Mann Co. Supply Crate

Mann Co. Supply Crate
Basic Information
Released:	Mann-Conomy Update
Availability:	Drop
Tradable:	Yes
Giftable:	Yes
Craftable:	No
Available Qualities
	Unique
Loadout Stats
	Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #(Number); Level 1 - 100 Supply Crate; Crate Series #(Number); You need a Mann Co. Supply Crate Key to open this. You can pick one up at the Mann Co. Store.

“

Where's your precious Hippo-crates now?

Click to listen

— The Scout

”

Mann Co. Supply Crates are tool items obtainable through the item drop system. They are shown as open-style wooden shipping crates, wrapped in chains held with a large padlock. Mann Co. Supply Crates can be opened with the use of a Mann Co. Supply Crate Key. Anything unboxed using an untradable key will become tradable on the date the key is supposed to become tradable.

When a crate is opened, a model appearing similar to a Mann Co. Supply Munition will drop from the top of the screen, the sides of the box falling and fading from view to reveal an item. The player will receive one among a set of items which are listed in the crate's description and are dependent on its series. This item is announced to the server in a similar format to regular dropped items. After which, both the crate and the key are removed from the player's inventory and replaced with the uncrated item.

While Mann Co. Supply Crates are obtained through the item drop system, they do not add to the total cap of items a player can obtain each week. Furthermore, crate drops are completely independent from weapon or hat drop rates.^[1] Scorched Crates and the Summer 2013 Coolers were exceptions as they were not dropped. Scorched Crates could have been the only item inside a Pile of Ash, and the Coolers could only be obtained through Summer Claim Checks.

Though the notion and concept of a crate suggests that the contents should be predetermined, Robin Walker has confirmed the mechanics are such that item drop is determined at the point of opening the crate; moreover, items are not mapped to crates and thus there is no distinction to be made between two crates of identical series.

Players located in Belgium and the Netherlands are not able to open Mann Co. Supply Crates. Attempting to open a crate in these countries will display a window preventing them from doing so.

Bonus drops

Added in the Jungle Inferno Update, all cases from the Gun Mettle Update forward have a chance to drop one or more bonus items in addition to the cases' normal drop.^[2]

Bonus drops can be any of the following:

Crates vs. Cases

Crates and cases may appear to be fundamentally the same, but there are some very significant differences in how they operate that should be considered when deciding what to use keys on. Most crates look exactly the same with a few exceptions, while cases come in a wide variety of colors and shapes and are easy to individually identify. If there is any ambiguity, looking at the name of the item will reveal whether it's a crate or a case.

The Keys

All normal crates can be unboxed with regular Mannco Supply Crate Keys, purchasable directly from the mannco store in game. Meanwhile, cases each have a unique, exclusive key that can only be used on its matching case. There are exceptions, however. The Robo Crate and the End of the Line Crate require unique and exclusive keys to be opened, just like cases. Also, the Winter 2016 cosmetic case does not require a key at all; it can be freely unboxed at the owner's discretion. Thus, these cases are priced similarly to keys.

Graded Items

Cases introduced a new system of item grades, causing some items to be rarer than others. This contrasts with crates, which generally maintain the same or similar odds between all of its items. The grades from lowest to highest are: Civilian, Freelance, Mercenary, Commando, Assassin, and Elite. Each grade has its own color, and when moving up in grade, the color shifts from light blue on the bottom to red on the top. The higher the item's grade, the more rare it is. Cases that require keys only give mercenary grade items or higher; civilian and freelance are only present on keyless war paint cases that can be freely obtained by completing contracts. The odds of getting each grade of item in a case are estimated to be: 80% mercenary, 15% commando, 4% assassin, and 1% elite. The percentage for each grade is divided up between all of the items that share the same grade; for example, if there are 3 assassin grade items, each one has a 4% / 3 chance of being given, or 1.33%.

Bonus Drops

The bonus items listed above are exclusive to cases; crates will always give you only one item no matter what.

Unboxing Unsuals

This is by far the most significant difference between crates and cases. When a crate decides to give you an unusual, it abandons the normal list of items it can drop, and selects a random hat from the enormous list of non-graded craft hats available in the game, regardless of whether the crate normally offers hats at all. Unboxing an unusual hat that's present in the crate's list is possible by sheer coincidence. Curiously, there were a few misc items that could be unboxed with unusual effects, allowing people to equip more than one unusual at a time. However, Valve eventually removed this feature, removing all miscs from the list of items that are able to be unboxed with unusual quality. Whether this was done intentionally is still unknown.

Cases, on the other hand, stick to the items within its list. When a case gives you an unusual, it only goes through the hats within its own list. Most items in the list are unable to have unusual quality since they're not hats, which means that there are generally only about 6-9 possible unusual hats that can be unboxed from each case. For example, the recent Violet Vermin Case's list of items that can be unusual consists of: Murderer's Motif, Vampire Vanquisher, Mann-o-War, Hepheistos's Handcraft, Highway Star, Tank Top, Defragmenting Hard Hat 17%, and Lucky Cat Hat.

The grade system functions exactly like before, only with fewer items for each grade. For example, the Blue Moon Case has 7 commando grade items, but only 2 of them are hats(Starboard Crusader and Burning Question). Thus, in the event of an unusual, the 15% chance of getting a commando grade is divided between only those 2 items.

For cases that contain painted weapons or war paints, every single item in the case can be unboxed with unusual quality. There are always only three possible effects: hot, cool, and isotope.

Unusualifiers have caused slight confusion about how it fits into the unusual drop rate. Since it is a bonus drop item, its odds are completely separate from the odds of getting an unusual hat or weapon. Thus, it is possible to unbox more than one unusual in a single case. Unusualifiers have a far higher chance of being unboxed than unusual hats or weapons, and like all other bonus drop items, they are exclusive to cases.

There is no way to say for sure whether crates are superior to cases in terms of possible profit, or vice versa. Cases are more predictable and offer lots of extra bonuses, but tend to be more expensive. Meanwhile, since crates have such a wide variety of possible unusuals, there is no way of knowing whether you'll get a terrible unusual or a god tier one. And it makes no difference which crate you open, except when it comes to the different list of effects each series of crates offers, as well as the effects that are exclusive to certain crates.

Limited Time Offers

During Scream Fortress X, all unusuals that were unboxed from cases were guaranteed to have one of the brand new unusual effects that were introduced in the event. However, the offer did not apply to crates, which confused people who unboxed crates during the event and ended up with standard unusual effects. It is safe to say that future limited time offers of this kind will probably be exclusive to cases as well.

Demonstration

Update history

September 30, 2010 Patch (Mann-Conomy Update)

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #1.

October 6, 2010 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #2.

October 27, 2010 Patch (Scream Fortress Update)

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #3, #4 and #5.

November 19, 2010 Patch

Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #1 and #2 no longer drop in game. (People with Series #1 and #2 crates still had the attributes set to #1 and #2, but they took on the schema ID of Series #3 and #4 crates, respectively.)

December 10, 2010 Patch

[Undocumented] Updated the Mann Co. Supply Crate description.
[Undocumented] Added Festive Winter Crates.
[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #7, #8, and #9.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #3, #4, and #5 no longer drop in game.

March 15, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #10, #11 and #12.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #7, #8, and #9 no longer drop.

March 23, 2011 Patch (Japan Charity Bundle)

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #13, #14 and #15.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #10, #11, and #12 no longer drop.

April 7, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #16, #17 and #18.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #13, #14, and #15 no longer drop.

June 23, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #19, #20 and #21.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #16, #17, and #18 no longer drop.

June 28, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Refreshing Summer Coolers.

July 11, 2011 [Item schema update]

Refreshing Summer Coolers no longer drop.

July 12, 2011 [Item schema update]

Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #23, #24 and #25.
Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #19, #20, and #21 no longer drop.

August 18, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #26, #27, and #28.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #23, #24 and #25 no longer drop.

September 20, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #29.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #28 no longer drops.

October 13, 2011 Patch (Manniversary Update)

[Undocumented] Added Salvaged Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #30 and Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #31.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #26 no longer drops.

October 25, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #32
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #27 no longer drops.

December 1, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #33 and #34.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #29 and #31 no longer drop.

December 9, 2011 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Naughty and Nice Winter Crates.

January 1, 2012 [Item schema update]

Naughty and Nice Winter Crates no longer drop.

January 11, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #37.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #32 no longer drops.

February 2, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #38.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #33 no longer drops.

February 23, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #39 .
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #34 no longer drops.

March 22, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #40, 41 and 42.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #37 and #38 no longer drop.

March 28, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Changed Salvaged Crate series to #40.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #30 no longer drops.

April 17, 2012 Patch

Crates now display their series number in the backpack view

May 17, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #44 and #45.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #41 and #42 no longer drop.

June 27, 2012 Patch (Pyromania Update)

[Undocumented] Added Scorched Crates.

July 11, 2012 Patch [Item schema update]

Scorched Crates no longer drops.

September 4, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #47 and Fall Crate.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #43 no longer drops.

September 21, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Fall Crates no longer drop.

October 9, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #49.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #44 no longer drops.

December 13, 2012 Patch

[Undocumented] Added Naughty Winter Crate 2012 and Nice Winter Crate 2012.

December 20, 2012 Patch (Mecha Update)

[Undocumented] Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #54 and #55.
[Undocumented] Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #45 and #47 no longer drop.

March 12, 2013 Patch

Changed Salvaged Crate series to #50.
Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #56 and #57.
Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #40, #49 and #54 no longer drop.

April 23, 2013 Patch

[Undocumented] Added materials and strings for the RoboCrate.
[Undocumented] Updated the description of the Festive Winter Crate and the Refreshing Summer Cooler.

April 25, 2013 [Item schema update]

Added the RoboCrate to the drop system.

May 13, 2013 Patch

[Undocumented] Updated description for RoboCrate.

June 3, 2013 Patch

[Undocumented] Changed the Mann Co. Supply Crate's names to include their series number.

June 19, 2013 Patch

Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #59.
Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #55 no longer drops.

July 2, 2013 Patch

Added Summer Appetizer Crate.

July 10, 2013 Patch

Summer Claim Checks can now be redeemed for Summer 2013 Cooler.

August 27, 2013 Patch

Added Select Reserve Mann Co. Supply Crate #60.
Added Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #71.
Mann Co. Supply Crate Series #50 and #56 no longer drop.

October 2, 2013 Patch

Added the Fall 2013 Acorns Crate and Fall 2013 Gourd Crate.

November 21, 2013 Patch (Two Cities Update)

Older event crates no longer expire on login, but have been updated to indicate they can no longer be opened.

December 6, 2013 Patch

Added Crate #75, Crate #76, and Crate #77 to the drop list.
Removed Crate #57, Crate #59 and Crate #71 from the drop list.
[Undocumented] Added the Naughty Winter Crate 2013 and the Nice Winter Crate 2013 to the drop list.

January 7, 2014 [Item schema update]

Removed the Naughty Winter Crate 2013 and the Nice Winter Crate 2013 from the drop list.

April 1, 2014 Patch

Added Crate #82 and Crate #83 to the drop list.
Crate drop rates have been significantly lowered.
Removed Crate #60, Crate #75, Crate #76 and Crate #77 from the drop list.

June 18, 2014 Patch

Added the Mann Co. Stockpile Crate to the droplist.
- Each Mann Co. Stockpile Crate can be repeatedly shuffled to contain a set of 4 possible items.
Added the Mann Co. Audition Reel. Contains taunts and a rare chance at an unusual taunt.
Updated Mann Co. Crates to display which Unusual Series they can potentially output.

June 26, 2014 Patch

Fixed a few crates not displaying which Unusual Series they can potentially output

August 13, 2014 Patch

Added Crate #84 and Crate #85 to the drop list.

September 17, 2014 Patch

Removed Audition Reel from crate drop list.
Added Director's Cut Reel to crate drop list.
Added Limited Late Summer Crate to crate drop list.

October 15, 2014 Patch

Removed the Limited Late Summer Crate from the crate drop list.
Limited Late Summer Crates can no longer be opened.
Removed the Limited Late Summer Crate Key from the Mann Co. Store
Updated the description of the Limited Late Summer Crate.

October 29, 2014 Patch

Added Halloween crates to the Mann Co. Store. These crates do not require a key to open.

November 13, 2014 Patch

Added End of the Line Community Crate.
Renamed RoboCrate to Robo Community Crate.
- The descriptions of the items were updated to match as well.

December 12, 2014 Patch

Added the Cold Snap Coat to the End of the Line Community Crate.

December 15, 2014 Patch

Added Naughty Winter Crate 2014 and Nice Winter Crate 2014.

February 11, 2015 Patch #1

Added Crate #90 and Crate #91 to the drop list.
Removed Naughty Winter Crate 2014 and Nice Winter Crate 2014 from the crate drop list.

February 18, 2015 [Item schema update]

Removed the Naughty and Nice Winter Crate Keys 2014 from the Mann Co. Store.
Converted Naughty and Nice Winter Crate Keys 2014 into regular Mann Co. Supply Crate Keys.
Naughty and Nice Winter Crates 2014 can no longer be opened.

March 12, 2015 Patch

Added Crate #92 to the drop list.

July 2, 2015 Patch (Gun Mettle Update)

Added Concealed Killer Weapons Case and Powerhouse Weapons Case.

August 27, 2015 Patch

Added Gun Mettle Cosmetic Case.

October 6, 2015 Patch (Invasion Community Update)

[Undocumented] Added Confidential Collection Case and Quarantined Collection Case.

October 28, 2015 Patch (Scream Fortress 2015)

Added Gargoyle Case.

February 2, 2016 Patch

Updated the contents of the Gargoyle Case, the Fall 2013 Acorns Crate, the Love And War Cosmetics Bundle, the Mann Co. Strongbox, and the Mann Co. Stockpile Crate.

May 11, 2016 Patch

Added Mayflower Cosmetic Case.

July 7, 2016 Patch (Meet Your Match Update)

Added Unlocked Cosmetic Crates.

October 21, 2016 Patch #1 (Scream Fortress 2016)

Added the Creepy Crawly Case.

December 21, 2016 Patch #1 (Smissmas 2016)

Added the Unlocked Winter 2016 Cosmetic Case.

May 15, 2017 Patch (Rainy Day Pack)

Added the Rainy Day Cosmetic Case.

October 20, 2017 Patch (Jungle Inferno Update)

Added the Abominable Cosmetic Case.
Added the Unleash the Beast Cosmetic Case.
[Undocumented] Added chance to receive a bonus drop from cases.

March 28, 2018 Patch (Blue Moon Pack)

Added the Blue Moon Cosmetic Case.

July 13, 2018 Patch

[Undocumented] Blocked players in Belgium and the Netherlands from opening Mann Co. Supply Crates.

Unused content

An unused 'Special Crate' backpack icon exists in the game files.
Two skins for Weapons Cases are present. One lacks any distinguishing features while the other one has the TF2 Matchmaking logo.
- Additionally, the unused backpack item images show that the former skin would simply have a patch applied to it DIY-style for a Craftsmann Weapon Case and the latter skin is named weapons_case_04_gentlemen, suggesting it would've been used for a Gentlemanne's Weapon Case.

Bugs

Attempting to open a crate while disconnecting from a server will result in the timer being set to 1,000 seconds (16 minutes and 40 seconds).
The quality of the backpack icon for the End of the Line Community Crate is affected depending on the Texture Quality of the game, which isn't a normal behavior, as other backpack icons for other items aren't affected depending on the Texture Quality that the player set.

Trivia

Although Valve modeled the padlocked chain for the icon, the padlocked box can't be found in the game files; its textures, however, can be found. The crate itself uses a model that appears to be the same as models/props_hydro/barrel_crate_half.mdl.
- Almost inversely, the model for the Supply Munitions variation can be found in the game files, but two of the three textures aren't included.
Prior to the Two Cities Update, crates with expiration dates (such as Festive Winter Crates and the Refreshing Summer Cooler Crate) were not actually removed from player backpacks until Team Fortress 2 was started up.
Community Crate cards and spaces are used in Monopoly: Team Fortress 2 instead of Community Chest.