Mercenaries Kickstart Discussion 2: Contract Negotiations Begin

[Ghaz]

True, but that's through distribution channels. One might hope the KS price is less, but we'll have to wait.

That's the MSRP and not what they are charging retailers, so that's $7.50 a 'Mech versus $6.25 a 'Mech in the current Inner Sphere Force Packs (Clan and ComStar packs work out a bit cheaper).  I would plan on a similar price increase (percentage-wise) in the Kickstarter.

[Daryk]

In the CI Kickstarter, those who took Inner Sphere Lance packs got an equivalent number of Salvage Boxes to make up for the extra 'Mech that Clanners were getting with each box, so it's possible that they could take a similarly scalable approach. Just as a quick-and-dirty example, you could say one "reward" equals:

• one Battlefield Support pack
• two Inner Sphere Lance packs
• one Clan Star pack and three Salvage Boxes
• one ComStar Level II and two Salvage Boxes.

Exact numbers will of course vary, as that was just me spitballing, but I could see something along those lines being the case, no?

As the OG IS insurgent, that is NOT how I remember it working.  The price per mini was the same regardless of the lance/star/L2 organization.

[Tyrant]

As the OG IS insurgent, that is NOT how I remember it working.  The price per mini was the same regardless of the lance/star/L2 organization.

If you bought them separately, which isn't what he is talking about, they were the same. Lance = $20/4, Star = $25/5, and CS = $30/6. What he is talking about is what you chose for rewards if you pledged something like the Star Colonel. For the pledge levels, if you chose a lance you also got a Salvage Mech. So you got 5 mechs for your choice. If you chose a Star, you got the 5 mechs in the Star. So those two choices were "even". But, if you chose the CS options, you got 6 mechs. So that last option got you 6 for the price of 5, so to speak. And all of that is ignoring the other mechs you got for any particular pledge which further alters the price per mech. Strictly on a price per mech basis the pledges were better than just buying lances/stars/cs sets with Star Colonel (I believe) being the real winner.

[Daryk]

IF you were willing to risk getting a clanner 'mech in that salvage box, sure.  I wasn't.

[mdbausemer]

So if we are all ready for this kick starter to get going and we should be less than a month away, we should all be ready to make this thing go through the roof day one. Getting a chance to flush these out between you tube and most of the forum discussions. Does anyone have any ideas what the structure of the levels will look like. like lance commander, Platoon commander. Logistics maybe as a mechant pack ect.. any ideas?

[Daryk]

If the tank lances are cheaper than 'mechs, I could see a differentiation between "Lance" and "Platoon" commander, sure.

[Tyrant]

IF you were willing to risk getting a clanner 'mech in that salvage box, sure.  I wasn't.

That has no bearing on what I said or how it worked. In the scenario he was talking about, he was right about them not having equal costs. I believe most people didn't go out of their way to spend more money so they could avoid Clan mechs.

[Daryk]

Which is also different from the scenario I was working from.  We were both right from our various perspectives.

[marauder648]

Well with Q3 coming to a close soon its now a case of

https://i.imgur.com/SY3rKiJ.mp4

But I can't wait for news about the kickstarter regardless

[thedancingjoker]

If the previous kickstarter was a guide it will be just under a month now before the Mercs one goes live, I'm not sure I'd expect too much more official news before it does so.  I totally agree though, I'm hyped for it and an eagerly awaiting any details I can get my greedy little hands on.

[Ruger]

Yeesh. The last part of this year is for kickstarters it’s seems. Participated in the Dungeons of Drakkenheim one, plan to do the BTech one, was sorely tempted by (but resisted the temptation for) the Leviathans one. And now a friend showed me one going on right now for a new dice concept:

Coin-shaped dice with a ball bearing inside that moves and shows you which number you get went you “roll” (flip) the die. They are going to have all seven standard gaming dice types in multiple different finishes.

The dice goblin in me cries out to get at least one set.

Ruger

[Wargame_insomniac]

First KS was nominally $5/mech - $25 for a star, or for a lance pack + salvage box. Which made the C* boxes a good deal, if only more of the 'Mechs had wider use in different eras.  Would love to see this again; budgeting at base $30/box at the moment, with $40 for vehicle packs.

That makes a lot of sense but a lot of the vehicles look overall smaller than most mechs. And by smaller I am allowing for the vehicles being shorter in height but maybe wider and/or longer. I guess more compact is what I am trying to say. So I am hoping that the vehicle packs are cheaper than $40 - maybe not as cheap as a Lance but hopefully around the cost of a Star or maybe Comstar Level II.

[RazorclawXLS]

We should be very careful when discussing about prices for future force packs. Just because someone thinks $40 is an ok, it doesn't mean that others share that opinion.

There are/were people willing to pay $100 ebay prices for the Legendary Mechwarriors pack, that doesn't make it a right price. Yes, those are scalper prices, and yes everything costs more than this time last year.

$40 is not justified at this time, if at all, in my eyes. I personally would have a good sit-down and think it through if this price is OK for the current quality of BT miniatures we are getting, when compared to other miniature lines out there. Especially considering that I have to import everything for Battletech, while I can buy GW stuff at GW EU store prices without shipping, customs, etc. at my convenience.

[Colt Ward]

With 8 in a vehicle box, that means the price is still $5 per.

[RazorclawXLS]

Why is there a new price being mentioned now and justifications being made about it?

[Scotty]

Because we're bored and speculation is fun.  I recommend not taking it so seriously

[Wargame_insomniac]

With 8 in a vehicle box, that means the price is still $5 per.

If you will forgive me indulging in a bit of "Reductio ad absurdum" (i.e. showing an absurdity to which it leads when carried to its logical extreme conclusion), would you expect to pay eight times the price of an individual Atlas for a Vehicle Box containing 8 Savannah Masters??

Obviously picked the example of the biggest mech I could think of, and the smallest Vehicle I could think of, off the top of my head, to show why I personally don't think Vehicles should be $5 per vehicle.

The point that others have raised earlier is that the typical/average volume of a mech is larger than the typical/average volumne of a vehicle, stating volume to allow for height, width and length. Is an "average" Mech twice the volume of an "average" Vehicle?? Maybe not.

So I am trying to say that a Vehicle pack (often seemingly with 4 larger and 4 smaller vehicles, on average) should cost less than the equivalent of 8 Mechs but probably cost more than the equivalent of 4 Mechs. Hence why I mentioned the price of an 8 Vehcile Box being similar to a 5 Mech Star or a 6 Mech Level II.

That in my personal opinion is around the right price for a 8 Vehicle Pack.
My opinion, your's or even more pertinently, Catalyst's, may differ.

[Ghaz]

The point that others have raised earlier is that the typical/average volume of a mech is larger than the typical/average volumne of a vehicle, stating volume to allow for height, width and length. Is an "average" Mech twice the volume of an "average" Vehicle?? Maybe not.

The 'volume' should be the same regardless of whether it's a 'Mech or a Combat Vee of the same weight.  A medium laser will still take up the same volume regardless of what it is mounted on.  The difference is that Combat Vees can keep all of that volume in a compact space whereas a 'Mech has it spread out a bit more with its arms and legs and such.

[Sartris]

We really need this KS to launch, huh

[Colt Ward]

So I am trying to say that a Vehicle pack (often seemingly with 4 larger and 4 smaller vehicles, on average) should cost less than the equivalent of 8 Mechs but probably cost more than the equivalent of 4 Mechs. Hence why I mentioned the price of an 8 Vehcile Box being similar to a 5 Mech Star or a 6 Mech Level II.

That in my personal opinion is around the right price for a 8 Vehicle Pack.
My opinion, your's or even more pertinently, Catalyst's, may differ.

The price of the plastic is pennies, it is the assembly and packaging now that the molds will be made.  A star currently costs about $30 MSRP.  A vehicle box- which will not have Savannah Masters but will have at least 2 pieces w/turret & hull- has less packaging and less assembly than each mech.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

We really need this KS to launch, huh

But if Catalyst did that, what would people have to speculate on?

[CJC070]

But if Catalyst did that, what would people have to speculate on?

The state of the Inner Sphere in 3155, what are the Homeworld Clans up to, how many mercenary groups are being resurrected, when are the Lyrans and Suns going to (finally) stop having a losing streak, and what is Catalyst going to do next (I predict fighter craft)?

That is the top of my list.  I could go on (and on and on).

[pokefan548]

The madness sets in in full force.

[Sartris]

But if Catalyst did that, what would people have to speculate on?

Society if fans weren’t given time to speculate

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Ugh, everything is way too shiny!  Speculate harder!

[glitterboy2098]

so do we have a fairly final listing of the new packs (and their content) that will be in the KS? i know that a few of them have been announced recently, but this thread moves so fast sometimes it is hard to keep up.

[Greatclub]

so do we have a fairly final listing of the new packs (and their content) that will be in the KS? i know that a few of them have been announced recently, but this thread moves so fast sometimes it is hard to keep up.

Some of the more solid speculation


I'd like an osteon F in that pack, and some protos too, please. Boggart and sprites are first rate irritants.

[thedancingjoker]

Since then we have seen confirmation of the Inner Sphere Battle Armor pack that was speculation when that list happened.

[klarg1]

Since then we have seen confirmation of the Inner Sphere Battle Armor pack that was speculation when that list happened.

Excellent.

[Colt Ward]

Since then we have seen confirmation of the Inner Sphere Battle Armor pack that was speculation when that list happened.

We know there will be a Inner Sphere BA pack . . . I wonder if they might go 2/2 or it will all be IS Standard.