New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. X: All Systems Nominal...ish

[Colt Ward]

The whole thing would be covered by the red dot on the map that says 'You are here.'

[Deadborder]

Although now I really want a map of the short-lived independent Traders Domain periphery microstate ;)

If you look at the map of the Outworlds Alliance after the Second Succession War in, well, Second Succession War, you'll see Wrynn's Roost as an independant world surrounded by several others. I suspect that's the extent of it.

[beachhead1985]

Well . . . part of it is the delay of 6 months or longer from a printed book they had sitting on the counter at GenCon.  Not in stores yet, nor is it available for ereader for some reason.  The rumored novel of the Jihad that was teased during that time but never saw light was given another mention but its still not more than a rumor.  And for me, YA novels make me nervous . . . its bad enough that in movies they keep making the protagonist younger & younger, but my limited exposure to YA novels in a established universe were of poor quality or attention to detail.  I mean the MWDA novels were heralded as a continuation of the BT novel tradition, but out of the first 10 or so most were crap by people who had never written for the universe and some of them had lasting consequences from the poor writing or characterization.

I`m personally having a hard time with this, because I have seen some YA stuff and I have read all the old BT novels and aside from some truly cringe-worthy stuff in the 3050s-era Stackpole novels, how are they not YA, anyways?

No graphic descriptions of sex; okay I read a lot of Drake, Ringo and Kratman, so my violence scale may be a *teence* off, but still; we hardly ever even see swearing in the old books.

And lets face it; this is hardly hard SF here.

[Sartris]

age of the protagonist and the themes tend to distinguish a consciously YA novel from something that's just easy to read.

[nckestrel]

I`m personally having a hard time with this, because I have seen some YA stuff and I have read all the old BT novels and aside from some truly cringe-worthy stuff in the 3050s-era Stackpole novels, how are they not YA, anyways?

No graphic descriptions of sex; okay I read a lot of Drake, Ringo and Kratman, so my violence scale may be a *teence* off, but still; we hardly ever even see swearing in the old books.

And lets face it; this is hardly hard SF here.

1. You don't have to judge based on somebody else.  Jennifer Brozek has already written for BattleTech, the Nellus Academy Incident.  It's available on Amazon (the collected serial stories from Battlecorps). You can read it, or read reviews of it.
https://www.amazon.com/BattleTech-Academy-Incident-Jennifer-Brozek-ebook/dp/B00I2DFR28
http://jennifer-brozek.livejournal.com/209000.html
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20640160-battletech
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=36910.0
http://www.jenniferbrozek.com/blog/post/Nellus-Academy-Blurbs.aspx

2. I believe the major point of YA is that it's intentionally focused on issues young adults face.  IE. It's about similarly aged characters (to young adults), not Victor Steiner-Davion as a grandfather, but students at an academy like the Nellus Academy Incident.  It's not children's literature.  And as you point out, plenty of "classic" BattleTech novels aren't labeled as YA, but could very well be.  Think Victor and Kai as young cadets, the first Gray Death Legion novel, Crescent Hawks Inception's Jason Youngblood, etc.  It's not that much a new direction, as acknowledging BattleTech needs to get back to aiming at new players.  And I think it will be just fine for the rest of us as well.

[YingJanshi]

I think part of it is that there's this perception that YA novels are the basement of of current writing. That YA is either for those that can't write "serious" works or are simply jumping on the bandwagon to get rich off the next "Hunger Games" or "Twilight".

Not saying it's valid or fair, but I do think people wouldn't have been so instantly dismissive of those new novels if that hadn't been labeled as YA.

[Wrangler]

I'm not against them, but i am worried resources are being diverted to other things I care about.
We been waiting for novels for years, finally starting see them come in.  Then it kinda stopped or paused.
It take people to check items to be approved to be made.  So i wonder if that process could be slowing things down too.

We've had unexpected introduction products come out.  BattleMech Manual, TRO: Succession Wars (which is essentially simplified TRO: 3039), Smaller scale Intro Boxes (1 budget, 1 modest cost box?) .  Which is important to promote the brand. 

I'm more hoping we get something with some meat to it, such as full-on new new TRO or a Turning Points of some kind.  I like Touring the Stars, but i greedy little wanting little more than that.

[Liam's Ghost]

TRO: Succession Wars (which is essentially simplified TRO: 3039)

This gets repeated a lot, but it really isn't true. There's mechs in there from all over the place. For some it's their first appearance in a TRO at all.

[Adrian Gideon]

I'm not against them, but i am worried resources are being diverted to other things I care about.

We all want what we want. But speculation beyond that is not only pointless, it's wrong 9.99999 times out of 10. You want "A," but "B" is being worked on. You believe "A"'is being bumped for "B." Well, kill B. Throw B in a ditch and pretend it never existed. The result is A isn't produced any faster, you don't get B, and C starts development to fill the gap. Rinse and repeat.

[Sartris]

We all want what we want. But speculation beyond that is not only pointless, it's wrong 9.99999 times out of 10. You want "A," but "B" is being worked on. You believe "A"'is being bumped for "B." Well, kill B. Throw B in a ditch and pretend it never existed. The result is A isn't produced any faster, you don't get B, and C starts development to fill the gap. Rinse and repeat.

it's like construction where one guy is digging in the hole and nine guys are standing around watching. everyone knows that  [blank]

[Paul]

it's like construction where one guy is digging in the hole and nine guys are standing around watching. everyone knows that working on their own ditches, and can't even see that 1 guy.

Fixed a typo, you're welcome.

Paul

[Kojak]

Just finished reading the TtS Wynn's Roost PDF, and I died laughing at the bit at the end about that spy ring that was broken up due to farting.

[Empyrus]

BMM physical is available in Finland at least, presumably elsewhere in Europe as well, or soon will be.
Didn't expect it to be a hardcover, but since other core rulebooks have been i guess i should've expected this.

[Wrangler]

I didn't know they were going be in hardcover.   Then again, most of the rule books since Total Warfare have been.  I would have preferred a Softcover myself, since i found them easier to store with my gear on the road.

[Gaiiten]

it's like construction where one guy is digging in the hole and nine guys are standing around watching. everyone knows that  [blank]

You mean this pic representing modern working life?

[Baldur Mekorig]

Just finished reading TTS: Wynn`s Roost. I can see those guys, with enough time, creating a interstellar mini-nation there.

[mrbooth]

It may be a bit of wishful thinking but is TRO Golden Century coming out this year? It has been several years since it was announced.

[I am Belch II]

It may be a bit of wishful thinking but is TRO Golden Century coming out this year? It has been several years since it was announced.

I hope it comes out soon, can never have to many TROs

[Wrangler]

I hope it comes out soon, can never have to many TROs

Ditto and Irregular Tech.  I can only hope their both done like the old 3145 series PDF, with the record sheets included.  It would be worth the money.

[CungrVanck]

Been too quite on this post as I think we are all waiting for 2018 (box set, two computer games, IlClan (if not released this year! - hey I can hope!))....so posting to get this thread back on the front page.

Wondering if there will be a Halloweenish product this year....we have had zombies, parallel universes, medieval tech worlds and a salute to the tripods of War of the Worlds in the past.  Would gladly take another Touring the Stars with a monster filled world if possible!

Anything that keeps the craving for IlClan at bay for awhile longer ;)

[Valkerie]

Anyone heard anything about the other Alpha Strike Combat Manuals?  Any new ones coming up?

[Sartris]

Anyone heard anything about the other Alpha Strike Combat Manuals?  Any new ones coming up?

the first two failed to perform to expectations and the series in its current incarnation is dead, unfortunately.

[I am Belch II]

I was hoping for a Clan or a Word of Blake Combat Manual. But oh well.

[YingJanshi]

the first two failed to perform to expectations and the series in its current incarnation is dead, unfortunately.

I thought it was more that they did sell well, they were just too expensive as a product and were discontinued to focus on other products?

[nckestrel]

Both the cost and sales are part of the answer, but neither/both together are all of the answer.  (My understanding at least).

[Valkerie]

Bummer, really liked the first two.  They are a great help in getting deeper into AS and getting my step-son into the universe.  Oh well.  There are plenty of other sourcebooks to adapt to our playing out there still  :)

[SteelRaven]

I just love the art and unit write ups. I was hoping the Mini TRO's would make the difference considering TRO's always sell... well, except TRO: 3057 and VA.  #P

[Sellsword]

I just love the art and unit write ups. I was hoping the Mini TRO's would make the difference considering TRO's always sell... well, except TRO: 3057 and VA.  #P

Funny, I disliked the mini TROs.  Actually I take that back.  I liked the idea of the mini TROs but not the execution.  I would have rather had a mini TRO of common mechs used by the faction.  Say 12 (random #).  And not just random mechs used by the faction but a break down of the mechs and their function within the units themselves;  So the most iconic scout mechs, Fire Support mechs, cavalry mechs etc.  We need to stop categorizing mechs by their weight class and design TROs based on function.

As older players, we see how different House Kurita is to House Steiner but for a new player, all they see is a bunch of mechs and the color of the house.  Do I want to be Kurita Red or Steiner Blue?  There isn't enough distinction between the factions. 

I don't think CGL should limit access to units base upon faction but a well defined core of mechs and their uses per faction would help new players navigate the hundreds of units available to them and give a visual distinction between the armies which would help drive individual faction books like the combat manuals.  Because really, until you get into the fluff of a house, there is no reason to choose Liao over Davion except perhaps you like the color green.

[sadlerbw]

I still hold out hope that the CM's will return, although some things about them may not be identical to the first two.

My take on things is that, when the CM's started production, there was 'The Plan'. The Plan predicted that the CM's would sell a certain way, with a certain mix of physical/electronic sales and a certain level of interest from the Retail Channel. Mercs comes out, and someone says, 'Hmm, that's not what we expected. Well, lets release a house book and see if it is the same.' Kurita comes out and that someone says, 'This is ALSO not what we expected...Yeah, this isn't going according to The Plan.' Does that mean no one bought them? No. Does it mean they were too expensive to make? Not necessarily. It means, they were produced under the assumption that they would sell a certain way when released. The way they ACTUALLY sold was different. The difference between reality and The Plan caused someone to put the brakes and decide to better match the CM product to how the market was consuming it.

I think it is still possible for the CM's to come back, but they can't be exactly the same as the first two. What will have to change in any future ones? No clue. That would be for Ray and Brent to figure out!

[Wrangler]

It could be a year end before we see anything since everything being reorganized under the Brent/Evens leadership. 

I hope thing workout and 2018 is year of Battletech great success in sales.