Before anyone says it of course you probably want to spend 15 points and have a flashpulse and a certificate to push buttons from space university, but: Which line trooper is best in Vanilla? The vanguard Pros: Dodges like a beast when you've no hope of winning the shootout Anathematic been crit jammered? at least you've got regular orders this turn You've been put into retreat? well run into a zone, may as well. May actually survive a paramedic attempt. Always angry Cons: seriously 14pts for a combi? K1 sniper The Unidron Pros: PLASMA BTS 6 Shock immunity and the ability to soak 2W and go dogged great for suicide runs with plasma marksmanship options Cons: Dodges like a potato lacks an LGL option in the higher orders requires a hacker or an aspect No suppression fire The Nox: Pros: Holds scoring zones even if he gets hit by that standard save ARO and will even auto go to ground! (touchdown run) paired with bio immunity Has a horrid little direct EM template to deal with that thing you hate. Not a seed soldier. More expensive friends have Nimbus+ LGL and SMG + EI HD Stealth Cons: is not a unidron when you will inevitably require one? The Daturatzi Pros: can kill people by flexing his muscles (which is represented in the rules by a chain rifle) Smoke Actual grenades Mimetism Reyt stabby Stealth Will advance without you spending regular orders Dodges like an absolute beast when you've no hope of winning the shootout Anathematic been crit jammered? at least you've got regular orders this turn You've been put into retreat? well run into a zone, may as well. will probably survive a paramedic attempt. Cons: Maybe a little too up for it. Doesn't really care about cover or your tactical master plan no suppression maybe not that great at holding your DZ Not the Kind of hacking device you can use to push buttons. Best one as an option in vanilla? Discuss *Edits: Nox were Vox, it was one or the other. Addition of clause about the inclusion of an aspect rather than a just a hacker to unidrons
You forgot the Krakot, who is basically just as good as the daturazi, but less prone to go nuts. I think for vanilla, a healthy combination of Nox and Krakots will be the way to go. Cheap and realiable, and I don't think the unidrons are that big of a deal when they're unlinked. I think the Vanguard Hacker beats the Nox hacker, though.
I'd still take a seed soldier because sometimes you go second and fidays and speculos and shinobu and basically everyone who likes to go into your deployment zone doesn't like dealing with camo.
It strongly depends what else I'm doing with my list. The Nox is shining through as a great all rounder though. 10/10 for OP. Favourite analyses indclude "Reyt stabby", "Dodges like a potato" and "Maybe a bit too up for it".
Additional (pedantic, can't help myself) point: Unidrons need a hacker or an aspect. Yes, I know we pretty much all run at least one hacker in every list, but I had to scratch that itch.
Definately Krakots for me, but a couple Daturazi usually see play in my lists too. That said, making more use of Unidrons in vanilla is something I've been wanting to try out. I mostly wish plasma carbines had suppressive fire, since they'd then be a wonderful set and forget option. But the upgrade cost to a higher burst weapon is non-negligible.
I would have to say that the Daturazi is my favourite in a vanilla list by a long shot. He is our cheapest source of smoke and can trade well both in close combat or with his chain rifle. Krakot comes a close second. The other options are just not worth their weight in gaki's, pretas and ikadrones. That being said I will be keen to see the Nox in action. They look like they could be a bit of fun with their zappers.
I'm really pleased at how the Nox rounds things out - they all provide unique combinations of skills/weapons, and I think you can make a good case for bringing several different kinds of basic troops in vanilla. Truly the most combined of all armies.
Now i will forever picture the Nox as a horde of Bono Vox clones with portable amplifiers DTW... Thanks, really...
Daturazi of course. Single daturazi can achieve much more then anyone else in the list. Like a link of dead Daikini takbots............. and still survive.
Yeah I should really take the Krakot more, I hadn't put them in this originally as I had forgotten they were AVA >1, it mostly comes down to the versatility of smoke for me and the synergies with the rest of the list (usually Ko-dali). I like to cut to the heart of the issue, but yeah this has been triggered by Nox looking like they're going to insert themselves pretty heavily into the vanilla list meta. Will also edit the req for a hacker to include or aspect. You see this answer and the one from DaRedOne I found quite suprising, I'll admit I dont's take 14 point unidrons but I do take the FO quite often in vanilla (although i'll admit less than I thought). On the other hand looking back through my 5 most recent vanilla lists I've used FO unidrons twice, ikadrons 5 times (pretty much guarantee if I look at 15 lists it will be about 14 times) and Daturatzi 5 times; Krakot and vanguard (and the current poor seed soldier) don't get a look in. the reason the uni tends to get in there is the dogged and the plasma blast template, even if it's just to slow down a flank by continuing to have an ARO for the rest of the turn which I find to be rather useful against link teams, even without suppression I find it to often be an excellent defensive option.
One of my favorite uses for a Krakot is to get important big models unstuck from CC. At a recent tournament my Charontid survived an assassination run by a Viral Makaul, but started my turn still engaged. The Krakot was able to run up, and thanks to the gang up bonuses and berserk get two auto-hitting attacks with a DAM 14 DA CCW. Problem solved, and Charontid able to go about its business.
This sounds like a familiar situation I had in a game just after Starco came out, the vial makaul is Raul spectre and unfortunately my Krakot is on the other side of the table. Also I don't think the charontid survived to my turn. however you have given me an option to think about there.
The thing I do like about all CA line troops is for 14 points we get reactive skills. Be it dogged to tank hits better, high phys and veteran to dodge or stay regular when things go south, smoke grenades+mimetism to mitigate no cover, or bioimmunuty for better chance to stick the Shas rule. For the Nox, Dat, and Unidrons you get more proactive tools like Dogged (again) and Marksmanship options; MA4; stealth and DT weapons (Nox and Dat). The vanguard don’t really have this, so I think this makes them worse than the other 3 as a baseline
Dat Unidron Krakot Shas Nox (they're good but can't make the plays Dat, Uni, and Krakot can) morat (they aren't good)
BTW the best option to spend 14 points in Vanilla will be Libertos for 8-10 pts and Imetron..................
Krakot is a Daturazi that trades the very good smoke and a very bad fully impetuous move. I really like them, tbh. If I want a corner guard I tend to prefer one that will not run off to get sniped the turn I don't have a extra order to avoid his movement. And since that is basically every turn.... yeah. Daturazi are picked up more if you need smoke than if you need a extra order to pad your group. If you do not need the extra smoke you probably want something that will not attempt suicide.