Happy New Year, everyone! I’m Ruby, the new Marketing Lead here at Crossed Paths. I’m super excited to be joining the team and keeping you in the loop with all the updates for Ashes!
Let’s jump right in:
🃏 Playtesting Round 1: We’ve officially wrapped up the first round of playtesting! A massive thank you to everyone who took part - your feedback is key to helping us make Ashes the best game it can be. We’ll be sending out playtest surveys over the next two weeks to collect your thoughts so keep your eyes peeled!
📦 Pledge Manager Opens Mid-Feb: We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to partner with fantastic shipping providers in Canada and the US. The Pledge Manager (where we’ll gather your shipping info) is set to open in mid-February to make sure everything runs smoothly when we’re ready to ship things out!
🎨 Behind the Scenes - Art Process: Our art team puts so much effort into the artwork for Ashes, and we wanted to give you a peek behind the curtain. Here's how Úlfrik came to life - from reference to the final piece.
Art Process for Úlfrik
💼 Welcome to the Team: Crossed Paths has also spent some time on the hiring train and is finally growing with two new team members!
Jan, our In-House Artist, is already working on stunning illustrations and concept art.
Ruby (that’s me!) is here to keep you updated, share behind-the-scenes peeks, and make sure you’re always in the know.
2025 is already shaping up to be an amazing year for Ashes and we’ll have more updates soon - so stay tuned!
All copies are currently enroute to their various fulfillment centers, and because of the wildly fluctuating world of international logistics, some of the shipments are moving faster or slower compared to others. I am happy report that the Canadian and Australian shipments are making great time, and they are expected to arrive at their respective warehouses before the end of the month. This means, I am going to send out address confirmation 48 hour notices to backers in CA/AU/NZ right now (I previously wrote it would happen next week and later on for CA)! Pick and Pack (CA) and Aetherworks (AU/NZ) often send their own shipping address confirmation emails just to triple-check right before they send packages, but I suspect all of their orders will be fulfilled in February. Wahoo!
Most other regions are still looking like the shipments will arrive in late Feb and fulfillment will take place across March. Slow and steady for the US/EU backers. Don't be surprised when address confirmations come your way in about a month's time.
As always, if anyone ever has an issue with their pledge or something is damaged upon receiving it, send an email with plenty of details over to us [email protected]
Wehrlegig Year Ahead
A few years ago, Cole and I started hosting an annual stream where we go over the projects that we are working on and games we are interested in for the coming year. It's become one of our favorite traditions, providing us with a little space for reflection and also an opportunity to pull back the curtain to show folks how we think about games very early in their lifecycle. This is also coming right at the 5-year anniversary leaving my museum education career and transitioning to Wehrlegig full-time. How time flies!
We'd love if you could join us for the live stream but we'll also record the stream to post to our YouTube channel shortly afterward. It should be a fun time and I'm excited to tell folks a bit more about Hell-Raisers too. I think we will drop the Molly House PnP files as well as an unboxing video soon as well!
Wehrlegig Year Ahead Live Stream - Wednesday, January 22nd @ 3 pm EST We'll post again about it on our socials next week and you can always follow us on our Twitch Channel to get notified. Again, the recording will be available afterwards, but hope folks come by to say hi when we're live! We have some fun news to share about Molly House and other things <3
--
Alright, that's all I have. As always let us know if you have any questions but very soon the first backers will have their copies!
What an absolutely smashing start to the campaign! I went out for dinner and returned to the campaigns funding goal floating to the surface in ruin as we continue to descend towards the treasure that is... STRETCH GOALS - Just like I'm stretching this analogy.
We are extremely grateful for your support so far, and excited to see how enthusiastic everyone is about bringing our vision to life. Not only did we beat our funding goal in 4 hours but we have also just unlocked the first stretch goal - The command squad. I'm extremely excited for this goal, the command squad is just going to unlock a breadth of options for the range, with more characterful niche variants of the Kindred Scourges, I can see amazing potential for kitbashing, use in games like Kill Team, Necromunda, even Trench Crusade!!
I wish we had a slick graphic or cool banner to share celebrating, but it is the weekend and we didn't expect to need one so soon, you're all amazing!!
BUT
This is just the beginning, we're 12000 leagues (dollars) under the sea, and we've got amazing stretch goals up ahead, not only will we be adding new units to your pledges, with all Kindred level backers getting all stretch goal minis included, but we also have the potential to create unique art, lore and get into developing our game and game world in earnest, with committed extra development time that can allow us to all breath a lot easier and continue making content on youtube alongside a range of miniatures that we are all excited about.
The better this campaign does, the better position it puts us in for the next faction!, Jenns "Sisters of the Old Blood" - BUT I am getting ahead of myself with excitement, for now, lets enjoy the feast of the deep, and celebrate the campaign success and first stretch goal annihilation on DAY 1
It is late in Australia, i'll respond to everyone's comments and then head to bed, look forward to seeing what happens overnight! Much love and appreciation - Dave
The Kindred Scourge get a new command squad, with veteran soldiers as well as radio specialists and a medic. This entirely new unit will be added for all backers at the Kindred level.
Goal: A$12,000 reached! — We did it! This project reached this goal!
The Thunderstorm Theme is here! 🌩️⚡ This electrifying design is not just a tribute to the raw power of lightning but also a versatile addition that fits perfectly alongside themes inspired by Norse mythology, like Viking sagas, the mighty Thor, or even ancient tales of Zeus commanding the skies. Whether you’re crafting a Nordic-inspired setup or an elemental collection, this theme is the perfect match!
Let us know what you think! Your opinion is important for us!
Now that the Thunderstorm Theme has been achieved it means that it’s time to choose your next favorite theme! 🎨
Head to the community section and update your vote—every interaction helps shape the future of this campaign.
We Need Your Support!
To keep this momentum going, we need your help to boost the campaign on BackerKit. Here’s how you can make a difference:
Post in the community section to share your excitement.
Vote for your favorite themes in the poll.
Invite your friends to check out the project.
Your interactions not only show your love for the project but also help us climb higher in BackerKit’s algorithm, bringing in more backers and unlocking even more stretch goals!
I hope you had a fantastic Christmas and that your new year is off to a wonderful start! I've been dealing with a pretty rough chest infection—just when I thought I was on the road to recovery, I’d end up feeling sick again. It's been a bit of a rollercoaster, but I'm finally starting to feel better!
We’re diving into our work and making great progress. I wanted to share a quick update on our production with you all.
The superchonks are 95% finished. We are just finalising the final two designs, Astral Dreams and Beyond Time. The rest are in the polishing and inking stages. Other than than these 2 designs. The superchonks are basically ALL DONE...PARTY!!!!
The 7pcs set designs are 90% completed, and again, we are finalising the sanding, polishing and inking on the majority of the designs
The exclusive D6's and d20s are 60% completed. And we are finallsing the inking and polishing on them
The dice trays are 50% completed. We are working hard to have them finished. They need to still be sanded and polished etc
Packaging BOXES for the superchonks are 100% completed. And I am just waiting for the MAJORITY of them to be shipped from the factory.
Microfibre cloths 100% completed. Just waiting on the factory to ship them
Sticker designs 100% completed. Just waiting on the factory to ship them
I'm happy to share the news that our manufacturing partner has just completed mass production of Molly House. Wahoo! All the games and add-ons are now getting packed and assembled onto pallets to get ready to be shipped across the world. This also means that we are now entering the freight and fulfillment phase of this project, so it will soon be time to verify your delivery address and receive your pledge!
Molly House in action at PAX Unplugged 2024 📸@playthegamehq
Delivery Address Confirmation and Shipping Details
We work with fulfillment partners all over the world that make our project possible. This project will be fulfilled on a rolling basis across Q1 2025, which means that there will be some timing difference in fulfillment and the final lock for delivery addresses for backers before fulfillment. Address confirmation emails are a 48 hour notice that reminds you what address we have on file and then let's you know that it is about to be locked.
Refer to the different sections below to learn more about your pledge. Like always, please reach out over email to [email protected] for any assistance on your pledge or if there are any issues with delivery.
US Backers We ship our rewards out of a fulfillment partner warehouse in the Chicago-land area. They are incredibly -well setup to move as quickly and carefully though our orders as soon as we are ready to ship. We are are still currently sorting out how we'll bring things into the US with our freight partner right now. We are not sure still what any threatened tariffs might mean for this project, but we'll certainly keep you informed.
I suspect if things go smoothly we are still on track for the first shipments to be sent out sometime in early March. Given the constantly evolving state of the world, it is hard to say exactly when but we're going to just say that final US address confirmation emails will go out February 18th. We'll then confirm our shipping lists and upload to our freight partners so they can get right to it when the games arrive.
CA Backers We will continue working with Pick & Pack Logistics for our Molly House fulfillment. We've worked with them on all of our crowdfunding campaigns for CA backers and they continue to do amazing work. I suspect a very similar timeline to the US, though it could be earlier or later since it is a different shipment and will be going through a different port of entry. Regardless, let's plan on final address confirmation emails for CA backers also go out on February 18th. Like with all of our regions, after we lock final addresses, we format and upload the shipment data to our partners' shipping platform.
AU/NZ Backers Like with our previous campaigns, we'll continue to work with Aetherworks for AU + NZ fulfillment. They are fantastic and typically receive the games weeks earlier than our other fulfillment regions. I am hoping the first AU/NZ bound copies ship out in February at some point, so let's plan on final AU/NZ address confirmation emails go out January 21st. I have not received confirmation about when we can expect fulfillment to start up, so there is a chance it won't be until March. I am hopeful it will start up before then.
SEA-Region Backers Our wonderful China-based fulfillment partner VFI Asia will be the first to receive a shipment. They are responsible for all SEA-region fulfillment. VFI works with a bunch of local fulfillment centers in surrounding countries, so depending on the volume of games from their other publishing partners, delivery could be on a similar timeline to that of the US. It will be very hard to say when exactly your copy will be delivered. Please make sure you list an address that can work for a wide delivery window. CN/HK orders will certainly be first but others depend wildly, so please put an address that will be safe to deliver to anytime from January until late April to be safe. Many of VFI shipments won't go out until they have enough games to ship safely to their regional partners. It is slow and safe, but we're very close to local delivery, so I will need to lock in all addresses for VFI very soon! I will send out SEA-region address confirmations TOMORROW, Thursday December 19th. There is a chance VFI might be able to get local CN copies shipped out before Lunar New Year, but no promises yet.
UK Backers For the first time, we are shipping to our UK backers via UK-based Spiral Galaxy! I'm really excited to be working with them. This hopefully means better turn around time for UK shipments and support. I suspect this lane will also be on a similar timeline to that of the US / CA / EU, which means I am optimistic for a march fulfillment for the campaign. Let's also plan on final address confirmation emails for UK backers also go out on February 18th. This may be pushed up or back depending on the speed of the freight.
Europe + all other International Backers And lastly, our Germany-based shipping partner Fulfillment Europe who handles all EU, Europe, and rest of world shipments for us. FE has been an incredible partner over the years and I'm very happy to work with them again on Molly House fulfillment. We'll put this fulfillment zone on the same address lock timing as the others, but know that it is also subject to be pushed up or back depending on when the games arrive. Also hoping for a March-April fulfillment for most of the orders. We'll do address confirmations for EU/Int'l backers on February 18th.
---
If you are planning to move into to a new apartment sometime in March or are confused about anything related to the delivery of your pledge, please reach out over email to [email protected] and we'll be sure to help.
PAX Unplugged Photos
Molly House on display
And lastly, to round out this update, here are some photos from PAX Unplugged! We had a ton of fun demoing on final production copies that we air freighted for the convention. We leaned in heavily into the world of Molly House and had a great (albeit emotional) time showing off Molly House. It was just incredible to see folks react and experience the game in its final form really for the first time. Also, feeling humbled and grateful as ever that Jo and our volunteers were able to come to Philly so we could show off the years of hard work. A wonderful, exhausting way to wrap up a big year!
Festivities!
We're incredibly lucky we were able to share in the joy of this project, in no small part because of the support from backers like you! We were able to make this game a reality because of your generosity and interest.
I suspect our next update will come in January when Cole and I will do our annual Wehrlegig Year Ahead stream (date and time TBA) and hopefully will have news about unboxing, how-to play, and other video-related things for you!
Thanks as always and talk to you again in the new year, Drew
We have both our color proof sheets and the white box proofs for Magic Socks & All the Theme Packs in our hands.
White Box Proofs are all the components & packaging of the game cut, folded, and assembled - but without any art.
Below are a few images of the White Box next to existing copies of ArchRavels.
You can see all the components laid out (the socks are already punched in the Sock Sack here) and HEY! It's our first look at the REAL Sock Sack :-)
Color Proofs are uncut sheets showing how the art and content will be reproduced & where the cut lines will be.
Below are a few images of those sheets! We've got a copy of ArchRavels next to the back of the Magic Socks Expansion box. A close-up of my daughter's current favorite Theme Pack Project Card: Snuggle Scouts. The Multi-Theme Reference Chart from the Cryptids Theme Pack and my daughter supervising.
They have been reviewed by the team and there are two main concerns that must be addressed.
1: Theme Pack Boxes: Sometimes your pre-planning isn’t 100% accurate. In this case that turned out to be on the boxes for the Theme Packs. Once all the components were made and the boxes were tested there was a change needed to the dimensions. This shift is large enough that the artwork for each of theme needs to be resized and reworked. That is in progress now...
2: Project Cards: The Project Cards are printing darker than the original game and the color is slightly off. It’s enough that these cards won't mix well with your existing ArchRavels Project Cards so that is being addressed with Whatz.
Once these two items are handled this is off to mass production.
New Delivery Date
We’re now aiming for a Spring 2025 release. We don't like the delay either and we appreciate your patience…
What to Expect Spring 2025
Spring 2025 delivery will include the ArchRavels: Magic Socks Expansion, Theme Packs, and all of the Deluxe Add-Ons such as the wooden yarn bowls, realistic yarn tokens, and playmats.
Fun little update on those playmats! We’ve gotten our production sample of the newest ArchRavels Yarn Bazaar Playmat and this edition will now have edge stitching! 🤩
In future updates, we’ll share the new 2-Pack Wooden Bowls and 3D Yarn Tokens as they start to arrive as well.
What about Rivals & Award Season?
As you might expect, with the delay mentioned above we're pushing these back. However, instead of having to worry about two different waves of shipments or how much you’ll pay for shipping on what wave or what’s going to happen if you ordered both, etc, etc, etc….. We’re making this really easy.
Rivals & Award Season will deliver sometime in 2025 and will ship for free for all existing orders when it does. No matter how you ordered Rivals and/or Award Season, when it ships, we'll reach out to confirm addresses first and then ship it to ya for free.
We truly appreciate your continued support, and we're excited to share and ship ArchRavels: Magic Socks to the World!
In Other news:
We were at PAX Unplugged!
We were at PAX Unplugged and it was great to see everyone’s faces! We had several crafters stop by the booth to show us their WIPs. Several folks showing off their various ArchRavels enamel pins. AND We found a real life cunning hat!
We saw some really cool cosplay at the PAX Unplugged including Mrs. Claus, Professor Plum with the Wrench, and Mrs. Peacock with the Rope.
We truly can’t thank you enough for your continued support. We wish you and your family a warm and happy holiday! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
I’m excited to share some fantastic news regarding our production progress! We are absolutely thrilled with how everything is coming together. The inking and polishing process for our super chunk designs has officially begun, and we can already picture how stunning they will look in their elegant new super chonk boxes.
We are working diligently on finalizing the remaining designs and full set configurations to ensure everything is just right. Your enthusiasm and support have been invaluable, and we truly appreciate the excitement you bring to our community. Stay tuned – amazing things are on the horizon!
We have something extra special to share with you all today! 🎁 To celebrate the birthday of Daniela, a young High Noon fan and daughter of one of our incredible All-In backers, we’ve decided to unlock the Expansion Loot Vol. 2 stretch goal early! This exclusive loot pack is now available as an add-on and is also automatically included for all our All-In backers! This expansion pack will retail at $12, but for now, you can grab it for just $9!
Here’s What’s Inside:
15 Rations Cards – Fuel your posse with essential items, including Tobacco, Chocolate Bars, Gun Oil, Miracle Cure and Stew.
15 Gear Cards – Equip yourself with Satchels, Boxes of Ammunition, and Water Canteens to keep the advantage.
15 Weapons Cards – Arm yourself with all new powerful choices like the Blunderbuss, the Officer's Sword, Rodger's Rifle, Dum-Dum Rounds, and Incendiary Rounds.
Each card type includes 3 copies, bringing you a total of 45 unique loot cards for added strategy and depth in every game.
What Makes Expansion Loot Vol. 2 Special?
These cards give you powerful new options and strategies to change the tide of any encounter. Grab this pack now to get even more out of your High Noon experience and surprise your opponents with fresh tactics.
If you’ve been on the fence about going All-In, now is the time to jump in! With Expansion Loot Vol. 2 added at no extra cost, the All-In pledges are now more valuable than ever, offering exclusive loot, achievements, and stretch goals you won’t find anywhere else.
Easy Payment Plan Available!
Did you know? To make going All-In on High Noon even more affordable, this campaign allows you to split the cost of your pledge into 4 easy monthly installments! With this plan, you can secure everything in the All-In pledge—including all the stretch goals, achievements, and exclusive add-ons—without needing to pay it all upfront!
This is the perfect opportunity to get the ultimate High Noon experience while keeping it budget-friendly. Don’t miss out on the incredible value that keeps building each day of the campaign!
Let’s make this campaign something truly memorable—and a big thank you to Daniela and her family for inspiring this special moment!
