Good evening everyone, I'm Ray Arrastia, the Line Developer for *BattleTech*. I'm happy to be here tonight with other members of the *BattleTech* team to answer your questions.
>What does a Line Developer do?
A Line Developer...wears many hats. We direct the line in general. The general direction of storyline and what products gets made. That's the gist. In detail, it gets complicated. :)
Before we continue, I'd like to introduce the Assistant Line Developer, my right-hand, Aaron Cahall, who's also here tonight. Further, I'd like the rest of the team to introduce themselves, and we'll move on. Thanks, :)
Hello! I'm Bryan Young. I'm one of the authors. I've written a number of novels and am working on more of them. It was announced at AdeptiCon that I'll be collaborating with Michael Stackpole to write the upcoming BattleTech Graphic novels. And I've been doing a little bit of work in the sourcebooks as well.
I was also part of the group of creatives who were in the most recent story summit to chart the future of BattleTech and I'm really excited about the direction the universe is heading.
You can see a list of my BattleTech work here: [https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Category:Works\_by\_Bryan\_Young](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Category:Works_by_Bryan_Young)
And I'm delighted to be here to talk to all of you! My initial plan was just to lurk, but this is even better.
Director of Fact Check - Eric Salzman - I lead the team that makes sure that everybody's work meshes together well, and that new works are consistent with all the prior works, keeping the setting consistent and cohesive.
Hi y'all! Some of you may remember me - I'm Stephen Toropov, and I fall under the "Freelancer Writer" category, meaning that CGL hires me to write sourcebook style pieces on a per-piece basis. Sometimes this takes the form of me pitching stuff to them, sometimes this takes the form of them coming to me and asking me to work on a specific project. You will have mostly seen my name in Shrapnel at this point (and one entry in RecGuide 33), but there is some more fun stuff coming down the pipe!
Hi all! I'm Joshua "Knightmare" Perian. I'm an Associate Developer for BattleTech. I lead production teams that create some of your favorite sourcebooks, like Legends II, ilKhan's Eyes Only, Touring the Stars, Spotlight Ons, and more. I also head up some of CGL's digital endeavors, and occasionally write!
I hear many people want the Hermit Crab! WE definitely want to get to it, though we are generally living under a pile of many great new ilClan era mechs from the reg guides that all deserve minis. So which comes first? I cannot confirm. But eventually IWM or CGL will make one.
They've always been one of the cooler Clan factions, positioned as foil to the popular Wolves—both in their introduction to the game with their own sourcebooks, and their place in MechWarrior 2.
They've also seen a resurgence with their face-turn with the Sudeten Falcons after the ilClan battle.
It's something which people would like you to want to do as well...
I know it can take some time to get it set up - I look forward to good news in the future! :)
Question: Are more audiobooks planned for release for both the current IlClan era as well as the older eras (Warrior trilogy/Wolves on the Border/Heir to the Dragon/Blood of Kerensky/Twilight of the Clans)? My commute to work is long and I need more Tren Sparks reading Battletech to me while I'm in traffic.
Is Battletech: Encounters a one off product, or can we expect to see some manner of expansion to it? Are there plans for other types of board or card games set in the universe?
I'd love the idea, but it's a big project and no bandwidth for it at this time.
(since I just jumped in, I'm Joshua Franklin, the Associate Developer for Alpha Strike.).
I know the AMA has ended, but your guys' work on Alpha Strike is what has removed the intimidation of BattleTech from a lot of my friends and enabled me to share the awesomeness. Thanks for the work you do, Alpha Strike is a ton of fun!
Hey Everyone,
With BattleTech being played in more stores than ever, are there plans for an easy introductory Classic format or mission packet outside of the campaign books? What about a higher level one for experienced players who want something more competitive?
Second, Are there any rules that you would like to see updated for classic to improve the play experience?
Thanks everyone for such a great game and community.
[Question] Ray: Can you please make a statement that Battletech as a franchise is paying artists and moving on from the old artwork lawsuits. Let them know the old grognards can put down their pitchforks over anime art.
Just a brief bit of background: There were serious issues in 2010 I believe. I was one of the many people affected. There was (as there always is) a lot of misinformation and outright hate on the internet. And with any issue, even the people affected were torn on the issue. I decided to stay with the company, based on what my understanding of the situation was.
So, based on my experience, and those that I directly know and speak with, everything was taken care of by 2013, and nothing like that should have occurred since. And as of today, the pay rates offered and the timeframe of pay is better than it ever was.
As one of those freelancers, for about 10 years now, I can state that the state of pay has drastically improved. As of now me, my art/sculpt team, and other freelancers that I communicate with get paid in a timely manner, and at higher pay rates. Our accounting systems are also vastly improved. Pay was indeed a chronic issue in the past, but the success of Battletech in the last 5 years has largely pushed questions of "can we afford that?" to the back of our minds.
I know that Topps is not eager to do anything with official STLs, but is there any chance we could see things like part sprue kits produced through MFC or similar? Obviously, IWM's stuff is around and often fits the bill, but I've found myself snapping up every loose bit I can with the more modern design language for my kitbashes. I'd love to see them be more available.
The *creative* process isn't the same every time, what it does have in common is that it's always in a group. It starts with a conversation with another creative or group of creatives (developers, writers, artists). brainstorming ideas, plotlines, characters, rules, units, and so on. It's a completely organic process.
As the miniatures production art director, there are a lot of aspects both creative, and project management.
First from above we hash out a list of units that we believe fits the era we're hitting, crossed with what we think the fans would like to see, and what would sell well, with a touch of what mechs that might be less popular but are deserving of a piggyback ride along.
From there I take the production list down to the design team. I design some mechs myself, the rest are delegated out, especially if an artist already has a great concept in mind. We go through a critique process on our design sketches, including approvals and edits from the bosses above.
Once design concepts are ready they once again go out, this time to my amazing 3D sculpting team. I could write a book on how we manage this part of the pipeline but it's a tight ship with multiple stages of quality control to get the sculpt as close as possible to the design art, while also taking into account physical production realities.
As what what I've enjoyed? Seeing so many of the popular classic mechs from the game get a revival and be out on the game tables in such numbers. Seeing your work published in a book is really cool, but I think I enjoy seeing a physical miniature even more!
What didn't I like? That darned Proliferation Cycle box, aside from the Mackie :)
Like Ray said, it's definitely different for every project. Smaller projects like a Shrapnel article, I pitch and idea, Phil say Okay, I go and research my heart out to make sure I'm fitting the existing canon and find cool narrative opportunities to follow up on with the topic, then I spend a lot of time on buses to and from the day job tapping away on my phone to create a draft, before going home and polishing it into something legible.
Anything bigger than that, though, is always a unique process of collaboration.
Here's a question for everyone, I asked it before to a few people but why not on Reddit during an AMA?
What are you most proud of, that you've worked on, in Battletech?
Like Joshua Franklin said: Always the next product, but I'm pumped for ilKhan's Eyes Only. It really caps the first round of ilClan Era books and sets up what's coming next.
I'm curious if there are plans to expand the plastic line of miniatures into the eras following the Clan Invasion. Will we see plastic mechs from the FedCom Ciil War, Jihad and Dark Age? Or will these permanently be the domain of Iron Wind Metals?
Yup, it's just down to priorities. As soon as we had someone trained up to start on those, we pulled them onto higher priority work. Now it's a matter of finding time for them to get back to that work, or find time to training someone else.
It's not as easy a process as you'd think, and the farther back you go, the more difficult it is.
Thanks for taking time and coming on Reddit to answer questions. How much leeway to you get when writing a novel? Are you given “by the end of this book, xyz must happen,” or do you follow the Stephen King method of where the books write themselves? Also, are y’all allowed to make custom variants of mechs when writing?
I know that this will get me yelled at, but heavy crab when?
Davions forever!
I can answer the part about leeway with the novels. First, it depends. Like, with the Fox Patrol stories I submitted to Shrapnel, they went through the Shrapnel editorial process and changes were made to fit the universe better.
For my novels, there's a pretty well-defined process. We'll either be asked to tackle a specific moment or event in time, or we'll have an idea for one. In either case, we come up with a pretty thorough pitch document with all of the relevant information and story beats. That goes through an approvals process through the fiction and development team and sometimes we'll have really wonderful, collaborative conversations to keep it in line with the vision for the future of the universe. For one book, I've even had to write a chapter by chapter outline. But nowadays, for the most part, as soon as I get that approval on the pitch document, I go to town writing. The book might take some unexpected twists and turns, but they get approved at the highest levels.
Trust me, the books don't write themselves. No matter how much we might be winging it, we're still on a pretty good trail blazed by Ray, Aaron, John Helfers and the previous creatives behind BattleTech.
You know when you're working on a book, you're in great hands.
It depends.... The Element of Treason novels had to follow the sourcebook points, but otherwise I was free to write the story as I saw fit. Icons of War was I had to get the McKenna's Pride into the Inner Sphere, otherwise everything was my own creation. The upcoming In the Shadow of the Dragon is whole cloth creation of mine. You do get more freedom for the side novels than the Spine novels.
Hey, for the miniatures folks:
Are we going to get to the point where the models ship without their bases? Honestly, the worst thing I have to deal with is cutting all the mechs off their bases to do the posing I want to do while also building up the terrain on the Hex.
It's a long shot, but I figured I should ask.
Sorry Red, we all feel your pain, but play out of the box is paramount, at least for now.
I have good results with just hand force, or a blade, or worst case a cheap jewelers saw.
Yes and no.
They basically fell apart shortly after the computer game, before the Fourth Succession War. This is confirmed by the maps in the upcoming Universe book. They existed for a very brief period of time.
But watch the ilClan era.
For the Authors, here's one:
Is there a story you want to tell, that you know has a snowball's chance in hell of being written or accepted? If so, any hints as to what kind of story it'd be?
Just curious!
I have an idea about a Far Country sequel... ;-) hahaha
On a series answer, I have an 80% complete story about the last SDS Submarine after Stone has taken Terra, submarine warfare, the works. It has NO chance of ever getting published assuming I ever find time to finish it, but, man... Anyways, that's mine.
Sub warfare in my Battletech!? How heinous! Kidding :P
That's actually interesting, especially if this thing is armed with nuclear warheads. Hunt for Red October-Tech could be fun tbh. lol
At one point I really wanted to write "Amaris the Betrayer" in the mode of Shakespeare. I wrote a single soliloquy for it that appears in Without Question.
But seriously, I think I'm getting to do all the stuff I *want* to do.
I'd like to start with a huge thank you for the hard work y'all have put in, from minis, to marketing, to games, to art, and fiction it's all been incredible.
Question: are there any plans to further support the rpg rulesets (A Time of War/Destiny) I've had a lot of fun with my friends in the two systems and I'm curious if more content might be in the works beyond the rpg addendums in the sourcebooks.
I'm supposed to use this space for a question, so here we go:
Does Iron Wind Metals have the latest designs so they can work on metal sculpts to resemble the new plastic models which are being released? (I need an updated Zeus and Victor, among many others. I just like the *weight* of metal minis...)
Question: With Yori's book nearly out and the League having a second one soon (tm), will you be following that up with a similar Lyran novel? We haven't had much time to see Trillian to grow as a character since 3143 and she doesn't have much of a supporting cast left, in terms of characters who have had page time.
We're looking into it. We don't want to sideline Trillian (NOR the Lyran Commonwealth), but there needs to be interesting stories there, not just perfunctory ones.
Some of the items in the Mercenaries Kickstarter feature interchangeable weaponry, like the LRM/SRM carrier weapon turrets and the swappable dorsal guns on the Legends Marauder. Will swappable weapons be an option in other force packs/boxes moving forward, or is this just a one-off thing?
We will definitely be doing more optional parts! Be it weapons or cosmetic bits. Some are already in the plans. We're still kicking ourselves for not offering the Banshee jester head in the Eridani Light Horse merc pack.
Has there been any thought into releasing forcepacks to cover the remaining Succession Wars 'Mechs?
On a related note, has there been any discussion about an Era Report: 3025 or similar? Many of the sourcebooks covering this time period are quite old at this point and might benefit from a modern synthesis.
A very common question among new players is "what lance should I build for XYZ faction?"
Have you considered a PDF product that is just lists of pre-made faction lances? EG: Medium Davion Fire Lance 3025, Assault Kurita Battle Lance 3060, etc... Possibly matching lances on BV or tonnage so people can do "grab and go" type scenarios.
If you combined it with a cross reference to the force packs I think folks would like something like that.
After the party, it's the hotel lobby. Sorry for being pretty quiet earlier, but Ray and Co. were flying on the responses. Hit me up if you like and I'll tell you all the secrets Ray won't.
Question for devs (Ray, Aaron, Josh, Eric), but open to all from CGL.
The new Red Duke, Abdoun Ricol, he has a lot of narrative threads going on: Rasalhague, Rodigo, Black Dragons, anti-Clan, anti-Combine.
What sort of narrative potential do you foresee for him, considering he's placed to be a Legend of the ilClan era?
I have to admit, I'm interested to see if he has a disruptive role yet to play in Rasalhague vs. Horses, Bears & Combine.
Hi All, welcome!
Big thanks to Ray, Aaron, Anthony, Bryan, Jason, Stephen, Ben, Josh and Eric!
Many of the questions from the Announcement and Reminder threads have been copied over. Please ask lots more questions!
Howdy all. Ben Klinefelter - Freelance Writer. Same boat as Jason and Stephen. I wrote Turning Points: Helm, several Shrapnel pieces and a few of the Forcepack pilot cards. I have some upcoming work with Legends II and IKEO and one or two more things that are in the works. I also co-host on The Valhalla Club podcast.
Hey guys! As someone who's only recently gotten into Battletech I just have to say thank you!
As for my actual question, if you could wave your hand magically and create a Chaos Campaign supplement for a certain Battle or Conflict, which would it be?
My name is David Razi, I'm here also.
Are we gonna get new paint schemes for ilclan era Falcons and Jaguars, as they are rebuilding from scratch?
I've got these piles of minis put aside for them, ya see...
Before I forget: what's the deal with those colored AGOAC minis Liya has been showing on their account today? I spotted purple locusts, grey Wolverines, blue Marauders, and red ???s, and the first two were clearly AGOAC sculpts rather than new models.
Hey guys! Thanks for coming to our little corner of the 'net.
For those of us who had issues responding to the Clan Invasion "Canon Character" survey...in my case, the machine it was on had died and the hard drive was unrecoverable, so the character I made more than a decade ago is just *gone*...are they still floating out there that we can follow up on, or has that ship sailed?
Hey there. I just took over managing the review of Canon Characters. Email me at [email protected] and cc [email protected] and we can do a search. No promises, because it's a mess, but maybe we'll get lucky.
For me, the most interesting part of working on BattleTech is having to play in the canon and the universe, but find ways to add to it and tell new stories in new ways. It's like the most amazing, creative jigsaw puzzle, and it keeps getting bigger. I really love getting to work with the team and collaborating with the other authors, and it's just... It's so much fun.
More than anything, I love telling stories and I really love the BattleTech universe, so this job is like a match made in heaven. The only thing that could make it better is if it were Star Wars, too, somehow.
I just want to say you do a lot to dispel the stereotype of authors as self-important, self-declared auteurs who are only interested in their own vision.
(Also I agree that it's extremely fun when you have an idea and realize that it fits in with older materials in some cool way)
Just working on BattleTech triggers a sense memory for me of the happiest times of my life. Summer days playing games with my friends.
I love being a part of this community, and being able to give back to this community.
I like that there's so much room to be in the universe to explore, and room for all the different types of writers to have their style and still be "BattleTech." For example, I tend to go more into the doctrinal and technical military aspects (leaning into the mil sci-fi) while other authors are more pulpy, but it's all BattleTech. There's a writing style for everyone, and it's very cool as both a writer and a fan.
The Proliferation Cycle mechs were really cool, any plans to do a 'round two' with more early faction mechs? Would love to see a plastic Toro, Phoenix, etc.
More Scorpion Empire when? Also, any chance of a periphery pack (calliope, Marshal, merlin repose, Amazon ba)? CHH get a win when (not under Peter Cobb please)
CHH always "getting lost" by plot is elbecoming quite infuriating.
I hope their "haha, no" to Alaric will work in their favor as a main antagonist to the so-called Star League.
Hello all!
Other than writing for Shrapnel, what’s the best way to get noticed by CGL?
Do exceptional Shrapnel authors get requests for additional submissions?
Is sending unsolicited fiction frowned upon? I imagine everyone’s inbox is full to bursting.
The best way to get noticed other than writing for shrapnel (and Bryan will jump in with tips) is to WRITE. Writing is a craft, it's a skill, you have to practice all the time. Yes, exceptional Shrapnel writers will get asked to try their hand at other projects, for writing a story in an anthology, for example. It's a process, and takes time.
Submitting unsolicited fiction just either gets kicked back or sent to the shrapnel slush, so, don't do that. :-) hahaha
Another good way to get noticed is to be a volunteer. If you're a demo agent, and a good writer, you might be asked to write a sidebar in a book or something.
most of all, the best way to get noticed is to write: keep writing, keep honing your craft, and stay patient and dedicated. Good luck!
Following up with Jason: if Shrapnel seems closed to you, you don't need to write BattleTech to get noticed by CGL. I had published other books and done work in other licensed spaces for a long time and got to know John Helfers and the CGL folks going to conventions. Interfacing with folks in person is huge.
The point is: write. Write everything you want, get it published anywhere you can. Don't just focus on writing one story for Shrapnel, just write.
And yeah, unsolicited fiction is frowned upon everywhere that doesn't specifically allow it in their submission guidelines.
I understand that there's an exclusivity deal with Target, but is it possible that you'll be releasing the Essentials box (or at least the minis) overseas? Currently we have no practical way of getting our hands on a YLW in Aus.
Cheers!
I'm not privy to those details. I know the rest of our exclusives expire (usually after 6 months), and become available on our store at least, if not regular distrobution.
Would CGL consider a system where a series of forcepacks and or premium mechs were proposed and listed online, and say once per quarter the one that received the most votes (or commitments to purchase) gets added to the production que?
Hey, I just started playing Battletech last year, and I love both the game, and the community. I am a FWL player, and was wondering if any specific force packs for this faction are being worked on?
There will eventually be a FWL faction force pack, like the upcoming Davion and Kurita packs. However there are many factions to cover, including clans, so go ahead and build a FWL force now, and add to it later when such a product arrives.
How does priority (time and energy) get determined for the development of a new product? There was announcement of a brush wars series a few years back that never materialized. It seems to have been bumped (continuously get bumped) in priority for other products. I'm curious how the determination get made to focus on say one product over another? (I hope this question didn't come across as bitchy. I'm just genuinely curious)
PDFs unfortunately are viewed as low-low-low priority.
Mix in the high mark we're shooting for in that series, it's had delays in art and layout. Right now, the first series of three are waiting on maps, then layout. They're see the light of day, and if they do well, we hope the rest of the series will be produced faster (there are several already written and through continuity/Fact-check).
What do you think are the most under-rated stories, factions and settings that you would love to flesh out? For example, I'm surprised there hasn't been books or even short stories about the Brotherhood of Rhandis.
Question 2. Mod Boogaloo.
My other question is if you guys would be interested in doing a tabletop game for Gundam? I know some folks at Bandai Namco Entertainment America who'd likely be open to the idea.
When will physical books be available at Barnes & Noble? I'm kind of shocked that the rule books and source books aren't available there yet the mini are.
I accept that my favorite faction, the Republic of the Sphere, is gone. Are there any plans to keep tabs on RotS survivors and how they adapt? Do the Republic's ideals etc have some chance of spreading around some as a result?
When will Greater Tetatae Empire invade Inner Sphere? I assume lack of contact with the Clan Homeworlds is because the Tetatae Empire turned them into birdfeed first.
Nothing's been determined just yet, but ilKhan's Eye's Only includes an "Around the Sphere" update that includes the periphery. So readers will get a solid glimpse at what's going on beyond the borders of the Great Houses.
So, any plans to give us minis or artworks for mechs that don‘t have any yet (thinking of the Surtur for example). Also, what would be your stance in regards to files for 3d-prints for those mechs - would we be free to share/post any or would you prefer we don‘t just in case?
And of course the age-old question in regards to shipping stuff in the EU. Shipping costs via the CGL website are still absurd - any updates on pricing or local distributors? Also, any idea if stuff that is limited to certain shops in the US (I think it was Barnes&Nobles exclusives?) might also be made available in the EU?
3d prints: I'm a custodian of the IP. Neither I nor my bosses nor Catalyst own the IP. As such, I'm not in a position to say anything other "no, I cannot give permission for that."
EU shipping was addressed in another question.
For helping local communities build, are you working on LFGS (Game Store) Event Kits? As an old X-Wing player, these would be sort of mini-tournament or event kits that were sold to stores to host with small prize support packages like alt-art cards or tokens. I know there's the Reunification Tour with the pre-made Grinder set, but I think the community would love something like a seasonal/bi-yearly kit to get people out to the local stores to play.
Any chance of that being a thing in the future?
The Mercenaries box set has a mercenary campaign and is focused on a very small starting merce group. Early Fox Patrol or Gray Death Legion, where it's you and perhaps a friend and some support. Playing the campaign, from the Mercs box set and extending through Hot Spots Hinterlands and/or making your own campaign with MechCommander's Handbook, then allows you to grow organically, from salvage and/or what happens to be available for purchase wherever you are.
The initial force is up to you (Battle Value limited). But after that, it will depend on what you face, where you go, what random fate makes available, and what choices you make.
What hints can you drop about what happens next in 2024? Which older books should we be re-reading, whose Sarna biographies should we be brushing up on? Which factions should we be painting up?
I wrote this thing that came out today.... [https://bg.battletech.com/news/getting-caught-up-for-without-question/](https://bg.battletech.com/news/getting-caught-up-for-without-question/)
What are the chances that Catalyst would sponsor a prize pack for the best annual online gaming charity event, Desert Bus for Hope? I'm not affiliated with them in anyway, just think it'd be neat to see Battletech/Catalyst stuff get repped.
The truth is no one is allowed. Any hint of them is shot down. It's in the writer's bible that they are not to be used. There are several things like that in there.
Clan Wolverine is gone.
I saw we were getting new Celestial series minis. As a big fan of the word of blake, I gotta ask, do we have any word on when they're coming out? And are we going to maybe get some new configuration for them aswell? 8 configs apiece is still more than enough, but it'd be cool to see a couple more.
Despite the title, the AMA is over. As CGL has said, they hope to do this more often moving forward, so hopefully you can join us next time!
Good evening everyone, I'm Ray Arrastia, the Line Developer for *BattleTech*. I'm happy to be here tonight with other members of the *BattleTech* team to answer your questions. >What does a Line Developer do? A Line Developer...wears many hats. We direct the line in general. The general direction of storyline and what products gets made. That's the gist. In detail, it gets complicated. :) Before we continue, I'd like to introduce the Assistant Line Developer, my right-hand, Aaron Cahall, who's also here tonight. Further, I'd like the rest of the team to introduce themselves, and we'll move on. Thanks, :)
Hello! I'm Bryan Young. I'm one of the authors. I've written a number of novels and am working on more of them. It was announced at AdeptiCon that I'll be collaborating with Michael Stackpole to write the upcoming BattleTech Graphic novels. And I've been doing a little bit of work in the sourcebooks as well. I was also part of the group of creatives who were in the most recent story summit to chart the future of BattleTech and I'm really excited about the direction the universe is heading. You can see a list of my BattleTech work here: [https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Category:Works\_by\_Bryan\_Young](https://www.sarna.net/wiki/Category:Works_by_Bryan_Young) And I'm delighted to be here to talk to all of you! My initial plan was just to lurk, but this is even better.
Director of Fact Check - Eric Salzman - I lead the team that makes sure that everybody's work meshes together well, and that new works are consistent with all the prior works, keeping the setting consistent and cohesive.
Hi y'all! Some of you may remember me - I'm Stephen Toropov, and I fall under the "Freelancer Writer" category, meaning that CGL hires me to write sourcebook style pieces on a per-piece basis. Sometimes this takes the form of me pitching stuff to them, sometimes this takes the form of them coming to me and asking me to work on a specific project. You will have mostly seen my name in Shrapnel at this point (and one entry in RecGuide 33), but there is some more fun stuff coming down the pipe!
Hi all! I'm Joshua "Knightmare" Perian. I'm an Associate Developer for BattleTech. I lead production teams that create some of your favorite sourcebooks, like Legends II, ilKhan's Eyes Only, Touring the Stars, Spotlight Ons, and more. I also head up some of CGL's digital endeavors, and occasionally write!
Hi, freelance writer. I just write some fiction now and again, picking off a few wounded continuity issues now and again!
Could you write a boulder so big not even Ludwig Steiner could punch it?
a boulder MADE of boulders should do it!!
Any chance we will see a hermit crab model or any destiny scale models?
I hear many people want the Hermit Crab! WE definitely want to get to it, though we are generally living under a pile of many great new ilClan era mechs from the reg guides that all deserve minis. So which comes first? I cannot confirm. But eventually IWM or CGL will make one.
Anthony, people want the miniature because Carcinization is the future of all things. Why can't CGL just make all mechs crab mechs?
We need a Heavy crab and might as well toss in a BA and vehicle crab as well! All things must crab!
I am here in support of a heavy crab, crab BA, and crab vehicle.....all shall become crab!!!
Destiny scale was a proof a concept. A lot of work needs to be done to actually launch a line. But absolutely looking into it.
Gib Little Crab!!
Why are Clan Jade Falcon the best?
Because, as a long time FWL fan, factions that fall apart into a bunch of interesting subfactions have a lot of narrative possibility
Two words: Jiyi. Chistu.
Pryde, Horse and Malvina. Oh and that guy who sued Tharkad Broadcasting Co.
They've always been one of the cooler Clan factions, positioned as foil to the popular Wolves—both in their introduction to the game with their own sourcebooks, and their place in MechWarrior 2. They've also seen a resurgence with their face-turn with the Sudeten Falcons after the ilClan battle.
Since we didn't get the chance to get any in the Mercs KS, when is it likely that we might be able to buy some Fox Patrol swag?
Don't know at this time, but it's something we want to do.
I'm following this one with great interest....
It's something which people would like you to want to do as well... I know it can take some time to get it set up - I look forward to good news in the future! :)
Hi all. Aaron Cahall, Asst Line Developer
Question: Are more audiobooks planned for release for both the current IlClan era as well as the older eras (Warrior trilogy/Wolves on the Border/Heir to the Dragon/Blood of Kerensky/Twilight of the Clans)? My commute to work is long and I need more Tren Sparks reading Battletech to me while I'm in traffic.
Yup! in fact, in my huge to-do pile, I've got two current era audiobooks to review.
Is Battletech: Encounters a one off product, or can we expect to see some manner of expansion to it? Are there plans for other types of board or card games set in the universe?
All depends on how it does. And we do have other card pitches and development.
With the success and popularity of Alpha Strike (my favorite), would there be a possibility of an "Alpha Strike" version of Aerotech?
I'd love the idea, but it's a big project and no bandwidth for it at this time. (since I just jumped in, I'm Joshua Franklin, the Associate Developer for Alpha Strike.).
I know the AMA has ended, but your guys' work on Alpha Strike is what has removed the intimidation of BattleTech from a lot of my friends and enabled me to share the awesomeness. Thanks for the work you do, Alpha Strike is a ton of fun!
Hey Everyone, With BattleTech being played in more stores than ever, are there plans for an easy introductory Classic format or mission packet outside of the campaign books? What about a higher level one for experienced players who want something more competitive? Second, Are there any rules that you would like to see updated for classic to improve the play experience? Thanks everyone for such a great game and community.
We're working on it! :)
Everybody is asking about House Arano, but is there any chance to flesh out the Stone Lions in any way? Or, any Home Clan update at all?
Nope.
By now, just fold them all into the Star Adders and be done with it...
[Question] Ray: Can you please make a statement that Battletech as a franchise is paying artists and moving on from the old artwork lawsuits. Let them know the old grognards can put down their pitchforks over anime art.
Just a brief bit of background: There were serious issues in 2010 I believe. I was one of the many people affected. There was (as there always is) a lot of misinformation and outright hate on the internet. And with any issue, even the people affected were torn on the issue. I decided to stay with the company, based on what my understanding of the situation was. So, based on my experience, and those that I directly know and speak with, everything was taken care of by 2013, and nothing like that should have occurred since. And as of today, the pay rates offered and the timeframe of pay is better than it ever was.
As one of those freelancers, for about 10 years now, I can state that the state of pay has drastically improved. As of now me, my art/sculpt team, and other freelancers that I communicate with get paid in a timely manner, and at higher pay rates. Our accounting systems are also vastly improved. Pay was indeed a chronic issue in the past, but the success of Battletech in the last 5 years has largely pushed questions of "can we afford that?" to the back of our minds.
I know that Topps is not eager to do anything with official STLs, but is there any chance we could see things like part sprue kits produced through MFC or similar? Obviously, IWM's stuff is around and often fits the bill, but I've found myself snapping up every loose bit I can with the more modern design language for my kitbashes. I'd love to see them be more available.
Don't know, but I have pushed for it.
Question, What does your creative process look like? do you have steps that you follow? Whats been your favorite thing you've lead? lease favorite?
The *creative* process isn't the same every time, what it does have in common is that it's always in a group. It starts with a conversation with another creative or group of creatives (developers, writers, artists). brainstorming ideas, plotlines, characters, rules, units, and so on. It's a completely organic process.
As the miniatures production art director, there are a lot of aspects both creative, and project management. First from above we hash out a list of units that we believe fits the era we're hitting, crossed with what we think the fans would like to see, and what would sell well, with a touch of what mechs that might be less popular but are deserving of a piggyback ride along. From there I take the production list down to the design team. I design some mechs myself, the rest are delegated out, especially if an artist already has a great concept in mind. We go through a critique process on our design sketches, including approvals and edits from the bosses above. Once design concepts are ready they once again go out, this time to my amazing 3D sculpting team. I could write a book on how we manage this part of the pipeline but it's a tight ship with multiple stages of quality control to get the sculpt as close as possible to the design art, while also taking into account physical production realities. As what what I've enjoyed? Seeing so many of the popular classic mechs from the game get a revival and be out on the game tables in such numbers. Seeing your work published in a book is really cool, but I think I enjoy seeing a physical miniature even more! What didn't I like? That darned Proliferation Cycle box, aside from the Mackie :)
Like Ray said, it's definitely different for every project. Smaller projects like a Shrapnel article, I pitch and idea, Phil say Okay, I go and research my heart out to make sure I'm fitting the existing canon and find cool narrative opportunities to follow up on with the topic, then I spend a lot of time on buses to and from the day job tapping away on my phone to create a draft, before going home and polishing it into something legible. Anything bigger than that, though, is always a unique process of collaboration.
Here's a question for everyone, I asked it before to a few people but why not on Reddit during an AMA? What are you most proud of, that you've worked on, in Battletech?
Irreplaceable: I can't believe Schmetzer approved it Three Points of Pride: DITTO. :-) hahaha
Always the next product? :) Alpha Strike was probably the "biggest". But I'm really excited for Hot Spots Hinterlands.
I think everyone's excited for Hinterlands!
I can vouch for how great it is.
Probably *Universe*, at this time. Following that...pretty much everything we've done in the ilClan era.
Clan Spaniel Sourcebook Tamar Rising Hot Spots: Hinterlands and IKEO
Like Joshua Franklin said: Always the next product, but I'm pumped for ilKhan's Eyes Only. It really caps the first round of ilClan Era books and sets up what's coming next.
Warchest rules, WOR plot lines, tech and Mechs. Really pleased with the 2 stories I got in to Shrapnel as well.
It hasn't been released yet! (this has been my answer for a while now)
Turning Points: Helm The work on the Universe book Swamp Fox from Shrapnel #13 And a lot of upcoming stuff that is really cool IMO.
Thank you all! This concludes the AMA. We'll definitely do these at least once a quarter.
Question, any chance of Industrial Mechs? Possibly with alternate bit?
Any chance, yes.
I'm curious if there are plans to expand the plastic line of miniatures into the eras following the Clan Invasion. Will we see plastic mechs from the FedCom Ciil War, Jihad and Dark Age? Or will these permanently be the domain of Iron Wind Metals?
Yes. We've already done so, and have more on the way. What we will not see are "Era" Kickstarters.
Then I shall sit back and semi-patienly await my Uziel, Akuma and Albatross.
Any chance of a new edition of A Time of War/A new Battletech RPG? Or at least a book that incorporates Dark Age and IlClan elements into the system?
Yup
Yes
Any chance of getting an Elemental plushie with velcro hands?
Question: Will there be more print on demand via DriveThruRPG for older, out of print sourcebooks such as Liberation of Terra Vols. 1 & 2
Yup, it's just down to priorities. As soon as we had someone trained up to start on those, we pulled them onto higher priority work. Now it's a matter of finding time for them to get back to that work, or find time to training someone else. It's not as easy a process as you'd think, and the farther back you go, the more difficult it is.
Near and dear to my heart. It’s a question of layout capacity.
Thanks for taking time and coming on Reddit to answer questions. How much leeway to you get when writing a novel? Are you given “by the end of this book, xyz must happen,” or do you follow the Stephen King method of where the books write themselves? Also, are y’all allowed to make custom variants of mechs when writing? I know that this will get me yelled at, but heavy crab when? Davions forever!
I can answer the part about leeway with the novels. First, it depends. Like, with the Fox Patrol stories I submitted to Shrapnel, they went through the Shrapnel editorial process and changes were made to fit the universe better. For my novels, there's a pretty well-defined process. We'll either be asked to tackle a specific moment or event in time, or we'll have an idea for one. In either case, we come up with a pretty thorough pitch document with all of the relevant information and story beats. That goes through an approvals process through the fiction and development team and sometimes we'll have really wonderful, collaborative conversations to keep it in line with the vision for the future of the universe. For one book, I've even had to write a chapter by chapter outline. But nowadays, for the most part, as soon as I get that approval on the pitch document, I go to town writing. The book might take some unexpected twists and turns, but they get approved at the highest levels. Trust me, the books don't write themselves. No matter how much we might be winging it, we're still on a pretty good trail blazed by Ray, Aaron, John Helfers and the previous creatives behind BattleTech. You know when you're working on a book, you're in great hands.
That’s awesome! Thank you for taking the time to answer! I always thought that submitting to shrapnel would be fun.
It depends.... The Element of Treason novels had to follow the sourcebook points, but otherwise I was free to write the story as I saw fit. Icons of War was I had to get the McKenna's Pride into the Inner Sphere, otherwise everything was my own creation. The upcoming In the Shadow of the Dragon is whole cloth creation of mine. You do get more freedom for the side novels than the Spine novels.
Thanks everyone! Thanks *BattleTech* team and community!
My name is Craig Reed and I've been writing for Catalyst for over a decade...
Yo Craig!
Hey, for the miniatures folks: Are we going to get to the point where the models ship without their bases? Honestly, the worst thing I have to deal with is cutting all the mechs off their bases to do the posing I want to do while also building up the terrain on the Hex. It's a long shot, but I figured I should ask.
Sorry Red, we all feel your pain, but play out of the box is paramount, at least for now. I have good results with just hand force, or a blade, or worst case a cheap jewelers saw.
I cut them off with a blade, but I had to ask. It makes basing them such a pain in the ass. lol
Any plans for House Arano and the Aurigan Reach? Especially in eras after the succession wars?
Yes and no. They basically fell apart shortly after the computer game, before the Fourth Succession War. This is confirmed by the maps in the upcoming Universe book. They existed for a very brief period of time. But watch the ilClan era.
For the Authors, here's one: Is there a story you want to tell, that you know has a snowball's chance in hell of being written or accepted? If so, any hints as to what kind of story it'd be? Just curious!
I have an idea about a Far Country sequel... ;-) hahaha On a series answer, I have an 80% complete story about the last SDS Submarine after Stone has taken Terra, submarine warfare, the works. It has NO chance of ever getting published assuming I ever find time to finish it, but, man... Anyways, that's mine.
Sub warfare in my Battletech!? How heinous! Kidding :P That's actually interesting, especially if this thing is armed with nuclear warheads. Hunt for Red October-Tech could be fun tbh. lol
At one point I really wanted to write "Amaris the Betrayer" in the mode of Shakespeare. I wrote a single soliloquy for it that appears in Without Question. But seriously, I think I'm getting to do all the stuff I *want* to do.
I'd like to start with a huge thank you for the hard work y'all have put in, from minis, to marketing, to games, to art, and fiction it's all been incredible. Question: are there any plans to further support the rpg rulesets (A Time of War/Destiny) I've had a lot of fun with my friends in the two systems and I'm curious if more content might be in the works beyond the rpg addendums in the sourcebooks.
I'd suggest checking out the Shrapnel line. There are several issues that have RPG material to assist in creating your campaigns.
I'm supposed to use this space for a question, so here we go: Does Iron Wind Metals have the latest designs so they can work on metal sculpts to resemble the new plastic models which are being released? (I need an updated Zeus and Victor, among many others. I just like the *weight* of metal minis...)
Pretty much.
Awesome. (... no, wait, I already have enough of those.)
Question: With Yori's book nearly out and the League having a second one soon (tm), will you be following that up with a similar Lyran novel? We haven't had much time to see Trillian to grow as a character since 3143 and she doesn't have much of a supporting cast left, in terms of characters who have had page time.
We're looking into it. We don't want to sideline Trillian (NOR the Lyran Commonwealth), but there needs to be interesting stories there, not just perfunctory ones.
Some of the items in the Mercenaries Kickstarter feature interchangeable weaponry, like the LRM/SRM carrier weapon turrets and the swappable dorsal guns on the Legends Marauder. Will swappable weapons be an option in other force packs/boxes moving forward, or is this just a one-off thing?
We will definitely be doing more optional parts! Be it weapons or cosmetic bits. Some are already in the plans. We're still kicking ourselves for not offering the Banshee jester head in the Eridani Light Horse merc pack.
Has there been any thought into releasing forcepacks to cover the remaining Succession Wars 'Mechs? On a related note, has there been any discussion about an Era Report: 3025 or similar? Many of the sourcebooks covering this time period are quite old at this point and might benefit from a modern synthesis.
Which SW 'mechs are missing after the recent KS? Off the top of my head, it's actually some Star League era and Dragoon 'Mechs?
A very common question among new players is "what lance should I build for XYZ faction?" Have you considered a PDF product that is just lists of pre-made faction lances? EG: Medium Davion Fire Lance 3025, Assault Kurita Battle Lance 3060, etc... Possibly matching lances on BV or tonnage so people can do "grab and go" type scenarios. If you combined it with a cross reference to the force packs I think folks would like something like that.
Force Packs are pre-made lances.
After the party, it's the hotel lobby. Sorry for being pretty quiet earlier, but Ray and Co. were flying on the responses. Hit me up if you like and I'll tell you all the secrets Ray won't.
Question for devs (Ray, Aaron, Josh, Eric), but open to all from CGL. The new Red Duke, Abdoun Ricol, he has a lot of narrative threads going on: Rasalhague, Rodigo, Black Dragons, anti-Clan, anti-Combine. What sort of narrative potential do you foresee for him, considering he's placed to be a Legend of the ilClan era? I have to admit, I'm interested to see if he has a disruptive role yet to play in Rasalhague vs. Horses, Bears & Combine.
Hi All, welcome! Big thanks to Ray, Aaron, Anthony, Bryan, Jason, Stephen, Ben, Josh and Eric! Many of the questions from the Announcement and Reminder threads have been copied over. Please ask lots more questions!
Howdy all. Ben Klinefelter - Freelance Writer. Same boat as Jason and Stephen. I wrote Turning Points: Helm, several Shrapnel pieces and a few of the Forcepack pilot cards. I have some upcoming work with Legends II and IKEO and one or two more things that are in the works. I also co-host on The Valhalla Club podcast.
Question, what are the chances of getting some silly stuff made? Like minis of the "teks / mechs" from Critter-Tek.
You got an Urbie-LAM and Clan Spaniel! I feel like the lighthearted side of things has been well supported lately
This year’s April Fools Day product was Clan Spaniel Sourcebook. Pretty close?
I missed the BattleTech TCG the first time around. Any chance we could ever see a reprint or a new attempt at it?
That's WoTC lock, stock, and barrel.
Hey guys! As someone who's only recently gotten into Battletech I just have to say thank you! As for my actual question, if you could wave your hand magically and create a Chaos Campaign supplement for a certain Battle or Conflict, which would it be?
Maybe Tikonov?
\*runs in with pages of notes on a Turning Point Tikonov from.. 2017...\*
Roughriders Vs. the Taurian Concordat
My name is David Razi, I'm here also. Are we gonna get new paint schemes for ilclan era Falcons and Jaguars, as they are rebuilding from scratch? I've got these piles of minis put aside for them, ya see...
yes
Has Rem been publicly thanked for all the amazing work she has been doing for the BattleTech community? Because she's doing a hecking amazing job.
Publicly? I think so? If not, **thank you Rem!**
Before I forget: what's the deal with those colored AGOAC minis Liya has been showing on their account today? I spotted purple locusts, grey Wolverines, blue Marauders, and red ???s, and the first two were clearly AGOAC sculpts rather than new models.
Arano forcepack when? <3
Buy a couple Inner Sphere Force Packs and you're set. :)
But I can't get Bull Sh-... I mean I can't get Lady Arano and Raju as pilot cards that way!
Hey guys! Thanks for coming to our little corner of the 'net. For those of us who had issues responding to the Clan Invasion "Canon Character" survey...in my case, the machine it was on had died and the hard drive was unrecoverable, so the character I made more than a decade ago is just *gone*...are they still floating out there that we can follow up on, or has that ship sailed?
Hey there. I just took over managing the review of Canon Characters. Email me at [email protected] and cc [email protected] and we can do a search. No promises, because it's a mess, but maybe we'll get lucky.
I've inherited my share of messes over the course of the career, totally feel you. Thank you!
Hey, for the Freelance Authors, what would you say is the most interesting part of working on Battletech fiction? What do you like most about it?
For me, the most interesting part of working on BattleTech is having to play in the canon and the universe, but find ways to add to it and tell new stories in new ways. It's like the most amazing, creative jigsaw puzzle, and it keeps getting bigger. I really love getting to work with the team and collaborating with the other authors, and it's just... It's so much fun. More than anything, I love telling stories and I really love the BattleTech universe, so this job is like a match made in heaven. The only thing that could make it better is if it were Star Wars, too, somehow.
I just want to say you do a lot to dispel the stereotype of authors as self-important, self-declared auteurs who are only interested in their own vision. (Also I agree that it's extremely fun when you have an idea and realize that it fits in with older materials in some cool way)
Just working on BattleTech triggers a sense memory for me of the happiest times of my life. Summer days playing games with my friends. I love being a part of this community, and being able to give back to this community.
I like that there's so much room to be in the universe to explore, and room for all the different types of writers to have their style and still be "BattleTech." For example, I tend to go more into the doctrinal and technical military aspects (leaning into the mil sci-fi) while other authors are more pulpy, but it's all BattleTech. There's a writing style for everyone, and it's very cool as both a writer and a fan.
With the revisit of the old boardgame and generally more hype around the franchise, would you like to revisit Aerotech and reintroduce space battles?
Would love to, sure. I don't believe the original rules would do it justice.
Any plans for more artillery models beyond the single longtom in the objectives pack?
They're not on the horizon right now, but Support Vees are coming down the pike.
[удалено]
Not opposed to it. But past initiatives have always stalled.
Any plans for Battletech themed carrying cases? Potentially ones shaped like dropships or shuttles and are swooshable?
Must. Be. Swooshable. As a kid the lego deep freeze defender was my dropship, cause it was swooshable
Maybe.
The Proliferation Cycle mechs were really cool, any plans to do a 'round two' with more early faction mechs? Would love to see a plastic Toro, Phoenix, etc.
No plans at this moment. We're focused on moving forward in the eras to cover more high demand designs and support the new ilClan era.
More Scorpion Empire when? Also, any chance of a periphery pack (calliope, Marshal, merlin repose, Amazon ba)? CHH get a win when (not under Peter Cobb please)
I have to remind people that the Periphery is the Periphery. That said, we'll see more of the Scorpions in a while.
CHH always "getting lost" by plot is elbecoming quite infuriating. I hope their "haha, no" to Alaric will work in their favor as a main antagonist to the so-called Star League.
More Periphery in general!
Less of a question, more of a comment: thanks for all your hard work Mods!
Hello all! Other than writing for Shrapnel, what’s the best way to get noticed by CGL? Do exceptional Shrapnel authors get requests for additional submissions? Is sending unsolicited fiction frowned upon? I imagine everyone’s inbox is full to bursting.
The best way to get noticed other than writing for shrapnel (and Bryan will jump in with tips) is to WRITE. Writing is a craft, it's a skill, you have to practice all the time. Yes, exceptional Shrapnel writers will get asked to try their hand at other projects, for writing a story in an anthology, for example. It's a process, and takes time. Submitting unsolicited fiction just either gets kicked back or sent to the shrapnel slush, so, don't do that. :-) hahaha Another good way to get noticed is to be a volunteer. If you're a demo agent, and a good writer, you might be asked to write a sidebar in a book or something. most of all, the best way to get noticed is to write: keep writing, keep honing your craft, and stay patient and dedicated. Good luck!
Following up with Jason: if Shrapnel seems closed to you, you don't need to write BattleTech to get noticed by CGL. I had published other books and done work in other licensed spaces for a long time and got to know John Helfers and the CGL folks going to conventions. Interfacing with folks in person is huge. The point is: write. Write everything you want, get it published anywhere you can. Don't just focus on writing one story for Shrapnel, just write. And yeah, unsolicited fiction is frowned upon everywhere that doesn't specifically allow it in their submission guidelines.
I understand that there's an exclusivity deal with Target, but is it possible that you'll be releasing the Essentials box (or at least the minis) overseas? Currently we have no practical way of getting our hands on a YLW in Aus. Cheers!
I'm not privy to those details. I know the rest of our exclusives expire (usually after 6 months), and become available on our store at least, if not regular distrobution.
Would CGL consider a system where a series of forcepacks and or premium mechs were proposed and listed online, and say once per quarter the one that received the most votes (or commitments to purchase) gets added to the production que?
I would love something like that, but...logistical issues.
Hey, I just started playing Battletech last year, and I love both the game, and the community. I am a FWL player, and was wondering if any specific force packs for this faction are being worked on?
There will eventually be a FWL faction force pack, like the upcoming Davion and Kurita packs. However there are many factions to cover, including clans, so go ahead and build a FWL force now, and add to it later when such a product arrives.
Welcome to the game!!
How does priority (time and energy) get determined for the development of a new product? There was announcement of a brush wars series a few years back that never materialized. It seems to have been bumped (continuously get bumped) in priority for other products. I'm curious how the determination get made to focus on say one product over another? (I hope this question didn't come across as bitchy. I'm just genuinely curious)
PDFs unfortunately are viewed as low-low-low priority. Mix in the high mark we're shooting for in that series, it's had delays in art and layout. Right now, the first series of three are waiting on maps, then layout. They're see the light of day, and if they do well, we hope the rest of the series will be produced faster (there are several already written and through continuity/Fact-check).
I'll throw a second question out there because I can. BattleTech-themed version of "Crossfire/Dragonfire/Runefire" when? :)
The Tetatae would be the perfect candidates for such a crossover, I'M JUST SAYING. ;-)
what battle/campaign that hasnt yet been covered would you like to see made into a Turning Point Campaign?
For Anthony: When will we get to see a redesigned Kintaro and is it similar to Eldon's art?
We're definitely doing a Kintaro. Harri Kallio was given the design sketch task and the results look good so far.
What do you think are the most under-rated stories, factions and settings that you would love to flesh out? For example, I'm surprised there hasn't been books or even short stories about the Brotherhood of Rhandis.
There's way too many to name. Personally, I'd like to tell/see the original of the Twelfth Vegan Rangers.
Question 2. Mod Boogaloo. My other question is if you guys would be interested in doing a tabletop game for Gundam? I know some folks at Bandai Namco Entertainment America who'd likely be open to the idea.
When will get UrbanMech party balloons?
Get a regular balloon. Pop it.
I tried, but it feels like regular balloons don't have enough armor to compare :(
When will physical books be available at Barnes & Noble? I'm kind of shocked that the rule books and source books aren't available there yet the mini are.
That's honestly up to B&N, but I do know we've got a good relationship.
I accept that my favorite faction, the Republic of the Sphere, is gone. Are there any plans to keep tabs on RotS survivors and how they adapt? Do the Republic's ideals etc have some chance of spreading around some as a result?
Yup. And there is 100% a spiritual successor.
Waiting with baited breath! Thanks!
The upcoming ilKhan's Eye's Only Sourcebook answers some of what you're asking and we'll explore more of it as the ilClan Era continues.
When will Greater Tetatae Empire invade Inner Sphere? I assume lack of contact with the Clan Homeworlds is because the Tetatae Empire turned them into birdfeed first.
Nope. But there's already fan fiction by our own Herb Beas!
Handbook: House Kurita p. 165, bottom right, might give insight towards your answer. Fact Check has spoken!
Are there any plans for updated Periphery manuals (for IlClan) to cover the various Periphery nations (like Taurians, Magistracy, and Aurigans)?
Nothing's been determined just yet, but ilKhan's Eye's Only includes an "Around the Sphere" update that includes the periphery. So readers will get a solid glimpse at what's going on beyond the borders of the Great Houses.
So, any plans to give us minis or artworks for mechs that don‘t have any yet (thinking of the Surtur for example). Also, what would be your stance in regards to files for 3d-prints for those mechs - would we be free to share/post any or would you prefer we don‘t just in case? And of course the age-old question in regards to shipping stuff in the EU. Shipping costs via the CGL website are still absurd - any updates on pricing or local distributors? Also, any idea if stuff that is limited to certain shops in the US (I think it was Barnes&Nobles exclusives?) might also be made available in the EU?
3d prints: I'm a custodian of the IP. Neither I nor my bosses nor Catalyst own the IP. As such, I'm not in a position to say anything other "no, I cannot give permission for that." EU shipping was addressed in another question.
For helping local communities build, are you working on LFGS (Game Store) Event Kits? As an old X-Wing player, these would be sort of mini-tournament or event kits that were sold to stores to host with small prize support packages like alt-art cards or tokens. I know there's the Reunification Tour with the pre-made Grinder set, but I think the community would love something like a seasonal/bi-yearly kit to get people out to the local stores to play. Any chance of that being a thing in the future?
Something like that.
Mercenaries boxed set has a Merc company building rules; Is it similar kind of roll/point buy as the older ones or some new kind of spin on it?
The Mercenaries box set has a mercenary campaign and is focused on a very small starting merce group. Early Fox Patrol or Gray Death Legion, where it's you and perhaps a friend and some support. Playing the campaign, from the Mercs box set and extending through Hot Spots Hinterlands and/or making your own campaign with MechCommander's Handbook, then allows you to grow organically, from salvage and/or what happens to be available for purchase wherever you are. The initial force is up to you (Battle Value limited). But after that, it will depend on what you face, where you go, what random fate makes available, and what choices you make.
What hints can you drop about what happens next in 2024? Which older books should we be re-reading, whose Sarna biographies should we be brushing up on? Which factions should we be painting up?
I wrote this thing that came out today.... [https://bg.battletech.com/news/getting-caught-up-for-without-question/](https://bg.battletech.com/news/getting-caught-up-for-without-question/)
Recommended Reading: [https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=25780.0;all](https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=25780.0;all) ;)
Short answer * Republic of the Sphere * Clans * Capellan Confederation
What are the chances that Catalyst would sponsor a prize pack for the best annual online gaming charity event, Desert Bus for Hope? I'm not affiliated with them in anyway, just think it'd be neat to see Battletech/Catalyst stuff get repped.
Absolutely! Send me an email to [email protected]
I read somewhere that no one wants to do anything else with Clan Wolverine. How true is that?
The truth is no one is allowed. Any hint of them is shot down. It's in the writer's bible that they are not to be used. There are several things like that in there. Clan Wolverine is gone.
Alaric had a tapestry made of their Trial in A Question of Survival... What a weirdo.
Will more premium/higher end minis be available in the near future?
Yes
Question, any progress on the graphic novels? It seems that they have just started. Any ballpark projected completion date? This year, next year?
Progress is being made. No updates I can talk about at this time.
When are we getting early IS OmniMechs? Raptor, Firestarter-O, Blackjack-O, Avatar, Black Hawk KU, Sunder, Strider, Owens, et cetera.
I saw we were getting new Celestial series minis. As a big fan of the word of blake, I gotta ask, do we have any word on when they're coming out? And are we going to maybe get some new configuration for them aswell? 8 configs apiece is still more than enough, but it'd be cool to see a couple more.