There used to be a time when the Dakini Paramedic was in every list I made. I think that ended around the time the 12 point CSU specialist rocked up. Does anyone still use the Dakini Tacbot in Imperial Service?
Dakini HMG is our best DZ to DZ gunfighter cheaper than Hsien HMG. And I don't take hsien very often. I also play vanilla aleph so I got used to taking dakini HMG.
I Almost never make a list without The HMG in ISS. Against troops with no MOD’s it’s much better buffed than a Rui Shi, as well as being just as fast, better damage, better rangeband and a more flexible Silhouette Value. This on top of the fact that he’s dirt cheap, both on points and SWC and easily taken alongside a Rui Shi. The HMG is also better against standard linked troopers, where the -6 for Smoke doesn’t apply anyway due to SSL2 (again, as long as they don’t have MOD’s)
Dakini HMG is great. I usually spend my SWC like this: Imperial Service ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 7 GARUDA Tacbot Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 28) RUI SHI Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1 | 20) HÙSÒNG Yaókòng HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 25) DAKINI Tacbot HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 21) CELESTIAL GUARD Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21) CELESTIAL GUARD (Kuang Shi Control Device) Combi Rifle + Light Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 13) CELESTIAL GUARD (Kuang Shi Control Device) Combi Rifle + Light Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 13) 6 SWC | 141 Points Open in Infinity Army CGHD is there for the buffs, depending on what you need to take out you go for AF on the Rui Shi/Dakini (you can also buff the TR before your reactive turn) and if you take a repeater up the field there's a chance of buffing the Garuda as it walks into the table (which is usually brutal).You have a lot of free points left to play with.
3 pts more for mimetism, 6-4 move, shock immum, buffable, 2 uncon-states - I take the para over the CSU. I build mine with the photos as a reference, so not tell anyone ;-) Dakini HMG - as said before: Cheap and good attack piece!
Take a look at the spikes on the Hsien warriors as well. You may notice the depiction in the dossier and the painted model do not match. However, they remain consistent in the possible mistake across two sculpts, both for the garuda and the Hsien. You're kidding yourself if you think this is all a mistake. Something is going on here, and I've been following it for years.
TBH I haven't played ISS in a long time but I did use the Dakini medic often. I think the CSUs just allowed for the use of the Dakini HMG now. Before there wasn't as many resources because I needed that fast specialist but CSU "might" get speed but he's cheap enough to make up for it.
I like the Dakini sniper. HMG sounds good but given Rui Shi is one of the most cost effective MSV2 in game, it'll never replace it for me.
They are both so cheap that there is no need for replacement. For the cost of basic HI with HMG you can take both.
If you want to get technical the most genuine thread name would be "Hype me up to order the cool looking Dakini box by convincing me I'll use it".
I actually ordered the Aleph support pack along with my Defiance pledge. Any idea what load-out the Dakini models are? I'm not familiar enough with the Aleph range.
MULTI Sniper Rifle HMG Paramedic Deva Spitfire Of those the HMG and Paramedic are likely to see play in ISS.
I kinda fail to see dakini HMG's purpose when there's rui shi that has better profile and synergises with rest of the army better, while costing marginally less, especially since double rui shi lists never failed to deliver for me. Maybe I should try it at some point but I am not really sold on it. Paramedic has potential in some lists provided you can fit them in, sniper possibly too but I always end up with Lunah/CG MSR in core instead.
The dakini has mimetism, which means he is often a better shot than the rui-shi against anything you can't smoke trick (like fireteams). S2 is also a lot more convenient than S4, as is the HMG's superior range.
As long as the target doesn't have ODD, Rui Shi can safely get within +3 range and target has Mimetism, Rui Shi can safely get within 16", or when you need to use the Repeater (such as not limited end of turn 1 or after deployment and you realise you put the attack piece to far from the hacker...) I'd say they complement each other nicely. Dakini is less dependent on the Supportware in the first place and can be used to clear an initial threat or to act as an alternate source of attack.
Visualize them both trying to take out a Knight of Justice missile launcher in a core link that has a big sight lane.