Mercenaries Kickstarter Discussion 6: the 1st 3rd Star League conversation

[Charistoph]

I dunno, it's likely 3 mini's a battlemech, airmech and aerospace

And I can see a Jump Plume in there, too.  Probably for AirMech.

[Alex Keller]

I seriously doubt that Catalyst is actually putting a "salvage box" in a lance pack.  I suspect Photoshop.

I would hope so. 

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I would hope so.

I mean, it was one thing to make the Urbie lancepack, those were at least real mechs.  But making an entire pack out of a meme that isn't canon?  A prank is easier to believe.

[Scotty]

Do... do you think that it's still non-canon if a product is published with it?

I hate this but it seems pretty clear that the canonicity of the joke is completely moot.

[glitterboy2098]

we'll probably find out it was a star league prototype. no reason they couldn't retroactively insert it into the setting.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Do... do you think that it's still non-canon if a product is published with it?

I hate this but it seems pretty clear that the canonicity of the joke is completely moot.

I think that as special surprise bonus packs go, something that was nothing but a meme until the pack was revealed is pretty groan-worthy.

[thedancingjoker]

And I can see a Jump Plume in there, too.  Probably for AirMech.

My hope (although I will not be buying this) is: Mech.  Airmech. Fighter.  And smoking pile of rubble.

[glitterboy2098]

My hope (although I will not be buying this) is: Mech.  Airmech. Fighter.  And smoking pile of rubble.

pretty sure if you paint the jump jet plume the right way, it'll look like a crash site.



personally hoping that it isn't a convention exclusive.. can;t be at adepticon and while i've asked my brother to grab me one, i'd love to have 2.. or a full lance's worth.

[ColBosch]

It's just such a corporate "joke." Not really funny to begin with and taken way too far. "This 'Mech looks like a trash can, ha ha! Don't you forget it." BattleTech is forty years old and this is the best we can do? Funny Urbie, references to a cartoon 99% of the fanbase has never seen, and "this giant robot looks a bit like this other property's giant robot"? Come on.

[SteelRaven]

I am not a fan of the endless Urbie memes (nor LAMs for that matter) but I'm not going to get upset about it. In the end, life is too short.

[Maingunnery]

My hope (although I will not be buying this) is: Mech.  Airmech. Fighter.  And smoking pile of rubble.

I can find a use for each of those, so that would be nice.

[shivanwurm]

It's just such a corporate "joke." Not really funny to begin with and taken way too far. "This 'Mech looks like a trash can, ha ha! Don't you forget it." BattleTech is forty years old and this is the best we can do? Funny Urbie, references to a cartoon 99% of the fanbase has never seen, and "this giant robot looks a bit like this other property's giant robot"? Come on.

Sounds like resentment over the things you specifically want are not as popular as other things people like.

[Lorcan Nagle]

I’m interested in what appears to be the unassembled merc command dice trays in the back.

They were added to the Mercs Pledge Manager at a late date. There's ones for the Clans and Great Houses too

[NeonKnight]

I am not a fan of the endless Urbie memes (nor LAMs for that matter) but I'm not going to get upset about it. In the end, life is too short.

Sometimes - SOMETIMES the joke of the Love of all things Urban-Mech can make for a Fun One-Off Scenarios to run for the playing public (and the players LOVED the scenario for it's all around Silliness)

[spotH3D]

Urbanmech LAM is unserious and lame.

If they wanted to spend resources on something cutsy, memable, and actually in mass production in universe and IRL has people wanting to buy many copies of it.....

I present to you:

The Hermit Crab.

So many cool new mechs released in the Rec. Guides and we get this might as well not exist LAM instead.

I fear what BS they will pull to make it logical to show up in regular play.  I get MIC with out of control budget prototypes a dumb ass design.  I hope that's where this stays, instead of SL cache with 1000s of Urbanmech LAMs found, or a current industrial concern thinks it is a good idea to mass produce these.

[I am Belch II]

Its not first choice of mechs when there are hundreds of others that people ask for.

[Istal_Devalis]

If real, I dont think it's for me, but I am amused by with. In the life of Battletech I've accepted that not EVERY mech is going to be for me. Just...dont buy it if you dont want it. There'll be others down the line. Dont piss in someone else's cheerios because you PERSONALLY dont want it.

[NeonKnight]

If real, I dont think it's for me, but I am amused by with. In the life of Battletech I've accepted that not EVERY mech is going to be for me. Just...dont buy it if you dont want it. There'll be others down the line. Dont piss in someone else's cheerios because you PERSONALLY dont want it.

This - so much This.

I don't Like ProtoMechs - don't Use. Not a fan of Clan Mechs - don't use them. This is more a Clan vs IS - personally I find the power creep too much, and so don't play a lot of Clan-v-IS. Don;t mind Clan-v-Clan. Don't try and change my mind please, this a personal preference.

That said, I'm not gonna complain and stop others from having their toys, and I still collect/paint the Clans.

[glitterboy2098]

Its not first choice of mechs when there are hundreds of others that people ask for.

given it is probably going to end up being a convention exclusive and thus not available outside special events, picking a unit that is not in standard use is actually a smart idea. convention exclusive miniatures are ideally done as either gimmick figures people collect for the fun of it rather than for gameplay, or limited edition reposes/resculpts of a standard unit done for collectability.

by this standard, an Urbi-LAM is actually not a bad choice. yes it is a meme unit and kinda silly, but that also means that no one is going to be buying it with intent to replicate some specific SLDF unit, or to get an edge up on their local FLGS group's meta. people will buy it because they find the idea fun.

[Sartris]

It’s not a convention exclusive

[MarauderD]

If it really is a Urbanmech Lam, good on Bishop Steiner.  I remember him way back from the MechWarrior online forums in like 2013.  Then he started doing art for CGL, and now there might be a mini?  Cool success story!

[DarkSpade]

I really hope all the complaints here doesn't lead to Catalyst no longer trying fun things like this again. That would be a much greater lose in the long run than a little dev time spent on something silly (and fun).

[Sartris]

Sales will make that determination

[Maingunnery]

It’s not a convention exclusive

Is it known if it be part of this kickstarter or will it be a general store item?

[Prometheum5]

I'm just gonna stay mad over here that there's still no VP-1 Viper miniature.

[Ghaz]

Is it known if it be part of this kickstarter or will it be a general store item?

Yes.  That was covered in the Tuesday Newsday show last week.

[Adacas]

Fluff will come from where it is built, right? I say to know where the Clans will bomb when they have the winged garbage can within range.

[shivanwurm]

I really hope all the complaints here doesn't lead to Catalyst no longer trying fun things like this again. That would be a much greater lose in the long run than a little dev time spent on something silly (and fun).

That’s what I’m afraid of.

[Pat Payne]

If real, I dont think it's for me, but I am amused by with. In the life of Battletech I've accepted that not EVERY mech is going to be for me. Just...dont buy it if you dont want it. There'll be others down the line. Dont piss in someone else's cheerios because you PERSONALLY dont want it.

Absolutely this. I'm in full agreement. I've done the "rioting because a dev didn't cater to my needs" crap back when D&D 3.5 was discontinued. I'm so over that and really think it's just wasted energy that could be spent doing something constructive like, oh, I dunno, actually enjoying the game. Look at it this way -- if they have the money to spend on this fun little fluff, what else might they have up their sleeves that you might actually like?

[ColBosch]

Well, like I said over in General Discussion, I hope they have a free download of the LAM rules - for both BattleTech and Alpha Strike - ready to go. I'd feel the same way if they did superheavies or QuadVees, by the way. New players who buy this without understanding that it's not something they can immediately use on the table (at least without purchasing an additional, expensive book) will be left disappointed.

Anyway, I've said my piece. Honestly, I'm still likely to buy the pack. I don't find it funny, but it's not the worst visual design out there.