KAIZOKU SPEC OPS (SPITFIRE/MEDKIT) What is the point?

The point is to represent the Kaizoku? They already did the standard combi version so the general release has different options.

I guess Doctor is a common skill on Spec-Ops and Spitfire is a weapon Keisotsu don't usually come with.

The Grunt Intel came with two different sets of arms rather than a weapon sprue, I wonder how sales of the previous Spec-Ops stacked up and if that influenced the decision.

 

Doctor/Hacker/engineer with leftover points into WIP is pretty popular.

For the spitfire, it is probably a signal that there won't be a spitfire kempei anytime soon :(

 

Normally you have two general builds depending on your army.

If your army has no CoC, you will take it on the Spec Ops
Else, you normally play the Generalist with Doctor/Engineer/Hacker

 

Well doctor is the only specialist type you can't already stick in a fire team

 

The old specops had weapons sprues that were actually sections of CB's master sprues that got sent to sculptors back when everything was done with greenstuff (Antenociti managed to get a set of ALL the weapons for some of their terrain).

Now, though, I don't know how much of the weapons are printed separate from the trooper.

 

Under the current system, a 6 point weapon (like the Spitfire,) Mimetism and either Minelayer or a Specialist (like Doctor or Hacker) is a very good setup. All of that fits into 12 points.

I haven't seen Spec Ops used in a while, but when I do get to use it, both Doctor and Spitfire are really nice options.

There are also rumblings that the Spec Ops system is going to be changed or revised, so there may be changes in the near future that we're not aware of.

 

I think customers are much happier with a model that has two separate sets of arms versus a miniature with a static pose and loose weapons with no clear way of attaching or converting them.

 

I think this is an indication that we wont see sculpts for the Kempie spitfire, nor will we see a JSA support pack resculpt anytime soon as the Kaizoku replaces your doctor and if you're taking an engineer aren't you always paying the extra points to take the FAR superior Yurkio Oda?. I for one lov ethe look of the Kaizoku & kind of wish I could replace all the keisotsu with them (that's not saying there's anything wrong with five of the six keisotsu - the female sculpt from the JSA box kind of sucks IMO - I think they're all great, but the Kaizoku are much cooler)

 

My meta doesn't use spec ops – that being said, I would build him with the spitfire to stand in for the kempetai or a dismounted Aragoto spitfire model.

 

Whichever is more appropriate for the rest of my list? Maybe both?

The Spitfire gives a 0 SWC heavy weapon along with the potential to stack with Mimetism and BS increases, this adds a decent amount of teeth to a Keisotsu link for basically no cost.

The Doctor brings a high WIP specialist and healer, getting WIP increases helps with healing your Keisotsu HMG/ML as they lack cubes, and keeps them near a Kempeitai or Domaru in the same link so you don't potentially have to run a Servant bot across the board to reach them.

You can also go with CoC, giving you a cheaper option than the Kempeitai, and allowing a FT with Domaru, MSV2 SMMR, and CoC, or even Holo1 as a second Kempeitai or Domaru Lt to help insure against Impersonators and other assassins, either of these could be combined with Doctor!

 

I use the combi bloke who came with the pre-order as a Tokusetsu engineer and the medikit guy as the Tokusetsu Doctor. That way I feel like I have a brand new CAD sculpt of the JSA support box. :)

 

I find Doctoring is of limited us to JSA. Keisotsu start with very low WIP and don't have Cubes. So you could dump a ton of points into a WIP increase, but you'd still be gambling. WIP15 is still significantly worse than WIP12 with a re-roll, and most of the units I use that do have Cubes are so far up the field that it's not likely I'll get a chance to Doctor them.

Supportware Hacker is quite nice though. Minelayer is phenomenal. With Ryuken-9 and Yojimbo, you can really crowd the table with defense. Mimetism is really good if you plan to gunfight at all. Starting at BS10 means you desperately want any bonus that helps you swing those firefights in your favor.

So I typically do 6-point heavy weapon, Mimetism, and either Minelayer or a 2-point Specialist option. Either version of the miniature could easily depict this.

It also makes me hope we get updated Spec Ops rules and miniatures for more factions and sectorials. I really like what they've done with this Kaizoku.

 

Because Spec-Ops are typically built into 3 types:
- hacker/doctor/engineer with improved WIP
- mimetic spitfire/HMG/sniper with improved BS (and we've already got a pseudo-sniper with MSV2)
- something that the sectorial doesn't have already, like AD in JSA
Not sure if I'd take the spitfire over MSR for the range, but it's an option, and the medikit serves nicely as a generic specialist model.

Because he's got a white faceplate.

 

I would probably physically build him with the med kit and use him as a Keisotsu Paramedic.

 

I would go with this


or maybe this


Otherwise you can always go with the boring multispecialists

 

The only issue with running him as a solo piece is that he's just SO bad with his stats. Factions with really good base linetroopers get a big advantage in the Spec Ops format. I'm pretty okay with this overall... It's nice when factions that "overpay" on their base line troopers get to use those stats for a badass Spec Ops... But it hurts the BS10, WIP12 guys badly. WIP12 isn't the end of the world... The difference between WIP12 and WIP14 when you're rolling one dice isn't huge. But when you're firing a Burst 4 weapon that's opposed by the enemy, the difference between BS10 and B12 is much more significant.