Ish Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 Catalyst’s latest Kickstarter is for the next expansion of the revamped BattleTech franchise. The Kickstarter campaign launched this morning and has already (as I type this) hit $2.9 million dollars in backing and rising fast. The physical products from this wave aren’t expected to begin delivery until June or July 2024. But holy heck… The hype-train is rolling. Edit to Update: It’s a little after 10:00 AM PST, as I type this, on day two of the KS and they’re sitting just shy of $3.8 million dollars. Bargained well and done! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cgl/battletech-mercenaries?ref=user_menu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted March 24, 2023 Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 I backed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted March 24, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 I jumped in at the Company level ($150), I’m not particularly excited by any of the ‘mechs in this round (I’m a sucker for the machines from the early eras), but I really want those vehicles Force Packs for the M*A*S*H / mobile command set and the LRM/SRM carrier set. I figure by the time this set arrives next summer, I’ll have actually played enough BattleTech that I’ll be ready to start adding more combined arms elements to my game play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted March 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2023 So… Kickstarter’s front page has a little graphic where you can see recently started crowdfunding campaigns. BattleTech: Mercenaries is in list and the little info box just says “9,058% funded.” I just find it amusing how nonchalant that info is presented. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 6, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2023 As of my typing this, the Kickstarter Has raised $5,013,427 of the $50,000 goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 17, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2023 $5,998,704 pledged as of 8:25 AM PST, with over 20,000 backers… and about 72 hours to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted April 17, 2023 Report Share Posted April 17, 2023 6m now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 Twenty. Twenty. Twenty-four hours to go… Seems to have stalled out at not quite $6.5 million. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cgl/battletech-mercenaries?ref=user_menu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted April 19, 2023 Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 What really amazes me is that battletech just became this forgotten game for so long. It was my first wargame that I ever got into, well before GW games. The rules really haven't changed too much either. And now Catalyst is really bringing it back without honestly doing too much. The figures are great...so that appeals to model collectors. And the new packaging of starter sets and boxes is fairly reasonable price wise. Granted, they have also expanded the timeline ever further than before and also done work to try and "fix" other less popular additions. I'm just excited to get back into playing and really enjoying the game again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2023 Between the Harebrain Schemes BattleTech and the MechWarrior 5 video games, the recent push into remodeled plastics from CGL, and the incredible viral popularity Tex Talks BattleTech YouTube videos… BattleTech is seeing a huge surge. That the 1,000 lbs. gorilla of hobby wargaming – Games Workshop – has spent the last couple of years making business decisions that really irked a lot of their longtime customers has only added to that. Classic BattleTech is a very deep system, but the modularity of the rules means you only have to wade as deep into those waters as you want… and given that the rules have been revised very little over the last four decades means there’s a wealth of knowledge out there to help explain things. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 For me, the hardest part of the new battletech is deciding how to paint the models. I have no intension of have armies for every faction. So deciding who the mech is sided with and how to paint it is currently giving me choice paralysis. 🙂 On the one hand, I'm a long time Davion supporter....but then during the college years, kinda switched over to Kurita. And then there are a few Merc companies that I have always liked. Argh! 🙂 #firstworldgamerproblems 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 Paint everything in camouflage! If you don’t add faction specific decals or markings, then every ‘mech can fit into whatever force. I’m planning to make a slightly over-strength company of my favorite ‘mechs in a Canopian Highlanders parade color scheme. Everybody else gets camo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 Reactor online… $7,161,690 pledged. Sensors online… 14,323% funded. Weapons online… Four hours to go. All systems nominal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 Watching the money go up in real time. Almost to 7.5mil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted April 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 $7.5 million and change at the final bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ish Posted May 31, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2023 They raised a further $1.6 million in post-campaign contributions… $50 of it from me. I was the 4,050th backer, qualifying me for that sweet first day bonus aerospace fighter. (At least, I hope it’s a good fighter. I’ve literally never played a game of BattleTech where anyone used any aircraft…) My haul: 1 × 100mm Timberwolf (per backer) 1 × Laser-effect "Chevron" Dice General Issue 16mm 1 × Supersized Poster Set 1 × Mercenaries Box Set Exclusive 1 × Officer's SWAG Challenge Coin Magistracy of Canopus 1 × Officer's SWAG Lapel Pin Magistracy of Canopus 1 × Mercenaries Forcepack: Battlefield Support Objectives 3 × Salvage Boxes Mercenaries (Legendary) 1 × Mercenaries Forcepack: Battlefield Support Battle & Fire Lances 1 × Mercenaries Forcepack: Inner Sphere Battle Armor Platoon 3 × Salvage Boxes Mercenaries (BattleMechs) 1 × Salvage Boxes Mercenaries (Blood Asp) 1 × Mercenaries Forcepack: Battlefield Support Assault & Cavalry Lances 1 × Salvage Boxes Mercenaries (Battlefield Support) 1 × 40th Anniversary T-shirt 2XL 1 × Salvage Boxes Mercenaries (Visigoth Aerospace Fighter) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Glacius Posted June 1, 2023 Report Share Posted June 1, 2023 I was the 651st backer and in total dropped a little over $400. 😳 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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