BattleTech - The Board Game of Armored Combat
BattleTech Game Systems => General BattleTech Discussion => Topic started by: Lorcan Nagle on 12 February 2018, 18:52:15
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Kindly continue your discussion of what may or may not be coming out soon, or less than soon here.
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I see Upcoming Releases Thread XI has gone the way of FASA 1628?
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And a Baker's dozen is technically 13. ;)
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I see Upcoming Releases Thread XI has gone the way of FASA 1628?
Upcoming Releases Thread XI was actually packed, in advance, on board the Exodus Fleet.
It'll come back around in a few hundred years.
And it will be very, very cross with everyone still here.
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I see Upcoming Releases Thread XI has gone the way of FASA 1628?
I swear I saw Releases Thread XI in a store beside 1628. Also, I may have been drinking at that time.
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I'll have some of whatever you were drinking at the time.
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I'll have some of whatever you were drinking at the time.
LOL, knowing me back then, something cheap.
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On a more serious note, is there anything in the works for Alpha Strike in the next year or so? Or are we getting regular product with AS rules included? An example of what I mean was the last world wide event. It had scenarios for both CBT and AS.
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I swear I saw Releases Thread XI in a store beside 1628. Also, I may have been drinking at that time.
"It was THERE, I tell you! Next to the phantom Comstar sourcebook, the Mk.I Omnimech record sheet book, and my quaaludes!"
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On a more serious note, is there anything in the works for Alpha Strike in the next year or so? Or are we getting regular product with AS rules included? An example of what I mean was the last world wide event. It had scenarios for both CBT and AS.
At this point we need a total reset of all coming products outside the new boxes and ilclan. Beyond that is anything a sure thing?
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On a more serious note, is there anything in the works for Alpha Strike in the next year or so? Or are we getting regular product with AS rules included? An example of what I mean was the last world wide event. It had scenarios for both CBT and AS.
I thought they said they want to do further World Wide Events with rules for all three systems. Other than that I'm not sure anything has been made public.
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Actually . . . weren't we supposed to get a PDF release or notes or whatever for the Wolf vs Rasalhague WWE in fall? Did I miss any announced results?
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And a Baker's dozen is technically 13. ;)
Thank you.
Shoulda called this Cheaper by the Dozen
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Actually . . . weren't we supposed to get a PDF release or notes or whatever for the Wolf vs Rasalhague WWE in fall? Did I miss any announced results?
:::Points to top of the fourm's section:::
Ummm... Maybe here (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=59334.0)?
All are interesting reads.
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And a Baker's dozen is technically 13. ;)
Its just due to linguistic drift that in the 31st century there is no XI and a Baker's Dozen is now XII :D
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I thought Baker's Dozen was a reference to that Republic black ops team in TRO3150 that did orbital drops in their battle armor for headhunter strikes against Capellan HQs.
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Its just due to linguistic drift that in the 31st century there is no XI and a Baker's Dozen is now XII :D
We're slowly dragging them into the metric system.
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We're slowly dragging them into the metric system.
So what you're saying is that in a couple of threads time, a baker's dozen will be 10?
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I swear I saw Releases Thread XI in a store beside 1628. Also, I may have been drinking at that time.
Of course I was very, very drunk...
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Just finished reding the world wide campaign thread. Is something like this planned for this year in an official sense. Say, something that will have an effect on the game history?
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I don't get Baker's dozen reference.
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I don't get Baker's dozen reference.
It's misspelled (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Faye_Messner).
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It's misspelled (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Faye_Messner).
I still don't get it.
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I don't get Baker's dozen reference.
Traditionally, a Baker's dozen is meant to represent 13 of something, not 12
https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-a-bakers-dozen-13
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I don't get Baker's dozen reference.
12 for the customer, 1 for the cook.
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Devlin Stone's real name is Baker? Confirmed?
But yeah, how are the new boxes coming? Still working on the contents, or are we on to trying to get production started? Or are those not things that 100% happen one after the other? Who/What are we waiting on at the moment?
Thanks.
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Couple of things . . .
Wasn't the novel sold at GenCon supposed to be released by now?
What happened to the YA fiction that was in the works?
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What happened to the YA fiction that was in the works?
I believe that fell behind schedule when Brent used up all the glitter.
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Traditionally, a Baker's dozen is meant to represent 13 of something, not 12
https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-a-bakers-dozen-13
I knew that, I was wondering why the preceding post had a link to Tammy Faye Bakker's Wikipedia page...
In any case, back to the Tech.
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Devlin Stone's real name is Baker? Confirmed?
And he has twelve clones
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So he's Blake 7?
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Modtagging the thread for modly purposes.
(https://i.imgflip.com/24i5p0.jpg)
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Do we even know what's next in the pipeline? It would be great if we had a small update on the next products
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I believe that fell behind schedule when Brent used up all the glitter.
I take it the second Twilight of the Clans series was rejected.
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I take it the second Twilight of the Clans series was rejected.
[captainamerica]
I understood that reference.
[/captainamerica]
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Do we even know what's next in the pipeline? It would be great if we had a small update on the next products
Indeed. What's this 'ilClan' I keep hearing about? [blank]
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Indeed. What's this 'ilClan' I keep hearing about? [blank]
It's a reissue of the 3025-era FASA Comstar book but retold as a buddy story with Devlin Stone and Arthur Steiner-Davion (or his nephew). And it apparently used up a lot of glitter or something? It's scheduled along with a number of exciting PDF releases such as the Gladiator Gazette and the highly anticipated Milestones series.
That one Clan homeworld TRO would be nice to see, but it's probably backburnered so far that it's in cryo.
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It's a reissue of the 3025-era FASA Comstar book but retold as a buddy story with Devlin Stone and Arthur Steiner-Davion (or his nephew). And it apparently used up a lot of glitter or something?
A LOT of Glitter
(http://img2.thejournal.ie/inline/1882211/original?width=500&version=1882211)
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wow... looks like something my daughter would do.
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Life has kept me away for a long time again. Last time I was here there was mention of a new boxset coming out with great new plastic minis. Did I miss this? Has it come to pass?
Thinking of starting over again, and I would like to see if my Friendly Local Gaming Store can get some Battletech products and if so, how would he be able to do so?
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Life has kept me away for a long time again. Last time I was here there was mention of a new boxset coming out with great new plastic minis. Did I miss this? Has it come to pass?
Thinking of starting over again, and I would like to see if my Friendly Local Gaming Store can get some Battletech products and if so, how would he be able to do so?
Welcome back!
Coming later this year (late 2nd Quarter is the current plan) are not one but two box sets. The first is a true Introductory Box Set meant for brand new players. It contains two new plastic Mechs, a map, new fiction, and all the rules you’ll need. The other box is currently branded as “A Game of Armored Combat” and contains eight new plastic Mechs, maps, additional rules, more new fiction (different from what’s in the Intro Box) and other materials.
Both of these products should be available for order by your FLGS via Alliance. (Assuming you're US-based?)
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I have a question for a PDF . . . did the fiction in the rules and front of recent sourcebooks ever get a compilation? I think my copy of TW had fiction before each chapter and I think Campaign Ops did, plus the stories in ER3145, FM3145 and other recent products. I know I would pay a few bucks to get it- especially if older stuff was included that I may not have the SB to like FMCapCon or older scenario books.
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Not to my knowledge, no.
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Welcome back!
Coming later this year (late 2nd Quarter is the current plan) are not one but two box sets. The first is a true Introductory Box Set meant for brand new players. It contains two new plastic Mechs, a map, new fiction, and all the rules you’ll need. The other box is currently branded as “A Game of Armored Combat” and contains eight new plastic Mechs, maps, additional rules, more new fiction (different from what’s in the Intro Box) and other materials.
Both of these products should be available for order by your FLGS via Alliance. (Assuming you're US-based?)
Thank you very much. I am in Canada so not sure if that makes a difference or not.
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Thank you very much. I am in Canada so not sure if that makes a difference or not.
Hm...I'm not sure, but there are people here who would probably know. I think Alliance covers North America as a whole, but I'm not positive at all. Certainly, previous BT products have been available in Canada.
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Well, I'm from Canada (Vancouver area), and we have no issues getting the product in. I'm not sure who supplies our FLGS here, but they do indeed get the stuff.
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I don't remember my local shop having any alliance boxes when they order BT products just GTS Distribution.
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Personally, I'm looking forward to ilClan for a different reason. New gear means more new IWM minis! My LGS has a few for me to pickup already, and then it's off to the study to assemble, and slowly relearn to paint!
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Two boxed sets....pretty neat.
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Devlin Stone's real name is Baker? Confirmed?
His real name is Baker and he used to cook up a lot of plans. Sadly some of them were half-baked.
I'm still surprised that no one has mentioned TRO:Irregular Tech (Or whatever it was called). I think it's past time we had some official "Technicals (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_(vehicle))" to use in the game. They'd be hugely helpful on Third Succession War battlefields, and even into the Jihad era on Periphery worlds.
A LOT of Glitter
(http://img2.thejournal.ie/inline/1882211/original?width=500&version=1882211)
"And in local news Defiance Industries stock price took a hit when their prototype 'Personal Chaff Pod/Screen Launcher' for battle armor was accidentally ingested at the launch party. Fortunately Hauptmann-General Tiffani 'Twilight' Bambers wasn't permanently injured, but defense analysts think it will be a long time before the LCAF's Quartermaster Corps will agree to purchase the device."
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I think it's past time we had some official "Technicals (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_(vehicle))" to use in the game.
We've got a bunch already. Every armed IndustrialMech qualifies, Operation Klondike gave us several vehicles, TRO 3060 has armed versions of the Flatbed Truck, and if you want to run the classic Toyota Hilux with a support weapon in the back, that's pretty much the definition of mechanized wheeled infantry.
I certainly agree that we need more technicals, but saying we don't have any yet is pretty inaccurate. :)
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We've got a bunch already. Every armed IndustrialMech qualifies, Operation Klondike gave us several vehicles, TRO 3060 has armed versions of the Flatbed Truck, and if you want to run the classic Toyota Hilux with a support weapon in the back, that's pretty much the definition of mechanized wheeled infantry.
I certainly agree that we need more technicals, but saying we don't have any yet is pretty inaccurate. :)
Good point. I never considered the IndustrialMechs as technicals, but that's a great description. And I totally forgot about the Klondike record sheets.
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Interesting article on Sarna with Brent.
http://www.sarna.net/news/community-outreach-interview-with-brent-evans-lead-battletech-developer-at-catalyst-games/
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Interesting article on Sarna with Brent.
http://www.sarna.net/news/community-outreach-interview-with-brent-evans-lead-battletech-developer-at-catalyst-games/
[drool]
Well, I guess I know where my Transformers money is going this summer...
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Sorry, but I'll believe it when I see it. We've been hearing much the same for years.
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Interesting article on Sarna with Brent.
http://www.sarna.net/news/community-outreach-interview-with-brent-evans-lead-battletech-developer-at-catalyst-games/
Thank gaud you spotted that. I won't have even noticed it! I wish they had posted this here. This is significant news.
So we may end up waiting till June for something? I can't wait Shattered Fortress to come out.
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New fiction is definitely something to get excited about. (Now if only I could somehow finish up my BattleCorps collection. :/)
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So IlClan got too big for its britches, eh? I'm strangely comfortable with that. Come on Shattered Fortress!
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So we may end up waiting till June for something? I can't wait Shattered Fortress to come out.
Yeah, I have the same question. Does this mean no new products until Shattered Fortress arrives? Admittedly, my pocket book may appreciate the delay.
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I like how enthusiastic Brent is for what he's doing, and the insight into the new fiction and products coming up is great, but most of all I'm very touched by his praise for Sarna.
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Well, I guess I know where my Transformers money is going this summer...
Listen, I love Battletech, too.
And I want to know what happens, sure.
But that Power of the Primes Abominus, tho...
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So they're breaking IlClan into two books. Sounds wise to me. That seems like a lot of ground to cover.
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I wonder if the second book is the aftermath of events of Terra.
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Yeah, I have the same question. Does this mean no new products until Shattered Fortress arrives? Admittedly, my pocket book may appreciate the delay.
"Early Summer" isn't that far off. Especially in the sense that we've been waiting for 4 or 5 years now for a comprehensive plot update.
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Sorry, but I'll believe it when I see it. We've been hearing much the same for years.
at this point, I probably won't even believe it when I see it.
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2 book IlClan seems pretty awesome to me.
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I’ve been hurt before (ok, mildly annoyed at worst), but I’d be a little surprised if we did NOT see some sort of book for sale by GenCon. I know the box sets are a big deal, but historically CGL has produced lots and lots of book/PDF content, especially for BattleTech. They have a pipeline for print products, and I doubt the updated pack-in manuals for the boxed sets are enough work to consume it for a whole year, especially given the pace they managed for the last couple years for generating books and PDFs.
I want to believe...although I still want to believe in CM:Davion as well, so maybe I’m not the best at making rational judgements about future products!
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Well, I guess I know where my Transformers money is going this summer...
Listen, I love Battletech, too.
And I want to know what happens, sure.
But that Power of the Primes Abominus, tho...
But, but, boxed sets! My old fourth edition barely survived the floods in Northeast Iowa this summer (lost my original GDL and TalesBW books on top of CityTech 2nd and BattleSpace, not to mention all my first, second, and third edition Shadowrun stuff...) and I neeeeeed some kinda stompy robots! I completely missed out on the fifth and sixth releases and still only have the CityTech 2 minis...
(BTW, I really do need that Blot almost more than I need Shattered Fortress... *Goes and rereads Welcome to the Nebula*)
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I suggest looking for the Lance Packs then . . . you can get 4 very nice plastic mini, half of which were likely in the box sets.
I am looking forward to my plastic Battlemaster and Wolverines. Still planning to bash my primitive for a WVR-7M mini.
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No mention of Touring, Spotlight, or Milestones though... that makes me sad :'(
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No mention of Touring, Spotlight, or Milestones though... that makes me sad :'(
There are plans.
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There are plans.
Plans in Plans? ;)
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Plans in Plans? ;)
It's plans all the way down!
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Plan for a plan
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"How much of a plan do you have? Like a percentage?"
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"How much of a plan do you have? Like a percentage?"
15-20%
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"How much of a plan do you have? Like a percentage?"
75 - 80pct. Ish. Gotta make some numbers work and draw up a full proposal, but I'm optimistic.
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So we may end up waiting till June for something? I can't wait Shattered Fortress to come out.
June is stated as the target. October as a worst-case scenario.
"How much of a plan do you have? Like a percentage?"
11%
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Breaking it into two books eh...
(https://i.imgur.com/lhjhbB9.gif)
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Yeah. Sounds kind of like an excuse to delay release to me.
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You know what? I am unconvinced. I've seen too many promises to trust someone just because they're VERY ENTHUSED and BRAND AWARE. Brent, you want to get the fans back on-board? Release some ****** product. Because until I have something in my hands, I don't believe you. Period.
Edit: Five years ago, Herb said the same thing. Didn't happen. Then, after they fired Herb, Randall said the same thing. Didn't happen. Now Brent is saying it, and you ****** believe him? Product on shelves, then I'll believe you.
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You know what? I am unconvinced. I've seen too many promises to trust someone just because they're VERY ENTHUSED and BRAND AWARE. Brent, you want to get the fans back on-board? Release some ****** product. Because until I have something in my hands, I don't believe you. Period.
Edit: Five years ago, Herb said the same thing. Didn't happen. Then, after they fired Herb, Randall said the same thing. Didn't happen. Now Brent is saying it, and you ****** believe him? Product on shelves, then I'll believe you.
This is a sign of the apocalypse. I am in agreement with Bosch.
Put out product or sell the franchise to someone who will.
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Thirded
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Im invoking my Ghost Bear patience on ilclan, but the lack of products geared to clan players is a little disheartening.
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That's the crazy thing-The ilClan doesn't actually feature a single clan or clan warrior. They just sit there while the Inner Sphere fights it out to be the ilClan.
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That's the crazy thing-The ilClan doesn't actually feature a single clan or clan warrior. They just sit there while the Inner Sphere fights it out to be the ilClan.
You sure its not the epic rap battle that took place on terra in 3144?
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It's the future from the POV of the 1980s...
So it has to be a Break Dance battle.
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They released that already. It's the latest album by IllClan, called Borth to Dance.
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Its a follow-up of their debut album, License to Il.
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It's the future from the POV of the 1980s...
So it has to be a Break Dance battle.
For some reason you put a Clan version of the "your mamma" battle on Star Wars Robot Chicken in my brain. Thanks brain.
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You know what? I am unconvinced. I've seen too many promises to trust someone just because they're VERY ENTHUSED and BRAND AWARE. Brent, you want to get the fans back on-board? Release some ****** product. Because until I have something in my hands, I don't believe you. Period.
Edit: Five years ago, Herb said the same thing. Didn't happen. Then, after they fired Herb, Randall said the same thing. Didn't happen. Now Brent is saying it, and you ****** believe him? Product on shelves, then I'll believe you.
You are having a rough week aren't you? S'ok, it happens. Hope things ease up on ya.
As for product on shelves, well they almost certainly didn't all quit their jobs and disappear to twirl their evil mustaches, so they must be doing SOMETHING with all that time. The box sets are one fairly huge thing, and while they may not be all that special to us here on the boards other than as a source of nice new minis, they are likely a big time sink. Getting those done and getting the core rulebooks available again appear to be priorities #1 and #2 for Brent and Ray. ilClan is, at best, #3, and I honestly can't argue with that plan.
I understand your frustration, I really do, but so far Brent is basically telegraphing, "I want ilClan part one out for GenCon", as the first time he has really talked possible releases for it. Maybe consider letting him have till then before calling shenanigans. That's what I've decided to do personally before I stick ilClan back into the land of never-ending product development...right next to Loren's next novel! As for splitting ilClan in two being a stealth way to slip the deadline, I'm holding off judgement on that one. The idea of giving more time to play along with the story for the Demo Team and with Con events, and to get some supporting fiction out appeals to me. If that happens, then I'm OK with it. If it doesn't, then I'll probably be more annoyed with the split.
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Its a follow-up of their debut album, License to Il.
I hear it placed second to the clan mongoose album "the dead can dance"
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Re: Product not coming out
My thought on that is we had the Combat Manuals. Apparently they didn't sell well enough to keep the line going. If more people bought those, we mighta had Davion and/or Steiner out by now.
We also had the new/third incarnation of TRO 3025. May not be new for many of us, but if they're focusing on bringing the brand to new players it makes sense to get more of the foundational stuff out there and accessible for the new players we're all hoping that will eventually be buying the new box sets.
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Any news on TRO Golden Century?
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My thought on that is we had the Combat Manuals. Apparently they didn't sell well enough to keep the line going.
I think Ray asked us to stop saying they didn’t sell well as it is oversimplified to the point of being wrong. Since I’m the one who originally did the oversimplifying, I feel compelled to point this out.
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Any news on TRO Golden Century?
It’s probably hanging out with Record Sheets: Prototypes in witness protection
Have we ever gotten anything besides the blurb that it exists on the coming soon page?
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I understand your frustration, I really do, but so far Brent is basically telegraphing, "I want ilClan part one out for GenCon", as the first time he has really talked possible releases for it. Maybe consider letting him have till then before calling shenanigans. That's what I've decided to do personally before I stick ilClan back into the land of never-ending product development...right next to Loren's next novel! As for splitting ilClan in two being a stealth way to slip the deadline, I'm holding off judgement on that one. The idea of giving more time to play along with the story for the Demo Team and with Con events, and to get some supporting fiction out appeals to me. If that happens, then I'm OK with it. If it doesn't, then I'll probably be more annoyed with the split.
If this was the first delay the product had seen, absolutely. But to take it from the threshold of release after all the grief we've been through already, is completely unjustified in my opinion. I am unwilling to give the benefit of the doubt just because someone wanted to make a circus of this.
A finished book released last year is better than two books dragged out. If you can't get one out the door why should I have faith in two?
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When I first saw the words "Shattered Fortress" and "Transformers" in the same conversation, I thought for a moment that someone was working on a Shattered Glass version of Fortress Maximus...
In principle, I'm not averse to there being two books, if that best serves the events being portrayed - the two Historical: Liberation of Terra volumes act as a worthy precedent in this regard. But of course, it all depends on how well each volume stands on its own merits, and how well they work combined.
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If this was the first delay the product had seen, absolutely. But to take it from the threshold of release after all the grief we've been through already, is completely unjustified in my opinion. I am unwilling to give the benefit of the doubt just because someone wanted to make a circus of this.
A finished book released last year is better than two books dragged out. If you can't get one out the door why should I have faith in two?
Just from what I've read around here, and what Brent has said: it sounds like he wants to make a big event of the release and not just drop it out there. That this is an epoch defining book and he wants it to make a splash, with tie in products and fiction. And if they can pull it off, that actually sounds pretty cool. Maybe that can be the start of BattleTech getting more awareness in the gamespace again. Can they pull it off? I don't know, but it certainly sounds ambitious enough that I am willing to wait and see. Have waited this long, so why not wait a bit longer...
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What, no Captain Caveman dancing???
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(http://image.blingee.com/images10/content/output/2007/3/14/42503885_a7072bae.gif)
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Unga Munga
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Now I need the rules for really primitive combat vehicles powered by clubs.
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I've voiced it before and I'll say it again: I have reservations about the line. I am still here because of this undying love for the game; not because I feel it is supported. The products that have been released have been solid, but here we are 8 months out and nothing new and not much of an idea of what is coming out.
New boxset? Great, but what about for the longtime player. Wasn't that an issue with the previous boxset that it was being bought by current players just wanting the 'mechs. New RPG adventure? I'll believe that when I see it because A Time of War has been out for an awfully long time. The new maps that we saw look good, but we haven't gotten much in the way of previews. We've lost line developers, and we've had several "relaunches" since the 25th anniversary. Look at the coming releases page:
Shadows of Faith, by Loren L. Coleman (Novel) -- MIA
Combat Manual: Steiner -- seemingly cancelled
Case White, by Victor Milan (Novel) -- oi... (to be fair, as someone who has dealt with a lot of cancer in his family, not much I can say though)
Combat Manual: Davion -- seemingly cancelled
Experimental Technical Readout: Succession Wars II (E-Publication) -- MIA
Record Sheets: Prototypes Unabridged (E-Publication) -- MIA
Kell Hounds Ascendant: Three Short Novels by Michael A. Stackpole (Novel) -- MIA
Technical Readout: Golden Century (E-Publication) -- MIA
Technical Readout: IrregularTech (E-Publication) -- MIA
ilClan -- reworked into two books
Milestones -- MIA
OpFor -- MIA
Spotlight On -- two releases, then nothing
Gladiator Gazette -- MIA
I want to believe, guys, I do. But I still don't have my ****** dice from BattleCorps and it has been over two years. I hope Brent knocks it out of the park as line developer. I have no doubt that he has the ability, but I think the line has greater systemic issues that are being overlooked.
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I think that is a pretty good summary . . .
With that said, I am still buying minis and playing TT. In fact, since we got together 3 or 4 years ago to play Lawyers, Guns and Money (I totally did not look at my PDF collection to get it right) the group of players in my city has grown and someone became a Agent.
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Just because I was curious: here is a break down of products by year. It's just a quick breakdown, with the info grabbed from Sarna, so I won't make any claims to absolute accuracy (for instance Sarna didn't list the House dice sets from last year), not writing a term paper here, just some quick-and-dirty math. Also I counted reprints and revised editions as separate products (but limited editions as the same as the regular editions). And since I'm only interested in "Classic" BT, I didn't include anything from WizKids.
Interestingly, all three averaged around 8 physical products a year...
(On physical products FASA produced the most, but if you include PDFs, CGL has out paced both previous companies by a mile.)
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I guess I am the grumpy old man of BattleTech cause I really don't care if the plot moves 'forward' as there are many fine eras to play in. Me I look forward to historicals and specifics on the universe prior to the Jihad but hey that is me. When FASA went under or Endgame was published never thought I'd ever see another official written product again. I've been pleasantly surprised for the most part and I am sure things will pick up again soon folks.
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That we want MOAR is a good sign in itself.
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I guess I am the grumpy old man of BattleTech cause I really don't care if the plot moves 'forward' as there are many fine eras to play in. Me I look forward to historicals and specifics on the universe prior to the Jihad but hey that is me. When FASA went under or Endgame was published never thought I'd ever see another official written product again. I've been pleasantly surprised for the most part and I am sure things will pick up again soon folks.
I suppose that's pretty fair.
For Battletech to continue and thrive in the market, there need to be new products to drive sales.
For an old fogy like me to keep playing, I really just need to keep breathing. New toys are gravy.
...but I reeeeeally like new toys. ;)
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I'm just sitting here, laughing at all the "Fan/Nerd Rage", over what CGL somehow "Owes" us. ;D
When they release BT stuff, I buy it. Plain and simple. I'll never use it, because I hardly ever game anymore, but I still support BT, and thus I still support CGL. They don't "owe" me a DAMN thing.
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You are having a rough week aren't you? S'ok, it happens. Hope things ease up on ya.
Yeah, it's not been an easy week, and things keep getting worse. I did get some good news yesterday, so we'll see if that pans out.
As for product on shelves, well they almost certainly didn't all quit their jobs and disappear to twirl their evil mustaches, so they must be doing SOMETHING with all that time. The box sets are one fairly huge thing, and while they may not be all that special to us here on the boards other than as a source of nice new minis, they are likely a big time sink. Getting those done and getting the core rulebooks available again appear to be priorities #1 and #2 for Brent and Ray. ilClan is, at best, #3, and I honestly can't argue with that plan.
The box sets are a big deal, and I'm genuinely happy that they are coming out. But I am tired of hearing about CGL's plans. Give me something to spend money on!
I understand your frustration, I really do, but so far Brent is basically telegraphing, "I want ilClan part one out for GenCon", as the first time he has really talked possible releases for it. Maybe consider letting him have till then before calling shenanigans. That's what I've decided to do personally before I stick ilClan back into the land of never-ending product development...right next to Loren's next novel! As for splitting ilClan in two being a stealth way to slip the deadline, I'm holding off judgement on that one. The idea of giving more time to play along with the story for the Demo Team and with Con events, and to get some supporting fiction out appeals to me. If that happens, then I'm OK with it. If it doesn't, then I'll probably be more annoyed with the split.
The thing is, the book was finished before he started mucking with it. And, knowing the realities of publishing - especially printing in China - I find it very difficult to believe that he can have the book printed and out before GenCon. In PDF, sure, but PDFs don't draw customers or interest retailers at GenCon. Edit: Since CGL's books are printed in the US, this is not as much of a concern to me now. Thanks for the correction!
I'm also seeing some information that makes me question if the CGL guys really understand what's going on in the industry right now. I highly recommend that folks go take a look at Steve Jackson Games' Report to the Stakeholders. ( http://www.sjgames.com/general/stakeholders/report18.html ) SJ has been around a while and published a fair number of franchise games, and while there have been disasters here and there, he's kept his company afloat. One line stands out to me: "The flood of games continues to overwhelm distributors, retailers, and shelves, leading to an accelerated release schedule for many publishers as games get less time as a "new release" and get dumped online as fast as they leave the "hot and new" category." So what does that say about the decision to split IlClan into two books?
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The thing is, the book was finished before he started mucking with it. And, knowing the realities of publishing - especially printing in China - I find it very difficult to believe that he can have the book printed and out before GenCon.
Books are printed in the US, not China.
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Yeah, it's not been an easy week, and things keep getting worse. I did get some good news yesterday, so we'll see if that pans out.
The box sets are a big deal, and I'm genuinely happy that they are coming out. But I am tired of hearing about CGL's plans. Give me something to spend money on!
The thing is, the book was finished before he started mucking with it. And, knowing the realities of publishing - especially printing in China - I find it very difficult to believe that he can have the book printed and out before GenCon. In PDF, sure, but PDFs don't draw customers or interest retailers at GenCon.
I'm also seeing some information that makes me question if the CGL guys really understand what's going on in the industry right now. I highly recommend that folks go take a look at Steve Jackson Games' Report to the Stakeholders. ( http://www.sjgames.com/general/stakeholders/report18.html (http://www.sjgames.com/general/stakeholders/report18.html) ) SJ has been around a while and published a fair number of franchise games, and while there have been disasters here and there, he's kept his company afloat. One line stands out to me: "The flood of games continues to overwhelm distributors, retailers, and shelves, leading to an accelerated release schedule for many publishers as games get less time as a "new release" and get dumped online as fast as they leave the "hot and new" category." So what does that say about the decision to split IlClan into two books?
First off, sorry to hear you've been having a sucky week so far. Hope things do get better for you!
And secondly...Steve Jackson Games has a completely different corner of the market? Sure, they are both games companies...but they have different products and types of customers for those games. I mean, WalMart and a bespoke tailor both sell clothes...but that's about all they have in common. SJG sells casual card/board/dice games and CGL produces book supplements to wargames/RPGs. (Yes, they are trying to break back into the board game area with the Duke, Vikings and Dragonfire, but even those don't quite compare to what SJG put outs.) Quite frankly, comparing SJG and CGL is comparing apples and oranges. (Would you compare Wizards of the Coast's D&D to SJG?)
I don't know if what CGL is trying to do with ilClan is a good thing or not. We will just have to wait and see. I'd rather see a great product than a mediocre one (not to say that the previous work on ilClan was mediocre). Does CGL put out enough product to compare to SJG? No, but I'd be willing to bet the work that goes into writing new stuff for BT & SR (thinking of fact checking previous canon and such) surpasses what goes into a SJG game.
I have to agree with GRUD: CGL doesn't owe us anything at all. They only people they owe anything to is Topps. None of us own BattleTech. They do. They just let us play it and make money doing so.
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I suppose that's pretty fair.
For Battletech to continue and thrive in the market, there need to be new products to drive sales.
For an old fogy like me to keep playing, I really just need to keep breathing. New toys are gravy.
...but I reeeeeally like new toys. ;)
New toys are the gravy on the poutine of life. :)
Personally, I'm always interested when the old FASA products have their stories moved forward. Be it Dark Age BT or things like the Boston Lockdown and the big Corporate shakeup. (Villiers out of the big 10?! Never thought I'd see that) I'm super excited to think that I might see the clans finally take Terra, and be united under one banner. It would be awesome to see the clans unified and in control of Terra, with the House Lords and Periphery uniting to drive them out. REVIVAL 2.0 but in reverse!
Of course new toys will inevitably need new minis, and I'll just have to make the sacrifice of buying them. Glorious adulthood!
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The sniping back and forth ends now. We've allowed people a fairly free hand in these threads but going after other posters will bring us back in. This is the only warning.
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Books are printed in the US, not China.
Thank you for the info, that does speed things up a lot.
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New toys are the gravy on the poutine of life. :)
Have the actual boxes for the new boxsets been printed yet?
Because I would like to suggest a new quote for the back.
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CGL does owe me. As a consumer of their product, I am investing in their company. In order to keep money in their coffers they need to produce something I want to buy. They aren’t doing that. And it isn’t just me. Alpha strike manuals weren’t successful. Plastic box sets didn’t work out. Not enough interest in the hex packs to keep them going to name a few of the “ failures” in the product line. Please understand that I’m not saying that these products were subpar in any way shape or form but they aren’t what the consumer wants. And the one book (the Ilclan) that could have been a win for CGL is now 5 years over due. When originally announced I would have grabbed the book up without a second thought. Now I don’t have to have it. I will wait until I read reviews and decide if it is worth my money to invest in.
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Alpha strike manuals weren’t successful.
This is, and always has been false.
My guess as to why we haven't seen any after CM: Kurita, is that they likely require more up-front money to produce than some of the other books CGL is/ had produced - just from the sheer amount of art in them. And that money has probably been tied up in more necessary art-and-cost-heavy projects: Intro Box, GoAC box, Map Set...
I'd also wager a guess that the current pause to certain "classic" designs probably has something to do with it as well. (Seriously, no CM: Davion without the Valkyrie in the "mini TRO" section?)
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CGL does owe me. As a consumer of their product, I am investing in their company.
If they had stock that was publicly traded, you could invest in their company. The same could be said for crowd-funded products, which CGL does not do. Purchasing a product funded solely by the company is not investing in them, it is purchasing an item that you want... a sale. I don't claim to invest in toilet-paper manufacturers because I purchase toilet paper. I'm not invested in Samsung or US Cellular by purchasing a phone and service from them. You are invested in your hobby, not the company that makes the products.
I'm not going to say I do or do not have faith in CGL. I have seen good things from Brent and Ray in the past and I am more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt by waiting patiently now.
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I'd also wager a guess that the current pause to certain "classic" designs probably has something to do with it as well. (Seriously, no CM: Davion without the Valkyrie in the "mini TRO" section?)
I really hope that this is the case.
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This is, and always has been false.
My guess as to why we haven't seen any after CM: Kurita, is that they likely require more up-front money to produce than some of the other books CGL is/ had produced - just from the sheer amount of art in them. And that money has probably been tied up in more necessary art-and-cost-heavy projects: Intro Box, GoAC box, Map Set...
I'd also wager a guess that the current pause to certain "classic" designs probably has something to do with it as well. (Seriously, no CM: Davion without the Valkyrie in the "mini TRO" section?)
Whatever the reasons CGL is not producing any more manuals. They did not, will not or can not complete the series and if they do start it back up again I believe the powers that be said that they were not be in the same format. That is not a successful product line. If they did generate profit for CGL it can only be looked at as short term and not as a long term series or income booster as was planned.
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This is true. Investing and purchasing are two different things. To put it a little better. I use to be invested in battletech, cared about the direction it was going and looked forward to product releases but CGL is not producing any thing I want to purchase nor do I trust this company to do anything that they say they are going to do. In my opinion CGL has a history of being antagonistic toward the consumer, an attitude of we don’t owe the consumer anything and that the consumer should be happy with whatever is being produced whenever CGL decides to produce it.
This seems to be changing with the current line developers but they are going to have to work hard to win my money and loyalty back. I’m going to have to start seeing some products being released on a consistent basis and not just talk about all the great ideas that they have. I wish them the best of luck.
Again This is just my opinion
If they had stock that was publicly traded, you could invest in their company. The same could be said for crowd-funded products, which CGL does not do. Purchasing a product funded solely by the company is not investing in them, it is purchasing an item that you want... a sale. I don't claim to invest in toilet-paper manufacturers because I purchase toilet paper. I'm not invested in Samsung or US Cellular by purchasing a phone and service from them. You are invested in your hobby, not the company that makes the products.
I'm not going to say I do or do not have faith in CGL. I have seen good things from Brent and Ray in the past and I am more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt by waiting patiently now.
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Case White, by Victor Milan (Novel) -- oi... (to be fair, as someone who has dealt with a lot of cancer in his family, not much I can say though)
According to wikipedia... (so... anyone can check if its true, please?) he died last week.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Milan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Milan)
Edit = Its true unfortunately :-[
https://www.tor.com/2018/02/14/victor-milan-in-memoriam/ (https://www.tor.com/2018/02/14/victor-milan-in-memoriam/)
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According to wikipedia... (so... anyone can check if its true, please?) he died last week.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Milan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Milan)
http://bg.battletech.com/news/passing-of-victor-milan/
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http://bg.battletech.com/news/passing-of-victor-milan/
Ops. My BT homepage is the forums. Never go there. Sorry.
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http://bg.battletech.com/news/passing-of-victor-milan/
OMG! What terrible loss! He was one my favorite writers. He always wrote stuff lively and fun with Battletech, while keeping setting. I guess because no none goes to the main page we missed it. :'(
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It's stickied at the top of General Discussion...
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Yeah, now I am never going to know what happens to Karyl Bogomirsky- if he survives the 3rd book, its on the reading list!
Since it was brought up, can we get TPTB to say if the manuscript for Case White was in?
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Since it was brought up, can we get TPTB to say if the manuscript for Case White was in?
The stickied thread contains some info on that.
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Ok, I had not looked on CBT since I already knew he had passed. Guess it makes sense for it to be there . . .
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And secondly...Steve Jackson Games has a completely different corner of the market? Sure, they are both games companies...but they have different products and types of customers for those games. I mean, WalMart and a bespoke tailor both sell clothes...but that's about all they have in common. SJG sells casual card/board/dice games and CGL produces book supplements to wargames/RPGs. *snip*
Do a little homework please. It's called GURPS and it has been around for almost as long as BT and at some point had a fan conversion to play BT via the GURPS system. Unless something changed the only corner of the market they don't have is wargaming. ;)
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Do a little homework please. It's called GURPS and it has been around for almost as long as BT and at some point had a fan conversion to play BT via the GURPS system. Unless something changed the only corner of the market they don't have is wargaming. ;)
Ogre, one of my favorite games, is very much an old-school wargame, with hexes and tiny numbers on the counters and even a Combat Results Table. Also, the line I quoted is from a general overview of the industry, not the specific niche SJ Games occupies. We discussed it a bit more on their forums, and the general consensus is that the gaming industry is stuck on novelty right now. People are buying lots of different games, but not buying supplements for those games. Breadth, not depth.
The reason I mention is this is because it makes me question breaking IlClan into two books. Note that Liberation of Terra 1 sold quite well to distributors, resulting in a still-current glut on the market. Liberation of Terra 2 did not, and copies of that are now the province of the eBay scalpers. Releasing a book in two parts may seem like an easy way to double CGL's profit, but I suspect that it will actually hurt sales.
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New toys are the gravy on the poutine of life. :)
Now I’m hungry too. :'(
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Now I need the rules for really primitive combat vehicles powered by clubs.
No. Pedal power! Yabba Dabba Dooo!
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I know we have what's in Coming Attractions. Its been a while since it's been updated with something new.
I'm kinda surprised that XTRO: Succession Wars II never made it out. It has NOTHING to do with IllClan. It won't hurt at least release that keep us occupied for a shot bit.
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Like others here, I really don't have much time to play the tabletop game any more, but still enjoy spending time in the imaginary world of BTech, so this was the most interesting part of the recent interview with Brent Evans for me:
Everyone knows that I am committed to having fiction drive the narrative for the BattleTech storyline ... please know Catalyst is absolutely creating new novels for both print and ePub formats. We are also working on a series of new novellas, the launch of a new audiobooks line, and the Development team is tying the fiction plots into PDF supplemental products so that the conflicts on pages can be fought on tables with minis. Bringing in several authors to help map out our storyline plots surrounding ilClan is delivering a number of collateral benefits and I think the fans will love what we’ve put together.
Anyone know what this is a reference to? I've heard CGL wants to complete the dear departed Victor Milan's Case White novel, plus there's Stackpole's rumored Kell Hounds prequels, plus the Jennifer Brozek YA novels they announced back in September 2017. That it?
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No. Pedal power! Yabba Dabba Dooo!
Oh great. Now I'm picturing steam powered combat vehicles where the "steam" is actually dinosaur farts.
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I've heard CGL wants to complete the dear departed Victor Milan's Case White novel
Since it's been brought up a few times, here's the direct quote from BT Fiction Director John Helfers, via the obit stickied at the top of this forum (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60426.msg1385942#msg1385942):
“Sadly, Victor passed away before he could finish his take on ‘Case White,’ which I’m sure would have been incredible. We have a partial manuscript in hand, however, and after a re-evaluation of the situation, I plan to take steps to have it completed by another author so we can bring Victor’s last BattleTech story to the fans. I just wish I could have helped him shepherd the rest of the novel to completion. And unfortunately, we will also have no more BattleTech stories from one of the true masters of the BT universe. R.I.P. Victor."
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Ogre, one of my favorite games, is very much an old-school wargame, with hexes and tiny numbers on the counters and even a Combat Results Table.
And now I learn something new :P I know back in the 90s when I was heavily into BT and GURPS I had all of the sourcebooks, box sets, etc. for each system and had a blast speding one weekend running GURPS campaigns then company on company action for BT with the occasional foray into 2nd ed AD&D or D&D.
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Oh great. Now I'm picturing steam powered combat vehicles where the "steam" is actually dinosaur farts.
BattleTech already has almost that - steam powered combat vehicles with lacquered wooden armor and pneumatic cannons that launch boulders, on the iron-poor world of Kaetetoa. Substitute Tetatae for dinosaurs, and you're there.
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Oh great. Now I'm picturing steam powered combat vehicles where the "steam" is actually dinosaur farts.
Far Country had that, i don't know if there rules for it. I think as support vehicles. I've not looked in a while.
I just hope we get some kind of product soon before June.
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I would argue that maybe CGL doesn't owe anyone anything, that they can be just as noxious as Harmony Gold and do nothing but squat on the rights, denying them to anyone else and forever choking off any further battletech progression...
But, the fans and consumers owe cgl even less, If that is the case. Our relationship is entirely transactional. If you want customers good will, money, and efforts promoting the brand, then there needs to be something that we get on our side too. Historically, that has been "a progressing plot and products related to it"
If this arrangement is no longer desired, if there's no longer any point in waiting impatiently all the powers that be have to do is make it clear that they are no longer interested in exchanging products for money, and I can go spend my money on bolt action and robotech tactics instead.
Complete, new, products too, not copy-paste jobs, repackaged leftovers like TRO3150, or pamphlets about planets with nothing of value left on them.
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I'd love to get some clarification on that list of upcoming products. Even if they are all cancelled or postponed indefinitely.
As an outsider to CGL but a long time fan, it's been difficult to maintain interest in Battletech. I mean, we've all seen really talented people either walk away or be forced out over the past few years and there's no real momentum to keep me involved in the IP. Battletech seems to have been limping along for the past 4-5 years. I also think it's harder for CGL to compete because there are some really good competitors out there with more resources than CGL. I appreciate what Brent is doing to keep people interested and truly hope that CGL can deliver with these new box sets and fiction. It would be great to see a new generation join our base.
Also, a Baker's Dozen is 13.... I see that's already been pointed out.
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There were some big names that left the cause of CBT. It's hard to rebuild but will be done.
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Honestly, I just hope that the upcoming products live up to their hype--it's going to be very hard for the fanbase to recover if it they don't.
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Nothing ever lives up to the hype.
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Don't believe the hype, it's a sequel. :D
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Honestly, I just hope that the upcoming products live up to their hype--it's going to be very hard for the fanbase to recover if it they don't.
Honestly, only thing that matters is that it will bring more people to the game and growing the fan base. BT can't survive selling stuff to the same group of 30-50 yo guys who already have a sizable BT collecting and other obligations.
I have ran into a alarming number of old hats online who seemingly rather see BT die with them than embrace the change needed to gain new player. While I commend them for supporting the game for all these years, they are now hurting the game
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Nothing ever lives up to the hype.
Fact.
Created hype doesn't help at all either, and at worst it makes things far worse.
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Honestly, only thing that matters is that it will bring more people to the game and growing the fan base. BT can't survive selling stuff to the same group of 30-50 yo guys who already have a sizable BT collecting and other obligations.
I have ran into a alarming number of old hats online who seemingly rather see BT die with them than embrace the change needed to gain new player. While I commend them for supporting the game for all these years, they are now hurting the game
I’ll go so far as to say CGL is owned by and is catering to those old hats and is unable to embrace change that would be needed to drag this game into the 21st century. Of course what that illusive “change” is could take up a whole other thread and more. The question for me is can CGL appease the nostalgia crowd that seems to be keeping the game barely above water while bringing in new players? It’s a hard trick to pull off
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I would have to say that the creation of 'Alpha Strike' was a clear sign that the PTBs are willing to embrace change. Constant shouts of "DOOOOMMMMMM" from the fanbase might, however, sour them to it.
Maybe we should hold off of cries of 'foul' until after some of the new major products are released by the new LD. Give the new guy a chance before returning to the regularly scheduled cries of DOOOOMMMMM.
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The future is wide open, CGL had said they were going publish whatever era they need.
I do think there still limited writing staff. As long they like what their writing, know what their doing.
I'll be happy with new products if it were setpast or the future.
I prefer both, but i'd like push this train along down the tracks to the future.
If a player wish to play in certain era, that's cool too. Just don't sabotage entire franchise for sake of trying make everyone do it.
Let's see new products! I hope they release something before Gencon. Summer still feels mighty long time from now!
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There is something I would like to see CGL make and sell in stores..... Battletech Pocket Edition.
As it something that actually fits in you pocket.
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I would have to say that the creation of 'Alpha Strike' was a clear sign that the PTBs are willing to embrace change. Constant shouts of "DOOOOMMMMMM" from the fanbase might, however, sour them to it.
Maybe we should hold off of cries of 'foul' until after some of the new major products are released by the new LD. Give the new guy a chance before returning to the regularly scheduled cries of DOOOOMMMMM.
I'm a long time BattleTech fan that did not cry foul. Alpha Strike had all the right tools to pull new players in. It felt like a modern system despite being a revamp of BattleForce 2. They should have pushed Alpha Strike hard despite the gripe from the old base. Yeah, the rules haven't changed much, but they're old and clunky.
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There is something I would like to see CGL make and sell in stores..... Battletech Pocket Edition.
As it something that actually fits in you pocket.
I would love to see a return to the microgame format. I know they can't be sold for $3-$5 anymore, but I think a basic, $10 game that touts portability would be a strong addition to the line.
Fact.
Created hype doesn't help at all either, and at worst it makes things far worse.
Okay, y'all need to stop agreeing with me. It feels weird. :D
Honestly, only thing that matters is that it will bring more people to the game and growing the fan base. BT can't survive selling stuff to the same group of 30-50 yo guys who already have a sizable BT collecting and other obligations.
I have ran into a alarming number of old hats online who seemingly rather see BT die with them than embrace the change needed to gain new player. While I commend them for supporting the game for all these years, they are now hurting the game
This is a true thing. The reaction of folks to new ideas is stunning, as if someone is going to break into their houses and burn all their collection.
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This is a true thing. The reaction of folks to new ideas is stunning, as if someone is going to break into their houses and burn all their collection.
I just saw more content. Minis, rules, box sets, etc. Something that, you know, we lack today.
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There is something I would like to see CGL make and sell in stores..... Battletech Pocket Edition.
As it something that actually fits in you pocket.
You talking about Paper back media books? That's smallest i've seen. I purposely get those instead of these extra large size paperback books they've been publishing lately. I can't fit them into my bag when i go to work and read on break.
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I would have to say that the creation of 'Alpha Strike' was a clear sign that the PTBs are willing to embrace change. Constant shouts of "DOOOOMMMMMM" from the fanbase might, however, sour them to it.
Maybe we should hold off of cries of 'foul' until after some of the new major products are released by the new LD. Give the new guy a chance before returning to the regularly scwheduled cries of DOOOOMMMMM.
The first acts of the line developers have been to cancel supplemental material for alpha strike (the faction manuals) create basically a new 3025 tro and rulebook, design the classic mechs to look as close as they can to the orginals and bring back the old novels. None of those actions seem to be progressive acts designed to bring in new players. Everyone of those changes smacks of nostalgia to me.
In fairness they are bringing out new box set with revised miniatures that look fantastic (which I will buy) and new young adult novels are in the works. Is this enough to make a difference in the fan base? I hope so but I’m not counting on it.
Personally I think the battletech line needs a major shakeup in ruleset and licensee ownership. These are very risky things to do and neither may produce positive results or growth. However After 30+ years in this game I’d rather see some risks and changes happen to the line than see it regulated the the periphery of the gaming market.
Admittedly it is easy for me as an outsider to say things like this since my livelihood doesn’t count on the sales, success or failure of the line. I can’t say that CGL has any easy choices to make and I wish the new line developers luck. I’ll continue to buy product that CGL puts out as long as it interests me. Unfortunately less and less that is being produced is peaking my interest. What I won’t do is buy more battletech items just to keep the line alive.
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You talking about Paper back media books? That's smallest i've seen. I purposely get those instead of these extra large size paperback books they've been publishing lately. I can't fit them into my bag when i go to work and read on break.
Nope, think of 'Orge pocket edition' but with modern art.
Convenient for the stores and the players.
Cheap enough for players to use up and buy again.
Easy enough for CGL to keep in stores.
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I would love to see a return to the microgame format. I know they can't be sold for $3-$5 anymore, but I think a basic, $10 game that touts portability would be a strong addition to the line.
Microgame? How'd that work?
Okay, y'all need to stop agreeing with me. It feels weird. :D
I've few very bad cases of getting hyped and end result being... disastrous. Had to agree on the hype part.
Amusingly those very cases are part of the reason i started paying more attention to BattleTech despite having been a fan at some level for a long time. Dropped bunch of video games so i filled that partially with BT.
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The first acts of the line developers have been to cancel supplemental material for alpha strike (the faction manuals) create basically a new 3025 tro and rulebook, design the classic mechs to look as close as they can to the orginals and bring back the old novels. None of those actions seem to be progressive acts designed to bring in new players. Everyone of those changes smacks of nostalgia to me.
You are confusing two of those things . . .
First, the TRO Succession Wars PROBABLY had plans to include all the Classic art as teaser for the box sets- but IMO from what cannot be said is that the whole HG thing derailed the intended product. And I think a lot of our lack of product at present has to do with the HG lawsuit derailing the 3 or 5 year plan since BMM, TRO Succession Wars and new Box Sets would have been a soft relaunch.
Second, the release of the novels as epubs is not 'nostalgia' -its cash flow, for whatever trickle makes its way to CGL. It would also help feed what would have been a interesting product schedule of a most novels, Classic box set, TRO SW, BMM and IWM metal Classic releases. The release of the novels also did a nice thing for brand awareness- I put Battletech in Kindle and I get the page filled with novels with new art covers instead of old MW novels and the folks selling narratives of their tabletop/RP campaigns in violation of copyright/trademark.
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You are confusing two of those things . . .
First, the TRO Succession Wars PROBABLY had plans to include all the Classic art as teaser for the box sets- but IMO from what cannot be said is that the whole HG thing derailed the intended product. And I think a lot of our lack of product at present has to do with the HG lawsuit derailing the 3 or 5 year plan since BMM, TRO Succession Wars and new Box Sets would have been a soft relaunch.
Second, the release of the novels as epubs is not 'nostalgia' -its cash flow, for whatever trickle makes its way to CGL. It would also help feed what would have been a interesting product schedule of a most novels, Classic box set, TRO SW, BMM and IWM metal Classic releases. The release of the novels also did a nice thing for brand awareness- I put Battletech in Kindle and I get the page filled with novels with new art covers instead of old MW novels and the folks selling narratives of their tabletop/RP campaigns in violation of copyright/trademark.
I can’t argue either of your points. In fact I think you are correct in your assessment of CGLs plan. My problem is basing the marketing plan on classic battlemech designs. A new player doesn’t care about the classics. They don’t care about the lawsuits or the amount of time, money or effort spent in recreating the images. They just want to see something cool. CGL could have based a 5 year plan on all news mechs. The unseen were only present in what maybe 10 years of real world time. Most of the time the game hasn’t even had the images of those mechs. Why take the chance for designs that existed less than 1/3 of Battletech’s history? It is more than time for people to move on. This obsession with the classics/unseen is hurting the development/advancement of the game.
As far as the novels are concerned if bringing back the old novels generates money and new players then that is great! But again, I don’t imagine that decision was based about getting new players into the game. If I’m wrong then I’m wrong. I think the young adult line is the attempt to bring in new blood. I don’t know enough about kindle but if someone had never bought any battletech books before, would the novels show up in their “feed”?
It just feels to me like CGL has spent and is spending a lot of money rehashing the past instead of looking toward the future.
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Maybe, what I meant was when they searched. Releasing the novels as e-pubs would have taken very little effort on the part of CGL IMO since its not new fiction.
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Considering how BT hasn't had any new novels in awhile... Start with getting the old stuff out so readers know BT isn't dead. Also lets newer authors who have been influenced by say Stackpole, to find a new market to write for. New books take time to write and edit so something should fill the void until then. Plus, how many of us still have the old novels? I don't, I have no idea where they went along with my Man Kzin Wars books. Have a feeling one of my ex-wives did something with em...
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I have most of the 3050 and on novels but that was ebay and used bookstores filling in gaps since I started buying them during the FCCW. But I use my kindle now nearly exclusively simply b/c I can load a book box sized set of novels and have it with me on the go.
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Before releasing digital versions of the old FASA-era novels, the market for those books was solely resellers. Meaning that the contemporary franchise gained no profits from the old novels until CGL/IMR acquired the rights to the publish them digitally. Just like how CGL gains zero profit right now from any Battlecorps stories that aren't in the anthologies. And since a reboot is too hard to sell or enact, the franchise is still going to be propped-up on the old (and somewhat dated) novels. And so they remain integral to the franchise. New William Keith novels set in the 3rd Succession War may actually help alleviate some of the reliance on the old novels if they can create a new jumping off point to the universe.
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Good point, especially if as hinted at we get scenario information that allows you to replay some of those 3SW moments using the two box sets.
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About a micro-game, I think, to a certain extent, that BMM and TRO:SW have that covered. Additionally I feel that TRO:SW was aimed at slimming the 'Mech lineup going forward.
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About a micro-game, I think, to a certain extent, that BMM and TRO:SW have that covered. Additionally I feel that TRO:SW was aimed at slimming the 'Mech lineup going forward.
Two big books do not a micro-format game make. A microgame should be small and inexpensive. The classic model, as pioneered by MetaGaming Concepts in the late 70s, is a 4"x7" bag or box containing a 16 or 24-page rulebook, a 8"x14" map, and a sheet of about 110 small counters. The original price was around $3-4, but modern versions would have to adjust for inflation and be closer to $10. The very first MicroGame (MetaGaming liked camel caps, too) was Ogre, but there were many more from a bunch of companies. In fact, even games that today are viewed as incredible rules bloats like Star Fleet Battles and Car Wars started as micro-format games.
I bet I could come up with an Alpha Strike-based rules set that, including a basic selection of 'Mechs and scenarios, would clock in at 24 half-sized pages. I might even be able to finagle the maps enough to include the equivalent of two standard BattleTech maps, which would be enough space for company-sized battles. 110 counters is more than enough to include a variety of units, with multiples included.
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BT can't survive selling stuff to the same group of 30-50 yo guys who already have a sizable BT collecting and other obligations.
Accurate.
I have ran into a alarming number of old hats online who seemingly rather see BT die with them than embrace the change needed to gain new player. While I commend them for supporting the game for all these years, they are now hurting the game
Highly accurate. And don't underestimate the effect that the loudest voices can have on the decision-making process.
Of course what that illusive “change” is could take up a whole other thread and more.
And has, many times.
The question for me is can CGL appease the nostalgia crowd that seems to be keeping the game barely above water while bringing in new players?
One of those things brings in money to allow continued business, and the other doesn't. People-pleasing and revenue-generation aren't mutually exclusive, but they can't be prioritized in that order.
I do think there still limited writing staff.
This is not the bottleneck. (And isn't really true.)
The first acts of the line developers have been to cancel supplemental material for alpha strike (the faction manuals) create basically a new 3025 tro and rulebook, design the classic mechs to look as close as they can to the orginals and bring back the old novels.
You're conflating a whole bunch of things.
BattleMech Manual and TRO Succession Wars were in the works before Brent and Ray were appointed. BMM in particular was (as I understand it) the hard work of a freelance contributor that management got behind, not an effort that derived from management of that time.
Likewise, the Classics redesign has been an effort that goes back years, before the Brent-Ray era of leadership. Though both played a role in that process, they didn't initiate it when they took over. Same for the Legends series of e-pubs, that's been going for a little while now.
I've few very bad cases of getting hyped and end result being... disastrous
I think I understand: you're saying that you feel hype for a particular BT product over-promised and under-delivered? It's definitely a bad move to market something as being more than it is. But the "under-delivered" part is always going to be subjective.
And I think a lot of our lack of product at present has to do with the HG lawsuit derailing the 3 or 5 year plan since BMM, TRO Succession Wars and new Box Sets would have been a soft relaunch.
I've seen this idea starting to get into the water supply around here, and to the best of my knowledge, it's simply not true.
Products are still in the pipeline, with every intention of releasing them later this year. I've worked on several of them, and on very quick turn-around deadlines--not a situation at ALL of "go ahead and do the work, but we'll see whether we can put them out." More like, "can you get this done by the end of the weekend so we can keep things moving."
I understand why people think this. Post hoc ergo propter hoc; there's a lawsuit, we haven't seen anything new in a little while, therefore... But my personal experience has been that there's a lot going on--it just needs to be communicated. I'm hoping to work on that, too.
It is more than time for people to move on. This obsession with the classics/unseen is hurting the development/advancement of the game.
Only my own opinion, but I'm absolutely with you here. It's a fixation for sure.
Additionally I feel that TRO:SW was aimed at slimming the 'Mech lineup going forward.
It was aimed at being a companion of some kind to the BattleMech Manual. I'm not sure how any product, especially one set in the SW era, could ever "slim the lineup" given how many TROs and XTROs are out there.
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Can't speak for any other 30-50 y.o. fans of the game, but I'm A-OK with any kind of rules revamp, slimming, reorganization or rewriting the developers feel is necessary. A soft reboot to the 3025 era make sense to me (i.e. not to rewrite the timeline, but publish introductory material in this time period), for I find the current setting (circa 3145) perhaps a touch overly complex and confusing, even for a long-time fan like me, and challenging to explain to a beginner.
As I tried to ask earlier, I'm interested to hear more about the plans for fiction. I'd be even more interested if there was I way I could contribute, now that BattleCorps is gone, and I'm left, in the charitable words of another poster, with my copyright-infringing fan fiction.
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I am chomping at the bit, like most here, for new products and will admit to being a bit whiney about it. ;D
That said, if we get the close to the Dark Age era and the beginning of a new IlClan era, I will be happy. New books are coming, new novels are coming, new minis are coming, new box sets are coming and more. Just gotta be patient a little while longer...even though it sucks ;) Maybe throw us a Touring the Stars? LOL
If these new products don't appear, then I will be all DDOOOOMMMM!!! Until then running my New Wessex campaign involving 240 BattleMechs. Took our an entire Steiner Assault Lance last week. Glory to the Dragon!
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I think I understand: you're saying that you feel hype for a particular BT product over-promised and under-delivered? It's definitely a bad move to market something as being more than it is. But the "under-delivered" part is always going to be subjective.
I wasn't actually talking about BattleTech (rather a bunch of video games) BUT the danger for over-promise and under-deliver is always there, regardless of franchise, genre or media. Often it seems the over-promise is done by marketing though (in video game industry), rather than developers themselves but that is perhaps driven by heavy competition.
There actually has been no major story-line releases while i've been "active" BT fan (about 4 years) (i don't count Succession Wars historicals account of them merely filling in details as i see them, and in any case both were very satisfactory). Nor any over-promising, though it seems some things were announced too early given that they've been delayed in favor of others. Early reveals can be problematic, maybe; i've noticed that video game industry has been moving toward shorter announcement and release cycle. But perhaps that doesn't really apply to tabletop games? Still, it is somewhat frustrating to know there's definitively interesting stuff in the works but no idea when one should be expecting them, or if one should be expecting them at all.
The closest thing to fail has been the Combat Manual line, but it wasn't actually over-hyped or anything, it did exactly what it was clearly implied to do and what i expected from it. Only, it seems my collection will be stuck to two parts...
My current worry is really fatigue. Need a closure to current story, and it seems to be slipping further away and away. The effect sorta opposite of hype: losing interest. Though i doubt that will make me skip things, i'll just get grumpy while waiting.
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Two big books do not a micro-format game make. A microgame should be small and inexpensive. The classic model, as pioneered by MetaGaming Concepts in the late 70s, is a 4"x7" bag or box containing a 16 or 24-page rulebook, a 8"x14" map, and a sheet of about 110 small counters. The original price was around $3-4, but modern versions would have to adjust for inflation and be closer to $10. The very first MicroGame (MetaGaming liked camel caps, too) was Ogre, but there were many more from a bunch of companies. In fact, even games that today are viewed as incredible rules bloats like Star Fleet Battles and Car Wars started as micro-format games.
I bet I could come up with an Alpha Strike-based rules set that, including a basic selection of 'Mechs and scenarios, would clock in at 24 half-sized pages. I might even be able to finagle the maps enough to include the equivalent of two standard BattleTech maps, which would be enough space for company-sized battles. 110 counters is more than enough to include a variety of units, with multiples included.
That would be an interesting challenge. Build a "BattleTech Boxed Set" that can fit into an Altoids tin (https://www.adafruit.com/product/97). Minis are not required, but dice and mapsheets are.
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That would be an interesting challenge. Build a "BattleTech Boxed Set" that can fit into an Altoids tin (https://www.adafruit.com/product/97). Minis are not required, but dice and mapsheets are.
You, the player would have to supply the dice, and pencil, if I recall the micro-game format correctly.
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A friend of mine scored on a intact 3rd Edition Box set for 20 box at a Con. With plastech miniatures and everything it came with it. Must been lost in closet somewhere. It seems so simple, now a set 24 plastic minis causes insane amount in comparison to day.
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Two big books do not a micro-format game make. A microgame should be small and inexpensive. The classic model, as pioneered by MetaGaming Concepts in the late 70s, is a 4"x7" bag or box containing a 16 or 24-page rulebook, a 8"x14" map, and a sheet of about 110 small counters. The original price was around $3-4, but modern versions would have to adjust for inflation and be closer to $10. The very first MicroGame (MetaGaming liked camel caps, too) was Ogre, but there were many more from a bunch of companies. In fact, even games that today are viewed as incredible rules bloats like Star Fleet Battles and Car Wars started as micro-format games.
I bet I could come up with an Alpha Strike-based rules set that, including a basic selection of 'Mechs and scenarios, would clock in at 24 half-sized pages. I might even be able to finagle the maps enough to include the equivalent of two standard BattleTech maps, which would be enough space for company-sized battles. 110 counters is more than enough to include a variety of units, with multiples included.
And that's pretty much what the $20 "Beginner's Box" is supposed to be...(Rules, a map, two minis...)
Honestly in today's market, that's a close as anyone's going to get to that concept.
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That would be an interesting challenge. Build a "BattleTech Boxed Set" that can fit into an Altoids tin (https://www.adafruit.com/product/97). Minis are not required, but dice and mapsheets are.
Any of the quickstarts? They have maps/counters/rules/record sheets and/or unit cards.
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And that's pretty much what the $20 "Beginner's Box" is supposed to be...(Rules, a map, two minis...)
Honestly in today's market, that's a close as anyone's going to get to that concept.
I wish they'd included cardstock punch outs to the additional 2 plastic minis. That wont satisfy someone who wants more.
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I wish they'd included cardstock punch outs to the additional 2 plastic minis. That wont satisfy someone who wants more.
Punch-out playing pieces are included in both boxes.
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And that's pretty much what the $20 "Beginner's Box" is supposed to be...(Rules, a map, two minis...)
Honestly in today's market, that's a close as anyone's going to get to that concept.
I think you are underestimating the store space factor.
It is a factor of; how much the store can display, how easily it can be an impulse buy and how convenient it is for casual players.
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Punch-out playing pieces are included in both boxes.
That is some interesting new information. I like it. :)
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Punch-out playing pieces are included in both boxes.
You mean we don't have to use other players for this anymore?? ;D
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Punch-out playing pieces are included in both boxes.
High quality Infantry, Battle Armor, and Vehicle cardstock tokens.
I need them.
I need them a lot.
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High quality Infantry, Battle Armor, and Vehicle cardstock tokens.
I need them.
I need them a lot.
I'll take even, uh, medium quality ones.
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The punchout pieces are 'Mechs only.
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The punchout pieces are 'Mechs only.
Still pretty dang cool. Linen finish? ;)
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The punchout pieces are 'Mechs only.
That's a good move.
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Still pretty dang cool. Linen finish? ;)
Eggshell. Looks better on walls.
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it's not unlike the BattleDroids box with two minis and cardboard standups - though this time I suspect the standups will decidedly lack the original Macross art
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Still pretty dang cool. Linen finish? ;)
Similar to Dragonfire.
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Eggshell. Looks better on walls.
oil or latex?
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Punch-out playing pieces are included in both boxes.
I wholeheartedly and unreservedly agree with this decision.
The minis in this game are certainly fantastic, but having an official option for mech tokens for those that can't put big dollars into minis is a fantastic nod to making the game accessible. Hopefully new players appreciate it as well.
SIDE NOTE ON THE UNSEEN: In my opinion, the game does need the unseen, but mostly for balance reasons. In the 3025 era, which is one of the simpler and more easily balanced eras, taking out the unseen removes some really important units and leaves some rather annoying gaps when you try to actually play there. In my opinion anyway. The Heavy bracket especially gets gutted without the unseen. So, while the game doesn't really need the unseen to look any specific way, I feel like it DOES need units with their stats available in 3025. Make 'em look like whatever you have to, but you really need things like Warhammers and Crusaders if you want to play in the late succession wars, which are still a fun place to play. Does it need to happen ASAP? Probably not, but no matter which way the lawsuit goes, I hope we get those mechs visible and with new minis, whatever they look like, again.
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The minis in this game are certainly fantastic, but having an official option for mech tokens for those that can't put big dollars into minis is a fantastic nod to making the game accessible.
That's the idea--to get as much play out of each box as possible while keeping costs low.
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Make an expansion set that also has vehicles and infantry and i'll get a couple of them even.
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Make an expansion set that also has vehicles and infantry and i'll get a couple of them even.
I'd actually agree to something like this too.
Something like the Citytech Box Set from back in the day. That could be something interesting...
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Make an expansion set that also has vehicles and infantry and i'll get a couple of them even.
Well, Brent has been pretty vocal in wanting to have products that allow you to play major events, which often involve vehicles... so it is possible that they might be thinking along the lines of the dragonfire campaign sets.... aka: you get the rules for the scenario, and counters for the important units (outside what is in the box sets).
Disclaimer: I have no idea if this is what they are planning or not, and am not aware of anything other than Brent's comments about wanting to allow players to play the story.
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Disclaimer: I have no idea if this is what they are planning or not, and am not aware of anything other than Brent's comments about wanting to allow players to play the story.
No vehicle or infantry punch-out pieces of any kind are planned at this time.
Remember when these pieces weren’t on the menu at all, six hours ago? One step at a time, folks.
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No vehicle or infantry punch-out pieces of any kind are planned at this time.
Remember when these pieces weren’t on the menu at all, six hours ago? One step at a time, folks.
I don't think anyone's expecting a OMG turn-around to see something like that. But even as a stand alone kind of thing, it would be cool to see happen.
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No vehicle or infantry punch-out pieces of any kind are planned at this time.
Remember when these pieces weren’t on the menu at all, six hours ago? One step at a time, folks.
In fairness, vehicle tokens have been a request for years. The return of stand ups for the first time since the FanPro box set have people imagining the possibilities.
Also remember well when it comes to BT fans that if you give a mouse a cookie, he’ll ask for a glass of $500 scotch
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Not sure why folks who want them have not already made them using the .jifs from MegaMek . . . some folks who have made those did excellent work.
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Because people don't have printers anymore, and those who do aren't interested in crappy paper pieces or going through the hassle of gluing them to cardstock. Look, if people want to spend the money to skip the hassle, why is there a problem?
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Because people don't have printers anymore, and those who do aren't interested in crappy paper pieces or going through the hassle of gluing them to cardstock. Look, if people want to spend the money to skip the hassle, why is there a problem?
Indeed, lets enable them. :)
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Because people don't have printers anymore, and those who do aren't interested in crappy paper pieces or going through the hassle of gluing them to cardstock. Look, if people want to spend the money to skip the hassle, why is there a problem?
I am not saying there is a problem, but just pointing to a source with good art.
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Because people don't have printers anymore, and those who do aren't interested in crappy paper pieces or going through the hassle of gluing them to cardstock. Look, if people want to spend the money to skip the hassle, why is there a problem?
Indeed. I basically gave up on printers after a second one in a row broke just after the warranty ended. And given prices of ink, buying pre-made stuff is basically cheaper...
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Make an expansion set that also has vehicles and infantry and i'll get a couple of them even.
Honestly, I want to see this sort of thing for the whole line. Rulebooks and all. Start with the mechs, then produce addons for the other unit types that can be bought as desired. I feel like the attempt to cover everything the way they did in total warfare was a mistake.
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The punchout pieces are 'Mechs only.
I meant as an expansion, not with the intro boxes.
The intro products need to focus just on mech combat.
Not sure why folks who want them have not already made them using the .jifs from MegaMek . . . some folks who have made those did excellent work.
I have done that, actually. With pretty good success. I would love an official option, though, that lets me support CGL and save printer ink.
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Remember when these pieces weren’t on the menu at all, six hours ago? One step at a time, folks.
This is the internet. We move at the speed of ‘I WANT!’
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Honestly, I want to see this sort of thing for the whole line. Rulebooks and all. Start with the mechs, then produce addons for the other unit types that can be bought as desired. I feel like the attempt to cover everything the way they did in total warfare was a mistake.
Oooh. Future TROs with Punch-out pages in the back. Or a Q&D TRo Supplemental sealed page sold separately of the book with said counters.
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Oooh. Future TROs with Punch-out pages in the back. Or a Q&D TRo Supplemental sealed page sold separately of the book with said counters.
We have turned into a bunch of 5 year olds :o ;D :P
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Punch out Pony! Punch out Pony!
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Oooh. Future TROs with Punch-out pages in the back. Or a Q&D TRo Supplemental sealed page sold separately of the book with said counters.
Books like BattlePack 4th Succession War and AeroTech 2 did this so there is president
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We have turned into a bunch of 5 year olds :o ;D :P
Turned into ?!
Most days I am.
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We have turned into a bunch of 5 year olds :o ;D :P
So, we've aged emotionally is what you're saying here?
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Well, I was thinking how interesting move is inclusion of the punch-out mechs when I realised something. Is inclusion of these punch-out mechs somehow related to german Starterbox (50€) from last year? That box included 8 (Citytech?) plastic mechs with sheets of punch-out mechs.
Based on discussion on FB, I would like to know if prices of these new boxes are decided or it's still something that isn't clear at the moment? There was big uproar due to lower count of plastic mechs in GoAC box and same or higher price than last two introboxes. So I would want at least to know if 60$ is targeted price for GoAC box and 20$ for beginners box or it has changed.
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Punch out Pony! Punch out Pony!
Isn't this the Ghost Bear battle chant for facing the Horses?
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Oooh. Future TROs with Punch-out pages in the back. Or a Q&D TRo Supplemental sealed page sold separately of the book with said counters.
Sounds like a great method to encourage shrinkage. No, keep counters in a box. Don't make it too easy for jerks to steal parts.
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The positive reaction to counters/tokens over the last two pages makes me very optimistic.
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Sounds like a great method to encourage shrinkage. No, keep counters in a box. Don't make it too easy for jerks to steal parts.
The solution here is to put punch-out tokens in boxes, but a sheet of nonperforated tokens in the back of the book that need to be properly cut out. Tearing out a page(especially decent cardstock) is more work than just popping out some counters, especially if you're trying to do it on the sly in the middle of a store.
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The positive reaction to counters/tokens over the last two pages makes me very optimistic.
BattleTech Reinforcements: 3039
It writes itself.
At least try and up the quality a bit more to make it stand out. Have different types of bases you can use in the box for the different kinds of units. Maybe have 'Mechs with stands, vehicles as tokens, aerotech/vtols on stands that elevate the token, all bases as hexagons too. This is entirely possible considering the quality of board games these days.
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Maybe have 'Mechs with stands, vehicles as tokens, aerotech/vtols on stands that elevate the token, all bases as hexagons too.
Infantry doesn't need hexagon bases, they will be fine as round tokens.
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Cue Worktroll asking for half-hexes in three...two...
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It writes itself.
I'd be more interested in whether it pays for itself.
So I would want at least to know if 60$ is targeted price for GoAC box and 20$ for beginners box or it has changed.
That's the plan, $19.99 for the BattleTech Beginner Box, and $59.99 for the BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat box.
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No vehicle or infantry punch-out pieces of any kind are planned at this time.
Remember when these pieces weren’t on the menu at all, six hours ago? One step at a time, folks.
Back to the old Citytech counters it is! ;)
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Yeah, one step at a time, and please remember that in BattleTech, it’s about the BattleMechs, vees and infantry are several steps removed.
The positive reaction to counters/tokens over the last two pages makes me very optimistic.
Its nice, but there’s never been any correlation between reaction on the forums and sales. It’s not a valid metric.
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Geont, there is no relation between this box and the one Ulisses Spiele put out.
One brief thing about the box pricing and the uproar, taking into account the source (me) is informed but inarticulate: the old box was meant to be a loss-leader, that we’d take a hit on it and it would guide players into other products. Did fine with the loss part, not so much in the leader role. And then take into account that it used 30 year old sculpts and map art. These boxes have all new miniatures and art and are priced appropriately.
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Yeah, one step at a time, and please remember that in BattleTech, it’s about the BattleMechs, vees and infantry are several steps removed.
I keep wondering about that. Some random musings to follow:
No, no, i don't deny that 'Mechs are what BattleTech is built upon and what it has been about so far.
But... I look at the MWDA and how it was built upon combined arms. Alpha Strike makes no real difference between 'Mechs and other types of units. TROs have vehicles too, and even infantry (if you count Battle Armor as infantry). And i look at other tabletop games and their habit of having various sorts of units (admittedly they're not really build upon one type of war machine). And how more modern RTS games have some sort of focus on combined arms, as opposed to old-fashioned tank spam.
And there's the name BattleTech. Mecha are usually called just "mechs", regardless of their real name. As it is, BattleTech could kinda cover everything used for warfare in 31st century.
Should it be about 'Mechs mostly?
Admittedly there are problems in trying to cram everything into affordable package. BattleMech Manual wouldn't be that if it were trying to fit in other rules as well. And a box set would rise in price and complexity if it were to contain extra unit types, as cool as it would be, cardboard punch-outs or not.
And for every me, there are likely way more people who probably don't care.
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Geont, there is no relation between this box and the one Ulisses Spiele put out.
One brief thing about the box pricing and the uproar, taking into account the source (me) is informed but inarticulate: the old box was meant to be a loss-leader, that we’d take a hit on it and it would guide players into other products. Did fine with the loss part, not so much in the leader role. And then take into account that it used 30 year old sculpts and map art. These boxes have all new miniatures and art and are priced appropriately.
Thumbs up icon is missing otherwise I'd add one.
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BattleTech Reinforcements: 3039
It writes itself.
At least try and up the quality a bit more to make it stand out. Have different types of bases you can use in the box for the different kinds of units. Maybe have 'Mechs with stands, vehicles as tokens, aerotech/vtols on stands that elevate the token, all bases as hexagons too. This is entirely possible considering the quality of board games these days.
If they went this route, I'd like to see aircraft at least go the way the counter from the original Crimson Skies box worked: multiple pieces that slotted togather to make a vaguely 3D model instead of just a printed picture on a flat piece of stock. I suppose you could do the same with tanks, but I feel like that might be more trouble than it's worth. Mech counters are probably best just stuck on standees like you said.
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It’s a valid thought process, Empyrus.
Try to look at it this way. Flavor. If you’re running an ice cream shop, you can’t just do vanilla, your need chocolate and strawberry. Honestly, you’d be best with a dozen assortments, right?
What seems to be the case, at least talking on the business side, is that “vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry” isn’t “Mechs, vehicles and infantry,” but instead “Mechs, other Mechs, and more Mechs.” Vehicles and infantry are the flavors you experiment with once you have your solid dozen flavors.
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Double Triple-Dipped Dinosaur Cherry!!!
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When I was a young lad drooling over source books, it was the mechs that drew me to this game. Not the combat vehicles, or the aerospace fighters, or the battler armor, or the warships. Mechs are what got me into BattleTech. Now, mine own spawn like to play Alpha Strike with me on occasion, and it's the same with them. They want the stompy robots. I actually bought them each several of the DA packs that come with a mech, a vehicle and some infantry. The infantry are long-gone, and most of the VTOL's and tanks are MIA somewhere under beds or in random piles of toys, but the mechs...well, the kids each keep their mechs all together in boxes and will play with them like normal toys as well as bugging me to play Alpha Strike. I didn't tell them to keep the Mechs separate or to put them all in a box. I didn't tell them Mechs are better than vehicles or infantry. They decided they liked them better on their own. To them, the mechs were something special, and they took better care of them and played with them more than any of the other stuff that came in those DA loot boxes. Sure, it is a very small data set, but something about the mechs in this game registered as special and more interesting to my kids than any of the other units. According to my house at least, mechs are the coolest part of BattleTech. I'm not asking that other units be dropped from the game, but you won't hear any complaints from me about the two starter boxes being nothing but mechs. It's a decision I support.
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I'd be more interested in whether it pays for itself.
That's the plan, $19.99 for the BattleTech Beginner Box, and $59.99 for the BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat box.
Glad to hear it.
Geont, there is no relation between this box and the one Ulisses Spiele put out.
One brief thing about the box pricing and the uproar, taking into account the source (me) is informed but inarticulate: the old box was meant to be a loss-leader, that we’d take a hit on it and it would guide players into other products. Did fine with the loss part, not so much in the leader role. And then take into account that it used 30 year old sculpts and map art. These boxes have all new miniatures and art and are priced appropriately.
I did think so. I still think these new boxes are good bargain. With punch-out mechs it got even better. :D
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I did think so. I still think these new boxes are good bargain. With punch-out mechs it got even better. :D
I wish I could take off the beemer so I sound like less of a shill when I say: I'm as excited about these box sets as I've been about anything BT related in a long time.
Especially the Beginner Box Set--it's finally a product I can feel confident about cracking open and teaching the game out of, and leaving them with a lot of value for a low cost. Everything in the box was redesigned from the ground up, and looks great.
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Seeing how most games now are almost ready to play right out of the box, it would be nice of Battletech to have a lower priced option then the big boxed set for $60.
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Seeing how most games now are almost ready to play right out of the box, it would be nice of Battletech to have a lower priced option then the big boxed set for $60.
I thought the $60 box was meant to be playable for 'mech to 'mech combat right out of the box. Is that not true?
For a playable game, with high quality miniatures, $60 seems to be at least roughly in line with board game prices. I'll be excited if the boxes are actually profitable for CGL. It might make funding a reprint much less of a multi-year nightmare, if the demand is there.
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I thought the $60 box was meant to be playable for 'mech to 'mech combat right out of the box. Is that not true?
Of course, the big box offers that in spades too.
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For 8 minis at 60 is seems a bit high, but if you include the punch-outs its not as bad.. but I prefer the old box. Just sell a box minis only for 40 and I would buy several and be happy.
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Seeing how most games now are almost ready to play right out of the box, it would be nice of Battletech to have a lower priced option then the big boxed set for $60.
Isn't that the point of the $20 Beginner's Box? ???
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I still think these new boxes are good bargain. With punch-out mechs it got even better. :D
For 8 minis at 60 is seems a bit high, but if you include the punch-outs its not as bad.. but I prefer the old box. Just sell a box minis only for 40 and I would buy several and be happy.
I'm really confused here...where are people getting the idea that the NEW CGL Box sets will include punch-outs?
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Here (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60405.msg1388744#msg1388744) and here (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60405.msg1388836#msg1388836).
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Here (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60405.msg1388744#msg1388744) and here (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60405.msg1388836#msg1388836).
First one says Yes:
Punch-out playing pieces are included in both boxes.
Second Says NO:
No vehicle or infantry punch-out pieces of any kind are planned at this time.
I'm not saying I'm not happy/unhappy with the news, just trying to understand how something that was being joked about made it into a YES IT"S ACTUALLY there, when this is the first we are hearing of it, and was never mentioned in any of the official channels.
I just don't want to see people excited about something that then isn;t there and lash out at CGL for misinformation they never officially stated.
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First one says Yes:
Second Says NO:
I'm not saying I'm not happy/unhappy with the news, just trying to understand how something that was being joked about made it into a YES IT"S ACTUALLY there, when this is the first we are hearing of it, and was never mentioned in any of the official channels.
I just don't want to see people excited about something that then isn;t there and lash out at CGL for misinformation they never officially stated.
I interpreted it as offering Battlemech punchouts for expanded game play, rather than vehicles or infantry.
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So Adrian, I hear you about the discussion of a loss leader . . . honestly I will have to hold up the last box/AS pack minis next to the new ones to see if I can really tell a difference BUT . . .
You have a lot of people here who are already buyers who bought one, two or three of the last boxes just to get the large numbers of core minis in the box. Now you are releasing box sets with a whole different set of minis of a better quality, particularly using art that we have not had access to as minis except in a single case (Shadow Hawk), as a starting place for new players. AFAIK we will not have new lance packs with these minis and we also do not know when IWM will release them in metal.
So how are you expecting the box sets to get into the hands of new blood rather than snapped up by old/current players- just for the minis?
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The back of the mock ups from last year's GenCon said "Terrain tokens".
https://i.imgur.com/Nm3dO8Y.jpg (https://i.imgur.com/Nm3dO8Y.jpg)
https://i.imgur.com/doPw3NB.jpg (https://i.imgur.com/doPw3NB.jpg)
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The back of the mock ups from last year's GenCon said "Terrain tokens".
https://i.imgur.com/Nm3dO8Y.jpg (https://i.imgur.com/Nm3dO8Y.jpg)
https://i.imgur.com/doPw3NB.jpg (https://i.imgur.com/doPw3NB.jpg)
as well as the expected And More to cover bases.
But until we hear from Brent or to a lesser extent Adrian (a Green or White Beemer (http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=58071.msg1369490#msg1369490)), I am all for being excited at the prospect of cut-out mechs, but I don;t want to see folks get their hopes up and then lash out when it appears we were wrong.
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I’m putting together official communications about the new box sets and am in regular contact with management.
The new box sets include punchcard Mechs.
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I’m putting together official communications about the new box sets and am in regular contact with management.
The new box sets include punchcard Mechs and terrain.
Well, there you Have it.
Happy to hear, I know from the 'secret areas' your role as "Disseminater of all Things Official" that in this info I can trust!
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So Adrian, I hear you about the discussion of a loss leader . . . honestly I will have to hold up the last box/AS pack minis next to the new ones to see if I can really tell a difference BUT . . .
You have a lot of people here who are already buyers who bought one, two or three of the last boxes just to get the large numbers of core minis in the box. Now you are releasing box sets with a whole different set of minis of a better quality, particularly using art that we have not had access to as minis except in a single case (Shadow Hawk), as a starting place for new players. AFAIK we will not have new lance packs with these minis and we also do not know when IWM will release them in metal.
So how are you expecting the box sets to get into the hands of new blood rather than snapped up by old/current players- just for the minis?
1) the price is no longer about “DIRT CHEAP MINIS,” and cost/returns should make it easier to reprint regularly.
2) it’s designed to mildly stun anyone who’s been playing for more than 2 years. Not enough to knock you out, just enough to determine if you really, really want it.
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...just enough to determine if you really, really want...
No need to stun me. I'll tell you if I want, if I really, really want.
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No need to stun me. I'll tell you if I want, if I really, really want.
Weirdo...I swear, if I have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the night...
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Weirdo...I swear, if I have that song stuck in my head for the rest of the night...
We will cover you you in tuna and feed you to Herbs cats!!
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1) the price is no longer about “DIRT CHEAP MINIS,” and cost/returns should make it easier to reprint regularly.
2) it’s designed to mildly stun anyone who’s been playing for more than 2 years. Not enough to knock you out, just enough to determine if you really, really want it.
Well...I really, really Want.
As a demo Agent, I wanted with the past box set to have two painted up just for demo purposes, but sadly...missed the boat.
This time around, I will be purchasing two boxes just to have the eight minis from each painted to a scheme ( nothing fancy, just a Forest Camo Scheme vs a Urban Camo Scheme).
And of course the 3 or 4 I will be ordering specifically for my greedy Smaug the dragon like hoarde of minis.
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We will cover you you in tuna and feed you to Herbs cats!!
:'( Oscar passed away a couple days ago.
So how are you expecting the box sets to get into the hands of new blood rather than snapped up by old/current players- just for the minis?
This is just not a problem. I'm not sure where this started, but it is seriously not a thing.
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:'( Oscar passed away a couple days ago.
:'( Poor kitty... May he have eternal tuna, salmon, and poultry. And Weirdo. I can't get that stupid song out of my head now....
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No need to stun me. I'll tell you if I want, if I really, really want.
So tell me if you want, if you really really want!
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This is just not a problem. I'm not sure where this started, but it is seriously not a thing.
Really? Look around on these boards about the discussion of the plastic minis, primarily before or when the AS Lance Packs were announced. I know I saw people talking about buying two, three or four boxes just to bulk out their minis.
But these new box sets will be the exclusive source for how long to get the Classic minis? And to have one of each, a old-timer will have to buy one of each box which means its not a box of either sort getting a new player started. Not having it be a loss leader I think does cut the effect of that problem, but that is why I was asking about lance packs with just the minis- because to be honest that is probably all I would want from the box. Which with the numbers makes the $60 box still better priced than metal but not as much as the lance packs.
I would definitely be willing to shell out $60 for 3 Lance packs with the new 9 mechs & 3 repeats and leave the box for new players.
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No need to stun me. I'll tell you if I want, if I really, really want.
So tell me if you want, if you really really want!
Note to self: new rule banning late-90's earworms.
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I would definitely be willing to shell out $60 for 3 Lance packs with the new 9 mechs & 3 repeats and leave the box for new players.
I don’t expect we’ll see $20 Lance Packs again.
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For 8 minis at 60 is seems a bit high, but if you include the punch-outs its not as bad.. but I prefer the old box. Just sell a box minis only for 40 and I would buy several and be happy.
No, eight minis for $60 is high for what BattleTech has offered in the past, which was pointed out by Adrian on the previous page was also a loss-leader.
$7.50 per mini isn't bad, when the only other place to get BattleTech miniatures is IronWind Metals, and the box comes with more than just the minis.
BattleTech players have been spoiled for cost for decades on the box set minis front.
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I just don't want CGL pushed into the overpriced Games Workshop category. I could buy into several other games that offer a box of 8-24 plastic detailed minis for $35 or less or a full game with 40+ for $100.
As for lance packs... if you already have the molds paid for why not use them for lance packs as well?? If seems STUPID not to reuse the box set molds for other purposes. Sell the minis individually or as part of a new lance pack. Many of the old hands will snatch up the new boxes meant to attract new players so it would be better to offer them an alternative to buying up 3-5 box sets for the new designs.
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I just don't want CGL pushed into the overpriced Games Workshop category. I could buy into several other games that offer a box of 8-24 plastic detailed minis for $35 or less or a full game with 40+ for $100.
As for lance packs... if you already have the molds paid for why not use them for lance packs as well?? If seems STUPID not to reuse the box set molds for other purposes. Sell the minis individually or as part of a new lance pack. Many of the old hands will snatch up the new boxes meant to attract new players so it would be better to offer them an alternative to buying up 3-5 box sets for the new designs.
Because fans assume they like something, so it sells well. It's a bubble. The truth is most of the world doesn't care, and you (and I and every other BattleTech fan) are a tiny number. BattleTech needs one product that sells well, and cannot afford to divide those same sales into multiple different products. One product selling well makes distributors happy, and game store owners happy, and makes the game profitable. Two products each selling less does not. Suddenly BattleTech is back to not being on shelves and being viewed as dead.
If the box sets and other moves CGL makes grow the fan base, more products are possible. But you can't assume that yet.
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But that is the thing, if the box sets are snatched up in multiples again by current customers then its not growing the fan base. And by issuing the boxes with the only way to get the Classics until IWM releases them at a later date that will not be announced at the same, its what will happen.
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But that is the thing, if the box sets are snatched up in multiples again by current customers then its not growing the fan base. And by issuing the boxes with the only way to get the Classics until IWM releases them at a later date that will not be announced at the same, its what will happen.
I believe this has already been addressed by Brent re: designing the product for faster reprintability, keeping it "in print". Honestly, from the statements I've seen so far, I wouldn't get my anxiety level up over that phenomenon; there appears to be a lot of lessons learned running through the development decisions. Let the new line strategy play out and observe.
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What seems to be the case, at least talking on the business side, is that “vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry” isn’t “Mechs, vehicles and infantry,” but instead “Mechs, other Mechs, and more Mechs.” Vehicles and infantry are the flavors you experiment with once you have your solid dozen flavors.
So to this point, my step-son brings one of his friends over briefly yesterday. While here, he spots my mini collection. I've never seen a teenage boy get so excited. I've got some tanks on the shelves and they were not even noticed. It was all about the Mechs. And he wants to learn how to play Alpha Strike with us now because of them.
And back in the day it was the same for me and my brother as well. Vehicles came later. So I think you are on the right track there Adrian. 8)
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Honestly, I love me some combined arms, but I own hundreds of mech miniatures but only a few vehicles (and the bulk of my vehicles are actually from other, cheaper sources because I don't have the same compulsion to spend on them as mechs).
So yeah, I can see that.
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Honestly, I love me some combined arms, but I own hundreds of mech miniatures but only a few vehicles (and the bulk of my vehicles are actually from other, cheaper sources because I don't have the same compulsion to spend on them as mechs).
So yeah, I can see that.
speaking of minis, the increased emphasis on mechs is reflected by IWM - All vehicles for 3067 saw production, but every TRO since has huge holes in sculpts. For TRO 3145 and 3150, by my count 75 of 91 mech sculpts have been released or announced while on 16 of 68 vehicles have (and tend to be online exclusives rather than retail distribution when they are produced).
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You know, thought about established players buying multiple copies of the old box sets to have multiple of each mini really says something about how much they want new designs.
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You know, thought about established players buying multiple copies of the old box sets to have multiple of each mini really says something about how much they want new designs.
From what was said I think this problem was more relevant in case of introboxes. New boxes have less miniatures but cost same so CGL gets enough cash to do reprint faster. New boxes aren't that good for price of individual minis as were introboxes.
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It's a bit of an almost Catch-22 situation.
Need new box sets for new players.
Existing players told by some: "DON"T BUY THE BOX SETS! THEY ARE FOR NEW PLAYERS ONLY!!!!"
if box sets don't sell, no money to keep in production for new players
Myself...I'l buy probably 4 or each of the box sets, but I will do so, only as special orders...or God Willing...At GEN-CON
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I know I will buy what I can. Im not going to Gencon and finding a FLGS + Battletech is getting harder and harder these days.
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It's a bit of an almost Catch-22 situation.
Need new box sets for new players.
Existing players told by some: "DON"T BUY THE BOX SETS! THEY ARE FOR NEW PLAYERS ONLY!!!!"
if box sets don't sell, no money to keep in production for new players
Myself...I'l buy probably 4 or each of the box sets, but I will do so, only as special orders...or God Willing...At GEN-CON
We've been told that the new boxes will be sold at a profitable price point. At the end of the day, CGL is a business that has to make money to keep the doors open. Every profitable sale is a good thing.
If the new pricing allows CGL to keep the boxes in print longer, the newbies will sort themselves out just fine.
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We've been told that the new boxes will be sold at a profitable price point. At the end of the day, CGL is a business that has to make money to keep the doors open. Every profitable sale is a good thing.
If the new pricing allows CGL to keep the boxes in print longer, the newbies will sort themselves out just fine.
Exactly.
Remember that experienced BT players buying boxes for their own use isn't the worst thing--unless those minis never leave that person's basement. If they're taking their newly-painted minis to their local game store and setting up a game which might attract some new players, that's great, too.
Yes, it's on management to make sure that there's product on the shelves for those now-interested players to buy. But that situation is far better for growing the game than a bunch of unsold product gathering dust on the shelf in the hopes that the right person wanders by in the right mood to try something new.
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To head off some of the "why are there fewer mechs" discussions. Here are some factors.
#1) The cost of cardboard/paper has gone up in the last 5 years, over 300%. This makes the box and inserts more expensive.
#2) Mini quality. The new ones are MASSIVELY more detailed than the previous box. They are also a bit larger, and the plastic (from discussions with TPTB) will be much harder than the previous box.
#3) Inflation. Everything gets more expensive, but the cost doesn't go up, so a reduction has to be made somewhere.
#4) The last boxes were a loss leader (no profit), even when they were produced, before the cost of materials went up substantially. This can't stand any longer.
I can say I have personally seen the new maps (drool-worthy) and the mechs (3D-printed final prototypes) and they are awesome. I'll gladly put down $80 for it all (20 for the beginner box and 60 for the core).
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I definitely think not selling as a loss leader is a good idea. My LGS can't keep the starter box on the shelf when it's available, but very few people come into the shop looking for games. There are a lot of people who see BattleTech as a board game rather than a larger tabletop experience.
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"DON"T BUY THE BOX SETS! THEY ARE FOR NEW PLAYERS ONLY!!!!"
BULLSHIT. Enough of that. Buy as many as you want. Buy them all. That’s not how this works. Do we need to post the old ladies and the ‘Facebook wall’ meme?
Anyone who wants to buy hordes of box sets but feels guilty about it, BUY THEM, sign up with the CDT, run games and demos at your local stores, and ASK FOR more. There. No guilty conscience.
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To head off some of the "why are there fewer mechs" discussions. Here are some factors.
Great points.
It's easy to boil this down into a numbers game, "we used to get X 'Mechs, now we're only getting Y." But that only makes sense if you view the intro boxes as nothing more than Army Boxes for BT--you're been playing for 20 years, so everything else in the box is irrelevant fluff. "But we're the only ones buying them/supporting the game, so the boxes should only give us what we want and lots of it!" It's a symptom of what got the game to where it is now.
To reiterate what Ray said upthread, literally everything in the box is all-new, and geared toward hooking the new players we very much need.
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BULLSHIT. Enough of that. Buy as many as you want. Buy them all. That’s not how this works. Do we need to post the old ladies and the ‘Facebook wall’ meme?
Anyone who wants to buy hordes of box sets but feels guilty about it, BUY THEM, sign up with the CDT, run games and demos at your local stores, and ASK FOR more. There. No guilty conscience.
THANKYOU! (sheesh, it should be obvious)
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THANKYOU! (sheesh, it should be obvious)
It should be, but where would we be without human nature? ;D (Don't answer that. PLEASE don't answer that. I'm depressed enough... O:-))
Seriously, the idea of fewer minis but a potentially expanded production run sounds like a win-win. Yeah, we'll no longer get 26 plastic minis, but the ones we DO get look awesome (especially the Awesome) and so I'm willing to accept that the days of "get nearly a battalion in plastic for $60" are at an end. Particularly if it draws new players into the game.
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I don’t expect we’ll see $20 Lance Packs again.
Yeah, I've been picking them up to $10-$15 at cons for a while now! They are a super deal if you don't mind ending up with more Crockett's than canon says were ever produced. :)
serious talk: I'll buy at least one of both new boxes for the minis alone. Will I buy MORE than one box just for the minis?...maybe, but probably not. Well have to see how badly I want plastic Battlemasters.
Also, I've heard that anecdote about cardboard products getting significantly more expensive from other gaming sources as well. However, I never found much info on what exactly got so pricey. Is it the actual cardboard, or is it really just printed, die-cut products made from cardboard that went crazy on the pricing?
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The discussion of punchcard minis was not a new one. It helps if a company is very very savvy with how they produce and manage their art resources. To that i’ll add:
>:(
:-X
You’re welcome.
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However, I never found much info on what exactly got so pricey. Is it the actual cardboard, or is it really just printed, die-cut products made from cardboard that went crazy on the pricing?
It's the actual cardboard. I work at a company that sells shipping supplies, and prices are going up for things even as simple as plain brown corrugated shipping boxes due to a rise in price on the cardboard market.
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To head off some of the "why are there fewer mechs" discussions. Here are some factors.
#1) The cost of cardboard/paper has gone up in the last 5 years, over 300%. This makes the box and inserts more expensive.
It's the actual cardboard. I work at a company that sells shipping supplies, and prices are going up for things even as simple as plain brown corrugated shipping boxes due to a rise in price on the cardboard market.
This seems really strange to me since my local town has put out a news blitz about cardboard being nearly 100% recycleable. Not saying you're wrong, you clearly aren't. Just weird that more cardboard is being recycled but it's more expensive. I'd think the reverse would be true. More cardboard being recycled would mean that it would be cheaper.
Oh well. Nobody said the world made sense.
On a different note, I'm glad the new minis are coming in the boxed sets, but it's not a huge deal for me. I've used lots of LEGO proxies in the past and I don't think I'll stop doing it in the future. But I can't wait for the new maps.
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Maybe they won't use cardboard and go with the plastic ones the old WizKidz pirate game used.
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We did not have that option or it was out of price range.
There was a more economical thin, stiff, foam, which would have allowed for even more to be included, but without being able to get the material in hand, some of us felt that it just wouldn’t do.
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We did not have that option or it was out of price range.
There was a more economical thin, stiff, foam, which would have allowed for even more to be included, but without being able to get the material in hand, some of us felt that it just wouldn’t do.
I think that I know what foam material you mean. I have few 3D puzzles (japanese castle and two chinese/korean medieval ships). They were from some type of foam material.
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#4) The last boxes were a loss leader (no profit), even when they were produced, before the cost of materials went up substantially. This can't stand any longer.
This, by itself, explains a lot about why the past two boxed sets were out of print so much.
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Maybe they won't use cardboard and go with the plastic ones the old WizKidz pirate game used.
I miss that game. Loads of fun, but I was priced out of it by a guy at our store at the time who could afford to go all-in on every collectible game he laid eyes on, get the good stuff from the outset, and lord his victories over everyone else.
This seems really strange to me since my local town has put out a news blitz about cardboard being nearly 100% recycleable. Not saying you're wrong, you clearly aren't. Just weird that more cardboard is being recycled but it's more expensive. I'd think the reverse would be true. More cardboard being recycled would mean that it would be cheaper.
I imagine the reverse is true. People are recycling cardboard more because new cardboard is so much more expensive. It may take some time for recycling programs to have enough of an effect on supply to swing prices.
We did not have that option or it was out of price range.
There was a more economical thin, stiff, foam, which would have allowed for even more to be included, but without being able to get the material in hand, some of us felt that it just wouldn’t do.
Has there been any thought as to the feasibility of selling counters as pdfs if these prove successful? It would allow players to make their own, possibly expanding the available selection.
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BULLSHIT. Enough of that. Buy as many as you want. Buy them all. That’s not how this works. Do we need to post the old ladies and the ‘Facebook wall’ meme?
Anyone who wants to buy hordes of box sets but feels guilty about it, BUY THEM, sign up with the CDT, run games and demos at your local stores, and ASK FOR more. There. No guilty conscience.
By your command. :)
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This seems really strange to me since my local town has put out a news blitz about cardboard being nearly 100% recycleable. Not saying you're wrong, you clearly aren't. Just weird that more cardboard is being recycled but it's more expensive. I'd think the reverse would be true. More cardboard being recycled would mean that it would be cheaper.
Oh well. Nobody said the world made sense.
On a different note, I'm glad the new minis are coming in the boxed sets, but it's not a huge deal for me. I've used lots of LEGO proxies in the past and I don't think I'll stop doing it in the future. But I can't wait for the new maps.
As someone with a lot of family involvement with producing paper products(including cardboard boxes) I can tell you that recycling cardboard doesn't actually save that much in terms of money. Some yes but not as much as soda cans. It does save quite a bit environmentally.
But back on topic I find it is great news that the new box sets are being priced such that they will not suffer the same problem as the old one as I did actually consider the main problem of the old one was it was too much product for the price.
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I miss that game. Loads of fun, but I was priced out of it by a guy at our store at the time who could afford to go all-in on every collectible game he laid eyes on, get the good stuff from the outset, and lord his victories over everyone else.
That was one of the coolest constructibles I’ve ever seen. I’d buy quite a lot of units if they were of that quality. Maybe a nice alternative spinoff game someday.
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I'm just going to go ahead and blame the high cardboard prices on Nintendo's Labo... ::)
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I miss that game as well. Must be something in the air, because I was thinking about it the last few days, and then yesterday my friends at Firelock Games (makes or Blood & Plunder) we’re showing off a fleet scale game they’re developing, and they were using PotSM ships as placeholders. Now you guys bring it up out of the blue.
(Or you saw the same posts I did *shrug*)
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That was one of the coolest constructibles I’ve ever seen. I’d buy quite a lot of units if they were of that quality. Maybe a nice alternative spinoff game someday.
You bastard Weirdo. Now I'm looking online at Pirates pack prices. I may be able to salve this by buying one of those metal model thingies. Maybe.
I miss that game as well. Must be something in the air, because I was thinking about it the last few days, and then yesterday my friends at Firelock Games (makes or Blood & Plunder) we’re showing off a fleet scale game they’re developing, and they were using PotSM ships as placeholders. Now you guys bring it up out of the blue.
(Or you saw the same posts I did *shrug*)
I know right? It's just so... satisfying to crack out the plasticard and and make a hull and tall-sails in just a few steps.
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You bastard Weirdo. Now I'm looking online at Pirates pack prices. I may be able to salve this by buying one of those metal model thingies. Maybe.
i went through that phase already a few days ago. :D
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I miss that game as well. Must be something in the air, because I was thinking about it the last few days, and then yesterday my friends at Firelock Games (makes or Blood & Plunder) we’re showing off a fleet scale game they’re developing, and they were using PotSM ships as placeholders. Now you guys bring it up out of the blue.
(Or you saw the same posts I did *shrug*)
Don't look at me. The only AoS gaming aside from the Wizkids game I've ever done is WSIM or Captains Bold.
i went through that phase already a few days ago. :D
You guys are lucky. I haven't touched anything of that game in over a decade...
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I'll just leave this here for you all:
http://wholesalegaming.biz/pirates/ (http://wholesalegaming.biz/pirates/)
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I'll just leave this here for you all:
http://wholesalegaming.biz/pirates/ (http://wholesalegaming.biz/pirates/)
Read that as "wholesome gaming"...was going to say, that seems widely out of place around here... :D
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I can say I have personally seen the new maps (drool-worthy) and the mechs (3D-printed final prototypes) and they are awesome. I'll gladly put down $80 for it all (20 for the beginner box and 60 for the core).
And I will willingly do that to a factor of at least 4 times to have enough stuff to run demos from LANCE LEVEL to ALPHA STRIKE LEVEL and allow both teams the same minis
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As awesome as the minis look...it's the possibility of seeing new mapsheets out again that's got me super excited...
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This seems really strange to me since my local town has put out a news blitz about cardboard being nearly 100% recycleable. Not saying you're wrong, you clearly aren't. Just weird that more cardboard is being recycled but it's more expensive. I'd think the reverse would be true. More cardboard being recycled would mean that it would be cheaper.
Oh well. Nobody said the world made sense.
It is, but see, here's the thing people need to be aware of in the recycling biz.
When one make cardboard versus paper, the fibers are often coarser, and less refined.
When Paper is recycled it is made, I don't want to say worse, but the quality is in some ways diminished through the process:
Process (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_recycling)
The process of waste paper recycling most often involves mixing used/old paper with water and chemicals to break it down. It is then chopped up and heated, which breaks it down further into strands of cellulose, a type of organic plant material; this resulting mixture is called pulp, or slurry. It is strained through screens, which remove any glue or plastic (especially from plastic-coated paper) that may still be in the mixture then cleaned, de-inked, bleached, and mixed with water. Then it can be made into new recycled paper.
So, the cardboard has been reduced, and can be made into new cardboard, but still that process is not cheap nor easy:
Recycling (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard#Recycling)
Most types of "cardboard" are recyclable. Boards that are laminates, wax coated, or treated for wet-strength are often more difficult to recycle. Clean cardboard (i.e., cardboard that has not been subject to chemical coatings) "is usually worth recovering, although often the difference between the value it realizes and the cost of recovery is marginal". Cardboard can be recycled for industrial or domestic use. For example, cardboard may be composted or shredded for animal bedding.
So, when Cardboard is recycled it goes from Heavy Duty to less heavy duty, to ultimately either recycled note paper or tissue/toilet paper.
Take a look some time at the actual fibres of the various papers in your house.
Cardboard: Thick, Long Fibres
Writing Paper: Thin, short fibres
Tissue Paper/Toilet Paper: Thin, very fine, very short fibres.
Now remember what was said above; In Recycling the recovered paper product is chopped up and mixed with chemicals. So each step through the process is reducing what has come before.
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i went through that phase already a few days ago. :D
Warships of the Inner Sphere when
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I'll just leave this here for you all:
http://wholesalegaming.biz/pirates/ (http://wholesalegaming.biz/pirates/)
You monster!
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I like what I'm hearing, so please understand that when I say that I'll believe it when the product hits shelves, I am in no way wishing failure on anyone. It is a challenge, but one I hope CGL meets.
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I keep seeing a LOT of posts by people complaining (NOT the word I wanted to use) about some of us buying the new box sets JUST for our Collections. Like, How DARE we spend OUR OWN MONEY for what WE want to buy, I guess? Rather than post the reply that I'd Like to make, which would most certainly get me a Warning, I'll simply say that I'll continue to support CGL and their BT franchise, no matter the product. I don't care for the Clans, but if they'd ever released the Clan Box Set, I WOULD have bought one.
If anyone has a "Problem" with my attitude, bear in mind that I have a "Problem" with anyone trying to tell me how to spend MY money.
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I keep seeing a LOT of posts by people complaining (NOT the word I wanted to use) about some of us buying the new box sets JUST for our Collections. Like, How DARE we spend OUR OWN MONEY for what WE want to buy, I guess? Rather than post the reply that I'd Like to make, which would most certainly get me a Warning, I'll simply say that I'll continue to support CGL and their BT franchise, no matter the product. I don't care for the Clans, but if they'd ever released the Clan Box Set, I WOULD have bought one.
If anyone has a "Problem" with my attitude, bear in mind that I have a "Problem" with anyone trying to tell me how to spend MY money.
Grud, the problem with the previous box set was that it was a loss for the company in the same way the Playstation was for Sony. The company could only afford to release so many box sets in the hopes that it would generate enough interest in the line and sell accessory products and supplements to recoup costs. Hence the fear that dedicated players purchasing all the stock shuts out new players. To be honest, had I known this was the case, I wouldn't have purchased the new box set either. The discussion earlier in this thread was bringing up how it would be wise for the current fans to hold off to allow new players to get into the game. Otherwise we hurt ourselves in the long run.
However, now that we know this new box set is not a loss leader for the company and that it makes a profit on every box sold, that previous concern is moot. Buy all the boxes you want because now CGL would have the money to keep it in print.
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As a reminder, this:
BULLSHIT. Enough of that. Buy as many as you want. Buy them all. That’s not how this works. Do we need to post the old ladies and the ‘Facebook wall’ meme?
Anyone who wants to buy hordes of box sets but feels guilty about it, BUY THEM, sign up with the CDT, run games and demos at your local stores, and ASK FOR more. There. No guilty conscience.
So stop with the whole "collectors shouldn't have bought the box sets" nonsense. It is utterly untrue.
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It's good to hear that CGL will be able to make some bank and reprint the new sets. Nothing is more frustrating as a customer who wants to see a game grow, than to be told that buying a product will hurt said game.
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I miss that game. Loads of fun, but I was priced out of it by a guy at our store at the time who could afford to go all-in on every collectible game he laid eyes on, get the good stuff from the outset, and lord his victories over everyone else.
I have this old GI Joe commercial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KjrzgBilVE&t=4) flashing through my head, with "Cobra Raven" replaced by "Power Gamer". (Apologies if you get that stuck in your head, but it's better than a Spice Girls song being stuck there. I think.)
I imagine the reverse is true. People are recycling cardboard more because new cardboard is so much more expensive. It may take some time for recycling programs to have enough of an effect on supply to swing prices.
Good point about the time. And bonus points for using "effect" properly and not using "impact." (A personal peeve of mine.)
Has there been any thought as to the feasibility of selling counters as pdfs if these prove successful? It would allow players to make their own, possibly expanding the available selection.
You know that would be awesome. Get some thicker cardstock from the local office supply store and print all I needed? I could finally deploy all the infantry used by an RCT... man. How many mapsheets is that going to take?
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Having Battletech in that old Pirates setup maybe better way to do Alpha Strike and put into easier game for new player to pickup. Card, punch out mech, try not to accidentally swallow mini-mini-dice (like pirates) and play on terrain done.
I'll be happy XTRO Succession Wars II or TRO Golden Century or Irregular Tech out one these days before Summer.
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I miss that game. Loads of fun, but I was priced out of it by a guy at our store at the time who could afford to go all-in on every collectible game he laid eyes on, get the good stuff from the outset, and lord his victories over everyone else.
Personally, I preferred the Rocketmen game with a similar system that they did. I've been using some of the ships for battles in Savage Worlds Slipstream recently.
And to get back on topic, I want the new maps!
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I personally would love a box set that came with a star of elementals. I get everyone hails to the king, but im a bigger fan of the battle armor..as if theres no way you guys can tell that ^_^.
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I personally would love a box set that came with a star of elementals. I get everyone hails to the king, but im a bigger fan of the battle armor..as if theres no way you guys can tell that ^_^.
You heard it here first, folks. Fans demand the return of BATTLETROOPS!
[Disclaimer: Actual demand not guaranteed. Offer void where prohibited by law.]
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Having Battletech in that old Pirates setup maybe better way to do Alpha Strike and put into easier game for new player to pickup. Card, punch out mech, try not to accidentally swallow mini-mini-dice (like pirates) and play on terrain done.
Nah. AS is a miniatures game. Traditional BT is a board game. Would be better the other way around, but it’s a moot point.
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Agree with Foxx: Elemental boxes would be awesome. That being said I'll compromise with Clan Star miniature boxes or Clan starter boxes. I'm really depressed over here as a Ghost Bear and all I can show my trothkin is my Inner Sphere Battalion while I assemble the Clan force one expensive to my paycheck mech at a time. Damn Spheroids!!!
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You heard it here first, folks. Fans demand the return of BATTLETROOPS!
[Disclaimer: Actual demand not guaranteed. Offer void where prohibited by law.]
Not gonna' lie... I'd love to have a trooper scale game where the difference in Battle Armor *feels* different, rather than just slight variations on mobility, armor, and damage/ range...
Also, where they move more than 1 - 4 or so hexes (Or 2"-8")
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Not gonna' lie... I'd love to have a trooper scale game where the difference in Battle Armor *feels* different, rather than just slight variations on mobility, armor, and damage/ range...
Also, where they move more than 1 - 4 or so hexes (Or 2"-8")
You got me drooling.
Agree with Foxx: Elemental boxes would be awesome. That being said I'll compromise with Clan Star miniature boxes or Clan starter boxes. I'm really depressed over here as a Ghost Bear and all I can show my trothkin is my Inner Sphere Battalion while I assemble the Clan force one expensive to my paycheck mech at a time. Damn Spheroids!!!
Yes something like this would have me throwing money, heck id be okay if it was clan mechs with cardboard cutouts for the battle armor. Tho some minis would be icing..one can dream right? ^_^
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Not gonna' lie... I'd love to have a trooper scale game where the difference in Battle Armor *feels* different, rather than just slight variations on mobility, armor, and damage/ range...
Now I want to start scouring eBay and secondhand game sites for this:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3271/battlesuit
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Funny no one brought up AToW #P
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I've always been wanting to use AToW's squad combat rules as a standalone infantry combat game. Anybody else do this, and was it any fun?
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I've always been wanting to use AToW's squad combat rules as a standalone infantry combat game. Anybody else do this, and was it any fun?
It's a lot of information to keep track of. Moreso even than in a regular BattleTech game, once you consider that most battlefields especially at the infantry level are neither sparse nor flat.
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Random question, but has it been mentioned who the UK/European distributor will be for the two new box sets? I dropped my FLGS an email about pre-ordering and they hadn't spotted them coming up for order yet, but it'd be nice to be able to tell them which distributor to watch for.
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I'd hazard a guess of around Origins or Gen Con for initial release.
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https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60649.msg1383477
Okay, so they got the first new novel out.
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Wonder if they'll release that via Drivethru or Catalyst store as ebook?
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Repackage of the anthology?
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Its already out on Kindle.
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Okay, maybe I am confused . . . I thought it was supposed to be all new fiction, but I see reviews on Amazon for this book going back to 2014?
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Okay, maybe I am confused . . . I thought it was supposed to be all new fiction, but I see reviews on Amazon for this book going back to 2014?
Sarna has it publiched originally as a pdf between 2012 and 2013
http://www.sarna.net/wiki/The_Nellus_Academy_Incident
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Okay, maybe I am confused . . . I thought it was supposed to be all new fiction, but I see reviews on Amazon for this book going back to 2014?
This book had a Kindle edition for a while (2014). Before that it was released as a serial on Battlecorps (2012-2013). It was just released in print.
It's not the new fiction that has been talked about.
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https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60649.msg1383477
Okay, so they got the first new novel out.
Huzzah!
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It's not the new fiction that has been talked about.
Jennifer is currently working on a new trilogy (new characters, new story, set in the opening stages of ilClan), then there’s Blaine’s novel (spanning Twilight of the aflame through Dark Age) in the final stages for publication, as well as new novellas/novels by Blaine and Jason Schmetzer in development.
Should have a press release for everything in development as soon as…soon as I review and give the green light.
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The important thing, to me, is that the novel is available in physical form. That's a solid step forward, even if the material is a few years old.
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Not sure print matters any more for fiction . . . afaik, most new releases put out the hardback and epub at the same time. They still delay the paperback as they used to in the old industry model.
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good number of people I know read e-pubs or get the audio book.
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I don’t have time for anything but audiobooks anymore.
I’ve listened to more books in the past 8 months than I have read in nearly the last decade. Another few months and I’ll surpass it.
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Not sure print matters any more for fiction . . . afaik, most new releases put out the hardback and epub at the same time. They still delay the paperback as they used to in the old industry model.
There's a difference between print isn't everything, and print doesn't matter.
https://www.statista.com/topics/1474/e-books/
"By 2018, e-book sales are forecast to account for about a quarter of global book sales."
https://www.statista.com/statistics/426799/e-book-unit-sales-usa/
For the last five years, ebook sales have been flat or even decreased. (The link above only goes to 2016, but I've seen numerous articles about 2017 and ebook sales slipping.) At less than a quarter of all books.
Not having print is leaving you out of the majority of the book market.
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Yup.
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There's a difference between print isn't everything, and print doesn't matter.
https://www.statista.com/topics/1474/e-books/
"By 2018, e-book sales are forecast to account for about a quarter of global book sales."
https://www.statista.com/statistics/426799/e-book-unit-sales-usa/
For the last five years, ebook sales have been flat or even decreased. (The link above only goes to 2016, but I've seen numerous articles about 2017 and ebook sales slipping.) At less than a quarter of all books.
Not having print is leaving you out of the majority of the book market.
Is that just major publishers or does it also include the self-publishing that happens?
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I don’t have time for anything but audiobooks anymore.
I’ve listened to more books in the past 8 months than I have read in nearly the last decade. Another few months and I’ll surpass it.
Can we get Jason Hardy to do the audiobooks of the IlClan? I'm sure he'd make it dramatic.
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I don’t have time for anything but audiobooks anymore.
I’ve listened to more books in the past 8 months than I have read in nearly the last decade. Another few months and I’ll surpass it.
Exactly this.
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Is that just major publishers or does it also include the self-publishing that happens?
I do not wish to run that errand for you. If you really want to know, I posted the links so you can check yourself.
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I apologize, it sounded like you were familiar with the work.
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Blaine’s novel (spanning Twilight of the aflame through Dark Age) in the final stages for publication, as well as new novellas/novels by Blaine and Jason Schmetzer in development.
Should have a press release for everything in development as soon as…soon as I review and give the green light.
Not sound like a pain, but you mean Twilight of the Clans right?
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The important thing, to me, is that the novel is available in physical form. That's a solid step forward, even if the material is a few years old.
+1 from me.
I ordered a DTF copy from Amazon the moment I saw the announcement, even though I got the story via BattleCorps back in 2012. I may not care for miniatures, but I seem to have a collector's attitude towards physical books. Epub just doesn't cut it.
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I apologize, it sounded like you were familiar with the work.
Nope. I really did not know the relevant ratio, it was surprisingly more difficult to find that I expected. Lots of "ebook sales up X%" and "print sales down Y%", but it took me a while to find the actual comparison. I hate how the momentum trend is always reported instead of the actual. Makes the new always sound more of a big deal that it actually is, just so they can make it sound more impressive.
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Jennifer is currently working on a new trilogy (new characters, new story, set in the opening stages of ilClan)...
You’re going to make me read young adult novels aren’t you. You do realize I’m powerless against ilClan, don’t you? Damn you! Well, I mean thanks for the fiction set in that era. I’m glad to see new stories coming out to help push the universe forward (I hope.)...but still, damn you.
I’m sure Jennifer will do solid work, it’s just that I am no longer a young adult. I’ve had to read some YA stuff with my kids. It’s pretty clear that my tolerance for angsty, insecure teenagers is...a bit low. Hell, I have a hard time going back and reading about Kai and Victor in their early stories without wanting to slap some sense into the both of them!
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Nope. I really did not know the relevant ratio, it was surprisingly more difficult to find that I expected. Lots of "ebook sales up X%" and "print sales down Y%", but it took me a while to find the actual comparison. I hate how the momentum trend is always reported instead of the actual. Makes the new always sound more of a big deal that it actually is, just so they can make it sound more impressive.
I also wonder how much of a impact things like Amazon's sort of library program is where you do not buy the books but can instead read them. It would fit in with other trends away from owning to renting. I have no idea how the Amazon program works, I just know that while I preferred to buy Kindle books b/c I wanted to own a copy of the stories I could look at any time my wife is the opposite in that she wants to read what she is interested in at the time and would not likely re-read books.
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I also wonder how much of a impact things like Amazon's sort of library program is where you do not buy the books but can instead read them. It would fit in with other trends away from owning to renting. I have no idea how the Amazon program works, I just know that while I preferred to buy Kindle books b/c I wanted to own a copy of the stories I could look at any time my wife is the opposite in that she wants to read what she is interested in at the time and would not likely re-read books.
My guess, completely insignficant.
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My guess, completely insignficant.
Yup. If it wasn't insignificant, the publishers wouldn't allow it.
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You’re going to make me read young adult novels aren’t you. You do realize I’m powerless against ilClan, don’t you? Damn you! Well, I mean thanks for the fiction set in that era. I’m glad to see new stories coming out to help push the universe forward (I hope.)...but still, damn you.
I’m sure Jennifer will do solid work, it’s just that I am no longer a young adult. I’ve had to read some YA stuff with my kids. It’s pretty clear that my tolerance for angsty, insecure teenagers is...a bit low. Hell, I have a hard time going back and reading about Kai and Victor in their early stories without wanting to slap some sense into the both of them!
I thought it an "interesting" choice to make it YA fiction. Either CGL is intentionally targeting younger players or they have no idea what the average age of a BattleTech player is...
Still, in all fairness, I would consider the existing body of fictional work to be mostly YA fiction, so its not much of a departure from their past/current standards.
That said, personally, I'm ready for BattleTech novels to mature a bit by addressing more serious themes in a darker, grittier, more realistic setting.
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About that book being Young Adult literature...
I've already said elsewhere that it starts out in clean Star Trek style; Nellus Academy is basically Starfleet Academy complete with Marik-purple spandex suits and Wesley Crusher is the next guy around the corner... before the book turns into Band of Brothers from one chapter to the next. Not exactly your YA fare anymore all of a sudden. My opinion at least. YMMV.
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That said, personally, I'm ready for BattleTech novels to mature a bit by addressing more serious themes in a darker, grittier, more realistic setting.
+1
That's my bag, baby (https://one-way-mirror.blogspot.jp/p/blog-page.html). ;)
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I would listen to a Battletech Audio Book if there was one.
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I would listen to a Battletech Audio Book if there was one.
I think Audible has a few of the older ones, but my memory might be playing tricks on me this early in the morning.
You’re going to make me read young adult novels aren’t you. You do realize I’m powerless against ilClan, don’t you? Damn you! Well, I mean thanks for the fiction set in that era. I’m glad to see new stories coming out to help push the universe forward (I hope.)...but still, damn you.
I’m sure Jennifer will do solid work, it’s just that I am no longer a young adult. I’ve had to read some YA stuff with my kids. It’s pretty clear that my tolerance for angsty, insecure teenagers is...a bit low. Hell, I have a hard time going back and reading about Kai and Victor in their early stories without wanting to slap some sense into the both of them!
I can go either way on this. On the one hand, my default setting on YA books is zero interest. On the other hand, though, the Hunger Games books (apart from the end) were pretty darned good. I definitely get what you're saying, but I will remain... cautiously optimistic.
I thought it an "interesting" choice to make it YA fiction. Either CGL is intentionally targeting younger players or they have no idea what the average age of a BattleTech player is...
I think CGL is well aware of their player age. We definitely need younger blood, though.
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I would listen to a Battletech Audio Book if there was one.
There are a few on Audible. I have "Wolves on the Border" from there. It's very heavily abridged though. :(
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+1
That's my bag, baby (https://one-way-mirror.blogspot.jp/p/blog-page.html). ;)
Guys, guys! We can have both! And more new blood means more [strike]meat for the grinder[/strike] new players to show the nuances of gameplay! O:-)
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Probably 90% or so of the existing Battletech novels would be considered "Young Adult" novels today considering their content. The label doesn't necessarily mean the protagonist is a young teen, just that the narrative is not filled with overly graphic content. I may be wrong, (I haven't read the anything specific about these books) but it shouldn't be an immediate refusal on anyone's part.
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It's funny how allot of veterans on this forum forgot that most of the older BT novels where written for a younger audience. (The BT cartoon wasn't aim at my current age group ether.)
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Gotta bring in fresh blood to keep the franchise exciting and, ya know, viable.
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I thought it an "interesting" choice to make it YA fiction. Either CGL is intentionally targeting younger players or they have no idea what the average age of a BattleTech player is...
Still, in all fairness, I would consider the existing body of fictional work to be mostly YA fiction, so its not much of a departure from their past/current standards.
That said, personally, I'm ready for BattleTech novels to mature a bit by addressing more serious themes in a darker, grittier, more realistic setting.
Trying to attract new fans with fiction aimed at a wide range of ages is the idea. Catering to a "core" group of fans from their childhood to death doesn't give the line much longevity, I'd expect. There's a huge audience of young (video) gamers out there. The entire new line won't be YA, as far as I've seen. Besides the YA author, Adrian Gideon just mentioned a novel by Pardoe, and additional novels/novellas by Schmetzer and Pardoe. They don't write what I'd classify as YA fiction.
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It's funny how allot of veterans on this forum forgot that most of the older BT novels where written for a younger audience. (The BT cartoon wasn't aim at my current age group ether.)
And that the entire Mecha fiction genre (much less BattleTech itself) owes its current existence to a YA novel written by Heinlein.
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Don’t get me wrong, making new novels YA-friendly is absolutely a smart move, and i can’t argue the business sense of doing so. It is exactly wat they should be doing, I just don’t know how much coming-of-age I can take without my brain rebelling and trying to escape through my nostrils.
Look, it’s not like I want Fifty Shades of Canopus or anything. I just tend to enjoy books more along the George R.R. Martin spectrum than the J.K. Rowling zone these days. Every once in a while, a hero needs to die in a way that isn’t fair because political scheming ate them alive. Otherwise, it just isn’t BattleTech!
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...Look, it’s not like I want Fifty Shades of Canopus or anything...
I bet it would sell.
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I bet it would sell.
The catgirl and mermaid fetishists would rejoice.
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The catgirl and mermaid fetishists would rejoice.
and sales figures would confirm it is a much bigger fanclub than initially estimated. AToW scenarios by Danielle Steel will be soon to follow.
A good number of us were brought into the universe through media not the boardgame. I can't imagine new fiction would be any worse than the current state of affairs for attracting new players
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The catgirl and mermaid fetishists would rejoice.
And then become the basis for a Hollywood blockbuster......
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And then become the basis for a Hollywood blockbuster......
At long last, the much anticipated Battletech movie...
... set on Canopus, and not even mentioning Battlemechs.
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And then become the basis for a Hollywood blockbuster......
I think that it might have already been done . . .
(https://d32qys9a6wm9no.cloudfront.net/images/movies/poster/48/885dabdc79a1e472ae30e8f7cb949b81_500x735.jpg?t=1519286679)
^-^
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I think that it might have already been done . . .
[snip]
^-^
That just makes it more likely as studios wish to cash in to that genre.
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And this has what to do with BattleTech's new and upcoming releases?
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offtopic......never in the Battletech Boards!!!
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And to be fair it has been a while since any product has actually come out, even a PDF exclusive. Add in that we're in this gray zone where it actually has been a while sine new product was announced but not long enough for something else to be announced and it makes it hard to talk about things without re-hashing/repeating the same stuff over and over.
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If there are no new releases to talk about, have you considered finding new threads and topics to discuss? There's a whole forum out there, you know... :)
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But its so much fun to whine about the lack of new product in this one!!! :'( :P
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Got myself The Nellus Academy Incident in DTF, and it's got a preview of Brozek's upcoming novel in the back.
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Ooooo . . . any details from the preview you want to share?
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Three parts, 3155 setting. FedSuns cadets/students facing off against a Kurita Warlord's forces when their world is invaded.
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Three parts, 3155 setting. FedSuns cadets/students facing off against a Kurita Warlord's forces when their world is invaded.
Insert .jpg of Randy getting slimed by the Spooky Ghost here.
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Three parts, 3155 setting. FedSuns cadets/students facing off against a Kurita Warlord's forces when their world is invaded.
FedSuns as the protagonists. The more things change the more they stay the same [blank]
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Well, it tells us the FS/DC border is still lively 5 years after 3150's TRO blurbs. What world? Lol, give a clue of where the border might be . . .
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Well, it tells us the FS/DC border is still lively 5 years after 3150's TRO blurbs. What world? Lol, give a clue of where the border might be . . .
New Syrtis. ;)
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I would listen to a Battletech Audio Book if there was one.
There are a few, Blood of Kerensky Trilogy, and the 4th SW book about Teddy K, they are abridged however, and they are old, sound quality not all that good.
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Well, it tells us the FS/DC border is still lively 5 years after 3150's TRO blurbs. What world? Lol, give a clue of where the border might be . . .
It's set on the last Fedsuns world....
Edit: (This is misinformation by the way guys! Don't believe me.)
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
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Ooooooo, shiny :)
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
Pains me to see a Thunderbolt being abused like that, but it's a beautiful cover. Commander's Edition, eh?
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Pains me to see a Thunderbolt being abused like that, but it's a beautiful cover. Commander's Edition, eh?
It's a Davion Thunderbolt, so it's okay.
But is it going to be just an errata update and rules compendium, or move to address some of the issues with the gameplay? Will there be a rules section related to specific factions (besides what's been published in CampOps)?
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i'm going to guess it's AS + ASC with the newest eratta?
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
That's a gorgeous cover.
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
Looks cool a bit.
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That's a gorgeous cover.
Seconded! Thank you for posting this!
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
I'll take two.
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That is a great cover. So 2 new book out coming soon.
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
Don't know why I feel this way but that cover about as Battletech as one can Battletech.
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Don't know why I feel this way but that cover about as Battletech as one can Battletech.
if it were a Kurita mech shooting a Davion mech I'd agree completely. However, unless my eyes deceive I do believe those are RoTS markings on the Wolverine backstabbing the T-Bolt. Which of course makes for an interesting statement as cover art.
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
Should I interpret the subtitle to mean that the "Doomsday" edition is just around the corner?
...asking for a friend. ::)
[And yes, the cover looks fantastic]
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if it were a Kurita mech shooting a Davion mech I'd agree completely. However, unless my eyes deceive I do believe those are RoTS markings on the Wolverine backstabbing the T-Bolt. Which of course makes for an interesting statement as cover art.
DRAMATIC CHORD (https://youtu.be/qG9_qnPZDvo)
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if it were a Kurita mech shooting a Davion mech I'd agree completely. However, unless my eyes deceive I do believe those are RoTS markings on the Wolverine backstabbing the T-Bolt. Which of course makes for an interesting statement as cover art.
I think your eyes may deceive. While the red matches a Triarii scheme, the unit insignia looks to me like the Alshain Avengers:
(http://www.camospecs.com/images/units/Kurita14thAlshainAvengers.gif)
Or potentially even a DMM unit.
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Well . . . while the loadout on the TBolt matches the -5S, the missile rack is in the wrong place but that is a long running joke.
The other side is if that is a Wolverine and if the blast is a PPC . . . then its in the wrong arm.
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I think your eyes may deceive. While the red matches a Triarii scheme, the unit insignia looks to me like the Alshain Avengers:
(http://www.camospecs.com/images/units/Kurita14thAlshainAvengers.gif)
Or potentially even a DMM unit.
See it looks more to me like:
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/e/e1/Republic_of_the_Sphere.jpg?timestamp=20130605190644)
admittedly lacking the motto and with the banner more and the aura less prominent.
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Just going to leave this here for a bit.
(https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AADdZSjWeAbD0uPhLMqOvxoAAUoMXdlwUqt4cnz9ACL9xA/12/127101572/jpeg/1024x768/3/1521424800/0/2/IMG_3690.JPG/ENv_8WEY_uQBIAIoAg/AXo7W0TcMj098ZUL9gUKq0i7_jMnjNXVNy7NbCBKXX4?size=1024x768&size_mode=3)
New Alpha Strike? Beautiful new THUD illustration? Something being released? Good sir, you have my full and undivided attention :)
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See it looks more to me like:
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/e/e1/Republic_of_the_Sphere.jpg?timestamp=20130605190644)
admittedly lacking the motto and with the banner more and the aura less prominent.
The circle shape on the logo is very offset high for it to be the ROTS logo.
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Could that be my beloved 7th C.L. getting the snot beat out of them (again)?
Why yes, I do believe it could. ;D
I will loves and hugs my beloved losers fowever and fowever.
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I think your eyes may deceive. While the red matches a Triarii scheme, the unit insignia looks to me like the Alshain Avengers:
(http://www.camospecs.com/images/units/Kurita14thAlshainAvengers.gif)
Or potentially even a DMM unit.
Just my two cents, but if we're talking the insignia on the left shoulder, it resembles the Second Sword of Light to me as the grey curves around the right side of the circle.
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So what is it?
BMM-style compilation rulebook for Alpha Strike?
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Just my two cents, but if we're talking the insignia on the left shoulder, it resembles the Second Sword of Light to me as the grey curves around the right side of the circle.
I think we have a winner
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Well CL vs SoL would be as BattleTechy as BattleTech ever gets.
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We've just made a major update and refresh to the Coming Soon page (https://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/)! For your convenience, the full update is reposted below.
The following BattleTech books and game aids are on the upcoming schedule. If it is an e-book only release, it is noted in brackets. As covers become available, they're added to this page.
You'll notice that several previously announced products are not on this list. Any product not listed below is not currently in the production pipeline and its release is not on the immediate horizon. This is the current production list.
When details concerning street dates and reviews are available, those will be posted to the front page of bg.battletech.com (https://bg.battletech.com/). In no particular release order:
Boxed Sets
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018
These two new box sets are your first steps into the world's greatest armored combat game and include everything you need to get started. Existing players will enjoy all-new content including map sheets, fiction, and of course, `Mechs!
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BB_Front_Thumb.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Front-Web_preview.jpeg)
Beginner Box ($19.99)
A ready-to-play starter set, perfect for someone who's just finished their first BattleTech demo and is ready for more action.
Contents:
- 2 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures:
- 24-page Quick Start Rulebook
- 8 Quick Start Record Sheets
- 48 page fiction novella by William H. Keith, Jr., a prequel to the Gray Death Legion saga featuring Carlyle's Commandos and Durant Carlyle; only available in the Beginner Box.
- 4-page Instant Guide to the Inner Sphere
- 4 Pilot Cards
- 1 all-new 18" x 22" full-color paper map (hexed, double-sided)
- Punchboard of additional BattleMechs
- 2 dice
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Back-Web_preview-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Back-Web_preview.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-3D-Box-Render_preview-150x150.png) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-3D-Box-Render_preview.png)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Wolverine-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Wolverine.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Griffin-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Griffin.jpeg)
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AGoAC_Front_Thumb.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Front-Web_preview.jpeg)
A Game of Armored Combat ($59.99)
The classic BattleTech boxed set, reimagined from the ground up and full of exciting new material and miniatures!
Contents:
- 8 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures:
- Awesome
- BattleMaster
- Catapult
- Commando
- Locust
- Shadow Hawk
- Thunderbolt
- Wolverine
- 48-page Rulebook
- 16-page Record Sheet Booklet
- 48 page fiction novella by William H. Keith, Jr., a prequel to the Gray Death Legion saga featuring Carlyle's Commandos and Durant Carlyle; only available in the A Game of Armored Combat box.
- 16-page Universe Primer
- 8 Pilot Cards
- 8 Alpha Strike Cards
- 2 heavy-stock reference sheets
- Two all-new 18” x 22” full-color paper maps (hexed, double-sided)
- Punchboard of additional BattleMechs and terrain
- 2 dice
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Back-Web_preview-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Back-Web_preview.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-3D-Box-Render_preview-150x150.png) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-3D-Box-Render_preview.png)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Lance-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Lance.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_BattleMaster-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_BattleMaster.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Awesome-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Awesome.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Battletech-Line-ups-no-scale-stick_preview-150x150.png) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Battletech-Line-ups-no-scale-stick_preview.png)
Shattered Fortress
Release Date: 2018
Kicking off the climactic ilClan storyline, Shattered Fortress sets the stage for the titanic clashes to come. As the nations and Clans of the Inner Sphere struggle for survival, the Republic of the Sphere and awakened Exarch Devlin Stone face enemies at their doorstep. Will the Dark Age give way to a new dawn — or an endless nightmare? The epic story begins here!
PDF-only Products
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018
A new wave of releases for the Touring the Stars, Spotlight On, and Turning Points series is on the horizon, with the previously announced Opposing Forces and Milestones lines still in development.
In addition, the Brush Wars series will find new life as the over-arching connection between all of the PDF-only lines. Each Brush Wars product will offer an expanded historical narrative on a little-seen conflict across all eras of BattleTech, from the Star League to ilClan and beyond. New entries of the established PDF lines will further flesh out each conflict, and each full "season" of products will eventually be available as a print-on-demand sourcebook. Stay tuned for more details about this exciting development!
Print on Demand
Release Date: Late 2018
A new series of exclusive Print-on-Demand (POD) sourcebooks will kick off with Capital Punishment, a collection of all Jihad Turning Points involving the Great Houses' capital worlds.
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AS_CE_Thumb.jpg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AS-Commanders-Edition_cover.jpg)
Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition
Release Date: Summer 2018
This new edition of the Alpha Strike rules fully revises and updates the original Alpha Strike rulebook, including improvements and optional rules from the Alpha Strike Companion.
Core Book Reprints
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018 for Total Warfare; additional reprinted volumes to follow.
Reprints of every BattleTech core rulebook are on the way, beginning with Total Warfare this summer and including TechManual, Tactical Operations, Strategic Operations, and A Time of War.
Map Packs
Release Date: 2018 for first Map Pack; additional Map Packs to follow
Six all-new maps, designed to be easier to use and clearer to understand than ever before.
Fiction
New BattleTech fiction is in the works throughout 2018 for both print and e-book formats, including:
- Blaine Lee Pardoe returns to the BattleTech universe with Forever Faithful, an epic story spanning the Twilight of the Clans through the Dark Age and beyond!
- Jason Schmetzer’s novel Embers of War will receive a wide release.
- The long-awaited general release of BattleCorps Anthology Vol. 6: Front Lines
- Jennifer Brozek, award-winning author of The Nellus Academy Incident, returns with Rogue Academy, a character-driven, action-filled young adult trilogy exploring the tumultuous aftermath of the Age of Destruction.
- New print-on-demand entries in the BattleTech Legends series will be available, with an eye on making the entire archive library of BattleTech fiction once again available.
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Awesome Awesome!
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What are the pilot cards?
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That beginner box set looks amazing. Excellent value at $20.
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What are the pilot cards?
More or less what they sound like--optional cards which allow players to add some character (literally) and SPAs to the Mechs contained in each box. They're intended to be usable both with the level of rules in each box, and with the full Total Warfare rules.
Each card offers a named character, a short bio, different Gunnery and Piloting Skills, and an SPA or two for each MechWarrior.
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Thanks for the update Adrian, the covers look
awesome thunderbolt-y.
Looking forward to getting my hands on the products when they are released.
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Do the pilots have set skill values in addition to SPAs or are those still determined conventionally?
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Do the pilots have set skill values in addition to SPAs or are those still determined conventionally?
Just updated my original post, the GS/PS for each are printed on the card.
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Well CL vs SoL would be as BattleTechy as BattleTech ever gets.
And I want it to be *my* 7th getting beat all to hell. I love being the underdog.
Also Cubby: the black beemer does suit you when you're doing your official speaking voice. :))
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Thanks for the answers.
Sounds interesting, hope you got more pilots coming in later in some form. I'm terrible at coming up with pilot callsigns/names. Pre-made pilots sound nice addition.
All in all, the coming releases look good. Just hoping you'll manage to stay on schedule, especially when it comes to Shattered Fortress.
Oh, and i hope the TROs weren't completely canned, even if they ain't coming anytime soon. They had rather interesting themes.
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*claps in delight* I wonder if my wife will allow me to spend some $$$?
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Sounds interesting, hope you got more pilots coming in later in some form. I'm terrible at coming up with pilot callsigns/names. Pre-made pilots sound nice addition.
Me too! If these are well-received, there's always possibilities for new cards in the future.
All in all, the coming releases look good. Just hoping you'll manage to stay on schedule, especially when it comes to Shattered Fortress.
When I built this revised list, my strong professional opinion to management was to not include any date that was not solid enough to stand by. And, in cases where we weren't totally certain of a date, to shoot long. There are a lot of moving pieces, especially with the box sets, but my intention is to stay on top of the dates to provide updates and, where possible, explanations.
Oh, and i hope the TROs weren't completely canned, even if they ain't coming anytime soon. They had rather interesting themes.
Not canned AFAIK, but their status just wasn't solid enough to include here, on the principle stated above.
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Also Cubby: the black beemer does suit you when you're doing your official speaking voice. :))
Haven't you heard? It's the Dark Age.
There's been a communications...blackout.
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The print-on-demand thing sounds nice. While PDF is good, I like to lie down with a book in the evening. Certain chairs in my house just don't do my back kindly for extended periods.
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Me too! If these are well-received, there's always possibilities for new cards in the future.
I vote for these too. This is a very digestible product I could use in games.
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Great to hear that the Front Lines anthology will be coming out. Will it be in print, electronic, or both? Also, what about the Legacy anthology?
Will the GDL prequel in the beginner box be different from the GDL prequel in the main box?
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Cubby, looks like there's a description error with the Beginner's Box. It is missing the 2 AS cards (which is important as the Griffin is unique to that box).
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Thanks for the update Adrian, the covers look awesome thunderbolt-y.
You’re very welcome, but Cubby did all the hard work. He beat Brent and I until we have him enough information to put together a press release.
What are the pilot cards?
Maybe we’ll give a sneak peek this week or next.
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Cubby, looks like there's a description error with the Beginner's Box. It is missing the 2 AS cards (which is important as the Griffin is unique to that box).
Those were pulled. AS cards only in the Game of Armored Combat Box.
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That's a whole lot of awesome news! :thumbsup: Are there plans to possibly have pilot cards available through the MUL, similar to the Alpha Strike cards?
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Those were pulled. AS cards only in the Game of Armored Combat Box.
Could they throw the Griffin card in to AGoAC then? :D
Edit: I'd like to note that not having the Griffin card is a point of contention in buying the Beginner's Box. XP
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That's a whole lot of awesome news! :thumbsup: Are there plans to possibly have pilot cards available through the MUL, similar to the Alpha Strike cards?
No plans at the moment--we'd like to sell them via the new boxes first.
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(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/021/431/longestyeahboy.JPG)
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Great to hear that the Front Lines anthology will be coming out. Will it be in print, electronic, or both? Also, what about the Legacy anthology?
Front Lines should be both, last I heard. I can try to get some clarity. (FWIW, we're getting a lot of good questions across all channels with this news, so it may take me awhile to run down answers.)
Legacy wasn't clear enough to include, but last I heard, the intent was to try to get it out this year, too. I'll ask on that as well.
Will the GDL prequel in the beginner box be different from the GDL prequel in the main box?
Two different stories, but linked as part of a larger narrative.
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The Awesome (and all the new boxed set miniatures) look absolutely gorgeous.
I was already planning to get at least one box set (either basic or deluxe), but now I'm serious tempted to get two of the eight-mech box sets. They just look that good! AND I WANT TO PAINT ALL OF THEM. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Plus, a $20 boxed set available at my FLGS would give me motivation to run some demos and maybe try to recruit a new local Btech gaming group!
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Noticed theres no tro golden century, did it get axed?
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No.
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Here it is:
You'll notice that several previously announced products are not on this list. Any product not listed below is not currently in the production pipeline and its release is not on the immediate horizon. This is the current production list.
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Ah. That does sound worse than intended. No, it hasn’t gotten the axe, but no news at this time.
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I'll reiterate to be stubborn.
Are there plans to include the Griffin AS card in AGoAC? Without that card, it kinda excludes the Griffin from immediate playability in AS. Mind you that there is the MUL, but I did say immediate.
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Ah. That does sound worse than intended. No, it hasn’t gotten the axe, but no news at this time.
I suppose, but it was also intended to be a list of things that are actively being worked on, not things that we'd like to put out one day.
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Exactly.
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Why are there no Capellan tears about Hanse smashing what looks like Cappie mechs on New Avalon- we know they were not Cappie but it looks like it!
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…not sure I follow. Assuming it’s a sincere question, those were ROM agents, ‘Mechs painted as Death Commandos. Far as anyone ever knew, they were Death Commandos.
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Ah. That does sound worse than intended. No, it hasn’t gotten the axe, but no news at this time.
Thanks :) just saved yourself a salty trial of grievance ;)
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You’d have to traverse the Sea of Salt to reach me on my Salt Throne first. ;)
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…not sure I follow. Assuming it’s a sincere question, those were ROM agents, ‘Mechs painted as Death Commandos. Far as anyone ever knew, they were Death Commandos.
I know, but yeah, IC its Death Commandos to the majority. I was just poking at Capellan fans that the new big box has Davion stomping on Liao.
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You’d have to traverse the Sea of Salt to reach me on my Salt Throne first. ;)
For clan related product id salt drop from my saltship in my saltarmor ;)
But seriously im glad its still has a chance and am thankful for a honest answer other than "go salt yourself"
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*Sigh* So, my question has either fallen on deaf ears or you are waiting for an answer from the higher ups.
I'll go start a poll for it on the Alpha Strike Facebook while I wait.
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Does the Griffin card from the MUL not work?
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For clan related product id salt drop from my saltship in my saltarmor ;)
But seriously im glad its still has a chance and am thankful for a honest answer other than "go salt yourself"
And with be with A Salt Mech?
PUNS...I've got them too!
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Does the Griffin card from the MUL not work?
You got a printer for me to print it with? I certainly don't.
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The Griffin has an AS card in the Game of Armored Combat box. You're welcome. :)
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edit strike that i misread
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The Griffin has an AS card in the Game of Armored Combat box. You're welcome. :)
You are my best friend, Adrian! :D
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Are these Pilot Cards compatible with AToW as well? Or could that still be a future product (similar to the AToW quick-start character cards).
-
You'll notice that several previously announced products are not on this list. Any product not listed below is not currently in the production pipeline and its release is not on the immediate horizon. This is the current production list.
No TRO : Golden Century then? Pity
Boxed Sets
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018
These two new box sets are your first steps into the world's greatest armored combat game and include everything you need to get started. Existing players will enjoy all-new content including map sheets, fiction, and of course, `Mechs!
Excellent News.
Shattered Fortress
Release Date: 2018
On the one hand, good to see the timeline moving forwards again.
On the other...I kinda liked the pause and the way you were filling in the blanks.
Print on Demand
Release Date: Late 2018
Interesting.
Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition
Release Date: Summer 2018
Core Book Reprints
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018 for Total Warfare; additional reprinted volumes to follow.
Shut up and talk my money.
Seriously - it's about time these CORE books were reprinted. Does this include books such as ATOW Companion?
Map Packs
Release Date: 2018 for first Map Pack; additional Map Packs to follow
D*mn you!!!!! D*mn you all to H*LL!!!!!!
Fiction
New BattleTech fiction is in the works throughout 2018 for both print and e-book formats, including:
Interesting. Will you be getting the BattleCorps fiction, scenarios, etc up on the site here as well?
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The new art style for the new miniatures is what Battletech has needed for a very long time. Wow.
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So I guess the TRO:Golden Century is not going to happen now?? Or is that part of some of the things being released.
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So I guess the TRO:Golden Century is not going to happen now?? Or is that part of some of the things being released.
Ah. That does sound worse than intended. No, it hasn’t gotten the axe, but no news at this time.
Okay, it's on the previous page, but that question got a specific answer.
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So I guess the TRO:Golden Century is not going to happen now?? Or is that part of some of the things being released.
Not canned AFAIK, but their status just wasn't solid enough to include here, on the principle stated above.
This is answered at the top of the previous page, for those who won't read the whole thread.
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Are these Pilot Cards compatible with AToW as well? Or could that still be a future product (similar to the AToW quick-start character cards).
Not tied in to AToW, just TW. That’d be too much to throw on something that’s included in the Intro Boxes.
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No TRO : Golden Century then? Pity
Not on the immediate horizon. But as stated elsewhere upthread, it has not been outright canceled.
I kinda liked the pause and the way you were filling in the blanks.
My own opinion: caulking in gaps in the timeline is nice for existing players but does not result in products that will bring in the new customers that are badly needed.
However! Part of the shift to the Brush Wars PDF model was to create a system for continuing to “caulk” while not drawing on primary production resources.
Does this include books such as ATOW Companion?
Not clear at this point. My sense is that it’ll depend how well the initial reprints do.
Will you be getting the BattleCorps fiction, scenarios, etc up on the site here as well?
That’s up to the fiction side of the house. I’m not clear on what their plans for the BattleCorps archive are at this time.
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The long-awaited general release of BattleCorps Anthology Vol. 6: Front Lines
Very keen to see these, especially if available in e-pub format?
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However! Part of the shift to the Brush Wars PDF model was to create a system for continuing to “caulk” while not drawing on primary production resources.
There were previous discussions about doing another Brush Wars book to cover Operation Guerrero, the Confederation-St. Ives War, etc. Will this new Brush Wars PDF product line be covering these conflicts? I hope so!
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There were previous discussions about doing another Brush Wars book to cover Operation Guerrero, the Confederation-St. Ives War, etc. Will this new Brush Wars PDF product line be covering these conflicts? I hope so!
Yes, the initial entries in this new Brush Wars PDF series and direction for the mini-PDFs would be built out of the work done by myself and others for what would have been Brush Wars II.
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Thank you for answering that question.
I guess I should read everything first.
This board has been very active lately.
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Very keen to see these, especially if available in e-pub format?
Upthread they said it would be epub and hardcopy.
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I vote for these too. This is a very digestible product I could use in games.
Sorry, these are printed on card stock, not salami.
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Sorry, these are printed on card stock, not salami.
<upends table>
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Sorry, these are printed on card stock, not salami.
Now we've got something to complain about. Why no edible BT products?!? How come there are no plans to produce mech sheets printed in icing on gingerbread cookies? You'd get to nibble bits of the cookie off to match the damage your mech has received...
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Yes, the initial entries in this new Brush Wars PDF series and direction for the mini-PDFs would be built out of the work done by myself and others for what would have been Brush Wars II.
I don't know what it would take to make it happen, but is there any chance that some combination of those products might end up on the print-on-demand list at some point in the future?
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I don't know what it would take to make it happen, but is there any chance that some combination of those products might end up on the print-on-demand list at some point in the future?
Ding ding.
That's the ultimate goal, that each Brush Wars PDF and the other mini-PDFs that tie into that specific conflict would end up combined into one POD sourcebook after each "season."
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. I want to let everyone digest yesterday's news before diving too far into the Brush Wars details.
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Now we've got something to complain about. Why no edible BT products?!? How come there are no plans to produce mech sheets printed in icing on gingerbread cookies? You'd get to nibble bits of the cookie off to match the damage your mech has received...
Record sheets printed on Fruit Roll-Ups. Pop off each bubble as you take damage, then eat the whole limb/torso when it's blown off.
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Have a mouth fulla Awesome, ya galloot!
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Ding ding.
That's the ultimate goal, that each Brush Wars PDF and the other mini-PDFs that tie into that specific conflict would end up combined into one POD sourcebook after each "season."
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. I want to let everyone digest yesterday's news before diving too far into the Brush Wars details.
Hooray!
Cubby, for the second time in as many days, you are my favorite person of the day! :thumbsup:
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Now we've got something to complain about. Why no edible BT products?!? How come there are no plans to produce mech sheets printed in icing on gingerbread cookies? You'd get to nibble bits of the cookie off to match the damage your mech has received...
This isn't the product that we want; this is the product that we NEED...
Damon.
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Yes, the initial entries in this new Brush Wars PDF series and direction for the mini-PDFs would be built out of the work done by myself and others for what would have been Brush Wars II.
YES!!!! You sir just made my day!
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My own opinion: caulking in gaps in the timeline is nice for existing players but does not result in products that will bring in the new customers that are badly needed.
However! Part of the shift to the Brush Wars PDF model was to create a system for continuing to “caulk” while not drawing on primary production resources.
I agree with this 1000%
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Could that be my beloved 7th C.L. getting the snot beat out of them (again)?
Why yes, I do believe it could. ;D
I will loves and hugs my beloved losers fowever and fowever.
Except that it's the 5th. ::)
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The Armored Combat box set has a picture of a painted Griffin, but there is no Griffin in the box; This might confuse some people...I'd hope not, but it might.
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Lance.jpeg?x64300)
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The Armored Combat box set has a picture of a painted Griffin, but there is no Griffin in the box; This might confuse some people...I'd hope not, but it might.
They always put that "actual contents of the box may vary from what's depicted" in fine print somewhere.
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The Armored Combat box set has a picture of a painted Griffin, but there is no Griffin in the box; This might confuse some people...I'd hope not, but it might.
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Lance.jpeg?x64300)
a subtle hint to collect them all ;)
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Except that it's the 5th. ::)
That's what I get for peering at the unit logo and not the trim.
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Record sheets printed on Fruit Roll-Ups. Pop off each bubble as you take damage, then eat the whole limb/torso when it's blown off.
That would create problems, if you take damage and have to correct because you ate the wrong location.
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That would create problems, if you take damage and have to correct because you ate the wrong location.
once you eat the damage off, it's official. No take backs.
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The Armored Combat box set has a picture of a painted Griffin, but there is no Griffin in the box; This might confuse some people...I'd hope not, but it might.
Are you confused? No? Then don't worry about it.
That's not to say that nobody will be confused. I can guarantee that shortly after the box sets hit shelves, we're going to get some really stupid posts here. But that's just the nature of the beast: someone is always confused. Let me share an anecdote: back when I worked at a comic book/game store, I had a very concerned older lady come up to me and comment that the Warhammer 40,000 boxed set seemed awfully violent for eight-year olds. I agreed with her, and asked her why she was asking. She pointed to the back of the box: "(Smiley Face) 8+." She'd confused the product safety warning with a suggested age. I politely steered her towards some Teen Titans merch.
Record sheets printed on Fruit Roll-Ups. Pop off each bubble as you take damage, then eat the whole limb/torso when it's blown off.
Oh, now you lot are trying to exclude diabetics like me from playing BattleTech. Joke's on you: I'm too good to ever take damage!
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The Armored Combat box set has a picture of a painted Griffin, but there is no Griffin in the box; This might confuse some people...I'd hope not, but it might.
first off, it doesn’t that I recall. That’s just on the web site article so we can have nice pictures instead of just text.
Secondly, the box has record sheets, AS & pilot cards and standees for the Griffin, so it is represented in there.
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first off, it doesn’t that I recall. That’s just on the web site article so we can have nice pictures instead of just text.
Secondly, the box has record sheets, AS & pilot cards and standees for the Griffin, so it is represented in there.
Oh. *douses torch* Sorry, lads. Next time.
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first off, it doesn’t that I recall. That’s just on the web site article so we can have nice pictures instead of just text.
Secondly, the box has record sheets, AS & pilot cards and standees for the Griffin, so it is represented in there.
Hold on, does that mean you are also providing AS cards for all the cardboard represented mechs as well? Just asking, I have yet to play AS since my TT group is solid but your statement made me wonder.
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Since the spice (information) is now flowing, couple questions:
1) Recordsheets 3150 NTNU: In the same 'someday' bucket as TRO: Golden Century, or a different bucket?
2) Alpha Strike Commanders Edition: There was a rather extensive pile of discussion and math done on re-engineering the point conversion system for Alpha Strike last year to remove some of it's less-than-balanced wrinkles. It started with costing fast units more appropriately, but ultimately touched on a variety of different areas of imbalanced point values. Are they any plans to include any of the 'new' point calculation algorithms in this new version of the AS rules?
On a personal note, I am ecstatic to finally see a book with that Battlemaster art on the front! I'm still wistful about it not being on the front of CM: Davion, but I've been waiting to get a large-format version of that picture for years now! Looking forward to the new box sets and the maps, and a big thumbs-up on the Brush Wars idea as well.
Thanks for the info CGL folks!
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Hold on, does that mean you are also providing AS cards for all the cardboard represented mechs as well? Just asking, I have yet to play AS since my TT group is solid but your statement made me wonder.
I believe Ray has stated somewhere that the cardboard represented 'mechs are duplicates of the minis (plus the main box set has Griffin cardboard). So they're more Wolverines, Battlemasters, Catapults, etc, not different units.
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once you eat the damage off, it's official. No take backs.
For some reason, this discussion reminds me of that line in Restaurant at the End of the Universe - 'do people want fire that can be fitted nasally?'
Kudos on the upcoming minis, which look even better than the high quality ones in the 25th anniv. set! I was a little surprised to see a return to standee cardboard 'mechs, but then again that's how I originally learned to play.
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first off, it doesn’t that I recall. That’s just on the web site article so we can have nice pictures instead of just text.
Secondly, the box has record sheets, AS & pilot cards and standees for the Griffin, so it is represented in there.
Whoops, I missed a word, "Announcement" , should have been in there.
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1) Recordsheets 3150 NTNU: In the same 'someday' bucket as TRO: Golden Century, or a different bucket?
Same bucket. If it's not on the Coming Releases page, it's not being actively worked on.
2) Alpha Strike Commanders Edition: There was a rather extensive pile of discussion and math done on re-engineering the point conversion system for Alpha Strike last year to remove some of it's less-than-balanced wrinkles. It started with costing fast units more appropriately, but ultimately touched on a variety of different areas of imbalanced point values. Are they any plans to include any of the 'new' point calculation algorithms in this new version of the AS rules?
Going to have to kick this one up to Adrian Gideon. But my guess would be that if those involved in that discussion and math have not been contact by management to use their work in this new volume, it's probably not going to be incorporated without asking.
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I know I'm late to this particular party, but I saw something about Brush Wars getting serialized. ALL ABOARD THE HYPE TRAIN! So long as I get GUERRERO and the Absorption War, I'll be the happiest camper ever.
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Um...guys, "unpainted" doesn't have a hyphen in it.
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Um...guys, "unpainted" doesn't have a hyphen in it.
Added for emphasis--making sure a casual reader sees it. :)
Dak
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Added for emphasis--making sure a casual reader sees it. :)
Dak
UNpainted
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I do not want my mechs being that UN robin's eggshell blue!
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I do not want my mechs being that UN robin's eggshell blue!
Ironically that reading would require the aforementioned hyphen :))
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Best thing about this whole announcement?
*Golden Rule
*Eyestorm
*Forever Faithful.
*Rogue Academy
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Are there also plans for new Alpha Strike Lance Packs with some of the new box set mini as well as possible Alpha Strike Star Packs (hint, hint)?
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Are there also plans for new Alpha Strike Lance Packs with some of the new box set mini as well as possible Alpha Strike Star Packs (hint, hint)?
For the moment they're only available in the boxes. As for any future plastic releases - We're not able to say at this time, but metrics and data from these boxes will be part of that decision.
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For the moment they're only available in the boxes. As for any future plastic releases - We're not able to say at this time, but metrics and data from these boxes will be part of that decision.
I would buy so many if you did... Now if only I represented a majority of buyers...
I do not want my mechs being that UN robin's eggshell blue!
Hmm... Now I kinda want to paint mechs robin's egg blue.
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For the moment they're only available in the boxes. As for any future plastic releases - We're not able to say at this time, but metrics and data from these boxes will be part of that decision.
Along those lines, will the IWM releases of the new seen continue again once the box sets are out and established? Love my new Shadow Hawks :drool: .
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I do not want my mechs being that UN robin's eggshell blue!
A great tragedy, and lost opportunity of the BTU is that this was never the color of the Republic of the Sphere.
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I would buy so many if you did... Now if only I represented a majority of buyers...
I'm with you. I don't need starting materials, but I like those models. I also would prefer to leave intro boxes in stock for new players. Having existing players eat up the stock of the set to get the miniatures they desire results in intro sets going out of stock, which is annoying for Catalyst.
I'd cheerfully pay the price these higher quality figures call for, sold as a separate box.
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I'm with you. I don't need starting materials, but I like those models. I also would prefer to leave intro boxes in stock for new players. Having existing players eat up the stock of the set to get the miniatures they desire results in intro sets going out of stock, which is annoying for Catalyst.
I'd cheerfully pay the price these higher quality figures call for, sold as a separate box.
No.
Catalyst has said that they will keep these in stock and get more done on a routine basis, so fans who want more should not hold off. More sales = more product. This isn't like last time.
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Honestly, I'm going to buy both to excess, should the opportunity present itself.
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Not going to lie, I am strongly considering buying at least two of each
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Definitely one of each. I have every box from battledroids on so it is my sworn duty to keep the collection complete
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No.
Catalyst has said that they will keep these in stock and get more done on a routine basis, so fans who want more should not hold off. More sales = more product. This isn't like last time.
Well, okey-dokey then. Loading all my botttlecaps to be launched by siege weapon in Catalyst's direction.
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At present I may need four of the game of armored combat box (not all at once, of course). I want at least four new battlemasters.
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Here. Want to play with people? Buy a bunch of box sets of your own. Eight 'Mechs in detailed minis at $7.50 apiece with some free maps is what you just bought. "But what do I do with all these instructions and record sheets?"
GIVEAWAYS.
You've probably got a copy of your own from the book, plus you probably have Total Warfare at the least. You don't need the rulesets, you don't need the record sheets, but you can give them to friends and let them try out the game on their own or show them how to use the rules as they play with your minis. Don't leave the box on the shelf for some kid to look at and wonder if it's good, buy the box and give the kid your spare instructions and then tell him GIT YUR DICE, SON. Want to create interest? Freebies.
Meanwhile you're running around paying half price for stacks of awesome minis, buried in free maps, and hanging out on streetcorners pushing Battletech instructions like the newest drug. Don't knock it - cops play games too.
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That Catalyst is confident that these new offerings will be more self sustaining is the most welcome news for Battletech I have heard in a long time.
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No.
Catalyst has said that they will keep these in stock and get more done on a routine basis, so fans who want more should not hold off. More sales = more product. This isn't like last time.
This. A thousand times this. If you want to buy a dozen copies to raid them for their minis, do it. ANS Kamas suggested giving away the extra rulebooks and maps. Guess what: these new boxed sets also come with 'Mech standees, Alpha Strike cards (in the full set), and dice. You can give out completely-playable games! I suggest giving them to folks who would be unlikely to buy the full boxed set themselves. Catalyst doesn't lose a sale - in fact, they already made it through you - and if you can get more people playing, even if they can't or won't buy more, you can be damn sure their friends will.
And hey, if CGL does drop the ball and lets stuff go out of print that they should've kept in print, at least you've got yourself a nice hoard of minis. :D
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That Catalyst is confident that these new offerings will be more self sustaining is the most welcome news for Battletech I have heard in a long time.
That makes me very happy. They need some confidence going into the new year after the year they had.
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This. A thousand times this. If you want to buy a dozen copies to raid them for their minis, do it. ANS Kamas suggested giving away the extra rulebooks and maps. Guess what: these new boxed sets also come with 'Mech standees, Alpha Strike cards (in the full set), and dice. You can give out completely-playable games! I suggest giving them to folks who would be unlikely to buy the full boxed set themselves. Catalyst doesn't lose a sale - in fact, they already made it through you - and if you can get more people playing, even if they can't or won't buy more, you can be damn sure their friends will.
And hey, if CGL does drop the ball and lets stuff go out of print that they should've kept in print, at least you've got yourself a nice hoard of minis. :D
Well apart from all the tree's you'd be killing to make the boxes your consqenice should be clear. (Am I the only one who, as a kid, thought that Captain Planet must have leveled whole forests with it's need for paper?)
Only other issue it that it might tell TPTB that we don't want anymore new designs.
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Only other issue it that it might tell TPTB that we don't want anymore new designs.
Huh? How does THAT follow?
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Only other issue it that it might tell TPTB that we don't want anymore new designs.
The main message that buying lots of the new boxes will send to management is: "here is money to make more things."
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I think he’s referring to the all-pervasive bloat. It’s a friggen issue, but most of BT’s issues are Catch-22s.
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I'm with you. I don't need starting materials, but I like those models. I also would prefer to leave intro boxes in stock for new players. Having existing players eat up the stock of the set to get the miniatures they desire results in intro sets going out of stock, which is annoying for Catalyst.
I need to underline this: buy as many boxes as you want.
What's far more annoying for Catalyst and your LGS is having lots of unsold product sitting on store shelves. All that does is delay the return on CGL's investment, and tell the store owner that it's not worth stocking any more BattleTech because it doesn't move. Sales volume and velocity are key for both reprints of these boxes and additional product.
I've seen this idea before, "I want to leave intro boxes for new players." Most likely, you're only leaving them for the mark-down clearance bin. Especially if you're not also demoing the game, playing it in store with your regular group, and talking to the store owner about it.
Instead of waiting for the product to sell itself, why not give it a hand? Demo the game, or arrange a beginner's grinder, with the winner getting a Beginner Box of their own. Part of the reason to have a $20 box is to make it more possible for existing players to use them as tools to help spread the word. I can't personally afford to give out lots of $60 boxes. But $20 boxes are much more possible as tournament prizes, passing along to a friend as a gift, etc.
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Im gonna pick up a few boxs to demo a bit, coworker used to play so i owe him one for getting me into another game...turn abouts fair trial, quiaff?
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As a newer player i'm really excited for this. The problem up here in Canada is that we'll get a shipment, and if it sells out fast, we cant really request or order more from the Stores. From what i understand they cant request more of certain products or have individuals tell stores to buy more for them. They just send them what they send them. Not sure who runs the supply chain in Canada, but it sounds very inefficient. They sent a bunch of metal mini's that are obscure, and no one will buy, but they dont have regulars like Timberwolf or atlas in stock. And the random obscure ones just sit on the shelf collecting dust.
I bought an Axman the second i found out it came in over a year ago, and there hasn't been a new one come in to replace it.
Just broad examples, but its very challenging getting stuff you want without paying for high shipping costs. I would love to just order what i need from my local stores.
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As a newer player i'm really excited for this. The problem up here in Canada is that we'll get a shipment, and if it sells out fast, we cant really request or order more from the Stores. From what i understand they cant request more of certain products or have individuals tell stores to buy more for them. They just send them what they send them. Not sure who runs the supply chain in Canada, but it sounds very inefficient. They sent a bunch of metal mini's that are obscure, and no one will buy, but they dont have regulars like Timberwolf or atlas in stock. And the random obscure ones just sit on the shelf collecting dust.
I bought an Axman the second i found out it came in over a year ago, and there hasn't been a new one come in to replace it.
Just broad examples, but its very challenging getting stuff you want without paying for high shipping costs. I would love to just order what i need from my local stores.
As a Canadian too...
There are two problems with this statement.
#1) Distributors will accept orders for specific product, but you have to request it right. Often stores don't know what will sell or know the product line, and will guess.
#2) Catalyst is not Iron Wind Metals (the metal minis).
#3) Often distributors will batch lots together to make it easier for stores, and these heavily favor newly released items. It is possible to order more.
#4) Iron Wind Metals has some awesome customer service, and will gladly ship to Canada (it is even free if you order over $200 US). Many game stores will also contact directly with IWM if needed.
If you are out west, Starlit Citadel, Imperial Hobbies, and One Stop Shop Cards & Games in Vancouver all stock things pretty well.
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Here. Want to play with people? Buy a bunch of box sets of your own. Eight 'Mechs in detailed minis at $7.50 apiece with some free maps is what you just bought. "But what do I do with all these instructions and record sheets?"
GIVEAWAYS.
You've probably got a copy of your own from the book, plus you probably have Total Warfare at the least. You don't need the rulesets, you don't need the record sheets, but you can give them to friends and let them try out the game on their own or show them how to use the rules as they play with your minis. Don't leave the box on the shelf for some kid to look at and wonder if it's good, buy the box and give the kid your spare instructions and then tell him GIT YUR DICE, SON. Want to create interest? Freebies.
Meanwhile you're running around paying half price for stacks of awesome minis, buried in free maps, and hanging out on streetcorners pushing Battletech instructions like the newest drug. Don't knock it - cops play games too.
Actually, this is a really good idea.
I was already going to get a copy of the box(es), but giving away the extra materials is a great idea. I might have to arrange something through my monthly public game at the FLGS.
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Here. Want to play with people? Buy a bunch of box sets of your own. Eight 'Mechs in detailed minis at $7.50 apiece with some free maps is what you just bought. "But what do I do with all these instructions and record sheets?"
GIVEAWAYS.
You've probably got a copy of your own from the book, plus you probably have Total Warfare at the least. You don't need the rulesets, you don't need the record sheets, but you can give them to friends and let them try out the game on their own or show them how to use the rules as they play with your minis. Don't leave the box on the shelf for some kid to look at and wonder if it's good, buy the box and give the kid your spare instructions and then tell him GIT YUR DICE, SON. Want to create interest? Freebies.
Meanwhile you're running around paying half price for stacks of awesome minis, buried in free maps, and hanging out on streetcorners pushing Battletech instructions like the newest drug. Don't knock it - cops play games too.
To chime in, this is a very good idea.
Both boxes come with cardboard standee mechs, right? Well there you go. Set up a game at your FLGS, run the fight to completion, winner gets a set of rules and the standees from one of your boxes. Maybe throw in a map, if your feeling generous. Just like that, someome else out there has everything they need to run a game of their own.
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Well forget that! If I buy seven boxes Im keeping all the rules!!! MUWAHAHAHA!!!
That way when I play I can provide rules to everyone who plays :)
No but seriously : great ideas actually, some I never would have thought of. Am I upset my box won't have two companies of mech minis? Of course. Am I upset that I'll never see a Clan Intro Box? Definetly!
But so fracking excited all the same. I just need you guys to release them on odd numbered weeks so I can cash my paycheck into your hands and not have to wait a week. New fiction, new boxes, advancing timeline.... *starts drooling*
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As a Canadian too...
There are two problems with this statement.
#1) Distributors will accept orders for specific product, but you have to request it right. Often stores don't know what will sell or know the product line, and will guess.
#2) Catalyst is not Iron Wind Metals (the metal minis).
#3) Often distributors will batch lots together to make it easier for stores, and these heavily favor newly released items. It is possible to order more.
#4) Iron Wind Metals has some awesome customer service, and will gladly ship to Canada (it is even free if you order over $200 US). Many game stores will also contact directly with IWM if needed.
If you are out west, Starlit Citadel, Imperial Hobbies, and One Stop Shop Cards & Games in Vancouver all stock things pretty well.
I'm in Toronto, and any store that actually sells BT, cannot order specific items for me that are not in stock. They get bulk shipments in from IWM and Catalyst, but there is no way for me to ask them to order item. They also have no idea when new items will come in. Apparently they have zero visibility. I've spoken to 3 different stores and the answers are the same. We cant get this ordered for you , and we have no idea when the next shipment will be.
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Just had a poke through the BT Coming Soon page, the Awesome from the Box Set looks so awesome!
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Awesome.jpeg?x64300)
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If this keeps up I might have a company of Awesomes at some point.... this is both awesome and disturbing because my friends will not want to play against such a behemoth company.
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That is a awesome looking Awesome!!
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They re-did the art for Awesome or it's just different take on it?
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They re-did the art for Awesome or it's just different take on it?
Looks like the 3050 take to me, just a better sculpt.
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It looks like they took the weapon part off of the Classic Warhammer mini they prototyped and stitched it onto this Classic version of the Awesome.
It does look rather cool though...
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I'm in Toronto, and any store that actually sells BT, cannot order specific items for me that are not in stock. They get bulk shipments in from IWM and Catalyst, but there is no way for me to ask them to order item. They also have no idea when new items will come in. Apparently they have zero visibility. I've spoken to 3 different stores and the answers are the same. We cant get this ordered for you , and we have no idea when the next shipment will be.
Few locations in ON that I know of;
- Imperial Hobbies in London direct orders (or did a few years ago) from IWM.
- Black Knight Games in Hamilton did have regular games there. (again a few years ago atleast)
Saggittaire on the forums here is a Demo agent in the area and might have some better info for you as well.
Heavyguard
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Can anybody see what the names on the MechWarrior cards are?
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Except that it's the 5th. ::)
This cover art has me so conflicted. On the one hand: Updated Alpha Strike rules! On the other, I painted my 'Mechs as the 5th and now that beautiful new Thunderbolt is getting shot to pieces on the cover.
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Can anybody see what the names on the MechWarrior cards are?
(http://puu.sh/zNaWf/6063bd64e8.png)
I see: Hafa Kaur, Simon Beckner, and Durant Carlyle (presumably)
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So we get . . . a Wolverine pilot, a Battlemaster? and of course the Shadow Hawk
Looks like they also give 4 specific bits of info- ?, Affiliation, ?, Battlemech . . . but the battlemech looks like a name? since that does not look like enough space for 'Wolverine'?
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The middle one looks like a thunderbolt
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Guess what I was taking as the head could be the LRM rack . . . in fact, you are probably right.
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Griffin, Thunderbolt, Shadow Hawk (front to back)
So yes, that is "Battlemech: Griffin"
Note: The griffin is in the intro set, not the GoAC, but it has cards in the GoAC.
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Looks like the 3050 take to me, just a better sculpt.
it's got some MWO in it as well
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/thumb/0/0b/MWO_Awesome.png/534px-6vlueo3cijao6zw4z7pb673abwxpm61.png?timestamp=20180125144753)
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Awesome.jpeg?x64300)
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/thumb/d/d1/3050_Awesome.jpg/462px-t4tdzyi24r7ca3rlre2gyke5oygsdhu.png?timestamp=20110717174739)
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From Day of Heroes scenario. (courtesy of Sarna.net) This is the closest art to the new one.
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/f/fa/Day_of_Heroes_%2811%29.jpg)
I find the MWO one a little too low-slung on the cockpit, which is more Thug-like to me.
(http://cfw.sarna.net/wiki/images/7/78/3050U_Thug.jpg)
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yeah it's clearly not all of one. the new sculpt definitely takes the hip panels and feet (uneven toe split) from MWO as well as the right arm. the upper torso is much more 3050 with the enclosed torso PPCs
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Yeah, but the hip panels look more like a reseen Warhammer than the MWO Awesome.
There are style elements, a more “modern look”, but not taking specific items from the MWO.
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Want a closer look at the Mechwarrior cards? Previews coming tonight!
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Please tell me there are trap cards. Asking for a friend.
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Probably not, but...
...trap card...
...I think I just found the perfect name to scrawl on the side of my next Demolisher. >:D
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Note: The griffin is in the intro set, not the GoAC, but it has cards in the GoAC.
actually that’s Alpha Strike cards, these are MechWarrior cards.
The Beginner Box has no Alpha Strike cards. The GoAC box has Alpha Strike cards, and includes the Griffin.
Both boxes have MechWarrior cards; the BB has cards for the Wolverine, Griffin and some of the ‘Mechs from the GoAC. The GoAC has cards for all the ‘Mechs that it comes with, as well as the Griffin.
The cards are double sided. A different MechWarrior on each side. There are two different sets between boxes, you won't get any duplicate cards.
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So we get . . . a Wolverine pilot, a Battlemaster? and of course the Shadow Hawk
Looks like they also give 4 specific bits of info- ?, Affiliation, ?, Battlemech . . . but the battlemech looks like a name? since that does not look like enough space for 'Wolverine'?
The first one looks like
Rank: MechWarrior
Affiliation ?? / ??
Unit?: ??
Battlemech: Griffin
to me.
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Lol, we are all squinting at the blow up picture to make things out.
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Lol, we are all squinting at the blow up picture to make things out.
yeah i've been zooming in and trying to make out the distorted text
I noticed the rulebook is 56 pages. That's slimmed down from the CGL box variants ran around 80 pages.
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Lol, we are all squinting at the blow up picture to make things out.
Nothing new there for fans. I remember chuckling at the people at Gencon years ago painstakingly trying to reassemble the torn-up pages of what turned out to be The Blake Documents after they'd been torn from the book and hurled at the heretic responsible for the book (Herb). All night people were trying to match up shreds of pages to learn a few hours before the book released just what secrets and lies were contained within. Quite entertaining. (Really the whole thing was funny as hell- poor Herb looked totally flummoxed. If he was in on the act and knew it was coming, he acted it out VERY well.)
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Lol, we are all squinting at the blow up picture to make things out.
Hey, it beats working. ;)
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Lol, we are all squinting at the blow up picture to make things out.
Which is kinda more entertaining than just releasing the previews, but you’ll have the answers later this evening (U.S. EST).
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I see: Hafa Kaur, Simon Beckner, and Durant Carlyle (presumably)
Kaur is new to me. Beckner is pretty obscure. Carlyle is pretty well known because of Grayson, but not much on him. I'm guessing these are pilots from the new fiction included. (Did I miss that being stated earlier?)
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Only Durant is part of the accompanying fiction.
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As promised, here's your first look at a few of the Mechwarrior pilot cards which will be included in the upcoming boxed sets! You'll receive four in the Beginner Box and eight different ones in the A Game of Armored Combat box, and each is double-sided, giving you a total of 24 unique MechWarriors to spice up your games.
(https://preview.ibb.co/n546fH/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/b1UHnx) (https://preview.ibb.co/mRiz0H/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kt7RfH) (https://preview.ibb.co/m6eHnx/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jQMmfH) (https://preview.ibb.co/k5TA7x/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ddwK0H)
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Karlevski's back! :rockon:
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As promised, here's your first look at a few of the Mechwarrior pilot cards which will be included in the upcoming boxed sets! You'll receive four in the Beginner Box and eight different ones in the A Game of Armored Combat box, and each is double-sided, giving you a total of 24 unique MechWarriors to spice up your games.
(https://preview.ibb.co/n546fH/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/b1UHnx) (https://preview.ibb.co/mRiz0H/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/kt7RfH) (https://preview.ibb.co/m6eHnx/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jQMmfH) (https://preview.ibb.co/k5TA7x/Mech_Warrior_Card_samples_1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ddwK0H)
Cool, so I'm guessing the RED (Upper left) is the Gunnery, while the Yellow (Upper Right) is Piloting. I'm also guessing the Pilot Special Abilities are not ALPHA STRIKE?
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Cool, so I'm guessing the RED (Upper left) is the Gunnery, while the Yellow (Upper Right) is Piloting. I'm also guessing the Pilot Special Abilities are not ALPHA STRIKE?
Yup, Gunnery is upper left, piloting is upper right.
Remember that SPAs were ported over to CBT in Campaign Operations. These abilities are taken directly from those, though slightly reworded in a few cases either for space, or to be a friendlier read for new players.
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Definitely TW scale, though AS has most or all of those, so all you'd need to do is look them up.
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Yup, Gunnery is upper left, piloting is upper right.
Remember that SPAs were ported over to CBT in Campaign Operations. These abilities are taken directly from those, those slightly reworded in a few cases either for space, or to be a friendlier read for new players.
Gotcha. Except for Zhen Zheng, all the PSA are easily converted to AS anyways as written.
And of course Poor Captain Kalu becomes a worse shot :( in AS rules (2 Gun + 4 Pilot = 6 divided by 2 = SKILL 3)
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Gotcha. Except for Zhen Zheng, all the PSA are easily converted to AS anyways as written.
And of course Poor Captain Kalu becomes a worse shot :( in AS rules (2 Gun + 4 Pilot = 6 divided by 2 = SKILL 3)
The SPAs first appeared in the Alpha Strike Companion, p. 49, before being converted to TW in CO.
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Beautiful. I love the notable pilots, and having more of them in this format makes me happy.
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Beautiful.
I meant to add in the original post: Ray really killed it on these. SO much info to cram in there, and the level of detail is really awesome. Those watermarked faction logos!
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The SPAs first appeared in the Alpha Strike Companion, p. 49, before being converted to TW in CO.
LIES! They first Appeared in A TIME OF WAR pages 219 - 225 :P
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LIES! They first Appeared in A TIME OF WAR pages 219 - 225 :P
Correct.
SPAs are for both TW and AS, the TW text is listed on the cards, but they have the same SPAs/values in AS.
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Karlevski's back! :rockon:
And he'll be the first nuSeen in my Rolling Thunder company, since I sold off the Unseen 'Mechs from it a while back.
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Correct.
SPAs are for both TW and AS, the TW text is listed on the cards, but they have the same SPAs/values in AS.
Cool thanx Adrain...silliness on my part aside, they look FANTASTIC, and really help to sell the Pilots of the Mechs.
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LIES! They first Appeared in A TIME OF WAR pages 219 - 225 :P
Eh, I didn’t edit that one.
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Those pilot cards just released on the fb page look pretty neat
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What is the ability cost for? AS PV system?
Speaking of cost, do SPAs have any official balancing method for BV-balanced games? Like, do they have values or modifiers or anything?
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It’s a separate point system independent of BV or PV.
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And he'll be the first nuSeen in my Rolling Thunder company, since I sold off the Unseen 'Mechs from it a while back.
I've got Unseens for all of them(you know what I mean), and one of these centuries, I'll finish painting all of them...
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I've got Unseens for all of them(you know what I mean), and one of these centuries, I'll finish painting all of them...
Luckily, they're just brown. I've got a very fast technique for that.
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It’s a separate point system independent of BV or PV.
A new one or am i forgetting/missing something?
I remember campaign operations has SPAs for standard BT but i can't recall if it had costs associated with them.
Presumably this cost is not like that of Design Quirks though? (as that is mostly a recommendation and not exactly balanced even if i stretch the meaning of the word.)
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Presumably this cost is not like that of Design Quirks though?
Nope--the SPA costs are only weighed against other SPAs.
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Luckily, they're just brown. I've got a very fast technique for that.
1st Regulan are not brown, sorry to say...
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1st Regulan are not brown, sorry to say...
http://camospecs.com/Unit/Details/107/1st-regulan-hussars
"For ceremonial purposes the Hussars paint their machines an orange-brown with off yellow highlights."
So, brown. :-P
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The very fact that one of them is a Rolling Thunder character makes me insanely disproportionately happy.
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Those cards look great, and really do pack in a lot of information.
Those four pilots, in particular, seem kinda good. Are they typical examples of the 24, or top shelf material?
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I grabbed a random sampling, but those appear to be mid- to upper-end.
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I'm super pumped about these cards.
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The numbers on top of the cards are the Gunnery/Piloting skills?
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Eh, I didn’t edit that one.
That doesn't mean it didn't happen!
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The numbers on top of the cards are the Gunnery/Piloting skills?
Yup!
Yup, Gunnery is upper left, piloting is upper right.
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That doesn't mean it didn't happen!
(https://media.giphy.com/media/l2JJKs3I69qfaQleE/giphy.gif)
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Yup!
Thanks and Cubby too. I came late into the conversation. :P
I'm little disappointed that most of the previous materials in Coming Attractions were removed. I'm glad their not cancelled but i can't say i like Golden Century and TRO Irregular Tech being yanked. I was looking forward to those. *sigh*
Edit: I just noticed the PDF only stuff includes, Brush Wars books are becoming their own series PDF series vs when they were part of Historical books? I guess we'll find out when they come out. I wonder if they will be more a scenario / Chaos Campaign+Warchest product vs detailed Historical Series was.
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Cards look good!
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Will the reprints of the books keep the same covers? I'd like my incomplete set of spine art to have matching volumes.
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No, they will have retro covers and a retro art spine.
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No, they will have retro covers and a retro art spine.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DM1nR1nXcAA0OvD.jpg)
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I enjoy the old art for the novels more than the Legends one. Thanks for bring them back.
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No, they will have retro covers and a retro art spine.
You have my attention.
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Any chance we'll ever see A Bonfire of Worlds in print?
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Any chance we'll ever see A Bonfire of Worlds in print?
here here
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Likewise, will we ever get the 3150 NTNU record sheets? I know I'm still holding out hope for them.
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Likewise, will we ever get the 3150 NTNU record sheets? I know I'm still holding out hope for them.
You know, given that we're finally getting the end of the Dark Age, or, well, start of it, i think 3150 NTNU would be kinda fitting and important companion to that. Even though it is just a bunch of variants to existing 'Mechs.
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Likewise, will we ever get the 3150 NTNU record sheets? I know I'm still holding out hope for them.
Seconded. I need options for my Uraeus and Khepers.
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Likewise, will we ever get the 3150 NTNU record sheets? I know I'm still holding out hope for them.
I'm still waiting on Record Sheets: Prototypes Unabridged... :D
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I'm still waiting on Record Sheets: Prototypes Unabridged... :D
Come to think of it, Vehicle annex industrialmechs was the last stand-alone record sheet product we got and that was 2014. 3145u and NTNU are already almost five years old... and Prototypes was on the coming soon list then.
My only logical conclusion is that they sell mad poorly.
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Come to think of it, Vehicle annex industrialmechs was the last stand-alone record sheet product we got and that was 2014. 3145u and NTNU are already almost five years old... and Prototypes was on the coming soon list then.
My only logical conclusion is that they sell mad poorly.
My understanding is just that they're very labor intensive to produce.
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I think it's also been mentioned that there's a lack of software that can account for all of the current rules and technologies in play, contributing to how time-consuming generating the records is.
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This has been the case since 3039u. All of the 3145 and xtro series were done in the same way. They haven’t even bothered to post a majority of the RS products after the migration to the new site. The ones that have appeared are for the most part directly related to TRO Succession Wars so it’s far from accidental. Though SSW and MML aren’t openly advertised, they aren’t discouraged either and I can understand why most people would opt for free in one place vs a couple hundred bucks across several files.
Amusingly, someone could have done one sheet a week as a side project and we still would have had RS: Prototypes years ago.
Maybe they’ve been sitting on a format change that we’ll see in the new box sets. Or maybe it’s just not worth the effort.
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My understanding is just that they're very labor intensive to produce.
Correct. As last I heard, there's no software that can print current recordsheets for all unit types. That means they have to be pdfs edited by hand, which is very labor intensive and not worth the effort.
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Most people here can probably make the sheets on their own. What we really need the sheets for are the stats!
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Correct. As last I heard, there's no software that can print current recordsheets for all unit types. That means they have to be pdfs edited by hand, which is very labor intensive and not worth the effort.
Release a TRO-esque statblock on facebook or twitter ever week?
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Most people here can probably make the sheets on their own. What we really need the sheets for are the stats!
Yeah, well, just publishing the stats for all the variants that lack those would be nice, even if there are no record sheets for them.
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Yeah, well, just publishing the stats for all the variants that lack those would be nice, even if there are no record sheets for them.
I wonder if loading them into the MUL like they do the Alpha Strike cards would work? Be a cool way to add in all those random units that don't exactly fit into any other product.
If they ever bring back BattleCorps, could be something else to add value to a subscription. Have a paid subscription, you also get access to all of the TW-style record sheets on the MUL...
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I wonder if loading them into the MUL like they do the Alpha Strike cards would work? Be a cool way to add in all those random units that don't exactly fit into any other product.
If they ever bring back BattleCorps, could be something else to add value to a subscription. Have a paid subscription, you also get access to all of the TW-style record sheets on the MUL...
In order to make an AS Card, unfortunately, one needs a record sheet/stats first to work from.
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Correct. As last I heard, there's no software that can print current recordsheets for all unit types. That means they have to be pdfs edited by hand, which is very labor intensive and not worth the effort.
Which is a problem because new toys/TROs seem to be quite popular. :-\
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In order to make an AS Card, unfortunately, one needs a record sheet/stats first to work from.
I believe he means having the TW Record sheet hosted on the MUL.
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I believe he means having the TW Record sheet hosted on the MUL.
Ahhh....But then, there goes a revenue stream (albiet a very small revenue stream) for CGL
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Correct. As last I heard, there's no software that can print current recordsheets for all unit types. That means they have to be pdfs edited by hand, which is very labor intensive and not worth the effort.
What is exactly meant with 'edited by hand'? Do the TPTB have special adobe files or are they paint shopping like crazy?
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Adobe illustrator.
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Ahhh....But then, there goes a revenue stream (albiet a very small revenue stream) for CGL
Which is why I said it would have been a cool thing to add value to the BattleCorps subscription...
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Isn't Megamek up to the task? Or does the open source nature of it provide legal difficulties?
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Isn't Megamek up to the task? Or does the open source nature of it provide legal difficulties?
IIRC, someone once mentioned that 'Mech record sheets are actually done with it. But don't quote me on this.
In any case, Megamek Lab can't do all types of units. Only 'Mechs, Combat Vehicles, Aerospace Fighters and Battle Armor. Anything else is impossible.
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IIRC, someone once mentioned that 'Mech record sheets are actually done with it. But don't quote me on this.
In any case, Megamek Lab can't do all types of units. Only 'Mechs, Combat Vehicles, Aerospace Fighters and Battle Armor. Anything else is impossible.
So about 80-90% (in some cases 100%) of a given RS book
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That is correct.
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I know there's a major hold up on water borne units because there isn't a template yet, is that being looked at?
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Looks like I really really need to download MegaMek
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You can do DropShips now with MegaLab last time i checked. Which means records sheets.
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You can do DropShips now with MegaLab last time i checked. Which means records sheets.
#freethestatblocks2018
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We've just made a major update and refresh to the Coming Soon page (https://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/)! For your convenience, the full update is reposted below.
The following BattleTech books and game aids are on the upcoming schedule. If it is an e-book only release, it is noted in brackets. As covers become available, they're added to this page.
You'll notice that several previously announced products are not on this list. Any product not listed below is not currently in the production pipeline and its release is not on the immediate horizon. This is the current production list.
When details concerning street dates and reviews are available, those will be posted to the front page of bg.battletech.com (https://bg.battletech.com/). In no particular release order:
Boxed Sets
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018
These two new box sets are your first steps into the world's greatest armored combat game and include everything you need to get started. Existing players will enjoy all-new content including map sheets, fiction, and of course, `Mechs!
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BB_Front_Thumb.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Front-Web_preview.jpeg)
Beginner Box ($19.99)
A ready-to-play starter set, perfect for someone who's just finished their first BattleTech demo and is ready for more action.
Contents:
- 2 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures:
- 24-page Quick Start Rulebook
- 8 Quick Start Record Sheets
- 48 page fiction novella by William H. Keith, Jr., a prequel to the Gray Death Legion saga featuring Carlyle's Commandos and Durant Carlyle; only available in the Beginner Box.
- 4-page Instant Guide to the Inner Sphere
- 4 Pilot Cards
- 1 all-new 18" x 22" full-color paper map (hexed, double-sided)
- Punchboard of additional BattleMechs
- 2 dice
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Back-Web_preview-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Back-Web_preview.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-3D-Box-Render_preview-150x150.png) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-3D-Box-Render_preview.png)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Wolverine-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Wolverine.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Griffin-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Griffin.jpeg)
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AGoAC_Front_Thumb.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Front-Web_preview.jpeg)
A Game of Armored Combat ($59.99)
The classic BattleTech boxed set, reimagined from the ground up and full of exciting new material and miniatures!
Contents:
- 8 high-quality, fully assembled (unpainted) miniatures:
- Awesome
- BattleMaster
- Catapult
- Commando
- Locust
- Shadow Hawk
- Thunderbolt
- Wolverine
- 48-page Rulebook
- 16-page Record Sheet Booklet
- 48 page fiction novella by William H. Keith, Jr., a prequel to the Gray Death Legion saga featuring Carlyle's Commandos and Durant Carlyle; only available in the A Game of Armored Combat box.
- 16-page Universe Primer
- 8 Pilot Cards
- 8 Alpha Strike Cards
- 2 heavy-stock reference sheets
- Two all-new 18” x 22” full-color paper maps (hexed, double-sided)
- Punchboard of additional BattleMechs and terrain
- 2 dice
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Back-Web_preview-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Back-Web_preview.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-3D-Box-Render_preview-150x150.png) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-3D-Box-Render_preview.png)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Lance-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Lance.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_BattleMaster-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_BattleMaster.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Awesome-150x150.jpeg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Awesome.jpeg)(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Battletech-Line-ups-no-scale-stick_preview-150x150.png) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/2018_Box_Battletech-Line-ups-no-scale-stick_preview.png)
Shattered Fortress
Release Date: 2018
Kicking off the climactic ilClan storyline, Shattered Fortress sets the stage for the titanic clashes to come. As the nations and Clans of the Inner Sphere struggle for survival, the Republic of the Sphere and awakened Exarch Devlin Stone face enemies at their doorstep. Will the Dark Age give way to a new dawn — or an endless nightmare? The epic story begins here!
PDF-only Products
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018
A new wave of releases for the Touring the Stars, Spotlight On, and Turning Points series is on the horizon, with the previously announced Opposing Forces and Milestones lines still in development.
In addition, the Brush Wars series will find new life as the over-arching connection between all of the PDF-only lines. Each Brush Wars product will offer an expanded historical narrative on a little-seen conflict across all eras of BattleTech, from the Star League to ilClan and beyond. New entries of the established PDF lines will further flesh out each conflict, and each full "season" of products will eventually be available as a print-on-demand sourcebook. Stay tuned for more details about this exciting development!
Print on Demand
Release Date: Late 2018
A new series of exclusive Print-on-Demand (POD) sourcebooks will kick off with Capital Punishment, a collection of all Jihad Turning Points involving the Great Houses' capital worlds.
(https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AS_CE_Thumb.jpg) (https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AS-Commanders-Edition_cover.jpg)
Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition
Release Date: Summer 2018
This new edition of the Alpha Strike rules fully revises and updates the original Alpha Strike rulebook, including improvements and optional rules from the Alpha Strike Companion.
Core Book Reprints
Release Date: 3rd Quarter 2018 for Total Warfare; additional reprinted volumes to follow.
Reprints of every BattleTech core rulebook are on the way, beginning with Total Warfare this summer and including TechManual, Tactical Operations, Strategic Operations, and A Time of War.
Map Packs
Release Date: 2018 for first Map Pack; additional Map Packs to follow
Six all-new maps, designed to be easier to use and clearer to understand than ever before.
Fiction
New BattleTech fiction is in the works throughout 2018 for both print and e-book formats, including:
- Blaine Lee Pardoe returns to the BattleTech universe with Forever Faithful, an epic story spanning the Twilight of the Clans through the Dark Age and beyond!
- Jason Schmetzer’s novel Embers of War will receive a wide release.
- The long-awaited general release of BattleCorps Anthology Vol. 6: Front Lines
- Jennifer Brozek, award-winning author of The Nellus Academy Incident, returns with Rogue Academy, a character-driven, action-filled young adult trilogy exploring the tumultuous aftermath of the Age of Destruction.
- New print-on-demand entries in the BattleTech Legends series will be available, with an eye on making the entire archive library of BattleTech fiction once again available.
So the minis shown look “grainy” are they 3D printed or is that texture what we should expect in the final product?
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So the minis shown look “grainy” are they 3D printed or is that texture what we should expect in the final product?
Those are 3D printed prototypes, not masters or production samples. The final product will absolutely be much smoother and more finished.
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Those are 3D printed prototypes, not masters or production samples. The final product will absolutely be much smoother and more finished.
Would it be accurate to say that the final product will be injection-molded plastic, mastered off the original digital files, rather than off of the physical prototypes?
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Yup.
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Will POD be available for Europe with affordable postage? Usual $20+ postage is pretty high and it would destroy whole idea to me and my friends.
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Would it be accurate to say that the final product will be injection-molded plastic, mastered off the original digital files, rather than off of the physical prototypes?
I would assume this is the case, several companies now use CAD to sculpt their new miniatures. As the Mech's are plastic I would suspect the metal moulds are machined using the original CAD as the old method for making moulds thank I know off was to produce 3 ups and cut the moulds using those.
If the Mech’s were resin or metal, then it’s possible the moulds would be made from printed masters. Forge World has had a few resin models show the steps, I haven’t seen examples. While Corvus Belli use metal and I think they produce printed masters, but they don’t have the steps showing, they might use a milling machine rather than a printer to produce them.
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I know others have already said it, but yes, if there are truly is no plan to release those sheets, it would be greatly appreciated if CGL would at least put out the raw stats so players can recreate them if they so desire.
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Will the release of the PC game affect new product....or will the PC game add stuff in from stuff coming out??
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Will the release of the PC game affect new product....or will the PC game add stuff in from stuff coming out??
I don't understand the second part of your question. But I think I get the gist, and the answer is no, the PC game will not affect Coming Releases one way or the other.
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Will POD be available for Europe with affordable postage? Usual $20+ postage is pretty high and it would destroy whole idea to me and my friends.
The only POD product currently scheduled is "Capital Punishment," the compilation of some of the Jihad-era Turning Points. I can't speak as to shipping rates.
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Will POD be available for Europe with affordable postage? Usual $20+ postage is pretty high and it would destroy whole idea to me and my friends.
POD (as currently planned) will be via One Book Shelf (DrivethruRPG, RPGNow, etc.), who maintain a printer in the US and the UK, and use whichever works best for the customer ordering.
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Sounds good, should keep costs reasonable.
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I don't understand the second part of your question. But I think I get the gist, and the answer is no, the PC game will not affect Coming Releases one way or the other.
Thanks for the answer. Sorry my question was a little confusing.
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POD (as currently planned) will be via One Book Shelf (DrivethruRPG, RPGNow, etc.), who maintain a printer in the US and the UK, and use whichever works best for the customer ordering.
Good news then. Thanks for info
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I don't understand the second part of your question. But I think I get the gist, and the answer is no, the PC game will not affect Coming Releases one way or the other.
I assume (and hope) there may be some CGL team Battletech Game multi-player sessions that go on into the wee-hours of the morning after 24 April. Therefore, there might be some minor impacts on your ability to do proofing and editing with weary eyes and brain ^-^ However, we will forgive you guys a small amount of fun :thumbsup:
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No further XTRO's for 2018 then?
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No further XTRO's for 2018 then?
Not until they are released, no.
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I think Succession Wars v2 was the only one on the list. We’ve only gotten one in each of the last two years so I wouldn’t be surprised if tptb were more or less done
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I think Succession Wars v2 was the only one on the list. We’ve only gotten one in each of the last two years so I wouldn’t be surprised if tptb were more or less done
If it's not on the Coming Releases list, it's not being worked on at the moment.
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If it's not on the Coming Releases list, it's not being worked on at the moment.
*the former coming releases before the most recent revision
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I was hoping for a new TRO maybe soon.
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I was hoping for a new TRO maybe soon.
If it's not on the Coming Releases list, it's not being worked on at the moment.
Your question has been answered in full.
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Your question has been answered in full.
I know...thats why Im sad. But happy for other things on that list.
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Not until they are released, no.
And so we got *Kosh*ed again ...
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And so we got *Kosh*ed again ...
Yes
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This has probably been asked, but has there been any word about if or when the miniatures in the Beginner and Armored Combat sets will be available to purchase seperately?
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This has probably even asked, but has there been any word about if or when the miniatures in the Beginner and Armored Combat sets will be available to purchase seperately?
No word, but i'd expect "no", at least for now.
I would guess IWM will probably make metallic versions later on.
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This has probably even asked, but has there been any word about if or when the miniatures in the Beginner and Armored Combat sets will be available to purchase seperately?
has this been done since the third edition box?
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Lance Packs contained most of the previous intro box's contents.
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Lance Packs contained most of the previous intro box's contents.
to a great deal of grumbling over repeats iirc
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Thanks. I want the Armored Combat box, but want that Griffin in the Beginner without having to get the whole thing. I'll just wait a bit and see.
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to a great deal of grumbling over repeats iirc
I mean how many Quickdraws must a man get, just so he can have a couple spare Panthers, Grasshoppers, and Dragons (and I'm not even that big a fan of the Dragon!). And the Vindicator... ugh
Granted I love the idea of the Lance Packs... it's just the repeats. Some are just... I hate to say it: aweful.
That being said: I'd want at least one of each mech from the new set: but not necessarily multiples of some.
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Quickdraws
i never said the grumbling wasn't justifiable ;)
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I mean how many Quickdraws must a man get, just so he can have a couple spare Panthers, Grasshoppers, and Dragons (and I'm not even that big a fan of the Dragon!). And the Vindicator... ugh
Granted I love the idea of the Lance Packs... it's just the repeats. Some are just... I hate to say it: aweful.
That being said: I'd want at least one of each mech from the new set: but not necessarily multiples of some.
I've bought one of each of the lance packs, and duplicates of three; I took the view that with 3 of the previous box sets (one with the most recent sculpts, and two of the one slightly before that) I could take the minis I wanted out of the lance packs, and give the duplicates I wasn't fussed about to a friend who picked up a basic box set to learn the game with. As he likes the Combine most, he's been happy to take the surplus Panthers, Dragons et al off my hands, and it's given me an excuse to pick up a couple of additional lance packs to give him for his birthday to give him four of the sculpts only available in the lance packs. I'm happy playing with the old Reinforcements-packs cardboard standees, but it's nicer to have more plastic minis :)
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I mean how many Quickdraws must a man get
I dunno, how many red-shirts does a guy need? This never gets old...
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/cso-images/schemes/28_dak_quickdraw_1.jpg) (http://www.camospecs.com/Miniature/Details/4974/quickdraw-qkd-4g)
Also, that is the reason IWM sells individual miniatures.
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This has probably been asked, but has there been any word about if or when the miniatures in the Beginner and Armored Combat sets will be available to purchase seperately?
For now, they're just being sold in the box sets.
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I mean how many Quickdraws must a man get, just so he can have a couple spare Panthers, Grasshoppers, and Dragons (and I'm not even that big a fan of the Dragon!). And the Vindicator... ugh
I actually quite like the Quickdraw. It's common enough it fits in everywhere. The Cyclops on the other hand...
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I do not mind duplicates. They make great trading material. When I ended up with a bunch of plastics that I had too many copies of I donated them to a friend who was running a gaming club at his school. Seemed like a win win.
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I actually quite like the Quickdraw. It's common enough it fits in everywhere. The Cyclops on the other hand...
Oddly enough, I prefer the Cyclops over the Quickdraw. In later years, there are some darned good configs, plus C3 master configs available on the IS General & Merc lists. But yes, they're mook 'Mechs.
(Oddly enough, remember the FASA-era 'thing' of putting Riflemen in Recon lances? The Quickdraw was supposed to be a Rifleman replacement of some kind; oddly enough, it is a better fit for a recon lance.)
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Some are worse than others, but in my opinion, all the alpha strike lance packs contain something that is either a dud or shouldn't be in the lance indicated.
Notably, the support pack. Firestarters are specialist designs with no long range potential, but I guess it could fit in as a bodyguard. The Charger? Unless it's a Challanger, the thing has no business anywhere near a 'support' lance.
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Some are worse than others, but in my opinion, all the alpha strike lance packs contain something that is either a dud or shouldn't be in the lance indicated.
Notably, the support pack. Firestarters are specialist designs with no long range potential, but I guess it could fit in as a bodyguard. The Charger? Unless it's a Challanger, the thing has no business anywhere near a 'support' lance.
I think the Support pack was something of an odds and ends pack.
You got a mugger, a pyromaniac, a jack of all trades, and a stone wall.
Strictly speaking all can work as "support" 'Mechs though. The Charger is just fast enough it works as a part of a scout lance, if nothing else it can beat anything it meets to scrap metal, think of it as a "anti-'Mech support". The Firestarter is a anti-infantry and anti-forest specialist, it is the kind of support you may need on certain environments. The Vindicator is not a special in itself, but you can fill out just about any lance with one. The Awesome is one of the best direct fire support 'Mechs there are.
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Sartris’ Law of Battletech Worthiness: If the performance of a unit or units is predominantly praised after someone else disparities it or them, the relative value is questionable
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Some are worse than others, but in my opinion, all the alpha strike lance packs contain something that is either a dud or shouldn't be in the lance indicated.
Notably, the support pack. Firestarters are specialist designs with no long range potential, but I guess it could fit in as a bodyguard. The Charger? Unless it's a Challanger, the thing has no business anywhere near a 'support' lance.
I think the Support pack was something of an odds and ends pack.
You got a mugger, a pyromaniac, a jack of all trades, and a stone wall.
Strictly speaking all can work as "support" 'Mechs though. The Charger is just fast enough it works as a part of a scout lance, if nothing else it can beat anything it meets to scrap metal, think of it as a "anti-'Mech support". The Firestarter is a anti-infantry and anti-forest specialist, it is the kind of support you may need on certain environments. The Vindicator is not a special in itself, but you can fill out just about any lance with one. The Awesome is one of the best direct fire support 'Mechs there are.
I wrote an Alpha Strike article (https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=57815.msg1330425#msg1330425) about the Charger. Cliff's notes: I find that the 1A1 is actually a gem under Alpha Strike rules. And with the points re-eval allegedly finally coming live soon with the Commander's Edition... a Charger 1A1 costing the same as the vanilla Locust 1V is a pretty fair tossup for 18PV.
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The Charger is worthless, yes. But it can be sold with some clever marketing. Such as "you got a brawling troublemaker in your company? Assign a Charger for him or her, so that they can spend their energy on the battlefield against an enemy rather than anyone you don't want to piss off". And "Send them with a scout lance, they can hold the line while the smaller ones escape". Aand... "You're not actually losing much if your troublemaker gets themselves killed with the Charger".
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I was actually thinking of bashing my Charger CGR-1A5 with a axe
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Don't forget that the game isn't WYSIWIG, and that even Chargers have great configs. Okay, the 1A5 (also SA5) has a metal mini via IWM, but the superlative 3K (and it's brother C) are very handy. Heck, try a 1A9.
Likewise, Firestarter FS-9S and 9S1 provide fast durable electronics, while the 9K and 9M are scout-killers. Und so weiter.
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I hereby volunteer to accept all unwanted chargers. I can always find a use for them, from the tactical to the silly.
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Noticed theres no tro golden century, did it get axed?
Ah. That does sound worse than intended. No, it hasn’t gotten the axe, but no news at this time.
-Sigh-
(...I guess can stop holding out hope for a surprise 39th birthday present...)
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I hereby volunteer to accept all unwanted chargers. I can always find a use for them, from the tactical to the silly.
I second this! I will gladly take any unwanted Chargers if anyone wants to dispose of them. Great units in an urban or cluttered terrain area!
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I hereby volunteer to accept all unwanted chargers. I can always find a use for them, from the tactical to the silly.
How about as an escort for LRM carriers? Or test beds for TSM?
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Oddly enough, I prefer the Cyclops over the Quickdraw. In later years, there are some darned good configs, plus C3 master configs available on the IS General & Merc lists. But yes, they're mook 'Mechs.
(Oddly enough, remember the FASA-era 'thing' of putting Riflemen in Recon lances? The Quickdraw was supposed to be a Rifleman replacement of some kind; oddly enough, it is a better fit for a recon lance.)
Do I? YES! and boy was it consistant in some places!
Ironically, now that we have more mobile Riflemen, it's gone away.
Far from the weirdest addition to a Recon Lance, but geeze, yeah...
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Oddly enough, I prefer the Cyclops over the Quickdraw. In later years, there are some darned good configs, plus C3 master configs available on the IS General & Merc lists. But yes, they're mook 'Mechs.
(Oddly enough, remember the FASA-era 'thing' of putting Riflemen in Recon lances? The Quickdraw was supposed to be a Rifleman replacement of some kind; oddly enough, it is a better fit for a recon lance.)
You forget they where Lyran recon lances, to be fair they where the lightest and fastest mechs in the company :thumbsup:
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I know the new box sets, novels and such are coming.....but think we can get a PDF product soon? Touring the Stars, SpotLight On, Turning Points......I need a fix!
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I know the new box sets, novels and such are coming.....but think we can get a PDF product soon? Touring the Stars, SpotLight On, Turning Points......I need a fix!
There's a few that have gotten a first round of editing and have gone through layout. Going to see if we can get some momentum toward releasing those soon.
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Ooooh, I hope it's one of mine!
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Ooooh, I hope it's one of mine!
There's a good number of them at various stages of the process. First order of business is organizing what's in the pipeline, and hopefully re-establishing a regular release pattern. We'll get there.
I meant to say to everyone else--keep an eye on this forum (General Discussion), on the News and Announcements (https://bg.battletech.com/category/news/news-and-announcements/) section on the BT main page on the official BT social media accounts, and you won't miss anything.
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(https://i.imgur.com/cUEvpJw.jpg)
Anything can be improved with the addition of a sword.
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(https://i.imgur.com/cUEvpJw.jpg)
Anything can be improved with the addition of a sword.
And in the case of that charger KMZ, a heavy PPC, 2 light PPCs, an MML9, jump jets, and slowing it for to 4/6/4.
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Bah! 4/6 isn’t a charger...maybe a Meanderer or a Leisurely Stroller, but not a charger!
Anyway, I second the motion to push out one of the little PDF products. I’d settle for some shattered fortress teasers like maybe a redacted table of contents, but a mini PDF would also be nice. Just a little fluff to keep us engaged!
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I’d settle for some shattered fortress teasers like maybe a redacted table of contents
Heh, just a bunch of page numbers? :)
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Heh, just a bunch of page numbers? :)
Today’s spoiler: 8, 13, 22, 41 (my dad works for CGL this is legit)
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Ooooh, I hope it's one of mine!
15-20% chance
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And in the case of that charger KMZ, a heavy PPC, 2 light PPCs, an MML9, jump jets, and slowing it for to 4/6/4.
If we're going to talk sword wielding Combine Chargers, the CGR-3Kr is a much better choice.
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There's a few that have gotten a first round of editing and have gone through layout. Going to see if we can get some momentum toward releasing those soon.
*Hands Cubby a sledgehammer*
In case you need to break up some resistance......
Craig
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*Hands Cubby a sledgehammer*
In case you need to break up some resistance......
Craig
Cookies and cake may help either ... ;)
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Really looking forward to the new box releases! Thanks!
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The box releases look really neat. I love seeing new Battletech product.
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Ooooh, I hope it's one of mine!
At least you got a couple to increase your chances, I've only got the one
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Key question: when will pre orders be open for the new sets? I needs my fix.
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no official word on a release date. Third quarter seems likely if all goes according to plan. I'd be shocked at anything before July/August.
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I would say after Gencon
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As per the usual disclaimer, no on in this thread actually knows the answer to this, and nothing said in this thread not written by Cubby or Adrian Gideon (or I guess Brent, if he comes in here) should be seriously considered as accurate.
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As per the usual disclaimer, no on in this thread actually knows the answer to this, and nothing said in this thread not written by Cubby or Adrian Gideon (or I guess Brent, if he comes in here) should be seriously considered as accurate.
Yeah, I was just repeating last known info
(http://puu.sh/A1gsU/b9bd89c478.png)
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Key question: when will pre orders be open for the new sets? I needs my fix.
I've pre-ordered 1 of each from Aries Games & Miniatures. :thumbsup:
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So noted, I’ll be keeping an eye on Aries :)
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One thing I hope to see with the newbies sets (both) is PDF add ons.
When Paizo released the Beginner's Box, they also released a PDF download of the Barbarian, which wasn't in the boxed set.
I'd love to see Catalyst do something similar. A simple PDF with the mech sheets (for printing) variants (Wolverine-M, Shadow Hawk-K, etc) and maybe some updated designs, either 3050+ or "just" the Royal versions.
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I always look often at the Aries game pages for updates.
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Key question: when will pre orders be open for the new sets? I needs my fix.
CGL's official store will not be offering pre-orders for the new boxed sets at this time.
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There are other sites that can preorder the stuff. Just not going to order until Catalyst says so.
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CGL's official store will not be offering pre-orders for the new boxed sets at this time.
I jumped on the Pre-Order they had for the last box set. If you bought 2, you also got an extra set of the plastic minis. :thumbsup: I've still got 1 box in the shrink-wrap. 8)
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Gold and the box set go for about the same on eBay these days if you’re hard up for cash :))
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Believe it or note, I am curious about the "Punchboard of additional BattleMechs" How many battlemechs and what are they there for? Variety? Fulling out a balance lance on lance fight (for the $20 box)? How does the punch outs compare to the Armored box?
I'm still using my figs, but I think the cardboard is a sweet middle ground to giving a new player immediate options, but not give away the farm.
It was almost seemed backwards between Battletech and Alpha Strike. The game that focused on Lance combat was selling 26 figs in one $60 box and the game focused Company level plus level fights was offering $20 lance backs.
From the ways things were at my FLGS, I am sure that sent mixed signals to CGL because when Alpha Strike was hot, the CBT box flew off the shelves since it was the better deal.
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newest shots of the box sets show that the punch card is another set of standups for the included mechs plus the griffin. It appears the beginner box will be the same set
https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-AGoAC-Box-Back-Web_preview.jpeg?x64300
https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/BT-BB-Box-Back-Web_preview.jpeg?x64300
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It appears the beginner box will be the same set
The two boxes have different punchboards. The 'Mech chassis will be drawn from the same basic sets (lining up with the record sheets provided) but terrain on each punchboard is completely different (related to the maps provided in each box).
Dak
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so what you're saying is i have more excuses to buy both :))
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so what you're saying is i have more excuses to buy both :))
Dooooo it. ;)
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so what you're saying is i have more excuses valid reasons to buy both :))
Fixed that for you.
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Those look great.
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The two boxes have different punchboards. The 'Mech chassis will be drawn from the same basic sets (lining up with the record sheets provided) but terrain on each punchboard is completely different (related to the maps provided in each box).
Thanks, Dak--good info.
what are they there for? Variety? Fulling out a balance lance on lance fight (for the $20 box)?
A little of both. A focus for each box was to give them as much playability and re-playability as possible, while staying within the production budget and intended-MSRP constraints. Punchouts were a good way to achieve that, especially with the Beginner Box.
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I have to say that, even in light of my groaning shelf of Battletech lead and pewter, I am super happy about the inclusion of punch-out counters in the new boxes. It will make them much more portable and user-friendly as self-contained games. (...and have you seen our 8,935 game expantions...?)
It also appeals to my 2nd edition box set nostalgia. My little fold-over cardboard standees are getting pretty worn out at this stage - and they haven't seen battle in something like 20 years!
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I have to say that, even in light of my groaning shelf of Battletech lead and pewter, I am super happy about the inclusion of punch-out counters in the new boxes. It will make them much more portable and user-friendly as self-contained games. (...and have you seen our 8,935 game expantions...?)
It also appeals to my 2nd edition box set nostalgia. My little fold-over cardboard standees are getting pretty worn out at this stage - and they haven't seen battle in something like 20 years!
I also predict that this will trigger another round of fan art creating tokens and game counters to make "complete sets" of whatever you want to play with.
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Speaking of punch-outs, i found my 2nd edition cardboard tokens while packing stuff for moving. And their plastic stands and the faction token. Definitively my most important find.
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Speaking of punch-outs, i found my 2nd edition cardboard tokens while packing stuff for moving. And their plastic stands and the faction token. Definitively my most important find.
Oh yeah, I have a couple of those.
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/805/39843293380_5f36e1853c_z.jpg)
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Any hint of any PDF releases soon? :D
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Well, the 2018 calendar where authors and contributors recreate classic novel covers is almost ready. Once Worktroll finished up his ode to D.R.T. it should be good to go.
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Well, the 2018 calendar where authors and contributors recreate classic novel covers is almost ready. Once Worktroll finished up his ode to D.R.T. it should be good to go.
Wait. Worktroll is doing that month? Then why the hell was I asked to pose!? I mean, I haven't contributed to BattleTech in years, and I thought this was my ticket back in!
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As I understand, they're having to splice the two of you together for the image, and then the hard part happens - getting the cat into the motion capture suit.
It's a very experimental calendar.
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I thought Paul and I pulled off Warrior: Riposte rather well.
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Wait. Worktroll is doing that month? Then why the hell was I asked to pose!? I mean, I haven't contributed to BattleTech in years, and I thought this was my ticket back in!
The New Releases thread takes an unexpectedly seedy turn. "Do you want to be a star, or not???"
Any hint of any PDF releases soon? :D
Remember a week or three back when I said I'd kick the tires? There's been a little movement since then--mostly getting back up to speed behind-the-scenes, updating the production charts and figuring out the status of everything. There are several products that have gone through layout and just need a final editing pass.
I'm not quite able to assign a release date to them yet, but when they're close, you'll start seeing spoilers and teasers here.
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The New Releases thread takes an unexpectedly seedy turn. "Do you want to be a star, or not???"
Remember a week or three back when I said I'd kick the tires? There's been a little movement since then--mostly getting back up to speed behind-the-scenes, updating the production charts and figuring out the status of everything. There are several products that have gone through layout and just need a final editing pass.
I'm not quite able to assign a release date to them yet, but when they're close, you'll start seeing spoilers and teasers here.
I cant wait.
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Speaking of punch-outs, i found my 2nd edition cardboard tokens while packing stuff for moving. And their plastic stands and the faction token. Definitively my most important find.
Going back through the old box set articles on Sarna I noticed these faction tokens included in several products, what are they for? And why aren't we getting new ones?
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faction chits came in the 2nd ed box and Reinforcements 1 & 2. 4th edition had a sticker sheet.
you would stick the faction logo into the plastic stand with the mech standup to remind people whose side various units were on
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I don't think that quite works, Sarna says that Reinforcements 2 had 20 tokens for the FedCom, but only 4 for everyone else.
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yes, i did the sarna page based off of my unpunched boxes. the numbers are not in error - and demonstrates the assumption that you're playing lance-level games. why there are 20 fedcom chits is anyone's guess
Reinforcements comes with weird distributions - 12-20 for each house and 4 for mercs and minor powers like Helmar Valasek and Lindon's Company. The 21st Centauri Lancers have 8 for some reason... they must have just decided to fill out the sheet with them.
Curiously Reinforcements 2 doesn't have any House Marik and four of everything else (including clans that use 5 unit stars) except a baffling 20 fedcom chits.
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As I understand, they're having to splice the two of you together for the image, and then the hard part happens - getting the cat into the motion capture suit.
It's a very experimental calendar.
So it's the Boschtroll month wearing the D.R.T. I suppose?
Put me down for three!
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It should be noted that Reinforcements 2 Has chits for both Davion and Steiner, this on top of the FedCom ones.
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I lost my 4th ed stickers a long time ago but I do remember they were better distributed - 12 factions of 12 each iirc
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yes, i did the sarna page based off of my unpunched boxes. the numbers are not in error - and demonstrates the assumption that you're playing lance-level games. why there are 20 fedcom chits is anyone's guess
It is reinforcing the boxed set that came with the 3025 IS faction tokens. You wouldn't need more of the old great houses. FedCom was new. No guess about low Clan numbers.
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I suddenly want to paint my mech in Aurigen Reach good guy/bad guy schemes :)
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I suddenly want to paint my mech in Aurigen Reach good guy/bad guy schemes :)
Same here. I'd love a list of their colour schemes for... reasons.
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Will Catalyst be releasing preview product to places like camospecs or how it’s played? I’m a big fan of YouTube unboxings, and doing that will help get the word out and drum up interest.
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Maybe someone at gencon? I don’t recall full blown previews in the past
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Simple idea that came into my brain the other day....BattleTech Coloring Books! Just take existing art and put it in coloring books to hook the kids! Simple and fun!
Okay, now that that's out of the way....any new PDFs? I cannot play the new computer game just yet and I need a fix ;)
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Will Catalyst be releasing preview product to places like camospecs or how it’s played?
There has been a review-copy process in the past, but I'm still trying to get a handle on it. It's also not necessarily something I'd be "in charge of."
I’m a big fan of YouTube unboxings, and doing that will help get the word out and drum up interest.
I had brought this idea up informally among some contributors, and had intended to make a formal pitch to management when the time is right. Meaning when the boxes are closer to release and actually physically exist. However, it's tricky, because...
Maybe someone at gencon? I don’t recall full blown previews in the past
...it's not something that's been done before, and there isn't a hard and fast date of when the boxes will be on these shores. All things being equal, GenCon would be the most likely venue for an unboxing video. But as it stands, I personally can't be at the con to make it happen, so I'll need to ask dragoon someone into doing it for me. That's not optimal, but I will try.
Simple idea that came into my brain the other day....BattleTech Coloring Books! Just take existing art and put it in coloring books to hook the kids!
Many folks' kids already use their parents' TROs for this purpose. With and without their parents' permission....
Okay, now that that's out of the way....any new PDFs? I cannot play the new computer game just yet and I need a fix ;)
I'm working on one tonight and hoping to help push it across the finish line. As I've said before, you'll see spoilers here and on social media when it's close to release.
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Simple idea that came into my brain the other day....BattleTech Coloring Books! Just take existing art and put it in coloring books to hook the kids! Simple and fun!
Okay, now that that's out of the way....any new PDFs? I cannot play the new computer game just yet and I need a fix ;)
I did those for my son as well as TRO flashcards.
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Question about print on demand stuff. Apparently it will start with some kind of Turning Points compilation, but i wonder if it will get extended to older sourcebooks and stuff?
Know some folks who'd like to get physical books for Era Report 3145 and Wars of Reaving but one can't really find them anymore in stores anywhere, not with reasonable price.
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You know, the forums have gotten REAL quiet since the HBS game dropped . . . lol
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Not in certain threads :).
Excuse me, I have a new Trebuchet to refit..
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You know, the forums have gotten REAL quiet since the HBS game dropped . . . lol
Yeah, now please excuse me while I bury another two mech Warriors (Dekker your time finally came :() and look to prepare for the next mission
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Yeah sorry I'm just got my butt handed to me I have some time to kill now while two of my mechs are repaired and glitch is out of action for like 40 days. :thumbsup:
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40 days?!?! Wow
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There has been a review-copy process in the past, but I'm still trying to get a handle on it. It's also not necessarily something I'd be "in charge of."
I had brought this idea up informally among some contributors, and had intended to make a formal pitch to management when the time is right. Meaning when the boxes are closer to release and actually physically exist. However, it's tricky, because...
...it's not something that's been done before, and there isn't a hard and fast date of when the boxes will be on these shores. All things being equal, GenCon would be the most likely venue for an unboxing video. But as it stands, I personally can't be at the con to make it happen, so I'll need to ask dragoon someone into doing it for me. That's not optimal, but I will try.
Many folks' kids already use their parents' TROs for this purpose. With and without their parents' permission....
I'm working on one tonight and hoping to help push it across the finish line. As I've said before, you'll see spoilers here and on social media when it's close to release.
Gentleman and a scholar! I’m looking forward to mine(got both on order from Aries games!)
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My PC took 4 hits in the Argos mission, out 109 days . . .
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40 days?!?! Wow
My lead pilot was down for a full 3 months (94 days) after getting violently blown out of a Dragon. ;)
I eagerly await the box set releases. In the mean time, there's 'mechs to shoot.
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Between BattleTech, MW5 Mercs, and the two new box sets this is going to be a time depleted year!
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Question about print on demand stuff. Apparently it will start with some kind of Turning Points compilation, but i wonder if it will get extended to older sourcebooks and stuff?
Know some folks who'd like to get physical books for Era Report 3145 and Wars of Reaving but one can't really find them anymore in stores anywhere, not with reasonable price.
As detailed on the Coming Releases page (https://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/), the first product for print on demand will be "Capital Punishment," a collection of all of the earlier Jihad Turning Points PDF products. It's slated for later this year.
It's also essentially a pathfinder product. How it fares both on the production side to get it set up, and in sales, will determine whether it's possible to expand to additional print-on-demand books, both new compilations and reprints.
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My lead pilot was down for a full 3 months (94 days) after getting violently blown out of a Dragon. ;)
I eagerly await the box set releases. In the mean time, there's 'mechs to shoot.
Just upgraded Behemoth's mech from her JagerMech up to a King Crab with dual +++AC/20s (Damage/Stability Kaliyama Shredder)
Next mission? Two head hits, out for 30 days. Just my luck. She is also my most skilled Gunner/Guts pilot, so perfect for that Crab.
Whoops, I actually meant to mention that I'm excited for the Beginner's Box set. My brother in law loves board games, so I'm going to give it to him for Xmas and that way rope a family member into the (game) family!
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THE ADMIN SPEAKETH
Folks, a reminder that this thread is for new releases for the Battletech tabletop line, NOT for the HBS computer game. Please take those discussions to the computer games area of the forums. Thank you.
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As detailed on the Coming Releases page (https://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/), the first product for print on demand will be "Capital Punishment," a collection of all of the earlier Jihad Turning Points PDF products. It's slated for later this year.
It's also essentially a pathfinder product. How it fares both on the production side to get it set up, and in sales, will determine whether it's possible to expand to additional print-on-demand books, both new compilations and reprints.
Not to be that guy, but what if you already own all the JTP products that are contained in Capital Punishment? Is there any reason for me to buy Capital Punishment?
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The main draw is probably folks who specifically want it on paper. I've heard nothing about any extras.
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The main draw is probably folks who specifically want it on paper. I've heard nothing about any extras.
Correct, as far as I know.
As I said a few responses ago, this is intended as a first, pathfinding product. If you're not interested in this one, no problem--there may be others that you are.
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Do we get double our usual royalties with this new format?
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If you were going to collect and print something I already have in pdf, the XTROs would be something I'd buy. :thumbsup:
You could probably get them all in one volume if you leave out the record sheets.
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Have "Record Sheets: 3150 Unabridged" & "Record Sheets: Prototypes Unabridged" been shelved?
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Have "Record Sheets: 3150 Unabridged" & "Record Sheets: Prototypes Unabridged" been shelved?
Not on my shelf, they haven't.
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They’re not on the list anymore so I wouldn’t count on them for any value of Soon™️.
They haven’t even put all the record sheet volumes they do have on the newer store, which may hint at how profitable they are
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Do we get double our usual royalties with this new format?
I think I missed the section in our contracts on back-end points against gross.
If you were going to collect and print something I already have in pdf, the XTROs would be something I'd buy. :thumbsup:
You know, speaking only for myself, that's what I want most, too. I can't speak to why these particular products were chosen as the pathfinder, other than I know that more goes into getting files to be POD ready than "they're PDFs." I also wonder whether the short-edge binding may cause an issue or added expense. But now I'm just speculating.
Have "Record Sheets: 3150 Unabridged" & "Record Sheets: Prototypes Unabridged" been shelved?
Standard Response no. 2: If it's not on the Coming Releases list, then it's not actively being worked on, but that doesn't mean it's been permanently cancelled.
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ugh, I really want to play with that Wolf Orion C sometime soon.
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I’m looking forward to seeing the size of the new mechs compared to the old origins box minis
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I’m looking forward to seeing the size of the new mechs compared to the old origins box minis
I hope they fit in well, apparently some newer metallic minis have grown in size over time.
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I’m looking forward to seeing the size of the new mechs compared to the old origins box minis
The prototypes teased at GenCon were a bit chunkier than the more legacy designs of the previous boxed set. I haven't seen a side-by-side comparison, but you can kind of get an idea by comparing them to the hex grid they're standing on in last year's display case.
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9769219/large_minis_1.jpg (https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9769219/large_minis_1.jpg)
(Not my photo)
At a guess, the Battlemaster would look a bit big on a table full of the previous generation of assaults, but the mediums and lights will fit in pretty well.
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The bases are larger, i wonder if that contributes to feel of size, the previous box set and lance packs used way smaller base.
EDIT My issue with the new minis is that they look way too good lol
Now we need new art for the other 3025-era 'Mechs, along with new minis.
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Folks, we prefer you don't post images above around 600px directly in the boards - it doesn't work properly with the styling and burns bandwidth for users on slower or data-limited connections. Use a link.
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I hope they’ll do a more in depth teaser of what’s in the box type thing on social media; I like the CAD image they posted on the coming soon page; I would really like the powers that be to make them higher res and each mini individually viewable, so we can soak in the goodness :)
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The bases are larger, i wonder if that contributes to feel of size, the previous box set and lance packs used way smaller base.
EDIT My issue with the new minis is that they look way too good lol
Now we need new art for the other 3025-era 'Mechs, along with new minis.
You're right about the bases, but I actually meant to compare them to the printed hex grid, which (I think) uses the standardized size for Battletech map sheets/boards.
Folks, we prefer you don't post images above around 600px directly in the boards - it doesn't work properly with the styling and burns bandwidth for users on slower or data-limited connections. Use a link.
Fixed, sorry. :-[
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Thanks for fixing that.
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I hope they fit in well, apparently some newer metallic minis have grown in size over time.
They're mostly to scale among themselves, at least. Anything beyond that is a lost cause and has been since the 80s, thanks to wandering mini scale.
The bases are larger, i wonder if that contributes to feel of size, the previous box set and lance packs used way smaller base.
The idea being that the narrower base on the previous box set minis would allow players to see part of the underlying hex, including the terrain label and hex number (though, only if facing a certain hex side). The bigger bases on these new minis were likely necessary for the redesigns, and to allow for some flexibility in posing.
I hope they’ll do a more in depth teaser of what’s in the box type thing on social media; I like the CAD image they posted on the coming soon page; I would really like the powers that be to make them higher res and each mini individually viewable, so we can soak in the goodness :)
Your post earlier this week reminded me to bring up the idea of an unboxing video to management, and there may be some movement there. But you likely won't see anything until closer to release, so don't expect it, like, next week or anything.
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The idea being that the narrower base on the previous box set minis would allow players to see part of the underlying hex, including the terrain label and hex number (though, only if facing a certain hex side). The bigger bases on these new minis were likely necessary for the redesigns, and to allow for some flexibility in posing.
Thought so.
I gotta say i wish some existing minis had larger bases all the same. The previous intro box has good quality minis for most part (IMO), but some 'Mech poses just leave them slightly unbalanced and i've gotten a couple with slightly warped bases (the worst is a Cicada that is both leaning too far back and has warped base, some glue to the bottom helped but didn't quite fix it).
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To a certain extent, warped plastic can be fixed by immersing the mini in boiling water until it softens, pushing the plastic back into the right shape (it will often snap into shape by itself once heated) and then dunking it in ice water so the new shape will set.
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Your post earlier this week reminded me to bring up the idea of an unboxing video to management, and there may be some movement there. But you likely won't see anything until closer to release, so don't expect it, like, next week or anything.
If it is being done from Origins or GenCon, it would be neat to have the video done from the Catalyst video after the set up is done but before the Con opens to the public.
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The idea being that the narrower base on the previous box set minis would allow players to see part of the underlying hex, including the terrain label and hex number (though, only if facing a certain hex side).
And here I thought it was because they were direct copies of the metal Beginner Set minis, which had the bases shortened in order to allow them to be attached to the minis when molded. ;)
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Thanks Chubby!
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Thought so.
I gotta say i wish some existing minis had larger bases all the same. The previous intro box has good quality minis for most part (IMO), but some 'Mech poses just leave them slightly unbalanced and i've gotten a couple with slightly warped bases (the worst is a Cicada that is both leaning too far back and has warped base, some glue to the bottom helped but didn't quite fix it).
I've found that glueing the base to a coin helps solve that problem - here in the uk, 2p pieces are good for that, but a metal washer would work as well.
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If it is being done from Origins or GenCon, it would be neat to have the video done from the Catalyst video after the set up is done but before the Con opens to the public.
It all depends on timing of the boxed sets' production, and my personal availability, because I doubt anyone else with CGL has the time or capability to do a video from a con. Also, not for nothing, but a con floor is not conducive to good audio or video--as I learned the hard way in my WWE announcement video last year. This time around I would use wireless lav mics and a better camera, but it's still not great.
Also, if I do make Gen Con, I have lots of other ideas for content, too.
Thanks Chubby!
Ouch, haha.
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D’oh! Fat fingers to blame!
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I hope we don't need wait till gencon/origins to just have anything new for Battletech. Its cool boxes are coming, but that's not what i'd like.
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I hope we don't need wait till gencon/origins to just have anything new for Battletech. Its cool boxes are coming, but that's not what i'd like.
Two-three more months is too long? ;)
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Is there gong to be a what’s up with Catalyst panel again this year? Maybe my search-fu sucks, but I didn’t find it on the GenCon event list. Trying to push a schedule together, and I’d like to leave a hole for the panel if there will be one.
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A sourcebook preview would be super nice. I was quite an active poster and did a fair share of number crunching posts. I would like something to get the battletech imagination flowing.
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Two-three more months is too long? ;)
If they are going to publish an A-class title after this time, it is not too long.
However, they must finally deliver. So far it has been mostly vaporware.
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Is there gong to be a what’s up with Catalyst panel again this year? Maybe my search-fu sucks, but I didn’t find it on the GenCon event list. Trying to push a schedule together, and I’d like to leave a hole for the panel if there will be one.
Likely yes.
It is not scheduled yet.
The usual time is Thursday evening.
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Likely yes.
It is not scheduled yet.
The usual time is Thursday evening.
Going to miss it again. Cant wait till someone post the transcripts.
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Going to miss it again. Cant wait till someone post the transcripts.
I'll summarize it for you. ;D
Dragonfire.
Dragonfire.
We cannot comment on ongoing legal actions.
Shiny new box sets.
Dragonfire.
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I'll summarize it for you. ;D
Dragonfire.
Dragonfire.
We cannot comment on ongoing legal actions.
Shiny new box sets.
Dragonfire.
YOu forgot to mention the HBS and PGI games and Shdowrun. Otherwise this very likely on the money.
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I will likely be available Thursday night to grab a video again...thanks to getting locked out of the event I had planned to do at that time. Once it is announced and I can be sure that I will be there, I'll post in the relevant Gencon thread or start one.
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I will likely be available Thursday night to grab a video again...thanks to getting locked out of the event I had planned to do at that time. Once it is announced and I can be sure that I will be there, I'll post in the relevant Gencon thread or start one.
We're also looking into options to live-stream the panel via Facebook Live or some similar, easy-to-setup tool.
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If you do go that route, please record it for Youtuber as well please, for those of us that aren't on the book. :)
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If you do go that route, please record it for Youtuber as well please, for those of us that aren't on the book. :)
That's what I'm trying to pin down. FB is the easiest to set up and execute--just point a tablet and push a button--but limits access. YouTube links are more accessible and more easily shared, but require creating another "official" platform for BT content, which I'm trying to limit.
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What about Twitch or Mixer or other streaming services (if any exists)? Is it that "create yet another platform" thing with them as well?
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Cubby, could it be done with the CSO guys? They could be involved with the unboxing. Like a first look by them at the production minis. They have a twitch, fb and youtube accounts.
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What about Twitch or Mixer or other streaming services (if any exists)? Is it that "create yet another platform" thing with them as well?
Yes, also IIRC Twitch requires a login. There are some other solutions like Mixer, but I want to make sure the stream is accessible as widely as possible.
Cubby, could it be done with the CSO guys? They could be involved with the unboxing. Like a first look by them at the production minis. They have a twitch, fb and youtube accounts.
I have other plans in the works for unboxing videos, which may or may not be tied to Gen Con specifically. It all depends on production timing.
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If it were to be unboxed at Origisn and you need a place to do it, I offer my humble kitchen table...
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Yes, also IIRC Twitch requires a login. There are some other solutions like Mixer, but I want to make sure the stream is accessible as widely as possible.
Wait, are you talking about log in to stream or log in to watch? Twitch can be watched without logging in.
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Wait, are you talking about log in to stream or log in to watch? Twitch can be watched without logging in.
My fault, I was typing while doing something else. Yes, I meant a login to stream. If we're going to have to create a new platform one way or another, I want to do some evaluations of each to determine which might be most useful to CGL in the future, and which we're most likely to be able to ever create more content for.
Basically, I don't want to create a Twitch account for one single video, and then figure out later that YouTube provides the most ongoing opportunity to reach our audience, and that's what we ought to have created instead.
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My fault, I was typing while doing something else. Yes, I meant a login to stream. If we're going to have to create a new platform one way or another, I want to do some evaluations of each to determine which might be most useful to CGL in the future, and which we're most likely to be able to ever create more content for.
Basically, I don't want to create a Twitch account for one single video, and then figure out later that YouTube provides the most ongoing opportunity to reach our audience, and that's what we ought to have created instead.
Can’t speak for twitch, but I’ve used Facebook live and YouTube live, both are stupid easy to use.
I would say if wanted to use YouTube, which is accessible by people without having to sign in/etc, you could start a channel, focusing on the starter products, which would give way to ‘how to play’ videos. Heck, you could even catagorize things by intro, standard, dark age ect
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Is there a reason that the Wolverine is duplicated in both the Beginner and the Full box sets?
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The Not Named Clan presided over unit selection.
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The Not Named Clan presided over unit selection.
Quite true, Harmony Gold did have something to do with selection- lol.
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Is there a reason that the Wolverine is duplicated in both the Beginner and the Full box sets?
I kinda like it.
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You can never have too many Wolverines. Ask Marvel
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I have 5 . . . this will make 7 when the boxes come out.
I still need to put together my other Prim to be a -7M . . . so WVR-6R unseen, -3R (or 6R stand in), -8K, II/-7H, an unassembled -7M . . . two plastics . . . one will be a -9M, and not sure about the other.
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I don't think I have any WVRs left! I must rectify this error ASAP.
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With new box sets!
The plastics from the box sets will make great conversions.
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I saw in local distributor's catalogue new product for BT, Map Set. Will have this new Map Set all six maps that were mentioned in Coming Releases?
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distributors list announced (or sometimes even rumored) products all the time. until we get real details from cgl, it's just a retailer's placeholder for something that may or may not eventually exist. My FLGS still has a preorder for the Alpha Strike Box and Combat Manual: Davion.
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I have 5 . . . this will make 7 when the boxes come out.
I still need to put together my other Prim to be a -7M . . . so WVR-6R unseen, -3R (or 6R stand in), -8K, II/-7H, an unassembled -7M . . . two plastics . . . one will be a -9M, and not sure about the other.
What, no BD Wolverine? ???
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I thought the Combat Manuals all came to a end?
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they did, but my FLGS lists CM: Davion as a preorder. It's the peril of trusting a distributor's product listing... sometimes they're right. other times, not so much
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The store i use still lists the Clan box set. And i suspect that never got even as far as the CM Davion in development... Probably should send them a note that it isn't appearing...
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'To Whom it May Concern-
Dear Sir/Ma'am I just want to let you know the product you show being available in 2008 has not been released by the publisher and thus 10 years later I am asking for the return of my deposit promptly as you have not kept your catalog up to date. Thank you.'
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"P.S. - Please inform your video game department that Half-Life 3 still has not released, but that I still want my money back even though Duke Nukem Forever actually DID come out."
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FLGS lists are weird, man. here's my local shop
(http://puu.sh/AjLcZ/c78516e5ae.png)
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Well, damn. LGS used to have Map Set Compilation 2 available, should've bought a second copy while i had a chance.
On the other hand, looks like they've also sold out all BattleMech Manuals, that's good i guess?
Also sold out all TRO SWs, pretty sure they had one still a couple of days back when i visited? Again, maybe i should've picked it up while i was there (i've got it as PDF though).
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Do they have bad information or they just trying suck money in put outstuff they THING their going put out?
Battletech: Shadow of Faith book has been hiatus for 12 years now.
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Probably bad info. Distributor has some stuff, game stores put that up, but never update unless it becomes relevant, like if it is asked about.
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It's getting closer to Gencon so more updates on what comes out soon.
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Probably bad info. Distributor has some stuff, game stores put that up, but never update unless it becomes relevant, like if it is asked about.
My guess is that they dumped the previous iteration of the Coming Releases page into product listings. Shadows of Faith re-appeared on that page for awhile, but was removed in my last update to it in March. It's one of the reasons I'm trying to stay on top of keeping that page up-to-date, and not including anything on it that isn't actively being worked on--they can't erroneously pre-sell what we don't list. And in fairness to the distributors and stores, they can't know which products we post are more or less likely to actually happen.
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I have to say, having thinking something coming out is better what some stores have told me in the past. "Battletech dead".
I had to argue with the guy for half hour that isn't.
New product coming out is important, as long it comes.
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My guess is that they dumped the previous iteration of the Coming Releases page into product listings. Shadows of Faith re-appeared on that page for awhile, but was removed in my last update to it in March. It's one of the reasons I'm trying to stay on top of keeping that page up-to-date, and not including anything on it that isn't actively being worked on--they can't erroneously pre-sell what we don't list. And in fairness to the distributors and stores, they can't know which products we post are more or less likely to actually happen.
And we thank you for it!
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Battletech is dead to most FLGS . It's been a long time since I've seen Battletech on the shelf.
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Battletech is dead to most FLGS . It's been a long time since I've seen Battletech on the shelf.
It's hard to support BattleTech without a proper jumping on point for new players.
The BattleTech Manual and TRO Succession Wars were a step in the right direction, but for a game advertised as a board game, the general absence of ways to get a map sheet board in physical format make it a hard push. Only being able to get Hex Pack Mountains and Canyons through trade channels makes life really difficult as a retailer since the board is a huge component to gameplay.
I know most players poo-poo the intro-level Record Sheet format as well, but Record Sheets 3039 was a good product for us, since we could up-sell it to those just starting out at the time as a rules expansion that allowed the inclusion of conventional forces in their games.
I'm speaking with my retailer hat on. PDFs products are great for me as a fan, but as a retailer, I need something tangible to be able to sell to support the game and it has to be a 'Complete' range (all the components in print must allow me to present the illusion that with the products currently available it is playable as a game on it's own).
The two introductory level box sets are a huge step in the right direction.
As a retailer who wants to carry the range, I NEED those to stay in print.
I do what I can for the veteran players as I can, but new players are always the lifeblood. It's financial suicide for me as a store to throw aggressive table time behind a game that has to be hunted off the dark corners of auction sites and online PDF stores.
Nothing I'm saying should be new information, but I felt the need to say it none-the-less.
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I personally thought the FanPro BattlePack and Starterbooks was a great idea for new players but poor sales and gripping from the existing fanbase makes me part of the minority. We also loved the Hex Packs but those to had relativity low sales numbers that couldn't justify keeping them in production. PDFs has been both the most financially successful for CGL and affordable for new players so it's kinda had to argue with that logic though it doesn't make BT very marketable to brick and mortar game shops. So we are currently stuck in a vicious cycle of not enough fans to support physical products-> need more physical products to get more fans. Hopefully the new boxes along with the fanbase of the HBS game will give the whole franchise a jump start it needs
Also: would love to see more Solaris VII stuff! Solaris VII gave MWO the very needed jolt of energy the game needed (why PGI didn't think of it during the Beta is still beyond me) so I'm sure there is a market for a update on the game world for all players, new and old alike.
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It's hard to support BattleTech without a proper jumping on point for new players.
The BattleTech Manual and TRO Succession Wars were a step in the right direction, but for a game advertised as a board game, the general absence of ways to get a map sheet board in physical format make it a hard push. Only being able to get Hex Pack Mountains and Canyons through trade channels makes life really difficult as a retailer since the board is a huge component to gameplay.
I know most players poo-poo the intro-level Record Sheet format as well, but Record Sheets 3039 was a good product for us, since we could up-sell it to those just starting out at the time as a rules expansion that allowed the inclusion of conventional forces in their games.
I'm speaking with my retailer hat on. PDFs products are great for me as a fan, but as a retailer, I need something tangible to be able to sell to support the game and it has to be a 'Complete' range (all the components in print must allow me to present the illusion that with the products currently available it is playable as a game on it's own).
The two introductory level box sets are a huge step in the right direction.
As a retailer who wants to carry the range, I NEED those to stay in print.
I do what I can for the veteran players as I can, but new players are always the lifeblood. It's financial suicide for me as a store to throw aggressive table time behind a game that has to be hunted off the dark corners of auction sites and online PDF stores.
Nothing I'm saying should be new information, but I felt the need to say it none-the-less.
never mind the lance packs are OOP too and likely never to return :-[
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The Alpha Strike Lance Packs are widely available from a number of outlets at, often, more than 50% off MSRP. "Out of print" merely means that one print run was produced with no more planned. These are even still available direct from CGL, all but the Assault Lance. There are more than enough of the Lance Packs to go around, and there is absolutely nobody nor nothing saying they're "likely never to return."
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Yep, I reckon that they'll get a new run after the new boxsets are out.
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Yep, I reckon that they'll get a new run after the new boxsets are out.
Or we'll have a new mix of minis.
Though honestly, it almost seems like the existing lance packs were overproduced as it is, given their still wide availability. They may choose to scale back a bit the next time because they don't want unsold inventory warming shelves.
(note, I have neither inside knowledge nor experience in the field. My statements are purely suppositions, not meant to be brought up months later in out of context fragments as some sort of statement of fact)
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I figure that if there are ever going to be new lance packs, they will have new miniatures, using either the new box set sculpts, or they will include other 'Mechs with new sculpts. Also figure they won't be as cheap as the previous lance packs.
Some folks i talked to regard older BT mini sculpts just unacceptable nowadays when it comes to quality, and that basically included all lance packs and previous introductory sets, even if they do contain a lot of minis for the price.
Now, they're acceptable to me (since minis aren't what draw me to BT anyway) but i can see how new players might need something better, and i don't doubt that this is a common thing, considering what kind of things other miniature games offer.
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And the new players would be right. A fair amount of the old sculpts suffer from the same quality issues as (as much as I love the mood he set) Earl Geier's approach to proportion (as in proportion is something that happens to other people). No one can do a smoking wreck like Geier but I doubt his old work would be accepted today. Quality has improved and it should be likewise for the premier miniatures.
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We also loved the Hex Packs but those to had relativity low sales numbers that couldn't justify keeping them in production.
A concept that often gets lost in these discussions is sales velocity. It's not as simple as "they didn't sell." It's often that "they didn't sell fast enough." That ties up the capital used to produce that product for YEARS, when the turnaround needs to be months at most. And that goes double for a product like the HexPacks, which were resource-intensive to produce.
That's why we've been putting out the message that we want these new boxed sets to sell quickly and strongly.
I figure that if there are ever going to be new lance packs, they will have new miniatures, using either the new box set sculpts, or they will include other 'Mechs with new sculpts. Also figure they won't be as cheap as the previous lance packs.
Far too early to say what any hypothetical product would or wouldn't include, let alone the price point.
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A concept that often gets lost in these discussions is sales velocity. It's not as simple as "they didn't sell." It's often that "they didn't sell fast enough." That ties up the capital used to produce that product for YEARS, when the turnaround needs to be months at most. And that goes double for a product like the HexPacks, which were resource-intensive to produce.
That's why we've been putting out the message that we want these new boxed sets to sell quickly and strongly.
*nods* And that's the actual lesson from the Lance Packs. They were produced while Herb was still Line Editor, and they're still in stock with CGL. That's a poor sales velocity, despite their value and quality.
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Just speculating, based new miniatured for the new box sets, demand for higher quality minis, new box set being more expensive.
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A bit of news to share: Adam Potts over at TechRaptor just published a recap of the upcoming tabletop releases and a Q&A with Brent and a few others.
Check it out here: https://techraptor.net/content/battletech-tabletop-interview (https://techraptor.net/content/battletech-tabletop-interview)
Enjoy!
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Nice that they included visuals in the article.
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Box art looks amazing, kudos to the artist. I wanna pick up a set for that Catapult alone. It looks like a puppy who just wants head rubbies.
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The box art looks great. Cant wait for the stuff to come out.
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Glad we got another interview that shed some light on what's going on.
So Blaine's novel maybe coming soon i hope. Maybe next years Gencon...hopefully sooner than that darn it! :drool:
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I just want it released PDF at the same time as GenCon.
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Good update, really want both those boxes.
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I am loving those miniatures. I have a previous box set from a few years ago and that is really cool but these sets have some really cool mechs that I just want. The wolverine, thunderbolt, shadowhawk, and these particular versions of the awesome (a mech I usually do not like the look of but like the general idea of) and catapultI will have to put these on the list to get.
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I can’t stop acquiring catapults, it seems
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I can’t stop acquiring catapults, it seems
Lol, and I even made one of the last ones with missile doors open!
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I can’t stop acquiring catapults, it seems
Why would you want to lol.
Though seriously considering a previous thread one of those should be a K2 just for fun.
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<Mod>Hi guys.
Please start a new topic to discuss theoretical value of shifting timelines for new product. I'm going to consider this off topic at this point, thanks.</Mod>
New topic here for that: https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=61546.0
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It's Friday night! How about some previews?
We've told you that the two new box sets, the BattleTech Beginner Box and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat, will include punch-out Mechs and terrain.
Here's what they'll look like!
(https://preview.ibb.co/mrxiT8/BTAGo_AC_Punchboard_Bk_Display.png) (https://ibb.co/gDA3T8)(https://preview.ibb.co/dDO1Fo/BTAGo_AC_Punchboard_Frt_Display.png) (https://ibb.co/mgvsMT)(https://preview.ibb.co/iuFsMT/BTBB_Punchboard_Bk_Display.png) (https://ibb.co/c71XMT)(https://preview.ibb.co/e3XHo8/BTBB_Punchboard_Frt_Display.png) (https://ibb.co/gjrovo)
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I am very happy that the duplicate 'Mechs will have different color schemes.
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;)
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I am comically excited to see those terrain tiles.
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Man I'd love to see some high-res art of those rear views.
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Man I'd love to see some high-res art of those rear views.
Dude. Phrasing.
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Are those 3d renders or pics of painted minis originally?
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;)
Y'all still aren't off the hook until I've got these in my grubby mitts.
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Seeing the front/back punch sheet of standees gives me serious nostalgia for the halcyon when I first cracked open the 2nd edition boxed set.
It's a good feeling.
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:drool:
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:drool:
Indeed, this is very impressive. Now I need to buy both boxes. :thumbsup:
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Give me MOAR! I WANT MOAR!
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Give me MOAR! I WANT MOAR!
You got it. Check back early next week, we'll have a special, small reward to tide you over until the boxes drop.
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Those punch-out mechs and terrain look fabulous. Very excited for the new boxes.
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You got it. Check back early next week, we'll have a special, small reward to tide you over until the boxes drop.
Oh Cubby, you spoil us so :)
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Any more news on a what’s up with Catalyst event at GenCon? I saw a second big pile of events went up this week, but didn’t see this one yet.
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will include punch-out Mechs and terrain.
Could we have a kick-out version for those of us with poor piloting skills?
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Could we have a kick-out version for those of us with poor piloting skills?
Kicks are more dangerous to the kicker. Stick with punching. Bonus: You get two attempts.
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Kicks are more dangerous to the kicker. Stick with punching. Bonus: You get two attempts.
... I feel like you're assuming we all only have one leg :D
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Could we have a kick-out version for those of us with poor piloting skills?
Yes, but if you damage a counter in the process, you fall to the ground and have a chance of knocking yourself unconscious.
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It’s ‘early next week’, we can has previews? ;)
By the way, the graphics design on the terrain is on point.
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Production on the new box sets is underway, and they're crammed full of so much new stuff that it didn't all fit. To tide you over until their release, here are a bunch of the new Mechwarrior Cards and accompanying "standee" 'Mechs for you to try out at your next game!
Download your free preview content here: https://tinyurl.com/BoxSetPreview (https://tinyurl.com/BoxSetPreview).
(To be clear: three of these 10 cards--Yuuya Saito, Danny Hubbard, and Kaspar Masaharu--as well as the standees available here will not be included in either box set. The other seven Mechwarrior Cards will be in the BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat boxed set. And remember, both boxes will include high-quality plastic miniatures as well as punch-out cardboard 'Mechs.)
(https://preview.ibb.co/mGyUfo/BT_Standees_4_17a.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dAspfo)(https://preview.ibb.co/jeLLmT/Mech_Warrior_Card_Samples_1_9.jpg) (https://ibb.co/b45Wt8)
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Looking good. :)
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And before a bunch of people point it out: yes, there's a typo on the Yuuya Saito card. Because they were not included in the final box set, they didn't get quite the editing pass (uh, from me, actually) that the others did.
We'll look at correcting and re-uploading the card in the near future.
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Looking goodAwesome. :)
Fixed for you :thumbsup: ^-^
Great job CGL, it is looking like an "awesome" year for Battletech.
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Thanks for working so hard on this stuff Cubby and crew!
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Fixed for you :thumbsup: ^-^
Great job CGL, it is looking like an "awesome" year for Battletech.
I'm still being grumpy until I've got the boxed sets in my hands. ;)
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Print out the standee pdf from Cubby's link and make some standees, it will make you less grumpy :thumbsup:
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I was wondering if that was possible . . . might also be good set ups for getting attention at FLGS & local cons- Print a stand up or two in larger sizes to be eye catching . . . Kind of thinking a Battlemaster or Shadow Hawk will be best for that . . .
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Hmm, 3 Dracs in that 10 and no Cappies?
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Am I the only one that's grateful that Danny Hubbard didn't make the cut?
An effective 0 gunner in an assault mech seems like something you should earn rather than something you pull right out of the box. :D
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Are sprinting and extreme weapon ranges going to be part of the base rules now?
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Are sprinting and extreme weapon ranges going to be part of the base rules now?
I would guess no but i do wonder if the new box set rulebook is gonna include optional rules or not, like BMM does?
Funny enough but Sprinting optional rule is present in the BMM but Extreme Range is not.
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the text appears to be rewritten from the PSA descriptions in Campaign Operations and the advanced rules stuff is likely included for completeness. the rulebook for the box set is a pretty slim (48 pages iirc?) so there probably isn't going to be much beyond the basest of base rules
also, when I loaded the PDF of the pilot cards, it loaded all the different layers separately and caught a glimpse of the near-completely covered background
(http://puu.sh/Asvz5/1817f7cb6f.png)
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Those are beautiful. Thank you for sharing
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Mm... oh yeah. Daddy likes.
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the text appears to be rewritten from the PSA descriptions in Campaign Operations and the advanced rules stuff is likely included for completeness. the rulebook for the box set is a pretty slim (48 pages iirc?) so there probably isn't going to be much beyond the basest of base rules
Correct.
So, full disclosure, I was one of the two writers who did the MechWarrior Cards. (The other was Geoff "Doc" Swift, a regular BT contributor as well.) And the directive was that the cards should be usable at all levels of the game, to the maximum extent possible. Which makes sense--the last thing you want is someone who just picked up the Beginner Box to not be able to understand and play with absolutely everything in the box.
But that created some challenges in our selection of the SPAs, especially on the cards in the Beginner Box. Something like "Natural Grace" (CO, p. 78) is a great, flavorful ability. But it touches on a lot of rules that aren't in the very first product a new player would pick up. (To say nothing of the amount of text that ability comes with, that needs to be crammed onto a card.)
It took some finagling, and not everything is 100 percent compliant to the rules in one box or the other, but I think we got close.
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I am still wondering at having a effective 0 gunner in a Awesome . . . which for 3025 is one of the more effective assaults.
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I am still wondering at having a effective 0 gunner in a Awesome . . . which for 3025 is one of the more effective assaults.
Yeah lights better keep out of LOS of that thing. if it parks, then 0+range+light movement is still likely to be only on 6s and 7s. But... the BV2 of an awesome plus that pilot would be horrendous! 1600BV2 base, plus 60% or so for the P/G skils, so about 2100BV2, then the special pilot abilities on top.
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I am still wondering at having a effective 0 gunner in a Awesome . . . which for 3025 is one of the more effective assaults.
As long as the cost of the unit is very high, I don't see a problem with it.
It isn't like you would want the pilot of your heavyweight, long-range sniper to have be a lousy shot.
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Well, the pilot is already a elite gunner though piloting is 'veteran' -its within the TW pilot rolls for randomly determining. Its just with that ability on the card he is now as good or better shot than a lot of named elite characters in BT . . . and that is the only type weapon on that mech. I guess I just want a veteran vs veteran fight without a nobody uber showing up. Besides, is such a SPA even paid for in BV?
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Well, the pilot is already a elite gunner though piloting is 'veteran' -its within the TW pilot rolls for randomly determining. Its just with that ability on the card he is now as good or better shot than a lot of named elite characters in BT . . . and that is the only type weapon on that mech. I guess I just want a veteran vs veteran fight without a nobody uber showing up. Besides, is such a SPA even paid for in BV?
It stands to reason that the ace pilots in the fiction/novels/sourcebooks/etc are not the only ones we know about.
It also stands to reason that, if that Awesome is a family heirloom like the card suggests, he would have a lot of experience using it, to the point where he is intimately familiar with all of its quirks and shortcomings and oddities and operations. Besides, if I am reading the card correctly, there is nothing that says he MUST be in an Awesome. It just says that he gets a bonus when firing a PPC. So, if his Awesome gets shot out from under him, and the only replacement ride he can find is a Jagermech, he is screwed.
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Well, the pilot is already a elite gunner though piloting is 'veteran' -its within the TW pilot rolls for randomly determining. Its just with that ability on the card he is now as good or better shot than a lot of named elite characters in BT . . . and that is the only type weapon on that mech. I guess I just want a veteran vs veteran fight without a nobody uber showing up. Besides, is such a SPA even paid for in BV?
Just go snuggle with him. He can't use that Small Laser like Aiden Pryde.
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As long as the cost of the unit is very high, I don't see a problem with it.
It isn't like you would want the pilot of your heavyweight, long-range sniper to have be a lousy shot.
And doesn't the Box come with a Battlemaster? The pilot for that could be well balanced against it.
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I am still wondering at having a effective 0 gunner in a Awesome . . . which for 3025 is one of the more effective assaults.
I agree, but the first set of cards teased also seemed very strong. If everything is on a similar level, then it may work out OK.
I just hope some of the light 'mech pilots bring something to avoid getting mowed down too quickly.
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I am looking forward to the new box set for the new style of Miniatures.
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And doesn't the Box come with a Battlemaster? The pilot for that could be well balanced against it.
By the time the Battlemaster gets close, it (should) be pretty chewed up, but once it’s in that sweet spot the awesome is going to have to start boxing or backing up.
Either way, hot mech-on-mech action :)
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Current;y I do not believe that SPAs have a BV cost associated with them. Do remember though that the SPAs are also an optional rule so you don't have to use it.
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Highly unfortunate both quirks and SPAs lack proper balancing methods.
Interesting stuff, but some of them have massive impact on things, both positively and negatively.
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The SPAs will probably balance as a separate budget from BV, since the spoiler card we see gives a cost to the SPAs that pilot possesses.
I get x amount of BV, and you get that same x.
I get y amount of SPAs, and you get that same y.
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Highly unfortunate both quirks and SPAs lack proper balancing methods.
Interesting stuff, but some of them have massive impact on things, both positively and negatively.
AToW balances things if between two freshly made pilots of equal XP...
Just as record sheets & AS cards don't show the formulas to build the unit, these pilot cards aren't showing the character's full MW stats. Yes, RS's can be extrapolated, but because characters improve through play, balance is not a thing between skilled/advanced/played/XP'd pilots.
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AToW balances things if between two freshly made pilots of equal XP...
Just as record sheets & AS cards don't show the formulas to build the unit, these pilot cards aren't showing the character's full MW stats. Yes, RS's can be extrapolated, but because characters improve through play, balance is not a thing between pilots.
They're not using ATOW. ATOW has prerequisites (other SPAs, skill levels, etc) that aren't used for these. There's no ATOW "behind the scenes" on these, so it's not balancing them.
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I don't do ATOW, and i don't think RPG systems work as the kind of balancing system i'm thinking here in any case.
The problem with separate SPA budget is that it doesn't take units into account. For example, the "PPC specialist" boosts value of an Awesome way more than it boosts a BattleMaster, and is worthless in PPC-less 'Mech. Yet you pay the same cost all the same. (Yes, i notice the pilots with that SPA aren't in the box sets, but the same principle applies to other abilities as well.)
I figure the pilot cards and SPAs for them are pretty good addition to a box set. But i am very concerned whether i can use them practically.
Same thing with quirks. Like the concept, especially now that BMM included quirks for most 'Mechs that were missing them. But the quirks cannot be balanced really, not since there is BV-modifiers for them or something like that. Some are really good, others are crippling.
I'm not keen on "gut-feeling" balancing for non-RPG games.
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A guy i used game with modded Shadow Run 5 system, it works fine.
I wish CGL would consider using that system. No disrespect to herb but it was funner experience for me. I like rolling more than pair of 2 siders. It does need be adjusted for Battletech but it does work good.
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As for piloting abilities, I would assume a player would tailor the piloting abilities to the mechs they're assigning them to. So a Battlemaster would probably have weapon specialist medium laser instead, or more likely some physical combat abilities.
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Even if abilities are tailored, their value depends a lot on the unit overall.
Are the pilot cards as they are intended to be used with the 'Mech in the card?
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Has anyone actually played heavily with pilot abilities or are we just worrying endlessly about shit in theory that may or may not be a problem?
In my campaigns I allow players to buy abilities as the campaign goes on and balancing against them by point values vs point values works ok. Sometimes you get boned, yeah. Like the time a guy with Weapon Specialist: UAC/20 went and got his blitzkrieg cored and it took months to find a new ride. You occasionally have a situational disadvantage where abilities aren’t optimal, sure, but it’s not nearly as bad as paying for a C3 network and end up facing a wall of ECM or running LRM boats on a shoebox-sized map
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Raising gunnery skill raises BV quite a bit (lowering, you know what i mean :P). Effectively raising gunnery skill via SPAs should have similar effect. For an Awesome, Danny Hubbard's ability is effectively raising his gunnery by 2. OK, that is actually pretty simple to account in BV. But even having limited number of weapons with better gunnery has effect on things, just like TarComp or AES or integral to-hit bonuses do.
Effectiveness of things varies, of course. Speed Demon is a trade-off in itself, so it probably doesn't need to modify BV. Then again, you have Forest Ranger, that in right map can have quite significant effect but might not. Jumping Jack is always massively beneficial when jumping, and jump capability increases BV, so shouldn't even better jumping capability do that so as well?
I play BV exclusively BV balanced games, so yeah, stuff like this matters to me. And yes, i'd be interested in using Pilot Cards SPAs (and quirks) because they add much to pilots who are otherwise just stats on paper.
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If spas are situational how do you cost them
Try playing cost vs cost it’s not as awful as you imagine.
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I am hoping game developers would come up with a system for that. Considering BT has rules for some really, really... inane things, i'd say proper balancing rules for quirks and SPAs would fit right in, hell they'd probably be more used than many, many optional rules.
Even if some things are situational, they can be extremely powerful when the right situation comes by.
And there are costs for situational things in BT already. Such as MASC/Jump jet combo that makes unit cost more than it is really worth because both cannot be used at once (effectively you pay for situational versatility).
Ideally there should be some kind of dynamic costing system.
EDIT It isn't that cost vs cost can't work. It is that i prefer more accuracy than that. Tonnage vs tonnage works for introtech games, but i very much prefer BV for greater accuracy even for just introtech.
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As a counter point you don't adjust the BV of a 1G Battlemaster if it is forced to fight on open terrain nor does a FS9-H Firestarter if there is a bunch of infantry on the board.
SPAs do have their own point cost, like design quirks. So if one side gets 10 points of SPAs so should the other side. It seems to work well enough for all the other arbitrary numbers that Battletech uses that are just as situational, if not more so.
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BV is far from perfect, it’s just the imperfect system you’ve adjusted for.
Spa points for points is fine in my experience outside of a few horrendously abusive combos like range master long + oblique attacks
If you’ve got some real experience playing with them heavily, we can talk about that but I im done dancing in circles imagining how something might work
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Just go snuggle with him. He can't use that Small Laser like Aiden Pryde.
Yeah, but a base 4 four kicking, with that -2 mod... He's still a better close combatant than your standard pilot, let alone any green pilot.
That said, when are we going to see a little more from the pending Field Manual: Noble, Mercs and Militias - Oh, My(!)? In a lot of the older field manuals, all we get are the front line 'Stars' of the setting, but a lot of game-play seems to be regulated to small-time merc bands, local Nobles with their retinues, and maybe militia formations. While I like to see the standard military break-down for the house elites, I'd love to at least see blurbs and standards for nobility on any given planet, how militia determine what's available to them, and how many small merc bands are on retainer that don't leave a given system at any given time?
Hop sing(!!!), grasshopper!
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Current;y I do not believe that SPAs have a BV cost associated with them. Do remember though that the SPAs are also an optional rule so you don't have to use it.
I did run specialist weapons through the Heavy Metal BV calculator in the custom weapons page, and there was a slight mark-up. There is some kind of formula. With something like that, it's not hard to make the change, and even have a note on the custom sheet that it's pilot is a specialist in the weapon.
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We already have rules for determining the militia strength of any given world, in the Objectives series.
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There is also the old Hot Spots books that give numbers on creating random garrison or raid opfors iirc. Or maybe it was Brush Wars.... I know it is in an older set of books.
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So, it's in the Objectives series, and is a new player directed there from the core box materials? I haven't the BMM, yet, so someone with would have to enlighten me.
8) ^-^
But, I'm asking for a touch more than just Militia here in this book, Mercs here in this book, nobles here in the RPG book, though it's a good starting point.
I've read through the FM:Mercs, and a lot of the others, and there are little blurbs in their about the breakdown of forces, and 'average compositions' if they get a mention. (FM: Lyran Alliance and Free Worlds League were pretty good about this.) I've even read the setting primer out of the prior Boxed set, and even though a lot is said about units in general, there's a lot missing that I would have loved as a beginner:
- How do you get started as a merc unit? A lot of wonderful accounting systems to get you started, but not a lot of context for generating the story. And, if someone comes up with something, how do you know it's kosher BattleTech?
- What kind of unit allowance do you get as a particular rank of noble? You don't have to be a Merc, or a house regular, to have Mechs that see actions. As a noble, you get the benefit of having a Mech. Or, is it as a Mechwarrior, you get the benefits of holding a title and land, and protecting it from predators? When do you get to muster with other Knights if all you have is one? How big a retinue do you have access to if you're anything higher? (I am taking this particular thought to a new thread.)
- Do you really see a lot of action as a Minuteman? A lot of what we read is history of the line units, but the House FMs pointed out that militia were generally the first line of defense, stalling until the heavy hitters could arrive in a true invasion. Raids are not invasions, so I doubt that you'd be calling in the Davion Assault Guards in a timely fashion on Timbuktu if there isn't a lance or company there on a Flag-bearing tour.
I don't need hard and fast numbers, but a rough idea would be lovely. I know that 'If it works in your games' is a big rule for these forums, and the game in general. (You might want to lead the rules with that in the box set.) But, if the general player trend is to run a merc unit before committing to a house, how much interstellar action is there? Or, is each planet truly an island?
I"d finally like to see this introductory aspect to Mechwarrioring and Mech Commandering giving a real stab by the Powers-that-be.
Doesn't have to be an honest FM, though. But, something in a new introductory look at the universe and getting started in the story would be awesome.
As for SPAs costs, maybe one should consider paying for each instance where the cost applies? So, pilot in an awesome with the PPC specialist pays for each weapon it applies to, which is normally 3? What if he starts the game with pre-existing damage and one PPC is out? Same pilot in a BMaster pays only once? Same pilot in a different mech with no PPCs pays nothing for the ability.
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Not every player will run campaigns. I often see games played as one and done. Build a force with X BV/PV and play the game to its resolution. I have never seen anyone play aToW and don't often see anyone playing a story campaign. Thats not to say it doesn't happen.
The issue with point costs and SPAs or even unit quirks etc. isn't really something to discuss in this thread though in the detail that has taken place. Best to give it its own thread me thinks. Lest we annoy the mods :P
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I guess I came into the game more of an RPGer than I realized. I looked at BattleTech as a nice fusion of GI Joes and Transformers, where the human GI Joe pilot could have Transformer levels of impact on a battle. The whole thing about pilot experience across games just leads to at least a guantlet approach for pilots, and eventually a string of games that make a larger story and battle.
But, yeah, I get what you say. A lot of people have probably glossed that over, especially in the newer rules, which don't pay as much attention to that. In the 2nd and 3rd (and probably 4th) it was one of the first things you read about, experience and how to accrue it and spend it to improve skill values.
Still, where is a lot of the combat, really? Is it the smaller nameless guys that do a lot of the real fighting? Or is it really boring until a Lyran Guards unit decides to conduct a cross-border raid into the Free Worlds League? I would personally still like a keener insight into the scale of the conflicts, the number of raids, and so on. Is there a turn-over rate? Is it among the front line units, or elsewhere?
A lot of 4x4 BattleTech games, played to the last side with Mechs standing, are pretty damn decisive, and can end pilot careers, if not lives.
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The issue with point costs and SPAs or even unit quirks etc. isn't really something to discuss in this thread though in the detail that has taken place. Best to give it its own thread me thinks. Lest we annoy the mods :P
Its something we were seeing as part of a new release . . . they take enough liberty moving stuff for BS reasons, do not invite more.
My problem is we have products that are supposed to be intro intro . . . but hey, we introduced SPAs on these nifty cards coincidentally that match the mechs in the box so when a player deals out the cards to divide the forces they look at it, pilot is 2/4 "And my PPCs get a -2!"
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I do like the Mechwarrior cards giving the pilots little more to them when it's appropriate. As long things don't get too crazy.
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I do like the Mechwarrior cards giving the pilots little more to them when it's appropriate. As long things don't get too crazy.
This is where I'm at, too. We've spent 30 years being told how Mechwarriors are the elite of the elite and the Inner Sphere equivalent of nobles who inherit their equipment as it os passed down the family tree and how they attend pretigious training academies and so-on and so-on. All that has usually translated to, though, is a hastily made up name and a pair of numbers that, on a good day, gives the supposed elite of the elite a slight better-than-average chance of hitting a slow moving target.
Pilots NEED to be more interesting. They need skills that make sense in the context of personal, customized equipment and years of training. Their piloting and gunnery skills need to reflect the fact that they are actually competent professionals and not a bunch of random conscripts who were assigned to a mech by random chance. Honestly, I feel like MOST mech pilots should have an effective gunnery skill closer to 0.
From a real-world perspective, abilities like this mean that players will be able to hit things more frequently, which means they will be able to kill things more quickly, which translates to games that don't drag on for hours. I think this is a very good compromise between the "keep the game the same" crowd and the "this game needs to go faster" crowd.
Besides, as I am often reminded when I ask whether or not the game really needs twelve different flavors of medium lasers, the SPAs are optional, so just use what works for your table.
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From a real-world perspective, abilities like this mean that players will be able to hit things more frequently, which means they will be able to kill things more quickly, which translates to games that don't drag on for hours. I think this is a very good compromise between the "keep the game the same" crowd and the "this game needs to go faster" crowd.
Especially in the pre-Clan eras, before the advent of XL engines and DHS turned 'Mechs into much nastier gun platforms than before. Armor didn't change, but firepower sure did, and that made it much easier to killinate in the later games. Earlier, not so much...so this will definitely help!
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XL engines was a very easy costly way of making a lot of firepower into a mech, some mechs you get can get 10 or more tons of firepower.
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Besides, as I am often reminded when I ask whether or not the game really needs twelve different flavors of medium lasers, the SPAs are optional, so just use what works for your table.
Except that this intro product with all the advanced equipment that can also speed up a game and make it easier to hit were left out. It's KISS
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XL engines was a very easy costly way of making a lot of firepower into a mech, some mechs you get can get 10 or more tons of firepower.
Now that I am older and farther away from the min/max mentality of my youth, I actually really enjoy how suboptimal a lot of the 3050 "upgrades" were designed. Showcasing how poorly understood new technologies work and where to use them is not only historically accurate, but human nature.
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I like the SPAs on the cards; basically, you can tell new comers: hey, just use the cards for the gunnery and piloting. Oh, those special pilot abilities? Try the red pill; see how far the rabbit hole goes.
It’s the whole AIDA acronym from glengarry glen Ross.
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We can has more previews?? Paaaleeeeease ;)
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I would rather have some new products, TtS, TP, Spotlight on, XTRO.... anything. It has been a long time since we got something new. Something completely new. Not just a compilation of some units I already know about from older TROs which were only copy-ed over like TRO: SW was.
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Just checking in again: any news on the scheduling of a What’s up with Catalyst event at GenCon? I’m still trying to leave Thursday night open as that SEEMS to be the most likely time slot, but I’d prefer to know for sure! Thanks.
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I would rather have some new products, TtS, TP, Spotlight on, XTRO.... anything. It has been a long time since we got something new. Something completely new. Not just a compilation of some units I already know about from older TROs which were only copy-ed over like TRO: SW was.
Totally agree with you. Its been such a dry period.
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Will we be seeing products coming to UK sellers (like the lovely Amazon), as the international postage is usually cripplingly expensive. Also, how will the Print on Demand service work when it has to cross an ocean?
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I wish to heck i could find Battletech Legacy anthology. It came out last year, but no one seems to have it, including Amazon! Is that coming out in print this year in more wide release?
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Was that the one that was available at GenCon? I asked about it earlier and got referred back to the previous novels.
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Was that the one that was available at GenCon? I asked about it earlier and got referred back to the previous novels.
Yeah it was. It's so strange. Betrayal of Ideals (Pardoe's Wolverine novel) and Embers of War (by Jason Schmetzer) saw printed wide enough publication to be purchase with regular vender as well as the older anthologies. Yet Legacy isn't.
Oh well i hope we see something soon. Sorry to complain.
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I wish heck i could find Battletech Legacy anthology. It came out last year, but no one seems to have including Amazon! Is that coming out in print this year in more wide release?
I've been wondering about this as well. Been looking forward to reading this Anthology, but, no sign of it. Fingers crossed we start seeing more stuff here soon.
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Okay, b/c when I asked about a book released at GenCon that was supposed to be out already TPTB were asking about Embers & Betrayal . . . and I could not remember the title.
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I asked about it a few months back, and they said they were on the verge of saying "yes," but it turned out there were a few things that still needed doing before they could commit to a release date. (They may be holding it back until Print on Demand solidifies...dunno.)
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Its rather annoying b/c it could already have been out in e-reader format when they were selling it at GenCon. I mean I understand why traditional publishers started pulling back on releases and keeping the prices as high as their paperbacks for e-reader versions- they are trying to fight technology and keep their whipmakers at work.
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I asked about it a few months back, and they said they were on the verge of saying "yes," but it turned out there were a few things that still needed doing before they could commit to a release date. (They may be holding it back until Print on Demand solidifies...dunno.)
I think that was the answer when I asked about it the last time. I'll check again.
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Question on the starter book: will it be cover things like heat, etc? That’s an odd question I know, but the quick start guide available on the get started page does not.
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The new quick start one will not (beginner box set). The new intro rules one will.
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Ace, thanks!
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Will there be anything new at Origins??
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Will there be anything new at Origins??
At this point, unlikely. Since they are already setup for origins (as of today), with opening tomorrow, if there was new product, there would be announcements all over about it. There might be the standard dice, t-shirts, etc. I expect you will see some posts tomorrow by people.
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At this point, unlikely. Since they are already setup for origins (as of today), with opening tomorrow, if there was new product, there would be announcements all over about it. There might be the standard dice, t-shirts, etc. I expect you will see some posts tomorrow by people.
Sad...but just going to have to wait for Gencon.
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Isn't GenCon ususally where new product is done.
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Will there be anything new at Origins??
At this point, the only new stuff is for the Dragonfire game. As far as other CGL products go, there doesn't appear anything new for BT, Shadowrun or any of their other games.
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Hi everyone!
We've moved discussion of the new 5th printing of Total Warfare over to here (https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=61886.0). You'll find that post stickied at the top of the General Discussion page.
In this case, I didn't have advance notice that the book would be at Origins, so that's why we had to do this little shuffle. In the future, I should have a better fix on street dates for new products, and we'll handle discussion the same way, with a new, stickied post for each product. That way we can consolidate discussion around each new product, without someone having to go back 14 pages to read reaction to an older product.
This new releases thread will remain as a catch-all for discussion about things that are upcoming but haven't dropped yet.
Tl;dr - This thread for pre-release talk about products; look for dedicated, stickied threads about products post-release.
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If I may say, Cubby, it sounds as though the bureaucracy of the company is changing and you are gearing up for a more regular release schedule. At least that is what my impression is.
No need for details, but I am under the impression there are a few products in the works.
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There are a lot of products... just all of them are on hold and have been for awhile. Though it would be nice if there were NEW new products such as new Turning Points or other source books rather than the on hold stuff we already know about (TtS, Milestones, SpotLights, ilclan, etc)
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If I may say, Cubby, it sounds as though the bureaucracy of the company is changing and you are gearing up for a more regular release schedule. At least that is what my impression is.
No need for details, but I am under the impression there are a few products in the works.
There's always stuff in the pipeline, and hopefully that pipeline will be moving again soon.
Mostly, I'm just trying to standardize the way that new release are promoted, and how communications around them take place.
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World Wide Event announcement just dropped recently- some FWL love in 3087.
4 Brand new maps that will be available after the WWE? Its nice that they are intended to be linked together as you can tell from the water hexes.
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Question: I thought I had seen something about the starters being pushed back to September; any truth to that?
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Question: I thought I had seen something about the starters being pushed back to September; any truth to that?
I didn't see any news regarding this. Even in September it is still Q3 release which is good. Not that I expected sooner release.
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I didn't see any news regarding this. Even in September it is still Q3 release which is good. Not that I expected sooner release.
Ah, I didn’t realize September was still Q3. But I want it NOOOOWWW :)
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World Wide Event announcement just dropped recently- some FWL love in 3087.
4 Brand new maps that will be available after the WWE? Its nice that they are intended to be linked together as you can tell from the water hexes.
I'd love some new maps!
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Have we been told that those maps will be available to the public in some form after the WWE?
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I THINK so . . . but to be honest, I was studying the maps instead of trying to pick out the speech from background noise. By what I saw they should fit in well with other paper maps from the past and one looks like a variation of one of the old maps.
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The maps were created for the WWE by Catalyst. Since I did not create them they are not mine to distribute. I will try to find out what Catayst’s policy towards them after the event. Until the event ends, though, they are available only to the Demo Team.
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Quick question. I’ve been off playing all day at Origins and I’m not sure what stuff f Pls have gotten pictures of. I saw one for the new TW cover, but have there been any of the new t-shirts or dice that I think are new. Also, I saw a small mousepad with a timber wolf on it that I don’t remember. I have pics of the mouse pad and I can get one of the T-shirts and some of the dice if there haven’t been any. I don’t think the hells horses, taurian, or nova cat aluminum dice have been released before, but I could be wrong. Not sure if any other dice were new, but there were a bunch!
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Quick question. I’ve been off playing all day at Origins and I’m not sure what stuff f Pls have gotten pictures of. I saw one for the new TW cover, but have there been any of the new t-shirts or dice that I think are new. Also, I saw a small mousepad with a timber wolf on it that I don’t remember. I have pics of the mouse pad and I can get one of the T-shirts and some of the dice if there haven’t been any. I don’t think the hells horses, taurian, or nova cat aluminum dice have been released before, but I could be wrong. Not sure if any other dice were new, but there were a bunch!
I don't believe we have seen those ones in aluminum before. Nobody has posted photos of shirts or dice yet, or mouse pads.
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There are two new t-shirts, one has the Beginner Box Griffin artwork in full color, and there is another 'Athletic Department' shirt for the Capella War College (with a Thunderbolt on the back!) Sorry, no pictures.
Dak
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Ok, let’s see what I can do. Apologies in advance, as I have had a non-trivial number of old fashioned’s tonight. Also, the black shirt has nothing on the back.
(https://b26yaa.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mbSvjN0anT4N1Ad6cR8bI2RBnI4Z2agZM-BALDZpEn30RIloUPkfJcwbB5fi30hMunKlcATFegjFGjAHjj1nHveVC8g-XA844fSDINgdQojfsNUQFirvwDdtNHEArjhc3ZAHSAtigXXYMzvGeDWl7ir28Cp6rn9Psl57Wrs25rZkI9TPtZ4pTzdCnd96na6WCXssVaOOrxqMdglKomWUfFA?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
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(https://b24e0w.bn.files.1drv.com/y4miUC0kqBKLZ9id5HUUdGYSp79J6fvSNwkJcZbkASz8-qS9M3JtivADYSESB_BJz0RhpPXXXiFMvm7WcNKulKcoOg5mxFNU3h3wTc5Quq0kA7mgEk8SuhQIoKhHvZhGb5Tj3X8uj9kNingWoNYxxo9X6IytFszxjZLOVln1xM1bya_RevF4l8gFwAB16YKown_14do6lcSfU9E_eOkBdB7TQ?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://b26frw.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mtN8rd3EgdW6hyeSN7w4BSyTBjYlGVWylYkpD9eiZrthS7uNBagsMW6_GbjPhGyx_4J-d_2oVLyQp8b2Uji3PG6Sj8ghrtlIzBfZ2zUT9v-F1KMb88XPCSYnU4Z1Td-GkT_KjedkivMFkGG5QJ9gHbmfGQ6i-cT8fsOerlGkhq3kEVMkvBTeKGE7bmqoiLYxg5uZ-v5mZjnWq3kcNUJ3j7Q?width=900&height=1024&cropmode=none)
And a couple from IWM since I have no idea of they have pics up on their site or not!
(https://b27o6q.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mO3t9_O47vEZfurnJarNlLWDoZhDRhcSlfg1HFX7PlZu9Wxnti5rU9i7rgOc7g-DkC9dmJLSvAqTRjZMs4OTJB999cLpmdZzK_fgUnqFGRVd6UU2FZOptMXrCoMzJ8xxR2zfySS-ky2jiZ5PmoJLrv-6MnWTeRDbKmUkeizUgPbPeEnK__DY5ruSKtjZaIXJg04Byx8r1xhKwLmgxW6OYoQ?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
(https://b25pxg.bn.files.1drv.com/y4m1Ctc6S4m-2OSpLvqdqn0iBT4HYGfTY6SpueHMs8i4SBlTeZGcIYVX4Nphg8QBQ3ZRu7LJEJ6rF4DaHkCO_Jd2iNKqpiRTfCzcFVZ0TN6v_Uw59u7WAygQgEK2SFb1Qw4kruUkTcxB3K15IiZZwzrzg9oHfIm6yI0ARSNnO-b1QrgQWbB_R5vMvsSqP6PGYbBdptbEjUye3sH7nJiXBrsig?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
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Sorry, I didn’t buy the taurian dice. They are sort of metallic bronze with the taurian concordat logo in a dark silver. I found them pretty hard to read so I passed on them. There are also some pretty cool shadowrun aluminum dice that come in their own milled aluminum stick-container with a magnetic top, available in multiple colors. They are not BT, but I bought some as souvenirs for my kids. I can show those in purple if anyone wants to see them. The main difference is that they have sharp corners rather than rounded, compared to the BT aluminum dice, and th cool carrying case.
Also, Cubby, are you at Origins? If so, I’d like to say hi. My name is Bret and I’ll likely be at the alpha strike main events or the grinder tables most of Saturday. If you are here, come by and say Hi! I’ve got the ridiculous mutton chops and soul patch.
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Like the new shirt. Hope I can get one that isn't at a convention .
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I need to throw money at people for dice sets (that aren't the five main Houses)
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New dice sets are normally released at Gencon, so don't expect anything new yet.
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Ok, so this isn’t exactly new release news...but it kinda is. I played the Alpha Strike feature event today at Origns (which, by the way, was a total blast) and it was recreating a soon-to-be-canon event: The Robinson’s Rangers defending New Avalon from the Wolf’s Dragoon’s! I believe it was Gamma regiment of the dragoon’s we were fighting. As the Rangers, we got our butts kicked repeatedly by the Dragoon’s, and our remnants had to retreat off planet. Apparently, that is likely (but not for sure) going to match what actually happens. So, the outcome could be tweaked, but still...New Avalon is in trouble!
Also, I can confirm that in the Alpha Strike campaign at GenCon, Malvina Hazen will be taking the field...and you can shoot at her. No word yet on whether you can still shoot at her, even if you are also a Falcon. I mean, Ristars have been known to demand trials at inadvisable times, and she DOES seem like she would be an awful boss!
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Spoke to Randall on Friday about Combat Manuals. They didn't sell well enough, and they're dead.
Saw prototypes of new Boxed Sets and they are awesome. The cardboard standees have the 'Mechs, and leftover room was used for some hexpack-style terrain modifier tokens. Really slick, but I can't remember if they're in the Beginner Box or just the GoAC box.
The Beginner Box isn't going to be a two part box like we've been used to where you lift the lid off. They're going to be side opening sleeve type like the Shadowrun boxes.
According to Brent, the reason we haven't seen any new product is that they're focusing the entire stable of BT authors/developers on moving the storyline forward via fiction. This means that they've got to focus on that and even the smaller products would be a distraction from that effort. There should be new fiction, in Barnes and Noble at least, sometime next year.
That's everything I remember (It was two days ago and I'm tired).
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Spoke to Randall on Friday about Combat Manuals. They didn't sell well enough, and they're dead.
That's very sad, as those are imo the best products CGL has ever published.
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Got a few more pics from Origins before I left:
The proofs of the new box sets were there. I know we have seen pictures of the art, but these were real...and I could actually touch them! Didn't get pics of all the contents (booth was still kind of busy), but Brent was kind enough to grab a pic of me with them so I could pretend I had bought them and freak out a couple of my friends:
(https://b246va.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mKAIB-JWVGZjw44cV4lr2CMLzpAEGlOo5IVAGezkdEVCAey8NNdQhjVGvenLvmD-MN-NCLRkASlFR6Vaq_7viOXJ5B4sAx3g2xglfkISzi5K9mtouw6z1hGKOYp5gx66Km3GuPaJMGZ-L0dowDs5oPTOKw-lU5DpEfOR8I0RXe4RbVXhzH1-V6EWCClR1VSR5_30lq68m51pOhIBHenvPPw?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
(https://b27vma.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mwk4Ka07ciojBO0OZSg6-jScyGsYy9SS4nxwBNXM3fd5g_-DVia0ewh_YuLCQ0FDuHGBbnI2xZY2yzSnL7fGzkPcA_JXOVP9KisVAfXFPaQnLMdF7bJ2ge0HQ0TtusGwt8RlofFdNE0-unxreVx69qF-YA6UuD82U7GV0ep-Ax-_8VBug33j0kafRufGINud3GtX8dY0TOZsMAnjnQ79TUw?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
I also got pics of the new maps for both the World Wide Event this year, and the ones for the new box sets. The actual maps will be front-and-back, but they were shown here with both sides printed on one big sheet of paper.
World wide event:
(https://1plv6q.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mgPwfp9i9ISak-wK-DuCrCYynLz-e9OIwK0WlTnhF-ZfI7cxMFkHLLqFtRxwOPG62yRGWa9S1dCIF9DFMxvN7gUzY5EjAhf4VOWiFxPgf5bXc30XOVjErCsXu1TolQEGRk6StyrOxIL1FNtKrRpt1Y-4hCDYxgMrnnHokxlZSyqYjx2vY94HHSgzwsZscVHZAb0apnZP10x1bzl5ZXrqYNg?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
(https://1pm6da.bn.files.1drv.com/y4maBZGyDCwM_k5VgFdGr2gSnvfwmKNDsk8g5jJIgII2GXujF37sFNnoIf2M3AjnTBLIwRELEN4gP1IgEPjUOLVIX3g8zj4kP_W0Bb9H4Lsb589RSPGmnf2yzLPMTNo-9Y1INpwF1sD2pVcYm_rvQ2DnA47a_2pesyJNbaxNMcuAywGL8_sRvwqrRaT3wLFgrFUSGjR1mf85QiSX-2eKVOsQg?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://1pnwxq.bn.files.1drv.com/y4m0OCiIuRXWUG2UWXy4kDyZFDTlV-0sThC7Jhsczd81bQKjGYkFr-ADvPWDPOnCKyMTbYlAFCK2BrDQ5mtLho1VKJXy0wDWTmXnLn0OZD4tqpnmRSj3Rxhc_1z6Wlu47czXxRD8bsq0MgcBkplDf2ryRYkWy39QslDKiC8hAN6Fg09LGHnrOEYTfLAntFlIx_R2JMFfbV6H-lB248goXWW-g?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
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(https://1pkmrw.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mjAS3kBoWnCQ9iwNw8uFm7awHPyQD06uHfdm8VWfZAZeKTZG_2xRhaNgQ_v9vfhOIJ3la-EXLvTh9PCK6AmN_Zke-irUuqfrZIWHmlI5d_kP4y2ejkwk6xIVVY2u2NNSb7AeQAjvLf8fLCdk_T2E8ucY-j_myFaPUuuhIWsxITpBEDmTvHx8qNUdtDiJF2pZPzW6sWfNyM9Ax-4z7qiAu6w?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
New box set maps:
(https://1pnbuw.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mNf5-7LLpvHJ0yY_TlW0kpbly31CAnAX2S9yKFKZ-i5yTN_-X8Tt7YKz1kB5jIEPuW49DtqU9QCCxaNTyuygOGkcGCnR30tPew8pXnEFp81QUD2RH8q1eWZfr0tT1iGkihkes7ysw9NLnBCY2xSlil7o_4tEmhmJo-qc0PoCjSDCdvzxuTXv5aDbQQuevp0qrUp64omLurWwde6nd1ZiikQ?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://1pn3pa.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mkJ7FeCDC-mzDt-1QmB-i5c12cNEP7Ygsn5eeaU1Nm2oRt1DYuk_B5DcpkPGYj03_EW8EtaG8kUR0sde1yNlmIByRgj3hOKtqOOIDSX95VqRo_kOhyS3hkFEUa2uKlURMlarRz6mh0mENvyB3qaaPprOle3sRv8SuQAodW1o2R0uGX9cYwWPSLtZm4-tkflIKEqowkEKoKqwRfjui-hAJ3w?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://1pmsgq.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mUYFg4rOobPYq92fmwhmX0UNMvofsogdOnn8P5-sxWhAimvTPjYp760oPMr7OKzuXrHhtZ7m5t6rFvF6vVis16IgwXinLldt7iG0fcpAhyatuy9O8Q1ZDnih0wj3uV6dRXorl9pG_873ouiyDXWC3uFoutMrp5klbFd3XcgQNhUNrWwuAzT6TDYC-WDy2Io0SZIMi8zQzC3mvCYX7IwBjQQ?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://1plcma.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mSf7UxqLxDcaYbQIBZFi8tAi1EDOvlCEAjLvNlq0nRoVUcBgLHC6UJVamecYVrEHbJ4Utrr_01-jhVmF2eUh6_20CXTvCphVQljxs98AXG4OJU7xDLJXtyY2C97oYeNP3kkDKx3BWe479t0mGv8K0jMwd_zMJKKL3i-fYWGTragsCVVDow7-oe7bUBGAP4ags5g-QbHv-dm9hyIwRfMn-yQ?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
Also, I tried to set up an album with all my Origins pics, but I'm not sure if it is shared right. You can try this link and see if it shows you everything with links to the enormous full-size pictures:
https://1drv.ms/a/s!ApDHaN8p702Hgj-9hcYWjEWPj_c2
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Nice maps. Little disappointed that the new box set isn't going to have the classic Battletech map. But I think I'd rather have all new maps.
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Nice maps. Little disappointed that the new box set isn't going to have the classic Battletech map. But I think I'd rather have all new maps.
Having like, 15* of those maps already, I'm OK with something new
*15 is an exaggeration, but only a minor one. I've got the basic BT map at least 8 times.
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Nice
Maybe down the road they'll do it in a map pack.
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Having like, 15* of those maps already, I'm OK with something new
*15 is an exaggeration, but only a minor one. I've got the basic BT map at least 8 times.
I suspect I have 20 or 25 of them.
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Also, Cubby, are you at Origins? If so, I’d like to say hi. My name is Bret and I’ll likely be at the alpha strike main events or the grinder tables most of Saturday. If you are here, come by and say Hi! I’ve got the ridiculous mutton chops and soul patch.
Ah, sorry I couldn't make it out. Kiddo no. 2 arrived early Tuesday morning, so Origins was a no-go for me obviously. I hope to be there next year, definitely try to connect with me! Always good to meet a forum regular.
The cardboard standees have the 'Mechs, and leftover room was used for some hexpack-style terrain modifier tokens. Really slick, but I can't remember if they're in the Beginner Box or just the GoAC box.
Punch-out Mechs are in both. Terrain, I'm not personally sure about. I'll check.
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Punch out ‘Mechs and terrain come in both boxes. The terrain is limited in the Beginner Box since the rules only use woods, but several hexes are blanks intended to cover up existing terrain on the maps themselves (to mix things up). The AGoAC box has a bunch of different stuff (levels, woods, water).
Dak
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Will those WWE maps be available for sale anywhere? In physical format, naturally.
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Beautiful work on those maps!
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Will those WWE maps be available for sale anywhere? In physical format, naturally.
No. At least that is not the plan. I spoke with Brent about the maps this morning before I drove home. He said Mary had pushed to get some special maps just for the world wide event, and these were the result. They are not producing them in the numbers they would for a general release, just enough to supply the demo team.
However, Brent did mention that he wants to get the image files for the new maps available as free downloads so people can print them on their own if they want. I didn’t think to ask if that meant just the ones in the new box sets or also the world wide event, or something else. Personally, I think that sounds like a cool idea, and I’m guessing we will have more details at GenCon.
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Incredibly cool map and not available for sale. ****** it!
Printing it by myself is not an option. Just not practical, nor would it look good.
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So very awesome. Can't wait for the box sets.
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Incredibly cool map and not available for sale. ****** it!
Printing it by myself is not an option. Just not practical, nor would it look good.
Office Depot/UPS Store plotter? Rates are usually not too over-the-top.
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Office Depot/UPS Store plotter? Rates are usually not too over-the-top.
I don't think we have printing services here. If there are, i have no idea about the rates but i suspect high, Finland isn't a cheap country.
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Print shop prices very from shop to shop. If cost trumps quality, you can always set your home printer to poster mode or recreate the map using Hex Pack or other counters.
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I got only black and white printer (color is not worth it for home printing ever in my experience). If black and white maps were OK to me, i'd just draw them myself. Got one of those playmats with hex grid.
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Just getting home and going to bed soonish. Will have some of my own thoughts on my last Origins elsewhere, but let me say:
- Met Brent Evans, chatted for a bit, feel that the line is in enthusiastic hands. (no, didn't ask about the HG thing, wouldn't be polite.)
- Boxed set looked excellent, even if the Wolverine is now right handed. :-(
- Picked up a couple Battletech Pins, Wolverines and House Davion. Lamented no Confederated Suns or Rim Federation. Brent politely expressed empathy, even if he likely thought "really?"
- Am really hoping we have the 2018 event some time in Columbus
- Add me to the list of those who want the Event maps after the event.
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I got only black and white printer (color is not worth it for home printing ever in my experience). If black and white maps were OK to me, i'd just draw them myself. Got one of those playmats with hex grid.
Catalyst is working on creating new sets of map sheets that WILL be actual purchasable products. Its just the world wide event maps that aren’t planned to be purchasable. There are other maps, beyond what is planned to be in the boxed sets, they they are working on as well. They just weren’t previewing that stuff at Origins. So, you will be able to buy maps, just not necessarily those four. That make you feel any better?
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Its just the world wide event maps that aren’t planned to be purchasable.
Although I had input in what I was looking for with the maps, the maps were not created by me. So while I have ideas about what I would like to do with the maps after the conclusion of the WWE I can't say what will happen. Those maps are CGL's not the CDT's.
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Catalyst is working on creating new sets of map sheets that WILL be actual purchasable products. Its just the world wide event maps that aren’t planned to be purchasable. There are other maps, beyond what is planned to be in the boxed sets, they they are working on as well. They just weren’t previewing that stuff at Origins. So, you will be able to buy maps, just not necessarily those four. That make you feel any better?
Not really. Yeah, we knew there are gonna be new maps, or at least that has been said but until i see them... well, i'm not gonna get interested or hyped about things that may be eventually.
Those four maps form such a nice looking battlefield as they are. Nice variable terrain, looks like something that might be an actual place. Generic maps lack such... connectedness, theme.
The new box set maps are looking good but man, the event maps look even better, that's the worst thing here.
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I get the maps being a event exclusive; give you a little something special for hosting the event and makes the event it self a little more special.
If I actually had my stuff together, I would see this as a great time to sign up to be a Demo Agent (only have 4 unpainted lance packs and a couple of proxies, wouldn't be the best rep of the game as is)
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Thought the map packs were a poorly selling item? Does this indicate a change in release philosophy? I mean . . . I really want some of the variants hinted at in 3145 and I know there are record sheets missing from releases before that product.
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- Met Brent Evans, chatted for a bit, feel that the line is in enthusiastic hands.
I don't care about enthusiasm, only results. Right now, I'm here to support folks like Cubby, Adrian Gideon, Kat, and the other people I see actually working. Until Brent produces some results, I am getting really tired of his hype.
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Maps look great, very clear elevation levels. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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According to Brent, the reason we haven't seen any new product is that they're focusing the entire stable of BT authors/developers on moving the storyline forward via fiction. This means that they've got to focus on that and even the smaller products would be a distraction from that effort. There should be new fiction, in Barnes and Noble at least, sometime next year.
I missed that comment earlier...thanks for relaying this to us, mbear.
I'm making Upcoming Product speculation. Please don't pouncing me for thinking this out.
From what has been said so far, I do hope CGL clears up when what is being launched.
What it sounds like...essentially most likely nothing really moving product wise until the storyline moves.
So if the Shatter Fortress manages to come out this year. We won't see anything until it does come out?
I'm not assuming that if we don't see novels, we wont see anything. Because another year of waiting going break people.
Small products may all on hold, including TROs, XTROs, etc.
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However, Brent did mention that he wants to get the image files for the new maps available as free downloads so people can print them on their own if they want. I didn’t think to ask if that meant just the ones in the new box sets or also the world wide event, or something else. Personally, I think that sounds like a cool idea, and I’m guessing we will have more details at GenCon.
I find myself weirdly intrigued by those maps, too. Personally, I am not much into fancy environments and like wilderness environment best (kudos to the graphic artist), and they look like good playing fields (kudos to the map designer). And if CGL will offer them for free download - way to go CGL!
:thumbsup:
Thought the map packs were a poorly selling item? Does this indicate a change in release philosophy? I mean . . . I really want some of the variants hinted at in 3145 and I know there are record sheets missing from releases before that product.
Huh? From what I understood, the first two map packs sold very well, and the third had quality issues on the printing side of things. The line then ended because CGL wouldn't be able to get the same product quality out for the same price.
Maybe I got that wrong. No insider knowledge here whatsoever.
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I wouldn't mind to pay for these WWE maps after end of the event. We don't have currently big enough community to successfully run these events but in future I would like to use these maps as they are something very nice and uncommon. PDF version like current MapPacks would be nice.
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Pretty sure that was the comments about the map packs. I do not quote remember, I know I bought the set that had a base but I have not really used it.
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Ah, sorry I couldn't make it out. Kiddo no. 2 arrived early Tuesday morning, so Origins was a no-go for me obviously. I hope to be there next year, definitely try to connect with me! Always good to meet a forum regular.
Punch-out Mechs are in both. Terrain, I'm not personally sure about. I'll check.
Nobody going to mention a congrats ?!
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Wha! I love the map packs! I have all three (and two hard-backed ones from the box set), and have got a lot of use out of them.
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Ah, sorry I couldn't make it out. Kiddo no. 2 arrived early Tuesday morning, so Origins was a no-go for me obviously. I hope to be there next year, definitely try to connect with me! Always good to meet a forum regular.
I missed this on the first read through... congratulations!
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I glossed over that as well! Congrats Cubby! Can’t think of a better reason to skip a convention.
Couple other random replies:
Brent mentioned in passing that the previous map packs made money. No word if they sold a ton, but what they sold made money. However, they were made by three different printers and quality control wasn’t what they wanted.
The proofs for the two new boxed sets were not empty. They had punch out mechs, punch out terrain, and new rule books inside, I just didn’t have time to photo everything. They are way further along than the mock-up boxes we saw at GenCon last year.
Priority #2 for GenCon appears to be shattered fortress. Beyond that, not sure what will make the cut. The revised Alpha Strike rulebook is possible, but not guaranteed. Same with new map packs and new fiction.
From what I saw, the box sets should be at GenCon. Now, they may be a smaller shipment that gets air-mailed over before the main container gets over here by boat, but I believe they will be ready in August.
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Now, they may be a smaller shipment that gets air-mailed over before the main container gets over here by boat, but I believe they will be ready in August.
That's almost a traditional thing! (Remembers Leviathans)
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Priority #2 for GenCon appears to be shattered fortress. Beyond that, not sure what will make the cut. The revised Alpha Strike rulebook is possible, but not guaranteed. Same with new map packs and new fiction.
TW reprint
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TW reprint
Was available at Origins, and presumably doesn't bear mentioning as a new release for GenCon. :)
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Ah, sorry I couldn't make it out. Kiddo no. 2 arrived early Tuesday morning, so Origins was a no-go for me obviously. I hope to be there next year, definitely try to connect with me! Always good to meet a forum regular.
Punch-out Mechs are in both. Terrain, I'm not personally sure about. I'll check.
Congrats on your number 2 kiddo! Just to warn you that they grow up fast and soon they will be 22 and married.
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Was available at Origins, and presumably doesn't bear mentioning as a new release for GenCon. :)
you'd think at this point in my life i could read at an elementary school level
but you'd be wrong
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Did you ask about what that meant for Ilclan? I'd like to see it at Gencon rather than waiting another year for it...
Not that I'll be at Gencon....
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you'd think at this point in my life i could read at an elementary school level
but you'd be wrong
My kindergarten class was divided into rabbits and turtles, so I empathize. ;)
Cubby, congratulations on the new...cub? (This is starting to feel recursive. "It's cubs all the way down.")
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Cubby, congratulations on the new...cub? (This is starting to feel recursive. "It's cubs all the way down.")
Cub, Cubby, Cubbbyy. Easy enough, even for a "turtle." :D
(And belated congratulations from me as well.)
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That's almost a traditional thing! (Remembers Leviathans)
May they take to the air again some day
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May they take to the air again some day
Seconded. Neat game concept, fun system... what a waste. :-\
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Did you ask about what that meant for Ilclan? I'd like to see it at Gencon rather than waiting another year for it...
Not that I'll be at Gencon....
Priority #2 for GenCon appears to be shattered fortress.
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Huh? From what I understood, the first two map packs sold very well, and the third had quality issues on the printing side of things. The line then ended because CGL wouldn't be able to get the same product quality out for the same price.
Maybe I got that wrong. No insider knowledge here whatsoever.
The HexPack products predate my current level of involvement, but my understanding is that they were a victim of that concept of sales velocity. They may have "sold well," but were expensive to produce and sold too slowly to recoup that cost effectively.
Brent mentioned in passing that the previous map packs made money. No word if they sold a ton, but what they sold made money.
The two concepts aren't mutually exclusive, which is where the confusion usually happens. Things can gross more money than they cost to produce, but move slowly enough to hamper further production, for a net effect of performing poorly. Printing QC, I can't say.
That's almost a traditional thing! (Remembers Leviathans)
As is the annual rush to get things ready for the con. IMHO, makes it very hard to properly tease and hype and market things. The rush means they just sort of <blorp> into existence.
Cub, Cubby, Cubbbyy. Easy enough, even for a "turtle." :D
(And belated congratulations from me as well.)
Hm...not bad. Feels a little Joruus C'Boath, but I can work with it. (In reality, "Cubby" was my nickname at the first newspaper I worked for, as in, "junior cub reporter.")
Thanks, everyone, for the congrats! It's been a wild week since Lia Catherine Cahall arrived on Tues 6/12, 7 lb 13 oz, 21 inches, healthy along with her mom.
To stay on topic, I'm glad to say that I got about a chapter and a half of "Shattered Fortress" edited in her delivery room, and a little more since, so I'm on pace. I tried to recruit her as my Research Assistant, but she fell asleep. Typical slacker baby.
(https://preview.ibb.co/jsXWUd/IMG_0013.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dTT5pd)
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*looks on Google for 'child labor laws'*
Congrats! :P
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A baby gitl. How cute she is. So, she is now a Cubbe.tte
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*looks on Google for 'child labor laws'*
"Look, I. Don't. Care if you're two days old. You know who cares? Tara Campbell, because she's waiting for you to confirm that the Highlanders were a battalion according to FM3145. Make it happen!"
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What a cute angel .....
Congratulation! :thumbsup:
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The best move to bring the Battletech Miniature game back into the minds of people and embrace new players is to wait out until the hype of the computer game has passed by.
.
.
Until then: 80's style garbage sale Rulebook covers will work 'cause there is this "Ready Player One" hype.
.
.
Oh wait....
.
.
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Guess that confirms no ilClan books for GenCon. Oh well, box sets.
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Until then: 80's style garbage sale
... harsh
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Guess that confirms no ilClan books for GenCon. Oh well, box sets.
No, it doesn't.
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Congratulate on your new child, Cubby.
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Cubby, she's a cutie! ;)
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That's an adorable kid Cubby. Congratulations!
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Congrat on the kid!
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Seconded. Neat game concept, fun system... what a waste. :-\
Yup, that game would be great for the table or computer.
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Cubby, she's a cutie! ;)
I think I hear a new unit name: Cubby's Cute Cubbettes!
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I think I hear a new unit name: Cubby's Cute Cubbettes!
I second the motion. :thumbsup:
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I second the motion. :thumbsup:
I think I hear a new unit name: Cubby's Cute Cubbettes!
I agree! Congrats, Cubby and welcome to the world little Cubby.
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To stay on topic, I'm glad to say that I got about a chapter and a half of "Shattered Fortress" edited in her delivery room, and a little more since, so I'm on pace. I tried to recruit her as my Research Assistant, but she fell asleep. Typical slacker baby.
Maybe she was just hit by "new player syndrome" when she saw the number of rulebooks. ;)
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So with the legal stuff settled, does that mean the marauder, warhammer, wasp and Phoenix hawk are going to get added back?
Inquiring minds and such :)
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So with the legal stuff settled, does that mean the marauder, warhammer, wasp and Phoenix hawk are going to get added back?
Inquiring minds and such :)
While it looks very good, I think it is still a tad early do declare the legal stuff over. Judge hasn't signed off, etc.
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Bring on the TRO Succession Wars: Update PDF!
Gimme a PDF with all the new Warhammer, Marauder, etc art!
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Ok, let’s see what I can do. Apologies in advance, as I have had a non-trivial number of old fashioned’s tonight. Also, the black shirt has nothing on the back.
(https://b26yaa.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mbSvjN0anT4N1Ad6cR8bI2RBnI4Z2agZM-BALDZpEn30RIloUPkfJcwbB5fi30hMunKlcATFegjFGjAHjj1nHveVC8g-XA844fSDINgdQojfsNUQFirvwDdtNHEArjhc3ZAHSAtigXXYMzvGeDWl7ir28Cp6rn9Psl57Wrs25rZkI9TPtZ4pTzdCnd96na6WCXssVaOOrxqMdglKomWUfFA?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://b24zdq.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mf_D040kj_-_YygWTdDJeHDeHcxLmKBfCQqGx2HqAfb8VU9uDxvF5x-tVTSp7sU7kyZOxYLtXDVJfHXBZd2I_OHirg8qo8iWTD2KOkwxImjmvjL3kut2nDvdM0DRrh_RErGGKl1NojWtIhQCj4lYjZGYl1213xqrnhTgyoPtgkt8q4MgoKuPabcnUB1_0m9bhj0Z9jmQMTFo-c7KxOZxUgw?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
(https://b24e0w.bn.files.1drv.com/y4miUC0kqBKLZ9id5HUUdGYSp79J6fvSNwkJcZbkASz8-qS9M3JtivADYSESB_BJz0RhpPXXXiFMvm7WcNKulKcoOg5mxFNU3h3wTc5Quq0kA7mgEk8SuhQIoKhHvZhGb5Tj3X8uj9kNingWoNYxxo9X6IytFszxjZLOVln1xM1bya_RevF4l8gFwAB16YKown_14do6lcSfU9E_eOkBdB7TQ?width=768&height=1024&cropmode=none)
(https://b26frw.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mtN8rd3EgdW6hyeSN7w4BSyTBjYlGVWylYkpD9eiZrthS7uNBagsMW6_GbjPhGyx_4J-d_2oVLyQp8b2Uji3PG6Sj8ghrtlIzBfZ2zUT9v-F1KMb88XPCSYnU4Z1Td-GkT_KjedkivMFkGG5QJ9gHbmfGQ6i-cT8fsOerlGkhq3kEVMkvBTeKGE7bmqoiLYxg5uZ-v5mZjnWq3kcNUJ3j7Q?width=900&height=1024&cropmode=none)
And a couple from IWM since I have no idea of they have pics up on their site or not!
(https://b27o6q.bn.files.1drv.com/y4mO3t9_O47vEZfurnJarNlLWDoZhDRhcSlfg1HFX7PlZu9Wxnti5rU9i7rgOc7g-DkC9dmJLSvAqTRjZMs4OTJB999cLpmdZzK_fgUnqFGRVd6UU2FZOptMXrCoMzJ8xxR2zfySS-ky2jiZ5PmoJLrv-6MnWTeRDbKmUkeizUgPbPeEnK__DY5ruSKtjZaIXJg04Byx8r1xhKwLmgxW6OYoQ?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
(https://b25pxg.bn.files.1drv.com/y4m1Ctc6S4m-2OSpLvqdqn0iBT4HYGfTY6SpueHMs8i4SBlTeZGcIYVX4Nphg8QBQ3ZRu7LJEJ6rF4DaHkCO_Jd2iNKqpiRTfCzcFVZ0TN6v_Uw59u7WAygQgEK2SFb1Qw4kruUkTcxB3K15IiZZwzrzg9oHfIm6yI0ARSNnO-b1QrgQWbB_R5vMvsSqP6PGYbBdptbEjUye3sH7nJiXBrsig?width=1024&height=768&cropmode=none)
Please tell me that I can buy these shirts online and have it shipped to Europe for whatever price is necessary
Also, the alpha strike image: Is that a mousepad?
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Bring on the TRO Succession Wars: Update PDF!
Gimme a PDF with all the new Warhammer, Marauder, etc art!
Actually I would like a retrospective TRO going from the Primitives to the nuseen to the Reseen Phoenix, Reseen 3085 versions and then onto versions of them to the time jump. All new art for everything of course. And I'd like an out of universe introduction giving an explanation of the significance of these units.
Seems perfect if you want to get old and new customers buying the same product
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Will ATOW companion be reprinted? ^-^
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Bring on the TRO Succession Wars: Update PDF!
Gimme a PDF with all the new Warhammer, Marauder, etc art!
1000 times this. I'll offer my services for free to CGL to help format and lay out Shim's art for the new pages.
Speaking of which, when Zilly signs this bad boy, which can't come soon enough, can we haz new art for Crusader, Ostsol, and Ostroc plz?
Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah!
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Hopefully the rifleman goes back on the Alpha Strike commander’s edition :)
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Prsonally, I never want to see the Unseen in any future BT product, be it done by CGL, PGI or HBS. Those images need to and must be consigned to the past. Lessons learned and all that. We have the New Classics, th Primitives (where applicable) and the Project Phoenix renditons. Do we really need to see the Unsen ever agains out of our own respective memories?
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Please tell me that I can buy these shirts online and have it shipped to Europe for whatever price is necessary
Also, the alpha strike image: Is that a mousepad?
1) Sorry, shirts are typically sold only at the conventions. If that has changed, I haven't heard about it. However, that doesn't mean you couldn't convince a kind-hearted fan going to GenCon to pick one or two up for you and ship them over.
2) Yes, that was a mousepad.
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Prsonally, I never want to see the Unseen in any future BT product, be it done by CGL, PGI or HBS. Those images need to and must be consigned to the past. Lessons learned and all that. We have the New Classics, th Primitives (where applicable) and the Project Phoenix renditons. Do we really need to see the Unsen ever agains out of our own respective memories?
Agreed, I want Shimmering Swords new art everywhere they can put it: TRO Succession Wars, MasterUnitList, in PGI's next MWO mech if possible, and over on HBS' Battletech game if possible. I don't want the old art. Let it die.
Long live Battletech!
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Agreed, I want Shimmering Swords new art everywhere they can put it: TRO Succession Wars, MasterUnitList, in PGI's next MWO mech if possible, and over on HBS' Battletech game if possible. I don't want the old art. Let it die.
Long live Battletech!
Yes. This so very much. The old unseen art was good for as far as it went, but as far as Battletech is concerned, Anthony Scroggins' art is by far superior for the context of the game. As soon as the first few were released, the "retcon" swich in my brain was hit, and these are what the iconic 'mechs now ALWAYS looked like to me :thumbsup:
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Prsonally, I never want to see the Unseen in any future BT product, be it done by CGL, PGI or HBS. Those images need to and must be consigned to the past. Lessons learned and all that. We have the New Classics, th Primitives (where applicable) and the Project Phoenix renditons. Do we really need to see the Unsen ever agains out of our own respective memories?
Who mentioned bringing back the Unseen? Everyone is talking about the new art. :)
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1) Sorry, shirts are typically sold only at the conventions. If that has changed, I haven't heard about it. However, that doesn't mean you couldn't convince a kind-hearted fan going to GenCon to pick one or two up for you and ship them over.
2) Yes, that was a mousepad.
All right thanks for clearing that up for me.
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I know that Lance packs are a taboo subject but who could get behind the following lance packs?
Recon Lance: Phoenix Hawk, Valkyrie, Stinger Wasp
Pursuit Lance: Ostsol, Ostroc, Ostscout Scorpion
Fire Lance: Longbow, Archer, Crusader, Rifleman
Assault Lance: Marauder II, Goliath, Marauder, Warhammer,
This with the new box sets I think would sale and you would have all the mechs in plastic! Then Iron Wind Metals could offer variants on the base designs.
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I know that Lance packs are a taboo subject but who could get behind the following lance packs?
They're not a taboo subject at all. Discuss away!
Recon Lance: Phoenix Hawk, Valkyrie, Stinger Wasp
Pursuit Lance: Ostsol, Ostroc, Ostscout Scorpion
Fire Lance: Longbow, Archer, Crusader, Rifleman
Assault Lance: Marauder II, Goliath, Marauder, Warhammer,
This with the new box sets I think would sale and you would have all the mechs in plastic! Then Iron Wind Metals could offer variants on the base designs.
I like that line-up.
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This with the new box sets I think would sale and you would have all the mechs in plastic!
It won't happen. There is a 0% chance that Catalyst will produce more lance packs.
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It won't happen. There is a 0% chance that Catalyst will produce more lance packs.
Why I understand where you are coming from, never say never ;)
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It won't happen. There is a 0% chance that Catalyst will produce more lance packs.
O? The other color Beemers have not been that definitive . . .
But I think the Succession Wars Expansion Pack to the GoAC box is a better route.
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O? The other color Beemers have not been that definitive . . .
As of right now, GreyWolfActual is correct. But never say never.
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It won't happen. There is a 0% chance that Catalyst will produce more lance packs.
I’m concerned people will read this, but hear “CGL will never do plastic Mechs again ever.”
It’s unlikely these Lance Packs will be reprinted exactly as they are.
There are certainly hopes of producing more plastic minis in the future, which depends in part on how well the new box sets do.
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There are certainly hopes of producing more plastic minis in the future, which depends in part on how well the new box sets do.
BUY, YOU FOOLS
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There are certainly hopes of producing more plastic minis in the future, which depends in part on how well the new box sets do.
I am hoping for a new "PlasTech" set for the remaining Classics. I vastly prefer metal; however, you take what you can get.
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This is correct.
I’m concerned people will read this, but hear “CGL will never do plastic Mechs again ever.”
It’s unlikely these Lance Packs will be reprinted exactly as they are.
There are certainly hopes of producing more plastic minis in the future, which depends in part on how well the new box sets do.
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BUY, YOU FOOLS
Once they have product, I've got lucre... I fear there will be a blossoming of my military budget >:D
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I am hoping for a new "PlasTech" set for the remaining Classics. I vastly prefer metal; however, you take what you can get.
I just can't justify buying more metal miniatures for a long while, but I'll take whatever plastics come my way.
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With the end of the lawsuit in sight I would not be surprised to see either lance packs or a reinforcement set using the Macross derived unseen. Those have always been the most iconic mechs in the franchise and would probably sell better than the new box sets.
Frankly though I would rather see CGL willing to sell individual plastic mechs as well as larger lance packs or company sized boxes. If they have the molds they aren't limited as to what they do with them, or at least they shouldn't be. If they are.. well, that is just their own fault for picking the wrong company to work with.
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I know that Lance packs are a taboo subject but who could get behind the following lance packs?
Recon Lance: Phoenix Hawk, Valkyrie, Stinger Wasp
Pursuit Lance: Ostsol, Ostroc, Ostscout Scorpion
Fire Lance: Longbow, Archer, Crusader, Rifleman
Assault Lance: Marauder II, Goliath, Marauder, Warhammer,
This with the new box sets I think would sale and you would have all the mechs in plastic! Then Iron Wind Metals could offer variants on the base designs.
Needs more Battlemaster. :P
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With the end of the lawsuit in sight I would not be surprised to see either lance packs or a reinforcement set using the Macross derived unseen. Those have always been the most iconic mechs in the franchise and would probably sell better than the new box sets.
Frankly though I would rather see CGL willing to sell individual plastic mechs as well as larger lance packs or company sized boxes. If they have the molds they aren't limited as to what they do with them, or at least they shouldn't be. If they are.. well, that is just their own fault for picking the wrong company to work with.
If they can do it while still doing right by IWM, why can't they do something like what Wizkids is doing with their Pathfinder and D&D minis (essentially selling two unpainted-but-primed plastic minis in a blister for $5) or what Reaper does with their Bones (but with a better, paint-tolerant plastic than Bones, please!), as long as it makes financial sense?
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Have you all seen Steve Jackson Games's new Ogre miniatures? That's the quality (and price point) I want to see. If any of the Catalyst High Poombas want, I can even forward the information on the folks doing the manufacturing for SJ Games.
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If they can do it while still doing right by IWM, why can't they do something like what Wizkids is doing with their Pathfinder and D&D minis (essentially selling two unpainted-but-primed plastic minis in a blister for $5) or what Reaper does with their Bones (but with a better, paint-tolerant plastic than Bones, please!), as long as it makes financial sense?
Wizkids can afford to build up a huge stock of a wide variety of miniatures on the assumption that they'll sell fast enough to make a profit. Catalyst doesn't have the same customer base.
(also, mech miniatures are significantly bigger, so you wouldn't get two in a blister for five dollars).
As for bones but with better plastic? Who can say the better plastics are still affordable at the same price?
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Who can say the better plastics are still affordable at the same price?
*raises hand* I literally just mentioned Steve Jackson's new plastic miniatures. They're a hard PVC that holds super-fine detail. Eyeballing the sprues makes me think that, with a bit of clever mold design, we could get a company of 'Mechs for around $40.
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When it comes to injection molding there are two things to consider. Price of the mold and price of the actual part. The price of the mold can be very expensive while cost per part is VERY low. It should be very easy for CGL to reuse the mold(s) they have to create lance packs with out increasing the cost of said lance packs or needing to invest in new molds.
If I were handling this for CGL I would have wanted to either create several cheap molds that could be mixed and match to a certain product. The overall final price would be higher but would allow for greater flexibility in future product decisions.
While this line of discussion is nice, it is straying from the main topic of the thread so I will leave it at this :P
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I want some OSTs. I need them. For too long, I have been trying to get an Ostroc without paying too much. NOW IS THE TIME.
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Need some Plastic Clan Mechs.... just saying
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I know that Lance packs are a taboo subject but who could get behind the following lance packs?
Recon Lance: Phoenix Hawk, Valkyrie, Stinger Wasp
Pursuit Lance: Ostsol, Ostroc, Ostscout Scorpion
Personally, I would change the positions of the Valkyrie and the Ostscout...
Fire Lance: Longbow, Archer, Crusader, Rifleman
Assault Lance: Marauder II, Goliath, Marauder, Warhammer,
This with the new box sets I think would sale and you would have all the mechs in plastic! Then Iron Wind Metals could offer variants on the base designs.
While I love me some Marauder II, I think that Assault lance would be better with a BattleMaster instead...
Ruger
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While I love me some Marauder II, I think that Assault lance would be better with a BattleMaster instead...
No, drop the Goliath for the BLR.
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Have you all seen Steve Jackson Games's new Ogre miniatures? That's the quality (and price point) I want to see. If any of the Catalyst High Poombas want, I can even forward the information on the folks doing the manufacturing for SJ Games.
Do.
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BUY, YOU FOOLS
I LOL'd, and that's a rare thing. :thumbsup:
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I just can't justify buying more metal miniatures for a long while, but I'll take whatever plastics come my way.
Understandable, especially if you have been in the hobby as long as I suspect you have. I just find metal a better material to work with. Heck, I still buy vinyl records over CDs when I can. But I also understand that I am in the minority. I buy a miniature to paint it as much as to use it on the table.
I never bought the lance packs simply because I didn't need them. I have multiples of many of those 'mechs already. But in this case if we get the other Classics in an expansion set, sign me up. And I imagine that is a logical step CGL had roughly planned if the lawsuit went their way.
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No, drop the Goliath for the BLR.
Drop the Marauder for the Battlemaster, make a Shadowhawk, Wolverine, Griffin, Marauder Battle Lance Pack
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The good thing about plastic, is if you sell them unassembled with variant parts; you could make a shadow hawk 2K and 2h I’m the same blister, for example.
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Do.
Done.
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Well the reason I went w the selections that I did was because that would give us back the rest of classics but if lance packs are not in the cards how about reinforcements box set with the remaining classics. Maybe the fabled alpha strike box set ;)
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The Game of Armored Combat (8 'mech) box set includes Alpha Strike materials, if what I heard at Origins was correct. ;)
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Looks like a nice boxed set.
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The Game of Armored Combat (8 'mech) box set includes Alpha Strike materials, if what I heard at Origins was correct. ;)
Basically the standard double sided Alpha Strike cards of the 8 'Mechs.
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I think if the new box set does well, it's be cool to do another expansion box for 4th Succession War: Some new classic mechs, mapsheets, markers and a scenario/background booklet. Provided they've figured out how to make the new box sets economically viable, then expansions should be doable. Also, as an expansion to the box set, sales of one could drive the other. Just a cool idea in my opinion.
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I keep hearing about the box sets, and would love to buy the starter set for my brother-in-law.
Without getting people angry *puts on tin foil hat* we don't have the street dates for these box sets yet, correct?
Cheers,
Mad
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Correct
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The unofficial hope is GenCon to, if following past examples, hit your FLGS a month or three later- Christmas presents?
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The unofficial hope is GenCon to, if following past examples, hit your FLGS a month or three later- Christmas presents?
Funny enough, that was my plan for his Xmas present. That way we can have drinks and fun before we put all the kids toys together for the big full family reveal on Xmas morning.
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Done.
i didn’t receive anything.
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The good thing about plastic, is if you sell them unassembled with variant parts; you could make a shadow hawk 2K and 2h I’m the same blister, for example.
In most circumstances, it's more cost-efficient to make the plastics single-piece. But it's terrifyingly easy to modify plastics well. Much easier than doing significant mods on metals.
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In most circumstances, it's more cost-efficient to make the plastics single-piece. But it's terrifyingly easy to modify plastics well. Much easier than doing significant mods on metals.
And if ever one could be considered the voice of experience on modding Battletech miniatures, it's the elder statesman of Beemers here. :bow:
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i didn’t receive anything.
Gah. And it isn't showing in my sent items. How bizarre. I'll resend.
Edit: Re-sent.
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From what I remember. The Plastic ones were being made in China and the production was substandard and shipping was a problem.
If they could get around that Plastic Minis would be nice.
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Plastic minis are cool. Multi-part plastic minis are really cool, because being able to make multiple different looking models without having to put paint on them or dismember them to tell them apart is great.
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From what I remember. The Plastic ones were being made in China and the production was substandard and shipping was a problem.
If they could get around that Plastic Minis would be nice.
Huh?
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Plastic minis are cool. Multi-part plastic minis are really cool, because being able to make multiple different looking models without having to put paint on them or dismember them to tell them apart is great.
Lately I have been running into time issues with assembling miniatures, getting good looking one-piece minis would be greatly appreciated.
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They should now release a redone 3025 book with the Nuseen in it. All of them.
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Lately I have been running into time issues with assembling miniatures, getting good looking one-piece minis would be greatly appreciated.
There are advantages to both; single pose/piece figures are good for old grognards like you and me, but appealing to newer gamers with swanky multi piece minis is important too.
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There are advantages to both; single pose/piece figures are good for old grognards like you and me, but appealing to newer gamers with swanky multi piece minis is important too.
???
I've seen a lot of new gamers/modelers/painters who want to get a piece on the table without the need for assembly. Good sculpts and casting quality makes a big difference, but I'd be surprised if multi-part was a draw for a big audience.
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Being able to tell apart minis without having to hack them apart or paint them also helps. As much as I'd love to justify buying more Lance Packs, it's significantly more labor intensive to cut them apart to actually look interesting than it is to just buy metal/multi-part in the first place.
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And then there are my kids, who think the best minis are the clicky-tech ones that are pre-painted, posable, and bigger. They like my metal minis but there is no way I am giving any to the kiddos yet. The number of times I’ve had to glue my sons clicky-tech Neanderthal back together is approaching double digits, and my daughter actually managed to break one of the one-piece minis from a lance pack! She snapped a flea’s body clean off both its legs.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that there is probably demand for both simple and durable minis, as well as detailed, multi-part jobs. Just depends on the audience. It probably isn’t a bad thing to have some of each, if the market will support it.
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It's not just kids who prefer big, good-looking, prepainted miniatures. I love assembling and painting my little robots and tanks, but my ability to do so is rapidly diminishing.
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They should now release a redone 3025 book with the Nuseen in it. All of them.
You do realize that was a intended goal of TRO:SW, right?
But because of the HG trolling, the MAcross-inspired Classics got pulled from that. Hence my hopes for a TRO: SW Revised that can include all of the Unseen/Reseen in the Classic style.
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My money will be there!
You do realize that was a intended goal of TRO:SW, right?
But because of the HG trolling, the MAcross-inspired Classics got pulled from that. Hence my hopes for a TRO: SW Revised that can include all of the Unseen/Reseen in the Classic style.
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If I remember correctly, the "intended goal" for XTRO:SW was to amuse Herb (for his birthday iirc), as an in-joke among the writers. Only Herb liked it enough to solicit a proper XTRO from the joke.
But 3025 has now seen a surge in attention, both to cater to the HBS computer game crowd and as a venue for new players through the new boxes. So maybe there's more new 3025 era product on the horizon?
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If I remember correctly, the "intended goal" for XTRO:SW was to amuse Herb (for his birthday iirc), as an in-joke among the writers. Only Herb liked it enough to solicit a proper XTRO from the joke.
But 3025 has now seen a surge in attention, both to cater to the HBS computer game crowd and as a venue for new players through the new boxes. So maybe there's more new 3025 era product on the horizon?
They're talking about Technical Readout: Succession Wars, not any of the Experimental TROs.
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1) Sorry, shirts are typically sold only at the conventions. If that has changed, I haven't heard about it. However, that doesn't mean you couldn't convince a kind-hearted fan going to GenCon to pick one or two up for you and ship them over.
Damnit! Why won't Catalyst please sell these t-shirts online and take my money?
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I'm sick of the Cons-exlusive product BS. At least IWM's swtuff eventually makes it to their online store.
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Lately I have been running into time issues with assembling miniatures, getting good looking one-piece minis would be greatly appreciated.
One-piece run into the problem of being VERY limited in pose and detail. Technology has definitely progressed so that detail is much better than the 3rd edition plastics, but the issues are still there. Different plastic will hold detail better but I haven't seen anyone get around negative spaces. ANYTHING with deep (front to back) torsos like half the original Clan omnis (Mad Cat, Masakari, Daishi, etc.) will not come out well at all. Could be the reason we didn't see Clan star packs. That is a whole lot of the most popular 'Mechs. It's likely that, aside from the Reseen Tbolt, those are the ones most complained about multi-piece minis.
They did experiment with the Mad Cat and Thor plastics, and they were very well done. They were not one-piece, though. If you bought a pair, one came preassembled and one did not. That means they have to pay someone to preassemble. People like the plastics because they are cheaper than metal. Preassembly is going to negate this.
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Ral Partha/IWM has had a lot of good one-piece minis through the years whether BattleTech or their fantasy line. But on top of what everyone else has said, just think about cleaning up mold lines. Geeze, that gets nearly impossible with some minis.
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There has been a move back toward easier assemblies. The Dasher II and gunslinger mongoose from this quarter are 5 and 4 pieces respectively. Super complicated builds like the Atlas III and nightmare inducing elements like the Tiburon’s feet are smaller in number now
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One-piece run into the problem of being VERY limited in pose and detail. Technology has definitely progressed so that detail is much better than the 3rd edition plastics, but the issues are still there. Different plastic will hold detail better but I haven't seen anyone get around negative spaces. ANYTHING with deep (front to back) torsos like half the original Clan omnis (Mad Cat, Masakari, Daishi, etc.) will not come out well at all. Could be the reason we didn't see Clan star packs. That is a whole lot of the most popular 'Mechs. It's likely that, aside from the Reseen Tbolt, those are the ones most complained about multi-piece minis.
They did experiment with the Mad Cat and Thor plastics, and they were very well done. They were not one-piece, though. If you bought a pair, one came preassembled and one did not. That means they have to pay someone to preassemble. People like the plastics because they are cheaper than metal. Preassembly is going to negate this.
Catapult is in both the last set of plastics and the current ones. Stalker is a bigger wad of 'deep' plastic. Raven, a bit narrower than the Catapult, Dragon has a beak on it . . .
As far as saying the last release of plastics had limited poses? Obviously did not read worktroll's posts about projects. He inspired me, and my skills suck, to try it out . . . and its pretty easy following his steps.
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Here's the deal: experienced modelers have the skills to modify static poses. Inexperienced players will not bother putting together complicated models. The less assembly, the better.
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Here's the deal: experienced modelers have the skills to modify static poses. Inexperienced players will not bother putting together complicated models. The less assembly, the better.
I think that is a good take.
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Catapult is in both the last set of plastics and the current ones. Stalker is a bigger wad of 'deep' plastic. Raven, a bit narrower than the Catapult, Dragon has a beak on it . . .
Those are very different from the Clan omnis I mentioned, specifically the arms. Let me know how you see the Masakari and Daishi being cast/molded in the exact same way.
I sculpted the Catapult's legs specifically so that it could be molded like in one piece. The original legs could not have been done that way. That's the pose you get with those style legs. Now imagine every mini you own with chicken legs in that exact same pose. If they have arms, they'll be pointing slightly down and probably open a bit. Gets a little boring with the hundreds of miniatures available. The plastic packs evolved further than the original Beginner's Sets that I created, but they still didn't cover the 3050 Clan omnis. There's a reason for that, and I doubt that it was lack of demand.
Here's the deal: experienced modelers have the skills to modify static poses. Inexperienced players will not bother putting together complicated models. The less assembly, the better.
That is exactly why I created the metal Beginner Sets back in the day, plus one more reason: They would be a little cheaper than buying better-detailed individual minis, because, let's face it, the average BT'er wants cheap product. And that's a problem. The plastic lance packs didn't sell fast enough to be worth it because of the higher-than-metal overhead. How many of the plastic sets sat on shelves until they were on sale? I would guess the half-price fire sales that went on the last couple of years probably account for a not unsubstantial percentage of total sales. Those were the best, cheapest, and most generic product produced and they still weren't good enough.
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The Lance Packs were overproduced. They sold very well, but CGL simply ordered too many. It's a learning experience.
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Here's the deal: experienced modelers have the skills to modify static poses. Inexperienced players will not bother putting together complicated models. The less assembly, the better.
I agree as well.
Here's an example. Both are the Plastic Battlemasters from the previous box set. The Green in the 'classic' static pose. The Yellow with a little modding. For newer postsers, the model was 2 arms (static) 2 legs (static) and I believe torso and hips.
The plastic is the 'good kind' in my opinion( the kind that 'melts' with model glue like most model kits), so modding was very easy to achieve. If we had model kits like that, that would be quite welcome.
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If we had model kits like that, that would be quite welcome.
With the number of individual 'Mech chassis out there, not counting variants, how do you imagine that could happen? That isn't even counting vehicles and aircraft.
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Here's the deal: experienced modelers have the skills to modify static poses. Inexperienced players will not bother putting together complicated models. The less assembly, the better.
+1 from me, too.
I think NeonKnight's example hits the nail on the head. The plastic minis from the previous box set are extremely easy to mod - if necessary - but they are also just fine as-is.
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The Lance Packs were overproduced. They sold very well, but CGL simply ordered too many. It's a learning experience.
Why were they overproduced? High quantity to get the individual cost down I would wager.
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With the number of individual 'Mech chassis out there, not counting variants, how do you imagine that could happen? That isn't even counting vehicles and aircraft.
Well...not asking for everything to be done, but imagine if you will instead of a Lance Pack of:
Raven, Jenner, Hunchback, Victor, with only 4 static models. there was instead a sprue with those same 4 models, but the legs were separate, the arms were separate and the torsos were separate.
Or the new Box set, instead of the 8 models as being a single cast piece, there were a multi cast piece.
Certainly not asking to redo the hundreds of pre-existing models, simply saying IF CGL were to do future plastics, small multi piece (like the Thor/Loki, Madcat and BattleMaster before) would be nice.
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Why were they overproduced? High quantity to get the individual cost down I would wager.
Nah, just over-estimated demand. It happens. The good news is that they're out there, often for quite cheap, so when the market improves - i.e., once the new boxed sets hits - new players can snap them up.
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+1 from me, too.
I think NeonKnight's example hits the nail on the head. The plastic minis from the previous box set are extremely easy to mod - if necessary - but they are also just fine as-is.
I find his example ironic and amusing, because that Battlemaster is five pieces and exactly the kind of small variability without having to cut parts that I was talking about.
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I find his example ironic and amusing, because that Battlemaster is five pieces and exactly the kind of small variability without having to cut parts that I was talking about.
lol, was it? Its been so long since I assembled it that I can’t remember. Now that you mention it, though, I remember the arms being on a sprue, but what else?
Well, HOWEVER many pieces that was, that’s perfect for me. As long as it in plastic.
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That particular figure is entirely contained on a... 2" x 5" sprue, I think? Two arms, two legs, and the torso. There was also a separate base with slots for the feet to go in.
The Mad Cat that came in the same box was the same way, with the same number of parts.
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Yeah, not sure why that Battlemaster was being used when worktroll has lots and lots of Lance Pack mods to demonstrate.
We had our big con here in my state, over 30 people at two grinder tables for hours yesterday. Lots of discussion of the box sets expected to come out by the end of the year if they want everything or we told them you can pick up the lance packs from X store or Y store in the area, running about $ZZ to get some of the minis they were using. I know I plucked a plastic off the table to let someone compare it to the metal they were using for weight and then they looked at the details.
Who knows if they will buy in, but we had folks asking where we played & when. When they came back to finish off today instead of playing one of the other games, I took that as a good sign. The lead demo agent spoke with the store that has a presence at the con, next year we want to be able to tell them if they want to get started, go down stairs to the store and pick up Product A or B.
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Yeah, not sure why that Battlemaster was being used when worktroll has lots and lots of Lance Pack mods to demonstrate.
We had our big con here in my state, over 30 people at two grinder tables for hours yesterday. Lots of discussion of the box sets expected to come out by the end of the year if they want everything or we told them you can pick up the lance packs from X store or Y store in the area, running about $ZZ to get some of the minis they were using. I know I plucked a plastic off the table to let someone compare it to the metal they were using for weight and then they looked at the details.
Who knows if they will buy in, but we had folks asking where we played & when. When they came back to finish off today instead of playing one of the other games, I took that as a good sign. The lead demo agent spoke with the store that has a presence at the con, next year we want to be able to tell them if they want to get started, go down stairs to the store and pick up Product A or B.
I used the battlemaster specifically because it was a multi part model. By having a small number of pieces it may not be scary for a new gamer to experiment with. Maybe change the arms a little. Move the legs. Way less scary than cutting up a complete model.
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The multi-part plastic battlemaster doesn't really need glue, either. This makes it easy to pop off the sprue, plug together, and then start headcapping other mechs.
If anything, it should be simpler. Legs and base as one part, upper torso as a separate part, then arms. This provides a reasonable amount of posing while being simple and (if designed correctly) doesn't require glue.
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(Both) legs molded into a base is the fastest way to make new dislike a mini. It makes a single static pose the default and makes it require surgery to make anything approaching dynamic motion possible.
Some minis like the Shadow Hawk manage to reasonably have options while also having a molded base, but they're still few and far between.
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Better than that leg flung back in the air running pose. I agree that the metal sculpt of the Classic Shadow Hawk is a good example of allowing for both ease of construction and variation in posing. The few and far between part has to do with management and the approval process.
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The Lance Packs were overproduced. They sold very well, but CGL simply ordered too many. It's a learning experience.
I'm not sure they were overproduced. If they'd produced fewer, each box would have had to bear a higher percentage of the fixed costs (tooling), therefore driving the cost per box up.
I remember being told that, during the 80's, an injection mold could cost high-six or into seven figures. DNC and CAD/CAM has brought that down sharply, but it's still high, and figuring that each lance pack took one mold, my lowest estimate is a hundred thousand spent on just tooling, before the variable costs of the production runs (Which would go down per-item the more you made.)
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(Both) legs molded into a base is the fastest way to make new dislike a mini. It makes a single static pose the default and makes it require surgery to make anything approaching dynamic motion possible.
That's your opinion, but I assure you, new players would be fine with it. If *you* want multi-pose models, please let TPTB know, but don't pretend that it's a viewpoint shared by people you don't even know.
I'm not sure they were overproduced.
They were overproduced. This is a fact, not a random opinion.
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(Both) legs molded into a base is the fastest way to make new dislike a mini. It makes a single static pose the default and makes it require surgery to make anything approaching dynamic motion possible.
I would rather have both legs molded as a single piece and the base separate than both of the legs molded to the base. I would prefer either to having the legs as two separate pieces, though.
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The Game of Armored Combat (8 'mech) box set includes Alpha Strike materials, if what I heard at Origins was correct. ;)
Sort of. It contains Alpha Strike cards, but not rules, IIRC.
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Damnit! Why won't Catalyst please sell these t-shirts online and take my money?
The answer to any question like this is "Money." As in it either:
1. Costs too much to do
2. Won't deliver enough money to be profitable
In this case we've talked about it before you had joined the forums, and it's #2.
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(Both) legs molded into a base is the fastest way to make new dislike a mini. It makes a single static pose the default and makes it require surgery to make anything approaching dynamic motion possible.
Some minis like the Shadow Hawk manage to reasonably have options while also having a molded base, but they're still few and far between.
I'm with you on fixed leg positions, but I consider myself a fairly advanced hobbyist, and modder.
*Personally*, I am a huge fan of highly poseable multi-part minis, but I am sympathetic to newbies who might not even want to deal with 'mech assembly before they can start rolling dice, and marking off armor bubbles.
If it helps promote the game, I am content to spend a few quality hours with my jeweler's saw, rather than chase away a prospective new player with a complex build.
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The point on the plastics like the AS Lance Pack is that you can easily adjust their position- I have done and have very little skill. So yeah, the point is the greatest basic appeal and b/c of the medium it allows people to experiment without it costing like it does with metal and is easier to work on.
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I'm with you on fixed leg positions, but I consider myself a fairly advanced hobbyist, and modder.
*Personally*, I am a huge fan of highly poseable multi-part minis, but I am sympathetic to newbies who might not even want to deal with 'mech assembly before they can start rolling dice, and marking off armor bubbles.
If it helps promote the game, I am content to spend a few quality hours with my jeweler's saw, rather than chase away a prospective new player with a complex build.
I think it’s fine to have a mix with mostly forgiving builds, but still a small number of more complex items (e.g. the 5/9D & 9W2 Marauder and Arion). I actually like putting together more complicated minis but I wouldn’t want them to comprise the majority of the line
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I only have one copy of the reseen T-bolt and have no plans to get another because the legs are in a fixed position and posed badly. I rarely buy more than one copy of any mech where both legs are fixed to the base because I do not want them to look alike. As for the notion that experienced modelers don't mind sawing legs off, this experienced modeler hates it. It doesn't help that so much damage is done to the details of the mini in the process.
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The reseen tbolt has the legendarily nightmarish multi-segment legs. Are you thinking of the primitive or IIC?
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The primitive has single piece legs if I remember from what I built that, so its not that one . . . and the discussion was about the plastics being 1 piece, so . . .
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I only have one copy of the reseen T-bolt and have no plans to get another because the legs are in a fixed position and posed badly. I rarely buy more than one copy of any mech where both legs are fixed to the base because I do not want them to look alike. As for the notion that experienced modelers don't mind sawing legs off, this experienced modeler hates it. It doesn't help that so much damage is done to the details of the mini in the process.
Same reason I'm not buying a reseen T-Bolt anytime soon. Issues like posing is a matter of management and approval process, and should be handled before it goes to production. It's a failing of the producer, not the concept.
Miniature producers like IWM can cater to the experienced modeler demographic. Introductory board game products that emphasize ease of entry into the franchise need to be more considerate about barriers to entry. Like taking half an hour and glue (sold seperately) to get your game ready to play.
The new upcoming sculpts look promising. How long it will take for those designs to show up as multi-part figures in the IWM catalog may be a good question for CGL at Gen Con.
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I remember being told that, during the 80's, an injection mold could cost high-six or into seven figures.
It also depends on the size and complexity of the mold. A large multi-part mold even for today could run that high, but I don't think the far more common smaller molds would cost that much even in the 80s. If they did we wouldn't have seen far far fewer choices in the number of toys offered.
...but it's still high, and figuring that each lance pack took one mold, my lowest estimate is a hundred thousand spent on just tooling, before the variable costs of the production runs (Which would go down per-item the more you made.)
If CGL was smart each lance pack would not have its own mold. Rather each mech would have a mold plate that could be added to a larger mold. It changes the cost dynamic and might make the overall cost about 10% higher but the cost per part is now also lower as is the fact that you can mix and match any 4 or more plates. Makes individual sales easier as well a greater variety in lance packs (or greater randomness within a set lance pack).
Thinking about it... adding new plates would be far cheaper than adding whole new molds as well and could turn lance packs into something akin to trading card packs. Which ultra rare mech will you pick up in that next purchase of the Urban Lance. Sweet! It came with Big Boobs McGee in her pimped out Urbanmech!
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No one commenting in this thread knows how Catalyst produced the Lance packs, so I highly doubt any of us are in a position to criticize said production of said Lance packs. Results? Yeah, sure. Methods? Not really, no.
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I’m not allowed to play anything any more that has blind randomization. My wife so much as gets a whiff of MtG cards, my face will be on a poster at every FLGS within 50 miles proclaiming “DO NOT SERVE THIS MAN”
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;D :D ;D :D ;D :D
xp
Sounds like you could be in for a rough time if CGL ever takes my suggestion seriously :P
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It also depends on the size and complexity of the mold.
No kidding. I have several of the Robotech RPG Tactics mini boxes, and those models are a copper plated pain in the ass to build.
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Not the complexity I was talking about ???
For a complex mold we could be talking about an odd shape that would require several different moving pieces as part of the mold. Sprue items are normally a simple two part mold. The solid one piece BT minis might be a multi-part mold depending on the complexity of the design.
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The reseen tbolt has the legendarily nightmarish multi-segment legs. Are you thinking of the primitive or IIC?
Now that I think about it, the problem with the t-bolt was in the legs. The reseen Rifleman is the other big problem off the top of my head.
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I know I am in the minority here but I would prefer keeping Battletech minis as simple as possible. I have put together enough multipart plastic minis and paid for them more than the trouble was worth. BT us my go to for relatively low cost fun and I want to keep it that way.
Don't get me wrong, I love good looking minis and IWM does great work, but I prefer to keep IWM and CGL seperate and to see things stay simple enough for IWM to be able to crank out more mins rather than lower quantity, pricier minis.
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Your not in the minority . . . this, like most things, has a bell curve. The largest segment will be "Don't Care/Keep it Simple" . . . and on either end you get the "OMG, one piece only for my SANITY!" and "I love working with tweezers & microscopes to get a pose." I will admit, after the TRO PP era mechs like the Solitaire, Scylla (which stayed in a ziplock for 15 years until I paid faithless to assemble it) and Marauder 9S I was in that camp. But the latest run has made me look closer at the pictures rather than just the pieces count- I am a 'army' builder/painter . . . for me the mechs from the last box set and accompanying Lance Packs were great. They looked pretty good IMO as they were, and if I felt brave enough I could use the Xacto to repose them. I experimented on the multiples of mechs I was not a huge fan of (hello Cyclops, one is literally my guinea pig for painting techniques) and then moved to others. My metal Orion and the Lance Pack Orion have the same pose . . . to get a different look, I used the plastic one because it was easier and less expensive if I screwed up.
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No "Noisiel Games" Breakdancing Atlas mini, No Peace! :D
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No kidding. I have several of the Robotech RPG Tactics mini boxes, and those models are a copper plated pain in the ass to build.
Those minis are/were utterly absurd.
I don't think I ever finished assembling the four out of the one box that I purchased.
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I had planned to buy half a dozen boxes to build a few generic heavy companies but then I saw the sprues...
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Those minis are/were utterly absurd.
I don't think I ever finished assembling the four out of the one box that I purchased.
I'm on the opposite end here. I have built and painted about 2 dozen of the unseen (Destroids) from RPG Tactics for Btech, I love them! It's just a cost/reward issue, not a lot of players like me who feel the payout is worth the extra effort. Which I totally understand! My companies also include about 20 plastic lance packs too!! 🤣
But going forward? I would definitely like to see more modular plastic mini "kits". They wouldn't need to be as elaborate as the Robotech kits, but that direction would please me! 😍
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As someone who used to build plastic model kits the RT kits don't bother me at all. I've dealt with far worse building warship kits.
Now if CGL decided actual model kits for mech, warships, dropships, etc I would love to build some. I wonder how the Atlas would look as a 1/72 scale model kit... ;D
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The answer to any question like this is "Money." As in it either:
1. Costs too much to do
2. Won't deliver enough money to be profitable
In this case we've talked about it before you had joined the forums, and it's #2.
They should look into an on demand service such as the folks at Pro Wrestling Tees.....they do online stores for pro wrestlers and apparently the wrestlers make a decent profit off the shirts....
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They should look into an on demand service such as the folks at Pro Wrestling Tees.....they do online stores for pro wrestlers and apparently the wrestlers make a decent profit off the shirts....
There could be license issues that are not public. But, hopefully, the print-on-demand experiment will show that such things are possible.
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I can’t say I’m super excited about the initial selection for PoD but I’ll buy it with the hope of more options in the future
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There could be license issues that are not public. But, hopefully, the print-on-demand experiment will show that such things are possible.
If they limit the selection to stuff they are 500% sure they have the rights to (or Topps does) then it would probably be good. The notion tho that money is the issue was more what I was responding to :P
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If they limit the selection to stuff they are 500% sure they have the rights to (or Topps does) then it would probably be good. The notion tho that money is the issue was more what I was responding to :P
I wasn't talking about copyrights at all. I mean that IMR's license with Topps could limit their ability to produce ancillary products.
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I can’t say I’m super excited about the initial selection for PoD but I’ll buy it with the hope of more options in the future
Honestly I'm torn. I want to support PoD and CGL, but turning points just don't excite me the way a collection of say XTROs would. *shrug*
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I wasn't talking about copyrights at all. I mean that IMR's license with Topps could limit their ability to produce ancillary products.
The notion tho that money is the issue was more what I was responding to :P
Money is always an issue. Let us all remember the HBS experiment with trying to crowd-fund BT merch.
"I'd definitely buy one of those!" Okay, that's one sale made, and possibly several thousand more to go.
Honestly I'm torn. I want to support PoD and CGL, but turning points just don't excite me the way a collection of say XTROs would. *shrug*
My understanding is that PoD for XTROs would be difficult because of their landscape format. You'll probably hear more about PoD in the coming months--con season is here and all available production resources are directed elsewhere at the moment.
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My understanding is that PoD for XTROs would be difficult because of their landscape format. You'll probably hear more about PoD in the coming months--con season is here and all available production resources are directed elsewhere at the moment.
Fair enough. Maybe a printed copy of the Era Reports will be available in the future. That would be cool too.
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I'm on the opposite end here. I have built and painted about 2 dozen of the unseen (Destroids) from RPG Tactics for Btech, I love them! It's just a cost/reward issue, not a lot of players like me who feel the payout is worth the extra effort. Which I totally understand! My companies also include about 20 plastic lance packs too!! 🤣
But going forward? I would definitely like to see more modular plastic mini "kits". They wouldn't need to be as elaborate as the Robotech kits, but that direction would please me! 😍
Hey, I think it's great that there are people out there who enjoy those complex kits. I'm definitely not criticizing those who do.
I think, all else being equal, Games Workshop really hit the sweet-spot with the basic Space Marine mini in terms of number of pieces. For obvious reasons, that wouldn't translate 1:1 to Battletech (we wouldn't need the shoulder pauldrons or the bolter), but upper body, lower body plus legs, left arm, right arm, sometimes the head. That seems perfect to me. Again, though, maybe the real difference maker is not the number of pieces, but the material. I love the folks at IWM, they do really excellent work and I am grateful to them for helping keep this game alive, but it is a heck of a lot easier to put together a plastic mini than it is a pewter one.
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Hey, I think it's great that there are people out there who enjoy those complex kits. I'm definitely not criticizing those who do.
I think, all else being equal, Games Workshop really hit the sweet-spot with the basic Space Marine mini in terms of number of pieces. For obvious reasons, that wouldn't translate 1:1 to Battletech (we wouldn't need the shoulder pauldrons or the bolter), but upper body, lower body plus legs, left arm, right arm, sometimes the head. That seems perfect to me. Again, though, maybe the real difference maker is not the number of pieces, but the material. I love the folks at IWM, they do really excellent work and I am grateful to them for helping keep this game alive, but it is a heck of a lot easier to put together a plastic mini than it is a pewter one.
I don't disagree, but Games Workshop's advantages in available capital, artistic control, and economies of scale, in comparison to Ironwind Metals, are simply enormous.
The two companies are only barely operating in the same market.
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...which has nothing to do with actual sculpts of the pieces, as ActionButler was talking about.
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Alright you two, break it up and move on. Any discussion of IWM vs. GW in terms of anything - scale, quality, volume, circumference, radius, or seismograph readings, whatever, - needs to go into the Miniatures section, not this thread.
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Money is always an issue. Let us all remember the HBS experiment with trying to crowd-fund BT merch.
"I'd definitely buy one of those!" Okay, that's one sale made, and possibly several thousand more to go.
My understanding is that PoD for XTROs would be difficult because of their landscape format. You'll probably hear more about PoD in the coming months--con season is here and all available production resources are directed elsewhere at the moment.
IMO its just disappointing that something that was released in print form last year AT the Con has not been made available in ereader format.
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Fair enough. Maybe a printed copy of the Era Reports will be available in the future. That would be cool too.
Do you mean the Era Digests? Because yeah, I'd love to see a certain mini-book in print. ;)
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Do you mean the Era Digests? Because yeah, I'd love to see a certain mini-book in print. ;)
Yes, I did. *sigh* too much going on.
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Both. ER3145 is approaching college organic chem textbook prices
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Both. ER3145 is approaching college organic chem textbook prices
Wait until you get to Analytical and Physical. Plenty of O-Chem books out there to bring the market down....
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Wait until you get to Analytical and Physical. Plenty of O-Chem books out there to bring the market down....
Yes, Wars of Reaving is the PChem analogue
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Yes, Wars of Reaving is the PChem analogue
But exam should be easier:
"Tell me of all Clan units which were destroyed: unit name, date, location, who did it, please."
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But exam should be easier:
"Tell me of all Clan units which were destroyed: unit name, date, location, who did it, please."
You monster. ;)
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The point on the plastics like the AS Lance Pack is that you can easily adjust their position- I have done and have very little skill. So yeah, the point is the greatest basic appeal and b/c of the medium it allows people to experiment without it costing like it does with metal and is easier to work on.
The latest Lance packs were the first plastic mini's I've worked with, whereas prior-to, I favored lead because of how simple it was to shape... however, despite having ~2000 new(er) pewter mini's to work on, before 2014, the only one pewter mini I can think of having worked with was my first Grand Titan from '94-95?
With all of my new(er) stuff in pewter is awesomesauce.... it's soft enough to be easily shaped, and hard enough to resist unintentional scratches & dents.
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So Catalyst had their announcement about the Classics. Slightly vague in that it doesn't explicitly state one way or the other that we are going to be seeing the Classics, but the inclusion of the Campaign Operations cover featuring the Marauder front and center seems to shout that the IP is going to proceed as though March 2017 didn't happen.
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So Catalyst had their announcement about the Classics. Slightly vague in that it doesn't explicitly state one way or the other that we are going to be seeing the Classics, but the inclusion of the Campaign Operations cover featuring the Marauder front and center seems to shout that the IP is going to proceed as though March 2017 didn't happen.
That seems to be the case. :) Hopefull, this'll put a lot of minds at ease, mine included.
Now then, where's my plastic Marauder and Whammy? :whip:
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I wonder if the miniatures are made, just waiting for them to be sold...
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I wonder if the miniatures are made, just waiting for them to be sold...
For a few, the 3D models are already made. The artist is on DeviantArt and showed at least the BattleMaster, Rifleman, Marauder, and Wolverine. Unfortunately, DeviantArt is down right now so I can't find it.
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I doubt there was any Production grade minis made and wherehoused, as that would have been money wasted had legal proceedings gone pear shaped.
As previously stated there were some contested designs prototyped, so it should not take to much of a lift to begin production. Just a question of if they are going to go plastics first or just get them to IWM To get them in the public
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I will lay good money down in a bet that there are no such minis. Don't get your wild fancies up y'all. Production doesn't work like you think it works.
And this is from a mod who never removed his beloved 7th CL Marauder art.
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So Catalyst had their announcement about the Classics. Slightly vague in that it doesn't explicitly state one way or the other that we are going to be seeing the Classics, but the inclusion of the Campaign Operations cover featuring the Marauder front and center seems to shout that the IP is going to proceed as though March 2017 didn't happen.
They did, although I was hoping for a bit more than "We're happy it's resolved, and our (largely unannounced) plans continue apace."
I remain cautiously optimistic, as I wait and see.
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Here we go.
Some of the new cover art has been done by SpOoKy777: https://www.deviantart.com/spooky777/gallery/
New 3D miniature models done by Sentinel373: https://www.deviantart.com/sentinel373/gallery/
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Alrighty... ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, please procede with your discussion. Be aware, however, if an ongoing discussion of the lawsuit breaks out, it may or may not be moved to the Off-topic section of the forum since a closed lawsuit is not a new or an upcoming release.
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I wonder if the miniatures are made, just waiting for them to be sold...
No. That’s hilarious. No.
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I wonder if the miniatures are made, just waiting for them to be sold...
No. That’s hilarious. No.
:'( :-\ :'(
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Why would CGL commit money to product they didn't know if they could use? Why would they spend money they didn't know if they could recoup?
Production takes time. Shipping takes time. Packaging takes time.
We will see them. But in their own time. Babies take 9 months to arrive from commencement. Product has its own gestation period.
W.
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Babies take 9 months to arrive from commencement. Product has its own gestation period.
I really don't want any miniatures Ray or Brent pressed out of one of their holes :yikes:
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You've never seen a high-end 3D printer in operation? Told CGL they shouldn't have gone with Axlotl Inc. >:D
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You've never seen a high-end 3D printer in operation? Told CGL they shouldn't have gone with Axlotl Inc. >:D
if anything could be considered a ghola, it would be these guys.
Could be worse though. Elephants take 22 months to gestate. How many metaphors can we think of?
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if anything could be considered a ghola, it would be these guys.
Could be worse though. Elephants take 22 months to gestate. How many metaphors can we think of?
Maybe this? (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5C6EwLTAvHc)Note -- I do not endorse the beverage, just the sentiment.
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Production doesn't work like you think it works.
Why would CGL commit money to product they didn't know if they could use? Why would they spend money they didn't know if they could recoup?
Production takes time. Shipping takes time. Packaging takes time.
We will see them. But in their own time. Babies take 9 months to arrive from commencement. Product has its own gestation period.
That just makes it a question of which stage of gestation they were at when the lawsuit hit. Not everybody remembers what the state of things was back then.
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No. That’s hilarious. No.
Might I venture a suggestion to the designer: since the mechs that used to be off limits no longer are, would you consider and expansion box to the main ‘game of armored combat’ box; ie, a different set of maps, along with the MAD, the warhammer, etc?
You could (if feasible), add some duplicates of the existing units in the main box, or do a new variant; for example, the K2 catapult, as that requires (basically) a change in the arms?
Food for thought :)
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*proud first public promoter of the aforementioned Succession Wars Expansion Pack . . . *
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Hi--lone black Beemer here with a blanket statement:
As AG said, there is no product sitting in a warehouse, ready to rock. That would have been an insane hedge of a legal case whose outcome was far from certain.
There are conversations ongoing, as there always are, about possible future products. Understanding and incorporating this development into those plans will take time.
It's been a week since this happened.
It's literally the middle of con season.
There's what could fairly be called a crash effort happening to get other product ready to go.
The excitement and optimism around this development is great and totally understandable. Please be patient and understand if there aren't new miniatures up for sale this very instant.
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Fully realize my suggestion is a ‘maybe, someday’ type thing; models don’t appear overnight :)
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For my own part, I'm mostly waiting to see what (if anything) appears at Gencon. I'm hoping for box sets, and a street date to go with them. Of course, I would never say no to more goodies.
Since I won't be there in-person this year, I'm counting on you fine folks to tell me when/if it happens. 8)
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Question: Would you consider either re-relasing the TRO: Succession Wars PDF version, or creating a downloadable addendum to it with entries for the Classics that could not be included thanks to this silliness?
In my opinion, they really did belong in that product.
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We’re looking at options.
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We’re looking at options.
Super pumped to hear it. And for the record, I'd totally buy an updated DTF TRO: Succession Wars to help get my brother in law into the game.
Just sayin'.
Cheers,
Mad
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We’re looking at options.
Well, adding the nuSeens in to a hypothetical updated/revised Succession Wars TRO would basically allow you to print your own money. Doesn't seem like much of a downside to the scenario :D
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I would be much more interested in a "TRO: Helm Memory Core" or something like that, because I have a pathological aversion to buying the same book twice with some extra pages in the back. The new version of Total Warfare gets a pass because it's full of things like rules updates, but for a fluff book no matter how much I want it, that's a hard pass.
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I would be much more interested in a "TRO: Helm Memory Core" or something like that, because I have a pathological aversion to buying the same book twice with some extra pages in the back. The new version of Total Warfare gets a pass because it's full of things like rules updates, but for a fluff book no matter how much I want it, that's a hard pass.
And yet, new product or updates must be made for the New players.
Even tho I agree with you in part.
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And yet, new product or updates must be made for the New players.
Even tho I agree with you in part.
"You should get TRO: Succession Wars if you want to get into the fiction, but you have to check and make sure you get the one with all the cool designs actually included, not the first printing."
No thank you. I've been wrestling that bear with the Alpha Strike books for too long to think that's a good idea. A new book that covers 3039 and the prototypes between 3025 and the Invasion would be a great place to put them.
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"You should get TRO: Succession Wars if you want to get into the fiction, but you have to check and make sure you get the one with all the cool designs actually included, not the first printing."
No thank you. I've been wrestling that bear with the Alpha Strike books for too long to think that's a good idea. A new book that covers 3039 and the prototypes between 3025 and the Invasion would be a great place to put them.
I agree, but not for your reasons.
I'd love seeing the nuSeens restricted to Alpha Strike books just to force players who wouldn't otherwise buy Alpha Strike books to support that brand. I don't mind being a jerk in that way.
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I agree, but not for your reasons.
I'd love seeing the nuSeens restricted to Alpha Strike books just to force players who wouldn't otherwise buy Alpha Strike books to support that brand. I don't mind being a jerk in that way.
:thumbsup:
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Thought: what if you update the TRO: Succession Wars, and make it available for download to those who have already bought the book, either in the CGL store or DrivethruRPG?
That way you get a nice olive branch to the existing player who own those books digitally, and make it a good jumping off point for new players?
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Creating a false sense of support for the system leading to more resources going into projects that won’t sell as well without nostalgia blackmail and hurt CGL in the end
I don’t mind being a jerk saying ****** that noise
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I would love to see the TRO clan golden age. new art, new story, new goodness
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The solution: XTRO Succession Wars Volume 2: Every new Classic mech gets a Blazer variant.
Or wrap them all into TRO Golden Century and have the Classics modded with Clan tech weapon swaps, like the old Twycross garrison variants.
I would love to see the TRO clan golden age. new art, new story, new goodness
Me too. And that Goliath Scorpion unit profile e-pub.
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Or wrap them all into TRO Golden Century and have the Classics modded with Clan tech weapon swaps, like the old Twycross garrison variants.
It would be a good opportunity to retcon those C variants so that they aren't underweight anymore.
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Creating a false sense of support for the system leading to more resources going into projects that won’t sell as well without nostalgia blackmail and hurt CGL in the end
Ultimately, isn’t that exactly what the Unseen are?
Listen, I want to see the Marauder back in print just as much as anyone else here, and I was over the moon when the when the news of the case broke last week, but lets be honest with ourselves, we could have walked away from the Unseen at any time. TRO 3025 has more than enought units that the game objectively does not need any of the Unseen.
Yet here we are, twentysomething years into pining for them to be reprinted because of nostalgia. I’m not saying that we should use them to push Alpha Strike, that’s silly because Alpha Strike is a wonderful system by itself, but let’s not pretend that there aren’t a ton of people here, myself included, waiting to buy TRO: Just The Unseen And Probably An Awesome.
I would love to see the TRO clan golden age. new art, new story, new goodness
I would definitely buy that.
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Didn't TRO:Golden Century get pushed back for other things first.
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Listen, I want to see the Marauder back in print just as much as anyone else here, and I was over the moon when the when the news of the case broke last week, but lets be honest with ourselves, we could have walked away from the Unseen at any time. TRO 3025 has more than enought units that the game objectively does not need any of the Unseen.
Interesting experiment I tried once. Use Xotl's RAT tables, and reroll any number that gets you an Unseen or Unseen variant. Force dynamics become quite interesting. I should throw the bones again and see how it turns out this time, I lost that unit a computer or two ago.
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The answer to any question like this is "Money." As in it either:
1. Costs too much to do
2. Won't deliver enough money to be profitable
In this case we've talked about it before you had joined the forums, and it's #2.
Money is always an issue. Let us all remember the HBS experiment with trying to crowd-fund BT merch.
"I'd definitely buy one of those!" Okay, that's one sale made, and possibly several thousand more to go.
I just don't understand why one single person, e.g. an artist, is able to put up their artwork as T-shirts and posters to buy from their personal online shop, but a company with decades of experience and plenty of ambitious workers cannot do the same.
It is even more incomprehensible when T-shirts and posters are possible to produce for conventions, but somehow not online. The costs are practically the same and it is the fans who will nonetheless pay for shipping. The only extra costs compared to a convention is having a box sit somewhere in someone's house or storage while the T-shirts or posters are little by little being sold online (or at subsequent conventions).
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I'll be honest:
I was pretty satisfied with CGL's strategy of rolling out NuSeen art by folding it into the product release cycle through the various Combat Manuals, and the 1st/2nd SW books.
Sure, I was sad to see that interrupted, regardless of the cause, but that track record gives me reasonable confidence that things will roll forward again, once new releases start showing up on shelves. (Insert positive, or negative prediction about future releases here.)
I've waited 20 years. I can wait a little longer. I agree with ActionButler: The game's playability and viability aren't really hurt by their absence.
(Also, am I the only one who would rather see TRO3039 with the new art, rather than TRO:Succession Wars?)
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I for one do not demand any all new products but if it makes sense I'll be more than happy to see the classics in new product.
I just don't understand why one single person, e.g. an artist, is able to put up their artwork as T-shirts and posters to buy from their personal online shop, but a company with decades of experience and plenty of ambitious workers cannot do the same.
It is even more incomprehensible when T-shirts and posters are possible to produce for conventions, but somehow not online. The costs are practically the same and it is the fans who will nonetheless pay for shipping. The only extra costs compared to a convention is having a box sit somewhere in someone's house or storage while the T-shirts or posters are little by little being sold online (or at subsequent conventions).
Those single persons don't have the same licensing issues, are one person so that the cut they get from those shirts/posters are far more financially viable, and they don't produce the shirts/posters themselves.
And you'd be surprised how much of a cost difference there is between having stuff available for a convention versus on-line ordering.
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Ultimately, isn’t that exactly what the Unseen are?
Listen, I want to see the Marauder back in print just as much as anyone else here, and I was over the moon when the when the news of the case broke last week, but lets be honest with ourselves, we could have walked away from the Unseen at any time. TRO 3025 has more than enought units that the game objectively does not need any of the Unseen.
Yet here we are, twentysomething years into pining for them to be reprinted because of nostalgia. I’m not saying that we should use them to push Alpha Strike, that’s silly because Alpha Strike is a wonderful system by itself, but let’s not pretend that there aren’t a ton of people here, myself included, waiting to buy TRO: Just The Unseen And Probably An Awesome.
I would definitely buy that.
I wasn’t arguing against nostalgia blackmail as a business practice; lord knows how many times I’ve paid for Zelda: Ocarina of Time over the years. There’s a difference between tro classics and forcing people to scratch that itch by buying product they may not have use for (especially when they did that very thing with the CMs and... yeah). A stand-alone product would be just the right amount of blackmail that gives someone a clear expectation of what they’re getting.
Ultimately I have a different view of this as I came into BT just after the original HG settlement so I have zero attachment to any of it. This obsession with constantly chasing after 1988 continuously bemuses me.
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Of course it also does not help that the franchise bleeds money from pirated merch . . . I really want a Wolf Clan t-shirt, my wife knows it and looked at the ones that pop-up on facebook. Then I explained that they were produced from IP theft- she apparently contacted CGL in the past trying to see if they had them as a surprise for me- which she knows how I feel about it.
Want to know why we cannot get some things that are only feasible for the IP at Cons? Look at the online/FB groups and see all the folks making MWO or Classic derived 3D printed mechs, selling the those 3D printed mechs, and using them rather than official products. Or Amazon where CGL cannot keep ripped off FASA art from a couple of people's fanfics they are selling. Or Shapeways, which sells 3D printed table top scale or larger mechs & tanks- in particular I am remembering a Timberwolf (Notice MWO Marauder now) that is museum scale and a couple of hundred dollars . . . then again, I think Shapeways might be a problem for bigger IPs- I see Star Trek & Star Wars stuff on the website. If the merchandising company of Disney cannot keep their IP from being stolen to Shapeways then I guess it should not be a surprise for BT.
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Do we (the fans) know that the issue with promotional merch is IP-related? Could it simply be an economic question of having to pay up front for enough inventory to keep the store stocked at a much larger scale, and for a much longer time?
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I'm reasonably certain Topps would demand a cut of the sales, so licensing is something of a factor.
Then there would be the warehousing costs, which would be ongoing versus not a factor for conventions only.
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I've always wanted the Sword and Sunburst on a t-shirt, with no other graphics or text. Then people would ask me what it meant, and I could start my whole "game of thrones in space" shpiel to start up the BattleTech conversation.
The other really catchy one would be the Draconis Combine symbol on a tee, but I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that. A man has to have standards.
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I've always wanted the Sword and Sunburst on a t-shirt, with no other graphics or text. Then people would ask me what it meant, and I could start my whole "game of thrones in space" shpiel to start up the BattleTech conversation.
The other really catchy one would be the Draconis Combine Capellan Confederation symbol on a tee, but I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that. A man has to have standards.
FTFY
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I've always wanted the Sword and Sunburst on a t-shirt, with no other graphics or text. Then people would ask me what it meant, and I could start my whole "game of thrones in space" shpiel to start up the BattleTech conversation.
The other really catchy one would be the Draconis Combine Capellan Confederation Draconis Combine symbol on a tee, but I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that all hail the coordinator. A man has to have standards.
FTFY
FTFY
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Well, point being, I can see others here like the tee shirt with house crest only idea.
Wish we could do a print run and see if it was profitable for CGL?
Cheers,
Mad
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If I could get a dark-ish blue T-shirt with the Steiner fist, I'd be all on board for that!
Damon.
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I will miss Gencon this year. I always want to get a t-shirt and a poster....now that the posters are back.
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Do we know how the posters will look like?
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I just want the dice from GenCon... but I'd be real happy to get a Dark shirt with a CGB/RD/GBD logo on it.
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Didn't TRO:Golden Century get pushed back for other things first.
At this point, the product could very likely be dead. I don't hold out hope for anything that's been pulled from the release list (https://bg.battletech.com/books/upcoming-releases/).
It seems like the priority is fiction these days, like a Wolf's Dragoons novella:
Some rambling BattleTech stuff.
https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/writing-battletech-addressing-some-questions/ (https://blainepardoe.wordpress.com/2018/07/03/writing-battletech-addressing-some-questions/)
Blaine "Buck" Pardoe
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I just don't understand why one single person, e.g. an artist, is able to put up their artwork as T-shirts and posters to buy from their personal online shop, but a company with decades of experience and plenty of ambitious workers cannot do the same.
It is even more incomprehensible when T-shirts and posters are possible to produce for conventions, but somehow not online. The costs are practically the same and it is the fans who will nonetheless pay for shipping. The only extra costs compared to a convention is having a box sit somewhere in someone's house or storage while the T-shirts or posters are little by little being sold online (or at subsequent conventions).
I share your frustrations and bewilderment.
I'd buy merch (stickers, dice, t-shirts and patches) with a vengeance. I can't make it to cons so I am stuck.
In fact my friends and I surmise the reason the BT game's Kickstarter success was so significant was due to the merch offerings at higher tiers.
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Many of those small retailers either own their own IP, or are conveniently ignoring the fact that copyright law is a thing and relying on the informal truth that their hide is worth less than what it would cost to get a copyright lawyer out of bed, much less actually into the office.
Pretty sure not a single one of them had to negotiate licenses and royalties with the likes of Topps.
I am neither privy to the CGL/Topps relationship, nor the costs/benefits of a proper merchandising line(even a print-on-demand one), but it would not totally surprise me if the effective costs of getting permission to set one up plus the costs of actually doing it might be greater than the realistically expected rewards.
Finally: "Plenty of ambitious workers"? Where'd you get that idea? "Ambitious" I can see, but everything we know about Catalyst tells us that as far as the other bit, the exact opposite is true.
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Put me down as another fan that would totally buy licensed dice/tees/patches. I've wanted some Kurtia crest swag for as long as I can remember.
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how about iron on patches , they cannot be that much to make and they could go on any shirt or hoody .
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how about iron on patches , they cannot be that much to make and they could go on any shirt or hoody .
You can buy iron on material for your home printer.
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I still have some from a decade ago I still haven't used...
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Amazon has faction dice for the 5 houses but I don't know if they're authorized or an infringement.
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If they’re the Q workshop dice they’re officially licensed
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The Q-workshop dice were created under license from Topps/CGL.
There's some showing for sale on Amazon that are those dice, though they don't mention Q-Workshop.
https://q-workshop.com/en/36_battletech
If they look like those, they are the Q-workshop dice.
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If you do see something that looks like it might be a Battletech copyright infringement and want to bring it to CGL's attention, you can let a forum mod or admin know about it via PM. If we don't recognize it as an official product, we'll pass it up the line. :)
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If you do see something that looks like it might be a Battletech copyright infringement and want to bring it to CGL's attention, you can let a forum mod or admin know about it via PM. If we don't recognize it as an official product, we'll pass it up the line. :)
First world problems, right? "You there, young man, is that a properly licensed design?"
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First world problems, right? "You there, young man, is that a properly licensed design?"
May be, but from what I remember, companies have a legal obligation to fight every infringement they're aware of, otherwise a court may judge the trademark or copyright to have been abandoned.
That's why Disney goes after day care centers that have Mickey in a mural, or why McDonalds tried (unsuccessfully, for once!) to sue the High Laird of the Clan MacDonald over a restaurant he had opened in Scotland. Not because they WANT to garner a reputation as dicks, but that if they don't, a judge may well void their rights.
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May be, but from what I remember, companies have a legal obligation to fight every infringement they're aware of, otherwise a court may judge the trademark or copyright to have been abandoned.
That's why Disney goes after day care centers that have Mickey in a mural, or why McDonalds tried (unsuccessfully, for once!) to sue the High Laird of the Clan MacDonald over a restaurant he had opened in Scotland. Not because they WANT to garner a reputation as dicks, but that if they don't, a judge may well void their rights.
Yes, although Copyrights and Patents have their own, equally complicated rules. somewhere on the CGL (or IMR, or Topps) page, it will say what they consider to be a trademark.
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May be, but from what I remember, companies have a legal obligation to fight every infringement they're aware of, otherwise a court may judge the trademark or copyright to have been abandoned.
That's why Disney goes after day care centers that have Mickey in a mural, or why McDonalds tried (unsuccessfully, for once!) to sue the High Laird of the Clan MacDonald over a restaurant he had opened in Scotland. Not because they WANT to garner a reputation as dicks, but that if they don't, a judge may well void their rights.
Only for trademarks is it a you must fight or lose it. Copyrights have no requirement. If you don't believe me then read the law and the FAQ on the US Copyright Office's website.
Two different sets of laws there. Three when you include patents.
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Amazon has faction dice for the 5 houses but I don't know if they're authorized or an infringement.
Amazon might also have the German dice Ulisses Spiele (the German license holder) put up for sale a couple of years ago.
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Question: has there been any thought given to including the events/characters etc in a one-off tie in (probably PDF only) book for the HBS Battletech game?
I feel like the big ‘story missions’ lend themselves well to creating scenarios around, and the opportunity to get some PC players hooked into the tabletop?
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Question: has there been any thought given to including the events/characters etc in a one-off tie in (probably PDF only) book for the HBS Battletech game?
I feel like the big ‘story missions’ lend themselves well to creating scenarios around, and the opportunity to get some PC players hooked into the tabletop?
The cartoon got a Sourcebook.
Seems like an Arano Restoration Campaign book/pack could work.
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The cartoon got a Sourcebook.
Seems like an Arano Restoration Campaign book/pack could work.
I would buy that.
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Think HBS games is better off as it's own animal considering I have already found tons of fan campaigns inspired by their run in the HBS game, some even include MegaMek maps.
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I would buy that.
+1
Even it was an alternate universe product ala Nebula California, it’d be nice to see the first new non-Mechwarrior Battletech video game in forever show up in tabletop Battletech.
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Seems like an Arano Restoration Campaign book/pack could work.
Yes! Did you enjoy the computer game enough to consider trying out the tabletop game? Move your team over to pencil & paper and continue the story.
I haven't even played the computer game and I'd buy it.
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I think it would be a smart business move for CGL to consider canonising the Arano Restoration campaign into the tabletop Battletech universe . . . I am speaking as a proud HBS Battletech kickstarter backer, owner of the Somerset Strikers sourcebook and comic books, and as a fan who's almost 30 year love of Battletech has resulted in several thousand dollars spent on this hobby that I love that all started with playing Crescent Hawk's Inception and then following the rabbit down the hole from there.
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I think it would be a smart business move for CGL to consider canonising the Arano Restoration campaign into the tabletop Battletech universe . . . I am speaking as a proud HBS Battletech kickstarter backer, owner of the Somerset Strikers sourcebook and comic books, and as a fan who's almost 30 year love of Battletech has resulted in several thousand dollars spent on this hobby that I love that all started with playing Crescent Hawk's Inception and then following the rabbit down the hole from there.
doesn't it raise an IP issue though, what with the computer game (and by extension everything in it) being owned not by Topps but by Microsoft?
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Wasn't Randall also involved in the creation of Arano and the worlds it had under its banner?
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doesn't it raise an IP issue though, what with the computer game (and by extension everything in it) being owned not by Topps but by Microsoft?
Would have been the same with MW3 & MW4, not sure MechCommander2 ended up including any of the stuff from Carver V/Liberty.
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doesn't it raise an IP issue though, what with the computer game (and by extension everything in it) being owned not by Topps but by Microsoft?
Don’t think so? They canonized the events of Mechwarrior 3 via a novel, and I think that those made it into another campaign source book. Also, in the fedcom civil war book, they even reference the events of Mechwarrior 4 vengeance.
Alternatively, I think it would be pretty easy for CGL to secure a hand shake deal with Paradox/HBS to get the needed permission.
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The cartoon got a Sourcebook.
Seems like an Arano Restoration Campaign book/pack could work.
Maybe if it also has alternate endings.
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Maybe if it also has alternate endings.
The fact that the Restoration doesn't appear on any maps of the rimward periphery after the 3025 era has nothing to do with the HBS game coming out in 2018 and has everything to do with House Espinosa being right about the reach needing to transform into the Directorate if it is to survive.
No Directorate and the realm evaporates into disunified chaos. Hard proof that Lady Arano's victory was a defeat for the Reach. Let's see what could have happened if the Directorate won!
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Don’t think so? They canonized the events of Mechwarrior 3 via a novel, and I think that those made it into another campaign source book. Also, in the fedcom civil war book, they even reference the events of Mechwarrior 4 vengeance.
Alternatively, I think it would be pretty easy for CGL to secure a hand shake deal with Paradox/HBS to get the needed permission.
It’s only an issue if either party wants to make it an issue, and HBS has been working hand in hand with us.
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It’s only an issue if either party wants to make it an issue, and HBS has been working hand in hand with us.
Soooo... Operational Turning Points: Arano Restoration confirmed??
;)
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Well, at least no one will be surprised when the Aurigan Reach faction gets killed off. We already have the maps to prove they didn't make it.
Can't say the same for my poor Davions. Seems like they are getting ready to get kicked in the balls pretty hard when Shattered Fortress comes out...and by the balls I mean "national and regional capitals." Oh well, at least I still have the Marik's and the RasDom...don't I?
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Well, at least no one will be surprised when the Aurigan Reach faction gets killed off. We already have the maps to prove they didn't make it.
Can't say the same for my poor Davions. Seems like they are getting ready to get kicked in the balls pretty hard when Shattered Fortress comes out...and by the balls I mean "national and regional capitals." Oh well, at least I still have the Marik's and the RasDom...don't I?
Not really looking forward to Shattered Fortress, but to each their own!
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Well, at least no one will be surprised when the Aurigan Reach faction gets killed off. We already have the maps to prove they didn't make it.
Can't say the same for my poor Davions. Seems like they are getting ready to get kicked in the balls pretty hard when Shattered Fortress comes out...and by the balls I mean "national and regional capitals." Oh well, at least I still have the Marik's and the RasDom...don't I?
We'll always have the Confederated Suns....
I just wish the Dracs would get knocked down a peg.
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I don't mind seeing the Capellans ascendant, and if you ask me, they can have Chesterton and New Syrtis so long as they slow down a bit.
The Combine, however. I'd LOVE to see them knocked down two pegs in Shattered Fortress. I hope the Republic and Julian can cook something up a bit, because....reasons?
I dunno why, but that Dragon needs slaying, so to speak.
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I just want to see what form the FWL reclamation of Regulus took after those genocidal maniacs assassinated Jessica.
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The Draconis Combine has consistently managed to do fairly well for itself. I think the main thing is that they suffer in other ways in the universe rather than militarily.
They do provide well for their citizens up to a certain point, but their economy is closed and slow to adapt to changes. Better quality goods and freedom of movement just isn't there and sacrificed for a strong military.
But for a wargaming universe, the main things are the boarders.
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The Draconis Combine has consistently managed to do fairly well for itself. I think the main thing is that they suffer in other ways in the universe rather than militarily.
They do provide well for their citizens up to a certain point, but their economy is closed and slow to adapt to changes. Better quality goods and freedom of movement just isn't there and sacrificed for a strong military.
But for a wargaming universe, the main things are the boarders.
Yes, that's the Draconis way. 'Doing good' for their way of life involves constant war and expansion while still looking pretty dystopian on the ground. The other thing is that their wins spread them thin, despite all the wins in the Dark Age you get the feeling that they have/will over-extend themselves and will get bit for it. At the end of the day the Draconis way is unfeasible, they'll never rule the IS no matter how well they fight, and even if they did they'd never be able to maintain it with their social problems and penchant for civil wars. Heck, it's the case for most any expansionist venture: More conquests of neighbors = larger frontier = even more enemies to fight off. Eventually either the expansion will halt and the empire will fall to the now more numerous enemies surrounding it or it will continue to expand, become spread thin and fall to even more hostile neighbors and/or internal turmoil. I think the seeds of the DCs eventual defeat has already been planted via their gains by 3145. I mean best case scenario; they conquer the Fedsuns wholesale, then 'have' to fight the Ghost Bears, Snow Ravens, Capellans, Taurians, Republic, Magistry etc.
And that's from a lifelong Kurita fan... Please don't tell the ISF haha
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The Draconis Combine's biggest threats right now are inside rather than outside. They killed everyone that dissented but I can't imagine it's as clean as all that. Anyways. A good topic for another thread.
I wish Ilclan would come out soon. Only have a month left before I've gotta spend all my time studying again.
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To not get sidetracked too badly, the strong setting and room to maneuver is why I enjoyed the original 3025 setting so much. Those final years of the 3rd SW gave you a lot of room and story to explore. The universe had it's overarching narrative that moved very quickly from that though and you get the impression it took the players with it. A shame really. Would players who dislike the FedSuns have a different opinion if they had a better understanding of the internal and political workings of the state?
What I do find interesting is how the writers decided to turn back the clock somewhat to return to that setting with notable exceptions. I am looking forward to what happens. GenCon is about a month away and that is where we will hopefully have some products drop.
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Can't say the same for my poor Davions. Seems like they are getting ready to get kicked in the balls pretty hard when Shattered Fortress comes out...and by the balls I mean "national and regional capitals." Oh well, at least I still have the Marik's and the RasDom...don't I?
Spoilers and teasers coming soon-ish!
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:D
Joy!
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Spoilers and teasers coming soon-ish!
Dont you dare tease us with spoilers and teasers about their being spoilers and teasers!!
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Can't say the same for my poor Davions. Seems like they are getting ready to get kicked in the balls pretty hard when Shattered Fortress comes out...and by the balls I mean "national and regional capitals." Oh well, at least I still have the Marik's and the RasDom...don't I?
Replace "Davions" with "Steiners" and I'm feeling the same way! *laughs*
Spoilers and teasers coming soon-ish!
Spoilers and teasers you say? Yes, please! :drool:
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I wonder if the Ilclan is really just one clan and instead all the IS clans as some form of gestalt political entity mixed with what's left of the Republic, it would give a lot of friction between all the internal factions that would give writers a lot to play with if/when they want to get rid of them.
As for factions needing to be knocked down a peg, yep, some do need that, Drac's, Wolves, Falcon's, Cappies all do. As much as i'm not that much of a fan of the Fed's i don't want to see them become the cappies as under dog MKII, just slapped enough to change them, but they've had their time at the top and need a noticeable shake up, map wise not just internally. I also don't want to see the cappies remain the under dog either maybe a absorbing or joining with the Magistracy in an official manner and loosing some of the gains into Fed Suns so that they become stronger but allow the Feds to not get too kicked down, but that will rankle some Magistracy fans.
As for the Bears, if they get attacked they have enough forces in a relatively small area to attack back, but if they get left alone they will become stagnant, maybe the Commonwealth try their luck over the worlds the Bears accepted that were formerly Lyran worlds that the Wolves held.
Ok this turned into an incoherent ramble, sorry, if i waited until i was awake enough for this to make sense, i would have forgotten it :-[
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Spoilers and teasers coming soon-ish!
That's what I like to see
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Spoilers and teasers coming soon-ish!
Wooo, color me titillated!
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Wooo, color me titillated!
Ok. See attached.
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Not that kind of titillated. But I giggled.
Also, I approve of Marauder pics in EVERY form! Especially in Shattered Fortress (hint, hint!)
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Dont you dare tease us with spoilers and teasers about their being spoilers and teasers!!
Lol! Ahh the internet: where folks complain loudly about bad news, but not nearly so much as they complain about good news! You do have a point though. A teaser about spoilers is hype-squared.
To be perfectly honest, I’ll be OK if the Suns are beat down and pushed back from the core of the map. I’d hope they don’t totally fall apart completely, but it could be interesting to see how the deal with the hard choices of what to protect and what is worth trying to reclaim. Also, the citizens of those worlds may not exactly fall in line with their new overlords. Could be A whole mess of insurgency to deal with.
Anyway, I don’t think they will lose Panpour, so the Gunsmith should still be on the RAT, and that alone makes me happy. I love that little ankle-biter!
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I don't know if this has been brought up recently...but since it seems that fiction is a high priority right now, are there any plans to make the BattleCorp fiction available again somehow? (Was in the middle of completing my collection when the site was taken down, missing the last couple year's worth. :-\ )
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Actually came up in a topic about the Dark Marauder short story trilogy, the current focus seems to be on getting the new fiction published.
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Spoilers and teasers coming soon-ish!
Any chance of an update Cubby? Shattered Fortress pics?
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Less then a month till Gencon hopefully spoilers will be soon.
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I don't know if this has been brought up recently...but since it seems that fiction is a high priority right now, are there any plans to make the BattleCorp fiction available again somehow? (Was in the middle of completing my collection when the site was taken down, missing the last couple year's worth. :-\ )
Specific plans, no; a general idea that it should happen, yes. As you say, the focus is on getting out fiction, but new fiction. Hoping to have an update for you all on that front next week.
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Any chance of an update Cubby? Shattered Fortress pics?
Not Shattered Fortress just yet, but working on an update right now. Stay tuned this evening!
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Not Shattered Fortress just yet, but working on an update right now. Stay tuned this evening!
Update from me: I loved it and can't wait to see it in print
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To celebrate the imminent release of the BattleTech Beginner Box and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat boxed sets, the release of Harebrained Schemes' BATTLETECH, as well as Piranha Games hotly-anticipated MechWarrior 5, new printings of the core BattleTech rulebooks are now available in PDF from the Catalyst Game Labs store.
The PDFs feature fully-updated errata and vintage artwork covers! As each of the core rulebooks are reprinted, they'll receive a vintage cover to celebrate the wonderful history of the BattleTech universe. Each represents the most up-to-date, polished version of the essential BattleTech rules.
Any customers who previously purchased these PDFs will receive an e-mail notification enabling them to download these updated printings.
The classic artwork gracing the covers of these products appears below. The line includes:
- Total Warfare (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-total-warfare-pdf), the core BattleTech rulebook. Following the book's print debut at Origins Game Fair and Gen Con, pre-orders for the print edition are now available, with an expected street date of August 22, 2018. (ARTIST: Les Dorscheid; First Publication: BattleTech Manual, 1987.)
- TechManual (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-techmanual-pdf), the core construction rulebook allowing players to create their own exciting units for unique BattleTech games. A companion volume to Total Warfare, TechManual provides construction rules for tournament-legal units, as well as core weaponry and equipment and the newest, bleeding edge technologies. (ARTIST: Doug Chafee; First Publication, Tactical Handbook, 1994.)
- Tactical Operations (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-tactical-operations-pdf), the advanced rules that apply to on-world operations. It includes new movement and combat options, an extensive Advanced Weapons and Equipment section, and the rules for playing and constructing advanced Support Vehicles and Mobile Structures. (ARTIST: Doug Chaffee; First Publication, CityTech, Second Edition boxed set, 1994.)
Note: the hard-copy availability of the new printings of Tactical Operations and TechManual has not been determined.
A fully-updated errata PDF of Strategic Operations, the advanced rules for aerospace combat and solar system-level campaigns, is in the works. (ARTIST: Steve Venters; First Publication: BattleForce Box Set, 1987.)
The PDFs are priced at $15 each, and are available now.
(https://image.ibb.co/bX5gwo/Total_Warfare_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/kHmAp8) (https://image.ibb.co/j86obo/Tech_Manual_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/nDHuGo) (https://image.ibb.co/kfjwU8/Tactical_Ops_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/hqzkNT) (https://image.ibb.co/eHC5NT/Strategic_Ops_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/bxa398)
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You made me happy and delighted with the Strat Ops cover, one of my favorite pieces of BT artwork ever.
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Neat, I just downloaded my pdfs from drivethru!
Question though:
Total Warfare with old cover says 4th printing.
Total Warfare new cover says 5th printing.
Tac Ops Old Cover says 2nd printing.
Tac Ops New Cover says nothing (no edition listed)
Tech Manual New and Old both say 3rd Printing.
Is this correct? Or are all the files, regardless of cover, now updated to the most recent?
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My order of TacOps hasn't updated to the new version yet. Also, I just noticed that my orders for Total Warfare and TechManual seem to have vanished in the sands of time. Fair enough, I did buy them circa 2005-6...
Edit: Put it this way, my earliest saved orders on the Catalyst web store don't even have order numbers.
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With the new art, Tactical Operations will be the third printing, and TechManual will also be the third printing.
However, TechManual is potentially confusing, in that the last release before this one was PDF-only. It was the 3rd version of TM, and it was intended to be the basis for a new printing (which is why Drivethru probably lists that old one as the "third printing"), but it never actually went to the printer until now, when we added yet more errata and so made a new version. To sum up, this edition of TM with the new cover is the fourth TM release, but the third physical printing.
(TacOps also had a PDF-only release, but that was some time ago).
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Excellent choice of cover for Tech Manual. Very fitting, and also my favorite BT art.
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With the new art, Tactical Operations will be the third printing, and TechManual will also be the third printing.
However, TechManual is potentially confusing, in that the last release before this one was PDF-only. It was the 3rd version of TM, and it was intended to be the basis for a new printing (which is why Drivethru probably lists that old one as the "third printing"), but it never actually went to the printer until now, when we added yet more errata and so made a new version. To sum up, this edition of TM with the new cover is the fourth TM release, but the third physical printing.
Ok, so do you need to go with the new cover art PDFs to get the most up to date version on drivethru, or do the old cover art versions also contain the latest and greatest info including errata? I ask because the page listing the edition, after the acknowledgements, shows different print versions for Total Warfare (4th vs 5th) and Tac Ops (Nothing vs 2nd). I ask because I prefer the Battlemaster/Uziel covers for TW and TacOps respectively, and I was wondering if those PDFs are updated with the newest information.
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The updated variant cover art/new logo versions are also the new printings: they're one and the same. So if you have them, you have the new printings, and thus the latest errata.
Anything with the previous art is 100% an older (now out of date) printing.
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Got my updated version of TechManual from DriveThru just now. Thanks and liking the retro artwork, especially the Strat Ops cover. Love that one. :thumbsup: 8)
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Love the new covers, can't wait for the Strat Ops update too.
Will AtoW/InterOps/CampOps get the same treatment eventually?
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I also just d/l'ed the new TechManual. It's nice seeing the Tactical Handbook cover art used there.
The only thing I'm disappointed with is there's no bookmarks in the PDF I d/l'ed from DriveThruRPG. I believe I used the E-CAT version of the two files available.
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What is old is new again. :thumbsup:
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Anything with the previous art is 100% an older (now out of date) printing.
Ok, just checked and you are correct.
Is there any chance we'll get the new text/errata inclusion with the old covers? (I like the Uziel/Battlemaster covers more then the old 80s ish art)
For example, Total Warfare lists the following files for download
(E-CAT35001_BattleTech_Total_Warfare.pdf)
(E-CAT35001V_Total_Warfare.pdf)
The 5001V has the new cover and the new errata (Atlas)
35001 is the old battlemaster cover, and 4th printing.
Might be confusing for people who don't read this thread, to know which version has the errata included in it.
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There are no plans to re-release the new printing PDFs with the previous art. As these are coming out in print as well, have a print book with one cover but its associate PDF with two could easily create confusion.
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Fair enough. At least the old covers are still available.
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When are the emails for CGL store going out? Would like to see the new version but I bought my copies of the PDFs in original release so no clue if they are still in my order history.
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I love the vintage art, it's absolutely amazing.
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While not unexpected to see retro covers on the rest of the core rule books, I'm surprised at how much I actually dislike them. This seems to be an attempt to get the grognards, who have been keeping Battletech on life support, to buy the core books all over again while hoping that 20+ year old art will appeal to a new generation of players. I just don't think this round of artwork compares favorably to what Battletech's competitors are releasing. And certainly isn't up to the new standards set by the upcoming box sets.
Battletech: This is your grandfather's wargame is just not a good marketing strategy.
The new introductory box sets are a great example of combining the old with the new. The miniatures appear to be of comparable quality to competitor's releases. All the mech art/designs in the box set have been refined and updated to appeal to a new crowd but are still easily recognizable to old players. There seems to be enough change to entice new players while still pulling on the nostalgia heart strings of the old guard. I intent to buy at least one of each of the box sets but I just can't get behind this re-release of the core rule books even with the errata changes. Sorry CGL but I won't be buying the core books all over again.
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Minor housekeeping note: I've updated the subject line of the stickied "New Release" post at the top of General Discussion to reflect that TechManual and Tactical Operations also now have new versions with updated errata.
Feel free to continue here if you like, for now. But as we roll out more announcements in the coming days on this thread, that other thread will be a good place to continue the discussions about the new core rulebook products without getting lost in the shuffle over here.
Will AtoW/InterOps/CampOps get the same treatment eventually?
Not known at this time. The focus at the moment is on getting Strategic Operations done, and of course there are many other projects across the BT line demanding attention. Interstellar Operations and Campaign Operations are both fairly new and still widely available, so I feel safe in saying that they're very low on the priority list.
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Stuff is coming out Cubby? :o
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Battletech: This is your grandfather's wargame is just not a good marketing strategy.
This about sums up the franchise at this point. I was hoping the lawsuit was going to get us an updated reprint of the Succession Wars TRO with the rest of the nuseen.
If the old books were updated and organized in a way so they were easier to navigate, or if there was a reprint in the style of the Compendium with updated rules from TW, then I would buy them. "New old art" just screams "same old stuff" and isn't doing it for me anymore.
I'll be purchasing the new-old box sets. But like most, it'll be for the miniatures, because we all know the box set is the same thing that's been done since the 80's. Swapping 'mechs and lowering the miniature count isn't a change. Consistency used to mean something, but now it's starting to feel more like redundancy.
EDIT: But maybe I'm just grumpy because I haven't had my coffee yet... ugh.
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The new introductory box sets are a great example of combining the old with the new. The miniatures appear to be of comparable quality to competitor's releases. All the mech art/designs in the box set have been refined and updated to appeal to a new crowd but are still easily recognizable to old players. There seems to be enough change to entice new players while still pulling on the nostalgia heart strings of the old guard.
Agreed. Almost completely.
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No one is asking anyone to buy this because of a different cover. This is a new printing with errata. If you don't have a problem printing out errata sheets, using PDFs, or just your old books then there is no reason to buy these anyway.
I will because of the updates and that I don't have my own copies of Tech Manual and StratOps. But do you expect me to believe you would buy a new printing of the same book just because it had a new cover?
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No one is asking anyone to buy this because of a different cover. This is a new printing with errata. If you don't have a problem printing out errata sheets, using PDFs, or just your old books then there is no reason to buy these anyway.
I will because of the updates and that I don't have my own copies of Tech Manual and StratOps. But do you expect me to believe you would buy a new printing of the same book just because it had a new cover?
:-[ Yes....
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No one is asking anyone to buy this because of a different cover. This is a new printing with errata. If you don't have a problem printing out errata sheets, using PDFs, or just your old books then there is no reason to buy these anyway.
I will because of the updates and that I don't have my own copies of Tech Manual and StratOps. But do you expect me to believe you would buy a new printing of the same book just because it had a new cover?
Then there was absolutely no reason to spend the time, effort and money changing the covers If they aren’t trying to entice me to buy something that I already have.
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Agreed. Almost completely.
It's important that we get there too. Getting the art up to MWO style, etc. Makes a big difference. I got a new player into battletech recently. She likes the game alot. But I remember her looking at each of the plastic mechs from the old box set and she laughed at most of the desigjs. I don't feel differently. Some mechs like the Timber Wolf or the Atlas are pretty timeless. But plenty of others are just too aged to win over people who have seen fourty years of mech aesthetic progression.
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It's important that we get there too. Getting the art up to MWO style, etc. Makes a big difference. I got a new player into battletech recently. She likes the game alot. But I remember her looking at each of the plastic mechs from the old box set and she laughed at most of the desigjs. I don't feel differently. Some mechs like the Timber Wolf or the Atlas are pretty timeless. But plenty of others are just too aged to win over people who have seen fourty years of mech aesthetic progression.
I also agree that the new box sets are a good start. Taking it further with a modern update of the plastics from 3rd edition and the last box (5th or 6th?) would be new and fresh. Hell, stick with piggy backing on the PC game and do a rules AND miniature update. It's not like there wasn't time to do that considering the PC game took over a year to make. Total missed opportunity. But no, reprinting old rules with eratta is obviously a better option.
Then there was absolutely no reason to spend the time, effort and money changing the covers If they aren’t trying to entice me to buy something that I already have.
And we'll hear about how it's hard to sell certain things, they're a small business, blah blah blah. These things remind me of how often PGI makes excuses about balancing MWO (which is a whole other topic that's been discussed over and over again).
Ugh. AND on the other hand, the more I think about it, I might buy the new prints. The last copy of TW I got was the first printing. But then I consider how much more I've played Alpha Strike in the last few years because the rules were something new and fresh. Alpha Strike Commander's Edition seems like a great idea and I'm totally buying that.
All of this coming from a guy who clings to his old 4th edition box.
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Then there was absolutely no reason to spend the time, effort and money changing the covers If they aren’t trying to entice me to buy something that I already have.
It might have actually been less costly to use this art. That is something to consider as well.
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I get that there might be obsessive compulsive or anxiety disorders in play... but this reaction over a cover changing is a bit much.
I guess if you have all the other books and are trying to finish the picture the spines make it kind of makes sense.... but I think we're lucky alot of those core rulebooks are even being printed right now.
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The new covers make it instantly recognizable whether a book is the updated version. As someone who plays a lot of Alpha Strike, the inside of that book changed significantly from 1st to 2nd printing, and it's been causing trouble for years at this point.
There have been enough major changes to the core books during their lifetime that having an easily differentiated cover is pretty necessary.
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Has anyone gotten the email from CGL about the updated products?
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I think the new boxed sets are far more important in today's market. I'm actually kind of surprised - and a bit concerned - that the core rulebooks are getting a new printing. It strikes me as a serious misread of what people are buying these days.
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Has anyone gotten the email from CGL about the updated products?
Yes, I got mine yesterday.
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The new covers make it instantly recognizable whether a book is the updated version. As someone who plays a lot of Alpha Strike, the inside of that book changed significantly from 1st to 2nd printing, and it's been causing trouble for years at this point.
There have been enough major changes to the core books during their lifetime that having an easily differentiated cover is pretty necessary.
Couldn't they have just changed the font of the Battletech logo to the current version in order to differentiate between the printings instead of using retro art?
I actually don't have a problem with CGL changing the covers of the core rule books. I just don't like their use of existing retro art. If it works for other people that is fine but it doesn't work for me. I find it disappointing and I won't buy product for B-Tech anymore just because CGL has produced it or to keep the game afloat. In the "Year of Battletech" the best idea CGL can come up with is releasing the core rule book with 25+ year old artwork. It is very anticlimactic. Maybe I'm expecting too much out of CGL but I had high hopes with the redesigned box sets. This just feels like a step backward.
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I think the new boxed sets are far more important in today's market. I'm actually kind of surprised - and a bit concerned - that the core rulebooks are getting a new printing. It strikes me as a serious misread of what people are buying these days.
I agree 100% percent
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I agree 100% percent
Thanks, but I also think you're blowing the "new cover" thing way out of proportion.
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Thanks, but I also think you're blowing the "new cover" thing way out of proportion.
Could be. Like I said I was disappointed.
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And you're not alone in being disappointed.
I honestly would wonder if I was picking up the current rules/printing if I didn't know better.
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Knowing CGL's bandwidth is limited, where would you propose players who like the new box sets go for more BattleTech? I think CGL made a logical allocation of limited resources in anticipation of new players with box sets taking the next step.
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Has anyone gotten the email from CGL about the updated products?
Nope.
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Knowing CGL's bandwidth is limited, where would you propose players who like the new box sets go for more BattleTech? I think CGL made a logical allocation of limited resources in anticipation of new players with box sets taking the next step.
Not the core rulebooks. To play BattleTech, you need rules, record sheets, maps, and miniatures. CGL is providing only one of those four things to players who want more BattleTech. Yes, I am fully aware - after thirty years of playing this game - that you can fill out record sheets yourself and use proxy models. I am also very - even painfully - aware that IWM makes lots of different miniatures. But if I didn't have those decades of experience, seeing that the only in-print expansions for BattleTech are big, pricey rulebooks and expensive metal models of 'Mechs I can't even identify, well, I don't think I'd bother.
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I think the new boxed sets are far more important in today's market.
This is the correct answer. Maps, minis, tiny rules booklet. Everythng you would need. Everything you would want.
Apart from more minis and maps.
EDIT: I’m happy to see the rules back in print, of course, because money for CGL is money for CGL. I don’t necessarily understand the grief with the old cover art since Battletech already IS your grandfather’s wargame. Slow gameplay, lots or rules, lots of tables, lots of rules, lots of details. CGL might as well advertise it with the cover art.
And, you know, that might not be bad. Everywhere I look, their are old school renaissances of everything. Old school D&D, eighties-style tv shows, record stores... as much as I love Alpha Strike, maybe there is a place for slow burn Battletech in the world.
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I don't think the reuse of some really old art was the best way to reprint the rules. Yes it is needed as you can't fit all of those rules in either box. Yes they need reprints of more TROs. Yes they need more cheap plastic mechs... but will they be able to do all that?? No.
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Not the core rulebooks. To play BattleTech, you need rules, record sheets, maps, and miniatures. CGL is providing only one of those four things to players who want more BattleTech. Yes, I am fully aware - after thirty years of playing this game - that you can fill out record sheets yourself and use proxy models. I am also very - even painfully - aware that IWM makes lots of different miniatures. But if I didn't have those decades of experience, seeing that the only in-print expansions for BattleTech are big, pricey rulebooks and expensive metal models of 'Mechs I can't even identify, well, I don't think I'd bother.
So what would you recommend to a new player after the box sets? The record sheets and maps already exist. Is there some other project that would take as little effort as a reprint of books that many new players can only find on Amazon for ridiculous prices? There's already a newly registered user asking when the hard copies will be out up in the other announcement thread. Only sales will tell, but I still think CGL made a good call given their available resources.
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So what would you recommend to a new player after the box sets? The record sheets and maps already exist.
There are no in-print maps or record sheet books. The map sets, in particular, are insanely expensive online. There need to be more one-stop solutions for people wanting, well, more.
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I am so glad I got to see what the new miniatures look like in the box set which makes me really want them.
I have noticed that the metal individual miniatures all come in the same packaging with no photo of what the finished product looks like and since they are in pieces I cannot in the store see what I am buying without going online to find a picture of it. That is a real pain so thank goodness I got to see them in this new box set so I can get excited about it.
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There are no in-print maps or record sheet books. The map sets, in particular, are insanely expensive online. There need to be more one-stop solutions for people wanting, well, more.
In fact . . . its what, 4 or 5 RS books behind the TROs?
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There are no in-print maps or record sheet books. The map sets, in particular, are insanely expensive online. There need to be more one-stop solutions for people wanting, well, more.
Excellent point on the map sets, but as far as record sheets, I'd say printers are easier to find than photocopiers these days, so the electronic version is probably the way to go for those. I've also only seen questions about rule books, not map sets or record sheets, honestly.
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There are no in-print maps or record sheet books. The map sets, in particular, are insanely expensive online. There need to be more one-stop solutions for people wanting, well, more.
There were mockups of new maps at Origins.
Most of the things people are complaining about in this thread that have made visible and significant progress since Brent took over as LD. This is his first con season in the position. Let's give him a shot, eh?
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Nope.
Nor have I.
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In fact . . . its what, 4 or 5 RS books behind the TROs?
Prototypes, 3150 NTNU are the big two. ER:2750 has a number of units that need RS (eg the Alfar has no official RS)
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Prototypes, 3150 NTNU are the big two. ER:2750 has a number of units that need RS (eg the Alfar has no official RS)
Plus some sourcebook 'Mechs are missing variant record sheets, like the Dragoon from Historical: Liberation of Terra.
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Will the box sets have all the rules for those sexy new units?
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Excellent point on the map sets, but as far as record sheets, I'd say printers are easier to find than photocopiers these days, so the electronic version is probably the way to go for those. I've also only seen questions about rule books, not map sets or record sheets, honestly.
I see more folks ditching their printers, so this might be a "no right answer" sort of question. But fair enough.
There were mockups of new maps at Origins.
As far as I know, the new maps are going to be in the new boxed sets. That's great, but my point is about where players go from there. Right now the product line will consist of two boxed sets, four (!) rulebooks, a single Technical Readout, a sourcebook, some fiction, and a whole lot of miniatures. I'm not expecting CGL to release an entire new product line in one go, but re-releasing the core rulebooks before there is support for them - Tech Readouts, etc. - seems backwards.
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Will the box sets have all the rules for those sexy new units?
Mech-only, I suspect. Possibly intro-only as well. I actually know nothing, this is just a reasonable guess.
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If that's the case, it seems like you'd want to have the rules available before the TROs. As a player, I'd rather know there are things out there I don't have yet than have things with no idea how they work.
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That does seem to be the plan, but I think it'd be better to have supplemental products that offer ready-to-play options.
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You mean like the rules section in TRO 3085? That would make sense, but it risks scattering rules all over the place.
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You mean like the rules section in TRO 3085? That would make sense, but it risks scattering rules all over the place.
Scattered rules can be a problem and Battletech has a lot of rules. Rules that are even scattered between core rulebooks. My solution to the problem would be more box sets building off of the starter sets. So another box set with maybe a lance or stars worth of redesigned plastic mechs, more new maps and small scenarios that incorporate advanced rules. The advanced rules would then point to the core rule books to pick up if the customer wants to continue collecting B-Tech.
Each box set would stand alone. All the rules would be inclusive in the box set. So customers would buy a starter set, then an "advanced" set or two, then the core rulebooks. The "advanced" sets could be generic, themed, or maybe different eras but each would be a complete set of advanced rules in a box. Like buying a board game expansion. So the rules would be scattered across products but all those rules are consolidate into one core product line for the player that has to have everything.
I really believe that the starter sets will take off and that more products designed like them will be an easier way to introduce new players to the game and keep them involved.
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So what would the best kind of purchase be for the new player to get after the box set? In many ways I am imagining something similar to the expansion packs that were made for HeroQuest: new miniatures, items, weapons, map counters, and battles. BattleTech has already done similar things, but not all at once. So maybe combining the idea of the lance boxes, map packs, and scenario books all into one product would be a good idea.
So you take a merc unit or other group. The simple go-to is Gray Death Legion. You tear apart and remake the old scenario book. You include new 'mechs to cover what was not included in the BattleTech core box set: both miniatures and stand-ups and maybe you include a code for some percentage off an online purchase at IWM. You have new maps to introduce new terrain that can either be general or appropriate for a specific scenario as well as terrain tiles or building tiles.
One of the things that struck me about BattleTech is that you had heroes or units that you could follow through years of products. Wolf's Dragoons and The Gray Death Legion in specific had multiple scenario books, novels, and mentions across products. Because of the lack of overall fiction for the past decade, players lost that. The closest we've gotten were Devlin Stone and Stacey Church. Bringing a bit of that pulp back is probably a good idea to attach players to the universe.
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So what would the best kind of purchase be for the new player to get after the box set? In many ways I am imagining something similar to the expansion packs that were made for HeroQuest: new miniatures, items, weapons, map counters, and battles. BattleTech has already done similar things, but not all at once. So maybe combining the idea of the lance boxes, map packs, and scenario books all into one product would be a good idea.
So you take a merc unit or other group. The simple go-to is Gray Death Legion. You tear apart and remake the old scenario book. You include new 'mechs to cover what was not included in the BattleTech core box set: both miniatures and stand-ups and maybe you include a code for some percentage off an online purchase at IWM. You have new maps to introduce new terrain that can either be general or appropriate for a specific scenario as well as terrain tiles or building tiles.
One of the things that struck me about BattleTech is that you had heroes or units that you could follow through years of products. Wolf's Dragoons and The Gray Death Legion in specific had multiple scenario books, novels, and mentions across products. Because of the lack of overall fiction for the past decade, players lost that. The closest we've gotten were Devlin Stone and Stacey Church. Bringing a bit of that pulp back is probably a good idea to attach players to the universe.
I think something like this is the way to go. You could introduce the clans this way. A generic clan star miniature box set with scenario, new maps, and advanced rules wrapped into one. It would also help with bloat. You wouldn't need to produce so many TROs and new mech variants. People would be waiting for a new box set to come out which might tie into the new novels that are being worked on instead of waiting for more mechs. It would help with world building and play immersion too.
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How about something to introduce the Dark Age properly so that (new) people can jump to on-going story, should it ever come out? Otherwise Shattered Fortress will be only interesting to existing players, i think. In median res story telling works but only to certain extent.
Era Report 3145 doesn't quite work as a standalone thing for introducing the Dark Age, a lot of reading isn't the right way to introduce things. Show, don't tell, you know? Not everything can be shown but ER3145 does awful lot of telling only.
Plus there's nothing summarizing events from 3025/3050/3067 until 3130s for those who may be familiar with older eras but not the middle events, and don't have interest reading through all of the Jihad books (which aren't physically available anymore anyway). Or Field Manuals, which aren't exactly casual reading either.
Not sure how this could be done. Nor is it easy, explaining things like the Clans would take time, so i'm not suggesting jump to the Dark Age should happen right away. Just think there should be something to bring people up to speed properly and in interesting way.
Yes yes, i've said this stuff before.
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So what would the best kind of purchase be for the new player to get after the box set? In many ways I am imagining something similar to the expansion packs that were made for HeroQuest: new miniatures, items, weapons, map counters, and battles. BattleTech has already done similar things, but not all at once. So maybe combining the idea of the lance boxes, map packs, and scenario books all into one product would be a good idea.
So you take a merc unit or other group. The simple go-to is Gray Death Legion. You tear apart and remake the old scenario book. You include new 'mechs to cover what was not included in the BattleTech core box set: both miniatures and stand-ups and maybe you include a code for some percentage off an online purchase at IWM. You have new maps to introduce new terrain that can either be general or appropriate for a specific scenario as well as terrain tiles or building tiles.
One of the things that struck me about BattleTech is that you had heroes or units that you could follow through years of products. Wolf's Dragoons and The Gray Death Legion in specific had multiple scenario books, novels, and mentions across products. Because of the lack of overall fiction for the past decade, players lost that. The closest we've gotten were Devlin Stone and Stacey Church. Bringing a bit of that pulp back is probably a good idea to attach players to the universe.
I have been preaching this for years. Especially for Alpha Strike. Every time I brought it up I got "Oh, it's not doable." Or "it won't sell."
EDIT: You explain it a lot better than I do, though.
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Again, why I miss the Stater Books but I was one of the few who threw money at it.
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I have been preaching this for years. Especially for Alpha Strike. Every time I brought it up I got "Oh, it's not doable." Or "it won't sell."
Fair enough. But the real answer is that you and I don't actually know. We have examples of product lines CGL attempted that just didn't go anywhere that are not dissimilar to your ideas: Lance Packs, Combat Manuals, and SteelRaven just mentioned the Starter Books. All the lines had a few publications but then petered out, I presume because of slow sales. Not that they didn't eventually sell, but that they didn't sell fast enough. Worktroll once used a word I think is apt: velocity. If you can't get enough back in time to build a budget and parcel out art, writing, and design assignments, it's not going to take off. The occasional sales receipts coming in are nice, but they needed to be in *last year* is the idea.
And in any case I repeat myself: we don't know. CGL has the sales numbers and market analysis. We don't. I know that sounds like pooh-poohing what seems to you like a great idea and I'm certainly sorry if it comes across that way, but to be blunt, great ideas are cheap. Ray (Adrian) probably has a notebook full of them. Putting together a development plan and following through is where the real creative work happens and it's way harder than either of us knows.
Anyhow, Cubby and Adrian have been very clear on multiple occasions that the new box sets represent a significant sales experiment. They are intended to be reprinted much more quickly and profitably than previous versions. The more they sell, the more they make. In fact Cubby has all but yelled "buy as many as you want and stop worrying about running out; we'll make more! Sheesh!". It's possible an idea like yours could piggy-back off that, but only if it's successful.
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Also, we are in this weird time frame where for the past several years the property hasn't had the product support it has really needed. So is that a problem? E.g. why would I buy a product for a game that I can't even get a foundational product for?
As to Empyrus's concern, I don't have a particularly good answer for that either. It does remind me of a similar problem with comic books. Is the declining sales of comic books due to one thing or a combo? Having on solid jumping points for new readers is great, but are reboots too much? If the reboots are too much, is it because of the loss of continuity or lack of quality? Or is it that the cost of comic books combined with the overall lack of wage growth for the past several years the real culprit?
How do you even find an answer to all that?
If we can get expanion box sets, maybe that will help. If there are enough sales of the boxset to give it a go, then trying this model out would not be unheard of.
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It's possible an idea like yours could piggy-back off that, but only if it's successful.
I think that summarizes the plan fairly well.
Build a firm base, and everything else (eventually) becomes possible. None of these ideas are bad, but the game needs a strong foundation first. Then you expand.
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Fair enough. But the real answer is that you and I don't actually know. We have examples of product lines CGL attempted that just didn't go anywhere that are not dissimilar to your ideas: Lance Packs, Combat Manuals, and SteelRaven just mentioned the Starter Books. All the lines had a few publications but then petered out, I presume because of slow sales. Not that they didn't eventually sell, but that they didn't sell fast enough. Worktroll once used a word I think is apt: velocity. If you can't get enough back in time to build a budget and parcel out art, writing, and design assignments, it's not going to take off. The occasional sales receipts coming in are nice, but they needed to be in *last year* is the idea.
And in any case I repeat myself: we don't know. CGL has the sales numbers and market analysis. We don't. I know that sounds like pooh-poohing what seems to you like a great idea and I'm certainly sorry if it comes across that way, but to be blunt, great ideas are cheap. Ray (Adrian) probably has a notebook full of them. Putting together a development plan and following through is where the real creative work happens and it's way harder than either of us knows.
Anyhow, Cubby and Adrian have been very clear on multiple occasions that the new box sets represent a significant sales experiment. They are intended to be reprinted much more quickly and profitably than previous versions. The more they sell, the more they make. In fact Cubby has all but yelled "buy as many as you want and stop worrying about running out; we'll make more! Sheesh!". It's possible an idea like yours could piggy-back off that, but only if it's successful.
No offence taken. I wish I knew. I wish the ideas that us fans have would help. The box sets are by far the best approach...
As a long time loyal fan, I plan on making a purchase, but it's really just for the new stuff: Miniatures.
I think that summarizes the plan fairly well.
Build a firm base, and everything else (eventually) becomes possible. None of these ideas are bad, but the game needs a strong foundation first. Then you expand.
...I really, really, REALLY, hope the box sets do well.
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I really think the Expansion Box idea might be the way to go, since it can be a generalist product like the regular box sets. Minis, maps, 'new' equipment rules, some fluff and maybe a few scenario ideas using what is in the box & the two starter boxes.
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I think the new boxed sets are far more important in today's market. I'm actually kind of surprised - and a bit concerned - that the core rulebooks are getting a new printing. It strikes me as a serious misread of what people are buying these days.
I completely agree that the boxed sets are the critical product to get the game on the shelves, and in the hands of new players, but I disagree on the core rulebooks.
I read the reprint as CGL's attempt to keep the current rules of the game in-print, and available without having to go to the time and expense of producing a whole new edition. I mean, regardless of the entry point, it is always a hard sell any game to a player if I have to tell them the rules are out of print, and there is no other up to date version of the full game.
The Battlemech manual will, presumably, continue to exist as the more streamlined version, without all the aerospace bells and mobile support whistles.
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I really think the Expansion Box idea might be the way to go, since it can be a generalist product like the regular box sets. Minis, maps, 'new' equipment rules, some fluff and maybe a few scenario ideas using what is in the box & the two starter boxes.
If CGL can apply their new boardgame know-how to packaging the extended rules as a stream of $15-25 expansion packs to the boxed GoaC, and it succeeds, I will be thrilled.
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A boxed set would help getting people to the game...then you need a way to figure how to keep them.
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Depends on how frugal players are now. If there into tabletop maybe, but younger ones i run into. Some don't have alot money throw around. 20 dollar box thing maybe way to go here, with bigger box IF they like the game.
Alpha Strike and Regular Battletech need to be totally accessible to them. I'm sometimes concern cost of the game may make it difficult for players who may get interested in the game to get into it. It won't be like teenagers who turn on to it on their own.
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So is there a reason why the old coverart has close to nothing todo with the content?
I loved the art back in the day, but new players? Will they? Wrong marketing direction...
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I also like the idea of an Expansion Box, but what would be the point? Adding more mechs and rules of the same era? Adding non-mechs? Adding didferent eras? All of those would be useful, but, at the end of the day, what do you actually NEED to play Battletech?
Rules, maps, and record sheets.
Any products that aren’t those three things are just window dressing. An expansion box would be a GREAT way to add a sample of those as an introduction, just like the intro boxes are an introduction to the game as a whole (sorry, that sentence made more sense in my coffee p-deprived brain), but those are the three products that players REQUIRE.
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Expansion boxes could include basic rules for vees as well as record sheets and minis, or you could add in some of the more advanced rules from TO/BMM as well as more mechs and record sheets.
Would also be a good time for an Alpha Strike box with 12 IS mechs and 10 clan mechs. No need for maps so you can sub for more minis. With 22 minis you also don't need punch out stands either.
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The expansion box idea sounds a lot like CityTech Mark II...
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I didn't play in the day, what would a new CityTech book include? What would make it stand out compared to up and coming starter and regular boxes?
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I also like the idea of an Expansion Box, but what would be the point? Adding more mechs and rules of the same era? Adding non-mechs? Adding didferent eras? All of those would be useful, but, at the end of the day, what do you actually NEED to play Battletech?
Rules, maps, and record sheets.
Any products that aren’t those three things are just window dressing. An expansion box would be a GREAT way to add a sample of those as an introduction, just like the intro boxes are an introduction to the game as a whole (sorry, that sentence made more sense in my coffee p-deprived brain), but those are the three products that players REQUIRE.
I wouldn’t under estimate the draw of window dressing. It’s the miniatures in the starter sets that seem to have universal appeal to both old and new customers. Rules and maps are great but it is the eye candy that will initially draw a customer in and I feel is more important to keep them coming back. It’s the rule of cool. While important the rules set, maps, world building doesn’t matter if it isn’t 😎.
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I’ll still maintain my “it’ll come when it’s time” stance, but it would probably help your guys’s speculation if you reason through the problem. ActionButler got a good start on it.
- What is the premise of the Battletech product? This is fundamentally a board game that functions frequently as but isn’t required to be a war game.
- Assume your customer base is split into factions with different tastes: primarily campaigners (RPG players for lack of a better word), fiction readers, pick-up players, war-gamers (may be WYSIWYG zealots or not), armchair generals (theorists including fans of hardware, science, and strategy), and artists (all fan art, fanfic, painting, and terrain making)
-Players are usually primarily one group but have affinity for other groups.
-Assume your player base is small. Let’s do a Fermi estimate and say it’s 10,000 and not 100,000 and not 1,000.
- Also assume player commitment varies a lot and it’s been waning somewhat.
- Your local group experience doesn’t count. That’s your local group, a sub-sub-market, not the market.
- It is way easier to publish books than make boxed or blister pack products. You can do the latter, but your knowledge and resources are dedicated mostly to getting print published.
- Small business means 3-5 people with a bunch of volunteers and freelancers, not 100.
- It is also reasonable to assume that there is a theoretical new market out there, but your resources are limited.
From those premises you can probably construct better arguments.
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Not really enough to go on. For me I could get by with that.
But it really depends on knowing what sells and at what volume. There are a lot of PDF only products that might sell well. I know I have bought every Touring the Stars that has been released so far. But there is also the question of how are the freelancers paid. Do they get X per word or X per project? How well have the TtS books sold (or X project).
If you have a cheap to produce PDF only product that can make a profit quickly then turn them out at a decent rate. A new box set that WILL sell but at a low velocity is still an option as long as you can approach it properly and with an eye to future expansion.
A lot of what happens will depend on what sells. If it sells too slowly but still sells out it should still be worth it, just not all the time. You should want a steady income regardless.
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I wouldn’t under estimate the draw of window dressing. It’s the miniatures in the starter sets that seem to have universal appeal to both old and new customers. Rules and maps are great but it is the eye candy that will initially draw a customer in and I feel is more important to keep them coming back. It’s the rule of cool. While important the rules set, maps, world building doesn’t matter if it isn’t 😎.
I’m not trying to suggest that the window dressing isn’t important. I think the excitement over the new minis proves that window dressing is very important, which is why an expansion box, maybe one that introduces infantry, tanks, and close-range mechs or mech variants boxed with city maps and either more minis or more standees/counters would be a good use of resources.
BUT... those shiny new minis, gorgeous though they may be, are not required to play Battletech. Unless CGL changes the rules to require their use, minis are not an essential element of the game. Maps are required. Record sheets are required. Rules and dice are required. Right now, we don’t even have access to those basic types of products and neither do new players.
If they can get these box sets on to shelves and keep them in production, I think CGL is on the right track and I am pretty optimistic. But let’s not kid ourselves, guys. There are zero Battletech products xurrently available. No boxes, no rule books, no maps, no record sheets. Worrying about making minis of anything other than the Intro Mechs is pointless until the basic products are availble to new players. Honestly, since CGL isn’t a mini company, I would like to see more of those standees made availble. It would be a great way to guide new players, too. Put a AFFS standee pack on the shelves with lots of Enforcers and Centurians in Davion Guard colors. It lets new players field an army on the cheap, eliminates the ridiculous “oh, don’t worry about which of these 500 mech minis to buy, everyone can use everything because salvage” handwaving, and gives new players some idea of what minis that they may want to buy if they want to go deeper into the game.
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When I look at the success of Infinity and 8th edition 40K, they both have in recent years been releasing multiple starter boxes that are faction x vs faction y with included rules and terrain. These boxes seem to sell incredibly well and often times people will split a box or two because they want only half the minis in each. While the proliferation of Mechs across factions makes doing faction vs faction not really a thing, the fact that CGL is following a similar paradigm at a competitive price point is encouraging to me. Comparing this to the forthcoming Adeptus Titanicus game, for example, the price point for big stompy robots is so much more affordable that I'm encouraged for the health of this game.
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When I look at the success of Infinity and 8th edition 40K, they both have in recent years been releasing multiple starter boxes that are faction x vs faction y with included rules and terrain. These boxes seem to sell incredibly well and often times people will split a box or two because they want only half the minis in each. While the proliferation of Mechs across factions makes doing faction vs faction not really a thing, the fact that CGL is following a similar paradigm at a competitive price point is encouraging to me. Comparing this to the forthcoming Adeptus Titanicus game, for example, the price point for big stompy robots is so much more affordable that I'm encouraged for the health of this game.
Exactly. A small "lance pack" that includes a quick print of the Battletech manual, a small faction blurb of one of the Successor States that it represents, and Pilot Cards for each from that individual faction can go a long way in making an expansion pack shine. If you want to leave it as a pure expansion, leave the manual out and put in one mapsheet. Further expansion lance packs can include specific Mercenary units and units of renown of each of the Successor States and the Clans themselves.
It's one of the better ideas behind Privateer Press' Battlebox, and they even have a formal growth league tied in to using them as a base.
Now, I probably wouldn't do a full 5 pack release, but either do a 3039 Fist and the Dragon release, or go for the 4th's opening gambit between the Suns and the Confederation. If one wanted to keep it in play, release either Falcon & Lyrans or Jags & Combine. Each pack would include a lance that would focus on signature units of the individual armies, though, I think that the Lyrans would either have to be handicapped somehow or be paired up with Ghost Bears to justify the individual releases.
It's part advertisement, part product placement, and brings opportunities for hobbyists and players to show their friends the "new shiny".
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Or do a FWLM vs FWLM pack! All Orions all the time!
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Speculatively, I was thinking of something along the lines of flat pack expansions, containing 1-2 sheets of punch-out game pieces, 1 game board, and 3-10 pages of additional rules (vehicles, VTOLs, buildings, weather, new tech, whatever), and 5-10 pre-printed record sheets would be a pretty cool add-on for players expanding from the box set, and fits very well with the board game market.
Miniatures would be nice, but would substantially increase the production and packaging cost for something like that.
The question that arises from that is: Will these sell enough? They will primarily sell to newer players, but a brand new map board, and maybe some terrain punch outs like the old map packs, might bring in enough appeal for the established base to buy in, but also might not.
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though, I think that the Lyrans would either have to be handicapped somehow or be paired up with Ghost Bears to justify the individual releases.
Flashpoint: Lyran Guards Recon company vs Clan Ghost Bear Infantry detachment.
Twelve Atlases and 150 Elemental points.
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CGL's Kickstarter for the Shadowrun boardgame went extremely well with significant funding, I hope they do something similar with Battletech some years down the line when they have the bandwidth to do so.
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I’ll still maintain my “it’ll come when it’s time” stance, but it would probably help your guys’s speculation if you reason through the problem. ActionButler got a good start on it.
snip
The game started as a "beer and pretzel" game. Let's assume we don't want to make miniatures anymore.
- Assume your customer base is split into factions with different tastes: primarily campaigners (RPG players for lack of a better word), fiction readers, pick-up players, war-gamers (may be WYSIWYG zealots or not), armchair generals (theorists including fans of hardware, science, and strategy), and artists (all fan art, fanfic, painting, and terrain making)
I'm going to assume that we have a 4th edition style box set. No miniatures, just cardboard cutouts with a bunch of other materials to play the game.
So, how about this 4th edition setup with an expansion of the classics/nuseen to offer up more of a selection. Like, a reinforcements pack, that has been done before...
For faction specific sets, how about books with maps and punch out playing pieces slapped in the back? Couple the box sets with book cardboard cutout supplements, record sheets, a mapsheet and a scenario or two to go with it. Sort of like smaller box sets, but in book form that fit on shelves. Put the themed dice sets next to them. Make these all unique with different factions, keep them themed around the box set era (3025/before 4th Succession War). It's cheap, an easy era to get into, and offers new content.
- Small business means 3-5 people with a bunch of volunteers and freelancers, not 100.
From those premises you can probably construct better arguments.
I'm sick of the small business excuse. Small or not, 15 years(?) for a new box set is pretty ridiculous. Especially when, as I said above, there are options.
Catalyst dropped the ball.
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I'd argue that theoretical BattleTech expansion boxes absolutely need miniatures. Cardboard standees are nice as an extra, but it's the "toy value" that sells games today.
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These is at least the fourth and fifth box sets in the last 15 years. Just because the sculpts of the main 'Mechs included didn't change doesn't make them not new (and the 'Mechs included have changed at least twice in the last 15 years prior to now).
There's the shitty plastics box (pretty sure this was concurrent with Total Warfare)
The 25th Anniversary box (Loki and Thor)
The current box set (Battlemaster and Mad Cat)
And now the two new boxes.
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I'm sick of the small business excuse. Small or not, 15 years(?) for a new box set is pretty ridiculous. Especially when, as I said above, there are options.
Catalyst dropped the ball.
I'm not making excuses, I'm making reasonable inferences about the resources you have to help guide your hypothetical product decisions.
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I'd argue that theoretical BattleTech expansion boxes absolutely need miniatures. Cardboard standees are nice as an extra, but it's the "toy value" that sells games today.
Just playing devil's advocate with my post. I love minis too, but "it's too hard" or "too expensive" or "won't sell."
I'm not making excuses, I'm making reasonable inferences about the resources you have to help guide your hypothetical product decisions.
Unless Catalyst is going to give me that info, I can only speculate.
So I assumed that miniatures and box sets are out of the question. Softcover books with punchouts/maps/etc. in the back is my offer. A lot of this material is readily available, just not crammed into this format.
EDIT: I mean, would something like this just not be doable? I don't see how a fancy book is less doable than the Box Set that is too hard to produce with miniatures.
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I'd argue that theoretical BattleTech expansion boxes absolutely need miniatures. Cardboard standees are nice as an extra, but it's the "toy value" that sells games today.
I think it makes terrific sense to include minis in any potential box sets. Even if it is just two new, good quality ones, like the forthcoming intro box.
But for new players who, unlike us, do not have 20-30 years worth of armies already, standees are a great substitue for minis. For CGL, they are a great, simple product that you would think would be pretty easy to keep in production.
Toy value is great. Toy value is wonderful. Yes, toy value sells games. But, again, right now there is no game to attach that toy value to, so that is a very “cart before the horse” plan. There is zero value in a high-quality mini if players don’t have access to the record sheet that they actually do need to use it, or to maps that they need to generate a playing field for it.
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I'm sick of the small business excuse. Small or not, 15 years(?) for a new box set is pretty ridiculous. Especially when, as I said above, there are options.
Catalyst dropped the ball.
Everyone is a business genius with hindsight and other people’s money. You got any posts from 2003 calling for these changes?
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Unless Catalyst is going to give me that info, I can only speculate.
Which I'm doing as well. But I have good reasons for voicing them, especially including previous PTB comments. Some may be wrong but I'll bet you a hundred dollars I got more right than wrong.
So I assumed that miniatures and box sets are out of the question. Softcover books with punchouts/maps/etc. in the back is my offer. A lot of this material is readily available, just not crammed into this format.
EDIT: I mean, would something like this just not be doable? I don't see how a fancy book is less doable than the Box Set that is too hard to produce with miniatures.
Don't discount box sets out of hand, just as you shouldn't embrace them out of the gate. That's why I phrased it the way I did. You as the show-runner at Catalyst can marshal funding to execute expansion boxes. But you have to know that your expertise is in books and you know that you can get those out the door quicker and generate cash flow. Game box design uses a different skill set. It's an expertise (like the back-and-forth of modeling, fabrication, proofing, and final approval with a factory whose culture and language you may not understand) you can commit to gaining, but at a much higher, maybe existential, risk.
So the way I'd phrase things is "Box expansions are very high risk and difficult to execute but ultimately worth it over doing a book line because..."
Or "I think CGL should get things going again with book lines and hold box expansions in reserve until they have a better idea of market potential because..."
Both are valid but what I'm doing is using those resource inferences as grounds to speculate about what I'd do, adding that there's risk I might very well be wrong.
I'll note that the way I'm talking about this is coming from a lot of my academic writing where I have to get my ducks in a row and speak carefully and cautiously or else reviewers will rip me a new one. :)
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I may be in a minority here, but I think any record sheet product should be PDF/Electronic first, hard copy second.
It just makes financial sense to me. I can keep all record sheets on a small USB, and print as needed darn near anywhere, even at a hotel or something, one can often find someone willing for a $1 or 2 to print out something if you help them.
But carrying around 20 books and then finding someone to photocopy, little harder.
And as stated, most people do not have a Photocopier in their house, but nearly everyone has a printer, or easier access to a printer versus a photocopier.
So, while I am the kind of person who greatly prefers Dead-Tree-Format over electronic any day of the week, I much more prefer my record sheets electronic.
Of Course, I would LUV a good Mech-Maker program ala SkunkWerks/Heavy Metal Pro, etc, but at this stage in the game, that seems to be more a pipe dream than anything.
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I may be in a minority here, but I think any record sheet product should be PDF/Electronic first, hard copy second.
It just makes financial sense to me. I can keep all record sheets on a small USB, and print as needed darn near anywhere, even at a hotel or something, one can often find someone willing for a $1 or 2 to print out something if you help them.
But carrying around 20 books and then finding someone to photocopy, little harder.
And as stated, most people do not have a Photocopier in their house, but nearly everyone has a printer, or easier access to a printer versus a photocopier.
So, while I am the kind of person who greatly prefers Dead-Tree-Format over electronic any day of the week, I much more prefer my record sheets electronic.
Of Course, I would LUV a good Mech-Maker program ala SkunkWerks/Heavy Metal Pro, etc, but at this stage in the game, that seems to be more a pipe dream than anything.
I agree with the above; it is easier to print stuff off from a PDF than to make a photocopy. Downloadable PDFs are great for this game, especially for 'mech sheets and maps. One X-mas, My cousin and I were at our grandparents house for a week with nothing to do. It was easy for us to start a BattleTech campaign using only the CGL online store. We bought and downloaded some map sheets, 'mech sheets, and the Sword & Dragon Starter Book. After taking the 2d6 from a back gammon set and using coins or chess/checkers pieces as mech proxies, my cousin and I were able to go through the entire Sword & Dragon Starter Book. This was my cousin's intro into BattleTech.
In sum, I don't even see a need for hard copies of some BattleTech materials.
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I agree with the above; it is easier to print stuff off from a PDF than to make a photocopy. Downloadable PDFs are great for this game, especially for Mech sheets and maps. One X-mas, My cousin and I were at our grandparents house for a week with nothing to do. It was easy for us to start a BattleTech campaign using only the CGL online store. We bought and downloaded some map sheets, 'mech sheets, and the Sword & Dragon Starter Book. After taking the 2d6 from a back gammon set and using coins or chess/checkers pieces as mech proxies, my cousin and I were able to go through the entire Sword & Dragon Starter Book. This was my cousin's intro into BattleTech.
In sum, I don't even see a need for hard copies of some BattleTech materials.
This
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I didn't play in the day, what would a new CityTech book include? What would make it stand out compared to up and coming starter and regular boxes?
CityTech 1st edition contained a rulebook that had the core BattleTech rules plus roads, buildings, rubble, vehicles and infantry. It redesignated the Autocannon to the AC/5 and added the 2,10 and 20. It had stats for the following mech deisgns: Archer, Crusader, Hunchback, Marauder, Ostroc, Ostscout, Ostsol, Rifleman, Shadow Hawk, Spider, Stalker, and Warhammer. It also has stats for the following vehicles: Condor, Demolisher, Hunter, J. Edgar, Vedette, Wheeled Scout. Like the Merlin is the example for BattleMech construction at this point, a hovertank called the Falcon is used as an example.
In terms of bits it had two copies of the CityTech map, counter sheets with buildings, mechs, vehicles, infantry and faction insignia, and the plastic standees and straight-edges common in BattleTech sets of the day.
CityTech 2nd edition also had rules for roads, buildings, rubble, vehicles and infantry, but added Star League and Clan technology (though some advanced systems such as C3 are omitted). Mech stats are the 3050 versions of the Javelin, Centurion, Orion, and Victor, and the Prime models of the Uller, Black Hawk, Mad Cat and Daishi. Vehicles statted are Condor, Hetzer, and Demolisher.
Included in the box are 2 awful minis for each of the 8 mechs, 2 of the CityTech map, and counter sheets including buildings, vehicles and infantry.
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Strat Ops hasn't updated in Drivethru, Tac Ops and Total Warfare have, and I still have the older versions available in my library! Great! But I'm the type that will have to get the updated hardcovers! I wonder what to do with my older ones 8)
I guess I need to read everything!! Strat Ops updat is still in the works.
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StratOps isn't done yet. There are more extensive changes to that one, so it's taking longer.
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StratOps isn't done yet. There are more extensive changes to that one, so it's taking longer.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a fix to the Small Craft vertical take off and landing rules...
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To celebrate the imminent release of the BattleTech Beginner Box and BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat boxed sets, the release of Harebrained Schemes' BATTLETECH, as well as Piranha Games hotly-anticipated MechWarrior 5, new printings of the core BattleTech rulebooks are now available in PDF from the Catalyst Game Labs store.
The PDFs feature fully-updated errata and vintage artwork covers! As each of the core rulebooks are reprinted, they'll receive a vintage cover to celebrate the wonderful history of the BattleTech universe. Each represents the most up-to-date, polished version of the essential BattleTech rules.
Any customers who previously purchased these PDFs will receive an e-mail notification enabling them to download these updated printings.
The classic artwork gracing the covers of these products appears below. The line includes:
- Total Warfare (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-total-warfare-pdf), the core BattleTech rulebook. Following the book's print debut at Origins Game Fair and Gen Con, pre-orders for the print edition are now available, with an expected street date of August 22, 2018. (ARTIST: Les Dorscheid; First Publication: BattleTech Manual, 1987.)
- TechManual (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-techmanual-pdf), the core construction rulebook allowing players to create their own exciting units for unique BattleTech games. A companion volume to Total Warfare, TechManual provides construction rules for tournament-legal units, as well as core weaponry and equipment and the newest, bleeding edge technologies. (ARTIST: Doug Chafee; First Publication, Tactical Handbook, 1994.)
- Tactical Operations (https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-tactical-operations-pdf), the advanced rules that apply to on-world operations. It includes new movement and combat options, an extensive Advanced Weapons and Equipment section, and the rules for playing and constructing advanced Support Vehicles and Mobile Structures. (ARTIST: Doug Chaffee; First Publication, CityTech, Second Edition boxed set, 1994.)
Note: the hard-copy availability of the new printings of Tactical Operations and TechManual has not been determined.
A fully-updated errata PDF of Strategic Operations, the advanced rules for aerospace combat and solar system-level campaigns, is in the works. (ARTIST: Steve Venters; First Publication: BattleForce Box Set, 1987.)
The PDFs are priced at $15 each, and are available now.
(https://image.ibb.co/bX5gwo/Total_Warfare_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/kHmAp8) (https://image.ibb.co/j86obo/Tech_Manual_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/nDHuGo) (https://image.ibb.co/kfjwU8/Tactical_Ops_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/hqzkNT) (https://image.ibb.co/eHC5NT/Strategic_Ops_Cover_2018.png) (https://ibb.co/bxa398)
Now THIS is epic cool!
Thank you!
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So should we have gotten our update email by now? Because I've got nothing.
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StratOps isn't done yet. There are more extensive changes to that one, so it's taking longer.
Alot of errants or you guys changing it more significantly than the original. The cover art doesn't quite fit the theme of space related rules in there with Advance Battleforce rules in it. Wasn't Interstellar Operations effectively covering that stuff anyways?
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So should we have gotten our update email by now? Because I've got nothing.
same
edit: is this a new/old store glitch again? i'm pretty certain i bought the pdfs of the first four rulebooks on the old store
edit2: old purchase links lead to previous printings
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edit: is this a new/old store glitch again? i'm pretty certain i bought the pdfs of the first four rulebooks on the old store
Also same. If I go to my downloads, I can still download the earlier versions of the rulebooks, but not the current ones with new art.
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Alot of errants or you guys changing it more significantly than the original. The cover art doesn't quite fit the theme of space related rules in there with Advance Battleforce rules in it. Wasn't Interstellar Operations effectively covering that stuff anyways?
Not a lot of spot errata, since the book is more edge case than the others, but bigger structural issues. We're ripping out the Quick Strike section since Alpha Strike has completely superceded it, needed to radically update Battleforce to take into account all the changes Alpha Strike has brought in, and had to redo a lot of the quirks to bring them up to the BMM standard. That changes the index and ToC, and so add the usual bits of errata on top of that and you have quite the layout headache.
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Alot of errants or you guys changing it more significantly than the original. The cover art doesn't quite fit the theme of space related rules in there with Advance Battleforce rules in it. Wasn't Interstellar Operations effectively covering that stuff anyways?
That staging of the game had a dual-role. Part was getting warships and jumpships into the mix, but part was also getting up to the regimental level, a legacy of Battleforce 2 which followed up Battleforce 1 which had that image on it. So it does make sense, just that the ground part took precedence this time over the space part where the previous edition had Stone's Lament fighting in microgravity on big ships.
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You know, the more I look at the covers, the more I like them and the effect they bring to the series and the more I don't think it'll affect newbies all that much.
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Flashpoint: Lyran Guards Recon company vs Clan Ghost Bear Infantry detachment.
Twelve Atlases and 150 Elemental points.
Did people miss this joke? Surely the Ghost Bears don't need 150 Elementals for 12 Atlases. They fight at a one to one ratio so the pack would only need to come with 12 Elementals....
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Did people miss this joke? Surely the Ghost Bears don't need 150 Elementals for 12 Atlases. They fight at a one to one ratio so the pack would only need to come with 12 Elementals....
No, it would be Point to Point, so 60 Elementals to 12 Atlases, to start. Then bid down to 12 Elementals outside of armor.
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Did people miss this joke? Surely the Ghost Bears don't need 150 Elementals for 12 Atlases. They fight at a one to one ratio so the pack would only need to come with 12 Elementals....
“cause I don't know how many of them it would have taken to whip my ass, but I knew how many they were going to use”
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Which I'm doing as well. But I have good reasons for voicing them, especially including previous PTB comments. Some may be wrong but I'll bet you a hundred dollars I got more right than wrong.
Don't discount box sets out of hand, just as you shouldn't embrace them out of the gate. That's why I phrased it the way I did. You as the show-runner at Catalyst can marshal funding to execute expansion boxes. But you have to know that your expertise is in books and you know that you can get those out the door quicker and generate cash flow. Game box design uses a different skill set. It's an expertise (like the back-and-forth of modeling, fabrication, proofing, and final approval with a factory whose culture and language you may not understand) you can commit to gaining, but at a much higher, maybe existential, risk.
So the way I'd phrase things is "Box expansions are very high risk and difficult to execute but ultimately worth it over doing a book line because..."
Or "I think CGL should get things going again with book lines and hold box expansions in reserve until they have a better idea of market potential because..."
Both are valid but what I'm doing is using those resource inferences as grounds to speculate about what I'd do, adding that there's risk I might very well be wrong.
I'll note that the way I'm talking about this is coming from a lot of my academic writing where I have to get my ducks in a row and speak carefully and cautiously or else reviewers will rip me a new one. :)
All of my snarkiness aside, I hope that these books and boxes sell. Catalyst does release quality content, but man, I really hope they become steady on releasing content. Momentum is important.
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In a niche industry like the gaming industry a well thought put product that has been tested and re-tested is always a better bet than a steady stream of products regardless of the size of the company. I can think of two examples right off the top of my head of when getting products out as soon as possible resulted in low quality products and those were from two much larger companies.
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In the abstract those are very good points. However in this context I disagree for two reasons. One is that the products already largely exist (or where they don’t they are being edited with care as is the case with Strat Ops). The second is that the exercise is intended to a) show willing (“we are moving the product line again at long last”) and b) generate cash flow.
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Also same. If I go to my downloads, I can still download the earlier versions of the rulebooks, but not the current ones with new art.
Same for me on the Catalyst Gamestore, already sent e-mails.
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BUT... those shiny new minis, gorgeous though they may be, are not required to play Battletech. Unless CGL changes the rules to require their use, minis are not an essential element of the game. Maps are required. Record sheets are required. Rules and dice are required.
Technically no, the rules allow for non-map play pretty easily.
I think a sourced battlemech record sheet generator would be a good start. The Master Unit List for example, why not have printable record sheets from there? It's already being used that way for Alpha Strike, wouldn't it make sense to just give everyone access to record sheets for canon designs, especially new players who might not know about HMP SSW or MMD?
I wouldn't mind more themed dice, I liked the faction sets from GF9.
I think the core thing is to push the introbox, keep the Battlemech Manual at the forefront as THE ruleset, and make TW/TM/TO/SO/IO be the addons. BMM was the best thing to happen in a long time, as the core 'mech combat was covered well, and the tables assembled in a way that made a lot of sense. It is THE resource to use on a table currently, when introducing new players to the game. And the coverart feels fresh and looks cool, which unfortunately, I feel the new covers for the addons do not.
As to minis, yeah, a line of plastics that you could buy WITHOUT having to shell out for intro boxes or game boxes would probably fly off the shelves for veterans. Looking at FoW or other mini games, the box sets of miniatures are a cash cow.
Hopefully the momentum HBS generated for the line can keep going into 2019, and Cat amazes us all with the new sets.
2019, ClassyTech rising.
(http://oi68.tinypic.com/530oli.jpg)
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I think a sourced battlemech record sheet generator would be a good start. The Master Unit List for example, why not have printable record sheets from there? It's already being used that way for Alpha Strike, wouldn't it make sense to just give everyone access to record sheets for canon designs, especially new players who might not know about HMP SSW or MMD?
Definitely.
As usual, the problem isn't ideas, its how to implement. Skilled volunteer work can only do so much (and the work already done on the MUL is immense) before it gets burned out. And free products don't generate money to pay for non-volunteer work.
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And free products don't generate money to pay for non-volunteer work.
Well, they do generate good will, and retention of players. That in itself is a kind of currency, larger fanbase leads in theory to greater consumption of new products. You'd have to run a business analysis on it of course, how much profit did the Record Sheets generate vs the cost to publish them? Were veteran players really buying them, or were they gravitating to SSW and MMD to print them themselves?
You are of course right on implementation, I am assuming there would be some reciprocity to any volunteers who helped out generating the data for the MUL.
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Well, they do generate good will, and retention of players.
While true, unfortunately, good will doesn't pay the bills. Once payers have bought the intro boxes and other assorted rules, CGL needs other products to generate an income flow. If they can spin up their own branch of plastic minis, great, that may be enough right there, but I have seen precious little talk of new Lance Packs.
the rules allow for non-map play pretty easily.
Also very true, but every single measurement and rule in the standard game is defaulted to hexes. Non-map play, while very fun and more visually impactful, is very much the alternative method.
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RE: Record Sheets-
While true, unfortunately, good will doesn't pay the bills. Once payers have bought the intro boxes and other assorted rules, CGL needs other products to generate an income flow. If they can spin up their own branch of plastic minis, great, that may be enough right there, but I have seen precious little talk of new Lance Packs.
You are right . . . free sheets does not get cash flow going to CGL . . . which is IMO why we have the backlog of RS from TROs. Honestly, with everything that is out there- Heavy Metal being old official, MML and SSW, the BA spreadsheet and all the other tools, I think releasing RS was a money loser. Not sure releasing recordsheets outside of 'ready to play' boxes is a good idea. I know HMP and its suite is out of date, but I still print my sheets out on that with the updated weapons files and for things that it does not cover I leave the crits/weight empty and put in notes.
IMO it might be time to admit they do not want to do RS any more, give me the raw stats so I can fill out that Juliano with Clan ERLL I have been waiting to use and in the future with TROs put in the simple report at the back where people with the programs- or filling a sheet out by hand!- can make the sheet for their play. By all means, find someone who wants to write the latest licensed RS producing software- I would buy that to update from HMP- but I think print RS might be a dodo.
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Same for me on the Catalyst Gamestore, already sent e-mails.
Who do I need to email about this?
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We’re never seeing omnibus print RS books again. They tried a new player product more recently for most of the TROs. Each had scenarios, rules, and an RS for each unit in the TRO. Guessing they didn’t meet sales expectations as they never even bothered making one for ‘67 or 3145/50.
I’d guess that unless an official unit designer falls into TPTB’s collective lap, we’re not going to get “unabridged” RS books any more either. Hell, they haven’t even added the balance of the existing volumes to their own store. I’m guessing 3145u was largely possible because the RS set was pulled from the backs of the 3145 faction TROs. That’s how we’re likely only to get official RS in any quantity - as additions to other products.
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Who do I need to email about this?
See here (https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60859.msg1396243#msg1396243).
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I think for the MUL, giving away stock introductory variants is enough. Also, put up a donation link.
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See here (https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60859.msg1396243#msg1396243).
Domo arigato, mister Mankini.
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Also, put up a donation link.
Hobotech.
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Hobotech.
You're slipping.
HoboTech, the Game of Homeless Artists.
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I think for the MUL, giving away stock introductory variants is enough. Also, put up a donation link.
I'm so confused because I admittedly missed the context for your post. That being said, "huh?"
Can someone qualify this statement for me?
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You're slipping.
HoboTech, the Game of Homeless Artists.
Age is a killer. I don’t have kids around like you to keep me young and welladjusted.
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Age is a killer. I don’t have kids around like you to keep me toung and welladjusted.
Well....adjusted at any rate.
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What's wrong with asking for people to donate so the MUL can improve? Man, you guys just crap on every idea.
I'm so confused because I admittedly missed the context for your post. That being said, "huh?"
Can someone qualify this statement for me?
RE: Record Sheets-
You are right . . . free sheets does not get cash flow going to CGL . . . which is IMO why we have the backlog of RS from TROs. Honestly, with everything that is out there- Heavy Metal being old official, MML and SSW, the BA spreadsheet and all the other tools, I think releasing RS was a money loser. Not sure releasing recordsheets outside of 'ready to play' boxes is a good idea. I know HMP and its suite is out of date, but I still print my sheets out on that with the updated weapons files and for things that it does not cover I leave the crits/weight empty and put in notes.
IMO it might be time to admit they do not want to do RS any more, give me the raw stats so I can fill out that Juliano with Clan ERLL I have been waiting to use and in the future with TROs put in the simple report at the back where people with the programs- or filling a sheet out by hand!- can make the sheet for their play. By all means, find someone who wants to write the latest licensed RS producing software- I would buy that to update from HMP- but I think print RS might be a dodo.
That's what I was thinking of. The MUL hands out free record sheets for Alpha Strike. I figured, at a minimum, having record sheets for BattleTech at an introductory level would be OK. And if cash flow is a big thing, why not just ask for donations for the MUL? People already fund miniature sculpts.
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I'm so confused because I admittedly missed the context for your post. That being said, "huh?"
Can someone qualify this statement for me?
I think he Means the MUL Gives a record sheet for the STOCK/Default Variant (I.e. A Jenner JR7-D but none of the others).
Donating to the MUL gets access to the rest.
That said...sure. $5/month subscription seems fine to me.
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Huh. Interesting thought.
As a guy that has all the Unabridged for Printing, I can see how getting all those record sheets is a pain for new folks.
Not a bad idea. I'd contribute. Interesting question would be how much does each user need to contribute to make it economically viable to do it that way?
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As a returning player the process of assembling a full set of record sheets has been, frankly, excruciating. I want to jump back in but honestly it's ridiculous.
I don't want to fill in sheets by hand, and HMP is sadly out of date and only just compatible with Windows 10.
As the game completely relies on record sheets, we need a readily accessible, comprehensive source of record sheets.
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Age is a killer. I don’t have kids around like you to keep me young and welladjusted.
I'll send you out a loaner. You can teach him all about using Society 'Mechs.
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As a returning player the process of assembling a full set of record sheets has been, frankly, excruciating. I want to jump back in but honestly it's ridiculous.
I don't want to fill in sheets by hand, and HMP is sadly out of date and only just compatible with Windows 10.
As the game completely relies on record sheets, we need a readily accessible, comprehensive source of record sheets.
Well... there is one, or at least mostly comprehensive. The only problem is that it's an unofficial source.
There are also a whole bunch of unabridged PDF record sheet volumes available from catalyst or drive thru games, however, covering most of what's out there.
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As a returning player the process of assembling a full set of record sheets has been, frankly, excruciating. I want to jump back in but honestly it's ridiculous.
I don't want to fill in sheets by hand, and HMP is sadly out of date and only just compatible with Windows 10.
As the game completely relies on record sheets, we need a readily accessible, comprehensive source of record sheets.
Agreed. Total Warfare needs something like the MUL: a one-stop shop for recordsheets. Sadly, paying a developer to build such a system is not a small or inexpensive task. MegaMekLab is about the best there is at the moment, but the printing support is...iffy. If it works with your printer/drivers then it is great, but that may not be the case. I don't blame the MML team for that at all. Printers are consistently some of the worst things I've had to deal with in my own life as a developer.
However, in my personal opinion, CGL doesn't need to make printed record sheet products anymore. PDF-only for any and all record sheets is just fine with me.
Oh yeah, and can we get RS3150 NTNU sometime this year? Those units might actually matter more with the timeline moving forward, and it would be great to have record sheets so we can use them.
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RS: 3150 NTNU would definitely get my dollar, amendment 2nded.
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Yeah, I'm switching to MML for the most part, but it's not as user friendly as HMP used to be. I miss HMP's mech selection interface within the program and the different ways to filter by bv/weight/tech etc.
Honestly, kickstart a new mech design software package and sell me files of record sheets, like HeroLab does with files for each game. Expecting people to do tons of complicated maths to build or modify a new unit is just not realistic in this day and age, and the inaccessibility will be a bigger barrier to new players than the nostalgiafest of reusing old cover art will be.
At minimum, a product that produces stock record sheets and will allow me to enter a pilot name and adjust the cost based on gunnery/piloting would be a good new player product.
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Yeah, I'm switching to MML for the most part, but it's not as user friendly as HMP used to be. I miss HMP's mech selection interface within the program and the different ways to filter by bv/weight/tech etc.
I still use HMP, someone released a patch bundle that had the new weapons loaded so you did not have to put them in by hand- equipment and armor type were still not included, and so I have to put them in the clear crit spaces by hand as well as writing down some details on the sheet.
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Just a minor tidbit from the front page I thought one or two of you might be interested in.
https://bg.battletech.com/news/first-look-miniatures-from-upcoming-boxed-sets/
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I'm so glad to see they will make it in time for GenCon!
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I'd never pay for access to the MUL Website, but as I've said from its inception, I'd pay for my own copy of its database.
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Just a minor tidbit from the front page I thought one or two of you might be interested in.
https://bg.battletech.com/news/first-look-miniatures-from-upcoming-boxed-sets/
Well, that's just mean. Two new and different Bill Keith stories with one EXCLUSIVE to each box set. That's the "Shut Up and Take My Money" hook I go for!
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Well, that's just mean. Two new and different Bill Keith stories with one EXCLUSIVE to each box set. That's the "Shut Up and Take My Money" hook I go for!
I'd hoped to get some preview text from one or both stories into tonight's post, and will still try to get some before their release to whet your appetite a little more.
Thanks to Moonsword for the assist on posting and relaying the link!
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I need those box sets. They look amazing.
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I’m interested to see the rulebook in the GoAC box. It’s vastly cut down from the ‘07/11/13 version
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I’m interested to see the rulebook in the GoAC box. It’s vastly cut down from the ‘07/11/13 version
Looks roughly the same to me.
I'm happy to see these! The minis look great.
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Looks roughly the same to me.
48 pages vs 80. We’re back down to our 4th ed weight
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48 pages vs 80. We’re back down to our 4th ed weight
Ah, I didn't catch that. I was just eyeballing.
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I’m guessing all the advanced scenarios introing TW level gear, infantry, and vehicles have been cut. I assume the construction rules remain intact but who knows
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Those box sets are things of beauty indeed. Cannot wait to get a hold of these!
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Even more excited now.
Any chance of a photo of the Commando and Locust?
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The Boxed Sets look really good. Sad that Im missing Gencon this year to pick them up.
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Any chance of a photo of the Commando and Locust?
Good catch! Accidentally grabbed a duplicate photo.
The post (https://bg.battletech.com/news/first-look-miniatures-from-upcoming-boxed-sets/) has been updated with a shot of the Locust and Commando.
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The locust in particular is dead sexy.
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Good catch! Accidentally grabbed a duplicate photo.
The post (https://bg.battletech.com/news/first-look-miniatures-from-upcoming-boxed-sets/) has been updated with a shot of the Locust and Commando.
How's that for a quick response! :D
Love the new locust, and the Awesome looks like he's been hitting the gym pretty hard!
Please let there be a plan to make these available separately!
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The locust in particular is dead sexy.
I think so, too. It actually looks like a war machine now.
Please let there be a plan to make these available separately!
For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
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For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
C O N S U M E
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I think so, too. It actually looks like a war machine now.
For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
Understood. I'll get two Starter sets, one for me and my little girls, and one for my brother in law. I'll definitely pick up the Game of Armored Combat set for myself!
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For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
Well, as soon as there's a proper street date I'll be preordering two of each, so I'll do my bit :)
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I'm down for two GUAC and a starter. So many Wolvies...
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Well, off to pre-order a second Starter Set and Game of Armored Combat Set! :thumbsup:
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Is there a pre order?
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If I can swing it, I'd like to snag one of each. Those maps and minis are just too good.
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Is there a pre order?
Arie's Games & Miniatures has both sets up for pre-order. Miniature Market and The Warstore(I think.) has just the Beginner set up for Pre-order.
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For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
Challenge accepted. 8)
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On the minis for the boxed sets, are the bases separate? The beginner's set has the minis on black bases, so I'm thinking they are separate? All my metal minis are on metal bases, and my OCD might kick in if the plastics are on different bases...
Damon.
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On the minis for the boxed sets, are the bases separate? The beginner's set has the minis on black bases, so I'm thinking they are separate? All my metal minis are on metal bases, and my OCD might kick in if the plastics are on different bases...
Damon.
The bases are one piece with the mini, and made of the same material. Same as minis of box sets past.
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Already set aside the money for 2 of each. 😁
VERY curious to see if any other of the designs make it into plastic...
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For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
I have heard that chorus before . . .
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For now, these minis will only be in these boxed sets. Further plastic minis or sets will be helped by these products selling well, and briskly.
Yerp -- as soon as legit preorders are up, i'm going to preorder one set of both at Amazon, and one GOAC and 4 Starter sets at my FLGS (the stuff that's up there on Amazon right now is fool's gold, methinks). later on, discussions with the Quartermaster-General depending, I'm going to expand my military budget and buy more GOACs :)
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I have heard that chorus before . . .
Whatever you consider the highest form of ‘do this because it helps’, apply that here.
Buy all that you want. Immediately. Don’t hold back.
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Colt, Game HQ has a pre-order list for the starter box. I think they have 8 people on that list so far.
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Anybody know when the new boxsets will appear in the UK?
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I'm planing on at least two starter boxes and a game of armored combat box, so I can field the new minis in company strength.
Though I expect to be way more excessive than that in the long run, depending on availability.
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I'll be getting two of each, one way or another. Both sets look great!
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I’m guessing all the advanced scenarios introing TW level gear, infantry, and vehicles have been cut. I assume the construction rules remain intact but who knows
The GoAC rulebook does contain construction rules, but my sense is that they're pared down. (I haven't taken a spin through the older box set rulebook in awhile, and don't have enough spare time for a close comparison.)
There are scenarios which use the box contents in both rulebooks. However, GoAC's book does not include infantry or vehicles.
Ten seconds on the Beginner Box rulebook: it's basic by intent, and doesn't include many of the rules that longtime players here know like the back of their hand. As with the Beginner Box as a whole, the intent of the rulebook was to give brand new players a taste of the game: moving Mechs around a map, figuring out ranges, blasting their friends into chunky salsa.
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blasting their friends into chunky salsa.
Regular salsa? Or salsa verde?
This is an important difference.
Really glad to hear that construction rules will be included. It sounds a lot like the old green booklet from third edition, which is probably still my favorite rulebook for the game.
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Anybody know when the new boxsets will appear in the UK?
Esvedium Games generally has BattleTech products available to ship to UK and Ireland retailers for the street date, or a week or two after at the latest.
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Thanks will keep an eye out :)
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Sell them unassembled in blisters with a double sided alpha strike/QuickStart card; is be right on these really splendid minis if that was an option.
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If I need someone to help me pick up some merchandise from GenCon and ship it to Europe, how do I go about i? Make a thread about the request?
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(I haven't taken a spin through the older box set rulebook in awhile, and don't have enough spare time for a close comparison.)
We understand. Training a new player (https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=60405.msg1422307#msg1422307) takes a lot of time Cubby, and your new Commando hasn't mastered the basics of sleep yet. ;)
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If I need someone to help me pick up some merchandise from GenCon and ship it to Europe, how do I go about i? Make a thread about the request?
Not in public. Sorry, but that runs afoul of the no-commerce rule. My advice would be to PM someone that is going, and ask them directly if they can help you.
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Regular salsa? Or salsa verde?
This is an important difference.
It's only salsa verde if there's a heat sink in the head that gets hit
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And we've hit 50 pages. You don't have to go home but you can't talk about new releases here anymore.