Cabriole Pre-Order Store

Pledge Manager Smoke Test
3 days ago – Wed, Sep 23, 2026 at 06:12:15 AM

Good morning, everyone!

The BackerKit pledge manager has been approved. Today, I will send surveys to 5% of you as a smoke test. If you receive an email from BackerKit (check your spam folder), please complete the survey and share your feedback. If you run into any issues or have questions, please let me know.

If you don't get a survey today, no action is needed yet. Depending on how well the smoke test goes, I will open the survey to all backers as soon as tomorrow and no later than Monday, September 28.

International backers: If you receive the survey, you will see either GST, HST, or VAT in the pledge manager, depending on your country. I've done my due diligence to ensure there are no surprises upon delivery. EU backers: Your shipping rate includes the €3 EU duty on small-value parcels.

Local backers: Please remember to choose "Local Pickup" as your country!

Thanks, everyone!

Doug

Updates on Ocean Shipping, Pledge Manager, and International Backer Rewards
7 days ago – Sat, Sep 19, 2026 at 09:31:31 AM

Hello everyone!

Here is where things stand with various aspects of the project:

For domestic (US) backers, the main shipment leaves China on September 26th. My manufacturer initially ran into overbooking issues, but has found a faster vessel that will arrive 10 days earlier than it would ordinarily. I'll provide the vessel name next week. The ETA for arrival at the Port of Miami is October 26th. I have stressed the importance of hitting these dates, ensuring smooth customs clearance once the container arrives, and timely trucking to the QuarterMaster Logistics warehouse in Orlando. After that, QML will forward your copies to me so I can begin fulfillment. I still expect to ship US backers' rewards in mid-November.

International backers' rewards will ship directly from China, representing a substantial savings over what I originally published on Kickstarter. These shipments typically take about 30 days to reach you. You'll pay your country's GST or VAT in the pledge manager. EU backers: I understand the EU now charges a small flat customs duty (currently €3) on low-value parcels, in addition to VAT. I'm not an expert in EU customs rules, and I'll try to confirm how that's collected next week. If anyone has more information and can contact me privately via a Kickstarter message, I'd appreciate it. Canadian and UK backers: I'm not aware of any additional import duties beyond GST or VAT.

The BackerKit pledge manager will open next week, barring any unforeseen problems. I submitted it for review yesterday, and it should take only a couple of days to approve. After that, I'll ask a handful of backers to do smoke tests, and then I'll launch it. You will be able to upgrade your pledge or choose any add-ons you'd like. You'll have until November 1st to complete your surveys. Late pre-orders on Kickstarter will close when the pledge manager launches. After that, new supporters can order a copy through the BackerKit pre-order store or meridaegames.com.

Local backers, please choose "Local Pickup" as your country in the pledge manager, since that's how BackerKit handles it. You will no longer have separate pledge levels, and you will not have to pay shipping — as long as you choose "Local Pickup" as your country. I will remind you of this next week. I will announce the pickup location(s) and dates in a future update.

I will absorb all US import tariffs on the container, so US backers will owe no tariff-related charges. US tariffs don't apply to international shipments, which go directly from China.

Leave any questions you have in the comments, and I'll be happy to answer them!

Thanks, everyone!

Doug

Quick update
18 days ago – Tue, Sep 08, 2026 at 09:08:49 AM

Hello everyone!

A few quick updates:

First, I expect to know the cargo ship's departure date in the next day or two - I'll share that as soon as I have it. I hope to have the ship's name as well so we can track it.

For international backers, I'm arranging to ship your rewards directly from China, rather than from the US. If your reward includes the neoprene mat, I'll ship the games and mat in the same box, rather than separately as I had previously planned. In short, this means your shipping costs will be a LOT lower, AND you'll get your rewards sooner!

For domestic backers, I've ordered the cardboard boxes needed to ship your rewards. I chose heavyweight (200 lb.) boxes to best protect the games during transit. As I mentioned above, if your reward includes the neoprene mat, I've ordered boxes large enough to ship the game and mat together. This will reduce the shipping costs by up to 50%. Everything will be very well-padded.

The pledge manager is almost ready to launch, but I need to wait for the final shipping costs for the international backers before opening it. It won't be any later than two weeks from now, probably sooner.

Lastly, one humble ask: If you have friends or family who might like the game, let them know they can still make a late pledge here on Kickstarter. After you get your rewards, Cabriole will go into distribution, so now is the time to ask their FLGS to carry it (we support retailers!)

As always, leave a comment if you have a question. I'll be here to answer them.

Thank you!

Doug

A Long but Necessary Update — I Need More Time
about 1 month ago – Sat, Aug 22, 2026 at 10:57:46 AM

Hi everyone,

I have to share news I really don't want to write: the September delivery I told you to expect will not happen. I know this lands on top of the delay I previously announced, and I understand that's a hard thing to read twice. You backed this project trusting I'd deliver, and so far I haven't. That's on me, and I'm genuinely sorry - from personal experience, I know what it's like to wait on something you're excited about, and I hate being the reason you're still waiting.

The honest answer is this delay comes down to a combination of manufacturing setbacks, minor quality issues I wanted corrected, and logistics complications - problems that piled up. I purposely delayed this update until I had a concrete timeline to share, which in hindsight might not have been the best decision.

Below are photos of the mass production sample copy (MPC) that came directly off the line, followed by the revised timeline with important shipping and fulfillment details.

Two things you'll notice in the photos: I corrected color issues on two wooden components after catching walnut discs that looked too orange, and a red/green color-blindness issue with the player pieces. I also had Lamberto correct a color issue with the oak cards (they looked greenish) and slightly reduced the currency set box size to save you shelf space. Neither affects what's inside or how the game plays - they're just fixes I identified while the game sample was in front of me.

Shipping and timeline: here's the real breakdown:

• Assembly and packing complete: Sept 4th
• Ocean departure date: Sept 9th
• Approx arrival in Miami, US: Oct 25th
• Delivery to the warehouse: Nov 5th
• Delivery to backers complete: Nov 24th

The above timeline reflects a change I made on the logistics side: Long Pack will take over the shipping end-to-end under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), which means they'll handle everything, including customs clearance for me. I made this decision because I have no experience with shipping, and I recognize that trying to handle it myself would only cause further delays. Handing it over to people who do this for a living makes me confident in the dates above. I've also vetted the dates with the warehouse that will be receiving the games.

With Long Pack now handling shipping, I'm turning my focus to prepping everything for fulfillment, such as ordering boxes, padding, and labels. Friends and family have already offered to help, and I have done Kickstarter fulfillment before. I'll also be getting the pledge manager ready for when it's time to confirm shipping details.

One specific note for backers who added the neoprene mat: I'm shifting to larger boxes that can fit the mat in with the rest of your order, rather than sending it as a separate shipment. That should mean lower shipping costs for you compared to sending two separate packages, especially for international backers.

This update is to give you full disclosure and let you know exactly what will happen and when. I'll provide updates each step of the way, as each milestone is completed. That means the next update will be in about two weeks, when assembly and packing are complete.

I'm disappointed in myself for putting you in this spot again. Thank you for the patience you've already shown me - I don't take it for granted.

Doug

Production videos
about 2 months ago – Thu, Jul 30, 2026 at 07:21:04 AM

Hello Cabriole supporters!

Below are a few behind-the-scenes looks at the Cabriole manufacturing process, which is now complete. Making the dice looks like a very labor-intensive process that I hadn't expected, and the enormous machines that print the paper components are quite impressive.

Next week, I expect to receive a mass-production copy to review and will share pictures. After that, the assembly process will commence and is expected to take 3 to 4 weeks. Once that's finished, I'll be in a better place to provide a delivery estimate of the games and add-ons to the United States and ultimately to you.

Thank you for your patience and hope you enjoy the videos!

Until the next update...

Doug