I think the Gangbuster with his BSG is a good example. We know CB pay close attention using statistic from their store and army. They surely know that people will want to use the Gangbuster as a button pusher (Bostria even sold him as such in the video) and still they release the BSG instead of the SMG/KHD profile. Why? The only thing I can come up with is that it increases their profit (ie I prefer to buy a Gangbuster with BSG now and proxy him rather than wait an unknown length of time for the release of the smg and then perhaps buying the smg miniature when it is finally released). *actually I read this argument elsewhere so not my own
A minor note about the Gangbuster, it's important to remember that there are many non-button pushing missions and some missions also gives you points for killing more specialists, so the KHD Madtrap profile is not that attractive in those missions as opposed to either the Shotgun or the Combi + Madtraps.
It is obviously this - that way they can release it in a blister (with goat buddies) and it wll be a highly bought unit (atm I imagine all o12 lists running two of those guys). Same for Epsilon. I mean starters where maybe 2 models are usable in the army WYSIWYG are not unheard of. Not sure if it is a good strategy when it is a completely new faction that will require a full year of monthly releases (and some) to fill out...
Absolutely, but they are generally the exception. The other way around would make more sense (proxying the SMG for a BSG in those missions). To be clear - I don't mind that much. Not hating, just speculating.
Guys, Boarding Shotgun on an infiltrator can be worth its weight in gold. They're perfectly suited to punish deployment errors. And not all Gangbusters I'll field will act as specialists, especially with Deltas available. I'd be fully ok with either AP or Shock. Both are a bit much, at least on a weapon so cheap. If SMG would cost the same as Boarding Shotgun, I would call it balanced.
It's not an unreasonable argument mechanically. I think for me it's just quite an aesthetically appealing loadout; Hackers are infowar specialists and supposed to be focusing on Quantronic environments, they have a SMG or PDW as they are often called now for, you guessed it, personal defence, but aren't really supposed to be Riflemen.
I wonder what the Varangian guard, a “O12 inspired Ariadna unit” would even look like. If it’s a Caledonia Base, maybe some mid 20s “warband-esque” model perhaps with visual mods and short-mid range weapons.
smokers with melee, viking-style that will make a Core with Valkyre in their sectorial (and maybe a Haris, in a similar fashion Mr Massacre & the Jaguars do) I hope at least.
He doesnt have a marker, he wont punish anything Camoshotguns are ok but I've never seen anyone running a non-specialist one, except maybe completely disposable dudes like Daylami and Hardcase.
Camo is useful, but ultimately not required for such attack run. Not when you have enough firepower to make opposing troops keep their heads down, and from what we're seeing O12 will have that in spades.
I don't know what you're looking at with the Gangbuster, it's a dedicated camo hunter/first strike weapon, and will absolutely decimate camo-heavy forces. It's packing Mimetism and MSV1, a BSG to maximise its bonuses in the midfield and can be held back to respond to infiltrators. All these complaints about not having a marker state, do you not have terrain on your tables? Cautious move is invaluable for sneaking past AROs and I'll happily dedicate 3-4 orders solely for positioning an attack run if it means I get a template across a fireteam, identify a Lt for a turn 1 LoL or think I can take out a singleton Doc/Engineer.
Cautious move is a thing but it also means wasted orders that marker state units dont care about No marker state means he will collect enemy perimeter weapons and cant ignore a chain rifle tarpit No stealth means he will get jammed just while moving People really underestimate the strength of a marker state Sure this unit is "what if Kanren was actually a good profile" (or "what if Moran but hell a lot better") but I am not sure that anyone would take a non-specialist unless, as Zewrath noted, there is a mission that actively punishes taking specialists and you have a luxury of making a list specifically for it.
Almost like certain units have strengths against one type of enemy but weaknesses against others... Odd that. No-one is underestimating marker state, it's the best defensive ability in the game, but units with it and the stats of a Gangbuster pay through the nose for the privilege. The combination of (for a skirmisher) high BS, MSV, Mimetism and defensive stats is simply not there for any other unit at the point cost where the Gangbuster sits.
I wonder if CB plan for demo games run out of the box and consider any balancing so the first impression from people without experience won't be ruined. Because from what I see Shasvastii in Widlfire outclass O-12 hard in raw power, Caliban can just run wild and collect frags.
In Coldfront, the Dakinis never had Mimetism for those missions, so I assume the "introductory missions" won't use all the rules of a model...
