Unless I'm missing something, this is a complete list of factions that can field an HI with an HMG in a core link with four basic infantry: ASA and Varuna - Orc IA and WB - Qiang Gao CHA - Grey Morats - Suryat Dahshat - Zuyong That's... not very many. Not sure how it wipes out faction identity. Also, the only ones I would describe as "super cool" are Qiang Gao and maybe the Zuyong.
There's sort of also the Corregidor link which doesn't have four basic infantry but does have a doctor. But I think your point stands.
Fair enough. And probably some other factions that can get relatively cheap cores using wildcards. But then, the more unique units like wildcards go into the link, the further we move away from the claim that these HI-HMG-basic-infantry cores are making the factions too samey. I guess my point is that I find I rarely face a linked HI HMG, and when I do it almost always seems to be part of a very identifiable faction identity, usually CHA, IA, or Dahshat.
Yeah, I was about to say. Tartary Army Corps ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5 VETERAN KAZAK AP HMG / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (2 | 47) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) 2 SWC | 83 Points Open in Infinity Army And you can stick in some other curious stuff in there (assume this is a Frontovik+Kazaks core, with Vet Kazak as Wildcard, insert MSV1 AP Sniper Frontovik). Tartary Army Corps ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5 FRONTOVIK (Multiespectral Visor L1) AP Sniper / Assault Pistol, Knife. (1 | 31) VETERAN KAZAK AP HMG / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (2 | 47) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) LINE KAZAK Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 9) 3 SWC | 105 Points Open in Infinity Army That last core, at 105 pts and 5 slots seems like an almost perfect 1/3 of a list. Spend 2-3 points more to turn the Line Kazaks into FO / Paramedic Specialists and you're set.
Sorry, I can't fully do that as I don't know what they're talking about. I do note that when I look through the data those four factions increase in average orders while most others decrease, so the average orders for Aleph is 13.19 while for Tactical Window it's 14.13 (after accounting for Jumper increasing order count), compared to Varuna's 15.19 going down to 14.73 in TW
Oh hey just realized my list was too long, Qiang Gao can't link with line infantry in IA. Edit: A Shang Ji can, so IA is still on the list. Although, Shang Ji is about as far from "super cool" as HI get...
I'll amend it to "any core team backed by basic infantry with a top perfoming model leading it", then. I think Wildcards thrown about freely or "counts as [Core Infantry]" isn't great for faction difference since it led to basically every faction having a slightly different take on either a board-dominating ARO team or a high burst ultra streamlined gunfighter. When all that changes is the type of really effective model leading the 5 man team of core infantry, I don't think that really there's a case for different playstyles as far as fireteams go since you're basically just brute forcing the dice maths in your favor with cheaply accessible bonuses on units that were serviceable without them, or previously had to pay more points for them. I like mixed teams, but I dislike the ~40-50pts tax to give your allstars +1 burst and +3 BS since just about every sectorial has some equivalent of that now. Either way, doesn't really change the core of my issue with fireteams in that the 5-man teams shouldn't be commonplace except for in elite units that train to that extent. And the bonuses, regardless of the team size or explanation, shouldn't be quite so potent but that's starting to get off topic more than I'd intended that one post to go so happy to continue the discussion elsewhere.
You've also got Orcs in Fusilier teams for Varuna, Svalarheima and Aconticimiento, though for some reason I see Feuerbach a lot more often. Shang-Ji AP HMG might get a bit hotter once that's released considering it's a Regenerating HI with good PH.
If you also factor in other B4 weapons like spitfires and their variants along with the HMG Brigada in CJC (often superseded by the tsyklon in the alguaciles link) Tarik in RTF Minuteman in USARF Sheskin in SEF Cranes Hector in starmada father knight in MO Highlander Grey in CHA Asawira - HB
I'm hoping it comes in at a reasonable price because that will make it an excellent low cost sweeper unit
I... actually like mixed teams? I mean, nobody complains about the horridly overcosted character deathstar in ForCo, or the many mixed options in Invincibles, probably because these armies are very top heavy. Wallace getting wildcard in CHA is something I think most players can get behind too. The problem is when your mixed link basically boils down to 'One guy that matters and four idiots to buff him'. Which is a lot of how the Kamau Sniper+Fusilier or ORC+fusilier teams work. Those I really think should go. Giving wildcard to non-character powerhouses like the Vet Kazak or even to characters like Sheskiin or Tariq also seem like a bad idea. I mean, these guys are already powerful on their own, but allowing them to tow around 4 idiots just to get even more buffs seems excessive. Edit: I think Tunguska is a good example of mixed teams done right. Sure, there are some confusing rules, but the fact every model is on the 20 point range and none of them is an active turn beast means the tunguska mixed teams end up feeling more like a versatile toolbox than a means to buff a single dude. That's great.
Agreed, every point. This stuff wasn't a problem when I started playing just before Uprising, as it turns out the Fireteam bonuses are very well costed and balanced if most members of the team are in the same points bracket- they just suffered from order disadvantage if you took anything other than the basic LI link in most cases, giving Vanilla the advantage almost every time. However mixed links are desirable when done well, as they allow you more room to play about with list composition in otherwise static Sectorials. Wildcard Mimetism HMGs or hyper-optimised Specialists or MSV Snipers do the opposite, restricting viable list builds because anything else is wasted cost. It's also worth noting, with the 15-man cap coming, that pure elite cores could be competitive for the first time in a while as you won't be out-traded by Warbands every time you take them.
Well, Wallace is not really a wildcard. ForeCo Deathstar. Rubbish. Like the most part of the sectorial. I never managed to make them work except the times i dont pick up any character. No wildcards, Orcs cant assemble a full core of them (nor Bolts), the majority of the fireteams being Special... But more important, is getting really confusing with all of that mixed fireteams. Many players, noobs or veterans, have problems to know if their fireteam is legal, when they deploy it or even in the middle of the battle because of the loss of one member... (Tunguska and TAK fireteams integrity were the most asked in my comunity) IMO, all mixed fireteams had to dissapear, except for important characters (Joan, Wallace, Tarik, Sheskin...) or characters who belong to a certain regiment (Quinn, Konstantinos, Lupe etc...)
I'd like to see mixed fireteams follow the Ikari model, and be powerful but fragile and specific. changing from "up to" to a specific composition would be an easy change, and far less likely to be abused. it also lets you use more "counts as" instead of wildcarding heroes.
