Mechas Outside Of Level Range By Pat Willis#224534

Should players have mecha that are out of their level range? That seems to be a tricky question to answer if you look at the players page. Some folks sit firmly in the camp of, "If you aren't that level you shouldn't have it!" Others say if you can grab it go for it, and the remainder simply sigh, shake their heads and scroll down the page looking for another topic.

I used to be one of the head shakers, didn't really care one way or another who had what. Now though that has changed. See now I am one of the people who is in possession of mechas not of my piloting level. This last Squad War out my clan got the gold, so the reward was a Slate, and a Pike. Now look in the shop, the Slate is available to levels 121 and up, while the Pike is for levels 128 and up, also at present if you fall within the proper level regulations the Pike is an option to win in the Mystery Vortex.

I sit at level 120, so it is a one level gap between myself and my Slate, and an 8 level gap for my Pike. Now of course purists will shout, "Strip him of those mecha!" But personally I say I have the skill point allotment to pilot them without kick back, so hey go to town with it.

See on the won mecha issue it has to be taken more in a case by case manner. I was in the proper division for my clan at the war, I showed up got my needed kills, and then some, lost fights, won defensive fights, point is I played in a legitimate division for my level. 

I didn't level jump to ride others success so I could get a mecha well above my pilot level, or go the opposite way with it and try and head down in divisions just to be a bully and get free mechas. See in those cases yes go ahead put restrictions on things, strip mecha, something anything! Why? Because the middle tiers and upper middle tiers are rife with sandbaggers.

Hey if camping is your play style more power to you, however if you've yo-yo ed on divisions to get mechas well above and out of your reach... well then you've just exploited the game and made yourself big and bad on a bunch of pixels yay for you. Oh and other players probably really don't like you for it either. But then again such folks wouldn't care about such anyways.

Basically what I'm saying is the mechas are out there to be earned yes, and as long as it makes sense for said player to have X mecha as a win, well great no problem. But when you run into players who aside from directly financially contributing to the game, have just about two of everything  under the sun, well then maybe it's time to re-evaluate how things are done.

A step in the right direction has been taken with the needed kills to qualify for whatever prizes in a war. However those have fluctuated from 8-2 and everything in between for prize requirements. So until we can get a solid locked number and keep it at such, whatever it may end up as,I think this isn't an issue that will go away any time soon.

So stop and think, the other person has mecha they shouldn't. Maybe they won it, maybe they donated to the game for it, maybe they snagged it from CW's before kill laws were in place, hell maybe they did the tech manual write up and got one free. Trust me it happens. 

Point is unless they have a full formation of 100 tonners at level 50, it really isn't that big a deal. Once you get out of those level tiers it begins to clear up into upper level players, and credit card warriors. Trust me you'll wish for campers by then.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Please Sir, May I Have Some MOAR? By John Ringo # 899287

The door opens and the soft light from the hallway back lights two shadowy figures as they enter the dark room. There is a loud “Uffh” and the crash of something hitting the hard floor. Harsh light fills the small space from a single naked bulb in the center of the room. A man is awkwardly reaching up from the floor and has his hand on the touch pad light switch. His once clean uniform is now wrinkled and dusty from his sudden stop when he hit the ground. There are several media equipment boxes marked “General Nova High – A/V Club”, a Galaxy Gathering press pass with the word “Intern” handwritten in red marker under the crossed-out word “Staff” on it and a gangly teenager with the look of a puppy about to get hit on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper strewn around the man. He pushed the kid off his legs and stiffly climbs to his feet while visibly trying to keep control of his expression.

“Billy…. I told you to wait out in the hall with the equipment until I turned on the light.” He said in strained tones.

“Sorry Uncle John” Billy replied. “I forgot”

“Well don’t just stand there. Go set up the holo cam and lights on the other side of the desk.” John Said.

“Don’t you mean on the other side of the crate of Viper Lasers Uncle John?” Billy sniggered.

The empty crate had a cardboard sign on it marked “Desk of the Intern” and not much else.

“I see Ken Hicks still thinks he’s a funny guy. This Janitors Closet turned Interns office with that “Desk” shows he is still sore about how that mission he sent me on turn out”

After much more verbal “Encouragement” and muttering “This is the last time I let my sister talk me into helping her kid with his A/V projects for school” like a mantra for inner peace Billy finally gets everything set up and working. 91 takes later after Billy finally gets all the little details like taking the lens cap off and framing the shot right. I quickly leap over my “Desk” and whip the memory stick out of the Holo Cam before my ham-handed Nephew hits the erase button instead of the eject button.

“Ow Uncle John, you didn’t have to hit my hand away so hard” Billy pouted.

“Sorry kid that’s showbiz” I shouted over my shoulder as I walked towards the door. “Pack everything up while I upload this to the server for distribution”

I walked quickly down the hall to the control room to better avoid listening to the crashes and thumps coming from my crummy little office. I reach the control room and plug the memory stick into the console. The upload quickly finished and my hand hovered over the play button. With a fast prayer that Patrick would not get ill when he viewed this and the knowledge that fortune favors the bold I pressed the button….  

*Trendy Theme Music Starts Playing*

Greetings to everyone in Mecha Galaxy! This is my very first editorial as the new intern at The Galaxay Gathering and I am excited to be here and share my opinion with you all. Who knows maybe someone other than my Mom will watch this you never know.

The MG Players Page goes through cycles of pilots posting about their woes and frustrations fighting against spenders, campers or people who have a mech before they can buy it on the open market. We all get it and have been there before ourselves feeling frustrated that we can’t beat XYZ player who is X number of level lower than we are… But hang on and keep a stiff upper lip pilot.

Most games these days require you either spend a Fort Knox worth of real cash to be the Top Dog or you must invest a ton of your time looking for ways of configuring your gear for the best synergy to swim with the sharks and come out alive. Otherwise you should get real with yourself if you are not willing to do either of these things and accept that you will be fighting with everyone else like you over the scraps.

There is a really good chance that the last paragraph caused most of the people other than my Mom to stop reading this editorial and say a few choice curse words at me as they close their browser tab. Those of you who continued to read on need to recognize that what we call a game is a business and Nick Shapiro and his employees need to make enough money to pay the server bills and the wages needed to fix and grow this game. I am sure that we could all debate on how Nick can best make his needed revenue until things devolve into a bar brawl until the bouncers throw us into the street nut that is a discussion for another day. For now, in this game you really only have 3 choices in how you play:

1. You can try to outspend the other spenders to be #1. Who knows, if you try this Nick might send you a signed picture as a token of gratitude.

2. You can stay a free player and try to “Camp” and make sure for every point of XP you earn you get something you can use or sell for needed niodes. You will also have a really good chance of being hated and mocked for your efforts.

3. You can stay a free player and harvest crystal from every account you can find, fight in KOTM and hope you get lucky and win a prize, run missions and hope for a good payout from the mission boss or fight in Clan Wars and hope you get something in the raid that is worth a damn before you burn out of quit the game.

4. What?? I thought you said there is only 3 options on how to play this game you say… but wait there is MAOR! Few people either know about or bother to take advantage of the fact you can create content for one or more of the many MG fan sites and earn niodes for your time or if you are super lucky you can apply for one of the staff jobs on those sites when they come open and get paid both a weekly niode salary and niodes for the content you make for that site in the course of your duties there.

As most of us in this are some form of free to play accounts this game and your sanity need you to take advantage of option #4. You will almost never stomp a spender doing this but it will allow you to get stronger, have more fun and create more competition that this game desperately needs to keep things fun and challenging while shaking up the status quo. To make things super easy for you I have included links to the fan sites at the end of this editorial so you can get started earning niodes today!

Hang in there, get busy making content and I will look forward to seeing stronger pilots on the battlefield. *Salute*

*Inspiring Martial Music Plays*

Starring John Ringo as himself

Casting by John Ringo with some nagging from his sister to get her son into a bit part in this production.

Director John Ringo

Producer John Ringo

Sound by John Ringo

Filmed on location in the Janitor’s Closet A.K.A The Intern’s Office at The Galaxy Gathering

No people were hurt more than they needed to be in the making of this film.

List of Fan Sites:
The Galaxy Gathering - http://thegalaxygathering.blogspot.com/
Ways to submit content:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/791211034222592
thegalaxaygathering@gmail.com

A.N.N
https://www.facebook.com/groups/646171352098787/

MeGaCom - http://mechagalaxycomics.blogspot.com/
Ways to submit content:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1181208675242675/

Mechanomicon - http://mechanomicon.blogspot.com/
Ways to submit content:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1807939066146305

Outtakes:

“Ok Uncle John I am filming”

“Greetings to everyone in Mecha Galaxy! This is my very first editorial…. Billy, you have to take the lens cap off.” John puts the palm of his hand over his face while shaking his head back and forth.

*BEEP*

“Ok Uncle John, Action!”

“Greetings to everyone in …. Billy, I am over here! Stop pointing the Cam at the ceiling!”

“Sorry Uncle John”

“Why did I let my sister talk me into this?”

“Did she tell you she would never speak to you again if you did not help me Uncle John?”

“No she did not Billy. If she had I would have refused to help you and been a very happy man”

*BEEP*

“Ok are you sure you have me in frame with the lens cap off and the record button pushed Billy?”

“Yes we are all good to go Uncle John”

“Greetings to everyone in Mecha Galaxy! This is my very first editorial as the new intern at The Galaxay Gathering and I ….”

Patrick, David and Ken burst into the office and swarm the desk and start mugging for the Camera.

“Cut!”

Billy is laughing so hard he does not release the record button. This only encourages those clowns to break out into a highly choreographed river dance routine while John Ringo tries so push them out of the room.

“Billy turn that thing off!”

The End



Submitted by John Ringo#899284

Round Table Discussion Of Crystal Mecha By The Galaxy Gathering Editor Staff

While sitting around the G.G. offices we decided to discuss what the best crystal mech was in each weight category. What follows is the transcript of said conversation....

David - Ok, I'll start off and you can chime in.

Light category I'd have to go for the Hoplite. Ants are one shot death traps, Anzus even worse because they just blow themselves up as soon as you sneeze and while the Shocklite is a decent little missile mech, its a touch too under-shielded for my liking.

The Hoplite however has decent shielding, reasonable dodge and most importantly is the first light mech that gets access to Beta grade shields which makes it a good survivable point mech for a good few tonnage levels.

Medium has got to be the Oggun. Pound for pound its one of the strongest crystal mechs out there, and is one of the only ones that can really hold its own against its niode counterpart, the Fides.

I do feel however that the Luison deserves an honorable mention as it makes a better point mech in its weight class than the Oggun does, even though the Oggun has access to a higher grade of shield.

Heavy has got to be the Ammonite. Again brilliant shielding and a higher grade than others in the class, its a solid workhorse wherever you put it.

Huge is a very difficult category, because the mechs are all so very different. I haven't had a brilliant run with Gigus or Ballista,and while the Jottun is a brilliant ice mech and served me well as a utility specialist, I think I'd have to plump for the Harrel. Again a good point mech but instead of a generalist like the luisons and ammonites before them, this one specializes in a nice fast projectile payload so it can start killing things quickly rather than perhaps stand and take shots first before it replies.

And onto the BFM's. In a word, Urgh. Now the caveat is that I'm not a high enough level to have played in a Balrog, so of the others... umm... actually the Glaccus. Its got the best shielding available, and while it is certainly eclipsed by the Boreas as an ice mech, we aren't bringing niode mechs into it... and as a crystal chassis, it does its job as an ice mech very nicely indeed.


Pat - Granted I haven't used many of these lighter mechs for a long time now. Hell I've sold most off, but my list will be from what I remember.

For light I have to give it to the Shocklite. Yes David has a point about the lack of shielding, however with newer equipment coming out, faster weapon systems, and dialed in level stats this still has my vote for the top player in its weight class.

Medium is Oggun hands down, always was the major work horse of its weight class and major ass kicker to boot. As long as we're doing honorable mentions mine for this category would of course go to the Nifthel. Remember I can recall a time before equipment and back then this mech was an ice monster. After equipment got implemented I can only imagine it getting stronger.

Heavy for me is a tie between the Krampus and the Ammonite. Both solid mechs, both utilize fast weapons in the projectiles they use. Both have nice equipment slots (Ammo yes has an extra or so but it is a higher weight by 5 tons) and both can deliver solid damage while retaining their position on the field very well.

For the Huge ranking there aren't many crystal choices to be had. Out of the Gigus, Harrell, and the Jottun choices the only reasonable one to me is the Harrell. Again fast firing weapons with projectiles, and nice damage built in to the guns even before adding in mecha bonuses, or damage multipliers that the mecha gives you. Tack on your X2/X3 damage, equipment boosts and modifiers, and shielding and well you just have one solid mecha.

For the BFM class I would pick the Magnus. Yes it has limited equipment slots. So no it'll never haul a lot of ass or dance a jig in a dodge, but it will give you seven shield slots to play with, it packs Freeze, Fork, with Trample, and Splash shields as in built mecha bonuses. Plus it uses again projectile weapons, and if you can get the higher end faster missile systems this mech packs a nice boost to that damage as well.

Ron - laser/jadoon.....missile/typhoon......projectile/magnus......fire/yallan.....ice/glaccus...........10t/red ant......50t/oggun.....the rest.....I'm a bit undecided on......for overall heavy I would have to say....its a tie between magnus and glaccus for me. In crystal that is, niode is a whooooollllle other ball of wax

Pat -No lie there niode is an entirely different beast.

Kenneth - Like in all things, judging the "best" can be broken down into style of play, rolls, versatility, Att/Def, and aesthetics. Let's take a look:

Light: Ant, Anzu, Shocklite, Hoplite.
Ants have been given their niche as a 10 ton specialist. Fast, one shot machines, be it giving or receiving, they have only one purpose, the 10 ton spec. This alone makes them more useful than either the Anzu or Hoplite.

Until the day they let us reconfigure Anzus to carry Hand held nukes, they are even less than useless. So my vote in the Light category will go to the Shocklite.

I've blown up many the preening Axebot with my Shocklites, as they can be set up with very decent speed and freeze weapons depending on what equipment you set up. And in my book, a crystal mech who can stand toe to toe with arguably the best mech in it's weight class niode or crystal, gets my vote.

Medium:iMech, Holmes, Zadok/Nephilax, Nifthel, Luison, Oggun, Xmas Tree

Zadoks and Nephilax would win easily, but while they are "technically" a crystal mech, they really aren't. More weapon slots, more bonuses, these two prize mechs signify bragging rights as to a pilot's prowess in one of the countless arenas. Because of this, I don't think they fit in this judging.

There are a lot of really good crystal mechs in this division, but my vote has to go with the scrappy Oggun which time and again has proven to be a solid competitor against whomever wants to take a shot at it.

Heavy:Warg, Namtar, Orester, Krampus, Freon, Ammonite, Bishop

This Division is a combination of laughable vs what role you need in this division.

Laughable: the Orester and Namtar.

The rest: My personal favorite is the Bishop. My Bishops have proven extremely good at dodging and have great accuracy. Load them with Eyes of the Galaxy and you have a very serious threat.
Huge:Gigus, Ballista, Jottun, Harrell.

I always wished that the Gigus had better capabilities. This mech has one of the coolest back stories, including a detailed description of how they actually ingest a pilot to link. I mean really, how cool is that (unless you're the pilot of course.)

My vote has to go to the Harrell though as they are a certified workhorse that can take punishment as well as dish it out. My Harrells have been able to stay in my lineup longer than any other crystal mech in their weight division.

BFM:Jadoon, Magnus, Yallan, Glaccus, Typhoon, Corsair
This category breaks more into what roll you need. Jadoons are one shot, laser killing machines that can dance, duck, dip, dive, and dodge across a battlefield.

Typhoons also show great ability in the dodge department, and can carry some of the most devastating weapons utilized at this level efficiently.

My vote goes to the Magnus however for a couple reasons. One, it's built to be a front line fighter, capable of taking damage. Many have shot this beast with what should have been a kill shot, only to see it rise from the smoke and commence to whooping butt. Also, it has imho the best versatility of the weight class. Truly a well balanced performer.

Submitted by your Galaxy Gathering staff, Ron Frye#879655, David McCallum#701548, Kenneth Hicks#846092, Pat Willis#224534

The Unlikely Alliance By Theo Peeples#847147

The 2 of most unlikely of dancing partners, Fusion and MMI. One clan who was once and still is considered the top of the status quo, and the other sought to demolish the status quo and create there own place in the galaxy. You could say they go together like oil and water, but did you know if you light oil on fire it will burn and the water will carry that burning oil to its intended target. How did this pairing come together? Some say it was over intense negotiations filled with intense stare downs and curse filled rants. But what if I told you it was as simple as a few truckloads of booze and a pallet of bacon? And a few pilfered cases of General Nova’s private stock of cigars. (Which suck by the way, if you're reading this Nova get better cigars!!!)

The original mission was a simple one, use the portal device to enter the new dimension and attempt to get a foothold. It was decided by those higher up on the pay scale that the best course of action was to spread out into smaller squads and try to control more ground. These portals were throwing everyone all over this apparently deserted planet. If we could get a forward base set up, we had the chance to really bring the full might of the clans on the Unification. 

We still know little about them or there dimension, but we know we can kick their unified metal hind quarters back to the scrap heap, and that's a good enough reason. In fact the only problem with this plan was the general disdain the clans had for each other, to go along with the threat of the Unification forces and whatever else may be lurking in the shadows. 3 members of Fusion elected to remain behind in an attempt to keep an eye on our own universe with the rumors of Drake is beginning to appear again on different fringe worlds.

The first and strongest of the 4 squads was Phoenix Fusions Wrath, lead by Charles, with the ranks filled in with David, Fabio, Sal, Shawn, and Che. This squad was the no nonsense destroy everything in its path team. They did not care who was in front of them. Whoever appeared before these battle crazed pilots would be laid to waste. Appearing near them in there own attempt to set up a forward base were Cyclopes Team, HF:Special Operations, and Varangian bunnies. As the 4 squads attempted to secure territory, it was obvious that even though they were in a different universe, that some old grudges remained the same. PFW quickly and effectively sent a message to all those nearby that they were in sole and dominant control of this piece of the rock. The help of others is not needed, nor wanted.

The second squad, Fusion Squad Bravo was lead by Don, and its ranks filled with Sherriff, Viva, Hasala, and myself. We appeared near the squads of Spirit of Bunny, HF:Renegades, and Northwind Dragons. The mission while the same as above yet different, secure a forward base of smaller size, and begin collecting samples to analyze. Here the real problem with the smaller squads begins to show its ugly head. The other squads near us comprised of mostly higher ranked pilots still have that destroy everything mentality. All of them began fighting amongst themselves and each other for bigger territory. FSB would not be deterred and if they wanted to play hardball, then destruction, bigger areas to control, and immediate removal or salvage of remaining scrap of those who tried and miserably failed to take the territory was the order for the day. And it was an order that was fulfilled to the best degree possible.

The third squad, The Isle of Misfit Toys, lead by Luc had its ranks filled with Dexter, Walter, Bing, Russ, and Moe. Their mission was to patrol the areas around the portals, scout potential targets and quell any locals that may attempt to fight back. Someone failed to mention that the patrol route put them in the same area as Avengers of Bunny, Death’s Deceivers, and Zeon. This odd collision course can only be described as brutal destruction of each other and all that lay in their path. The Isles continued their work at establishing a scouting and supply route, taking out all opposition in the line of sight. Even Zeon managed to try and drop a colony. I have no clue where they managed to get one, or from what dimension it was from, or if the inhabitants were still in the colony or not. (Seriously, where the hell did yall get a colony in a different dimension?) While the attempt came dangerously close to working, the aftershock was out maneuvered and Zeon was forced to set up camp elsewhere. (Dude, seriously. Where did the colony come from???)

The fourth squad was lead by Chris, and had its ranks filled with Glenn, Troy, Stephen, Tomasek, and Richard. Their mission was a simple yet important one, to set up dedicated lines of communication between the 4 squads while setting up a small outpost. This would of been easy as cake had not HF:Highlanders 1st Infantry, Smurf Heavy Cavalry, and Omegas UNM had not set up their own operational bases in the way of the proposed routes. These threats were quickly disposed of and removed from the path. Even scrap remains are hard to find.

The 4 squads have successfully landed, setup their forward bases and outposts. Supply routes and communication lines have been secured. Even the local mining areas have been located and are now being used. What awaits us now is an unknown, but be aware this 4 squad alliance between Fusion and MMI is not be trifled with. We will shoot first, and probably not ask questions at all. We will let the pencil pushers deal with that. (Look, I get Zeon likes to drop colonies, but for the sake of all things that are decent and booze filled, where the hell did yall get that damn colony from in a dimension we all just set foot in?)

Submitted by Theo Peeples#847147

Prometheus Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

It goes without saying this is a high level niode, fire weapon. All pertinent information is available in the image to the side. You are paying for quality on this weapon and it shows. Not only does it have a high damage attached to it, aside from special weapons offered in the mystery vortex, or limited availability weapons in the shop, this weapon has one of the best speed ratings on offer for fire.

X2 Damage rating is pretty standard fare for a lot of niode weapons so no surprises there, although the percentage rate is rather high right out of the box. Couple that ability with equipment ratings that boost fire damage, and fire mechas to get the build bonuses as you level and this becomes one nasty weapon very quickly.

Then we come to the other weapon ability of Burn at 41%. First off that isn't a percentage to snuff at, secondly burn always comes in handy. After all who doesn't want to continue damaging opponent mecha when it only takes one shot, and could lead to the enemy going into shut down? So just the stats alone on this weapon are pretty slick.

Given it is for higher level players I would say expect to see variances in the damage it deals, as well as what mechas it is put on. I say that as higher level players usually have their skill point allotment tuned in just how they want it to perfectly enhance the build bonuses, and equipment bonuses of the mecha and weapons.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Blue Dragon Weapon Review A Fresh Look By Pat Willis#224534

This is one hell of a nice niode laser, and it is easy to see why it was given to the Fext mecha to wield as a signature weapon. So you automatically get one of these if you own a Fext. If you do not, well any laser build/equipment bonus mecha will absolutely love this number.

Now all pertinent purchase and limitation information are in the image to the side. We're going to look at if it is worth all of that valuable, hard earned (or bought in some cases) resources.

As this is a weapon available to levels 107 and up. 125 straight damage that is on par with the signature weapon of the Regis mecha, they both clock in 125 straight damage. However the Twin Grazer for the Regis is slower than this weapon. Twin Grazers have a speed of 100, where this has a speed of 104. Let's face it anything over 100 for a laser system is just a good deal.

Which now brings us to the weapon ability of Crit - Kill at 19%. That ability is shared across three notoriously deadly laser weapons. My term for them is the Crit - Kill Club. The Archfiend, Cherenkov Ray, and the Blue Dragon here all share that weapon ability. This makes them dangerous enough on their own, but now add in build bonuses, and what you can eek out of equipment. Well suddenly you're not just looking at a 19 % Crit - Kill. That's just your base, and it only gets sweeter from there.

So is it worth the buy in for one? Uhmm yes, and what the heck is wrong with you that you're only getting one? It says Limit 65.... So go buy 65 and spread em out between your laser monstrosities. But when you are of the proper level to own multiples of these, and you happen to wander across a Fext for purchase....

You owe it to yourself to get one and load it up with these bad boys. X2 & X3 damage going off in the same shot with the x 1.5 as a chaser to base 125 damage, and whatever modifiers you have through mecha build/equipment.

It is glorious.

Just trust me, buy some, set em up, and go to town. Happy hunting everyone.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Leveler Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

Today we are looking at a high level crystal slug thrower available to levels 139 and up. All pertinent information on the Leveler is in the image to the side of this article. As the shop isn't at present listing any weapon in the projectile category beyond the Leveler here, we're to assume at least thus far it is the highest level weapon available for its weapon type.

As there is no weapon above this to compare it to lets look at the one beneath it which comes in at level 119 the Silencer. Silencer does 79 straight damage, has a speed of 105, and weapon ability of Trample at 7%.

This is a tough call to make as the Leveler has the straight damage stat beat hands down but looses out on speed by 2, and trades Trample for X3 Damage both at equal percentages.

This is a weapon I would think where play style is important in so far as how your mecha is set up. There are plenty of equipment pieces that offer solid bouses to weapon type, as well as pieces that offer bonuses to your X2 & X3 damage modifiers. So as far as which is the superior weapon, I would have to say they are about even. One offers a more solid punch and bang for your resource buck, the other offers speed, and both offer a different weapon ability. So which do you go for? What's your playing style?

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Skeleton Key Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

Today we're looking at the sold out niode Ice weapon the Skeleton Key. As usual all basic weapon information is available in the image to the side. So let's see how it stacks up shall we?

Alright it does 76 straight damage out of the gate. That puts it somewhere between the Glace and Wendigo for damage. Not too shabby as you have to be level 89 for the Glace, and level 106 for the Wendigo, whereas with the Skeleton Key you only need to be level 40. So far so good.

The Speed put on this weapon is 103. That speed is shared by the Amarok Ice weapon available at level 117. Of the current generation of ice throwers this is among the fastest for speed of fire. So good there also.

Weapon abilities are pretty serious here with a Fork of 43%, and a Freeze of 13%. The Flash Freeze has Freeze at 25%, Khron has Freeze at 40%, Sikuliaq has Freeze of 35%, and Winter's Grasp has a Freeze of 50%. So yes there are better weapon ability capable guns out there. However, they will not give you such a high percentage on the Fork ability, most Ice weapons do not have the Fork ability period. So modify your equipment load outs appropriately, and you could see a significant return on that Freeze, and could up your Fork ability straight on up into deadly territory.

Yes any mecha can be made to accept and competently use most weapon types with proper equipment set up, it should be noted that this weapon will excel on a Ice Mecha. The Nifthel, Warg, Freon, Sever, Frigis, Jottun, Boreas,Glaccus, and Corsair all can benefit from this ice weapon. That is a large range of mechas across multiple tonnage ranges, but all ice fighters. Just something to consider if you walked away with any of these guns.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Mecha Multiverse By Pat Willis#224534

Funny thing this galaxy, seems just when you think you have it all figured out is when you realize you know squat. See Drochah and his chroniode coming across time and space to conquer the galaxy as out of nowhere as it was, well it simply had to be expected sooner or later. Let me explain...

See a few of us out there  know there are other times, places, and realities than this one we inhabit. 

I myself have accompanied Dr. Drake, and Mycobacter to a strange twisted reality called the Negaverse. This was well before the chroniode and Drochah ever showed his scaled face in our time line.

Also my acquaintances of the Niodemancer Johnathan Judas, and the Forerunner construct Kellek I suspect are not from this time and place. The histories they know are off just a touch, dates and people misplaced, events out of order, and even in some cases entire histories are replaced. Such is the case I suspect with the creation of the Ignis story that I got out of Judas. 

He credits the Forerunner scientist Kellek (the actual being not the construct I now know) with the creation of the Ignis. Mainly out of necessity being trapped in a distant time, on a distant for him world. Yet everyone I've spoken with says Drochach made the Jurassic mecha... all of them.

Now we are seeing the walls of our reality open up and pour out enemies from other times and places, it was inevitable really. Little bleed through like infected and mutated mecha, opens the doors wider for Drochah and his army out of time, then the Unification, more Drochah, limited portals with the Unification.... it just keeps going. It will continue and it won't be pretty once it reaches critical mass. All these realities are stacked atop one another, separated by membranes of energy we call the walls of reality or the physical universe.

 Our walls have started to crumble, cracks have been made and invaders are coming in. Cracks widen, become full on breaches, then we have reality as we know it coming down upon us while we are attacked on all sides by invaders from other times and realities.

It will truly be a galaxy at war then. No real way to stop it as most of the damage is already done. Best we can do is contain it, neutralize it where we can, if we can, and remain vigilant. In the end we aren't as alone as we thought we were, just we never thought the neighbors would be this hostile.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Pre-War Interview with Joshua Bourne #702128

“John!”

I turn around quickly and look around but I do not see who shouted my name. What I do see is very strange. The colors are all wrong and everything is sagging and melting like ice cream left out in the sun. It hits me that I am dreaming and run into the closest object at hand to wake myself up. That works and I find myself on the floor in my quarters with a bloody nose. I have been sleep walking again and had run into the bulkhead. As I try to clear the stars before my eyes two strong hands slip under my arms and lift me up onto my feet. I would know those strong hands any ware. It was Chief Slade our resident badass and savior to the pilots under his charge who have had way too much to drink and find themselves on the ground in some dive bar slowly sinking into the ooze on the floor.

“Boss, pull yourself together. Patrick Willis is on the com for you.” Said Slade.

“I will take that call as soon as both of you get out of my way Chief” I retorted. “I can handle one of you but more than that is too much.” I wobbled over to my desk after squeezing past both Chiefs and mashed the accept call button for my com unit. Patrick’s face flashed before my eyes. After the initial greetings and social pleasantries Patrick launches into a crazy story about how I have to go on this wild quest to find some kind of “Key” that will un-lock a “Door” and save the Galaxy. After pressing him for more information I learn he does not know what or where either the “Door” or “Key are and I am almost completely on my own. What he does have for me is a fake G.G. press pass that would not hold up if people looked to closely and a voucher for a “Value” shuttle at the local branch of Rent-A-Wreck. He warns me that as I am not on the payroll for G.G. I will have to self-fund my trip. If I happen to find interesting people to interview, interesting stories to tell or information on a piece of tech he would publish it and my cut should keep me out of the cold. With a hasty farewell to Patrick and the burning desire to get this crazy quest over as fast as possible I grabbed my travel duffel and went to redeem that travel voucher.

Two weeks later find myself low on air, food and fuel for my stupid “Value” shuttle. I have visited more worlds then I can count and still no sign of the “Key”. I have one last chance to save myself from racing to see if I die from hunger or the lack of air first. I can spend the last of my funds and use the Rent-A-Wreck “Save your Ass” network and hope they get to me in time. A few hours later my luck improves when I am hailed by a Rent-A-Wreck troop transport and they tractor me into a landing bay. Now all I have to do is find a way to make some quick cash to resupply and get back on my way. I wonder down to one of the rec centers, set up my card table with my cardboard hobo sign that I had written “Have an opinion? Tell me about it and get paid!” Now I just have to sit back and listen to a billion people in the hopes I get a few good stories to print.

Well it is my lucky day for who do I have here for my first interview but the famous (or as some pilots feel about him Infamous) Joshua Bourne.

John: Welcome to the hot mic and thanks for coming by today.

Joshua: It's my pleasure to be here today

John: For the record, what is your name, ID number and the squad you are fighting with in this war?

Joshua: My name is Joshua Bourne, Player I.D. 702128 and the leader of Brotherhood Dragons Beta

John: Oh, the big cheese himself? *Hands him a small box* Have a cigar from General Nova's private stock. Just do not tell anyone where you got it.

Joshua: Haha don't worry, I will just say I "procured" it whilst on patrol from some Pirate cave by the Cogwerk Port

John: Smart man... I can see why they put you in charge!

Joshua: There was indeed a lot of intelligence and thinking needed for this years events to get people in the right place. And each of our units needed an intelligent person in charge

John: Yes, that can work out well for your chances at the Gold prize. Did you participate in the last Squad War and if so is this the same team?

Joshua: I did indeed fight in the last Squad War but for me, it is not the same composition. We had a lot more skilled pilots to move around and needing homes, as well as my own level having risen a fair amount since the last engagement of this caliber

John: Yes, having more pilots and changes in levels does mix things up if you are trying to land in a particular division and only have 7 pilots max to work with on your roster. Some of the big talk around the galaxy this year is the joining of forces between The Brotherhood and The Dragon families. Does your unit have pilots from both forces in it?

Joshua: Not only does it have members of both families, it has the head leader of the Brotherhood Family in it. Mr. Recoil himself

John: Well then you had better take this extra box of General Nova's private reserve cigars and pass them out at roll call. I know most of the other clans are very interested to see if this joining of forces will help mix things up in the top half of the divisions and what opportunities that might create for savvy clan leaders to improve their chances in the next few wars. What are your thoughts on this?

Joshua: Personally, I really am hoping this alliance of our forces works as we are hoping it to as it will allow most of our highly skilled Dragon Pilots leave their Divisions in which we have been accused of "camping" and go to the true fights in the higher Divisions and getting the most out of our training. At the end of the day, it's all about the personal goal and ours is to have a successful higher Division unit in the next 10 wars

John: One of the motto's I try to live by is "Evolve or Die". It will be exciting to see how all this pans out in the 10 war span you mentioned. Now that we have Faction Wars, Clan Wars and Squad Wars for the Craftsmen to choose from each year which is your favorite of these formats and why?

Joshua: I personally love the Faction War format. The action from 40+ Pilots on either side fighting it out, collecting hundreds of points a round over each and every fight making it an interesting and eventful series of battles to not only fight in, but also spectate

John: Ah you are one of those "Kill'em all and let your favorite deity sort it out" kind of pilots. *Grin* After the great clone purge are you afraid we might not see a Faction War for a long time unless we attract more new pilots to the galaxy?

Joshua: Sadly, I do feel like that's the case. We had a lot of clones destroyed from this purge and because of that, a lot less Divisions have been seen these past few years. I do hope that we see another Faction War, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it

John: A lot of other pilots have shared feelings along these lines. I guess we will have to wait and see. Who knows maybe we will get a new format "Galaxy War" were there are only 2 factions and they slug it out. So, what are you most looking forward to this war?

Joshua: Now that would indeed be interesting, however the lower level Pilots might suffer as a result. Would be an interesting concept though. Or maybe just a year of a "Galactic Raid" where there is no War, but a public raid scaled for your level and you get prizes depending on how many mechas you destroy and a prize table for when the Galactic Raid is complete. I am looking forward to seeing how my lines perform against higher level opponents over everything else. These last few Wars have pitted me against the likes of Black Star, Bunnies and other well known pilots, but I will enjoy the fights against Pilots I don't tend to see on a regular basis like Collectors of even the higher level Heroes unit

John: A "Galactic Raid" event does sound like a lot of fun. Maybe one of the Craftsman will read this interview and make it happen. Yes, I can see how a chance to mix it up with new foes adds excitement and a chance to grow and improve as a pilot. And on the topic of improvement what is the one thing you most wish you could change for this war?

Joshua: Is my lack of niodes an option for this question? *wink* But on a serious note, I would want to increase the amount of specialisms I have at my disposal. I am currently preparing a 70 Ton for future wars so that could be a possibility for me in coming months

John: Well if you ever get to the day where you have a formation for every spec we will have to give you the nickname "The Boy Scout" as you will be always prepared *wink* Which specialist formation do you least enjoy fighting against and why?

Joshua: My least favorite Specialism to fight against would have to be the 10 Ton. The "RNG" factor of it all can either make or break a clans chances of winning a fight

John: Ah yes, the good old 10T spec. I have my 10T formation labeled "Coin Toss" in my formation list. What clan do you most enjoy fighting against and why?

Joshua: Long ago I used to always enjoy the fight against Chessman, as they never backed down and it was always close, no matter how it looked on paper. Nowadays there hasn't been much of a opponent on that scale. Although if I was going to gauge off of the challenging factor it would have to be Black Star Lycan Rangers. Those Pilots really know how to control their formations

John: Yes, I can remember some of those fights. It was fun to watch! What clan do you least enjoy fighting against and why?

Joshua: I least enjoy fighting the "weaker" clans or factions as it doesn’t amount up to be a fun engagement for either side

John: Yeah, I am sure they do not like fighting you either *Grin* What are your thoughts on the new 100T mech The Slate?

Joshua: The new 100 Ton mecha looks amazing in it's appearance. I haven't been able to give it a look "under the hood" at it's potential ability, but with it being a Crystal mecha, I doubt it will be too substantial like the Fext, Notos and other incredible 100 Ton mechas, all of which are Niode

John: Sure, crystal mech have a huge challenge trying to stand up to niode mechs. It will be interesting to see how players use it in their formations and with the right mix of mechs on the battlefield help give them a better chance against a foe with a niode army.

What is your favorite mech and why?

Joshua: My personal favorite mecha is the Fext. It's destructive power just too scary to put to the side. Even with crystal gear, it's powerful. However, if you load that monster with Niode gear, it will decimate entire formations with the pull of a trigger

John: Yeah, I personally have not had the pleasure of piloting one of those yet but I have seen them put to devastating use on the battlefield. So, the first Fext you ever had did you buy it or win it in a raid or in the MV?

Joshua: My first Fext, along with not only another 4, but a lot of my high tonnage Niode mechas I received through the Mystery Vortex. Luck was certainly with me when getting those

John: Well I know who I will call on the day I can try for those in the MV. Maybe if you push the order button for me your luck will work in my favor *Smile* Is there anything else you would like to add or a shout out to a friend or foe you would like to give?

Joshua: I would just like to thank you for this interview and to wish good luck to all participants this Squad War. It should be an interesting fight and if you see me out there, don't be afraid to, say "hi" as it were *winks* See you out there on that battlefield

John: It was a great pleasure to have you in today for this interview. I know you have a lot on your plate getting ready for round 1 so I thank you for your time. Best of luck to you and your team.

Joshua: Thank you kindly. I wish you and your fellows the best of luck as well this Year

submitted by John Ringo # 899287

Pandora's Box by David McCallum #701548

Ah Mr Harrison.


Is your monicker due to the fact that your ideas never quite come to fruition, or the fact that they are never quite thought through?


You have managed to stumble across one of the most awe inspiring artifacts that the human race can imagine... able to turn back time and rip asunder the very fabric of reality...


And you use it to give minor boosts to our weapons, our electronics systems and our mechs, with nary a thought to any other consequence save lining your pockets.


No, perhaps I am being too harsh. As with any who would open Pandora's fabled box, it was perhaps with good intention so as to hopefully provide the individual power that our pilots so crave.


Perhaps it was even simpler, merely curiosity as to what it could unlock?


But as with any endevour of good meaning intention, it has the chance to take on a life of its own and skew in the direction that no person in their right mind would take it.


Let us for example, observe the Ghost Focus targeting array. A wondrous piece in its own right and its execution is so simple.


Use the targetter to see what will occur in a fraction of a second from now using the power of the chroniode and simply...


Change


the


Future.


Are any alarm bells ringing as yet?


Perhaps we should recall the fact that at some indeterminate point in the past, our timeline split and created a parallel universe in which Unification flourished, only to discover us and carry out one of the most violent and aggressive incursions into our planetary systems we have ever seen?


Oh, I know the scientists will use phrases like temporal momentum to assure us that any minor alterations that chroniode equipment could possibly introduce will be swept away in the current of the great river that we refer to as time.


But is that honestly, truly the case?


What say, just as an example, in the coming squad wars there is a clash of well equipped 100 ton mechs.


Say one is equipped with a Ghost Focus.


Say during that clash, a shot should have missed it's target.


Say instead, a Galaxy Eye punches through the cockpit of one John T. Mainer.


In one reality, we have to tolerate the continued existence of half rate hack peddling his wares for an inferior publication.


In another reality, quite a large clan rallies around it's new grief stricken leader who goes absolutely white hot berko. And don't tell me the Bunnies wouldn't, you know them too well...


And they rally unto them some long time allies...


The Bouncing Blue Brotherhood...


Zeon...


And suddenly, as they say, it's all on...


Now please don't think for one second that the death of a Clan Leader should be likened to Arch Duke Ferdinand popping his clogs and starting a War to End All Wars. Captain Floppy Ears's ego is already big enough that we don't need to go giving him more ideas.


And I'm certain it wouldn't start as a grab for galactic domination. The thing to remember is that back on Old Terra when the First of the World Wars started, humanity do not have access to or even know of the existence of anything that could effect time.


The Bunny Horde would probably just want to, maybe... borrow... the Chroniode. Just to see if they could ensure that a certain shot actually did miss in the first place.


Or if they were really miffed, perhaps to ensure that the pilot who fired the shot that should have missed but was actually a kill shot... was never born.


We of course would never know about it, because it had never happened that way, at least in our timeline. It did in others, but that's happened to a whole lot of different us's. Chances are all we would know is that suddenly the Bunny clans had downed weapons and there was a heck of a party going on.


But as i said, we know what them wascally wabbits are like. There's a party to be had and a chroniode laying around. You just know somebody is going to come up with the bright idea of testing to see if its actually possible to become one of your own grandparents.


And that is dealing with the good guys.


What say one of our mechs with enhanced equipment gets knocked out and salvaged by somebody who really knows how to make electronics sing for them.


Somebody, or should I say something, like AM.


Such

Knowledge

Yields

Never

Ending

Terror.


The problem is of course, that the cat is out of the bag (or in this case the box) now. The equipment is available and in use. Not using it puts you at a disadvantage against those who do, therefore despite that sneaking feeling that this is all a really bad idea, you need to hedge your bets and ensure your own survival.


Just keep looking over your shoulder in case another you is trying to interfere for some reason.


Ah well, its not as if you didn't have to do that when Drake was running around cloning everyone. Its just that his cloning facilities were finite.


Alternate realities aren't.



Submitted by David McCallum #701548

Sgt. Ron's Input On The New Slate Mech By Ron Frye#879655

Ok, I did some math (yeah, I know ... not my strongest area of expertise ... lol) and I have come to a conclusion concerning the new Slate model mecha. After reviewing the various niode and crystal mechs involved, the Slate, with it's extensive level advancement tree, large array of possible equipment slots, and very few negative modifiers, may very well be THE best missile OR ice mech currently available.

 What impresses me the most is that it is a crystal mech. Completely out of character for Chef, but it looks like he finally threw those of us who choose not to spend the same amount of cash monthly on this game as we do on our car payments (lol).

Ok...ok....I'll back off the smart ass comments. Seriously, if you haven't taken a hard look at this new mech, you need to; Right now! It is going to be a main stay mech for many serious players in the upcoming months. In combination with the Balrog and Corsair model crystal mech's, it gives the low budget player a very flexible field to work with now, in the higher tonnage ranges.

These three dual purpose mechs are an essential tool for the upper brackets, in my personal opinion. By dual purpose I mean that the Slate is an Ice/Missile mech, the Corsair is primarily a Projectile mech, but it has a lot of features that make it a desirable Fork/Wide Fork specialized mech with a small back up in Ice weapon features, and finally, the Balrog, with it's heavy Fire and Laser capabilities, nicely wraps the ensemble up.

They certainly make up for the Humbaba and Notos disappointments (or as I prefer to call them, and their inclusion into the game; The Great "No-Go" and The "Hump-yo-mama" Incident). LOL !!!

Cheers and happy hunting,
Sgt. Ron Frye#879655  

The Slate Mech Review By John Ringo#899287

For those pilots who just have to get their hands on every mech available your job just got a little bit harder. GDI has just released the Slate to the general market in hopes that it will become your next go to tool in your fight against the Unification Army. Of course, if you also use it to smash pirate bases, fringe world outposts or other mercenary clans it will not void your factory warranty.

This 100T Crystal Mech tops out at level 218 and you must be level 121 to buy it. After you pop for the 21,500 Ferrite, 17,000 Bioptics and 430 Crystal to have one of your very own here is what you get right off the showroom floor:

255 AP
11 Gun Slots (You will gain a new slot every 5 levels)
Ice Damage +7%
3X Damage +3%
Laser Shield 10%
Speed -28

After you have raided a few planetary systems for the needed resources to level this beast to level 218 you get the following:

Gun Slots – 54
Freeze – 25%
Ice Damage – 53%
Missile Damage – 39%
Crit Kill – 1%
Precision – 6
3X Damage – 29%
Splash Damage – 12%
Speed – 0
Trample Shield – 20%
Laser Shield – 30%
Shield – (23)
Splash Shield – 30%
Projectile Shield – (45)
AR – 2
Fire Vulnerability – 25%
Cockpit Slots – 5
Chassis Slots – 7
Shield Slots – 5
Engine Slots – 6

So, love it or hate it you now have the option to buy it and the staff at G.G. would love to hear from you with your thoughts on build options or creative ways to use this in your combat formations. Drop us a line and get paid in niodes for your time!

Submitted by  John Ringo#899287

2017 The Quest For Moar By Damien Valentine#885659

Over the past two or three months, one thing has become crystal-clear for me: at some point in 2017, Game Craftsmen will have to introduce Mecha weighing over 100 tons.

As a long-time advocate for new players, and for the lightweight and middleweight Mecha they use, I know this is an unusual opinion for me to hold. I do not even feel comfortable holding it myself. But consider the following points.

1. Before 2016, most equipment items had a range of 20 or 25 tons between their minimum Mecha weight, and their maximum Mecha weight. Since 2016, almost all the newly-introduced items are limited to a range of 5 or 10 tons: that is, to either 90-to-100, or 95-to-100. This raises the question of whether these items are versatile enough to offset their cost...a question that could be avoided altogether, simply by keeping their weight ranges in line with all the other equipment in the game.

2. There is no in-game reason why Mecha should be restricted to 100 tons. One cannot seriously claim that 105- or 110-ton armored vehicles are somehow less realistic than 100-ton vehicles...especially since Gateway travel is specifically limited by volume, not by mass. Neither is there any meta-game reason: although "BattleTech" arbitrarily set its own limit at 100 tons back in 1984, "Mecha Galaxy" claims to be -- and certainly *should* be -- something besides a BattleTech knock-off.

3. As unpleasant as it is to admit, the game is stuck in a rut. Game Craftsmen, for all its many fine points, has shown reluctance to address the increasingly-intractable problems in the game's design itself. This being the case, the easiest way to revive the game's popularity is for the company to introduce new content...and in terms of weapons and equipment, almost everything that can be done has already been done. Likewise, while there are many opportunities to fill the tactical gaps among lightweight and middleweight Mecha, the Level-150s who dominate the game here in Year Five will never bother to buy these classes. To attract their interest (and income), any new Mecha must be 100 tons or more. While this will only be a stop-gap measure, Game Craftsmen would hardly be the first gaming company to get stuck in a death-spiral of short-term solutions.

Of course, the introduction of 105-, 110-, or 115-ton Mecha means that the gap between the "whales" and the rest of us will only get larger, while strategy takes an even more distant back seat to sheer, overwhelming tonnage. New and/or low-level players will be even more alienated, with everything that implies for the long-term future of both "Mecha Galaxy" and Game Craftsmen. But I think the introduction of such Mecha is inevitable, and it's up to the player Clans to figure out how they will respond.

Submitted by Damien Valentine # 885659

Antithesis Mecha Review By Theo Peeples#847147

When you think of the best 90 ton mech, what comes to mind? Most people say the Regis, or the Ignis, or even the defensive stalworth Aspis. But what about the Antithesis? Why is it regarded as the weakest of the 4 niode 90 ton mechs?

Maybe it’s the lack of engine slots, making it the second slowest of the bunch, only faster than the Aspis. Maybe it’s because it has the lowest armor of the 4. Maybe it’s the lack of cool and fun extras like fork or any multipliers.

I personally think the Antithesis is the best of the 90ton niode mechs. It has the highest base precision and dodge fully leveled of the 4. A whopping 47 for each. It has my favorite built in weapon multiplier, the projectile bonus. And it comes with a slew of other great bonuses:Trample, Slow, Freeze, Crit-Kill, & Wide Fork. It even comes with cockpit and 6 chassis slots, along with 4 engine and 4 shield slots. This mech is a utility marvel. It is fantastic in causing disruption and chaos and should not be overlooked.

The Antithesis is a very versatile mech and can fill many roles in your lineup. At one point they were the gold prize in Clan Wars for several months. Yet I still don’t see many out there. Maybe it’s time we go back and look at this 90 ton Black Knight. Let the creative juices flow and see what we can come up with. It may not be the easiest to use, but once you get down to it, it can be the most fun. I’ll be out there with my Anti’s on front line, Grim, Hades, Hel, Osiris, and Deathscythe leading the way.

Submitted by Theo Peeples#847147

Help Wanted By Pat Willis#224534

 

Hello folks, seems as though I'll be having room on the editors schedule to add a person or two. You see David and Kenneth are currently on a hiatus, this leaves me being the only active posting member of G.G. As you can imagine even at our slowed down posting rate of late it's a bit much to juggle by one person. So I'm putting out a call for help.

If you're interested here's what I'm looking for, a person who can write up everything from pilot stories, news, reviews, etc. Participate in any round table conversations that pop up over in the editors group, be willing and able to edit any submissions that come in (lately there hasn't been many of those so it's mainly us writing.), as well as be willing to kick around any ideas for the site itself, well along with putting up with me anyways.

To be considered just drop off a couple paragraph submission over in our Galaxy Gathering Facebook submissions group, from there I'll have a look see, and will pass the candidates along to Artemis Molly, and Bella Tin Gray for final decision/cut. We submit names and ID#s weekly for any submissions that make it to the site, as well as pay our editors for their contributions to the site. So if you can write and like free niodes this is a hell of a way to make em.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Shard Battery Weapon Review A Look Back By Pat Willis#224534

As you can see in the image here this was limited release niode missile launcher available to levels 8 and up. While we don't have niode weapons beneath level 8 to compare it to we do have one sitting right at level 8 we can look at to see how it stacks up.

We have the pilots go to, the Air Shock in the niode missile category at level 8. It comes in at 13 straight damage, a speed of 95, and has the weapon ability of Splash at 8%. The Shard beats it out by doing 35 straight damage, wielding a speed of 102, and giving two weapon abilities of Freeze, and 2X damage both at 3%. Hands down the Shard is the better weapon by stats alone.

Then when you hit level 15 you are able to obtain the Advanced Fury Rack. That will allow you to do straight damage of 18, has a speed of 91, and packs the Fork ability at 60%. The Shard is again the clear winner in all areas except weapon ability, because lets face it a Fork of 60% is pretty impressive and you aren't going to beat that with a couple of 3% weapon abilities.

So all In all the Shard does better straight damage and has better speed, especially for a missile launcher, and the only real area it looses out is in the weapon ability, but that is to a level 15 weapon. So all in all the Shard is a smart buy, and quite the superior little ass kicker. I'd recommend buying one before they are gone.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534