Tavern Tales I By Germán Jaramillo Pulido# 685605

Submitted by Germán Jaramillo Pulido# 685605

Twister Processor Equipment Review by David McCallum #701548

Let's cut to the chase... a piece of crystal equipment and it didn't exactly light anyone on fire when it was released. The response was for want of a better phrase, completely underwhelming.


The thing is, the people making those comments while well known and outspoken, couldn't find their own posterior with both hands and a GPS system...


Because they have forgotten what pieces like these were designed for.


Not that long ago, some of us were on a budget.


Sure, you could always utilise any prizes, and there's a reasonable chance of snagging some Enhanced Senses from a Clan War or the odd Stuxnet, Sekhmet or Thermal Analyzer from missions.


But at the end of the day, if Crystal is your currency of choice, you will be stocking up on Nux Raids or Betrus Processors as your base cockpit piece. Precision and Crit Kill are your friend.


However sometimes you want to perhaps forgo a little bit of accuracy for some extra oomph, and so you would turn to something like the Ballistics Computer. As long, of course, as you were only using projectile or missiles.


Closing the circle, as it were, we finally have the complementary piece, the twister Processor. Coming in at a book value of 58 Crystal, 765 Bioptics and 693 Ferrite, it is more expensive than its counterpart, but for that you get a slight increase in precision and of course a whole extra munition system that gets a damage boost.


Well worth it, and long overdue to even things up for the damage loving multi weapon junkies out there.


See, I told you they had missed the reason for this kit being released...

Submitted by David McCallum #701548

Zephyr Clan Logo By Kenneth Hicks ID#846092

Blast From The Past By Pat Willis#224534

*Editors note - I was looking through some of my older writings for the game and came across something from when I started both writing and being an active clan member. I'm sure the clan mentioned here won't have a problem with the extra publicity, and I don't know what their clan cannon is at present. So I present it here as a pilot story.  If there are any problems please feel free to notify me and I will remove it. - End note

The Affiliation (AFF) a brief overview.

The Company, The Syndicate, The Shop, The Corporation, all the same titles for a shadowy organization of powerful and wealthy individuals whose goals are never clear.  There is a new name for them now in this time of galactic discovery and exploration, and it is The Affiliation. Core government agents deep in the galactic core defense and intelligence networks are the eyes and ears of this new incarnation of manipulation.  Defense contractors, Mecha manufacturing plants, pirates, City police, and now Mecha Clans are all in their employ.

Speculations on why The Affiliation branched out into Mecha Clans are varied and include theories ranging from weapon testing and development, to black market niode sales, as well as classified mecha schematics sales. One thing is abundantly clear The Affiliation stands to make its presence known in the Clans and begun to recruit a few to its side.  The Clans that join are given guidance, patronage, training, and are moved through the ranks to as of yet unknown end goal. Many in the know say The Affiliation is using the clans to train their own army so that their reach is vast and their vengeance swift , none may run from them if they hold a Clan in every sector.

One thing is very clear The Affiliation recruits its Generals from the clan leaders it brings into the fold. The Clans themselves fight amongst each other so that only the strong survive and advance in the ranks. It is a brutal environment and survival of the fittest enforced at all times. Strangely enough brother clans while fighting are intensely loyal to each other because of The Affiliation.

Full scale clan blood feuds between The Affiliation Clans have stopped mid battle because an outside clan showed up hoping to kill two birds with one stone. Once the two brother clans identified the unwelcome intruder both called a cease fire with each other long enough to totally obliterate the outsiders. They happily then returned to obliterating each other to find who would be allowed to create the next splinter clan for The Affiliation.

The end goals of The Affiliation are unknown at this time. We do know they have brought down entire world governments and in some cases entire worlds themselves. They are a force to be reckoned with, in most cases avoided completely. Until they make their motives clear all any know is that they are very interested in the Mecha Clans and they are gaining ground fast.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Achtung 3 Joining the War By Germán Jaramillo# 685605

Submitted by Germán Jaramillo# 685605

Video Commentary Regarding The After CW Raid By Pat Willis#224534

Topaz Clan Logo By Kenneth Hicks ID#846092

Supply Run Prt. 2 By Kenneth Hicks ID# 846092

Carlos was getting desperate. He’d been searching around Cogwork Port for almost a week for the ever elusive niode connecters with very little to show for it. Both Marvelous Marvin and Antoine Ampsbrige had been able to sell him ten crates a piece (at an exorbitant price) but he needed much more.

Finally, after some down time at Maggie’s Iron Knickers (Major Bourne had given him a hard time about that on the charge account, but had cooled somewhat when told it was purely for investigative purposes) Carlos was getting desperate. And when one is desperate, it’s time to go to a Den of Inequity.

LaSalle’s Den of Inequity, Virtue, and Steam to be exact. The smoke filled room and 20^th Century music set a certain ambiance when one walked in the door. Low lighting, the smell of stale beer, spice, and grease invaded one’s senses. The term “comfortably dank” came to mind.

Sitting at the end of one of the Wist tables was Legendary Pilot Mammoth Jack. Jack had retired to a more suitable job as a purveyor of hard to get goods in recent years, but still looked like a force to be reckoned with as he was still more chest than gut in his burly, if not finely adorned countenance.

“Hey Jack, how’re they hangin’! Need a refill?” Carlos motioned to the waitress as Jack looked at him then his full mug and grunted. He lifted the beer to his lips and drained it in one well practiced gulp.

“So, if it’s not the pup from the Dragon Clan. Still wet behind the ears or did they give you a towelette to cure that yet?”

The last time Carlos had encountered Jack, he had ended up black out drunk, beat up, sprawled in an alley with a small bag of bioptics and $125 in Illyrian credits stuffed down his shirt that he hadn’t started with.

“Yeah, I’d like to think that some of that wetness has been wiped away. How about you, few hands of Wist?” The next few hours were spent talking of carousing, old battles, and Carlos losing a few hundred credits to Jack in cards.

“Okay, okay, you’ve buttered my bread quite effectively boy, now how about you let Old Jack in on the real reason you’re here.”

“Well, Jack, I’m trying to get a few Mecha up to specs in time for the next Clan War and there’s a distinct lack of niode connectors to be found. I’ve found plenty of everything else, but as you know, those connectors are key to speedy upgrading.”

“You’re not the first that’s come to me with this problem although you are one of the more entertaining.” Jack held up four fingers and a bar maid showed up with four shots of an amber liquid that emitted a coil of translucent vapor from the top. She handled the glasses with welding gloves.

“Frak. What in the name of Maggie’s drawers are those.”

“Oh these! Just a new little drink fresh on the market called Ambershard Squeezins. You see, there have been these new little uglies found on the outskirts of…”

“No. Stop. I know. I’ve seen them. And I suppose this vile stuff is concocted through the second word in the title. Is there no end to your depravity Jack?”

Jack let out a short bark of a laugh. “Well, if you want the treasure, you have to be prepared to run the Gauntlet my young apprentice!” Jack had a distinct twinkle of glee in his eye as he watched Carlos gulp, shake his head, then toast with a shot in each hand then down the liquid.

“Okay old man, write down what you know then pin it to my jacket as I can’t risk not remembering this conversation.”

Jack cackled like a madman then took out a pen and paper. “Shogunate forces have been in the area recently and have been hoarding back certain supplies, connectors being one of them, as well as bioptics for some reason. Here’s the location of one of these temporary depots where you should find what you need, but go prepared as they have a hefty amount of guards there as well.”

“Thank you Jack, as always you know how to deliverrrrrrrr…..”

The world tilted sideways as vision started to tunnel on him. Carlos knew that asking for that note was the best idea he’s had all week.

Duboce Weapon Review By Pat Willis#224534

For levels 41 and above we have this slick Niode laser. To get one will cost you 492 Ferrite, 100 Bioptics, and 36 Niodes. Bulk buy is an option here with 5 for 144 Niodes, no restrictions/limitations. It has straight damage of 52, a speed of 101, and the ability of 3X Damage at 18%.

No slouch for a laser system and given it is a Niode weapon it's pretty cheap. Stick some of these on a Bishop with already amped laser damage in its build stats and you may have made one hell of a mess out of your opponent. As usual equipment load out, mecha build stats, and skill point allocation will play a large part in your overall performance with one of these. But it is worth it especially when the x3 damage goes off.

Submitted by Pat Willis#224534

Opal Dragons Clan Logo By Kenneth Hicks ID#846092

Blonde Chronicles XXI By German Jaramillo Pulido ID# 685605