Mercenaries Kickstart Discussion 2: Contract Negotiations Begin

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Yeah, the infantry pieces that were in the Mechwarrior: Dark Age starter set were: Peasant Company, Standard Foot, Hoverbike Squad, Cavalier BA, Purifier BA, Hauberk BA, Clan Battle Armor, and Gnome BA.  Definitely no GDL suits.

[Colt Ward]

Guess so, looks like the GDL was in Counter Assault- Purifier, Clan Med BA, Cavalier, Hauberk, and Gnome were the starting set.

Raiden/Fenrir/Kage- Fire For Effect
Kanazuchi/Achileus/Longinus- Death From Above
Salamander/Fa Shih/Infiltrator Mk II- Liao Invasion
Infiltrator Mk I/GDL Standard/IS Standard- Counter Assault
Sylph/GDL Scout/Elemental - Falcon's Prey

[The Eagle]

As much as I'm looking forward to new plastic IS BA, the idea of four squads per box makes me sad because FWLM deploys five squads per platoon.   

[Hellraiser]

As much as I'm looking forward to new plastic IS BA, the idea of four squads per box makes me sad because FWLM deploys five squads per platoon.   

This is another good reason I was thinking a box of 5 for the Merc thing with a 3/2 split of IS Standard & GDL Standard would be a good idea.
Can use the same boxes as Elementals & in the future have some other Faction boxes that also do a 3/2 split to give you a little variety.

Like, for example a FWL Box of mixed Longinus & Achileus BA squads.

[Hellraiser]

Guess so, looks like the GDL was in Counter Assault

Salamander/Fa Shih/Infiltrator Mk II- Liao Invasion
Infiltrator Mk I/GDL Standard/IS Standard- Counter Assault

Makes sense now why I didn't recall them, I stopped playing during Liao Invasion.

[Weirdo]

As much as I'm looking forward to new plastic IS BA, the idea of four squads per box makes me sad because FWLM deploys five squads per platoon.   

Honestly, there's not THAT many factions that go for four-squad platoons. Technically, the 'standard' for mercenaries is not one of them, they go in threes like the Kuritans. Of course, both of their Field Manuals that codified this were at when BA was still fairly new to the IS and not available in very large numbers, so it's possible the industry standard has changed in the decades since then, we just haven't gotten a source that actually says this.

And of course the term 'standard' is extremely subjective when taking about mercenaries.

[marauder648]

Do we know if, with the KS that we'll be able to add things like the Alpha Strike box to our orders?

[Colt Ward]

Depends on delivery timeframe IMO . . . AS Box will be out . . . nearly 1.5 years, at least from the GenCon release, for a rough time of the earliest we would see a Merc KS delivery IMO.

[marauder648]

Depends on delivery timeframe IMO . . . AS Box will be out . . . nearly 1.5 years, at least from the GenCon release, for a rough time of the earliest we would see a Merc KS delivery IMO.

True but even then it would be nice to be able to order and get them outside of the US. To remind our American friends, there is land beyond THE GREAT OCEAN to the East :p And ordering them as part of the KS would be a good way to generate money. Hell by the time the KS is shipping some time in summer next year (assuming China does not collapse or other shenanigans happen) you could say that the exclusivity period for the Merc boxes would be up and folks could pre-emptively order them.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

They've already said they're not going to be preemptively selling any limited-exclusive lance packs.

[Wargame_insomniac]

True but even then it would be nice to be able to order and get them outside of the US. To remind our American friends, there is land beyond THE GREAT OCEAN to the East :p And ordering them as part of the KS would be a good way to generate money. Hell by the time the KS is shipping some time in summer next year (assuming China does not collapse or other shenanigans happen) you could say that the exclusivity period for the Merc boxes would be up and folks could pre-emptively order them.

Especially if could order an Alpha Strike Reinforcements box with Mercenaries KS, similar to what Catalyst did previously in Clan Invasion KS with AGoAC Reinforcements box.

[marauder648]

Especially if could order an Alpha Strike Reinforcements box with Mercenaries KS, similar to what Catalyst did previously in Clan Invasion KS with AGoAC Reinforcements box.

Oh amen to that! Not having to buy the whole thing each time you want something would be good.

[General308]

I am kind of at the point now that I hope this gets delayed till after the first of the year.  So close to the holidays at this point that I think it would do better.

[marauder648]

I am kind of at the point now that I hope this gets delayed till after the first of the year.  So close to the holidays at this point that I think it would do better.

I have to agree, i'm saving what I can for it but yeah, holidays are coming up. If its delayed then there's more time to get more stuff in production and in place and hopefully for shipping to come down etc. It basically needs to come out this month, because otherwise being close to xmas in November, and asking people to put large amounts of money down now, at a time when the cost of EVERYTHING is going to the moon and back, and with Christmas coming? Not the best timing.

As an example, in the UK, people are expecting a bill that's going to be around the 2600 pound mark for electric/gas and some folks are in the position of having to choose between food, and heating.

Releasing it now is a triple whammy of costs.

1 - The cost of living crisis, this won't go away for sure but its here now and its putting on its reinforced steel toecap boots before winding up to kick you in the teeth or between the legs.

2 - The holiday season, obviously not everyone follows it but many in the west do and this means additional expenses for that.

3 - The kickstarter going "Spend money on me...I am precious to you..." and meaing that you KNOW when you'll get your models rather, than again being in Europe and having to wait a year or so more due to shipping and CGL generally forgetting anything exists across the Great Eastern Ocean.

So if its delayed until say March at the latest, you still get the cost of living crisis eagerly kicking you in the kidney, but you've not got the holidays.

[DarkSpade]

Alpha strike starter even out for general release yet?   Haven't seen it show up in my "local" store's new release announcements.

[thedancingjoker]

Alpha strike starter even out for general release yet?   Haven't seen it show up in my "local" store's new release announcements.

I believe the planned release date on that was sometime in November.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

The hopeful-but-not-official release date is middle of November.  Whether or not it will actually make that release date is anyone's guess.

[Sartris]

It’s going to be about a month give or take once the product hits the warehouse. Unfortunately no one was there to tag and release a few specimens as they left their native Chinese spawning grounds

[Fat Guy]

Anthony posted Pillager concept art.   

[shivanwurm]

And it sounds like it’s in the KS

[Death_from_above]

Well, it does tick all boxes for the Inner Sphere Assault Lance ;

GenCon confirmed
Goliath (Size 4, Sniper, 8")   
Hoplite (Size 2, Sniper, 8")   

Possible candidates
Shogun (Size 4, Missile Boat, 6"j)
Pillager (Size 4, Juggernaut, 6"/4"j)

[Colt Ward]

And the Pillager would be the perfect Capellan counter to the Devastator in the box . . . not that I thought the old one was bad, but this makes getting one a whole lot easier since assaults are not typically on my IWM buy list.

[thedancingjoker]

I am slightly saddened that the Pillager being in decreases the chance of the Mauler being in this KS, since it would have been filling that slot in the lance pack, but oh well.

[Ghaz]

I'm very happy that the Pillager will be in the Kickstarter as I really want to do a force from the 2nd St. Ives Lancers.  Now I just need the Emperor, Yu Huang, Helios, Ti T'sang, Thunder, Men Shen and Sha Yu and I'll be ready to go... 

[Sartris]

mauler and hatamoto continue to be MIA

[Colt Ward]

mauler and hatamoto continue to be MIA

But neither one is as wide spread as the Pillager IIRC.  The only noted instance of Hatamotos being in mercenary hands that I can think of is the Vanguard Legion while Pillagers are CC, SIC, some in the FS IIRC (presumably sold/traded by SIC), the Tooth of Ymir had at least one until Crawford went off on his one, and I think a few other instances.  The Pillager was also around a lot earlier, with a inference that after the Reunification War some could have been in House hands- after 2585, non-Royal units may roll once per lance on SLDF Royal columns instead of rolling based on a force's nationality.  Let alone when SLDF regiments that did not go on the Exodus went merc.

[MarauderD]

mauler and hatamoto continue to be MIA

Well, they aren't particularly available outside the Combine, right?  (At least IIRC) Are they the last holdouts from the original TRO 3050?  (Wolf Trap, Imp?)

[Ghaz]

Well, they aren't particularly available outside the Combine, right?  (At least IIRC) Are they the last holdouts from the original TRO 3050?  (Wolf Trap, Imp?)

Falcon and Hornet.

[MarauderD]

Falcon and Hornet.

Little suspicious that those Wolf Dragoons mechs like the Falcon, Hornet, Imp aren't already in the Mercs KS lineup.  I can believe the Hatamoto Chi (Suna is the current model, right?), Mauler, and Wolf Trap not being included because they are so identified with the Combine.

[Ghaz]

Little suspicious that those Wolf Dragoons mechs like the Falcon, Hornet, Imp aren't already in the Mercs KS lineup.  I can believe the Hatamoto Chi (Suna is the current model, right?), Mauler, and Wolf Trap not being included because they are so identified with the Combine.

The Falcon, Hornet and Imp have been confirmed as not being in the Kickstarter:

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/general-discussion/mercenaries-kickstart-discussion-2-contract-negotiations-begin/msg1854041/#msg1854041