If you like multi-role jack of all trades pieces you will like and find a way to use the Taskmaster, if you don't like multi-role pieces and instead prefer hyper-focused and optimised pieces that excel at one thing and one thing only you're probably not going to like the Taskmaster and take 3 different models instead.
Agreed. Fair point, though I think people who like single-role models over multirole models are handicapping themselves in the game by reducing the number of potential threat paths they have in their army.
I like the Taskmaster HMG. The Free Agent, enhanced cqb and dodge are useful. It's hard to say just how worth it it is, but when the difference is comparing a tradeoff and one looks better, but they are fundamentally different, it's going to be close enough that if I paticularly like something I'll go with it.
But people who take multi-roles and toolboxes handicap themselves by making their potential threat paths both less effective, efficient and optimised. And I say this as a person who prefers it when a model ends up costing more purely because it got them to have good pistol for 8'' ranges. T: Grass is greener on the other side of the fence and all that.
2 crits solve that conundrum. Not being able to be in several places at once solve that conundrum. More orders solve that conundrum. etc etc. Each type of unit has its uses, but frankly, as an specialist Bakunin has three Zeroes and the Prowlers, and for hitting, the Szalamander when you go for broke, or the Riot Grrrls, as mentioned (heck, 2 of them cost less than the TaskMaster, and have the same number of wounds each). The Taskmaster is better when you play Limited Instertion, or need a multipurpose unit for whatever reason (loss of Lt, since he is so expensive you won't be in Retreat unless he is alone with another dude). Otherwise, this is not a game that favours placing too many eggs in the same basket, I'm afraid.
No they dont. 1 task master is sufficient to cover bases allowing the rest of the list to be driven in a direction of specialisation that i choose. Additionally with some overlap in roles the list gains redundancy giving it far more resiliance than a list of 1 dimensional experts. And finally, you can play around the minor l iimitation of not being optimal for a role. You cannot play for a role you have no capability in at all
Just wanted to point out how this really is just a matter of preference at this point ( Hence the grass is greener remark. That I botched. ): A person who likes toolboxes will like the Taskmaster. A person who likes specialization will probably not even own a Taskmaster model. That being said I do vastly prefer the toolbox side of things. As much as my word carries no weight, they seem good enough to me at least. That, and it's always nice when you catch your opponents off guard by sheer force of them failing to memorize every single aspect of your toolbox ( I've had people willingly enter into CC with Cranes, because they keep forgetting ''Ohshit it's actually good at stabbing people'' or forget they had Nanopulsers. T: ), so you can always pull a card for whatever aspect of said unit you don't see often ( Such as the Heavy Pistol on a Taskmaster. Not everyone will remember it has that and might give you a neat, enclosed box to shoot someone inside it with. ). And the redundancy argument is one I end up living by more often than not: trust me, when your 2 HMGs die, you're glad you had that extra Mk12 or something similar ( I cannot roll an ARM save for the life of me. My save luck is so poor I could fail a roll with a Jotum in cover- ). Plus there's always the factor of the longer a match goes on, the more likely stuff has died on either end, so it's more likely your redundant stuff becomes ''contextually'' stronger as the game progresses.
Nomads stick is already rather toolboxy though. So it does make sense to have a few more specialist units too. PanO on the other hand could make way more use on some toolbox redundancy. I think that's the reason most people tent to learn more towards other options then the Taskmaster. I personally aren't fond of S5 HI aesthetically, so I would rather play Kusanagi and a Lunokhod instead of the Taskmaker or maybe Tsyklon and Lunokhod to get more into that point range (still not quite, but they offer great synergy with what I else I am bringing anyways.). In vanilla it's hard to pass up the Kriza cause it's so effective in what it does and I can easily cover the redundancy with all the other units at hand.
It's funny that you mention Kusanagi as an alternative as I generally hate her. Sure, BS14 and ODD is cool, but she often dies to stuff like combi-rifles and at 47 points to the task's 51 I really don't know if she's worth it. I've used her mostly in a Haris with a custodier and a healer, but that's because that fireteam is a great toolbox in itself, even if it costs around 100 points. It is a matter of opinion, yes. But I think that's a good thing. We can't say either Kusanagi or the Task is useless, but some people will gravitate to one, or the other, or neither.
To be fair everything dies to combi rifles in this game. Try putting her in cover before breaking your link by putting her in suppressive fire. Now anyone trying to get at her is going to be -9 to -12 to hit. I do this probably 2-3 times a game when I play her. With no wound incap they can still kill her, but it’s going to cost them an entire turn to do so. More than worth it.
Seems like your missing out on the true pleasure that is running both the K-H-C Haris and the Taskmaster in your list! Also your a bit off on your points Kusanagi is 43-44 and the Swast is 43-53.
You're right. I mixed up with Kornak's cost (Yeah, he's in a different army, but he's basically Kusanagi, but a buff albino monkey). That being said, this list: Jurisdictional Command of Bakunin ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 10 KUSANAGI Lieutenant Spitfire / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 43) REVEREND CUSTODIER Hacker (Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle + Pitcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 34) REVEREND HEALER Boarding Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, EXP CCW. (0 | 32) CLOCKMAKER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18) ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) ZONDBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) RIOT GRRL Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 34) RIOT GRRL Boarding Shotgun, Stun Grenades + TinBot B (Deflector L2) / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 30) RIOT GRRL MULTI Rifle, Stun Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 32) TASKMASTER Red Fury, Pulzar, CrazyKoalas + TinBot A (Deflector L1) / Heavy Pistol, DA CCW. (1 | 53) MODERATOR Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9) MODERATOR Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 9) 5.5 SWC | 300 Points Open in Infinity Army Carried me through most of Kurage. I would only change the LT option depending on the mission. It is a LI list, yeah, but it kicks untold amounts of ass as it leads to a three pronged assault that generally means I can apply pressure to anywhere. Heh, there was even an epic moment when Luna (my taskmaster), crit a Jotum to death in ARO on the Jotum's final order! But hey, I love LI lists and I love HI, so I am biased here :D
As other people have said it comes down to playstyle. I personally love Jack of all trade Units and the Taskmaster and the Reverand Custodier are my two favorite units in the faction, despite the fact that I've heard many other people give them a lot of flak. Sure the Custodier might not hack as well as something like the interventor, and isn't as tough as say a riot grrl. But with ODD, BS12 and Arm 3 they can gunfight with all but the best of them once they get in close unlike a dedicated hacker. While still providing much more utility than a dedicated gunfighter by being a specialist, and providing solid hacking support. Like wise The taskmaster isn’t the best at anything in particular, but he is extremely versatile and doesn’t really have any weaknesses that many other HI have. His stealth and Tinbot gives him resilience to hacking. Their long-range primary weaponry is complimented by a Pulsar/LSG and HP making them lethal at closerange as well. Furthermore, CC “22” damage 15 DA/Shock makes even close combat experts think twice before engaging him. Not to mention, his koalas protect him and your nearby troops from being flanked. If he is positioned well it is almost impossible to catch him at a complete disadvantage.
Haha looks like we play the same armies, my other army is Morats as well! May the Sogarat/Kornak Haris rest in peace :'(
I think the biggest reason Taskmaster is unpopular is because it is a normal unit and was a new release alongside some big deal powerunits.
I'm sure it just comes down to points. The Taskmaster is in the faction of Riot Grrls. Aside from the HMG profile, I would probably play a Taskmaster in the same role I would run a Riot Grrl Core/Haris.
Why not through Infiltration, ODD, HD+ and Eclipse Smoke on it. That way we have all Bakunin features in one unit. XD
