So I’ve been fiddling with MWO because I need instant pew pews and you can fight three matches in the time it takes a fleet to get started and put on fleet finder in EvE. I’ve done what I do, which is fiddle with ‘mechs and I’ve noticed something. Legs tend to be the first thing I strip of armor because, well, I never get legged. Unlike every other MW game in the history of mankind, I never ever get legged. Part of this is tactics. People tend to keep at a distance at first, and legs are naturally the last piece of a ‘mech to drift into sight, but also because people aim for the head, or center torso, or barely aim at all. I’m looking at you guy who panicked and failed to finish off a legged commando, losing us the last match I was in!

I have been fiddling with the twin gauss Jagermech, because: why the fuck not. I’ve also noticed that every time I hit something over 50 tons in the legs the armor goes bright red. Sometimes the structure starts to change color. It’s pretty amazing to see it when an Atlas is showing internal damage from one shot. I rarely think to actually go for the legs when I’m trying to fight off an Atlas but I’m trying to be more disciplined. I’m trying to go for the easiest kill, and let me tell you I’m pretty sure the easiest kill is to “Sweep the Leg.”

For those unfamiliar with the line, in the old movie “Karate Kid” the bad guy tells his student to “Sweep the Leg” of the hero, who is already limping more than an under-engined Atlas missing a leg. The intent is to cripple him and get the tourney over with so he can rejoice in his dojo’s domination, and his students can sneak off to smoke and drink and feel good about their victory. Of course the good guy wins, the bad guy’s student is the one to hand him his trophy, and everyone is happy except bad guy Sensei.

It isn’t a perfect parallel. Daniel-san didn’t exactly choose to get himself crippled for the tourney. In fact I’m pretty sure it was somewhere up there with “running over Mister Miyagi in the parking lot” on his list of things to do. Someone running an Atlas with 20 armor between the legs is begging to get legged. In a ‘mech like my Jager, you have to keep calm and pick your shots, take the extra couple seconds and… SWEEP THE LEG