Erewhon: Okay, friends... assuming I can keep this thing working, we're here to talk about
TR3075! Present today we have Herb Beas, CBT Line Developer (just look for the glow), Randall
Bills (CBT Line Developer emeritus, and developer on TR3075), as well as a swath of writers that
were part of the project.
Erewhon: So... you have questions, we might have answers. Send 'em in!
Erewhon: I warn no one! hahaa!
Damage: I'll put my vote for yes right now. I'm really enjoing the whole 'its not a mech
ruling the battlefield' feel to it.
Erewhon: Glad you're enjoying it...
Keiran: Somehow I knew this boiled down to that
Erewhon: Well, yes.
Damage: anyone have a personal favorite from 3075?
Kit_deSummersVille: I have two, the Xanthos was a long, planned out design that I got to lead
up to with the quads in 3039 to flesh out the history of quads a bit more. The Quasit was a last
minute design that was very fun to write up.
Damage: anyone have a personal favorite from 3075?
HABEAS2: I have 15 personal favorites in there, at least....
Damage: anyone have a personal favorite from 3075?
IvanR: don't tell Ben or Paul, but the Pariah - even the art is sweet
Ian_Sharpe: Herb! Kit! Lance!
HABEAS2: Ian! Sharpe! You! .... Had no question there?
Damage: anyone have a personal favorite from 3075?
Keiran: One? 15... Ok, serious... Things we haven't seen before.. The Defiance - and if only
because I really like Hogarth. He is hillarious.
Damage: anyone have a personal favorite from 3075?
MacAttack: Kind of fond of the Bear Cub for some reason.
Damage: anyone have a personal favorite from 3075?
Precentor_Martial: Image, design, fluff? All the above? hahaha. I actually think the
Hammerhands might be one of my favorites across the board. It's one of the strongest "old
school" looking 'Mechs to come along in a long time. It's a very solid design for Introductory
Rules. And finally, I love how we were able to weave the flavor text into so many different
threads, such as the BattleTechnology where the 'original' BattleAx appears...making it all work.
To me the Hammerhands demonstrates all the coolness 3075 has to offer.
Joseph_Mallan: I am surprized that I find myself liking the Light Mechs over the heavies
in the '75. I really like the Wight
HABEAS2: Glad to hear it!
CynicklePilgrim: @PM: How difificult was this to manage? It could not have been easy
parsing all of this info and ensuring that there wasn't too much RetConning.
Precentor_Martial: ahhah...very difficult. Without a doubt 3075 was the most challengng TRO
ever. And I can't give enough giant thanks and kudos to Mike Miller and Chris Wheeler for helping
me manage that. I could've done it alone...but then TO would still be in the writing phase, as
opposed to 'finally' at the printers as of earlier this week!
Ian_Sharpe: no, but I've never been at home for one of these. Too hot for golf today.
trying to think of a question...
HABEAS2: Standard Answer #5.
CynicklePilgrim: Will we see more of the Battledroids popping up in the future or was
this book it?
HABEAS2: Tough to say. After all, BattleDroids featured pretty much nothing BUT Unseens. We'd
need to work it out some more.
BeeRockxs: Was it an oversight that some of the BA carry the "game information" notes
from combat equipment and others do not?
Precentor_Martial: It 'may' be. I'd need to go look to be sure. Generally speaking, the concept
is that the 'notes' are used if there simply is some game information that we can't convey in the
rest of the game stats. So if that information 'is' conveyed in the game stats, then yes, it was an
oversite that they were left in.
Joseph_Mallan: Will there be a PPC Varient of the Jupiter? IIRC there is one in the
MW:DA RS
HABEAS2: Then you technically have your answer there; remember that 3075 is about the time
some of those MWDA designs were first hitting the field. What becomes of them after 60 years of
evolution should be interesting indeed.
Ian_Sharpe: OK, when we will get an aerospace fighter using 'modern' technology for
the MOC? I was hoping the Sabre would be Canopian, as its the only ASF they
manufacture.
Kit_deSummersVille: As soon as they give me a Canpian aerospace fighter.
Erewhon: Just a comment -- give the fairly small audience today, it's probably safe to ask non-
3075 CBT-related questions, as well. But remember--we don't comment on product that's not
already announced!
Wolf_Lancer_4: I was disappointed to not see the Clan Wolf Tohmahawk mech in
75....why wasnt it included? its been "around" for some time in the universe as a test
mech
Precentor_Martial: That's totally my faul t. I simply forgot it was there. When we put together
the list of what would be in 3075, the Cutting Edge section obviously had to fit the cannon of all
the MWDA units that were mentioned as appearing during 3067 to 3075. After we did that, we
then decided to include 3 brand new units at the last minutes...basically I wanted some 'neverbefore-
seen' material in the Cutting Edge section. Now I 'could' toss that blame on no one else
seeming to remember that's around and should've been included...but it was ultimately my call
and I'll take the hit for that. Sorry about that.
Damage: how are the core books coming along?
HABEAS2: We hates them! We hates the core rulebooks!
CynicklePilgrim: Which of you was responsible for the Toro design and fluff
Erewhon: If we told you that, we'd have to shoot you.
HABEAS2: Seriously, quiote well. TacOps is just about done. Strategic Ops--due to the nature of
its rather accidental creation (*galnces at Randall*)--is also about done with writing, and the RPG,
well....
Ian_Sharpe: Was the Crossbow sort of a work back from the Viper Omnimech
Crossbow? The weapons loads, speed, etc are very close.
MacAttack: If I had to hazard a guess... Yes.
Joseph_Mallan: I'd really like to try my hand at proofing some of the TROs in the future.
I have already found about 4 gaff that made it to the PDF. and I hope they got caught
before hitting the presses! What would I need to know to qualify?
HABEAS2: These days, we're building ever-tighter guidelines for playtesting and fact-checking,
with not only a simple Non-Disclosure Agreement, but also a set of Guidelines for conduct both
among the review groups and on the forums. The bottom line is, if you think you're the type of
person who can't provide criticism without torquing someone off (or telling everyone in the public
forums what we're all up to), you shouldn't even consider joining our review process. If you think
you can handle that awesome responsibility, you;re halfway there.
Damage: how are the core books coming along?
MacAttack: Generating lots and lots of record sheets. Some of them are even finished. Sort of.
HABEAS2: And a reminder to all: I speak Typo as well as standard American English, so bear with
me.
cvb: Is the Titan still ComStar's first 'mech as per Tech Manual, and the in-universe
authors just didn't know it, or is this a retcon?
Precentor_Martial: Um, little confused by your question. In the Titan write-up it states "The
Titan II, on the other hand, essentially resurrected the specs for the original TI-1A Titan, which
was initially prototyped for General Kerensky in 2765, only to be later abandoned with the onset
of the Amaris Civil War." It then laters confirms that the specifications are different enough from
that earlier design (the design that ComStar first created off of the prototype) that it was named
the Titan II. It doesn't come right out and say ComStar because Chandy wasn't able to dig deep
enough for that info. But hopefully the write-up allows the readers to make the connection.
Erewhon: So... which part of 3075 did you most enjoy working on?
MacAttack: The Royals were kind of fun
Erewhon: So... which part of 3075 did you most enjoy working on?
Keiran: I think developing new variants for the Celestials. Working with those babies sure was the
most fun.
Erewhon: So... which part of 3075 did you most enjoy working on?
IvanR: for me, the Spectrals - as soon as I saw the art, I could feel a big grin forming
CynicklePilgrim: Why would you have to shoot me, I'm harmless ....really. Another Q?,
Why did the FWL get the apparent shaft in the Age of War era?
Erewhon: How do you mean?
Wolf_Lancer_4: so with your answer in mind we should expect to see it in the next TRO
or Jihad book perhaps?
Precentor_Martial: Well..I don't know about the 'next' one. But I'd like to see it premiered, yes.
Erewhon: So... which part of 3075 did you most enjoy working on?
Kit_deSummersVille: I liked getting to build things from the ground up, rather than just making
variants like I'd done in the last books. The most interesting thing was creating the Eylueka with
Nick. We both submitted designs in the same weight range and the final design is actually a
'design by comittee'. The original submitted designs are the first two prototype variants.
cvb: Re: the Titan: yes, the info that Uncle Chandy wasn't able to dig deep enough
answers my question. Thanks.
Precentor_Martial: You bet.
Wolf_Lancer_4: fair enough...i look forward to the fluff(much less the stats on that
baby) whenever it premieres...thanks
Precentor_Martial: You bet.
BeeRockxs: regarding the BA notes, the thing that confused me is that some BAs with
body mounted missiles are specifically noted as not being able to jump until they fire
their missiles, while others do not have that note. and the rule in TW says that all body
mounted missile launchers prevent the jumping until they are jettisoned
HABEAS2: Per TechManual, the jumping restriction applies only to Inner Sphere-made BA using
body-mounted launchers, and also precludes the ability to perform anti-Mech attacks as well. So if
you put jets on those suits, you need to make the launchers detachable.
Joseph_Mallan: Am I correct in believing that the Celestials are considered Tourny
legal? because those Thunderbolt LRMs are going to give some folks fits!
HABEAS2: It would be more accurate to say "some are, some aren't". Thunderbol t launchers are
not tourney legal, but "Advanced", and so those models can't appear in tourney games.
cvb: Regarding joining the review process: If I think I can handle this awfull
responsibility, who should I send an appliction to?
HABEAS2: Me
Joseph_Mallan: I've reciently passed the halfway point then Herb. I've an NDA and I
have kept my mouth shut except to say that I have the privlige to be testing it.
HABEAS2: Then I'll need to consider it, eh?
CynicklePilgrim: They got too much stuff that had been present in other books
(Deathstalker, Lyonesse/Aquarius, Explorer) or stuff of very limited utility (Patron,
Paramour, Mauna Kea) Aside from the Periphery, they semed to get get the short end of
the stick (design-wise) when compared to the other houses
Erewhon: Hm... no idea. It didn't feel like the short-end at the time, LOL.
Joseph_Mallan: ok, cool. Using TboltLRMs would be interesting but I see the diference. I
also like seeing the "advanced"stuff in official TROs
HABEAS2: Well remember that it's basically always been there. Artillery is advanced rules now,
so that put the Naga, the Bowman, the O-Bakemono, and a bunch of vees in the non-tourney
category. When we hit TR3075, TacOps had finally finished up equipment testing and final
revisisons for internal use, and so viola, more advanced gear to play with
IvanR: for the writers - the Age of War fluff; how hard was it to delve into and construct
asome nice tidbits without stomping over continuity?
HABEAS2: Sometimes, very much so. When I did the Marsden II, for instance, it was supposed to
be a contemporary of the Mackie, but we had to watch issues like the fact that in those days, they
didn't even have BAR 10 armor for vehicles, so there was a Primitive, a lesser-armor version, and
a final "standard" version that we all saw.
IvanR: for the writers - the Age of War fluff; how hard was it to delve into and construct
asome nice tidbits without stomping over continuity?
MacAttack: Simple. Almost all of the material I worked on represented an opertunity to take
existing information and expand on it. As it was based on existing information continuity was
maintained
Joseph_Mallan: Cynickle that is par for the course with the FWL. They have been under
utilized on most tables in the CBT community, as such I noticed the same thing you did.
Maybe it's because the Blakists are taking over the league's production and all they
have is the scraps
IvanR: for the writers - the Age of War fluff; how hard was it to delve into and construct
asome nice tidbits without stomping over continuity?
Kit_deSummersVille: Tough at times. Some areas were very open, while others were
contradictions. In doing the Liao stuff I went to the HBHL for some info, only to find out it had
been revised. But it was nostalgic going back and making some 3025-style designs.
IvanR: for the writers - the Age of War fluff; how hard was it to delve into and construct
asome nice tidbits without stomping over continuity?
Precentor_Martial: Both easy and difficult. Easier because it's a lot more wide open during that
time period...not a lot published. Harder because you'd keep finding that one sentence burried in
an old sourcebook that would just invalidate half your write-up. But still very gratifying for all
involved to really delve into such a cool era and really start to flesh it out for the first time.
CynicklePilgrim: Will TacOps be the end of new weapons in the corebooks or will be
pounded further into submission by StratOps and InterOps?
HABEAS2: Mmmm. Hard to say. Startegic Ops does not currently have much in the way of "new
weapons" going on, but focuses instead on all the stuff we couldn't cram into the TacOps book
(and we resolved NOT to split the gear up). Interstellar Ops is another matter, but we'll Inferno
that bridge when we get there...
Wolf_Lancer_4: Will we ever get the real name to the "Pariah" or will it eternally be
known as the "Pariah"?
HABEAS2: Signs point to Standard Answer #3
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Wolf_Lancer_4: I figured that but I had to ask anyway
HABEAS2: No harm in trying, but remember that just about any time you start a question with
"Will we ever see...?" odds are, we can't say.
HABEAS2: C'mon, CLass. DOn't be shy
Damage: OOooohhhh, does that mean cool new warship weapons in Interstellar Ops?
(Please, please, please)
Precentor_Martial: What, the new WarShip weapons in TO aren't enough?
We've not had
new capi tal-scale weapons and equipment since Explorer Corps, published in 96 and before that
since BattleSpace, published in 93. And there's several new weapond and equipment and
ammo...I'm thinking that's plenty.
Joseph_Mallan: Darn it every quesion I go to type gets self edited because of Answer
#3
Precentor_Martial: hahaha
Wolf_Lancer_4: oh....in the clan medium battle armor fluff it mentions that the Wolf
elementals call it the "Volk"...what language is that? Russian?
HABEAS2: I would guess Russian, given the Kerensky legacy, yes. (Possibly German, but that
wouldn't make as much sense to me.)
Kit_deSummersVille: So Herb, about those LAMs...
HABEAS2: *lobs a nuke at Kenny*
CynicklePilgrim: Volk is German, it means people
BeeRockxs: any news on the handbooks?
HABEAS2: I must be perfectly honest right now: Since the changeover from FanPro to Catalyst
Game Labs, we've had to re-evaluate a lot of our products and reorganize our publishing
schedule. A very unfortunate side effect is that the Handbooks have wound up back-burnered and
shelved in the bargain. We would like to finish out the series at some point, but when or how that
may come about is open to some discussion.
CynicklePilgrim: Not shy. I've only read the book once, so I don't have many questions,
aside from the why on the art for the Spectrals. I just don't find them appealing and I'm
in the minority.
IvanR: The Spectrals art was (afaik) commissioned to follow the same theme as the Cels and
Demons. SO that you could look at any of the three and go "That's a MD design". But I can see
why folks may not like the Spectrals, given they're very unconventional
BlackAce: May've already been asked but with the TRO out the way and the 'Ops' books
in full swing, whats next in the Catalyst pipline? A friend of mine is whinning quite
loudly for Handbook: Clans of Kerensky!
HABEAS2: Erm, see my last response for the Handbooks... As to what's next, we';re working on
Strategic Ops, Interstellar Ops, and the latest incarnation of the RPG
Joseph_Mallan: Speaking of Naval weapons, WIll the Snow Ravens ever put out
advanced naval Tech like the clans have on the ground? In a munchTech game I ran for
a while we played naval equipment with weight reduced in line with the standard
weapons...Made for some sick Broadsides, and also enough armor to survive a medium
range Aegis Broadside!
HABEAS2: You may have answered why we're not doing that.
Joseph_Mallan: Herb..Now you know that is a question on many minds! and Pandora's
box was opened with Sword and Dragon!
HABEAS2: I'm sorry; which question?
cvb: The Koschei would have been a great chance to fill in one of the big blanks of 3025,
namely Capellan Confederation 'mech production (a la "the Koschei was replaced on the
lines by mech X, which remained in production until the 4th SW"). Did that idea just not
come up, or is there a concious decision not to touch that topic?
Kit_deSummersVille: It really just didn't come up. Of course, trying to work in too many things
often brings up continuity issues. Sometimes it's better to leave some things a bit unstated rather
than boxing ourselves in.
Erewhon: All right, folks... we're coming up on the end time. Any last questions before we let
everyone go?
Joseph_Mallan: Not a minority of one though, one of my players HATES the Spectral art.
Me I like it a lot.
Kit_deSummersVille: Art is so subjective....
Joseph_Mallan: LAMs Herb!
HABEAS2: LAMs fall into the same category as Nukes for us: "Historical" rules. We planned an
eventual product for them, but to be honest, that also has wound up shelved since the company
changeover. We did have solid ideas on how to approach those dreaded things, mind you
(complete with a new design to fill out a continuity gap), but such a product would now have to
wait for some time down the road.
Joseph_Mallan: Not a minority of one though, one of my players HATES the Spectral art.
Me I like it a lot.
Precentor_Martial: As Bjorn said, we knew that there would be some that would really dislike
them. Just as we knew that some might not like the Celestials. But we were creating a new style
and one that needed to spread across any new units created for use by the MD and that meant
the Spectrals had to follow sui t and really break the mold from anything done before. I personally
love them...but can absolutely understand how some players may not.
Kit_deSummersVille: But if you guys buy more stuff we can make more stuff.
Joseph_Mallan: That's better than nothing Herb Thanks!
Joseph_Mallan: Apsolutely Kit
Damage: re LAMs - Core book #8?
HABEAS2: Nope. LAMs will likely never be "core".
CynicklePilgrim: Kit: Only if you guarantee that it's great
Kit_deSummersVille: Isn't everything I do?
BeeRockxs: any ETA on ISP:2
HABEAS2: Very, very soon
BlackAce: Herb, regarding my last about ther handbooks, would the same answer cover
the Historicals?
HABEAS2: Yes
trboturtle: Are there plans for a TRO for 3078 or 3080?
HABEAS2: Probably. Something to sum up the Jihad-era designs.
trboturtle: So, it's a maztter of "Too many ideas and not enough time/money" then.....
Precentor_Martial: Um...not sure I know where this question came from. But there are 'always'
too many cool ideas and concepts and not enough time and product to put them it. Just look at
3075...it's two TROs in one...304 pages!
Not to mention what I did with TO and SO...I always
try and cram in as much as I can and then jump on top to make sure it's smashed down in to fit.
Damage: are there plans with IWM to release teh new desings?
Precentor_Martial: Yes, they are already working on that. What and when I can't say...but they
are working on it.
Nathan18: when is the tree version of 3075 coming out
HABEAS2: Soon
Xtrahmxwohld: how much hair was pulled out trying to make the AoD designs work?
Precentor_Martial: Well since I'm bald...a lot.
Erewhon: Okay, friends... last call!
CynicklePilgrim: I don't know, Kit. I don't know what you have done
Kit_deSummersVille: Just assume I did all the cool stuff. It's best for all that way.
Erewhon: Except for the cool stuff I did. Which was very little.
HABEAS2: Remember that we can't give exact dates until we're certain of them. During the
FanPro years, we promised and promised a LOT and never managed to hit those dates for one
reason or another, so please don't feel that answers like "soon" and "very soon" are intended to
be snarky.
Nathan18: Will there be anything special happening or coming out at Gen-Con
Precentor_Martial: Um...isn't there always...
But this year...yeah...gonna be extra special. If
ever you wanted to be at Gen Con...this is the year.
HABEAS2: That it, folks? Jason?
BlackAce: Ok gen con it is anyone willing to lend me the $8000 air fai?
CynicklePilgrim: Well, the Quasit the best of the periphery stuff fluff wise, but I like the
Toro better.
HABEAS2: And there we have it!
Erewhon: And we're out!
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