This force supposedly is there to "replace/reboot" Shock Army. Realistically the only unit that is confirmed is the Tikbalang. Rest of it will be speculation Go.
During the GenCon Seminar it was highlighted that PanO will get a new Sectorial. Additional speculation during the same seminar indicates that it'll replace SAA. Based upon best attempt to interpret Spanglish this sectorial will be called Kestrel Colonial Force. Though this is likely to change
If it's a PanO sectorial that incorporates all the cool things from SAA but replaces the Aleph loans with new cool PanO troops, I'm all for it. I just hope Dragoes, Bagh-Mari, and Regulars will still be there when the dust settles.
No longer being a PanO player I have no irons in this fire, but I always liked the was Acon was constructed, including Nagas. Phalanx additions less so, though they did add interesting flavour and power to the sectorial. As always, we'll wait and see.
And get dissapointed. This is PanO in the end. Only cool thing about this sectorial will be part of its name, as it brings good memories^^
You do know that a lot of specialists in PanO are already WIP13, right? Blockers, Nøkken, Order Sergeants, Zulu-Cobra, Akalis, Knights of Santiago and Montesa, Croc Men, Locusts, and Trinitarian Tertiaries are all WIP13. Which is actually on par with most Nomad specialists. Your average Zero, Moran, Heckler, Tomcat, and Hellcat don't roll any better. And that's from "the hacking faction". It's the same for YJ, Ariadna, and even CA (Dartok, Bit & Kiss). O12 Skirmishers are all WIP13. JSA specialists are all WIP13. That whole WIP12 thing is really more of a meme for doctors, engineers, and TAGS than an actual issue.
I have some hope for this since a big criticism of the original Pano Sectorials was a lack of new units it brought to Pano. I am hoping we get a camo infiltrator to replace the Naga since that was one of the key unique features that made SAA so strong. If this new sectorial doesnt have a replacement for Nagas then its not a replacement for shock army at all.
I’m hoping for Sectorial specific troops like the Tertiaries. Nothing into the (revamped and renewed) generic PanO, just on KCF.
Additionally, I hope it’s a single TAG (almost certainly Tik) + S5 Super HI over a two TAG army. However, if they go twin TAG? It better be Tik + Uhlan.
Maybe just both? Dual Tag + solo Elite HI/Mini TAG + GDA and no HI Core Link option with Orcs being just Haris or Fusilier/Bagh members? Still hate the idea of PanO S5 HI. S5 Mini TAG or S2 elite HI with stats/guns/equipment other Factions need S5 for.
I'm a big fan of S5 HI, but I agree that for hitech factions like PanO they should have stats and skills to justify that size.
I like the O-12 Gamma for that reason, it really feels like playing a lesser TAG with its high BS specialization, high ARM and virtual 3 wounds.
Strange they'd want to "replace/reboot" SAA. It's the most normal and inoffensive Sectorial PanO's got, has years of lore and history, and would be arguably the ideal candidate for a relaunch given the ALEPH loaners could easily be swapped for new products from a revenue standpoint. I'll be watching this closely, as a nearly-entirely-NCA player these days I stand to lose a lot if it becomes standard practice to dump OOP Sectorials wholesale to make space for shiny product launches. From a non-meta perspective, SAA has always been the most "normal" PanO Sectorial, trading a little of PanO's fire superiority for lower-tech tricks normally not found in the faction. If Kestrel is leaning into this, a Completely Normal Camo Skirmisher would be a likely candidate. We might even see Smoke, actually, especially on a Sectorial-exclusive troop- PanO's now pretty much the only space in the game without any access and it's starting to feel artificial. The other thing I might expect would be another elite Light Infantry shooter/sweeper to mix into Fireteams- PanO just doesn't use HI for the role outside MO.
The less units like Maximus, the better. Seriously, can we keep Aristeia celebrities out of our warzones. I know some people like them, I am fed up by them. I don't really mind the classification going either way, PanO S5 might be TAGs (showcasing their TAG mastery), or HI (getting some cool stuff that couldn't fit into S2 chassis and showcasing YJ HI mastery). Just let them be good. Boyg was a major letdown.
Maximus was just an example of how a S5 PanO TAG could be, 3 STR, immunity to possession and a fighting pilot.
