Mercenaries Kickstarter Discussion 7: Inbound From Jump Point

[Cyc]

Update#101 dropped, "getting closer" on the shortage items as well as clarity on when Retail Backers fit into things. Probably less pleasant for Wave 3 backers if they were part of the original campaign and missed out/have not finalised their shipping...

[Euphonium]

How do I check that I did finalize my shipping? I thought I did, but this is dragging on long enough that I'm getting a bit paranoid.

[Wolf72]

How do I check that I did finalize my shipping? I thought I did, but this is dragging on long enough that I'm getting a bit paranoid.

Do you have a backerkit account? if not set one up, I don't remember how I connected that with the KS but I did.

[I am Belch II]

Sometimes you can check on FedEx website and see if there is a order for you. It works sometimes for everyone.

[Deathknight69]

I paid earlier enough to be firmly in the wave one segment regarding shipping and I only received my address verification emails two weeks ago and no word since.

[Teejay75]

I sent QML a message, just saying that I hoped that they made it through the storm safely. They said that everyone was okay. Many were without power but that the warehouse was up and running. They'll be open today with anyone that feels that they can safely make it in to work.

[Wolf72]

I paid earlier enough to be firmly in the wave one segment regarding shipping and I only received my address verification emails two weeks ago and no word since.

after my QML address verification it took roughly 3 1/2 weeks before I got a s/h notice.  The delivery date was spot on at that point.

[StCptMara]

What I am trying to figure out is how do they have supply for Wave 2 when they haven't even finished out Wave 1 yet, due to lack of supply?

[ColBosch]

What I am trying to figure out is how do they have supply for Wave 2 when they haven't even finished out Wave 1 yet, due to lack of supply?

There are over a hundred SKUs. Some individual items are out of stock, but the big-ticket stuff - the boxed set, ForcePacks, etc. - is plentiful. So someone in Wave 1 who ordered something unusual could be waiting on a new shipment to the warehouse, but someone in Wave 2 who just ordered the Mercenaries box and a couple boxes of minis is just waiting for their number to come up for shipment.

[Lorcan Nagle]

Also, the Waves are nothing to do with stock, they're to do with when people paid their shipping fees.

[worktroll]

Also apparently meaningless for the Rest of World contingent.

[StCptMara]

Also, the Waves are nothing to do with stock, they're to do with when people paid their shipping fees.

Right, but I am in Wave 1(At least, I should be, since I had paid my shipping before the Wave 1 Deadline), shouldn't all of Wave 1 be shipped first before Wave 2? If they don't have the stock to complete Wave 1, how can they have the stock for Wave 2?

[Euphonium]

Right, but I am in Wave 1(At least, I should be, since I had paid my shipping before the Wave 1 Deadline), shouldn't all of Wave 1 be shipped first before Wave 2? If they don't have the stock to complete Wave 1, how can they have the stock for Wave 2?

I would guess the answer to that is that something like:
Wave 1 order of Mercs box, extra items 1,2,6 - swag 2 out of stock, not shipped
Wave 2 order of Mercs box, extra items 1,4,6 - all in stock, shipped

[Lorcan Nagle]

Right, but I am in Wave 1(At least, I should be, since I had paid my shipping before the Wave 1 Deadline), shouldn't all of Wave 1 be shipped first before Wave 2? If they don't have the stock to complete Wave 1, how can they have the stock for Wave 2?

For example, we know there's some kind of supply issue with the House Arano coin.  So if you're in Wave 1 with a regiment order that includes the Arano coin but everything else is in stock, and someone in Wave 2 has the exact same order execpt they picked the Tamar March coin instead, they'll ship out that one.

[Teejay75]

Personally, I've given up trying to figure what batch of what wave I'm supposed to be in. I paid for everything within the allotted time to have been in wave 1. I checked with QML to see if my order was waiting for restock and was told it wasn't. I still haven't gotten an address confirmation email from QML. I don't know that there's any rhyme or reason.
If this sounds like a complaint, or whining, I honestly don't mean for it to. I can be a patient man. I understand someone has to be first and someone has to be last. I had made the statement that I would be THE last backer to receive my order. Not just North America, but of the campaign. It's cool, I reckon I can wait and as long as they continue to release the star league and house packs, that'll give me something to do in the meantime. I wouldn't even be too fussed if they started selling product before I get mine. CGL making money means they can sink said capital into new minis and sourcebooks. Maybe I can buy another clan cavalry star so they'll be waiting for their brethren to eventually arrive.

[klarg1]

I'm pretty sure the top level determinant is how to get the most pledges out in the least time, not maintaining a strict wave order.

While we were presented with information about shipping rounds, there was no ordering promise baked into the Kickstarter.

[Teejay75]

I'm pretty sure the top level determinant is how to get the most pledges out in the least time, not maintaining a strict wave order.

While we were presented with information about shipping rounds, there was no ordering promise baked into the Kickstarter.

One reason I'm not fussed about waiting is the absolute pounding that Florida has taken. Plastic army toys take a backseat to all that those poor folks have been through. Getting slapped by two major hurricanes in a matter of days is just boggling. If QML said they were taking a couple of weeks to make sure that their employees are in a good place, it would be totally understandable.

Well, I say that last statement but I'm sure there would be some backer in KS or reddit that would have expected them to be working during the storms.

[Colt Ward]

One reason I'm not fussed about waiting is the absolute pounding that Florida has taken. Plastic army toys take a backseat to all that those poor folks have been through. Getting slapped by two major hurricanes in a matter of days is just boggling. If QML said they were taking a couple of weeks to make sure that their employees are in a good place, it would be totally understandable.

Well, I say that last statement but I'm sure there would be some backer in KS or reddit that would have expected them to be working during the storms.

Well, they ship stateside N of Atlanta I think.  I know the warehouse has power by what someone else posted, but I know people in that area and some of their homes were still without power middle of last week.

So while their facilities maybe powered, they might not be fully staffed.

[Teejay75]

Well, they ship stateside N of Atlanta I think.  I know the warehouse has power by what someone else posted, but I know people in that area and some of their homes were still without power middle of last week.

So while their facilities maybe powered, they might not be fully staffed.

I posted that. They're only asking staff to come in if they feel that it's safe to do so.

[The Wayfarer]

   Update 101 is garbage.  They should have said "We are still waiting on back-orders to arrive.  We will advise when we have items in stock.  We apologize to those of you who are still waiting." This would have been a more accurate and honest description of the current state of affairs.  Instead, we get more vagaries and no substance.   At this point, I would be surprised to get my Mercenaries KS before Christmas. 

Why does it bother me?  When I can now buy portions of this KS on the secondary market or see it painted across from me on the game table...it has taken too long.  Especially for what I paid in shipping.  Shipping for this thing has been a boondoggle.

Mike 

[I am Belch II]

The shipping if the kickstarter has been such a cluster. It's hard to keep motivation of Battletech if there is no product to buy.

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

I remember a decade ago when Catalyst was nearly broke and there was a serious problem even getting Battletech products into print.  Now we're unhappy because so many Battletech products have been put into print that it's causing logistical complications to get them to people.

[Charlie 6]

I remember a decade ago when Catalyst was nearly broke and there was a serious problem even getting Battletech products into print.  Now we're unhappy because so many Battletech products have been put into print that it's causing logistical complications to get them to people.

This, a lot of this.  Makes me think of the really dark times (for the game) back in the late 90's and early '00s when we didn't know if the game would survive.  That said, I'm frustrated with the choice of distribution partner but not the product being distributed.

[StCptMara]

   Update 101 is garbage.  They should have said "We are still waiting on back-orders to arrive.  We will advise when we have items in stock.  We apologize to those of you who are still waiting." This would have been a more accurate and honest description of the current state of affairs.  Instead, we get more vagaries and no substance.   At this point, I would be surprised to get my Mercenaries KS before Christmas. 

Why does it bother me?  When I can now buy portions of this KS on the secondary market or see it painted across from me on the game table...it has taken too long.  Especially for what I paid in shipping.  Shipping for this thing has been a boondoggle.

Mike

I would just like to know what item I pledged for is causing the delay? Is the the Liao? Kurita? Sea Fox stuff? Is it the Somerset Strikers pack? Is it the long toms? Is it the normal Universe book? The Savanah Map Pack? I want to know how I screwed myself over and what I shouldn't have gotten...

[Charlie 6]

I would just like to know what item I pledged for is causing the delay? Is the the Liao? Kurita? Sea Fox stuff? Is it the Somerset Strikers pack? Is it the long toms? Is it the normal Universe book? The Savanah Map Pack? I want to know how I screwed myself over and what I shouldn't have gotten...

Have you reached out to QML?  They responded fairly quickly and took the Arano coin off of my fulfillment.  Not that I've received a shipping confirmation.

[General308]

I remember a decade ago when Catalyst was nearly broke and there was a serious problem even getting Battletech products into print.  Now we're unhappy because so many Battletech products have been put into print that it's causing logistical complications to get them to people.

I think you are confused why people are unhappy.  They are unhappy because they prepaid for there items up front and then paid for "premium" shipping and CGL has not just had problems but been anything but Transparent about the problems.  example "you get to know about the Arano coin but we CGL are going to hide what the other 19 items are"

The reality is two kickstarter Items shiped early.  Encounters first and everyone gave them the benifit of the doubt.  Then the elemental pack which they stoped but not untill a lot of CGL people trashed people for letting them know it was going on. Plus they started shipping knowing they were missing two books it feels like just so they could say they started on time  Then comunications that is on a level of bad that is hard to understand.  Even harder to understand when they hired someone for comunications.

At lest back in the no product days players money wasn't tied up in CGL's issues.   I think honestly if CGL was transparent there would be a lot less problems.  People are always going to complain.  But not being Transparent is a reflection of you as a company.

In the end CGL's own actions lead to a lot of real questions and concerns

[shivanwurm]

I would just like to know what item I pledged for is causing the delay? Is the the Liao? Kurita? Sea Fox stuff? Is it the Somerset Strikers pack? Is it the long toms? Is it the normal Universe book? The Savanah Map Pack? I want to know how I screwed myself over and what I shouldn't have gotten...

I believe it is the Arano coin and a bunch of the other "swag" items. Dice, clan dice in particular, seem to be the biggest hold up.

[StCptMara]

Have you reached out to QML?  They responded fairly quickly and took the Arano coin off of my fulfillment.  Not that I've received a shipping confirmation.

Yeah, I did...they said that no items in my order caused delay due to stock challenges...But it has to be, since  they are doing Wave 2 Fulfillment, right?

[Arkansas Warrior]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered, but I tried using the search feature and couldn’t find it. I was looking at the store, and the story Heavy Lies the Crown (Fortunes of War 5) has a note that says “(NOTE: This is the same novella that was distributed to the BattleTech Mercenaries Kickstarter campaign. If you received this story through the campaign, you do not need to buy it here.)” but I haven’t seen it.  Just re-checked my Dropbox link and it isn’t there.  Is it dropping later? Is it only for very high level backers? (I was at Regiment, IIRC, and thought that that included all the FoW stories, but maybe I’m wrong.)  Does it drop later? (And if so why?  Seems odd to give it to backers only after it goes on sale.)


Edit: I swear every time I copy&paste it does weird things to the font size.  I don’t know how to fix it.

[Teejay75]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered, but I tried using the search feature and couldn’t find it. I was looking at the store, and the story Heavy Lies the Crown (Fortunes of War 5) has a note that says “(NOTE: This is the same novella that was distributed to the BattleTech Mercenaries Kickstarter campaign. If you received this story through the campaign, you do not need to buy it here.)” but I haven’t seen it.  Just re-checked my Dropbox link and it isn’t there.  Is it dropping later? Is it only for very high level backers? (I was at Regiment, IIRC, and thought that that included all the FoW stories, but maybe I’m wrong.)  Does it drop later? (And if so why?  Seems odd to give it to backers only after it goes on sale.)


Edit: I swear every time I copy&paste it does weird things to the font size.  I don’t know how to fix it.

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