a break down of fiction would be . . .
August- Proliferation Cycle, 6 stories
Dec 2019- Founding of the Clans I & maybe II?
2020- Founding of the Clans III
TBD/August?- 1 Hour goal short story
TBD- Honor & Glory I, II, III featuring backer characters in short stories
TBD- H&G IV serial featuring backer character
So . . . FotC III has a opening for you to be named since from what I can find it was never written, the short story goal, while H&G I/II/III/IV will feature a backer as the POV character, there is a good chance for them to be sprinkled in. I would say if you have a female name, its more likely to be included sooner.
I wonder what sort of bid they would get for . . . "Be the character whose mech 'accidentally' steps on Malvina Hazen after she ejects from her Shrike."
marauder 648, if you notice the only things promised to be delivered in 2020 is some of the early stretch goals- for instance if you selected the Clan Command Star Box, Inner Sphere Command Lance Box (with Salvage Box), and did a Add-On of the Support Star . . . the Command boxes are going to be what is slated to be pushed out March 2020. The Support Star along with any other mech boxes from the 210k stretch onward do not seem to be in the same state of readiness and so they might not be available to be shipped when the Invasion Expansion Box, Command Lance/Star, Battle Lance, Striker Star and Elemental Star.
Cubby, more Salvage Box questions . . . is it just Clan or is it also IS? Will they be from the Invasion Box, Battle Lance & Striker Star if its just from the Clan mechs?
Stretch Goals
I think they are reasonably well thought out, nothing to me is offered outside their wheelhouse EXCEPT maybe the the Tac Case. So its not like they are offering us faction specific beer steins as a add on, its all either variations of what they currently do (fiction, maps, sourcebooks), what they arrange for Cons (dice, coins, t-shirts), or what they have vendor relationships for (IWM for metal figs, the coin/dice guys). We already have 'in dev' line art from Scroggins, and authors pinned down on certain bits of fiction so IMO they were already lined up before hand. I think Spring 2020 for delivery of the 200k & under goals is probably them being conservative . . . and yeah, I may have to wait a bit longer than that for my Support Star box but it will be worth it.