don't get me wrong, I completelly agree with that (well, I want also TJC to be checked on), but one thing is what I want, one what I think will happen, and other one is what CB will do. And looking back at how they manage the space dessing, they will bring another sectorial, or remove some units. About BH, well, in the fluf, is the inteligence section for nomads, executing the most secret operations, even inside nomad ships. Not exactly a vainilla force, because it should lack in direct power (no HI, no TAGs), but a lot of subterfuge, stealthy and/or illegal units: AIs, Templars, and no-mercs
Literally none of that shit was ever part of Black Hand. Intruders and "The Conclave of Furies"(read: fanwank level nonsense of nuns with guns) were, as far as I can recall, the only truly defined part of Black Hand. I think Spektrs might have been there too, but there were no Templars, no AIs, yadda yadda yadda. Additionally: Unless they retcon stuff further, the Templars are a non-entity. Some of their AI specialists were taken in by the Nomad Nation, but it's been heavily implied that these are basically just labgeeks.
Just get all sectorials in line. Not only Nomads but alltogether. Not every sectorial needs everything but should be quite distinguishable while staying competitive. For example I for myself am fine with TJC having no wildcard, the mixed FT options are enough. Design goal should be to give every unit some kind of niche, it is hard to achieve this in vanilla as new units are constantly added but at least the limited number of units in a sectorials should be designed with some common sense.
There is Black Hand in story of Bran Do Castro, Cassandra Kusanagi, Bandits . Also Avicena, Perseus and other rogue ALEPH constructs. Add some logical choices like Zoe, Interventors and Hollow Man and You have interesting Black Hand force .
On Code One. I want the Vanilla starter to go, because Vanilla starters are stupid for Nomads (it's literally the worst purchase if you want to start Vanilla). We can be released as Code One ready without the delay of needing too many new sculpts initially, so what I want is CB to do that. CJC Starter re-pack (3 Algs, MB MR+LFT, Hellcat Spitfire, Intruder MSR) Tunguska 3 model re-pack (Spektr Combi, Grenzer MSR, Kriza Mk12) This let's CB focus on releasing minies that fill actual gaps rather than yet another Hellcat sculpt. Corregidor 3 model pack (new Wildcat, 5th Jaguar, new Moran) Bakunin 3 model pack (new Zero, new Prowler, new Sin-Eater) New Support Box New Zonds Box New Lizard Kusanagi is the hero (her general release version of the Defiance minies is packed and branded for Code One). We get a single resculpt troop for CJC, which gets is an exclusive Bandit in the CJC Action Pack (CJC starter + 3 model CJC release) that arrives ~12 months after, and replaces, the CJC 3 model pack. Overall that showcases the core of the faction. Requires the least number of resculpts. It ends up being midfield heavy and relatively fragile (only 2 HI and 1 TAG). It focuses on the Nomad SK and MI to avoid having to worry too much about Hacking. But the main reason why I like it is because it can be dropped in Jan 21 without needing a new Operation Thing Thing.
If we assume we don't get Operation AlephwasaMistake, then I agree with you that this would be a good starting point. I especially like the "exclusive bandit"-part. Although I'd gladly take a new Sin-Eater, this one could even be the repacked HMG Sin-Eater from the Bakunin starter. But I don't know why we should not get our Operation AlephwasaMistake. What was our last Operations-Box? Icestorm? There was Icestorm - PanO vs. Nomads Next Red Veil - Haqq vs. YuJing Operation Coldfront - Ariadna vs. Aleph Operation Wildfire - Shasvastii (CA) vs. O12 Operation Kaldstrom - PanO vs. YuJing So ... ours is the oldest one, followed by Haqq. Who, if not we, should get an Operations Box? Normally it should be Nomads and Haqq, but this would be no Battle Box, more like some carousal ... But a new Bandit would be great. And of course ... we want our P0NY!
Mostly because they're only doing Operation:Thing things annually and there's Haqq, Nomads, Aleph and Ariadna. Both Haqq and Aleth only have 2 active sectorials, so they're likely to need a Thingthing release whereas Nomads and Ariadna are flush at 3 or more. So i think the only way we get 4 more factions added to Code One in early 21 is if 2 factions do it without a Op:Thingthing release.
Something to think about as well is that Operation: NomadsVsAlephRoundTwoRockyFreezeFrameFightFinish could be a way to redo the chunks of Steel Phalanx that need resculpts bad.
I just built the Mymidons, and yeah, these lads could use an update. Mayhaps this thread would also work in AI Land....
Nomads and Haqq currently have the only Vanilla action packs (Operation+Beyond) so I think they're highest on the list for Operation: Tikibeach. If they keep the Code One release schedule the same as the first year I can see them doing a new Operation alongside two new Action Packs. Possibly Haqq vs. Nomads and Coldfront's contents released as Ariadna/TAK and Aleph/OSSSS action packs.
Both factions tend to have extensive space borne assets. An orbital themed box would be really cool, Nomad Infiltration of a Caravansary, Haqq raid of a Nomad corsair ship/base, etc.
Haqq vs Ariadna can be spun pretty easily. The old neomaterials story, tie it to Asteroid Blues, etc. And I guess an Ariadnan versus Aleph box would be an odd one out in repeating an old versus set. Tohaa vs JSA is gonna be really weird though.
Tohaa and JSA won't ever made it into CodeOne. It's about time people accept that. Also, they said the rate of introduction of the resting main factions in CodeOne will be two per year.
I thought they said that they were doing an Op:Thingthing each year. No reason why they can't release 2 factions to Code One without an Op:Thingthing.
Probably the sheer workload will prevent that. Since they're still trying to get Defiance done and push Aristeia! and both finish N4 and update the discontinued Sectorials, all this being just the work we know about, CB seems flat-out or even over capacity at the moment judging by the delays to various products. I do think Nomads will be in next year's release though, Nomads are just too popular not to get a quick release and I suspect the only reason they aren't out already is the aforemementioned high workload preventing CB from dedicating any resources to resculpting necessary Nomad classics to current standards. I'd figure Haqq for an opponent, Ariadna doesn't seem too popular lately and there's nothing to Hack in it, denying Nomads the chance to use one of their big strengths right out the gate.
