Highlighting the January 3336 Neeeeeeeerio
After the nonperformance during the WarHorse event it was perhaps time to make a better showing? There is always a new possibility to shine, and this time it seemed I might have a shot at top placement, even at Mount Olympus where the regular contenders would have upgraded their Mechs somewhere between 100 and 200 times more than me.
It was another special climb. This time it was Nerio only.
According to Bernard Johnson, our latest legend, only the starting Commanders, the super rich and the incompetents would have Nerios.
I am neither starting nor super rich, but I have clung to one since my starting days. It does yeoman work for me in the 30 ton contests, so I think it is worthwhile to have it.
But I could always hope it was just competent Commanders among the other contestants on Mount Olympus.
After getting my lone Nerio out of the cobweb infested corner Bruno was fine tuning it. He didn't say a word, good for him. After his no-show in the WarHorse he had lost a lot of his superiority when it came to climbs.
At the entrance I was just waved through, I don't know if it is a general return to how it was, or if the feeling among the gatekeepers is that anyone crashing the party on Mount Olympus and going toe to toe against the legends there deserves what they get.
Inside many of the afore mentioned legends had lined up for the struggle. As far as I could see, by the average tonnage they had, I was out massed something like 160-1 by each.
Normally that would be a cause for surrendering on the spot, but in this case it made my hopes rise. I couldn't see even one opponent in formation.
To test my theory I made a bid for the top. I was wrong. There was a few Nerios around, but they were not anywhere near what I would call combat ready, and for those who had them they were not even a tenth of the way to being fully upgraded.
The result was I grabbed the top, and could once more (temporarily) enjoy the fantastic view from up there. But I couldn't stay. The paperwork was piling up back at the compound and I had several time critical items I had to get done.
Back at the compound the paperwork mounds had grown to such an extent that I had to work out in the corridor for hours to clear a passage into my Office, then another few hours to clear the chair. By then the effort to create a workspace on my desk was easy in comparison.
I managed a few brief stints back to the mountain, and the news weren't good. I had been dethroned, but was still on the slopes.
As the scramble neared I returned to see if the situation could be reversed. The top was held by the near-mythical Fabio Favaro from Warlock. His frontline of ultraheavies shielded what he could have behind. I shook by fear as my single Nerio walked forward and demanded he step aside. His big mechs did step aside to reveal a duo of Nerios. It was a short, sharp battle and when the dust settled I had reclaimed the top.
But not for long. Daniel Scott of Leviathan came knocking. He had two Nerios as well. One seemed to be almost fresh out of the crates, and was used as point Mech. The other had twice the armor of mine. I got of the first shot and blew up the smaller one, but was blown apart in turn.
As the scramble came I launched a flurry of attacks. It didn't do me much good, but I managed to blow up both of his Nerio`s about one time in ten, but even having a full complement of supers I would run out soon.
I retook the top, once, twice thrice. But each time he was back within seconds. I gulped down my last supers and tried once more to break him. My energy was dwindling, I had two attacks left... And then the light flashed.
To get a silver among such titans is an accomplishment, but I had really hoped to Reach and keep the top. This time I didn't manege it, but here is the list of those who did.
- Div 1 247+ (24 Commanders): Daniel Scott, Leviathan (1m,1s)
- Div 2 -246 (10 Commanders): Mike Wach, B.S.T.H. (1h,33m)
- Div 3 -181 (25 Commanders): Darryl Proctor, B.S.L.R. (3h,47m)
- Div 4 -131 (15 Commanders): Jorge Roman, Star League(8h,46m)
- Div 5 -106 (20 Commanders): ANNeditor, HF: Dragoons (2m,16s)
- Div 6 -89 (21 Commanders): Patrick T Kennon, M&L NecroManiacs (3h,14m)
- Div 7 -69 (24 Commanders): Michael Moeykens, Emerald Dragons (12h,49m)
- Div 8 -51 (14 Commanders): Ila Mari Antonsen, today and tomorrow (5h,53m)
- Div 9 -41 (11 Commanders): Kalevi Karvinen , Smurf War Patrol (7h,56m)
- Div 10 -29 (39 Commanders): Brick House (1h,10m)
- Div 11 -21 (31 Commanders): Drgaesnh Aergqerh, Borg (8h,34m)
- Div 12 -16 (32 Commanders): BatGirl_, Troubled Minds (7h,27m)
2(G,S)+2(G,S)+1(S)+1(S)+1(G)+3(3S)+3(3S)+3(G)+0+1(G)+0= In this event there was a total of 17 medal winners who had formations that might have contained only legal Mechs. Five Gold, 10 Silver and 2 Bronze winners. The rest might have had one or more Nerios, but clearly had other Mechs as well. (Div 12 was unlimited and isn't included here)
Total Contestants: 276, Total medals claimed: 170 (of 180 possible)
We had one Commander less showing up than we had in the WarHorse tournament. We had an uneven spread this time as well. K10 alone had more contestants than the three tops who had fewest participants (K2, K8 and K9), and a total of ten Bronzes was sent for resmelting.
Like in the WarHorse, only two Golds changed hands during the last half-hour. Eight Golds were held for more than two hours. There was not much struggle lower on the slopes either as one can see by watching the number of medals held for more than 30 minutes in this event:
.............Silvers......Bronzes
Div 1 ....1 of 4.........7 of 10
Div 2 ....4 of 4.........5 of 5
Div 3 ....4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 4 ....4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 5 ....3 of 4.........7 of 10
Div 6 ....4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 7 ....2 of 4.........6 of 10
Div 8 ....4 of 4.........9 of 9
Div 9 ....4 of 4.........6 of 6
Div 10 ..4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 11 ..4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 12 ..4 of 4.......10 of 10
The only three tops where successful medal attacks happened was Mount Olympus, K5 and K7. Unsure why, if none have legal Mechs the attacker will win every time.
This was another event where no single clan managed to get more than one Gold. Unaligned Brick House took the top prize on K10 and we had four repeat winners; Daniel Scott on Mount Olympus, Darryl Proctor on K3, ANNeditor on K5 and Patrick T Kennon on K6.
But lets get back to the Mountain top for a while. I had been riding the edge of a madness driven by liters of hatorade and huge amounts of adrenalin. Now that the climb was over, that combat haze started to disappear. My smokefilled cockpit had few working monitors left, but two of them told me that the only thing more shot up and barely hanging together than my ride was my own torso. I think it could have fallen apart if not for the metal slivers that nailed me to the to the seat.
Daniel Scott noticed me not moving and maneuvered over. When he saw me there he gasped, called for medivac and asked if he could do something for me.
Coughing up some blood, I whipped out my notebook and asked; "How about an interview?"
Sten Hugo Hiller
Congrats on the wins in the two last climbs! That makes it what, 20 Nephilaxes for you now?
Daniel Scott
I guess it does...I had to go count Mecha to make sure
Sten Hugo Hiller
You have been around almost since the first Commanders started slugging it out for fame glory and prizes. As far as I can tell since the 5th King of the Mountain event, where you got a Bronze.
What is the biggest changes since then in your opinion?
Daniel Scott
Oh well, that's a question.... there are many things that have changed since the early days. The introduction of specialists into Clan Wars and the creation of Squad Wars and Faction Wars as variables for the event is a big one.
There has been (around) a hundred new mecha added
Sten Hugo Hiller
Well, yes, but in the King of the mountain events...
Daniel Scott
The only change I can think of for King of the Mountain is the boost up to higher division for Gold winners...I think that the other changes to the landscape have a greater impact on the events than that. Without a doubt, the introduction of equipment for mecha has had the largest impact of anything and that impacts the entire spectrum of game-play not just KotM
Sten Hugo Hiller
I agree, although I think the reduction of Medals from 25 in each division to 15 have had an impact as well.
KOTMS come in several distinct flavors. In my mind the biggest difference when it comes to how hard you have to fight for the prizes is between Chronos and non-Chronos. Do you prefer Chronos or the sudden Death events?
Daniel Scott
The reduction in medals is most likely a result of less participation in the events. On the other hand it does seem to make the competition a bit more active (at least in D1). As far as Chrono events, yes they do take more work unless you have a totally dominating formation (that never happens in D1). And as for preference, it really depends on my immediate goals at the time. If I'm trying to level up a Chrono is a good way to get in and mix it up over several days, not to mention try out multiple variations of your formation against those you will be facing next CW. And you can do the same in a sudden death event but your opponents are less likely to "sit still" for a long period of time.
Sten Hugo Hiller
Yes, I tend to forget you members of the 300 Club are much less xp sensitive than the majority of the Commanders.
What do you think of the big span in div 1, in the upcoming contest the regular contenders are from level 205 to 351?
Daniel Scott
Well, it kind of sucks if you're one of the 205's, but the bracket has to be in that general range, sometimes it's 250 and up, but to make a pool that is larger than the number of prizes, well... that's the way it goes. But there is some experience awareness at least for me. I like to keep my mecha close to my level and that takes time and resources, lots of resources. This may be a self inflicted situation for me, but early in my career I decided that I wanted to have at least one of every mecha available and so far I do, event the limited release mecha, so leveling for me has become quite an ordeal.
Sten Hugo Hiller
At least you were ready when these special event came along. Some say it is stupid to have low tonnage Niode Mechs.
But if it stupid and works well enough to give you a Gold, how stupid is it really?
Daniel Scott
I have always tried to live up to that saying. Sure it gets expensive to maintain them, but specialists are not going away and Clan Wars has always been the best way to augment your forces with weapons equipment and mecha and then you get a chance for MOAR loot in the raid. Not to mention the most important prize, skill points.
Sure a Nerio or a Warhorse isn't the most optimal low ton mecha but it beats the hell out of an Anzu or Shocklite of equivalent level. And Nerio's are free essentially. I don't know how many I have recycled for Niodes after hitting Pirate Moon. Speaking of that, I wonder why there isn't a Warhorse offered as a prize somewhere? Would they get more use if they were more common? Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say in a very long winded fashion is, is it worth it to you to spend X Niodes to purchase a new mecha for your specialist formations or would you be better served spending the same amount on upgrading one you already have?
Sten Hugo Hiller
That is what you dont know until you need them, and being ready for most eventualities is in general a good idea in my book.
But back to The KOTMs. Do you have a favorite event there, or some you really struggle with?
Daniel Scott
Well in D1 the unlimited events I'm lucky to place in the top 15, I don't really have a favorite per say but the new self-same event is interesting
Sten Hugo Hiller
That is actually my least favorite event as I don't have more than a quartet of any top model, while the winners seem to have dozens. If you could design a new event, what would it be?
Daniel Scott
How about a bottom up Single Rainbow...start with 1 Red Ant, 1 Anzu, ahem 1 Warhorse, etc. Would have to skip the special reward mecha to be fair ( K-9, Ranger, Gordon)
if you don't have the specific mecha it leaves an empty slot
Sten Hugo Hiller
Would not matter all that much if you don't have the lightest mechs, it would be lack of the bigger that bit your ass. Assuming the prize Mechs (Zadok, Nephilax, Vizi) and Novum was also outside, the biggest Mech allowed in a 42 Mech formation would be the Gigus I think.
But as a Commander who have been around, gotten plenty of prizes and are a member of the 300+ Club. What are your advice to up and coming Commanders who want to be as succesful as you have been?
Daniel Scott
There is more than one way to be successful. I went for the Jack of all Trades approach. There are some who are very successful from focusing on one specialist and a main formation. I would say find a niche you like and spend all your resources there until you dominate it. And most of all, remember it's a game- Have Fun.
Sten Hugo Hiller
Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful celebration. I am sure your team mates have prepared quite a party for you.
Daniel Scott
Thanks, and knowing them it's probably a winner buys the drinks kind of party...
The medivac arrived and he got up and left. Not that I envied him the upcoming barbill, but if I could have exchanged places so I had the Gold medal and that bill, while he had a week or so in the ER and the hospital bill I would still have made the switch.
Upcoming event: KOTM (unlimited)
In this event there is no restriction on what Mechs a Commander is allowed to use, beside the obvious ones (that he owns them and have room for them in the formation). Still, using only Mechs you can pilot, Mechs that is highly developed and the heaviest you have seem to work best if you want a medal.
Equipment and weapons work as normal.
Event ends June 8 between 0030 and 0100 New York Time.
Any fresh winners can try to get in touch to tell their story, the first to grab hold of me before the report is finished might get a few Niodes for sharing their thoughts.
(By Sten Hugo Hiller - 627184)
