Highlighting the September 3336 Point Mech Panic
The qualifications to see who would bear the brunt of the fighting vs the unification was over, and it was time for the traditional Point Mech event.
A good thing we only needed one Mech each though. Highlanders had extracted a high price in men and materiel, and both Black Star and the Bunnies had done their best to blow up every Mech we of the Star League had, -in addition to repair bays, munition stockpiles and the spare part storage.
Five of us, Jorge, Jordi, Tony, Rob and me, managed to cobble together a working Mech each. As the scramble drew near I got in through the gates.
It was a big crowd, I was way out on the plains and it took me four battles just to reach the foothills. Two more battles brought me to the top foothill.
The opposition was scarily tough. Just to mention the top guns: Mike Marzalek, Bune Page and Stroker Spot from Omegas Legacy. Karl Kash from Death`s Brethren, Were Wolf of Myth and Legends Black Cats and Peter Marzalek Jr from Black Star Thundering Herd. The Star League contingent was Tony Hoogheem, Jorge Roman and me.
I wanted to grab the top, but my blue on blue inhibitors had been hardwired in, and it was currently held by Tony.
As the last seconds before the scramble ticked away I gave a brief prayer that my interface, held together by wire and duct tape, wouldn't fall apart.
Scramble came, and the top exploded in furious action. Positions changed so rapidly that all I could do was use the IFF, and even that was chancy as there in general was two teams on the top.
But whenever the top showed red I attacked. I wasn't always successful, and quite a few times the opponent targeted by me had been displaced before my shots slammed home.
The battle raged on, supers were quaffed and I started to run low. Then my interface fell apart. Despairingly I glowered at it, but it was just laying there, spread out in its various parts on the cockpit floor, smoking.
I poured a pack of gum into my mouth and started chewing. A minute or so later, now held together by gum and wire, the interface was temporarily working again. I noticed a red icon on the top and was back in the action.
Then suddenly came a call from the gaming authorities. They sent me a bunch of pictures and wanted to know which of them were of bicycles. I am all for study of ancient transportation methods, and in general willing to help a fellow out.
But not when there is a maximum of five minutes left of a scramble!!!
Unfortunately, they wanted an answer now, and refused to let me return to the fighting until I had given them the correct one.
Looking through the files and returning a reply I turned my attention back to the climb.
Bad news, it was over. Good news, my team mate Jorge had upheld Star Leagues honor and brought home the Gold.
The full list of winners were:
Div 1 210+ (39 Commanders): Dexter Berry, Warlock (Pike)(2s)
Div 2 -209 (12 Commanders): Jeff Page, Omegas Legacy (Fext)(2m,42s)
Div 3 -155 (46 Commanders): Jorge Roman, Star League (Boreas)(24s)
Div 4 -111 (30 Commanders): Chris Page, D.D.A. (Fext)(1s)
Div 5 -93 (30 Commanders): MamaMorgie (Dilophos)(11m,25s)
Div 6 -73 (33 Commanders): Map Chap, UNDERWORLD (Antithesis)(<1s)
Div 7 -58 (25 Commanders): Jason Kerschner, M.P.A. "Rangers" (Jadoon)(22m,8s)
Div 8 -43 (19 Commanders): Sandie Elgie, Death`s Acolytes (Skriag)(3m,19s)
Div 9 -30 (16 Commanders): Don Rafael (Dilophos)(7h,30m)
Div 10 -23 (18 Commanders): Rick Herlock, Night Hammers (Fides)(16h,7m)
Div 11 -13 (16 Commanders): Fantimonus Psy (Shocklite)(2d,6h)
Div 12 -10 (17 Commanders): Rob Chelgren (Commissar)(1d,4h)
Total Contestants: 301, Total medals claimed: 177 (of 180 possible)
This was a fairly popular event. Compared to the preceding, Front Line, we had over a dozen more participants this time.
However, the spread was a bit more uneven this time. The 3 tops who had fewest contestants had a total of 44 contestants, while K3 alone had 46.
Three Bronzes from K2 was sent for resmelting. As the entry gap was fairly wide the only reason I can think of is the high fame factor.
The honor of being the most winning Mech this time was split between the Fext and the Dilophos (2 Golds each). Two Crystal Mechs managed to win Gold as well, the Jadoon and the Shocklite.
Eight Golds changed hands during the last half-hour, four of them the last minute. The four remaining Golds were held for more than two hours, two of them for more than a day.
Fighting was pretty intense on the highest tops, but pretty nonexistent on the lower, as evidenced by the number of medals held for more than 30 minutes in this event:
.............Silvers......Bronzes
Div 1 ....0 of 4.........0 of 10
Div 2 ....0 of 4.........5 of 7
Div 3 ....0 of 4.........5 of 10
Div 4 ....2 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 5 ....2 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 6 ....2 of 4.........9 of 10
Div 7 ....3 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 8 ....2 of 4.........8 of 10
Div 9 ....4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 10 ..3 of 4.........9 of 10
Div 11 ..4 of 4.......10 of 10
Div 12 ..4 of 4.......10 of 10
All the Medals on Mount Olympus was in play, so was more than half on K2 and K3. On K9, K11 and K12 no successful medal attacks was launched.
No single clan managed to secure more than one Gold. But we had a trio of repeat winners; Dexter Berry, Jeff Page and Chris Page. For Chris it was the third Gold in a row.
We also had a Quartet of unaligned winners; MamaMorgie on K5, Don Rafael on K9, Fantimonus Psy on K11 and Rob Chelgren on K12.
Upcoming event: Holmes Havoc
This is a split event. While no Mechs heavier than 35 tons will be allowed to fight, there is an additional restriction for those who fight on the ten highest tops.
They are only allowed two non-Holmes Mechs in their lineup.
Recommended Mechs are Novum, Nerio, Zadok, Banshee and Keradon.
Equipment and weapons work as normal.
Event ends between 2300 and 2330 June 29 New York Time
Fresh winners who manage to get hold of me to tell their story before the report is written might get some Niodes for their trouble.
(By Sten Hugo Hiller - 627184)
