Lynx KHD vs Gangbuster KHD vs cyberghost KHD

Because he hangs out in the midfield where a lot of enemy hackers like to hang out and specialist things so he is able to melt their brains, the double mad traps are great, it is a great midfield hunter and if you have an infiltrating model why not have him be a specialist.

 

For me, the main appeal of the Gangbuster KHD is that it seems to be a faction defining profile. It is the only infiltrator with Madtraps in the game and considerably cheaper than the closest thing (Kanren with forward deployment lvl2, Combi and Madtraps, who is not a specialist). Essentially, it is a bit of a mirror profile to the Moran in Nomads, just easier to put in lists as it doesn't come with the 0.5 SWC tax for the repeater the Morans carry.

In my current list builds, I always use 2 Gangbusters and 1-2 Team Sirius. The idea is to create a very solid defensive layer that can stop Rambo units from hitting me too hard on turn 1 by posing enough glue threats.
So when the idea comes up that I might want a KHD somewhere, I already have at least one and the other profiles don't really come up. I could see the Lynx KHD as an interesting option if the mission has an exclusion zone, but even then the Lynx specialist operative and the Razor FO are strong competition in the TO specialist department.

 

If I am getting a cyberghost then the first one I am buying the HD+ for whitenoise. Like wise Lynx have 2 higher profile, the MSR or the Plasma Carbine. The Gangbuster can be either the KHD or the riotstopper. I am not sure we need a killer hacker, but of the three you listed I would use the Gangbuster. I am becoming more of a Fan of the Beta Trooper spitfire with Tinbot, who is reasonably safe from hacking or the Beta KHD if I think I need one to help threaten other hackers.

 

Team Sirius and it's midfield repeater also means you can have KHDs in your DZ effectively cover the midfield too.

 

The Gangbuster KHD is very similar to the Moran FO, cheap infiltrating specialist with great board control ability. Main difference is that Gangbuster doubles as a great hunter with MSV1 and better BS.

Don't forget that KHD lets you use cybermask to become an impersonation token. This makes all the difference sneaking up on a foe or crossing a protected firelane.

It's also tied for the cheapest profile (how?) So there's very little reason to take the boarding shotgun when you could have a submachine gun hacking specialist with madtraps at the same price.

 

That's a very interesting point.

I would bet cash money that the only reason the Boarding Shotgun profile exists is someone objected to putting MadTraps in the starter box.

 

I wonder why they would add it in at all if that's the case.

 

Because they needed an infiltrating specialist and the razor is super boring

 

I find myself taking the Gangbuster KHD because I can't spare the points for the combi and I'm low on specialists.
The gangbuster KHD is pretty vulnerable – but if your opponent doesn't have great KHDs you can get away with it. You can always take two and move a Kytta into a strategic position so you can gang up on enemies if they try moving their infowar up. If you want a piece that specifically hunts enemy hackers there are better choices in the army. if you want a cheap specialist that doesn't hurt too much if he dies – khd gangbuster is great.

 

It is also possible that the combo of Madtraps and a Boarding Shotgun was playtested and found to be too effective.

 

HAHA! Imagine that though, CB playtests something and screens it for being too effective xD

I find that the KHD can also serve as the singular hacker to allow all the cheerleader rems that your list desperately needs. In other factions I might play the line trooper HD for assisted fire, but in this case the Dakini overlaps so much with all the other premium HMG platforms that I don't feel that great a desire to run him.

 

Because it's a starter box and maybe perimeter weapons were considered overly complex?

 

Yeah you don't want to deal with mad traps as a new player. Technically this is a starter box after all and the quick start rules are definitely written that way.
I think razor is a solid khd but really like cyber ghosts. In all fairness though I know hacking is getting an overall in a year so not getting used to anything yet.

 

I meant that there are other units that could be in the box.

 

The Combi has definite legs, if you're going second the KHD Gangbuster is still pretty vulnerable to enemy KHDs, and the short range is a definite issue. In missions that don't require or punish specialists like Firefight I'm probably going reach for the Combi first. In other missions I might go for one of each.

The BSG isn't necessarily a bad option in a vacuum, an infiltrating BSG with visual mods and a visor is never going to be an outright bad option, but the lack of Madtraps or DTW means it doesn't have the utility and flexibility of the other two options. Bloody great model though.

 

When you look at the amount of razor profiles with BSG... then you start to wonder if the Gangbuster BSG will ever see the table.