With Lock & Load GameFest mere weeks away, the anticipation here at Privateer Press as we ramp up for what is sure to be the biggest and best Lock & Load yet is practically palpable. From seminar practices to pre-store set up to putting the finishing touches on terrain and prizes, everyone here is in a bustle of activity.

Lock & Load has always been packed with awesome opportunities for players to walk away with some truly unique rewards, and this year will be better than ever. From exclusive art prints to sweet branded swag, there will be plenty to fill your suitcase with before you head home. While many of your old favorites will be returning this year, the release of our new line of Privateer-related bling, Privateer Pins, will add a whole new treasure trove of goodies for attendees to earn throughout the weekend.

The first and easiest pin to acquire is the Lock & Load 2014 pin every attendee will receive just for just showing up!

In addition to the regular Lock & Load 2014 pin, if you keep an eye out over the course of the convention, you might get a chance to earn an exclusive gold variant of the Lock & Load 2014 pin! Keen eyes will definitely pay off here.

The first stop on most attendees’ lists is the Lock & Load store, which is always loaded with exciting prerelease and exclusive products. By now you’ve probably seen that, to properly celebrate the emergence of the Cephalyx Mercenary contract, we’ll be offering two very cool Cephalyx-themed pins as free sales promos at the Lock & Load store: the terrifying Exulon Thexus and the pint-sized but deadly Gobber Drudge.

But the Cephalyx aren’t the only monsters breaking their way into the Lock & Load store this year! We’re also celebrating the July release of Zombies Keep Out: Night of the Noxious Dead, the first expansion to our newest Bodgers Game Zombies Keep Out! You’ll have a chance to get a mystery pin featuring one of three cool zombie warcasters, Captain Victoria Haley; Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince; and Grand Scrutator Severius, when you pick up your own copy of Night of the Noxious Dead or the Zombies Keep Out core game.

These three were the first to fall to the ravening horde of the undead during the special Forces of HORDES: Zombies scenario previewed during the zombie takeover last month, and I’m afraid they’ll only be the first of many to succumb to the zombie plague!

Of course, the biggest and best thing about Lock & Load is playing games! If you weren’t planning to already, make sure to stop by the Iron Arena registration table and sign up. Not only does registering let you earn awesome rewards just for playing, it also now earns you an Iron Arena pin!

One of the favorite parts of Lock & Load for the Privateer Crew is that, in between hosting seminars, running events, and showing off cool upcoming products, we get to play games too! And if you test your mettle against a staff member in a game—whether it’s Zombies Keep Out, WARMACHINE, HORDES, LEVEL 7 [OMEGA PROTOCOL], High Command, or any of our other host of games—you might just earn yourself a Commander Ability Icon pin!

And speaking of LEVEL 7 and High Command, playing in the massive LEVEL 7 [OMEGA PROTOCOL] multiplayer event will earn you one of my personal favorite pins: the sinister Subterra Bravo Facility Icon pin!

Another big event at Lock & Load this year will be the release of the first High Command campaign expansion, Invasion of Sul. These campaign expansions not only allow you to test your tactical and strategic acumen in some of the most famous battles from the Iron Kingdoms, they also completely change up the gameplay in High Command. And you can be one of the first to earn an exclusive Invasion of Sul Campaign pin by playing in one of the first ever Invasion of Sul Kingmaker events!

Lock & Load GameFest 2014 starts on June 6—if you haven’t got your tickets yet, there’s still time to make your way to this landmark event and get in on all the amazing action! And for those of you who already have your badges, I can’t wait to see you there.

Take Point!
Will