Right at the start of October 2016 I noticed that the pre orders for Wave 5 Star Wars Armada items + the Corellian Conflict Campaign expansion were given big advertisement slots on an Online Retailers web page that is based in the United Kingdom and is one of the 'big 3 or so' in the region. They were offering reasonable discounts so I ordered in the first few days of October, then around December 2016 ish when other online retailers were stocking the items I noticed that my order wasn't filled, I made inquiries and I got excuses, around the first week of January 2017 I got some other poor excuses (our distributor is not open for business yet etc). Now recently they claim that they are waiting for the items to be sent to us by our "distributor", I just don't know what is going on, I see the items even shown on amazon.co.uk !!. Question is should I wait or are they having a laugh with me ? i.e. does anyone know if the following items listed below are not due for a "second batch" from the U.S. to the U.K. or where ever you distribute them from, I know there maybe more intermediaries but I'm just asking generally, I do not want these items to be out of stock and then wait 2 years for re-prints that may never come.

here is the list of stuff I pre-ordered from the UK retailer and they didn't even fill one single item on the pre-order:

I'm in the US but my FLGS has been unable to get its distributor to ship him any Wave 5. The more distant store I know to carry Armada had pictures of their large shipment on their Facebook page the night before official release to say "Come and get, tomorrow." My "guy" finally made a call this week to the dude who "fixes" this sort of issue and we should get some of the expansions next week but not all.

My FLGS attributes this to the supply chain largely being staffed by morons. So I don't think they are having a laugh at your expense so much as actual incompetence. So depending on the situation with your retailer (you've already given him money on this, you play there, et al) I'd think you are free to move on.

I think part of the problem is that demand has outstripped supply, and what supply there is isn't moving through the chain fast enough. There are sellers on Amazon charging $30 for Rebels 2 squadron pack, $45 for Imp LC and barely anything on Flea-bay for Wave 5.

Ahhh the perils of preordering. Some UK traders are out of wave 5 but others have plenty.

Chaos cards have at least one of each as of today. I have ordered from them before and they have a quick turn around.

CC has no discount from RRP, Pelta is 7% off and the other 3 are 20% off RRP. UK Post free for orders over £20

https://www.chaoscards.co.uk/search/star-wars-armada

Element Games too have at least one of each.Their postage free order size is £80 which yours would reach.

Hopefully this means that distributors are beginning to distribute after the sell outs and holiday period. Give your retailer one last call, armed with the knowledge that you can now go elsewhere.

If you are talking about Wayland, then I feel your pain. I have cancelled every pre-order ever made with them due to exactly the reasons you stated.

Re-ordered all wave 5 stuff from Amazon in the end at a premium, but patience has never been my thing!

Everything Wave 5 I ordered arrived pretty quickly. I got my Arquitens and Liberty from EBay sellers earlier this month, fighters from an Amazon seller, and CC from a different amazon seller. No problems. My FLGS has Arquitens and Liberties in stock.

Chaos Cards are also quick to dispatch in ny experience.

(I've ordered from Wayland before and had a bad experience so I do avoid.)

If you are talking about Wayland, then I feel your pain. I have cancelled every pre-order ever made with them due to exactly the reasons you stated.

Re-ordered all wave 5 stuff from Amazon in the end at a premium, but patience has never been my thing!

Ditto on Wayland. On both Waves 4 and 5 i preordered and then subsequently cancelled. If the OP's order is with them, i'd cancel and use an alternate vendor.

Amazon are sending some of my order from Amazon EU Sarl. Which I swear is not normal

Amazon are sending some of my order from Amazon EU Sarl. Which I swear is not normal

Yeah, my Pelta and Arquitens was shipped from there but everything else arrived next day.