So two of the units we do not know much about are the Nyoka Assault Troops and the Raptor Boarding Squad. This will be mostly speculation. Also as a disclaimer I play O 12 for the heavy infantry and face punching power, so that is more of how I would like it to go so I am bias because I do not quit get that in my other 2 factions. Thoughts on the Snakes: Nyoka means snake in Swahili, though I do not speak Swahili so if someone has a more specific translation or possible reference please let us know. We know that they can form a Core and a Haris. They can also include some heavy infantry Like Hector and Bronzes. From there place on the secitorial army chart I would think that they are Medium Infantry but this could be wrong. I think they will serve the same role as the JSA Tanko. Therefore, I hope they are two effective wounds, strong close quarter combatant/hand to hand fighters, are there to provide some bulk to the Bronze as well as a anti-armor guns (missile or even a AP marksmen rifle). Thoughts on the Birds Raptor Boarding Squad are named after the group of predatory birds. They can form no links. Their position in the secitorial army chart implies either Medium Infantry or Heavy Infantry. Boarding models tend to be a combatant and a pet (G: synchronized) model like the Rasail and Devil Dog or heavy infantry like the Knights of Santiago. I feel the squad makes the combatant and a pet more likely. Being named after a type of bird they could have some form of airborne deployment or be fast moving. If they are airborne deployment then that will lighten the load on the Crusher with boarding shotgun who is both a Rambo through away and a possible late game scouring model. I personal would be fine with either but I would prefer a HI airborn model like the Liu Xing. What I do not expect: I do not think either the Nyoka or the Rapors to be camo models. Nyoka could be if they did the scot guard thing and have some camo profiles salted in but I tend to dislike that approach. Starmada has a theme of mid-range firefight (16-24 inches) and firepower so I do not see them having to many long range options, I do not think either will have HMG or Sniper options. There are not any good natural AP weapons in the mid-range category and I do not think they will add any. I do not think either will be light infantry. If you feel Starmada lack of midfield at the beginning and general lack of camo was a problem I do not think this will change that.
I hope that the raptors are semi cheap forward deploying skirmishers personally, I don't have any proof about this, it's just what I would like to see. Maybe an SMG and a flamethrower or other direct template weapon to go with the boarding action feel, probably it has ODD or Mimetism, because O12. No real idea or much interest in the Nyoka, although it will probably be a CC specialist.
I think you're spot on with Nyokas being a medium infantry. Their linkability doesn't suggest much else. Raptors are more up in the air - it would be pretty logical to assume they'll be medium infantry (or who knows, maybe lite-heavy infantry!) with some type of parachutist/combat jump. Starmada doesn't have a ton of alternate deployment right now, so another combat jumper (preferably a cheap one) would be pretty welcome imo.
I hope the Raptors are mini dinosaurs that O12 gets to counter the Taigha Creatures, but that's probably wrong. I can see your "boarding unit has pets" fitting that too, but... Anyway, Raptor could be a Rasail type. Starmada lacks Sirius, right? Maybe a similar role with a smaller drone.
I dunno. It is much smaller and much faster so it'll probably to the attack job that the Siriusbot struggles with and it doesn't have a Repeater or FD so it can't do the Siriusbot's job. Seems like a classic Apples and Doorhinges comparison to me...
I actually kinda hope raptors are not jumpers and are more a "boarding squad" in tehe way the tohaa one is. I know it's counterintuitive, with a name like "raptors" and all, but man, we already have 3 jumpers AND a jump character
True and it is something I keep going back an forth on. I purpose the drop trooper because I like drop troopers but a Rasail and Devil Dog unit would also be good though I find units like them are less playable for offense (experience with the Devil Dog in this) and will only get less in N4 with MSV 1 able to shoot them through smoke.
The Raptors logo looks a lot like the Kosmoflot logo, so I would guess it's an Ariadna-type AD unit. I'm just surprised they aren't also in Kosmoflot.
The Raptors logo has the word "Starmada" on it, so I'm willing to bet up to 100 Jamaican Dollars it's a native O-12 unit.
I'd guess they're a forward deploying zero-g unit with camo or holo2, either with mimetism or msv1. That's about what I'd expect it to be anyway. I'd *love* if it was a gsync assault unit, but...
Its called a crusher. I hope the Nyokka fill that toolbox MI role that is currently missing from the faction.
We only get 3 crushers and I feel the list relies on them to much. Currently crushers and Casanova are our only forward deploying models. Crushers are also specialist so they can do objectives. They are also offensive drop troopers. They are also late game objective grabbers because they are still drop specialists. Crushers do a lot but have a limited number so I would like something that lightens there load some. On the Nyokka, what do you mean by toolbox MI?
Toolbox MI, are the MI that along with being your up-armoured LI with better BS and sometimes better guns, often pack a bunch of additional tools and options for dealing with stuff, such as visors, DTWs, sidearms with different ammotypes, sensor, useful specialist types etc. currently in other armies they are a little on the over costed side of things but they do bring a fair bit of utility to the army/fireteam. Some examples are things like, Vargar (bit more on the beat face side of things), Wildcats, Grenzers, Yadu (if you can call them MI), and Taquels.
Seems like PSICops might be along these lines, but theres definately room for two different flavours of elite toolboxes.
Psi cops are in a weird spot - they're placed in the MI section of the sectorial chart but are LI in Code One. Also with low AVA and wildcard in Starmada i doubt theyll be anything but a way to insert a decent BS MSV1 marksmen rifle in a bluecoat core as a back-up gunfighter in case your Bronze goes down.
I'm a big fan of a mimetic MSV1 BS13 marksman rifle that can join any link. I already love the unit in Code One. I also have a suspicion that they will get Holo 1 in N4, since their logo is similar to Cho's.
If they do have Holo1, there's also the chance they could get some good "surprise" weapons in their N4 profile. In Code One, there is a hacker profile, for example. Depending on the device, it could be a nasty surprise ARO.
its really hard not to be! it feels really optimized for the combat toolkit that it is. That would be neat - disguising as a plain blue coat could be a pretty decent surprise
I'm going to go in with Nyoka as high movement light HI (1W+NWI+shock immune, 6-2 move kind of thing) and/or a source of heavier weaponry to round out the sectorial's offensive options. It looks like they may want to avoid top-shelf BS linkable HMG platforms, though, so I'd bet on mobility and durability over long range support weapons. Raptors seems like maybe FD or Infiltration zero g troops with super-jump and a toolbox kit, particularly Sensor. I wouldn't be surprised to see them with mimetism -3 and an option for a sync bot, plus some heavy weapon options since they don't link. I also assume they'll be MI. It really seems like Starmada is going to avoid camo troops generally?
