I am asking this question this question because, every piece of equipment except jammers that is capable of utilizing a comms attack is also comms equipment. (See Below). Comms Equipment: Biolocator, Control Devices, Deployable Repeater, Fastpanda, Hacking Devices, Nullifier, Repeaters, Sniffer, Sat-Lock, Tinbot/Deflectors. Comms Attacks: Exile (Hacking Device), Jammer, Nullifer, Sat-Lock. To me it seems like an oversight that jammers aren't comms equipment and thus aren't vunerable to Blackout (Hacking Program) or E/M ammo.
I think it's more likely an oversight, but it is what it is. Really should be able to be hit with Blackout.
It’s probably Ariadna level tech where the trigger switch is actually the circuit breaker reset. :) I mean, what are you going to mess up or knock out of calibration on the jammer, for it to qualify as disruptable comms equipment?
It's definitely within the realm of the possible. I mean, back in 2nd edition, even a combi rifle was disabled by E/M weapons. But I don't think it's just an oversight that it's not comms equipment; there's not really anything that says it has to be comms equipment in order to make a comms attack.
I think it's about incoming and outgoing communication more than just "being an electronic device". Comms equipment is generally equipment that requires an incoming/outgoing signal to function such as repeaters, hacking devices, pandas, tinbots, etc. they need to receive communication from somewhere else to do their job and when that communication is disrupted, the device is no longer functional at it's original capacity. A jammer is ALL operated by hand. You're literally squeezing a trigger, pressing a button, turning a dial to activate it. It's just flooding the area with signal garbage that causes comms equipment to be unable to receive a signal or communicate out. compare to a nullifier which does much the same thing, but it is a deployable piece of machinery that emits a constant signal until it is destroyed, not a one time burst by pulling a trigger. If you take away it's ability to send that signal via E/M or blackout, it's done.
If it's intentional, it's just because there's someone at CB hellbent on keeping Jammers overpowered. "Wooo, look at this ability - noninteraction! Isn't this fun! There's no counter to this and it doesn't require LoF!"
Apart from speculative fire? Your tears may have smudged those rules though. Jammers aren't that bad at all really, it's that Ghazis have a template (or shotgun), an E/M template, pistol, dogged and smoke to force you into all sorts of bad decisions. The other jammer wielding units are whatever.
If someone wants to waste orders to Isolate one of my guys, go for it. Jammers aren't good on their active turn. I wouldn't even break suppression to reset it (edit: going isolated breaks suppression, which I didn't know, so it might be 50/50 depending on the game). The only thing it's annoying against would be if they are doing it to camo or some how sneak it back to get a TAG.
Or require another unit to make the most of what they are. ZCs together with EBs and WildParrots look to have some fun combos/synergy/what have you.
thats kinda silly, considering if the Jammer gets the isolated off you will lose supression anyway. Isolated is an cancellation clause for SF.
That's absolutely dumb. Jammers shouldn't be "Screw winning firefights, this microwave emitter solves all my problems!" Basically, if Jammers were as good as they are, everyone and their mother would be armed with them.
