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Operation Cancer (Crab & King Crab Thread)


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Poll: Would you buy this? (539 member(s) have cast votes)

Would you buy this for 40 dollars?

  1. Yes, take my wallet (304 votes [56.40%])

    Percentage of vote: 56.40%

  2. I'd wait for cbills (184 votes [34.14%])

    Percentage of vote: 34.14%

  3. No interest in crabs. (51 votes [9.46%])

    Percentage of vote: 9.46%

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#1 HammerSwarm

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 05:33 AM

Operation Cancer
Posted Image
(original host of the original image seems to have removed it)

TLDR: The Crab and the King Crab belong in MWO for their iconic shapes, unique loadouts, and area denial capabilities. People want these mechs, and I think we should work on adding all of the IS mechs before worrying about the clans. Plus this buys PGI a little bit more time (2 months)

Cancer is the star constellation that honors Karkinos. Karkinos is a crab that fought Heracles and was honored by Hera with a place among the stars. It should also be the name of the next prepay expansion pack offered after project phoenix and saber.

Why the Crab?
The Crab is an all energy 50 ton mech. It has a reasonable cruising speed of 80kph and is “heavily armored”. It’s obviously a lower profile mech giving it a distinct shape change from the giantly tall mechs which are the centurion, trebuchet and all current 55 ton mechs. It also is an all energy mech, so no ammo.

What makes this thing special?
Besides a unique shape? It’s got an energy focus which you can’t say for the Centurion/ Hunchback or the Trebuchet. Centurions have a missile energy variant, and the hunchbacks have an energy variant. The Crab would have three while offering an entirely new torso shape to the game.

Why do you keep talking about the torsos?
It’s like the stalker or the dragon. Those mechs benefit when using cover because of their profiles. The dragon is squat allowing it to more easily hide behind things. The stalker has high placed weapons on a squat frame allowing it to fire over crests with ease. The Crab has both of these advantages in a 50 ton medium frame.

While it’s true their arm weapons hang lower the CT and Head weapons of the Crab offer a bit of peak and shoot to the crab which isn’t available to the centurion or the trebuchet and is only offered to the hunchback in limited quantities.

Unique Animations
The crab also has unique hands that look a bit like pincers. This offers protection to their hand weapons. These could work a little like missile doors and allow for crab pilots to protect their weapons while using their arms to block fire. Also it would be neat to see them pinching.

Variants? You said this was all energy.
It is but that is not all that makes a mech special. Location and number of hardpoints also factor in. For argument sake I am going to use 7 as my max number of crab hardpoints.

CRB-27 7 energy hardpoints, 4 arms, 2 chest, 1 head

CRB-27b 7 energy hardpoints, 2 arms, 1 RT, 1 LT, 2 chest, 1 head, Max Engine +40

CRB-27sl 6 energy hardpoints 4 arms, 1 chest, 1 head, 5 JJ

CRB-30 6 energy hardpoints, 2 arms, 1 RT, 1 LT, 1 chest, 1 head, ECM (Not included in Operation Cancer)

No that’s too OP!!!
Not really so much, it has all of the energy hardpoints several other mechs in and around it’s weight class. BJ have 8 energy hard points at 45 tons The Hunchback 4P has 9. so 6 or 7 really isn't OP. and the low slung arms and torso focus of this mech will more than even it out. The ECM is clutch because it will be only the second non light (Cicadas are lights, trust me) to have ECM. The ECM variant of the Crab does not come in the pack but will offer the utility of a medium mech with ECM to cover the other Medium Mechs without intentionally running slow.


How about The King Crab?
This mech is a beast in ways. It is a low profile area denial mech centered around large ballistics in it’s hands. At 100 tons this would be a needed addition to the game as only the second 100 ton assault. It would be the first ballistics based assault offering additional play styles and utilities to assault mechs.

When high alpha is a good thing...
The king crab has great alpha potential with twin autocannon 20s. a Large Laser and an LRM 15 give it some ranged backup. This creates a situation where the King crab is somewhat situational. It runs hot, has heavy weapons loadouts, and has a giant torso which opens it up to damage. If you get the crab out in the open that is. In cover however there is an arc of near certain death in front of the King Crab.

We already have an atlas why is this necessary?
Different battlefield roles. The King Crab is an area denial mech with good damage and brawling potential. The atlas is less of an area denial mech and more of a jack of all trades. They have totally different shapes. The Atlas stands tall like a man, the king crab hangs low and scuttles.

I am worried it will be too good...
It’s situational: in a tunnel, in a city it’ll be great! On an open battlefield? nope. This is a tactics mech. It’s not suited to some tactics but if you play to its enormous strengths you’ll have a truly frightening mech.

This too has too few variant.
Not really, sure the Sarna variants lack that separation of a hunchback, but once you experiment with moving hard points around and subbing in and out actuators you’ll find you can get quite the variety.

KGC-000 1 ballistic in each arm, 2 energy LT, 2 missile RT (6 total)

KGC-000b 2 ballistics each arm, 1 energy LT, 1 missile RT, DHS, Art (6 total)

KGC-001 1 ballistic each arm, 3 energy LT, 3 missile RT, DHS, XL, Fully actuated arms. (8 total)

this is inline with the idea that removing an arm actuator reduces your total hard points by 1, or 2 in this case, and gives you the option to really have some fun and unique mechs by fielding a 4 ballistic assault on the battlefield.

Alright I am buying in...what is the buy in?
40 Dollars. That’s right 3 mechs of each chassis plus a cancer variant which gives you a unique crab themed camo, (I am thinking black with stars on one side, and red crab claws on the other) and Cbill and Loyalty bonuses. This is a stand alone package not linked to project Phoenix, but does use the price per ton of the Saber Reinforcements.

Edited by HammerSwarm, 06 February 2014 - 09:39 AM.


#2 Enzane

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 05:58 AM

Hands down, King Crab. I want this mech.

Pictures Here

Posted Image

Edited by Enzane, 06 November 2013 - 06:15 PM.


#3 General Taskeen

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 06:04 AM

FYI you forgot the KGC-010 from 2743.

2x LB10-X (RA, LA)
2x PPC (LT, RT)
2x SRM (LT, RT)

http://bte.battletec...te/pdf/5809.pdf

#4 Phoenix Branson

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 06:32 AM

I would definately buy this package. + 1

#5 HammerSwarm

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:09 AM

View PostGeneral Taskeen, on 31 October 2013 - 06:04 AM, said:

FYI you forgot the KGC-010 from 2743.

2x LB10-X (RA, LA)
2x PPC (LT, RT)
2x SRM (LT, RT)

http://bte.battletec...te/pdf/5809.pdf


My variants weren't meant to be the end all be all in the discussion just a place to start showing how moving hard points around could make interesting variants. I might have forgotten more than one actual variant but that is up to PGI to balance and decide. The 010 however creates a touch of a problem given how hard points are allocated to arms with actuators but I would Be willing to sacrifice total arm movement for a no actuator arm on a variant of the king crab. It's up to PGI to work it out.

#6 HammerSwarm

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:21 AM

View PostEnzane, on 31 October 2013 - 05:58 AM, said:

Hands down, King Crab. I want this mech.
(Image removed for space)


See I am all about the Crab. Assaults really aren't my bread and butter. I would pay good money for a crab because of the body style; it's different from what is currently available. I could relate it most to the dragon or the catapult where when they come around a corner you can see the beak peaking out before anything else. It's a cool thing to happen in a game. Also it's neat to pilot those mechs because you can see your nose right there on your face. The Crab would offer something new to mediums and the King crab would offer something new to assaults.

And announcing it right before Christmas and selling it until Valentines day (every other month middle patch) would give two gift giving holidays for people to buy these for themselves and loved ones to buy them for their mech warriors. Think about it PGI it's a marketing masterstroke.

#7 Critical Rocket

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 08:17 AM

Easily one of my favourite Star League era designs is the Crab, it's a crime it hasn't been added yet and if it looked anything like the sketch art it would become my first choice medium chassis for 12 man matches.

The King Crab is a beast and deserves to be added also for all the reasons you mentioned there Hammerswarm. PGI please read this and get it added ASAP.

#8 The Black Knight

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 08:55 AM

Very well thought out, very well written, very good post, and AWESOME art. I want my crabs!!! I would worry about the crab's ct hitbox being huge, but if they could get that right this would be awesome. The king crab would be brutal but it would be much slower then an ac 40 jager so would be easier to outrun and couldn't get up close fast, and I wouldn't mind getting blasted my an ac40 king crab as much as a jager because that is exactly what a King Crab is supposed to do.

#9 Enzane

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 09:01 AM

View PostThe Black Knight, on 31 October 2013 - 08:55 AM, said:

Very well thought out, very well written, very good post, and AWESOME art. I want my crabs!!! I would worry about the crab's ct hitbox being huge, but if they could get that right this would be awesome. The king crab would be brutal but it would be much slower then an ac 40 jager so would be easier to outrun and couldn't get up close fast, and I wouldn't mind getting blasted my an ac40 king crab as much as a jager because that is exactly what a King Crab is supposed to do.


I couldn't have put it better Myself.

The KING of the battlefield with it's AC40.
But still moves as fast as a CRAB, Assault.
With only it's armor to be it's saving grace.

They can deal massive punishment but can't even get out of their own way. It would be an awesome mech for MWO.

#10 Spokig

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 11:11 AM

Yes! So much yes!

#11 Iacov

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 12:42 PM

shut up and take my money!

#12 aniviron

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 05:17 PM

I fell in love with the Crab back in MW2 Mercs, and never really fell out of love with it.

It's too bad that all-energy builds are completely worthless in this game.

#13 TexAce

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 06:08 PM

give us the king, all hail to the king

#14 CDLord HHGD

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 06:09 PM

Maybe for added value, they could include the Sarah's Jenner......

OMG, I AM SO SORRY! I COULDN'T HELP IT. I'M GONNA BURN IN HELL........

#15 Artgathan

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 06:14 PM

+1, DO WANT, TAKE MY MONEY, GAAAAAH GIVE ME CRABS

... So that last one can really be taken out of context, but I think everyone here understands?

#16 Phoenix Branson

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 06:47 PM

Here is an idea to sweeten the deal even more...

SLDF Royal BattleMech Package

Posted Image

Tier 1
Mongoose

Tier 2
Mongoose
Crab

Tier 3
Mongoose
Crab
Champion

Tier 4
Mongoose
Crab
Champion
King Crab

This package would include various Royal BattleMechs in the Star League Defense Force. There would be four tiers to this package, including a 'Mech from each weight class as shown above. This package would also have a premium skin, resembling the uniforms below (green/black premium skin with SLDF stars). Thoughts?

SLDF Royal BattleMechs
Posted Image

Edited by Maverick01, 31 October 2013 - 07:10 PM.


#17 Coralld

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:23 PM

I love the Crab and King Crab.

For a special skin for the King Crab it should have this on its back.
Posted Image

And because I have been drinking


But in all seriousness... HAIL TO THE KING... King Crab that is.


#18 Tesunie

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:40 PM

As far as the "AC20s in the articulated arms" and the "not crossing over crits from the system to the torso", why not either remove the aculators (as suggested) or shift from crit slots over from the side torsos and into the arms.

Either way, I want the Crabs, either (both) ones. I would be willing to pay $40 for it, if it came similar to the Phoenix package. Even if it was an add on like the Saber, I would really want it.

And just to say it... CRABS!

PS: Cancer is my birth sign (not that I believe that stuff), so it would be destiny fulfilling itself!

Edited by Tesunie, 31 October 2013 - 07:48 PM.


#19 anonymous161

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:47 PM

I'd get it through cbills but at least you can play the crab in mercenaries...like all the mechs really.

#20 Blue Splint

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Posted 31 October 2013 - 07:50 PM

KGC-000b 2 ballistics each arm, 1 energy LT, 1 missile RT, DHS, Art (6 total)

Hmm.. if they make this by giving each arm 10 free slots this means we will be able to put 4 x UAC 5 in this beast. That would be very scary. And awesome.





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