Colorful armor combinations, fire and explotions, action packed wars with legendary avatars ressurected for the event of the year. The first landgrab since 2006 had it all. It's a special feeling. It's the action and exctiement we all have been waiting for.
This was the first landgrab since limited gear was introduced, and it showed. Previous landgrabs has mostly been a war in black and blue, but this time there were so many colors and styles mixed together. Most people were mismatched, but the new (L) armors are potent in combat. It seems that the Infiltrator sets that have been crafted have all come into good use, and sets such as Rutuba and Hermes were also popular; not suprisingly as they are among some of the best PvP-armors available.
(L)imited faps and weapons were also on display in large numbers. In fact -by observing the kill messages, for every unlimited gun there were three limited ones making the kills. The grenade and rocket launchers seem very popular, not suprisingly as they damage several targets at once, and some of them do quite fierce damage.
After only a few minutes of battle, the land areas offered us a humorous scene if you have a taste for black humor, bodies come flying through the air and the ground looks like it is lit up with candles from afar, but are acutally the glowing skulls of recent kills.
That landgrab draws alot of spectators isn't exactly news or suprising. The unwritten rule of landgrab has always been "Shoot first and think later. Or rather not think at all". Those who shout that they are only there to watch will be killed just as quickly as any other green dot; though one can still check out the action for 5 minutes while you lay there, waiting to revive.
Full Action at LA-19
BlackAngels Head Quarters, better known as BAHQ, has claimed the LA-19 under fierce fire from Mod Deja-Vu and Amathera Demons. The claim changes hands to AD and then later on to Mod Deja-Vu. The action is intense, and just watching it makes people clench their teeth.
On both dead and alive avatars lying around the claim markers, you can see equipment most people can only dream of having, including limited gear that is so costly that watching it decay would hurt your soul. But these people give it all for the highlight of the year, for their societies and for their glory and not to mention, for the fun of it. They have waited for landgrab for so long, they have been preparing themselves, and they are fit for fight.
Meanwhile, Chaos crew is having a dancing competition over at LandArea 2, and Warants is pogoing around the claimmarker at LandArea 3. Chaos Crew is hungry for action, but there seem to be few visitors. They line up for a group photo in front of the claim marker. A guy named "Flowefield" runs right into the wall of chaos, and is quickly executed. The scene looks hilarious.
MindArk Official 08 looks like he is dressed up for World of Firepower, not landgrab, with the Swedish flag painted on his face. Soon, it changes to an English flag.
"Flowerfield" ran into a wall of Chaos Crew.
Shaolin, Warants and Coat Killers all having fun at the claim at Landarea 01. cK is holding the claim, and seem to be enjoying themselves. After all, they are in their element - PvP.
For every global message that pops up on the HUD, there are 4-5 kill messages. And these people are not easy to kill.
At the revive, people are joking around and there doesn't seem to be as much tension as you'd expect. Maybe because most people know they will get slaughtered and therefore its all part of the fun. That's the entertainment value.
Being killed by legends of Entropia is a happening that drags a lot of tourists.
At LA 14 I am greeted with an Improved FF ARR 8000, but in reality I'm welcome. The shoot first and think later-rule still applies. Ter from Warants ressurects me. Dark Knights are the holders of the claim. At the time there are lots of green dots and activity but no shooting. The defenders are running around a lot, and seem prepared for action. Jorissu from the DK-Squires society have been scouting and have warned them of an attack force mounting up in the west. BAHQ and Shaolin have been spotted on their way. I discover a bug where you get sent to the revival terminal anyway if you dont press "abort" on reviving before being ressurected.
When I come back, the place is on fire.
Shaolin seems to have been attacking all over. BAHQ lost their claim earlier to Amathera Demons and then Mod Deja Vu. They are restless, and the DK claim takes the heat of it.
Someone falls on at the hands of Etopia, followed by the comment
"Killed by Tailor, LOL!" In spite of the extreme stress surely people are feeling, the all-chat is positive and joking. Dark Knights is over half way done with their claim, they can not loose it now without surely loosing some will to carry on with it. BAHQ and Shaolin are trying their best to make that happen, but the knights have help from Warants, who are still bored with little resistance over at LA 3.
Misfire, Misfire!
At the Warants claim at LA 3, the guys are bored. Most of the Warants have black and red war-makeup on, with the white Warants-logo in the forhead. Looking into their helmets, they look like demons.
"Green dots!!" someone screams enthusiastically, but quickly followed by "They are running away now.."
Stoikow begs them to come back, desperate for some action. No wonder I found Neomaven and Skalman causing riot on the other claims I visited.
Shaolin makes the first real attack of the day. Warants basically laughs as they just fap when the bullets are pouring. I get killed by a 191 hp hit, a hit I'm sure would Shaolin would have liked better if hit a Warant.
The first Warant goes down, but not by the hands of a Shaolin. Neomaven and Skalman are back, and neomaven shoots his buddy Stoikow by accident.
The attack is over soon enough, and dodgy is kind enough to ressurect my rotten self.
Taking it easy.
Back at LA 19, BAHQ has regained control again, allthough control might be an overstatement.
At the Chaos Crew claim, chaos in fact doesn't exist. Joker is already popping the champagne and celebrating the win. The MindArk official is pogoing, and Grave's wife is giving the boys a striptease.
45 mins until the LA is rightfully theirs. LA 01 is calm, and the coat Killers seem to be bored. They dream of good dinners, Kebab, one mentions. But lamb and mint seems to be the huge hit and it becomes a internal joke when they also write it down with pecs. cK has kept themselves occupied with creative artwork during earlier landgrabs as well.
Even though the society isn't as active as it once was, the whole society has shown up for the landgrab. As an historic
EU society, they still earn respect from most players, which might explain the lack of attackers in the last hour.
Dark Knights loses their claim when Jenna Star Mercury and Menace to Society decide to pop by, with less then half an hour left. M2S already had claimed one area so they were unable to claim another one. However with all Dark Knights killed, the time of the claim is reset, which means another 4 hours. It also means they will be vulunerable when the rest of the claims ends, and that M2S can come back after their own landarea is finished. The only action at the M2S LA is a MindArk Official Assistant Pixie.
At the Art of War claim (LA08) nothing is happening. Dawn Deamons is their back-up, but Moser, Yquem and other DD's have been found on several different claims throughout the landgrab.
It's a known fact that most DD's are born with an itchy triggerfinger, and this will prove helpful to AoW.
cK was bored at their claim.
Mintues before end time Nate Valley and surrounding areas looses connection. Most of the Landgrab has run smoothly, but people are getting worried.
When we log back in four of the six landareas are taken. Only LA 19 and LA 14 is left. This means Warants, AoW, cK and Chaos Crew all have won one piece of land each. It also means they are free to fight for the next piece of land. LA 19 (BAHQ) and 14 (Dark Knights) is very valunerable.
To myself, I am singing the song
"I predict a riot".
BAHQ people are reviving at Nate Valley wondering what happened, why they are there and why they can't teleport back to their claim. Appearantly they have been killed while they were all bugged and frozen, kicked out of the game and unable to fight back. Some of them log back in without armor, clothing or even mindforce implants inserted. Their claim is quickly lost, and other societies have gathered up at their lost land meanwhile. They stand no chance, and the black angels are furious. They dont feel they have been treated right.
Only two left...
Warants, Mod Deja-Vu, some Dark Knights and cK are all after the lost BAHQ-land. It changes hands rapidly between these socs. cK manages to hang on to it, it seems, but at times it only one left at the claim to save it.
In this round there seem to be different tactics from the different societies. Warants seem to be standing rather still in a little distance of the claim, using long range weapons to make the kills. cK knows they are targets, they keep moving to keep the claim in their possesion. Some of the less represented societies seem to be running around in packs of two or three.
"Been better", Raul Duke from DK says when asked how the nerves is after the server is back up. They are expecting company. Not many seconds pass before the first M2S member arrives. Da and cc from cK comes along aswell, and soon also Eps from BAHQ. They are all taken care of, but
tension is starting to build. Warants have been backing up DK most of the landgrab, but they have another claim to take care of now that they are trying to claim their second piece of land up at LA 19.
When Star enters the scene with the first kill for the M2S horde, every one gets a move on. M2S cleans the table in a breathtaking fight for the land, and they claim it their own. Soon enough also Art of War and the rest of BAHQ gathers up by the claimmarker, and the green fields east of Nate valley is turned into a soup of expencive gear and respected societies. Dark Knights' willpower have been seriously set back from the earlier M2S stunt, and it seems they are slowly giving up the fight of a landarea they have dominated for several hours. Its not safe in the Menace's hands however, AoW is giving them a run for their money. Soon also Mod Deja Vu turns up, and after a long while of intense battle, M2S looses ground. Mod Deja-Vu takes over, but for a couple of minutes until Art of War takes the claim. M2S goes back to help cK up at LA 19.
The last stance
Competition fades out after a little while at both places. cK is over one hour in front of AoW with their claim time, and they are still holding the fort. Only dodgy from Warants is left there, tickling their armor for fun. AoW keeps hearing rumours of attacks, but there is only a person now and then that pops by. When Jenna Star pops by, everyone gets ready. Buck executes Star using a Star Mercury anti-materiel rifle prototype, which causes alot of laughs. Nobody else seem to be popping by. People chat and have fun, makes naughty jokes and launches rockets against the "MindArk Official Assistant Supremacy", who suggests he should bring some Hogglo stalkers around to keep the defenders company.
The last stance at LA 19
In the last hour of the cK claim, Warants hit the landmarker and they hit it strong. cK's hold seems very close to lost at times. Gem laughs hysterically as Stoikow kills Etopia, and Neomaven kills Stoikow. cK holds on to the end and gets Vaps a landarea in birthdaypresent. cK, Warants and M2S heads down towards the only LA left, LA 14 currently held by AoW.
La 14 is once again full of action, but in spite of the hard attack, AoW seem to stand solid. S
omeone drags a whole bunch of formicacida's to the area meanwhile but the critters doesn't survive for long. Someone blames the MindArk official on basis of the earlier joke he made, but he swears his innocence. Right after the chaos, AoW almost looses their claim. But they regain their foothold (making the reporter very happy seeing as it is 03:30 in the night and she's dead tired and doesnt really want to stay up another 4 hours.) even though its just barely. The last few minutes there is only one man standing, and he's running around and fapping like a maniac until the other socmembers comes back. Gurre becomes the big hero of the day for the AoW and friends crew, as the clock stops ticking, and they take the last landarea for their own.
Watch out!
LA1 - cK Coat Killers
LA2 - Chaos Crew
LA3 - Warants
LA8 - Art of War
LA14 - Art of War
LA16 - Menace to Society
LA19 - cK Coat Killers