Very shortly (depending on when this Insider runs) the hard-working staff of Privateer Press will be toiling away to prepare the Maydenbauer Center for Lock & Load GameFest 2016. And in honor of the eve of Lock &Load, I thought I would share a little poem with everyone for the occasion.

‘Twas the night before Lock and Load, when all through house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…

Wait a sec. That’s not right.

‘Twas the night before Lock and Load, when all through Privateer
Everyone was hustling and bustling, running about like energetic reindeer
The pre-releases were packed in their boxes with care
In preparation for attendees who soon would be there.

Big Red and Ol’ Blue were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of war danced in their heads;
And Hungie in his ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just arrived at the Maydenbauer prepared for set up right stat

When out on the loading bay there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the hall to see what was the matter.
Away to the ledge I flew like a flash,
Tore open the bay door and threw up the sash.

The sun on the breast of the left no room for snow
Still gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a giant white truck hauling all of our gear.

With a great bearded driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be Convention Manager JR coming on smooth and quite slick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now, Brian! now, Kruzie! now, Oz and Dan Henderson!
On, Seacat! On, Goetz! On, Bourelle and big strong Hamilton!
To the top of the bay! To the top of the truck bay!
Now unload! Unload! Unload all away!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the loading bay the coursers they flew
With three trucks full of toys and live-stream equipment, too.

And then in a twinkling, I heard down the hall
The shouting and chuckling of each staff member’s call.
As I drew in my hand and was turning around,
Down from the escalator Matt Wilson came with a bound.

He was dressed all in his finest, from his head to his foot,
His clothes were all branded with a grinning Privateer Skully, even his boots.
A bundle of models he had flung on his back,
And he looked like every bit a war-gamer as he set down his pack.

His eyes — how they shined like Kommandant Irusk making merry!
His cheeks were like heartfires, he had not a hint of a tarry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a Nyss bow,
And his sharp angled chin was as clean as the Uldenfrost snow.

The stump of a cigar he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
“To work!” he cried the call issuing forth from his belly,
“Our guests will arrive soon, I should not have to tell ye.”

So away we did scurry like a crew set to sail
To get everything ready that everyone might have a tale.
We set up terrain, war-gaming tables as far as could see,
Ron Kruzie and Dallas prepared for painting with thee.

While behind closed doors the store was all set,
With so many goodies it’d make Kris Kringle fret,
And as we were bustling with live-streaming cable tussling,
We were called to attention by another loud bustling.

We stepped back for a moment and gave a sharp whistle
At the glory of it all set up sharp as a thistle.
And as the attendees arrived, Matt Wilson exclaimed to all who were with anticipation trembling,
“Welcome to Lock and Load, the best three days of Privateer fun ever assembled!”

We look forward to seeing all of you at Lock &Load 2016 in just a couple short days! And for those who won’t be making the trip this year, be sure to watch for our live-streaming schedule and programming on https://www.twitch.tv/privateerpress!