Been doing a lot of trial and error, got some recommendations on my previous posts for N95s for my smaller face and ordered some stuff but sadly they didn't really work. So now I went back to re-read them and there are a few I'm eyeing and wanna order but please help me narrow it down on what you think has the best fit based on what didn't work.

1. 3M 9010 - https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000063426/ I got this and its too big, while the straps aren't too big like some, the chin has gaps.
2. 3M Aura - doesn't cover mouth area well when I talk and my mouth gets wet as I feel the mask is too close on my lips.
3. Fangtian N95 https://www.amazon.com/FANGTIAN-Particulate-Respirators-Protective-TC-84A-7861/dp/B087Z7N4XF - straps way too big, have to clip them , if not it slides off my ears and also my neck. Recently I feel like they changed this too and the nose bridge has a gap, but the chin has less gap than the 3M 9010

(1) I'm now considering : https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/9655627/3M-VFlex-Particulate-Respirators-9105S-N95/ VFlex 3M 9105S - is this bigger or smaller than the 3M 9010 (non flex)?
(2) https://ppe.honeywell.com/collections/n95-masks-1/products/honeywell-df300-disposable-respirator Honeywell DF300- Conflicted bc some say this is good for small faces, but some say too big ?
(3) https://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-8210-Plus-N95-Performance-Sanding-and-Fiberglass-Disposable-Respirator-20-Pack-8210PH20-DC/309801231?irgwc=1&cm_mmc=afl-ir-1240998-459920-00638060074350&clickid=wnQRQsyVexyNWKqWYMwosUaTUkAxUzRBIxWnVc0 3M 8210
(4) Harley N95 - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09189GGGC/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B09189GGGC&pd_rd_w=WhqbG&content-id=amzn1.sym.46bad5f6-1f0a-4167-9a8b-c8a82fa48a54&pf_rd_p=46bad5f6-1f0a-4167-9a8b-c8a82fa48a54&pf_rd_r=FSK19307K0Z6ZBNQM5HE&pd_rd_wg=ZSpui&pd_rd_r=af67e9a7-1768-4f6d-a40a-2c5ff1f05143&s=apparel&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWw&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyN1ZRMFZWNVZLTkRSJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzUwMDEzTVc0S1pEMUJWSVk4JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwMzAxNzQzSEtJNVM2Nk5QQllLJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfZGV0YWlsJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== havent seen much talk about this but I see it on Amazon
(5) https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v000057465/ 3M™ Health Care Particulate Respirator and Surgical Mask 1860S, Small, N95 120 EA/Case - This says small so maybe it would work but I cant seem to find a link to purchase . Edit: found a link here https://www.envirosafetyproducts.com/3m-1860-n95-medical-mask.html but shipping is $20??
​
(6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DPTHMS4?ref=myi_title_dp BYD I found this but skeptical bc its so cheap, but people say its tight so thats good. IS this legit?
I ordered the Dobu but yet to try it on yet it just came today .Any other suggestions are welcome. I legit will do anything to not get Covid again. I don't even go high risk places, but I caught Covid once in the elevatohallway of my apt building wearing a surgical mask before the highly contagious Omicron variant. And then I caught something but was negative for Covid (maybe bc its was so mild I barely had symptoms but it was enough to make me question Covid and do a rapid) wearing the Fangtian N95 layered with Powecome KN95. So I am determined to find a really good mask.. I haven't done any fit tests but as of the way things are going, I dont even need a fit test to know things aren't going too well. Thank you in advance!

I'm looking for something like a checkbook but for my receipt book
I want to be able to slip the cardboard in, have the plastic protector between my pages, and a cover to protect the top.
I don't know if I'm searching the wrong terms but I seem to remember working for a bookkeeper who had one.

It's time to get serious about masks because people are going to be dropping their guard way too soon in Florida and the tourists are going to be ensuring we have the variants sooner and longer than other states which you can catch even if you've had covid before and even if you have the vax.
You can finally get real american made N95 NIOSH approved (not just KN95 which also can be fine if CDC tested) without any "middle man" directly from amazon. These are way better that ridiculous "double masking" as they often test up to 98% while surgical even doubled is only 92% and these don't touch your mouth so you aren't constantly pulling them off your face.
Now down to near $1 each shipped:

• 3M N95 Particulate Respirator 9502+, Disposable, 50/Pack8 https://amazon.com/dp/B08NTS51JX (note those are imported by fema from overseas factories, probably china)
  
• Kimberly-Clark N95 Pouch Respirator (53358), NIOSH-Approved, Made in USA 50 Respirators/Bag https://amazon.com/dp/B08NVDFB3R
  

Make absolutely sure it says "SOLD BY AMAZON" (not just "shipped by amazon") and NOT some 3rd party has snuck in with possible counterfeits.
Feel free to copy this verbatim or otherwise anywhere you think it will help. Office Depot also has $1 KN95 which are CDC tested to 98% but these might be even better.
ps. You must make sure nose bridge is closed to your face for any mask to "work". If there is a gap on any side of your nose and/or it's fogging your glasses, the mask is doing little to nothing to protect you and others.
pps. those use headband instead of earloop which is a NIOSH requirement as they seal better to your face that way, if you don't like that you can get these:

• https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/6528612

the officedepot ones are CDC tested to 98%: [PDF]

2021-09 update:

please upgrade to real k/n95, especially for the holidays
CDC has tested these to 98%, if you use code "VIKING" it will take off like $1 per ten

• https://bonafidemasks.com/Powecom-kn-95/

they also make them in black for those that think they are "cooler" (whatever it takes to wear them imho)

• https://bonafidemasks.com/Black-Powecom-KN95-Face-Mask

if you want headband like real N95 instead of earloop they have those too elsewhere on that website
yes CDC revoked all kn95 EUA recently as you may read elsewhere, it's to promote real N95 but it doesn't invalidate their proof test

just want to start out by saying im new to pc in general so i have little to no knowledge about what specs make a part better. Im upgrading my pc for the first time ever.(bought prebuilt) I have already purchased a new processor, power supply, motherboard and ram(parts below). I know bottle necking would be a problem with my current geforce 1650 so I need a new graphics card preferably under 550$ but feel free to suggest a little higher if its worth it.
​
Procesor: https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i9-9900k-core-i9-9th-gen/p/N82E16819118147?item=N82E16819118147&source=region&nm_mc=knc-googleadwords-pc&cm_mmc=knc-googleadwords-pc-_-pla-_-processors+-+desktops-_-N82E16819118147&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2uH-BRCCARIsAEeef3lk3nS9amjgFwprXxSXYhGwansgKJqPog9uNyjDaQceGEumj9eRrEcaAvyOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
ram:https://www.bestbuy.com/site/corsair-vengeance-rgb-pro-16gb-2pk-8gb-3-2ghz-pc4-25600-ddr4-dimm-unbuffered-non-ecc-desktop-memory-kit-with-rgb-lighting-black/6256216.p?skuId=6256216&ref=212&loc=1&extStoreId=569&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2uH-BRCCARIsAEeef3kh4QegMBD3d_py-0psQZFmOjzWYQsLId8sDJnCo-JpiBtopqhZWDEaAsSqEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
​
power supply:https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GP-P850GM-Modular-Protection-Supply/dp/B08JGPBML2/ref=pd_ybh_a_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RVBABFX62BT7GPYGPY3J
​
mother board:https://pcpartpicker.com/product/t8qhP6/msi-mpg-z390-gaming-edge-ac-atx-lga1151-motherboard-mpg-z390-gaming-edge-ac
old graphics card:https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/2869198/MSI-GeForce-GTX-1650-GAMING-X/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=Cj0KCQiA2uH-BRCCARIsAEeef3lOAdPulfDZvqfLJiA_Z6D68e_b1hBYGg9m3IieZ103ktMbo1ODec4aAiNGEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Im upgrading my pc for the first time from an i5 to i9 (along with power supply, motherboard and new ddr4 ram) all except for my graphics card (gtx 1650) would this be a problem with bottle necking or anything like (im new to pc so not sure) links below for my parts.
my graphics card:https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/2869198/MSI-GeForce-GTX-1650-GAMING-X/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=sag
new processor:https://www.bestbuy.com/site/intel-core-i9-9900k-9th-generation-8-core-16-thread-3-6-ghz-5-0-ghz-turbo-socket-lga-1151-unlocked-desktop-processo6302019.p?skuId=6302019
new ram:https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B07D1XCKWW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=76I1SAW8WVZT&dchild=1&keywords=ram+corsair+vengeance+rgb&qid=1607996708&sprefix=ram+crosair+ven%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-2
new power supply:https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GP-P850GM-Modular-Protection-Supply/dp/B08JGPBML2/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=power+supply+850&qid=1607996769&sr=8-16

Im upgrading my pc for the first time from an i5 to i9 (along with power supply, motherboard and new ddr4 ram) all except for my graphics card (gtx 1650) would this be a problem with bottle necking or anything like that links below for the parts.
my graphics card:https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/2869198/MSI-GeForce-GTX-1650-GAMING-X/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=sag
new processor:https://www.bestbuy.com/site/intel-core-i9-9900k-9th-generation-8-core-16-thread-3-6-ghz-5-0-ghz-turbo-socket-lga-1151-unlocked-desktop-processo6302019.p?skuId=6302019
new ram:https://www.amazon.com/CORSAIR-Vengeance-3200MHz-Desktop-Memory/dp/B07D1XCKWW/ref=sr_1_2?crid=76I1SAW8WVZT&dchild=1&keywords=ram+corsair+vengeance+rgb&qid=1607996708&sprefix=ram+crosair+ven%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-2
new power supply:https://www.amazon.com/Gigabyte-GP-P850GM-Modular-Protection-Supply/dp/B08JGPBML2/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=power+supply+850&qid=1607996769&sr=8-16

COVID-19 Coronavirus
Frequently Asked Questions
Retail General Managers

1. What can I do to reduce the concern of my associates? Unfortunately, the combination of media attention, rumors and incorrect information can create a sense of apprehension and concern among your associates. In order to stabilize the fears of your associates, you should openly communicate with them and share information provided to you in FAQs, talking points, memos, etc.
   
2. What steps can I take to keep associates from getting sick? Please encourage your associates to take preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
   

a. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
b. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
c. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
d. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
e. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

1. My associates work in customer-facing roles. Are they allowed to wear facemask while working? Our associates’ safety is important to us and the precautions we are taking are consistent with the recommendations made by the CDC. Given the consensus that masks are not necessary to protect the health of associates who do not work in healthcare from COVID-19, associates may not wear masks while working. We strongly recommend that associates take preventative steps by following the CDC’s guidance on proper hygiene to best protect themselves from the virus. That guidance can be found via the web address below:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

1. Schools in my area closed because of COVID-19 and I have an associate who needs to stay home with their children. How do we handle this situation? If associates are unable to work they should notify their manager, as required, and discuss the best option in accordance with the applicable company policies.
   
2. Should I assess occurrences for any unscheduled absences related to school closures? Given the fluidity of the situation we recognize that unique circumstances will occur because of COVID-19 in which we need to be mindful of the impact to our associates. If schools are closed, it is directly related to a Coronavirus situation and an associate must be off from work to care for their child, we will not assess attendance occurrences for missed shifts.
   
3. Are we closing any of our locations? Physical locations, inclusive of Corporate Headquarters, Supply Chain Facilities, Sales Offices, and Retail Stores, will remain open as long as they are permitted to remain open by governmental authorities and can remain adequately staffed. In the event we receive notification from a governmental authority that a location is required to be closed or reduce hours of operation, we will fully cooperate. This will require the involvement/notification of Senior Leadership for that location.
   

2

1. Are we allowing visitors in any of our locations? We have initiated restrictions on non-essential visitors to our facilities including vendors, children, and family members. We understand that schools may be closed; however, associates may not bring children to work.
   
2. My associate uses public transportation to get to work. What if the public transportation system starts operating on a restricted schedule or shuts down because of COVID-19 and my associate can’t make it to work? Will the associate’s absence be treated as an unscheduled absence? If the public transportation system begins operating on a restricted schedule or shuts down and it is directly related to COVID-19, we will not assess attendance occurrences for missed shifts providing public transportation is the associate’s only mode of transportation.
   
3. What should I do if an associate reported to me that they traveled internationally?
   

If your associate is traveling for personal reasons to any country that has been deemed a Risk Assessment Level 1, 2 or 3 by the CDC (click here for current CDC travel information), they must self-report travel plans to you, then you should follow this reporting process found here. As of March 16th, the CDC has deemed most European countries, the United Kingdom, Ireland, China, Iran, South Korea and Italy as level 3 risks. All other global travel is deemed a Level 2 threat.

1. If there is a confirmed case of COV-19 within my location and the location closes, will associates be paid for missed shift(s)? Please refer to the Emergency Closing Policy for information on compensation during a facility closure.
   
2. Can my associates refuse to come to work because they’re afraid of being infected? Please consult with your respective HR Business Partner.
   
3. Have we had any confirmed cases of COV-19 in our associate population? To date, we have not had any U.S. Office Depot associates contract COV-19. A CompuCom associate working at the Magarpatta office in Pune, India tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. The Magarpatta office was closed immediately upon notification of the test results, associates were sent home, and the office will remain closed until further notice. The building will undergo a deep cleaning.
   
4. An associate approached me with concerns over handling product that was shipped from China. How do I respond to this concern? Assure the associate that it is not believed that the COV-19 virus can live on a surface long enough to pose any threat to an associate.
   
5. What should I be doing as a manager if a case has been confirmed within my geographic area? Be assured that we are monitoring developments on a daily basis and assessing if additional actions are needed. At this time, the greatest benefit you can provide to your associates is to familiarize yourself with the facts regarding this virus to minimize unwarranted concern. Practice and encourage your associates to practice the recommended precaution steps noted above. Additionally, you can work with your manager and peers in your market to identify how you can support coverage across locations should one location experience higher than usual call offs from associates.
   
6. Can I send an associate home if I believe they have symptoms of the coronavirus COV-19? Because the symptoms of the coronavirus (COV-19) mirror those of the common cold and other viruses, it would be difficult to make a determination without testing. The likelihood of an associate having COV-19 is very low. If you were told by the associate they traveled to a country deemed a Risk Level 1, 2 or 3 by the CDC within the preceding two weeks, they have come into contact with someone confirmed to have COV-19 or have been directed by a healthcare provider to self-isolate/quarantine please send the associate home from work and immediately notify Nora Diaz ([[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])) to initiate the reporting and assessment protocol. If, however, none of
   

3
these scenarios apply and you have a concern based on an associate’s symptoms please partner with your respective Sr. HR Business Partner prior to acting.

1. If an associate is sick, can I require that they provide medical diagnosis of their illness? An employer is not entitled to medical confirmation from an associate’s Health Care Provider unless such information is authorized by statute or by company policies. Please partner with your respective HR Business Partner if you have any questions or concerns.
   
2. If I suspect an associate has COV-19, can I require them to be tested? No. The decision to administer a test for COV-19 is a medical decision that can only be made by a medical professional who is the associate’s treating Health Care Provider, or another Health Care Professional vested with public health authority.
   
3. How will I know if one of my associates is confirmed to have the coronavirus COV-19? Health Care Professionals who have a patient with the COV-19 virus have a legal obligation to report the case to the local public health authorities. If any action is required to be taken by the company, we will be contacted by the public health authority, and provided direction on any required action, including any associate notifications required.
   
4. Can I require a medical release before an associate return to work after a confirmed or suspected illness? Please consult your respective HR Business Partner.
   
5. What should we do if we receive an inquiry from the media? All media inquiries must be directed to our Corporate Communications Department. Refer all questions to Danny Jovic, Sr. Director, Communications, at 561-438-1594, [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).
   

Getting started

How much does it cost to get into the game?
$50 for a starter, about $100 for a one-monster list, and about $200-250 for a two-monster list with a spread of resin buildings.
Do I need a starter, and if I don't want one, how do I get into the game?
A starter set is the simplest, least expensive way to begin playing the game. For more detail, read this post.
Where can I read the rules?
They are available for free on the Privateer Press website.
What about the cards? I want to know what models can do before I buy them.
Check the Monpoc.net List Builder tool if you want all of the stats and rules in text format. Just hover or tap on any rule and it'll produce a tooltip with the text.
Alternatively, there is another website with rules and a dice odds calculator on the MonsterRoom App.
If you prefer looking at the cards, you can check the subreddit's wiki for galleries of the stat cards.
Where can I find the tournament rules?
Crush Hour 2018 is currently the only tournament document. You can find it here.

Game Components

What are the lock tokens in the starter for?
They are intended for a cooperative scenario in the back of the rule book (p.38). People will also use them as visual reminders of buildings they are securing to make power-ups faster.
What size are the maps?
The map poster dimensions are 24"x30", and the grid you play on is 17 squares wide by 19 squares tall.
What about protecting them?
Several people have had success with laminating theirs. You can also fit them into a poster frame, or flatten them with a piece of clear acrylic or plexiglas sheet. Personally, I put mine into top-loader sleeves; I found some from BCW and Guardhouse (but these are on backorder).
Where do I get more maps?
As of July 2019: you can get the double-sided map with Calamity Park and Destruction Junction in either agenda's starter set. You can get an Isle of Annihilation map from an Isle of Annihilation league kit (PIP 99176), but these are currently unavailable to the great majority of distributors. The Isle of Annihilation map will be printed on neoprene and available via distributors starting in September 2019 for about $30 USD.
What size are the bases?
Monsters and buildings are on 60mm square bases. Units are on 30mm square bases.
What size are the cards?
The unit and building cards are standard card size and will fit into UltraPro sleeves that would fit Magic: the Gathering cards. The monster cards are some ungodly size: 4.25"x5.5"
Are there any sleeves that fit the monster cards?
Not any that fit them exactly, at least not from what I've found. I'm personally using these "photo pockets" from Office Depot, they are 4"x6" and so they are very tight on the short side and need to be trimmed on the long side, but they work to fit my monster cards because they are made of a flexible plastic instead of something like a hard top-loader.

Proxies and OldPoc

Can I use old models from the collectible version of the game?
According to Privateer Press and their tournament rules, you cannot use old models in the new game. If you're going to Lock and Load, don't expect to bring OldPoc models along.
If you're not going to a big tournament, most of the new models have an old equivalent, with the exception of the Void Gate building. If you are playing casual games with friends or at a relaxed LGS, an OldPoc Carnidon looks like a Carnidon and has a label on the base that says "Carnidon", so it makes for a pretty good proxy for a Carnidon.
For context, this rule appears to exist for the following reasons: to promote and support the new game's development and success, and to support the stores that are willing to carry Privateer Press products. You can still support your LGS in other ways, but without continued support for the new game its lifespan could be limited.
Can I use 3D printed models, like apartment buildings I found on thingiverse?
Similar to the OldPoc models above, they are not allowed in official tournaments but they are useful as proxies (and can cause confusion if used in great variety). Supporting the new game's development and supporting your LGS are definite considerations for avoiding 3D printed models/proxies.
Can I use the old maps?
The old maps were not created with the new rules in mind, and have slightly different dimensions. Apart from that, each square on the grid is the same size, so go for it if you want to give it a try! As with the OldPoc models and the 3D printed buildings though, don't try to pull one out at a Lock and Load tournament.

Hobby questions

What should I do to prepare my models for paint?
Make sure and clean up any mold shift or injection vents, then give the parts a small bath in warm, soapy water. Using a toothbrush in the bath to get into the details will help to clean up any mold release agent that might still be on the model. After that's done, make sure and prime your model
Can I sand or file this resin?
You can, but follow the safety warnings on the packaging. Resin is a toxic, carcinogenic material when inhaled and you can prevent serious damage to your lungs by wearing an inexpensive N95 dust mask and using a wet sanding method (keeping the resin and the sandpaper wet will prevent some of the particulate matter from going airborne). You can buy them in bulk online or find them easily in a home improvement store.
How do I get rid of these huge chunks of resin from the injection vents?
The simplest way is not to file or sand them, but to cut them off. Use a pair of flush cutters to get the shape close to what you want, then finish the rest off by cutting, sanding or filing as you would with the rest of the model.
What if the mold shift is really bad, or I'm missing parts?Contact Privateer Press at their miscast/mispack portal. Include as much info as you'd like, but it's best to include a photo when you submit your ticket. They will determine if the request is valid, then send you replacement parts. The responses are typically silent shipping updates, but they will get you taken care of.
If I'm more of a visual person or I am totally new at hobby miniatures, where can I go?
Check out this video Privateer Press did specifically for Monsterpocalypse prep: https://youtu.be/anJUGsLwRcE?t=91
Additionally, their P3 Presents series has some really useful information and short tutorials that can get you started in the right direction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJHKr1eOseY&list=PLOHvZQUaO4kfNV6-gObM3sPXisSpcphnE
Do I have to leave the bases clear?
No! If you want to create scenic bases, go for it. The clear acrylic is just an option.
Do I need to base my buildings?
No. In fact, some of the larger buildings don't even come with bases because they'll stand stable on their own.
What kind of glue can I use on the bases if I want to keep them clear?
Any kind of superglue should be fine (low-odor superglues are preferable), but you will need to be sparing in your application and use good ventilation in order to prevent the superglue vapor from fogging up the base. Typically, pointing a fan at your models is sufficient for this.
If it's already fogged up, what can I do to fix it?
I've seen a few methods to deal with this:

• Paint a layer of gloss varnish over the top of the fogging
• Go full matte with a spray or brush varnish to obscure the fogging
• Make scenic bases to cover over the fogging.

What scale are these models in if I want to get additional modeling materials for the bases, like tiny cars?
There is no specific scale for Monsterpocalypse. It seems like depending on the particular item, anywhere between 1/300 and 1/700 scale can work. It's mostly a matter of cartoonishly exaggerating the size differences where you want them, and making things big enough to be detailed and recognizable.

List Building

Is there a Monsterpocalypse app like War Room?
No, and there's no indication that there will be from Privateer Press. Instead, use the Monpoc.net List Builder tool which is accessible from multiple browsers, whether you're using a PC, Mac, or a phone.
When I'm building my list, can I include units from a faction even if I'm not using their monster, or a monster without units?
Yes. The only restrictions you have while building a list are that your monsters and units must be part of the same Agenda (Protectors or Destroyers) and you'll need to bring along between 6-12 buildings. See p.4 and p.24 of the rule book for more details.
Can I use duplicate monsters? Like two Gorghadras in a two-monster list?
No. The normal rules don't allow for that kind of thing, but you can always do stuff like that in a casual game if your opponent agrees to it.
How many of each building can I take?
By name, the maximum of each building you can bring is 4. The Apartment Building has a special rule that allows you to bring as many as you'd like.
Do I need 4 of each building? That seems expensive.
You do not. The vast majority of building special rules do not stack and so you're mostly better off with a wide variety as opposed to many copies of 3-4 buildings.

Gameplay Questions

How many attacks can my monster make in a turn?
By default, only one attack can be declared per model per turn. If your monster has special rules allowing them to make more attacks, they will be listed on their card.
Do actions replace attacks, like in Warmachine/Hordes?
No, actions are their own kind of thing. You are able to attack and also use an action in the same turn. Actions are fully detailed on page 30 of the rule book.
I have some other specific rules questions...
Check this thread for your question, there are quite a few that have been answered by the Infernal on the Privateer Press forums, which is effectively like an official clarification or errata.
​
​
Do you have other questions? Post below if there's something I forgot to include.

I will be using the laptop for light video editing, gaming (LoL, but not picky about graphics), and a lot of multitasking.
Which one of these is the best for its price?
Lenovo Ideapad @ Walmart --$440 w/ 3-year Protection Plan ($370 without)
Acer Swift @ Office Depot -- $485 Final Price
HP @ Office Depot -- $485 Final Price

These are the two options that I am contemplating on purchasing:
https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/7112540/Dell-XPS-13-9370-Laptop-133/
and
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-XPS-9370-13-3-InfinityEdge/dp/B078MKCPKH/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1535043174&sr=1-4&keywords=dell+xps+13+9370
Including the protection plans, the core i7 version of the XPS 13 will come out to roughly $100 more expensive than the i5. I am a college student who prioritizes speed, performance, battery life, and multitasking ability. I am not on a tight budget, so I wouldn't mind spending the extra $100 if it's ACTUALLY worth it.
So, what would be the differences between the two CPUS? What advantages would a core i7 CPU have over an i5 CPU and vice versa? Is a core i7 worth the additional price tag? Lastly and most importantly, which option would you suggest on buying?

These are the two options that I am contemplating on purchasing:
https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/7112540/Dell-XPS-13-9370-Laptop-133/
and
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-XPS-9370-13-3-InfinityEdge/dp/B078MKCPKH/ref=sr_1_4?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1535043174&sr=1-4&keywords=dell+xps+13+9370
Including the protection plans, the core i7 version of the XPS 13 will come out to roughly $100 more expensive than the i5. I am a college student who prioritizes speed, performance, battery life, and multitasking ability. I am not on a tight budget, so I wouldn't mind spending the extra $100 if it's ACTUALLY worth it.
So, what would be the differences between the two CPUS? What advantages would a core i7 CPU have over an i5 CPU and vice versa? Is a core i7 worth the additional price tag? Lastly and most importantly, which option would you suggest on buying?
​

I use an APC battery backup for my PC. APC Back UPS ES 650VA Was wondering if anyone has worked with this regarding cable management or has suggestions. Get brackets for under the desk? Might be too heavy/bulky. Get a power strip and only plug that into the back up and attach that to the underside of the desk? Thanks for the help.

I ordered a pair of slippers, and the invoice came in a really nice, thick, frosted vinyl pouch with a zipper. It was slightly larger than letter sized. I ended up using it for organizing papers, especially while traveling, but now I want more. Problem is, I can't seem to find it available in any stores.
I emailed the slipper company and they said

Whilst we are really glad to hear you love the pouches, unfortunately, I can't advise where you could purchase them as these are custom made

I started looking around Amazon, Staples, and Office Depot for things such as "vinyl zippered pouch". I found that the most common term is "poly zip envelope", but many of them seem to be generic colorful ones that each store claims as their own (those linked are too small for a piece of paper, btw).
I finally found a link at the Container Store for zip frosted pouches.
That's it! I thought when I found the link. So I went to my local store They're the same in almost every way (size, color, zipper type, frosted), except they're way thinner. They're floppy, and don't stand up themselves like the original I got. These seem way less durable, which is bad news when using them for protection while traveling. (The container store has a few other varieties that are similar, but the material isn't close to what I'm looking for. Most of them are more of a hard plastic, rather than flexible vinyl)
Is anyone familiar with these sorts of products that might know where else to look?

There's now a changelog at the bottom of this post if you're revisiting it!
The starter guide has a lot of useful information in it, but as I've been preparing myself for when KDM arrives this summer I've had to do a lot of research and testing about all the various ancillary products that go into this new hobby. This post is an attempt to catalogue what I've learned both for myself and any other beginners out there. I wanted to get it posted with enough lead time so that people have time to buy things they might need before KDM gets here in (hopefully) August!

Practice Minis

Before we talk about anything else, I highly recommend picking up a handful of minis to practice on, both for assembly and especially for painting. If you jump straight in with your shiny new expensive KDM minis when they get here you'll be very sad when you accidentally scar the first one.
I recommend Frostgrave soldiers/cultists/barbarians, they're pretty cheap at $32 for 20 minis, and have good detail. They also come on sprues so you can practice assembly.
Another classic starter mini line is Reaper Bones (also potentially found cheaper here). They're not quite as cheap as Frostgrave per mini, but you can buy them a la cart instead of a pack of 20. Most of the models don't require assembly which is a bit of a downside if you want practice, but they're still good for painting.

Miniature Assembly

Official build guides are here.
For everything else, there's the incredible Vibrant Lantern.
The old beginner's guide has a lot of good links to some of the glues and gap fillers that you can use, but it's lacking in general tools. This is a really nice cheap beginner's kit, but in general you are going to want:

• Flush cutters for removing the pieces from the sprues
• Needle files for smoothing sprue leftovers and mold lines (would really recommend getting a set, the different shapes/sizes can be very useful)
• Plastic cement or a Cyanoacrylate (CA) glue. You could also consider a gel super glue which is less likely to run and glue your fingers, but will gap fill a bit more, possibly making for larger gaps.

Optionally, you also might find use for

• A self healing cutting mat gives you a nice space to work without worrying about hurting your table
• Self-closing tweezers for handling the tiny pieces
• Exacto knife for larger sprue chunks or big mold lines
• Green stuff (or other gap filler -- Magic Sculpt has rave reviews but you have to buy a pound at a time) for filling in gaps after assembly, mostly an issue with the larger monster models. Should only be used if you're planning on painting because it won't match the plastic.
• Alternative to Green Stuff, milliput. I've heard it's easier to work with for gap filling specifically, checking it out for myself soon.
• Sandpaper for sanding small mold lines or smoothing after using a gap filler
• Acetone if you went glue instead of plastic cement for when you accidentally glue yourself to something. DO NOT EVER APPLY ACETONE TO PLASTIC IT WILL MELT IT.
• Modeling tools can be really handy for working with Green Stuff or milliput. The set linked has way more tools than you need but it's pretty cheap and gives you lots of options.

For some more tips, and a lot more detail on how assembly works, check out u/jquailey's BGG post with lots of pictures!

Plastic Cement vs CA Glue

Realistically both plastic cement and CA glue will work just fine, so if there's one you're more comfortable with feel free to just use it. That said, the main distinctions are: CA glue dries much faster, dries much harder (stronger bond), and will bond anything to anything -- including your fingers. Plastic cement will only work on plastic since it melts the plastic, takes longer to fully cure, and creates a much closer bond than glue because it mixes with the plastic itself instead of sitting in between the two surfaces.
If you're up for either the general consensus is that plastic cement is better for minis. CA glue might dry harder, but you don't need a super incredibly strong bond on your minis. They aren't going to be torn apart regularly or anything like that, the plastic cement bond strength is totally fine. Once you get good at using cement you can get it so that there's practically no visible seam, which is nigh impossible with glue.
Some quick tips for using plastic cement: I've had the best results with applying a small amount to both joining surfaces, enough so that the surface is covered, but not dripping. You don't want cement drips because it can melt the detail on your model! Once both surfaces are coated, hold them together gently but firmly for 5-10 seconds. After that point they should stay in place, but you can still make small adjustments to the position for a few minutes to get it just right. You can also run a little bit over the seam afterwards (a toothpick can be great for this) to make the seam even smaller.
Also: plastic cement smells, and is real bad to breathe. That Tamiya linked above says things like VAPOR HARMFUL and THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS KNOWN TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER so seriously use that stuff in a well ventilated room and wash your hands afterwards. People might make fun of me but I wear my respirator when working with it, it gives me a headache without it. Better safe than cancerous, I always say.

Basing

Basing is totally 100% optional but it's not hard and I think it can add a lot to the mini, though I would only recommend it if you're going to be painting. If you got a ton of the stone face bases you can feel free to ignore this section.
The simplest way to base is from this video. Basically just glue on some pieces of slate and gravel to cover the base. Even as an amateur it looks pretty good once painted (yeah that's not a KDM mini; practice minis, remember?). For glue I strongly recommend Aleenes, easy to work with and very strong hold. Gravel is up to you, I used some crab gravel. Slate can be a little tricky to find, buying it from miniature stores is extremely expensive, and most other places will want to sell you like a 20lb bag. What you can do is buy a couple slate tiles, put them in a cloth bag you don't care about, and then smash em up with a hammer until they're in tiny bits! This will destroy the bag (and you should wear eye protection and do this outside!), but you can get all the slate pieces you'll ever need in varying sizes for like $10 tops. Also, if you need a cheap glue spreader I just broke all but one of the tines off a plastic fork I had and it actually works pretty well.

Magnetizing

I hate myself and love never-ending projects, so I'm opting to magnetize my survivor armor kits. It'll be pretty sweet. If you want to magnetize, the magnet opus is required reading. I've also done some experimenting and found some bigger magnets that you can use without damaging the mini, giving the finished survivor much stronger hold. I won't re-hash the entire post, since it goes into more detail, but I did make a spreadsheet that has links to the different sizes of magnets and the approximate number of each you'd need to magnetize the core + current expansions. Also, with this 'bigger magnets' plan you can pick up the whole mini by the weapon if you're careful, so it should handle even the largest weapons just fine.
Here's a link to a way to store all your magnetized bits. It's elaborate and ridiculous and amazing, just like this game.
Also: if magnetizing you really really should use plastic cement to assemble your minis. I used CA glue on my first one and it's an incredible pain in the ass to drill through CA glue with a pin vise. You have been warned.

Miniature Display and Storage

If you got the core game, the existing expansions, and the gambler's chest, you're looking at around 125 minis. If you went full Satan's pledge, you'll have somewhere around 360 minis in a few years time! That's a lot of storage, and is pretty intimidating if you ever need to move again. Start thinking about how you're going to store those bad boys now!

Display

To show off your minis, the best option I've seen is this IKEA glass cabinet for $70. Cabinets are surprisingly expensive, but with this glass one you can see the display from all sides. It's on the cheaper end too, but very nice (I have one myself!).

Storage

If you're ever going to move again in your lifetime or want to bring KDM outside your home ever (or don't have space for a display cabinet!) you'll need something safe to store your minis in. There are a couple options here:

Pluck Foam

Pluck foam is a sheet of foam that's lightly cut into small squares, but is still one large sheet. You then 'pluck' out some of those small pieces to create whatever sized holes you need for your minis (you can also get KDM specific foam trays, but man they're expensive). It works pretty well, but for something like KDM you're going to need a ton of foam. The Phoenix and Dragon King are both huge models that would require several layers of foam stacked on top of each other just to be covered, and then you need to get a bin or case of some kind to store it all in. This is also the least convenient option as you'll have to dig through the foam a bit to find the right minis when you want to play. I haven't done the math here, but I have a feeling this will get quite expensive as well.
Foam options:

• Battlefoam (linked above)
• Feldherr might be a bit cheaper than Battlefoam (thanks u/Kiwietha!)

Plastic Trays

Some people opt for putting all the survivor minis/pieces into plastic trays. You would then have to figure something else out for the monsters that don't fit (maybe hybrid with the pluck foam?), but this should be a cheap option for the smaller minis. I wouldn't do it with painted minis though, bumping the plastic could eventually chip or wear down paint.

Magnetic Storage

This, in my opinion, is hands down the best option. A single 6x2mm magnet in the base of a survivor is enough to hold it very firmly in place. Like dropping a case from 15 feet and the minis don't even move kind of firm. With KDM you'll want to use more than one magnet for the monsters (you can see in that video that the small minis don't move but the big one does because it only has one 6x2mm magnet in its base). Getting 200 6x2mm magnets from Guys Magnets is only $20 + shipping, and once you have them magnetized you can use anything metal to store the minis.
There are specialized miniature magnetic cases that are quite nice but rather expensive, but my personal favorite is toolboxes. You need a steel toolbox, and for monsters it should be taller than 8" (200mm) to accommodate the Dragon King and other tall monsters. This toolbox is $25 and 2 of them should store all the core + current expansion monsters (note: Spidicules is unreasonable and won't fit in anything ever. I'm planning on magnetizing his legs so he can get stored). For survivors, you can get a shorter toolbox like this one for $13, 2 of which should fit all the various 30mm figures in the core + current expansions. All in all you can magnetically store everything in the core + current expansions for about $100, which sounds pretty good to me! If you want the toolboxes to look less boring, find a picture of the KDM expansion logos, jack the color levels way up, and then print it out, cut it out with an exacto knife, and bam you have a stencil that you can spraypaint on the side!
A tip on installing the magnets: you need to assemble your bases first (so that they're 2mm thick), and you should really really use plastic cement, not CA glue. Glue will dry super hard and be a huge pain to drill through. Remember to dry fit the magnet often and drill slowly, you don't want to go too deep. Also, remember to drill the hole for the magnet before attaching the mini to the base! I made a super simple guide that shows the steps to install a magnet in a survivor's base here.

Painting

Painting KDM is certainly optional, the minis are gorgeous on their own. Even a simple paint job can take them to the next level though! Check out /minipainting, they have tons of great resources, guides, and ideas for paint schemes. Listed here are a couple of easy paint jobs I've seen that are beginner friendly but still look great! Most of the examples below are somewhat monochrome because it's simple and fast, but I think KDM looks awesome monochrome. It fits the theme and is still a big step above bare plastic. Not that I'm hating on elaborate/realistic paint jobs, if I had the time and the skill high end paint jobs seriously blow my mind.
Before starting, a quick note on painting safety. Acrylic paint (what every mini paint is) is very safe, and you don't have to worry much about fumes or anything. However if you use spray anything (spray primer, an airbrush, spray paint, spray sealant) you absolutely must have proper ventilation (i.e. be literally outside or have a really good fan setup), and you should also invest a few dollars in an organic vapor respirator. Aerosolized paint is super terrible stuff and breathing it regularly can cause serious health problems. That respirator I linked is $11, freaking buy it and you can pretend to be Bane. You can also get a spray booth that has a fan/filter built in. They're nice but expensive; I made a ghetto one out of a big cardboard box. No fan or filter, but it catches overspray and then I have a box fan in the window blowing out for exhaust and wear my respirator.
For most of these painting jobs drybrushing is a huge component. It's a pretty simple technique, but can take a few tries to get it down (you bought some practice minis right? RIGHT?). This video helped me understand the basics, but there's no substitute for practice! It's also really rough on the brush, so get the cheapest brush you can specifically for drybrushing.

Brush Only

• RedMonkeyBoy's super lazy painting guide has a guide for a weathered bone look he uses for monsters and a dirty stone look for survivors. You can use either for either though! Personally I think the bone looks awesome.
• u/bombasticslacks used just a citadel starter kit to make a really nice monochrome weathered look with a splash of color where appropriate.

Airbrush/Spray Paint

These paint jobs require either an airbrush or model paint/primer in spray cans. You can use these to get really nice highlights and shadows, and you can also paint a lot of minis very quickly. I bought an airbrush because with some 350 minis heading my way I want to be able to get them table ready relatively quickly. If you want to go airbrush, I would recommend not skimping on price. I bought a Paasche H and I wish I had sprung the extra $20 for a decent dual action brush, it gives you tons more control. I also got a cheap tankless Master compressor, and again, I wish I had sprung for one with a tank. This compressor works, but the auto shut-off sucks and the thing gets hand-burningly hot to the point where I worry about it bursting into flames. You'll be better off following /minipainting's airbrush guide.

• u/MV104 has a really cool grayscale with blood job. It's extremely simple, no airbrush required if you can get 3 cans of spray primer. Here's a direct link to the comment where they outline the process. It's essentially just Zenithal priming with some added effects, and it looks great.
• u/fksn's ambient light tutorial is awesome, and can get you great lighting effects by using an airbrush. Super thematic, super cool.
• Lots of people were impressed by the KS pictures, and this blog post by the artist details how it's done! This is my personal favorite, and the route I'm going.

If you want to follow one of these tutorials and therefore want to buy the specific paints they mention to make your life easier, I've found Miniature Market to be very reasonably priced with cheap (and pretty fast) shipping. It's usually about 1/2-1/3 the price of buying paint off Amazon (at least for individual pots of paint).

Sealing After Painting

Once painted, you should apply a sealant to the mini. This will give it a protective coat so paint doesn't wear off during handling. Check minipainting's buying guide for some examples. Testor's is probably the most well-regarded, it's crystal clear and very durable. You can also get it in liquid form that can be run through an airbrush. Be very careful using anything called 'lacquer' though; it's a more intense chemical than varnish and can soften the paint on the mini. It's fine sprayed on, but never ever paint it on with a brush! You can smudge your paint! Remember to let everything dry thoroughly between coats too (I give 12 hours between painting and applying sealant, and then another 12 between coats of sealant), and don't apply sealant in a humid environment or it can get cloudy.

Painting Accessories

If you decide to paint there are some accessories you may want to invest in to make your life easier:

• Corks and blue tack; stick the mini to the cork while you're painting, and then you don't have to touch the mini while the paint's wet! Some people also attach the mini with wire or pins, but I've found blue tack to be perfectly cromulent
• Agitator balls are nice to help mix up paint, drop a couple in and it's way easier then shaking the pot by itself
• A graduated mixing bottle can be very helpful if you want to mix large batches of a specific color
• 15ml dropper bottles if you prefer dropper bottles to pots; big help if you're using an airbrush
• Latex gloves if you're using any sort of spray stuff, keeps your hands squeeky clean (latex free for the allergic)
• -Airbrush only- Airbrush cleaning station IMO if you have an airbrush this is mandatory, it's a huge help when switching between colors or cleaning the brush
• -Airbrush only- Pipe cleaners (real pipe cleaners, not artsy) can be helpful cleaning out an airbrush or color cup

Paper Material Organization and Protection

KDM doesn't stop at the minis! There are lots of paper components that need love too!

Card Sleeves

I won't belabor this post with yet another sleeve post, so I'll just say check out my sleeve calculator (old calculator for Mage/Paladin kickstarters here). This calculator should be all you need; if you want to buy a brand that's not listed in the calculator you can still pick a brand that has the same number of sleeves per pack and that'll tell you how many of your preferred brand to get.

Rulebook Bookbinding

See this link for a guide on how to break in a hardcover book without damaging the spine.
This isn't really relevant until the old expansions in wave 2 unless you already have them, but with the new sexy hardcover core rulebook in 1.5, binding your expansion rulebooks is starting to look pretty amazing. I'm planning on binding all the existing expansion rulebooks once they get here, it should really help keep them intact.

Character Sheet Organizers

Keeping organized is key to keeping such a large game going smoothly.
bodaster's guide on streamlining play is well worth reading, it touches on far more than just how to organize your characters.
These guys have a really cool all-in-one character sheet setup made of altered 3-ring binders. Pretty neat! If you just want gear grid organizers without the whole binder thing, there are these for $15 each, or, if you have access to a 3D printer, you can print your own. If you just want 3-ring binder sheets that will hold gear cards, here you go.
For UK/EU laser cut gear grids check out these.

Custom Box Inserts

The KDM box is a gorgeous behemoth, but the insert that comes with it isn't that great at fitting all the paper materials if you have a lot of expansions and/or sleeve your cards. One of the reasons I wanted to get this post out now is because u/LegionOfSatch is making another run of his excellent acrylic insert, and is taking orders up until July 10th(ish).. It costs $100 with $30 shipping to the contiguous US.
At $65 is Top Down Terrain's modular organizer, which is made out of wood. I think the pictures are of it painted, but it's hard to say.
If both of those are too much for you and you can put in some elbow grease, check out this plan for compartmentalized foamcore inserts by BGG user bodasta. Foam will never be as durable as acrylic or wood, but it's a lot easier to repaireplace if it gets damaged. It's also extremely cheap; according to one of the people on BGG who's used these plans, they used 4 14x20" of 3/16" (355x508mm, 5mm thick) foamboard, so you'll need about 1200in² (7,200cm²⁾ material total. You can get 2 20x30" boards here for $11 (free shipping), or if you want something heavier duty there's a 32x40" "mightycore" board for $21 here. Keep in mind that if you get the more durable foamcore it's 1/4" instead of 3/16" (approx 1.5mm thicker), so make sure you account for that where necessary. Looking at the plans it should fit just fine, losing 1.5mm in the tray width will still leave enough room for sleeved cards. I would recommend reading the entire BGG thread linked above if you want to try this, there are some really good tips in it.

Tuck Boxes

Here are some ready-to-print plans for really easy tuck boxes to help organize the various AI decks. Really simple and easy way to help keep the clutter organized, especially if using the standard box insert.

Fan-Made Paper Materials

Some very talented people have made some improved versions of survivor sheets, settlement trackers, and other paper materials. This is just a list of what I've seen, take a look and see if any appeal to you!

• Sid's record sheets has multiple survivor layouts, improved settlement records, and campaign timelines.
• bodaster's innovation summary is a nice summary of the various innovation trees for the core and alt campaigns.
• n4gol's has redesigned character and settlement sheets, and added a resource tracker.
• bodaster's player guide summarizes a lot of the frequently looked up rules in a small handbook. Especially great for new players!
• moavoamoatu made some small helper sheets for laminating.. Nice and compact (regular card size) for armoinsanity/survival.
• KevBelisle made a neat little sheet for remembering past settlements. Very cool.
• Not actually a paper material, but here's a thread with a high-res image of the game board that would be suitable for printing onto neoprene. Useful if you travel with KDM a lot.

Fan-made Variants

The base game is great but not perfect. Here are some tweaks people have made to try to improve aspects.

• Relborn's 5-6 player mode is a great approach to solving the 5-6 player problem.
• Fen's 5-6 player mode has a similar approach to the above but makes some tweaks to rewards payouts.
• Arbie's tweaks adjust and rebalance a number of aspects of the game, including settlement events, gear costs, and more.
• Olvenskol made a "throwing rocks at the gods" variant to allow founding stones to help mitigate some of the randomness.

Expansion Campaigns

• Fen has a great set of PotL "campaigns" with guides on which expansions to integrate and for what experience here

Rules Resources

• Official KDM FAQ. Be careful here, some of the answers are out of date with 1.5.
• t3clis has a compendium of official and semi-official erratas and clarifications. Well worth the read.

Game Component Lists

I'm not sure on the original sources of these spreadsheets, but you can check this one or this one to verify that your core game came with all its bits. Really important to do, a lot of games are missing a card here or there.
This post started in my head as 'I should share all the links I've tracked down!' and apparently ended at 'I should write a novel!'. Sorry for the length, this is apparently how I keep myself occupied until KDM ships out!
Changelog:

• 7/1/17 - Added a small magnetized base guide
• 10/20/17(ish) - Added a section for fan-made paper materials.
• 10/21/17 - Updated the card counts of my sleeve guide to what I counted in my core set.
• 10/25/17(ish) - Added a link to modeling tools.
• 10/30/17 - Added links to Milliput and a guide for breaking in hardcover books.
• 11/1/17 - Added links to the official build guides and Vibrant Lantern, and to an alternate 5-6 player mode.
• 11/5/17 - Added a link to Fen's 5-6 player variant
• 11/8/17 - Added link to UK/EU gear grid organizers, to Arbie's game tweaks, and to some compact armoinsanity/survival cards, and a Game Component List section.
• 11/13/17 - Added a link to bodaster's guide to streamlining play, updated the link to n4gol's remastered sheets, added a link to a way to remember past settlements, and added a link to throwing rocks at the gods variant.
• 11/20/17 - Added a Rules Resources section
• 11/29/17 - Added a link to a thread on printing the game board onto neoprene.
• 12/5/17 - Added a link to a way to store magnetized armor kits.
• 12/8/17 - Added a link to tuck box plans
• 3/27/18 - Added a link to expansion based campaigns

Going to a new year's eve party tomorrow and I really want to throw something in the crockpot. Problem is, we have a two-hour drive to get there. I have the cook and carry crockpot from Hamilton (the lid seals shut with these clips), but two-hours is a long go. i was also thinking of getting a 12V converter like this for my car's cigarette liter so I could plug the crockpot in and keep it warm during the ride.
Thoughts?

So my girlfriend is going off to college soon. She went laptop shopping with her parents. She saw a $300 HP Pavilion and liked it. But her dad "strongly believes that you get what you pay for".
Anyway, they're in Office Depot and her dad sees a laptop listed at $809. I look it up. Here is the link.
She told me they bought it, a mouse, printer, malware protection, and ink for $700. I asked how, and she said the laptop was $300 cheaper with a mouse. None of that sounded legit to me.
So did she spend $700 on a cheaper laptop?

Okay - I was just standing in an office talking with our 2 IT guys when I heard and felt a loud "POP!" from my front pocket. I was kinda freaked out, so I quickly pulled the pocket inside out and the contents on the floor were: 1 penny, 1 nickel, 1 dime, and 3 hearing aid-type batteries like these.
One of the batteries had popped open, and I could see a lot of corrosion inside. It was maybe a little warm to the touch, but I wasn't burned or anything. Can someone explain what happened?
Edit: I'm a research microbiologist with a background in chemical engineering, so I understand the basic idea that I closed some circuit between metal objects with different redox potentials - I'm hoping someone can tell me specifically what the contents of that circuit were - I last thought about electrochemistry in 2009.

FYI, to all of the IAs and any employee who regularly touches toner cartridges - even only a few broken ones. You should request a particulate filter before bagging and boxing up recycled cartridges. The toner powder is at the absolute minimum an inhalation irritant even in small amounts (read: coughing up colored phlegm). The long term effects are unclear but consider the dangers of asbestos. Staples Legal really should do something about this, but in the mean time please protect your respiratory system!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toner#Health_risks FYI!
Edit:Good tips from the comments, don't forget to wear gloves as the toner powder is a skin irritant (at least)
Edit2: We got dozens of these recycled monthly, and they did break more than HP. MSDS for TN-250, http://www.officedepot.com/pdf/msds/782211.pdf - says it is nonhazardous if NOT in dust or powder form, if there's a spill (causing dust and or powder to get in air) you should use goggles, gloves, and a mask. I'm tempted to call OSHA today.