2023 Mercenaries Crowdfunding Campaign (2024)

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Promotional Image for the 2023 Mercenaries Kickstarter

Summary[edit]

The 2023 Mercenaries Crowdfunding Campaign is a Kickstarter campaign that took place from 23 March 2023, 22:00 EDT to 20 April 2023, 22:00 EDT. Originally slated for launch in the Fall of 2022, the campaign was pushed back by CGL to coincide with the first day of the Adepticon 2023 wargaming convention.

News Release[edit]

“

Across the BattleTech universe, mercenary warriors are an undeniable presence on the battlefield. Whether they fight for pay, personal glory, the thrill of combat, or just the hope of keeping their unit together a little longer, mercenaries have played a decisive role in conflicts around the Inner Sphere for centuries. Building on the wild success of the Clan Invasion Kickstarter, the new campaign from Catalyst Game Labs will bring more than 50 new plastic miniatures to your battlefields, including BattleMechs, and for the first time ever, plastic combat vehicles to augment your 'Mech forces. Among the miniatures in production are the Firestarter, Griffin IIC, Ostroc, and Kraken ’Mechs, as well as the Galleon Light Tank, SRM/LRM Carrier, and Demolisher Heavy Tank. A variety of mercenary-themed stretch goals will also be included.^[1]

”

Before the Campaign[edit]

To build interest ahead of the campaign a number of PDF previews were released along with a pre-launch backerkit page on 13 January 2023. They also released a dropbox link to the open Beta playtest documents for BattleTech: Aces.

AdeptiCon 2023[edit]

When CGL launched the campaign, it was during Adepticon that they were attending in Schaumburg, IL. They also live streamed some of the events of the first 48 hours on CGL's official Youtube channel, SixSidesofGaming's Youtube channel and SixSidesofGaming's Twitch channel. Videos of these events and pre-recorded segments were uploaded later and were available on SixSidesofGaming's Youtube channel:

During the Campaign[edit]

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24 hour Live Stream[edit]

During the last 24 hours of the Kickstarter Campaign, CGL did a live stream event that included interviews with many of the influencers, artists, developers involved with BattleTech. It was streamed on CGL's official Youtube channel, SixSidesofGaming's Youtube channel and SixSidesofGaming's Twitch channel. People featured were:

Development:

Loren Coleman (Catalyst CEO and BattleTech writer)
Randall Bills (Catalyst's Lead Developer and BattleTech writer)
Ray Arrastia (BattleTech Line Developer)
Aaron Cahall (BattleTech Assistant Line Developer)
Talon Coleman (Online Operations Director)
Rem Alternis (Community and Marketing Director)

Art:

Brent Evans (Catalyst Art Director)
Anthony Scroggins (BattleTech Art Director)
Marco Mazzoni (BattleTech Artist)
Bishop Steiner (BattleTech Artist)
Elden Cowgur (BattleTech Artist)

Fiction:

John Helfers (Catalyst's Fiction Director)
Michael Stackpole (BattleTech writer)
Michael Ciaravella (BattleTech writer)
Phillip Lee (BattleTech writer)
Bryan Young (BattleTech writer)
Joshua Franklin (BattleTech Sourcebook writer)

Influencers:

Jordan Weisman (co-founder of BattleTech)
Ross Babco*ck (co-founder of BattleTech)
George Ledoux (Voice Actor)
Mike Tuñez (Game developer)

Rewards[edit]

The following products were announced as part of the upcoming crowdfunding campaign, either as core items, stretch goals, or add-ons:

Name	Item Type	Status
Mercenaries	Box Set	New
Mercenaries with exclusive box	Box Set	New and exclusive
BattleTech: Aces	Game Aid	New
BattleTech Universe	Sourcebook	New
BattleTech Universe Precentor Martial Edition	Sourcebook	New and exclusive
Double Blind	Novel (digital)	Pre-existing
Poisoned Honor	Novel (digital)	New
Corrupted Honor	Novel (digital)	New
Shattered Honor	Novel (digital)	New
A Night at the Lake	Short Story (digital)	New
Fortunes of War	Novella Series (digital)	New
Not the Way the Smart Money Bets	Novella (digital)	Pre-existing
A Tiny Spot of Rebellion	Novella (digital)	Pre-existing
A Clever Bit of Fiction	Novella (digital)	Pre-existing
If Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot...	Novella (digital)	Pre-existing
Tales of the Bounty Hunter	Anthology (digital)	New
The Mercenary Life	Anthology (digital)	Pre-existing
No Greater Honor	Anthology (digital)	Pre-existing
A Splinter of Hope	Audiobook	New
A Rock and a Hard Place	Audiobook	New
Close Quarters	Audiobook	New
Eclipse	Audiobook	New
BattleTech: Legends II	Art Book (digital)	New
BattleTech: Legends II	Art Book	New and exclusive
Cracked Canopy Cookbook: Recipes from the Inner Sphere	Art Book (digital)	New
Eridani Light Horse Wallpaper	Digital Wallpaper	New and exclusive
Eridani Light Horse/BattleMech & Vehicle Recognition	Poster	New and exclusive
Lexington Combat Group Wallpaper	Digital Wallpaper	New and exclusive
McCarron's Armored Cavalry/Lexington Combat Group	Poster	New and exclusive
Northwind Highlanders/21st Centuari Lancers	Poster	New and exclusive
4" Timber Wolf (Mad Cat) Model	Model	New
BattleTech Beginner Box, Second Edition	Box Set	Pre-existing
Visigoth Salvage Box	Miniature Set	New and exclusive
Mercenary Salvage Box	Miniature Set	New
Vehicle Salvage Box	Miniature Set	New
	Miniature Set	New and exclusive
Blood Asp Salvage Box	Miniature Set	New
Mercenary Retaliation	Miniature Set	New and exclusive
Alpha Strike Retaliation	Miniature Set	New and exclusive
Inner Sphere Recon Lance	Miniature Set	New
Inner Sphere Pursuit Lance	Miniature Set	New
	Miniature Set	New
Inner Sphere Security Lance	Miniature Set	New
Clan Cavalry Star	Miniature Set	New
	Miniature Set	New
Inner Sphere Assault Lance	Miniature Set	New
Inner Sphere Heavy Recon Lance	Miniature Set	New
	Miniature Set	New
Clan Direct Fire Star	Miniature Set	New
Inner Sphere Battle Armor Platoon	Miniature Set	New
Battlefield Support: Objectives	Miniature Set	New
	Miniature Set	New
Legendary MechWarriors II Pack	Miniature Set	New
Legendary MechWarriors III Pack	Miniature Set	New
	Miniature Set	New
Somerset Strikers ForcePack	Miniature Set	New
	Sourcebook	New
Double Sized Mercenary Themed Shrapnel issue	Magazine	New
Shrapnel Year One Compilation	Magazine	Pre-existing
BattleTech	Graphic Novel	New
Encounters: BattleTech	Game	New
Mercenaries Premium Record Sheets	Sourcebook	New
BattleTech Mercenary Novels: Hardback Collection	Novels	New
BattleTech Mercenary Novels: Leathersoft Collection	Novels	New
Map Pack: City	Map Pack	New
Map Pack: Savannahs	Map Pack	New
BattleMat: City	BattleMat	New
BattleMat: Savannahs	BattleMat	New
Army Painter BattleTech Paint Starter	Accessory	New
CountersPack: Alpha Strike	Accessory	New
CountersPack: BattleForce	Accessory	Pre-existing
Challenge Coins	Accessory	New and partially exclusive
Challenge Coins Collector Set	Accessory	New and exclusive
Lapel Pin	Accessory	New and exclusive
Lapel Pin Collector Set	Accessory	New and exclusive
Faction Patch	Accessory	New
Patch Collector Set	Accessory	New and exclusive
LosTech Faction Dice (with diameter case)	Accessory	Pre-existing, New, and exclusive
Laser-effect Faction Dice	Accessory	New, and exclusive
Liquid Core "Chevron" Dice	Accessory	New, and exclusive
Laser-effect "Chevron" Dice	Accessory	New, and exclusive
More BattleMech Plushies	Accessory	New
KerenskyCon Invite	Event	Exclusive

Community Launch Parties[edit]

Main article: Catalyst Demo Team §Community Launch Parties for the launch of 2023 Mercenaries Crowdfunding Campaign

In recognition that BattleTech is a global game, and to coincide with the Adepticon launch party, CGL organized and supported Community Launch Parties worldwide as companion events.

Notes[edit]

The email that was sent out for Update #39 was accidently titled More Dics Photos instead of More Dice Photos
During the BattleTech AMA at the start of the 24 hour stream, Loren Coleman was seen as a black screen with the text iPhone (206). This lead the stream chat to joke that this was a reference to a new unit 206th iPhone Rangers.
During Ross Babco*ck's segment, it showed Unseen BattleTech art (assumed to be accidental).
During many of the live stream intermissions, the video never cuts and Randell Bills (among others) was still seen on camera. During these times he seen passionately discussing things to whom can only be assumed as the live team.
During the Fiction segment, it was mentioned that they (assumed to be CGL) are seeking a new German licensee.

References[edit]

↑ BattleTech Mercenaries Kickstarter News Release