Making Significant Progress on Update: 3068!

Geoff and I have been making serious progress with the writing of the Update.

We have finished the entries for 42 new machines, polishing the writing and checking for the usual agreement between the writing and the designs.  There are some new concepts (the Gemini Project) and some mild abuses of the rules system (the Svardstav employs 18 LRM-5s for mine laying, using dual turrets on a 100-ton tank chassis).

We've made C3 much more flexible on the battlefield (the Pharaoh is a 50 ton 'Mech carrying two ERLL and two C3 Masters, with Guardian for ECCM and a 6/9/6 movement profile).

We've dipped into some upgrades to the Nightsky that involve TSM and an HPPC.

We've included a one-off of the Fafnir, a test-bed that showcases new weapons for this era.

And we've come up with a new way to present the machines, 'Mech and Vee alike, something I call a Mission Profile.  These are now complete, and furthermore, we've gone through all the TROs of the past and created Mission Profiles for two of each weight class - 'Mechs and Vees, wherever it was possible.  We even created a sort of Dictionary for all the Ideal Application descriptors, written in plain English.

And with four pieces of art commissioned a month, we are keeping to our schedule of having everything ready to go in May of 2026.

We are currently working on the Book and Faction Introductions.  We're adding a little something to the usual technobabble which I think will add to the pleasure of reading each.

This Update:3068 is, in many ways, intended to be the swan song of the pre-Jihad era, being readied for publishing on the cusp of the Jihad itself.  Many technologies presented will be further developed during the war years; others will lie almost forgotten until that sad time is over.  

Well, time to sign off.  I am currently on the lookout for an artist who can give us the covers we want for the Update.  We lucked out with the last book, getting some very sweet work done by two very good artists.  Wish me luck on this one!

Thanks for stopping by.

Steve