If my opponent spends orders setting up an overlapping field of fire to deal with a drop template, should it be a thing, that's good. That's me controlling their order investment and tactical plan.
Suggest people are bad at the game and he rocks and that's why he knows Liu Xing is uber, then plays the innocent victim resorting to sarcasm. Classy.
No, it's not, because if you want to play IA and you want ANY drop troop, you HAVE to get them. Because, you know, no Tigers. But hey, let's all say GW I the devil and CB is the bro company.
I'm going to test a LI list with 4 Zhencha and 4 Liu Xing BSG. Only SWC is going to be 0.5 for the EVO Pangguling. The objective is clear: see the practical application of the spoiled units. Will get back to you with actual experience with them, without being disrespectful to anyone and keeping in mind it's just the tip of the iceberg for IA. For those of you who actually try to make the forums an enjoyable experience, thank you.
You mean you don't already do this if you suspect your opponent has any kinda of AD troop? Specially now with the ITS changes? Explode makes little difference
But they should already be doing this against AD troopers. *facepalm* Because you know what suppressive fire doesn't stop? Boarding shotgun or any gun from behind. Like I said, people already do this to keep my Tigers away from them.
It definitely makes a difference, because a two wound troop with a template where it drops gives you increased tactical options and requires a greater investment to defend against. You can no longer defend a DZ approach with a line trooper covering a board edge, because the Liu Xiang can not only survive that Combi Rifle ARO, but if you shoot, you're likely to lose the line trooper at the same time. More likely, in fact, than you are to cause a wound. Which shifts the ARO calculation to a Dodge, not a sure thing either, leaving the LX untouched in any case.
Basically the reason why the DAM being 12 not being a big deal compared to 13 or 14 is that for most troops, the difference in lethality is minor and the ARO calculation is shifting to a Dodge regardless. That's the big tactical ramification. You're also forcing your opponent to deploy accordingly; they can't clump up that Handelman and Alguaciles link because of the template. A 5 or 10% difference in the ARM roll is rarely going to come up and it's not going to change the deployment decisions they're being forced to make.
I really love how you assume all the rolls (landing, dodge, ARM) and positioning (several possible AROs, hacking zones) are going in Liu Xing's advantage, and even then Explode is underwhelming. Now in a real game, I would get 1.5 Tigers over a Liu Xing EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. The only thing the Liu Xing offers is the 2 Wounds; and that's not bad, but it comes with hacking/EM vulnerabilities, a hefty price increase and (and this is what I hate) doesn't open any kind of tactical/list building variation for YJ, a faction who lost a third of its profiles recently because of "design space" And if your opponent is clumping Emily + Alguaciles together in a place where a drop troop can jump, why aren't you raining grenades there? Or just rushing your Su Jian there and bathing them in flames? I mean, it's gonna probably win you the game.
Some if not all the ARO are not going to shoot him on landing, the most vulnerable moment when he cant do nothing about it, i call that a big offer for a shotgun HI
The point isn't that they always will, but that they could, and how that influences your opponent's decision. Yeah it's unlikely that they'll lose about a third either way of their Frontovik team, but if you stick the landing and they don't dodge ARO they very well might lose 1-2 in a single order if you catch three of them under the template. Kill two and you're up on points and that five man link is now comparatively easy pickings. Again, this is unlikely but its likely enough that it will adjust your opponent's thinking and tactics.
Regardless of Exploding, you don't want your expensive drop troop landing in a spot with an abundance of possible AROs (which is to say also not an abundance of enemies to touch with the template) or you are just delaying the inevitable loss by 1 turn. And that's why Explode should be stronger, specially taking into consideration it's a one use skill and supposedly Liu Xing's claim to fame. Again, the main problem with the Liu Xing is that it is bland as shit and not very different from a similar and better troop already on YJ's roster.
And that's highly situational, and I don't think what YJ needs now is situational troops that behave exactly like other troops except when the stars align their way, specially not when other factions are getting new and exciting ways to play and build lists WITHOUT HAVING BEEN GUTTED.
Pan-O's getting crazy shit like Wildcard KHD tinbot HI, meanwhile we get this absolute trash tier joke of a model. Feelsbadman.
You guys haven't even tried this troop, you've not even made an attempt to consider how it could be used effectively. You've just written it off immediately. The problem with this response is not fairly laid at CB's door.
I mean I don't hate the Zencha, but yes, would've been less of a kick in the balls if we had access to Dart somewhere. It's kind of annoying to have to buy the gencon exclusive and then cross your fingers and hope it turns up in one of your armies somewhere. Or don't buy the gencon exclusive and then get sad when it does turn up in your army. It's a crap shoot.
