I usually dismount right before i engage with it to essentially force damned if you do damned if you dont AROs when they walk around the corner, or i just send the bot around the corner and leave the guy with AHD in hiding if it's something hackable. Another thing i find my self doing a lot is dismounting then use the bot to mine/perimeter weapon sweep or force camo markers to show them selves with an intuitive attack.
I've been really enjoying the AHD version, as well as the trick of driving the Zondmate into close combat to threaten an electric pulse. It's a great speedy specialist, which we can definitely leverage in Vanilla. Zondnautica AHD + Pi Well is a pretty straightforward way of getting some buttons pushed in short order. I think the AHD version is really happy in Limited Insertion too, because of its speed, impetuous smoke for Intruders/movement, and the ability to piece trade without losing an order by dismounting and chain rifling something. The Zondmate usually doesn't die and get removed from the table either, so you can use it to create literal roadblocks that they have to remove or walk around. I'm always sad when the Zondmate dies though, it's so useful...
The other day i used the spitfire as my datatracker in a game of decapitation and it worked like a charm. Used smoke to block the overlooking missile launcher and then zipped up and unloaded on the DVT. One thought that I've yet to experiment with is to deploy them not mounted at the start. I had a couple of games where my opponent was going first, and finding somewhere to fully hide the large base was hard so they ended up getting picked off before they could act. Thinking back, i coukd have had the zondnaut prone on a building, and the zondmate at ground level nearby. Not optimal, but better then losing the whole unit.
For posterity: It's not clear if this is legal for regular motorcycles, but it's legal for AI Motorcycles (e.g. the Zondnautica)... I've done it a few times, and been pleased with the results every time. I've taken to deploying Zoe, Pi Well, and the Zondmate near each other, and Zoe does a good job of fixing everyone up when they fall over. With a WIP 15 engineer around, it lets you use the Zondmate as a "throwaway" corner guard too. Deploying the Zondnaut on a roof really does limit your movement though. I wouldn't do it on anything but the Spitfire profile unless there was a really bizzare reason to.
I've been using one of the Antenocities Workshop Jet Bikers as my Zondnaut and whatever S4 Nomad REM I'm not using in my list as the Zondmate. Usually a Tsyklon. I've got Andromeda on order to use her cat as the Zondmate and her as Mary Problems, and then I was going to figure out some other model for the Zondnaut. Maybe some kitbash with Kuroshi Rider or something.
ABH Biker chick. I wanted an excuse to acquire one anyway. Other good option is non-Nomad combat REM (so Bulleteer or Peacemaker).
I'm using S4 rems for the bikes - usually Yu Jing Rui Shi's or Lu Duans. I tend to run Tsyklons and Lunos as well, so I like there to be obvious differentiation between the rems I have on the table. Wildcats have suited me well for the 'nauts. Can't wait to see the real things tho.
I converted the old aragoto bikes to have zond antenas instead of regular handles. For bikers I use regular male wildcats for which I had no use in vanilla for several years.
I don't really want to do a conversion because I doubt I'll be able to make anything as good as the eventual mini and when that comes out the conversions will be tossed aside :P
This. ABH biker is a cool enough model that you'll still hang on to it. Which is why I think it's a good proxy until the model drops.
That'd be awesome! I proxied the Spitfire last night with Kusinagi and hooooly shit she kicked arse. Razzed around the table just lighting knights up, the MOV 8-6 with a proper gun and smoke so she can get into the range she wants is so good.
