Main fundraiser photo

STRA-TAC "Boots On The Ground" Tour

Hello, my name is Elgin D. Thomas
 and as we say in the military:  Bottom-line Upfront -->  I am an Indie ( Independent game developer) and now that my game is  finished I am asking for help in order to  market my game. 

I created  Stra-Tac™ a game that’s being promoted as "The Logical Evolution of Chess." In order for Stra-Tac™ to score that proverbial “touchdown” and breach the classic strategy genre now dominated by Chess; I’ve taken a cue from the military and adopted the philosophy of "Boots On The Ground" which basically means you have to move amongst the people to gain territory and/or trust. So, I plan on driving proverbially, as well as physically, down the field for the go ahead score. This Summer and Fall I will be crisscross the country showcasing, promoting, and taking pre-orders for Stra-Tac™ - The Logical Evolution of Chess.

So I am asking for donations in the amount of $5, $10, or $20. If you decide to contribute more, I want complain. The reason for the small donation request is two fold. First, money is tight for everyone and for many including me; each month a decision has to be made on what gets paid and what doesn’t. Basically, every dollar counts and is a sacrifice i.e. $5 is two gallons of gas, $10 is pizza night for the kids, and $20 might be date night for mom and dad.  Secondly, I am trying to create a following. Say the goal is hit with about 85% of the donations being $5. I would be able to say that Stra-Tac has over 10,000-supporters and that would carry a lot of weight in the gaming industry in general and the Chess world in particularly. And as a side note, we all have seen Shark Tank and everyone knows the first question they always ask concerns public reception. With 10,000 followers, I could “pop my collars” to that question.

In closing I want to say thanks in advance to you for reading this far and I sincerely hope that you will continue reading and maybe even make a donation.

I am currently raising  funds to:

1. Rent Purchase a "Super C" Diesel RV and have a professionally installed 3M high performance premium full vehicle vinyl and gloss laminate wrap promoting Stra-Tac.

2. Take this vehicle and load it with a 10’ x 30’ aluminum system trade show exhibit, banners, game table(s), signage, graphics, collateral materials, interactive device displays, and demo box sets of Stra-Tac™ .

3. Once ouffited, I will put on my driving shoes and take this loaded wrapped Super "C" RV and criss-cross the country for at least 10 weeks showcasing, promoting, and taking pre-orders for Stra-Tac™ - The Logical Evolution of Chess, the board and computer game I created,  to key gaming conventions, US Chess Federation sanction tournaments & related chess events, chess clubs, college & military recuriting events.

4.  During this tour I will also be running mock tournaments and signing players up to participate in the “There Can Be Only One" (TCBO#1) Tournament for 2016.
This journey started in 2003. Being a lover of strategy games and a Chess purist at the core, I wanted to create a game that brought back true brinksmanship. Chess was once that game, but I began to feel that  Chess matches were being  dominated by players who had memorized the moves and strategies of players like Steinitz, Capablanca, Petrosian, Fischer, Karpov, etc.   I eventually came to the conclusion that I was right and It was at that moment I remembered something  taught to me in the Marine Corps, " find a way or make one." So I decided to create a game that would wipe the slate clean and bring back true brinksmanship- and what better way than to take Chess and evolve it.  Three plus years later, the prototype, Stra-Tac™ was completed.  What next?

My mission was clear, take Stra-Tac™ from concept to market; so on July 21, 2006 I resigned and left the banking industry after more than 10 yrs as a banking executive to become a modern day Conquistador. Why reference the Conquistadors? Not because they were conquerors, but because they burned their ships to make the statement that,"there was no turning back"


So the leap of faith was taken and the journey began. I liquidated savings, 401ks, jewelry, cars, etc. I spent the next 6 1/2 years developing, improving and testing the board, rules, and gameplay of Stra-Tac™. End result: depleted reserves - game concept perfected.  


A New Paradigm

*New, mathematically designed and patented board to accommodate four (4) players

*First 4 player 18 piece set chess-based game ever made

*Modernized game pieces making it easy for new players to remember moves and educators to relate political, social and economic realities to students 

*A level playing field with no memorized moves, which in turns gives a novice a chance against a Grand Master

*Greater tactical and positonal challenge than Chess requiring true brinksmanship

*Designed to be a worldwide sensation among chess lovers and strategists alike

"Once More Unto the Breach"
 As one can imagine, the obstacles have been many and frequent. From learning a new industry in general to dealing with specific pushback and skepticism from those who are offend by the audacity of our claim that Stra-Tac is the Logical Evolution of Chess.  So as in the game of football, the team no one gave a chance of even having a winning season, let alone being in the playoffs, is now in the championship game and with your help will be crowned Champion.

Goal - 10 -12 Week Road Tour
Rental Payment:
Weekly Rental $3,250.00 plus $2,750.00 Secruity Deposit
 Generator Usage: 9hrs daily @ $3/hr.
-------------------------------V.S.------------------------------
Purchase Price: $239,995.00

Professional install 3M high performance premium Full vehicle vinyl and gloss laminate wrap on the 37’ Super "C" RV $9,530

Goal - estimated 11,414 miles
Fuel Cost:
8 Mpg of Diesel ($3.156 gal)
Block Mileage Cost: $0.45/mile

The “Baptism by Fire” continues as I push forward.

Organizer

Elgin Thomas
Organizer
Smyrna, GA

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