I find the reality that even the fans here can't reach any form of concensus telling.
"CGL should do more" is, I suppose, a consensus, but there's too many fracture lines in the opinions expressed here on what that "more" should be.
It depends.
The game - as it is - works. It works well. The fact it has lasted so long with minimal changes shows this.
But at the same time, it doesn't seem to be bringing in many players and it is surviving on the backs of the Old Guard. Tastes have changed and the current gaming crowd appears more casual and more fickle. MWDA was a good game...but I think the RNG nature of the sets worked against it to a degree. Sure, there was the excitement of seeing what you got, but people also like to know what they are buying.
Part of expanding BattleTech is having a gateway into the game. In todays market - that does mean a ready to play set with simple rules and flashy visuals - aka minis. It means engaging players imaginations. It means having bad guys and good guys.
Getting rid of the Jaguars was, from this point of view, a mistake. Love them or loathe them, whether you think they were painted too simplistically, too black and white, handed the stupid stick or whatever, the problem is that they served a purpose within the game. They were "Bad Guys". They could be resurrected of course but could they fulfil the same role?
Could the rules do with simplification? For an introductory set? Yes. The game is, in many ways, too slow. Part of this is with the nature of the games....crit seeking with multiple low damage weapons?
For my part, I understand this. I prefer playing the Clans. Why? It isn't just that I like trying to put myself in an alien mindset - it's that the games are quicker. I like the high Tech and lethality of Clan weapons, I like the different feel that brings to the faction. And I like that the Clans are evolving into the faction with quirky vehicles and units. I'm waiting now for Improved QuadVees and Vectored Thrust HoverTanks from the Horses as they lose more and more Mech production, LAMs and ProtoLAMs from the Ravens and lets not forget a new BattleMech scale Horse - a Battlerider - for ProtoMechs to control ride into battle.
Crit seeking has it's place....but to get players into the game, that means that the game probably has to become more lethal. Quicker. Especially for a starter set. And it likely means you'd have to rejig rules surrounding aspects such as heat management, and C3 networks. The game works, but for todays market, it is slow.
But again - how would that affect existing players?
The Starter set from what I understand was great....except for its cost. 24 minis allowed players to set up a playing field and get stuck in straight away. But many established players also saw it as a cheap source of minis. And while that is great, it also meant those sets didn't do what they were supposed to. Act as a gateway into the game.
What can be done?
Well, a starter set does need minis. The number and type depend on what you want from the set. There are argument for one on one and Lance on Lance and Star on Lance or combined arms or whatever.....
Personally....any new Starter Set should be priced accordingly. There are games these days whose starter sets sell for far more than the price asked for by CGL. Yes - some of those are extortionate, but people still seem to pay.
I think the models should reflect that price point. More DA style minis instead of the existing models. That way, you can get away with fewer minis, but still have a visually appealing game as well. Especially if you went the DA combined arms approach and included infantry, battlearmour and vehicles as well. The units chosen should be simple, with few weapons or critseekers, no need for major heat management and no tech which slows play down too much
A universe guide is a good addition, and should be kept. Emphasising the factions and their differences would also be an idea. Homogenity is simple, but differences provide flavour and identity. Factions should tend to have unique Mechs and vehicles of their own designs. The rules - especially for a starter set - should be simplified. Record sheets and lookup charts should be colourful and eye catching. Aspects such as determining LOS, range modifiers, etc should be looked at...
But again....all of this costs money. Requires investment. And may not pan out. Starter sets should not be structured to appeal to established player to the point they are willing to buy 5 or 6 sets for cheap minis.....but neither can they be so expensive that new players can't join in. Maybe the Starter Set should include minis for training Mechs such as a Chameleon rather than a battlefield unit. Or a different scale than the advanced game. Should the game go for a BF2 or Alpha Strike style rules, keep the existing set or move them into an Advanced/Duelling style game?