Revisit : The Luison by David McCallum #701548

It's few and far between times that I get to play with these puppies now. That's a shame really, as they are one of the coolest looking machines in production and for their tonnage are a very solid little unit.


Now alas, they are relegated to the odd KotM if it falls that way or to specialists in a Clan or Faction war.


As such, it is very easy to overlook them, either by including them in an appropriate formation or by examining them for the odd equipment boost. We should probably do that at our peril, as the next generation of pilots has far more options than when we first purchased them, and can probably use then far better now than we ever did.


Let's have a quick recap of what the Lui is and where it fits.


For 100 Crystal, 2100 Ferrite and 1500 Bioptics, you are investing in a nice little all rounder that with its intrinsic shielding and high number of shield slots will grow into arguably one of the best point mechs that can take Beta grade shielding (25 - 45 ton range).


I call it a point mech as there are few that can intrinsically fit that slot without expending huge amounts of resources in them. Working up through the tonnage ranges we have the Anzu, Shocklite, Luison, Oggun (at a push) and then the Ammonite. Remember that the point of a point mech is to stay in the fight under fire for as long as it can while you break your opponent's line, on the understanding that there will be no instance when it is not coming under fire. It needs to be tough or agile, or both.


Yes, you could include the Namtar, but that built in kickback precludes any decent autorepair on that chassis size (which keeps you in the fight longer) unless you invest more niodes into it than other mechs.


I'm also assuming that while you may have the odd prize niode mech (and some of those make terrific point mechs), you are still poor enough that you need to fill out your lines with crystal to some degree.

Hence you look at the Lui. The heaviest mech you could use as a novice before you started investing in heavy piloting skill. By the time you can purchase one, you can already upgrade it to the point where it will give damage bonus to all weapons, have 2 shields slots, 1 each of the others and have a 1 in 20 chance of doing double damage.


Of course in recent years the mk II refit became available, allowing upgrades all the way up to lvl 160, and a fully fledged Luison will have 4 shields, 3 cockpit, 2 each of chassis and engine mounts plus 11% shielding against all damage types, 12% damage bonus to all weapons, 10% chance of freeze on every shot and a stonking great 60% chance of a double charge shot.


See what I mean about tough?


Of course you have to get up there, and new pilots could do with some pointers on using this thing in the first place while us old codgers should take another look, because options have changed since we first thought our first 'My Little Pony' was cool.


As a point mech, you need to protect it. That means using decent shields, Niode Beta when you can afford them. I'd also be very inclined to pop in a Nanobot Repair kit in one of those chassis slots, even though they are at a premium. At low levels when the weapons don't pack so much of a punch, you be glad of the ability to repair yourself and keep that mech in the fight. Of course when weapons can one shot a mech of this size at higher levels, you will probably want to go for more dodge.


Other than those, I'd be inclined to go all crystal since at the lower tonnage they are some of the best stuff you can get. You can't go too far wrong with Spinal Bracing, Wankel Rotarys and Nux Raids. I wouldn't normally condone going overboard with Niode purchases on a mech that you will outgrow, especially a crystal one.


But you know, we do get lots of little odds and ends through giveaways or medal packs and clickathons, and some of it wouldn't go out of place. And for us codgers, a lot of them weren't available back when we first took Luisons for a spin.


Take those new Beta dual shields. Chances are you've won the odd couple, and where better than to use them to close out any penalties on a point mech.


Speaking of shielding, we didn't have stuff like Calibrated Joints back then, and since every line needs a point mech, those that are in the rear ranks can do with some trample shielding, even if you loose some dodge in the process. Of course if you did have a spare Telemetry Kit handy....


Of course Hip Hopper Hips are an upgrade on basic Spinal Bracing, and the best defence is not being there to be shot...


Engine wise you wouldn't want to drop too far from those speed 20 Wankels, and even though Fourbangers give 17 speed, for a single slow its not worth the effort. Gargons are good though since they give even more damage to the bonus you already have, as do Srubs which also give you a chance at taking out an adjacent target. The only other reasonable choice on this chassis is a Semi-Stable Field that adds to the intrinsic freeze and adds a smidge of trample to boot.


Finally, cockpit wise, at first glance you would be wanting to reserve most of the special stuff for Nifthels since they are most suited to an Ice mech. Except of course an Immersive Neural Rig, but chances are you will have better mechs to put one of those on since they are so hard to come by. The new Targeting Reticles retain most of the Nux precision while adding to the in built freeze.


And  then of course there are all those Zirconium Windshields that have been in the Clan War prize packs. Nifthel, yes? The thing is pretty soon your Luison will be relegated to pulling point duty in a 55 ton formation. That's Warg territory, and there will be no space fir Nifthel's there. And the Warg can't have a windshield. It's worth thinking about.


So there you have it. If you are just buying them, take proper care of your Luison's, and if you have had them for a while, have another look to see whats new.

Submitted by David McCallum #701548

More Monk Malone's Random Madness by Ron Frye #879655

Submitted by Ron Frye #879655

Wrecker Shot Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

A crystal slug throwing weapon available to levels 59 and up. As usual to see how it stacks up to other weapons in the same category we'll be comparing it to both weapons beneath and above it level wise.

So diving right on in beneath it at level 52 we have the crystal slug thrower the Smooth Bore. This weapon has a straight damage of 46, a speed of 104 and no weapon ability to speak of.

As you can see the Wrecker Shot is a definite upgrade with 4 more to damage, 1 more to speed, and a weapon ability of Trample at 4%.

On the other end of the spectrum coming in at level 67 is the Hex Cannon. This weapon features a straight damage of 58, a speed of 104, and has Trample at 5%.

The Hex Cannon is a clear improvement with its additional 8 straight damage, it looses out on speed by 1 point but hikes the weapon ability of Trample by 1%.

All in all the Wrecker Shot is a solid weapon that fits rather comfortably between the two other guns. It has the upgrades to suit the level gap between it and the Smooth Bore, but still retains viability in straight damage hitting that 50 pt mark. The Hex Cannon is a superior weapon yes in damage and the slight bump in weapon ability. But by no means does it knock the Wrecker Shot totally out of the running. The Wrecker Shot sits nicely as it should and keeps its place in the mecha arsenal nicely.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

One Of The First Reported Ambershard Attacks A Look Back By Pat Willis#224534

Doing some research for the Brotherhood on Ambershard Stalkers led me to this archived report from a S.O.S beacon. Apparently Ambershards were being reported earlier than the galaxy initially thought.

 Mission report reads as follows.

RXS-532 was a mineral rich world where many crystals and ferrite were mined. Located in a remote section of space, it was by and large unremarkable. Star Factories started mining soon after sensor readings showed it was a world rich in resources as opposed to just yet another rock in space. Workers were sent in soon after to start the refining process on whatever the company harvested.

Everything was going fine by all reports, just another text book drilling operation until they hit a strange colored crystal, or they thought it was a crystal anyways.  Crystals used in mech construction have color variances from white, to blue, and purple. No one had ever seen metallic purples or greens before so they mined what they found and brought it back to base to run tests. They submitted it to the standard battery of tests with energy dispersal and conductivity patterns, resistance to different elemental stresses, and finally niode interaction. It was during the niode reaction tests that things suddenly became a nightmare.

Apparently these things they had mistaken for crystals were actually life forms. Life forms who were in the process of hibernating. Whatever species this was ( Now known to be Ambershard Stalkers) it reacted to niode energy, when the feed was turned off it returned to a dormant state. They basically fed it and woke a bunch up. Reports indicate there was a horrid buzzing in the air as the cargo shipping containers of crystals that had been brought back started to become agitated. Steam was starting to boil off the crystals, and that was when they realized those weren’t crystals. What they had mistaken for crystals was actually some kind of cocoon for this insectoid like life form. As soon as they started to steam off these things the creatures inside began to stir, and soon were swarming out of the rear of the transport vehicle and covering everything in their path.

Someone up on the top of one of the refinery machines looked down and saw the mess and put out a general distress signal.The Ambershards were over running the compound. A few who had escaped the initial outbreak of creatures barricaded themselves in the security quarters.

What follows is audio and video acquired from the few remaining security cameras that survived the compounds destruction.

The surface of the gate rippled as mecha started to pour through of all shapes and sizes. There were as many mecha as the factories ever made. No transmissions were sent, no status report asked for, as soon as they hit the ground from the gate they took off at a dead run towards the mining operation. They blasted their way into the refinery, there had to be well over a hundred or so mecha assembled here. The bug things must have sensed the niodes energy from the mecha as they turned in a single body towards the new arrivals.

They had barely finished their turn to face the assembled machines when the screens lit up with explosions, laser fire and heavy weapon projectile fire. Whoever was piloting these mechs they weren’t fooling around one bit. They never intended to even see what the enemy was capable of. They just swept in and started to destroy everything that moved. By that point though the bugs were the only things moving they had totally devoured or partially digested the majority of the interior of the camp.

There was heavy fire from Regis, the mad cries of Gigus and the screeches  of the Skriag, also missile launching Rooks, repeating cannons of Smilidons so many weapons from so many mechas from all ends of the tonnage spectrum. Then as suddenly as it started it was over. Silence fell like a curtain. On the screens  the mechas simply turned and walked back to the gate.  Before the last one entered the gate a encrypted network communication comes through.

“You’re welcome maybe you’ll be as generous with your prices in the future when The Brotherhood is shopping for mechs. See you around."

(*Archived report ends.)


Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Cryoblaster Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

Today we'll be looking at the no longer available Niode ice weapon the Cryoblaster, as you can see it was available to levels 8 and up. This was a limited release weapon as is reflected in the image on the side. As always we'll be comparing it to the closest weapons in its category.

Given this weapon is for levels 8 and up there really isn't much to compare it to as far as lower levels go. But lets look at the ice weapon above it which is the Blue Reaper.

The Blue Reaper is available to levels 20 and up, has a straight damage of 29, a speed of 96, and a weapon ability of Freeze at 8%.

The Cryoblaster is clearly the superior weapon in damage and speed, as well as giving you two weapon abilities instead of one. It's faster firing, more powerful and better than a level 20 weapon while it is available to levels 8 and up.

 This is definitely worth the investment as it will serve you well through leveling up and will stay a viable weapon option for some time before the need to trade up occurs.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

So What Do You Like To Pilot By Pat Willis#224534

In Mecha Galaxy we have plenty of choices for piloting, each with their own unique set of build stats, and abilities. We have 10 Tonners all the way up to 100 Tonners, the trick is finding what works best for you.

To be honest the lowest tonnage mecha I own is a 45 ton Vizi, and it barely sees any action. I suppose what you like to pilot is often determined by what you are facing. As I am in the low 100's level wise my line up is a reflection of what I am facing. I shelved my Vizi, and my line up exploded into a mix of Regis, Boreas, Fext, and others.

My personal favorite will always be my Frigis mecha, Frozen Dream. It's 80 tons of pure fun to pilot. It has enough chassis slots to be a tricky mecha to hit, and decent cockpit and engine slots to fill. It has bonuses to laser as well as ice damage, and has X2 & X3 damage modifiers built in. But you can't pilot the same mecha over and over again without realizing you're getting out classed, and out gunned.

80 tons is respectable no doubt, however put an 80 tonner against say a 95 or 100 tonner and you'll most likely end up a smouldering piece of slag on the floor. So adaptability is key, granted you can save your lower tonnage mechas. Shelve them, and bring them out for weight specific tourneys but let's be realistic here, you simply aren't going to waltz your 10 or 20 ton mecha into combat against a 25 mecha squad of 90s or better. Well you could but it would be a bit suicidal.

Each mecha as I have said has its own unique skill and weapon set. If properly tuned you can make a quick kill death machine, well at least until you get out gunned and out weighed in the arena or on the battle field. So a large part of this is personal play style and choice. Some go for looks, some for abilities, hell others go for a mixture of both. But when you get down to it, what mecha is basically your go to mecha? The one you know even though it may be out classed and a little obsolete you still keep it in tip top shape from the gun ports to the exhaust vents. We all have one, what's yours?

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Stardust Laser Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

* Note - The image to the side reflects the 10% off all weapons sale, which was going on when this picture was captured. It was a limited availability weapon that no longer is being sold.

Today we're looking at the Stardust Niode laser which is available to levels 16 and up. As usual we will be looking in the same weapon family to see how this performs in relation to the next closest weapon above and below it level wise.

The niode laser down from it is the Laserizer which is available at levels 14 and up. It has 19 straight damage, a speed of 104, and the weapon ability of 2X damage at 15%.

The Stardust has it beat hands down in the damage department (45 as opposed to 19) , speed is the same for both, and the Stardust has two weapon abilities compared to the singular one on the Laserizer. So all told the Stardust is indeed the superior weapon to it's lesser laser cousin.

Above the stardust  level wise is the Injection Beam, which is available at level 23. It has 37 straight damage, a speed of 100, and weapon ability of 3X damage at 12%.

The Stardust for being at a lesser level has the Injection Beam beat on damage (37 vs 45) speed is clearly superior (104 vs 100) and it has two weapon abilities vs the one at a higher percentage as in the Injection beam.

Overall conclusion is The Stardust by the numbers is a superior weapon.


Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

The Broiler Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

First things first, this was a limited release weapon that hasn't been seen much since the initial 250 released. This is a Niode flame weapon for levels 8 and up. One would have run you 370 Ferrite, 290 Bioptics, and 17 Niodes, or bulk buy 5 for 68 Niodes. It did 36 straight  damage, with a speed of 102, and the abilities of burn at 5%, and 2X damage at  2%.

Not a bad weapon for the minimum level requirement, decent damage, not too bad for abilities, and the speed is fairly decent. A great choice for flame mechas of all weight classes/varieties.As usual skill point allotment, mecha build stats, and equipment load out can drastically increase this weapons efficiency in battle. It's a nice little aim and flame for your burning arsenal. If there are any left and you are a lower level looking for a leg up you could do a lot worse than this weapon.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Amber X By Pat Willis#224534

There is a new drug loose in the cosmos and it is driving people mad. It is called Amber X and is the newest designer drug sweeping the Mecha community. The drug was originally designed to give soldiers and pilots an edge similar to the berserker warriors of old while speeding up the input output between man and machine. A almost crazed symbiosis state.

It is made from a combination of Ambershard stalker adrenal glands mixed in with isolated noxious fluids from its tail stinger.  This concoction is then irradiated at insanely high levels then added to with man made stimulants. The results are usually quite severe and instantly noticeable. While in theory this all sounds great the practice is an entirely different story.

The subjects seem to enter into a rage state after exposure to the drug 48 hours after absorbing it into their system. This is usually defined by the whites of the subjects’ eyes becoming red, increased breathing and heart rate; it also doubled the subjects’ strength and did the same to their reflexes and reaction time. While this is occurring brain wave monitors detected a marked decrease in the subjects’ higher functions of reasoning, in some cases they were completely unable to decipher friend from foe in battle and simply tried to kill everything that moved.

Prolonged exposure to this drug will completely break down the subjects’ rational mind leaving in its wake only the primal base urges of the person to reign supreme. They cease becoming a person and become a truly mad creature with remarkable strength. Usually within about a month of prolonged exposure the subject begins to simply decompose from the inside out until they eventually just drop from internal organ failure. Rumor has it that this drug was started and designed by the Meiji Shogunate who then shipped it to the Cogwerk Ports main hub for distribution.

Seeing the chance to throw other factions and clans into chaos the Shogunate went into mass production and distribution. Now the drug is quickly gaining a foothold in mecha society, with many pilots willing to risk the dangers simply to win that one fight or tournament. Stricter clans have instituted a policy against usage and distribution, but the newer younger clans embrace the drug whole heartedly. The Shogunate still uses this formula on its own people to give them terror troops for lightning fast encounters with others that usually leave nothing but smoldering ashes in their wake.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Monk Malone's Random Madness By Ron Frye#879655

Submitted by Ron Frye#879655

Sweeper Laser Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

This is a Niode based laser system for levels 30 and up, it packs 62 straight damage, a speed of 102, and the abilities of Fork at 20%, as well as Slow of [4]. It costs 620 Ferrite, 560 Bioptics, and 35 Niodes to buy one. Or you can bulk Buy 5 for 140 Niodes. Note - This was a limited release weapon that aside from CW/raid prizes and the like is not found in the shop any longer it was a 200 piece release initially.

You know what I am going to say here, mecha build stats, equip load out and stat point allocation will play a big part in your ability to do damage with this weapon. It can go on pretty much anything if you outfit it right, but this is more of a laser based mecha weapon. It will give you more bonuses and damage variables if put with such. Overall it looks to be a solid weapon, and nothing with Fork capability should be passed up, just due to the damage potential alone!

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534