The Global BattleTech Community has been knocking those Backer Missions out of the park, but as we head into our Kickstarter’s Final Week (wow, already?) we want to provide some double-secret bonus opportunities to get enough points to unburden our fearless leaders of their beards.

So, this week, we have three, count them, THREE, Bonus Backer Missions for you!

As Jordan will tell you in this video, the FIRST Bonus Backer Mission is to show us your BATTLETECH pumpkins and costumes!  

Take a look:

A generous Backer by the name of Matt Bussey made some BATTLETECH stencils to share with you. You can download them by clicking here. Thanks Matt!

As Jordan mentions in the video, his lovely wife Dawne dressed up as the Black Widow herself, Natasha Kerensky, for GenCon 1988! Here’s a blurry, but awesome picture of them together in costume.

We can’t wait to see your BattleTech pumpkins and costumes! Tweet them to us using the hashtags #myBThalloween and #BATTLETECH.

Which ‘Mech Are You?

Everyone loves a personality quiz, so this week’s SECOND Bonus Backer Mission is to take our “Which ‘Mech Are You?” quiz and post the results on Facebook and Twitter! Are you a small, but quick Commando? An Atlas, dominant and powerful? Take the quiz to find out!

Share it and see which of your friends you could take down in a BattleMech brawl!

Thunderclap!

Our THIRD Bonus Backer Mission this week is to join our Thunderclap and help get the word out about the final hours of our BATTLETECH Kickstarter campaign.

Thunderclap is a new tool that helps get a specific message out on Facebook and Twitter on the same day and at the same time to create an online flashmob.

Just click HERE and choose “Support with Twitter” and/or “Support with Facebook”. By doing so, you’ll add your social media voice to our Thunderclap. Oh, and feel free to share the link with your friends, too!  

On Monday, November 2nd, everyone who has signed up will automatically make a one-time social media post telling your friends and followers that we are in the Final Hours of the BATTLETECH Kickstarter. Help make our Thunderclap as loud as possible to spread the word far and wide.

Monday’s Alcohol-Fueled Live Stream Clarification!

We’re just about to hit the Legendary Mechs and MechWarriors Funding Goal with almost a week still to go! That means there’s still time to hit Stage 4 - PVP Multiplayer if we get the word out.

- HBS

Now don’t just show up with #BATTLETECH questions for this one. You can ask “da boys” anything from how games are made, to their best game convention experience, to how the studio really works…

Tell your friends! Make it a date! Drink along!

We are now thisclose to $2,150,000 and unlocking Legendary 'Mech & MechWarriors in the Stage 3 Extended Mercenary Campaign! Um... tell your friends about that, too!

Go, go, go!

And now, a Peek Behind the Curtain at the Best Dressed (Male) Developer at HBS...

House or Company Affiliation: Eridani Light Horse  

Callsign: Adarael

Favorite 'Mech: TDR-5SE Thunderbolt

My name is Tyler Carpenter, and I’m both a writer and a designer on BATTLETECH.

I’ve been with Harebrained Schemes since January 2015, working as a content designer for Shadowrun: Hong Kong, designing and writing many of the runs in Act 2, such as Whistleblower and Misdirection. I’ve been playing BattleTech since 1990, when I picked up the 2nd edition boxed set, rather than the AD&D books all my friends were buying.

I’ll be working on the story (with the rest of the former Shadowrun writing team), and larger overarching metagame - hiring MechWarriors, ‘Mech customization, negotiating transportation costs, and that sort of thing. My other, unofficial title is the human-shaped walking encyclopedia of BattleTech lore, so I’m also somewhat responsible for reminding the other designers when particular ‘Mechs entered production, who has a blood feud against whom, and the state of various Periphery states in the 3025 era. My job will be to tie the tactical combat part of our game together with the larger mercenary management game, and help ensure that everything you do looks and feels true to the BattleTech universe.

After 25 years of playing BattleTech, it feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life to bring this game to life on the PC, so I’m not only really looking forward to making a game with a compelling, interesting story, but one where the player is free to command their own destiny, taking jobs from their favorite Great Houses and feuding with their enemies. And, of course, players should be able to spend long hours tinkering in the ‘Mech Lab until they’ve tweaked their Marauder or Shadow Hawk to perfection.

- Tyler

We’re also excited to tell you about our new $85 Digital Reward Level - INITIATE OF THE ORDER.

Which order? The Order of Valhalla!

Valhalla, the paradise promised to Vikings who die in combat, is also the name of the most elite establishment on Solaris VII whose doors are only open to those who have distinguished themselves above all others. While Terra may be the geographic center of the Inner Sphere many would argue that Valhalla is actually the social, entertainment, and even political center of the Inner Sphere.

Valhalla’s hallowed halls are populated with the champions of all of Solaris’ gladiatorial arenas, the Ambassadors and military elite of every Great House, the leaders of the most prominent and/or notorious Mercenary Outfits, the rich descendants of the most noble ancient families, and of course hidden among them – the very best espionage agents the Great Houses can field. But it is only the descendants of those that founded Valhalla who are members of the elite Order of Valhalla.

At Valhalla’s tables, made of ancient wood of Terra, the Order of Valhalla members put aside politics and gladiatorial posturing around them to enjoy the company of those few who can really understand a warrior’s life and the meaning of their eventual deaths. The walls of Valhalla are a constant reminder that death is certain but that immortality is possible, for on the walls hang the sections of each fallen warrior’s cockpit displaying their name and heraldry. Each member of the Order of Valhalla knows that should they encounter each other across an arena or a battlefield no quarter will be given, but should one of them fall in battle they know each will do the other the honor of retrieving their “shield” for display on the walls of Valhalla.

As an INITIATE OF THE ORDER, Backers at this Digital $85 Reward Level will get:

1) Access to the private VALHALLA sub-forum of the upcoming BATTLETECH community site. Only Initiates of the Order and Solaris VII Champions will have access to Valhalla.

2) A small ORDER OF VALHALLA ICON will display next to your avatar or username in BATTLETECH forums (and in multiplayer if funded), identifying you as an Initiate of the Order.

3) A SET OF Order of Valhalla DECORATIVE ITEMS for your DROPSHIP’S COMMANDER’S QUARTERS. You’ll get special options such as artwork, banners, and letters of marque to add to your room.

4) A special BADGE OF THE ORDER that you can incorporate into your Mercenary outfit’s emblem, which will appear as your Mercenary identifier in the game, on your 'Mechs, and in social locations such as forums and leaderboards (if the multiplayer Funding Stage 4 is achieved.)

5) A UNIQUE ORDER OF VALHALLA PAINT SCHEME available for 8 'Mech chassis of historical significance to the Order. These exclusive paint schemes will appear on the Locust, Shadow Hawk, Thunderbolt, Warhammer, Marauder, and BattleMaster and two more classic BattleMechs we’ll announce at a later date!

If you’ve already Backed the project at a lower level and wish to upgrade your Reward Level, click "Manage Your Pledge" in the upper right corner of the Kickstarter page (the blue button) and then click the $85 Reward Selection button.

This Week’s Bonus Backer Mission

Thanks for sharing your favorite BattleTech art over the last week. We were delighted to look through all the cool pieces you posted - especially that Ghost Bear tattoo!

For this week’s Bonus Backer Mission, we’ve got something any BattleTech fan can get behind - we want to know your favorite ‘Mech and why! Here’s Jordan, talking about two of his beloved children - the Hatchetman and the Mad Cat.

So how about you? Do you go in for the high-tech scouting ability of a jump-capable Raven (Mitch’s fav) or do you prefer to lay back and launch a pile of LRMs in a well-armored Catapult? Use the hashtags #FavBTMech #BATTLETECH and let us know!

Reminder: Live Stream Twitch Q&A this Friday!

Jordan, Mike, and Mitch love answering your questions about the game, talking shop, and sharing their thoughts on game development. These live streams are a lot of fun - and if you’re not careful, you just might learn something!