In active you need to give the TR Bot MML2. This puts the odds slightly in the TR Bots favour. And in the active it's still a ~25% chance of yhe Guilang dying if you don't have Suprise Shot and you fight a MML2 TR Bot in active (only ~18% chance of dying with Surprise Shot, so approximately the Crit chance). So it's a budget of 5 orders for Nomads (Supportware, Lose and go-Unconscious, Repair, Null result, beat the Guilang), doable but expensive and still reliant on luck. You really want a +/-9 MOD swing to fight B4 with B2. You can do it at +/-6, but there's a solid risk to doing so. But yes: the way to fight TR Bots is ranging it and mod stacking. Surprise Shot Camo Shotguns from under 8" is another good option.
A Guilang with a combi from 0-8" shooting a TR bot has almost the same chances as a Guiland with MSR shooting from 32-48" at a TR bot, but MSR costs 8 more points and 1.5 SWC. Also the snipers are never specialists. With that 8 points you can get a flash pulse order bot which helps you get in that range. Sniper rifles are mostly shit. There's no reason for them to cost more than HMG's, SWC or points.
Getting a Guilang to 0-8" of a TR bot will take several orders. A Combi isn't a great ARO on a long firing lane. There isn't a Guilang HMG. The MSR certainly has a role. But, yes an MSR shouldn't cost more than a HMG. They don't. The MSRs that have a higher SWC than HMGs are (I'm almost 100% certain) on Linkable LI. So at that point you're talking about the ARO potential not the active potential, 0.5 SWC seems a reasonable price for that.
Not everyone plays sectorials, I'd suggest you try too, but those profiles still exist. Getting a 4-2 move trooper out of range of a TR bot is about as easy as moving that infiltrating 4-2 movement trooper in the 0-8" rangeband. If the TR bot has moved forward it gets even worse. With two orders the bot could have moved roughly around the middle line, putting the entire enemy DZ in it's 16" to 32" range, leaving no room for the sniper to engage in the good range band.
That's why you'd want to break camo in ARO, shoot the stupid thing before it gets into it's +3 range.
I wouldn't move my TR bot unless the camo marker is in my 32" range and I have marksmanship via supportware. Also, the LOF can be smoked, always always bring smoke.
I don't think those numbers for the Guulang on the active turn are right. - 3 * 4 for range, cover, surprise and camo means that a TR bot automisses in that situation. Incidentally I have noticed that some genuinely vile individuals put MML2 on their TR bot. This is why I like to take a Spektr MSR, out of 32" with cover and surprise it'll still force an automiss!
Legitimately curious, what troops have a HMG at 1 SWC and MSR at 1.5 SWC that aren't linkable LI? And I don't generally disagree: it's why I'd advocate pairing an MSR with midfield 0SWC attack pieces. That TR bot pushing into the midfield to attack your MSR or ML in it's (the HMG's) good range exposes itself to your mid-field attackers. But assuming best case and Turn 1. Prowler Combi deployed on the half way will take 2 orders to get inside the 0-8" range of a TR bot deployed on the edge of the DZ (assuming 12" DZs) whereas an Intruder can deploy with LOF and outside 32". Again this is why a combination is good. MSRs can exploit situations where your opponent has deployed conservatively away from potential Bandits or Spektrs. I think they're more difficult to use actively than HMGs but have an active role. Equally, they're not as solid reactively as a ML or HRL but tend to more reliable. They have a role, albeit usually HMGs/MLs/HRLs are the better choice. Consequently I don't think that they're particularly overpriced.
Didn't give it Surprise. MML2 means no cover. So it's on Range and Camo (-6 overall), with Surprise Shot (-9 overall) it's around 18% of dying (which is basically just the chance of the TR Bot critting).
Ok, I'll restate the question: What troops that are a worthwhile way to spend your SWC in a 300pt Vanilla list has both a 1SWC HMG and a 1.5SWC MSR. I suspect the answer is "Kamau". (Edit: Also, arguably, Dakini). But even then, they're not equal: 1.5SWC for an MSV2 BS13 Mimmetism MSR is entirely reasonable. And Kamau HMGs are SWC-lite for what you get. TBH, I'd be ok with 1SWC MSR on Dakinis, Algs and Fusis in Vanilla. Linkable, though, I do think 1.5SWC is more reasonable.
Ah right yeah MML2 on the TR bot vs the Guilang is just -9 yeah. So basically about a 98% chance of critting in my experience :P
Can we get back to the topic and take most vs whatever discussions to their own thread. I predict 2019 sees a new military order and character with 3 alternate sculpt, 1 todas model, IS, and some more goodies for nomads. That could round out the year of the alien in much the same way the year of tohaa ended up.
“Though my guards may sleep and my ships may lay at anchor, our foes know full well that the big guns never tire."
It's probably a runway or a highway something, not St. Peter's Basilisk.... Ahem, anyway.... "Wars come and go, but my soldiers stay eternal" - Joan of Arc. Well, with the JSA being PanO's puppets now, maybe Shin-Ra Electric Power Company can expand?
