To clarify in regards to the handy discussion; A 'mech like the Awesome, with its one hand being basically a pyramid-shaped series of flanges, allows its mechwarrior simple things like grasping and squeezing. A 'mech with human-like hands (eg. Atlas, Charger, Shadow Hawk, Stinger, Wasp, Black Knight Pre-Mechwarrior 4 Redesign, Griffon, Battlemaster, Yadda Yadda Yadda Ad Nauseam) can do anything a human's hancs can do, so long as either A: the Mechwarrior uses the integrated waldo controls in the cockpit to directly translate hand movements to 'mech arm and hand movements, at the cost of being unable to fire weapons during that time, or B: around 2500 hours or so spent tinkering with the 'mech's actuator control algorithms and neurohelmet sensitivity so if a Mechwarrior thinks 'Fuck you', the result can actually be a Middle finger in the direction of the enemy, though can can backfire, for example, if you're thinking 'Fuck you' while trying to line up an Autocannon or other heavy weapon shot at the enemy 'mech and the computer recognises that as 'Flip middle finger at target'.<br/><br/>Which would still be funny as hell.<br/><br/>Edit: In regards to the Varying number of fingers the Atlas has, it appears to be a local design decision; for example, the -D series Atlas (Most-common from Initial Construction to Post-Helm Core, and usually built by Hesperus II) has 4 fingers and a thumb. the -K series looks to have 3 fingers and a thumb, as that version of the Atlas is primarily built in the DC, post-Helm core. Personal variants, and other nations with the ability to construct the Atlas (Eg. FWL) appear to go for 3 or 2 fingers and a thumb.<br/><br/>So, depending on where it's built, you might not even be able to flip the bird with an Atlas because its Maufacturer was a cheapass and didn't want to spend a few extra c-bills on finger myomers.<br/><br/>(Also, as a friend and I joked, the Awesome has Evangelion shoulder fins 10 years before Evangelion was a thing)