BattleTech: Clan Invasion Kickstarter Discussion, Vol. 4, The Madness Begins

[SteveRestless]

it Obviously is the leftovers star. Ad Hoc is definitely its nature. I'm just curious if that's ALL it is, or if someone of official status also views it as anything more than leftovers.

[Fat Guy]

I'm just hoping that once the pledge manager goes live that they can concentrate on getting the fiction and scenarios out again.

[marauder648]

My deepest sadness about the kickstarter is that the Berzerker got taken off of the list. It is in DIRE need of a re-do as the original art and model are not very good.

[Weirdo]

My advice would an offering to the underworld ruler of your choice, in hopes that this whole thing is enough of a success that in a couple years they follow it up with a kickstarter for a Civil War box.

[Mendrugo]

I’d kick for a Civil War box and a Jihad box.   Of course, I’d kick for an Age of War box, too, so my proclivities probably aren’t mainstream.  (Unleash the Firebee swarm!!!!)

[Fat Guy]

If there's a box after Clan Invasion, let it be set post IlClan.

[Cache]

My deepest sadness about the kickstarter is that the Berzerker got taken off of the list. It is in DIRE need of a re-do as the original art and model are not very good.

The Upgrade art is great (cover and TRO entry). We just need a mini to match.

[Greatclub]

If there's a box after Clan Invasion, let it be set post IlClan.

... Yeah, that's an interesting option. Problem is that we've had so little movement for so long that I'm not sure enough people will be interested in it immediately. My vote would be a split, like this one was split between clan and classics. 3055/58s update and 3250 new builts in about even numbers.

The mech in this kickstarter that gets to me is the nightstar. Great mech, but we've got the marauder, marauder II, and marauder IIC also coming - finding a proxy for the marauder(super) won't be hard once the boxes come out. The berzerker that was in that slot is a very fun (if not notably effective) machine that is, as noted above, in desperate need of a makeover.

[Colt Ward]

If there's a box after Clan Invasion, let it be set post IlClan.

I do not see that happening . . .

First, they have been doing (for all of 2 boxes!) IRL introduction dates for the eras- 3025 and Clan Invasion.

Second, in Clan Invasion one of the criteria for selecting mechs was appeal/familiarity- its why we saw some of the '55 & '58 mechs (Berserker) thrown out for 3025 designs (Cataphract) while the two boxes of picks went to 3025 mechs not in the previous box (Victor, Thug, Enforcer, Hunchback, Dragon, etc).  Heck, its a CLAN Invasion and the IS even got both the pick boxes . . . though as a consolation, the Clans got another Star later.

Third, it again comes down to appeal/familiarity.  Lots of folks played MW4 & MC2 which let them be involved in the FCCW- or played MW3 & MCG, so this is the 'next' story for them to go back to living/playing in their youth . . . cause yeah, those games are pushing 20 years old.

Fourth, its logical for the 'next' compilation TRO to be TRO Civil War- 3145/3150 are still in print, '67 not so much though it would be interesting to see if any post 3059 mechs make it into that TRO.

[Church14]

I’d be game for either a FedCom Civil War box or an ilClan box.

I get the familiarity argument. I can understand it. It isn’t like CGL can’t work a bit of magic to make the ilClan box less foreign.

So put out the era report and TRO for new ilClan era mechs. When they do the kickstarter, include 5 new mechs in the core, then include several lance/star packs of new designs, then include boxes with FC civil war, Jihad, and Dark ages designs that have survived. Also, include a “refits” box or two for some 3025/3050 era designs that have been up fitted with the current tech.

Maybe you don’t get the same level of success as the Clan Invasion KS, but no eras will net that same success.

[Fat Guy]

From a gameplay perspective, a Civil War boxset makes zero sense.

The Invasion box will take the rules up to Total Warfare tournament legal. A Civil War box would take the rules to the exact same place.

It isn't until after the Jihad that we have previously experimental/advanced stuff becoming tournament legal. So set the next box in the current timeline. That way we have a progression:

A Game of Armored Combat: beginner
Clan Invasion: intermediate
Current Timeline: advanced

[Doom]

I think a Jihad box set would make more sense than an FCCW box set. The Jihad involved *everyone* and had lots of new units show up. Whether people would be as interested in getting minis for them as they were for older fare? That's debatable.

However, they could re-release all the Jihad books, either directly or by combining two or more into single compilations (which they already did once), with new branding. Since that material's already written, it would not require as much effort as brand new source material. (I wish they would either complete the Combat Manual series or perhaps revamp the 20-Year Update to support the Clan Invasion box set.)

[Scotty]

From a gameplay perspective, a Civil War boxset makes zero sense.

The Invasion box will take the rules up to Total Warfare tournament legal. A Civil War box would take the rules to the exact same place.

It isn't until after the Jihad that we have previously experimental/advanced stuff becoming tournament legal. So set the next box in the current timeline. That way we have a progression:

A Game of Armored Combat: beginner
Clan Invasion: intermediate
Current Timeline: advanced

Light, Heavy, and Snub-nose PPCs
Plasma Cannons and Rifles
Rotary Autocannons
ATMs
HAGs
(arguably) Heavy Lasers
Stealth Armor
Light and Heavy Ferro-Fibrous Armor
Light and Compact Engines
XL, Compact, and Heavy-Duty Gyros
Light and Heavy Machine Guns
Machine Gun Arrays
Improved Jump Jets

That's a list of tournament legal tech that debuts post-3060.  The only exception above is Heavy Lasers, which are a 3059 Homeworld clan development.

EDIT: of that list, the only thing that debuts post-FCCW is Improved Jump Jets, Plasma Rifles and Cannons, and HAGs.

[Fat Guy]

Do you really think they're not going to put the rules for those in the Invasion box, especially when there's 'Mechs in Record Sheets Succession Wars that use that stuff?

[Scotty]

Yes.  Until I have the book in my hands I'm not assuming anything post-Invasion is in it.

[Fat Guy]

You may be right, but if I was asked to put money on either 3050 stuff only or full up Total Warfare I'd go for the latter.

[Greatclub]

Heavy gauss, IS ER s&m lasers, IS streak 4&6, IS tarcomp, IS ultra 2,10,20, IS lb/x 2,5,20, light gauss.

also multi-missile launchers going into the Jihad

I'd give 50/50 odds of the post-early-invasion stuff being in the invasion box. I think it should be, as anything else is just dragging it out. But I can understand why they'd leave it out, to encourage people to buy TW and BMM.

[Scotty]

The Clan Invasion era is up to early '61, seems like a likely place to cut off.  The FCCW is also far and away the next well known setting.

[Fat Guy]

And just doing a quick flip through, TRO Clan Invasion has lots of that stuff.

[Scotty]

I don't expect the rules in the Invasion box to match what's in TRO: CI any more than I expected the rules in A Game of Armored Combat to include everything from Succession Wars.

[Sartris]

I would expect the CI box rules to be more or less cover what was seen in Compendium: Rules of Warfare with a few extra items like the IS lasers and autocannons that weren’t SL tech

[carlisimo]

I’d be a little surprised if the Clan Invasion box rules covered the weapons that Scotty listed.  It’s still along the lines of a starter set - they usually try to be concise rather than covering extra material.  In the context of a Kickstarter campaign, sure, give us more, but as a box on the shelves of a gaming store, or maybe even Target, less coverage makes for a stronger product.

As for the future… I expect they’ll still be busy with this campaign through all of next year.  I wouldn’t blame them if they waited another year to do another one.  Personally, I’d jump to 3250 - it’s probably been ages since a lot of Battletech players all played in the same era, let alone new ones.  I’d make a box with a star of nu-SLDF mechs serving as the 33rd-century oppressors, with rules in it for how to use your A Game of Armored Combat or Clan Invasion box mechs against each other in the arena or to start a gladiatorial revolt.

[JadeHellbringer]

My advice would an offering to the underworld ruler of your choice, in hopes that this whole thing is enough of a success that in a couple years they follow it up with a kickstarter for a Civil War box.

...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea.  ;D

[Fat Guy]

Wonder how the soft launch is going?

[Greatclub]

...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea.  ;D

Had a JadeHellbringer moment?

for some reason I can't see that banner anymore.

[AnejoDave]

If there's a box after Clan Invasion, let it be set post IlClan.

I love this post *SO MUCH*

[Greatclub]

re: new update

kinda want to see that wasp from different angles. any chance of a turntable GIF?

[Weirdo]

...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea.  ;D

Welp, time to see what I need to delete from my sig in order to cram that in there...

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

That is a sweet looking lance.

[pheonixstorm]

re: new update

kinda want to see that wasp from different angles. any chance of a turntable GIF?

Should be the same as the Wasp IWM released a few years ago. If thats the case there should be pics in the Minis section of the forum.

Well, not the same sculpt, but the overall look should be roughly the same.