Here's a summary of all Fireteams available in Operations Subsection. Note that notation here is different from usual, but it allows and disallows all the allowed combinations. Hence, to check if Fireteam is valid, pick the one from the list and check that members fall within specified numbers. Do not use the "join"/"replace"/"count as" from normal Fireteam listing; these are already accounted for by allowed member numbers. REMEMBER: there is minimum and maximum number of members per Fireteam type some Fireteams have more restrictions, so for example Haris Fireteams D and E require all 3 members or they cannot be created at least one member of Fireteam: Haris/Duo must have the Fireteam: Haris/Duo skill in their profile/loadout it does not matter which member has the skill, so long as at least 1 member has it there is no such requirement for Fireteam: Core, as there is no Fireteam: Core skill despite Army apps showing "Fireteam: Core" in Skills section. This is done purely as a reminder for players. there is always a limit of active Fireteam types per army: 1 active Fireteam: Core, 1 active Fireteam: Haris you may have any number of Fireteam: Duo Fireteam: Core - minimum 2, maximum 5 members Core A: 0-5 Dakini, 0-2 Deva without Devabot, 0-1 CSU, 0-1 Samekh FTO Core B: 1-5 Deva without Devabot, 0-1 Samekh FTO Core C: 0-5 Yadu, 0-1 Rudra, 0-1 Samekh FTO, 0-1 Shakti Fireteam: Haris - minimum 2, maximum 3 members, including at least 1 member with Fireteam: Haris skill Haris A: 1-3 Asura, 0-1 Samekh FTO Haris B: 1-3 Deva without Devabot, 0-1 Samekh FTO Haris C: 0-3 Yadu, 0-1 Rudra, 0-1 Samekh FTO, 0-1 Shakti Haris D: 1-2 Deva without Devabot, 1 Asura, 0-1 Samekh FTO this Fireteam may only be created wilth 3 MEMBERS Haris E: 0-2 Yadu, 0-1 Rudra, 0-1 Samekh FTO, 0-1 Shakti, 1 Deva without Devabot OR 1 Asura this Fireteam may only be created wilth 3 MEMBERS Fireteam Duo : 2 members, including at least 1 with Fireteam: Duo. No limit on active links per army. Duo A: 1-2 Asura, 0-1 Samekh FTO Duo B: 1-2 Authorized Bounty Hunter, 0-1 Samekh FTO Duo C: 1-2 CSU, 0-1 Deva without Devabot, 0-1 Samekh FTO Duo D: 0-2 Yadu, 0-1 Rudra, 0-1 Shakti, 0-1 Samekh FTO If you find a problem with any of this, or find a Fireteam combination that should be allowed but isn't (or is allowed but should not be), please mention and I'll update as necessary.
Spoiler: Fireteam: Core B (Deva-based) Lets first talk Fireteam: Core B, primarily made up of Devas. Don't even bother. You can include 2 Devas into Core A, and Devas themselves have great specialist options but exactly 1 SWC weapon option. Costing high 20s and low 30s, no point in making a full link of just them given the lack of weapon options. Spoiler: Fireteam: Core A (Dakini-based) Fireteam: Core A, made primarily out of Dakinis, with up to 2 Devas, 1 CSU, and 1 Samekh ML as honorary members. This is *the* Fireteam: Core of Operations Subsection. Dakinis are awesome, with 15-10 move, Mimetism, and can be upgraded by Hackers via Assisted Fire granting them Marksmanship L2. Alternatively, you can go for Apsara giving one of them BS13 WIP14 and Number 2 to every REM in the team. Now, weaponry speaking, there's only 2 assault SWC weapon options : HMG on Dakini and Spitfire on Deva with MSV2. Both cost only 1 SWC and both are awesome choices with slightly different application. Deva MSV2 unforunately doesn't have Smoke to combo with, but otherwise comes cheap at 33 points so it's a decent choice. From other assault weapons, I'd like to mention CSUs' Breaker Rifle and Breaker Combi Rifle. Damage 13 hurts, but the fact it hits BTS (and halves it) can be a great boon against appropriate targets (it acts as better K1 agaist Ariadna). There's also MULTI Rifle available on Deva, but given it's price tag of 27 points and nothing else for equipment, I don't expect to see it often. On the longer range options, again, only 2: MULTI Sniper Rifle on a Dakini and Missile Launcher on Samekh. Samekh is the wildcard trooper in OS, and you can only have 1. It loses Dakini Mimetism, but upgrades BS to 12 (from Dakini 11), so it's okay. If you're building an ARO team, I'd recommend one of each; otherwise take to taste and as needed. Unfortunately, that's it as far as longer range AROs go; Devas have a FO loadout (going great with WIP15), but given that it costs 24 points its a bit too expensive to recommend for frequent use. The only other interesting weapon available is Dakini Light Grenade Launcher. It's inexpensive at 17 points and 1 SWC, and can come in really nicely in some situations, so don't forget it is available! Specialist slots are where this link really shines. First off, Dakinis come with only one, relatively expensive specialist in the form of 15 point Dakini Paramedic. There is precious little things in Aleph you want to Medikit (given the prevalnce of Dogged/NWI or STR, and CSU have PH10 -.- ), but it is a 15-10 specialist with Mimetism. It can be upgraded with the Assisted Fire for better shooting, and its speed can enable Dakini to engage enemies without cover more easily. CSU also give a few Specialist Operative, including the cheapest option at 12 points that also sports Light Shotgun and Nanopulser for those close-in encounters, covering a rangeband in a way Dakini cannot. Devas on the other hand comes with a truckload of specialist options. One is plain-out bad/far too expensive (Deva plain old Hacking Device for 31/0,5 points? Really CB?), one is interesting but a bit limited (Deva FO - pity it's armed just with Combi Rifle), and finally we have a standout Deva Assault Hacking Device for 28 points and 0,5 SWC. Normally I dislike AHDs as they are too expensive, but this one comes equipped with Boarding Shotgun, and also sports Lighting as upgrade program, which means it can fight other Hackers more than decently (and thus protect the Dakini Fireteam). These two points move it high up in my opinion. Honorable mention also goes to Deva Sensor (Lt or no Lt) option; it gives you a cheapish sensor in a Fireteam, meaning it gets to move upfield with the rest of the team. Lt option is really nice if you're going for cheap Lt. Note that Dakinis move 15-10 while Deva and CSU move only 10-10. This may be a slight problem, but the difference shouldn't be game breaking. Just don't run out too far in front! Also, keep watch for enemy Hackers and Repeaters; Dakinis are REMs and thus vulnerable to Hacking. Furthermore, their PH10 with -3 for Dodging makes them very bad at avoiding enemy templates. And don't forget, they cannot go Prone since they are REMs, so ARO duty units will likely be destroyed completely to prevent repair. Spoiler: Fireteam: Core C (Yadu-based) Aaand finally Core C team, based around Yadus. If someone wants to contribute a (different) review, let it be known and I'll add it here. Here's my appreciation: avoid it. Yadus are super-expensive wound-and-a-half troopers that bring BS13 and pay for it through the nose. Their basic profile has Drop Bears (nice) and MULTI Rifles (too expensive), coupled with E/Marats (kinda nice). However, it costs 36 points, meaning a link of 5 costs almost 200 points. There are 2 cheap options at mere 32 points, FO or Number 2 carrying Combi Rifles and E/Marats. You also have a AHD option with Boarding Shotgun at 36 points. From heavy weapons, you have HMG and Heavy Rocket Launcher. HRL is the nicer choice, coming with Submachine Gun for mere 35 points. I mean, it's useable, but we're talking Hospitaller link costs. HMG comes with NCO, a new skill. It's not officially out but it should allow you to spend Lt order on the model as if it was a Regular order. This means you can get that one extra Order to spend on the link on HMG, except why bother? Shukra comes wiht Strategos L1, Asura wants to spend the Orders herself and okay, if you take Deva or Yadu Lt then you can turn that Order into useable but really, just get a Shukra anyway. And besides NCO, what do you have? A 200 point link to get your HMG to BS16 without any visual mods or special movement. Yawn. You can get a decent Dakini link for half the price with better shooting. Frankly, Yadus are unfocused and when you're building a link that problem is multiplied. But at least you can ignore Ghazis. I guess for some people thats good enough. I should mention Shakti, Rudra, and Samekh here, as all 3 can join Yadu links. Shakti is pretty awesome - she is what Yadus want to be but fail. She comes with full 2W, Mk12, and a KHD. This means she's a pretty decent generalist, she can hack, she can mission, she can kill stuff and at 40 points and no SWC!!! doesn't break the bank too badly. Don't mistake her for Asura though. Rudra is another too expensive unit. At ~40 points, it is a 2W REM, and it can shoot once you put Assisted Fire on it. In a way, Rudra would be the best SWC weapon to join Yadu link, but then you're back to paying 200 points for something Dakini do almost as good for half the price. If you want to leverage Rudra or Shakti, I'd suggest a Haris. With both and a Deva in the mix to keep price low. Samekh is a way to make Yadu link tad cheaper, kinda. Problem is you're paying SWC for a long range weapon in a link which wants to move up due to its price/short range weaponry. In general, Yadus are just too expensive in full link for what they provide. It wants to do a bunch of stuff at once and ends up doing all, but too little for the price you pay.
Not yet, but I'm open to idea. :-P Or maybe wait to see my writeup and then you can comment :-P I do promise not to be (too) negative. :D In any case, here I'll focus specifically on Fireteams rather than individual units.
Nope. They have Fireteam: Core, you can have a five man fireteam of only Dakinis. They just ALSO have a special fireteam: core, that can include Devas, and a special rule that allows a CSU to join either. Saying they can't have a five-man is the equivalent of saying Yadu can't do a Haris without including a Deva or Asura, just because they have special fireteams that include those units.
That's because the thing in my head which determines correctness of spelling was broken. After emergency surgery now I'm better and so is my text. :)