42 replies to this topic

[Balder Shadow]

Rare Mech Sighting

"If you see a mech that might be rare, first take notes and describe in detail the mech's appearance and behavior. Record size, shape, plumage, torso shape, eye color, and any other features that will aid in identifying the mech. Make a sketch and, if possible, take a photo. Note which other species the mech is with, how it moves about the battlefield, and what and where it is eating. Whenever possible, note the mech's field marks before you consult a field guide. Then, using your notes and sketches, find the mech in a recently published field guide or consult with the MechWarrior community in your area to confirm the identity of the mech and whether it is rare for your area."

I'll start. A few days ago while on Viridian Bog I thought I caught a glimpse of a Victor, a VTR-DS I believe. It has a beautiful red plumage and was sitting high on an outcropping just eating. As I stared at mech it was startled by a lumbering Direwolf and took to flight. There was not enough time to make sketch or take a photo. Hopefully next time I'll have the screen shot button close to hand and capture this beautiful mech in its natural habitat.

[Ted Wayz]

Its natural habitat is a very dusty mechbay. Usually stripped.

[Balder Shadow]

Ted Wayz, on 27 November 2015 - 09:21 AM, said:

Its natural habitat is a very dusty mechbay. Usually stripped.

Sadly, exactly my point.

[Night Thastus]

I just pulled a 1200 damage match with my Victor on Terra Therma a few weeks ago. I ******* love that thing. I mean, admittedly it's a meta build (3x LL + 1x Gauss) but it's fun as hell, and everyone ignores it thinking it's not worth their time.

[C E Dwyer]

Night Thastus, on 27 November 2015 - 09:31 AM, said:

I just pulled a 1200 damage match with my Victor on Terra Therma a few weeks ago. I ******* love that thing. I mean, admittedly it's a meta build (3x LL + 1x Gauss) but it's fun as hell, and everyone ignores it thinking it's not worth their time.

Real Victors have AC20

[zagibu]

I think I saw a Kintaro once, but it was late, and my eyes might have played a trick on me.

[Sandpit]

I just spotted a Catapult the other day. I mistook it for a Stalker until I got up close to it. Those big boxy ears are a dead give away. It was standing in the rear of our frontline firing off stream after stream of what appeared to be LRM goodness. It eventually ran out of ammo and decided to put its one laser to good use.

[Revis Volek]

Sandpit, on 27 November 2015 - 12:29 PM, said:

I just spotted a Catapult the other day. I mistook it for a Stalker until I got up close to it. Those big boxy ears are a dead give away. It was standing in the rear of our frontline firing off stream after stream of what appeared to be LRM goodness. It eventually ran out of ammo and decided to put its one laser to good use.

Sounds like me last night!

But i have 3 (medium) Laser goodness and a TAG to go along with my LRM 15w/ Art until they run out....

I was trying out the nex hitbox fix (seems better) and i even had a match where i was chasing down the last two guys with no LRM and just Lasers and those sneaky fools set a trap for me (and of course i walked into it) I took LOTS of dmg (to the amount of 3-5 alphas from each mech) and the Catapult stayed upright. Lost both Arms, Both ST's and i think a leg even.

But i walked away to fight another day, One guy even said...

"whoever is in that Catapult just WILL NOT DIE!"

My reply..."Change sometimes is good."

When was the last time you heard that when talking about a CATAPULT!
Gj Pee Gee Eye! gj!

Edited by DarthRevis, 27 November 2015 - 01:19 PM.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

While riding in the cockpit of my trusty Crab, I was recently privileged to sight the elusive Mist Lynx. This ungainly little creature is too slow to outrun its fiercest predators, the Arctic Cheetah and Firestarter, and is not well enough armed to defend itself. The sole advantage this strange creature possesses is flight- when threatened, it can jump to an unreachable height and then attempt to escape once its pursuer can no longer see it. Sadly, these rare beasts as often as not have no high ground to flee to, as was the case with the specimen I observed- set upon by a Cheetah, the poor thing was crippled before it took flight; a pack of rabid Timberwolves set upon the helpless Lynx as it fell, lame and doomed, to the ground. One cannot help but pity such a creature, so fatally flawed, yet still clinging to the margins of existence by only the slimmest of threads.

[Balder Shadow]

How to count your Mechs

To ensure that Rare Mech Sightings data can be used for scientific research, every Rare Mech Sightings Watcher must count Mechs in the exact same way. Here’s how to conduct your two-day count:

Keep a tally sheet and a field guide handy.

Each time you see a species within your count site during your count says, count the number of individuals in view at one time and record that number on your tally sheet. (For example, if the first time you look at your Battle Area you see one Gray Throated KitFox and two Default Green Spider 5V's, record these numbers next to their names.)

If later on you see more individuals of these species in view at one time, revise your tally sheet to reflect the larger number. (For example, if later on you see two Gray Throated KitFox and three Default Green Spider 5V's, change the number of Gray Throated KitFox on your tally sheet from one to two, and the number of Default Green Spider 5V's from two to three.) Do not add your counts together; record only the largest number of individuals of each species in view at one time over the two-day count. By following this method you will never report an individual Mech more than once per count period.

At the end of your two count days, the largest number of individuals that you saw at one time becomes your final tally and the number for each species that you will report to Rare Mech Sightings. You will make one report for each two-day count.
Record the date, the weather, and how much time you spent observing Mechs on your count days.

And Please count…

all of the individuals that are in view at one time. For example, if two Shadow Cats are on your feeder and six more are waiting their turn in a nearby bush, count all eight.

mechs that are attracted to your count site because of something you provided, either directly or indirectly. For example, count mechs that are investigating your mech feeder or mech baths even if they do not eat food or take a bath.

mechs that are attracted to fruits or ornamental plantings in your count site, even if only a few individuals actually visit your feeders. Examples might include the Tangerine Trebuchet and Dandelion Dragons.

Timberwolves, Shadowhawks, and other predatory mechs such as Banshee 3M and Stalkers- that are attracted by mechs at your feeders, even if the predators are not successful in catching a meal.

[Escef]

People that pilot the uncommon mechs are either kinda bad with them (inexperienced and didn't know it's a somewhat sub-optimal mech, or someone that simply decided to blow the dust off an old favorite and needs to find his groove), or frighteningly good with them (I know of at least 1 or 2 guys that could regularly pull off 800-900 damage games with the Dragon pre-quirk).

I find it kind of odd that people are calling the Catapult rare. You still see them from time to time, and people are testing the hitbox changes on them. Rare is stuff like the Commando, Myst Lynx, Adder, Vindicator, Kintaro, Ice Ferret, Nova, Quickdraw, Black Knight, Orion, Summoner, Awesome, Gargoyle... Maybe a couple others. And even some of the ones I just listed are probably closer to uncommon than rare.

[cabusha2]

I love how the trebuchet was overlooked in that list. I'm thinking it make have become extinct.

[Xetelian]

The Heavy Metal is even rarer.

[vandalhooch]

The Catapult might appear rare in the typical suburban landscape of Quick Play. But in the more protected and isolated habitat called Faction Play, the species seems to be experiencing a population spike due to environmental conditions that mechologists call Trial Mech.

[Appogee]

I saw two Vindicators in a CW match last week.

On my team

GGclose.

[Escef]

cabusha2, on 27 November 2015 - 02:58 PM, said:

I love how the trebuchet was overlooked in that list. I'm thinking it make have become extinct.

I still see one every few games. Generally the trial with 2xLRM15, TAG, and 2xML. Other Trebs you barely see more than once a week.

[627]

trench bucket is the rarest sight imho. heck, you'll even see 10 vindicators fighting quickdraws before you'll ever see the trebuchet.

after that, kintaros are next i think but catapults and victors? i see them regulary.

[JC Daxion]

627, on 27 November 2015 - 03:08 PM, said:

trench bucket is the rarest sight imho. heck, you'll even see 10 vindicators fighting quickdraws before you'll ever see the trebuchet.

after that, kintaros are next i think but catapults and victors? i see them regulary.

Yea,,, I always thought they looked like fun mechs too. Maybe with the re-balance will help that.. I think they are on the list to get resized too, which could be a big boone.


As for victors, i never played um when they were very popular, but i have been playing them as of late, and i really don't find um bad. To me they are more like playing a cataract, with a bit more fire power and mobility. I also like the AC+SRM combos. Not the best mech, but i really enjoy it.


another couple of Rares to me are Commando's, and Cicada's Sure cicadas a bit more now that the free one was given out, but really even that's died down a lot. I'm not sure why though, i always thought cicada's were a pretty darn great mech.

[Bishop Steiner]

I've spotted Trebuchets stalking the wastelands several times in the last two weeks...at least a half dozen sightings......
Which is more than in the last 2 years.

I think it's related to Global Warming. Curse you Obama!

[FinnMcKool]

ya ya ya and I suppose you saw a bigfoot also?