Normally this is when Southern Ontario enters its deep freeze, with heaps of snow up to my shoulders where the removal services can’t get to fast enough. But this year, it’s been relatively snow-free. In fact, we’ve had more above-freezing days this month than any other February on record. Yesterday it was 16 degrees C (or about 61 degrees F). It then dropped to -6 over five hours, which was about as weird. It was almost like the weather remembered what month it was.
I won’t have to wait long for the warm weather to return. Spring has sprung early where I live, with positive temperatures expected for the next two weeks at least. Given how sick I’ve been this winter, it can’t come soon enough.
But you’re not here for the weather report. You’re here for BattleTech news, and this month we’ve got a whole lot of it. Here’s everything that happened in the Inner Sphere this February.
Wolves Wave 3 Announces Ragnarok Returns In MechAssault Fan Game
We start with a little love for MechAssault. Wolves, the MechAssault fan game, has been steadily working on its Wave 3 update. We already knew the Puma, Uziel, and Mad Cat would be coming in this update, but now we know the big bad of the game will also return. Prepare for Ragnarok.
the Ragnarok (and its variant, the Ymir) aren’t specced out in official BattleTech terms, and that’s largely because they have an energy shield and a “Lava Gun.” Why the Word of Blake thought lava would somehow be more destructive than highly-excited ionic particles or a hypersonic slug I will never understand, but I do get why a forcefield might be difficult to write stats for using classic BattleTech rules.
Still, fans of the MechAssault games love the Ragnarok as much as BattleTech faithful love the Daishi or Atlas—it’s just a huge wrecking ball. And it’s coming in Woves Wave 3. It’s also coming to MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, according to a follow-up teaser that arrived the day after the Wave 3 trailer.
You can expect to experience Wolves Wave 3 and the Ragnarok soon(TM).
BATTLETECH Director Mike McCain Returns To Hairbrained Schemes As Executive Producer
We’re excited to welcome back Mike as we return to our indie roots!https://t.co/bUjON0wYff
— Harebrained Schemes (@WeBeHarebrained) January 30, 2024
Good news for HBS after a ton of bad. Mike McCain, game director for Shadowrun: Dragonfall and BATTLETECH, is back and taking over Mitch Gitelman‘s old job as Executive Producer (while Mitch takes a break and moves into an advisory role for the studio).
“I’m thrilled to be back in the virtual office with this amazing team,” said Mike. “There will be plenty of challenges, but the creative momentum we have around this new project right now is exhilarating. We’re a small crew making something we really believe in and I can’t wait to share it!”
Mike did an incredible job adapting the tabletop BattleTech game into a turn-based video game that any fan will would love while still attracting fans of turn-based strategy games. The game started with an incredible narrative-driven campaign and later received DLC that improved the game’s galaxy-spanning sandbox into one where the player could create their own story.
The only downside to the news is yet further confirmation from Mitch that HBS hasn’t been given the license to make BATTLETECH 2. HBS has something in store, but it doesn’t sound like we’re going to get the sequel we all desperately want. A wild thing, considering BATTLETECH‘s success, but what can you do? These are wild economic times for the video games industry. We wish Mike and HBS all the success in whatever they’re working on.
A Realistic Depiction Of Ballistic Arcs Courtesy Of A Dragon
You know what I like most about this piece? Wild-Cat 144 gave the Dragon‘s autocannon rounds a ballistic arc. You’d think that a cannon on a BattleMech would fire fast enough that it might as well be a laser, but the only explanation why BattleTech‘s cannons have such short ranges is that they have extremely low muzzle velocity, so they’d drop a significant distance between leaving the barrel and impact. Kudos to you, Wild-Cat 144. I love accurate physics.
CGL Community Manager Rem Alternis Answers Questions About Community Guidelines
Catalyst announced its community guidelines last month, and there was quite a reaction. Rem Alternis, community manager for Catalyst, has been kindly answering questions regarding the community guidelines, starting with YouTuber Critical Rocket.
And I say kindly because a few people had some curiously harsh reactions to being told they couldn’t play in official Catalyst spaces if they didn’t agree to be respectful of another human’s race, religion, culture, gender, or sexual orientation.
Expect Rem to have more words to say about the community guidelines in an upcoming interview with Sarna. In the meantime, I think Critical Rocket covered the basics, clarified some of the new rules, and noted that some previous bans might be overturned with a new appeals process. Thanks to Critical Rocket for being first in line!
Opinion: You Can’t Put The 3D-Printing Genie Back In The Bottle
Courtesy of Eldoniousrex
I think the online reaction to Catalyst’s new community guidelines was overblown, but there’s one thing I did agree with. Simply barring 3D-printed stuff from being shared on official CGL channels isn’t going to stop its proliferation. There’s just no putting the technological genie back in the bottle.
Don’t get me wrong, I think CGL offers a superior product. I have both unofficial 3D-printed minis and official ones, and the CGL minis are consistently tougher, more detailed, and scaled correctly so you don’t have to worry about your Tempest accidentally being taller than an Atlas. Given a choice between a 3D-printed mini and an official one, you should always pick the official CGL mini.
But at the same time, some people just can’t get official minis. They’re either not sold everywhere, or shipping is impossible, or pewter is too expensive, and 3D printing provides a reasonable alternative to play the game. On top of that, CGL hasn’t redesigned every ‘Mech (although they’re working on it), and there are a lot of talented 3D modelers out there who are practicing their craft.
In keeping with Catalyst’s guidelines, Sarna won’t distribute mini models or tell you where to go to get them, but I do think trying to ignore them is short-sighted. 3D models could be an additional source of revenue for Catalyst. Perhaps not every ‘Mech is popular enough to deserve being manufactured in plastic and put into a ForcePack, but they’re popular enough to be redesigned in the same manner as the current generation of minis and then sold as a 3D-printable file.
Hopefully, Catalyst’s stance (which is directed by the copyright holder, Topps, so it’s really Topps’ stance) will change in the future, especially as 3D printing technology continues to improve. If you’ve got a constructive opinion, leave it in the comments (and remember to be respectful).
BattleTech Universe Book Reviewed By Guerilla Miniature Games
For most of us, the BattleTech Universe isn’t going to be available until later this year, but a few people have received the upcoming book a little early. One of those people is Guerilla Miniature Games.
We don’t get to see much of the Universe book besides the cover and the opening insert, but from what GMG describes, it sounds like this new Universe book is going to be required reading for any new BattleTech player. The rest of us might not find it quite as compelling as something like ilKhan’s Eyes Only, but Ray and Aaron have promised me that Universe will be a big deal and will have plenty for veterans too.
Catalyst Launches New Discord, Double-Sized Shrapnel Celebrates Mercs, and Previews Shared Online
We got a load of Catalyst materials to get through, starting with the double-sized Shrapnel issue that was released earlier this month. Shrapnel Volume 15 is twice the Shrapnel you’re used to but only priced at a dollar more. Inside you’ll find tales from your favorite BattleTech authors, including Michael Stackpole, Bryan Young, and Chris Purnell, as well as newcomer Robin Briseño. On top of that value, it’s also focused on everyone’s favorite BattleTech faction: mercenaries. Grab it in digital or print-on-demand formats.
On the book front, Herbert A. Beas’s Forgotten Worlds trilogy is now available with a new title: BattleTech: The Quest for Jardine. And for those who didn’t back the Mercenaries Kickstarter, Craig A. Lee’s Blood Rage is now available for individual purchase either on Catalyst’s store or Amazon.
Those who were concerned with hearing about the pre-painted minis that’ll be coming in the Star League ForcePacks can (probably) rest easy. A post to the official BattleTech forums has revealed Aleksandr Kerensky‘s Orion looks pretty good. Sure, some of you folks might be able to do a better job painting an Orion, but I think this looks like a perfectly acceptable mini. I’m also told that it shouldn’t be hard to strip the paint off this thing if you don’t like it, although it’d probably be easier to just get a fresh Orion mini.
Another surprise for Mercenaries Kickstarter backers is the Savannah Master hover tank. These speed bastards have been the bane of many a tabletop experience, and now we know what they’ll look like when they arrive later in June when Catalyst starts fulfilling orders. That’s thanks to Randall being unable to stop himself from sharing on YouTube.
Last, but not least: Catalyst has a Discord now! Wanna chat with like-minded individuals? Get the latest announcements as they happen? Share details on your preferred paint methods? You can do all this and more on the Catalyst Discord here.
Kelly Bonilla, Lead Designer For MechWarrior: Dark Age, Has Passed Away
Some sad news took place late last month but didn’t reach my ears until February. Kelly Bonilla, the lead designer for Wizkids’ MechWarrior: Dark Age, has died.
MechWarrior: Dark Age was never the most popular BattleTech product, but I liked it. For a while in my first year of university, it was my collective obsession. The idea of getting smaller armies, pre-painted, that looked good and had simplified rules so you could fight little battles out using everything on your kitchen table held a lot of appeal. And just having play stats tracked using the circular base was genius.
Of course, MechWarrior: Dark Age wasn’t perfect. While I liked the tanks, I didn’t like how the setting seemed to emphasize these lesser units over real ‘Mechs. And while the setting was interesting, it was a jarring mess from the Civil War and Jihad eras that didn’t get untangled until years later.
But Kelly wasn’t involved in the story writing. She was the playtester and designer. She just cared if the game was fun, and in that, she succeeded admirably. We’re sorry to see you go, Kelly.
TheB33F Is Back!
Holy shit, TheB33F is back! He actually announced his return in December and posted his first video last month, but I hadn’t been paying attention since his long hiatus. But he’s back and better than ever!
For those unaware, TheB33F is the MechWarrior Online streamer who does things… differently. His builds and strategies are typically aimed more toward having fun than following the current meta. His latest videos are still that, but he’s also making more tutorial-style videos that try to teach some basic tactics and ‘Mech builds (like the Centurion video he recently posted).
While his old videos were wildly amusing, his latest videos add some footage taken from MechWarrior 5 as well as animations taken from Tabletop Simulator. It makes for a far more cohesive and elevated experience, which I very much appreciate, and maybe you will too. Check out the video above, and if you like his material, be sure to subscribe to TheB33F’s channel here.
And I almost forgot! TheB33F is also contributing to the future of MechWarrior Online by designing events. Look for those in the event queue in the coming weeks.
Brawl In The Bluegrass Tournament Coming To Kentucky In April
In the Lexington area for the April 12 weekend? The Rusy Scabbard will host a Classic BattleTech tournament called “Brawl in the Bluegrass.” Entry is 25$ for this MRC-compliant event, with each player required to submit an 8,000-point Battle Value list with a maximum of six units. All units must be from a single faction during the Clan Invasion era as per the Master Unit List, and only ‘Mechs, battle armor, and combat vehicles. No artillery, no unique or extinct units, and no C3 or specialized armor types (although missile and autocannon ammo types are allowed).
Sign-ups are allowed until April 11, but you might want to ensure your place sooner rather than later as no store has infinite seating capacity. You can get the full details on sign-ups from this document here, as well as the full list of rules. Any other questions should be directed to the MechCommander Review Circuit in this Discord channel.
Have an event you want to be advertised in Sarna? Reach out and we’ll get you included in the next news blast.
Big Red-40Tech’s Warhammer IIC Video Is Out, And It’s A Doozy
I kinda always thought that the Warhammer IIC was just this Clan-wide design that everyone made and everyone fielded. And indeed, you’ll find it in pretty much every Clan touman, according to the Master Unit List. Little did I know that the ‘Mech actually got started in Clan Star Adder. And I wouldn’t have known that had Big Red-40Tech not decided to create a four-hour YouTube video on the subject.
Yes, that’s a lot of lore for a single ‘Mech, and that’s largely because Big Red goes into the entire history of Clan Star Adder from Exodus to Reaving. Then we get into the Diamond Sharks/Sea Foxes as they distributed the ‘Mech so thoroughly amongst the other Clans that it became a common site in second-line forces everywhere. And then into the ilClan era where the Warhammer IIC can now be seen among Inner Sphere and mercenary forces too.
I can’t disparage the ‘Mech, that’s for sure. There’s nothing a Warhammer IIC can’t do aside from jump and run fast enough to keep pace with an Ice Ferret. It’s better than the original Warhammer in every way, and I know how beloved that old warhorse is.
Check out the video above if you want the deepest dive into a single ‘Mech you’ll ever see, with special guests Tex, Frog, Sven, TheB33F, Paul, and Rem offering their voices too.
Duncan Fisher Returns In MechWarrior 5’s Sixth DLC: Solaris Showdown
Yes, he’s back. Duncan Fisher, the renowned Solaris announcer from MechWarrior 4, is returning in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries – Solaris Showdown.
There’s still time for a Clan Invasion-themed DLC, but for now, we’re getting a story that revolves around Duncan Fisher and a mysterious plot centering around the game world of Solaris 7. According to PGI’s release, the DLC mini-campaign will start on the Mercenary Star of Galatea before moving to the planet Hardcore where Mason will bump into Duncan Fisher. The pair form an unlikely alliance as they fight to get into the FedCom Unification Tournament celebrating the recent alliance between the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth.
It’s not clear why or what happens, but there seems to be some political intrigue going on that only a good ‘Mech stomping can fix. Best of all, we’ll have George Ledoux’s sultry tones guiding us the whole way.
In addition to saving Solaris, the upcoming DLC brings a new ‘Mech: the Loader King. Fans of the Roughneck from MechWarrior Online will recognize this design immediately, but even if you haven’t played the PvP game, you might’ve noticed the Loader King as the same stationary IndustrialMech that you’ll sometimes see on urban maps or standing in enemy installations.
The Loader King will come with one Hero variant and five standard variants. We’re also getting new “arena” variants of the Corsair, Vulcan, Hunchback, Crusader, Cataphract, Orion, Zeus, Firestarter, UrbanMech, and Highlander. Expect them to come with superchargers and melee-focused weaponry.
Speaking of weapons, we’re getting a bunch of those too. New Burst-Fire variants of the Rifle series, Rapid-Fire variants of Autocannons, the Binary Laser, PPC-X (whatever that is), Medium Lance, Heavy Hammer, and Assault Greatsword. We’re also getting the Arena Supercharger, Black Market Countermeasures, and Black Market Probe. Not sure if those will be worse or better than their Star League counterparts.
While the DLC will certainly bring arena-style combat, it’s not just going to take place on Solaris 7. Arenas will appear in industrial areas throughout the Inner Sphere, which the player will progress through by accruing fame with each successful match. The more matches you win, the more variants of Arenas unlock, ranging from 1v1 matches to free-for-alls limited by ‘Mech class. There will also be optional objectives, open categories where anything goes, and more. Rewards will start at C-bills but eventually progress to “prized equipment.”
And as is ever the case with these DLC releases, everyone can expect to receive a free update with new features. This time we’re getting the new “heavy turret” as a potential spawn which has more hitpoints and hits harder than standard turrets. Otomo ‘Mechs will soon show up on the market as rare spawns, a new “repair all” option makes repairing post-mission easier, and enemy ‘Mechs will occasionally spawn with slightly different weapons than their base loadout.
Solaris Showdown arrives on March 14 for $14.99. You can wishlist the DLC now to be informed as soon as it becomes available.
MechWarrior Online Gets Two New Legendary ‘Mechs As Talk Begins On A New PvP Game
Another month brings another patch for MechWarrior Online Legends and two new Legendary ‘Mechs. The first is Warhawk “Kasai,” which brings the game’s first supercharged chassis. The Supercharger is a locked piece of equipment and won’t be made available for other ‘Mechs (yet). It’s also lighter than MASC (usually) but doesn’t provide the same explosive speed. It only increases the ‘Mech’s maximum potential velocity and provides no boost to acceleration or turning speed.
Other than the Supercharger, the Kasai comes with three ATM-6s, two Large Pulse Lasers, and two ER Mediums. Missile velocity quirks make those ATMs a bit more deadly, and improved structure quirks give the Kasai a bit more staying power.
The Black Knight “Red Reaper II” continues MechWarrior Online‘s tradition of having swords just for show. The heavy shield the Red Reaper II comes with, though, is a MASSIVE boost to the ‘Mech’s right arm armor. Two Snub PPCs, four SRM-6s, and five Small Lasers make this ‘Mech a deadly brawler, especially when you consider the shield you’ll have to chew through to start damaging this monster. Additional armor quirks for the rest of the ‘Mech make it extremely durable.
Other than the new ‘Mechs, the Cauldron has reduced the heat produced by Rotary Autocannons and Hyper Gauss Rifles, reverted the firing arc changes to LRMs from January’s patch, and given the Executioner a full quirk pass. For the full list of changes, check out the patch notes here.
And before we move on, it seems there are rumblings about a new PvP game coming out of PGI. Community manager Daeron commented in Discord that “internal discussions and planning for the next PvP MechWarrior game” are underway. No details on what this might look like or whether it’d be a stand-alone product or attached to the upcoming MechWarrior 5: Clans, but I’d put money on this being an Unreal Engine-powered game.
Raw, Sexual Charger
Next verse same as the first now in color.
byu/meltdonw14 inbattletech
I admit, I may have been too harsh on the Charger. The CGR-1A1 can jump in a lake, but the new Charger C is 80 tons of raw sexual energy—the exact same energy I’m getting from meltdonw14‘s piece here. This could be the cover of a Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure mecha manga.
MechWarrior Living Legends Update 0.16.2 Brings Fancy New Cockpits And Other QOL Improvements
Been a while since we talked about MechWarrior: Living Legends, the Battlefield-inspired MechWarrior game that’s entirely free-to-play because it is entirely community-supported. The latest patch arrived earlier this month and brought a slew of changes, including updated visuals for 28 ‘Mechs, AeroSpace fighters, and VTOLs, three new camo options, and the usual assortment of bug fixes. Thunderbolt missiles now have a slightly faster fire rate and the Warhawk model has been shrunken down ever so slightly.
There’s more, but you can read about ’em over on MechWarrior: Living Legends ModDB page, which is coincidentally also where you can download this amazingly free standalone game.
Focht News Network Is Heading To Toronto Comicon
If you’re in the Toronto area on the weekend of March 15, Comicon will be hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Center, which is sure to be a good time. That’s because Focht News Network is putting on a BattleTech showcase, offering Alpha Strike previews to any passersby. I’m also told that Ronda Snord and a certain special Highlander might also make an appearance.
Of course, there’s going to be plenty of other stuff going on at Comicon, but BattleTech fans can certainly hang out and spread the good word of giant stompy robots. If you’re interested in local fans, head to the Focht Network Discord for more updates on local events.
A Halo Of Missiles
My brother surprised me with a commissioned Battletech x Halo crossover piece for my birthday
byu/odysseus91 inbattletech
Halo is cool and all, but I think we all know who’s going to win this battle of the brands. Not just because BattleTech is cooler, but Halo just isn’t quite as destructive as 75 tons of large lasers and way too many missiles. Unless Halo releases the Flood, but even then, I give us even odds. Kudos to tychorionDraws on Twitter for this piece.
Warframe, However, Has Too Much Space Magic
Since the Halo crossover pic was already posted here, thought I’d share the other Warframe x Battletech crossover I bought too. Credit to tychorionDraws, both pics were worth every penny!
byu/TrashCan_With_A_Gun inbattletech
I do love a good crossover, but as much as I love BattleTech, there’s not much you can do in a Crusader or Timber Wolf if you’re trying to fight cosmic forces beyond the knowledge of mere mortals. I’m not sure if there are enough LRMs in the entire Inner Sphere to bring down The Man In The Wall. More kudos to tychorionDraws, and to odysseus91 on Reddit for sharing.
The Naga Hits MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Like An Arrow IV
Good news: My next mech mod for @MW5Mercs is now out: the Naga! Modelled by Far Seer Animation, it follows the design that I also first saw in Ghost Bear's Legacy. Kinda of an under-appreciated mech with a neat weird design, imo #mechwarrior #battletech pic.twitter.com/8tzRoVPuOA
— Art of Battletech #CeaseFireNow (@ArtofBattletech) February 23, 2024
I know the Longbow is still a recent addition, but you know what they say about artillery: when it rains, it pours. The Naga is the little-known Clan artillery ‘Mech specializing in delivering Arrow IV warheads to foreheads. I know Arrow IVs aren’t available in MechWarrior 5, so I assume those arms just contain large missile slots. Just throw an Artemis on your LRM-20 and it’s most of the way to an Arrow IV.
You can get this mod on Nexus Mods or directly through the Steam Workshop.
And that’s it for February! Now I’m off to prepare my MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries company for Solaris Showdown. See you next month!
And as always, MechWarriors: Stay Syrupy.
Isn’t that a Savannah Master, not Pegasus?
Whoops, my bad! It is. Says so on the box. Fixed!
Terrible to hear about Kelly.
Catalyst and Topps need to work out a reasonable licensing agreement for individuals to make 3D models. You can’t stop them and might as well make it legal and get some licensing fees.
Man, lots of stuff happening…
Look, Catalysts models are ok, but ye can get better ones imo from other 3D Printers. Especially if ye like the HBS / PGI designed Mechs. I’d rather have the HBS Trebuchet, or Centurion, than Catalysts versions. They just look better. Much, much better.
The B33F is amazing… Long may he reign…
4 Hours on the Warhammer IIC, 10 Minutes on the Thunderbolt… Come on Big Red!!
PGI, I don’t care. Legendary Mechs are Anathema, they are terrible. 50+ DLC’s for a mediocre MechWarrior Game, just to make it semi-intetesting? Ye want to base the second PvP game off of CoD… One of the worst ideas EVER. It should be like Battlefield, or Planetside II. This is why You fail PGI. I’m done with yer Studio.
The Thunderbolt’s a veeeery old video and will be redone at some point during or after 2025. :)
HA! Got ye to reply. Nice.
Whenever I hear “Big Red” the first thing I think is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHqgY2XfY-Q
I guess I’m old. 1988 holy crap I think I watched that on black and white (used to watch SNL on the second tv so people could get to sleep haha).
As for basing a game “off of CoD” wouldn’t that be perfect for a battle-armor game? Man-size action, then the mechs would be giants?
I was actually a big fan of the Dark Age, thought it was pretty interesting. Especially once all the smaller factions emerged, causing all kinds of ruckus.
The WizKids Click game, though many didn’t like it, I did. I saw younger kids playing it… Something I don’t see with regular BattleTech Table Top. I agree tanks were way too powerful in game.
Tanks? I think you mean Capellan Arrow IV tanks and Long Toms. XD Outside of armor-piercing artillery I found the Liao Arrow IV tank, Long Tom and PDS to be the best artillery around. Got an Arrow IV tank and Long Tom off of someone free who just wanted the ‘Mechs. Never saw him again at Eclipse Books while I was getting my Bachelor’s though…would have probably would have not made a friend of him had I used them.
I just remember WizKids overreacting to the Falcon’s Prey artillery pieces and then phasing them out entirely. Had the situation after Wolf Strike didn’t sink the game, it would have been interesting to see a Naga or a Huey with its proper Arrow IV capability (in the latter, I could see FASCAM munitions being an equipment card that could have been added to Nagas, O-Bakemonos, Patriots, Dragon IIs, Pillagers, etc.).
Other tanks though started to become tame after Age of Destruction and especially Firepower where the DCMS joined in and you had the nightmare of 3D or 18″ ballistic-ranged Shiros bearing down. Still good, but mechanics like Assault Orders started to make ‘Mechs better.
100% agree on your thoughts on 3D printing.
I have a ton of 3D printed minis because I have a printer but have taken to only buying CGI when I can. The price is reasonable, they paint WAY more easily, and I want to support them because they aren’t jerks.
Best way to “combat” printing? Be a cool company. So far I think they pull that off.
3D printing and hobbyists also play a vital role in growing the game. Only now are vehicles starting to come out, and aerospace is pretty well non-existent. Printed models can fill that void and provide the opportunity for CGI to jump in later
Then there’s the market that CGI is totally missing of doing print and ship on demand of non-standard mech variants of their models that people would happily pay for but not at the volume that injection molding makes sense.
Variants prints for sure. I have a Hunchback-4N and Hunchback-4J, because they are awesome. Catalyst doesn’t make those Variants. They look amazing too.
Or perhaps Catalyst works with PGI/HBS and makes official print-to-order minis for their stylings of their ‘Mechs and price them fairly.
I’m pretty sure that CGL can’t do or say much of anything regarding 3D model printing. I don’t believe they’re in a position to; from what’s been said in the past, I believe their license only allows them to design and sell minis that are parts of physical box sets/box set expansions, hence the lance-pack/salvge box format.
I believe that the licenses for producing minis are held by Iron Wind Metals and Ral Partha Europe, and I think those flow directly from the relevant rights holders (almost certainly Topps) so it’s quite literally none of CGL’s business, other than perhaps repeating any Line to Take given by the rights holder(s).
Cool that both TheB33f and Duncan Fischer are back!
“And I say kindly because a few people had some curiously harsh reactions to being told they couldn’t play in official Catalyst spaces if they didn’t agree to be respectful of another human’s race, religion, culture, gender, or sexual orientation.”
Yeah. And political correctness is just a byword for being nice to people. Uh-huh. Sure. ;-)
The Race one is odd… We all belong to the Human Race, so unless Neanderthals or Denisovons are also playing BattleTech, I think they mean Ethnicity…
Also, I’d love to face a Neanderthal Player… New theory’s are they may have been smarter than Humans, and not less intelligent, like previous theories.
Your looking for subtext in a statement asking you not to be an asshole to other people while at an official Catalyst event.
Unless you have trouble not being an asshole to people in public then I don’t think you need to worry about it.
Its the statement made by people who are going to be heavily policing people speech, often for political purposes. It is not a good sign
The reaction was “curiously harsh” because people have been seeing this happen for years with other IPs so we know whats going to happen. Heck its already been happening.
Yes. Agreed.
you mean like nwhen GW came out and said something similer in response to a literal Nazi trolling people at a tourny in Spain? ohh golly Gee, literal Nazis not being welcome what a shaaaaaame!
“You’re”, not “Your” friend. You want the “You are”. Not the personal “Your.”
I do indeed have that “issue” You so fondly mention. As do others in the world. Many in fact. The Rabble-rousers as you will… Usually show up when the “Tools”, much like yerself, show up. Odd that huh? The World is an interesting place…
So you go to tournaments and events and rather than treat your opponent’s with any sort of respect you instead choose to be an asshat?
You must be an absolute joy ro spend time with.
People find Me quite comical in fact. Perhaps it’s because I do not have a Stick in My Arse like You do. Maybe have a beer or two lad… I don’t know. Treat the world not a seriously as ye think it is. It’s only a Game.
I think it’s pretty clear Steel Shanks is the kind of troll that offical events, indeed, the game could do without.
Well said. So much of this hand wringing is either baseless paranoia or a quiet admission that the message has reached exactly who it was intended to.
Lot of crying in here. Kind of My point really… When ye lay out Terms, people aren’t very happy about them. Ye can word things differently to get different responses…
Also, somewhere, people mixed up “respect” with “politeness”. Ye think someone being nice and polite too You respects You? Lot of naive people in the Sarna Chat of late.
I hope the people who don’t like CGL’s guidelines of respect never show up to tournaments. All CGL is asking for is respecting one another, and it baffles me that people can’t handle that – do those players live and thrive on disrespect to each other?! If they can’t respect the rules, they shouldn’t be there.
As for 3D printing, one of the things I like about it is that I can use my 3D modeling skills to easily design ‘mech variants from existing STLs or build my own ‘mechs. I totally respect CGL for not allowing 3D prints at official events – they have an IP to promote and protect after all! I think it would be cool if they did a print-on-demand operation.
As for the 3D prints themselves, I can print a 50mm-tall ‘mech mini (1/265 scale) for about $3, which includes the plastic and electricity to print and not any modeling time I might put in. In a Clan force pack, for comparison, each ‘mech costs about $5.50 and is made of robust PVC and come with dry-erase pilot and Alpha Strike cards. Considering I print and laminate my own Alpha Strike cards, I think it comes down to what your time and money are worth to you as well as what you want for miniatures. If you like the MWO designs more than the official CGL ones, they’re around to print. If you’re like me and you’re better at 3D modeling modifications to print than actual kitbashing, 3D printing is a good way to go. If you want only one ‘mech in a force pack and don’t feel like paying the typical $10/mini aftermarket price for individual ‘mechs and can find an STL, printing is good for that too.
But if you don’t have a printer or the skills to do some 3D modeling, I don’t think you’re losing out on buying the force packs because they are superb for the money IMO.
Are You a real Human Being, or a Bot? It is hard too tell honestly?
CGL’s rules just encourage rule breakers lol. Respect is earned, NOT automatically given. Never has. Guess we’ll wait and see eh?
The fact I CAN’T play My Hunchback 4N or 4J in a Tournament, because they aren’t CGL designs, or My Trebuchet? Ha! Feck off CGL… That’s incredibly lame. That makes Me want to just ignore CGL made stuff even more. What if I had Two Lances of Mechs, and just One wasn’t a CGL design? I’m barred from Tournaments for that? Yeah… That’s helping yer “IP” out CGL… Iron Wind Models banned too? Sad times for BattleTech…
Interpret the rules through political lenses if you must but in terms of respect that was not how I was raised. I was raised that all people get a baseline level of respect and you shift that based on how they act, like a sliding scale. You start in the middle and slide based on your interactions, doubly so at a tournament, sportsman like conduct means you should show extra respect even if it has yet to be earned, if not for your opponent then for the game itself, the owners of the venue or the people who organized the event itself. If you don’t have any respect for any for those, why did you go?
Oh, and as far as 3d Printers go it feels a bit like a double standard because of how free they are with models to use elsewhere; cardboard cutouts or just random stuff being used as proxies. However it’s a tournament if they give more open rules for what is legal or not people will try to abuse it, models being a little bit smaller so they hide behind cover better when you check if they are in cover when modeled terrain is on the field or larger so they can argue the ability to shoot over cover they were not intended to, standardized models from one source is an unfortunate trade away for fair play in those settings
Model size is same same. The Hunchbacks I have are same size as CGL Hunchbacks. Same with the Trebuchet I have. Ye only get smaller models on intensional shaving of mm… Pretty noticable actually. I call this argument mute really.
When was the last time you actually went to an official CGL tourney? Seems like a bit of an “old man yells at clouds” situation. Respect your opponent and win or lose gracefully.
Seeing as I’m in My Thirties, I wouldn’t call Meself old lol. Respect is earned… Until then, well I really don’t care what ye think, feel, or otherwise…
Ye lads need to lighten up lol. When did the World get so feckin’ emotional? Me thinks the 20-Something’s need some stones…
This is incorrect. At Sarna, respect for other humans is a requirement. Please bear this in mind, otherwise I will begin removing posts and revoke posting privileges.
Just save yourself time and headaches and ban them now. Anyone thick enough to “vocally” take issue with a “be respectful” policy isn’t worth having around in any capacity.
Gonna agree with Thomas here. the kinda people screaming over being told “treat people with respect” are not worth having in the community. what inevcitably happens is their crass and rude behavior basicly drives everyone away except for a patch of sychophants who think their behavior is “funny”. By time they’re finished the community is dead, and those left don’t find what’s left particularly enjoyable
Ye don’t really get the issue eh? That’s ok… Again, people seem to not really understand the word “Respect”.
If someone is nice and polite, not abrasive, etc. does that mean they Respect You? What IP Brian has yer Example happened too? Please be detailed. Again, I think “politeness”, or “manners”, etc. is getting confused with “Respect”.
It’s an odd Duck to be sure, but I’m not sure people are clearly understanding the concept…
Thats fair actually respect means different things to different people, for me to be polite and to be respectful is effectively interchangeable.
What does it mean to you then?
Respect is admiring the qualities or ideals one creates, or holds true too them. Example: I respect J R R Tolkien for His works, His tireless dedication, and His weaving of real languages, Histories, and Characters that seem like real beings…
I have no idea what anyone thinks, feels, etc. Not walking past them on the street, or in a BattleTech match, until perhaps AFTER the match. No one does. Respect is earned through interaction, not automatically given. What ye all harp as “respect” is just Manners / Politeness.
Thanks Paladin. I respect ye above all others in these comments. Good lad.
So has Catalyst has banned sharing images of 3D printed models on their official channels, or is it still just the usual “you can show them off, but don’t talk about how or where you acquired them”? I have a small handful of 3D printed minis, either because I prefer PGI’s interpretation to Catalyst’s, or because Catalyst doesn’t have an official plastic mini yet. Either way, I understand that the legal terms around 3D printing are kinda convoluted and difficult to enforce. IIRC, PGI’s models are available for personal use, but not commercial, so technically if you own a 3D printer and make a mini of a PGI model, it’s perfectly legal, but if I pay someone to print a mini from that model and they make a profit on it for the trouble, it’s no longer personal use and is illegal. Policing that sort of thing is pretty much impossible, which is why most unofficial groups I’m in basically say, you can post them, but don’t talk about how you got them. Some folks own 3D printers and are printing legitimate minis for themselves, and some of us don’t. I agree though, 3D printing is here to stay and it’s only going to become bigger as the technology improves.
I get what your saying then, but I don’t think anyone means that level of respect in terms of the rules both at the events or on here, I believe they just mean be polite to each other.
Seems to me to be mostly a difference in definition or poor word choice then on catalysts part.
Thanks for answering so frankly.