BattleTech 'Mercenaries' Kickstarter - SHIPPING UPDATE 4/15 (UPDATE #87)

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**Vain**

I was reading that too fast and read it as "A little bit of concerning info" and was trying to figure out why it was a bad thing.

Luckily the second glance sorted it out.
I would have only gone for a single delivery anyway so happy news on the dice!

**Chaoticus maximus**

https://bg.battletech.com/news/battletech-at-adepticon-mercenaries-kickstarter-launch-party-details-and-product-announcements/

I will just drop it here.

Was not aware of the UrbanMech variants. Nice surprise.

**Ancient Otter**

TThe owner and players of the Gathering shop has been supporting Battletech for decades here in Ireland and competing abroad in tournaments. Gets listed as part of the UK for the KS launch parties by Catalyst. 🙄

**Old-Four-Arms**

Ancient Otter wrote:
TThe owner and players of the Gathering shop has been supporting Battletech for decades here in Ireland and competing abroad in tournaments. Gets listed as part of the UK for the KS launch parties by Catalyst. 🙄

That error was pointed out yesterday on the BT forums and has been corrected in the meantime :

Ireland: The Gathering, 43 Lower Gerald Griffin St, Limerick, V94 Y1F7, Ireland.

**Ancient Otter**

Old-Four-Arms wrote:

That error was pointed out yesterday on the BT forums and has been corrected in the meantime :

Ireland: The Gathering, 43 Lower Gerald Griffin St, Limerick, V94 Y1F7, Ireland.

But still not corrected n the announcement page. Can't wait for them to announce a shop in India or Hong Kong as the next UK store to have a launch party

**Old-Four-Arms**

Ancient Otter wrote:
Old-Four-Arms wrote:

That error was pointed out yesterday on the BT forums and has been corrected in the meantime :

Ireland: The Gathering, 43 Lower Gerald Griffin St, Limerick, V94 Y1F7, Ireland.

But still not corrected n the announcement page. Can't wait for them to announce a shop in India or Hong Kong as the UK store to have a launch party

Yeah, just noted that main announcement page still lists incorrect information. My bad for not having checked..

**Ghaz**

Ancient Otter wrote:
But still not corrected n the announcement page. Can't wait for them to announce a shop in India or Hong Kong as the next UK store to have a launch party

From the BattleTech Forums:

Cubby wrote:Shoot—you’re right, of course. I’m out for the evening but will try to fix it on mobile immediately.

It has been corrected, so if you're still seeing the wrong information refresh your page or clear your cache.

**Dysartes**

Ancient Otter wrote:
TThe owner and players of the Gathering shop has been supporting Battletech for decades here in Ireland and competing abroad in tournaments. Gets listed as part of the UK for the KS launch parties by Catalyst. 🙄

I'm curious - has the owner from the Gathering indicated that they've been offended by this at all, or are you trying to make it a thing when they're not bothered?

**Flinty**

I think stating that Ireland is part of the UK is unlikely to go down well, and a can of horror best not to open.

**H.B.M.C.**

I think it was a minor clerical error that no one will care about, let alone spend this long talking about.

**Ghaz**

From Catalyst Game Labs:

When the Mercenaries Kickstarter launches from the floor of the first day of Adepticon, Thursday, March 23, you’ll have a front-row seat thanks to the livestream we’re offering throughout the weekend. Keep an eye on bg.battletech.com this Friday, March 10 for the full schedule and guest list for the livestream from Adepticon.

Even better, we’re inviting BattleTech fans worldwide to join in the celebration, with Mercenaries launch parties planned around the globe! Here’s the lineup so far:

California: Gamelandia, 290 California Ave, Ste A, Palo Alto, CA 94306
New York: Legendary Realms Games, 294 E Montauk Hwy, Lindenhurst, NY 11757
North Carolina: Hangar 18 Hobbies, 112 Kilmayne Drive, Cary, NC 27511
Texas: The Forge Hobbies and Games, 14520 Memorial Drive, Suite 28 Houston TX 77079
Washington: Zulu's Board Game Cafe, 10234 Main St Bothell, Washington 98011
Canada: Ogre's Den Gaming Club, # 23, 3220 5th Avenue NE, Canada.
Germany: UniPlay e.V., Heckerdamm 210, 13627 Berlin, Germany
UK: Travelling Man/Leeds Wargames Club - Hicks Hall, 60 Bankfield Terrace, Leeds, LS4 2RE, United Kingdom
Ireland: The Gathering, 43 Lower Gerald Griffin St, Limerick, V94 Y1F7, Ireland

One additional venue is in the process of being confirmed, and will be announced shortly. Additional information about the launch parties will be posted in our next update on Friday, March 10,.

**Ghaz**

Adepticon Livestream Preview and Schedule

We’re extremely excited to reveal our guest list and schedule for the livestream at AdeptiCon 2023 for the launch of the Mercenaries Kickstarter.

We’d like to thank the Lynnvander Studios team that will be running and hosting our livestream, which will be hosted at www.twitch.tv/Sixsidesofgaming and YouTube.com/sixsidesofgaming

GUESTS

The following BattleTech guests will be available directly at the show for questions, autographs, and handshakes, as well as participating in the livestream.

Randall Bills

Randall N. Bills has been writing and game designing for more than twenty-five years. He’s overseen the publication of hundreds of sourcebooks, rulebooks, boxed games and more for BattleTech across four different companies, as well as creative input on numerous other beloved game universes, including Shadowrun. He’s also written a half-dozen novels–including the Founding of the Clans trilogy–was the lore advisor on Harebrained Schemes’ BattleTech computer game, and was the co-story developer for Piranha Games’ MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries computer game. His most recent game publications include the alternate history tabletop miniatures game Leviathans and the Dungeons & Dragons Dragonfire deck builder game.

Loren Coleman

Loren L. Coleman is the owner and publisher of Catalyst Game Labs, and the most prolific writer in the History of the BattleTech Intellectual Property. Since 1994, starting with FASA, Loren has published 13 novels, scripted four computer games, written more than 100 short fiction pieces, and has been a major contributor in dozens of sourcebooks. #annoyingmikestackpole.

Ray Arrastia

Ray Arrastia is the BattleTech Line Developer for Catalyst Game Labs. His passion for the game goes back more than three decades, when he started playing the game at local game stores with friends. For the last 18 years, Arrastia has been a key part of BattleTech in a gamut of roles from QC, art, design, production, development, storyrunning, and management. He is a proud member of the team that has revitalized BattleTech for both the new and old generations of fans.

Brent Evans

Brent Evans is a long-time illustrator and award-winning art director. As an artist, he began freelancing in 1987 and worked in many genres including political cartoons, comics, and children’s books. In 2005, he was hired by gaming visionary Jordan Weisman to work on several games, and immediately distinguished himself as one of the core illustrators for the BattleTech franchise. His creative design and project management style inspired his elevation to Senior Art Director in 2009 for many legendary gaming franchises, including BattleTech, Shadowrun, D&D’s Dragonfire, Valiant RPG, and many more. From 2017-2019, he took on the additional role as Line Developer, leading the overhaul of the BattleTech product line and catapulting the brand into the industry-leading global success it is today. It is said that Brent’s “superpower” is the ability to recruit and develop creative talent.

Additionally, Brent is a graduate of and serves as a Board member for the Game Design & Development program for the University of Washington. In January 2023, he launched his first new franchise creation called LAND & SEA, with a novel trilogy available as an Amazon exclusive.

Anthony Scroggins

Anthony Scroggins is the art director of miniatures design for BattleTech, wrangling a team of ’Mech nerds. Back in the year 2000, he discovered MechWarrior, and has been a fan of BattleTech ever since. A feelance scifi artist for 14 years. Mechs, armor, and space have always been a focus of interest. He lives in rainy Oregon, and has been enjoying the resurgence of tabletop BattleTech in a rapidly growing local gaming community.

Marco Mazzoni (Only Available Saturday and Sunday)

Marco Mazzoni is a concept artist/art director at Harebrained Schemes and a cover illustrator for BattleTech. With a love of the universe that goes back to the late ’80s, he is living his childhood dream of painting mechs and contributing to the recent resurgence.

John Helfers

John Helfers has been working in branded IP development and publishing for more than twenty-five years. During his eighteen years at Tekno Books, at one time the largest book packager in the nation, he managed several New York Times-bestselling novel series, working with such authors as Tom Clancy, Charlaine Harris, Dale Brown, Mercedes Lackey, Stephen Coonts, and many others, as well producing hundreds of anthologies and novels.

Currently, he’s the Executive Editor at Catalyst Game Labs, where he oversees the fiction lines for BattleTech, Shadowrun and Leviathans, publishing more than 1.5 million words of original fiction every year. He lives and works in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Michael Ciaravella

Michael J. Ciaravella is the author of three BattleTech novels (Grey Watch Protocol, Paid in Blood, and The Damocles Sanction) a half-dozen short stories, sourcebooks, and the occasional witty remark. Constantly shocked that he has been playing BattleTech for nearly thirty years, Michael is honored to be allowed to indulge in his passion for writing in a universe that has been close to his heart for as long as he can remember, and working with the team that has done so much to reinvigorate the game we all love. In his remaining free time, Michael is the Chief Executive Officer of Clarion Game Studios, and is a Game Designer known for his work in the Hull Breach, Henchman, and Four Horsemen gaming IPs.

More

And there may be others, from additional BattleTech luminaries to reviewers, industry professionals, and more, all sharing what BattleTech has meant to them.

SCHEDULE

The livestream will be filled with wonderful interviews, round table discussions, and of course, a host of awesome Actual Play Legendary Battles. The current schedule can be found here (subject to change): https://bg.battletech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AdeptiCon-Mercenaries-Livestream-Schedule-Sheet1.pdf

**H.B.M.C.**

Another preview, this time of the lowest level in the KS:

(I hope that worked)

I wonder if other pledges will include the Beginner Box? I don't own that Vindicator mini.

**beast_gts**

EDIT: Ninja'd

**Nicorex**

Just so long as we get ANOTHER Griffin.

**H.B.M.C.**

I'm just hoping they're offering the boxed set miniatures as separate purchase options.

They did it during the last KS - you could get the 10 'Mechs (including the double Wolverine) from the Beginner/AGoAC boxes as well as the 5 Clan 'Mechs from the Clan Invasion boxes as separate buys - so I'm really hoping that the Alpha Strike and Merc Box 'Mechs/Vees are available separately.

I'm also trying to find out if there are any Early Bird specials that will be heavily fought over in the opening seconds, because for those of us on the other side of the planet this launches at 3am.

**Nicorex**

Well if I hear any news at Adepticon on thursday I will let you all know.

**Midnightdeathblade**

Im just hoping for further lance pack stretch goals than what we know of so far. So many units with new amazing art that so-far are not being covered in this kickstarter.

**Dysartes**

What's a SalvageBox?

**privateer4hire**

Dysartes wrote:
What's a SalvageBox?

A box with a single figure. One of the campaigns had urbanmechs and aerospace fighters available in this single figure format. So if you bought it, you knew you were getting, say, a single urbanmech.

They also had random mech assortment available. You knew it was a mech but not which one. The random ones made it to retail.

Example (currently sold out):
https://store.catalystgamelabs.com/products/battletech-salvage-box-clan-invasion-full

**H.B.M.C.**

The bigger pledges during the last campaign all came with X amount of Lance/Star Packs.

Lance Packs came with 4 'Mechs.
Star Packs came with 5 'Mechs.

So if you wanted nothing but Lance Packs you would technically be getting less for the same cost.

To mitigate this, they had SalvageBoxes. If you chose a Lance Pack as one of your "included" packs, you got a SalvageBox to go with it, and as many as you chose Lance Packs. Your pledge level comes with 6 packs, and you chose all Lance Packs? You get 6 SalvageBoxes.

You could also purchase additional SalvageBoxes if you wanted.

**beast_gts**

BattleTech wrote:Choose wisely, Mechwarrior.
Over the next few days, we'll be giving you some sneak peeks at the Battletech: Mercenaries Kickstarter campaign reward tiers. Whether you are a new recruit, a veteran, or you control your own regiment, there is something for everyone.
Check it out, and don't forget to follow the pre-launch page so you are in the front lines of this project! https://www.backerkit.com/.../8fd3639a-e1cd-44b9.../landing
Next up, we have something for our Veterans, including the Mercenaries Box, Challenge Coin, Double Blind digital novella, and a 4" Timber Wolf! (You read that right! Watch for tomorrow's post to learn all about this awesome part of the reward).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

**Platuan4th**

4" is ok, but where's my Timber Wolf to "scale" with my collection of Battletech cartoon toys?

**Ghaz**

Platuan4th wrote:
4" is ok, but where's my Timber Wolf to "scale" with my collection of Battletech cartoon toys?

You couldn't afford one. From https://bg.battletech.com/news/battletech-at-adepticon-mercenaries-kickstarter-launch-party-details-and-product-announcements/

Destiny-scale Marauder ($244.99)
There will be a limited number of these gorgeous, large-scale, resin figures available each day of the convention. Clean up and assembly is required.

These figures are a test product; their availability after Adepticon 2023 and outside of convention sales has not been determined.

And that's only 25-28 mm. To fit with the old TYCO action figures they'd be a bit larger.

**Santtu**

Platuan4th wrote:
4" is ok, but where's my Timber Wolf to "scale" with my collection of Battletech cartoon toys?

Here's one

**Valander**

I mean, the 4" Timberwolf is cool, but honestly I'd have no use for it. Hopefully there's a swap-out or something. If not, I guess it'll just collect dust, or I'll eBay it.

**Platuan4th**

Ghaz wrote:
Platuan4th wrote:
4" is ok, but where's my Timber Wolf to "scale" with my collection of Battletech cartoon toys?

You couldn't afford one.

Speak for yourself.

**beast_gts**

I've got a big Timber Wolf somewhere that's got a video game built in.

**H.B.M.C.**

**Justyn**

4" Timberwolf, meh. I find that very underwhelming.

The Destiny scale Marauder is much more exciting. It looks pretty good. Is this a higher detail model? Or is it the same files scaled up. If the latter I can do that much cheaper. If the former, please give us some tasty pictures. Plastic Battle Armor in Destiny scale please!

If they add some of these to the Kickstarter I might have to get a Warhammer (if they make one). I find the Catalyst Marauder to not be my favorite nuMarauder. So for $250 I would just print one of the ones I like better.

\Perhaps they should talk to JoyToy.