hey all, im back from PAX and I had a BLAST. I think the only other experience that can match this is going to Disney World (and I've never been :( )<br/><br/>This was my first expo, so I ran around the expo hall and tried as many things as I could. Playing Medal of Honor, End of Nations, be in a tourney for Monday Night Combat (we lost the finals). And snagging a WHOLE BUNCH of T shirts. Maybe 70% of my time was spent playing a little game called STEEL BATTALION: LINE OF CONTACT in the console freeplay area. (think ultra-realistic giant robot game with 40button controller)<br/><br/>A bunch of people who loved the game brought 20(!) sets of xbox originals and steel battalion controllers to set up a MetaCampaign and boot camp for the event.<br/><br/>I joined the HSD (communist defenders) to defend the homeland against the PRF (faschist oppressors). HSD suffered heavy losses in Turns 1 and 2, with an incredible save (led by me) to stem the tide against an early 8 point lead. Friday PRF 4 HSD 0. The PRF was gloating about wanting better competition and that this would be a shutout.<br/><br/>Saturday saw the HSD get more effective hardware and we were able to phase out our obselete mechs for top of the line sniper varients. We had a good player base to help greenies learn how to effectivly spot, shoot and target with snipers and artillery.  We WAXED the PRF with incredible sniper and artillery fire. They were scrambling for top line mechs that we killed the very next combat rounds :P . Turn 5 we were hurting for topline artillery mechs so we fielded the only 4 Behemoths of the round between 8 players. The PRF ace couldnt get more than 10kills ALL DAY. Saturday PRF 7 HSD 4. The tide is turning.<br/><br/>Sunday I woke up late :o and found the HSD was pushed away from our scoring opportunity. The HSD sergeant (PAX enforcer) wanted to win so bad that I was fielded for all but 2 matches on Sunday. On the second to last match, we fought on a pier that had bridges for chokepoints, HSD mined one entrance and waxed all approachers with artillery. On the other approach, our snipers were engaging PRF runners at 2500 meters. I felt all tingly inside when observers were in gasps and slack jawed awe at me engaging fulling sprinting Blades and Rapiers at max sniper ranges ON A PERPENDICULAR. The final match, was a giant indoor base. HSD got lucky near the end and was able to bring an Earthshaker (piloted by me) to the final match. Fitted with a massive GUASS array, the Earthshaker was able to knock enemy mechs offline through walls, requiring a 20second startup sequence. Our snipers had a turkey shoot. The Garpike ninja we had, made 3 stealth kills by deploying mines to trip up the enemy and then repeatedly stabbed them in the back with a giant metal spike for an unbelievable come from behind campaign victory on the very last match of the game.<br/><br/>It may seem like I'm the one guy that carried the team, but this is told by my own experiences. While I may have been a terrific ace, I couldnt have won the game on my own without excellent play by the other pilots.<br/><br/>Wow that was longer than I thought, anyways, back to the fun  ;D