An armoured recon troop sounds pretty neat. Looking at the dossier it seems to be geared for close range firefights and mining duty so some form of forward deployment is expected.Do you think it will get infiltration or something more conservative like forward or mechanized deployment? I wonder about the poncho, think it will have camo?. I believe full camo would make it too expensive and start competing with the Dao Fei although probably the Zhencha would have lower stats if that's the case. I am of the opinion that its probably gonna be limited camo or even just mimetism. Thoughts? Given Bostrias statement that this is the unit that gets the job dob it will probably have some specialists profiles. The safest bet is forward observer, but do you think well see a hacker profile? If that's the case do you think it will be regular assault or killer?. Could it be one of the rarer options like paramedic or engineer? Maybes a barebones special operative? Finally any equipment you think it's not represented on the dossier? Area control items like mad traps or crazy koalas? Hacking expander like repeaters or fast pandas? Something exotic like Nulifiers? Sniffers? I imagine the stats are probably going to be lower than a standard zuyong to lower its cost but I might be mistaken. What do you think?
Daofei stats aren't very fantastic to begin with, so I dunno about that. I'm a bit unsure about what to think of the poncho since so far the people with ponchos like that seem to have been given fairly strong camo abilities (we'll see what the Pan-O poncho does, but the Ariadnan one had Ambush Camo if I am not mistaken) However, this will be our Daofei for IA, so... a Daofei approximate isn't too unlikely.
Lower bs but higher pH or wp than zhuyong maybe? Kinda want a MMR profile since have literally zero in faction. Forward deploy, camo with minelayer, FO and hopefully killer hacker. Something like a Zero that can take a hit.
Zuyong with camo. Probably Forward Deploy L2 instead of Infiltrate. Hopefully Engineer profiles. A Marksman Rifle would be interesting, but I'm honestly expecting more of those on Svalarheima in the White Banner sectorial. Marksman Rifle isn't as useful on a forward deploying model, after all.
On the one hand, I think we're getting the Zencha because CB don't want IA to have a specific skirmisher focus (and thus why the Daofei is said not to be in there despite everything indicating that it should be). So on that end, I am afraid the Zencha wont actually have a standard skirmisher skill set (Camo, Infiltration, ect.). But at the same time, the poncho is basically exactly what the Daofei use as their camo gear and I can't see CB using it to indicate lower levels of camo. On the other, other hand, we recently lost a pretty strong skirmisher from vanilla and one of our most unique skills (Superior Infiltration). Finally (as I noted in the other thread) the Zencha is rocking the same clawed boots as the Liu Xing (the Haidao lacks them and they've never appeared on other Yu Jing HI, except the Shikami, who had three claws on their boots). I think this is indicating some kind of special movement skill and my gut is telling me that it is Climbing Plus. So my wishlist unit is something with either ambush camo or superior infiltration that is geared for disruption behind enemy lines. My hunch is that we'll get something more along the lines of the Shikami but dumping the ODD for Inferior Camo, Mimetism, FD2, and losing Superjump but keeping Climbing Plus (while losing the CQB assault focus and getting more in the way of disruption options, something YJ tends to lack). I'm also thinking these things will definitely be ARM3 instead of the Daofei's more traditional HI stat line. The odd visor shape is also giving me pause since we've never seen a faceless/eyeless Yu Jing mask before. Possibly something new happening there, or maybe just a red herring.
I'm guessing BS12, ARM3, Limited Camo+Mimetism or just straight camo. Maaaybe 2 wounds, which would be thematically cool but make them very pricy. I doubt straight up infiltration since they'll likely be PH13, so probably Forward Deployment L2 or maybe even Forward Deployment L3 (which would be the same as infiltration but without the ability to deploy on the other half of the table in most missions.) They'll probably just have standard skirmisher loadouts, something like Minelayer, FO, KHD, maybe an AHD, and those will probably all be made cheaper by SMGs over combis. I think it's unlikely they'll be classified as an actual skirmisher, but if any faction is going to be the first to have a hackable skirmisher it will be IA.
Limited camo, FD, BS around 12-13, 30pts+- IMO. The new boots sure looks like C+, still, I got the doubts about Climbing plus because.. What if that boots are the New Shang Ji equivalent power armor?
If I had to wager what we could expect from the Zhancha... I'd say... FD2 instead of Infiltration. I doubt CB will let us have TWO Camo + Infiltration HIs. I doubt it'll have less than 13 BS. Only two of our other HI have a BS stat lower than that, and one of them only has BS12 on it's ''Not for good shooting, but for good running'' profile. Yeah, the raincoat resembles the Daofeis trenchcoat a bit too much for me to think we'd get something above regular Camo, if even that much. Limited Camo + Mimetism might be a neat idea. As for weaponry not mentioned in the dossier... I would not be surprised if we ended up seeing a Sniper option for the Zhencha. I'd honestly expect someone to get a MULTI-Sniper, since we don't have any Sniper HIs ( Scratch that, just realized the Hai Dao has one on his Dossier. Still, I'd be very happy to see a Zuyong or a Zhencha brandishing a MULTI-Sniper. ). As for side deployable equipment... I think a Deployable Repeater at most. No chance it'll have Koalas IMO. Kinda feels like we here at YJ don't get that stuff in favor of our tiny little exploding glue panda catbots, the MadTraps. And do I think it'll have MadTraps? Maybe. 50/50, not hoping for it it but it'd be a surprise, to be sure, but a pleasant one. Special profiles? Minelayer seems like a given. FO is a given too, I'd say, might even gave a Deployable Repeater come with it. And for hacking... AHD is a given, buuuuuuut... KHD seems like a solid possibility. Otherwise... I doubt anything more will be there. Maybe an Engineer profile at most with those D-Charges, but even then it's no guarantee, since it seems like we might like to arm our Hackers with D-Charges ( Kinda makes sense come to think of it... Immobilize a TAG. Plant some bombs on it. Press the big red button. TAG is gone. ).
I'm fairly certain they'll have 2 wounds since they're heavy infantry :) Note the synth-muscles tubes around the calves? Medium or Light Infantry doesn't get those.
The weapon loads look like a HI version of the Ryuken Unit-9. Move 4-4, CC15, BS12, PH11, WIP13, ARM2, BTS3, W1, S2, AVA3 X-Visor, Minelayer, Courage RYŪKEN (CH: Limited Camouflage) Heavy Rocket Launcher, Antipersonnel Mines / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 23) RYŪKEN (Forward Deployment L2, ODD) Submachine Gun, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / 2 Breaker Pistols, Knife. (0.5 | 24) My take on them would be: MOV 4-4, CC15, BS12, PH13, WIP13, ARM3, W2, S2, AVA? Forward Deployment Level 2, Mimetisim, Limited Camoflauge ZHENCHA Boarding Shotgun, DEP, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | ??) ZHENCHA Submachine Gun, DEP, Antipersonnel Mines, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | ??) Hacker of some flavor FO Minelayer Repeater?
The boots are the same design the heavier YJ troops have like the Yanhuo, so I wouldn't' be surprised if this is MI or HI. Mech deployment would be cool, and would limit their forward inserting somewhat, but if they're as dangerous/useful as Carlos says I'm thinking it would be more limited to forward deployment l1 or 2.
Crane is wearing Shang Ji equivalent armor, and does not have the claws. Yan Huo does sorta have claws: So they might not mean anything after all. Damn!
The yan huo needs those to brace against the big guns hes got and is too fat to use them to climb shit anyway. Kinda like the TR MAX from planetside.
I always tought that this two bars on the backside of the Yan Huo have something to do with the recoil compensation... but i removed them because they are ugly. My Yan Huo are badasses with a superior Powerarmor which dont need such a thing as external stabilizers.
The two bars are weight stabilisers to offset the barrels overhang at the front from making them tip forwards all the time.
On contrary, it allows it to safely engage enemy's snipers, ML and general ARO pieces. You already start outside of your own DZ zone. Also FD:L2 allows you to start on the rooftops of those lovely mid-field building/structures being extremaly usefull. In MO I would kill for a good MMR rifle on infilrating guys (Konstantinos could be one if CB wouldn't hate PanO). Isn't that a cautious "balance" appraoch, as apparently every HI starting outside of DZ has a rather "poor HI stats' ? (Montesa also coming to mind, with his PH13, ARM3/BTS3 no stealth)
Yeah, which is why there isn't much room for lower stats than a Daofei. Basically only ARM and PH can be lowered, and not by much.
Yeah, price lowering will be in the weaponry and skills I suppose. FD2 instead of Infiltration ( Probably. ), SMGs, that kinda stuff.
