Mann Co. Supply Crate

“

Where's your precious Hippo-crates now? Click to listen — The Scout

”

Mann Co. Supply Crates are tool items obtainable only through the item drop system. They are shown as open-style wooden shipping crates, wrapped in chains held with a comically large padlock. Mann Co. Supply Crates can be opened with the use of a Mann Co. Supply Crate Key

When a crate is opened, a 5 second timer ticks down, alongside a sound effect of chains jangling and wood creaking. The player will receive one of a set of items, which are listed in the crate's description and dependent on its series. This item is announced to the server in a similar format to regular dropped items. The crate and key is then removed from the player inventory.

Contents

Note: Statistics for series 2, 4, and 5 collected Steam Users' Forum post by molaughlen, posted October 29, 2010. Full statistics table available here (Google Spreadsheet). Note that rare item statistics assume drop rates are equal regardless of series. Also assumes that the series of the crates are dropping in a uniform distribution.

Series #1

Note: sample size of 3,435 crates from server logs available on request.

In-game description	Observed Drop rate (%)*	Actual Drop rate (%)**
Vita-Saw	10.85%	11%
Gunslinger	11.24%	11%
Equalizer	9.28%	11%
Scottish Resistance	10.77%	11%
Old Guadalajara	10.80%	11%
Napper's Respite	11.03%	11%
Name Tag	12.31%	11%
An Extraordinary Abundance of Tinge	11.82%	11%
A Distinctive Lack of Hue	11.78%	11%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	0.55%	1%

Series #2

Note: sample size of 1,182 crates.

In-game description	Observed Drop rate (%)*	Actual Drop rate (%)**
Black Box	15.27%	14.5%
Shortstop	12.15%	14.5%
L'Etranger	10.80%	14.5%
Sober Stuntman	6.41%	4%
Pugilist's Protector	4.47%	4%
Chieftain's Challenge	6.24%	4%
Dueling Mini-Game	15.60%	14.5%
A Deep Commitment to Purple	13.76%	14.5%
Australium Gold	15.78%	14.5%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	0.51%	1%

Series #3

In-game description	Observed Drop rate (%)*	Actual Drop rate (%)**
Bushwacka	-%	-%
Crit-a-Cola	-%	-%
The Homewrecker	-%	-%
Troublemaker's Tossle Cap	-%	-%
Bombing Run	-%	-%
Stout Shako	-%	-%
Description Tag	-%	-%
A Distinctive Lack of Hue	-%	-%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	-%	-%

Series #4

In-game description	Observed Drop rate (%)*	Actual Drop rate (%)**
Battalion's Backup	-%	-%
Pain Train	-%	-%
Your Eternal Reward	-%	-%
Whoopee Cap	-%	-%
Heavy Duty Rag	-%	-%
Handyman's Handle	-%	-%
Dueling Mini-Game	-%	-%
An Extraordinary Abundance of Tinge	-%	-%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	-%	-%

Series #5

In-game description	Observed Drop rate (%)*	Actual Drop rate (%)**
Name Tag	-%	-%
The Powerjack	-%	-%
The Gunboats	-%	-%
The Southern Hospitality	-%	-%
Bloke's Bucket Hat	-%	-%
Safe'n'Sound	-%	-%
Ze Goggles	-%	-%
Handyman's Handle	-%	-%
Color No. 216-190-216	-%	-%
Or an Exceedingly Rare Special Item!	-%	-%

Notes

1. *Observed Drop Rate is represented as a percentage that derives its data from the items obtained by opening crates.
2. **Actual Drop Rate is represented as a percentage from data released directly from Valve.

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 .
• The first hint to the existence of crates was seen in the Mac update trailer. The Soldier can be seen pulling various hats from a Mann Co. Supply Crate at the 23 second mark.