Santa's Secret Space Raid - 2013

Santa’s Secret Space Raid - 2013

Please make sure you read all the rules thoroughly!

Yes denizens, it’s that time of year again.  Once again, we will be celebrating the holiday season in true despotic-fashion, by generously taking with one hand whilst fending everyone else off with a huskblade in the other.   Join us for Santa’s third annual Secret Space Raid.

***Key points***:
November 8th – deadline to enter
December 16th – recommended date to have gift posted by
January 1st – gifts should be received by this date
You are asked to get delivery confirmation when you mail your gift and provide the tracking number to me.

Who can enter, prey tell?
All are welcome.  However, following several members failing to come through last year, which detracted from the experience to a significant degree for numerous others, there are some pre-requisites this year, unfortunately.  Thus, in order to enter the 2013 raid, you must:

- have a minimum of 50 posts as a member of TDC prior to the closing date for entry (no last-minute spamming);
- and have been an active member of TDC for at least 3 months prior to the closing date for entry;
- and be in good standing mod-wise.

There may be some wiggle room to get in, but I reserve the right to use my sole discretion in ruling people in or out of entering.  This may seem somewhat harsh, but we wish to avoid a repetition of last year.   And this is Commorragh after all, so if you are a relatively unknown quantity here and I have misgivings for any reason, then I may choose not to let you participate (after I first contact you).

WARNING - If you do not participate in a reasonable manner and timeframe, i.e. you fail to respond or abuse the event just to try and get free stuff, you will be banned from future raids.  And just like in the Bad Traders Report in the Barter Port, your forum name will be publicly listed as being a Bad Santa.

I am also looking to set up a Deep Space Raid Aide Committee, in case a participant does not receive a gift for whatever reason. This is entirely voluntary, and open to any forum member (even if you are not participating in the Secret Santa exchange).  PM me if you are willing to help out, should the need arise.


What are the rules, prey tell?
This is a gift exchange, something fun to do, and not a competition.

This is a True Kin event only.  Your gift may be from Warhammer 40K, Fantasy, LoTR, Epic, BFG, or even some other line of miniatures, but it must be Dark Eldar-related.  A Dark Eldar model, or something else converted or themed for Dark Eldar – figures, vehicles, terrain, objective markers, etc.

Timeline:
November 8th – deadline to enter
December 16th – recommended date to have gift posted by
January 1st – gifts should be received by this date


How do you sign up, prey tell?
First of all, go away and think about whether or not you really want to participate in this exchange and will be able to meet the deadline.

Then, send me an e-mail (not a PM) before November 8th.  No further entries will be received after that date.

I can be reached at archonclaus at thedarkcity.net

PLEASE NOTE that your entries are not considered official until I (Archon Claus) receive an e-mail from you containing all of the following information:
1. Your full name and your TDC moniker
2. Your complete address, including the country
3. Your Dark Eldar gift preferences, if you have any, for what you collect or play.

Don’t be too specific, these are just some basic clues that will be passed on to your Secret Santa to help give them get started.  E.g. are you a foot-slogger, a speed addict or a deep-striker?  Do you play a Kabal-, Wyche-, or Coven-style army, or perhaps another system such as BFG?  

Please keep your requests reasonable, your Secret Santa may not have as many funds or other resources available to them as you do.  Clawed Fiend = OK.  Tantalus = not OK.

The information in your message is very important because I literally just forward your information direct to the person giving you your gift, so please make sure it is complete and legible.

Secondly, after you have sent me your e-mail, you should also post a message in this thread containing the following:
1. A simple note that you are participating.
2. A copy of your Dark Eldar preferences, but only if you want to.  Some people find that a bit awkward and prefer that only their gifter sees their suggestions.
 

What happens next, prey tell?  
After November 8th, I will sort all of the participants into loose geographic regions to try and help you save on shipping costs and time.  Please be aware that you may still be asked to send your gift to the other side of the planet.

With the aid of my trusty Coven Fiend, I will randomly pick out names from a hat and pair them up, and then no later than one week after November 8th, I will forward each of you a copy of your victim’s message containing their real name, address and any gift preferences.

Trusty Coven Fiend:


**VERY IMPORTANT** – the deadline for your recipient to get his/her gift is January 1st, 2014, so you will have plenty of time to buy/build/convert/paint/whatever your gift and get it sent out. Please respect this deadline.  December 16th would be a very good mailing date to aim for, but earlier would obviously be better.

Do not wait too long to get started, or to mail it out. Real life happens, trust me!  Place your bitz/kit orders sooner rather than later so you don't get shot down by some shipping disaster.  


What will this cost you, prey tell?
Cost is obviously very subjective, but common sense would suggest approximately US$12-$15 (plus shipping) as a minimum.  This is intended to prevent someone from sending something like a single warrior or wych from a box set, for example.  Single miniatures are more than welcome and might actually be preferred in some senses, so long as they meet the minimum $12-$15 requirement.

You can also send some older models if the person you are gifting has expressed a preference for some of those, provided they are in good condition and are sufficient in number to make a good gift.

You will basically be held to the honour system to ensure that the person who you are gifting does not feel cheated. Or else you can expect to taste my Husk Blade!

I do encourage everyone to go beyond the $12-$15 mark if possible, but only if it is within your means.  When you sign up, please put some money aside for the gift right then. If you do not have sufficient funds, do not sign up. It makes no sense to sign up for an event that you cannot afford.  You won't know at the time of sign-up who you're getting, or what you're going to be gifting, or even where you will be sending it to, but it's not unreasonable to put $20-ish dollars aside before you even start.

What would be a suitable gift, prey tell?
You should only gift based on what you're capable of.  Make sure that whatever you attempt is achievable within the timeframe.  And even if you aren't that good with converting or painting models, a single mini or a boxed set is still a nice and simple gift. Remember, it is not a competition.  

Please also keep in mind that the whole point of this event is that you are a SECRET Santa, so don’t blab about it to anyone else.  You can post your project in the Haemonculi Workshop sub-forum if you wish, but DO NOT mention who it is for, or even that it is meant to be a Secret Santa gift.

Some examples of what might constitute a good gift:

A boxed set or single miniature?




A nicely converted miniature?
[center]


A nicely painted character, vehicle or squad?




What would be a bad gift?
Hmmm ……..




What do you do when you send/receive your gift, prey tell?  
Here are a few suggestions for sending your gift:
• Include your forum name (and real name if you want) so people have some idea of who is sending them this mystery box! Just write it on a piece of paper and throw it in the package with the gift.
• Use a Delivery Confirmation service so that you can track your package and make sure it gets there.  This is important (and it doesn’t cost very much) as a lot of items go missing in the Christmas mail and it really helps avoid disappointment.
• ***E-mail me when you have sent it, so I can let your victim know that it’s on the way.  PLEASE include your tracking number, for my reference.
• Check in with your recipient via PM a week or so after sending the gift to confirm they have received it, if you don't hear anything.

Remember to allow a good amount of time to send it and ensure that it arrives in time, it’s Christmas, the post is often much slower than normal.

And, some guidelines for receiving a gift:
• Let your Santa know via PM that it arrived, as soon as it arrives! People get very worried about this sort of thing!
• IMPORTANT:also post in this thread that your gift arrived, again, as soon as it does.  Otherwise I may not be able to call off the Khymeras in time.
• And include some pics, you lazy, mon-keigh luvvin’ git! Your Santa probably worked very hard on the gift and wouldn’t mind it being displayed, plus, we are all greedy and want to see what you got as well!
• If you know that your gift is on its way and you think that too much time has passed and you haven’t received it, PM me and I will gently apply my Agoniser and ask the sender to check on it.

Remember to give it a good amount of time to arrive before you start worrying, it’s Christmas, the post is often much slower than normal.


What if you cannot complete the exchange, prey tell?
You should try and complete your gift and send it, even if it is going to be quite late.  Most people will not mind, so long as a) they know that it will be late but it is at least on it’s way, and b) they do eventually get it.
Real life happens, we all recognize that.  If circumstances outside of your control force you to be late, or even pull out in extreme circumstances, PM me and let me know immediately!

But understand that lame excuses will absolutely not be tolerated and names will be published.


Last Word
The success of this raid, and the viability of future raids like it, rest in your hands.

Hey guys, I am definitely in for this. This site has been an awesome experience for me and I would love to share the DE love!

I have a coven, kab, wych hybrid army...however I do love coven a lot and I am thinking about adding beasts to my army as well

I am in again.

You can also put me down as a gift committee again.
I'd probably prefer this year to be one of the 'last resort' backups, but if it's near my area we can make it happen.

Also, I am sick and tired of the abuse you keep putting that Grot model through - I'm going to send you a better picture this year of a 'bad' gift.

Santa's wracks - The Aid Committee

What do you do as a aid comittee?

I'm gonna send u a mail in a moment or day...

edit: @Thor, hahaha!

Welcome back to Commorragh, Archon Claus! You are around so little!  
I dont think I will be participating this year, but I saw some parts of last years, and I will be looking forward on seeing how this goes now.

Also... "prey tell"? You mean "pray tell", right?

facelessabsalom wrote:

What do you do as a aid comittee?

Having done it every year thus far I think I have a good grasp of the situation, here's the basic rundown.

1. Not everyone will send gifts (or, will say they did...but somehow nothing ever comes through)

2. Archon Claus will be far too polite with them and give them benefit of the doubt.

3. After about a month or the point where the jerks stop responding he'll admit they are jerks.

4. At that point the Aid Committee will get a list of all the good members of the forum who were shafted by jerks.

5. We then send them new gifts that are totally awesome.

6. Thor will invariably manage to get an overseas address. People will snicker at him.

I think that about covers it.

Thor665 wrote:

.... I think that about covers it.

Yes, that is a reasonable facsimile of events, I will admit.

However, I must note that I, for one, do not laugh at Thor.

Not in the Santa Raid, anyway.

Thank you to Thor and Ligolski for kicking off this year's festivities, I am really looking forward to it again.

And yes, that grot picture - I changed the other pics this year and will change that one too. I saw a pic somewhere of an old edition warrior in really crappy condition and thought "perfect"! Do you think I can find that again?

If not I could always snap a pic of one of my bad ones from the early days of shame painting.

Ill join in.

If only because these schemes from various forums ensue I get any pressies at all.

Thor665 wrote:

Also, I am sick and tired of the abuse you keep putting that Grot model through -

Um, isn't that what Grots are for?

facelessabsalom wrote:

Santa's wracks - The Aid Committee What do you do as a aid comittee?

It involves buying a gift for someone that was stiffed by a flakey member. My aid committee gift recipient received 4 Khymarae

Mngwa wrote:

Also... "prey tell"? You mean "pray tell", right?

No. Wrack humour ...... at least, what passes for wrack humour.

That joke was a Wreck though.

I'm joining the raid.

I'm also joining the aid committee

I will join the raid also, it's always fun to give and get.

And I will help with the aid committee if needed.

Throw me in the aid committee as well please

I'm in, and an extra Canadian aid committee member if needed!

This will actually be pretty awesome if everyone participating is also an Aid Committee volunteer

I wish I had time this year, if only so Gob and I could try and top last year's gifts!

Sadly, I cannot.

:sadface:

Foo wrote:

I wish I had time this year, if only so Gob and I could try and top last year's gifts!

Sadly, I cannot.

Sorry to hear that Foo, last year was a lot of fun!

So where is everyone else, not in the mood for the Jolly Season yet? C'mon folks, get yourselves signed up, don't miss out!

ligolski wrote:

Throw me in the aid committee as well please

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

I'm in, and an extra Canadian aid committee member if needed!

Welcome aboard DGP, and thank you both for offering to help with any aid.

Gobsmakked wrote:

So where is everyone else, not in the mood for the Jolly Season yet?

Indeed, where is everyone, I am hoping for a record turnout this year!

I'll gladly participate this year. Is there an official roll call I missed somewhere?

I think the role call is;

People who are in
The Awesome people.

People who have not said they are in
The not-so-awesome people.


Complete and correct list, yes.