Author Topic: NEW RELEASE: BattleTech Beginner Box and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat  (Read 104314 times)

Xotl

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October was the general estimate given at GenCon.
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http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1219.0

Joewrightgm

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October? Oh my birthday month :) yay!

MarauderD

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October was the general estimate given at GenCon.

That is really exciting.  NeonKnight was kind enough to pick me up a Starter set and I just gave it to my Brother-in-Law as an early Christmas Present.  In October I'll pick up another one for myself!

Great time to be a BattleTech fan!

Neo-Tanuki

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I have a question: Is the Game of Armored Combat boxed set available for local game stores to order?

I asked if my FLGS could order a box for me, but they said they were not able to find a listing from their distributor to pre-order.

I'd love for my local store to start carrying more Battletech, if anyone has any info I can pass along to them, I'd really appreciate it, please. Thanks!

RoundTop

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I have a question: Is the Game of Armored Combat boxed set available for local game stores to order?

I asked if my FLGS could order a box for me, but they said they were not able to find a listing from their distributor to pre-order.

I'd love for my local store to start carrying more Battletech, if anyone has any info I can pass along to them, I'd really appreciate it, please. Thanks!

The question is really does your game store's distributor have it for order. Eg: aliance. I believe they currently do, as I was able to order from a flgs, and that was in July.
No-Dachi has a counter-argument. Nothing further? Ok.
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I should check into this myself. I was lucky enough to score copies of the new box sets and will try to demo them at one of the two local shops on Sunday.
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Neo-Tanuki

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Any information on what distributors are carrying the Game of Armored Combat would be welcome to pass along to my FLGS.

RoundTop

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Any information on what distributors are carrying the Game of Armored Combat would be welcome to pass along to my FLGS.

This is very country specific, so please post what country you are looking for. In the US and Canada, alliance would be the typical one I would think. Whomever they get their existing catalyst products from.

Some distributors won't take it until they have a street date, so that means maybe a 1 month lead time
No-Dachi has a counter-argument. Nothing further? Ok.
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Whitar

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Hope for a soon release of Marauder and Warhammer as new lance/command pack :)

What else is left? Phoenix Hawk and lesser Wasp/Stinger? 

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Will we be able to mail order the box sets directly from Catalyst or another venue.

Thanks

KhanPhelanWard

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What I don't want to see is that in middle September the estimate release date moves to November.

Man, in the first interviews they say Summer, and the delays began, at this point, it's very disappointing, It's 2018 and you have them to the Con, seriously you cannot carry this better?

Some people cannot waste the money to a thousand km travel only for a Con, this kind of delays are amazing...
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RoundTop

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What I don't want to see is that in middle September the estimate release date moves to November.

Man, in the first interviews they say Summer, and the delays began, at this point, it's very disappointing, It's 2018 and you have them to the Con, seriously you cannot carry this better?

Some people cannot waste the money to a thousand km travel only for a Con, this kind of delays are amazing...

Never dealt with China production, have you?
No-Dachi has a counter-argument. Nothing further? Ok.
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ColBosch

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Never dealt with China production, have you?

Corrected. This is exacerbated by overseas production and shipping, but delays can happen to anything. I really wish more people understood just how much work there is on the back end when manufacturing and distributing literally anything.
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KhanPhelanWard

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Never dealt with China production, have you?

China, Russia or Ukrania, you can choose, I don't like big delays neither excuses.
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On the other hand it’s a box of plastic so I’ll deal if the boat gets delayed

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Sellsword

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Unfortunately CGL has a bit of a reputation problem. They have delayed or cancelled too many projects at this point.  While unfair given the new management team’s current policy of transparency and obvious movement again on the product front, comments like the ones from KhanPhelanWard shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s going to take a long while for some customers to trust CGL again.

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Unfortunately CGL has a bit of a reputation problem. They have delayed or cancelled too many projects at this point.  While unfair given the new management team’s current policy of transparency and obvious movement again on the product front, comments like the ones from KhanPhelanWard shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s going to take a long while for some customers to trust CGL again.

What projects?

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ColBosch

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China, Russia or Ukrania, you can choose, I don't like big delays neither excuses.

 ;D ;D ;D

Unfortunately CGL has a bit of a reputation problem. They have delayed or cancelled too many projects at this point.  While unfair given the new management team’s current policy of transparency and obvious movement again on the product front, comments like the ones from KhanPhelanWard shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s going to take a long while for some customers to trust CGL again.

No, his comment isn't a surprise, but it's still hilarious. Look, I'm not even a Catalyst customer anymore. Shattered Fortress was such a disappointment that I'm in the process of selling literally my entire BattleTech collection. But even so, getting all "I don't like excuses" on a webforum because your new toy - which you haven't even paid for - is late is ridiculous. Delays happen, and I'm sure the guys at CGL want your money as quickly as you want to give it to them. And trust? Who cares about trust, it's a TOY COMPANY. When the product comes out, you'll be able to buy it. Until then, you've got plenty of other entertainment options.

*shakes head* Hilarious.
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Sellsword

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What projects?

Craig

How about the teased succession wars board game? Or the clan Goliath scorpion pdf? Or the pushed back milestones? Just a few off the top of my head. It’s been 5+ years without a consistent release schedule. When CGL announces a product my initial reaction is To wonder when or if that product is going to actually arrive or if a new management team is going to cancel the product or change the product.   From the outside looking in CGL has not been the most stable, communative or productive company lately.  There is another thread on CGL getting involved in Kickstarter. TBTB I think rightfully have nixed that idea for the time being but would you actually send money CGLs way to fund a kickstarter project? I wouldn’t.  I’m not sure they would follow through on their ideas.   It appears that CGL is on the upswing. There are a lot of projects pending but I personally, and I suspect others too, need to see a constant flow of products.  It doesn’t have to be a lot but it needs to be consistent and in a reasonable amount of time. For me that means within 6 months of announcing a product.  Could be longer or shorter for some people.

Sellsword

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;D ;D ;D

No, his comment isn't a surprise, but it's still hilarious. Look, I'm not even a Catalyst customer anymore. Shattered Fortress was such a disappointment that I'm in the process of selling literally my entire BattleTech collection. But even so, getting all "I don't like excuses" on a webforum because your new toy - which you haven't even paid for - is late is ridiculous. Delays happen, and I'm sure the guys at CGL want your money as quickly as you want to give it to them. And trust? Who cares about trust, it's a TOY COMPANY. When the product comes out, you'll be able to buy it. Until then, you've got plenty of other entertainment options.

*shakes head* Hilarious.

It might be just a “toy company” but I wouldn’t under estimate the value of connecting with your customer base.  The problem is when products get delayed for extended periods of time will I want to buy them?  As you say there are other entertainment options out there.  Maybe trust isn’t the right word. Follow through and consistency?  I think khanPhelanWard is over reacting but I also think that CGL and Battletech have an image problem that I think a few solid years of releases will fix

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When CGL announces a product my initial reaction is To wonder when or if that product is going to actually arrive or if a new management team is going to cancel the product or change the product.

Which is the key reason I cleaned up the Coming Releases page earlier this year, and have an unofficial policy that I'd rather not put anything new up on that page until it's in layout. That's the point at which I'm personally convinced it'll happen. But that's also pretty late in the production process. And it doesn't always work--for example, TRO: CI is up on that page now, simply because the reveal of its cover at Gen Con without any supporting information left customers with too many questions.

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From the outside looking in CGL has not been the most stable, communicative or productive company lately.

And remember that I'm ultimately just a go-between. A well-intention go-between with a fancy beemer, but still. For example, I asked earlier this week for any production updates or street dates on these boxes, and haven't heard much back. Only so much I can do, I guess.

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There are a lot of projects pending but I personally, and I suspect others too, need to see a constant flow of products.

I'm still hopeful about getting the mini-PDFs back on a regular schedule; there's been some movement behind the scenes toward that goal, but there needs to be more.
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Sellsword

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Which is the key reason I cleaned up the Coming Releases page earlier this year, and have an unofficial policy that I'd rather not put anything new up on that page until it's in layout. That's the point at which I'm personally convinced it'll happen. But that's also pretty late in the production process. And it doesn't always work--for example, TRO: CI is up on that page now, simply because the reveal of its cover at Gen Con without any supporting information left customers with too many questions.

And remember that I'm ultimately just a go-between. A well-intention go-between with a fancy beemer, but still. For example, I asked earlier this week for any production updates or street dates on these boxes, and haven't heard much back. Only so much I can do, I guess.

I'm still hopeful about getting the mini-PDFs back on a regular schedule; there's been some movement behind the scenes toward that goal, but there needs to be more.

And I actually appreciate the changes and the openness with which the new management team is conducting their business.  I just think there is a lot of bitterness left over from the time jump debacle, subsequent firings, personnel changes, Ilclan delays and 5+ years of product release doldrums.  Battletech may be just a game but many people take it very seriously. Probably too seriously. 

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Corrected. This is exacerbated by overseas production and shipping, but delays can happen to anything. I really wish more people understood just how much work there is on the back end when manufacturing and distributing literally anything.
People are also failing to understand that the box sets at Gen Con were RUSHED via air-delivery from China, meaning CGL had to pay a LOT more for shipping than the rest of the production run will cost them.  I never asked anyone, but I doubt they made much profit off what they sold at GC, and they may have LOST money.   xp

But yeah, kids are still gonna whine and cry over what THEY didn't get.   ::)  I can see the day when BT "Fans" start demanding that CGL pay THEM to take the products off CGL's hands.   :P
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People are also failing to understand that the box sets at Gen Con were RUSHED via air-delivery from China, meaning CGL had to pay a LOT more for shipping than the rest of the production run will cost them.  I never asked anyone, but I doubt they made much profit off what they sold at GC, and they may have LOST money.   xp

But yeah, kids are still gonna whine and cry over what THEY didn't get.   ::)  I can see the day when BT "Fans" start demanding that CGL pay THEM to take the products off CGL's hands.   :P
Because CGL does this every year and they never rush enough product from China.

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Because CGL does this every year and they never rush enough product from China.

This sentence is hilarious and also sad.
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People are also failing to understand that the box sets at Gen Con were RUSHED via air-delivery from China, meaning CGL had to pay a LOT more for shipping than the rest of the production run will cost them.  I never asked anyone, but I doubt they made much profit off what they sold at GC, and they may have LOST money.   xp

But yeah, kids are still gonna whine and cry over what THEY didn't get.   ::)  I can see the day when BT "Fans" start demanding that CGL pay THEM to take the products off CGL's hands.   :P

Part of CGLs job is managing customer expectations.  Up until recently they’ve done, to put it kindly, a poor job of it.  They are not going to please everyone and some people will continue to “whine and cry” no matter what happens but if the same complaints happen year after year (does this one happen year after year?) from different groups of people, maybe CGL needs to try to address the concerns of their customer base.  The tricky part is trying to weed out the legitimate complaints from pure fan boy whining.

Personally I don’t have a problem with CGL special shipping something in for a con.  I think it’s good exposure for the company just to have the product but there maybe something to the point that a little more planning behind the scenes might end the need of the special shipments.

And I know you are being sarcastic but the last thing that battletech needs is to play the blame the customer game.

HABeas2

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People are also failing to understand that the box sets at Gen Con were RUSHED via air-delivery from China, meaning CGL had to pay a LOT more for shipping than the rest of the production run will cost them.  I never asked anyone, but I doubt they made much profit off what they sold at GC, and they may have LOST money.   xp

Almost certainly, but that's every con. Conventions don't generally profit a company, as it basically costs more in fees, booth equipment, room rentals, and shipping of inventory...than what they could ever make in sales. Toss in rush orders on product that wasn't quite ready for full-scale production and...yeah, cons are loss leaders.

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« Last Edit: 24 August 2018, 21:18:39 by HABeas2 »

SCC

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Almost certainly, but that's every con. Conventions don't generally profit a company, as it basically costs more in fees, booth equipment, room rentals, and shipping of inventory...than what they could ever make in sales. Toss in rush orders on product that wasn't quite ready for full-scale production and...yeah, cons are loss leaders.

- Herb
My point, or maybe desire, is that CGL better manages things so that they don't need to rush ship things from China, because it seems that every GenCon they rush to ship a small number of new books from China which sell out seemingly instantly and then the rest don't arrive for several months. It might mean going a GenCon without some shiny new book to drop, but in the long run it's probably for the better as the current system generates a decent amount of negative PR.

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Going to GenCon without a shiny new book or product is going to see these forums burning down in a matter of hours.  Rushing product to make a new release might as well be a fact of life, because it takes both time and effort to release new product, and that time and effort comes from a very finite pool.
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