Editing 2019 Clan Invasion Crowdfunding Campaign

{{otheruses|the crowdfunding campaign|the actual product|BattleTech: Clan Invasion}}
[[File:2019 Clan Invasion Kickstarter.jpg|thumb|right|Promtional Image for the 2019 Clan Invasion Kickstarter]]
In 2019, [[Catalyst Game Labs]] ran a [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/450703636/battletech-clan-invasion/ crowdfunding campaign on the Kickstarter platform] for the [[BattleTech: Clan Invasion]] boxed set. It was successful beyond expectations, and led to a slew of additional digital and physical products, many of them new and some exclusive to the crowdfunding campaign.

== Background ==
CGL announced on 13 June 2019 that they would run a crowdfunding campaign for a [[BattleTech boxed set|boxed boardgame set]] that was set in the [[Clan Invasion era]] of ca. [[3050]] and beyond, instead of the [[Succession Wars era]] of around [[3025]] that all previous boxed sets of the game had used for setting (though technically, Clan units and rules had been included within the rulebooks and box contents to one extent or another as early as the ''[[CityTech, 2nd Edition]]'' boxed set).

Fans had repeatedly requested such a boxed set in the past, but CGL had been uncertain whether or not it was a viable product. One problem was the high production costs, especially creating molds for the plastic [[OmniMech]] miniatures that would be included; another was that the Clan Invasion brought new technologies to the game which came with a significant expansion of the rules, and might thus primarily appeal to experienced players, whereas previous boxed sets were aimed at new players.

By 2019 BattleTech was perceived to be in a general upswing though (boosted through [[Harebrained Schemes]]' successful [[BattleTech (Video Game)|BattleTech video game]] that had a very successful [[2015 BattleTech Video Game Crowdfunding Campaign|crowdfunding campaign]] in 2015), and CGL was also already in the process of redesigning and updating 'Mech art. Thus CGL committed to producing a Clan Invasion boxed set. The crowdfunding campaign specifically sought to fund the 3D models and high-end tooling necessary to create redesigned models of the OmniMechs that originally debuted in ''[[Technical Readout: 3050]]'', beginning with a [[star]] of five OmniMechs released as the core of the BattleTech: Clan Invasion box set, with additional options available as stretch goals.

==Campaign==
The campaign proper was launched on 17 July 2019 through the [https://www.kickstarter.com Kickstarter funding platform], and lasted until 18 August 2019.

This was [[Catalyst Game Labs]]' first crowdfunding campaign for [[BattleTech]], but it was neither CGL's first crowdfunding campaign (they had previously had similar, successful campaigns for other games, namely [[Shadowrun]]) nor was it the first crowdfunding campaign for BattleTech, having been preceded by the 2015 crowdfunding for the HBS BattleTech video game and a 2013 [[2013 miniatures crowdfunding campaign|campaign for certain miniatures]].

The stated funding goal was only 30,000 US$, a low bar to guarantee the campaign would become a success. This was surpassed in less than seven minutes after the campaign went live. During the early period of the campaign, numerous stretch goals were actually exceeded before they could be posted to the website. While some stretch goals consisted of additional physical products, some enabled upgrades to planned products (such as the addition of [[Elemental]]s to the Clan Invasion Box Set), and yet others created events.

By the end of the campaign, the total funding raised was $2,586,421, with additional funds raised from late backers. CGL later indicated that they had only expected to raise around one million, and that two million had been their most optimistic forecast. In an update on 13 November 2020, they said the campaign had reached well over $ 5M.

The campaign featured a number of different levels of possible funding, with various rewards available, drawn from existing and new products. The names of the individual reward levels reflected ranks within the hierarchy of the [[Clan]]s, as well as a number of other recognizable terms from the BattleTech universe.

==Rewards==
The following products were available through the Kickstarter, either as core items, stretch goals, or add-ons:

{| class="wikitable"
|- 
! scope="col" width="200" style="background: #dedede;" | Name
! scope="col" width="200" style="background: #dedede;" | Item Type
! scope="col" width="200" style="background: #dedede;" | Status
|-
| ''[[MechWarrior: Legends]]'' || Art Book (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[MechWarrior: Legends]]'' || Art Book || New and exclusive
|-
| ''[[Camospecs Unit Art Manual]]'' || Art Book (digital) || New
|-
| [[Shrapnel (magazine)]] || Magazine || New
|- 
| ''[[Break-Away]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|- 
| ''[[Den of Wolves]]'' || Short Story (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[A Dish Served Cold]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Fall From Glory]]'' || Novel (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[The Field Is Lost]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Forging Of Blood]]'' || Novel (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[Honor & Glory]]'' || Short Story Series || New
|-
| ''[[A New Game]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Nothing Ventured]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Prometheus Unbound]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Rules of Engagement]]'' || Novella || New
|-
| ''[[The Spider Dances]]'' || Short Story (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Visions of Rebirth]]'' || Novel (digital) || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Camospecs Painting Guide]]'' || Reference Text || New
|-
| ''[[Batchall (scenario)|Batchall]]'' || Scenario (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[Diminishing Returns]]'' || Scenario (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[Grand Melee (scenario)|Grand Melee]]'' || Scenario (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[Last Stand]]'' || Scenario (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[Trial of Position (scenario)|Trial of Position]]'' || Scenario (digital) || New
|-
| ''[[BattleTech: Battle of Tukayyid]]'' || Scenario (digital) || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Tactical Companion App]] || Proof of Concept App (digital) || New and Exclusive
|-
| ''[[Expanded Clan Invasion Guide]]'' || Sourcebook || New
|-
| Clan Juggernaut || Digital Wallpaper || New and Exclusive
|-
| Inner Sphere Response || Digital Wallpaper || New and Exclusive
|-
| Technical Readout: 3050 || Digital Wallpaper || New and Exclusive
|-
| [[BattleTech Leather Dice Bag]] || Accessory || New and Exclusive
|-
| [[Challenge Coins]] || Accessory || New and partially exclusive
|-
| [[Challenge Coins#Availability|Challenge Coins Collector Set]] || Accessory || New and partially exclusive
|-
| Clan Juggernaut || Poster || New and exclusive
|-
| Clan and Inner Sphere 'Mech Recognition Poster || Poster || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Clan Codex Dogtag|Clan Daggerstar Dog Tag]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Daggerstar Keychain|Clan Daggerstar Keychain]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Poster Set|Double-sided Poster Set]] || Poster || New
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Faction Dice|Faction Dice]] || Accessory || New
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Faction Dice#Availability|Faction Dice Collector Set]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Faction Pack|Faction Pack]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| Inner Sphere 3025/3052 Map || Map || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Lapel Pin]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Lapel Pin#Availability|Lapel Pin Collector Set]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Faction Patch]] || Accessory || New
|-
| [[Faction Patch#Availability|Patch Collector Set]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| Tactical Map Case || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Faction T-shirt|Faction T-Shirt]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Clan Invasion: Faction T-shirt#Availability|T-Shirt Collector Set]] || Accessory || New and exclusive
|-
| ''[[UrbanMech Plushie]]'' || Accessory || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Beginner Box]] || Box Set || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat]] || Box Set || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Invasion|Clan Invasion]] || Box Set || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Invasion|Clan Invasion]] with exclusive box cover art || Box Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Command Star|Clan Command Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Heavy Striker Star|Clan Heavy Striker Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Fire Star|Clan Fire Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Support Star|Clan Support Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Heavy Battle Star|Clan Heavy Battle Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Heavy Star|Clan Heavy Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Striker Star|Clan Striker Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Ad Hoc Star|Clan Ad Hoc Star]] || [[Star Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Command Lance|Inner Sphere Command Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Battle Lance|Inner Sphere Battle Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Direct Fire Lance|Inner Sphere Direct Fire Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Heavy Lance|Inner Sphere Heavy Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Striker Lance|Inner Sphere Striker Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Fire Lance|Inner Sphere Fire Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Heavy Battle Lance|Inner Sphere Heavy Battle Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Urban Lance|Inner Sphere Urban Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Inner Sphere Support Lance|Inner Sphere Support Lance]] || [[Lance Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: ComStar Command Level II|ComStar Command Level II]] || [[Level II Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: ComStar Battle Level II|ComStar Battle Level II]] || [[Level II Packs]] || New
|-
| [[BattleMat: Grassland Collection|Battlemat: Alpine]] || Battlemat || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleMat: Grassland Collection|Battlemat: Desert]] || Battlemat || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleMat: Grassland Collection|Battlemat: Lunar]] || Battlemat || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleMat: Grassland Collection|Battlemat: Savanna]] || Battlemat || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Map Pack: Alien Worlds]]'' || Map Pack || New
|-
| ''[[Map Pack: Grasslands]]'' || Map Pack || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleMat: Strana Mechty]] || Battlemat || New
|-
| ''[[Map Pack: Battle of Tukayyid]]'' || Map Pack || New
|-
| [[Clan Retaliation]] || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[BattleTech: Clan Elemental Star|Clan Elemental Star]] || Star Pack || New
|-
| [[BattleTech: Legendary MechWarriors Pack|Legendary MechWarriors Pack]] || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[Inner Sphere Retaliation]] || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[MechWarrior Card Pack I|MechWarrior Pilots I]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Card Pack II|MechWarrior Pilots II]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[MechWarrior Card Pack III|MechWarrior Pilots III]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Battle for Tukayyid]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Champions of the Inner Sphere I|Champions of the Inner Sphere I]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Champions of the Inner Sphere II|Champions of the Inner Sphere II]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Mercenaries of the Inner Sphere I|Mercenaries of the Inner Sphere I]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Mercenaries of the Inner Sphere II|Mercenaries of the Inner Sphere II]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Warriors of Kerensky I|Warriors of Kerensky I]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Warriors of Kerensky II|Warriors of Kerensky II]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| [[Warriors of the Clans]] || MechWarrior Card Set || New
|-
| ''[[Fortress (DropShip Model)|Fortress]]'' || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[BattleTech Salvage Box|Salvage Box]] || Miniature Set || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Salvage Box: UrbanMech|UrbanMech Salvage Box]] || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| [[BattleTech Salvage Box: Legendary|Legendary MechWarriors Salvage Box]] || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| ''[[Warhammer (statue)|Warhammer Statue]]'' || Miniature Set || New and exclusive
|-
| ''[[Alpha Strike: Commander's Edition]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[BattleMech Manual]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[MechWarrior: Destiny]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[MechWarrior: Legends]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''Premium Record Sheets'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Reinforcements: Record Sheet Book 1]]'' (record sheets) || Record Sheets || New
|-
| ''[[Reinforcements: Record Sheet Book 2]]'' (record sheets) || Record Sheets || New
|-
| ''[[Reinforcements: Die-Cut Pack 1]]'' || Game Aid || New
|-
| ''[[Reinforcements: Die-Cut Pack 2]]'' || Game Aid || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Reinforcements: Clan Invasion]] || Game Aid || New
|-
| ''[[Tactical Operations]]'' (bundle) || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[TechManual]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Technical Readout: Clan Invasion]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Technical Readout: Succession Wars]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Total Warfare]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Campaign Operations]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| ''[[Strategic Operations]]'' || Sourcebook || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleTech Lostech Faction Dice (Set) W/Diameter Case|Lostech Faction Dice (Wave 1)]] || Accessory || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleTech Lostech Faction Dice (Set) W/Diameter Case|Lostech Faction Dice (Wave 2.5)]] || Accessory || Pre-existing
|-
| [[BattleTech Novels: Overlord Collection]] || Novels || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Novels: Leathersoft Collection]] || Novels || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Novels: Leathersoft Bundle]] || Novels || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Novels: Hardback Collection]] || Novels || New
|-
| [[BattleTech Novels: Hardback Bundle]] || Novels || New
|-
| [[Battlemat: Alpha Strike]] || Battlemat || New
|-
| ''[[Map Pack: Deserts]]'' || Map Pack || New
|-
| [[Foil Jigsaw Puzzles]] || Puzzles || Pre-existing
|-
| [[Foil Jigsaw Puzzles Bundle]] || Puzzles || Pre-existing
|-
| Foil Posters || Puzzles || Pre-existing
|-
| [[Tactical Dice Kit]] || Accessory || New
|-
| [[Initiative Deck]] || Game Aid || New
|}

==Higher Pledge Rewards==

Individuals who backed at certain levels were eligible to submit a [[List of Clan Invasion Kickstarter Characters|character]] who would be canonized in the BattleTech universe. The higher the level of the pledge, the more prominent the character would be, with custom artwork included at higher levels. It was also possible to purchase the [[List of Clan Invasion Kickstarter Characters|canon character reward]] as a US$200 add-on. Those who backed at the second highest level were guaranteed that their canon character would star in upcoming fiction, allowed to make several stretch goal decisions and were invited to participate in ''a BattleTech strategy meeting at Origins, Gen Con, or one of Catalyst's online summits alongside Catalyst leadership team and primary writers''. Those who backed at the Full Kerensky level were guaranteed that their canon character would star in upcoming fiction, and a free copy of everything produced for BattleTech over the two years following the Kickstarter campaign, including limited edition items. Furthermore, backers at this level were invited, along with a friend, to attend a three-day excursion featuring social events, gaming, and a seat at a high-level strategy summit; this offer came with a US$500 stipend towards travel costs.

==Stretch Goals==

A special "What Would Victor Do?" live-stream event was also funded as a stretch goal, as well as a series of four-play Co-Op Missions within the upcoming ''[[MechWarrior 5]]'' computer game staring [[Randall Bills]], [[Brent Evans]], [[Russ Bullock]] and a fourth, unnamed staff member. Another live-stream event was also funded, repeating the "Beard-Off" challenge between staff members from Catalyst and Harebrained Schemes.

==Campaign issues==

During the course of the campaign, the backer reception to the announced contents of the various Star and Lance Packs was somewhat mixed. This led Catalyst Game Labs to engage in a consultation exercise, announced via the updates page, in which opinions were sought on the makeup of the various packs, particularly from those who were backing the campaign at the highest pledge levels. As a result, a number of the Star Packs which had already been announced saw their contents amended, and three previously-announced packs - the [[Vaporware#Clan Light Fire Star|Clan Light Fire Star]], [[Vaporware#Clan Pursuit Star|Clan Pursuit Star]] and the [[Vaporware#Berserker Lance|Berserker Lance]] - were removed from the lineup, effectively becoming [[Vaporware]].

The MechWarrior Pilot Decks would be both positively and negatively effected by the unexpected popularity of Canon Character pledges. With an estimated 2,780 characters generated from the campaign, the Pilot Decks were massively expanded to provide additional opportunities for backer appearances, but the sheer scale of the custom backer art required would impact their completion. While the Wave 1 Pilot Decks were completed and shipped, the additional Wave 2 decks - Battle of Tukayyid, Mercenaries of the Inner Sphere I and Warriors of Kerensky II - could not be completed in the time available, resulting in Catalyst Game Labs taking the best 55 cards completed for those decks and producing one single new deck - [[MechWarrior Pilot Deck: Heroes of the Clan Invasion|Heroes of the Clan Invasion]] - issued to those who selected any of the Wave 2 decks along with CGL store credit for the value of the unproduced decks and a promise they would be hopefully revisited in the future.<ref name="kickstarter_update_178">''[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cgl/battletech-clan-invasion/posts/3283613 Kickstarter: Battletech: Clan Invasion, "Faction Dice, Pilot Decks, and Remaining Digital Items"]''</ref>

The Camospecs: A unit Art Manual was ultimately canceled with Catalyst stating that the project "ended up far larger than anything we expected."<ref name="kickstarter_update_184"/>

==Remaining Content==

As of 24 March 2023, the remaining digital items that are to be delivered on are: <ref name="kickstarter_update_184">''[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cgl/battletech-clan-invasion/posts/3283613 Kickstarter: Battletech: Clan Invasion, "Clan Invasion Digital Content Update"]</ref>

* Scenario #4 Grand Melee
* Scenario #5 Batchall
* Expanded Military Briefing
* Honor & Glory (2nd installment)
* Honor & Glory (3rd installment)
* Honor & Glory (4th installment) 
* Den of Wolves
* New canon character Chapter-Serial
* What Would Victor do?
* MechWarrior 5 Unleashed
* Camospecs: A Guide to Faction Paint Schemes
* Beard-Off Rematch

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/450703636/battletech-clan-invasion/ Kickstarter campaign page]

[[Category:Real World Events]]
[[Category:Crowdfunding projects]]