TAGs aside from the Avatar, Cutter and Sphinx absolutely see play. The Zeta is obnoxiously potent. The Szally is a key component of multiple very strong and competitive Vanilla Nomad lists. PanO runs the Tikbalang where it can, while the Squalo (Mk1 and Mk2) see play. The Bultrak is another very strong TAG - just to name a few. Also yeah they caved on Roadbots not being in Vanilla O12 because they were marketed as being in there, and people were understandably upset when they weren't. Similar deal with removing the Squalo Mk1. I don't think most Nomad players are up in arms over Szally and the Gator not having courage or religious - I still see plenty of both on the table, and I'd wanna say the general consensus is that they are some of the better MBTs in the game. It's funny you say you see Maggie more when most Haqqislam players I know (including myself) see her as kinda ok at best, and more commonly see her as pretty bad and very very rarely worth running. I hate to say this, but frankly it just sounds like your meta sucks.
Even with success rate of 51% and two orders the probability of one or more successes is ~75% success overall. (Not breaking out the calculator for this one). I get it, you are a cautious player. Before you throw the dice you want a threshold of 80% or better. Nothing wrong there, be cautious. You do you. But it still doesn't change expected values on a binomial distribution. As for the rest. If the problem so minor, why not fix it and be done with it? I hardly think adding courage or religious to five TAGs will increase the homologization any worse than the current situation of having 8/9 factions with stompy bots that stand their ground against combis, chain rifles, and pistols. Also yes, CB does exactly that, they listen. Squallo MK 1 was added back to the app after it was removed with the original reinforcements update, and the Roadbot was added to vanilla O12. CB listens, they have the courage to do so.
On paper I would agree some of these tags you list are strong, but I do not tend to see them on the field where I am outside of very nitched cases. So I ask you if they are strong why are they not around. Szally is not around because like other Nomad tags I did pistols to it. Tikbalang outside of MO has not impressed people where I am and in MO there is the Knight of the Holy Sepulcher. I am waiting to get my 2 squalo mk 2 the store did not order them and then I will put them to the test. There may be some trying to run the Chernabog soon. I see the Maggie because of some zoning missions. I think the Maggie is fine other then it is big. The Maggie, Richo and Gator all have some zoning potential with mine.
Generally, the higher your armor the less a negative. That is sort of why I was like just give it to all of them and be done, because it does most of what the post wants and I think it would be fine if they did not run from pistols.
I know it is like I am bringing up pistols a lot, it is not because they are good but more of how absurdly stupid it is as well as the fact I have done it. Pluss, I find it hilarious. Though multi pistols.... Just saying. For the next game I see a Nomad TAG I am going to try that.
There's another factor - the more important the piece the more a negative. Expendable AROs with religious are fine, expensive models that you want to take cover once your opponent busts out the AP HMG are not.
I can get that but to me that is meaningless. Every model is expendable from Netrods to Achillies. If it gets me closer to victory then it can die doing so. If it cost my opponent more efforts then it is worth, then it can die doing so. I also run mostly 1 combat group lists using quality and redundancy to maintain capabilities.
Courage/Religious are binary skills. They either let you ignore guts checks against incoming fire or not. There's no "Courage[Dam 13]" skill to ignore damage 13 or less. So if you give someone Courage you are saying they are brave enough to stand their ground against everything from said pistol up to an HRMG or APHMG. But that's not Nomads, as a faction. That's PanO or Shasvasti or Aleph. The average Nomad is practical and self-focused (baring the religious ones and the highly trained ones). If they're getting shot at, they're going to instinctually duck back into cover (like any SANE person would). But luckily there's a mechanic in the game (with a decent chance of succeeding) for them to fight that instinct.
How is that not Nomads? They have only one HI for instance that does not have courage or religious, poor poor Riot Grrls have to make gut checks. So, are you saying that is a mistake? They also have two non-character skirmishers with courage, is that a mistake? One of which is not even a regular order generator. How about their Mi with courage, of which there are 4? There are even more with religious, some that are not even part of the observance. For the record individually Nomad MI with courage or religious are more than Pan O in the same category. Or are you saying that TAG pilots are not Highly Trained? As for Shas being brave they are not. Outside of characters and Rems they only have 4 with courage: Speculo, Calibans, Jayths, and Taigas (I feel angry dogs should not count but I did so anyway). Shas are field with fear, in fact that is why they join CA it was the best shot to have their race not die in another extinction event like they almost did earlier in there history.
