The end (of the year) is near, and as the Privateer Press staffers prepare themselves for the year to come, we have much more to look forward to as well as much to reflect back upon. Monsterpocalypse roared to life in 2018, Riot Quest is on the horizon, Lock & Load is both six months behind us and six months ahead, and looming over much of it are the Infernals that are making their way to the Iron Kingdoms at this very moment. When Oblivion comes next year, the world will never be the same. Never. You can bet your soul on it.

So, while we brace ourselves for the forthcoming wanton madness and destruction, some of our staff want to share their best moments of 2018 with you and give you some behind-the-scenes insights into what we’re all diving into come 2019. We were glad to have you along for the ride last year; now it’s time to buckle up for the one about to happen…

Best Highlight of 2018

There were so many highlights in 2018, but I think the best of them would have to be the release of Monsterpocalypse. Monsterpocalypse has been such a fun project from beginning to end from seeing the first bits of concept art for the reimagined characters to painting many of the finished models. Being a part of this project has been such a blessing.

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

I have been excited about Infernals ever since I heard about their initial concept! Every time I see something new, the hype for 2019 builds even higher.

Best Highlight of 2018

One of the biggest highlights of 2018, for me, was the move to our new venue for Lock & Load. While the Meydenbauer Convention center is a fantastic venue and has always been great for us, moving Lock & Load to the event space at the Hilton in Bellevue made the gamefest feel more connected. The convenience of being able to zip up to your hotel room and back to the tournament area in a couple of minutes was great, and having food and drink options on site meant you never had to leave the action unless you just felt like walking around Bellevue. On a personal note, it was also the first year I got to bring my son (seven, at the time) to Lock & Load, and I enjoyed some very satisfying fatherly moments as I saw him light up at all that we have going on there. And once he realized he was born to play Legion, he wouldn’t stop talking to every person he saw with a Legion army to compare notes on the force he wants to assemble!

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

It’s very hard to choose just one thing that I’m excited about in 2019 because we have so many great things coming up, but if I have to narrow it down to just one thing, it’s going to be the release of Riot Quest. I think it’s going to surprise a lot of people because it’s very different than anything we’ve done, while at the same time it expands on the Iron Kingdoms and our pantheon of entertaining characters in ways we’ve never gotten to experience them before. The game has been so much fun in our playtesting that I can’t wait to play it with everyone I know.

Best Highlight of 2018

My favorite highlight of 2018 this year was WARMACHINE Weekend. Carl Morgan has run the show for over a decade, and being there for his final run as the head organizer was incredibly important to me. As always, WARMACHINE Weekend showcased what I personally feel is best about our games: the community. When I wasn’t on the clock assisting at the store or providing commentary for the live streams, I spent as much time as possible just hanging out with everyone attending. We shared stories, games, painting tips, terrible drinks, and had more than a fair share of belly laughs. WARMACHINE Weekend will carry on, driven by the community as it always has been, but I’m really happy I was there for Carl’s last run as the main man behind it all. At the least he’ll actually get to play some games next year!

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

Riot Quest! My hype level for this game is through the roof, and that’s not just because I’m the lead developer on it. I’m a fan of a wide variety of games, from the deep tactics of WARMACHINE & HORDES to the co-op experience of games like Level 7: Omega Protocol and Undercity. When it comes to games that I personally design and/or lead develop, you can look at the games I made for No Quarter Prime such as Extreme Colossal Wrestling, Grind MK III, and Deck Raiders to get a sense of what I’m all about. I love fun, quick, casual games that have a ton of replay value and allow for players to feel like each turn is meaningful without being overwhelming. I also really like simple dice mechanics to resolve the action. I cannot wait to start previewing more of Riot Quest in the future and showcasing just how fun this game is going to be. If you’ve ever wanted to bring a loved one into the Iron Kingdoms fold but perhaps the size or depth of WARMCHINE was a bit too daunting for them, then Riot Quest is absolutely going to be the game you’ll want to take a look at.

Best Highlight of 2018

I had a lot of great moments at the office this year, but the best for me happened at Lock & Load. Running the Strangelight RPG adventure content from No Quarter Prime for our community was truly special. Matt Goetz, Doug Seacat, and I put a lot of love and care into those features, and getting to see hardcore Iron Kingdoms fans delve deeply into the paranormal world of Strangelight was a greatly rewarding experience.  

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

Given we recently previewed some of the amazing things we have coming in 2019, it probably wouldn’t be smart to give EVEN MORE away. Oh, heck, what’s the harm? I mean, no one will get mad if I give some teasers about upcoming setting-redefining lore stuff, right? Well, wouldn’t you know it, but it turns out <REDACTED> decides that the time has come to <REDACTED> <REDACTED> <REDACTED> along with the powers of former enemies like <REDACTED> <REDACTED> in earth-shaking battle. Now, I know that sounds bad, but as luck would have it <REMOVED> realizes that <NOTHING TO SEE HERE> has made their move, and despite their best efforts <REDACTED> <REDACTED> <REDACTED> <REDACTED> Infernals. Can you believe it? I can’t either! 

Best Highlight of 2018

My highlight of 2018 was definitely the launch of the second edition of Monsterpocalypse. As I’ve said before, it was one of my favorite games before I came to work at Privateer Press, and getting to bring it back was great. Seeing the excitement from everyone at Gen Con was awesome, from the longtime players who were interested to see what had changed to the brand-new faces we saw light up during demos as they threw their first monster into a building.

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

It probably comes as no surprise that I’m also highly anticipating new Monsterpocalypse stuff for the coming year. The last few months have been great as we’ve seen the game expand both in players and available models. 2019 is going to see the game grow in exciting ways. Matt mentioned some of what is coming in his recent Insider, so everyone knows we’ll see new monsters and new factions next year. I can’t talk about much more than that, but there are other new things on the way, including a Monsterpocalypse narrative event at AdeptiCon this spring.

Best Highlight of 2018

Working with such a wide range of figure types between L5R, Monsterpocalypse, WARMACHINE, HORDES, and Riot Quest ensured that I was never bored! My favorite thing to work on this year has been the Infernals. I love drawing creatures, so it has been a blast coming up with the visuals for them. This year I’ve also had several opportunities to contribute to illustration, and it’s always a nice change of pace to be creating art instead of just critiquing it. 

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

I’m most looking forward to Lock & Load and the release of the Infernals. I’m really excited to show off the Faction, and the terrain table that Danny Samuels is building is going to look amazing. 

Best Highlight of 2018

I had the opportunity to get more involved with the community through “P3 Presents” videos, Hobby workshops at Lock & Load and the Las Vega Open, and through the hobby blog.  It has been wonderful to see the enthusiastic reactions of the community when these were sent out.  Also, walking into Lock & Load and seeing people playing Company of Iron ALL NIGHT on my first two tables was surreal, and looking back on the tables made me realize how much I have improved since I started.

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

Getting to really sink my teeth into the Iron Gauntlet table will be wonderful.  I am very excited about our plan for that and the prep I have done thus far.

Best Highlight of 2018

2018 was an incredibly busy year that seems to never stop, even as we close in on the New Year! My best highlights are the twin releases of the Crucible Guard army for WARMACHINE and the release of the second edition of Monsterpocalypse! Both releases were a long time coming and featured incredible models that I had waited for the better part of a year to see.

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

Infernals, Infernals, Infernals, and Infernals…with a side of Oblivion!

Best Highlight of 2018

This was certainly a big year. I know I’m not the only one who was extremely excited to see Monsterpocalypse rise from the ashes again. While the original launch didn’t involve me directly, I greatly enjoyed everything about this game, including its over the top monsters and its building-smashing gameplay. Seeing the larger, improved versions of the models and the greatly improved rules has been very exciting. Terra Khan in particular is one of my favorite critters we’ve ever made. It’s also been gratifying to get involved on the fiction side of things this time around, delving into the backgrounds of these characters and monsters in greater depth. The launch of the Crucible Guard was also quite an achievement and has quickly become one of my favorite factions. I think everything that makes the Iron Kingdoms special can be found in these guys—Its unique blend of alchemy, steam-powered contraptions, and a world driven by the mad schemes of deranged scientists, it’s all there. I am proud of everything we were able to pack into the No Quarter Prime article that featured the background for these guys.

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

How can one look forward to 2019 when it contains Oblivion? Sounds quite frightening. I’m rather terrified to see what will happen to everyone. Those deranged fools who say they’re looking forward to the coming of the Infernals are crazy, I say. I’m just hoping to be among the few who are preserved. Likely they’ll need a knowledgeable guide, right? Someone to answer some questions and point to the best souls? I guess we’ll see… 

Best Highlight of 2018

It is no secret that I love my job! Sculpting models is a true passion of mine, but the one thing that may rival it is getting to hang out with our players. Seeing them using models we’ve produced and how excited they are never gets old. This last year I was able to attend several events including Las Vegas Open, Lock & Load, Gen Con, and WARMACHINE Weekend. All amazing shows and all could easily have been my highlight for 2018…but I cannot lie, attending Molon Lave, Greek Masters in Athens, Greece, was my true highlight. The games, the community, the friends! It was truly an amazing experience for me and one I will never forget.

Most Looking Forward to in 2019

Infernals! It’s that simple for me. I love all the art I have seen, I love working on the beasts thus far, and I cannot wait to see how they play.

Finally, as a visual artist, I thought I would share a group photo of some of my friends past, present, and future. Here’s to 2019 and all the amazing stuff coming…