty messy inside the box. there are 2 decks of cards, one of mine had worked itself out of it's plastic strap and was all over the inside of the box. The other deck was intact inside it's strap... but the top card had a couple of small nicks out of the top face colour from roaming around the box. Nothing that will affect play at all.
A couple of the punch board pieces had fallen out but again were no damaged in any way. In fact it made removing the other piece really easy as the punching was well done.

My sub model doesn't hold together by itself either but some glue will fix that.

I'm pretty blase about the packing job... its just a game.... you'd think they way some people are carrying on it was their first born that had shown up on a box...  ::)

Finally got the game all laid out on my game table... man it takes a lot of space and will involve lots of reaching to play solo.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 03, 2019, 11:48:07 AM
Yeah, I contacted Phalanx games regarding the mangled card and wrong mat.  They replied within a few days and said replacements are on the way.

Both of my card decks came apart in transit and a lot of the cards were bent and scuffed.  Only one was bad enough to warrant replacing.  About half of the ship tiles popped out of the sprues but there was no damage.  My ship model was very wobbly when I assembled it and it threatened to fall apart when touched so I ended up gluing it together in thirds (bow section, stern section, and midships).  Nice and stable now but doesn’t fit in the box any more.

I noticed that the distance increments on the navigator’s rulers don’t match up.  The wooden ruler is about 3mm longer than the cardboard one.  No idea which one is correct for the map scale.

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 03, 2019, 11:52:26 AM

I'm pretty blase about the packing job... its just a game.... you'd think they way some people are carrying on it was their first born that had shown up on a box...  ::)

If it's just minor things, I'm absolutely fine with that. Major damage or missing pieces though, that affects gameplay and can't be overlooked. The main thing about the cards that worries me is, if one or several are marked, you'll know what that card is if/when it comes out during a game - "oh crap, there's the card with the nick in it, that's the X card coming up."

Some people are about as anal about their board games as some comic collectors are - it's pretty amazing they bother collecting them anyway. But hey to each their own, right?

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 03, 2019, 12:07:07 PM
Lots of the cards aren't used where you need to hide what they are, only the random injury and morale cards are hidden.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 03, 2019, 12:09:01 PM
...
I noticed that the distance increments on the navigator’s rulers don’t match up.  The wooden ruler is about 3mm longer than the cardboard one.  No idea which one is correct for the map scale.

I don't think it makes any real difference in the game play which ruler you use. Navigation on the strat map is not that accurate anyway. I think most are using the wooden ruler, seems better... and it's wood!
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 03, 2019, 12:13:48 PM
Lots of the cards aren't used where you need to hide what they are, only the random injury and morale cards are hidden.

That's good to know, thank you.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 03, 2019, 04:23:15 PM
Just arrived.

The game does look like a hot mess when I opened the box, but both of my card decks were secure in their cheap little plastic strap (thankfully), so no mess of cards throughout the box.

A few of the larger cardboard pieces popped out, including all three of the circle/course pieces, and a couple of the U-Boot structure. One of the U-Boot pieces is slightly warped on one end but I don't perceive this to be a problem when I put it together.

I'd heard you can assemble this thing and then it can disassemble into three sections, and fit in the box. Is that not accurate? If not, I am probably going to hold off on putting this together as I still have to move in about a month.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 03, 2019, 04:31:49 PM
Maybe if you’re better at packing than I am.  The three pieces will fit in the box lengthwise but the lid won’t fully close.  As long as you don’t rest anything on top of the game box, you should be fine but any significant weight on top will crush the sub model.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 03, 2019, 04:34:09 PM
It’s actually 4 pieces I think.... bow , middle, and stern sections and then the conning tower cardboard and plastic piece. Now I haven’t tried this but there are pics on BGG that show it all going back in the game box. Someone also posted a self made divider for the pieces thT I might try to duplicate.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 05, 2019, 08:19:39 PM
Chris at NWS is a good guy and will take care of you. No worries there.

I'm getting more concerned about my order of Zeppelin Raider from him each day. He told me this would ship over a week ago and my repeated requests for a status have gone unanswered. I messaged him twice via Facebook since last week and just now sent another email. I ordered the game May 16th and have zero idea what's going on or if he's even going to fulfill it.

If he's had issues getting it, I'd totally understand, but he told me a few weeks ago he'd have it out the door by last week. :(

This was my first order with NWS. I'm doubting there will ever be another.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 05, 2019, 09:01:31 PM
Hmmmm.... he was having trouble at home... sick parent or wife... so that may have him buggered up a bit.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 05, 2019, 09:57:22 PM
Oh crap. I had no idea. He could have said something but I understand why he did not.

I was just surprised, with all the praise people give to them, that my experience hasn't been great. We'll see how it goes.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 05, 2019, 09:59:42 PM
Well, it wasn't a secret. I read it in one of his FB posts, awhile back now.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 06, 2019, 08:15:46 AM
Huh. Well, I only recently (in the last few weeks) added NWS as a 'friend' on FB. I wasn't aware he was having issues.

He just messaged me via FB and sent an email last night. He said in the email...

Quote
Got more arriving this week. .. been a busy last couple of weeks with our latest RTW2 publication and starting to move to our new website..

Not sure what RTW2 is but a website move/reorg can make things hairy.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: mirth on June 06, 2019, 08:20:06 AM
He's been moving to a new website for 5 years :P
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 06, 2019, 08:21:56 AM
Hahahahaha...

Great.

I guess I'm naive in thinking if I order something that's for sale on a website, that it's actually available and not something he'd go and order and then send to me. I don't generally like waiting a month for a game that I order, but it's not like I don't have a bunch of other baubles to distract me.

Though that's kind of moot too, with my son here now my gaming space is bye-bye for the time being.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: mirth on June 06, 2019, 08:26:40 AM
I think he's limited on how much stock he can carry.

I've never had a problem ordering from Chris. He's always gone above and beyond whenever I've dealt with him. The first time I ever place an order with him, he called me at home to clarify something.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Barthheart on June 06, 2019, 08:32:37 AM
...

Not sure what RTW2 ….

Rule the Waves 2. Naval PC game.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 15, 2019, 07:13:33 PM
Replacement card arrived today.  They sent it in a small paper envelope that you'd associate with a birthday card or the like.  No protection for the card other than a plastic ziplock bag.  Surprisingly, it made it from Poland unscathed.  Still no sign of my endangered Eco leather mat.

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 17, 2019, 07:31:18 AM
I think he's limited on how much stock he can carry.

I've never had a problem ordering from Chris. He's always gone above and beyond whenever I've dealt with him. The first time I ever place an order with him, he called me at home to clarify something.

Been more than a month. Still waiting.

To his credit he answers my FB messages within a day or two, but his answers are always the same. His last couple of replies have stated he has received stock and it should be "today or tomorrow," but then I don't hear from him. I ordered this game back on May 16.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: mirth on June 17, 2019, 07:39:18 AM
It's too bad you have no other games to pass the time with  ;)
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on June 17, 2019, 07:50:10 AM
It's too bad you have no other games to pass the time with  ;)

Eh, it's not that. I don't have time for it. I can barely keep my eyes open for work let alone for a game nowadays, without pain. I'd just prefer to have it here and not have to go back and get it.
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 25, 2019, 10:33:06 AM
Hello Everyone!

With our u-boats reaching the shores of Australia, campaign fulfillment is almost complete. It has been a long time in the making, but the shipping operation is finally coming to a close. And, while on the one hand it is a moment of celebration, then on the other hand it is a good time to look back on the mistakes we have made in the course of the project and learn from them, so that we can give you a better experience next time.


Our biggest production mishap was the lack of a disposable component tray that would keep all the unpunched components in place during shipping. This oversight resulted in a large number of complaints (the  project had a ⅓ higher complaint rate than our previous projects) and, consequently, reduced your unboxing satisfaction. The reason behind this issue was not related to savings, however, but to an omission. As our top priority was making sure that all the components would fit into the game box after the hull assembly, we totally forgot about holding them in place in transit. Therefore, while you can store all the pieces in the box with no problem, then some copies that went through the hands of the most brutal couriers had their cards scattered and counters unpunched - sometimes with damage sustained in the process. Luckily, most of the games arrived in top condition, but this is a lesson learned nonetheless… From now on, we will include a transport tray in every game we publish, even if it ends up in the trash the moment the game is unboxed.

The second most widely commented issue was the card protector size. We chose protectors that fit the cards rather tightly, because in our previous campaign - Hannibal & Hamilcar - some backers complained that the protectors provided were loose. Therefore, when approving protector size before sending the cards to the printer, we chose a closely matching size. For plenty of backers it wasn’t an issue at all, but many of you who prefer wider protectors were not happy that we chose the ones we did. Once again, lessons learned - we should probably refrain from offering card protectors in our future campaigns and let backers decide for themselves on this matter.

Another problem that we experienced was the shipping delay. Although we promised to deliver the games by the end of 2018, the whole process lasted until June 2019, so 1-6 months late. This happened due to both internal and external reasons. The internal ones were connected with delays in design, development, and production of the game. The external ones were unexpected delays caused by our shipping partners. For example, the Port of New York and New Jersey dispatch delays forced us to change the whole US shipping plan and cost us plenty of money, as well as an additional month. The lesson that we have learned here is to plan development and production even more cautiously, accommodating longer timeframes in anticipation of unforeseeable circumstances. From now on, we will estimate even longer lead times than reasonably expected, as both game dev and shipping will inevitably fall behind - it is not a matter of ‘if’, but ‘how much’.

Another item on our list would have to be communication. We decided to pursue a no-spam policy, keeping our updates short and rare. We tried not to bore you to death with the same information over and over again, but we may have overdone it, as there was a substantial number of backers who complained about the lack of information. We believe we have learned the lesson. From now on, we will take additional care to highlight the most important information in every update. We will also attempt to make more frequent updates, especially when it comes to shipping.

Apart from production and logistics-related issues, we have also learned a few major lessons in software development, and the first of them was ‘things always take much longer than planned’. And we mean MUCH longer. The first time we really felt it was when we had to completely re-scale the game’s world after the KS campaign. For those of you who might not know, U-Boot was quite a different game before the KS. It was constantly running in compressed time, which not only allowed us to streamline certain combat situations, but also to have much longer missions in the game. But the public was not fond of it and requested a genuine real-time game in the course of the KS. As a result, we had to rebuild the app from the ground up and recalculate 90% of the values that related to time and space. Unfortunately, not only did it take much longer than planned and put the whole development six months behind schedule, but it also dramatically changed the rhythm and the pace of the game, forcing us to redesign certain core mechanics, such as the Captain’s activation rules. You can only imagine what kind of crazy time we went through, working around the clock on rebalancing and re-scaling the whole game, while adapting missions to the new system and rooting out bugs at the same time.

And the worst thing about it was that it all snowballed on us very late in the development process. Initially, rebuilding the game world size didn’t seem like much, but once more issues piled up, we eventually got stuck between a rock and a hard place: on the one hand, we didn’t want to release a half-baked product, but on the other hand we knew we could not delay the release any further. The delay in shipping bought us a little bit of time, but at some point we had no choice but to give it a go: although rebalancing was still being done and certain functionalities were far from ready, we understood that further delays would have caused more harm than good.

And so, the ‘early access’ version of the app was released. It got off to a rocky start, but luckily we were quickly able to pinpoint and fix the most serious issues that we did not manage to tackle earlier. It has to be stressed, however, that we wouldn’t have been able to make it without the tremendous help from the community. Especially on BGG, where a number of incredibly active supporters were willing to share their time and expertise to help us make the game better for everybody. We will never forget that and we cannot thank you enough for your continued support and generosity. It was hard work, it was a tough time, but we have collectively managed to make U-Boot the game it is today. And we believe we will continue to do so for as long as there are people who are willing to play it.

At the same time, we would like to apologize to all the Apple device users who had to wait considerably longer for the app than the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the Appstore approval process can take time, and we were especially unlucky, because we got turned down a number of times without being given clear-cut guidelines of what we were supposed to amend. On top of that, the whole process took crazy amounts of time, but given the game’s theme and nature, we understood that it had to be scrutinized very thoroughly. Thankfully, the app has been available on all the promised platforms for quite a while now, but we have definitely learned a lesson here.

The last software-related issue that caused us substantial trouble was the save functionality. Due to the different pace of the game before the campaign, we envisioned much longer missions, spanning across several weeks, with a couple of save points allowing you to record your progress (just as we promised during the campaign). However, as the nature of the game had changed radically and the pace of the whole experience slowed down a lot, we realised that our mission design would need to be completely reworked too! As a result, we had no choice but to break the missions up into smaller chunks, and turn the save points into boundaries between the shorter missions that you have in the game now.

With tons of additional work cropping up, lots of bugs to get rid of and the deadlines approaching, at some point it became clear that sacrifices had to be made. We could either keep the full-blown save game feature, but at the cost of leaving gameplay unpolished, OR put our main focus on the gameplay at the cost of delivering game save in a simplified form. As you might presume, we went for the latter, because there was already a possibility of saving the game between missions - exactly where the save points were originally intended!

Upon consulting the case with the IT team, it seemed like it was the only option to go for. There was still a lot of work left on the core game elements, and as gameplay has always been our top priority, it felt like the right thing to do. And, even though it was definitely the lesser evil, it later backfired on us, because the extent of app stability issues proved to be bigger than estimated, especially on the older and less reliable devices. Therefore, while the vast majority of our backers did not perceive that as a problem, then again some were disappointed with that aspect of the game, and some even went as far as calling us dishonest, implying that the lack of in-game save was a purposeful omission and an attempt to lie our way out of campaign promises. And while we think we did not deserve such accusations, then the fact remains that  sacrifices had to be made.

However, we also made that decision because we knew we could make amends in the near future.And it is with great pleasure that we can announce that we will be introducing an upgraded game save feature in our nearest update! The cost and lead time of this functionality has already been estimated and implementation will begin as soon as the design is ready. What we can already tell you is that the improved game save feature will be based on checkpoints and will be implemented specifically for each mission, so that their key moments and general pacing can be taken into account. We will keep you posted on all the developments in this field, so please stay tuned for more information. 


Regardless of the good news, we would like to say that we are very sorry for all of the project’s shortcomings and that we will do our best to amend them. Our customer service is working around the clock to send out all the missing or broken pieces, and the game dev team are constantly looking into ways to improve your gameplay experience. It has been an incredibly demanding project, and although some of the challenges have taken us by surprise, we nevertheless believe that it is a success. We have managed to publish a unique game, introducing an all-new genre into the realm of board gaming. We have manufactured 22.000 copies of this game in 8 different languages in a single, joint production. We have developed the most complex supporting app in the history of boardgaming. We have managed to immerse our players in a real WW2 submarine warfare experience. We have made our mistakes and learned our lessons. We have been through fire and brimstone, but we believe it was worth it. It was an experience that we will always remember, just as we hope you will remember our game. We are incredibly happy that we have managed to bring this project to a conclusion, and we thank you for giving us such an opportunity.


Living rules
Still, our work is far from over. As promised, we will be here to support the game, in both its physical and digital aspect. We are currently working on a reprint, and to that end, we have prepared an updated version of the rulebook. You can download it here:

Rulebook (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jpuza9c6b04graa/AADLwUsVQECNjlrHUuqOVxW6a/__Uboot-Rulebook-v1.2-240619-small.pdf?dl=0)
Playbook (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jpuza9c6b04graa/AAALig6nbdALYDWHJ3ZXEAVJa/__Uboot-TacticalGuide-v1.2-240619-small.pdf?dl=0)
Player aids (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jpuza9c6b04graa/AABnJR5xYZUC8_judXiVwRkia/__Uboot-PlayerAids-v1.2-240619-small.pdf?dl=0)
If you have any remarks, please mark them directly on the files, using the Dropbox tools. Thank you!

We hope to keep this campaign page alive, announcing every major update: both rules and app-related. Please keep your subscription to this project page, and it might so happen that one day we will announce an expansion for U-BOOT... If you want to keep this project alive, please share your feedback in your social media channels, at gaming groups, and at BoardGameGeek.com (please rate the game there!).

Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on June 27, 2019, 03:02:05 AM
Well this is annoying. $45 less than I paid for the KS.

https://www.coolstuffinc.com/p/272551
 (https://www.coolstuffinc.com/p/272551)
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: BanzaiCat on July 09, 2019, 12:45:02 PM
^ $35 less than what I paid for my 'normie' version. :(
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Staggerwing on July 09, 2019, 06:52:56 PM
Exactly what I paid for mine....  :whistle:
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 09, 2019, 08:37:46 PM
It was $61 during the sale IIRC
Title: Re: U-Boot the boardgame
Post by: Staggerwing on July 09, 2019, 09:41:04 PM
And ninety-nine cents