Suckfull...
No, that’s not a commentary on the Ignis, its a description of my luck when it comes to finding abandoned mechs out Yomi Reefs way.
I always wanted one of these little beauties but being unable to scavenge one for myself and with niodes in short supply, there was always something that was just that little bit more urgent.
That didn't stop me lusting though. There's a reason why of all the mechs on offer, this is the one that schoolboys have posters of. Its sleek, low slung, has built in spoilers and above all... its very very red.
Unless they have posters of that tennis player adjusting herself... in which case make them have a cold shower and give them a poster of an Ignis instead.
Old eczema head may have had the charm of a mass grave and the looks of a half chewed mouthful of cornflakes, but he could certainly build a beautiful looking machine. With its flexibility and handling, it almost begs to be filmed from overhead as it navigates the downward slope of mountain road switchbacks.
It has the sort of style where you want to ditch your flight suit for a tuxedo and trundle up outside a casino on some billionaire playboy resort and throw the keys at the valet.
Things shaken and not stirred could be called for....
And it remains a rich man's plaything. With a list price on the open market of 16000 Ferrite, 13500 Bioptics and 145 Niodes even for the most basic model, it’s not the sort of item you should be going out to buy on a whim. As most pilots will tell you, there are better mechs to be bought for that price, and you'd probably get some change on the deal to boot.
But then most pilots will also tell you that if you are thinking like that, you are missing the point. This is a niche machine for a very specific clientele, the ones who set trends rather than follow them. Not for them the massed torrents of 5 minutes ago, or the current fad of ice with everything or even the hybrid machines that attempt to carry out too many tasks and manage to do none of them that well.
In a story started by the Cindron and carried on by the classic Inferno, the Ignis is the final chapter to date. It burns things. Fast.
I mean, even without aftermarket parts, a fully run in Ignis gives a fire percentage damage increase of 98. NINETY EIGHT!!! LUDICROUS!!!
I'm going to give you a hint here... with 5 chassis slots, by the time you have added your obligatory Energy Aura for some much needed self-repair goodness, there are 4 left. It has 4 legs. Midori's Boots are red so you don't even have to do a re-spray.
The point though is that this is still a niche machine. Fire is one of those funny weapons... not fast enough to outshoot projectiles, not vicious enough to kill like lasers, not enough collateral damage like missiles and not able to stop the opponent dead in its tracks like Ice. It may be lesser favored, but you need them to be able to take advantage of the vulnerabilities that will inevitably be left in your opponents line up.
You need fire in the line... some fire at least.
The Ignis can bring it all in one go...
Submitted by David Mcallum #701548