Hello I wonder about your ideas how to use Magister Knights other than ARO-duty and HI link filler. I used them with great success as AROs and link bodies having Teuton NCO / Santiago Spitfire / KHD doing most of the work, but depending solely on Magister Knights (due to my Spitfire dying on the way) always ended up in trainwreck. Relatively low BS and lack of long range weapons (after Panzerfausts get quickly disposed) forces you to get close and personal with them (which costs orders), or you can just break the link and let them run on their own, sometimes using extra regular order to move them little forward to project more threat. However, being impetous with short-range weapons makes them really lousy shooters outside of link. I considered removing some AROs on opponent side of the table with other pieces, and then running my linked magisters in the direction of his DZ, after which I will break the link at the beginning of the next turn and what is alive will chase his stuff around, but it feels like very dicey strategy (or total lack of it). Some ideas what can be done with them?
Depends on your list and mission ;P Recently (since I've adjusted to newest version of MO) I tend to keep them (Magisters) in DZ till 3rd turn. I use strong solo pieces as active ones till then. That being said: Magisters are damn difficult (80% of time) to be effectively removed from table (unless your opponent has good way to break a link: for example AHD+ Expel), and can work like really good roadblocks. Quite often you have 3+ of them, so running as a 3 man link forward, and just fishing for good trades (if you even get both yourself and enemy out of cover, you can reliably shoot at 21s with your LSG).
I typically push them out of my DZ and let them fend for themselves while guarding the more valuable pieces of the link (Teuton, Santiago, etc). Panzerfaust anything further than 16” away, once those are depleted dodge into total cover. Anything closer than 16” just try your luck with the LSG. Even at 0 range mod, you are hitting on 6,9,12 (depending on link bonus status and visual mods). I’ll take 2 dice on 6s all day against most targets. However, if the visual mods are bad enough that you are hitting on 3s, just dodge into total cover. When all else fails, dodge closer to them until you are within 16, then shotgun all day. Between ARM3, 2W, Dodge with Hyperdynamics, they are really really durable and hold up well in many fights you wouldn’t expect them to. At the end of the day, remember that the Magisters are there to protect the important parts of the link. They can and should be used to defend in ARO from all ranges, to waste enemy orders dealing with them, and if needed to go sprinting off to lay down a suicide LSG into a pile of bodies.
Magisters are a really good candidate for Coordinated Orders too. Even at less-than-ideal rangebands for panzerfausts and shotguns, there's still a great chance that they'll do some damage when the enemy can only pick one of them to shoot back at. This may be much more lethal and effective than simply maneuvering them as a 3 or 4-person link team.
Yeah, I've had some fun running lists based around: JOAN OF ARC Lieutenant Spitfire, Nanopulser / Pistol, AP CCW. (1 | 51) MAGISTER KNIGHT Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 23) MAGISTER KNIGHT Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 23) MAGISTER KNIGHT Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 23) 1 SWC | 120 Points But you REALLY need CoC to cover Joan otherwise you can't really be as aggressive as that profile demands. Or: JOAN OF ARC Lieutenant MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CCW. (+1 | 50) MAGISTER KNIGHT Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 23) MAGISTER KNIGHT Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 23) MAGISTER KNIGHT Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, DA CCW. (0 | 23) 0 SWC | 119 Points But you are trading out using Joan as offensively as you can with the other build (but you've got lots of SWC to play with). One of the great things about this is how great it can be as a surprise. Most opponents are going to expect you to drop overwhelming firepower, so they will often largely hide and leave out only limited token AROs in the hope of limiting the damage you deal through shooting. This little package takes that approach and REALLY punishes people for it.