It's feeling like a non-US backer needs to make a similar video to this, as soon as they get their pledge (wink), to show shipping/tax versus retail for their area. Feels like the star rating may be a 2/5 for international backers. That's really unfortunate. I dislike how expensive, and sometimes difficult, BattleTech is for you all to get across the pond. Ugh.
I did the kickstarter to 1) get stuff sooner than retail and 2) thinking I'd get more miniatures at a discount. I'm not convinced that I got as many miniatures per dollar as I would like, all the non-miniature things: posters, coins, dice, e-book stories; unless free, is useless to me. It's not going to have any effect on my table top experience. So going forward, I think I'll just wait for retail next time.
That was exactly my thoughts. Ppl pledge for the miniatures most of the thime while the swag is nice to have but yeah. I backed the clan invasion ks which was kind of a desaster but you could save cash even as a eu backer but this ks was the final one for me when they put a 100mm scale mech in the pledge that you have to take... Make it an option that i can have a aditional forcepack instead... Oh and yeah retail get their stuff before eu backers i guess... And the best part is you don't really save much money which is(for me) part of a ks, i mean i found your kampaign with my money so you don't have to use your own and i pay nealy as mich as i pay in retail or get my stuff before the backers. Pure comedy if it wouldn't be so frustrating sry 4 rant😢😅
@@Dazzxp Yeah. Figuring you might be rating three stars … or less … if shipping, tax, and delivery all combine into a nasty soup. Hoping things turn out for you though. Hang in there.
@@box2battle I guess we will wait and see, I already estimated Sept-Oct already during the kickstarter, problem is we are half way through September and we still don't know what's going on it's unlikely to have started other wise they would have posted. Time will tell.
Big Kappa here. I can't say I'm not dissapointed. Communication has been slow, and though we put in the highest pledge amounts, we were handled absolute last. After paying on average $700+ for shipping. On top of state tax.
Unless you have a UA-cam channel dedicated to BattleTech. All of them got their pledges as quickly as possible, including one who ordered a Big Kappa.
2 місяці тому+5
I've been a BattleTech fan and player since the days of FASA in 1986. We played the TTRPG for years during high school, creating an epic multi-generational storyline of a fictional mercenary 'Mech company that we still talk about fondly. Now I'm showing my son how to play, paint minis, and learn the lore. My disappointment in this Kickstarter is only proportional to my passion for BattleTech. I love this game, but that doesn't mean I'm not disgusted at the way Catalyst handled things, especially communication-wise. I'm sure when I'll receive my order I'll be overjoyed, but that won't remove the bitter taste in my mouth. Not trying to be overly dramatic, I've had worse KS overall, but never in one where I spent many hundreds of dollars, and never for a game I love so much.
Well said. Yeah, I’m kind of surprised that receiving everything didn’t really make me “forgive all sins”. I really wish for the benefit of the game things were done better here. I totally understand the sentiments you’re expressing.
The KS campaign was such a big succes, that CGL bit off more than they can chew. I'm in the EU and not a single person here has gotten anything yet, with US fulfilment well over 50% now. Frustrating. Our local FLGS HAS the mercenaries tanks and boxes in stock, but aren't allowed to sell them. CGL's distributors send inventory to shops here in the EU, despite them not being allowed to sell them because the backers still haven't received anything. The stupidity of it all... Regardless of the situation being frustrating, with VAT and the very high "premium shipping" we paid here, means that the actual value of the KS rewards plumetted like a rock. If CGL didn't throw in that many extra free boxes, I doubt the value would have been much better than just getting stuff at retail. Only the "free swag" is left as a major selling point... Ironically, it's mostly that free swag that seems to c*ckblock the entire delivery system right now, judging from the QML posts. My conclusion of it all though, is that I'm never backing any KS made by CGL ever again. Once was enough of a negative experience.
I pledged to this Kickstarter for a single reason: With it's release ALL of the Unseen mechs will be available as Classics in plastic. This is the type of victory some of us waited for DECADES to come. Remember that this victory was less due to CGL and more to Hair Brained Schemes ETC. The handling itself of the KS by CGL was rediculously bad due to the incompetence of certain people involved. I understand that they are a small company , but certain individuals within have proven their inability to handle things correctly as well as their ability to alienate large portions of the fan base. I've never seen so many Emails that said nothing while they wasted time with tidbits of info either on long weekly newscasts or the rumor mill. The only ways I would even consider supporting another KS is either if it was to fund the release of well done Classic mini versions of the LAMs or if another company takes over stewardship from CGL. BTW-I am fully aware that by making a potentially negative comment HERE I risk being banned from Battletech groups on other social media platforms.
I backed Mercs and then pulled out before the KS closed. Looking at what happened I am not sad about my choice. I'll grab Mercs when it hits my FLGS with no regrets. I'm not mad at Catalyst. I appreciate being able to get BT stuff and the quality of what is getting produced. I just don't feel like KS is the way I want to buy it. Choices are good!
@@threeohm I’m betting a lot of the force packs produced stay in high quantities at retail and eventually go on sale as well. I think you’ll get all this at a better savings. 👍 Thanks for the watch and adding to the discussion.
Shipping cost and wait kills it, cost ware more then doubled. My pledge was of similar size, shipping was more then triple of yours. The fact they couldnt manage QML on world level,with so much support outside US, it seems they havent learned from previous Kickstarter. I really dig Battletech, and it less obtainable here, so kickstarter was always about getting new and in bulk, i will very likely pass next one. Campaign was good but execution leaves lot to be desired.
@@box2battleyeah no I live in the Midwest US and my shipping was 80 dollars. I ended up paying basically retail, just got mine a couple days ago. IDK, not happy with the pricing but I will say I'm happy with the quality of my minis.
Whoa, I just did the math only for the minis, mercenaries box set, Savanah maps, and the records sheets, using miniature market pricing (it’s local for me) and I would pay $512.25 if ordered with them. I paid $325 (includes shipping) for my pledge. But I didn’t do any add-ons, so maybe that’s the difference. Anyway, good vid.
Awesome to see another savings calculation. That's great! Do the maps and record sheets have less savings baked in on MM? Could explain it as well. I know the force packs, box set, and even the BattleTech Universe book have about a $5 to $10 savings, each, on MM.
@@box2battleoh, I’m not sure the Savanah battle pack was just sort of the level I bought into so I didn’t get a break down. I believe I bought the Battalion level
I feel like with bonuses of what I got it feels good. I just bought the 80$ version. But god damn I forgot about ordering it until it got here because after a while all of the like 90+ updates were mentioning problems or "we're working on it!". There's been some stuff inbetween my order and getting it where i've gotta kind of wary of CGL. So I think next time I will just wait or 3d print stuff. Aside from order -> received time, my biggest gripe was weirdly with the posters, and how they folded/flat packed them. In the case of the box set, I can understand because limited box space. But they folded the three big posters so now that they're framed they have very big crease lines which isn't great. Everything else is fine though. So im not unhappy, just those two things are disappointing.
@@Locusthorde3000 … I’m thinking based on this go around, they probably need to stop the posters unless they are going to roll them. They rolled the blueprints … so maybe?
As a guy that passed because honestly I was broke AND didn't want to get sucked back into BT (Utter failure on that by me buying a Comstar Level II lance a month ago to play with my kid), I kinda regret not jumping on this. My bud at work JUST got his pledge and while I'm jealous, I'm not envious of the new pile of shame that he has, LOL.
I expected the delay, so that doesn't bother me. Communication was crap, and particularly when they said international customers would only pay local shipping rates. Ridiculous shipping charges made it much worse value than simply buying the stuff when it hits local retailers. Which seems worse as the delay gets longer and future product availability at local retailers starts to get announced. First and last kickstarter of any sort for me.
@@Joric78 … Yes. If “rest of world” ends up paying more to get it later it is a really awful thing. You might try a Kickstarter closer to home. Maybe a Mantic Games one if in UK? I wouldn’t swear off it completely. You might find something that excites and is more local. Thanks for commenting. Hang in there.
@@box2battle The stuff from the Clan Invasion Kickstarter and the first wave of minis both took years to appear in retail locally (Oz), but as Battletech's had a significant revival that's improved. I've picked up both Comstar Level IIs, 7 inner sphere lances (including the Northwind Highlanders), 6 Clan Stars (including the Wolf's Dragoons Assault Star), the Proliferation Cycle, the Alpha Strike box set and a couple of Battlemats, all for close to half of RRP. Paying more than RRP due to exorbitant shipping just feels like a rip off, like a dodgy ebay seller that advertises a low priced item but inflates shipping charges to more than compensate. I do like Catalyst's redesigns, but when they hit more than $10 AUD for a @50mm plastic mini I just go back to 3D printing.
I cancelled my Kickstarter before it ended. I’m glad I did, because I have not been amused by the dumpster fire it was in terms of poor comms. But, there is a lot of stuff I’d like someday at retail.
Clan invasion ks was great for the amount of product we got however it clearly wasn’t profitable for cgl. This one they have firmly set their targets on profitability which is kind of a mistake (should be about generating the content and to allow it to be continually made and break even. Your profit should be from retail sales after the fact. I understand why some people are so angry and upset. But at the same time given the delays on the clan invasion ks it’s unsurprising. The extra cost for delivery is a bit crazy however my shipping was only 32.20 usd so I can’t complain that much (I pledged at the 150 level and bought a drop ship add on)
My sentiment is similar. I'm still waiting for my shipment, but I'm not bothered about it because it's Kickstarter. Once I receive it, I likely won't back a Battletech KS again but that's only because I'll have what I need. I would back a Shadowrun (another Catalyst project) KS, but I know what to expect in terms of comms.
I feel that Catalyst's KS's now with the merc campaign are ONLY a value to the manufacturer and not the consumer. If you don't buy the expensive swag merch and overpriced dice/mid quality. Going to any FLGS or online site will save you not only the high shipping but the non discounted mini price for gaming materials. I think it should be a 2.5 to 3 star for backers and 3.5 to 4 star for the company as they have created a structure that misleads the consumer to a artificial savings. We gave them full cost for a product over a year in advance and they have made the product with excess for retail sale and additional profit with almost no risk to the company. This is originally what kickstarter was created for so I don't fault them for it. CMON created this perceived amazing gift to backers for their support and it has spread to most tabletop combat games. As a backer and consumer I support this method so long as it isn't detrimental to the company as many companies use KS as a loss leader for their products and some campaigns show. I will probably just wait for retail next time as the swag is too expensive and the gaming product I can get cheaper upon general release. I do like your video and commentary although.
Value-wise, per mini, I did not get as many minis as the Clan Invasion KS even though I doubled the pledge amount. I got 50% more minis in that first KS. However, I did end up with more "other stuff" in the Merc KS. Disappointed in the comms and CGL's recent BS. Been playing since '88... Don't think I will doing anymore business with CGL.
@@spannerturnerMWO I understand the feelings. Maybe the new force manuals and a few select force packs are of interest? That’s what I’m eyeing of upcoming CGL product.
I would be a 3/5 it is just above meh. Like you said the knowing I get what I wanted pushed me over the edge to a 3 on the scale. I was very mad I backed a game that was sold retail before I got my copy of Encounters, and when they twisted the knife with shipping it hurt. When you drop 85 bucks shipping to get everything you want is it better than being selective and getting product cheaper and free shipping from Miniature Market? I am just meh. I wouldn't back them again in a KS, but will still buy plastic mechs.
Yeah, Solid 4/5 for me. For some reason I got my stuff in wave 1 so my experience was a little more positive. I was a newer fan when I bought into Mercs so there are things about my pledge I would have changed, and if CGL were to do another Battletech KS I would likely buy in more heavily than I did with this one. I think the main negative was really just the group anxiety over comms and shipping, which you cannot really avoid even if you are more patient and passive about when things arrive.
We were lucky a got our quickly. I believe we got a good value for the money. After all we do play warhammer40k also ,so.this was cheap in Comparison. lol. Nice video
@@Gamerswithcoffee … Ha! Yes the GW prices make anything seem reasonable and in fairness BattleTech is actually really affordable due to low model count. New subscriber to you guys. Been enjoying your stuff. Thanks for swinging by. 👍
I'm a Shadowrun kickstarter backer, so my opinion on them has been REALLY LOW, like 2 - 3. this is my first Btech KS with them and it did raise my opinion to 5, but that's because I didn't ever pay attention to it so I didn't know about the issues.
I joined the Clan Invasion in Wave 2 and got my stuff like 8-9 months later, so the waiting period is a big miss. I also don't remember shipping costs being so high, and I think the value was much higher even though I think I bought less (I'd have to check my emails). With the mechs slated to come out in the next few years, I don't see a reason to back another. Just be a real company that releases products to customers instead of a hodge-podge indie-wannabe. And get rid of the dumb politics that are sabotaging the brand.
I'm disputing my charges currently, QML confirmed they were about to ship in July, but then I was told no shipment till the arano coin, I'm done with this bullshit
People in the continental US got charged $150 shipping to an $250 order. Some others got their orders canceled without refund, explanation or even notice. Even for people in the US in many situations this has been 1/5 at best.
I backed clan invasion and it was pretty good. I am the 77th so I was at a 10 with mercs. I got my address validation on July 26th and nothing since. I think the add ons for this kickstarter were cheap considering the amazing outpouring of support, I actually already own through retail most of the add ons that I bought at the kick starter. The value isn't as high for me, because I really don't care about the merch. I want game play components. So my nps score is pretty close to zero. I think this kickstarter has pretty well cured me from kickstarters.
I am disappointed, haven't got mine yet, tried to cancel after CGI decided to sell me ideology rather then minis, will be flipping it all immediately to try and get my money back, and will be sticking to 3d printing for all my future needs.
Retail pricing. Inflated shipping costs. Slow delivery. Poor communication. No, it was not worth it. The good thing is CGL have given me great reasons never to spend another cent on their products. 3D printing and proxy minis from now on :)
2*, shocking shipping cost, less value than clan invasion, terrible comms, digital rewards bad idea, posters folded again!!¡ and nothing for ROW and it has been 4 mo the stock at retail. CGL are incompetent.
From Australia here and rather disappointed. Received an email saying that shipping would be taken out of my account when the shipping was to proceed and that was over six months ago and they took it out straight after the email! 😮 and shipping was over $500 !!!! 🤬
Ha love it. Quick question, do you work in the CX industry?? Your explanation of NPS was well delivered to the point I may or may not yoink it! Also your star colors are close to my company brand colors so I'm suspicious!
IDGAF if I get banned from CGL. The way this whole thing was handled was an absolute trash fire. The current custodians of the property are doing their damndest to ruin the franchise like so many others have been lately. I'll never support another KS from them again, and will do everything possible to assure that I will not give them another one of my dollars in support. They do not deserve it for how they've handled members of the community that they disagree with. So to answer....was it worth it? No. Losing the love of a game and a hobby you've held on to for 40 years of your life was not worth it.
Look while I have my reservations about cgl and the Kickstarter (I backed it as point of reference) they aren’t doing too bad. The storyline is once again progressing things are slowly looking up. Let me ask why and what has caused you to think that it’s all a dumpster fire? Also note I’m in oz and we haven’t even had an address verification email sent to us yet. I get the angry but rather than just saying it explain why please
I dont want to stir shite but cgl really dropped the ball. Spent time and money on woke BS . Communication it key. Say u fuked up and majority of people can move on. Instead we are mushrooms. Kept in the dark and fed shite.
extremely, horribly not worth it, i ended up being functionally held hostage by a $120 shipping charge I could have avoided by just waiting for product to go to retail and buy locally. never backing something from CGL again
It's feeling like a non-US backer needs to make a similar video to this, as soon as they get their pledge (wink), to show shipping/tax versus retail for their area. Feels like the star rating may be a 2/5 for international backers. That's really unfortunate. I dislike how expensive, and sometimes difficult, BattleTech is for you all to get across the pond. Ugh.
I did the kickstarter to 1) get stuff sooner than retail and 2) thinking I'd get more miniatures at a discount. I'm not convinced that I got as many miniatures per dollar as I would like, all the non-miniature things: posters, coins, dice, e-book stories; unless free, is useless to me. It's not going to have any effect on my table top experience. So going forward, I think I'll just wait for retail next time.
@@jonmattison3939 Probably right that retail, from a pure minis to table perspective, is more cost effective. Yep yep.
Just was thinking the same, good comment.
That was exactly my thoughts. Ppl pledge for the miniatures most of the thime while the swag is nice to have but yeah. I backed the clan invasion ks which was kind of a desaster but you could save cash even as a eu backer but this ks was the final one for me when they put a 100mm scale mech in the pledge that you have to take... Make it an option that i can have a aditional forcepack instead... Oh and yeah retail get their stuff before eu backers i guess... And the best part is you don't really save much money which is(for me) part of a ks, i mean i found your kampaign with my money so you don't have to use your own and i pay nealy as mich as i pay in retail or get my stuff before the backers. Pure comedy if it wouldn't be so frustrating sry 4 rant😢😅
Well I am in Europe so yeah... enough said about that, "international fulfillment in the near future"
@@Dazzxp Yeah. Figuring you might be rating three stars … or less … if shipping, tax, and delivery all combine into a nasty soup. Hoping things turn out for you though. Hang in there.
fist bump from Australia in solidarity
@@box2battle I guess we will wait and see, I already estimated Sept-Oct already during the kickstarter, problem is we are half way through September and we still don't know what's going on it's unlikely to have started other wise they would have posted. Time will tell.
@@verysilentmouse Hope you guys get yours before the Chinese New Year!
I'm in Canada and haven't received anything yet. No offense but I sure hope I get it before you do!
Big Kappa here. I can't say I'm not dissapointed. Communication has been slow, and though we put in the highest pledge amounts, we were handled absolute last. After paying on average $700+ for shipping. On top of state tax.
@@christopherings7996 … Big Kappas should have a separate dedicated email list with CGL making sure you guys feel loved. Ugh.
Aren't you glad they hired people who prioritized political soapboxes over model production?
Unless you have a UA-cam channel dedicated to BattleTech. All of them got their pledges as quickly as possible, including one who ordered a Big Kappa.
I've been a BattleTech fan and player since the days of FASA in 1986. We played the TTRPG for years during high school, creating an epic multi-generational storyline of a fictional mercenary 'Mech company that we still talk about fondly. Now I'm showing my son how to play, paint minis, and learn the lore. My disappointment in this Kickstarter is only proportional to my passion for BattleTech. I love this game, but that doesn't mean I'm not disgusted at the way Catalyst handled things, especially communication-wise. I'm sure when I'll receive my order I'll be overjoyed, but that won't remove the bitter taste in my mouth. Not trying to be overly dramatic, I've had worse KS overall, but never in one where I spent many hundreds of dollars, and never for a game I love so much.
Well said. Yeah, I’m kind of surprised that receiving everything didn’t really make me “forgive all sins”. I really wish for the benefit of the game things were done better here. I totally understand the sentiments you’re expressing.
I’m still waiting for my order it’s been a while..
The KS campaign was such a big succes, that CGL bit off more than they can chew. I'm in the EU and not a single person here has gotten anything yet, with US fulfilment well over 50% now. Frustrating. Our local FLGS HAS the mercenaries tanks and boxes in stock, but aren't allowed to sell them. CGL's distributors send inventory to shops here in the EU, despite them not being allowed to sell them because the backers still haven't received anything. The stupidity of it all...
Regardless of the situation being frustrating, with VAT and the very high "premium shipping" we paid here, means that the actual value of the KS rewards plumetted like a rock. If CGL didn't throw in that many extra free boxes, I doubt the value would have been much better than just getting stuff at retail. Only the "free swag" is left as a major selling point... Ironically, it's mostly that free swag that seems to c*ckblock the entire delivery system right now, judging from the QML posts.
My conclusion of it all though, is that I'm never backing any KS made by CGL ever again. Once was enough of a negative experience.
I pledged to this Kickstarter for a single reason: With it's release
ALL of the Unseen mechs will be available as Classics in plastic.
This is the type of victory some of us waited for DECADES to come.
Remember that this victory was less due to CGL and more to Hair Brained Schemes ETC.
The handling itself of the KS by CGL was rediculously bad due to the incompetence
of certain people involved. I understand that they are a small company ,
but certain individuals within have proven their inability to handle things correctly
as well as their ability to alienate large portions of the fan base.
I've never seen so many Emails that said nothing while they wasted time
with tidbits of info either on long weekly newscasts or the rumor mill.
The only ways I would even consider supporting another KS is either if
it was to fund the release of well done Classic mini versions of the LAMs
or if another company takes over stewardship from CGL.
BTW-I am fully aware that by making a potentially negative comment HERE
I risk being banned from Battletech groups on other social media platforms.
No wasn't worth it. Shipping was way too much.
Their fiction has taken a noticeable nose dive since they fired Blaine for his politics.......in a FICTION book.
I backed Mercs and then pulled out before the KS closed. Looking at what happened I am not sad about my choice. I'll grab Mercs when it hits my FLGS with no regrets. I'm not mad at Catalyst. I appreciate being able to get BT stuff and the quality of what is getting produced. I just don't feel like KS is the way I want to buy it. Choices are good!
@@threeohm I’m betting a lot of the force packs produced stay in high quantities at retail and eventually go on sale as well. I think you’ll get all this at a better savings. 👍 Thanks for the watch and adding to the discussion.
Same here. I will get to them when I can get to them. I’m glad I didn’t have my money tied up for so long
Shipping cost and wait kills it, cost ware more then doubled. My pledge was of similar size, shipping was more then triple of yours. The fact they couldnt manage QML on world level,with so much support outside US, it seems they havent learned from previous Kickstarter. I really dig Battletech, and it less obtainable here, so kickstarter was always about getting new and in bulk, i will very likely pass next one. Campaign was good but execution leaves lot to be desired.
@@boltezarziherl9451 … ugh. Triple the shipping cost would kill it for me as well. Such a shame it’s hard to get BattleTech outside the US.
@@box2battleyeah no I live in the Midwest US and my shipping was 80 dollars. I ended up paying basically retail, just got mine a couple days ago. IDK, not happy with the pricing but I will say I'm happy with the quality of my minis.
Whoa, I just did the math only for the minis, mercenaries box set, Savanah maps, and the records sheets, using miniature market pricing (it’s local for me) and I would pay $512.25 if ordered with them. I paid $325 (includes shipping) for my pledge. But I didn’t do any add-ons, so maybe that’s the difference.
Anyway, good vid.
Awesome to see another savings calculation. That's great! Do the maps and record sheets have less savings baked in on MM? Could explain it as well. I know the force packs, box set, and even the BattleTech Universe book have about a $5 to $10 savings, each, on MM.
@@box2battleoh, I’m not sure the Savanah battle pack was just sort of the level I bought into so I didn’t get a break down.
I believe I bought the Battalion level
@@WARdROBEPlaysWWII 👍
You have recieved your Kickstarter? Lucky.
@@MaverickofThePeople yep. Over halfway done with US/NAmerica pledges now, so a majority of backers in the States should have it.
I feel like with bonuses of what I got it feels good. I just bought the 80$ version.
But god damn I forgot about ordering it until it got here because after a while all of the like 90+ updates were mentioning problems or "we're working on it!". There's been some stuff inbetween my order and getting it where i've gotta kind of wary of CGL. So I think next time I will just wait or 3d print stuff.
Aside from order -> received time, my biggest gripe was weirdly with the posters, and how they folded/flat packed them. In the case of the box set, I can understand because limited box space. But they folded the three big posters so now that they're framed they have very big crease lines which isn't great.
Everything else is fine though. So im not unhappy, just those two things are disappointing.
@@Locusthorde3000 … I’m thinking based on this go around, they probably need to stop the posters unless they are going to roll them. They rolled the blueprints … so maybe?
The IS battle armor reminds me of "melt man" from kablamo!
@@xyonblade … with the power to … uhhh … melt!
@@box2battle yesss! I'm glad you got that hehe.
As a guy that passed because honestly I was broke AND didn't want to get sucked back into BT (Utter failure on that by me buying a Comstar Level II lance a month ago to play with my kid), I kinda regret not jumping on this. My bud at work JUST got his pledge and while I'm jealous, I'm not envious of the new pile of shame that he has, LOL.
@@SCTimbal Yes! It definitely adds to the pile. I have “shelves of shame” right now. 😂
I expected the delay, so that doesn't bother me. Communication was crap, and particularly when they said international customers would only pay local shipping rates. Ridiculous shipping charges made it much worse value than simply buying the stuff when it hits local retailers. Which seems worse as the delay gets longer and future product availability at local retailers starts to get announced. First and last kickstarter of any sort for me.
@@Joric78 … Yes. If “rest of world” ends up paying more to get it later it is a really awful thing. You might try a Kickstarter closer to home. Maybe a Mantic Games one if in UK? I wouldn’t swear off it completely. You might find something that excites and is more local. Thanks for commenting. Hang in there.
@@box2battle The stuff from the Clan Invasion Kickstarter and the first wave of minis both took years to appear in retail locally (Oz), but as Battletech's had a significant revival that's improved. I've picked up both Comstar Level IIs, 7 inner sphere lances (including the Northwind Highlanders), 6 Clan Stars (including the Wolf's Dragoons Assault Star), the Proliferation Cycle, the Alpha Strike box set and a couple of Battlemats, all for close to half of RRP. Paying more than RRP due to exorbitant shipping just feels like a rip off, like a dodgy ebay seller that advertises a low priced item but inflates shipping charges to more than compensate. I do like Catalyst's redesigns, but when they hit more than $10 AUD for a @50mm plastic mini I just go back to 3D printing.
I cancelled my Kickstarter before it ended. I’m glad I did, because I have not been amused by the dumpster fire it was in terms of poor comms.
But, there is a lot of stuff I’d like someday at retail.
@@timunderbakke8756 … pretty good odds you are going to be able to find it at retail. 👍
Clan invasion ks was great for the amount of product we got however it clearly wasn’t profitable for cgl. This one they have firmly set their targets on profitability which is kind of a mistake (should be about generating the content and to allow it to be continually made and break even. Your profit should be from retail sales after the fact.
I understand why some people are so angry and upset. But at the same time given the delays on the clan invasion ks it’s unsurprising. The extra cost for delivery is a bit crazy however my shipping was only 32.20 usd so I can’t complain that much (I pledged at the 150 level and bought a drop ship add on)
My sentiment is similar. I'm still waiting for my shipment, but I'm not bothered about it because it's Kickstarter. Once I receive it, I likely won't back a Battletech KS again but that's only because I'll have what I need. I would back a Shadowrun (another Catalyst project) KS, but I know what to expect in terms of comms.
Or stop backing Kickstarters so the IP can be picked up by a company big enough to actually handle it.
Great Video and analysis.
I’m also in RoW and waiting…
@@PainfulMiniReviews Wishing a speedy drop ship heading your way. Hoping things end on a good note for you. 👍🤞
I feel that Catalyst's KS's now with the merc campaign are ONLY a value to the manufacturer and not the consumer. If you don't buy the expensive swag merch and overpriced dice/mid quality. Going to any FLGS or online site will save you not only the high shipping but the non discounted mini price for gaming materials. I think it should be a 2.5 to 3 star for backers and 3.5 to 4 star for the company as they have created a structure that misleads the consumer to a artificial savings. We gave them full cost for a product over a year in advance and they have made the product with excess for retail sale and additional profit with almost no risk to the company. This is originally what kickstarter was created for so I don't fault them for it. CMON created this perceived amazing gift to backers for their support and it has spread to most tabletop combat games. As a backer and consumer I support this method so long as it isn't detrimental to the company as many companies use KS as a loss leader for their products and some campaigns show. I will probably just wait for retail next time as the swag is too expensive and the gaming product I can get cheaper upon general release. I do like your video and commentary although.
@@kenwad75 Thank you. Appreciate the comment.
Value-wise, per mini, I did not get as many minis as the Clan Invasion KS even though I doubled the pledge amount. I got 50% more minis in that first KS. However, I did end up with more "other stuff" in the Merc KS. Disappointed in the comms and CGL's recent BS. Been playing since '88... Don't think I will doing anymore business with CGL.
@@spannerturnerMWO I understand the feelings. Maybe the new force manuals and a few select force packs are of interest? That’s what I’m eyeing of upcoming CGL product.
I got mine yesterday. It’s a lot of stuff. I believe I was the battalion level.
Woot woot!
I would be a 3/5 it is just above meh. Like you said the knowing I get what I wanted pushed me over the edge to a 3 on the scale. I was very mad I backed a game that was sold retail before I got my copy of Encounters, and when they twisted the knife with shipping it hurt. When you drop 85 bucks shipping to get everything you want is it better than being selective and getting product cheaper and free shipping from Miniature Market? I am just meh. I wouldn't back them again in a KS, but will still buy plastic mechs.
@@andrewduitsman3918 Appreciate the take and perspective here.
Yeah, Solid 4/5 for me. For some reason I got my stuff in wave 1 so my experience was a little more positive. I was a newer fan when I bought into Mercs so there are things about my pledge I would have changed, and if CGL were to do another Battletech KS I would likely buy in more heavily than I did with this one. I think the main negative was really just the group anxiety over comms and shipping, which you cannot really avoid even if you are more patient and passive about when things arrive.
@@VersusJordan great perspective. Thanks for commenting.
We were lucky a got our quickly. I believe we got a good value for the money. After all we do play warhammer40k also ,so.this was cheap in Comparison. lol. Nice video
@@Gamerswithcoffee … Ha! Yes the GW prices make anything seem reasonable and in fairness BattleTech is actually really affordable due to low model count. New subscriber to you guys. Been enjoying your stuff. Thanks for swinging by. 👍
@@box2battle were subbed to you also.
I'm a Shadowrun kickstarter backer, so my opinion on them has been REALLY LOW, like 2 - 3. this is my first Btech KS with them and it did raise my opinion to 5, but that's because I didn't ever pay attention to it so I didn't know about the issues.
@@mustakrakish Back and forget is a good strategy to Kickstarter happiness. Totally. Thanks for the comment mate.👍
I'm part of the current Shadowrun board game Kickstarter. We haven't heard a communication in nearly 3 months.
@@RecklessFables … Oh man. Didn’t really even know that one was out there. Ooofff. Sorry to hear that.
I joined the Clan Invasion in Wave 2 and got my stuff like 8-9 months later, so the waiting period is a big miss. I also don't remember shipping costs being so high, and I think the value was much higher even though I think I bought less (I'd have to check my emails). With the mechs slated to come out in the next few years, I don't see a reason to back another. Just be a real company that releases products to customers instead of a hodge-podge indie-wannabe. And get rid of the dumb politics that are sabotaging the brand.
I avoided it because they didn't have a "just the mechs* tier.
Without that I'm paying international shipping for landfill.
paying $200 for shipping to a company that stopped paying royalties to one of its oldest writers? Nah. I'll 3d print from now on.
I'm disputing my charges currently, QML confirmed they were about to ship in July, but then I was told no shipment till the arano coin, I'm done with this bullshit
I got my money back
People in the continental US got charged $150 shipping to an $250 order. Some others got their orders canceled without refund, explanation or even notice.
Even for people in the US in many situations this has been 1/5 at best.
I backed clan invasion and it was pretty good.
I am the 77th so I was at a 10 with mercs. I got my address validation on July 26th and nothing since.
I think the add ons for this kickstarter were cheap considering the amazing outpouring of support, I actually already own through retail most of the add ons that I bought at the kick starter.
The value isn't as high for me, because I really don't care about the merch. I want game play components.
So my nps score is pretty close to zero.
I think this kickstarter has pretty well cured me from kickstarters.
I ouldn't tell you are we still have zero idea when Aust distribution will start or who is handling it. (Which doesn't inspire confidence)
I am disappointed, haven't got mine yet, tried to cancel after CGI decided to sell me ideology rather then minis, will be flipping it all immediately to try and get my money back, and will be sticking to 3d printing for all my future needs.
Retail pricing. Inflated shipping costs. Slow delivery. Poor communication. No, it was not worth it. The good thing is CGL have given me great reasons never to spend another cent on their products. 3D printing and proxy minis from now on :)
2*, shocking shipping cost, less value than clan invasion, terrible comms, digital rewards bad idea, posters folded again!!¡ and nothing for ROW and it has been 4 mo the stock at retail. CGL are incompetent.
From Australia here and rather disappointed. Received an email saying that shipping would be taken out of my account when the shipping was to proceed and that was over six months ago and they took it out straight after the email! 😮 and shipping was over $500 !!!! 🤬
@@roshee5573 I cannot even wrap my head around $500 in shipping: Yankee Doodle greenback or Aussie dollarie doos. That is just murder.
I’m in Europe and haven’t even received a shipping email…
@@rastamann2009 stand by for dropship … eta unknown. Sigh. Yeah. Hang in there.
Not to bear bad news but we are looking at December/ "early 2025" in Europe based on current evidence.
Ha love it. Quick question, do you work in the CX industry?? Your explanation of NPS was well delivered to the point I may or may not yoink it! Also your star colors are close to my company brand colors so I'm suspicious!
@@jasonreilly4497 I do a lot of product work with software teams, so a lot of CX bleeds into that. 👍😉
@@box2battle yeah I interact with product teams, but most of my work is stats based. Nice! See ya around maybe!
@@jasonreilly4497 data data everywhere these days. Awesome. Yeah. 👍
IDGAF if I get banned from CGL. The way this whole thing was handled was an absolute trash fire. The current custodians of the property are doing their damndest to ruin the franchise like so many others have been lately. I'll never support another KS from them again, and will do everything possible to assure that I will not give them another one of my dollars in support. They do not deserve it for how they've handled members of the community that they disagree with. So to answer....was it worth it? No. Losing the love of a game and a hobby you've held on to for 40 years of your life was not worth it.
You won't be missed
@@weaselwolf spoken like a true corporate shill.
@@weaselwolfLOL Corporations miss every single lost dollar. They don't need to admit it but pretending they don't is incredibly stupid.
Look while I have my reservations about cgl and the Kickstarter (I backed it as point of reference) they aren’t doing too bad. The storyline is once again progressing things are slowly looking up. Let me ask why and what has caused you to think that it’s all a dumpster fire? Also note I’m in oz and we haven’t even had an address verification email sent to us yet. I get the angry but rather than just saying it explain why please
I dont want to stir shite but cgl really dropped the ball. Spent time and money on woke BS . Communication it key. Say u fuked up and majority of people can move on. Instead we are mushrooms. Kept in the dark and fed shite.
Everything in this pack has already been created or can be created by players.
Considering it gave money to CGL?
No. No it wasn't.
extremely, horribly not worth it, i ended up being functionally held hostage by a $120 shipping charge I could have avoided by just waiting for product to go to retail and buy locally. never backing something from CGL again
@@elleeVee ugh. So sorry to hear that mate. That sucks.
Paying money to catalyst is never worth it.
Yes, 1000% worth it. Some of y'all need to work on your patience and impulse control.
Impulse control? When plastic mechs are involved? Sir, you must be joking!
Certified consoomer moment
@@Kepora1 MUST PROTECT CORPORATION!!!!