Patch Review (8/20/13) - Kintaro and 3rd Person

Patch Notes, 8/20/13

Hello again everyone!  Welcome to Patch Review, where we discuss recent changes to gameplay.  We'll also examine upcoming features in future patches, and talk about gameplay in general.  I'll run down the patch notes and opine on the subjects that most titillate me, but I'm not going to do an item by item of every patch.  Today we have yesterday's patch, so lets get into it!

• Phoenix Variants and Loyalty program announced.  For those of you into the Phoenix Project, this is fantastic.  The loyalty rewards will give you extra colors already, but now they are treating it like a Kickstarter, with more rewards unlocking as more folks sign up.  A cockpit item and new camo pattern will be available if they reach their goal.
• Sarah's Mech sale is over.  Very touching.  Those of you that managed to get one of these have a true treasure there.

Content

• The Kintaro is now available for C-Bills.  Looks like a great platform for fire support electronics and close support weapons.
• The Catapult CPLT-A1(C) is now available for MC.  Eventually I'll get a Hero/Champion mech, but I'm too busy buying new mech bays with my MC.  Besides, the House Liao Hero is the Ilya Muromets - although the Yen-Lo-Wang is also acceptable.  You'd think we'd have more Hunchback champions in the dropships...  

Gameplay

• The LB-10X has had it's spread reduced.  It's quite noticeable, and makes it a much more useful weapon.
• The Ultra AC has had its' jam rate reduced as well.  This also makes it a much better option than it was previously...just make sure to take backup guns.
• Streak SRM's have a significant damage increase as well.  Perfect for hunting light mechs.  The weapon buffs here seem to be all about helping offset the advantage that small, fast mechs have when they encounter a larger one by itself.
• Terra Therma got worse.  More ambient heat, more fatal lava flows.  Watch out.  How's that for an answer to the "boycott" we've been seeing?
• I really don't have an opinion on 3rd Person View, other than it adds something to the game that wasn't there before.  It's not really an advantage.  Everyone wants to shoot the camera drone.  It's not very useful, and seems mainly to be used for maneuvering amidst several other battlemechs.
• Several tunings were made to various mechs and several changes were made to Terra Therma.  Check the actual patch notes for the exact numbers, but if it's TL;DR then you can just expect a little more ability to nudge your torso and arms on a couple of your Hunchbacks.

All in all, not a bad deal.  More is usually better, and in this case it is.  Just quit shooting at my camera drone.