I got into Combined with Wildfire, and am getting to the point where I am thinking about trying Vanilla Combined. I've basically got all the new Shasvastii releases, Doctor Worm and a pile of remotes (including Ikadrons). I have Defiance coming. My budget will probably stretch to two or maybe three boxes, and two or three blisters. What would you recommend picking up first, and why?
My favorites to go to in Combined Army would be an EI construct like the Charontid. You have one coming with Defiance, so you could get the Anathematic instead. TO camo, mnemonica, decent armor and multiple wounds is fun to play with. I also enjoy the Fraacta as a drop troop. Transmutation means you can take a wound and keep on attacking. She has a direct template weapon too so she can choose to shoot a boarding shotgun or combi-rifle or drop a nanopulser. Have fun and welcome to the wonderful world of the full Combined Army!
2xikadron/imetron Krakots Libertos additionaly, pondering defince come with a Charontid, maybe good to add somes daturazis
Daydreaming what I'm going to paint next after I've finished these Shasvastii? Pandemics have got in the way of my playing Shasvastii as much as I'd like (although they're more painted than they would have been otherwise as a result)... But broadly, I am a massive faction hopper, and it's as much curiosity as to what Vanilla CA does that Shasvastii don't as anything. {Other people's recommendations} I do have the Imetrons that came with my Ikadrons, so they're effectively a freebie right now. :)
In my experience, vanilla CA get to ask the hardest questions in the game to an opponent. Can you deal with an Avatar? How do you deal with 120 points of hidden deployment? Is it a Sphinx or a Anathematic? Either requires different counter deployment. Oh look, it was a Speculo. RIP your TAG. Or maybe you just run a gunfighting Charontid; sure hope they weren't relying on ODD/mimetism. Or maybe its one (or three!) of our unparalleled selection of amazing drop troops. We get the biggest, shiniest toys in the game, no contest. We pay for them, to be sure, and a good player will go after your support stuff or use good counters. No faction gets to be the Big Bad like we can though, and its really fun.