#i havent been in a campaign as a player since last july?? maybe

[criticalbeauregard]

i need to play dnd i need to play dnd i went to the doctor and they prescribed me 100000 billion hours of play pretend with my friends ASAP or i will unfortunately turn into dust forever

[mechagalaxy]

Red Ants: Interview with Eric Bell

Mountain Climbing Mecha Combat

Brought to you by ANN, A Newschannell for Mecha Combat

Highlighting the July 3321 10 Red Tons

Sten Hugo Hiller interview with Eric Bell # 314456

At K3 in one of the standard specialist formats. Red Ants. As I was at the lower end of the scale I didnt expect to do wery well, but one can always dream. At T-12 hours Michael Coxon claimed top and I had no success of budging him. But I returned at T-6 minutes to find he had been dethroned and Eric Bell of the Omegas sat on the top. Not a bad word about Eric, but his formation was 27 lvl lower and two mechs fewer than Coxons, so I decided to try him out. I got the top but he retook it. As scramble arrived it was just the two of us fighting. My hatorades, large hatorades and my supers ran dry. Each time I took the top he reclaimed it. What was worse was my mechs was tiring out. Where I had used seven tries to get the top five times in the start, now it took twelve. After 28 minutes I was dry. We had swapped control 50 or 60 times, but he was now on top. I made a mental guess at endtime and came up with 48 minutes. At 47 I would use my partially repleted energy and strike for Gold. Unfortunately for me it ended before that and I got a silver. Those who held the tops at that time were:

Div 1 (20 players): Fabio Favaro, Juggernaut (14m,36s) Div 2 (16 players): Dan Ross, Death`s Collector`s (19s) Div 3 (18 players): Eric Bell, Omegas U.N.M. (16m,42s) Div 4 (42 players): Able Hunter, Star League (12m) Div 5 (27 players): Gordon Track (3m,4s) Div 6 (37 players): Robert Palmar, HF: Dragoons (25s) Div 7 (26 players): Leeboy Wegenast, T.B. 1st K. Highlanders (1m,20s) Div 8 (24 players): RonPaulforPrez, Knights of Chaos (13m,14s) Div 9 (34 players): Bob Templin, M.P.A. "A" team (24s) Div 10 (15 players): Tanfoglio, Borg Collective (8m,14s) Div 11 (10 players): clan_holder1, Heroes Heavy Brigade (5h,18m) Div 12 (6 players): Wile_E_Coyote_ (13m,12s)

Total Participants: 275, Total Medals: 166 (of 180 Possible)

Not many participating, of those who did at least 80 were clearly overweight. As usual lots of unclaimed bronzes in div 11 and 12, 14 total this time.

Scramble lasted for about 44 minutes. Exept for in div 11, all Golds changed hands, three of them the last minute. No single Clan, or as I could see even families managed more than one Gold this time. Unaligned Gordon Track (5) and Wile_E_Coyote_ (12) got Golds and will probably recieve invitations to join clans in the near future. None managed to repeat the Gold performance from the Oggunners.

As I sat muttering to myself about the endtime that didnt confirm to my wishes, Eric Bell(#314456) came down to swap parts. It seemed we had exchanged more than fire, most of our mechs had about an equal number of parts from the others formation. While the technicians took care of that, Eric brought out a table, two crystal flutes and a bottle of Cogwerk Cru `84. He had had it with him ever since he started out, to celebrate his first KOTM Gold. And now he wanted to share it with me. Deeply touched by this magnimosity I almost repressed my wish that I was the one sharing my Champagne with him. Still, an intervee was present, so I whipped out my notebook and got a few answers.

Sten Hugo Hiller You have been around for a long while. First mention of you was when you fought in the 15th clan war for Hells Horses back in `84. You stayed with them, joining up with other clans for the FW`s until you changed to Omegas and Hells Horses in `14, then to Omegas U.N.M. in `15. I assume it was a merger and a namechange, but what does U.N.M. stand for?

Eric Bell Well, I dont know, I think its an Omegas branch Randy Jaye Tayor would know, as he is leader. My game has been getting better in Omegas

Sten Hugo Hiller Yes, and you seem to be growing at a frightening rate as a clan. While you have been around for a long time, you havent been a regular contender in the KOTMs until recently. I think your first KOTM medal was in `08 and this was your first Gold?

Eric Bell Yes I was so happy, have spent a lot of time fine tuning my Ants. The last few 10 tons I have been close but work or out of fights missed gold.

Sten Hugo Hiller I know the feeling of being out of fights, happened to me recently.... I must say I was surprised the big guns stayed silent this time, but... What would be your favorite KOTM if you could make up the rules for one?

Eric Bell I know, was kinda nice. I dont know but im thinking about it maybe a non niodes kotm like no weapons ,equipment or mecs that are noides crazy as that sounds

Sten Hugo Hiller Several others have suggested a Crystal event already, so from your lips to the Developers ears. Talking of resorces, you are pretty active in the circuits, how are you doing resorcewise, having huge piles of crystal and ferrite, or a big backlog of mechs to upgrade?

Eric Bell Just a mild backlog, about a year or so ago I sold every thing from lv 25 to 65. I didnt use it much and wasnt active like now so most of the mechs I use are up to lvl, and niode mecs are only 2 lvl behind or full. I do have 8 niode mechs about half way, have 25 niode mechs in all. I do the free upgrade and upgrade sales

Sten Hugo Hiller That is the way I do it myself, .. when I can afford it. It would seem from your KOTM medals that you arent a big fan of the unlimited format?

Eric Bell Im just a grinder, I dont by niodes. Dont get me wrong, I would, but cash is allways short and sometimes I feel a bit salty when I get wrecked by someone at lv 80. But Im ok, I still like the game and wins mean a little more to me when I get them.

Sten Hugo Hiller Dont I know the feeling, some times someone is just unbeatable even if they are sooo junior! Going a bit outside the KOTMs, you have fought in numerous FW/CW. What is your favorite villain, and why?

Eric Bell I did like the clones and Drake, nice mech raid they pulled off.

Sten Hugo Hiller And you got a good haul there I assume?

Eric Bell Yes, but any thing I get is kinda cool. Some times just a look at the medals I have won is cool, well, me and the clan

Sten Hugo Hiller Can be nice remembering the fights you had, and lessons you learned there. What kind of event are you wishing for in the upcoming FW/CW?

Eric Bell Hard to say, Ants only ? maybe something like 50 member units

Sten Hugo Hiller Well, we will see. When it comes to the weightlimited KOTMs, do you prefer max tonnage or mechtype?

Eric Bell Max tons. I sold off alot of types

Sten Hugo Hiller The current event is a chrono, how do you like them?

Eric Bell I hate to say it, but I dont even try. The hrs I work and just life get in the way lol

Sten Hugo Hiller Fair enough. As you have been around for decades, your knowlegde of mechs, weapons and equipment is a treasure for those fresher to the campaign. What are your favorites here?

Eric Bell The Dilophos, a 75 ton mech was the first one that just wrecking ppl for me even with a crystal loadout it rocked and getting a feel for what your mecs can do they might be very fast but aim is so bad you might shot yourself and some of the niode weapons rock. When I sold off all that stuff, the sale was laser weapons and i picked up like 20 cherenkov rays.

Sten Hugo Hiller Thank you for your insights. It seems security is arriving to get you safely away from the mountain. Any final words?

Eric Bell Keep grinding, get cooler stuff. Ty all, kotm was fun.

Security took him and his formation away. I finished the champagne and got my Ants back to the compound. Paulzilla would expect me to get on top of the paperworkmountain waiting for me. Any fresh winners can try to contact me after the

Upcoming Event: Sixty Chrono That is: Any mech you field heavier than 60 tons will leave a hole in your formation, and it is a chrono event. That gives you lots of oppurtunities to be high up the mountainside and get points. The winners will be those with most points, not those at the top at the end.

Event ends April 7 between 1700 and 1800 New York Time