Spring has sprung itself on BattleTech like a female lion on an unsuspecting antelope. It starts with the KerenskyKon teasers, which set the antelope running. Then, it gets ambushed by another female lion [ed. or ‘lioness,’ as I have been recently informed] that jumps out of the bushes at Adepticon. Then, the rest of the pack comes, and we feast on a brand-new MechWarrior 5: Clans DLC announcement.
I think I’ve stretched this metaphor as far as it’ll go, which is fine because we’ve got a ton of news to share this month alongside the usual assortment of events, fan projects, and awesome art. It’s a full month of BattleTech news, so let’s get to it!
KerenskyKon & Adepticon Announcements And BattleTech: Gothic
We’re gonna run by these fast. You want some Third Star League Strike Team ForcePack previews? Here are a few courtesy of Cataphract40. I am desperate for that Kintaro, but I will also gladly accept the Jackalope and Havoc. Expected release is June. We also got previews of the new House Kurita ForcePack, which will have a Panther, Venom, Avatar, and Chimera, as well as the 21st Centauri Lancers ForcePack, which will have the Stalker 8S, a Jade Hawk, a Shockwave, and a Shadow Cat I.
KerenskyKon also brought some new product announcements. TRO 3025 will return as the 100-Year Anniversary Edition, which is a reprint of the original but with modern art and a 3125-era appendix that pokes fun at the many issues of the original TRO (such as the Cicada‘s lasers appearing to be in the arms but are actually placed in the side torsos). Force Manual: Mercenaries is currently in print and the Invading Clans are expected to be next in line. The Hesperus Box Set will discuss the many invasions of Hesperus II and may even include some new Defiance Industries-themed minis.
But one of the biggest announcements is a new BattleTech RPG in development. This new RPG is planned to bridge the gap between MechWarrior: Destiny and A Time Of War and is expected to play nicely with upcoming products. I haven’t played with A Time Of War and Destiny is only five years old, so I suspect we may be a few years away from seeing this RPG hit store shelves. We’ll also get a new Interstellar Players entry for the ilClan era so GMs have more tools for their games.
The good news is that BattleTech: Aces is expected at Gen Con this year. The bad news is that the Celestial ForcePack has been pushed to 2026 to make room for Aces. Weird news: BattleTech Gothic got spoiled before Adepticon and now we’re going to have a gothic take on the BattleTech universe with genetic monsters and lizard people. Check out the promo video and primer to see if that’s something that interests you. Expect it to be a grim-dark reskin of A Game of Armored Combat. I’ll have more to say about that later.
More details came out of Adepticon for BattleTech Gothic. It seems like this alternate universe was specifically chosen to appeal to Warhammer 40K players thanks to the influx of those folks in recent years. Salvage Boxes are also planned, and we might get Abomination minis if the Gothic Box Set sells. Abominations will have record sheets, but there are no kaiju construction rules, sadly. There’s no solid release date yet, but CGL is aiming to get BattleTech Gothic out around June/July with a price tag of $99.99.
Other Adepticon announcements include:
- Aerospace rules and redesigns are underway, including capital ships. We’ll get a few aerospace stories when it arrives.
- Modernization underway for Total Warfare, TechManual, Strategic Operations, Tactical Operations, and A Time Of War, with playtesting for Total Warfare revamp already started.
- The Bug Company ForcePack is still being floated (I would totally buy this).
- 20 Audiobooks are coming.
- Wars of Reaving Trilogy will also be released alongside the Wars of Reaving Forcepack, and will include ProtoMechs. Expect the first story to arrive sometime in 2026.
- BattleTech: Aces coming this fall, future Aces boxes will also have eight new minis.
- Succession Wars: Resurgent Empires is being built into TableTop Simulator and will be available for playtesting May 1st.
- Den of Wolves is still on its way, alongside The Long Road by Jason Hansa, and four graphic novels drawn by Eldon Cowgur.
- Bounty Hunter anthology coming later this year (Gen Con or Origins).
- Jihad, Katrina Steiner as The Red Corsair, and Ghost Bear Dominion Civil War novels are all in the works.
- Battlefield Support: Emplacements bring turrets, bunkers, and other static defenses. Boxes were available at Adepticon, and we can expect to see them appear online soon.
- Maelstrom, Thunder, Lightning, and Blood Kite redesigns are underway, and Marco would love to try redesigning the Imp.
OPINION: I Don’t Like BattleTech Gothic, But You’re Allowed To

Courtesy of Eldoniousrex
I actually got to see BattleTech Gothic a few days before it was leaked and then fully revealed by Catalyst. I’ll be honest, I don’t really like it. I just don’t like the aesthetic. I don’t like the grim dark sci-fi take on BattleTech‘s already somewhat dark universe, I don’t like Atlases with weird pope hats bolted on, and I definitely don’t like a universe that seems to portray genetic manipulation as an inherently bad thing (although I do love the fact the Capellan Confederation are all weird animal hybrids).
And you know what? That’s fine. BattleTech Gothic doesn’t have to be for me. If you like it, that’s cool. You can buy it when it arrives and paint up all those weird alternate-universe plastic minis however you like. You can even cut up those minis to use their spiky bits on actual-universe pirate ‘Mechs. You do you.
According to Ray, it’s the first product in what may be a range of alternate-universe takes on BattleTech. Two ideas in early development are Rockets and RayGuns, which I assume is going to be a Golden Age of Sci-Fi version of BattleTech, and one that’s simply titled “Anime.” That last one seems a little weird when you consider BattleTech originally arose from anime but evolved away from nimble, man-shaped robots to the walking tank aesthetic we have today. I’m guessing we’ll get something that imagines if BattleMechs were more like Gundams and their pilots all had psychic powers.
Anyway, my point is that these one-off reimaginings of BattleTech are fine. They’re not killing the core product or diluting the universe. They’re fun offshoots for specific folks to enjoy and maybe for new players to find their way to the core universe, but they’re probably not for me.
Catalyst Warns Trade Wars Will Lead To Higher Prices
Catalyst has announced that they will be increasing prices due to tariffs over the next 60 days. There’s been a lot of attention on tariffs in recent months; as was highlighted sharply for the boardgames industry (and many other industries) during COVID, a lot of manufacturing has moved to Asia over recent decades, particularly China. Tariffs make importing those items manufactured abroad more expensive, and Catalyst is going to have to deal with those increased costs. Unfortunately, we can expect this to impact everything across our hobby—novels, sourcebooks, boxed sets, and little plastic miniatures of everyone’s favorite ‘Mechs (and vehicles!).
“With the current level of economic uncertainty, we have to make some tough decisions,” Catalyst wrote in a statement on its official website. “In the next 60 days we will be releasing a comprehensive update for this process, including some unfortunately necessary price adjustments. These price adjustments will be applied to new products and product reprints that are directly affected by tariffs. As we adjust to this new situation, we will likely expand this policy across our entire product line in order to average out increases.”
How this will work out for BattleTech players outside the US isn’t clear. While there are ways to try and mitigate against the impact of tariffs, we can expect things to be tough for everyone, particularly as companies try and work out what the future looks like. And fundamentally, if it were cheaper to manufacture the books and minis we all want elsewhere, CGL would already be doing so.
Catalyst Revamps Web Store And New Product Announcements
After many, many moons, Catalyst has finally revamped its online storefront. Everything is bright and cleanly laid out, and I don’t have to type anything into a pop-up window to add it to my cart. Best of all, there’s a whole button that brings you everything you can get for free, and there’s a surprising amount of digital stuff you can get for zero dollars! Activity books, Camo Specs paint guides, short stories, map packs, and more are all for the taking with just a few clicks of a mouse (or taps of a touchpad).
We’ve also got some new books to talk about. Shrapnel #20 is available with new short stories from Russell Zimmerman, Michael Stackpole, D. G. P. Rector, and Lukasz Furmaniak. There’s a new free Ghost Dogs story from Bryan Young, and two new books to talk about: Blood Will Rise by Tom Leveen, which details the rise and fall and (maybe) rise again of Danai Liao-Centrella, and Honor Code, a BattleTech anthology that focuses on stories from the Draconis Combine.
Author Tom Leveen offered us a preview of what to expect in Blood Will Rise on the official Catalyst website. “With a history of violent trauma in my own past, I felt compelled to plumb Danai’s heart and soul to see what choices she might make with other relationships after the gripping ending of Blood Will Tell, including her relationship to herself,” wrote Leveen. “And when faced with the sorts of battles she’s unused to fighting, I wanted to see if she was more committed to the Confederation, or to her own judgment and beliefs.” Blood Will Rise will be available on April 18.
We’ve also got some new arrivals to discuss! The House Davion Cavalry Force Pack is available for those who want the Legionnaire, Gunsmith, Hellspawn, or a reposed Enforcer, and the Somerset Strikers brings five classic ‘Mechs from the BattleTech Animated Series, including the iconic Axman AXM-2N piloted by Adam Steiner. The Catalyst Store also has premium versions of the Nova Cat and Wolverine, and BattleTech: Legends II brings us more profiles of MechWarriors and important figures from the Succession Wars to the ilClan era.
The Mechnificent Seven Ride Into Battle
Six Sides of Gaming, Lynnvander Studios, and the Focht’s Network have joined forces to bring us a BattleTech actual-play broadcast unlike any other. Well, it’ll probably be a bit like Penny Arcade’s Black Remnant series which recently got an official CGL tie-in (which you can read about here), but the Mechnificent Seven will star several of your favorite BattleTech creators and pit them against the deck from the upcoming BattleTech: Aces system.
Those creators include Maryam Elbeshbishy as Vera Langstron in the Ostroc OSR-2D, Tex reprising his role as Randolph P. Checkers in the Awesome AWS-9Q, Big Red 40-Tech as Nero Drago in the Wolverine WVR-7M, Paul Clarkson returns as Gus “Wiley” Jansen in his new Spector SPR-5F, Tommy Gofton continues as Harlan “Lynn-Six” Storm in a Highlander HGN-736, Randall Bills plays as Fahad’s grandson Jabal Arazad in a Banshee BNC-3S, and Saige Delarge plays Krateson in the Scorpion SCP-10. The Mechnificent Seven’s two game masters, Jesse Kay and Josh Derksen, will respectively take care of the Destiny and BattleTech: Aces phases.
You can watch the Mechnificent Seven teaser video here, and the first episode should already be live on the Six Sides of Gaming YouTube channel. The Mechnificent Seven will take place over six episodes, and will hopefully return for future adventures so long as Josh and Jesse can wrangle all seven creators for another couple of game sessions.
Humble Bundle Has $400 Of Sourcebooks For $20
The latest Humble Bundle offers the absolute best value of BattleTech sourcebooks I’ve ever seen. Nearly $400 of books for just under twenty bucks (or just over $25 CAD). Not only that, a portion of every purchase goes towards helping No Kid Hungry, a charitable organization that feeds millions of kids across the US.
The bundle runs from now until April 18 and includes the likes of:
- BattleTech Universe
- BattleMech Manual
- A Time of War
- MechWarrior: Destiny
- BattleTech: Legends
- Alpha Strike: Commander’s Edition
- BattleTech: Total Warfare
- Recognition Guide Volume 1: Classics
- Recognition Guide Volume 2: ilClan
- Hot Spots: Hinterlands
- House Arano: The Aurigan Coalition
- Force Manual: Davion
- Force Manual: Kurita
- Field Manual: 3145
- Era Report 3145
- BattleTech: Shattered Fortress
- BattleTech: ilClan
- BattleTech: Tamar Rising
- BattleTech: Empire Alone
- BattleTech: Dominions Divided
MRC Announces Upcoming BattleTech Events
Thanks to a helpful post from Sam Burling on my preferred social media network, we’ve got some upcoming BattleTech events to discuss courtesy of the MRC.
First up, ‘Operation Rocking to the Top’ will be held at the Rocky Top Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee from May 23 to 25. This will be a Classic BattleTech tournament with 8,000 BV lists submitted no later than May 17. The tournament will take place over the course of the event with players scoring points for completing objectives and eliminating units. You can read the full rules here, sign up for the event here, and purchase tickets for the convention here (which are required).
Next, we have ‘Motor City Mayhem,’ a 300 PV Alpha Strike Tournament coming May 17 to St. Matthews United Methodist Church in Livonia, Michigan. The doors open bright and early at 8 AM for a full day of gaming, with prizes and awards handed out as the last game concludes at 6:30 PM. Entry fees are $60, sign-ups are here, full rules are here, and the Discord channel is here.
And finally, we have the ‘Summer Fever II Tournament’ in Duluth, Georgia coming on June 7 at Level Up Games. This will be a Late Succession Wars / Renaissance era Classic Tournament with a 6,500 BV limit. The entry fee of $17.85 goes towards prizes and the space, with full rules and sign-ups available here. You can read the full player packet here.
Want your event advertised in Sarna? Just let me know and I’ll get it added to the monthly news blast.
Somebody’s Making A BattleTech Aerospace Video Game
I’ve always been disappointed by the total lack of aerospace video games in the BattleTech universe. Space action sims have always been one of my favorite genres (shout out to Everspace 2 and Freelancer), and it just seems like it’d be an easy pitch to put together a few fighter models to let avid MechWarriors take to the skies.
It seems like there’s at least one person who agrees with me. That person is Savanna_Shimazu over on Reddit, who’s been showcasing their alpha build for an AeroTech PC game that’s heavily inspired by MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat. You can see the fonts, colors, and GUI are all taken from MechWarrior 2, alongside the music, sound effects, and polygonal terrain (although it has way more buildings, trees, and mountains than MechWarrior 2 ever did).
The game is being made in Unity, and so far it seems like the only pilotable aerospace fighter is the Shilone, but at least there’s a “MechLab” that lets you customize your loadout. I dig the lock-on mechanics for the SRMs, but I feel like that’d make Streak SRMs pointless.
If you’re looking to give this game a whirl, head to the game’s Discord server where you’ll be able to find the latest test build.
It Was As Though Dozens Of AT-ATs All Cried Out At Once
The Force is strong with this one
byu/odysseus91 inbattletech
I don’t think an AT-AT stands a snowball’s chance in hell of beating a single Clan OmniMech. They’re slow, have an extremely limited field of fire, and even generously interpreting a heavy laser cannon as being the rough equivalent of a large pulse laser doesn’t really give it the firepower to stand up to Summoner. That’s all to say, I’m alright with StallorD’s interpretation of these two mechanical beasts meeting on the field of battle. Kudos to odysseus91 for the commission.
MechWarrior 5: Clans To Receive Ghost Bear Campaign Expansion Alongside 8 New ‘Mechs
I believe that when I last spoke on MechWarrior 5: Clans, I expressed some skepticism that the game would receive a larger campaign-style expansion in the wake of PGI’s layoffs. Well, I’ve never been happier to be so wrong. Ghost Bear: Flash Storm will be MechWarrior 5: Clans‘ first paid DLC to add a totally new 12-mission campaign, with all-new characters and eight new ‘Mechs (for MechWarrior 5, at least). The DLC will also include a free update that will overhaul the MechLab, improve balance and progression, and add support for DLSS 4 and FSR 3.1.
The new campaign will put players in charge of a Star in the Silveroot Keshik, Clan Ghost Bear‘s most elite unit, under the command of saKhan Aletha Kabrinski. The campaign will center around the Ghost Bear’s conquest of the planet Alshain, but before that, you’ll visit other Clans to steal—I mean, Trial of Possession for—some of their latest and greatest ‘Mechs.
Speaking of ‘Mechs, Ghost Bear: Flash Storm will have eight of them: four new OmniMechs and four BattleMechs. The OmniMechs will be the Night Gyr, Fire Moth, Ebon Jaguar, and Huntsman, while the standard ‘Mechs will be the Jenner IIC, Rifleman IIC, Hunchback IIC, and of course, the Kodiak. We do know that the new MechLab improvements will allow for engine swapping, but we’re still not clear on whether it’ll be the same rules as in MechWarrior Online where standard ‘Mechs can swap engines but OmniMechs cannot. No word on new equipment, but if we get even one other Hunchback IIC variant than the original, that’ll put ATMs and Heavy Lasers on the menu.
One thing that was severely lacking in MechWarrior 5: Clans was Elemental representation. They were often referred to only through in-game radio chatter, but never actually seen. That changes in Ghost Bear: Flash Storm where Elementals will fall under your direct command. You’ll be able to order Star Commander Rook and his Elemental point using the command wheel to have them take out rival ‘Mechs and armored infantry.
Screenshots also reveal a mission taking place on the hull of a WarShip, and a new boss enemy that has some sort of forcefield. That free update will also include some gamepad improvements, full integration with the Trails of War DLC (including two new Horde Mode maps), graphics and audio updates, and animated radio portraits that now feature fully articulated mouths and faces rather than just heads in neurohelmets. I honestly felt the cockpit animations were fine, but hey, I’ll take it.
Ghost Bear: Flash Storm arrives May 7 for $19.99. You can wishlist the DLC now on Steam.
This Guy Built A Real Life PPC
A few clarifications. BattleTech‘s PPCs are concentrated streams of protons or ions accelerated to near-light speed. The plasma cannon produced by G.E. Leyh from LightningOnDemand is actually a massive electrical discharge that turns the intervening molecules between the cannon and the target into plasma, often with explosive results.
That said, this guy is blowing up TVs and wooden backboards from a distance of about 20 meters, and that’s a lot further than I’ve ever seen someone blow up something using manmade lightning. The thumbnail alone is enough to give me goosebumps. I won’t spoil the technical aspects of getting enough power to blast something electrically without also nuking every electronic device in a five-mile radius, but you can find out how they did it by looking at the video above.
A Hotshot Nova
Custom Heavy Laser Nova (by me @Gushfield)
byu/Elf-Stan inbattletech
I’m somewhat ambivalent about ‘Mechs with handheld weapons. I think they’re a bit anime, but I also acknowledge the benefit of being able to drop a gun that has suffered an ammo explosion or pick up something that you might value more than a Heavy Large Laser. That said, I think this custom Nova by Gushfield is pretty cool. Or rather, it’s too hot to exist for longer than a few minutes before spontaneously combusting.
2025 Is BattleTech’s Year Of The Fanzine
It seems like BattleTech fan content is ramping up this year! We’ve got not one, not two, but three BattleTech fanzines that have either already started or will make their debut this year.
First is The Heatsink. Like all the fanzines, this one offers a DropShip-load of fiction, but also some painting guides, custom ‘Mechs, a unit digest, and an article discussing the pros and cons of the Charger. Unfortunately, there’s also some significant AI-generated content, and due to Sarna’s zero-generative AI policy, we won’t be linking to them directly.
Next up is Override, which is currently still taking submissions with the expectation of arriving sometime this fall. Like Shrapnel, Override is looking for fiction between 3,000 and 5,000 words, as well as record sheets, pictures of custom miniatures, fan art (but nothing AI-generated), and more. You can read about the submission guidelines here, and join the Discord server for more.
And finally, Pirate Point is celebrating its debut release. This one is a little different from the previous two thanks to an emphasis on flash fiction and comedy in the style of a punk-themed fanzine, and for being weird and queer in a way that tickles my sensibilities. It’s also different for having me as the introductory story. I actually had that one written for a while, so when the folks at the Star League Discord server put out a call for submissions, I threw it in right away. Surprise! I don’t just write about bad ‘Mechs. Sometimes, I write goofs.
You can grab Pirate Point over on Itch.io, and check out this introductory trailer if you’re wondering about what you’re in for. Spoiler alert: it’s more goofs.
Did You Know: There Used To Be MechWarrior Knex
I saw this post from wardo_24 about a Shadow Cat K’Nex model, and that made me say, “There’s no way there were actual BattleTech K’Nex models.” Turns out I was wrong! They made a bunch of these things based on the MechWarrior branding that would later be used in MechWarrior: Dark Age. They even came with little posters. You can see them all in Sarna’s wiki entry here.
Somebody Made A Windup UrbanMech That Moves About As Slowly As The Real Thing
One could imagine toys like these being given to all the good boys and girls of the Inner Sphere come Christmas time. I have some idea where one would get the services of a 3D printer to create such a wonderful toy, but I have no idea where to get a pair of windup feet to fit this little trashcan. If anybody can get in touch with sekkou_p and ask, that’d be swell.
Southern Ontario To Get Another BattleTech Event In June
Burlington is apparently a hot spot for BattleTech in Southern Ontario. Last month we learned that SOBSCON will hold an event at Torchlight Games & Hobbies on June 14, and now we’re learning that another BattleTech event will take place at the same location a week before.
Called ‘OPERATION JUNO BEACH,’ the event will reimagine the Canadian forces landing at Juno Beach, only this time with BattleMechs. There’s even going to be ‘Mech-sized landing craft to park your Kingfisher on before storming the beaches. The event will follow Classic BattleTech rules, include a pizza lunch, and ticket prices will go towards helping Wounded Warriors Canada, a charitable organization that provides counseling and support to veterans, first responders, and their families.
The event will have a 6,000 BV limit for the defender, 8,000 BV for the attacker, and be limited to the Clan Invasion era. Players must choose one faction and nominate a single unit to be their force commander. No quirks, special unit/faction abilities, or aerospace units are allowed (although you can take two VTOLs if you’ve got a few pilots with a death wish).
I spoke to Rolo Tecson, the event organizer, and he confirmed that the event scenario will be free to share and he’s even developing neoprene maps that should be available soon (although not necessarily in time for the June event). He’s hosted a few of these events at Torchlight before and he’s hoping for an even bigger turnout this year. You can check out photos of past events here.
To sign up for the event, head to the event website here. Registration is $40 (Canadian dollars, obviously), and the full rules will be emailed to you after you sign up.
Desert Hotdrop ’25 Event Takes Over Vegas Hotel In September
This one’s a little further out, but we’ve also got an event to talk about in sunny Las Vegas. ‘Desert Hotdrop ’25’ will take place at La Quinta Inn & Suites (Las Vegas Airport South) from September 19 to 21 with both Alpha Strike and Classic BattleTech events. Expect tournaments, narrative campaigns, Grinders, social events, prizes, and more. The price for the full three days is $50, but you can pay less for just one or two days if you can’t make the full weekend. Discounted room rates are available for those who want to crash someplace close by after many hours of BattleTech.
Head to the event website here for registration and full event details, and head to the Desert Hotdrop ’25 Discord if you’ve got any questions.
Quick Swap Magazines Would Make A JagerMech Much Cooler
Supply route defended by Jag (Jaegermech not being used for front lines, but securing the logistics, to varying degrees of success) (my gif)
byu/geergutz inmechwarrior
The damned thing doesn’t have enough ammo anyway. Might as well make those magazines external so that a JagerMech could just park next to an ammo truck to swap out its empties. JagerMechs are really only useful as rear-echelon defense anyway, so this would at least get them back to fighting faster. Thanks for the idea, geergutz.
Can You Feel The Slide Tonight?
I like Hunchbacks, as I’m pretty sure all of us do. A Hunchback pilot fears nothing except clear sight lines for two kilometers. I’ve never felt more unstoppable in a medium ‘Mech than in a Hunchback. And yet, even I can’t describe the satisfaction of having the entire autocannon assembly slide back to eject a shell the size of a small car. Kudos to DMoserArts for turning Liftaburra’s silly joke into something so special.
Men Shen Arrives In MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Mod
The spindliest of ‘Mechs has arrived in MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries thanks to a new mod from Emil over at The Art of BattleTech. You probably first encountered this ‘Mech either in the back of a novel or in MechCommander 2, but either way, you were probably wondering how such thin legs could support a 55-ton OmniMech. I do not have the answer, but I do think this model by Bobby (aka Games 4 Life) is pretty darned cool. You can grab this mod over on the MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries Steam Workshop or on Nexus Mods.
Retro-Styled Short Film Gives MechWarrior 2: Mercs Vibes
A few weeks ago, Polys & Pixels started posting short-form videos with retro-style graphics to their YouTube channel, and one of them happened to be MechWarrior-themed. It’s only got two Marauders, a Locust, and two voice actors to go alongside the simplistic animation and textures, but honestly, that’s enough. This video absolutely nails the BattleTech vibe in just two minutes and PS1-era textures.
Atlas Can Breakdance Now
Remember Atlas from Boston Dynamics? Well, the most articulated robot in the world can dance now. And, unlike the Protoclone from last month, it doesn’t need to be held up by wires. It can also reorient itself in a creepy way that only something with 360-degree joints can. Still nowhere near as terrifying as Protoclone, though.
And that’s it for March! Join us next month as share the best April Fools jokes I can find.
And as always, MechWarriors: Stay Syrupy.
Gothic is… a weird choice for a new product line to me. To put as neutrally as possible. I can only assume they’re trying to chase after 40K players. I just don’t trying to make Btech into Kirkland brand 40K is a good way to go about it.
I mean, I don’t wish ill will to CGL over it. I just don’t think this was a great idea.
>Windup UrbanMech
>where to get a pair of windup feet to fit this little trashcan.
Ojigi-Bowing in Japan
Please search “DIY Craft Clockwork Toy Movements” in shopping site.
You would can find it!
From Kashiwa Battletech Groupe member
BattleTech Gothic feels like they looked at the Nebula California stuff from April Fools Days past and decided to triple down on the gimmick and make actual minis for it.
If they are doing that, I would love for them to revisit the Nebula content and make minis for that stuff. The “totally not Liberty Prime” Patriot mech would be funny to actually field, it has a large laser and a heavy rifle that has been modified to be able to fire “Baby Boy” Nuclear Ammo.
BattleTech: Gothic looks like an interesting April fools joke. I’ll probably get at least the digital book. The Kuritans being animal people is kinda funny. As a furry myself that’s the biggest draw, but I think I’ll stick to the primary setting and keep my Canopian cat girl merc commander.
Honestly, for Gothic, disappointed they didn’t go ahead and make a Clan Invasion-era joke.
I imagine the Clans in this era to be anti-Abomination but pro-Frayed, basically becoming their totem animals (ie Talon legs and bright green plummage on Jade Falcons or gills and multiple rows of razorsharp teeth for the Sea Fox/Diamond Shark) but it is only for those that pass their warrior trial. It would also give more uniqueness in designs for their elemental armor and may influence their mech designs more.
Of course, it would reduce the number of Clans to about 10 to start with (Only 1/3 of the Star League going instead of the 8/10 originally gives just over 10 when you do the math) so pick your poison on who stays and who goes.
I’m sorry, but this thought has been in the back of my head for a while, and I had to get it out.
BLOOD KITE REDESIGN AND PROTOMECHS CLAN BLOOD SPIRIT STAYS WINNING
I live for these every month – thanks for doing them
Isn’t there four fanzines coming this year? Third year of Battletech Pride Anthology is in two months, June first week I think have been the last two releases. There was a submissions time reminder last month too on bluesky.
Gothic is such a tremendously stupid idea and a massive misfire. It reeks of desperation and jumping on a trend. I have yet to see a positive reaction from anybody who’s opinion I trust. After they had to do a second kickstarter to fund new product, I’ve had this feeling that Catalyst isn’t very good at commerce and Gothic is symptomatic of that. Who is the audience for it? This may be presumptuous but I was under the impression one of the major appeals of Battletech outside of giant robots was just how grounded and “real” the setting is. If consumers want to engage in a grimdark setting like 40K, they’ll just choose 40K. It’s easier to find stores that carry GW products anyway.
I suspect every byproduct of this idiotic “Battletech Multiverse” will be the same. They’ll all be half-baked ideas desperately trying to appeal to a niche that’s already better served by another game that’s been doing it better for years. On top of all that, why is Catalyst wasting time and resources on jokes like Gathic, LAM Urbie minis and a Harlequin romance novel? Don’t they still have kickstarter pledge rewards to fulfill first?
I’m 40k fan and lifelong battle tech fan and I think it’s fun! At the end of the day this is all based around a game that’s supposed to be fun, so like…get silly with it. I like seeing the artists and devs get a chance to do something they find amusing. I think it’s healthy for the community too.
I think Gothic is just Catalyst begging for a lawsuit at this point. Between this and Trench Crusade, it seems like these companies are just trying to copy 40K rather than create something original, and it’s not like they can even claim to be less expensive due to the tariffs. (or so they claim.) I will say that gothic Marauder would be great base to convert into a black Marauder though.
I’ll probably keep an eye out for that 21st Centauri Lancers pack, I need that Jade Hawk in my life.
As for that guy’s plasma cannon, I wouldn’t really call it a PPC, no Particle accelerator in the design. Also an actual weaponized particle beam would be truly terrifying weapon to be around. Spacedock made a video a few years back covering the science of particle beam weapons and how obscenely powerful they can be.
Considering how many sources Games Workshop drew inspiration from over the years, they really can’t point fingers at anyone unless they specifically copy something GW can actually put a trademark on. That’s why a number of their 40K, AoS, and TOW armies got new names.
And if you think Trench Crusade is just a copy of 40K, you really don’t know that much about Trench Crusade. Or how much grim dark has taken over both the table top war gaming and RPG scene. Nearly all of it taking the grim and hopeless atmosphere, but trying to blaze their own unique trail with nary a genetically enhanced super soldier to be found anywhere.
I have all the K’nex MechWarrior sets. My favorites of them are the Timber Wolf, Avatar, and Shadowcat. The rest are kinda meh.
I LOVE the idea of doing Battletech gothic-style! A major change in appearance, style, and combat, with alien monsters called Abominations(love the name!)and a new style to the Inner Sphere’s war machines! True, Warhammer 40K WAS the first to do this, but this is Battletech: it’s STILL giant robots fighting giant robots, and if anything, I’m looking forward to seeing the EVIL(?)biomechanical designs, miniatures, and above all, artwork! I have to wonder: will the Clans, having been separate from the Inner Sphere since Kerensky’s Exodus until the Invasion, have more of an alien rather than alien edge to them like it was originally thought by the Inner Sphere when they invaded? Will Elementals be giant alien monster infantry enslaved and trained by the Clans? Will Clanners be even more connected to their Mechs than just piloting them? To say nothing of how it’s done in the new gothic Inner Sphere? Looking forward to finding out!!!
Quite excited by the rules part of Gothic, hopefully those abominations can be lifted straight out, smashed into CBT/Aces/Hotspots Hinterlands and used as some sort of gribbly OpFor. Dreams of combined arms merc companies cleansing frontier worlds of Alien Fauna all for that fat paycheck.
Other than that, the price increase is always a grumble, but in the UK finding anyone who actually has stock (seems like it’s all back order at the moment) is like unicorn poop. So guess i’m saving money anyway, until those Inner Sphere Heavy Battle lances to come back in stock, and the Recon and Hunter force pack becomes available (getting two Clan Cavalry Lances for that stupid, sexy black python as part of my pledge is slight regret), CGL’s vehicles are dope as hell.
I posted the Lorentz Plasma Cannon a couple months back on the forums.
While it would be cool if this was a Tesla-esque PPC, the cannon shoots a probe attached with a thin wire, and can not send its charge until the probe touches (or almost touches) the target. It also causes minimal physical damage but fries electronics. Because of this, the Lorentz cannon is more analogous to a BatteMech Taser.
S.gage
Also, whoever made the wind up UrbanMech needs to work out a deal with CGL. I want one. So cool!
I just posted this, but my original response is nowhere to be found. Forgive me if this appears twice.
I posted the Lorentz Plasma Cannon a couple months ago on the BG.BATTLETECH forums. It is quite understandable to compare it with a Tesla-esque PPC. However, the cannon requires a probe with a thin wire to discharge into the target. Additionally, while the cannon is flashy, there is minimal physical damage to most targets, and most of this usefulness appears to be in disruption (destruction) of target electronics. In both of these manners, the Lorentz cannon is more like a [[BattleMech Taser]].
Additionally, I really want to buy a wind up UrbanMech. Maybe CGL can work something out with the guy who did this.
If Catalyst develops Battletech into Rockets and Ray-Guns, I’d love that too because it’s so retro! I love mechs/mecha but lately I’ve been going back to where and when it all started: the 1970s “Shogun Warriors” super-robot anime and manga era, as retro as it gets with these things! After all, you don’t see mecha pilots, from Gundam and otherwise, SHOUTING the system’s name to activate it! Can you imagine THAT in Battletech? “PPCs!” “Lasers!” “Missiles!” “Jump jets JUMP!” STILL so very wonderful and strange, even after all these years!
I’m good, you can have this one. The whole shouting the attack drives me nuts. Yelling maximise or terrorise is the thing I completely ignore about beast wars.
ANIME Battletech? Even better, with it’s look and style!
According to http://kaiju.wikidot.com/wiki:at-at, the Imperial ATAT weighs 4400 tons and has a land speed of 60 kph. By Battletech standards – speed x tonnage / 16.2 – its engine rating would be 16,300!! ALMOST 41 times the power of a 400-rated engine. Given that the tonnage of engines increases in a wildly nonlinear fashion…. I mean even if the nonlinearity stopped at 400, a Std 400 engine weighs 59.5 tons, up 3.5 tons from the Std 395; 16300 rating is 3180 5-rating steps up from 400, even a XL engine of that rating would weigh upwards of 7,000 tons, heavier than the entire ATAT! One can only conclude that force energy and the Sith’s techniques for harnessing it must be capable of producing multi-megaton engines with XXXXXXXL levels of tech. And where do you get a large pulse laser from? The Battle of Hoth saw one of these things blow an entire generator sky-high from a pretty long range, so this had to be either a extended-range heavy PPC or extended-range heavy gauss!
But the Imperial Walkers AREN’T from the Battletech universe: they’re from “a galaxy far, far away” after all! They’re armored troop carriers where the troops step out through the open hatches and zipline down to the ground, often under constant fire like at Hoth! Also the tech is different in the Star Wars universe than it is in the Battletech universe! Still, I understand what you’re getting at, so(I HAVE to say this!)May The Force Be With You, Always!
BattleTech Gothic kinda makes me want to see something like this every couple of years – BT dipping into other sci-fi tropes for one-off boxed sets, just for grins.
BT x Star Trek, with magic technology, and the Great Houses are aliens that are basically just humans with facial prosthetics and homogenous societies.
BT x Star Wars, where Morgan Kell actually does have psychic weapon-scrambling powers. Also laser swords.
BT x Gundam, where mechs are crazily agile and glitzed out, instead of the humanoid tanks from Dougram and Macross. Also mech-sized laser swords.
BT x Mad Max/Dune, embracing the game’s original post-apocalyptic mood, with mechwarriors fighting over water sources to fuel their fusion reactors.
“Female lion” “Female lion” “Female lion”
LIONESS.
The word you’re looking for is LIONESS.
My partner made the same comment. In retrospect, it is a little weird.