ScrapYard Armory

Day three is done and gone.  Saturday always has a lot to offer for BattleTech fans.  Let’s get right to it.

The BattleTech Open

I participated in the open this year and had a blast.  Each round features a choice of six ‘Mech pairings.  The first round is Inner Sphere Introductory Tech.  The second round is Inner Sphere Tournament Tech and the last round is Clan.

My first game I won with heavy losses.  Early in the game my opponent set up his Hammerhands on a map edge.  I took a chance and lined up my Chameleon for a push.  I survived weapons fire and made a 7 in the physical phase.  Poof, no more Hammerhands.  The Chameleon’s luck ran out quickly and was de-legged in one last gasp by the Hammerhands. The rest of the match was a slug fest by the two remaining units.  My slightly better pilot and heavier ‘Mech was the decider and I moved on to the next round with a win.

Not a great start but good enough to still be in the running.

My second match was a nail biter.  The battle was played on only one mapsheet which made it fast and brutal.  The TSM on my Vindicator was not the game changer I thought it could be and in the final three or so turns, my opponent deftly maneuvered his last mobile ‘Mech into positions where I could not get shots to his front or side arc.  Having not finished off an earlier tactical kill, I got the short end of the points.  Still a close game where both players got decent scores.

The last game was a matter of dice rolls.  What would we expect from Clan Heavies and Assaults?  I took the pairing with 3 ERPPCs and 2 Large Pulse Lasers.  The pulse weapons did not turn out to be the boon I was expecting.  After killing one ‘Mech each, we brutalized each other until each of us had a single ‘Mech with an ERPPC and an AP Gauss Rifle each.  For at least three rounds we circled each other until the final blow was delivered.  This was the closest game and could have gone either way with one fortunate dice roll.  It was a defeat but a high scoring one.

I know I didn’t win but I’m anxious to see how my final score compared with the rest of the field.  Supposedly this will be posted on the forums.  I can’t wait.

The tournament was good fun but could have been better prepared.  All of the record sheets for the pairings were not available at the start of the tournament.  Spots at the provided tables and chairs could also have been sectioned off in some way to guarantee space for the pairings to play their games.

Finally there has to be a way for the Demo Agents running the event to communicate information to the players without straining their already frayed voices.  By Saturday every other Agent had lost their voice from yelling over the crowds of Battletech fans.  Maybe a projector or a bull horn would help them herd the cats necessary to pull off the tournament efficiently.

Diorama Take Two

Each day the diorama takes on a slightly different layout as pieces are moved around and put in different places.  There is so much detail to see that I don’t always catch everything the first time.  Here are a few more pictures of the display for those unable to be here to see it in person.

The null sig Executioner was custom cast out of an Alumilite mold.  The acrylic casting material was supposed to be clear but the catalyst agent used to make the mold (which is yellow) leached into the finished product.  It still looks amazing and I wouldn’t have known it was an undesired effect without having talked to the CamoSpecs guys.

Flight School

Flight school, the introduction to low altitude fighter combat was a small draw this year.  Part of the low turnout was due to a scheduling error but certainly there was not as much interest in fighters as there was for the grinders.  That said, I hope they don’t get discouraged from offering it next year.  Variety is a strength of the BattleTech system that should be promoted.

Battle The Masters

This year the format for the game changed and for the better.  Instead of one massive game that lasted only three short turns, this time around the Masters were split up across five different games.  The fans banded together to take on the Masters and show them what for.

The event had a rocky start and did not begin until a full hour after it’s scheduled start.  Setup wasn’t even begun until 10PM which is a shame.  Catalyst owes their fans better, especially when most have paid quite a bit to get themselves to the convention and entry into the event.  I’m sure most had a good time despite, but I would rather see the Demo Team deliver on the expectation of well prepared and on time events.

I don’t think that is too much to ask.

Appropriately enough, the game ended with a tactical nuke strike on one of the battles courtesy of “Teh Pope”!

Mini Contest Results!

The CamoSpecs crew did a great job this year and took a first and fourth place finish.  It wasn’t the sweep of years past but still a great showing from some great artists.  The exposure for Iron Wind Metals is fantastic.  Seeing these ‘Mechs painted so well is inspiration for  gamers such as myself that even ‘Mechs can be beautiful.

Return of Late Night Quick Strike

One night of QuickStrike just isn’t enough especially when we are in the late hours of a GenCon Saturday.  This mission featured two Inner Sphere companies and one Clan Binary per side.  That would be 68 units in total.

By the end of the night it was seven on about fourteen (~70% casualties).  The game was fast paced and lots of fun.  If you have not played QuickStrike you need to.  It is the highlight of Strategic Operations.

The terrain for this event was provided by Wild Child Gaming, a new terrain company that is in the process of forming.  I can’t say enough about their work, the game looked fantastic.

GenCon Moment

It’s around dinner time and I’m running around dropping stuff off at the hotel.  For those who have experienced rush hour convention hotel elevators, you know it can be a mess.  They are crammed with people all trying to get from point A to point B and it always takes longer than you ever think possible to get to the damn lobby.

So I finally get into an elevator packed with people and am heading down to the ground floor.  I look left, I look right, and I realize that I am in an elevator with the entire cast of The Guild!  I geek out and am able to take one poorly framed picture before I reach my destination floor.

Of course they were busy with their own conversations/phone calls, so there was no time to ask questions or say more than a quick greeting.  Still, I was in an elevator with The Guild at GenCon.  Sweet!

Claustrophobia

Back to some non-BattleTech games.  I originally saw an online video for Claustrophobia and liked it enough to give it a try at the demo tables in the Asmodee booth.  The game has a similar feel to Decent.  It’s a dungeon crawl game where one player plays the heros trying to escape the dungeon while another plays the monsters, intent on killing the dungeon divers at all costs.

The game plays fast once the rules are taught and the damage and dice initiative system is unique and refreshing.

I don’t know that I would run out and buy it today, but it is an interesting game with a lot of promise.

Dark Age

Dark Age is a far future skirmish game on a distant planet long forgotten by a collapsed galactic empire.  The story and the miniatures are excellent.  The visuals are stunning and the game has a distinct flavor to it that is unique.

However the actual combat system is a bit mundane.  It’s a D20 system with the usual stat lines you would expect from the genre.  Par for the course unfortunately.  The one interesting element I took away from the demo was the possibility of cascading charges.  Whenever a unit bases another, it gets a free action to attack (charging).  Units with several actions can bounce from one enemy to another assuming they kill each in succession.

All together not a bad game but not one I would want to pick up.

Day two is in the books and it was a busy one.  I started the day at the two BattleTech seminars in the Marriott before spending more time in the exhibitor hall taking in the sights and getting demos when my curiosity was properly piqued.

I spoke with the Iron Wind Metals guys for a bit.  The smaller BattleForce Mechs are indeed going to be for sale sometime in 2011.  There are a few more sculpts being made to fill out the line before being offered up.

What’s Up with Catalyst and BattleTech

First up, Loren Colman took the floor and dealt with the elephant in the room.  There are lots of rumors flying around but it is not the intent of these seminars to confirm or deny rumors or missinformation.  Yes the company is having problems.  Problems they are dealing with.  They would much rather spend their time focusing on what is important, the fans and the game.

Topps is in fact flying in to GenCon to spend time with Catalyst and is in talks for a long term licensing deal.

On BattleTech:

The box set missed GenCon but as Brent the Art Director pointed out, “For what is worth, it’s not our fault.”  To which Randall had to add.

I’ve never wanted to punch a baby seal doll more in my life. -RB

That said, the box set is due in the fall.  A Time if War is due in the winter (December).  Era Report 3052 will be a sourcebook with roleplay support.  Moving into 2011 we are looking at two Jihad books, Reckoning and field manual 3085.  Reckoning will cover the founding of the Republic as well as Word of Blake weapons and systems that were not widely deployed and/or kept under wraps after the war.

2011 will also see the Liao Handbook, Interstellar Ops, the Clan Box Set, and Historical: Reunification War.

There was little revealed about the War of Reaving or the Ares class BattleMech.  That said, there was ample innuendo that after the Jihad wraps up, the Clan Homeworlds would be due for some attention.

One interesting note is the fact that the Starterbook line did not do as well as was hoped.  Future releases if any would most likely be a PDF release only.

On Leviathans:

It’s a cool game and Catalyst wants to be a cool company that makes cool stuff.  There is no release date yet.  Catalyst wants to make the box set the biggest and baddest box set they have ever produced.  That would make for a price point around $80-100 which is roughly on par with the biggest from companies like Fantasy Flight Games.

That could all fall through if they can’t make it all fit in that price package but they are striving for it.

Here are some fun quotes, paraphrased of course.

Herb is the Line Developer for BattleTech when I let him. – RB

Ergo, it’s like a BattleTech rules debate. -HB

Painting Contest

Here are the BattleTech entries I saw in the painting display yesterday.  No doubt they are from some of the best at CamoSpecs.  Lets wish them the best as the compete against the field in the Machines of War category.

Late Night Quick Strike

Late at night what else is there to do but bash ‘Mechs in an impromptu Quick Strike battle with the Camo Specs artists and a few battalions of our nearest and dearest ‘Mechs.  We were looking at around 50% casualties after the second turn and at the end there were far more broken ‘Mech carcasses than there were active.  It was a lot of fun and I hope that QuickStrike makes it into the official schedule next year.

Other Games

I can’t write about everything I do and see in the exhibitor hall but here are a few highlights.  I wanted to get into a few others but crowds made it impossible to squeeze into a demo.  I have two more days to get those in and I expect I’ll get my chance eventually.

AE-WWII

I took a quick demo to try out this game.  It features a D6 system similar to WH40K. Roll to hit, roll to save.  The miniatures look great and stat cards are not official but fans have found ways to make their own.  Not a bad game but I felt it lacked a hook to make it unique and interesting.

Castle Panic

Not every game has to be a dark and scary theme.  This light hearted co-op board game has you protecting the castle from a swarm of orcs, goblins and other monsters intent on sacking and pillaging.  The board is divided into rings and colors.  The players will take their turns using their hand to attack specific locations on the board to keep the monsters away.  You can also repair walls and fortify defenses if you fall behind.  A very interesting game and fun too.  Not for everyone but this is one you can bring home for younger children.

Balance of Power

Balance of Power has super simple rules with very complex strategy.  There are three kinds of pieces; bankers, generals, and kings.  On your turn you can move or duplicate.  You gain points for taking over territories.  But you can only move one of each type of piece and you can’t have more than three units per territory.  My brain is spinning at the possibilities of this game.  When it comes out, it is sure to win over some fans.

Last Night on Earth

This zombie board game has been out for a while but I’ve never played it before.  They also had a martian invader themed addition which will be compatible with the original.  Long story short the zombies ate us in short order but we had fun splattering what brains we could.  A fun game and a worthy addition to a zombie fans board game library.

M.E.R.C.S Take Two

I did another game of M.E.R.C.S because I enjoyed it so much the first time.  We incorporated some advanced rules like bounding (coordinated move-fire actions to cover more ground than normal) and played two complete games in the time allowed.  Each faction won one game which I think is good news for game balance.

One of the most important features I saw was that an individual initiative system with over 10 figures on the board will work.

All The Rest

Conventions are awesome…

New Location at Hall F

Catalyst Game Labs gaming area moved this year.  The Wabash room just a stones throw away from the exhibitor hall was the previous home for Catalyst as well as Privateer.  This year there is a long corridor that snakes its way behind the exhibitor room and out into an enormous gaming space known as Hall F.

Catalyst is tucked in the middle between Heroscape and Heroclicks.  Privateer our pseudo convention gaming competitor (all in good fun…) is within spitting distance.

Wabash was always a noisy venue.  It will be interesting to see if the new space changes the audio quality at all.  More on that at the end of the convention.

Catalyst and Iron Wind Metals

Catalyst Game Labs in in their usual location within the exhibitor hall in a huge space in front of the main doors.  Iron Wind is tucked into a nearby space which is small but jam packed.  The shelves are filled with thousands of ‘Mechs, Vehicles, and Infantry including every single archive unit at regular prices.

The only thing I really missed was the Introductory Box set.  It’s unfortunate that they could not get them in for GenCon but I’m sure they tried their hardest.

The seminars are tomorrow so perhaps there is still hope that they have a surprise waiting.

CamoSpecs Diorama

This years diorama takes place on Terra near Cairo.  It’s the Liberation of Terra and there is little else to talk about so lets just get to some pictures.

Other Games and More Pictures

There is more to GenCon than BattleTech alone and I made a full day of games and demos.  Here are just a  few highlights.

Leviathans

I took in a quick Leviathans demo for an hour outside the massive hall F.  The event was filled and at least three people turned away when they saw the huddle of gamers around the single map.

I like the basic system.  The attack and damage system is robust and unique.  It was very easy to learn and after the first turn, myself and the rest of the group were rolling dice themselves.  We had three chances to crack the keel on various targets but didn’t have the dice rolls to make it happen.  An enjoyable system and perhaps worth a box set purchase in the future.

The only thing I found lacking was the movement portion of the turn.  There was little to do strategically besides rotate your ship around to spread damage.  I’ve heard that torpedoes (damn the torpedoes!!!) and other advanced features would make the movement phase more interesting.  As it is, there is no terrain in the air.  No way to jump into woods for cover.

M.E.R.C.S

MERCS is a new gaming company who originally made miniatures alone but is now expanding with an infantry skirmish rules set.

I was late to the demo but still managed to get in a complete game from start to finish in under an hour all while learning the rules.

The premise of the game is small unit tactics.  Each unit has a card that has stats but also serves as a movement template.  Each stat card is packed with information which can be foreboding for a new player but it gets easy quickly.  I enjoyed the game and may look into getting some of the miniatures.  Some of them could be stand ins for light battle armor in a Time of War game.

Warlord: Ebentop Cavern Crawl

Like massive dungeon crawls?  This map was amazing.  The Warlord rules were simple and easy to learn.  The combat was fast and furious.  What else can you ask for?  ‘Mechs will always have their place, but sometimes you just need to bury a sword in the skull of a Gnoll.

All The Rest

Pictures say it all…

Welcome to Cairo

Arrival and Badge Pickup

I had a much earlier arrival time this year which gave me additional time to explore the area, eat and stock up on the essentials.

There is a lot of media and advertising about a major expansion in the works to expand the Indiana Convention Center in part to accommodate the growing needs of GenCon and other conventions.  The construction is obvious and I’m optimistic about the proposal.  Allegedly this expansion will provide extra room for the big dogs but is not intended to bring the entire Convention within the confines of the Indiana Convention center.  The need for intimate settings will require the use of outside connected hotels.  That’s the theory anyways.  Time will be the judge.

Pickup BattleTech Game

Amid the scramble of late comers waiting to pick up their badges and tickets, I found the time to get in some impromptu BattleTech games using basic maps, introductory box set miniatures and a binder filled with record sheets from battles long past.

These items travel light and make it possible to enjoy BattleTech with a minimum of inconvenience.  Sure beats sitting in the hotel room with nothing to do but watch bad television.

There was an almost constant stream of on lookers and passers by whose interest ranged from a quick glance to detailed conversations.  The refrain from the most interested had a common theme.  “I haven’t  played BattleTech in years!”

Even with the surge BattleTech experienced in the last three to five years, there is a huge community of gamers who moved on long ago and haven’t yet been brought back to the BattleTech world.  Nostalgia is a strong pull.

Lets hope my luck turns as the weekend continues.  I decidedly lost my first game and my second is not looking good.

Requests Taken

Please please let me know if there are any specific events you’d like a photograph of or a question you would like to be asked.  GenCon comes but once a year and I’d hate to have squandered an opportunity to help a fan who can’t be here in person. Part of the fun of coming to GenCon is being able to share it with all my readers.

So, if you have a request, leave a comment and I’ll do my best to make it happen.

Thanks BH-21 for posting the raw log!  Since the chat was unmoderated, Herb had to deal with a flood of questions at times.  Reading the raw log was very confusing sometimes.  ScrapYard editor SaxyWolf put in the work to rearrange the transcript so the questions and answers are paired.  The transcript has been trimmed and at times reorganized for your convenience.

Where Battle Chat Live! occurs.

Questions and Answers

<Mendrugo2> So, how do you feel with JHS: Terra released?
<Habeas2> I feel it is time to get to the next project. The days when I celebrated every release have dwindled lately

<raven> Is the chaos campaign or some system of track campaigns going to continue after the Jihad?
<Habeas2> The Chaos Campaign system is the established method all future scenarios and in-universe tactical campaigns will be using, replacing the old FASA-era scenarios concept. So, yes, they will continue even after the Jihad sourcebooks have run their course.

<DeJaVu> Randall Bills has written two books of the series Foundation of clans. The first book in the canon, as published in English. Is the second book as canon?
<Habeas2> yes

<Mendrugo2> Why didn’t Mercury rate a writeup in JHS – Terra, considering it’s got a higher population in 3078 than Venus?
<Habeas2> Because Mercury still is little more interesting to the Terrans than the rest of the Belter settlements.

<raven> So what are the big releases that are planned to be in for Gencon?
<Habeas2> We cannot be certain of GenCon releases, even now. It is our hope that the Box Set will make an appearance, as well the first of the Map Tiles products, and at least two print BattleTech sourcebooks.

<Korsar> As we continue with the PDF-only-products and the Turning Points-Series seems like a very good job: Is there a chance that we see any adventure seeds (like in the chaos campaign) for AToW in future TP-products?
<Habeas2> An AToW Adventures series was planned for PDF release, but fell behind schedule and has been suspended pending the print release of A Time of War (as well as the result of several issues that cannot be disclosed at this time).

<Frabby> Any plans (or even wish) to bring the XTROs and Turning Point products into actual print (DTF)?
<Habeas2> Eventual print publications of Catalyst Game Labs’ PDF-exclusive products is a subject that we will be discussing internally at some point in the future, but the immediate plan is “not yet”.

<VhenRa> Had it been established prior to JHS: Terra that Mars was terraformed to the point you could walk on the surface without a space suit?
<Habeas2> VhenRa – Yes.
<Mendrugo2> That was addressed in the [Masters and Minions, p. 222 has the reference.  It’s also in one of the News articles from BattleCorps from a year or so ago.] – Blakist terraforming work caused a localized storm that killed the Zeta pilots who ejected.

<Mendrugo2> Herb – I love the Rattler.  Can you speak as to whether or not the mobile orbital guns from MechCommander are canon?  They seem to be similar class mobile structures to the Rattler.
<Habeas2> It remains to be seen; after all, even in the Star League’s day, we heard very little indications that even Terra had a ground-mobile SDS platform of any kind. The Rattler may be a unique Word of Blake creation that surpassed even Star league combat engineering.
<Mendrugo2> JHS:Terra p. 188 says it was built in Jonathan Cameron’s time.  The WoB just changed the payload.
<VhenRa> And built more if I recall correctly.
<Frabby> I thought it was a nod to the computer game
<Mendrugo2> That would imply that when the Clans give you SafCon, they really mean that otherwise they’d blow your DropShips out of the skies…
<Habeas2> It is not uncommon for us to build rules inspired by the video/computer games, but given how such games are always developed outside of our direct interaction, what happens in the computerized/video game BT products may not equate to canon
<Habeas2> Given the considerable challenge involved in their transport and manufacture, it seems unlikely the Clans have any mobile SDS Structures

<Trboturtle> What do YOU want to see in Battletech? :D
<Habeas2> What I want to see will begin in 2012

<raven> Era Report: 3052 and the Clan Boxed Set, still being worked on or shelved at this time?
<Habeas2> One was shelved. The other was not.

<VhenRa> The Phobos Skyhook in the Touring Terra section of JHS: Terra. Is that an actual Skyhook based on the concept similar to a space elevator. i.e. A long cable ranging down from space into the atmosphere?
<Habeas2> That is a subject I would refer to the author of the section.  The author was Michael Miller (“Cray” on the CBT forums)

<VhenRa> Where would I ask on the forums in order to get a reply to that question?
<Habeas2> Since virtually all authors have been stripped of their Writer’s title on the forums, General Discussion, include a “CRAY HELP ME!” in your title
<Korsar> Herb @authors: O.o That was unexpected
<Habeas2> This was a necessary action in regards to recent developments on the forums.

<Frabby> Does that mean the Jihan timeline will run out this year? (As in, getting wrapped up and all associated products published?)
<Habeas2> The Jihad timeline has two more sourcebooks planned, which should appear next year.

<DeJaVu> Will we see in the near future at battlecorps Founding Clans book 2 and 3.
<Habeas2> That remains to be seen, but we hope so. Managing Developer Randall Bills will require time to do so, however, and is quite busy these days on other matters.

<Mendrugo2> Is the art for the Caspar Mk II drones intended to also represent the general appearance of the Caspar Mk Is?  Or do they, canonically, look like big eggs with “HALT” on the forward display? :)
<Habeas2> No

<Taurevanime> A simple question. Who is the person responsible for making that insane Devastator from the new XTRO: Davion? And would it be possible to inform him that I love the insanity of that machine?
<Habeas2> That would be Chris Smith (AKA “Chunga” on the forums)
<Taurevanime> Why am I not surprised it was him? XD
<Habeas2> Given that I do not know you personally, I have no idea why you are not surprised.  However, fun fact: The Mech was very nearly redesigned after the similarities to the XTR: Corporations Charger were underscored.

<Korsar> Jihad HotSpots: Terra: Do you like the way it came together? Is there a part you really like?
<Habeas2> Completing it. Due to scheduling issues, towards the end, all of the assignments I reserved for myself had to be turned over to other authors, leaving me primarily to simply organize the book.

<Mendrugo2> Is “Free Mars” in JHS-Terra a conscious nod to Babylon 5 (a series you’re known to look on kindly)?
<Habeas2> All things considered, a Martial liberation movement would be hard-pressed to find a better name, really. While I very much enjoyed Babylon 5, this was not a deliberate nod to the series.

<Frabby> Seeing how we’re mainly discussing current and upcoming products, I have to ask: Will all OOP products from FASA times eventually become available as PDFs? I found these extremely useful, as I am highly interested in fluff and context. The Star League book for some 7 bucks as opposed to a collector’s item for 170 was a great bargain and so was Tales of the Black Widow, and other early products. PDFs and private collection together I have almost every OOP book now, with the notable exception of FCCW sourcebook and Rolling Thunder. Any chance to see these in PDF at some point?
<Habeas2> Frabby – At the time, the plan to republish OOP FASA products in PDF form remains an active consideration, yes.

<BH-21> Will any historical products either HTP: or Historical: (Print) or even “A Time of War” set to focus on Helm in 3028?
<Habeas2> Regarding a Tuning Point set on Helm, it is a possibility

<Mendrugo2> A question about the EARC versions of the novels – does BattleCorps plan to release all the old novels in that format over the coming years?  What about the status of The Sword and the Dagger, which was never had a ROC printing?
<Habeas2> I believe the plan is for BattleCorps to publish EARCs for all novels they can, but I am uncertain at this time whether they have EARCs for all of the novels that ever were.

<Mendrugo2> If you’re looking for another Campaign Turning Point like “Red Corsair” (spread over a bunch of planets), you couldn’t do much better than McCarron’s ‘Long March’ campaign.  Just sayin’.
<Habeas2> At this point, the Line Developer would like to indicate that it is a Catalyst Game Labs policy to NOT accept unsolicited concepts or project ideas from “off the street”.

<BH-21> Was there references to or was it a whim to make Michi’s Ostroc a jumper?
<Habeas2> Unknown by me. But considering that the fact-check group did not flag and change it, it appears that there either was support for it, or no canon against it.

<Mendrugo2> Herb – can you speculate (non-bindingly) about what sort of products might be considered down the line to flesh out the Republic of the Sphere?  A Handbook? A Field Manual? A glossy coffee table art book?
<Habeas2> One TRO, one Era Report, and possibly one Field Manual.

<Maelwys> Are any time jumps planned in the future?

<Habeas2> Yes.  As most of you should not be shocked to hear, covering the period between the Jihad and the 3130s is largely seen as a relative waste of time; the conflicts were very limited, and spread out across 60 years. We will not linger in the ashes of the Jihad very long as a result.

<Trboturtle> But there will be historical based between 3085 (or so) – 3130?
<Habeas2> There are several Historicals still on the schedule

<Mendrugo2> Herb – Can you update us on the current status of the Core Book series?  Interstellar Ops?  Universe Book?  Progressing?  Back Burner?  Released last month but we didn’t notice?
<Habeas2> AToW: Awaiting print. Interstellar Ops – In progress.  Universe Book – Waiting for me to axe it.

<DeJaVu> Stragglers from Clan Ice Hellion reportedly raid the Periphery edge of the Ghost Bear Dominion, hitting Holmsbu, Constance, and Pinnacle, before Rasalhague KungsArmé forces manage to pin them down on Damian. They were refugees from Klanspeysa, “slivers” Civil War of Clans?  You see how any information about Civil War of Clans in clanspace?
<Habeas2> The Ice Hellion stragglers are an unknown factor at this time re: their origins.

<Taurevanime> There has been a lot of feedback on the two recent PDF releases, some positive some negative. Does this feedback have a (minor at best) influence on future products. I mainly ask because I have witnessed computer games going downhill because developers only listened to the vocal negative minority. And so am basically looking for reassurance that such a fate is not in store for Battletech.
<Habeas2> Feedback has some effect, but sales have far more effect. Needless to say, the negatives are horrendously outnumbered when one looks at sales figures.

<Taurevanime> I would like to ask what your opinion is about how the first official chat in such a long time has gone?
<Habeas2> This was a triumph. I’m making a note here: “HUGE SUCCESS!”

<DeJaVu> Will be decided whether favorably with paper books – Warrior, Bonfire? I love when they are pleasing to the eye on the shelf
<Habeas2> I cannot say for certain whether paper novels will make an appearance on the shelves again soon, but we remain committed to that goal nevertheless.

<Tolan> Are there any products related the War of Reaving in the works?
<Habeas2> Maybe. ;)

<BH-21> Will Welshman get a cookie for his work on 3085, or a kick in the groin?
<Habeas2> Welshman got his kick in the groin by GETTING 3085

<Tolan> Will you be at GenCon this year?
<Habeas2> Yes. I have to be.

<Mendrugo2> Who would win – Wolverines or Aliens?
<Habeas2> Me.

<Taurevanime> What kind of music do you like to listen to while you work, if any at all?
<Habeas2> Yes. At present, I am listening to a collection of music inspired by or from the Transformers movies….

<Taurevanime> It is well known you are a Transformers fan Herb. Have you managed to get a copy or at least play the new Transformers: War for Cybertron game?
<Habeas2> Nope. No time and I rarely leave the house.

<ice_trey> In the previous incarnations of the Battletech RPG, we’ve not been privileged to get a GM screen with the product. Since I believe the RPG’s print release is to be pushed back to later in the year if not the beginning of the next, will there be any GM screen or equivalent released with the product?
<Habeas2> There has been no plan to create a GM’s screen for A Time of War at this stage, but that remains an option down the road.

<DarkJackal> where do you envision BT/catalyst will be in five years time?
<Habeas2> Five years from now BattleTech and Catalyst Game Labs will still be alive and we will be enjoying the antics of characters, affiliations, and forces you have not met yet.

<Cavalier> I saw the unofficial chat transcript from earlier today. There was a point where you were reported to say we wouldn’t “linger in the ashes of the Jihad” for long. Was that more or less a confirmation of a time-jump the Dark Age frame?
<Habeas2> That was a pointed reference to the lack of engaging stories and developments in the time period between the Jihad’s end and the start of the Dark Age setting in 3130, and how we have no intentions of dragging people through 60 in-universe years of relative inactivity.

<Highball> JHS Terra has so many naval battles, but not a single track deals with any of them. I know Battletech is all about the Battlemech, but don’t you think you are neglecting the Aerotech side of the game a bit much? Will there be something released later for those of us that enjoy the Aerotech side of the game?
<Habeas2> The Tracks used in the Jihad campaigns were focused on mostly ground combat forces because, in effect, it presupposes the players as a group of mercenaries (by far the most flexible command, considering the variety of actions they may take part in.  For this reason, and given the fact that no current mercenaries possess WarShips, it was considered poor use of page space to offer Chaos Campaign tracks aimed at that aspect of gameplay
<GB> Though it is entirely possible to use aerospace forces in a track

<HsojVvad> Herb thanks for having another session. I read somewhere someone asked you what you would like to see in BT. Your answer was it will be 2012. Can you say anymore? Would this be story lines, or how the game is played differently?
<Habeas2> In effect, many of the developments in battleTech from the Jihad and forward were created at my desk, but certainly not all of them, as the Jihad itself was planned while I was still a novice writer. By about 2012, the bulk of our products will deal with universe events I effectively created from whole cloth.

<Ghost0402> Since the Jihad is more or less over, other than the wrap up stuff, as in previous times, will you all be holding a writers summit to help plan out the upcoming in universe years?
<Habeas2> The last Writer’s summit was 7 years before the one we held in November of 2009. If another summit is held, I would expect it not to occur until 2015-2016 at the earliest

<ice_trey> A two part question in regards to the hex packs: Firstly, can you release the name of the hexpacks to be released after Lakes and Rivers? Secondly, with the release of Hexpacks, are these going to be meant to replace the still-easy-to-find-but-out-of-print mapsheets, albeit compatable, or remain a complimentary product?
<Habeas2> the names of the next Hex Pack is not yet for me to reveal. And no, they are not intended to weholly replace mapsheets

<Mendrugo> When the ‘now’ period of the storyline moves forward, would it be to 3130-ish, or to 3143, where the WizKids materiel left off?
<Habeas2> The “now” of the story is technically 3078. The Dark Age “now” is currently wahetevr year Bonfire of Worlds left off at

<ice_trey> Just touching on some of the fluff questions prior: With the Jihad now coming to a close, how will CGL be handling the fluff from here on out? Will you trudge on ahead through the RotS years, will you start focusing on the early years of battletech (As the Age of War ‘mechs in 3075 seemed to hint), or will you be leaving the previous method of focusing your energies on a single time period in order to attack multiple time frames at once?
<Habeas2> As indicated, there will likely be a skim-over of the post-Jihad to the Dark Age, given the dearth of activities in that period.

<Sagittaire> Hi Herb, Can we get a list of all of the official CGL employee’s now that things have changed on the forms?
<Habeas2> At this time, the CBT forums recognizes the following as “Developers”: Ben Rome, myself, and Joel Bancroft-Conners (Ghost Bear, Habeas2, and Welshman, respectively). Catalyst Staff–the green mechs–are Sulla (Matt heerdt), and Precentor_Martial (Randall Bills).

<Highball> XTRO Davion has almost every Mech/Vehicle design featuring ClanTech to one degree or another. Is this going to be something incorporated into the future House XTRO’s?  And is ClanTech going to become much more commonplace if Clan Diamond Shark is selling it?
<Habeas2> The actual ratio of Clan to Spheroid tech in XTR Davion is roughly 7-8 or 13 units featured. This is not surprising considering Davion is one of the three biggest factions to have built up a Clan tech salvage pool.

<ice_trey> With the release of the Deimos, I’m just curious on how CGL plans to treat the design. Is it to be released in a print product, or will it be more treated as a PDF extra? Furthermore, should we expect to see more Mektek/Catalyst collabs on the way?
<Habeas2> As evidenced by the Historicals series, there will always be room for other eras of play. The Deimos is planned for an eventual TRO treatment. That will be revealed later

<Sagittaire> Will future source books in the 3130-40 etc be like the Hot Spot Series or will we get more FM types?
<Habeas2> It remains to be seen how all of the Dark Age setting sourcebooks will be presented.

<Korsar> Since I’m a big fan of the ISP books: Will there be sections that deal with conspiracy theories surrounding the ultimate demise of WoB in Jihad: The Final Reckoning?
<Void> For that matter, is there a future for ISP-style “maybe real, maybe not” books beyond the Jihad?
<Habeas2> Yes, there will be ample conspiracy mongering in Jihad: Reckoning. It remains to be seen if we will see more Interstellar Players-type books post-Jihad, but it is possible.

<Ghost0402> Any plans for a FM:U type product to give us a solid idea of how each faction stands after the carnage is over?
<Habeas2> There are plans for a post-Jihad summation of forces, yes.

<Cavalier> So, if there is an intent to pick up after Bonfire of Worlds, will there still be novels planned (or hoped for) that cover some of the other simmering plot-threads that got left behind? The civil war in the Combine, Caleb Davion’s madness, whatever is up with the Capellans?
<Habeas2> I cannot speak to novels at this time.

<ice_trey> In regards to the Handbook series of books, I’m curious about Handbook Liao. With the setbacks that CGL faced earlier in the year, is it realistic to hope to see a print version of the book released sometime this year?
<Habeas2> I cannot reveal the publication schedule for the Handbooks at this time.

<DarkJackal> I like the idea of x-tro and mini-campaigns. Will there be some special products in the future merging of the two to have a mini-scenario packs? I was thinking along the lines of a mini-campaign with a handful of showcase ‘Mechs but a much cutdown version than the starterbooks. In essence, the next flaver of books of this series.
<Habeas2> There are no plans to merge the XTR and the Turning Points series as they serve different functions

<ice_trey> In regards to the novels. The last Battletech print book, The Corps, seemed to only be released in LGS’es around the country, rather than mainstream book outlets such as Chapters. Will there be an effort to get future books into those retailers and into the hands of the average joes?
<Habeas2> Should the novel line resume, the hope is to get all fiction print books into mainstream outlets, yes.

<Ghost0402> Any tidbits you might be able to drop at this time about Era Report 3052?
<Habeas2> Era Report 3052 is a sourcebook focused on the early Clan Invasion period.

<ice_trey> Forgive the further prodding in spite of your saying you can’t speak on books, but I’m curious as to what the status of the print novels, or rather, how far down the pipe, they may be. Namely, The Corps 2, Warrior Omnibus, and the Jihad novel I’ve been antsing for since it’s cover art appeared in 25 ann art&fic.
<Habeas2> I cannot answer to the status of novels at this time.

<ice_trey> Ah yes. Are there any plans to provide BV modifiers to the Quirks list presented in Strategic Ops?
<Habeas2> No

<HsojVvad> Will there be any new rules coming in the future? I take it BT will always be the same with just a few tweaks correct? Do you think we will ever have a drastic change for BT?
<Habeas2> There are no guarantees, but considering the strange fact that BattleTech has survived despite being something of a dinosaur in terms of gameplay, when newer adaptations have failed, the rules are unlikely to undergo a massive change any time soon.

<Korsar> Some of the artworks in the last books were simply awesome. Any chance that we might get some of them to download as wallpapers in the near future?
<Habeas2> No idea

<bhrome> any truth to the rumors that kurita has been named as oscar’s successor?
<Habeas2> Annie vehemently disagrees

<Dukeroyal> Is there a chance for Interstellar Operations to be available in PDF before the end of 2010 or is it more likely for 2011?
<Habeas2> Interstellar Operations will likely not release this year

<General308> Any plans for a new Merc handbook?
<Habeas2> No

<ice_trey> With many people now using clickytech figs for use in Battletech, and a decided upscaling in the size of Battletech pewter sculpts over the past few years, the current size of the hexes on Battletech mapsheets is becoming less and less compatible. Are there any plans to release upscaled mapsheets in the future? (con’t)
<Habeas2> Not at this time, no.

<Dukeroyal> Is Handbook Minor Periphery States still planned for sometime in the future?
<Habeas2> No. That project was cut from the line-up before the Outlining stage.

<ice_trey> Alternately, with the use of heroscape tiles frequently being used at cons, and being a happy median that allows both clix and pewters to be used without overlapping hexes, has there been any consideration of joint venture with the holders of the Heroscape license to produce the tiles for Battletech?
<Habeas2> No such joint venture has been proposed as far as I am aware.

<Highball> I love strategic games …. the bigger the better. Will there be some kind of expansion on the BSG – Inner Sphere in Flames Ruleset such as an actual boxed game with a mapsheets / record sheets to play the game on/with?
<Habeas2> Highball – That ruleset will be dealt with in the Interstellar Operations core rulebook.

<ice_trey> Last year, though Harmony Gold saw fit to pull the plug on our fun rather early on, CGL got rights to the use of the Dougram and Crusher Joe designs that were used in the first Battledroids boxed set. Will we be seeing any fresh casts of these figures by Ironwind Metals?
<Habeas2> Unknown. That is a decision Iron Wind Metals makes on its own.

<Mendrugo> A question for the Interstellar Operations content – all of the Planetary Invasion battlemaps have been the same size.  Are there any plans to have official templates for worlds larger or smaller than Terra?  (I’ve experimented myself – it gets complicated with all the half-hexes)
<Habeas2> No such plans are being considered. The planetary invasion battlemaps are seen as abstractions, where the size of the world may simply more directly impact the scale of the hexes.

<ice_trey> Alternately, will we be seeing some of the old Victor Musical Industries commissioned figures (Such as the Jenner IIC, Behemoth) that were exclusively battletech-inspired be put back into minis production?
<Habeas2> Unknown. The sculpts developed by IWM are at the discretion of IWM.

<Highball> There is an abundance of new tech items being thrown into the BT universe. Do you have any concerns that by continuing the throw more and more higher technologies into the system that it will eventually become “broken” due to the escalation of damage, weight, etc etc in the newer weapon systems? Especially when Mech weight/armor is limited?
<Habeas2> Not really, especially since we’re about to hit a tech plateau….

<DarkJackal> what are you top 3 favorite ‘Mech designs amongst the release XTRO designs?
<Habeas2> I have no favorites at this time.

<HsojVvad> I remeber playing a board game, forget the name, but its where you are one of the great houses and you play on a galatic level. Is there any plans to release this or make a new version of it?
<five_corparty> Succession Wars was the name
<Habeas2> That was the Succession Wars boardgame. Though it gets discussed from time to time, there are no current plans to bring it back.

<Dukeroyal> Before making the jump forward to the 3130’s will events in the Clan Homeworlds, both before and during the Jihad, get covered, such as the Absorption War and the War of Reaving?
<Habeas2> I cannot say at this time. There are still two more Jihad-era books in development at this time

<Trboturtle> Speaking of which, how much do the cats help you with the storyline for BT? :)
<Habeas2> Occasionally, Oscar tells me to blow something up, and Kurita prods me to keep working when it seems like I’m going to nod off, so they help quite a bit

<ice_trey> Personally, I feel that Mechwarrior 3015 will play a strong role in marketing Battletech to those that generally wouldn’t visit a store that sells board games. Does CGL currently have any hand in the making of the new title (for fact checking)?
<Habeas2> CGL provided some information for the making of MechWarrior 3015. but I cannot say the full extent of our involvement.

<ice_trey> That said, will CGL have a chance to advertise the analog component of the franchise with the release of said game?
<Habeas2> Mapsheets, with miniatures.

<BH-21> Any chance of seeing “Wolf’s Dragoons Sourcebook” and “More Tales of the Black Widow” in .pdf format in the near future?
<Habeas2> BH-21 – I do not presently control the flow of which classic books are released in PDF, therefore I cannot say

<Highball> With the emphasis on the ground aspect (Battlemechs) in JHS Terra (which is understandable), will something be released in the future with some kind of list showing the WoB warships defending the Terran system so we can make scenarios for ourselves and play them? It was a big surprise to see there was a Farragut Battleship in WoB colors!
<Habeas2> Maybe.

<HsojVvad> Herb, do you still play BT in your spare time, or do you have to get away from your work? Also what is your favorite mech and why?
<Habeas2> The last game of Battletech I played was in November, a Quick-Start game against my wife, introducing her to BattleTech.  I like the TBT-5N because it was the first BattleMech I played in when I played in a long-running RPG campaign.

<Highball> Does CGL have any input on future computer games for Battletech? And can you comment if any are in development other than the current Mechwarrior game that seems to have been delayed.
<Habeas2> Not really.

<raven> Will Jihad: Final Reckoning continue the Chaos Campaign ala the Hot Spots books or will it skip over it like The Blake
Documents….or is it too early to tell?
<Habeas2> Seems no Campaign material is currently slated for that book.

<Taurevanime> Jordan Weisman is far to busy with his own company and projects to get involved with anything CGL does (Not to mention that he is not an employee). But does he give his approval of the way CGL has been moving the story forward and the direction you are going with it?
<Habeas2> Taurevanime – It is my impression that Jordan Weisman likes what we’ve done with the place.

<Highball> Can you with 100% conviction and certainty say that Battletech will never ever EVER have aliens introduced.
<Habeas2> No

<Mendrugo> What are your factional preferences?  And are there any factions that you detest?  (not in an ‘in-game’ sense, but ones that you wish had never been created?)
<Habeas2> My favorite factions are: House Steiner, Clan Hell’s Horses, Word of Blake. I particularly dislike Pirates, and the Wolf’s Dragoons
<Habeas2> Consider those groups and what’s happened to them and you may notice it really doesn’t matter HOW I feel about a faction.
<J_Schmetzer> Which means Herb hates all the things that I love. :(
<Habeas2> J_Schmetzer – I also love what you hate. ;)

<Mendrugo> And when will the Herbania system get a full write up?
<Habeas2> never

<HsojVvad> How did you get into BT? Did you just work there, or did you become a fan and then started working there?
<Habeas2> I was a fan first. I only played the game for about 6-7 years before my first professional work with FASA

<Taurevanime> Herb is always busy busy busy huh?
<Habeas2> My wife has taken a four-day vacation without me. Yes. I’m always busy.

<Trboturtle> Sastified with the BT universe so far?
<Habeas2> Yes. Always.

<BH-21> How is the Master Unit List coming along, and its possible release?
<Habeas2> The MUL is taking its sweet time being finalized. We’re using the team to chek the various TROs and pretty much anything with a Record Sheet now

<DarkJackal> Will devlin stone be cloned? :P
<Habeas2> Don’t be silly

<Pa> Are all the remaining Dark Age units that were described as introduced during the Jihad to be included in TRO: 3085?
<Habeas2> Yes.

<HsojVvad> Is there any spin off or anything like that planned for BT that you guys control? Be it a different game type, movies or what not?
<Habeas2> We control mainly print products only.

<Mendrugo> Has Topps expressed any interest in a line of Btech trading cards?  With or without bubblegum?
<Habeas2> Mendrugo – Not that I know of

<Taurevanime> Of all the stuff that has been published so far that you had a hand in writing. What has been your favourite act of destruction that you have dispensed Herb?
<Habeas2> Every nuke that’s hit Terra had a “Courtesy of Herb” sticker on it.

<ice_trey> Are there any initiatives being put in place to help Battletech compete with some of the big-name miniatures games out there right now, like Warmachine, anything by GW, and even Infinity, or is it currently just trying to cater to a specific niche?
<Habeas2> BattleTech has ALWAYS catered to a specific niche: its customers, whoever they may be.

<P_Dupree> What is your favorit boardgame (besides Battletech)
<Habeas2> I cannot remember the last time I played a non-BT boardgame.

<Korsar> Is there already a date for the next BattleChat, and if so, will the two Chats-a-day-routine be continued?
<Habeas2> I have not planned a date.  It will continue to be two-a-day for the benefit of various time zones, however.

<HsojVvad> Herb, what inspires you in your writing for BT fiction?
<Habeas2>Just about everything I watch and every game I play.

<Highball> JHS Terra had an in depth description of Terra’s past and the fact it is an industrial powerhouse.  Is there anything planned along the lines of a “Historical” that would follow Terra through its rise and fall during all these years?
<Habeas2> Not at this time, no.

<Dukeroyal> Is there a chance of collecting the MilSpec articles from Battlecorps and making them available for sale as a PDF?
<Habeas2> That is something I would need to contemplate and confer with Jason on. Not sure at this time.

<raven> Are there plans to continue the Starterbook line or have the sales not held that end up?
<Habeas2> The Starterbook line is finished. There will be no more.

<HsojVvad> Herb, what is your favoirte thing you did for BT that you are proudest the most.
<Habeas2> A Time of War, honestly. Even though that book very nearly killed me.

Questions Left Unanswered

For one reason or another, a few questions were not directly answered.  Here is the short list.

<VhenRa> The Dragon’s Breath seems very similar in the concept of salvo’ed missiles and heavy ECM.

<Maelwys> So the Ghost Bear war and Capellan conflicts with RotS are going to get the original War of 3039 treatment ala 20 year update?

<HsojVvad> What do people think if something new was introduced like aliens, so it’s not human vs human all the time?

<Nathan18> Thanks for releasing XTRO Davion, Misery, and JHS Terra.  Is there a chance that TRO 3085 will come out in PDF form around Gen-Con

<ice_trey> When you do play Battletech, how do you generally run it, yourself? Mapsheets? Miniatures rules? Heroscape? Pewters? Paper Cut-outs? Clickytech?

Iron Wind Metals is sponsoring a painting contest over at a WAMP.

The prizes are fairly decent.  Who doesn’t need a shot at some extra miniature spending money?

1. $40 Credit
2. $30 Credit
3. $30 Credit

The deadline is August 28th, giving us BattleTech fans a month and a half to conjure up our best paint jobs.

I’ll be very interested in seeing what figures are entered as any Iron Wind Metals figures are legal to enter.  BattleTech is only a small part of the total line of miniatures Iron Wind makes and sells.  There are plenty of fantasy, alternate sci-fi and historical miniatures in their portfolio.

I hope that BattleTech sweeps.  I’ll have to paint something up and get it in.  No better reason to get in some practice.

…well almost.  It looks like their site has been overwhelmed.

“While I think the ‘by hand’ note taking is effective for a turn based strategy game, its hardly the epitome of the kind of mechanized violence inherit in Battletech. The dynamic visuals and sound effects of the Mechwarrior and Mechassault series manage to highlight this best, and replace the somewhat detached strategic emphasis of the original with more visceral tactical experience.”

(Soon) You can download Mechwarrior 4 for FREE from MekTek.net. Grab their content download program MTX and click the /Games Available\ tab, select MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries and [install].  They have already made major contributions where past updates included:

• 75+ New Mechs
• 80+ New Weapons
• Dozens of New Maps
• 6 New Infantry
• A New Game Browser
• Anti-Cheat Mechanisms
• Offering free hosting for a (hopefully soon to be) MW4 league

FYI:

• MekPaks were updates for MW4:Mercs
• Mechwarrior: Living Legend (Crysis) is a  mods that is in open beta!
• Assault Tech 1: Battletech (v2.3.0 released Oct ’09) is MW2 reborn, not a mod.  It is free, but multiplayer is not available yet.
• Total Battletech (Total Annihilation) and Battletech: The Capellan Solution (C&C Generals) are BT themed mods but further development is on hold.
• Battlemech Hanger (BF 2142) is a mod not yet available.
• For those not paying attention to the MW5 news because the stress of anticipation would kill you… Harmony Gold stirred up some 13 year old copyright trouble.  At least that’s the last I’ve heard anyway.

http://www.livingdice.com/3808/gama-trade-show-2010-report-part-5/

Not much in the way of information but still a nice news item.

Before going into specifics about Catalyst Game Labs offerings, I took the opportunity to speak with Randall Bills regarding the recent financial issues announced by Catalyst. He described the issue as “bad habits” that originated at the founding of the company. He also stated that the issue came to light last November and Catalyst is implementing new financial processes and oversight to prevent the issue from reoccuring. Catalyst is now focused on moving forward as a company. Randall also said he had received a lot of support at GTS from attendees.

Interesting to note in the picture, there appears to be a copy of the Hex Pack: Lakes and Rivers in the far right corner.

What a week.

I’ve written and deleted this post about a dozen times now.  I’m at a loss for exactly what to say.

From Adam Jury via the CBT.com forums;

The details of my business relationship at Catalyst is irrelevant to the general public, but the fact that it no longer exists isn’t. I absolutely love the games I worked on, and I think that we accomplished great things in a short time, including my graphics work [with David Stansel and Matt Heerdt] on BattleTech, such as the the Box Set, Total Warfare, TechManual, and Tactical Operations. The entire crew — from writing to art to development to the camospecs crew and everyone else — put much blood, sweat, and tears into that series of books, and all I hope for now is that everyone continues to enjoy them for what they are.

Catalyst Game Labs is moving on from this.  There has been a very healthy flow of PDF products and Randall has posted up pictures of a brand new print product, HexPacks: Lakes and Rivers.  Maps have so far been the missing link with Catalyst.  Maps for the game have only been available as FanPro branded releases.  Maps will soon be back.  The product lineup from source books, fiction, miniatures and maps will be in place and available for new comers to get in the cockpit and fire their first PPC.

From Randalls blog post;

I believe in Catalyst, I believe in the team we have, I believe we’ll over come what’s occurred and come out of this down the road stronger than ever. Most importantly I believe in the strength of BattleTech and the community, and that’s a rock I’m using personally to help move forward.

Time to move on.  This blog will follow suit.  I have a review for JTP: Dieron, two battle reports from Cold Wars 2010, and enough draft posts to feed this blog for the next two years.

One last quote from the CBT.com forums, courtesy of Razziberry;

BattleTech is what cockroaches will be playing after humans die-off.

Hell yes.  Lock and load.