BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Game Systems => General BattleTech Discussion => Topic started by: ActionButler on 18 July 2017, 04:45:24
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Oh, hey there, Second Succession War!
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Just snagged Second Succession War. While there's still plenty more to read, I really liked the intro fiction. Although the topic has been hinted at previously, it's nice to see a couple of very important people acting not like backstabbing power hungry monsters. Oh there's still plotting ahoy, but to me it's a refreshing take on things.
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Awesome!
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SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
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Got the PDF just now, will buy the paper book once it becomes widely available. I may be guilty of skipping straight to the money shot though, I went straight to the back to drool over the TRO artwork, and I can't wait to be able to buy miniatures of those lovely 'mechs. The Classics redesigns are great - they are still clearly what they are, just sharpened up for modern times.
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Is here. Great! Now to go and get it.
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O0
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Is the PDF on DTRPG or CGL Store?
Got it! And I see they fixed the BattleMaster entry. Yay!
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Is there a PDF+hardcopy option on DruveThruRPG or just PDF?
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Is there a PDF+hardcopy option on DruveThruRPG or just PDF?
Drive Thru RPG has never offered the book + PDF option, only the Catalyst store.
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You can imagine the look on my face right now at that news.
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Yeah, sorry. I'm in the same boat.
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I got it! Woohoo!
Now correct me if I am wrong, but before the website issue, didn't Adrian say something about a compilation TRO at GenCon? If I am correct, would this TRO be available in PDF as well?
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Now correct me if I am wrong, but before the website issue, didn't Adrian say something about a compilation TRO at GenCon? If I am correct, would this TRO be available in PDF as well?
News to me. A compilation of what, exactly?
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I can't say that I recall seeing that.
Unless this is just a clever plan to trick CGL into believing that it is supposed to be working on a compilation TRO.
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Now correct me if I am wrong, but before the website issue, didn't Adrian say something about a compilation TRO at GenCon? If I am correct, would this TRO be available in PDF as well?
That doesn't sound right. Last year saw a limited run of a compilation of BattleCorps stories.
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Can... can it be... *rubs eyes* Is it here? It's here? It's here! It's here!!!
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I got it! Woohoo!
Now correct me if I am wrong, but before the website issue, didn't Adrian say something about a compilation TRO at GenCon? If I am correct, would this TRO be available in PDF as well?
That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
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Ah, then color me wrong. It sounds like a nice companion to the BattleMech Manual.
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
Sort of a greatest hits of TRO 2750 and 3025? Sounds cool. I'm sure we older fans will grab it up too, so we don't have to look through all those pesky vehicles ;)
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Holy crap! That sounds like awesome new TRO!
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
Nice!!!
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
New Banshee art?
Times like this, I'm happy to be wrong.
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Guess i'll buy the SSW PDF even though i did note i don't particularly like reading from display... But looks like it will take some time before the physical book hits stores here.
Is there any ETA for TRO Star League & Succession Wars (TRO:SLSW)? Like "Soon" or "This year" or "with BMM"?
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Is the contents of TRO Star League & Succession Wars going to be essentially the same as in TRO: 3039? Aside from updated art for some units and the intro?
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Whoo hooo!! The PDF has arrived! Now I just need to find some time to read it:)
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Pretty much gonna sprint home NOW to get it :D
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
So we get double the royalties we were already getting, right? :P
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
Woohoo! I wasn't crazy....er...well....crazier than I am normally.
And new artwork for mechs? I will buy it!
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...wow, the Outworlds Alliance shrank fast.
Also, two new Thud variants! Eeeeee!
And Big Kev survivied!
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Just to respond to a post I missed in the last thread: I greatly prefer PDF's, but I will buy physical on occasion if it is an early release like 2SW at Origins, or occasionally if I really like the art in a book. I also tend to pick up a copy of core rulebooks, eventually, if I find them useful enough. For example, I've got physical copies of the AS rulebook and Companion, and TW/TO/TM, but I never really use SO or IO that much, so I only have them in PDF. I don't actually USE the physical copies all that much, but I keep them around as a sort of archive copy.
Beyond that, my collection is largely digital, and I prefer it that way.
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The Second Succession War has begun! (http://bg.battletech.com/test/historicals/the-second-succession-war/)
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3039, 3050, 3058, 3075 and a couple from sourcebooks.basically pre-Clan invasion as far as the chassis, but because of where the entries are sourced it covers anywhere from Age of War through Jihad.
Which is fine, since in-universe the book is literally a compilation.
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I hope that the compilation uses 3050 Evans' art and not the horrendous, original art from 3025
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Much as I respect Mr. Loose, I've got to agree. It won't be a deal-breaker if it's the original art, but I'd much rather see the newer art used.
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I hope that the compilation uses 3050 Evans' art and not the horrendous, original art from 3025
I'm a fan of Evans but most of his 3050 art has mechs crushing Elementals which makes no sense for a succession war book. I would look at TRO 3039.
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The Second Succession War has begun! (http://bg.battletech.com/test/historicals/the-second-succession-war/)
Thank goodness. It's about time.
Now who wants to volunteer to do my contracting work for me so I can sit down and read this cover to cover over the next few days???
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I hope that the compilation uses 3050 Evans' art and not the horrendous, original art from 3025
Nope.
And it's now Technical Readout: Succession Wars, because the title was too long. :)
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Nope.
And it's now Technical Readout: Succession Wars, because the title was too long. :)
Technical Readout: Selected BattleMechs from the Star League and Succession Wars Eras, 2725 to 3025, Volume 1 Part 1, in the Name of the Blessed Blake.
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TRO: Succession Wars is catchy and descriptive.
Will it be available in dead-tree-format? If it will be, i might make an exception to my usual "only PDF TROs". Just because.
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
That sounds rather cool. Something I'll have to consider getting after I get Second Succession War.
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Will the collected mechs have any more updated information or will they be the same as the previous ones?
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Nope.
And it's now Technical Readout: Succession Wars, because the title was too long. :)
Properly for the best.
Will this delay the other announced TROs from "Coming Attractions"?
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Technical Readout: Selected BattleMechs from the Star League and Succession Wars Eras, 2725 to 3025, Volume 1 Part 1, in the Name of the Blessed Blake.
Technical Readout: Grandpa's Musclecar Mechs
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Technical Readout: Selected BattleMechs from the Star League and Succession Wars Eras, 2725 to 3025, Volume 1 Part 1, in the Name of the Blessed Blake.
that was the initial name, yes.
Will it be available in dead-tree-format? If it will be, i might make an exception to my usual "only PDF TROs". Just because.
yes.
Will the collected mechs have any more updated information or will they be the same as the previous ones?
only the three listed upthread.
Properly for the best.
Will this delay the other announced TROs from "Coming Attractions"?
no. Any delays there are unique to those projects.
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Technical Readout: Selected BattleMechs from the Star League and Succession Wars Eras, 2725 to 3025, Volume 1 Part 1, in the Name of the Blessed Blake.
that was the initial name, yes.
Is it too late in the process to change it back?
Asking for a friend.
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Thanks Gideon! For the quick response
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TRO: The Greatest Hits! 5-CD set with a bonus DVD! :P [metalhealth] [AAAH]
Craig
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TRO: The Greatest Hits! 5-CD set with a bonus DVD! :P [metalhealth] [AAAH]
Craig
Actually You just got me thinking of when the local PBS station does its 'support us' segments when airing a Music Program...
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Since it's a new thread, any comment on what the delays are on TRO's Golden Century and IrregularTech? Is it a 'We are waiting on someone to finish step X' type of situation, or more of a 'It's ready to move to step Y...but so are three other things that are ahead of it' situation?
Also, is there a plan to release a product with record sheets for the 3150 NTNU units? I know that I've wanted those, but I don't think such a thing was ever on the coming releases page, and I don't recall if there was ever any official (or even semi-official) response saying whether a product was actually planned to provide record sheets for those units.
Thanks again for your efforts on getting information out on this forum.
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That is correct. Technical Readout: Star League & Succession Wars. A 'Mech-only compilation. More for newer players, it's 95% reprinted material. I will make a PDF available, with a ginormous disclaimer. There are 90 reprinted entries (including new classic art for some), and new art/entries for the Flea, Galahad and Banshee, and a new introduction.
WOOHOO!!!
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Nope.
Thank goodness for that at least. :D
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I wonder if the new TRO:SW introduction will be like the one in 2SW.
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Interesting announcement . . . since I do not have 3025, 2750, or 3039 it will be interesting to pick up.
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So really loving 2nd war but just getting into it and all the new tech rule. Has anyone found what are E rated units and F rated units?
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So really loving 2nd war but just getting into it and all the new tech rule. Has anyone found what are E rated units and F rated units?
I believe it's as follows:
A = Infantry/Artillery
B = Primitive Tanks
C = Primitive 'Mechs
D = Standard 'Mechs/Tanks
E = Star League / Inner Sphere Renaissance level
F = Clan tech level
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I think C corresponds to 21st century tech at times, so not quite even primitive 'Mechs.
I'd imagine the tech levels aren't really hard and fast rules. Like, all Clan-tech is labeled as F even when it doesn't really make any sense.
Some late Spheroid inventions are also F-class. For example: Direct Tactical Analysis Control (DTAC) System, IS XXL engines and some RISC tech items, per Interstellar Operations.
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It is only six grades, so they are quite wide grades of technological development.
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I think C corresponds to 21st century tech at times, so not quite even primitive 'Mechs.
I'd imagine the tech levels aren't really hard and fast rules. Like, all Clan-tech is labeled as F even when it doesn't really make any sense.
Some late Spheroid inventions are also F-class. For example: Direct Tactical Analysis Control (DTAC) System, IS XXL engines and some RISC tech items, per Interstellar Operations.
ISAW A-F levels in the chart do not match up with ATOW/TW tech levels.
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I believe it's as follows:
A = Infantry/Artillery
B = Primitive Tanks
C = Primitive 'Mechs
D = Standard 'Mechs/Tanks
E = Star League / Inner Sphere Renaissance level
F = Clan tech level
That would make sense to me, thanks.
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ISAW A-F levels in the chart do not match up with ATOW/TW tech levels.
Oh, i didn't realize we were talking about that.
Confusing when multiple tech systems use same labels...
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Confusing when multiple tech systems use same labels...
You're telling me.
ISAW A-F levels in the chart do not match up with ATOW/TW tech levels.
How so? The Tech Ratings in the Technology Effects Chart are derived from the Technology Rating Table on p. 122 of the TechManual, which is again used in Interstellar Operations (Universal Technology Advancement Table pp. 35-63). So if you've got a BattleTech Rating of 2 (units can be built of Tech Rating C and below), that means you can can build any sort of support vehicle, but standard Combat Vehicles and all 'Mechs are out.
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How so? The Tech Ratings in the Technology Effects Chart are derived from the Technology Rating Table on p. 122 of the TechManual, which is again used in Interstellar Operations (Universal Technology Advancement Table pp. 35-63). So if you've got a BattleTech Rating of 2 (units can be built of Tech Rating C and below), that means you can can build any sort of support vehicle, but standard Combat Vehicles and all 'Mechs are out.
Really? We did check that? My bad for working from old notes. :(
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Really? We did check that? My bad for working from old notes. :(
No, it's all good. It did originally use a different system. I think at one point it referred to the FM ratings, which wouldn't work because they're contextual to era and faction, and at another point used a brand new rating. It was on the "list of things that bothered me." :D
Anyways, tore it down and built it up, so that it syncs with the big 'ole bible in IO, which hearkens back to the table in TM.
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So, can this TRO:Succession Wars be safely ignored by someone who has all the relevant TROs already? or are there kernels of new information that render it necessary to obtain as well?
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I'll have more information soon, but I'd lean towards "ignore" if you're up to date with all the TROs, which is why I want to make sure when it's posted for sale we're very clear that it's (mainly) reprinted material. But it depends on what you'd feel would swing it towards necessary. There are maybe half a dozen pieces of art that haven't been in a TRO before (but perhaps published elsewhere), there are three new entries, but no new variants, and a new introduction.
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But it depends on what you'd feel would swing it towards necessary.
Anything, intro, framing device or otherwise, set past 3145 is relevant to my interests. If it's new content that doesn't have anything to do with the future, I'm comfortable ignoring it. It's that introduction that sounds the most likely to be of potential interest, but could just as easily be completely outside the scope of my interests.
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;)
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How inscrutable of you.
I'm just going to sit here and hope that ilClan comes soon and renders such things moot.
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Just go back to planning the campaign to wipe out the Remnant and Galatean League . . .
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Speaking as someone who doesn't have really any of the more current products, I'm gladly looking forward to TRO:SW!
While I have the FASA 2750 & 3025 TROs, seeing material I don't have and having material I know & love collected in one volume is a cool thing. Especially if there is Classic artwork in the mix.
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You'll want TRO 3039. It collects much of the TRO 3025, 3026, 2750 downgrades, and a slew of the things that were introduced around 3039, like Hatamoto-chis and Wolfhounds. The Classic artwork....is a little problem, but that's what they had to do to make it the Bible for introductory level play back then.
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You're telling me.
Keep in mind that not all the A-F ranking systems in BT favor the same ends, in this one F is best, but in others (I think Availability is one) A is best
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I'll have more information soon, but I'd lean towards "ignore" if you're up to date with all the TROs, which is why I want to make sure when it's posted for sale we're very clear that it's (mainly) reprinted material. But it depends on what you'd feel would swing it towards necessary. There are maybe half a dozen pieces of art that haven't been in a TRO before (but perhaps published elsewhere), there are three new entries, but no new variants, and a new introduction.
Will be able to see all 22 of the new "classic" mechs artwork in this new TRO, or just what we have seen so far?
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No, only some.
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Which ones will still be silhouetted-out/left out? It'd be a bloody shame to release a TRO that willingly leaves out some of the most iconic original 'Mechs in the game.
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Which ones will still be silhouetted-out/left out? It'd be a bloody shame to release a TRO that willingly leaves out some of the most iconic original 'Mechs in the game.
Have appeared
Locust (CM: Mercs / 1stSW)
Wasp (CM: Kurita / 1stSW)
Valkyrie (1stSW)
OstScout (CM: Mercs)
Phoenix Hawk (CM: Kurita)
Griffin (2ndSW)
Shadow Hawk (CM: Mercs / 1stSW)
Wolverine (CM: Kurita / 1stSW)
Thunderbolt (2ndSW)
Archer
Warhammer (CM: Mercs)
Marauder (CM: Kurita as the painting tutorial for SoL) Also on the MUL and several mod/dev avatars)
BattleMaster (CM: Kurita / 2ndSW)
Have Not Appeared
Stinger
Scorpion
Ostroc (art not technically unseen)
Ostsol (art not technically unseen)
Rifleman
Crusader
Goliath
Longbow
Marauder II
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Have appeared
Locust
Wasp
Valkyrie
OstScout
Phoenix Hawk
Griffin
Shadow Hawk
Wolverine
Thunderbolt
Archer
Warhammer
Marauder
BattleMaster
Have Not Appeared
Stinger
Scorpion
Ostroc (art not technically unseen)
Ostsol (art not technically unseen)
Rifleman
Crusader
Goliath
Longbow
Marauder II
Okay, I REALLY hope this TRO doesn't come out before there's art of those remaining units. It seems like a waste of effort, knowing that (...or do we? honest question, Adrian) there will be Classics lineart for the remaining 'Mechs, not including them in the TRO just because it's not available NOW seems strange to me. I know you can't talk about a lot of the business end, but as a hypothetical, will there ever be a product (perhaps a 3039 Revised?) that includes all the Classics lineart and stats when they're finished?
Sartris, you said the Pixie and the Archer were published, where at? I don't recall seeing it. Only lineart I've seen is the Locust, Wasp, Valkyrie, Ostscout, Griffin (2SW), Shadow Hawk, Wolverine, Thunderbolt (2SW), Warhammer, Marauder, and Battlemaster (2SW). Are the PXH and ARC color paintings only, and if so where may I see such things?
Crusaders when, I need my armies of Thuds and Cruds! :D
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Have appeared
Locust
Wasp
Valkyrie
OstScout
Phoenix Hawk
Griffin
Shadow Hawk
Wolverine
Thunderbolt
Archer
Warhammer
Marauder
BattleMaster
Have Not Appeared
Stinger
Scorpion
Ostroc (art not technically unseen)
Ostsol (art not technically unseen)
Rifleman
Crusader
Goliath
Longbow
Marauder II
Would it be too much to ask for sources for these, so that we could look them up? It is not easy to keep track of them. Thanks.
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Would it be too much to ask for sources for these, so that we could look them up? It is not easy to keep track of them. Thanks.
I believe Sarna has the origins of all of them.
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Phoenix hawk was in CM: Kurita. The archer had art in CM: Mercs (see Bosch's avatar)
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Hi! See this!
<------------------ :D
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There was a cover preview (CM: Davion IIRC) that had the Rifleman
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;)
How's work?
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Phoenix hawk was in CM: Kurita. The archer had art in CM: Mercs (see Bosch's avatar)
It's the cover of the eBook of Wolf Pack. I had a quick flip through CM:Mercs and didn't see it in there, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was reused.
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How's work?
the day job?
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the day job?
I didn't mean any job particular. I wanted extend an opportunity to being happy to getting a PDF out. Which probably is just a little bit of relief from what amounts to drinking from a fire hose.
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The Marauder is also front and center on the cover of Campaign Operations.
Anyone know if any other 3D printed classics were made beyond the Warhammer and Marauder(?)
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The Locust and Griffin have also gotten prototype models, IIRC
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Phoenix hawk was in CM: Kurita. The archer had art in CM: Mercs (see Bosch's avatar)
Yeah, but not lineart like I mentioned. We didn't have that for the Battlemaster either until 2SW, and lineart's what goes into TROs...
...unless that's changed?
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If your going to be hyper technical; the Combat Manuals had color plates, not the TRO like line art so your list would only include the SW books.
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Not hyper-technical, it's just that my questions were brought up by the suggestion that a TRO would be released with some but not all the Classics because there isn't art of them yet. Namely, TRO-compatible lineart.
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While TRO art has always been black and white to my knowledge, is there a rule about it being line art? I have a feeling some of the newer releases don't quite meet that rule.
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Yeah, but not lineart like I mentioned. We didn't have that for the Battlemaster either until 2SW, and lineart's what goes into TROs...
...unless that's changed?
I was simply cataloging where new art appeared. Strike the Phoenix Hawk and the Archer under your rubric. If you want to go by what they've put on the MUL, it's a rather thin list: OstScout, Shadow Hawk, Locust, Warhammer, Marauder
While TRO art has always been black and white to my knowledge, is there a rule about it being line art? I have a feeling some of the newer releases don't quite meet that rule.
or line art exists and hasn't been published? who knows. it's disappointing that the thing is going to print with the damned silhouettes in any quantity
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TRO arts are always in black & white. Perhaps because i grew up with black & white, i like it that way.
It saves costs too. Colorization isn't cheap! :P
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TRO arts are always in black & white. Perhaps because i grew up with black & white, i like it that way.
It saves costs too. Colorization isn't cheap! :P
And then, the more artistically-inclined among us can colorize them ourselves, with whatever scheme we want.
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Wow!
I am glad I bought the PDF for 2SW! What a cool book! Going to go through my FLGS for the dead tree still though...
And all due respect to the guys who have been waiting for IlClan for WAY TOO LONG!
...But this makes me want a Third Succession War/Era-Report 3025 and At least a Historical: 4SW.
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Nice! Now you can enjoy a deserved "rest" in GenCon and, when you're back from your little travel, work on ilClan like your life depends on it
^-^
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
I hope they didn't plug in the Roomba today....
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Wow, i didn't think GenCon was THAT bad of experience.
You need more fluids keep you from turning to flames...
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*Get the broom to help Gideon* ;D
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Hang in there the Adrian! We support you! 8)
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*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Dibbs on his wallet.
Paul
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Dibbs on his wallet.
Paul
He works on BattleTech, it's empty!
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He works on BattleTech, it's empty!
;D
:'(
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While TRO art has always been black and white to my knowledge, is there a rule about it being line art? I have a feeling some of the newer releases don't quite meet that rule.
TRO arts are always in black & white. Perhaps because i grew up with black & white, i like it that way.
It saves costs too. Colorization isn't cheap! :P
While it's no longer the case, there's been colour interior art in a few TROs The original 3026 had some pages drawn by Duane Loose, but coloured in, TRO: 3055 had the anime-style art by Victor Musical Industries for the IIc mechs, and 3058 had colour plates for the Inner Sphere OmniMechs
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He works on BattleTech, it's empty!
I know for a fact there's still $5 on that blockbuster card.
Paul
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Ok...couple of Gen Con Questions hoping for direct answers but a Cryptic ones :)
Is the hope to have print versions of 2nd Succession War at Gen Con?
Are their going to be any surprise products (not expecting ilClan, no really I'm not) you're hoping to have at Gen Con?
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Wow, i didn't think GenCon was THAT bad of experience.
You need more fluids keep you from turning to flames...
Oh he had plenty of fluids...they just happened to be the flammable kind!
(Curses! I can't get the clanking beer glass smiley to show up!)
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Oh, no buddy. Un-uh. Reconstitute yourself, we have some numbers to make work for my windmill project.
(I'm kidding, please take many mental health evenings and get some rest.)
(But seriously those numbers though.)
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Ok...couple of Gen Con Questions hoping for direct answers but a Cryptic ones :)
I will second this question. Besides 2nd Succession War and the compilation TRO, what books will be at GenCon this year?
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I will second this question. Besides 2nd Succession War and the compilation TRO, what books will be at GenCon this year?
those are the only new books for GenCon.
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I also want to add that Classic line art for the Griffin, Locust, Thunderbolt, Valkyrie, and Warhammer are on the AS cards in the Spotlight on: Crescent Hawks PDF.
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Buying 2SW right now!
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...holy crap, Paul, Intentions is amazing!
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*long exhale*
All GenCon material off to press.
*ignites and collapses into a heap of ash*
Oh, no you don't, Mr. Gideon -- you don't get to spontaneously combust till AFTER the Classics are released in plastic }:)
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Ok...couple of Gen Con Questions hoping for direct answers but a Cryptic ones :)
Is the hope to have print versions of 2nd Succession War at Gen Con?
It was at Origins, so safe betting money would be on "Yes" even without direct confirmation.
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those are the only new books for GenCon.
So no BattleMech Manual? :\
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So no BattleMech Manual? :\
yes, sorry.
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I hope they didn't plug in the Roomba today....
Even if they did, he's safe. Roombas pick up dust like I pick up women the last few years. :-[
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yes, sorry.
I think you might have gotten that left :P
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...holy crap, Paul, Intentions is amazing!
reminded me of the first three Dune books, constructing a religion around a figure and the pitfalls and potentials that it creates - the opening waves of Paul's Jihad had a higher headcount than the Battletech one, of course.Makes me wonder if the Pax Leto II is going to be equally similar in exploration of themes and deconstructing the IlClan like God Emperor did.
Hey if you're borrowing ideas for space epics, borrow big and borrow good!
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yes, sorry.
Clarifying: we expect to have Second Succession War, BattleMech Manual and Technical Readout: Succession Wars available at GenCon.
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Technical Readout: Succession Wars available at GenCon.
PDF as well?
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I'll prep the PDF for sale over the weekend, can't say when it will go up in the store.
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Either way, nice. Will the BattleMech Manual PDF be up around time for GenCon?
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those are the only new books for GenCon.
Thanks for the info sir! I am still a maybe for going to GenCon this year so wanted to know if I would miss anything.
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Clarifying: we expect to have Second Succession War, BattleMech Manual and Technical Readout: Succession Wars available at GenCon.
It's good to see new products rolling out to help ease new players into Battletech.
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would be better if they had the new intro box and/or starter box ready to show off at GenCon.
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...holy crap, Paul, Intentions is amazing!
If you don't mind me asking, why do you like it? I ask because people like so many different things about battletech, I like to read other viewpoints especially when it is two different viewpoints but both liking it.
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There was a cover preview (CM: Davion IIRC) that had the Rifleman
Can someone remind me where that is? I did a forum search and checked CGL's Tumbler, but danged if I can't find it...
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Last years GenCon thread??
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Can someone remind me where that is? I did a forum search and checked CGL's Tumbler, but danged if I can't find it...
It was the BattleMech Manual cover
The artist even posted the image on his site, but he pulled it out later
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Clarifying: we expect to have Second Succession War, BattleMech Manual and Technical Readout: Succession Wars available at GenCon.
*applause*
Great work Adrian! Two brand new books and one compilation book done for Gencon is a major achievement. Bravo sir! May they all sell out by Saturday evening!
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Nice job. Good things to wait for in Gencon.
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Can someone remind me where that is? I did a forum search and checked CGL's Tumbler, but danged if I can't find it...
I have a copy of the picture but not on this computer. PM me and I will send a copy of it too you when I get home.
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Clarifying: we expect to have Second Succession War, BattleMech Manual and Technical Readout: Succession Wars available at GenCon.
As said; very pleased with the PDF of 2SW. I will be buying the dead tree from my FLGS as well. I kinda....sorta...already made my own Battlemech manual...sorry...
And TRO: SW I will be buying at least as a PDF as well.
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The Print edition of TRO: SW is a con exclusive, right?
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No.
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I'm looking forward to owning both this TRO and the Battlemech manual in both electronic and print formats.
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Hope TRO:SW hits stores here at the same time as the BMM. Would be nice combo to buy at once.
[blank]
EDIT The smiley has no point but i like it. It is just so random and stupid.
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Hope TRO:SW hits stores here at the same time as the BMM. Would be nice combo to buy at once.
[blank]
EDIT The smiley has no point but i like it. It is just so random and stupid.
If I ever get into a position where I'm introducing new people to the game, that combo plus some plastic mech packs is basically going to be my first suggestion.
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would be better if they had the new intro box and/or starter box ready to show off at GenCon.
Oh absolutely. We still need a new Intro Box for the game, something with the most basic of basic rules, a map sheet, some record sheets, some dice, and some cardstock counters.
I'll take what intro products we can get, though. The BMM and the Succession Wars TRO sound like great books for introducing people to what has become a very rules-dense game.
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If I ever get into a position where I'm introducing new people to the game, that combo plus some plastic mech packs is basically going to be my first suggestion.
Indeed. Though cardboard 'Mech counters might be an option. At least for expanding games at first cheaply. Should they make such.
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I hope that $20 intro/starter box includes the cardboard cutouts as well as the 2 plastic minis as well as a paper map. Would make for the perfect first time box.
Any word on if the new box sets might make it into production/shipping by or before years end Adrian? Even a maybe will work as an answer :o
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"Maybe."
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I hope that $20 intro/starter box includes the cardboard cutouts as well as the 2 plastic minis as well as a paper map. Would make for the perfect first time box.
Any word on if the new box sets might make it into production/shipping by or before years end Adrian? Even a maybe will work as an answer :o
And a balloon WarShip (inflatable to mech scale).
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And a balloon WarShip (inflatable to mech scale).
oh fun, BattleTech pool toys! [blank]
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Indeed. Though cardboard 'Mech counters might be an option. At least for expanding games at first cheaply. Should they make such.
There are printout counters of the 24 introductory box mechs that can be downloaded off the main site.
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There are printout counters of the 24 introductory box mechs that can be downloaded off the main site.
There is? Never noticed, but then without a printer i kinda don't bother looking. Paper is not cardboard though. On the other hand, it is easy enough to glue some paper counters to cardboard bases for sturdier counters.
Either way, it would be practical to have some in a intro box or such.
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Paper is not cardboard though.
Go to your local print shop and ask for Cardstock, problem solved.
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So, no ilClan for GenCon? Guess I can tell my agent on the scene to stand down. :(
Any word on the status of whether we'll see that before 2017 is out?
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Any word on the status of whether we'll see that before 2017 is out?
I'm told that's not likely.
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Hey look! Battlemech Manual!
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I'm told that's not likely.
What about new PDF-only products? Turning Points, Spotlights, Touring the Stars? :D
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BattleMech Manual (final) and Tech Readout: Succession Wars are out in PDF.
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3 books in a week. Nice job.
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OMG, the decription for Hardened Armor is gold:
“I've fallen and I can't get up, but I'm INVINCIBLE!”
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I'm a bit behind: but what exactly is the Battletech Manual?
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I'm a bit behind: but what exactly is the Battletech Manual?
BattleMech Manual. It's a new rulebook for standard BattleTech that includes basically all the rules that apply to 'Mechs (and only 'Mechs), compiled and revised from the core rulebooks. It's a new point of entry and a handy guide.
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I'm told that's not likely.
That's a shame. Thanks.
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Quick glance through the battlemech quirk list shows a lot of revisions, some of which contradict recent books, like Second Succession War (battlemaster lost it's weak head armor).
On the one hand, a purist might say that one or the other is in error. On the other hand, quirks are highly variable so, there's no reason both sources can't be true. It's a conundrum. One that decides just how exciting it is to drive a locust (no torso twist and cramped cockpit with no arms, or just no arms?)
Please don't take this as criticism, but simply me having not yet gone through the book enough to properly gush about it.
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So we have 2 new books that are designed to bring in new players. Pretty cool.
How are they supposed to play? The imaginary box set?
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i'm really pleased with how BMM turned out. will definitely be picking it up in DTF
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OMG, the decription for Hardened Armor is gold:
“I've fallen and I can't get up, but I'm INVINCIBLE!”
The Battlemech Manual is worth it for the equipment and weapons descriptions alone.
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The Battlemech Manual is worth it for the equipment and weapons descriptions alone.
“Remember, MechWarriors: only YOU can prevent infantry"
Who ever wrote that one needs a bonus.
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Is there a ballpark date when the battleMech Manual will be available on paper?
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So we have 2 new books that are designed to bring in new players. Pretty cool.
How are they supposed to play? The imaginary box set?
They're supposed to sarcasm things into existence.
Or, you know, buy one of the cheap electronic copies of the map packs, some minis, and play the game. Not ideal, but for now it works.
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Been using Lance Packs a the Quick Start PDF myself.
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So we have 2 new books that are designed to bring in new players. Pretty cool.
How are they supposed to play? The imaginary box set?
Unless Adrian was blowing smoke up my arse we got a MAYBE by or before the end of the year. But it would be really nice if the surprise for gencon is some next day shipments of the first new intro/starter boxes. I am really impatient for the new box set. Really really want to see the classics in plastic. And really really irked IWM had to pull the Wasp and Valkyrie.
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Unless Adrian was blowing smoke up my arse we got a MAYBE by or before the end of the year. But it would be really nice if the surprise for gencon is some next day shipments of the first new intro/starter boxes. I am really impatient for the new box set. Really really want to see the classics in plastic. And really really irked IWM had to pull the Wasp and Valkyrie.
Unless it was said or I missed something... It's just really disappointing to see that the Box Set and ilClan was pushed out past Gencon. I expected something better.
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Just downloaded the TRO....holy cow!!! That introduction!!!!!!! :o :o :o :o
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Unless it was said or I missed something... It's just really disappointing to see that the Box Set and ilClan was pushed out past Gencon. I expected something better.
The BMM and TRO:SW are acceptable entry points into the game. Not ideal, sure, but they fill in a major gap in the line.
Just downloaded the TRO....holy cow!!! That introduction!!!!!!! :o :o :o :o
Right? Ton of stuff to digest in that.
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I'm most excited to see the ilClan better closer to its release date more and more!
Will they release the 3250 book in 2018? I can't wait to see a TRO 3250 :D
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I'm most excited to see the ilClan better closer to its release date more and more!
I'm told [a 2017 release]'s not likely.
Also, there's never been a release date for IlClan. That needs to be pointed out.
Will they release the 3250 book in 2018? I can't wait to see a TRO 3250 :D
[/quote]
Long dead.
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Also, there's never been a release date for IlClan. That needs to be pointed out.
Will they release the 3250 book in 2018? I can't wait to see a TRO 3250 :D
Long dead.
Though in fairness, if they're not, with all the 3250 talk in 2SW and the newly-release TRO, they are epically trolling certain segments of the fanbase... and I don't think they have it in them to do that.
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3250, as planned by Herb Beas, went away when he was fired. It's still a thematically-appropriate year for the next touchpoint.
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3250, as planned by Herb Beas, went away when he was fired. It's still a thematically-appropriate year for the next touchpoint.
Good clarification.
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Also, there's never been a release date for IlClan. That needs to be pointed out.
I don't get your post. The Succession Wars series were released, so were the Handbook House Kurita and Interstellar/Campaign Ops. Unless they postpone ilClan indefinitely the book is getting closer and closer to its release date
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3 books in a week, 2 of them to bring new players to the game. I wonder if that will keep the nay sayers quiet for a couple of weeks.
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I'm a bit behind: but what exactly is the Battletech Manual?
Hi Tyler. As the question came up a lot, I wrote a post explaining just this:
http://bg.battletech.com/news/news-and-announcements/what-is-the-battlemech-manual/
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Quick glance through the battlemech quirk list shows a lot of revisions, some of which contradict recent books, like Second Succession War (battlemaster lost it's weak head armor).
On the one hand, a purist might say that one or the other is in error. On the other hand, quirks are highly variable so, there's no reason both sources can't be true. It's a conundrum. One that decides just how exciting it is to drive a locust (no torso twist and cramped cockpit with no arms, or just no arms?)
In some cases, apparent contradictions are the result of the BMM quirk list only dealing in quirks that can apply to every version of a machine. For example, old Wasps had Weak Legs, but that was later fixed, so the BMM list doesn't give Wasps the Weak Legs quirk; the Wyvern isn't listed with ammo feed problems because not all Wyverns have that launcher, etc. Players will have to look at a specific variant and decide if it warrants additional quirks beyond the base ones given in the Manual. This explains a lot of the apparent issues when comparing the Combat Manual entries to the BMM, for example.
As for specific contradictions between 2nd SW and the BMM, these are likely the result of the two books being prepped at the same time. We'll sort it out eventually via errata.
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Hi Tyler. As the question came up a lot, I wrote a post explaining just this:
http://bg.battletech.com/news/news-and-announcements/what-is-the-battlemech-manual/
Thanks a lot for the info
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Well I just got the TRO - Succession Wars and whilst its sadly missing some of the unseens (wasp, phoenix hawk, Marauder etc) its very good and its got some Mech's you'd not see before including the prototype Galahad.
The Battletech manual is also damn good as well as making me chuckle the HOOOOOOOOOOGE list of Mech quirks is superb :) Thank you once again for these :)
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Just want to check something: the Battmech Manual and the Beta are considered two different books in the store, right?
If so, can someone give me a approximate number of changes before I buy a new digital copy.
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Just want to check something: the Battmech Manual and the Beta are considered two different books in the store, right?
If so, can someone give me a approximate number of changes before I buy a new digital copy.
LOTS! For example, Xotl, myself and few others worked long and hard to clarify/rectify pushing, Falls from above and Displacement rules.
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Xotl should be putting together a comprehensive list.
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The changes are so vast that I'd say that the Beta is practically worthless now.
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The final is a good improvement over the beta. Very good compilation, IMO. Now, i just need the physical version too..
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To echo, yes, there were literally hundreds of changes. A lot of stuff was just plain shortened or clarified further; it wasn't necessarily broken in the first place, but if I could make something better, I did, so it's not a matter of just fixing errata. Whole pages were rewritten, half the Movement chapter was re-laid out, the quirks list was redone from scratch, displacement doubled in size, new gear was added to the weapons chapter. Only the Intro and the Common Misconceptions chapter did not see massive, wholesale changes.
I literally just finished writing up a post that should go up on the site soon, exploring things a bit further. But the final is really a very, very different book from the beta; I wanted it to be far more than a "correct the typos and call it a day" process. I feel completely confident in saying that you'll get your money's worth.
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To echo, yes, there were literally hundreds of changes. A lot of stuff was just plain shortened or clarified further; it wasn't necessarily broken in the first place, but if I could make something better, I did, so it's not a matter of just fixing errata. Whole pages were rewritten, half the Movement chapter was re-laid out, the quirks list was redone from scratch, displacement doubled in size, new gear was added to the weapons chapter. Only the Intro and the Common Misconceptions chapter did not see massive, wholesale changes.
I literally just finished writing up a post that should go up on the site soon, exploring things a bit further. But the final is really a very, very different book from the beta; I wanted it to be far more than a "correct the typos and call it a day" process. I feel completely confident in saying that you'll get your money's worth.
Gosh-Darn this forum really needs a LIKE button!
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In some cases, apparent contradictions are the result of the BMM quirk list only dealing in quirks that can apply to every version of a machine. For example, old Wasps had Weak Legs, but that was later fixed, so the BMM list doesn't give Wasps the Weak Legs quirk; the Wyvern isn't listed with ammo feed problems because not all Wyverns have that launcher, etc. Players will have to look at a specific variant and decide if it warrants additional quirks beyond the base ones given in the Manual. This explains a lot of the apparent issues when comparing the Combat Manual entries to the BMM, for example.
As for specific contradictions between 2nd SW and the BMM, these are likely the result of the two books being prepped at the same time. We'll sort it out eventually via errata.
Cool beans.
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Got it on the USB, to the print shop before my next game.
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I don't get your post. The Succession Wars series were released, so were the Handbook House Kurita and Interstellar/Campaign Ops. Unless they postpone ilClan indefinitely the book is getting closer and closer to its release date
The way I read your post earlier, it seemed as if you'd found an actual date that had been stated for IlClan, not a 'future date on which it will be released.' Just semantic misunderstanding!
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"While Total Warfare was by far the most thorough BattleTech rulebook ever released, its very thoroughness frustrates some."
not the horrible layout, not infos regarding one item scattered across hundreds of pages, not the unreadable text (my sociology books are sometimes easier literature), the 50€ German print version with barely any proofreading, the eye cripling fontsize etc. No just the thoroughness ;D. It´s like saying the reliant robin was laughed at for it´s futuristic design. It´s okay to say, sorry fans, we didn´t give a ..... But saying "its very thoroughness frustrates some." Is nothing that motivates me to say: "oh, they accepted their fault, I will give them another chance." Please treat your customers with at least a little respect.
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Ignoring the issues with the specifics of German localization (not really relevant to the concept of Total Warfare as a whole), the statement you quote is about TW's size and the amount of non-mech rules within it, and only that. Nowhere in the article does it say that there were no other issues with TW experienced by fans and that we "don't respect you". The very next paragraph from the one you quote from actually mentions how we felt the wording and layout could be improved.
You're reading way more into an isolated paragraph than was ever intended.
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You're reading way more into an isolated paragraph than was ever intended.
Sic semper internet.
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One thing I love about the Battlemech Manual is in the weapons/systems descriptions and the lil bits of in universe chatter there.
"Remember Mechwarriors only YOU can prevent infantry" for the heavy flamer or the spaceballs reference for the ECM only done by Star Colonel Nikolai Malthus from the in universe B-tech cartoon. Wonderfully done and very amusing :)
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oh fun, BattleTech pool toys! [blank]
I nominate the Chaffee WorkMech dressed up as a lifeguard!
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So, I'm guessing the delay on CM:Davion has something to do with the recent revelations. If that is, indeed, the case, any chance that a different CM might be in the works in the meantime? I don't want Steiner, Marik, or Liao as much as I want Davion...but I do still want them!
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So, I'm guessing the delay on CM:Davion has something to do with the recent revelations. If that is, indeed, the case, any chance that a different CM might be in the works in the meantime? I don't want Steiner, Marik, or Liao as much as I want Davion...but I do still want them!
seems like the whole process has been put on indefinite hold, probably until the legal mess can be sorted out. I'd be surprised if all of them didn't have some macross unseens planned - the MAD-3M and ARC-2S immediately jump to mind. We also haven't heard from the Stinger or Crusader.
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Okay, read the introduction for TRO: Succession Wars.....what can I do to make the IlClan book arrive faster?! Seriously, the hints from that intro have me extremely curious on just what the heck happened. Here's hoping its released early 2018...please, please, please, please....
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IlClan is set in 3150, 100 years before the new intro tidbids
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IlClan is set in 3150, 100 years before the new intro tidbids
Oh I know, but it should tell us quite a few things ;)
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Okay, read the introduction for TRO: Succession Wars.....what can I do to make the IlClan book arrive faster?!
Sit back and enjoy the ride. Or, win the lottery, buy CGL, write it yourself, and make a small fortune in the gaming industry by starting with a large fortune. :D
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Don't know how easy it would be to buy CGL.. Would be faster to buy up the old FASA IP off Topps and THEN buyout CGL or let them see their cash cow leave them. AND if the lottery was large enough try and wrangle the electronic rights away from MS then give them an exclusive 5 year license for $1 (for gaming rights only) renewable every 5 years provided they have a Mechwarrior game on the market.
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...make a small fortune in the gaming industry by starting with a large fortune. :D
That's my line! Actually, I heard it first from Steve Jackson, who got it from an unnamed source. ;D
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I wonder how things would be if SJG had licensed BT and SR instead of IMR/CGL
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BattleTech Munchkin.
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Now that would be a fun BT card game. Maybe Brent should look into it :P Kids love Munchkin Bites, BT Munchkin might get them in to the game faster than I can
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I'm going to be doing up a one-off, custom BT Munchkin game for my own use.
I wonder how things would be if SJG had licensed BT and SR instead of IMR/CGL
Never would've happened. FanPro got the "classic" license from Wizkids because they kept most of the original staff involved, and same with CGL and Topps. So far, nobody has been interested in taking the universe away from Coleman, Bills, et al., and giving it to someone new.
Besides, I don't think SJ Games would've wanted BattleTech. They already have their own science fiction boardgame universes.
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Didn't some of the original staff work on WizKids Dark Age iteration of BattleTech as well? At least, there were some writers.
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Haven't played anything other than GURPS Space so... though I did once find a BT conversion to GURPS
If you ever do I wouldn't mind playing it sometime lol
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Didn't some of the original staff work on WizKids Dark Age iteration of BattleTech as well? At least, there were some writers.
Yup.
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I wondering, TRO:SW came out of no where. I wonder if there more mystery / surprise products coming.
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BattleTech Munchkin.
And nothing else.
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Didn't some of the original staff work on WizKids Dark Age iteration of BattleTech as well? At least, there were some writers.
Dark Age was Jordan Weissman's show.
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I'm going to be doing up a one-off, custom BT Munchkin game for my own use.
I know showing off the whole shebang would probably be forbidden, but wow, I'd love to see some of the card ideas you came up with... O0
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That's my line! Actually, I heard it first from Steve Jackson, who got it from an unnamed source. ;D
And that is based on an aviation true-ism "The fastest and easiest way to become a millionaire is to be a billionaire and buy an airline." :D
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I know showing off the whole shebang would probably be forbidden, but wow, I'd love to see some of the card ideas you came up with... O0
Card: First Succession War
Action: Nukes fall everyone dies.
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Nuke
All players with Nuke cards in their hands must play them
Each player loses one level per Nuke played.
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An Inner Sphere at War map for 2830 is now available on the Downloads page and right here:
http://d15yciz5bluc83.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ISAW_HexMap_IS_2830.pdf
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An Inner Sphere at War map for 2830 is now available on the Downloads page and right here:
http://d15yciz5bluc83.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ISAW_HexMap_IS_2830.pdf
Sweet!! Thanks!
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Yes thank you for the map.
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Nuke
All players with Nuke cards in their hands must play them
Each player loses one level per Nuke played.
Chicken on your head = Elemental swarm?
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Chicken on your head = Elemental swarm?
Or Weirdo on a Wednesday.
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Close, it's Saturday. Wednesday is dinner with my in-laws.
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Just so long as its not dinner with the outlaws #P
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Close, it's Saturday. Wednesday is dinner with my in-laws.
Which calls for a Peacock on your head, as a more formal affair.
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Puffin actually, for allergic reasons.
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Puffin actually, for allergic reasons.
What happens when it can't hold its breath any more and becomes a Puffout?
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Too much fretting over Harmony Gold, something we cannot do anything about, so...
Any guesses what the next release might be? :D
I'm hoping for a new Turning Points, but I think some of the other PDF products might be likely, too.
[blank]
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I want another SpotLight.
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Hopefully they've been stockpiling TtS and Spotlight On while the first half 2SW/BMM crunch was kin full effect
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If IlClan is delayed, I'd like to see the proposed Milestones come to fruition. At one point they were supposed to be a series leading into that plot book, so I think putting them back on the schedule would be a great idea.
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Heck, what I would like to see just wishing is "Free Worlds League Reunion" covering what happened with a SB in the MWDA novels where the League got put back together. A lot of the information is already out there in the novels but give it the FCCW treatment . . . maybe as a epub though I think it could be a solid book and focus on the 'other' side of the Sphere.
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Good news . . . just looked over at DriveThruRPG's site and 2nd Succession War is #3 on their trending list, BMM #4 and TRO Succession War is #5, and for Catalyst I want to say the 2nd book was a Shadow Run. Trek had the #1 slot locked up.
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This is good. The most popular catalyst pdfs are usually almost always shadowrun and a few of the BT core rulebooks
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If IlClan is delayed, I'd like to see the proposed Milestones come to fruition. At one point they were supposed to be a series leading into that plot book, so I think putting them back on the schedule would be a great idea.
This! I wouldn't mind if TRO: Irregular Tech sees some work too. It is time to focus on Dark Age again O0
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I'm liking the early stuff personally. Bringing out things like the two succession wars books makes it easier for new players to navigate the mass of fluff we've accumulated over 30 odd years, and translate itmeaningfully onto the tabletop.
Plus I'm not really fussed on anything that happened after the fedcom civil war, but that's just my personal preference.
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If IlClan is delayed, I'd like to see the proposed Milestones come to fruition. At one point they were supposed to be a series leading into that plot book, so I think putting them back on the schedule would be a great idea.
If ilClan is delayed because they might want to change it, then I don't know if they can start a Milestone series. They'd need the endpoint set in stone to give us stops along the road, right? :-\
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Plus I'm not really fussed on anything that happened after the fedcom civil war, but that's just my personal preference.
Considering that I am not interested on anything that happened *before* the fedcom civil war I think we complete each other :P
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It is what is it. If Battletech is to survive, CGL needs move forward to survive as well.
Second Succession War dropped hints there likely no Historical: Third Succession War so there that.
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When people compare Battletech to "Game of Thrones, in Space" I always used to think it meant "oh, they both have a vaguely feudal atmosphere, a lot of people dying, dynastic houses, a long-lost Rome analog" but I begin to fear that what they really meant was "The least desirable mechanical aspects of GRRM's writing style are being adopted, such as 'not releasing books', 'dwelling on throwbacks to the past' and 'tossing out already written material even though you're late'"
Next thing you know, we'll be reading about ilKhan Alaric's fondness for neeps in his lamprey pie, and everyone will drink a lot of wine.
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As much as i want the timeline to move on (which is quite a lot), i still want a Third Succession War book of some kind that isn't limited to single planet or scenario or limited to early 31st century.
The war lasted for some 160 years, and we have little hard info about its first 120 years. (House books do have some stuff in their history sections but they focus only on one house and not an overview.)
Third Succession War started BattleTech, and that makes it supremely interesting thing for me.
Maybe the war's pace doesn't make for a good Historical but something like an Era Report or... uh, well, something like that would be nice at least. Not necessarily right now, but someday (that isn't too far away).
EDIT Other than that, there's just one "historical" thing i'm interested in: Something to cover the St. Ives War.
Though i won't oppose Operation GUERRERO and Ghost Bear-Combine War stuff either...
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EDIT Other than that, there's just one "historical" thing i'm interested in: Something to cover the St. Ives War.
Though i won't oppose Operation GUERRERO and Ghost Bear-Combine War stuff either...
So basically you with they would go ahead and do the Brush Wars Volume 2 like they had talked about?
I'm with you there man, I'm with you there. :-\
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So basically you with they would go ahead and do the Brush Wars Volume 2 like they had talked about?
I'm with you there man, I'm with you there. :-\
I haven't forgotten about it, the idea was pushed to the back burner for more pressing 2SW / GenCon stuff. I'm hoping we can keep working the numbers and make a final determination one way or the other soon.
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What is the next planned release ? And what is the status of TRO Golden Century? any closer to release?
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So basically you with they would go ahead and do the Brush Wars Volume 2 like they had talked about?
I'm with you there man, I'm with you there. :-\
Oh, yes. While The Jade Phoenix Trilogy was my... re-introduction to BattleTech, i built upon that with The Capellan Solution and Path of Glory, and Illusions of Victory. These lay base for my interest in 3060s. And Operation GUERRERO is predecessor to some of these events so it is interesting, along with the fact the Mariks do something...
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I haven't forgotten about it, the idea was pushed to the back burner for more pressing 2SW / GenCon stuff. I'm hoping we can keep working the numbers and make a final determination one way or the other soon.
And you sir, just jumped to the top of my "BattleTech Product I Am Most Excited For" list... ;D ;D
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Oh, no you don't, Mr. Gideon -- you don't get to spontaneously combust till AFTER the Classics are released in METAL! }:)
I corrected that for you! O0
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Yeah . . . its going to be a few years, and Catalyst is only involved the plastics.
Did Catalyst release a table of contents for TRO Succession Wars?
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Yeah . . . its going to be a few years, and Catalyst is only involved the plastics.
But they ARE holding IWM back from making many of them in metal. :-\ We're getting bread crumbs, when we want the T-Bone steak! :'(
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Obviously you have not seen other topics popping up . . .
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Hopefully there is some sort of plan in place to keep the "safe" classics trickling out, while the nastiness blows over.
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But they ARE holding IWM back from making many of them in metal. :-\ We're getting bread crumbs, when we want the T-Bone steak! :'(
Yes the classic T-bolt in pewter would be awesome O0
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Yes the classic T-bolt in pewter would be awesome O0
Noooooo! I don't want my classic Thud looking like an Awesome :'( :P
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Yes the classic T-bolt in pewter would be awesome thunderstruck-ingly great Thor-some O0
Is that better? ^-^
Edit - how about now? Noting that in my own head-canon, that when I first saw the Summoner/Thor, I always assumed that it was an evolution of the T-bolt (with Thor being the god of thunder and lightning).
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Well if you want to get nit picky... why don't we play a game so my Zues can toss your Thunderbolt around very very frightening me
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"You! You are still dangerous. But you can be my wingman anytime." O0
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Duck duck goose?
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I want another SpotLight.
So do I. Like one based on a small-sized Clan unit.
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I just hope when they do the Classic thud in metal that they don't end up making it too big like the Thunderbolt IIC. Awesome sexy picture, not so much mini wise....big as atlas and just as blocky as a Warlord mini turned out.
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And you sir, just jumped to the top of my "BattleTech Product I Am Most Excited For" list... ;D ;D
Thanks. But don't hold your breath just yet--we need to find a way to make the numbers work, and they simply may not.
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Duck duck goose?
Best idea for an augmented Circle of Equals EVER.
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Duck *tap*
Duck *tap*
GOOSE! *punch*
Yeah, that might work >:D
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Best idea for an augmented Circle of Equals EVER.
Suddenly another use for the Mjolnir...
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So the new fiction bit looks interesting . . . do we have anything that collects the fiction in from sourcebooks like TW onward?
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Okay, so the announcement of the Grasshopper life story anthology is good . . . but when the announcement on Facebook says "Wide Release Soon After" does that mean 6 months or whatever it was with Embers? I wish the digital would drop that weekend but I can understand the bennie for folks who go to the Con.
From the Facebook release-
Coming Soon: Legacy - A BattleTech Anthology!
"The seventy-ton GHR-5H Grasshopper can outmaneuver and outlast some of the most fearsome enemy ’Mechs, making it an invaluable asset to battlefield commanders. Even an incapacitated Grasshopper will be rebuilt to fight another day, with a new pilot at its controls, because MechWarriors can be replaced, but ’Mechs cannot.
In BattleTech: Legacy, thirteen all-new stories chronicle the fortunes and tragedies of a single ’Mech across several tumultuous points in its wide-ranging combat history. Veteran BattleTech authors Kevin Killiany and Craig A. Reed, Jr. bookend this exciting collection, while other familiar names and new blood explore important moments in this ’Mech’s history of constant, unmitigated warfare that leaves no corner of the Inner Sphere untouched."
Available in limited initial print release at GenCon, and in wide release soon after.
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Okay, so the announcement of the Grasshopper life story anthology is good . . . but when the announcement on Facebook says "Wide Release Soon After" does that mean 6 months or whatever it was with Embers? I wish the digital would drop that weekend but I can understand the bennie for folks who go to the Con.
The comments on Facebook show that the wide release print and digital copies will be available next year.
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Suddenly another use for the Mjolnir...
Of course! Wait, did you mean the crappy Battlemech or the Lyran battlecruiser? Because one of them taps a little harder than the other... though only Demongirl is known to be able to play whack-a-mole from orbit.
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Hello all. Now that the website is back, I just wanted to let you know that a new post has been made to the front page covering the differences between the beta and the final of the new Battlemech Manual:
http://bg.battletech.com/news/battlemech-manual-final-release/
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... play whack-a-mole from orbit.
New life goals...
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whack-a-mole from orbit.
the newest sanctioned event in the Raven Alliance naval games
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Of course! Wait, did you mean the crappy Battlemech or the Lyran battlecruiser? Because one of them taps a little harder than the other... though only Demongirl is known to be able to play whack-a-mole from orbit.
I thought the Dracs did that at Palmyra?
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the newest sanctioned event in the Raven Alliance naval games
The Ravens have enough ships to have lots of options.
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Is there any hope of seeing TRO: IrregularTech and Golden Century this year?
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Is there any way we can help getting the Tro 3150 record sheets? Like beta testing or something? I would really love to have record sheets for the upgreaded mechs.
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I'd love to get the record sheets
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heck, I would love it if they did not intentionally screw some mechs over . . . you know what I mean, for instance a mech with 7 crits in a side torso, and that 7th crit is the ammo . . . take a crit, 50% chance to blow the side off.
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heck, I would love it if they did not intentionally screw some mechs over . . . you know what I mean, for instance a mech with 7 crits in a side torso, and that 7th crit is the ammo . . . take a crit, 50% chance to blow the side off.
In that case, if you get a roll again result, you reroll upper/lower table as well.
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heck, I would love it if they did not intentionally screw some mechs over . . . you know what I mean, for instance a mech with 7 crits in a side torso, and that 7th crit is the ammo . . . take a crit, 50% chance to blow the side off.
Not really. Some math person will give the odds, but it is not 50%
it would be 50% for upper/lower, and then a 1-in-6 chance to hit that slot.
Roll a 4-5, and then a 2-6, and you start the whole process all over again:
Page 46 BattleMech manual:
Inapplicable Slots: If a critical hit roll would apply damage to a slot for which any of the following applies, it is an inapplicable slot and the player rolls again:
- the slot has already taken a critical hit
- the slot is empty
- the slot cannot take critical damage (such as endo-steel, CASE, TSM, or ferro-fibrous armor slots)
and Page 124 of TotalWarfare:
Each weapon and other piece of equipment fills at least one slot on the Critical Hit Table. If the player rolls damage for a slot for which no component exists; a slot that cannot take critical damage, such as endo steel, CASE or ferro-fibrous armor; or a slot that has already taken a critical hit, he rolls both dice again.
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Hm, I always played it as you just re-roll location . . . my misunderstanding and maybe it was done for speed.
Learn something new all the time.
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Assuming 7 slots filled, it is more likely to hit something in the upper 6 slots than it is to hit the 7th slot. Any hit hitting the lower section has about 83% percent chance of restarting the process, and over time things lean toward the upper section.
With 6 slots filled and arranged so that both sections have 3 slots filled, the chances of hitting any component would be 50%, though subsequent hits would no longer have equal chance.
Should there be 7 slots and they were as evenly distributed as possible, the section with more slots would be slightly more likely to get hit.
If this is regarded as an issue, simply using a d12 solves removes the uneven odds.
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Hm, I always played it as you just re-roll location . . . my misunderstanding and maybe it was done for speed.
Learn something new all the time.
Yep, I used to do it that way too, till I re-re-read the rules ;)
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Is there any way we can help getting the Tro 3150 record sheets? Like beta testing or something? I would really love to have record sheets for the upgreaded mechs.
They're all mixed in with the 3145 units in RS: 3145 Unabridged.
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They're all mixed in with the 3145 units in RS: 3145 Unabridged.
Not the 3150 NTNU units.
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Not the 3150 NTNU units.
Waiting forever for thoses and Prototypes unless that printed book version of the Record Sheet is "it".
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Not the 3150 NTNU units.
Indeed, these are still missing. How can we help CGL to get them done?
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not sure whether it's a 'can't' or 'won't' problem at this point. the prototypes record sheets have been on the coming soon list since late 2014. i'm guessing the RS only pdfs are not hugely profitable so it's difficult to justify the effort.
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Indeed, these are still missing. How can we help CGL to get them done?
Unfortunately, I have no idea.
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Indeed, these are still missing. How can we help CGL to get them done?
It never hurts to offer to volunteer.
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I have no problem making my own record sheets when the full stats are given in a TRO, but I can't make a record sheet from the information in the 3150 Ntnu section.
I would definitely be ok with having to fill out my own record sheet for these mechs.
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The Ravens have enough ships to have lots of options.
I'm not sure the Ravens believe in any such thing s "enough ships".
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I'm not sure the Ravens believe in any such thing s "enough ships".
You cant never have "enough ships"
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You can never have "enough ships"
Seyla.
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It never hurts to offer to volunteer.
*DING_DING_DING!*
To Quote the late J.F.Kennedy
Ask Not what Battletech/CGL can do for you!
Ask what YOU can do for Battletech/CGL!
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I'm not sure the Ravens believe in any such thing s "enough ships".
There are two kinds of interstellar powers: Ones with three-digit WarShip counts, and speed bumps.
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*DING_DING_DING!*
To Quote the late J.F.Kennedy
Ask Not what Battletech/CGL can do for you!
Ask what YOU can do for Battletech/CGL!
It wouldn't hurt to actually advertise that volunteers are wanted/needed. Not doing so and the constant reminders about not wanting any unsolicited work gives off a strong "don't call us, we'll call you" vibe
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Yeah, I'd be happy to volunteer to take care of exactly this kind of scut work if CGL wants, I just always was under the same impression of Sartris.
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It wouldn't hurt to actually advertise that volunteers are wanted/needed. Not doing so and the constant reminders about not wanting any unsolicited work gives off a strong "don't call us, we'll call you" vibe
They did. Almost 2 years ago: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=48296.0
And the discussion thread for it: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=48297.0
Despite the request, no one has fulfilled all the requested options, at least not that I'm aware of.
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I have no programming chops, sorry :P
(I really should take some classes)
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They did. Almost 2 years ago: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=48296.0
And the discussion thread for it: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=48297.0
Despite the request, no one has fulfilled all the requested options, at least not that I'm aware of.
I kind of remember this, though I tend not to categorically memorize posts from years ago that request services far outside my own skillset.
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And what requested options?
Take note that when it comes to desired features everything with any detail was actually submitted by fans for that design software request thread.
Seriously the requirements demanded by CGL are so vague and poorly specified that there is no wonder no serious submittals have been made. Also we're still waiting for the promised FAQ.
Heck I offered to write a much more professional Request For Proposal for CGL.
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They did. Almost 2 years ago: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=48296.0
And the discussion thread for it: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=48297.0
Despite the request, no one has fulfilled all the requested options, at least not that I'm aware of.
I wouldn't call this a request for volunteers. You ask for volunteers for mods/admin, playtesting, spotting errors in a new product before released (almost like the betas), and other minor work that no one expects pay for.
Designing, prototyping, and developing custom software for mech design... thats a tall order w/o a lot of extra information. Even when I asked a few questions about it the response was a bit vague. Probably due to the lack of technical knowledge on the other end which I can understand.
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Yeah, there really is a world of difference between "help out making record sheets" and "design this program from the ground up to make record sheets". At this point we could probably already have finished making record sheet products by hand in a community effort.
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As I understand it, the last record sheets we got were completed manually, one by one. I guess whoever the person(s) doing that might have been got tired of it.
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As I understand it, the last record sheets we got were completed manually, one by one. I guess whoever the person(s) doing that might have been got tired of it.
Not quite. They were kicked upstairs to help with more important products.
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I wouldn't call this a request for volunteers. You ask for volunteers for mods/admin, playtesting, spotting errors in a new product before released (almost like the betas), and other minor work that no one expects pay for.
And CGL has lots of those, just check the "Fact Checking/Playtesting" acknowledgements section of any product. When that gets down to 5 or less people per product, then you might see new people joining.
Designing, prototyping, and developing custom software for mech design... thats a tall order w/o a lot of extra information. Even when I asked a few questions about it the response was a bit vague. Probably due to the lack of technical knowledge on the other end which I can understand.
Unfortunately, that's where the big need is right now.
And what requested options?
Take note that when it comes to desired features everything with any detail was actually submitted by fans for that design software request thread.
Seriously the requirements demanded by CGL are so vague and poorly specified that there is no wonder no serious submittals have been made. Also we're still waiting for the promised FAQ.
Heck I offered to write a much more professional Request For Proposal for CGL.
I can't find it off hand, but it basically comes down to software that can be used to design units consistent with the published construction rules and print recordsheets for said units. This would be for all unit types that have some kind of recordsheet.
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Unfortunately, that's where the big need is right now.
The technical knowledge or the need for design software? I'm guessing both, but not sure how many people may have started and stalled on the latter. I've gone over a few designs but my biggest question was if this was going to be commercial to replace Heavy Metal or for internal use. Makes a difference if you plan on using open source tools to develop software under a GPL license which makes it difficult to sell commercially since the source code must be available as well for free.
I can't find it off hand, but it basically comes down to software that can be used to design units consistent with the published construction rules and print recordsheets for said units. This would be for all unit types that have some kind of recordsheet.
I think I remember something about this and TPTB wanting something for units as well as for aToW character generation as well though I don't recall who brought it up.
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Folks, please move the discussion back to new and upcoming products.
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So maybe it's time for a state of the Coming Releases list assessment
Novels (Shadows of Faith, Case White, Kell Hounds Ascendant) - any news besides "currently being written"?
Combat Manuals (Davion, Steiner) - Thanks, Harmony Gold!
XTRO: Succession Wars II
RS: Prototypes Unabridged
TRO: IrregularTech - I don't recall seeing any updates since we got the table of contents a while back
TRO: Golden Century - I assume this comes after TRO:IT
ilClan - The truth (and the book) is out there.
Other PDFs (Milestones, OpFor, Spotlight On, Touring the Stars) - please?
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Combat Manuals (Davion, Steiner) - Thanks, Harmony Gold!
I keep having 25 Years of Art and Fiction flashbacks, the idea some art may need be cut saddens me.
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They should sneak in another produced called Experimental Technical Readout: Boondoggles II (Republic Era Edition).
Nearly everything in Interstellar Ops's RISC section seems to be promising new entry with comedy potential entries.. ;D
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Laser Pulse Modules and repeating TSEMP aren't that bad, Improved Heavy Lasers and HVAC's also have the explode when attack roll rolls a 2, but other's yeah not worth it.
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I've removed the recent off-topic messages related to the design software. That subject is finished in this thread until and unless CGL announces it is releasing software of that nature.
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Combat Manuals (Davion, Steiner) - Thanks, Harmony Gold!
CM: Davion had been back-burnered well before the HG suit was filed in March, and certainly long before that suit was publicly noticed two weeks ago. As has been stated (more than once, IIRC) in a previous Upcoming Releases thread, the CMs are art-intensive and expensive to produce, and need to sell well in order to justify future volumes. I'm still nominally under contract to edit CM:D, and have been for more than a year, but for months there's been no indication that I'd be starting on it any time soon.
Certainly, the presence of the suit likely creates significant issues with the CMs, so you're not wrong in your statement. But it's worth re-iterating that the book was not seeing much movement even before that happened.
Other PDFs (Milestones, OpFor, Spotlight On, Touring the Stars) - please?
There's a number of Touring the Stars and Spotlights On in the hopper, at various stages in the editing and/or layout phases. Hopefully, with the convention-related product rush out of the way, you'll start seeing regular releases of them again.
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I liked the Combat Manuals and hope we do get to see CM Davion and Steiner before the end of 2018 even if some of the newer art has to be cut.
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CM: Davion had been back-burnered well before the HG suit was filed in March, and certainly long before that suit was publicly noticed two weeks ago. As has been stated (more than once, IIRC) in a previous Upcoming Releases thread, the CMs are art-intensive and expensive to produce, and need to sell well in order to justify future volumes.
Yeah, personally I'd seen the handwriting on the wall for the CMs long before any legal troubles were brewing, just from the way TPTB were suddenly talking in terms of "if" they are released, not "when" they'd be. I still hope they are, I very much enjoyed reading CM:M and CM:K, and Really want to see the Alpha Strike treatment given to my two favorite houses, Davion and Marik :)
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Man, I though everyone liked the Combat Manuals. Then again, Herb said something about Faction Books not doing well in the past :'(
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How am I supposed to be sufficiently pithy and cast aspersions with that level of nuance?
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Man, I though everyone liked the Combat Manuals. Then again, Herb said something about Faction Books not doing well in the past :'(
I enjoyed them. I am (was? :'() looking forward to the Steiner and Davion combat manuals to come out, and hoping they would make one which encompassed the clans. I think that the special formations/units are neat, and it's awesome to see the different camo patterns for each unit.
I hope they continue making them.
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Even if just PDF please please please finish them.
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Even if just PDF please please please finish them.
<"Bada-book-bada-boom" guy> "promote that man." </"Bada-book-bada-boom" guy>
O0
And yes, I second this. Even if they have to be PDF only with minimal art, Please release them if at all possible.
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I think the Combat Manuals are fantastic books. I'd also like to see the remaining volumes.
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Man, I though everyone liked the Combat Manuals. Then again, Herb said something about Faction Books not doing well in the past :'(
From what I'm getting their selling pretty good, it's just that the art required costs too much. If they covered 3025 IN ADDITION to 3050 maybe they'd be doing well enough to continue, or maybe if they focused on the currant era they'd sell well enough.
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I hope for sake of everyone that CGL is able to come out with entire Combat Manual line in their entirety. However the books may end up being likely to need to come out without the mini-TRO in it. Reason is its highly likely that what is holding things back aside from the expensive art is likely due to HG's shady legal moves i suspect.
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Im generally a PDF guy, but I bought hard copies of CM Mercs and Kurita at Origins, just to show a little extra support. I really would like to see the series finished, at least for the successor states. I'd buy all of them, even Liao! Of course, I'm only one guy, and not rich enough to fund it all by myself.
Still, that cover art for CM Davion haunts my dreams!
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I got the impression from Geoff Swift's FB page that Combat Manual Davion was written some time back. That means it's either art that's the issue or it was cancelled. I hope it's the former. If sales numbers are so important, it seems short-sighted to stop the series before what is almost certainly to be the biggest-selling of the entire series (if they go through with completing it).
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Even if they have to be PDF only with minimal art, Please release them if at all possible.
I'm not a decision-maker on those kinds of things, but the CMs aren't as simple as doing something like you saw in 1SW or 2SW and just having less art in the book to make the numbers work. The "art" in the CMs--unit logos, traditional art, and mini paint jobs--all integrates with the unbelievably slick graphic design. (Ray and the layout team just killed it on the first two volumes!) Plus, at least some people bought the books because they were full-color and attractive. Stripping out those elements just to push out words on pages might not serve any purpose but completion-ism.
If they covered 3025 IN ADDITION to 3050 maybe they'd be doing well enough to continue, or maybe if they focused on the currant era they'd sell well enough.
Of all the things holding these back, the timeframe they cover isn't in the top five.
Im generally a PDF guy, but I bought hard copies of CM Mercs and Kurita at Origins, just to show a little extra support. I really would like to see the series finished, at least for the successor states. I'd buy all of them, even Liao! Of course, I'm only one guy, and not rich enough to fund it all by myself.
No, but that type of wallet support honestly doesn't hurt, and is appreciated.
As far as finishing out the "full set" for its own sake, you might consider the comments around HB:HK when it came out--top folks at the time specifically said that that book, another one with heavy art costs, was produced and released despite the fact that it wasn't expected to do all that well, solely so that the "set" of HBs could be completed. Whether or not it was a good idea those years ago, my own opinion is that the BT line is no longer a place where it can devote any resources to things that don't generate revenue, just so they can all look nice on a shelf.
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Well the Handbook series only needed one final book. The Combat Manual though... If you can't see something to the end and know it might not be profitable.. why start it?? Especially an art heavy series you KNOW will end up being expensive to produce. This is the kind of product that gets fans riled up, and do it often enough, pushes them away.
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Throwing good money after bad is far worse than disappointing some fans.
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I can understand not wanting to complete something that might loose money, but they knew from the start it it might not work out. That was my point. Fans are a fickle thing. Can't make em happy, can't produce enough material, and the material they love is what they gripe about the most half the time #P
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I can understand not wanting to complete something that might loose money, but they knew from the start it it might not work out.
Though that's true of any product--there's always *some* gamble involved. To what extent the CMs were seen as a gamble when they were first planned...I can't say. I wasn't there.
Your points about not starting what can't be finished, and expecting a little planning in general, aren't wrong. All I'm saying is that, now, at this point in time, I don't think "we really ought to finish out the set, for completion's sake" can ever enter at all into the discussion of whether to continue with the CMs. It's solely a question of can they be profitable, and if so, how. And at least some of the answers to those questions go back to bigger questions/issues with the line as a whole, not just that one book.
But we digress...
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Any plan to make the website more stable? Its hard to get worked up over product when the ability to talk about it is not available.
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I second that! Those 504s are annoying as **** and I know it has to be driving the mods/admin nuts too.
Next upcoming release, A Stable Server: ComStar edition!
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I second that! Those 504s are annoying as **** and I know it has to be driving the mods/admin nuts too.
Next upcoming release, A Stable Server: ComStar edition!
but not the 3132 edition...
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I second that! Those 504s are annoying as **** and I know it has to be driving the mods/admin nuts too.
Next upcoming release, A Stable Server: ComStar edition!
Come brothers and sisters, let us pray, chant and dance to bring healing to our web-server >:D
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...we should warn the service providers about people in white robes visiting the facility before someone gets tased by security.
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Though that's true of any product--there's always *some* gamble involved. To what extent the CMs were seen as a gamble when they were first planned...I can't say. I wasn't there.
Your points about not starting what can't be finished, and expecting a little planning in general, aren't wrong. All I'm saying is that, now, at this point in time, I don't think "we really ought to finish out the set, for completion's sake" can ever enter at all into the discussion of whether to continue with the CMs. It's solely a question of can they be profitable, and if so, how. And at least some of the answers to those questions go back to bigger questions/issues with the line as a whole, not just that one book.
But we digress...
The only issue I have with not completing the CM series, is that the Faction Points being used to generated units from other faction lists. Yes, I know someone could go to the MUL, but it is much, *much* more liberal about who gets what than the CM series seems to be.
But that's my two cents.
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Unfortunately all factories producing stable servers were destroyed during the succession wars. So we seem to be stuck with the IntroTech downgrade.
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I don't know... I still blame ROM agents. :P
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Hey! We get 504s too! :(
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So 504s are equal opportunity offenders? How 21st century of them ;) Now, can we give them their own forum so they will stop bugging us BT fans? ;D
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Hey! We get 504s too! :(
Which means you are obviously a heretic. Blessed Be Blake! ;)
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So the prays, chants and dancing has healed the 504 errors of the web-server but now reveal the 502 errors.
Blessed Blake! We your unworthy disciples must redouble our efforts to learn the correct form of prays, chants and dancing to help lead humanity to enlightenment . . .
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Nice that IWM made a Gencon new release sheet.
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Nice that IWM made a Gencon new release sheet.
Yeah it's like getting a payslip, but in reverse. "this is where all the money will go."
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Nothing new coming out for Gencon that wasn't out at Origins?
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Nothing new coming out for Gencon that wasn't out at Origins?
From CGL? I believe the hope is TRO: Succession Wars and that new short story anthology
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Also BattleMech Manual.
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Will there be new Alpha Strike cards?
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new short story anthology
anthology? i thought Battlecorp stories dried up when they switched over to the new store. So this will be like left over ones that hadn't seen print before with couple new stories?
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anthology? i thought Battlecorp stories tried up when they switched over to the new store. So this will be like left over ones that hadn't seen print before with couple new stories?
All the stories are new, it is a project that never showed up on Battlecorps.
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All the stories are new, it is a project that never showed up on Battlecorps.
So this will be Volume 7?
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So this will be Volume 7?
I don't think so. This was actually something that Loren talked about last year at GenCon's What's Up panel. The idea is that it is a bunch of short stories that track the life of one single mech chassis through several hundred years of war. The format is probably similar to the Anthologies, but this is almost a single book where the main character is an individual mech, and each chapter is a different part of that Mech's life.
At least, that is my understanding.
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The format is probably similar to the Anthologies, but this is almost a single book where the main character is an individual mech, and each chapter is a different part of that Mech's life.
That's exactly what it is. It is not sub-titled as "BattleCorps Anthology Vol. 7," because that would imply that it's part of the series of books reprinting BattleCorps stories. Also, the BattleCorps Anthologies consist almost entirely of disconnected stories. This is a much more cohesive book, with the 'Mech, a Grasshopper, being passed like a baton between writers across hundreds of years of conflict.
Disclaimer: I'm the author of one of the stories, but I've read them all and they're really fantastic. I think having this kind of focus to the storytelling really brought out some great work.
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The GHR does have a unique battlefield reputation and very dedicated pilots.
I've been planning out a series of stories about a WarShip. Even if it's just a coincidence, I think that there is an appetite for this kind of thing. I'm glad CGL has decided to go with it.
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Looking forward to both those stories. 8)
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The GHR does have a unique battlefield reputation and very dedicated pilots.
I wasn't involved in the selection, but I definitely approved of it when I saw it. It almost had to be a 'Mech with a flexible battlefield role, to allow for a lot of different kinds of stories. Not that some good stuff couldn't be and hasn't been made of a light 'Mech or an assault chassis, but with so many stories focused on one machine, it's great that it can be employed in a lot of different missions, move in several ways, face a variety of opponents, etc.
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I wasn't involved in the selection, but I definitely approved of it when I saw it. It almost had to be a 'Mech with a flexible battlefield role, to allow for a lot of different kinds of stories. Not that some good stuff couldn't be and hasn't been made of a light 'Mech or an assault chassis, but with so many stories focused on one machine, it's great that it can be employed in a lot of different missions, move in several ways, face a variety of opponents, etc.
Not to mention that besides the old hands, we have a couple of new writers in this anthology. And as has been stated before, these stories are all-new, written for this anthology.
Craig
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As someone who loved HB:HK, I still thank TPTB ever time I pick it up or use the Dragonstar or the Tug Dropper whose name I cannot recall.
But I've basically been picking up the CMs for the NuSeen TROs.
However...I gotta admit I'm swung on the BMM...partly because I am a shameless sucker for the kind of Mel Brooks-like schtick I am seeing quoted here. That is the way to make your books. Frankly one of my favourite gaming books remains Palladium's Revised Advanced Recon; page after page of text, with a few odd bits of scene-art and a great deal of art for the gear and rules that were pretty solid; if not admittadly perfect. Honestly the fancy borders and stuff is wasted on me.
Question about GRH: will I have an easier time getting it in Canada? Embers of War came through fine, but I waited until it became in vain for BoI and eventually had to order it from Amazon.com.
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I have to agree on the TROs being the main pull, although I think I like the line art in the succession wars books TRO pages better than the computer generated stuff in the handbooks. I'm also a big fan of all the example painted minis, for when I draw a blank on what to paint. I don't actually play alpha strike (yet), but I purchased these books for the above reasons.
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I hope once the new staff is finally settled in, that new schedule of items will be added to Coming Attractions.
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I hope we see many updates on what is coming after Gencon.
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That's exactly what it is. It is not sub-titled as "BattleCorps Anthology Vol. 7," because that would imply that it's part of the series of books reprinting BattleCorps stories. Also, the BattleCorps Anthologies consist almost entirely of disconnected stories. This is a much more cohesive book, with the 'Mech, a Grasshopper, being passed like a baton between writers across hundreds of years of conflict.
Disclaimer: I'm the author of one of the stories, but I've read them all and they're really fantastic. I think having this kind of focus to the storytelling really brought out some great work.
Wait.... Are you saying this book is NEW stuff? Not rehashed BC stuff that I already have!! :o Seriously calling it Anthologies pretty much guarentied that I was never going to even look at the thing until I just read your post.
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Wait.... Are you saying this book is NEW stuff? Not rehashed BC stuff that I already have!! :o Seriously calling it Anthologies pretty much guarentied that I was never going to even look at the thing until I just read your post.
They are all brand-new stories, written especially for this anthology.
Craig
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They are all brand-new stories, written especially for this anthology.
Craig
THIRTEEN brand new stories to be precise.
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They are all brand-new stories, written especially for this anthology.
Craig
Genuinely excited for this now!
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Genuinely excited for this now!
You should be. As a contributor to this anthology, I've read all the tales. Not a dud amongst them. You guys are in for a treat.
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Seriously calling it Anthologies pretty much guarentied that I was never going to even look at the thing until I just read your post.
An anthology is just a collection of stories, it's not necessarily 'things you've already read.'
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An anthology is just a collection of stories, it's not necessarily 'things you've already read.'
But all previous BT anthologies have been collections of previously released BattleCorps stories. Also my impressions are that this, unlike a lot of BattleCorps stories, is not just fiction for the sake of fiction or even like both the BattleCorps stuff and some of the novels, the adventures of some random group of mercs, something that actually adds to the universe and shows us how things are supposed to happen.
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But all previous BT anthologies have been collections of previously released BattleCorps stories.
Shrapnel was an anthology, and it predated BattleCorps by about fifteen years.
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But all previous BT anthologies have been collections of previously released BattleCorps stories.
Anthology literally means collection of stories. What else were they going to call it?
Also:
Shrapnel was an anthology, and it predated BattleCorps by about fifteen years.
This, and 25 years of art and fiction was in part an anthology.
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I know what an Anthology is, I was commenting on the inclusion of the word anthology in the full title of the book and the general naming convention lead me to write it off as a collection BattleCorps stories. "Legacy - A BattleTech Anthology" looks very close to "Legacy - BattleCorps Anthology Vol. 7" does it not? and even the term Legacy.. Considering BC is currently dead alludes to being a nod to the BattleCorps brand, and given the death of said brand, a rebranding to read BattleTech and dropping the vol. no are not implausible.
Shrapnel was called Shrapnel - Fragments from the inner sphere.. It did not have the word Anthology on the cover at all, so maybe different phrasing could of been used for this.
Either way... My mistaken assumption that it was a rehash has now been removed and I will be buying a BT product I previously had no intention of buying. Win for Catalyst in the end!
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Looking forward to both those stories. 8)
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm sort of slowly creeping up on a BattleCorps submission.
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Bottom of the GenCon products list has a preview pic of products coming in the next year. Check out those BT box sets...
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/08/12/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/
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Bottom of the GenCon products list has a preview pic of products coming in the next year. Check out those BT box sets...
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/08/12/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/
[drool]
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ADRIANNNNNN!!! Can we get a list of plastic minis for those two BT boxes?? PREEEETTTTTYYYYYY PLEEEEEASSSSEEE!
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Bottom of the GenCon products list has a preview pic of products coming in the next year. Check out those BT box sets...
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/08/12/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/
YOOOOOOO
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(http://a.fod4.com/images/GifGuide/dancing/1tumblr_lgp6q5NhE21qcjtu8o1_500.gif)
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So the beginner box looks like it's the same size as the the last two boxes while the 'A game of armored combat' box looks like 3rd edition thick box from 1994.
Products pictured are mockups and will probably change substantially before release
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eh? Seems kinda hard to tell from the pic.
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So the beginner box looks like it's the same size as the the last two boxes while the 'A game of armored combat' box looks like 3rd edition thick box from 1994.
If'n I 'member correctly, the Beginner's Box set, will include 2 minis and a single map, while the Game of Armored Combat will contain multiple mechs and probably 2 maps (double sided)
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Was it ever specified if that map for the starter set was paper or the thicker cardboard map?
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Will they contain different 'Mechs and maps? Will there be an option to buy the mini's (And maybe the maps) without the rest of the box, like last time? Will CGL be ordering twice as many boxes as last time so they don't sell out?
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With regards to Mechs, no clue, personally hoping for new mechs.
As to maps, these will likely be paper or a much lighter cardboard/heavier cardstock as I believe the printing costs for the heavy cardboard we saw in last box set are through the roof recently.
As to amount printed, guess we might find out more at GenCon.....wish I was going
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I would hope they do another round of Lance Packs but from everything I remember reading I doubt they will do another round of Hex Packs. I don't think they sold the box set maps at all but...
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With regards to Mechs, no clue, personally hoping for new mechs.
Not quite what I'm asking, I want to know if the two in the beginner box will be different from the ones in the more advanced box.
I would hope they do another round of Lance Packs but from everything I remember reading I doubt they will do another round of Hex Packs. I don't think they sold the box set maps at all but...
I believe that you could buy hole boxes worth of 'Mechs last time around, that at least was what I was asking about.
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Not quite what I'm asking, I want to know if the two in the beginner box will be different from the ones in the more advanced box.
Ah...that I have no clue, but being a betting man, I would suspect they would probably be the same as from the advanced.
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I believe that you could buy hole boxes worth of 'Mechs last time around, that at least was what I was asking about.
That would be the lance packs. Anything larger I don't believe they were selling. If they had a box of mechs larger than the 4 mech lance packs I would have bought up a lot of them.
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So the beginner box looks like it's the same size as the the last two boxes while the 'A game of armored combat' box looks like 3rd edition thick box from 1994.
I'd hazard a guess that these boxes are mockups Randall or someone printed out and wrapped around other boxes to get the look and feel right, rather than the exact boxes the final product will come in. He's posted similar photos on the CGL tumblr before.
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A new beginner box. Looks pretty neat
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And the reuse of First Succession War and Second Succession War cover art isn't bad for those mock-ups either.
I could stand seeing either of those with the Classic Thunderbolt on the front.
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That would be the lance packs. Anything larger I don't believe they were selling. If they had a box of mechs larger than the 4 mech lance packs I would have bought up a lot of them.
The last time they released a new boxed set you could buy two boxes and get a third set of mechs free (I think?). Anyway, I remember getting an extra set of the plastics is the box for some reason.
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I'd hazard a guess that these boxes are mockups Randall or someone printed out and wrapped around other boxes to get the look and feel right, rather than the exact boxes the final product will come in. He's posted similar photos on the CGL tumblr before.
Relaying from Ray on Facebook:
Derek these are mockups we're going to show off at the con. Release is a ways off
A 2017 release is very unlikely.
I don't know if CGL will attend Essen.
Ray Arrastia Ok, just a bit of info: these boxes will have completely *brand new* sculpts. Some prototypes will be on display with the boxes at GenCon. Some you've seen displayed in the recent past, such as the Locust, Griffin, etc.
These aren't reboxed products, but two completely new boxes.
Some will be repeats from the old box, but all are brand new sculpts.
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Well that is upsetting. But will get it as soon as it comes out.
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Well that is upsetting. But will get it as soon as it comes out.
Just needed to manage expectations.
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Just needed to manage expectations.
Thanks for that Bedwyr, I appreciate you taking care of that. I was coming here next.
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Just needed to manage expectations.
I thank you for all that you guys do and keep product coming.
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I thank you for all that you guys do and keep product coming.
Oh don't thank me, I'm just a moderator. I've had nothing to do with product since... post Strat Ops. And that was a one-time fluke.
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Oh don't thank me, I'm just a moderator. I've had nothing to do with product since... post Strat Ops. And that was a one-time fluke.
I thank all that keep this game going one way or the other.
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I thank all that keep this game going one way or the other.
Totally agree with that. Its labor of love and hard fought one at that. Thank you guys.
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Mock ups are good enough for me if it means tptb are confident enough about putting it out there that they're working on it and can potentially deliver something in 2018
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I thank all that keep this game going one way or the other.
Totally agree with that. Its labor of love and hard fought one at that. Thank you guys.
I will third all of that. Thank you to all who not only keep the game alive, but also keep it lively. Keep those walking tanks coming! ;D ;D
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So . . . maybe 2018 Origins/GenCon new intro & box set with SOME Classic- Griffin & Locust being specifically mentioned- with a few repeats but new sculpts. Makes me think they did not get or lost the Box/Lance Pack plastics, which is unfortunate. Resculpts of the some repeated designs? Maybe 3050 versions of the last Box Set so it works in with the Alpha Strike materials. Due to circumstances I would guess that means they were taking the place of Marauders, Warhammers, Crusaders and other Macross derived originals.
Come on Clan Star Packs!
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if the new renamed intro box only has 8 plastics I'm gonna cry... especially if they try to keep the $60 price.
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if the new renamed intro box only has 8 plastics I'm gonna cry... especially if they try to keep the $60 price.
I'd still buy it.
That said, it seems a bit early to postulate scenarios where this boxed set will break our hearts. For my part I'm gonna start squirreling away a little extra money in the safe each month in preparation.
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for less than 12... I don't know. For $60 there are other games I can get far far more minis at that price in detailed plastic. And if half of them are repeats... no, I think I may just buy metal. I do need more asf and vees.
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The product structure change and prices have been discussed, thrown out multiple times.
Intro box was to get the feet wet . . . 2 mechs, map and rules IIRC. Discussion of other things that might be in the box, priced IIRC $10-$20 depending on contents.
The BT Box set was to be comparable to the last Intro Box, plastic mechs- 22 to 24 mechs. The 22 number was a Clan Binary w/IS Company or 24 will be another 2 IS companies. The 'few repeats' make this interesting since they could be current intro box repeats or repeats of previous intro boxes, it would also have maps, record sheets and IIRC some more fluff. Not sure about rules being included.
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Ok, so I have no idea where Adrian got two lances from then. Follow from http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58307.msg1342608#msg1342608
Yes, two boxes. One with 2 minis and one with 2 lances. I don't know if this will change in future but for now it seems like good idea.
My reply
Where do you get 2 lances from?? Even the the popular Alpha Strike box that hasn't happened was to have 12 on 10
Adrians reply
2 lances, yup.
Sooo.... if he referring to the starter box which was discussed as having 2 mechs or the no longer intro box that normally has 24 + 2 mechs?
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Seeing as Adrian is the Assistant Line Developer for BattleTech, I'm pretty sure that "where he got it" is from the manufacturer, or perhaps from his own desk drafting the contents.
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And it is a year or more out, so plenty can change between now and then. We're talking about growing the game here, so I don't doubt price is at the forefront for them as well. More mechs equals higher price tag. And while us veterans may be willing to buy it, new folks could get put off by a $60 or higher investment.
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The two mech thing was also from a while ago, and less of a definite thing and more of a rough idea.
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If its releasing for Origins & GenCon next year, which is the industry standard, then its being put together in China right now to start shipping in a few months. Which means its pretty much locked in place at this time.
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And it is a year or more out, so plenty can change between now and then. We're talking about growing the game here, so I don't doubt price is at the forefront for them as well. More mechs equals higher price tag. And while us veterans may be willing to buy it, new folks could get put off by a $60 or higher investment.
And that is why they added a $20 starter box. Which was to have 2 mechs. My question though is where the two LANCES came from. Is that for the starter box or what used to be the intro box???
$20 - get started with 2 mechs. Great for beginners.
$60 - great starter investment for those who are just getting into the game and want more than 2 mechs. Usually 24 mechs, two companies.
So which changed??
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neither? both? the winner of an epic rock-paper-scissors showdown?
get some oxygen. it's way too early to hyperventilate about this
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So which changed??
The price of plastics? The cost of production for the $60 Box vs $20 Box? (the $60 box did use to be $50) Possibility of Lance Packs cutting into the sales of Starter Boxes or visa versa?
This seems to be middle ground between the traditional Stater Box and the Lance pack, not a bad thing.
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Did anybody with actual knowledge on the subject actually say this eight mech beginner's box was going to be sixty dollars?
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So which changed??
The Line Developer changed. Seems like more than a few previously-announced products are undergoing changes. It happens when you're under new leadership.
Did anybody with actual knowledge on the subject actually say this eight mech beginner's box was going to be sixty dollars?
No. He's jumping the gun.
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Maybe the decrease to 8 'Mechs is related to the current lawsuit reducing the selection from what had originally been intended.
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Did anybody with actual knowledge on the subject actually say this eight mech beginner's box was going to be sixty dollars?
Nope. I don't have prices yet. So I don't see why anyone here would.
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Relaying from Ray on Facebook:
Is that info on the BT page or comments on personal pages?
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Maybe the decrease to 8 'Mechs is related to the current lawsuit reducing the selection from what had originally been intended.
The last time I heard mention of a new introductory set, it was going to be two mechs, so it's actually an increase.
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He's jumping the gun.
To be fair, half the forum does that.
We might as well create a Clan Kermit
(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/644/709/d4a.gif)
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The last time I heard mention of a new introductory set, it was going to be two mechs, so it's actually an increase.
Which is what was labeled the starter box. The intro box we are used to was getting a name change away from intro box to just battletech box (or whatever the actual name is).
I don't recall during that discussion there being any plans to change the size or price of the old intro box so...
And I highly doubt the flap with HG would have anything to do with the count, that would have been locked in regardless. The only change would have been what to replace those mechs with after March, especially if the molds had not been created yet.
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Which is what was labeled the starter box. The intro box we are used to was getting a name change away from intro box to just battletech box (or whatever the actual name is).
I don't recall during that discussion there being any plans to change the size or price of the old intro box so...
Irrelevant. If the eight mech box is the new beginner's box, then by default it's an increase over the prior mention of a two mech box.
What used to be called the introductory box doesn't enter into it, and is no justification for senseless wild speculation.
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Actually yes it does. We don't know which box has 8.
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Actually yes it does. We don't know which box has 8.
Meaning there's even less reason to panic over what the eight mech box means.
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Either they increased the number of mechs in the starter box from 2 to 8 or they decreased the number from the old intro box from 24 to 8.
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Either they increased the number of mechs in the starter box from 2 to 8 or they decreased the number from the old intro box from 24 to 8.
And absent any other information, it's pointless to speculate.
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From FB discussion I know that we get 2 boxes. Beginners box with 2 minis and Game of Armored Combat Box with 8 minis (2 lances). Additional content (i.e. number and quality of maps) of these boxes and price is currently unknown. We will get 9 different mechs, 8 in GoAC Box and 1 in Beginners Box (the other mini is same as in GoAC Box). 100% of new sculpts, combination of new mechs that weren't in introbox/AS lance packs (i.e. Thunderbolt) and these that were. These information are from person that is involved in development. I am sure after/during GenCon we get some information about actual planned content of these boxes (which mechs will be in).
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From FB discussion I know that we get 2 boxes. Beginners box with 2 minis and Game of Armored Combat Box with 8 minis (2 lances). Additional content (i.e. number and quality of maps) of these boxes and price is currently unknown. We will get 9 different mechs, 8 in GoAC Box and 1 in Beginners Box (the other mini is same as in GoAC Box). 100% of new sculpts, combination of new mechs that weren't in introbox/AS lance packs (i.e. Thunderbolt) and these that were. These information are from person that is involved in development. I am sure after/during GenCon we get some information about actual planned content of these boxes (which mechs will be in).
I'd love to see a source for this information.
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I found a mention of the box but the post was hacked.. at least for the BT facebook. Didn't find anything elsewhere.
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My search has failed, but, to be optimistic, the 8 could refer to the number of new classics in the box rather than the ENTIRE contents to the box. In total there are 8 non macross classics that could be released. Locust, Thunderbolt, Goliath, Scorpion, Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Griffin, and Battlemaster. I hope this is the case rather than the old intro box getting a reduction in numbers.
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It's from this https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/permalink/1604157409657959/
No AS in these boxes
https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/permalink/1604157409657959/?comment_id=1604185759655124&reply_comment_id=1604477166292650&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D
Ok, just a bit of info: these boxes will have completely *brand new* sculpts. Some prototypes will be on display with the boxes at GenCon. Some you've seen displayed in the recent past, such as the Locust, Griffin, etc.
These aren't reboxed products, but two completely new boxes.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/permalink/1604157409657959/?comment_id=1604486742958359&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D
Two. A two-miniature BattleTech: Beginners Box Set and a two-lance BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat Box
https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/permalink/1604157409657959/?comment_id=1604686719605028&reply_comment_id=1604689722938061&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D
Regarding of minis in boxes:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/battletechinternational/permalink/1604157409657959/?comment_id=1604832472923786&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R6%22%7D
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Can't follow the links. No facebook
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So based on all that we have a confirmed Battlemaster, Thunderbolt, and Griffin. We have art for Locust, Shadow Hawk (also in metal), and Wolverine. Wonder if that will top out at least 6.
Sounds like there is no art for the Scorpion and Goliath yet. Bummer.
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Let's see, assuming as many classics as possible, without Macross 'Mechs, we got BattleMaster, Thunderbolt, Griffin, Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Locust. (I'm going to assume "no Quads because that has never happened before"). Leaves two over. New sculpts? Well, Banshee 3S is a good candidate, considering it got a new art in TROSW, and it represents a true assault 'Mech whereas the Beemer is a heavy-heavy. The second one is a bit more difficult but there is a gap between the Locust and 55-ton trio, so something light to medium weight.
That said, i do not expect "as many classics as possible", not really. More likely a more even mix of classics and non-classic introductory 'Mechs-
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Ladies and gentlemen, do not wholesale repost things from other sites, no matter how relevant. Please read and follow Rule 11.
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Information will be released when it's available. People above me in the chain of command deemed it acceptable to give a sneak peek of a sneak peek, and that's all there is. I can supplement those images with a bit of information:
BattleTech Beginner Box: 2 new sculpt minis (one unique to this box, one also found below)
BattleTech A Game of Armored Combat: 8 new sculpt minis.
I can answer some questions, but this is still in development and most answers will roll out at GenCon, when the sneak peek is actually taking place.
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Thanks Ray.
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My only question is why the change from the old format and will the lance packs continue? Too early for guesses on price other than the previously mention $20 starter.
Though I guess... How many maps will each box have? 1 Starter, 2 GoAC? Are the minis one solid piece of like the multi-part from the previous intro box?
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Wow. GenCon starts in a few days, but apparently that's not soon enough, so here's a barrage of questions that might not even have answers yet?
this is still in development and most answers will roll out at GenCon,
Does that read as somehow ambiguous? That if you keep asking questions, suddenly the development will be complete and you'll get answers?
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Indeed and as they are still in development, things can still change.
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I know tensions are high, but please throttle back some.
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We got the details we've got. I'm happy with that. I'm also happy that Oktoberfest beers have started to show up at the local grocery stores. It is entirely possible that the latter is making it easier for me to accept the former.
Anyway, I think both products sound interesting, and look forward to hearing more at GenCon. I'm guessing the beginners box will either be two mediums, or two heavies. They can be the right mix of durable, mobile, and easy to balance without being exactly the same. It would be stupid-easy to get two 50 or 55-toners that cover the three major weapon types and make one or both jump capable, and you've got all the basic rules usable with only two mechs. I would say shadow hawk and wolverine are the front runners in my mind. Heavies are marginally tougher to pick, but they add a little more durability to give folks time to learn. Heavies are tougher without the marauder and warhammer, but I think you could maybe do thunderbolt and Orion, or maybe Orion and grasshopper or dragon and QuickDraw and still cover the basics.
Those are my guesses.
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I think the move to eight freshly sculpted, sharp looking minis is great. The first speed bump I encounter with new players is "why do these look like they fell out of the 80s tree and hit every branch on the way down?". New, cool minis means new players. The second speed bump (back when the intro box was in print) was "how do I split all these 'mechs into two roughly equal forces?". Two lances in a box [might] alleviate this issue. And as far for those who are worried about cost? I'd happily pay more per model if it means getting miniatures of the quality we've seen in the new Shadow Hawk, Flea, and the prototypes of Locust, Wolverine, etc.
Put me down for four of them, please. I am all kinds of excite.
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They might be new sculpts but they (besides the classics) will probably still be using the same old tired 80s art.
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Ladies and gentlemen, do not wholesale repost things from other sites, no matter how relevant. Please read and follow Rule 11.
I apologize for my violation of Rule 11. It won't happen again.
I can answer some questions, but this is still in development and most answers will roll out at GenCon, when the sneak peek is actually taking place.
Looking forward to GenCon info from CGL BT team.
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They might be new sculpts but they (besides the classics) will probably still be using the same old tired 80s art.
Nope.
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They might be new sculpts but they (besides the classics) will probably still be using the same old tired 80s art.
Not so. The rest are getting the modernization treatment the Classics did, by Anthony Scroggins and Alex Immerzeel.
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Awesome O0
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Awesome O0
Oh, how did you guess?
;)
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Oh, how did you guess?
;)
*wails in glee like a BANSHEE* ?
(Can't blame a guy for trying)
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Oh, how did you guess?
;)
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*wails in glee like a BANSHEE* ?
(Can't blame a guy for trying)
Only if it's a REAL Banshee, not one of those stupid posers that use guns to do their fighting.
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*wails in glee like a BANSHEE* ?
(Can't blame a guy for trying)
^-^ cool. Nice try.
#P Nope. Next.
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Are all in here doomed to fail Hellbie-style, or will there emerge a Victor?
Edit: Actually, we may be making some bad assumptions. Here's a better question: Will either of these boxes incorporate any mechs that cannot be found in TRO Succession Wars?
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Nah. In fact the 3 "non-Classic" redesigns are 'Mechs already found in the previous box.
Are all in here doomed to fail Hellbie-style, or will there emerge a Victor?
Neither Victor nor Victoria.
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Not so. The rest are getting the modernization treatment the Classics did, by Anthony Scroggins and Alex Immerzeel.
[drool]
By "The rest" what do you mean? How many, and which?
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Nah. In fact the 3 "non-Classic" redesigns are 'Mechs already found in the previous box.
Neither Victor nor Victoria.
Awesome, Atlas and Grasshopper ?
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Nah. In fact the 3 "non-Classic" redesigns are 'Mechs already found in the previous box.
Are you saying that all but three of these mechs are going to be Classics, or that there will be more non-Classics, but they won't be redesigned?
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I assume that we get 6 classics and 3 "non-Classic" redesigned mechs.
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I've seen what assumptions do to this place, which is why I'm asking for clarification.
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As I understand it, There's going to be 9 mechs (non-duplicate) in the 2 boxes.
My guess:
BattleMaster
Thunderbolt
Shadow Hawk
Locust
Griffin
Wolverine
Awesome
There should probably be another light mech to offset the Locust -- Spider, Commando, Panther, or Cicada
The last one I'm guessing will be a Heavy so we'd have 2 Assaults, 2 Heavies, 3 Mediums and 2 Lights
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My kingdom, then for the Orion.
Mmmmm, 75-ton purple onion of doom... [drool]
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I assume that we get 6 classics and 3 "non-Classic" redesigned mechs.
Correct.
There should probably be another light mech to offset the Locust
Correct.
The last one I'm guessing will be a Heavy so we'd have 2 Assaults, 2 Heavies, 3 Mediums and 2 Lights
Correct.
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...we get 6 classics and 3 "non-Classic" redesigned mechs...
Correct.
(https://31.media.tumblr.com/f96f1e39fc8bca5fb0dcf2aa5d97d84f/tumblr_inline_nvez6bFaDo1tr68ji_500.gif)
(http://38.media.tumblr.com/7dff1eb4d03ea71006cd9b8132aa5157/tumblr_mhr9gayllQ1s45dzzo1_400.gif)
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Not so. The rest are getting the modernization treatment the Classics did, by Anthony Scroggins and Alex Immerzeel.
[drool] [drool] [drool] [drool] [drool] [drool]
Never, NEVER let Scroggins go if at all possible. His stuff is the best line art and mech design I've seen in Battletech in years! O0
If we get to enter in nominations -- can he do a proper redesign to the original Stalker? That thing was all kinds of goofy...
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If we get to enter in nominations -- can he do a proper redesign to the original Stalker? That thing was all kinds of goofy...
I believe the Stalker II in 3145 is his reimagined Stalker... :)
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The awesome is in terrible need of some Mech Growth Hormone
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Never, NEVER let Scroggins go if at all possible. His stuff is the best line art and mech design I've seen in Battletech in years! O0
*Ahem* Me and my David White fetish would like to have a word with you...but yes, he does do top-tier work, and I am glad to hear he is part of this process.
Anyway, since we are guessing, here is my stab at the mechs:
Battle Box:
BattleMaster
Awesome
Thunderbolt
Orion
Wolverine
Hunchback
Locust
Spider
Intro Box:
Shadow Hawk
Wolverine
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Awesome, Locust, and Wolverine. Griffin, Battlemaster, and Thunderbolt. One Heavy and one Light unmentioned so far.
I dunno about your guys, but if they end up being Commando and Orion, that'd match two factions on the boxes.
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I really want to be excited but I will wait until I see product in hand. I am hoping, very much hoping!
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Must we Enforce the will of the people or will CGL be Vindicated?
But.. since Adrian spoke of 6+3 here is my quess.
GoAC 8 mechs, 2 assault, 2 heavy, 2 medium, 2 light
Assault
Awesome
Battlemaster
Heavy
? Possibly the Grasshopper since it was the star of the new anthology
Thunderbolt
Medium
2 of the three
Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Griffin
Light
Locust
?
Starter Box
Medium
1 of 3, not used in other box
Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Griffin
? Best guess, something of comparable BV/PV or armament used in other box. Probably Wolverine and Shadow Hawk
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CAN A MAN DO anything for a hint around here?
Dak
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CAN A MAN DO anything for a hint around here?
Dak
GUYS I HAVE AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT THE MYSTERY LIGHT IS
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Does it involve a walking trash can? :P
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Must we Enforce the will of the people or will CGL be Vindicated?
This conversation is all over the Atlas.
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Well.. we can't exactly start a Crusader over this sadly... So were must wait for the Mercury to rise and see what happens when the fog clears.
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Does it involve a walking trash can? :P
If we are lucky
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I hope it's not a Grasshopper. Grasshoppers are supposed to be rare come the 3030s, but I've already got a million of them and don't particularly like them in the first place.
Orions, on the other hand, are awesome and having a not-shitty plastic sculpt of it would be amazing. It's also on the cover of the book that is the cover of the box, so... ;)
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I would prefer a new Orion myself as I like the mech, but both ideas are sound based on box and book. We could both be wrong though.. Could be a new Quickdraw. The Quickdraw really needs a new look as I like it as well for heavy strike lances or cavalry lances. The art and mini for it... not so much. The Grasshopper looks ok but could also use a little TLC.
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I hope it's not a Grasshopper. Grasshoppers are supposed to be rare come the 3030s, but I've already got a million of them and don't particularly like them in the first place.
Orions, on the other hand, are awesome and having a not-shitty plastic sculpt of it would be amazing. It's also on the cover of the book that is the cover of the box, so... ;)
The "Come At Me Bro" ON1-K is a work of art.
Also, yes, new Orion pls
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I would prefer a new Orion myself as I like the mech, but both ideas are sound based on box and book. We could both be wrong though.. Could be a new Quickdraw. The Quickdraw really needs a new look as I like it as well for heavy strike lances or cavalry lances. The art and mini for it... not so much. The Grasshopper looks ok but could also use a little TLC.
A collection of Grasshopper short stories is going to catch and hold the public eye of BattleTech's player base for significantly less time than a 'Mech that is literally on the cover of the box. Granted, that box could be a mock up placeholder, but we have this magnificent new Orion art right there and it'd be a terrible shame to not get a bitchin' new mini out of it.
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A collection of Grasshopper short stories is going to catch and hold the public eye of BattleTech's player base for significantly less time than a 'Mech that is literally on the cover of the box. Granted, that box could be a mock up placeholder, but we have this magnificent new Orion art right there and it'd be a terrible shame to not get a bitchin' new mini out of it.
Why not both?
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Because there are only two Heavies in the box, and the other is the Thunderbolt.
And you can try to take that Thunderbolt when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands.
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And you can try to take that Thunderbolt when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands.
(http://d15yciz5bluc83.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/E-CAT35236-BattleTech-Second-Succession-War_1024x1024-788x1024.jpg?x64300)
and I'm going to paint it like this. and get the decal from Fighting Piranha. and make it look super pretty.
It's my sacred duty as the only known 1stFWG fan.
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Scotty I will take all the donations of all of your Grasshoppers: love the buggers .
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These box sets interest me. For the first time in roughly a year, I feel some enthusiasm for this game. Being able to point new players to one simple purchase they need to get started is a great thing. There will be new sculpts of minis? Great, I look forward to finding out which ones in due time. What I'm really hoping for are maps. 3D terrain is great but I'm not great at making it, haven't got a huge budget to purchase it, and don't want the hassle of transporting it. A few good maps would be a huge aid for the average game. Forget what I would do for a Klondike Bar, ask what I would do to get good quality maps back in production...
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Scotty I will take all the donations of all of your Grasshoppers: love the buggers .
I have to agree. My brother routinely kicked my mech butt with those darn things back in the day, and I learned to respect the hell out of them. Would love to see it resculpted and "beefed" up a bit.
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I understand why some forumite are disapponted that we may not have a Battletech Introductory Box Set with 24 minis and cardboard maps.
However, I am excited that it will be replaced by two box sets which should be priced very competitively to introduce potential new players to Battletech. Also remember that when the Battletech Introductory Box Set with 24 minis was release we did not have Lance Packs, so effectively we now have much more than what we had in the past and the ability to better pick and choose what we would like to purchase, assuming that most of us existing BT players are interested in the box set(s) for the value for money minis.
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Does it involve a walking trash can? :P
I certainly hope not
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I certainly hope not
Man, I kinda wish it did. If I had limitless funds, I'd pay catalyst good money to develop and release an all urbie boxed set. :D
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All it takes is a single small mold to make your dreams come true :P
Though I have worked in an injection mold plant I haven't seen molds being made even though the place I worked did it onsite.. I think it would be possible to make a mold with interchangeable plates. Done this way the possibilities for a variety of unique boxes is infinite. I would be just as happy seeing a reinforcements box with 24 of the 6 new classics. I am sure there are plenty of people on the forum who need vast quantities of the new classics to flesh out their armies ;D
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here's another little tidbit, all of the mechs in these boxsets with the exception of one have been sculpted by yours truly :)
and all the mechs have been redesigned by Anthony scroggins :)
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here's another little tidbit, all of the mechs in these boxsets with the exception of one have been sculpted by yours truly :)
and all the mechs have been redesigned by Anthony scroggins :)
Do you want a mob with torches and pitchforks at the door? Because that is how you get a mob with torches and pitchforks at the door!
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Do you want a mob with torches and pitchforks at the door? Because that is how you get a mob with torches and pitchforks at the door!
i aint afraid of no mobs :D
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i aint afraid of no mobs :D
Who you gonna call? (http://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Filter?Name=Mechbuster)
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You can do it! Cut his ******* head off!
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here's another little tidbit, all of the mechs in these boxsets with the exception of one have been sculpted by yours truly :)
and all the mechs have been redesigned by Anthony scroggins :)
Single piece or multi part?
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Single piece or multi part?
cant talk about that :P
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I think he meant in terms of whether you're okay with the mob dismembering you or not. ;)
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Boooo. :<
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here's another little tidbit, all of the mechs in these boxsets with the exception of one have been sculpted by yours truly :)
and all the mechs have been redesigned by Anthony scroggins :)
[drool]
Just take my money. Now.
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Man, I kinda wish it did. If I had limitless funds, I'd pay catalyst good money to develop and release an all urbie boxed set. :D
Just hot-glue R2D2 legs to bocce balls, and you should be fine ;D
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It's a beginner set mockup with minis.
https://instagram.com/p/BX5XgTAgCkD/
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Right to left: Griffin, Can't Tell, Battlemaster, Thunderbolt, Locust?
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My money would be on Wolverine.
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Farthest right looks like Wolverine, then to the left a Griffin. GRF's got the round missile rack on the same side, plus a gun mounted on top of the hand. WVR has the gun mounted to the outside of the hand, which doesn't seem to be the case for the left of those two. Plus, WVR vs GRF is a pretty solid match; you've got long range vs close range with very similar performance. Griffin on the box cover, right?
On the left, it looks like two Thuds - those are drum launchers to my eyes, and a really big left shoulder shield fits the Thunderbolt. I don't see a large cockpit in comparison to the missile launcher, so I'll say that Locust is in deep hoohah if it's running away for good reason.
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Better pics have been posted up on Facebook
Box Set - Locust, Commando, Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt, Catapult, BattleMaster and Awesome.
A new piece of fiction by William H. Keith
Beginner Set - Griffin Wolverine.
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And it looks like a paper map, wonder if its a new one or one of the older ones.
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Better pics have been posted up on Facebook
Box Set - Locust, Commando, Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt, Catapult, BattleMaster and Awesome.
A new piece of fiction by William H. Keith
Beginner Set - Griffin Wolverine.
yes, yes, yes. We know the new sculpts for the Box Set are awesome, but what's the 8th 'Mech in it? ;)
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Is it the Locust or Wolverine that isn't wearing underwear?
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Posting the pictures here for easier reference.
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20842196_10154826523403148_7557973044606136918_n.jpg?oh=16315b20daedd2f69341ae3188455e2a&oe=5A32934E)
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20882312_10154826523408148_246132074891514503_n.jpg?oh=d603096ba6a2394561a9c870b3fd00cd&oe=5A33F20F)
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20882871_10154826523413148_3267857742812942471_n.jpg?oh=732992e24edde667c5b18f715c3b007b&oe=5A393CC6)
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20952998_10154826523423148_2941853514467820648_n.jpg?oh=63957f44813510259a123c3a4311824e&oe=5A356811)
(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20882068_10154826523503148_5346927818551245611_n.jpg?oh=a64467def880a235c60ba6b1ad78ba99&oe=5A3030AD)
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Those... are new maps...
Unless they are classic maps redesigned with a newer aesthetic. I'll take either.
[drool]
Also, I want that Thud. I want that Griffin. I want that Beemer. I'll... accept that Locust and Wolverweenie.
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Is it just me, or are the weapon placements on the Wolverine mini inverted?
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Now *those* miniatures have character! Great poses, eminently paintable.
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Is it just me, or are the weapon placements on the Wolverine mini inverted?
Correct. SENTINEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!
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Correct. SENTINEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!
Thats the one mech i didnt sculpt :P
The rest are mine though :P
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Thats the one mech i didnt sculpt :P
Well Gibbs-slap that modeler and make sure it's fixed before the production run starts.
I want my Classic Wolverine done right!
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I would imagine these are prototypes and 3D printed, right? If so, is it possible the printer program inverted one axis of the 'Mech?
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Its the rare lefty wolverine variant.
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When do we get to see the new Catapult, Commando, and Awesome?
Still too soon to show off your work Sentinel?? :'(
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Well in the old plastic unseen set the Shadow Hawk had the med laser on the wrong arm too, I guess that just how you make a classic a classic!
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When do we get to see the new Catapult, Commando, and Awesome?
Still too soon to show off your work Sentinel?? :'(
I havent started on the Commando yet, and the Awesome isn't even redesigned yet. but the commando's new design is pretty cool :)
As for the Catapult and Shadowhawk (this is a different model than the one ironwind made) this will be revealed sooner than you might think :P stay tuned
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Well Gibbs-slap that modeler and make sure it's fixed before the production run starts.
I want my Classic Wolverine done right!
Remember, a mini with an alternative setup is a good excuse for a new variant.
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Remember, a mini with an alternative setup is a good excuse for a new variant.
Logistically and stylistically nonsensical variant.
While a handedness conversion makes some sense for customized 'Mechs, as mass-produced version it makes little sense due to logistics involved. (MechWarrior handedness mattering seems a bit far-fetched really, considering neurohelmet is mostly for balance and computer does all heavy lifting when it comes to aiming.)
So, i really hope that is just a prototype thing and not a thing for the final version.
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Lighten up guys, it's just a misprint.
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No surprise.
I do wonder how a miniature can be misprinted so that it is mirrored? Though i guess the answer will remove all mystery...
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No surprise.
I do wonder how a miniature can be misprinted so that it is mirrored? Though i guess the answer will remove all mystery...
somebody may have put a - infront of the X scale value. that inverses the model. tadaaa mystery solved. litterally a 2 second fix in any 3d application.
the final one will be correct dont you guys worry :P
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Hi everyone - we've just updated the sneak peek post on the main FB page to round up the available details about the new box sets. Here's the post in its entirety for those not on FB, and for your quoting pleasure:
*Update!* You've seen the sneak peek photos from Gen Con below, now here are the details we can share so far about the two new box sets for BattleTech that are on their way in 2018.
The Beginner Box Set will include two miniatures, the Griffin and the Wolverine. The Game of Armored Combat box set will include eight miniatures: a Locust, Commando, Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Catapult, Thunderbolt, Awesome, and BattleMaster. All minis will have entirely new sculpts!
(We're aware the Wolverine was misprinted. These are prototypes, and this is why--it will be fixed for full release. Those responsible have been invited to enjoy a stay at their local Word of Blake facility.)
The boxes are mock-ups only, and the details shown on them are *not* final. The contents list on the back of the box remains in development; as a result, the price point of each box has not been finalized.
The maps shown in the photos are likewise not final, and will receive further development. The rules presented are based on those in the recently-released BattleMech Manual in both form and function.
At the moment, the best release date we can offer is 2018--that's broad, but there's a lot of work going into these products, and we hope to share more of it soon!
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Of course.Of all things, of course it is just a minus symbol. How mundane. [blank]
I did say all the mystery would be gone...
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Lighten up guys, it's just a misprint.
I am left handed, existing in a world of righties causes problems at times- especially when that hot brass comes flying across your face, maybe to go down the collar to lodge under the body armor. So to safely dispose of the left handed Wolverine, you can send it to me after GenCon. I would not want some rightie to be burdened by trying to figure out how to use a mech that has the main weapon on the left arm rather than the right.
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Wait, does this mean we're finally getting new maps? Or is it just new maps for the box sets?
Adrian, please tell me we're getting new maps? If you do I'll buy you a keg (well...maybe a beer if you're ever in the KC area...)!
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I'd love new maps.
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The money in my safe is crying, because it knows what's going to happen to it.
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Lighten up guys, it's just a misprint.
NO! PERFECTION! GET EVERYTHING RIGHT! BUILD ME A HOUSE! BAKE ME COOKIES!
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The Beginner Box Set will include two miniatures, the Griffin and the Wolverine. The Game of Armored Combat box set will include eight miniatures: a Locust, Commando, Wolverine, Shadow Hawk, Catapult, Thunderbolt, Awesome, and BattleMaster. All minis will have entirely new sculpts!
*snip*
At the moment, the best release date we can offer is 2018--that's broad, but there's a lot of work going into these products, and we hope to share more of it soon!
I'd like a metric ton, please. [drool]
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I am left handed, existing in a world of righties causes problems at times- especially when that hot brass comes flying across your face, maybe to go down the collar to lodge under the body armor. So to safely dispose of the left handed Wolverine, you can send it to me after GenCon. I would not want some rightie to be burdened by trying to figure out how to use a mech that has the main weapon on the left arm rather than the right.
As a fellow sinister, I feel your pain. I wonder how hard it will be to mod the Griffin to have the PPC on the left arm?
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I am left handed, existing in a world of righties causes problems at times- especially when that hot brass comes flying across your face, maybe to go down the collar to lodge under the body armor.
Surely in the future the weapons manufacturers have figured out how to have hot brass eject forward so handedness isn't an issue. Or ejects backwards directly into the soldier's face and assigned them goggles to protect their eyes, and upsets everyone equally.
Oh! That's why the original Banshee had those shades! They were eye protection for the pilot!
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Thats the one mech i didnt sculpt :P
The rest are mine though :P
Who did do the sculpting? I thought you did them all! (As you well know, awesome work as always).
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The design and posing of the new plastics look absolutely spectacular so far. I think that offering eight of these beauties will do a lot more to attract new players than 24 of the, uh... venerable models previously used. It's disappointing that it will take ~another year to get a new box set out, but the time taken to update and improve the product will pay off, IMHO.
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I really liked that TRO:3055 mentioned there's a Nightsky that swaps the arms for the hatchet and large pulse laser. And that there's now a record sheet of that variant too.
(another leftie here)
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I havent started on the Commando yet, and the Awesome isn't even redesigned yet. but the commando's new design is pretty cool :)
As for the Catapult and Shadowhawk (this is a different model than the one ironwind made) this will be revealed sooner than you might think :P stay tuned
WHy are we redesigning non-unseen mechs?
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Because they need a facelift? Some of the older designs are REALLY showing their age.
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Who did do the sculpting? I thought you did them all! (As you well know, awesome work as always).
Florian, AKA SpOoKy777
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WHy are we redesigning non-unseen mechs?
because the original designs have aged very badly and were in need of an update.
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Well... I'd argue that there are some other designs that are in much more need of a resculpt than these... (Stalker, Dervish, Dragon, JagerMech to name a few)
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Well... I'd argue that there are some other designs that are in much more need of a resculpt than these... (Stalker, Dervish, Dragon, JagerMech to name a few)
I only sculpt the mini's I don't get to pick which are up on the chopping block.
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WHy are we redesigning non-unseen mechs?
Because one of the most common criticisms of BattleTech is that the minis look bad/are horribly outdated?
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Are they being redesigned? Or just resculpted?
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I am curious to see good picture of the various dice and the poker chips. Can't/didn't go to Gencon. Minis look good, even with the Wolverine's jumble.
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Are they being redesigned? Or just resculpted?
They are being both redesigned and that new design is then sculpted.
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Are they being redesigned? Or just resculpted?
Ray said new art by Anthony Scroggins and Alex Immerzeel will be used as the baseline for the new sculpts
I am curious to see good picture of the various dice and the poker chips. Can't/didn't go to Gencon. Minis look good, even with the Wolverine's jumble.
There are photos on the CGL website
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/08/12/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/
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Redesigned by myself, because like others have said, the original designs are not aging so well, and if you'd like new players to keep joining your game, you need good minis.
The old sculpts would look horribly out of place alongside the newseen.
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I love the new Locust figure. Especially the cooling jackets on the machine guns. Hope that makes it to the final production.
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Oh I've had no issues with the 'Classic' revamp of the Locust either. And the mini for the GoAC box is very nice as well...
I wonder when IWM gets around to doing it that other arm weapon mounts'll be available. I have a 4 x Sm Laser & 1 x Med Laser variant I want to have a mini for.
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I am a fan of the new aesthetic. However, I wish there was some better way to keep scale the same. That Locust looks like a 35 tonner out there
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I am a fan of the new aesthetic. However, I wish there was some better way to keep scale the same. That Locust looks like a 35 tonner out there
Along those lines, I'm curious how the size between the three Wolverines are (Primitive, Nuseen, Wolverine II) stack up
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I would prefer a 'plain' base as opposed to a sculpted base, but at the end of the day, that is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo far down my list of criticisms.
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The Locust is too large. Half of the prototype locusts we received were printed too large, and one of the large ones was primed. (And even still, behind the scenes, for nearly 15 years there has been a struggle between "let's keep this in scale" and "no, LARGER!")
Those are not production basis. The *prototype* models are not based. These were based and likely gravel added before priming because standard hollow bases were used. I'm not sure.
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Ah cool. Good to know on the bases issue.
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Along those lines, I'm curious how the size between the three Wolverines are (Primitive, Nuseen, Wolverine II) stack up
When they release the Classic I can tell you . . . I have two Prims coming my way, one will become the -7M, the other will stand in for -3R, -6R and -7D, etc.
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The Locust is too large. Half of the prototype locusts we received were printed too large, and one of the large ones was primed. (And even still, behind the scenes, for nearly 15 years there has been a struggle between "let's keep this in scale" and "no, LARGER!")
Those are not production basis. The *prototype* models are not based. These were based and likely gravel added before priming because standard hollow bases were used. I'm not sure.
Prototypes? We have rules for that!
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When they release the Classic I can tell you . . . I have two Prims coming my way, one will become the -7M, the other will stand in for -3R, -6R and -7D, etc.
Look forward to it. I'm saving my store credit for when I have cash to go with to make a bigger purchase.
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Ray said new art by Anthony Scroggins and Alex Immerzeel will be used as the baseline for the new sculpts
There are photos on the CGL website
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/08/12/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/
The one photo for each that I could find were okay but mostly disappointing since can't even see faction symbols on all the dice.
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What I would like to see:
Jenner Legacy Anthology
I have imagined that the Jenner to Jenner IIC mystery, might have been caused by a Jenner that has made the journey to the Clan HW and lead to the Jenner IIC.
Suggestion: DC warrior -> Pirate -> Hanseatic League -> Pirate -> Nueva Castile -> Dark Caste -> Clans -> Jenner IIC development
It could offer a lot of interesting perspectives.
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What I would like to see:
Jenner Legacy Anthology
I have imagined that the Jenner to Jenner IIC mystery, might have been caused by a Jenner that has made the journey to the Clan HW and lead to the Jenner IIC.
Suggestion: DC warrior -> Pirate -> Hanseatic League -> Pirate -> Nueva Castile -> Dark Caste -> Clans -> Jenner IIC development
It could offer a lot of interesting perspectives.
More likely the Jenner made it to the Home World via Kerensky's great Emmigration
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More likely the Jenner made it to the Home World via Kerensky's great Emmigration
That is possible, but tight in time and not such an interesting story.
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That is possible, but tight in time and not such an interesting story.
Quite possibly, but attributing Occam's Razor, more likely the correct one.
But certainly not the more interesting one.
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Because one of the most common criticisms of BattleTech is that the minis look bad/are horribly outdated?
I'll call an audible here; I have no sense of aesthetics. I blame the autism. So, I simply don't see it.
And, "Most common"? I doubt that. I have literally never heard anyone off the MWO or BTPC communities complain that what we need is a stop-drop on the introtech mechs and to redo the canon art for them.
But frankly that's like saying that the M4 Sherman has aged badly and is out-dated and therefor all future depictions of Sherman Tanks going forward need to be re-designed to have broader appeal. In-universe it makes almost no-sense why this would be done and with the Commando's almost proprietary production, it makes no sense why it should vary in appearance due to local methods. And don't point out the M51 to me; you aren't talking about some crazy, updated version of the basic design, are you? We're talking about re-imagining the most common mechs in the game with new art, to be accompanied inevitably by yet another new technical readout depicting the re-imagined art, creating the impression that all the re-designed mechs look like this and always have, right? Am I warm?
Seems like effort better spent on units we don't already have a minis of, to me. But whatever, awesome for the artist to have the work, they clearly do a great job; the NuSeens look great, but next to them, I think the resculpt Commando looks fine. I'll just pray it looks as much like a Commando as possible and nothing like the MWO/BTPC Commando. Frankly, I thought the AS lancepack minis were and are great and I just wish they were more broadly available; say like individually; in an online lance and company-ordering system.
But, hey; whatever. Redo the art all you like. It will still act like a Commando on the map, so whatever.
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And, "Most common"? I doubt that. I have literally never heard anyone off the MWO or BTPC communities complain that what we need is a stop-drop on the introtech mechs and to redo the canon art for them.
From minis games players it's definitely a common complaint. I see it all the time on games forums, and hear it in person in games shops and at cons. And when I'm demoing BattleTech pretty much everyone prefers the newer mini designs to the older ones. So the flagship product absolutely should reflect the aesthetic that the public seems to prefer.
But frankly that's like saying that the M4 Sherman has aged badly and is out-dated and therefor all future depictions of Sherman Tanks going forward need to be re-designed to have broader appeal.
I'd see it more like if there was a hypothethical Star Trek TV series coming out set around 10 years before TOS, and the producers decided to go with a modern aesthetic instead of slavishly aping the look of a 50-year old TV show.
Seems like effort better spent on units we don't already have a minis of, to me.
Given that CGL are doing the plastic minis, it almost certainly won't effect IWM's release schedule.
But, hey; whatever. Redo the art all you like. It will still act like a Commando on the map, so whatever.
And that's the thing at the end of the day, if we have a box set that appeals more to new players, and the record sheet remains the same, it's a win-win situation.
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Quite possibly, but attributing Occam's Razor, more likely the correct one.
Occam's Razor is not really applicable here, quoting 3039: "The design was one of the first to be developed and produced after Kerensky’s exodus"
But certainly not the more interesting one.
How so?
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I find it more likely that a Jenner IIC based on exodus design would be based on the JR7-A, which debuted five years before the Op Exodus. It is possible that a prototype or first-run model of the -D or -F that appeared basically at the moment of departure, but literally would have been handed off by friends at LAW or sympathetic DCMS logistics officers as the fleet pulled out of town.
Still, any of those scenarios are certainly possible
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I'll call an audible here; I have no sense of aesthetics. I blame the autism. So, I simply don't see it.
And, "Most common"? I doubt that. I have literally never heard anyone off the MWO or BTPC communities complain that what we need is a stop-drop on the introtech mechs and to redo the canon art for them.
For me this is definetly true. I grew up with the videogames and the tv show. but I would not be working on battletech today if it wasen't for MWO's improved mech designs.
And i definetly would refuse to work for battletech if i had to "sculpt" those terrible 1980's designs. but i'm glad that some of my favorites are getting a modernized redesign.
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Occam's Razor is not really applicable here, quoting 3039: "The design was one of the first to be developed and produced after Kerensky’s exodus"
How so?
As stated, the JR7-F appeared a full 5 years before the exodus, so blueprints etc would be feasible.
As to the more interesting, that was your scenario that would be more interesting.
Think of all the 'based upon a real incident' type movies. They could do their utmost to recreate what really happened, or make it way more interesting.
The example I always use when I talk with friends, is I could make a movie based on one of my average days.
In the First iteration, the movie would follow the basic plot of:
Main Actor to portray me is some 'blah' actor, pudgy, slightly overweight, and the personality of day old porridge.
I wake Up
I drive to work
I sit at a desk all day doing mundane tasks
I drive Home
I have dinner
I go to sleep
In the second iteration, the plot would be:
Main Actor is Daniel Craig, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, etc
I get up
I drive to work, and on the way there, meet a women who drags me into the internal world of Espionage
Many gunfights, car chases, etc occur
World Ruin is avoided, the mystery woman and I kiss, and part ways, with longing glances at each other
I make my way and collaps into bed extremely exhausted, but saddened that my life returns to normal the next mornign
Just as I'm falling asleep, the mystery woman re-appears just in time to drag me from my home as it explodes.
WHAT NOW!
Credits roll
Now, the second instance is waaaay more exciting, and I can honestly say, It is based on a real incident, of course, the real incident is the boring me getting up and going to work. the rest, exciting filler.
But which would be the more exciting one to read about/see a movie about?
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As stated, the JR7-F appeared a full 5 years before the exodus, so blueprints etc would be feasible.
Jenner JR7-A (as referred by Sartris) = 2778 And it immediately went extinct. This makes me think of a prototype.
Jenner JR7-F = 2784 This is the same year as the exodus and considering the text it likely happened in the months afterwards.
As to the more interesting, that was your scenario that would be more interesting.
Think of all the 'based upon a real incident' type movies. They could do their utmost to recreate what really happened, or make it way more interesting.
The example I always use when I talk with friends, is I could make a movie based on one of my average days.
In the First iteration, the movie would follow the basic plot of:
Main Actor to portray me is some 'blah' actor, pudgy, slightly overweight, and the personality of day old porridge.
I wake Up
I drive to work
I sit at a desk all day doing mundane tasks
I drive Home
I have dinner
I go to sleep
In the second iteration, the plot would be:
Main Actor is Daniel Craig, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, etc
I get up
I drive to work, and on the way there, meet a women who drags me into the internal world of Espionage
Many gunfights, car chases, etc occur
World Ruin is avoided, the mystery woman and I kiss, and part ways, with longing glances at each other
I make my way and collaps into bed extremely exhausted, but saddened that my life returns to normal the next mornign
Just as I'm falling asleep, the mystery woman re-appears just in time to drag me from my home as it explodes.
WHAT NOW!
Credits roll
Now, the second instance is waaaay more exciting, and I can honestly say, It is based on a real incident, of course, the real incident is the boring me getting up and going to work. the rest, exciting filler.
But which would be the more exciting one to read about/see a movie about?
Sorry, I have no idea what you are trying to communicate here.
But to clarify myself, I think it would be interesting to see all those rare perspectives (Hanseatic League, Nueva Castile, Dark Caste).
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Jenner JR7-A (as referred by Sartris) = 2778 And it immediately went extinct. This makes me think of a prototype.
Jenner JR7-F = 2784 This is the same year as the exodus and considering the text it likely happened in the months afterwards.
Curiously, the Jenner IIC 2 resembles the JR7-A more than the F. And the Jenner IIC standard is quite different from JR7-F as the Spheroid Jenners are laser boats primarily (JR7-D sports the SRM for additional firepower but it is not its primary weapon).
I think the Exodus fleet took only JR7-As with them. Evidently, the Jenner wasn't popular early on among the Clans, for it took very long to produce a IIC version.
What prompted the Nova Cats to produce the Jenner in 3040s is unknown (i make assumption that the Nova Cats introduced it because they introduced all the variants, usually the heaviest user of the primary is the one to introduce variants).
Perhaps they needed something for their second-line units, dusted off some old plans and figured the Jenner would work with some adjustments, probably based on the combat data from Operation Klondike, though evidently the original model had some merit and led to Jenner IIC 2.
Perhaps Wolf's Dragoons reported the Jenner's use to the Clans, if so this might have influenced the Nova Cats to introduce the 'Mech reworked with Clan-tech, along with need for it.
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Sorry, I have no idea what you are trying to communicate here.
But to clarify myself, I think it would be interesting to see all those rare perspectives (Hanseatic League, Nueva Castile, Dark Caste).
What I am trying to say is:
Occam's razor (or Ockham's razor) is a principle from philosophy. Suppose there exist two explanations for an occurrence. In this case the simpler one is usually better. Another way of saying it is that the more assumptions you have to make, the more unlikely an explanation is.
Ergo, in the case of the Jenner, you stated:
Jenner Legacy Anthology
I have imagined that the Jenner to Jenner IIC mystery, might have been caused by a Jenner that has made the journey to the Clan HW and lead to the Jenner IIC.
Suggestion: DC warrior -> Pirate -> Hanseatic League -> Pirate -> Nueva Castile -> Dark Caste -> Clans -> Jenner IIC development
And I stated, More likely was taken with Kerensky's Excodus.
Now, under Occam's Razor, mine is simplistic, and likely the correct interpretation.
I THEN SAID:
But certainly not the more interesting one.
In other words, I was AGREEING with you. Yours would be the more interesting one to read, hence my Movie Example.
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Jenner JR7-A (as referred by Sartris) = 2778 And it immediately went extinct. This makes me think of a prototype.
Jenner JR7-F = 2784 This is the same year as the exodus and considering the text it likely happened in the months afterwards.
Sorry, I mispoke when I said the JR7-F (what with it being so common)
I'd be more inclined to think the JR7-A was not a prototype, but rather the Jenner Mech Kerensky and Company took on the Exodus, and the reason it's listed as being Extinct for the early succession War (2781-2900) is likely not because it went extinct on January 1, 2781, but rather the designs etc were removed from the Innersphere.
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JR7-A is a prototype per TRO3025. It speaks of the original Jenner as having "turret"-mounted large laser and twin medium lasers. Now, the text was a bit unclear as designations go, referring JR7-F as the original later on while noting it has four medium lasers.
Evidently the -A model was created later IRL to represent the actual prototype.
I would assume some prototypes were retained by Kuritans, but were either scrapped, upgraded to -Fs or destroyed in Succession Wars.
The -A's lineage is evident in Jenner IIC 2, i think.
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blueprints etc would be feasible.
this probably makes the most sense. if the -A was a prototype and the -F was only just entering production, it would seem far more likely that plans might be passed along than a working copy, especially since the blueprints probably existed for some time before production and might have even included specifications for variants that were never produced (like an all-SRM endeavor).
A blueprint-only scenario might also explain the strange intro date, the plans found in a forgotten, dusty warehouse on a noteputer or the like. The Jenner IIC is the only IIC base model produced after 2900 and before the invasion. It's also the only model of the IICs that wasn't a common sight in SLDF forces for decades or centuries (excepting the Commando, but I'm sure by the late 2700s enough were in service with Kerensky's forces). I don't remember ever seeing an explanation of why it took so long to appear.
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For me this is definetly true. I grew up with the videogames and the tv show. but I would not be working on battletech today if it wasen't for MWO's improved mech designs.
And i definetly would refuse to work for battletech if i had to "sculpt" those terrible 1980's designs. but i'm glad that some of my favorites are getting a modernized redesign.
To get back on track . . . like I said, the Cataphract to me is the one that looks off since it has a lot of curved armor while most mechs we have no go with a faceted series of flat panels. I can understand the statement that the Awesome, Catapult and Commando are all old art. I do not think they are bad, but I will wait to see what is done with those minis.
I also think some of the disagreement with this mirrors the discussion over the Combat Manuals going once again to the past (is this the 3rd or 4th time we got SBs for 3050?) instead of progressing to the future. I regret we are not getting a more combined arms approach in a box using 'Armored Combat' rather than a game of mech combat . . . and besides not getting armor & BA we are not even getting Clan Mechs.
I understand its a new team, but the constant teasing of a Clan product being available if Clan players will just get this 3050 IS revisit product! has gotten a bit old. Feels like Lucy holding that football out there one more time for Chuck . . .
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I hope either TRO: Irregular Tech or Golden Century will be able to come out this year.
Succession Wars wasn't something i was looking for as far TRO goes.
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The Locust is too large. Half of the prototype locusts we received were printed too large, and one of the large ones was primed. (And even still, behind the scenes, for nearly 15 years there has been a struggle between "let's keep this in scale" and "no, LARGER!")
I could swear it's been longer than 15 years. ;)
Are you looking at the boxed set minis being pre-assembled? If not, how many parts per mini are you trying to get in there? Also, will there be an in-universe reasoning for the updated look? (Something to go with the time jump perhaps?)
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I also think some of the disagreement with this mirrors the discussion over the Combat Manuals going once again to the past (is this the 3rd or 4th time we got SBs for 3050?) instead of progressing to the future. I regret we are not getting a more combined arms approach in a box using 'Armored Combat' rather than a game of mech combat . . . and besides not getting armor & BA we are not even getting Clan Mechs.
I understand its a new team, but the constant teasing of a Clan product being available if Clan players will just get this 3050 IS revisit product! has gotten a bit old. Feels like Lucy holding that football out there one more time for Chuck . . .
to say nothing of the fact that the original run of the game spent 20 Year Update to Twlight of the Clans (1989-1998) in the 3050s.
The Combat Manual series struck me as a partial soft reboot that tried to capture the sudden popularity of Alpha Strike. In 2013, we got TRO and ER 3145, and then most of the print support went to AS and the Clan Invasion. After Wars of the Republic Era in 2014, it was all AS manuals, CMs, and lance packs for the better part of two years (with the exception of the wayward HB: Kurita and TRO 3150, a collection of already-existing units).
The BMM seems like another adjustment to the formula (back to a more mech-focused game), but at least this time it has us covered into the present with most of the gear to play in the Dark Ages. The voices from the 3250 future in the last couple publications at least point back in the right direction. Hopefully, ilClan will show up sooner rather than later.
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Also, will there be an in-universe reasoning for the updated look? (Something to go with the time jump perhaps?)
We'll probably no more in-universe explanation than the one TPTB gave for the Classics which is "this is how they always looked. All indications to the contrary are false rumors. Spreading rumors is treason. This information is also Ultraviolet Clearance. And rumors. Please go to the nearest Happy Happy Fun Zone Execution Booth, Citizen. Have a nice day. Trust the Computer."
And let's face it, the art has been all over the place as far as representing what the 'mechs look like (for instance -- does the Dragon have a articulated hand or not?), so as fanon, just say that they came from a different factory or were an updated batch of 'mechs (or if you REALLY like the new designs, were how the original Star-League spec machines looked O0)
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Does anyone know what's available at gencon?
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There is a entire topic dedicated to Gencon
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58343.0
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How was the con, did anything find out further info on stuff coming out?
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Besides minimum 6 months on the box sets?
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I've split the Catapult discussion out from a point on the 19th and put it into another part of the forums. That discussion is over in this thread, ladies and gentlemen.
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I am talking about new products coming out.
Was there any further discussion of new products coming out? The Brent was going answer questions afterwords. Did anyone remember anything he mentioned?
- IlClan being revamped (still keeping what was written) into maybe different kind of sourcebook vs the hybrid one mentioned in the past.
- Combat Manuals are KO, until another way to sell the series comes up.
- IlClan stuff maybe in full next year by Gencon (per youtube video).
Aside from that, there wasn't alot stuff out.
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You forgot the new book, Legacy.
They also briefly mentioned other novels though only in passing.
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You forgot the new book, Legacy.
They also briefly mentioned other novels though only in passing.
I was hoping they were going go into more detail into them. I know Pardoe is writing one of the ones not listed yet on Coming Attractions. ComStarbook from Milan one, Coleman's novel Shadow of Faith is the other. Then you have Stackpole's novellet of the Kell Hound's early years.
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They mentioned a YA-type BT trilogy by Jennifer Brozek.
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They mentioned a YA-type BT trilogy by Jennifer Brozek.
AS long as w don't have characters with sparkly skin I think w'll be okay.
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It's too bad about the CM book series. Had all the units for one faction all ready to go with Alpha Strike Stats.
Really wanted to see a Clan Book.
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I think if they released the already-written CM:Davion, they'd see the higher sales they want. Some folks may hate the Davions, but it always seems that Davion stuff sells better than other factions'.
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They mentioned a YA-type BT trilogy by Jennifer Brozek.
Any more info on that?
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I think if they released the already-written CM:Davion, they'd see the higher sales they want. Some folks may hate the Davions, but it always seems that Davion stuff sells better than other factions'.
Seems unlikely. Mercs, Kurita and Davion are the three top-favored factions among players apparently. If neither of the two others sold well, why would a Davion book?
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Seems unlikely. Mercs, Kurita and Davion are the three top-favored factions among players apparently. If neither of the two others sold well, why would a Davion book?
Because Davion stuff always sells the most.
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Because Davion stuff always sells the most.
"Faction books don't sell" doesn't hold true anymore (or at least in this case), per TPTB. http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58343.msg1345469#msg1345469
The issue with the series seems to be that the physical Combat Manual books don't sell. At least that was indicated somewhere earlier/elsewhere.
(I know i don't need them, i got the Mercs and Kurita PDFs, mostly because they appeared way before physical books... and once i've gotten PDFs, well, no need to double-dip.)
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Yeah, and that paradigm shift is coming . . . it DOES seem to be something they are ahead of the curve on with all the PDF only releases.
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"Faction books don't sell" doesn't hold true anymore (or at least in this case), per TPTB. http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58343.msg1345469#msg1345469
The issue with the series seems to be that the physical Combat Manual books don't sell. At least that was indicated somewhere earlier/elsewhere.
(I know i don't need them, i got the Mercs and Kurita PDFs, mostly because they appeared way before physical books... and once i've gotten PDFs, well, no need to double-dip.)
And releasing the one that would sell the most of the entire series would refute that for all to see, regardless of whether the denial or the initial reason is a valid explanation for the book's delay. Release it as PDF-only (since I never advocated any format), and I still expect it to have higher sales numbers.
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I would assume TPTB saying X is more probable than belief saying Y since the devs should have access to sales data.
While it may look like Davion sells the most for us commoners, it doesn't mean it is so. Maybe it was once true, and not anymore.
Either way, i figure poor sales of a series indicate it is not a good idea to continue. Sure, yet another book made the same way could turn into profit... but it is not probable, merely possible, and "merely possible" isn't probably good enough, whether one wishes it so or not.
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And releasing the one that would sell the most of the entire series would refute that for all to see, regardless of whether the denial or the initial reason is a valid explanation for the book's delay. Release it as PDF-only (since I never advocated any format), and I still expect it to have higher sales numbers.
Per Ray as quoted above, it wasn't that the CM books didn't sell at all, it was that the DTF copies barely moved. The PDFs did sell well.
In that case I don't see the release of Davion changing that. It seems that more people are simply more interested in buying PDF these days than DTF and for whatever reason faction-specific books fall into that paradigm harder than other books. They could release it as PDF only...but as the CM books were meant to be core support books for Alpha Strike, I'm not sure if they were still live up to what they were meant to. But that's just all my speculation.
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Davion would sell more, we know that for sure based on past sales data.
Saying that the CM print books didn't move isn't accurate either. The answer is complicated but if reduced to a single concise statement the most accurate would simply be that the CMs are too expensive to produce. Again, that's not quite right, but much more accurate than "faction books don't sell" or "the CMs didn't sell."
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I would assume TPTB saying X is more probable than belief saying Y since the devs should have access to sales data.
While it may look like Davion sells the most for us commoners, it doesn't mean it is so. Maybe it was once true, and not anymore.
Either way, i figure poor sales of a series indicate it is not a good idea to continue. Sure, yet another book made the same way could turn into profit... but it is not probable, merely possible, and "merely possible" isn't probably good enough, whether one wishes it so or not.
Bones routinely said (at past GenCons) that Davion stuff outsold everything else by a wide margin. It's invalid to say such things no longer apply, since there hasn't been much in the way of such single-faction (print) products in recent years, until the Combat Manuals. It's also tenuous at best to say a Davion print product wouldn't sell well, when there hasn't been one since the handbook, which Bones reported to have sold like gangbusters. HBHK took forever to come out, and it was part of a series that (Davion aside) sold poorly, apparently. So there *was* a precedent to complete a series that didn't have huge sales numbers. But, if poor sales are to be the justification for not continuing (and it doesn't look good), it still seems like a poor business decision to stop before the faction that historically has brought the most money for a given type of product.
Davion would sell more, we know that for sure based on past sales data.
Saying that the CM print books didn't move isn't accurate either. The answer is complicated but if reduced to a single concise statement the most accurate would simply be that the CMs are too expensive to produce. Again, that's not quite right, but much more accurate than "faction books don't sell" or "the CMs didn't sell."
As I was posting, it seems AG provided some relevant information. :)
If I were a conspiracy type, I'd say it's the same anti-Davion bias that the prior administration harbored at work. ;) :D
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Being I'm a Davion through and through, I'd say you'd need to come up with a better conspiracy theory. ;)
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Being I'm a Davion through and through, I'd say you'd need to come up with a better conspiracy theory. ;)
Well... Is Brent? :)
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He's more a clan fan, but he's certainly anything but anti-Davion.
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It's invalid to say such things no longer apply, since there hasn't been much in the way of such single-faction (print) products in recent years, until the Combat Manuals.
Point. This did occur to me afterwards.
But, if poor sales are to be the justification for not continuing (and it doesn't look good), it still seems like a poor business decision to stop before the faction that historically has brought the most money for a given type of product.
Budgetary reason perhaps. I would guess "Too expensive to produce" can be taken to mean "not high enough profit margin" (which may or may not be applicable still) or it could mean "this takes too much away from other potential products". Maybe it is better to have multiple books under work, and selling at once, even if they aren't individually as profitable. Safety in numbers, or however one wants to put that.
As I was posting, it seems AG provided some relevant information. :)
Good he cleared that up. Interpreting various vague-ish statements from various times and places (and people) leads to different picture.
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He's more a clan fan, but he's certainly anything but anti-Davion.
Hmmm. Then I got nothin'.
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So CM Clans will come out before the rest of the Houses?? lol Damned freebirth for ya
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The shift to PDF over DTF was made quite a while ago by me. Saves me a small fortune in international shipping if nothing else.
so big question.
What do we actually have in the pipeline right now?
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Good he cleared that up. Interpreting various vague-ish statements from various times and places (and people) leads to different picture.
What a strange way to type "You were right, Doom." :)
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What a strange way to type "You were right, Doom." :)
Congrats, your prize is no CM: davion
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Hmmm. Then I got nothin'.
I should note that the previous administration's dislike of House Davion did not substantially affect the story. Herb and Ben were working off the plan first developed by FASA and later expanded by Jordan Weisman himself in MWDA. Herb himself has said that the Davions would've continued to be a part of the post-Dark Age universe.
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Davion would sell more, we know that for sure based on past sales data.
Saying that the CM print books didn't move isn't accurate either. The answer is complicated but if reduced to a single concise statement the most accurate would simply be that the CMs are too expensive to produce. Again, that's not quite right, but much more accurate than "faction books don't sell" or "the CMs didn't sell."
In my defense, I tried to make sure I said things like 'didn't sell well ENOUGH' or 'not as well as hoped'. I tried to make sure I didn't imply that Brent said the CMs didn't sell well period, because he didn't say that. If you look at it that way, it's just the other side of the coin. If they sold more, production cost could be justified; if they cost less to produce, the sales numbers would be fine. Regardless, I'll stop repeating Brents comments since Ray has provided a better answer.
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AS long as w don't have characters with sparkly skin I think w'll be okay.
Oh great, another fan of the Frails....
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Congrats, your prize is no CM: davion
Nope! :D
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Where's my House Handbook: Free Taiwan at?
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Are there many more Touring the Stars pdfs in the works? While I know my hope for Touring the Stars: Leviathan's Rest is a forlorn one, I've really enjoyed the ones that've come out so far.
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Yup.
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Any word on when the new anthology is going to be available for general sale?
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The Spotlight On
and Touring the Stars series are still being produced, right? Not affected by the Combat Manuals or ilClan reworking, right?
And TRO: IrregularTech is still coming? (please say yes, please say yes)
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When we can expect printed version of BMM and TRO:SW? PDF is nice but for playing I prefer paper version.
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The Spotlight On and Touring the Stars series are still being produced, right? Not affected by the Combat Manuals or ilClan reworking, right?
And TRO: IrregularTech is still coming? (please say yes, please say yes)
Ray just answered Touring the Stars two posts above yours:
Yup.
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Ray just answered Touring the Stars two posts above yours:
Sorry Moonsword. didn't see that.
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When we can expect printed version of BMM and TRO:SW? PDF is nice but for playing I prefer paper version.
I can't say when they will be orderable online, but I can tell you that at least some quantity already exist in print. I bought a hard-copy version of both of these at GenCon. No idea if those were part of some sort of small print run just to have on-hand at GenCon though.
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I hope that physical copies on GenCon were part of first batch of printed versions and we get these to buy online this year.
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I hope that physical copies on GenCon were part of first batch of printed versions and we get these to buy online this year.
Generally non-exclusive books that are for sale at GenCon get a retail release within a couple of months, but until CGL issues a street date, nothing is set in stone)
(for the record, I don't think there were any exclusive books this year, though apparently the Legends anthology won't be getting a retail release till next year)
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Yup.
Nifty, thanks :)
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I saw Second Succession War in my FLGS today. It's out there.
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I saw Second Succession War in my FLGS today. It's out there.
Saw one at my FLGS as well, and snapped it up ;D
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I saw Second Succession War in my FLGS today. It's out there.
My copy is being held for me at my FLGS...
Ruger
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my FLGS called me yesterday to let me know mine came in (In Canada here)
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Nice to hear it is starting to show up, can't wait to get mine after 1st SW.
Holding breath while waiting for it show up in Europe....holding....holding....nah not going to make it anyway!
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For me this is definetly true. I grew up with the videogames and the tv show. but I would not be working on battletech today if it wasen't for MWO's improved mech designs.
And i definetly would refuse to work for battletech if i had to "sculpt" those terrible 1980's designs. but i'm glad that some of my favorites are getting a modernized redesign.
Catalyst has been doing a great job upping BT's art game for a while, and I'll be glad if a face lift helps to bring in some new players.
I'm a huge fan of some of many of the recent redesigns, and I expect to love more in the future, but I also dislike a few of the MWO re-imaginings, no matter how much the art shows better technical skill.
All that said, Stinger, you have been doing some great stuff for the line, and I don't want to pick on you, but I still feel the need to remark on yet another thread full of people telling my that my personal sense of aesthetics is objectively wrong. Woo.
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Catalyst has been doing a great job upping BT's art game for a while, and I'll be glad if a face lift helps to bring in some new players.
I'm a huge fan of some of many of the recent redesigns, and I expect to love more in the future, but I also dislike a few of the MWO re-imaginings, no matter how much the art shows better technical skill.
All that said, Stinger, you have been doing some great stuff for the line, and I don't want to pick on you, but I still feel the need to remark on yet another thread full of people telling my that my personal sense of aesthetics is objectively wrong. Woo.
Maybe you have an example? I agree on some MWO designs that they often look "samey", but many older designs (Loose) give me that "Well, I know whats going on behind those odd armor plate and lines, but I wont tell you" feeling. The MWO designs have a clear language give me the impressions that these could be actual Battlemech designs that would work in combat situations and that have a clear purpose. While the Cigar of a Hauptmann just looks ridiculous comic like. ANd lets not talk about these batwing ears ::). All imho.
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Sure, its a bit silly . . . but there are real machines that have such little quirks to anthropomorphize them- its a usually humanoid walking tank after all!- and IMO it adds a bit of style . . . and the desire to find a merc with one who goes by 'Hannibal' to drive it.
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I know I asked before but any update on the new anthology being released?
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They said it will be like the other new books . . . expect the beginning of the year.
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Catalyst has been doing a great job upping BT's art game for a while, and I'll be glad if a face lift helps to bring in some new players.
True that. Honestly (and no slight to the other artists intended) it seems that everything Anthony Scroggins has touched lately he's turned into awesome. Not Awesomes (at least till we fans see the finished work on that redesign, and that will probably be an Awesome2) though that would be... y'know... ;)
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Do not like Sumo Dragon >:(
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my FLGS called me yesterday to let me know mine came in (In Canada here)
Sweet! Mine should be in soon too! [drool]
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Second Succession War has shown up in Ireland, so it's reached European distributors too.
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Was available here in Finland a week ago. Bought one right away.
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And TRO: IrregularTech is still coming? (please say yes, please say yes)
Yes. ;)
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I havent started on the Commando yet, and the Awesome isn't even redesigned yet. but the commando's new design is pretty cool :)
As for the Catapult and Shadowhawk (this is a different model than the one ironwind made) this will be revealed sooner than you might think :P stay tuned
This leads me to several questions:
1. does that mean that all IWM minis will be different from those in the starter box?
2. are those minis made by different artists?
3. How/in which way are the looks altered from one another?
4. My better half and I compared my SHadowhawk from IWM with the one on those pictures in this thread and she said that the plastic Shad would look beefier that the metall one. COuld that be? Or is this due to different lenses/cameras used?
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Yes. ;)
Sweet!
...oh wait. You're not Adrian Gideon. You imposter!
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Sweet!
...oh wait. You're not Adrian Gideon. You imposter!
but he's a writer and probably worked on the project.
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Sweet!
...oh wait. You're not Adrian Gideon. You imposter!
You didn't ask for him specifically!
But the above was a pretty confident "yes" nonetheless.
but he's a writer and probably worked on the project.
;)
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Jymset is a fine gentleman, and I trust him. O0
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Do not like Sumo Dragon >:(
That is my go-to example, and precise complaint.
The MWO Dragon is a much better piece of technical work than the old TRO 3025 sketch. It is more detailed, more finished, and a better 2D realization of a 3D object.
Unfortunately, I really don't like the proportioning of the thing. It really looks like a ponderous sumo wrestler, not a tank that runs into battle at upwards of 70kph. Is my opinion popular? I don't think so; most people seem to like it, but like/dislike is subjective.
It's actually a common feeling that I have for MWO art. I love nearly every detail, and every technical element, but they are sometimes assembled into a whole that I do not care for. (proportioning mostly.) That doesn't make the art bad, but I don't think it makes my subjective opinion "wrong" either.
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Second Succession War has shown up in Ireland, so it's reached European distributors too.
I snagged a copy for myself! Hooray!
Now I just need time to read it. :'(
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I snagged a copy for myself! Hooray!
And now two copies have shown up in my favourite Swedish FLGS as well. Excellent. Preparing online order....
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It's actually a common feeling that I have for MWO art. I love nearly every detail, and every technical element, but they are sometimes assembled into a whole that I do not care for. (proportioning mostly.) That doesn't make the art bad, but I don't think it makes my subjective opinion "wrong" either.
Testify!
Transparency - David White is one of my favourite 3D 'Mech modellers, and I'm still very inspired by the MW4 designs he did, even with the limitations of the time. Too busy is also painful to kitbash.
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Always good to find battletech at the flgs
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Testify!
Transparency - David White is one of my favourite 3D 'Mech modellers, and I'm still very inspired by the MW4 designs he did, even with the limitations of the time. Too busy is also painful to kitbash.
Not only kitbash, but paint. It's hard to do logos over lots of molded plate-lines.
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This leads me to several questions:
1. does that mean that all IWM minis will be different from those in the starter box?
2. are those minis made by different artists?
3. How/in which way are the looks altered from one another?
4. My better half and I compared my SHadowhawk from IWM with the one on those pictures in this thread and she said that the plastic Shad would look beefier that the metall one. COuld that be? Or is this due to different lenses/cameras used?
1. Not necessarily. It involves conversations between people above my pay grade, but no matter what, I've learned to not assume anything...
2. The two shadow hawks were modeled by different artists yes, but they both used a more basic design provided by Shimmering Sword, so the end result is quite similar.
3. Hopefully no ways, but there is going to be some differences. Kinda like the intro box mad cat to the IWM mad cat.
4. I would actually expect the difference to be the other way around, with the IWM model being a bit beefier. They will be very similar in the end. Again, look to the mad cats.
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Yes. ;)
Sweet!
...oh wait. You're not Adrian Gideon. You imposter!
Jymset is a fine gentleman, and I trust him. O0
Well, if you're approved by ColBosch, you're in a select club so I guess I have no choice but to trust you. ;)
I'm excited for TRO:IrregularTech. Seeing repurposed civilian gear is something I've wanted for a long time.
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too much creatine
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/thumb/3/3a/Camomech-dragon.png/490px-te89rl0qjq9tl1pzrieqp5gk7df8zch.png?timestamp=20100330093418)
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Any news on that Operation Damnatio that was supposed to come out?
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Any news on that Operation Damnatio that was supposed to come out?
From what we've heard, its when they're ready to put out IlClan.
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too much creatine
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/thumb/3/3a/Camomech-dragon.png/490px-te89rl0qjq9tl1pzrieqp5gk7df8zch.png?timestamp=20100330093418)
That's more than creatine. That's androgens. Have more testosterone receptors on the pecks and shoulders...
Look at that dudes shoulders compared to his legs. :o
Could also be edema build up. Maybe they removed his chest lymph nodes.
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Well, either he's got a huge beer gut, or that's one honking schnoz.
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That's more than creatine. That's androgens. Have more testosterone receptors on the pecks and shoulders...
Look at that dudes shoulders compared to his legs. :o
Could also be edema build up. Maybe they removed his chest lymph nodes.
Haha I forgot about this post. I feel like I responded to the wrong thread for some reason ( this is what I get for being too lazy to click the quote button). I put the dragon art revision from the FanPro box / current universe book to contrast with the MWO art, which I feel is way too bulky - hence my allegation that the MWO dragon is on steroids and needs to be tested by the league office immediately
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Has there ever been any art of the Dragon with the torso painted like a Dragon's head, as it was mentioned in original 3025, IIRC?
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Has there ever been any art of the Dragon with the torso painted like a Dragon's head, as it was mentioned in original 3025, IIRC?
I've seen some Matt Plog commission artwork of the Sorensen's Sabres command lance with the Dragon in it painted to have eyes and a snout, but beyond that I'm not aware of any others off the top of my head.
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Has there ever been any art of the Dragon with the torso painted like a Dragon's head, as it was mentioned in original 3025, IIRC?
From MWO:
FLAME:
(http://www.blogcdn.com/massively.joystiq.com/media/2013/04/mwo-april-epl-403.jpg)
(Larger Image: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ju0ACDPIYOg/maxresdefault.jpg)
and it's counterpart, FANG:
(http://i.imgur.com/xHd1WmU.png)
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Just a gentle reminder, folks:
* Pictures of 'Mechs from the MWO game are A-OK.
* Pictures of unlicenced reproduction minis based on the MWO game are not.
And now you know! O0
Worktroll, Ombudsman.
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Just a gentle reminder, folks:
* Pictures of 'Mechs from the MWO game are A-OK.
* Pictures of unlicenced reproduction minis based on the MWO game are not.
And now you know! O0
Worktroll, Ombudsman.
And because I can every time you say that....
My Official MWO 3-D Printed Mini produced as part of the Door Prize Give Away at Piranha Games MECHWARRIOR ONLINE STEAM RELEASE PARTY that I won when Randall Drew my Ticket in 2015 :P
(https://i.imgur.com/bkvLWro.png)
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That's more than creatine. That's androgens. Have more testosterone receptors on the pecks and shoulders...
Look at that dudes shoulders compared to his legs. :o
Could also be edema build up. Maybe they removed his chest lymph nodes.
He skipped leg day a few too many times
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Its the battletech version of the Titan and Space Marine lol
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That's more than creatine. That's androgens. Have more testosterone receptors on the pecks and shoulders...
Look at that dudes shoulders compared to his legs. :o
Could also be edema build up. Maybe they removed his chest lymph nodes.
Maybe this particular Dragon was built on a high gravity world that squished his torso?
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I thought the Dragon's were designed in such a way it had big belly was on purpose. Designers (or Loose, since drew the thing in the first place) i had suspected shaped the main body/Torso of the Mech is shaped like a Dragon's head.
Lord i hope something new or something is leaked so we have something to talk about! :P
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Lord i hope something new or something is leaked so we have something to talk about! :P
I second that prayer! A 'Touring the Stars' or 'Spotlight On' will keep everyone from talking about IlClan for at least a few hours. LOL
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probably not what us olds were looking for, but welcome for the line none the less
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/09/12/award-winning-author-jennifer-brozek-slated-to-pen-the-first-young-adult-battletech-trilogy/
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probably not what us olds were looking for, but welcome for the line none the less
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/09/12/award-winning-author-jennifer-brozek-slated-to-pen-the-first-young-adult-battletech-trilogy/
True, not the first thing on my wishlist. But it's news about new novels (plural)!
Maybe not an all-out offensive towards world domination. Maybe not even a counterattack to begin reclaiming the glorious legacy of BattleTech fiction. But certainly a cessation of the tactical retrograde advance in the opposite direction of hostile forces at least. So things are absolutely moving in the right direction - well done!
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Was there an idea of when they'd be distributing those new boxed sets? I want some plastic Shads and Wolvies to fill in the different colored teams.
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I hope they have a plan when these potential younger players come in.
Glad their doing something bring in new blood.
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Was there an idea of when they'd be distributing those new boxed sets? I want some plastic Shads and Wolvies to fill in the different colored teams.
iirc they said earliest would be 6 months. Other than that there was no other information on when they will be released. With the box mockups and the sweet mockups of the minis I do so hope 6 months is the sweet spot but I would think maybe more along the lines of 9-12 months.
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probably not what us olds were looking for, but welcome for the line none the less
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/09/12/award-winning-author-jennifer-brozek-slated-to-pen-the-first-young-adult-battletech-trilogy/
Glad for the fiction, concerned that the books are post Jihad and the boxed sets are intro tech. Hopefully that won't confuse new blood. "Hey! Why isn't this a rotary cannon thing? And where are my plasma rifles?" ;-)
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What else is new coming out soon??
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probably not what us olds were looking for, but welcome for the line none the less
http://www.catalystgamelabs.com/2017/09/12/award-winning-author-jennifer-brozek-slated-to-pen-the-first-young-adult-battletech-trilogy/
Given that I started reading Battletech fiction while a young adult, and that the YA genre didn't really exist at the time, I kind of thought that most BT fiction fell into the category of books young adults would read. Hunger Games is YA, and very little BT is more 'adult' than that.
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Glad for the fiction, concerned that the books are post Jihad and the boxed sets are intro tech. Hopefully that won't confuse new blood. "Hey! Why isn't this a rotary cannon thing? And where are my plasma rifles?" ;-)
You'll be happy to know The Youth™ is bright enough to understand that intro boxes are to introduce you to the game and that if you tell them they need the BattleMech Manual for more shiny toys, they will believe you.
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You'll be happy to know The Youth™ is bright enough to understand that intro boxes are to introduce you to the game and that if you tell them they need the BattleMech Manual for more shiny toys, they will believe you.
Yeah I'm old and cynical.
As to the "Young Adult" catagory, it's changed since I was a kid. I grew up with the Hardy Boys and the Three Investigators, I read Ahsoka and was like, "Wow, she's got PTSD, right off the bat."
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personally I think a winning combo right now would be
Starter Box.
New "YA" novels
New Started book featuring camios from a few characters in the YA AND a few characters from the new BT game.
Then cross promote everything.. And Yes I am aware of the IP stuff.. But if they all agree to make things equal, it will simply sink into being part of the shared universe.
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personally I think a winning combo right now would be
Starter Box.
New "YA" novels
New Started book featuring camios from a few characters in the YA AND a few characters from the new BT game.
Then cross promote everything.. And Yes I am aware of the IP stuff.. But if they all agree to make things equal, it will simply sink into being part of the shared universe.
iirc the new box was advertising pilot cards as part of the package... seems like some simple cross-promotion
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Young adult?
What about pensioner age stories? ;)
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Young adult?
What about pensioner age stories? ;)
The retired captain leaned back in his overstuffed chair, staring wistfully at the ceiling. "Did I ever tell you about how single-handedly I destroyed an entire FedRat company?"
"Dad, those were rusted out tractors."
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Young adult?
What about pensioner age stories? ;)
Well, Battlecorps did have a link to Worktroll's blog for a while... ;)
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Most of the novels are aimed at a younger audience to begin with, why some of us have trouble reading BT novels now vs in Jr High.
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Well Victor was still fighting at the age of 104
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Well, Battlecorps did have a link to Worktroll's blog for a while... ;)
Darn whippersnapper? If my tendonitis wasn't playing up, I'd come down there & club you with Welshman's ferro-laminar Zimmer frame ...
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You can still find links to Worktroll's blog on the interweb-thingy if you look hard enough:
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Copy_of_Rosetta_Stone.jpg)
;)
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Wow, I thought his writing was older than that...
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Wow, I thought his writing was older than that...
That's a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a...
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Editing his work was always a pain, since he insisted on using Linear A. >:(
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While I want to appreciate the oldskool posts, I can't help but find the cuneiform formatted articles much more worthwhile than the ones written with paint spat through reeds against a wall. :P
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So it's writing on the wall?
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Darn whippersnapper? If my tendonitis wasn't playing up, I'd come down there & club you with Welshman's ferro-laminar Zimmer frame ...
Fortunately I can outrun your Wheelchair IIC. If only you'd installed the XL engine. ;)
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Fortunately I can outrun your Wheelchair IIC. If only you'd installed the XL engine. ;)
You supped up that motorcycle powered Wheelchair from Meatballs Part II? I'd love to have that included in TRO: Irregular Tech (Personal Gear section)
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You supped up that motorcycle powered Wheelchair from Meatballs Part II? I'd love to have that included in TRO: Irregular Tech (Personal Gear section)
I think it's probably more like Subhash Indrahar's wheelchair. I believe it had SRM's. Doesn't matter how fast you can run...missiles are faster.
Anyway, to get slightly back on track, has anyone heard any news about any of the smaller products like Spotlight On or Touring The Stars? Personally, I've been enjoying the Spotlight On series, and was hoping to see one or two more of those to poke through before the year was out.
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last word from on high was "in the works" somewhere in the pre-gencon discussions iirc. no word on the level of Soon™ they have achieved.
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Due to some weather-related issues, we had to put Ray in the dryer for a bit. Once he's done and we've cleaned out the lint trap I'm sure things will get back on track.
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Due to some weather-related issues, we had to put Ray in the dryer for a bit. Once he's done and we've cleaned out the lint trap I'm sure things will get back on track.
make sure to name the villain of the next novel Irma
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make sure to name the villain of the next novel Irma
Pfff, Irma Henry.
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pfft it's Harvey Irmas fault, he just needs to stop emptying his bladder after a night of drinking. #P
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Pfff, Irma Henry.
I bet she plays tonnage balancing with a 0/0 Hellstar
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You think Irma Henry has been reintroducing LAM into the game (new rules for sudden transformation of Mechs into LAMs)?
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Make Irma and Henry twins commanding two Typhoon Assault Vehicles.
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Make Irma and Henry twins commanding two Typhoon Assault Vehicles.
I think Devastators or Demolishers might also work.
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If we're naming things after the recent Texas hurricane, please note that it's Harvey not Henry. At least get the name right.
So besides ilClan, are there any plans for other 'timeline advancing' books in the near term?
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Hey, so what in TRO:SW is different from TRO:3039?
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Hey, so what in TRO:SW is different from TRO:3039?
Well, it's actually a compilation with mechs from multiple technical readouts and sourcebooks. So strictly speaking, one could say most of it.
It's got most of the mechs from 3039, plus the star league mechs from 3050, as well as some machines from 3058 and a smattering of the age of war machines from 3075, and a couple designs from oddball sources (reunification war, jihad conspiracies).
Plus, it's got a sweet new flea with a new writeup, and a writeup for the 3S banshee instead of the more familiar model.
Also, it's pure mech, no vehicles or aerospace.
EDIT: Also it includes many of the classics, with new art.
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The FLE-16 is amazing. The presence of a lost Succession Wars era Flea variant alone makes it worth it.
I may be a bit skewed...
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We've known that for a long time now DB :P
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Plus, it's got a sweet new flea with a new writeup, and a writeup for the 3S banshee instead of the more familiar model.
Also an alternate Galahad to what's in 3075
EDIT: Also it includes many of the classics, with new art.
Locust, Ostsctout, Griffin, Shadow Hawk, Wolverine, Thunderbolt, BattleMaster
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Hey, so what in TRO:SW is different from TRO:3039?
And on top of what the others have said, the introduction alone is worth the buy.
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So, hi there guys, what new(s)?
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Nothing. It's too damned long wait with nothing new.
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Hey! 2SW is hardly dry!
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Even after new stuff comes out we still want more.....that is a good thing!
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Wanting is fine and good, but I really feel bad for the writers and developers who poor their hearts and souls into these amazing books, and the only response they seem to get is "No, we want something else, and we want it nowNowNOWYESTERDAY!!!"
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They did announce the three new novels. Even if they aren't targeted at this forums current membership, that was a pretty recent announcement as well. I was guessing they would have pushed out another TTS or Spotlight by now, as those seem to have been fairly effective as small 'filler' releases. Of course, I am judging 'effective' by how many days it keeps someone in this thread from saying, "When are we getting something new?" It seems like TTS and Spotlights buy us at least three days. That might sound short, but major releases like 2SW only seem to buy us a week or two, so three days is pretty good!
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Nothing. It's too damned long wait with nothing new.
Due to some weather-related issues, we had to put Ray in the dryer for a bit. Once he's done and we've cleaned out the lint trap I'm sure things will get back on track.
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Given how many things are in line, release of books (not PDFs, these are already available) BMM and TRO:SW and another books (new novels) and not to be forgotten new box sets, I don't expect new informations to pop up that soon. Although Fantasywelt.de expects BMM and TRO:SW to be released in October. I don't know where they got such information.
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Although Fantasywelt.de expects BMM and TRO:SW to be released in October. I don't know where they got such information.
my flgs in the states says the same. I imagine they set the date when their distributor gives them one. Where the distributor gets their information on the other hand...
It can range from "spot on" to "this product doesn't actually exist."
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Errata Report
* VERSION: "New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. X: All Systems Nominal...ish" thread
* LOCATION: p. 25, Weirdo's post (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58071.msg1353898#msg1353898)
* THE ERROR: "...but I really feel bad for the writers and developers who poor their hearts and souls into these amazing books..."
* THE CORRECTION: "...but I really feel bad for the writers and developers who pour their hearts and souls into these amazing books, but am heartened to know there are a strong corps of fact checkers amongst the fanbase." ;D
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Well played, sir. :)
Where the distributor gets their information on the other hand...
There are exactly two kinds of release dates: The ones Catalyst tells us directly, and the ones distributors pull out of their aft extruders in order to have a number, any number, they can plug into their systems. The latter dates should be taken as seriously as anything else that comes out of that orifice.
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Well played, sir. :)
There are exactly two kinds of release dates: The ones Catalyst tells us directly, and the ones distributors pull out of their aft extruders in order to have a number, any number, they can plug into their systems. The latter dates should be taken as seriously as anything else that comes out of that orifice.
indeed. my flgs has at least two, maybe three products for CGL listed for pre-orders that have been confirmed not to exist.
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My LGS reports "about Oct 4th" for BMM and TROSW. I'm inclined to trust that report, because they've previously been quite accurate (Second Succession War had similar rough date and the book was available on time). I would assume their logistics chain is reliable and passes info well.
(That said, the LGS' site management is a bit lazy or something, as they never got the memo Clan Expansion Box Set was cancelled and keep it listed...)
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There are exactly two kinds of release dates: The ones Catalyst tells us directly, and the ones distributors pull out of their aft extruders in order to have a number, any number, they can plug into their systems. The latter dates should be taken as seriously as anything else that comes out of that orifice.
Expected something like that. :D But I wanted to try if someone did have better source of information that I happened to miss.
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Expected something like that. :D But I wanted to try if someone did have better source of information that I happened to miss.
Sometimes you throw it out there and someone official-like will give you a yes or no answer. It's worked for me in the past
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Its just so hard not to automatically type 'poor' when referring to the writers and developers.
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Hear, hear!
However, I hold no ill-will to CGL, et al, either. (And I know you don't.) They are fans of the 'verse, just like us, but are just over their heads in running a small business (cue Oliver's recent mantra (https://youtu.be/00wQYmvfhn4?t=32s)).
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You know it just occurred to me: I picked up the Battlemech Manual.... oops
Anyways yeah the three new novels will be cool when they come out of course. Until then I need to finish off my collection with all the physical copies of the TROs, Field Manuals, and Anthologies.
And of course IlClan.....
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It is a little hilarious that after so many years of calls for BattleTech needing new novels because the game will die without them, the news of three new novels being launched has been met with a number of comments along the lines of "no, not those novels!"
I've had my digital copy of Second Succession War since about a week after it came out, but I've been saving it to read - initially until after the maelstrom of work around DSEI had died down, but since then I decided I actually want to save it until I'm on holiday in a week and a half, so I can relax and read in a pub with a decent pint. And a notebook. And a profound sense of guilt for not rushing to update Sarna right away with everything. I really enjoyed First Succession War, and if Second Succession War is even half as good, it's going to be glorious.
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Evening all, not been around since the spring, and to save me from going back through several months worth of posts, would anyone care to give me a brief synopsis of whats been happening?
Cheers.
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Evening all, not been around since the spring, and to save me from going back through several months worth of posts, would anyone care to give me a brief synopsis of whats been happening?
Cheers.
Let's see...
TRO:Succession Wars (http://bg.battletech.com/test/technical-readouts/technical-readout-succession-wars/)
Battlemech Manual (http://bg.battletech.com/test/core-rulebooks/battlemech-manual/)
Second Succession War (http://bg.battletech.com/test/historicals/the-second-succession-war/)
CGL's fun at GenCon (http://bg.battletech.com/news/news-and-announcements/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/)
A thread that has some of the new Box games minis in it (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58437.0)
The Forums got wonky for a while (http://bg.battletech.com/news/forum-issues/)
Oh and Harmony Gold is Trolling the IP again (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58142.0)...
That's the real big things recently...
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It is a little hilarious that after so many years of calls for BattleTech needing new novels because the game will die without them, the news of three new novels being launched has been met with a number of comments along the lines of "no, not those novels!"
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.
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The average age of Battletech players seems to be in the late 30s (based on unscientific voluntary polling of fans on Facebook). And we're only getting older. CGL needs to bring in younger fans somehow. Maybe this will work.
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Not really disagreeing with the need . . . but I bet if you also look back a lot of people seem to have got in b/c of Crescent Hawk's Inception, Mechwarrior 2/Mercs/GBL, and Mechwarrior4. Not sure why 3 is never really cited since it was the last one that had BT style modification or the MechCommander games- those seem to have been played by folks who were already following the franchise.
For me there have not been as many compelling PC Game titles as I remember in my high school & twenties- Mechwarrior 3, MechCommander, Privateer, Masters of Orion (2 or 3?), Wing Commander Prophecy, X-Wing Gold, TIE Fighter, Rebellion, Total War, Outpost, Freespace, Tachyon, Freelancer, and others. I was big into the strategic 4X & flight sim titles, but they seem gone.
Unfortunately I have not seen many people come here from MWO though that might be they just stay on that set of forums to discuss BT products.
I am hoping the HBS game brings in the flood, and yes at that time we will want starter material- fiction, rules and sets- to point those people towards. I think those things are coming online which is a good sign.
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FWIW, some data from the survey that was put out earlier this year, with the BattleMech Manual Beta:
Of 5,253 respondents to the the question "What is your age?":
- 39 percent, or 2,048 respondents were between the ages of 33-45;
- 19 percent, or 1,018 respondents were between the ages of 40-45
Unfortunately, due to the way the survey was deployed, there is no easy way to determine where the respondents originated from: MWO, HBS, or CGL native (that is, people who got to it via the CGL BT Facebook, the forums here, or the BM Beta, etc.). So it's difficult to say how the age demographics break down across the various BT-related games.
And seriously, if anyone out there is a whiz with Excel spreadsheets and re-sorting large data sets, please PM me or email me at aaroncahall at gmail dot com.
EDIT to update a numbers error.
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Never even saw the survey . . .
MWO has been out for a while, when HBS comes out of Beta I expect it to have a larger impact.
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The average age of Battletech players seems to be in the late 30s (based on unscientific voluntary polling of fans on Facebook). And we're only getting older. CGL needs to bring in younger fans somehow. Maybe this will work.
- 54 percent, or 4,004 respondents were between the ages of 33-45;
- 26 percent, or 1,988 respondents were between the ages of 40-45
I am (29) pretty rare. :o MW2 and MC started it all though in my teens years. :D
I am hoping the HBS game brings in the flood, and yes at that time we will want starter material- fiction, rules and sets- to point those people towards. I think those things are coming online which is a good sign.
HBS has it's own and active forum so it can be the same situation as with MWO.
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FWIW, some data from the survey that was put out earlier this year, with the BattleMech Manual Beta:
Of 7,367 respondents to the the question "What is your age?":
- 54 percent, or 4,004 respondents were between the ages of 33-45;
- 26 percent, or 1,988 respondents were between the ages of 40-45
Unfortunately, due to the way the survey was deployed, there is no easy way to determine where the respondents originated from: MWO, HBS, or CGL native (that is, people who got to it via the CGL BT Facebook, the forums here, or the BM Beta, etc.). So it's difficult to say how the age demographics break down across the various BT-related games.
And seriously, if anyone out there is a whiz with Excel spreadsheets and re-sorting large data sets, please PM me or email me at aaroncahall at gmail dot com.
As someone who took marketing courses for a few years, I can tell you, that even a question dealing with that would need more info. Is the question relating to:
How did you come to the Survey?
How did you come to play Table Top Battletech?
or is the question trying to find how they started with the Franchise? Because if that were the question, it does not allow for folks who came in via the Clicky Tech and stayed. Or those who came (and I am gonna hate my answer) like I did in the 80's because the first BattleTech game - Battledroids - was to us: "Hey Cool! someone made a game of them Robotech Robots!"
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As someone who took marketing courses for a few years, I can tell you, that even a question dealing with that would need more info. Is the question relating to:
How did you come to the Survey?
How did you come to play Table Top Battletech?
or is the question trying to find how they started with the Franchise? Because if that were the question, it does not allow for folks who came in via the Clicky Tech and stayed. Or those who came (and I am gonna hate my answer) like I did in the 80's because the first BattleTech game - Battledroids - was to us: "Hey Cool! someone made a game of them Robotech Robots!"
The entire survey was MUCH longer and did get into questions of that nature. Age was just one of several demographic questions that led off the survey.
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Let's see...
TRO:Succession Wars (http://bg.battletech.com/test/technical-readouts/technical-readout-succession-wars/)
Battlemech Manual (http://bg.battletech.com/test/core-rulebooks/battlemech-manual/)
Second Succession War (http://bg.battletech.com/test/historicals/the-second-succession-war/)
CGL's fun at GenCon (http://bg.battletech.com/news/news-and-announcements/catalyst-game-labs-at-gen-con-2017/)
A thread that has some of the new Box games minis in it (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58437.0)
The Forums got wonky for a while (http://bg.battletech.com/news/forum-issues/)
Oh and Harmony Gold is Trolling the IP again (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58142.0)...
That's the real big things recently...
Cheers, have orders 2nd Succession War tonight.
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The entire survey was MUCH longer and did get into questions of that nature. Age was just one of several demographic questions that led off the survey.
Yeah, I did the survey...but I'll be damned if I can remember what questions it asked, etc.
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Accoding to my twitter feed,TtS: Wnn' Roost is coming soon. I'm excited for this one as it detais a world of the Outworlds Alliance that wa lost during the Succession Wars
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Wow. Thats good something coming out.
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Yes, we can keep the doom criers at bay for another few days.
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Not doom cryin: want to support the IP by buying products: give us news on more new products so we can slaver and salivate and discuss ad-nauseum.
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Yes, we can keep the doom criers at bay for another few days.
DOOM!!! DOOM!!! DOOOM!!!!! Not really a fan never played enough of it ;)
The TtS are hit or miss for me but I still like the idea of them and am always amused to see more
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DOOM!!! DOOM!!! DOOOM!!!!! <snip>
I see someone is channeling their inner GIR (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2jvANh2aEc). I approve
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Accoding to my twitter feed,TtS: Wnn' Roost is coming soon. I'm excited for this one as it detais a world of the Outworlds Alliance that wa lost during the Succession Wars
I am super excited for this, given that I've got a game set in the Outworlds Wastes in development. So this could either be a fantastic boon or completely destroy all my planning thus far!
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This is how I feel about the slow pace of development on BT sometimes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdXQJS3Yv0Y
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I rather have slow development than no development :P
Honestly, we witness the fall of FASA, FanPro and WizKid (how the heck did WK come back? ) I'm just happy CGL is not quitting on the fans who constantly posting can't you do better ;)
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no matter what, stuff will never come out fast enough to make everyone happy. To me I think the slow product release, means better quality and not any way to spend yourself to zero. It wasn't like a couple of years ago where there was some product every month if not quicker. So to me any new battletech product is a good thing,
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We did get really lucky when 3145 PDF Series came out, it was like Christmas with TRO/Record Sheets.
I think we got hit with some big releases (Combat Operations & Campaign Operations and the two Succession War Books) earlier in the year which i thought took some of the wind out of the sails.
IlClan such a big deal and needs to have supporting products linked to it, everything held up due to complete re-write of the main book itself.
I hope by Christmas we get modest size product. Forums are almost too quiet these days. #P
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Forums are almost too quiet these days.
That reminds me: has anyone heard from Ray recently? I know it was mentioned he is in Florida, but I’m not sure how badly he may have been affected by the hurricanes. Hopefully the storms didn’t give him bigger problems to deal with.
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IlClan such a big deal and needs to have supporting products linked to it, everything held up due to complete re-write of the main book itself.
I don't think anyone from CGL has stated that.
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I think the thing might be everything that depends upon ilClan coming out is held up until ilClan comes out. Given all the teasers we've been getting for 3250 in recent releases I'd say it's highly likely we are getting a jump to 3250 straight after. Under those conditions it's likely that Era Report, Field Manual and TRO 3250 have been in development for the past year or so, using up resources that might have been used on other projects. Now those titles can't be released until after ilClan now, can they?
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That reminds me: has anyone heard from Ray recently? I know it was mentioned he is in Florida, but I’m not sure how badly he may have been affected by the hurricanes. Hopefully the storms didn’t give him bigger problems to deal with.
I just asked about Ray's status (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58919.0) in the Ask the Lead Developers thread.
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Thanks guys, I'm fine.
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Thanks guys, I'm fine.
"I was dead, but I got better."
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"I was dead, but I got better."
Now we know: The Black Knight was actually based on Ray.
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I don't think anyone from CGL has stated that.
That was the impression i got from youtube video.
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TTS Wynn's Roost is out now! *downloads eagerly*
...wow, I'm going to steal a lot from this!
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TTS Wynn's Roost is out now! *downloads eagerly*
...wow, I'm going to steal a lot from this!
Ditto. Great stuff.
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TTS Wynn's Roost is out now!
Thanks for the alert, even before the new product post or on CGL's page. Downloading from DriveThru (http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/222824/BattleTech-Touring-the-Stars-Wynns-Roost) right now.
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Thanks for the heads up Deadborder. I won't have known it came out if it weren't for you and the guys on the forums!
The world's history is amusing, three cheers for Michael Miller and his merry crew!
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TtS: Wynn's Roost is a great read - I really enjoyed learning more about the history of the outer reaches of the Outworlds Alliance, and what happened out there during the Succession Wars. I also really like knowing that there are signs of life out there, and possibly my favourite part was hearing about how the environment on Wynn's Roost ended up shaping the cities... and how the inhabitants built art into their buildings.
Although now I really want a map of the short-lived independent Traders Domain periphery microstate ;)
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The whole thing would be covered by the red dot on the map that says 'You are here.'
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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.
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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.
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age of the protagonist and the themes tend to distinguish a consciously YA novel from something that's just easy to read.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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]
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
(http://www.grusskartenkaufen.de/images/produkte/i25/2560.jpg)
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Just finished reading TTS: Wynn`s Roost. I can see those guys, with enough time, creating a interstellar mini-nation there.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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 ;)
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Anyone heard anything about the other Alpha Strike Combat Manuals? Any new ones coming up?
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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.
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I was hoping for a Clan or a Word of Blake Combat Manual. But oh well.
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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?
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Both the cost and sales are part of the answer, but neither/both together are all of the answer. (My understanding at least).
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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 :)
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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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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There's a concept called "return on investment", or ROI, anyone working in a big company will groan at.
Short form - all numbers completely imaginary - "We sold a thousand CMs and made $10K!" sounds good. Until you look at
- it took four people three months to prepare it
- art & layout costs are fixed, and (unlike freelancers) may have to be paid up front
- total costs might come out to $8K
So 80-odd man-days of activity made $2K, which is at the end of the day three bucks an hour?
Whereas something that sold 500 copies, made $5K, but cost only two people three weeks to make, can be a lot more profitable use of the time. And even developers kinda like their kids to eat regular.
So let's hope they can find some similar format which feeds our needs, and their kids O0
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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!
I'd like to see a CM done per era rather than per faction.
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I'd take eras or factions, or just one large volume. From the perspective of both a returning player and watching a new player at the same time, they make the BT universe and Alpha Strike very accessible without being overwhelming.
I started on classic BT, and as much as I love it, I think AS is a better lead in for new players (especially today's kids). It can be played very simply, or as complex as the rules (and house rules) allow. And from there players can decide how involved they want to get. Classic BT, role-playing, long campaigns, whatever you may enjoy. My step-son wasn't that big a fan of classic BT. He found it too slow. However, now that we're playing AS campaigns, he can see the value of dropping in to classic mode for some small engagements. Plus now we're using the CMs to expand our playing both for forces and campaign scenarios.
Even if no more CMs come forth, we'll just roll and adapt with what does. I have quite enjoyed the First and Second Succession War sourcebooks and will be using them for our games here in the near future.
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It seems difficult to market Battletech to the people not already doing the battletech thing. Alpha Strike is really fun and fast. But then the regular battletech guys are just doing it to make big fights a bit quicker.... which means they probably just use the MUL for mechs.
At the same time, the house books/field manuals I don't think did so hot either. Which is strange to me because they're my favorite books. But I suppose the vast majority of dudes are maybe just grabbing mechs and running them into each other.
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It seems difficult to market Battletech to the people not already doing the battletech thing. Alpha Strike is really fun and fast. But then the regular battletech guys are just doing it to make big fights a bit quicker.... which means they probably just use the MUL for mechs.
I think there are two factors/problems at work here:
1) When FASA was running the show TRO's made the most money, so they made a lot of them. This however means that there are a LOT of 'Mechs and even more variants, so you end up with the situation that force building is problematic.
2) The original factions weren't that inspired, this means that over time more factions are created, which both requires more 'Mechs and means more faction books are required.
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I think there are two factors/problems at work here:
1) When FASA was running the show TRO's made the most money, so they made a lot of them. This however means that there are a LOT of 'Mechs and even more variants, so you end up with the situation that force building is problematic.
2) The original factions weren't that inspired, this means that over time more factions are created, which both requires more 'Mechs and means more faction books are required.
This is an accurate read of the situation, in my opinion. What to do from here is, of course, the 10 C-Bill question.
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TRO: SW is basically a partial fix, it contains what are presumably the most popular and/or iconic 'Mechs in the game. Going forward the best way ton support this is to not include extra 'Mechs in TROs 'just because', would the game really be worse off if the Targe had never been added? And in that vain simply ignore such designs in future publications, I'm not sure how thick a complete stack of TROs and RS' is but compared to the single volume and 40K or Warmachine player needs it's too thick.
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This is an accurate read of the situation, in my opinion. What to do from here is, of course, the 10 C-Bill question.
I think everyone agreed the answer was, "Kill them! Kill them all with fire!" Unfortunately there isn't enough fire.
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would the game really be worse off if the Targe had never been added?
Literally unplayable.
Seriously, though, I wouldn't mind seeing less 'brand new model this year' and more 'new block production, upgrades, and design to existing things' - I mean, with the Project Phoenix art, that's a whole host of new mech design art that goes all kinds of crazy places for things just on variants. And maybe introduce a couple new machines each book, but 'updating the older stuff' should get more focus IMO.
Granted, this does require a gigantic thermite pile to burn down the 30-plus years of game history and start anew, but...
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Targe variant with the LRMs is playable unit. I wish to gaud, Ironwinds would reclaim the old minis, since their too fraggin big. You would think your using a deformed Catapult with no box launchers.
Anyways, sign of something significant coming down the pipeline?
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Literally unplayable.
What prevents you from playing a game with it? Do the record sheets spontaneously combust before initiative is rolled? Do any Targe minis get up and walk off the table, as do any proxies as soon as they are declared to represent a Targe? Is there a virus that wipes MegaMek from your machine when you choose that mech?
What makes it physically impossible to play a game with a Targe?
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What makes it physically impossible to play a game with a Targe?
The targe is the pinnacle of 'Mech engineering, and its removal will deprive us of the genius that is leg-mounted ammo and MASC.
Also, he wasn't being serious.
Paul
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I've never understood leg-mounted for a weapon mounted in the torso. How is the ammo supposed to get from the leg through the hip actuators and the gearing? From a logical standpoint, it's impossible. (Sorry for killing a few more catgirls)
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I've never understood leg-mounted for a weapon mounted in the torso. How is the ammo supposed to get from the leg through the hip actuators and the gearing? From a logical standpoint, it's impossible. (Sorry for killing a few more catgirls)
Same way 120 missiles fit in the box launcher on a Mad Cat's shoulder somehow. Shrug, accept that this isn't a real-physics simulator, and carry on.
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The targe is the pinnacle of 'Mech engineering, and its removal will deprive us of the genius that is leg-mounted ammo and MASC.
Also, he wasn't being serious.
Paul
Ah, sarcasm. Gotcha. :)
*goes back to his ongoing quest to convince the admins to add 'unplayable' and 'useless' to the censortron*
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Ah, sarcasm. Gotcha. :)
*goes back to his ongoing quest to convince the admins to add 'unplayable' and 'useless' to the censortron*
We'll talk about 'unplayable', but we can't add 'useless'. We need that one for admin self-assessment reviews. :P
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Ah, sarcasm. Gotcha. :)
*goes back to his ongoing quest to convince the admins to add 'unplayable' and 'useless' to the censortron*
Bah, focus on 'literally'. That poor word is abused more than the Catgirls are.
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This is an accurate read of the situation, in my opinion. What to do from here is, of course, the 10 C-Bill question.
Drop Ilclan, skip ahead, start over probably. You'll upset your 3025 peeps. But like... What have we ever done that hasn't upset the 3025 peeps? 3025 will always be there.
Just don't kill my faction guys. :D
On the other hand... That Harebrained Schemes Battletech game! Time to drop some more 3025 stuff!!!
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Fake 3025 stuff. There is no [new faction whose name i don't bother to remember].
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Fake 3025 stuff. There is no [new faction whose name i don't bother to remember].
Haha. I don't know if I could have had a more perfect response to prove my point.
I honestly just want to see the Ilclan book and I hope it wraps things up really nicely. I wish it would come out sooner. Just finish things off. Wrap it all up.
We can go back and embellish some of the past stuff. I think there is a succession war we haven't covered yet.
But then just start over clean. New Baseline Tech, New Units. New TRO's.... Then begin rolling out new Technical Read outs. New Source books for MUCH fewer factions. (Turn the old factions into units. Like the Clan Protectorate. You loved the Nova Cats? Hey there is a regiment for that. You like the spirit cats? here is your regiment. You're a hells horses guys? here is a regiment.)
Just have medium lasers. When someone ask, "Yeah. It's a Pulsed, Extra Range, Heavy, Micro, Insert more Adjectives here Laser" in the fluff. But that's just the new medium laser.
All the autocannons can be ultra rotary light autocannons but we're just gonna call em' autocannons.
You've got ferro lamellar armor? yeah. We call that primitive armor now.... we're just using armor right now.
Then.... we can just start over. Get to this point again and start over on battletechs 50th anniversary.
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I have no issues with official 3025 or whatever era content. I just don't care for non-canon content that makes radical changes.
Like, a video game set in 3025 is OK, even if its story is non-canon. A video game adding a new faction that would change things, because even a small addition can balloon into a big thing ? Not OK, even if it is not canon. (I really, really don't see any point in adding new faction except "we want to make our own thing rather than work with existing material and make something interesting out of that".)
I backed BattleTech but i doubt i will be happy with the end result...
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Fake 3025 stuff. There is no [new faction whose name i don't bother to remember].
Until there is. There were no super amazing experimental SLDF mechs lost to the flames of the Succession Wars until TRO 3058 handed us Merlins and Pillagers and Enfields.
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I have no problem with tech and mechs lost to time. I'll ignore them anyway for being so optimized (or mostly useless, like Binary Laser).
But an interstellar nation is a bit more, has geopolitical (or is that stellapolitical?) effects that have further effects, far, far more so than a lost mech design or two.
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Haha. I don't know if I could have had a more perfect response to prove my point.
I honestly just want to see the Ilclan book and I hope it wraps things up really nicely. I wish it would come out sooner. Just finish things off. Wrap it all up.
We can go back and embellish some of the past stuff. I think there is a succession war we haven't covered yet.
But then just start over clean. New Baseline Tech, New Units. New TRO's.... Then begin rolling out new Technical Read outs. New Source books for MUCH fewer factions. (Turn the old factions into units. Like the Clan Protectorate. You loved the Nova Cats? Hey there is a regiment for that. You like the spirit cats? here is your regiment. You're a hells horses guys? here is a regiment.)
Just have medium lasers. When someone ask, "Yeah. It's a Pulsed, Extra Range, Heavy, Micro, Insert more Adjectives here Laser" in the fluff. But that's just the new medium laser.
All the autocannons can be ultra rotary light autocannons but we're just gonna call em' autocannons.
You've got ferro lamellar armor? yeah. We call that primitive armor now.... we're just using armor right now.
Then.... we can just start over. Get to this point again and start over on battletechs 50th anniversary.
This was proposed by the devs themselves several years back. A group of fans on this forum lost their collective shit so loudly that the whole idea was scrapped. You know the phrase 'once bitten, twice shy'? The hand that CGL used to offer to the public was bitten off at the shoulder.
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But an interstellar nation is a bit more, has geopolitical (or is that stellapolitical?) effects that have further effects, far, far more so than a lost mech design or two.
Only if this nation gets in touch with the bigger nations anda even bigger events. Per fluff, there can be Many "microstates " in the periphery. We already know about some of them and they did not affected the "great game" as we know it.
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They affect local politics. This new state is next to the FWL and CapCon, and bigger than just a microstate. Maybe not Periphery level quite, but IIRC based on a map, it was pretty big. And in 3025 effects of a smaller state are bigger than later on. Wasn't Magistrate quite a big ally to... whoever it was allied to during Andurien crisis?
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I have no issues with official 3025 or whatever era content. I just don't care for non-canon content that makes radical changes.
Like, a video game set in 3025 is OK, even if its story is non-canon. A video game adding a new faction that would change things, because even a small addition can balloon into a big thing ? Not OK, even if it is not canon. (I really, really don't see any point in adding new faction except "we want to make our own thing rather than work with existing material and make something interesting out of that".)
I backed BattleTech but i doubt i will be happy with the end result...
I understand your position, but don't share it myself. I'm willing to judge non-canonical content on its merits, whether it makes sense in the larger context of the canon world or not.
As an example, I love, love, love the "Delranes Fighting Ships 3061" fan-made PDF that one of the members here put out. I think it was Marauder...not sure. The art is absolutely top-notch, and in my opinion is far better than the official 3057 art. The writing is on-par with official TRO fluff as well. Even though they aren't canon at all, the 'notable ships' sections are uniformly well written and interesting...to me anyway. Even the completely fan-made ships are well done and fill in gaps in the canon lineup of ships pretty intelligently. It isn't official, and I doubt it ever will be (sadly), but I still think it is a fantastic creation. If I could, I would get the art for the Snow Raven Cameron framed and hang it on my wall!
The HBS game is in the same general bucket for me. Yes, it fudges the rules and doesn't fit with existing canon. However, the majority of the deviations it made were done for good reasons. I'm confident they will be able to tell a good story, even if they made up a mini-faction along the way to do it.
So, Brent and Ray...what have you guys been up to? Anything interesting happening this week?
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Fake 3025 stuff. There is no [new faction whose name i don't bother to remember].
The thing is, the BattleTech setting of 3025, as outlined in the overview chapters of the MechWarrior RPG (1st Edition), explicitly states that there are more than 60 "kingdoms" in the Periphery. Even generously counting every political organization listed in the Periphery, Explorer Corps, and Interstellar Expeditions books, and counting each Chainlane Isles faction separately, only gets you to about 50. That leaves room for entities like the Aurigan Coalition to exist in canon.
Granted, given its location, the fact that it doesn't show up on ComStar political maps either suggests a massive oversight by ComStar (not unprecedented - the earliest "ComStar Cartography" maps only show five worlds in the Outworlds Alliance and omit the Taurian Concordat, Marian Hegemony, and Magistracy of Canopus entirely) or suggest that the official outcome of the game's storyline ends with the destruction of the Coalition as a political entity, causing ComStar to leave it off its maps for the same reason they no longer show the Rim Worlds Republic.
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Only if this nation gets in touch with the bigger nations anda even bigger events. Per fluff, there can be Many "microstates " in the periphery. We already know about some of them and they did not affected the "great game" as we know it.
Exactly.
HBS just took advantage of something that has been in fluff for a while now. We do not know if it will be a problem or not yet. So no reason to take issue with it yet.
This was proposed by the devs themselves several years back. A group of fans on this forum lost their collective shit so loudly that the whole idea was scrapped. You know the phrase 'once bitten, twice shy'? The hand that CGL used to offer to the public was bitten off at the shoulder.
From my understanding it wasn't just fans that reacted poorly to that idea, especially since it was a, albeit very vocal, minority of players that took issue with such a proposed change.
Personally I wouldn't mind if the equipment list got cleaned up a bit and as a result we lost a bunch of special case rules.
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The thing is, the BattleTech setting of 3025, as outlined in the overview chapters of the MechWarrior RPG (1st Edition), explicitly states that there are more than 60 "kingdoms" in the Periphery. Even generously counting every political organization listed in the Periphery, Explorer Corps, and Interstellar Expeditions books, and counting each Chainlane Isles faction separately, only gets you to about 50. That leaves room for entities like the Aurigan Coalition to exist in canon.
Granted, given its location, the fact that it doesn't show up on ComStar political maps either suggests a massive oversight by ComStar (not unprecedented - the earliest "ComStar Cartography" maps only show five worlds in the Outworlds Alliance and omit the Taurian Concordat, Marian Hegemony, and Magistracy of Canopus entirely) or suggest that the official outcome of the game's storyline ends with the destruction of the Coalition as a political entity, causing ComStar to leave it off its maps for the same reason they no longer show the Rim Worlds Republic.
Maybe... But given the game has that weird jumpdrop ship or whatever it is... Its weird stuff and addition just rubs off wrong way.
And, as i said, i don't see the Aurigan Coalition being essential anyway. Why not tell a story about FWL or CC noble who tries to rebel or something? Or something like that.
Personally I wouldn't mind if the equipment list got cleaned up a bit and as a result we lost a bunch of special case rules.
Functionally, BattleMech Manual kinda did that. It is pretty good.
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This was proposed by the devs themselves several years back. A group of fans on this forum lost their collective shit so loudly that the whole idea was scrapped. You know the phrase 'once bitten, twice shy'? The hand that CGL used to offer to the public was bitten off at the shoulder.
I remember it well... and sometimes worry I participated. I'm really open to a 3250. I essentially just want to see it through to Ilclan before that happens.
I also really don't see much choice for the future other than a time jump. So I figured we were just not talking about it. But we'll see.
New dev team of brilliant people. Should be fine. The old dev team was brilliant people too.
At the end of the day there just isn't much choice. You've got fans that only 3025 and fans that only 3050. Basically you just have fans that are in the same place that they started... and they're gonna be upset about anything you do really. So you just have to support that player base that wants new stuff.
That's always the problem though. Who are these people who are actively buying battletech stuff and what do they want? Kitsune413 loves him some sea fox stuff, some faction books and some objective books.... and he's not the majority apparently.
So lets make some Hotspots books and some Technical Readouts guys. haha.
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And, as i said, i don't see the Aurigan Coalition being essential anyway. Why not tell a story about FWL or CC noble who tries to rebel or something? Or something like that.
Functionally, BattleMech Manual kinda did that. It is pretty good.
Because THAT really have a chance to screw the canon "great game" as we know it.
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A video game is non-canon anyway, and i'd rather focus on existing factions and things than "made because we want our own mark" stuff.
Supposedly feudal lords in Successor States maneuver for power, so a story about one should not be a big deal, if it doesn't become too big a thing (like what that one Hasek planned).
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The targe is the pinnacle of 'Mech engineering, and its removal will deprive us of the genius that is leg-mounted ammo and MASC.
Also, he wasn't being serious.
Paul
This, yes. The joke was that 'without the Targe it's impossible to play BT' but anyway. This was proposed by the devs themselves several years back. A group of fans on this forum lost their collective shit so loudly that the whole idea was scrapped. You know the phrase 'once bitten, twice shy'? The hand that CGL used to offer to the public was bitten off at the shoulder.
Was that part of the Free St. Ives thing? The third-league weapons and such?
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Was that part of the Free St. Ives thing? The third-league weapons and such?
No, this was floated separately if I recall correctly
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Yeah. It was a press release they threw up on the main battletech page and everybody lost it.
I think some of it was timing too. They just dropped the era report for the dark age.
Some of it could have just been a timing issue. Maybe they figured everybody hated the dark age stuff so it would have been fine... but then that Era Report came out and rocked our world's so we all wanted some more of that.
The dark age release was pretty amazing. Era Report and then every few weeks you got hit with part of a TRO. The book was super well written and exciting and we were all just holding our breath for the field report.
Been a strange ride.
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People need to read and digest that. We will never have a easy transition to new time period and slight changes that may not effect anything bad without people knee jerking. This behavior is bad for everyone.
I just hope something is announced for us to look forward to vs something being just dropped on us and were left shocked. Battletech Manual came out of no where, and so TRO: Succession Wars.
Is that new normal for releases? Don't tell us, bam 6-months later here it is.
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This was proposed by the devs themselves several years back. A group of fans on this forum lost their collective shit so loudly that the whole idea was scrapped. You know the phrase 'once bitten, twice shy'? The hand that CGL used to offer to the public was bitten off at the shoulder.
Yeah, and I'm sorry I didn't respond to say "Please ignore these freakouts."
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Maybe not the new normal but really Ray was the dude who reached out to the fanbase and was like, "hey this is what we are working on."
But dude is awesome so they made him assistant line developer. And he does layout for alot of other cgl stuff. So he is locked down.
Guys. Just buy tons of battletech stuff. Then they will up staff and it'll all be fine.
Haha. I think one of the craziest things is we've got all these dudes that are like, "I don't like this era."
Buy more battletech stuff. That's where battletech stuff comes from. Your wallets.
Maybe some faction that drops in a video game doesn't exist in your head cannon. That's fine. But buy some stuff so we can get more stuff for you to ignore. Because Battletech is the best.
We are all here becase we lover the minutia of taking battlemechs apart one dot at a time and then going to calculate how much that's going to cost to fix. Can't get that anywhere else.
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Maybe not the new normal but really Ray was the dude who reached out to the fanbase and was like, "hey this is what we are working on."
But dude is awesome so they made him assistant line developer. And he does layout for alot of other cgl stuff. So he is locked down.
Guys. Just buy tons of battletech stuff. Then they will up staff and it'll all be fine.
Haha. I think one of the craziest things is we've got all these dudes that are like, "I don't like this era."
Buy more battletech stuff. That's where battletech stuff comes from. Your wallets.
Maybe some faction that drops in a video game doesn't exist in your head cannon. That's fine. But buy some stuff so we can get more stuff for you to ignore. Because Battletech is the best.
We are all here becase we lover the minutia of taking battlemechs apart one dot at a time and then going to calculate how much that's going to cost to fix. Can't get that anywhere else.
Buy what????? There is nothing to buy and what they do have is full of errors and mistakes. Game is dead until they get that box set on the shelves of every store.
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Buy what????? There is nothing to buy and what they do have is full of errors and mistakes. Game is dead until they get that box set on the shelves of every store.
Well, personally, I'm finally getting around to buying some of the lance packs from one of my favourite online game stores and reading through the digital copy of Alpha Strike to work out how to play it, and I'm debating buying a hard copy of Second Succession War to go with the soft copy I bought to read while I was on holiday and then use to update Sarna with. I'm also pondering if Ral Partha Europe will do a sale for Christmas, as there are a few 'Mechs in metal I wouldn't mind picking up. Plus there's that vague idea of a fan-based Historical Turning Points: Davion Civil War thingy I keep pondering trying to put together, or maybe a fannish Operational Turning Points: Kentares to have an excuse together to throw together some scenarios for some Age of War Hegemony Armed Forces/Federated Peacekeeping Forces (Terran March/Terran Brigade) battles, Age of War Terran March/Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery Skirmishes and a couple of First Succession War guerilla battles between remnants of the 7th Crucis Lancers and occupying DCMS units headed up by mad, bad Jinjiro Kurita.
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This seems like a good place to put a link to this conversation here: http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=57860.0 (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=57860.0)
There's a lot to read and digest there.
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Holy (https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1061/1924/files/Poop_Emoji.png?9898922749706957214)
I just...can it be 2018 NOW?
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That was informative.
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All I wanna say is...Black Thorns...
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All I wanna say is...Black Thorns...
Cool unit ( definitely the insignia), good books, terrible ending via orbital destruction.
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Cool unit ( definitely the insignia), good books, terrible ending via orbital destruction.
It was the only way to be sure...
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Dragon always seems to know how to rustle up some info.
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Stunning...Thank you YingJanshi asking this question and thank you so much Brent Evens for answering our collective questions.
Wow. So much think about what could be something to come....
3 months of wondering... :P
I'm sure it will be worth it!! Brent's reply had a lot energy and passion I've been hoping to hear about what is to come.
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Stunning...Thank you YingJanshi asking this question and thank you so much Brent Evens for answering our collective questions.
Wow. So much think about what could be something to come....
3 months of wondering... :P
I'm sure it will be worth it!! Brent's reply had a lot energy and passion I've been hoping to hear about what is to come.
It wasn't me that asked, it was Dragon41673, I just read it and thought it would fit in this thread too.
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It wasn't me that asked, it was Dragon41673, I just read it and thought it would fit in this thread too.
Oops. my bad. I'm grateful for you posting it here or we could have missed it.
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Until there is. There were no super amazing experimental SLDF mechs lost to the flames of the Succession Wars until TRO 3058 handed us Merlins and Pillagers and Enfields.
Merlin was the example Mech in the construction section of the 2nd Ed Boxed set rules, FYI.
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Wow, Brent's answers to questions are great!
Very interesting. Still a shame about IlClan getting delayed but, man, i'm excited.
Referring to:
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=57860.0
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58851.0
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Merlin was the example Mech in the construction section of the 2nd Ed Boxed set rules, FYI.
Which I always found very curious. Makes me want to dig out my 3rd edition rulebook to see what that construction example was and if it ever manifested.
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Just to give this it's own post: Big thanks to Brent for braving the forums to drop this info here for us. About the only thing we love more than enw products, is communications from the dev team! I know we can be an unceasingly demanding lot, with conflicting and confused opinions, so extra special thanks to Brent (and Ray!) for taking the time to come onto the forums and interact with us.
I know there are fans on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram that also want attention and prefer those platforms, so I personally appreciate when that us folks here on the forums aren't forgotten for the new-hotness social media platforms.
Thanks guys!
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Which I always found very curious. Makes me want to dig out my 3rd edition rulebook to see what that construction example was and if it ever manifested.
no example in 3e. it allowed them to put the construction rules on two pages
edit: NEW. MAPS.
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Until there is. There were no super amazing experimental SLDF mechs lost to the flames of the Succession Wars until TRO 3058 handed us Merlins and Pillagers and Enfields.
McCarron's Armored Calvary (1992) introduced the Devastator, Starslayer and Spector. TRO 3058 came out in 1995.
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McCarron's Armored Calvary (1992) introduced the Devastator, Starslayer and Spector. TRO 3058 came out in 1995.
Rhonda Snord's Irregulars (1991) had the Excalibur and Spartan
Black Thorns (1994) had the Shootist
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The way i hear it, 3058 is sorta compilation TRO? Did it have anything original?
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3025-3026-era tanks modified with Level 2 tech appeared there first.
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The way i hear it, 3058 is sorta compilation TRO? Did it have anything original?
It did combine a lot of stuff from other books into one TRO (much like 3067 later did), but yeah, there's original stuff as well. Honestly it's one of the better books, artwork aside. (Never been a Loose fan)
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It did combine a lot of stuff from other books into one TRO (much like 3067 later did), but yeah, there's original stuff as well. Honestly it's one of the better books, artwork aside. (Never been a Loose fan)
It also introduced several designs from battletechnology and other magazines (Lynx and Cestus that I can remember)
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A lot of TROs have stuff from other books put in to make books. It does help when you having all the info in one book vs multiple books.
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I could have gone for the low hanging fruit and said that the Uziel and Thanatos weren't canon until they were. but noooooooo, I had to be clever and pick the TRO with no new content (even most of the Clan mechs were in Invading Clans first).
It did combine a lot of stuff from other books into one TRO (much like 3067 later did), but yeah, there's original stuff as well. Honestly it's one of the better books, artwork aside. (Never been a Loose fan)
I either love the 3058 designs (Piranha, Merlin, Battle Cobra, CBorn, Crossbow, Chameleon) or I can't ever remember they exist (Fire Falcon, Falcon Hawk, Nabori-Nin, Hankyu). On the whole, a lot more good than bad, though. The biggest issue I have with the art is the angle that things are drawn at. You barely see any of the Kodiak, for example. Not may favorite art (I can't do any better, so bravo to Loose), but definitely not my least favorite, either.
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I think TRO 2750 was the last to have all original material? While most of the Star League Mechs in 3050 were different from their 2750 incarnations, I think one or two designs ported over were identical. And 3055 included the mechs from Clan Wolf and Clan Jade Falcon, and so on from there.
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I either love the 3058 designs (Piranha, Merlin, Battle Cobra, CBorn, Crossbow, Chameleon) or I can't ever remember they exist (Fire Falcon, Falcon Hawk, Nabori-Nin, Hankyu). On the whole, a lot more good than bad, though. The biggest issue I have with the art is the angle that things are drawn at. You barely see any of the Kodiak, for example. Not may favorite art (I can't do any better, so bravo to Loose), but definitely not my least favorite, either.
I'm with you. Bushwhacker I'll never forget your awesome look. One of my favorites forever. But otherwise it's like,
"I've got an encyclopedic memory of mechs. I feel like I remember all of them."
"What about the Spartan?"
"What did you just say to me?!?"
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I'm actually worse at the 3055 TRO though. I loved all the IIC mechs in the original. The Behemoth. All the Clan Aerospace fighters and most of the clan second lines...
but for the Inner Sphere in that one I remember the Rakshasa, The Grand Titan and the Hollander. If pressed I might remember the Berserker.
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Backtracking a bit....
[Question] While I realize you wouldn’t be where you are unless you liked the game, are you PASSIONATE about Battletech?
[Answer] I've read every piece of fiction - many of them many times. I consider TROs to be 'light bathroom reading material.'
Mayhaps we have something in common.
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I'm actually worse at the 3055 TRO though. I loved all the IIC mechs in the original. The Behemoth. All the Clan Aerospace fighters and most of the clan second lines...
but for the Inner Sphere in that one I remember the Rakshasa, The Grand Titan and the Hollander. If pressed I might remember the Berserker.
I remember Mechs whether I like them or not. I'm less apt to know Record Sheet variants, but if its in a TRO, I've seen it, cataloged it, and placed in the bins of likely/not likely use.
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I'm with you. Bushwhacker I'll never forget your awesome look. One of my favorites forever. But otherwise it's like,
"I've got an encyclopedic memory of mechs. I feel like I remember all of them."
"What about the Spartan?"
"What did you just say to me?!?"
I'm actually worse at the 3055 TRO though. I loved all the IIC mechs in the original. The Behemoth. All the Clan Aerospace fighters and most of the clan second lines...
but for the Inner Sphere in that one I remember the Rakshasa, The Grand Titan and the Hollander. If pressed I might remember the Berserker.
Honestly, I think most of us are like that, though. There are mechs that we love, because they fit our playstyle or faction, there are mechs we remember because they are interesting or terrible or both, and then there are mechs that we glance over and never think about again because we just don't have a perconal use for them. I mean, I'm probably the only person here who looks at the Piranha as anything other than an ammo explosion on legs.
I would swear by most of the Inner Sphere light and assault mechs in 3055, but couldn't name more than one or two heavies from memory. If you put the book in front of me, sure, I'd say, "Oh heah, THAT one", but I would never think of it if I were force building.
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You play Marik much? Cause 3055 is basically the book where all their good designs come from until the LGR craze blows over. Up until around 3085, if I’m playing purple, I want 3055 mechs. After that you end up having to borrow what are really WoB or Capellan designs. Other than that, you get, what, the Scirocco? The Eagle? The Perseus? Yeah, I’ll stick with the Hercules, Cerberus and Tempest, thanks. Marik gets some decent vehicles and BA, but really 3055 still has some of their best faction mechs until after the Jihad is over.
Technically, 3145 probably has the most pre-existing designs thanks to the mini TROs.
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No doubt about that. Marik was the big winner of TRO 3055. Which fits with the fluff very nicely. When you're busy not being invaded, you have time to build new toys.
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I think TRO 2750 was the last to have all original material?
Maybe 3060 ?
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I would swear by most of the Inner Sphere light and assault mechs in 3055, but couldn't name more than one or two heavies from memory. If you put the book in front of me, sure, I'd say, "Oh heah, THAT one", but I would never think of it if I were force building.
That's because you only need 1 or 2........ Falconer + Penetrator......... nuff said!
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I mean, I'm probably the only person here who looks at the Piranha as anything other than an ammo explosion on legs.
I don't particularly like Sharks.... and so I never found anything interesting about the Diamond Sharks other than that they were merchants. They didn't do much before. Showed up in the Inner Sphere. Got kicked out. Showed up on Tuukayid. Got smashed... I don't think I really looked their way until the Operation Klondike book... Then they became space gypsy warriors and I couldn't really turn that down.
But I used the Piranha before all that though. That thing is really vicious.
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No doubt about that. Marik was the big winner of TRO 3055. Which fits with the fluff very nicely. When you're busy not being invaded, you have time to build new toys.
I think the DC & FC came out of it okay too, IIRC.
Really only the CC didn't have a whole lot in that particular TRO....... 2 mediums & 1 heavy? I think?
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No doubt about that. Marik was the big winner of TRO 3055. Which fits with the fluff very nicely. When you're busy not being invaded, you have time to build new toys.
Realistically that's a bit odd. Not so much that they got the good ones, but given what was going on at the time it's rather odd that, in the IS at least, faction is considered a major part of a 'Mech design.
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Maybe 3060 ?
Close, but the Black Watch and Schiltron were originally in Northwind Highlanders, the Chevalier and Pinto in Explorer Corps, the Cougar in Battle for Coventry, the Flatbed Truck Buccaneer and Toyama in Fall of Terra, and the Marshal, Gladius and Light SRM and Heavy LRM carriers are from The Periphery.
It's weird because a couple of those books came out before 3058, yet their designs didn't get reprinted until 3060, not all designs in those books got reprinted - The Prowler from Explorer Corps didn't show up in a TRO until 3085 - and the designs from the Field Manuals published before 3060 weren't reprinted in a TRO until 3067.
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My suspicion is that the devs at the time didn't feel there was a need to reprint such units in TROs until 3060 was done. It would be an incentive for the folks who just buy books with new units in them to get those scenario books and whatnot. Explorer Corps is a bit on the obscure side, so the Prowler may have been overlooked at the time.
Were all the original major faction FMs done before 3060 came out? If not, they may have been waiting until all of them were out before putting their units in a TRO as a full set. We've seen plenty of units get their initial release in a sourcebook and then get duplicated in a TRO, but I don't think the reverse has happened.
If those FMs were out...maybe those books were big ticket items, and at the time of 3060, it was felt that they didn't need to be in there?
And of course, there could always have been page count shenanigans.
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Explorer Corps is a bit on the obscure side, so the Prowler may have been overlooked at the time.
Given that the Pinto and Chevalier were in TR3060 I doubt they overlooked the Prowler. I was under the impression that they left it out because it used a Level 3 rule- that it was Amphibious- at that time all the TRO entries were limited to Level 1 or 2 (tournament legal) models.
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See here is my issue with things like the Prowler.
We have the Prowler 55-ton Multi Terrain vehicle:
Pg 103 Explorer Corp (up until 10 minutes ago, I was unaware of this book, but has some good info on Jump Points and other goodies I have a hard time finding).
Pg 14-15 of TRO 3085 Supplemental (http://www.masterunitlist.info/Source/Details/226/technical-readout-3085-supplemental).
BUT, we also have the Prowler (PWR-1X & PWR-1X1), the 55-ton Experimental Mech
Pg 154-155 TRO-3055 Upgrade (http://www.masterunitlist.info/Source/Details/237/technical-readout-3055-upgrade)
Now, for me, I have a Prowler Mech, only because I bought a huge collection someone local found in an abandoned storage Locker ala Storage Wars, and for me, when I hear/read Prowler that is where my mind goes to first. Not the Vehicle, the 'Mech.
So, took me a while to know people were refering to the Vehicle and not the 'mech.
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Given that the Pinto and Chevalier were in TR3060 I doubt they overlooked the Prowler. I was under the impression that they left it out because it used a Level 3 rule- that it was Amphibious- at that time all the TRO entries were limited to Level 1 or 2 (tournament legal) models.
Very true, I'd forgotten about that dark aspect of those days.
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Now that they made "level 3" stuff legal now. The Prowler can be used. I thought it was in a XTRO
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I think we need a thread on this forum for all the mentioned-once or twice, but otherwise un-published designs.
I started one just before the last hack, but it was inside the backup envelope and was lost.
Frankly, the willingnes of the devs to mine the old source material for inspiration to tie up the loose ends has been one of my favourite aspects of the fandom in the last ten years or so.
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I agree. At present there nothing new to talk about.
[Edited] - Grammar Challenged & using cell phone to type..
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...wha? ???
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Wrangler, I think you broke Weirdo. Thi cnnot b a good thing for these boards nor the Universe as we know it.
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Wrangler, I think you broke Weirdo. Thi cnnot b a good thing for these boards nor the Universe as we know it.
Being grammar challenged does pose problems when posting when you don't catch it. #P
I rather talk about new releases...
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Or re-releases. With the word of core books getting new printing runs, might that include some of the TROs that are no longer available?
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Other then TRO:3039 I doubt that any will get more print runs, BT isn't like a lot of other games, you don't have to buy a certain TRO to play a certain faction, so after the initial rush they aren't going to sell that fast.
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Wrangler, I think you broke Weirdo. Thi cnnot b a good thing for these boards nor the Universe as we know it.
Guys, I thought we were clear about this. If you break a mod on the weekend, YOU have to fix him.
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Well if we are lucky they will keep up the tradition of releasing something on Halloween.
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Well if we are lucky they will keep up the tradition of releasing something on Halloween.
Hope they do. Some the special books for Halloween and April Fools were some awesome writing.
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Hope they do. Some the special books for Halloween and April Fools were some awesome writing.
Sadly, I would not hold my breath. I do not recall there being a specifically April Fools product this year.
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Sadly, I would not hold my breath. I do not recall there being a specifically April Fools product this year.
The April Fools/Halloween releases were very much Herb's thing. It's up to Brent if he wants to bring them back or not.
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We haven't April Fools/Halloween anything in years. I like we paid for the last two they did since the writers work hard on this stuff for our amusement.
One the last was Touring the Stars: Bob. (April fools 2016), Welcome to Nebula California was (April Fools 2015), and War of the Tripods which was released on Halloween (2015).
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Touring the Stars: Bob was not really an April Fool's product, according to the author. While there are darkly humorous aspects to the story, it's still fully canon and in-universe.
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Touring the Stars: Bob was not really an April Fool's product, according to the author. While there are darkly humorous aspects to the story, (http://it's still fully canon and in-universe).
So is Necromo Nightmare, the 2013 Halloween product
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It's too bad. I loved the special books. Made Battletech much more fun to me and brought a different aspect to the game.
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Guys, I thought we were clear about this. If you break a mod on the weekend, YOU have to fix him.
It's worse than that. Fix him, failing that REPLACE him. That's actually how I got the job. We've got a couple of old broken-down models in the back storage room that we just never could get running again. My bad.
(Breaking an admin though? THAT'S good huntin'. I tried years ago when I was a new mod, and I woke up two weeks later with my pants on a flagpole outside the White House and a note from Paul telling me I put up a good fight.)
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(Breaking an admin though? THAT'S good huntin'. I tried years ago when I was a new mod, and I woke up two weeks later with my pants on a flagpole outside the White House and a note from Paul telling me I put up a good fight.)
I would pay to watch that movie.
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I'm just dying for new product... book... novel.... box set... anything
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I'm just dying for new product... book... novel.... box set... anything
If you haven't already seen it, have you ever taken a look at the fan-made 'Delranes Fighting Ships'?
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=55756.0
It isn't official, but it is very well made, and has some beautiful art for lots of the classic warships from well-known BT artists. The technical description is, necessarily, a bit of a re-hash of known info, but the 'notable ship' fluff is all new, albeit not canon.
There is also TRO:3028, which is another fan-made product which takes some of the new visuals from the video games and uses them to 'spruce up' some of TRO entries for venerable old mech.
I know there are other fan products as well that I'm forgetting. I know none of them are canon, but some are done to a high standard of quality, and they can still be a pretty fun read. Best of all, most of them are free! Just a thought for something to do while you are waiting on official products.
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Touring the Stars: Noisiel was released on Halloween last year. Although not a "Halloween product" it still maintains the tradition of at least releasing something on Halloween.
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And Touring the Stars: Bob made sense for April 1st, because that's the date they changed the name.
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Wasn't there going to be some sort of spotlight article on some Goliath Scorpions? Is that still in the works?
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God. Goliath Scorpions are so cool. They're like the Hunter class in Destiny. Pretty much exactly like that? Are they the best? No. They're not. But do they look the coolest? Absolutely. They absolutely look the coolest.
I'm glad Sea Fox people are at least really getting into some naval attire. But they could learn a lot about scarfs and headwear from the Goliath Scorpions. Also knife fighting.... and being a crack shot.
Don't get me wrong. Being pragmatic super sexy painfully smart filthy rich space gypsys is super cool. Even if we don't have sweet looking omnifighters (Psst. Please give Sea Foxes sweet looking omnifighters. Or just sweet looking fighters. Iamclanwolf give us some fighters!!!)
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Credit given, the Scorps tend to have the snazziest-looking warships for sure.
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Wasn't there going to be some sort of spotlight article on some Goliath Scorpions? Is that still in the works?
Wantec was writing it. He was dropping hints of it back in April 2016 in Bienvenidos al Imperio del Escorpión II : Necrosia Boogaloo thread.
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Maybe it's on hold along with the rest of the ilClan related stuff.
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It's worse than that. Fix him, failing that REPLACE him. That's actually how I got the job. We've got a couple of old broken-down models in the back storage room that we just never could get running again. My bad.
(Breaking an admin though? THAT'S good huntin'. I tried years ago when I was a new mod, and I woke up two weeks later with my pants on a flagpole outside the White House and a note from Paul telling me I put up a good fight.)
You can always ask me back on board. ;)
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So it's all coming but it's delayed for IlKahn. The product will come just late.
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So...will we see any new product before the end of the year?
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So...will we see any new product before the end of the year?
Seems like the $64,000 question to me!
On the other hand, if having no other releases this year speeds up the release of ilClan, then I'm on board with that too.
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I suspect if anything will come out, it will be likely a another Touring the Stars. It seems that pipeline for those has become staple as a product keep us busy while the good stuff takes time to do.
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I'd rather have quality than quantity. FASA released a lot of things fairly quickly, but I found the quality wanting.
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I'd rather have quality than quantity. FASA released a lot of things fairly quickly, but I found the quality wanting.
I just want a consistent release schedule. 1 large book every six months. Touring the stars pdf once every 3 months. A historical coming out once a quarter etc. just some sort of production schedule that makes sense for CGL even if it is one book a year. Having a quality product is important but having reliable releases to generate money and keep your customers engaged is of equal or greater value.
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I too prioritize consistency over quality. Obviously the goal is to have both, but a line that has quality releases only at unpredictable intervals doesn't grow the brand it only sustains an existing fan base.
From what we've heard (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=57860.0) from the new regime it sounds like they're very busy priming the system, and that system begins with ilClan. I'm not so anxious to see an ilClan in the storyline to be frank, but I am pleasantly intrigued by the tease about TPTB's efforts already being on what's coming after the ilClan sourcebook. I'd sooner see the franchise end than see a Clan "win" BattleTech, but I do think TPTB are on a promising trajectory by having a game plan that is only beginning with releasing this major plot book. Delays now are worth a regularly functioning brand being put on the tracks to run smoothly later. That we don't have to see the Inner Sphere conquered by the Clans just yet is icing on my cake ;)
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That we don't have to see the Inner Sphere conquered by the Clans just yet is icing on my cake ;)
Personal tastes. I would like to see the Houses flee into the Periphery. >:D
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Delays now are worth a regularly functioning brand being put on the tracks to run smoothly later.
Whole heartedly agree with this. Having a new line development team cuts CGL a lot a slack. The new developers have a whole product line to adjust to their “vision” and I’m already encouraged by their increased interaction with the customer base. There was a long stretch where I felt that CGL thought that we, as customers, were an inconvenience and that we should appreciate whatever product was put out. I don’t get that feeling any more. Again just my opinion
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Well considering the behavior of a rather disturbing number of their so called customers used while interacting with them I actually do not blame the previous leadership to be a bit shy or consider interacting with their customers to be an inconvenience.
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Well considering the behavior of a rather disturbing number of their so called customers used while interacting with them I actually do not blame the previous leadership to be a bit shy or consider interacting with their customers to be an inconvenience.
I won’t condone the antics of some customers but I also can’t defend CGLs response. It was not the response of a professional business. Like them or not, the customers pay the bills. I wonder how much the “cone of silence” and flippant responses to customers hurt their bottom line?
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See that is the mistake that I think a lot of Battletech fans have been making. Thinking FASA, FANPro, and now CGL are professional businesses.
It is pretty clear that it has been closer to a hobby for all the people involved than a proper business.
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See that is the mistake that I think a lot of Battletech fans have been making. Thinking FASA, FANPro, and now CGL are professional businesses.
It is pretty clear that it has been closer to a hobby for all the people involved than a proper business.
Well I think we actually agree on this point. CGL is a bunch of hobbyists pretending to be a professional business. I think the difference between our perspectives is that you are willing to accept their lack of professionalism while I want them to act like a company that has 3 major lines under their belts (valiant, shadowrun, and battletech), at least 3 major board games in Vikings, Shadowrun, and D&D, and innumerable smaller games. A company that has the savy to acquire the Viking license, and the initiative to start their own plastic miniature line. I guess it’s a point that you and I will have to disagree on.
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I think it is a mistake to compare CGL to whatever latest group of front-money blowhards are currently walking on the clouds.
Maybe there are some people around that would have preferred CGL stuck to BattleTech and ShadowRun exclusively, sure, me too. Didn't happen that way. They gotta make money the old fashioned way, right?
But now that the D&D card game rollout is over the major hump, AFAIK, they can get back to the stuff we like.
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I think it is a mistake to compare CGL to whatever latest group of front-money blowhards are currently walking on the clouds.
I'm not comparing CGL to a group of "front-money blowhards" but if they are able to launch a new line of B-Tech books, I can't believe that CGL is as financially unstable as people around here claim.
Plus Randall and Loren have been in this business for over 20 years.
At what point do you consider "hobbyists" professionals? And what standard/level of customer service and customer interaction do you expect?
It is apparent that some of us expect more than others.
I think it was smart that CGL has diversified their product line and as I've stated earlier, I like how transparent the new line developers have been.
We seem to be arguing about how we feel CGL was operating. The real question is how will they operate in the future?
And really I'm sorry that I got into this discussion as this thread is about new and upcoming releases. I'll be happy to continue this discussion via PM if it is desired.
In the mean time, did anyone notice that Brent said that the homeworld Clans wouldn't be returning during the dark age. Do you think that means that they won't show up in the Ilclan?
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*nod*
All I will add is Brent and Ray has been doing a fantastic job of interacting with these forums despite some pretty negative "fans" and some recent troubles.
I do suspect we will eventually hear from the Homeworld Clans again but I do doubt it will be IlClan.
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I'm not comparing CGL to a group of "front-money blowhards" but if they are able to launch a new line of B-Tech books, I can't believe that CGL is as financially unstable as people around here claim.
...
And really I'm sorry that I got into this discussion as this thread is about new and upcoming releases. I'll be happy to continue this discussion via PM if it is desired.
In the mean time, did anyone notice that Brent said that the homeworld Clans wouldn't be returning during the dark age. Do you think that means that they won't show up in the Ilclan?
Ah. Naw, no need for that. Your right, its getting off-track. I just thought I'd give it a bump back towards CGL, who are, actually, our hosts here.
I don't recall that about the Homeworld Clans, but if there is going to be a more open road between the Clan Homeworlds and Inner Sphere again, that would be okay by me. Having two parallel but disconnected storylines isn't really what I'm looking for, per se. We want that Tech! :D
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Homeworlds clans are not going to show up because they are fighting off the massive aiien invasion. Obviously...
Damon.
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The Homeworld Clans may just keep to themselfs and have no business in the Inner Sphere and that's why they are not talked about. Out of Sight out of Mind.
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Homeworlds clans are not going to show up because they are fighting off the massive aiien invasion. Obviously...
Damon.
I always thought those Tetatae were nothing but trouble waiting to happen... ;D
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And this is an answer courtesy of Dunia (again, I'm just reposting from the "Ask the Developers" thread):
Hey there Dunia - welcome to the forums and thank you for your questions. :0)
Actually I have good news on almost every front for BattleTech. The slow reply was caused by the whole creative team being hard at work crafting the expanded product line and new generation of coolness. The pause in product releases is just the calm before the proverbial storm because the next batch of releases are going to be a doozy!
First I'll answer about product for new players - because this is literally the prime focus of the next generation of releases. The previous editions of the Box Set (circa 2008-2016) where a huge success but as the product aged, Retailers asked us to redesign this product because it was too big and had too much stuff in it; it wasn't a true introductory product. So we did, breaking it into two smaller products that would better serve a new player looking to get into the game. These two products will have all new components and sculpts/miniatures. These are:
Game of Armored Combat which will be a slightly smaller product more in line with the original GoAC from the 80s. It will have 8 nice quality miniatures in it, plus all new maps (which is a big deal), pilot cards, universe goodies, and Alpha Strike cards for those players who prefer the AS rule set.
Beginner Box which will actually be a true introductory box product designed for someone straight from a Demo who wants to get started. It will be a $20 product with 2 mechs, a map, pilot cards, everything a new player needs to throw dice and blow stuff up. This will also have Alpha Strike cards for those who prefer the AS rule set.
Both of these products are in final Development now and in the initial stages of production with molds and print proofs going on. Assuming all goes well with these it is our hope to expand the line of Box Set products which will all be geared toward enticing new players. I'm expecting them to hit store shelved Q2-2018.
Next up we have already begun work on producing new Map Set products to provide a new era of battlefields upon which to unleash destruction. The first of these should be hitting store shelves right around the same time as the Box Sets.
We also have reprints already going on for the Core Rulebooks which brings us to your question about the AToW Companion. That comment surprised me because I didn't think it was out of print, so I'm checking inventory and reprint status now. I have every intention of continuing to support the RPG side of the brand as it is an important element to playing ongoing campaigns. However from your comments it sounds like you are one of the European players and I must admit being unfamiliar with how availability and such is handled outside the continental US. Feel free to contact me directly should you encounter issues getting products and I will look into whatever you need to acquire the products you need.
All of that leads up to the sourcebooks and plotlines that will soon be leading the BattleTech storyline forward. From start to finish, 2018 is going to be a big year for BT with lots of reasons to roll dice and blow stuff up. One of the big pushes here is to once again use fiction (novels & novellas) to drive the storyline, heroes and conflicts. From book stores to websites there will lots of ways immerse yourself in BattleTech.
Hope all that sounds good to you and piques your interest. Let me know if there is anything else you need along the way.
Can I just say...
[drool] [drool]
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What's that supposed to answer in this context?
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What's that supposed to answer in this context?
Just a few more tidbits on upcoming products. The map packs were new to me at least.
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If you look a little higher in this forum, you'll see the WWE Scenario Packs for "Scorched Earth" have just been made available for download. Would have done it sooner, but another infestation of 'Mech martens ... ::)
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What exactly are these pilot cards?
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What exactly are these pilot cards?
Wild guess, other name for record sheets?
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If you look a little higher in this forum, you'll see the WWE Scenario Packs for "Scorched Earth" have just been made available for download. Would have done it sooner, but another infestation of 'Mech martens ... ::)
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/c4/33/28/c43328fa032faf15078dad563a80d187.jpg)
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New maps? Yes, that is a big thing. And pilot cards. I wonder if they're doing something like the pilot cards that existed in Clickytech, possibly with pilot abilities on them like seen from later books (and the new computer game)
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New maps? Yes, that is a big thing. And pilot cards. I wonder if they're doing something like the pilot cards that existed in Clickytech, possibly with pilot abilities on them like seen from later books (and the new computer game)
I'd expect them to be CBT versions of the pilot cards in the AS lance boxes with a bit of background and pilot abilities
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Is the new box set of 8 mechs is or clan? Based on the 8 im gonna go ahead and guess its 2 lances.Personally id love a box set with 2 clan stars, but im biased twords clan products.
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definitely IS. the prototype minis were at GenCon
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I must have missed the email from Ray about disposing of that reverse printed Wolverine . . .
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I must have missed the email from Ray about disposing of that reverse printed Wolverine . . .
I offer miniature disposal services at very competitive rates. just let me know if I can help. ;)
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Nonsense. All mini disposal should be done in the most geologically boring continent of them all, Australia.
For this service, there is no charge O:-)
W.
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New maps? Yes, that is a big thing.
Absolutely.
I really hope the second side is a thematic blank for complete customization. For instance, snow covered field, desert field, grassy field, croplands, or concrete map for major cities.
While the original print runs of maps were cool, it's really hard to customize them, even with cut-out markers. Something completely open like that would make using the cut-outs much more tempting and make for an infinitely versatile playing field. While I love the idea of HotzMats, it's expensive.
And pilot cards. I wonder if they're doing something like the pilot cards that existed in Clickytech, possibly with pilot abilities on them like seen from later books (and the new computer game)
Huh. That would be cool. Unique heroes with their Special Pilot Abilities and skills by era would be neat. Blank pilot cards for your own characters strictly with room for Armored Combat stats.
I wonder if the record sheets will get a change in layout so you can just put the card in a predefined slot. Maybe the SPAs on the card will have icons and there would be less room required for the pilot and stats if you slide it under the record sheet on the table, leaving more room for more vital Mech or Vehicle info.
The idea of that kind of versatility is fun to ponder on.
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Huh. That would be cool. Unique heroes with their Special Pilot Abilities and skills by era would be neat. Blank pilot cards for your own characters strictly with room for Armored Combat stats.
I wonder if the record sheets will get a change in layout so you can just put the card in a predefined slot. Maybe the SPAs on the card will have icons and there would be less room required for the pilot and stats if you slide it under the record sheet on the table, leaving more room for more vital Mech or Vehicle info.
The idea of that kind of versatility is fun to ponder on.
I was thinking that if it was about business card sized, it would easily fit over the "Mechwarrior data" and art sections of the current sheets, and possibly over the cockpit picture in older sheets.
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Huh. That would be cool. Unique heroes with their Special Pilot Abilities and skills by era would be neat. Blank pilot cards for your own characters strictly with room for Armored Combat stats.
I wonder if the record sheets will get a change in layout so you can just put the card in a predefined slot. Maybe the SPAs on the card will have icons and there would be less room required for the pilot and stats if you slide it under the record sheet on the table, leaving more room for more vital Mech or Vehicle info.
The idea of that kind of versatility is fun to ponder on.
+1. This is a great idea, IMHO.
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Well, the next obvious step from that is ordinance decks for your ammo-based weapons.
Instead of tracking your ammo with pips and dedicating entire tons to specific types, you can assemble an ammo deck at the beginning of the game and put it in an ammo deck slot on the sheet. Each time you fire the weapon, you reveal the ammo card being used, showing the type, and discard it after use. Empty deck slot means weapon is out of ammo.
Maybe, for missile Weapons, you can search your deck for the particular type you want to fire that turn, reveal it, and discard it once it's used.
Alternatively, for belt- and case- fed weapons like Autocannons, the order you put the cards in the deck is the order they're fired in. So, there may come a turn where you're going to have to fire that streamer round that got left in the middle of the deck because that's what's come up. Or, in the case of LBX, you've decided that somewhere around turn 3 or 4 you'd be using cluster shots a couple turns in a row, even though there's no breached armor location on any enemy yet worth exploiting.
[Shrug] Oh, well.
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"hey guys, I brought my Kraken deck"
(http://media.istockphoto.com/photos/three-stacks-of-hand-trimmed-cards-picture-id173852785)
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Critical hit: Ammo
(http://www.midwestoutreach.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Joker-Burning.jpg)
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@Sartris
Now your opponents need the 'Hellbie Dice' counter...
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Seems like Alpha Strike requires a printer. I think every other company is using playing cards right now.
Not sure what you could do to track heat, armor and structure. But it seems like the, "playing card for mech" "playing card for pilot" or both together thing could work if there was a way to track stuff...
little mechs in booster boxes. I guess you could just rip off star wars miniatures and it would work really well for alpha strike. haha.
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No more than TW requires one. I mean, no one is ripping pages out of a physical copy of RS:3039 every time they want to play an atlas!
FWIW, they actually did try making cards. There was a 3050 set, and a con-only CM:Mercenaries set. Annoyingly, the printer screwed up the CM:Mercs one and didn’t get the two variants of each mech on the same card. However, I’m not sure all the cards match the MUL anymore, and if they ever do the PV review that was worked out on the forums a while back, pretty much none of the printed cards that currently exist will be accurate.
Why haven’t we seen more? Not sure. Could be that AS is still kinda young, and stats were still changing. No one likes their cards to become invalid, but no one likes broken game balance either! Could also be that they were supposed to be up-sell products for the combat manuals, and with those on hold so are any cards. Could even be that there weren’t enough sales on the first two sets to justify more. Maybe all three, or something totally different!
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Seems like Alpha Strike requires a printer. I think every other company is using playing cards right now.
Or... some of us prefer using the MUL because we can print a full Lance/Star/Level II of units on one letter-sized sheet of paper. That way each player can manage an entire sub-unit of a much larger force (I've also been tinkering with a custom PDF template that I can print over my MUL-printed pages which adds the AS tables to the sheet thus adding to the ease of play). Additionally, the MUL allows us to enter in our custom units to our forcelist -- something that pre-printed cards can't support.
There are positives to both. I see the lance pack preprinted cards extremely useful for new players, casual players, and vets who want a quick pick-up game (if CGL can iron out the bugs seen with their previous cardsets). But for vets like me that want a lot of flexibility in how we plan and run our games... not so much. O0
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FWIW, they actually did try making cards. There was a 3050 set, and a con-only CM:Mercenaries set.
They also included cards in the Alpha Strike Lance Pack boxed mini sets as well.
Or... some of us prefer using the MUL because we can print a full Lance/Star/Level II of units on one letter-sized sheet of paper.
This. I've printed out and laminated my companies to use in games, that way I can use wet-erase markers (the AS Lance Pack cards were supposed to be able to do that but it didn't work in practice)
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The MUL list is some great stuff. A whole resource of info for all of Battletech, right at your finger tips as long as you can get online.
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There were five sets of Alpha Strike cards sold as exclusives at GenCon thus far:
The Ad Hoc card set, which came out in 2013 to coincide with Alpha Strike's release. It contained a one-sided card for each of the mechs in the demo units in the Alpha Strike rulebook, plus 9 more mechs with unique pilots and/or custom variants, and a card detailing the SPAs for those unique mechs. The backs of each of these has an Alpha Strike logo on them.
The Ad Hod upgrade card set, which came out in 2014 to coincide with the Alpha Strike companion. The basic contents are quite similar to the original set, only now the cards are two-sided with a variant model for each mech on the flip-side - So The Clan Wolf Ryoken Prime has a Ryoken C on the back. The stats and point values are updated to the changes that were launched in the companion. The unique variants have the SPAs for the units on the flipside, and the last card had an Ares on one side and a Poseidon on the other.
The 3039 cards from 2015. I don't have these so I can't comment...
The Combat Manual: Kurita and Combat Manual: Mercenaries sets, which came out in 2016. As sadlerbw notes, the was a printing error so the sides don't match up. Each set contained a selection of units from their respective factions, including a unique pilot (Hassid Ricol and Grayson Carlyle respectively). The sets also contained a trio of cards with rules references and tables for movement and combat basics. Aside from the unique pilots and the reference cards getting mixed up, the printing error isn't the biggest deal.
There's also been eight releases of cards at general retail, in the 8 plastic lance packs. Each pack had 8 cards - a double-sided card for each of the 4 mechs in the pack; a card for a unique pilot and/or variant of one of the 4 mechs, the flipside giving the relevant SPAs; a double-sided card for a mech not in the set, the idea being that you can swap one mech out from the lance for this one for some variation; and a final card that gives the Alpha Strike special rules for the lance type in the box on one side and catalogue numbers for a variety of relevant products (including the IWM details for the mech on the 6th card); and the last one had details of the faction and regiment that the sample mechs on the box art and card were painted as.
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They also included cards in the Alpha Strike Lance Pack boxed mini sets as well.
This. I've printed out and laminated my companies to use in games, that way I can use wet-erase markers (the AS Lance Pack cards were supposed to be able to do that but it didn't work in practice)
I've had good luck with the lance pack cards with dry-erase markers.
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I don't do AS, but I know Paizo has a custom card printer arrangement with Drivethru. Maybe something similar?
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There were five sets of Alpha Strike cards sold as exclusives at GenCon thus far:
The Ad Hoc card set, which came out in 2013 to coincide with Alpha Strike's release.
The Ad Hod upgrade card set, which came out in 2014 to coincide with the Alpha Strike companion.
The 3039 cards from 2015. I don't have these so I can't comment...
The Combat Manual: Kurita and Combat Manual: Mercenaries sets, which came out in 2016.
There's also been eight releases of cards at general retail, in the 8 plastic lance packs.
I believe the 2013 set had the older point values. Did the 2014 one as well?
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I believe the 2013 set had the older point values. Did the 2014 one as well?
The point values on the 2014 set are the updated ones, and it includes the newer abilities like 0* damage
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My thing is that I think we need to find a way to make Alpha Strike lazy for new players.
Because when I'm thinking, "Man I want to play battletech." Then I have to think, "But do I want to print the sheets, do all the set up. Etc."
And I even suffer from that with the star wars miniatures game. "So I Want to build a fleet deck?"
But I still think that's the way for alpha strike. Cards. Tokens. Just have a token for if there is heat. What's the armor at. What is the internal structure at. Maybe some critical hit tokens.
Then some tokens for trees or hills, still cardboard. (Which I suppose they did. They had those card board pieces for maps for a minute.)
But then play.
Because right now if I want to play Alpha Strike I have to go through and randomly roll forces or select forces. Then go to the MUL and download each of the cards. Then use adobe photoshop copy and paste so that I can put more of them on a page. Then print them on some thin card stock and cut them up.
... and I still just use BT maps which requires some conversion when playing.. but like.. man... every game is this crazy arts and crafts event.
We should get some faction decks with mechs on playing cards. Pilot cards (faction pilot cards! Sun Zhang Academy Mechwarrior ya'll.
Throw down your cardboard tree and hill tokens and play some alpha strike. Some real 5-10 minute setup.
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Just print them 8 to a page like the default MUL army builder and print them out on normal paper. Takes me like five minutes. Slide the page into a sheet protector if I want to reuse it (I don't frequently).
Photoshop? Thin cardstock and cut up? ??? If you're doing that for every game no wonder it feels like too much.
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Back when a couple friends just happened to find AS and want to play (even though I'd been bugging them for months to play normal BT) we went to Staples and printed out our AS forces and had them laminated for like $10. Granted my friend knew a guy there so I can't tell you if those were the actual prices.... that being said we spent like a grand total of an hour printing, laminating, and cutting them to 'size'. Some dry erase markers from our D and D kits and boom. Cards worked for the half dozen battles we played thru.
To be fair I've also seen the sleeve protectors used as well but I can't confirm how well they work personally.
I like the idea of Alpha Strike personally because of its easy mechanics and the idea that you can use large Battalion sized formations. But I prefer Total Warfare TBH. Course AS if you have things set up already takes much quicker than TW.
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Yeah....
I love the MUL. But I don't really think that's the answer.
We're still talking about needing a printer and some long build up. If, instead of say the House Kurita Combat Manual, which I still dig the individual manuals so it bums me out they probably won't finish them for each house, they just sold decks of different pilots and different mechs it would make it way faster and easier.
They could also just put out new decks when they put out new TRO's which would keep revenue going. Put out special cards in lance packs so you get mechs but then you also get special pilots. Or special variants (I'm not saying omit variants from the other decks. They could make a variant for the lance packs.)
and then, you know, if you really want to put in the work to build something big you can go to the MUL or whatever. But I feel like it would be a revenue stream for CGL, and they apparently know some people who build cards based on Crossfire and Dragonfire... and it's not a business model that would make me mad.
I think that and some tokens and you could really easily get Alpha strike out there. Make a Starter pack that's like.... 8 mechs (Two lances) and some cards and then some terrain tokens, damage and heat tokens, some dice, a ruler, quickstart rules.
I think it would work really well for Alpha Strike and enlarging the customer base... and THEN... you can say, "So that's fun right! How about we step it up and then roll 16 times because we're rolling for each individual weapon and then we'll track where LB-X rounds hit the frame of the mech and damage widget A. Then we can calculate the cost to repair widget A, the armor and the defeated mech and cross reference that with the expense of our technician team based on the price of the parts in that year, during that era, with that faction. After we generate the density of the star in that system using our interstellar operations rules!" and they'll say NO. But we'll always have the battletech we know and love but we could blow those casual alpha strike kiddos up on the weekends!
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The problem is that the MUL lists BT as having these numbers of units (Note that these numbers include Omni base chassis and unique units, I don't know how to exclude those):
BattleMech 3202
Combat Vehicle 1024
Aerospace 624
Infantry 505
IndustrialMech 119
Protomech 80
Support Vehicle 95
Naval Vessel 16
Advanced Aerospace 38
Advanced Support 4
Building 15
And a card would have to be available for purchase for each of them, that's simply not possible to support.
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It's worth noting that recently, Privateer Press switched from including stat cards with their minis to either using a web-based tool where players can enter their army list and then download and print the cards out at home, or using a phone/tablet app instead. The MUL is basically what one of the gold standard wargame companies is doing these days, so it's not so bad that CGL do too.
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The MUL
Conceived, made and maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers, with official sanction.
Without those volunteers, it would not exist.
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Conceived, made and maintained by a dedicated group of volunteers, with official sanction.
Without those volunteers, it would not exist.
Very much thank you for that!
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It's worth noting that recently, Privateer Press switched from including stat cards with their minis to either using a web-based tool where players can enter their army list and then download and print the cards out at home, or using a phone/tablet app instead. The MUL is basically what one of the gold standard wargame companies is doing these days, so it's not so bad that CGL do too.
I did not know that changed. I weep for the loss of linen finishes everywhere.
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Y'know, regarding character cards, if they decide to start selling packs of hero and well-known pilots by era, or faction, or both, I'd be all over that.
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I did not know that changed. I weep for the loss of linen finishes everywhere.
I think they're still planning to put out faction decks semi-regularly, but the idea is that they're going to engage in active rebalancing of models via their new playtesting system. So if you got a print card with your figures it might be out of date before you open the pack. This way you'll always have access to the most up to date ones.
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The problem is that the MUL lists BT as having these numbers of units (Note that these numbers include Omni base chassis and unique units, I don't know how to exclude those):
BattleMech 3202
Combat Vehicle 1024
Aerospace 624
Infantry 505
IndustrialMech 119
Protomech 80
Support Vehicle 95
Naval Vessel 16
Advanced Aerospace 38
Advanced Support 4
Building 15
And a card would have to be available for purchase for each of them, that's simply not possible to support.
522 distinct Chassis (when removing IIC's and such)
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522 distinct Chassis (when removing IIC's and such)
Each varient needs it's own card, so that 3202 number in my post is closer to what will be needed.
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I think they're still planning to put out faction decks semi-regularly, but the idea is that they're going to engage in active rebalancing of models via their new playtesting system. So if you got a print card with your figures it might be out of date before you open the pack. This way you'll always have access to the most up to date ones.
Yes. I am generally in favor of printable options - just about every minis game I get into that uses printed cards quickly obsoletes those cards with errata, pushing me to print out the errata'd versions anyway.
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I think they're still planning to put out faction decks semi-regularly, but the idea is that they're going to engage in active rebalancing of models via their new playtesting system. So if you got a print card with your figures it might be out of date before you open the pack. This way you'll always have access to the most up to date ones.
Nope, no more faction decks, though a card print on demand service is either in the works or already available. Regardless, they are actively changing model stats significantly on a semi-regular basis (their Community Integrated Development has stuff actively being playtested and changed on a nearly monthly basis).
Privateer Press has a pretty significant advantage over BattleTech though - they own WarMachine and Hordes in their entirety, no other party producing minis, no other party owning the electronic license, etc. It is unfortunate that is a factor, but is something that ought to be considered when asking for certain things.
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Very much thank you for that!
They definitely deserve the thanks.
My involvement with the MUL was microscopic, just felt it was important that the credit went to the people who had earned it.
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Anybody who has helped get that MUL and keeps Battletech going has my THANKS.
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They definitely deserve the thanks.
My involvement with the MUL was microscopic, just felt it was important that the credit went to the people who had earned it.
They can be identified easily by the thousand-yard stare that you see in Vietnam movies.
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So if you got a print card with your figures it might be out of date before you open the pack. This way you'll always have access to the most up to date ones.
Not to mention that, like any print-on-demand system, it removes the many myriad problems that come with trying to print, ship, and distribute a product--these are the things that CGL has stumbled over in the past, whether through their own fault or not. (I'm thinking of the last set of AS cards that were misprinted with the wrong backs on the wrong fronts, as well as the set of AS cards before that, whose PVs were out of date soon after.)
Privateer Press has a pretty significant advantage over BattleTech though - they own WarMachine and Hordes in their entirety, no other party producing minis, no other party owning the electronic license, etc. It is unfortunate that is a factor, but is something that ought to be considered when asking for certain things.
Kinda just wanted to highlight this for its own sake, because it's something that needs to be considered when asking for anything BT-related. It's a crucial, crucial piece of the business model that many people around here totally miss when saying how CGL "should just do" X or Y related to production of miniatures.
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I think print-on-demand is the way to go with Alpha Strike cards - and perhaps even with standard BattleTech record sheets - but the shattered IP is a problem. CGL can't just say "oh, we'll use Drive Thru RPG," they need to clear it with BattleTech's actual owners.
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While, as noted, Privateer can license the rights out - the War Room app is done by a third party, who do all the work while Privateer takes a cut of the sales.
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@Ray or Brent
For the book reprints, when will they start hitting shelves? Will they be available before christmas??
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Is everyone just hoping 2018 gets here soon so we get new products?
Bueller? Bueller?
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One more product in 2017 would be really nice.
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Is everyone just hoping 2018 gets here soon so we get new products?
Bueller? Bueller?
I'm hoping we get some updates/news by Christmas, but I'm not expecting any more significant product releases in 2017. I think we will still see SOMETHING before the year is out. Maybe a spotlight or TTS or something of that size, but we I'm guessing we are done with big-book releases for the year.
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I'd be happy if that Solaris Gazette had come out, it wouldn't have interfered with ilClan.
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Is everyone just hoping 2018 gets here soon so we get new products?
Bueller? Bueller?
I suppose I am. I admit I like the idea behind the new direction they're going. One of my biggest hurdles to BT product has been pricing. If a box of two Mechs and basic rules and maps is what it takes to push the starting point down past 20 or 30 dollars:US, then that's great.
I asked them once before: I'm poor, can you help me buy your product? They seem to be delivering.
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so there's this
https://twitter.com/CGL_BattleTech/status/936681779649540097
All but one section of the rulebook for the new A Game of Armored Combat turned over to layout. Working on the QSR for the Beginner Box. And covers are in for both. So much BattleTech awesome! rnb
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That is some good news!
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Sounds really good.
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if the prices can stay around 15-20 and 30-40 respectively it won't be so bad. Can't wait though, really want the new pretties to join my collection.
Though with the new boxes coming out I do hope IWM gets on the ball and starts releasing them in metal soon.
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if the prices can stay around 15-20 and 30-40 respectively it won't be so bad. Can't wait though, really want the new pretties to join my collection.
Though with the new boxes coming out I do hope IWM gets on the ball and starts releasing them in metal soon.
Those are prices I wouldn’t begrudge paying. They’re honestly farther along than I would have guessed... though I assume setting up the logistics for the minis is by far the most expensive and time consuming?
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I think prices will be more along the lines of $20-25 for the 2-person starter and $50-60 for the full Intro Boxed Set.
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Glad their working for the future of the game. It needs it.
Still it's not thing i desire or need. *sigh*
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Has there been any word about the possibility of the ‘Mechs being available beyond the intro boxes? I’d love more plastics, and I’d hate to need to buy multiple boxed sets just to get more than one of something.
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No word though i figure new Lance Packs or the like will depend on sales. Like, if it is clear there's demand for minis, i reckon new lance packs might appear.
But didn't the last packs sell somewhat weakly?
I will note that introboxes are usually very good value, at least as price per mini goes. Of course, price per mini is somewhat irrelevant if you want only one or two specific minis.
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A new box set and something cheap to get new players to the game is the whole point.
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$60 for the new box is too much, especially when you look at the number and quality in other games. The 50 price point I feel is still a bit high but I can grumble for awhile but still impulse buy that one. Whatever gets decided it needs to be enough to be worth it but not so high it turns off new and older players.
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But the profit margin not so slim that they don’t have the capital to print another run so there aren’t large gaps in availability
BUSINESS IS FUN! FUN, I TELL YOU!
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The problem is the length of return, that is why nothing goes very far...
If you sell 1000 GoAC boxes for $40 in 3 months or 5000 at $60 over 3 years which do you think will get another run? Not the pricier box. Average it at 30 days per month.
3 months nets roughly $444 per day.
3 years nets roughly $278 per day.
or
3 years nets roughly $56 per day if using the same 1000 lot (to be fair).
In 3 months you get a faster return on what you spend for that smaller order while the larger order takes a lot longer to make back what you put in so that money is used for other things first while waiting for the remaining boxes to sell.
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Thanks for pointing that out. Cash flow is something people often forget about. To drive the point home with absurdity, an antique shop that sells its inventory at one instant for $50 million after five years in business is an antique shop that already went out of business after six months.
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No word though i figure new Lance Packs or the like will depend on sales. Like, if it is clear there's demand for minis, i reckon new lance packs might appear.
But didn't the last packs sell somewhat weakly?
Given that I was buying them on sale at Gen Con, I have to assume they did sell weakly, which is a shame -- I'm a late returner to BT, but I simply cannot afford to spend $10-12 or more per 'Mech, especially if I want to play Alpha Strike with large groups. The Lance Packs were a way in which I could muster up an entire battalion of 'Mechs for a quite reasonable sum and get them on the table. I'd love to see more cheap plastics so I can afford to play the game; otherwise, it's strictly paper counters for me.
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They sold well, all things considered. They were just overproduced.
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I have the feeling that lance packs for the Classic mechs would sell very well indeed.
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I know I'd buy a pile of them
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Would love to get some classic mechs
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They sold well, all things considered. They were just overproduced.
I think even overproduced they might have sold better if there wasn't so much waste with duplicates, or at the very least we had a larger variety. 8 Lance boxes... Even with duplicates and nothing beyond the extra 15 offered (14 new from 7 boxes, 1 new in one box) there was room to offer other mechs in some of the same boxes. Hunchback, Enforcer, Grasshopper, and Firestarter at the very least could have been in a few extra boxes. I think 12 Lance packs with a larger variety of new and intro box units might have sold better and left fewer sitting around for CGL to sell off themselves. Lets not forget, 24 in the last intro box plus 15 new from the lance packs. 39 Mechs total from TRO 3039. Wonder if the 39/39 is a coincidence lol :o
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Speaking as someone is doesn't have a budget to be a regular IWM customer, bought 4 of the Lance Packs. They are a great buy..
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I think prices will be more along the lines of $20-25 for the 2-person starter and $50-60 for the full Intro Boxed Set.
I've heard that the price of the inclusion of plastic miniatures is a very low proportion of the costs of manufacturing of the boxed set, however, I think that for the majority of people who pick the boxed set up, that's the centrepiece of the product, especially since the rulebook contained therein isn't the one they need to play against dudes in the LGS with their Clan Hells Horses or Word of Blake.
Personally, I'd suggest not having such pretty full-color booklets throughout the inside of the introbox. Black and White with matte paper is adequate for a rulebook, especially if you're not printing full-color illustrations on every page. If the real costs are coming from the books, better to keep the minis counts high and the books cheap. Being able to brag that you have a full color glossy rulebook inside is one thing, but if it's costing people another 5-10$, I have to say that the 4th edition rulebook in black and white was more than sufficient and still looked classy, and absolutely loved Peter Bergtings' illustrations, which gave the setting a dark, battle-torn atmosphere, and were perfectly suited to the black and white format.
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I think even overproduced they might have sold better if there wasn't so much waste with duplicates, or at the very least we had a larger variety.
Likewise the issue I had with it.
I already had Catapults and Vindicators. What I really wanted was the Cataphract and Raven.
A super-set marketed as a box set expansion which only contained the mechs not already in the introbox... that I would like.
Also, plastech of generic tanks. Vedettes, Bulldogs, SRM/LRM carriers, Pegasuses, etc. Perfect for militia use and RPG campaign fodder.
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Also, plastech of generic tanks. Vedettes, Bulldogs, SRM/LRM carriers, Pegasuses, etc. Perfect for militia use and RPG campaign fodder.
I don't need a budget. I NEED THIS.
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Totally agree here. The lance packs are a great deal, just limited variety. I don't want to take anything away from IWM (love their stuff), but when the budget is tight, or your trying to hook new players, price matters. So it would be nice to see a little expansion on the plastic offering, including some vehicles. I would definitely buy some. :)
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... yes, because CGL never had a problem procuring new minis in the past #P
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As for the vees in plastic. At the rate CGL seems to shot themselves in the foot over this... I guess we should wait and see how Brent handles the line. If he can do a better job with the plastics and box sets then by all means, I can see 2 vess for $5 which would be in line with some of the other dual sets I have seen. The local FLGS has D&D minis 2 per blister for 3.99-4.99 which would be about the same size as the vees with single mechs at $5 each. Lance packs could hold at $15 (two vee lances or mech lance).
A reinforcements box of 24 mechs for $60 would be nice and the box would not need to be big considering what was used for the last intro box. Even a full battalion for $100 would be nice. There are plenty of 3039 units that would work for it, especially if other 3039 units are going to get a facelift. Both of those would make for a good kickstarter as well just to help cover the startup costs so CGL doesn't have to put it all up at once with no ROI. Very rough estimate would be 1,500 $60 pledges minimum unless you allow for mutltiple $60 tiers (60, 120, 180, etc)
But enough product speculation, time to try and get back on topic I guess #P
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Obligatory reminder that no one currently posting in this thread has any idea how much it costs to make the boxes that CGL is producing right now, and that every single number in this thread (yes, even yours) that hasn't been corroborated by CGL employees is suspect.
Carry on. :)
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probably too much compared to every other company in the industry.
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As for the vees in plastic. At the rate CGL seems to shot themselves in the foot over this... I guess we should wait and see how Brent handles the line. If he can do a better job with the plastics and box sets then by all means, I can see 2 vess for $5 which would be in line with some of the other dual sets I have seen. The local FLGS has D&D minis 2 per blister for 3.99-4.99 which would be about the same size as the vees with single mechs at $5 each. Lance packs could hold at $15 (two vee lances or mech lance).
A reinforcements box of 24 mechs for $60 would be nice and the box would not need to be big considering what was used for the last intro box. Even a full battalion for $100 would be nice. There are plenty of 3039 units that would work for it, especially if other 3039 units are going to get a facelift. Both of those would make for a good kickstarter as well just to help cover the startup costs so CGL doesn't have to put it all up at once with no ROI. Very rough estimate would be 1,500 $60 pledges minimum unless you allow for mutltiple $60 tiers (60, 120, 180, etc)
But enough product speculation, time to try and get back on topic I guess #P
Pretty sure the D&D mini's would have higher production volumes then BT vehicles.
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Pretty sure the D&D mini's would have higher production volumes then BT vehicles.
Same way I'm pretty sure Jeff Bezos has more money that I do.
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True, but they aren't the only dual packs, just the only one I could remember the name & price since it was the last thing I was thinking of buying, but that would require my kids having an interest in D&D. For that I think I would have to introduce them to the old old box sets and not the new stuff. The old D&D Basic box is far easier to learn than the new rules are. A lot simpler to play as well...
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Pretty sure the D&D mini's would have higher production volumes then BT vehicles.
And they are a softer plastic too. A little too bendy for stompy robits, imho...
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I think even overproduced they might have sold better if there wasn't so much waste with duplicates, or at the very least we had a larger variety. 8 Lance boxes... Even with duplicates and nothing beyond the extra 15 offered (14 new from 7 boxes, 1 new in one box) there was room to offer other mechs in some of the same boxes. Hunchback, Enforcer, Grasshopper, and Firestarter at the very least could have been in a few extra boxes. I think 12 Lance packs with a larger variety of new and intro box units might have sold better and left fewer sitting around for CGL to sell off themselves. Lets not forget, 24 in the last intro box plus 15 new from the lance packs. 39 Mechs total from TRO 3039. Wonder if the 39/39 is a coincidence lol :o
Hunchback never made it into the Lance Packs at all, for which I was rather sad; same for Commando, which is one of my favorite lights, as a long-time fan of House Steiner, unless there was a pack I missed.
Still, all there is to do now is wait 'til next year and hope that more reinforcements do come down the way.
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I think even overproduced they might have sold better if there wasn't so much waste with duplicates, or at the very least we had a larger variety. 8 Lance boxes... Even with duplicates and nothing beyond the extra 15 offered (14 new from 7 boxes, 1 new in one box) there was room to offer other mechs in some of the same boxes. Hunchback, Enforcer, Grasshopper, and Firestarter at the very least could have been in a few extra boxes. I think 12 Lance packs with a larger variety of new and intro box units might have sold better and left fewer sitting around for CGL to sell off themselves. Lets not forget, 24 in the last intro box plus 15 new from the lance packs. 39 Mechs total from TRO 3039. Wonder if the 39/39 is a coincidence lol :o
I actually like the duplication from the starter box. It means I don't have to buy more than one.
As it stands, there are 7 Mechs from the Starter that I cannot duplicate from lance packs: JagerMech, Hunchback, Enforcer, Hermes II, Assassin, Whitworth, and Commando. Four of those are House specific icon Mechs which should be fielded in numbers. One is a common favorite (Hunchback). The last two are fluffed to be rare and going extinct (Assassin, Whitworth), and one of them is generally unpopular, though the FWL seems to have had a momentary love affair with it (Assassin).
And, there are some other '39 mechs I'd love to see in plastic, if for no other reason I can put them on the bases I want. (UrbanMech, anyone? Javelin?)
So, I would like to see the lance pack trend continue.
And, I'm really looking forward to filling out some of my themed colored teams with a locust or two.
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Are the new mechs going to be painted? Or will that put the price way to high for the general public. I guess the next step will be to find a FLGS that stocks BT stuff.
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Obligatory reminder that no one currently posting in this thread has any idea how much it costs to make the boxes that CGL is producing right now, and that every single number in this thread (yes, even yours) that hasn't been corroborated by CGL employees is suspect.
Carry on. :)
They are all off by at least 15-20%.
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They are all off by at least 15-20%.
Sounds like we can expect budget friendly products. :)
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Sounds like we can expect budget friendly products. :)
Not what he said.
People are simply tossing out prices without knowing what the real price is (and hoping for something good).
(First what the Beemers Mean)
A brown Beemer (Battlemaster mech below my name and others), means we are part of the Catalyst Demo team, and are the volunteers that run a lot of the events etc at Conventions and what not.
A Yellow Beemer like Kit's means they are one of the various authors of the products.
A Red Beemer means they are one of the Moderators here on the forums.
Blue/Purple mean they are like super-moderators/techie dudes who keep the board running (I think...they probably have other roles).
Green Beemers mean they are actual Catalyst Staff. The only two of note who come here are: Adrian Gideon and Brent Evans.
Now, that said, when Kit said the prices are all at least 15-20% off, does not mean the price is $50 and marked down 15-20% to be $40 - $42.50. It could just as well be the other way. $57.50 - $60.
So, not trying to be mean here, just saying, no one except the Green Beemers know the actual price, and either it hasn't been finalized yet or it has. Either way, they aren't saying, and we are all just hoping/speculating.
Sorry.
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Sounds like we can expect budget friendly products. :)
Nope, sorry, that's a running joke Kit likes to keep alive. Don't take it as factual.
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Nope, sorry. Don't take Kit as factual.
Fixed. :)
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Fixed. :)
Man, I've been doing it wrong for years.
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Well, unless it involves chemistry. I'd never make light of the truth of the world.
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Quick correction to NeonKnight's list:
Blue Beemer: Admin. Sort of the moderator bosses, as well as a few other hats. The big one is that if you get a warning/ban and appeal it, the appeal goes to us. This group consists of myself, God & Davion, and Worktroll (emeritus).
Purple Beemer: Web Admin. If the site's having problems, they're the guys we call on. Note that the blue group does NOT have web admin power nor vice versa, which is good because I don't have the foggiest clue what the issue is when the site goes down beyond pointing and yelling "IT BROKE" in a panicked squeal.
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Quick correction to NeonKnight's list:
Blue Beemer: Admin. Sort of the moderator bosses, as well as a few other hats. The big one is that if you get a warning/ban and appeal it, the appeal goes to us. This group consists of myself, God & Davion, and Worktroll (emeritus).
Purple Beemer: Web Admin. If the site's having problems, they're the guys we call on. Note that the blue group does NOT have web admin power nor vice versa, which is good because I don't have the foggiest clue what the issue is when the site goes down beyond pointing and yelling "IT BROKE" in a panicked squeal.
Cool, thanx for the Update...I wonder...is the Beemer List anywhere? Because the list is just what I figured out on my own.
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I will make this statement, since it is for a product that won't get a reprint.
The last box set for battletech cost the full amount. eg: If Catalyst sold it to distributors for $50 (MSRP of $60), it cost them the full $50 to produce that box (no profit margin). That is from discussions with Randall Bills.
The increased cost of paper (yes, paper) in the last 3 years had more than doubled, which means even if they wanted to redo that box, it would be much more expensive. This is why the newer boxes are pared down to be distilled awesome, rather than "fill the box" mentality. Gotta make some profit, and increased costs. Note: that doesn't discuss mini cost, which has gone up due to going to higher quality plastics.
The beginner box is the one where they will have almost no profit margin (Which is usual for a beginner box), but serves as a lead-in. This means there is less product with low margins, and at a cheaper price point on the books.
Much of the feedback from the distributors and retailers was wanting to have beginner and core box sets, with the beginner one being at a cheaper price point.
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is the Beemer List anywhere?
The Forum rules have handy links to the bottom to find mods, admins, and website people.
From there you can see how to find other groups: use the search, and search by position.
http://bg.battletech.com/forum-rules/
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?action=mlist;sa=search
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The Forum rules have handy links to the bottom to find mods, admins, and website people.
From there you can see how to find other groups: use the search, and search by position.
http://bg.battletech.com/forum-rules/
http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?action=mlist;sa=search
Not quite what I meant. I meant not so much a who's who, but a what's what.
Like:
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images/staff/bm_tw_tancamo.png) Catalyst Demo Agent
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images//staff/bm_tw_blue.png) Site Admin
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images/staff/bm_tw_magenta.png) Systems Admin
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images/staff/bm_tw_yellow.png) Author/Artist
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images//staff/bm_tw_red.png) Forum Moderator
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images/staff/bm_tw_grey.png) Battletech Developer
(http://bg.battletech.com/forums/Themes/BTFactions/images/staff/bm_tw_green.png) Catalyst Game Labs Staff
A nice guide to what position someone is.
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If I get a chance this week I'll brew something like that up.
Two to add to it- Worktroll's emeritus status gives him a special bearded blue beemer (say that five times fast!). He has a few duties different from the other admins, including making sure we don't go mad with power.
The other- and I'll have to see if I can find the image for it again- was Paul's special Hawaiian shirt Beemer he had briefly. It was fantastic and I wish we'd made him keep it (though it was before my admin time)
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They are all off by at least 15-20%.
Really? I thought it was more like 50%. #P
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The other- and I'll have to see if I can find the image for it again- was Paul's special Hawaiian shirt Beemer he had briefly. It was fantastic and I wish we'd made him keep it (though it was before my admin time)
It was, it really was.
Though, that reminds me of something that might be worth pointing out, for folks that are just getting up to speed on Beemer color: the color someone wears isn't necessarily a hard-and-fast science. Paul is a good example--he wears a Demo Team beemer at the moment, which is accurate, but he's also done a lot of significant development work on the BT line, as well as web development work. I have the yellow beemer, which is accurate, but I'm also a Demo Agent, and some of my editing work can sorta-kinda-but-not-really trend into development. People end up filling lots of different roles.
Don't judge a book by it's beemer, is all I'm saying.
Back on topic: general price points for the boxes are in mind, but probably won't be locked in until all the elements have been developed, if not actually created.
But, I wouldn't use any of the previous IBS as a metric for these. It's a different time, costs are different, the line is in a different place and has different needs. Best to consider them on their own merits of value, rather than "but hamburgers used to cost a nickel!"
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Are the new mechs going to be painted? Or will that put the price way to high for the general public. I guess the next step will be to find a FLGS that stocks BT stuff.
It would be nice, wouldn't it? To have some generic scheme that they come in, so they're ready to field if you don't have the talent/desire to customize them.
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So, now that we have a new starter box - we are going to see these Mechs in nearly all eras of BT, especially in the future, right?
They're not going to go extinct? No real need for some fancy face-lift except as weapon variant?
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They're not going to go extinct? No real need for some fancy face-lift except as weapon variant?
The prologue to TRO: Succession Wars provides one possible answer to how they'll be used in the thirty-second century.
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'Mechs get used until they're shot to pieces or recycling the material is the best use. There are relatively many standard introtech machines running around during the Dark Age, at least MUL lists many as "Inner Sphere General". Pretty sure a lot of primitive 'Mechs got shot to pieces in Succession Wars, so introtech being in general use by 3150 and later isn't that weird. And i'm sure bunch of museums ended up losing their collections too...
As it is, seems former Great Houses (former, since they're no longer running the show) have some kind of downgraded military forces for settling disputes or something like that. Presumably introtech level. So all the old Marauder 3Rs and Atlas AS7-Ds will be used. Frankly i wonder more about the 3067-tech equipment etc.
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I actually started picking up the lance packs recently, having put it off for a fair while because I was catching up with the books I didn't own. With any luck, I'm getting the last couple as Christmas presents, and the only real complaint I've got about them is I've got to work out for my own brain what looks sufficiently like a Shogun that I can substitute the Shogun miniature for it and still remember what it is.
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Crockett
I actually started picking up the lance packs recently, having put it off for a fair while because I was catching up with the books I didn't own. With any luck, I'm getting the last couple as Christmas presents, and the only real complaint I've got about them is I've got to work out for my own brain what looks sufficiently like a Shogun that I can substitute the Shogun miniature for it and still remember what it is.
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That IS a fair point. If we could have multi-colored Beemers that would be ideal, but that would be a pain to create. Technically mine would be blue/orange/yellow (well, maybe not the yellow anymore).
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It would be nice, wouldn't it? To have some generic scheme that they come in, so they're ready to field if you don't have the talent/desire to customize them.
Would be lovely. Would also mandate manufacturing in China.
I mean, I could probably sustain a basic output of 4/hour. I'm talking base & prime in one, some metallic details, black cockpit, and an ink wash, then varnished. That's less than the MW:DA minis got - I keep a few of the earlier ones for their quality paintjobs (Banson's Raiders in particular) - main colour, contrast colour, metallics, cockpit, and some weathering. Seriously great work for table-ready minis.
Given my hourly rate being what it is ... I have no understanding of how professional mini painters don't starve.
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Catalyst Demo Agent
An active member of the Catalyst Demo team. Not necessarily focussed on BT, though that's often their focus; why else hang out here?
Site Admin
Systems Admin
Forum Moderator
I feel Hellbie covered those adequately, no?
Author/Artist
Initially, someone who's a sourcebook or novel author. Then we added BCorps. Then we realized we had artists posting without their own well-deserved recognition.
Intent is 2-fold: recognize the person, but also unlocks the ability to answer and access certain forums. Ask the Writers, for example.
Battletech Developer
Someone whose activity and influence level isn't adequately described as author. Not a line developer, or assistant line developer, but maybe a lead in layout, editing, or a project lead. Oystein also had/has this, as the map guru.
Catalyst Game Labs Staff
Just what it says, no?
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Brown also includes other volunteers, like MUL team.
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Given my hourly rate being what it is ... I have no understanding of how professional mini painters don't starve.
I think that this is purely supplemental income, like what a paper route is supposed to be.
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What do we know about the "pilot cards" or whatever they're called? IIRC, apparently CGL wants more focus on MechWarriors themselves, and the proposed idea was some kind of cards that... do what? Be a bit like MWDA pilot cards that add some kind of special ability?
If there ain't info, can we get some sooner rather than later?
Also, i have vague recollection of some kind of weapon cards or effects...
(I do wonder if we'll get news at PGI's MechCon.)
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Our current knowledge of the pilot cards is that:
- they were listed as contents on the prototype intro box
I would expect a cross between the mechwarrior clicky tech and AS lance box cards. A picture, bio, and special abilities from AToW and / or campaign ops.
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Also, i have vague recollection of some kind of weapon cards or effects...
This would be an excellent way to move forward with any new tech releases. Total Warfare was nice, but a large portion of the rulebook was dedicated to weapons and equipment which had special rules attached. Then there were yet additional optional rules in TacOps for some of those weapons and even more equipment.
Then, we get into TRos/FMs/Sourcebooks featuring stuff from future eras. Or we get prequel books which also add new equipment that wasn't available to the Core Rulebook.
Suddenly, the end-all rulebook isn't the one-stop source for everything you might want to play BT.
Combine that with the fact that what is considered tournament legal changes by the era an event is placed, and you no longer have a coherent, carriable source for all the tech you might need to run a particular Mech from the Early Star League or Blackout.
Equipment cards or a little era equipment book in an era expansion box with some new Mech minis would be a great way to consolidate all of that in a manageable way for the player. The card would have all you need to know about the weapon, any advanced optional rules for it, and how it gets place on the Mech via construction rules.
Then, you wouldn't really need to dedicate a lot of page space in the Core Rulebook to special case rules for specific weapons. All you would need is an explanation on how cluster weapons work differently from direct fire weapons, since that is a common thing for a lot of them. But, maybe not even that need be included in the book. Even staples like LRMs should get their own card to note the fact that they will have an odd cluster damage size in some instances.
Your rulebook would then be smaller. Weapons and new equipment could be distributed a little more easily with said rulebook, or without!
Heck, some people may not even want to buy the new expansion box, but want to know what they'll be facing or how to customize their current favorite machine. Era Equipment Card packs can fill that gap.
There's all kinds of wonderful potential with this.
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I wonder if there will be anymore Era Reports like 3052 and 62. The guys i play with have been using them when their playing in these time periods if we need quick reference and build a force. Be nice see ones for whatever time period after 3145 and maybe throw back one like for 3025ish time frame.
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I wonder if there will be anymore Era Reports like 3052 and 62. The guys i play with have been using them when their playing in these time periods if we need quick reference and build a force. Be nice see ones for whatever time period after 3145 and maybe throw back one like for 3025ish time frame.
I don't think there has been much talk about continuing that specific format. I'm sure some of the same game-relevant information that was presented in the Era Reports will still come out in a sourcebook of some sort, but I don't recall hearing anything about continuing the Era Report line.
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I never saw the point in publishing ERs for "living" eras. FMs cover that. ERs seemed to only ever be for back-filling unexplored eras and providing newcomers to the fandom a book that's easier/cheaper to acquire than the old out of print stuff.
The Dark Age getting both ER and FM treatment seemed to be a misstep by TPTB to me.
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This would be an excellent way to move forward with any new tech releases. Total Warfare was nice, but a large portion of the rulebook was dedicated to weapons and equipment which had special rules attached. Then there were yet additional optional rules in TacOps for some of those weapons and even more equipment.
Consequence of not having proper technology advancement. Moonsword can back me up here the latest version of the Starfire rules, Solar Starfire, fits the construction and game-play data, but not research, for it's R and Rr (13 weapons), Rc and Rcr (12 weapons), and Rh and Rhr (10 weapons) on a single page, that's FIFTY WEAPONS, on a single page, and Solar Starfire has 13 different weapon types, most with about that number of individual weapons, and then there's the g versions of most weapons and v and very optional vr versions of some weapons where you have to calculate the stats, and vrg is a valid combination...
For those not familiar with Starfire R is a Regular Missile, the default long range weapon, c and h versions are heavier and powerful versions, r is rapid fire (basically non-crappy Ultra), energy weapons have Precision (p) version which map insanely closely to Re-Engineered Lasers and v (Variable) means you can switch between the two, and g is anti-matter generator, double damage with 1 in chance of blowing up if hit. So Lhvgra would be the BT equivalent of weapon that is both an IS Large Laser AND a Large Re-Engineered Laser, deals double damage for low chances of blowing up and can fire at least twice a turn.
Then, we get into TRos/FMs/Sourcebooks featuring stuff from future eras. Or we get prequel books which also add new equipment that wasn't available to the Core Rulebook.
I don't think putting the rules for Dark Age gear, including RISC gear, in TacOps would have been a good idea, even if CGL had come up with rules for them at the time that TacOps was published.
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I just hope with new era that new new technology will be introduced possibly replace old ones. I know that sounds like pain but time must march on. New Tech, gives way new Mech/Vehicle designs that isn't variant of same set equipment we've seen over and over again.
Any new tech can be included in a Era Digest, like they did for the 3145. Which included Colossal and QuadVee Mechs, along with new type of armors. I actually found it easier to go to the era the new equipment was In verses digging deep into the IO. At the time IO hadn't come out when it came out. In sense kept a player for being overwhelmed trying reading in the IO. I like IO, its i think Era Digest was maybe more reader friendly.
All the tech that was included in the IO was done by the Click-Tech game when it was around, it's been fleshed. If weren't for MWDA, we likely won't have seen much in way of new tech for Dark Age.
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The prologue to TRO: Succession Wars provides one possible answer to how they'll be used in the thirty-second century.
I'd missed that, makes for interesting reading.
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This just in from the CGL twitter feed:
CatalystGameLab @catalystgamelab · 10h10 hours ago
All fiiles for the BT Beginner Box are off to layout! Tomorrow I’ll wrap up the last of the
files for the new A Game of Armored Combat box. Then it’s off to MechCon! Can’t wait!
You can tell our art director is ready, with his crazy new shirt! @MechWarriorF2P @NoGutsNoGalaxy rnb
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So the boxes are one step closer to their spring release. Good to hear. Would be even better if the HG mess got cleared up and the other unseen started a new lance pack line. Wishful thinking but we can dream! ;D
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I think even overproduced they might have sold better if there wasn't so much waste with duplicates, or at the very least we had a larger variety. 8 Lance boxes... Even with duplicates and nothing beyond the extra 15 offered (14 new from 7 boxes, 1 new in one box) there was room to offer other mechs in some of the same boxes. Hunchback, Enforcer, Grasshopper, and Firestarter at the very least could have been in a few extra boxes. I think 12 Lance packs with a larger variety of new and intro box units might have sold better and left fewer sitting around for CGL to sell off themselves. Lets not forget, 24 in the last intro box plus 15 new from the lance packs. 39 Mechs total from TRO 3039. Wonder if the 39/39 is a coincidence lol :o
There is also a limit to how many SKUs the distributors and retailers will take at a time. They might have been able to product another run of lance options, had the cash flow issues worked out. [/speculation]
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This just in from the CGL twitter feed:
CatalystGameLab @catalystgamelab · 10h10 hours ago
All fiiles for the BT Beginner Box are off to layout! Tomorrow I’ll wrap up the last of the
files for the new A Game of Armored Combat box. Then it’s off to MechCon! Can’t wait!
You can tell our art director is ready, with his crazy new shirt! @MechWarriorF2P @NoGutsNoGalaxy rnb
I promise not to buy multiple copies like I did with the Introductory Boxed Set so actual new players can get them. ;)
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fortunately for the new players i can only afford one
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This just in from the CGL twitter feed:
CatalystGameLab @catalystgamelab · 10h10 hours ago
All fiiles for the BT Beginner Box are off to layout! Tomorrow I’ll wrap up the last of the
files for the new A Game of Armored Combat box. Then it’s off to MechCon! Can’t wait!
You can tell our art director is ready, with his crazy new shirt! @MechWarriorF2P @NoGutsNoGalaxy rnb
That...that...that is from the image that was supposed to be the cover art for CM: Davion! WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHRRRRRGGGGG! Y U TEASE ME LIKE DAT!
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So the boxes are one step closer to their spring release. Good to hear. Would be even better if the HG mess got cleared up and the other unseen started a new lance pack line. Wishful thinking but we can dream! ;D
Hopefully contingency plans are in place should the HG case go PGI/HBS/CGL's way.
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Lance packs with the 'DougramSeen' seem like they could happen, at least that's my hope! :-X
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Hopefully contingency plans are in place should the HG case go PGI/HBS/CGL's way.
I'm sure there are, but they don't affect the new intro and GoAC boxes. I don't believe CGL has any plans to delay or make last-minute switches to those products if HG case were to evaporate. I fully expect both of those products to go forward with the unit lists that were already mentioned, no matter what happens with HG.
Beyond that, who knows. I'm sure, if HG's case gets shredded, that CGL will be looking for a way to get Locusts and Marauders and Warhammers into our greedy little hands. However, I don't think it makes business sense for them to spend time and effort on such a thing while the case is still undecided.
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if any capital has been sunk into the molds for the mini's, I assume there's a zero point zero chance of changing the contents
If anything, the potential macross-derived expansion plastics box followup would be the hottest property in the history of modern battletech
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If anything, the potential macross-derived expansion plastics box followup would be the hottest property in the history of modern battletech
Dunno, that new Wasp mini looks better than the old Macross. Same for the Valk in the FSW book.
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my assumption is that the wasp, warhammer, marauder, et al would be the redesigns no matter what
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Late to this party, but thought I would add my $.02
The problem is the length of return, that is why nothing goes very far...
If you sell 1000 GoAC boxes for $40 in 3 months or 5000 at $60 over 3 years which do you think will get another run? Not the pricier box. Average it at 30 days per month.
3 months nets roughly $444 per day.
3 years nets roughly $278 per day.
or
3 years nets roughly $56 per day if using the same 1000 lot (to be fair).
In 3 months you get a faster return on what you spend for that smaller order while the larger order takes a lot longer to make back what you put in so that money is used for other things first while waiting for the remaining boxes to sell.
However if it costs more than $40 per unit (my understanding is that the profit margin is very slight on the starters) than selling at $40 no matter how fast they sell is an end loss. I am trying to think of any starters for tabletop games at that price point and the only one that I can think of (a bit cheaper at $25) comes with three plastic models that you need to put together or X-Wing that again comes with only three (this time pre-assembled and painted, but still three) models. Going up to the $50 mark and now you have the super disaster AKA Robotech Tactics with 32 torture devices some times kindly called miniatures. After this most of the ones that I am aware of (and very likely that I missed some as only play/know about so many games) jump up to about the $100 range, heck most newer board games that I have looked at at more than $40 and $100 is not uncommon there.
I do not remember what the box sets cost in 1985 but I am guessing that they were $20/$25 so plugging that in to a inflation calculator and it spits out that today they would cost $47.67/$59.58 and that would be with cardboard not plastic miniatures or any of the other stuff that is expected today. So my guess is that they will be more than $40 and I would not be surprised to to them at least $60, but we will have to wait and see.
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my assumption is that the wasp, warhammer, marauder, et al would be the redesigns no matter what
That's was reason with the Classic redesigns. On the old old threat there was huge discussion about the unseens.
Essentially some people back then had been advocating to have the unseen replaced vs having silhouettes or worse removed which FASA was essentially doing.
I wish they had done it sooner. I just hope we see more products with them in once dust settles with legal issues those license trolls keep levering against the franchise.
I'd be happy see us just plain move on. We got wait now till next year to see them results.
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That's was reason with the Classic redesigns. On the old old threat there was huge discussion about the unseens.
Essentially some people back then had been advocating to have the unseen replaced vs having silhouettes or worse removed which FASA was essentially doing.
I wish they had done it sooner. I just hope we see more products with them in once dust settles with legal issues those license trolls keep levering against the franchise.
I'd be happy see us just plain move on. We got wait now till next year to see them results.
I think the reason it took so long was because slightly redesigning them while having them obviously be related to the original product was still some legal trouble. So they had to make sure they had that worked out before they proceeded.
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my assumption is that the wasp, warhammer, marauder, et al would be the redesigns no matter what
Ah, my misunderstanding then. :-)
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I think the reason it took so long was because slightly redesigning them while having them obviously be related to the original product was still some legal trouble. So they had to make sure they had that worked out before they proceeded.
Um, it didn't work out. Harmony Gold still sued. Go see the thread on the topic for the latest juicy updates.
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There is a pic of the new Box Set from Mech Con. Looks pretty neat.
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And mentions of a Spring release.
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There is a pic of the new Box Set from Mech Con. Looks pretty neat.
Where might I be able to see this?
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Made an album off of pics I found off facebook. I'd really love to get my hands on one of those large scale battlemasters!! :o
https://imgur.com/a/NYVaC
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New awesome sculpt in that pic that I hadn’t seen before. Looks good
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[drool] [drool] [drool]
That cover art...
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Woah, that Battlemaster is huge in comparison to the minis. Are the mini's smaller or is this one-off sculpt of the Battlemaster (museum scale?)
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I'd imagine it's a one-off "hero scale" 3D print from the model used to make the masters for the Classic design.
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Made an album off of pics I found off facebook. I'd really love to get my hands on one of those large scale battlemasters!! :o
https://imgur.com/a/NYVaC
Much obliged. Those look great! I can't wait for that box to hit the market.
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Dat Awesome! [drool]
Also, love the box art!
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I want that big Classic TBolt!!!!
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I don't think I've ever needed a T-bolt this much before...
(https://31.media.tumblr.com/67197ddce056556462d705d7865e3f19/tumblr_inline_n2015melho1qafrh6.gif)
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Also it appears we're getting new printings of TW, TM, TO, and SO
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Once you get done with the minis, that booklet looks interesting.
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So are those the finalist for the boxes? So the Thunderbolt isn't one of the minis?
The maker bot that did those Museum Size sculpts of the T-Bolt and the Battlemaster are nice too. O0
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IIRC, the minis are all known, there was talk about them around GenCon i think.
Total count 9, with one shared with the intro and standard box.
Let's see: Awesome, Catapult, Locust, Battlemaster, Shadow Hawk (intro+standard?), Griffin (intro only?), Wolverine, Thunderbolt. And... Banshee? I have vague recollection of the Banshee being the last one.
Correct me if i'm wrong.
EDIT Of course it is possible things got changed afterwards.
EDIT Reading posts from the time when we got info/figured out the mini list, it seems Banshee was my suggestion but isn't in. How silly, i've somehow remembered small part of my post, a post i didn't even remember writing.
Also, it seems the exact list is this:
Awesome, Battlemaster, Catapult, Thunderbolt, Griffin (intro only), Shadow Hawk, Wolverine (intro+standard), Locust, Commando.
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Being a guy who got started in 3rd edition, I'm loving the idea of a Griffin and Wolverine in the introductory box.
Now if only we could get a wasp and stinger in there with them... ;)
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I need to get that Awesome.
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That Awesome is awesome anyone?
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I recommend the pilot of said Awesome be named Captain Hammer. Because, he's just that awesome. #P
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Major Awesome piloting his super awesome Awesome of awesomeness!
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Such a nice preview and layout. Can't wait for the new boxed set.
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Love the scaling - the Battlemaster and Awesome are noticeably bigger than the medium 'mechs.
Really love the 'Coming Soon' placard!!! ;D
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So, unless I missed something, the only remaining resculpt we haven't seen yet is the Commando.
As per Sentinel's feedback (post 527 of this thread), the Commando's redesign was finished before
they even started work on the Awesome. Since we've just spotted that Mech, I'm hoping that CGL
now gives us a little teaser for the Commando (line art please ?).
Regards
Death From Above
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Major Awesome piloting his super awesome Awesome of awesomeness!
I like that.
Or, maybe Major Power(s)?
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Who wants to see the new maps?
Here is the maps (will be a single double sided map) in the Wolverine/Griffin Box set
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Image 2 of 3, this is the first of 2 maps/double sided included in the BIG BOX SET
(sorry it is upside down, did not realize as I was taking pictures I was looking at the map from the TOP, so...gives a better look)
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Image 3 of 3, this is the first of 2 maps/double sided included in the BIG BOX SET
(Again sorry it is upside down)
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What kind of paper are we looking it? Doesn't look like the heavy-duty cardboard we got with prior releases.
And, I've not seen that kind of lightly-forested plains before.
Still was hoping for something a little more customization-friendly on one side.
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What kind of paper are we looking it? Doesn't look like the heavy-duty cardboard we got with prior releases.
And, I've not seen that kind of lightly-forested plains before.
Still was hoping for something a little more customization-friendly on one side.
I believe Brent was saying it'll be high quality Paper, unfortunately the Cardboard stuff we got in the last one, price on cardboard went up like 500% or something, so, it folks were willing to pay around $150 for a box set, it could be doable ;)
But, also, these are just the box set maps...
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Neat 3D-styling. Bugs my eyes though, they insist it is actually 3D lol.
I wonder if new maps in the box sets pave way for completely new maps sold separately. Printing maps at home is still not an option for me; nor is it really feasible anyway, ink prices being what they are and general printer quality being weak.
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Neat 3D-styling. Bugs my eyes though, they insist it is actually 3D lol.
I wonder if new maps in the box sets pave way for completely new maps sold separately. Printing maps at home is still not an option for me; nor is it really feasible anyway, ink prices being what they are and general printer quality being weak.
Mayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyybe....
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Your avatar is weirdly appropriate...
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Are they working on an Era Report for the Third and Fourth succession war? My first and second era reports are lonely.
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FSW and SSW are Historicals in all but name, not Era Reports.
That said, Era Report for 3rd and 4th Succession War would be nice way to complete overview for the wars, given that Historical format might not be ideal for 3rd/4th War.
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I support the Succession Wars Reports. Era Report: 3025 etc. 3rd Succession War is prime raiding territory for players running mercenary groups going. I know not everyone uses Chaos Campaign/Warchest system, their scenario missions/tracks as their called are highly useful. I would imagine that if perhaps more detail than the old Object pdfs it would be juicy thing to have. I'd be willing pay more than 10 bucks if it was substantial content in it.
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I can see people buying two of the new box just so they can use both sides of a given map at once. That said the left hand side of the second one doesn't seem to fit the rolling hills/mountains of the other 3.
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That's where creative interpretation at the start of the game comes into play.
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I support the Succession Wars Reports. Era Report: 3025 etc. 3rd Succession War is prime raiding territory for players running mercenary groups going. I know not everyone uses Chaos Campaign/Warchest system, their scenario missions/tracks as their called are highly useful. I would imagine that if perhaps more detail than the old Object pdfs it would be juicy thing to have. I'd be willing pay more than 10 bucks if it was substantial content in it.
At most I'd expect an Era Digest pdf instead of a full Era Report for 3rd Succession War.
That said I would like a new Historical for the 4th War. The old NAIS books are hard to get for new players (are they even up on the new webstore yet?), plus they could do with some cleanup and fixing (some of the stuff in them is...out of date or made incorrect by later books).
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I guess I meant historicals honestly.
They tend to be, or at least, feel longer than Era Reports.
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Very different types of sourcebooks.
Historicals are in-depth reviews of events and general outlines for player-made scenarios and campaigns, whereas Era Reports are overviews of specific eras with semi-pre-made scenarios.
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I'm going to lay this on the table:
I want to know from TPTB what the thinking is behind the new imagery for the 3025 survivors.
Is this an art retcon?
What I mean is; Is this the way a Catapult/Awesome now looks? and all future products will use this art?
Is this a statement that a particular variant looks like this?
What does this mean for the older imagery?
What does this mean for related products using the older imagery? IE/ AS lance packs and the potential for future releases in that vein? Is that an experiment whose time has now past?
Commentary; I had hoped that eventually the one-piece plastics would expand to cover the entire 3025/3050 range as far as possible and would eventually be available for individual purchase online.
If I need to repost this elsewhere to get an answer, then I will.
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I'm going to lay this on the table:
I want to know from TPTB what the thinking is behind the new imagery for the 3025 survivors.
Is this an art retcon?
What I mean is; Is this the way a Catapult/Awesome now looks? and all future products will use this art?
Is this a statement that a particular variant looks like this?
What does this mean for the older imagery?
What does this mean for related products using the older imagery? IE/ AS lance packs and the potential for future releases in that vein? Is that an experiment whose time has now past?
Commentary; I had hoped that eventually the one-piece plastics would expand to cover the entire 3025/3050 range as far as possible and would eventually be available for individual purchase online.
If I need to repost this elsewhere to get an answer, then I will.
Pretty sure the official stance is that both old and new versions are valid, and try not to stress about it. I would bet the possibility of additional mechs getting new sculpts would depend on how the money situation looks and how well it looks like the things will sell.
(Personal canon, these things have been built for hundreds of years across multiple factories, they don't all have to look alike).
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I'm going to lay this on the table:
I want to know from TPTB what the thinking is behind the new imagery for the 3025 survivors.
Is this an art retcon?
What I mean is; Is this the way a Catapult/Awesome now looks? and all future products will use this art?
Is this a statement that a particular variant looks like this?
What does this mean for the older imagery?
What does this mean for related products using the older imagery? IE/ AS lance packs and the potential for future releases in that vein? Is that an experiment whose time has now past?
Commentary; I had hoped that eventually the one-piece plastics would expand to cover the entire 3025/3050 range as far as possible and would eventually be available for individual purchase online.
If I need to repost this elsewhere to get an answer, then I will.
Which artist's rendition of Peter Parker is correct?
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Or, let's try this:
The awesome. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/e/e8/3025_Awesome1.jpg?timestamp=20130421090520)
Was this a retcon? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/d/d1/3050_Awesome.jpg?timestamp=20110717174739)
Was this? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/0/08/CCG_Unlimited_Awesome_Q.jpg?timestamp=20100702150809)
How about this? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/c/c1/Awesome_CBTIRp38.png?timestamp=20160807202918)
This one doesn't look different because it's a different variant, it's just a different artist. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/f/fa/Day_of_Heroes_%2811%29.jpg?timestamp=20100413184356)
What happens to this art now? *checks* it's still in the book on my shelf and in my PDF. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/8/83/3050U_Awesome.jpg?timestamp=20110118184349)
I'm not really seeing any of those questions as relevant. Aside from the general shape (and the vaguest of similarity in proportions), the details and greebles are all over the place. But as a whole, those images depict the same 'Mech. Just new art and artist each time.
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Since we've just spotted that Mech, I'm hoping that CGL
now gives us a little teaser for the Commando (line art please ?).
I have neither the line art nor the prototype in front of me, but here's a teaser of something being worked on.
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I have neither the line art nor the prototype in front of me, but here's a teaser of something being worked on.
Very solid work, thanks.
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That Commando has been using 'roids certainly.
I'm thinking it must have been watching too many 80s action films.
Looks nice, certainly gonna fit in well with the new minis.
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Or, let's try this:
The awesome. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/e/e8/3025_Awesome1.jpg?timestamp=20130421090520)
Was this a retcon? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/d/d1/3050_Awesome.jpg?timestamp=20110717174739)
Was this? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/0/08/CCG_Unlimited_Awesome_Q.jpg?timestamp=20100702150809)
How about this? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/c/c1/Awesome_CBTIRp38.png?timestamp=20160807202918)
This one doesn't look different because it's a different variant, it's just a different artist. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/f/fa/Day_of_Heroes_%2811%29.jpg?timestamp=20100413184356)
What happens to this art now? *checks* it's still in the book on my shelf and in my PDF. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/8/83/3050U_Awesome.jpg?timestamp=20110118184349)
I'm not really seeing any of those questions as relevant. Aside from the general shape (and the vaguest of similarity in proportions), the details and greebles are all over the place. But as a whole, those images depict the same 'Mech. Just new art and artist each time.
Heh, I don't recall anybody complaining when the original clan omnis go their makeovers... We are a fickle and picky crowd.
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I have neither the line art nor the prototype in front of me, but here's a teaser of something being worked on.
Ooh! Whose an adorable little mugger! You are!
Nice.
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Or, let's try this:
The awesome. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/e/e8/3025_Awesome1.jpg?timestamp=20130421090520)
Was this a retcon? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/d/d1/3050_Awesome.jpg?timestamp=20110717174739)
Was this? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/0/08/CCG_Unlimited_Awesome_Q.jpg?timestamp=20100702150809)
How about this? (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/c/c1/Awesome_CBTIRp38.png?timestamp=20160807202918)
This one doesn't look different because it's a different variant, it's just a different artist. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/f/fa/Day_of_Heroes_%2811%29.jpg?timestamp=20100413184356)
What happens to this art now? *checks* it's still in the book on my shelf and in my PDF. (http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/8/83/3050U_Awesome.jpg?timestamp=20110118184349)
I'm not really seeing any of those questions as relevant. Aside from the general shape (and the vaguest of similarity in proportions), the details and greebles are all over the place. But as a whole, those images depict the same 'Mech. Just new art and artist each time.
Yeah. Could just be a new model year. I drive a Mazda 3. They started making those in 2003. It's about to have its fourth facelift in 15 years. The awesome has been around for about 500 years.... and if you are driving one of those older models that have had its armor blasted off then it can look pretty wildly different depending on how your tech handles the repair.
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I have neither the line art nor the prototype in front of me, but here's a teaser of something being worked on.
Hmm...it has quite a commanding presence, don’t you think!?
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Hmm...it has quite a commanding presence, don’t you think!?
I think that line belongs to the BattleMaster.
This has definitely gone Commando.
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Yep, Commando (Says there in the file name) belonging to the 15th AG, which I think might be Alliance Guards AKA the 10th FedCom Corp
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The 15th Arcturan Guard, as the paint job suggest
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/cso-images/schemes/61_psycho_15tharcturan_atlas1.jpg)
That Commando would look beautiful in a Combat Manual... Hey, a man can dream ;)
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Just tossing this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRxWp_aReH8) here. (For short CGL presentation on MechCon 2017)
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Sweet, origin stories for Carlyle's Commandos.
Though also not sweet... that's gonna drive the price up... :'(
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Sweet, origin stories for Carlyle's Commandos.
Though also not sweet... that's gonna drive the price up... :'(
Says who?
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Where was MechCon. Might be worth it if Battletech has a large footprint there.
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I have neither the line art nor the prototype in front of me, but here's a teaser of something being worked on.
Thanks for the feedback Adrian. looks great !
Regards,
Death From Above
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Where was MechCon. Might be worth it if Battletech has a large footprint there.
It was in Vancouver, Canada.
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It was in Vancouver, Canada.
Always wanted to get out there.
Now have 2 really good reasons.
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Just tossing this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRxWp_aReH8) here. (For short CGL presentation on MechCon 2017)
Beginner's Box first. Full Box Set second.
All new maps, part of series of new maps being made available.
Maps (not in box set, part of series) to include those that match fiction being released. So read about battle, play out the battle. A new campaign book was briefly mentioned as part of this.
Both box sets have new short stories from Bill Keith about Grayson Carlyle's father (2950?)
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Beginner's Box first. Full Box Set second.
All new maps, part of series of new maps being made available.
Maps (not in box set, part of series) to include those that match fiction being released. So read about battle, play out the battle. A new campaign book was briefly mentioned as part of this.
Both box sets have new short stories from Bill Keith about Grayson Carlyle's father (2950?)
Emphasis mine, because I will fight tooth and nail to get a copy of both box sets just for this reason alone.
I don't care about the sculpts or maps, which are awesome, I will always find a reason to get my hands on new William H. Keith, Jr. BattleTech material.
Also, I gotta say it again, 'dat Commando.
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Where was MechCon. Might be worth it if Battletech has a large footprint there.
Vancouver Canada (My hometown :D)
It is nothing but Battletech all day long.
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And mentions of a Spring release.
There's even a preview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtX3PvAcqlM).
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Both box sets have new short stories from Bill Keith about Grayson Carlyle's father (2950?)
I think the middle/late 2900s would be an interesting alternative to existing 3025 material, but 2950 would have to be Grayson's grandfather. There's no way Durant Carlyle was 95 years old on Trellwan.
Image 2 of 3, this is the first of 2 maps/double sided included in the BIG BOX SET
Good job by the artist. You can see hills at a glance, even when there's trees on them, and heavy woods look distinguishable from (darker and denser than) light woods too.
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Colby's Commandos is what it says on the booklet in the video.
"Durant Caryle's origin story, Grayson's father", is what Randall says.
Perhaps it's both. It sounds like a series, so perhaps it starts in 2950 with a Colby and eventually becomes Durant as detailing where Carlyle's Commandos come from?
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2950 is just meant as a round era number, not a literal year for it.
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There's even a preview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtX3PvAcqlM).
The last spring forgot to set his/her clock from Day Light Savings.
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@Adrian Gideon = So can we take it that the crew have found a way to bring back mapsheets? Or is it just new mapsheets in the box sets?
Also...anyway we can pre-order the box sets? :D :D (Just trying to throw money at you guys. XD)
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So, given that the GoAC box art was originally shown as the cover art for CM:Davion, I'm going to go ahead and guess that the beginners box has art that was originally slated for CM:Steiner. Yes? No?
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@Adrian Gideon = So can we take it that the crew have found a way to bring back mapsheets?
Thats the plan, but I can’t say anything definite yet.
So, given that the GoAC box art was originally shown as the cover art for CM:Davion, I'm going to go ahead and guess that the beginners box has art that was originally slated for CM:Steiner. Yes? No?
the beginner box art was repurposed from…the beginner box art. Originally it depicted Duke Hassid Ricol, now it has one of his minions in a Griffin.
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Is there even a small chance that we may see Ricol in all his marauding glory?
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Both box sets have new short stories from Bill Keith about Grayson Carlyle's father (2950?)
@Adrian Gideon: Same short story in both boxes, or different story in each?
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Two different stories.
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Can some one please post a close up picture of the new awesome mini. That looks so cool.
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And mentions of a Spring release.
Any rumors of a date? (I know the SOP on such questions, but I just wonder if I need to anticipate putting this on my birthday wishlist ;D)
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No. No dates.
CGL does not publish dates until product has hit NA distribution (eg ship from China has unloaded in na). They will give some ballparks, such as spring 2018.
The 9 mech sculpts are done, prototypes, and finalized.
The maps are made, and getting final checks and approvals
The stories are likely done.
Production takes a couple months, then a month or two for shipping. So if they approved it tomorrow it would still be spring 2018. To give you an idea how close they are.
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I'd be happy if Coming Attractions was updated. It has never gave us dates.
EDIT: i'm not trying to be snarky or mean about making that remark. I am very grateful to hearing news about things coming along for CGL.
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I'm sure it will "hopfully" be ready by Gencon!
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those miniatures in the box set are really gorgeous.
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I have a jillion BattleTech box sets and yet I need all of this.
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the beginner box art was repurposed from…the beginner box art. Originally it depicted Duke Hassid Ricol, now it has one of his minions in a Griffin.
Ahh. I can understand why the ‘ole duke of throat lozenges had his famed ride taken off the box art. Still, it looked like the same artist and the Griffin is pretty closely associated with the Lyran state so it seemed like a reasonable guess. I’m just glad that CM:Davion art has found a home. I was dying to see that image in a larger format after Randall teased it at GenCon two years ago.
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Sarna.net reports further info about the maps (http://www.sarna.net/news/mech_con-2017-recap/). Sean reported as part of the recap of MechCon17 that Brent Events mentioned that the new maps coming out are going to be tied into the novels that are posed to come out next year. Could that be why no additional novels have not come out? ???
The novel-linked map sets are suppose to allow players to re-enact moments in the novels on the table top. Which is a cool thing too.
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Sarna.net reports further info about the maps (http://www.sarna.net/news/mech_con-2017-recap/). Sean reported as part of the recap of MechCon17 that Brent Events mentioned that the new maps coming out are going to be tied into the novels that are posed to come out next year. Could that be why no additional novels have not come out? ???
The novel-linked map sets are suppose to allow players to re-enact moments in the novels on the table top. Which is a cool thing too.
We really need a Shut Up and Take My Money meme in the smilies. It's like a Scenario pack that uses the Campaign rules so you can write your own story!
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Dunno, that new Wasp mini looks better than the old Macross. Same for the Valk in the FSW book.
The NuSeen Wasp mini is currently unavailable.
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We really need a Shut Up and Take My Money meme in the smilies.
We'd love to add more but we don't have the back end access currently to do that to my knowledge.
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The NuSeen Wasp mini is currently unavailable.
So is the original....
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But who wants the original?? I would much rather get another lance or two of the new wasp ;D
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Get a new Wasp and paint it in the colours of McGregor's Armoured Scouts.
And that is impudence.
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So is the original....
Yeah, but the NuSeens are way sexier.
All of them. :-*
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Yeah, but the NuSeens are way sexier.
All of them. :-*
This man is technically, literally, objectively, and definitively correct.
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This man is technically, literally, objectively, and definitively correct.
Definitely objectively, because, while I like the NuHammer in general, I'm not keen on the legginess. The shorter legs on the original were an interesting thing that endeared it and the Rifleman and Longbow to me.
I can live with the difference. But, endearment still has a place in my heart.
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It's a qestion of taste, BT fans have a bad habit of nit pit ever design to death.
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Bah, the Liberator needs no nit-picking!
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It could use some nits, though.
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I want to see a working production version in canon!
Bah, the Liberator needs no nit-picking!
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It could use some nits, though.
Just one double nit sink would be all it really needs...
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Oh how I wish I could install nit sinks on some of the threads on this forum...
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No no no, no nits. We don't need the forums getting infested with cyberlice and crashing again.
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Any chance we could see a small PDF release before the end of the year? (Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?)
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Grooves are the new scales! [/jk]
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I’ll pick up a box set just for that awesome mini. It even has the small laser sculpted on it. Love it.
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Definitely objectively, because, while I like the NuHammer in general, I'm not keen on the legginess. The shorter legs on the original were an interesting thing that endeared it and the Rifleman and Longbow to me.
I can live with the difference. But, endearment still has a place in my heart.
Aesthetics have moved on quite a bit. These will be the classic mechs for some new players. With 2017 appeal rather than 1987 appeal.
Don't worry. Those clunker versions will always roam the wastelands of the third succession war... hopefully with a lostech prospector chained to the front.
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I’ll pick up a box set just for that awesome mini. It even has the small laser sculpted on it. Love it.
I'm going to be picking up a few for the Awesome and Battlemaster!
On a related note, are there any plans to sell "mini-only" sets? 'Cuz you know that a lot of us are going to be rushing for the shelves when these sets hit them... be nice to have a few intro sets actually fall into the hands of bona-fide new players... ;D
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Mini only sets would be nice.
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I'm going to be picking up a few for the Awesome and Battlemaster!
My desire to see these new packs get into as many hands as possible will war heavily with my desire to have...just... so many battlemasters.
On a related note, are there any plans to sell "mini-only" sets? 'Cuz you know that a lot of us are going to be rushing for the shelves when these sets hit them... be nice to have a few intro sets actually fall into the hands of bona-fide new players... ;D
Yes, please? I need so many battlemasters...
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Well, let's not forget the new maps and fiction. Who could fault a BT Vet for wanting those, too?
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So can somebody remind me which mechs are going to be in the game of armored combat set? I've decided to write up a unit based on these sets but I'm blanking on... I think... one or two of them.
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Locust
Commando
Wolverine
Shadow Hawk
Catapult
Thunderbolt
Awesome
Battlemaster
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Standard box: Awesome, Battlemaster, Catapult, Thunderbolt, Shadow Hawk, Wolverine, Locust, Commando.
Introductory box: Griffin, Wolverine.
Duh, always beaten.
While i don't mind the old looks for 'Mechs, i do wish the Orion would get new art and mini to match First/Second Succession War covers.
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Sweet. Thanks.
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Nice list of stuff in the new box set.
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Locust
Commando
Wolverine
Shadow Hawk
Catapult
Thunderbolt
Awesome
Battlemaster
Two good Lances there.
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Any Christmas news on ilClan? I'm getting antsy. [blank]
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Any Christmas news on ilClan? I'm getting antsy. [blank]
The first news we’d get on a Christmas release would be the actual Christmas release
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Whatever they can sprinkle in my stocking. I'm antsy to start building an ilClan force. Of course, I already got some wolf mechs. :))
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Whatever they can sprinkle in my stocking. I'm antsy to start building an ilClan force. Of course, I already got some wolf mechs. :))
Quite an educated guess I think ;)
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What was the Targe version number they were using again?
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Locust
Commando
Wolverine
Shadow Hawk
Catapult
Thunderbolt
Awesome
Battlemaster
I do like how many different plastic sculpts at good quality there will have been between this box set, the previous box set and the lance pack.
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I just saw the release prices for another game I play and the new box sets can’t arrive fast enough.
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I just saw the release prices for another game I play and the new box sets can’t arrive fast enough.
What game?
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Box Sets are always a good thing.
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A game where there is only war and nothing is cheap. Unlike Battletech, where at least life is cheap even if Battlemechs aren’t.
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I think the prices you refer to may be an attempt to immerse players by simulating the inflation rate in the 41st millennium.
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Hey, keeping the power on when you have a giant, golden chair sucking up all the juice ain't cheap.
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Hey, keeping the power on when you have a giant, golden chair sucking up all the juice ain't cheap.
Especially when you are trying to power it withe the souls of young witches...
Guys just plug it into the wall or something.
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Hey, keeping the power on when you have a giant, golden chair sucking up all the juice ain't cheap.
This explains so much...
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Hey, keeping the power on when you have a giant, golden chair sucking up all the juice ain't cheap.
Gotta keep the God Emperor alive somehow.
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Gotta keep the God Emperor alive somehow.
I thought you just needed a lot of spice?
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They tried that. Used too much spice, and that's why he's been on the throne for ten thousand years.
Also why everyone's afraid to flush.
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Did anyone see the facebook posts Battletech page? I'm not on facebook (not planning ever be on it.)
Sorry if this bit old i just was told about this
This was shown. The new new map set showed at MechCon
(https://scontent.fbed1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/24991039_10155115698123148_1883846956698573441_n.jpg?oh=b8cc1dc4373be0e050a0907906cb1e80&oe=5AB6AF9B)
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I love that new map style
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I love that new map style
I second that. Those hills are much earlier to read than the old ones.
I know this is just wishful thinking, but it would be cool to see the old map sets redone this way. (Any new map sets would be great though...)
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That updated map is pretty neat.
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Which mech is that at the bottom left? Not the new commando, is it?
Also, love that map...
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First time I've noticed the new Catapult sculpt (upper right). With launch bays open. . . .sweet!
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Which mech is that at the bottom left? Not the new commando, is it?
Also, love that map...
Griffin, I think
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Which mech is that at the bottom left? Not the new commando, is it?
Also, love that map...
Names on mechs in Pic
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I really dig the intense shading on the map. Makes it really obvious where the higher terrain is.
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My only issue with the new maps is I wish it were possible to have the 'colorization' on the various levels be different enough to distinguish a LEVEL 2 from a LEVEL 3 and a LEVEL 4 without the need to read the text.
Otherwise, without reading text no way to visually tell the hill by the Shadow Hawk is LEVEL 2 and if the hill by the Thunderbolt is also LEVEL 2 or if it was LEVEL 3 or 4
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Looks clear enough to me, and much better than the old maps.
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Don't get me wrong they are beautiful. I just mean, as an Old Fart in his 50's, I need reading glasses now, and my preference (again, this is just me), I want to look at a map and SEE what the terrain/elevation/depth is without the need to Standup, and read a line of text ;)
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My only issue with the new maps is I wish it were possible to have the 'colorization' on the various levels be different enough to distinguish a LEVEL 2 from a LEVEL 3 and a LEVEL 4 without the need to read the text.
Otherwise, without reading text no way to visually tell the hill by the Shadow Hawk is LEVEL 2 and if the hill by the Thunderbolt is also LEVEL 2 or if it was LEVEL 3 or 4
I dunno, I think the map is already visually providing cues as to whether a mech is standing next to Level 1 or Level 2 based on the thickness of the shadow. For examaple, I can tell in that picture just from looking at the Thunderbolt it's standing next to a level 2 rather than a level 1 and the BattleMeaster is standing next to a Level 1 and not a Level 2 based solely on the shadows.
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Nice map. Love the visual style of elevations. I always hated positioning a mechs only to find my target was right beside a hill During the firing phase lol
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I dunno, I think the map is already visually providing cues as to whether a mech is standing next to Level 1 or Level 2 based on the thickness of the shadow. For examaple, I can tell in that picture just from looking at the Thunderbolt it's standing next to a level 2 rather than a level 1 and the BattleMeaster is standing next to a Level 1 and not a Level 2 based solely on the shadows.
Nope. :( i see where you're coming from, but it's not.
But is is something I talked to Brent about at length.
Example, Below is the Original RIVER VALEY (HexPack: Lakes and Rivers) and a personal attempt by myself a few years back to try and make for my own mission briefs and secret movement tracking (artillery, hidden units etc).
As can be seen, the Hill in the 0800-1500 hexes is actually Level 2 (no level 1). Without a color cue to alert you, without reading the text, the coloration on both are identical. When i redid the maps for my use, I used one color type for LEVEL 1, a different for LEVEL 2 etc. As a result one can see the differences between the levels without the need to read the text (and yes I see I forgot the hex text for hexes 0903, 1003 and 14 03 :()
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I really dig the intense shading on the map. Makes it really obvious where the higher terrain is.
My only issue with the new maps is I wish it were possible to have the 'colorization' on the various levels be different enough to distinguish a LEVEL 2 from a LEVEL 3 and a LEVEL 4 without the need to read the text.
Otherwise, without reading text no way to visually tell the hill by the Shadow Hawk is LEVEL 2 and if the hill by the Thunderbolt is also LEVEL 2 or if it was LEVEL 3 or 4
Yeah from what I can see it might be a bit hard to read the text at times
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From my experiences on the map with the mountain on it (name escapes me), I can screw the heights up even with colour coding. The best - but impractical - solution for me is to buy the PDF maps, print them out, and build the hills from foam, sticking the printed map on top. Very time and space consuming.
Do we have any other pictures of the Commando miniature? This is the first time I’ve seen it.
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Don't get me wrong they are beautiful. I just mean, as an Old Fart in his 50's, I need reading glasses now, and my preference (again, this is just me), I want to look at a map and SEE what the terrain/elevation/depth is without the need to Standup, and read a line of text ;)
??? ... and this wasn't a problem with the old maps?
If you are having that much trouble, it's time to break out the 3D terrain (I'm looking for affordable 3D option myself)
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Guys.. You gotta get up and walk around. Haha. Sitting is the new smoking. If you are a person who hits the gym every day but sits more than 6 to 8 hours a day still has increased mortality. :o
You gotta move those gastrocs. Pump the blood out of your legs.
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Guys.. You gotta get up and walk around. Haha. Sitting is the new smoking. If you are a person who hits the gym every day but sits more than 6 to 8 hours a day still has increased mortality. :o
You gotta move those gastrocs. Pump the blood out of your legs.
What about 12h a day? :-\
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What about 12h a day? :-\
12% increased chance of premature death after 11 hours, according to this study.
http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(13)00594-1/abstract
Your lymphatic system needs movement to work... same thing with blood flow though. Your veins are designed with valves that only work one way. When your Gastrocnemius muscle flexes (Your calf. the big meaty, superficial muscle on the back of your leg) it applies 200 mmhg of pressure to your leg...
The group observed in that study were older women. But I can't imagine the results are any different for men. It's how our bodies work.
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My only issue with the new maps is I wish it were possible to have the 'colorization' on the various levels be different enough to distinguish a LEVEL 2 from a LEVEL 3 and a LEVEL 4 without the need to read the text.
Otherwise, without reading text no way to visually tell the hill by the Shadow Hawk is LEVEL 2 and if the hill by the Thunderbolt is also LEVEL 2 or if it was LEVEL 3 or 4
It seems clear to me in this picture; Just count the shadows.
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It seems clear to me in this picture; Just count the shadows.
It's good map. So this completely new map set vs revised old one?
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It seems clear to me in this picture; Just count the shadows.
Not what I mean at all ;)
Without reading the text, Which I know in that picture is almost impossible, what level is the single hex at 0704? It IS the third elevation rise on the hill, but doesn't necessarily mean it has to be LEVEL 3. It could very well be LEVEL 4 or even 5. And the three hex Hill at the top of the picture by the word BATTLETECH. It doesn't HAVE to be simply LEVEL 1, it could be LEVEL 2.
Again, I LOVE the new maps, love the work, they are easier to read. But instead of reading my comments and saying, I'm making a non-issue out of things, or that you have no issue counting shadows. Imagine for a moment that Catalyst redoes a map like DEEP CANYON 1:
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/1/10/MapDeepCanyon1.jpg?timestamp=20110625095517)
or DEEP CANYON 2:
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/c/c7/MapDeepCanyon2.jpg?timestamp=20110625095553)
To aid in explantion I have included below HEIGHT MAPS of the two below. As can be seen, a LOT of the map goes from level 0 to a height of LEVEL 2, 3 or even 4, with very little LEVEL 1 steps.
And this is the point I am trying to make. The new maps, gorgeous yes, but how does on project the sense of truly imposing heights without 'jarring' the map image and washing it with shadows (which will start to look off and tiring to the eyes once you start rotating the maps so the shadows are opposite of each other.)?
And trust me jimdigris, you know how invested in this I am ;)
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Not what I mean at all ;)
Without reading the text, Which I know in that picture is almost impossible, what level is the single hex at 0704?
It's very clearly level 3, because you can see from the shadows alone that those concentric rings of hexes are stepping up one level at time, even if you weren't looking at it and instantly thinking it was a level 3 hilltop out of reflex.
Not gonna lie, seeing a map reduced to multiple shades of orange and brown to show height alone doesn't appeal to me at all, and I find them very unattractive maps.
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Yeah. Not thrilled with those utilitarian maps. I wouldn't use them personally.
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It's very clearly level 3, because you can see from the shadows alone that those concentric rings of hexes are stepping up one level at time, even if you weren't looking at it and instantly thinking it was a level 3 hilltop out of reflex.
Not gonna lie, seeing a map reduced to multiple shades of orange and brown to show height alone doesn't appeal to me at all, and I find them very unattractive maps.
Not saying I want multiple shades of orange, and I find it extremely annoying that persons still want to say "Count the rings of shadows dummy!"
Please explain then WITHOUT THE USE OF TEXT on the map, how would you denote a hill that goes: LEVEL 0 -> LEVEL 1 -> LEVEL 3 -> LEVEL 6? Only has three 'levels', no different than a LEVEL 0 -> LEVEL 1 -> LEVEL 2 -> LEVEL 3. If the two hills are next to each other on the same map, how would you represent it visually?
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From an art perspective a level 6 hex could simply cast a really long shadow if it was something you were married too.
I know that this is something you feel strongly about because you have put so much effort into it...
But the shadows really add a visual depth and flair to the map.
Your maps make the height levels obvious while simultaneously obliterating any artistic value or immersion...
I might use one if I was doing some kind of simulator battle. But outside of that I'm never hot dropping my troops onto Tron.
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From an art perspective a level 6 hex could simply cast a really long shadow if it was something you were married too.
I know that this is something you feel strongly about because you have put so much effort into it...
But the shadows really add a visual depth and flair to the map.
Your maps make the height levels obvious while simultaneously obliterating any artistic value or immersion...
I might use one if I was doing some kind of simulator battle. But outside of that I'm never hot dropping my troops onto Tron.
I'm not 'married' to my maps ;). They were done probably about 6 years ago and I greatly love the new maps. I wish people could actually READ and comprehend that comment:
I greatly love the new maps
All I had said earlier upthread was I "WISH" there was a way to easily denote a level aspect to remove the need to 'peer' at text that might be difficult to read/upside down, etc.
That is all I have ever said, but then folks had to come in and state:
It's very clearly level 3, because you can see from the shadows alone that those concentric rings of hexes are stepping up one level at time, even if you weren't looking at it and instantly thinking it was a level 3 hilltop out of reflex.
and
It seems clear to me in this picture; Just count the shadows.
As I said, yes, that COULD work, but at the same time, I just 'wish' there was an easier way. And this is WHY Brent asked for opinions. I have stated many times, both here and to Brent One-on-One that a good map must be easy to read visually with a glance, and he does agree with me, and we have both agreed that making colorization changes for ease of level identification is hard.
Another aspect both of us agree on, is Heavy woods/Light woods should LOOK heavy/light on a map, as well I championed behind the scenes heavily that the level changes should fill a hex so easy to tell when a hex is a higher level (actual LEVEL not mattering, but on should be able to say Hex 1 is Higher/Lower than Hex 2).
One cannot see it on the picture shown, but one of the maps had some...cracks/crevasses on one of the hexes that make it appear half the hex was a different height (the crack ran from the edge of one hex level change to the other side of the same hex's other level change and under certain lighting/angles actually made the hex appear to have 2 different levels inside the same hex.
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The new "Road to Nowhere" map. It looks odd to me that the road abruptly ends in the middle of the map. Why bother to have built that bridge?
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The new "Road to Nowhere" map. It looks odd to me that the road abruptly ends in the middle of the map. Why bother to have built that bridge?
It's not in middle of the map. These are both sides of map printed on one page. It was probably easiest way to show both maps quickly.
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The new "Road to Nowhere" map. It looks odd to me that the road abruptly ends in the middle of the map. Why bother to have built that bridge?
Yes, as stated, all of the maps were printed double wide to showcase all at once both the A-side and the B-Side
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Yes, as stated, all of the maps were printed double wide to showcase all at once both the A-side and the B-Side
Cool, double sided maps! No more blank white maps on the back then?
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Cool, double sided maps! No more blank white maps on the back then?
The last few box sets have had double-sided maps, I think going back to the CGL one with the plastic minis?
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The new "Road to Nowhere" map. It looks odd to me that the road abruptly ends in the middle of the map. Why bother to have built that bridge?
It's the FWL, and some MP on Atreus was able to get the funding inserted into some bill, but only got it built halfway when the Captain general noticed the shenanigans? ^-^
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It's the FWL, and some MP on Atreus was able to get the funding inserted into some bill, but only got it built halfway when the Captain general noticed the shenanigans? ^-^
I feel I should take umbrage at that comment.
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You
resent resemble that remark? ^-^
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A game where there is only war and nothing is cheap. Unlike Battletech, where at least life is cheap even if Battlemechs aren’t.
I'm not sure if this actually matters in the big scheme of things, but I'm also happy that the new BattleTech sets now have a shot at being released before the new Adeptus Titanicus box arrives. Arriving just after a big GW release featuring big stompy robots may not be the best way to relaunch. Or maybe it is, since big stompy robot interest may be peaking because of it?
Looks like Adeptus Titanicus will launch in 2018 also, so guess we'll see how it goes...
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I'm not sure if this actually matters in the big scheme of things, but I'm also happy that the new BattleTech sets now have a shot at being released before the new Adeptus Titanicus box arrives. Arriving just after a big GW release featuring big stompy robots may not be the best way to relaunch. Or maybe it is, since big stompy robot interest may be peaking because of it?
Looks like Adeptus Titanicus will launch in 2018 also, so guess we'll see how it goes...
"Psst. Hey kid. You think Adeptus Titanicus is cool? Check this out. It's got all the stompy goodness but it only costs $20!"
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"Psst. Hey kid. You think Adeptus Titanicus is cool? Check this out. It's got all the stompy goodness but it only costs $20!"
"You think six void shields is cool? We have like FORTY armor on the center torso alone, at HALF the price!"
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Ah, the only thing that looks even remotely interesting in that thing is the buildings :D
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Personally, I’ve never understood the appeal of 40K/GW.
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Personally, I’ve never understood the appeal of 40K/GW.
Well they did make close to 150 million during the version 8 release of 40k. What appeals to their customer base is the 30+ years of fluff and the ability to get product out just about every month instead of once or twice a year. Depending on how they release it Adeptus Titanicus could very well be in direct competition with a new box set of BT.
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Well they did make close to 150 million during the version 8 release of 40k. What appeals to their customer base is the 30+ years of fluff and the ability to get product out just about every month instead of once or twice a year. Depending on how they release it Adeptus Titanicus could very well be in direct competition with a new box set of BT.
ive never understood it either, but its in a lot of places, and the people who play spend lots and lots of money on the game.
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Depending on how they release it Adeptus Titanicus could very well be in direct competition with a new box set of BT.
It wouldn't be direct competition, because there's very little equivalency between the two properties or the two companies.
I get how it feels that way on the surface: both are a "stompy robot tabletop miniatures game." Sure.
But AT is a spin-off game of one of, if not the, most dominant games in the marketplace, one which is just coming off of a massively successful new edition. The brand awareness of 40K dwarfs that of BT, simple fact. Plus, there's no telling how the AT box would be priced--if it's $109.99 or something like that, that's a much different proposition than BT's $20 beginner box and $60-ish standard box.
BT is launching the new boxes onto shelves which haven't seen a BT intro product in 18 to 24 months. These are products which will hopefully re-expand the player base, which is a fraction of 40K's, rather than capitalize on a reinvigorated player base like AT would.
The BT boxes are setting out from a very different starting point, toward a very different goal.
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Does anyone know if "Record Sheets: 3150 Unabridged" is still a future release? (The PDG-3R Pendragon record sheet on the Iron Wind Metal website was supposed to be a preview if I remember correctly.)
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That's something we sorely need. Release the TRO without the RS riding behind it is tough.
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I think what ever happens, CGL need to use the increase of brand awareness created by the TWO computer games due out this year to make the best of things.
The new beginner boxes are a great start, next I would hope for a couple of themed products that tie in to said games.
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I think what ever happens, CGL need to use the increase of brand awareness created by the TWO computer games due out this year to make the best of things.
The new beginner boxes are a great start, next I would hope for a couple of themed products that tie in to said games.
Maybe? Though that presents its own dilemma: how to do tie in products without taking resources away from moving the plot/timeline forward? We're over a hundred years in the future of the video games. And the way Brent talked in the past, he wants to make the roll out of ilClan and associated products an event, not just the usual product drop.
Also, while it would be fantastic to get whatever tailwinds from the video games that we can, the BattleTech TT is its own thing: everything shouldn't stop just to cater to the video games. Need to keep whatever forward momentum w. have.
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Maybe? Though that presents its own dilemma: how to do tie in products without taking resources away from moving the plot/timeline forward?
With a split IP, tie-ins are the definition of more trouble than they're worth. It's a nice idea, and in a better world would be an obvious move. But it's based on an assumption that may not be true--people who play computer games are equally as interested in tabletop miniatures games, or could be made to be as interested--and has a lot of hurdles to execution.
Worse, it's a problem that comes up even internally. Many people have pointed out over the years that the last two Intro Boxes have been set in 3067-ish, while the timeline has moved decades beyond that. That gap is widening--3145 is where the timeline is (and is moving past soon), but TRO 3145/3150 are even less IntroTech.
I don't want to rehash the same debate that comes up endlessly about eras and tech levels. My point is that the length and breadth of BT's 30-year development and growth creates enough headaches just in trying to tie together and integrate CGL's own products, let alone going looking for problems by trying to crib off of work other companies are doing.
Also, while it would be fantastic to get whatever tailwinds from the video games that we can, the BattleTech TT is its own thing: everything shouldn't stop just to cater to the video games.
Especially because the video games, historically, have not loved us back.
My very-far-removed sense is that HBS/Jordan have been better to CGL than any previous digital developer. They've included CGL product as add-ons in their KS (though I sorely wish the BattleMech Manual had been around then, as well as something like the Beginner Box). They've had Randall and others as guests in some of their streamed tabletop BT games. And of course CGL has been the third leg of the MechCon tripod, and been included in quality media opportunities like that Polygon series a month ago.
This is certainly far better than the digital folks ignoring CGL completely. But it's important to remember that they could. Those interactions are based entirely on the good graces of those involved. Because the IP is split, the various license holders are not compelled to heed any of the others. If HBS decided that it was in their game's best interests that the Aurigan Coalition rise up, destroy House Liao, seize Terra, and begin conquering the Suns in the Fourth Succession War--CGL couldn't wave canonicity around to stop them, and so much for the tie-ins.
My own opinion, but: the tabletop game is far better served by CGL focusing on continuing to put out high-quality products that increase their game's accessibility and have synergy with each other, rather than trying to chase dollar bills by drafting off of the video games.
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Wouldn't hurt to have PGI and HBS give a spot for TT when the new games drop. It might reach part of the long lost audience that still thinks BattleTech is dead.
I doubt all of the old MechWarrior and MechCommander players even want to touch MWO.
As far as boxes and eras... Starter should be intro tech, GoAC should be 3050, and if there is interest a good intro box for 3150 or 3250 or whatever. Plenty of cool 3150 designs that could be used. Maybe even toss in a tripod for extra appeal ;)
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PGI has actually been pretty good sharing news about CGL and HBS on social media (CGL and HBS as well) but they are ultimately separate properties and honestly, TT players have been super defensive when it come to the PC game and quick to shout 'they did it wrong' whenever you start talking about three games in the same topic online. Kind of defeats the purpose of the three developers talking each other up when the fans keep tearing each other down :(
Still, fan sites like No Guts No Galaxy have been doing a very good job talking about each property in their Pod Cast, plenty of FB groups exist and fan art has been more prevalent with MWO crowd. If anyone thinks this BT is dead, I can only think it's because they have completely given up on it game. Time to find new players to take their place.
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I think the main reason HBS has been so great about pointing back to CGL is because Jordan Weisman is involved with them. Even though he doesn't have any hand in the TT side of things, I think he still genuinely wants that part of the IP flourish. (And why wouldn't he? BattleTech is still his baby after all.)
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So what are the odds we get a small release (Spotlight On, Touring the Stars) in the near future? Been rereading the 1st and 2nd Succession War books lately and ready for something new.
Also, would lover a Turning Points item on many of the battles on the Lyran/Draconis border.
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I'd love to see in the intro boxes a bit of history on the various eras, like a little history to get people interested in moving forward. 3025 is a good start, with 3050 being a good second, then maybe 3067 or 3075 as a 3rd more advanced level, then people move on up (to the spinward side) to the current status, i.e whatever era ilClan is set. Incidentally as a recent returnee to the game, I am really looking forward to these new products. Since I missed the whole dark age thing, (seriously, I was a centuryish behind) so the 3145/50 era is interesting but I'm not invested in it yet. A good new sourcebook supported with other products is a good way to get people hooked.
My 2 cbills anyway.
ps: going through all the stuff I've missed so far, and I have to say mech art is frankly amazing these days on a lot of the new units. my virtual hat is off to the artists.
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I think the main reason HBS has been so great about pointing back to CGL is because Jordan Weisman is involved with them. Even though he doesn't have any hand in the TT side of things, I think he still genuinely wants that part of the IP flourish.
Plus, he's much more personally connected to Randall and Co. than other digital developers have been. In addition to wanting to help out someone he knows personally, on a more functional level, he knows how to actually contact that person and is close geographic proximity to them.
So what are the odds we get a small release (Spotlight On, Touring the Stars) in the near future? Been rereading the 1st and 2nd Succession War books lately and ready for something new.
There are a few of those at various stages of completion, but my sense is that most development attention is focused on making the new box sets, and making them good. But I'll make some inquiries.
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Guys.. It's 2018. Where is Ilclan? What? This comment is absurd and impatient?
But..
But....
Ilclan...
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If it comes, i shall buy. I am exhausted after two years of waiting for something. They've yet put new product of substance for while due to reasons. There little point over speculate stuff we known for 2 years. Only thing we got is TRO: 3150 which by extension of TRO 3145 PDF series and XTRO Republic mini PDF-series. 3150 is only thing tells us some thing of the 5 year gap, but not end results.
We not heard of any announcements game changing anything, aside from box sets of something coming out which aren't.
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The odds of, "2018" meaning, "January" are pretty slim. I'd like to see it by March. Or some other time way away from the convention season. It would be excruciating at this point to wait until August. But we'll see. They gotta do what they gotta do.
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While I'm eagerly anticipating ilClan like Gollum over his precious...I'm actually more interested in seeing the new types of PDF-only stuff to come out. Especially the Milestone series (The way Ben Rome explained it back when they announced it has me very excited for it).
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If the IlClan comes out it will problay be a Gencon release. I don't think it will be out before that. I hope it comes out sooner.
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If the IlClan comes out it will problay be a Gencon release. I don't think it will be out before that. I hope it comes out sooner.
It doesn't really need to be. Big early year release. Can support it with products throughout the year. Drop a tech readout at gencon. Or a new field manual.
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If it comes, i shall buy. I am exhausted after two years of waiting for something. They've yet put new product of substance for while due to reasons. There little point over speculate stuff we known for 2 years. Only thing we got is TRO: 3150 which by extension of TRO 3145 PDF series and XTRO Republic mini PDF-series. 3150 is only thing tells us some thing of the 5 year gap, but not end results.
We not heard of any announcements game changing anything, aside from box sets of something coming out which aren't.
It feels like it's been a lot longer than two years, I thought it was first announced in 2014? I haven't bought anything in 8-9 months but hopefully that will change if ilClan comes out.
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It feels like it's been a lot longer than two years, I thought it was first announced in 2014? I haven't bought anything in 8-9 months but hopefully that will change if ilClan comes out.
ilClan was supposed to be released late 2013, after all 3145 products. We're past our 4th year of waiting now
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I guess we'll probably finally find out who the ilClan is, when they arrive and conquer earth in real-time. At this point I'm not expecting the sourcebook before then.
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If I live that long (perhaps through some sort of Futurama-style freezing), I cannot wait to great our new Wolf overlords with a cry of, "LAME! WRITER FIAT!"
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What else is in the mix for 2018 that isn't IlClan??
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What else is in the mix for 2018 that isn't IlClan??
That's the problem. We don't know precisely anymore. The Coming Attraction page off main webpage hasn't been updated. Thus you have alot products we yet to see coming out but scheduled years ago.
Only thing is that recent announcements have been through other venues is their Box set ambitions, the informal interview at gencon or mail posting here. TRO Succession Wars was a gencon product they never announced but at the last moment.
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What else is in the mix for 2018 that isn't IlClan??
A lot of clan players are looking forward to TRO Golden Century. And the Combat Manuals are something others are looking for - though they may have been put on hold, single faction books don't seem to sell all that well.
Other than IlClan and TRO Golden Century, nothing much more has been hinted at, as far as I am aware.
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ilClan was supposed to be released late 2013, after all 3145 products. We're past our 4th year of waiting now
Yeah. The delay is a huge problem for me. I’m really couldn’t care about the Ilclan anymore. I expect when it eventually comes out that it will be an excellent source book. However I can’t imagine that it will live up to to the hype of 4 - 5+ years worth of delays.
Plus from what I’ve gleaned off of the forums there will be no to little information about the home world clans which is a killer for me. I’d be happy to be corrected on this point.
Much like George R R Martins Game of Thrones, it was exciting and interesting in the beginning but with each year of delay I loose more and more interest.
In my opinion TPTB would be better to release this albatross and move on to something they can truly call their own.
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Other than IlClan and TRO Golden Century, nothing much more has been hinted at, as far as I am aware.
TRO Irregular Tech - for all of your Toyotapocalypse needs
There was a tentative table of contents posted a while back
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I always like TRO's and its always a first buy for me.
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Guys.. It's 2018. Where is Ilclan?
On Terra.
Duh. :P
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On Terra.
Duh. :P
Congrats, you win the thread for the day!
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More accurately:
"And on the 9th day, Kit won the internet."
;D
Thank you for brightening up my morning.
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I was perusing Blaine Pardoe’s latest blog post about stuff people ask writers and in one section he mentions that he has a new BT novel coming out this year! Breeeeent, Raaaaaay, anything you can tell us about that yet?
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I was perusing Blaine Pardoe’s latest blog post about stuff people ask writers and in one section he mentions that he has a new BT novel coming out this year! Breeeeent, Raaaaaay, anything you can tell us about that yet?
Paul Moon story?
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Just had a quick look at his website and it says this:
Coming in 2018 - Blaine Pardoe returns to writing BattleTech with the release of a new BattleTech novel - Forever Faithful. "This book crosses several of the BattleTech eras, starting with the Twilight of the Clans. We will see some of the BattleTech universe's key characters as I fill in a critical piece of BattleTech history." Mr. Pardoe is being elusive as to the storyline. "I don't want to ruin the book for readers before they see it. There's going to be some shock value in the story and the characters...and I don't want to tip folks off too early."
So I do think there is a good chance it could be the story of the Fidelis.
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Just had a quick look at his website and it says this:
So I do think there is a good chance it could be the story of the Fidelis.
And how they claim Terra for the Smoke Jaguars. >:D
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Hey, I said that should happen in the Ilclan thread. :)
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Just had a quick look at his website and it says this:
So I do think there is a good chance it could be the story of the Fidelis.
He has said so on his website.
I think he should have called it Goodfidelis. [blank]
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Once IlClan is out what ever will we talk about??? ;D
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IlClan II: I Am the Star Captain Now
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He has said so on his website.
I think he should have called it Goodfidelis. [blank]
"You snipin' at me? You snipin' at me?!?"
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Revealed: The illClan! Massive spoilers inside... (https://youtu.be/eBShN8qT4lk?t=40s)
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"You snipin' at me? You snipin' at me?!?"
Clan Shinebox.
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Once IlClan is out what ever will we talk about??? ;D
I don't know as the story has to involve a lot of powerful characters I think. There is Stone who himself is one of the most influential if misunderstood characters in the universe as well as his legacy with the Republic. You have the 5 hidden worlds and if they're tied to the Wolverines in some way. Also, you have the two WoB archs that are unresolved, the regular WoB and the fate of Cameron St. Jamais as well as the Shadow Divisions/MD remnants. Plus, you have the issue of First Lord of a reborn Clan Star League. Kurita would NEVER accept any clan as First Khan/Lord of a Clan Star League considering Kurita's claim to rule the galaxy goes back to the Terran Alliance. The other 4 houses are equally just as power hungry. Plus, we have the most important aspect of this if it constitutes the end of the "Dark Age" as it's possible the HPG network will be back in action.
Also, will there be another "Master" to take the place of the fallen one?
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eh . . . WoB remnants will be the old Wolverines, Kurita's family tree got drastically pruned so I am not sure they have all the old hubris- especially if she can get out from under the warlord.
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Don't forget the home clans, deep periphery places like the imperio, all the minor nations like the marians, taurians, who will run the hpgs in the future since EVERYONE hates Comstar for good reasons, etc. Hell, maybe we can find out who Stone really is. (besides an ancient brain damaged former popsicle)
Seems like there are a lot of threads to work with going forward.
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Who Stone is doesn't really matter. What he did matters.
IIRC, this is more or less the TPTB stance, or at least was before the change of line dev. I doubt this has changed though.
The only cases where his past may matter is that if he was a Clanner (extremely unlikely) given the attitude of some people towards Clanners, or if he was Arthur Steiner-Davion, since people might have issues with another Steiner-Davion running a super-nation. But the latter theory, even if originally intended, is likely not true. (Since it is indicated ASD is alive plus considering certain canon-rumor about him, i reckon ASD might be part of any WoB remnants fled from the Inner Sphere at the end of the Jihad, if there are any.)
So, he is just a nobody that made something big. It happens sometimes. And it is a change to the usual in BT, where most people who do big things have important lineage as well.
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Don't forget the home clans, deep periphery places like the imperio, all the minor nations like the marians, taurians, who will run the hpgs in the future since EVERYONE hates Comstar for good reasons, etc. Hell, maybe we can find out who Stone really is. (besides an ancient brain damaged former popsicle)
Seems like there are a lot of threads to work with going forward.
I hope they drop a Rey's parents on Devlin Stone and reveal he is a nobody. Heck, I hope ilClan ends up very similar to Star Wars Episode VIII (breaking fans expectations and move away from old characters)!
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Would be nice certainly.
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And how they claim Terra for the Smoke Jaguars. >:D
+1
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I hope they drop a Rey's parents on Devlin Stone and reveal he is a nobody. Heck, I hope ilClan ends up very similar to Star Wars Episode VIII (breaking fans expectations and move away from old characters)!
Spoilers
so what your saying is the Republic is on the run in their last Warship from the IlClan. The IlClan is chasing them down in their Grand Fleet. The Republic launches a fighter sortie that disrupts them but a rogue Clan pilot slams into the bridge wounding grievously Devlin Stone. The Republic jumps away but can't outrun the IlCln even with their LF batteries. So some Ghost Knight and his sidekick decide to enlist a rogue ex-ComStar acolyte to hack into the IlClans HPG network and disrupt it buying time to get the fleet away, all before their Warship runs out of fuel. One misadventure later and the Ghost Knight is captured and Devlin Stone jumps the Warship and Ancestral Home's the IlClans flagship , a Leviathan III. The Ghost Knight escapes , killing the IlLhan in the process but the Republic Rememants are trapped on a planet their last Dropships without a Jumpship. Devlin Stone wakes up and duels the new IlKhan to buy time for an independent Jumpship to refuel and the Rememants to get away. Setting the path for IlClan III where the Ghost Knight Strikes Back?
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Setting the path for IlClan III where the Ghost Knight Strikes Back?
[/quote]
Do you mean " The return of the Ghost knight "???
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And how they claim Terra for the Smoke Jaguars. >:D
I have speculated that Stone is actually a Claner, the parallels between a Clan('s) Council electing a Khan and how a Primarch is selected/elected by Paladins has interesting parallels and I believe that the WoB was keeping Smoke Jaguar prisoners in the camps he came from ...
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Wasn't it all ready divulged he was a nobody?
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Not in a product, but Herb did say on the forums that he was no one of any importance and that was the point.
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If the Fidelis reject absorption and get smashed during the ensuing war, I hope they go out with a bang. My beloved ELH already got grinded up by the falcons, I don't want the Fidelis to get snuffed too easily.
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Yeah. It would be frustrating if the Fidelis went down. Especially since they currently haven't done much.
I wonder if the Republic can rep being a clan for a fight. They had a bunch of units gifted to them. Not just Nova Cats.
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I can see the Wolves granting the Republic the honor of a Trial of Possession. The Jade Falcons under Malvina? Ha ha ha.
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I can see the Wolves granting the Republic the honor of a Trial of Possession. The Jade Falcons under Malvina? Ha ha ha.
The only way the Wolves do this is if they're already winning. Alaric doesn't take stupid risks, and inviting a fair playing field where there doesn't have to be one is a pretty stupid risk when the gamble is for all the marbles.
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The only way the Wolves do this is if they're already winning. Alaric doesn't take stupid risks, and inviting a fair playing field where there doesn't have to be one is a pretty stupid risk when the gamble is for all the marbles.
I disagree. Clan Wolf needs the help of the Republic's armed forces if it's going to conquer the rest of the Inner Sphere. By treating with Stone as an equal and sticking to some notion of Clan honor, it raises Alaric's esteem. After all, settling conflicts with a duel is a classic Ares Convention strategy, one respected by most in the Inner Sphere as well as the Clans. Of course, I expect Alaric to manipulate things to his advantage; he is the son of Katherine Steiner, after all.
Picture this: Clan Wolf lands on Terra. The Falcons are not going to be far behind. Alaric offers Stone a devil's deal: duel for the Republic of the Sphere and Terra. If Wolf wins, Stone and the Republic military will be allowed to fight beside them, and the Falcons can be defeated. If Stone wins, the Wolves leave Terra...forcing the Republic to face Malvina's hordes alone. Alaric might even tight-beam the bargain to Stone directly.
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Mmh. Sounds plausible. Likely even.
So, the end result is that the Third League is a mixture of Clan and RoTS, and subjugated nations. And i'm thinking the conquered nations won't be too happy about things.
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Picture this: Clan Wolf lands on Terra. The Falcons are not going to be far behind. Alaric offers Stone a devil's deal: duel for the Republic of the Sphere and Terra. If Wolf wins, Stone and the Republic military will be allowed to fight beside them, and the Falcons can be defeated. If Stone wins, the Wolves leave Terra...forcing the Republic to face Malvina's hordes alone. Alaric might even tight-beam the bargain to Stone directly.
The best part about this is that even if Stone wins, and then loses to Malvina? Alaric still had his wolves on Earth first, and he can rub that in forever just to piss her off. And depending how brutal the fighting is - extremely, I imagine, on both sides - that means he's still got his fresh and unbattered Wolves to just sweep in and take the place anyway.
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The best part about this is that even if Stone wins, and then loses to Malvina? Alaric still had his wolves on Earth first, and he can rub that in forever just to piss her off. And depending how brutal the fighting is - extremely, I imagine, on both sides - that means he's still got his fresh and unbattered Wolves to just sweep in and take the place anyway.
Yup, exactly what I was thinking.
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I like that rubbing someone's nose in their ultimate failure is the first thing I think of, rather than an actual victory. Clearly I'm too good at thinking Clanner.
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Pretty sure modern Clanners, at least Alaric, seem to be good about thinking about actual victory rather than rubbing someone's nose with a failure. Or at least they won't get one to get in the way of the other.
Not sure Malvina counts among these though.
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Alaric and Malvina are almost dark mirrors of each other, displaying opposite and extreme versions of the Way of the Clans. Alaric is not afraid of fighting, but is also willing to use politics - even subterfuge - to achieve his goals, though he seems to at least pay lip service to honor. Malvina cares only for martial prowess, and anything (or anyone) that is not directly aiding her in her goals is simply...in the way.
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Hello everyone, I was wondering if there is some problem with Second Succession War because over here in Germany it is showing it as not yet available.
Thanks.
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Hello everyone, I was wondering if there is some problem with Second Succession War because over here in Germany it is showing it as not yet available.
Thanks.
Uh, it was released months ago.
Weird. Perhaps it was sold out? Say, a small shipment only in the first place.
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Thanks. That is probably it. Oh well, PDF it is.
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Thanks. That is probably it. Oh well, PDF it is.
I recommend googling around, check shops from other countries that might ship to Germany with reasonable price.
Like, i found that 3072 Jihad book from a Spanish site, it was sold out everywhere else ages ago.
EDIT Doesn't look too good... not finding many results.
I know a local store here in Finland has copies still but not sure if they ship to Germany. Checking.
EDIT2 Holy... Yeah, they do but with ridiculous fee.
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Thanks for the check. Picked up SW1 and the TRO as PDFs and will probably pick up hard copies on my next trip to the states.
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I disagree. Clan Wolf needs the help of the Republic's armed forces if it's going to conquer the rest of the Inner Sphere. By treating with Stone as an equal and sticking to some notion of Clan honor, it raises Alaric's esteem. After all, settling conflicts with a duel is a classic Ares Convention strategy, one respected by most in the Inner Sphere as well as the Clans. Of course, I expect Alaric to manipulate things to his advantage; he is the son of Katherine Steiner, after all.
Picture this: Clan Wolf lands on Terra. The Falcons are not going to be far behind. Alaric offers Stone a devil's deal: duel for the Republic of the Sphere and Terra. If Wolf wins, Stone and the Republic military will be allowed to fight beside them, and the Falcons can be defeated. If Stone wins, the Wolves leave Terra...forcing the Republic to face Malvina's hordes alone. Alaric might even tight-beam the bargain to Stone directly.
Given the reputation of Malvina, why shouldn't the republic just decide to go back the days of the old SLDF and when she pokes her nose in Terra, hit her forces with ALL THE NUKES? I mean, given her actions, it seems like the logical way to deal with her is full on, first Succession War tactics.
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Given the reputation of Malvina, why shouldn't the republic just decide to go back the days of the old SLDF and when she pokes her nose in Terra, hit her forces with ALL THE NUKES? I mean, given her actions, it seems like the logical way to deal with her is full on, first Succession War tactics.
Moot point, as it won't happen. Besides, the last time nukes were used on Terra, the eastern seaboard of the US vanished. If Stone resorts to such weapons, his grand experiment will have well and truly failed.
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Let me explain that a bit more. Stone's entire point with the Republic of the Sphere was to provide a shining example to the other states. The Republic was founded on high ideals, and Stone really did try to live up to them. If the nation is conquered by a hostile force, that does not invalidate his ideals. However, if he resorts to "barbaric" weapons of mass destruction simply because they're the expedient solution, then no matter how correct he was to do so, he'll be viewed as a hypocrite. Better to die honorably than to live in shame, and all that nonsense.
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On the other hand, Stone is kinda insane now that he's come out of cryo. So rationalizing the use of nukes really doesn't seem all that far fetched.
But really, this is setting based around a miniatures war game, so nukes are always going to be few and far between, besides, the setting has "already done that" during the Jihad. I doubt we're going to end up seeing a repeat in the very next primary era.
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It may also be the case that the follow-on governments may reject his high ideals for pragmatic, if plutonium-powered, victory. Few movements tend to survive the eventual death of their founder.
Personally I'd be fine if the republic stayed on the high road to the end, not so much out of 'good they're gone' but more 'they still won by never being defeated, even if they were destroyed.'
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On the other hand, Stone is kinda insane now that he's come out of cryo. So rationalizing the use of nukes really doesn't seem all that far fetched.
Nah, David Lear's ghost would never allow it. ;D
It may also be the case that the follow-on governments may reject his high ideals for pragmatic, if plutonium-powered, victory. Few movements tend to survive the eventual death of their founder.
Personally I'd be fine if the republic stayed on the high road to the end, not so much out of 'good they're gone' but more 'they still won by never being defeated, even if they were destroyed.'
Well, yeah, to both counts. Stone's ideals barely survived his disappearance, and then mostly on technicalities, and his reappearance doesn't quite seem to have solved all the problems some hoped it would. Also, we know the next Terran government is going to be Clan, and hoo boy, talk about lip service to grand ideals...
...and the very best part is that it's being set up to fail. After all, the universe wouldn't be very interesting with a single, monolithic government, quiaff? Personally, I hope it falls down hard, and the new setting is like pre-Age of War, with new states forming, combining, conquering each other, and just a great big old mess filled with new characters, factions, tech, and units. When things start to get boring, throw the Word of Blake at it, and just as they're getting over that, here come the Homeworlds Clans again.
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...and the very best part is that it's being set up to fail. After all, the universe wouldn't be very interesting with a single, monolithic government, quiaff? Personally, I hope it falls down hard, and the new setting is like pre-Age of War, with new states forming, combining, conquering each other, and just a great big old mess filled with new characters, factions, tech, and units. When things start to get boring, throw the Word of Blake at it, and just as they're getting over that, here come the Homeworlds Clans again.
I would like to subscribe to your magazine, sir.
Seriously, I'd be fine with a mass uprising eventually against whatever kind of ilClan there is, and an appropriate Smoke Jaguar-tier response that makes the first and second SW look like fond memories...
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I would like to subscribe to your magazine, sir.
Hmm, I wonder if I could set up a Patreon for BattleTech fanfiction?
(Note: Not an actual thing that anyone should do.)
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Moot point, as it won't happen. Besides, the last time nukes were used on Terra, the eastern seaboard of the US vanished. If Stone resorts to such weapons, his grand experiment will have well and truly failed.
You use the nukes on them while the invaders are still inbound.
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Using nukes against the Clans is a very good way to ensure the gloves come off. And if they land then when the invasions over and if the Clanners are victorious I doubt they would leave anyone in the Republic military alive for breaking out nukes.
And the Clans still have Warships, any survivors of the orbital battle will turn their guns on Terra.
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And with the exception of the newest Leviathan's said Clan WarShips have very little point defense. And if the RotS hasn't been working to improve the Dragons Breath I'd be very surprised.
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I still think the Leviathan III is going to have something happen to her with regards to a nuke, and then fingers being pointed at the Combine at which point the Bears go ARAABLABLBLALBALALERARARAFVBAL!! and launch a full scale assault. This helps draw forces away from the Davion front and helps them re-deploy to fend off the Cappellans.
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I don't think the petty squabbles of the Successor States will matter much when the ilClan invades and conquers them.
Look, I can't 100% predict what's going to happen when IlClan comes out. But we know certain things occur, and we've watched the story unfold to this point. Sure, Stone could reveal that he's been the Master all along, and unveil a thousand regiments of superheavy 'Mechs and a hundred battleships, all equipped with nuclear and biological weapons, burn the Inner Sphere, and then claim ilClanship because he's actually a Wolverine. Or, for a less-extreme example, Stone could blast every Clan invader out of Terran space with WMDs from upgraded Blakist weapons platforms...except we know that doesn't happen. Some Clan or another figures out a way to conquer - or at least merge with - The Republic, and they go on to conquer - by treaty or force of arms - the rest of the Inner Sphere. We've seen 90% of the story so far, we know who the heroes and villains are, and we can make some predictions based on their past actions and motivations.
We know that Stone did not push for advanced weapons projects. Sure, the Fortress is some kind of Blakist hyper-tech, but it is defensive in nature. The Republic didn't start working on advanced offensive technology until after the Blackout, through the RISC project. I peg the odds of Stone reactivating Dragon's Breath - which, again, was responsible for destroying a significant portion of North America's Atlantic coastline - at a hard zero.
Furthermore, what kind of a damp squib climax would that be? After almost twenty real-world years of plot build-up, it all ends with a Clan fleet going "poof" in space? Thousands of man-hours of work, dozens of books and games, over half the time BattleTech has existed, all coming down to a dozen rolls to-hit. That would be beyond insulting.
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I'm sad that those nuclear strikes didn't get more than a couple throwaway lines, unless someone brings them up I keep forgetting it happened at all.
Then again, it says something about the destruction of the Jihad that the annihilation of the Eastern Seaboard only merited a few lines of text...
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I'm sad that those nuclear strikes didn't get more than a couple throwaway lines, unless someone brings them up I keep forgetting it happened at all.
Then again, it says something about the destruction of the Jihad that the annihilation of the Eastern Seaboard only merited a few lines of text...
More the lack of novels. It's all wrapped up in the story of just what happened under Hilton Head and at Devil's Tower. In a way, we never got the proper climax for the Jihad.
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Hmm.. guess I should move the family to the west coast before we start glowing over here.
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We know that Stone did not push for advanced weapons projects. Sure, the Fortress is some kind of Blakist hyper-tech, but it is defensive in nature. The Republic didn't start working on advanced offensive technology until after the Blackout, through the RISC project. I peg the odds of Stone reactivating Dragon's Breath - which, again, was responsible for destroying a significant portion of North America's Atlantic coastline - at a hard zero.
Didn't the Dragon's Breath also take out the Great Bear? Also the real prize there is the advanced decoy generators, you could easily adapt those to fighter launched missiles, and such technology is something that the ISC didn't develop, which is interesting with their development of viral jammers.
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I thought one of the Levithans took a nuke hit and was damaged but not destroyed.
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It was full-on splorched over Titan.
Also the real prize there is the advanced decoy generators, you could easily adapt those to fighter launched missiles
Where's your printed evidence saying this, so we know the kind of ECM units capable of tricking a WarShip into seeing dozens of false missiles isn't so big that it requires a fifty-ton missile to carry/power it?
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Where's your printed evidence saying this, so we know the kind of ECM units capable of tricking a WarShip into seeing dozens of false missiles isn't so big that it requires a fifty-ton missile to carry/power it?
I'm wanting to put this into Alamo's, not LRM's, which I think is probably do-able.
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Most missiles have rather small payload fractions. A largish EWAR suite means the missile won't carry a warhead... if the EWAR suite even fits in.
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I'm aware of that and aren't expecting a warhead on this missile
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Not in a product, but Herb did say on the forums that he was no one of any importance and that was the point.
Ghostbear confirmed that Stone is one of the 4 men listed on page 228 of Masters and Minions
There are at least four men that roughly match Stone’s vital statistics:
James Pervu, a construction foreman from Gei-Fu;
Christopher Sheldon, a lance commander in the Kittery Planetary Militia;
Saul Miller, an AFFS administrative assistant stationed on Tikonov;
Jahn Prowell, a shipping captain from Sian.
So Devlin Stone is one of those 4 guys.
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Anything that is not spelled out in black and white is subject to change.
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Ghostbear confirmed that Stone is one of the 4 men listed on page 228 of Masters and Minions
So Devlin Stone is one of those 4 guys.
Hey, I recognize some of those names....
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Ghostbear confirmed that Stone is one of the 4 men listed on page 228 of Masters and Minions
So Devlin Stone is one of those 4 guys.
That was then.
We've had a regime change since then, and who knows how closely the IlClan now being worked on will resemble what was planned then.
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Hey, I recognize some of those names....
Just 1? Bring em up the next time you have your butt in a store with me. IE the 24th.
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but but but... what about Steven D. Olin!?!
I was sure we were on to something there...
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Ghostbear confirmed that Stone is one of the 4 men listed on page 228 of Masters and Minions
So Devlin Stone is one of those 4 guys.
Hah, I could only imagine the embarrassment of everyone when they find out that the guy who destroyed the word of blake, founded an entirely new nation, was a tactical genius, and he turns out to be some random construction foreman.
That would be hilarious. The LIUCC union is nothing to screw with apparently.
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Just 1? Bring em up the next time you have your butt in a store with me. IE the 24th.
"Some"
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"Some"
I'm not lesdyxic, you are!
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I'm not lesdyxic, you are!
I just figured you're getting old with the rest of us and need glasses. Oh, wait....
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My moneys on the construction forman.
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Who better to "build" a new nation? I better run before tomatoes start flying my way. :P
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My moneys on the construction forman.
Thematically, quite fitting. Stone is a builder of a better nation...
That said, he is more than that. Hence, i have a theory: Those four guys merged their brains and the resulting creature is Devlin Stone. He got construction skills of Parvu, military skills of Sheldon, administrative skills of Miller, and leadership skills of Prowell.
A further refined theory is that WoB did human experiments and merged those four guys brains, and the resulting creature then escaped and took revenge on WoB.
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Wasn't he a effective Mechwarrior? You don't go from amateur pilot to arguably elite unless someone was covering for him in the initial stages of his revolt on Kittery.
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Wasn't he a effective Mechwarrior? You don't go from amateur pilot to arguably elite unless someone was covering for him in the initial stages of his revolt on Kittery.
Maybe he was a prodigy? A Max Genius/Amuro Rey type who somehow just instinctively knew his way around a 'Mech?
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Wasn't he a effective Mechwarrior? You don't go from amateur pilot to arguably elite unless someone was covering for him in the initial stages of his revolt on Kittery.
mildly effective
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61xgSaUPryL._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
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Wasn't he a effective Mechwarrior? You don't go from amateur pilot to arguably elite unless someone was covering for him in the initial stages of his revolt on Kittery.
MechWarrior skills imply either Miller or Sheldon. AFFS member, even if administrative assistant, could mean MechWarrior training. Since Sheldon is described as lance commander, this implies he's a MechWarrior.
That said, Pervu could be an IndustrialMech pilot (despite then-present position as a foreman), and those skills could translate to MechWarrior skills, especially with some training.
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Wasn't he a effective Mechwarrior? You don't go from amateur pilot to arguably elite unless someone was covering for him in the initial stages of his revolt on Kittery.
Doesn't completely rule out construction foreman. Industrialmech training covers most of the non-shooty parts.
He also had David Lear to be his hype man.
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I am reminded that the old House Kurita sourcebook mentions that most people who could be excellent MechWarriors never get the chance, due to being born to some peasant family instead of the nobility. It could be that not only was Stone in the right place at the right time, but he also had the right brain to become a noted MechWarrior. This would help explain his political success; since most of the Inner Sphere's rulers were themselves MechWarriors, they would've been far more accepting of him than, say, an infantryman who managed to lead a prisoner revolt.
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I am reminded that the old House Kurita sourcebook mentions that most people who could be excellent MechWarriors never get the chance, due to being born to some peasant family instead of the nobility. It could be that not only was Stone in the right place at the right time, but he also had the right brain to become a noted MechWarrior. This would help explain his political success; since most of the Inner Sphere's rulers were themselves MechWarriors, they would've been far more accepting of him than, say, an infantryman who managed to lead a prisoner revolt.
I don't know, I'd say his political success squarely falls on Lear's shoulders. Lear seemed to be the one doing all the politiking during the Jihad and after was the main brains behind the creation of the RotS. And it's after Lear's death that things really seemed to go down hill...']
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Here’s the thing. Stone was a Rabid Foxes operative, and one of those four was Stone’s cover identity. While Stone was intended to be a “nobody,” he wasn’t supposed to be “no one special.”
But all that’s unofficial unless it ever gets published somehow, and any window for delving into Stone’s past likely closed years ago, IMO.
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For... Devlin... into Stone's past, even..... :D
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For... Devlin... into Stone's past, even..... :D
GET OUT.
Here’s the thing. Stone was a Rabid Foxes operative, and one of those four was Stone’s cover identity. While Stone was intended to be a “nobody,” he wasn’t supposed to be “no one special.”
But all that’s unofficial unless it ever gets published somehow, and any window for delving into Stone’s past likely closed years ago, IMO.
Oh, I would so chortle if that were published.
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Here’s the thing. Stone was a Rabid Foxes operative, and one of those four was Stone’s cover identity. While Stone was intended to be a “nobody,” he wasn’t supposed to be “no one special.”
But all that’s unofficial unless it ever gets published somehow, and any window for delving into Stone’s past likely closed years ago, IMO.
Which explains some of the set up of the Ghost Knight program.
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Maybe novel or segment in a up coming novel of the Jihad which were alleged to get someday could include shadows of his rise and beginnings.
Of all the characters during that time period to be centered around, Devlin Stone would certainly one to do.
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But all that’s unofficial unless it ever gets published somehow, and any window for delving into Stone’s past likely closed years ago, IMO.
The kind of thing that might be covered someday in his obit...
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1. That's pretty damn awesome.
2. That is definitely novel material with a Stone point of view chapter.
3. I wonder if Victor would have recognized him when they met.
4. That's pretty damn awesome.
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3. I wonder if Victor would have recognized him when they met.
Isn't that like wondering if the leader of a nation will recognize a random member of their military's special forces?
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That's definitely a consideration, hence why I wondered. I could see it going either way. If Victor did, however, that could lead to many interesting story considerations.
Perhaps Victor would be able to see something in Stone's mannerisms that would tip him off as a Rabid Fox -- something only Victor and other higher ups would know. If Victor didn't know him personally, he could have a hunch and go looking through any AFFS databases to try and match -- assuming they even existed still after the Jihad. What Victor decides to say or not say to Stone would be interesting: weighing the political and personal pros and cons of such a conversation. Something a younger Victor would not have done.
To me, that's an interesting personal conflict that I would have liked to see explored. Maybe Stone even tells him after the Jihad and the Republic is on firm ground. Keeping secrets may work in real life, but for a narrative secrets only work if there is payoff somehow.
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I would like to know more about Devlin Stone so a new book would help in that.
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I would like to know more about Devlin Stone so a new book would help in that.
So a book about Stone, eh?
The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Devin Stone, Autobiographer.
' In the beginning, I was a man without a plan... '
~ Devin Stone
TT
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Maybe it would be something that could be snuck into a spotlight on stones lament or something? Regardless, thanks for the unofficial info. Even if it never comes to pass ‘for real’ I still enjoy hearing about the jihad/republic ideas that never made it into print.
So, uh, anyone working on any ‘spotlight on’ products at the moment, or is the little stuff all on hold at the moment? Or, something in between?
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So a book about Stone, eh?
The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Devin Stone, Autobiographer.
' In the beginning, I was a man without a plan... '
~ Devin Stone
TT
"I was born a poor, black child."
-Devlin Stone
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"I was born a poor, black child."
-Devlin Stone
From now on I will always hear Steve Martin's voice in my head when I read Stone's lines.
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So a book about Stone, eh?
The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Devin Stone, Autobiographer.
' In the beginning, I was a man without a plan... '
~ Devin Stone
TT
And then, thanks to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright XXIV, I finally had my plan.
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"For a brief period of time I was a popsicle. All the plans I had made kinda fell apart , so I thawed myself to fix stuff."
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Don't think Stones past matters at this point... though it would be ironic if he was actually a Clan outcast who migrated to IS just prior to WoB antics ;)
Think the more pressing issue would be who caused the Black Out. Whoever it was that threw the switch would defiantly have something to gain or lose in the outcome of IlClan.
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Don't think Stones past matters at this point... though it would be ironic if he was actually a Clan outcast who migrated to IS just prior to WoB antics ;)
Think the more pressing issue would be who caused the Black Out. Whoever it was that threw the switch would defiantly have something to gain or lose in the outcome of IlClan.
Supposedly the Milestones PDF series was supposed to reveal who was behind it.
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Supposedly the Milestones PDF series was supposed to reveal who was behind it.
Yes... speaking of which, what are we getting next and when.
We know the box set is coming sometime in the spring or perhaps summer, depending. And Brent seemed pretty adamant about IlClan being this year. But i figure that's late stuff. But in the meantime...?
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Well, if you scour Facebook you might find some news...if you can read through the lines.
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Think the more pressing issue would be who caused the Black Out. Whoever it was that threw the switch would defiantly have something to gain or lose in the outcome of IlClan.
I think the last plan called for a Milestones: Operation Damnatio (I may have the name wrong), that was going to reveal that. Now? Dunno.
As for scouring Facebook...I play this game and read these forums for fun. Scouring Facebook would be, for me at least, the polar opposite of fun, so no thank you sir. I'll pass on that offer and remain blissful and ignorant!
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Only new thing posted was about the maps, nothing about milestones. *shrugs*
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Well, if you scour Facebook you might find some news...if you can read through the lines.
I don't use Facebook at all.
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Could we please not get the "ugh, Facebook" chorus every time it is so much as mentioned here?
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Yeah, not seeing anything myself *shrug*
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Fixed...
TT
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Guys, knock it off. Both sides.
To the FB users: If someone doesn't want to use Facebook, that's their prerogative. They're not necessarily always bagging on the website; they just don't want to use it. Be polite and leave em be. Give an alternative if one exists and they honestly don't want to use FB.
To the others: I get it. Sometimes I think about deactivating my profile there too. But Facebook is very commonly used. It's just where "everyone" is and is an easy way to get word out. I understand the reasons for your choice not to use it, but it is a kind of default way for a lot of people to get information. There's no need to project your disgust of Facebook so floridly. A simple "I don't like it" will do.
edit: truetaker - you got a post in while I was writing this. Stop it.
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Don't think Stones past matters at this point... though it would be ironic if he was actually a Clan outcast who migrated to IS just prior to WoB antics ;)
I know I've pointed it out elsewhere, but there's actual evidence to support this, the power structure of the Republic, with the Knights electing the Exarch, resembles that of the Clans.
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And then, thanks to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright XXIV, I finally had my plan.
The first step of the plan involved threatening the leaders of the Inner Sphere that he would not invade them if they did not give him the worlds for the Republic. A month later, the plan involved threatening the leaders of the Inner Sphere that he would invade them if they did give him the worlds for the Republic. Four months after that, the leaders of the Inner Sphere were threatened that if they did not give him the worlds for the Republic, he would invade them. This, for Dinsdale Stone and the Republic, was a turning point.
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I know I've pointed it out elsewhere, but there's actual evidence to support this, the power structure of the Republic, with the Knights electing the Exarch, resembles that of the Clans.
It also resembles any number of feudal societies where the best warrior was selected to be king, so I'm not sure that what you have here is evidence.
But in an attempt to get back on track, I hope there's some new stuff coming soon. Smaller projects like Milestones or Unit Digests or whatever. (I know the new boxed sets are coming too, but I already have enough boxed sets. ;) )
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As an on topic post from me (odd I know), if the ilClan book is really in 3250, I'd love to see the equivalent of the Prototypes TRO to cover the gap. (Especially with the snarky commentary I saw in the Comstar one, and the comments I saw in XTRO Republic 3)
A turning points book or similar showing the fall of the wall and the major invasions by basically everyone into the republic would be awesome. Especially if we see the equivalent of say, Liberation of Terra 3 or so. Who knows what sort of crazy last stand tech they developed. After all, it's damn near a tradition that whomever controls Terra ends up developing "super weapons" to try and keep it in their hands. Hopefully it's more like the tripods, or mobile fortresses/subs than the Matar.
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As an on topic post from me (odd I know), if the ilClan book is really in 3250
It isn't, and never was.
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IIRC, IlClan was/is basically 3145-3150 (and/or maybe bit later) and setup for what comes after.
TRO:3150 refers to various events that will be presumably told properly in IlClan, though that book doesn't explain how things will end (which presumably happen in late 3150 or 3151, TRO:3150 is set in early 3150).
I made a timeline thread about it here (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58171.msg1338742#msg1338742).
What's in 3250 is the next era, tentatively perhaps Third League-era or IlClan-era?
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It isn't, and never was.
Maybe he meant the print date. :P
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Maybe he meant the print date. :P
It's going to be that soon? :D
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I would expect that first box (beginners) is already done and it is shipped to CGL warehouse by this time. In several articles with CGL staff was said that shipping takes 4-6months.
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Maybe he meant the print date. :P
I know this is a joke, but man...sure feels like forever since anything new dropped.
Let me second the request for any new products coming out. Perfectly happy to wait for the box set and IlClan. Just need a little Spotlight On, Touring the Stars or Turning Point to tide me over. Please? ;D
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Edit: Self deleted.
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It has been a while. Hopefully something will be coming soon.
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Personally im waiting for tro:Golden century
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It has been so long, I would appreciate an update on ilClan.
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I'd be happy see any major product (bookwise) come out.
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I'd imagine everything major is on hold until the lawsuit's outcome is finalized. And depending on how that goes, it may well be another long time as things are reworked accordingly.
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I'd imagine everything major is on hold until the lawsuit's outcome is finalized. And depending on how that goes, it may well be another long time as things are reworked accordingly.
I hope that's not the case. The lawsuit could drag on for a year quite easily, and it's length isn't really predictable. CGL is going to have to do something between now and then to keep the line going.
It seems like there should be plenty of PDF projects which could be made and released (resources permitting) without any reference to encumbered artwork. (As mentioned, "Spotlight On", "Turning Points", etc.)
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Yeah hopefully little stuff can still come out in the interim.
But I'd be absolutely shocked if anything major (ilClan, Box sets, etc) come out before everything in the legal realm is firmly settled.
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I'd imagine everything major is on hold until the lawsuit's outcome is finalized.
Nope!
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Everything is on hold because Cubby spilled his soup on our keyboard.
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And it was Jade Chicken'N'Stars, too...
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Everything is on hold because Cubby spilled his soup on our keyboard.
(https://media.giphy.com/media/i4gLlAUz2IVIk/giphy.gif)
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(https://media.giphy.com/media/i4gLlAUz2IVIk/giphy.gif)
There is got to be a better way!!!
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All TROs I look forward to. It's my favorite series of books.
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I'd imagine everything major is on hold until the lawsuit's outcome is finalized. And depending on how that goes, it may well be another long time as things are reworked accordingly.
Nope!
I'll be happy to be proved wrong, but I'll believe it when I see it. I ain't holding by breath ;)
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Not sure what to tell you, then. I completed some writing and editing for the box sets about a month ago, and some chip-in writing for another upcoming book this week. Things are progressing.
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There is got to be a better way!!!
I've spent >3 hours trying to figure out what the tray is made of that it seems to permanently bend so easily...
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Not sure what to tell you, then. I completed some writing and editing for the box sets about a month ago, and some chip-in writing for another upcoming book this week. Things are progressing.
Oh I'm not saying TPTB are doing nothing. I'm sure things are in the works.
I'm just expressing doubts about major new product actually hitting store shelves before a final ruling. If I'm wrong, it's a win win. You get to be right, and I get to have new BTech stuff.
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It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about being wrong and starting a damaging rumor. So there’s no wait and see to it. Products are in the pipeline.
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It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about being wrong and starting a damaging rumor. So there’s no wait and see to it. Products are in the pipeline.
What diameter is said pipeline?
I just got out of Btech rehab so I suspect something will hit soon. Because that's how this bad relationship has been working for years.
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Everything is on hold because Cubby spilled his soup on our keyboard.
Blast you Campbells! Curse you, and your creamy-tomato perfidy for all time!!!
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It’s not about being right or wrong. It’s about being wrong and starting a damaging rumor. So there’s no wait and see to it. Products are in the pipeline.
I don't know what rumor you think I started... given here's an exact quote of what I said just a few posts upthread:
Yeah hopefully little stuff can still come out in the interim.
But I'd be absolutely shocked if anything major (ilClan, Box sets, etc) come out before everything in the legal realm is firmly settled.
My "WITNESS ME!" emoji in no way resembles a Beemer, so I don't see how anyone's going to conflate my uninformed opinion with inside knowledge of TPTB's financial strategies. Uniformed as my opinion is by things going on behind the scenes, I can still see what's public: the lawsuit* and the no-way-it's-coincidental rolling out of the nuSeens in the most recent major products. Honestly I'd have to assume it'd be irresponsible for TPTB to NOT wait and see how the lawsuit goes, at least until you have some excellent reason(s) to believe it's going to go in a way that supports the track you've already laid. If that's where you're actually at, great*. (and again for benefit of anyone who might think I have opinions based on inside knowledge: I don't). Being overly defensive about it though may be understandable, but also strengthening the optics I verbalized (contextualized? can you verbalize in text format?).
* I ain't asking about the lawsuit, and I know there'd be no answer if I DID ask about the lawsuit.
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I've spent >3 hours trying to figure out what the tray is made of that it seems to permanently bend so easily...
Something like this maybe?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pactiv-Y112045-CPC-Lid-or-Cover-for-Full-Size-Aluminum-Foil-Pan-Case-of-80/157811223
But I always love those types of commercials, the OVER-the-Top, over acting is just like...seriously...WHO sits like that, opens cabinets in others etc...always a good laff!
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Something like this maybe?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pactiv-Y112045-CPC-Lid-or-Cover-for-Full-Size-Aluminum-Foil-Pan-Case-of-80/157811223
But I always love those types of commercials, the OVER-the-Top, over acting is just like...seriously...WHO sits like that, opens cabinets in others etc...always a good laff!
An old UK sketch show, This Morning with Richard Not Judy did a great parody of them, titled Greg Evigan's when stuff falls over, spills or falls out of cupboards.
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I don't know what rumor you think I started... given here's an exact quote of what I said just a few posts upthread:
The rumor that it's very easy to lift from the post you linked is "there isn't going to be anything new released until after the legal battle is resolved". If you're unsure how anyone could possibly interpret it that way, welcome to the General Discussion board, you must be new here. Not everything that's in production involves things in the lawsuit.
In fact, I'd say that most things in production right now don't involve anything related to the lawsuit. By design.
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The rumor that it's very easy to lift from the post you linked is "there isn't going to be anything new released until after the legal battle is resolved". If you're unsure how anyone could possibly interpret it that way, welcome to the General Discussion board, you must be new here. Not everything that's in production involves things in the lawsuit.
You and I must define easy differently because I clearly (explicitly) mentioned that I didn't think MAJOR product would hit the store shelves. I even went to the bother to give examples of the sort of product I meant. I even prefaced my negative nancy prediction with a bit of optimism about what I DO expect will still be coming out.
Am I taking crazy pills here? I didn't say nothing was in the pipeline (what I opined about was how quickly major product currently IN that pipeline would come out of it...). I didn't say nothing at all was going to be coming out anytime soon. I said what I said. Are other people seeing something other than what I said?
At any rate I'm one poster out of however many hundreds that regularly post or thousands that went through the bother to register. The more you say how wrong I am, the more attention my "wrong" opinion gets. How many people would have even noticed my post by now if it hadn't been brought up twice now? It's not like I'm a chronic complainer about release schedules. (granted I chronically complain about other things, but not that thing :D ) If I'm wrong, I'll be happy. Hell I hope they prove me wrong.
In fact, I'd say that most things in production right now don't involve anything related to the lawsuit. By design.
I'd certainly hope so. I'm just doubting that major things are getting traction in that production pipeline right now. And again, so what if I am doubting it. Is my voicing of a doubt going to actually affect it?
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Something like this maybe?
I think that's it!
But I always love those types of commercials, the OVER-the-Top, over acting is just like...seriously...WHO sits like that, opens cabinets in others etc...always a good laff!
Enjoy, good sir. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCaQLnR7B10)
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Im looking forward to clan related products.
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Im looking forward to clan related products.
are there any? I mean, TRO Golden Century is on the coming releases page, but it's been a coming release for nearly as long as ilClan. did I miss something getting announced?
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Wait until Touring the Stars: Leviathan's Rest reveals that it's the homeworld of Nicholas Kerensky's backup plan for the ilClan, Clan Irritable Whale.
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I've spent >3 hours trying to figure out what the tray is made of that it seems to permanently bend so easily...
Oh no! Obviously the heat from the soup warped the thermoplastic. Next time, you should use the SLDF-derived Serving Tray IIC. Available at all finer stores, or your local Diamond Shark merchant.
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Wait until Touring the Stars: Leviathan's Rest reveals that it's the homeworld of Nicholas Kerensky's backup plan for the ilClan, Clan Irritable Whale.
It will be a whale of a tail.
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I think its time to start the new topic- New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. XI: Turn it up to Eleven!
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Or New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. XI: Clan Super Awesome Funbag
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New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. XI: Bueller? ...Bueller?
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New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. XI: Are we there yet?
Or
New and Upcoming Releases, Vol. XI: BattleTech Age Next
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New and Upcoming Releases, Volume XI: MechWarrior K'Next?