My main thing as I said in the original post is that there's not enough good cheap specialists. By cheap I mean under 20pts. Here's all the specialists 20pts and less. In ISS there would be Dakini medic. There's even less specialists in the three sectorals of course. It's even worse when you consider many of them are AVA1! CELESTIAL GUARD (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14) CELESTIAL GUARD (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 18) CUBE JÄGER (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, E/Mitter / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 19) MECH-ENGINEER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15) MONSTRUCKER Boarding Shotgun, Adhesive Launcher, E/M Grenades / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) MONSTRUCKER Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Drop Bears / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) MONSTRUCKER (360º Visor) Rifle, Light Shotgun, Akrylat-Kanone, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) ZHANSHI (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 16) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13) Zhanshi YĪSHĒNG Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15) PANGGULING (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15) Now here's PanO. While maybe the same quality, they have more. REGULAR (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse ( | Deployable Repeater) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) REGULAR (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Grenade Launcher ( | FastPanda) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1 | 16) REGULAR (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse ( | Deployable Repeater) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15) AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4) CUBE JÄGER (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, E/Mitter / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 19) AGNES Submachine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14) FUSILIER (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 15) FUSILIER (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse ( | Deployable Repeater) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) FUSILIER (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) MACHINIST Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15) CURATOR Combi Rifle, D-Charges, AP Mines ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) MONSTRUCKER Boarding Shotgun, Adhesive Launcher, E/M Grenades / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) MONSTRUCKER Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Drop Bears / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) MONSTRUCKER (360º Visor) Rifle, Light Shotgun, Akrylat-Kanone, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) TECH-BEE (Specialist Operative, Deactivator) Flash Pulse ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5) TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14) MULEBOT (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15) PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15) And now Nomads who have good cheap specialists with Moran, Puppet Master, Marspider. Troops with camo, climb+, super jump, Forward deployments, etc. CLOCKMAKER Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit [+1B]) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 18) ALGUACIL (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 15) ALGUACIL (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse ( | Deployable Repeater) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) ALGUACIL (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) CUBE JÄGER (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, E/Mitter / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 19) DAKTARI Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14) MODERATOR (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0.5 | 14) MODERATOR (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 11) MONSTRUCKER Boarding Shotgun, Adhesive Launcher, E/M Grenades / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) MONSTRUCKER Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Drop Bears / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) MONSTRUCKER (360º Visor) Rifle, Light Shotgun, Akrylat-Kanone, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 17) PUPPET MASTERS (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17) PUPPETBOT (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 12) MARSPIDER (Paramedic) Heavy Flamethrower(+1B), Flash Pulse ( | MediKit) / Assault Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 19) SECURITATE (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 18) SECURITATE (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 15) CHEERKILLER (Specialist Operative) Submachine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 15) SALYUT (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15) STEMPLER ZOND Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 16) MORAN (Surprise Attack [-3], Camouflage [1 Use]) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse, D-Charges, Crazykoala / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 18) MORAN (Surprise Attack [-3], Camouflage [1 Use]) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, Crazykoala / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 18) MORAN (Repeater) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse, D-Charges, Crazykoala ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17) MORAN (Repeater) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, Crazykoala ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 17) ZERO (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20) The faction that actually has the most to choose from is Ariadna with 35 troops!
I will add, the only functionally different units PanO has in that list are Agnes, the Auxilia and the Tech Bee. Most of them are old Line Troops from before CB started reusing Fusiliers for everything. Shockingly, even Nomads isn't that well-off for the price range- the main standouts are that their light Skirmishers fit in the arbitrary price range given. On the earlier topic of struggling to score the Elite/Veteran/Character missions, I'd rather see those missions go the way of the dodo. If you're willing to walk a Zhanshi all the way to my DZ I don't see why you shouldn't get Net Undermine while a Spektr can basically start there for full credit.
True. But YJ still has the least out of all factions. I've counted lol. But it gets almost worse in the 21-25pt range with only 14 troops and only one of them with special deployment, no camo, no mimetisim, 2 with holomask. PanO has 17 with some of the things I mentioned YJ doesn't have. Some also have great weapons as well. It only goes up for other factions. I stopped counting after 25 for Nomads. For me it's now so much about the cheap guy. It's that the cheap guy allows for me to take better of other things.
Lets look what we have between 20 and 30: Spoiler: Yu Jing Specialst Troop 20-30 Vanilla only Specialst between 20 - 30 pts ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 10 XI ZHUANG Combi Rifle, Light Flamethrower(+1B), Flash Pulse, Madtraps / Pistol, CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 21) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT (Minelayer) Boarding Shotgun, E/Mitter, Madtraps / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 27) MIRANDA ASHCROFT MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 24) REM RACER (Hacker, RemDriver [+1 BS], Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 21) TIAN GǑU FTO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) TIAN GǑU (Surprise Attack [-3], Minelayer, Hacker], Killer Hacking Device, Holoprojector) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Madtraps ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 27) ZHÀNYING (Hacker, Hacking Device) Breaker Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0.5 | 25) ZHÀNYING (Forward Observer) Breaker Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, Flash Pulse / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 21) SULYONG (Forward Observer) Light Shotgun(+1B), Flash Pulse, Shock Mines, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) SULYONG (Paramedic) Submachine Gun ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) GROUP 210 YĚ MĀO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) MULTI Rifle, Chain-colt ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 29) YĚ MĀO (Forward Observer) MULTI Rifle, Chain-colt, Panzerfaust, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28) DOKKAEBI (Hacker, Hacking Device [UPGRADE: Carbonite (+2 Damage)]) Combi Rifle, Pitcher ( ) / MULTI Pistol(+1B), PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0.5 | 27) DOKKAEBI (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device [UPGRADE: Spotlight]) Combi Rifle, Pitcher ( ) / MULTI Pistol(+1B), PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 25) HǍIDÀO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun ( ) / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) HǍIDÀO (Engineer, Deactivator) Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25) JUJAK (Engineer, Deactivator) Boarding Shotgun, Panzerfaust, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 30) WÚ MÍNG (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 30) ZÚYǑNG (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / CC Weapon, Breaker Pistol(+1B). (0 | 28) ZÚYǑNG (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / Breaker Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (0 | 27) GROUP 36 GŬILÁNG (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Shock Mines ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 30) GŬILÁNG (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse, Shock Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 26) KǍNRÈN (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt ( ) / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 26) KǍNRÈN (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Chain-colt ( ) / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 28) KǍNRÈN (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 24) NINJA (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Tactical Bow ( ) / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 29) 2.5 SWC | 672 Points Open in Infinity Army
Well I said 21-25. After 25 it finally starts opening up to better troops. Then YJ starts having the same amount as other troops (or less). But my focus is on good under 25pt. that YJ doesn't have and I think needs. Being able to take good cheap troops allows for me to take better expensive troops. Especially better guns because I now don't need to take that expensive specialist. For me YJ is a good gun OR good specialist army. You can't have both (with a few exceptions like Krit can be both, for a price). I in no way want YJ to change to having a lot of cheap specialists like Nomads, Ariadna or Haqqislam. I love HI. But I think one or two new good cheap troops would help. Or change some troops. I'd like Kanren to be more like Morans. Sure Morans are .5 SWC but it is the better troop. Spoiler: Yu Jing Specialist Troop 21-25 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 9 1 CUBE JÄGER (Paramedic) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 21) XI ZHUANG Combi Rifle, Light Flamethrower(+1B), Flash Pulse, Madtraps / Pistol, CC Weapon, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 21) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT Boarding Shotgun, E/Mitter / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 25) REM RACER (Hacker, RemDriver [+1 BS], Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 21) TÁOWÙ E/Marat, Flash Pulse / Viral Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 21) TÁOWÙ Contender, Pulzar, Flash Pulse / Viral Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 24) TIAN GǑU FTO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) ZHÀNYING (Forward Observer) Breaker Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, Flash Pulse / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 21) ZHÀNYING (Hacker, Hacking Device) Breaker Combi Rifle, Chain-colt, D-Charges ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0.5 | 25) SULYONG (Forward Observer) Light Shotgun(+1B), Flash Pulse, Shock Mines, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) GROUP 2 5 SULYONG (Paramedic) Submachine Gun ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) DOKKAEBI (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device [UPGRADE: Spotlight]) Combi Rifle, Pitcher ( ) / MULTI Pistol(+1B), PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 25) HǍIDÀO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun ( ) / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) HǍIDÀO (Engineer, Deactivator) Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25) KǍNRÈN (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 24) 1.5 SWC | 347 Points Open in Infinity Army Since I started playing O-12/Starmada i saw just how lacking YJ is. Spoiler: Starmada Specialist Troop 10-25 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 10 1 CYBERGHOSTS (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Pitcher ( ) / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 18) CYBERGHOSTS (Hacker, Hacking Device Plus) Combi Rifle, Pitcher ( ) / Breaker Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 21) CHO (Chain of Command) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20) KAPPA (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 12) LAWKEEPER (Specialist Operative) Combi Rifle, Chain Rifle / MULTI Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 24) SIDEBOT Heavy Riotstopper / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 4) MENT Light Shotgun / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15) MENT Heavy Riotstopper(+2B) / Assault Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15) MENT (Hacker, Hacking Device) Light Shotgun ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 20) PSI-COp (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser(+1B) ( ) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22) PSI-COp (Hacker, Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser(+1B) ( ) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 24) GROUP 2 10 PSI-COp (Discover [+3], Biometric Visor) Nanopulser(+1B), MULTI Marksman Rifle ( ) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) PSI-COp (Multispectral Visor L1) Nanopulser(+1B), MULTI Marksman Rifle ( ) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25) PSI-COp Combi Rifle, Nanopulser(+1B) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 19) RAVENEYE Submachine Gun, E/Marat, Flash Pulse, E/M Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) RAVENEYE Submachine Gun, E/Marat, Flash Pulse, Cybermines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) RAVENEYE (Lieutenant) Submachine Gun, E/Marat, Flash Pulse, E/M Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) LAMBDA (Engineer, Deactivator) Combi Rifle, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16) LAMBDA (Doctor) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16) TIAN GǑU FTO (Hacker, Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle, Nanopulser ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) VIDOCQ FTO (Doctor) Boarding Shotgun ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) GROUP 3 9 JACKBOOT (Engineer) Submachine Gun(+1 Dam), Light Riotstopper, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) JACKBOOT (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle(+1 Dam), Light Riotstopper, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) JACKBOOT (Paramedic) Submachine Gun(+1 Dam), Light Riotstopper ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) FUZZBOT (Hacker, EVO Hacking Device) ( ) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 15) OKO Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 16) ROADBOT (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, Panzerfaust, Heavy Riotstopper ( | MediKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 23) ROADBOT (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, Panzerfaust, Drop Bears ( | MediKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 24) ŜARKO (Forward Observer) Submachine Gun, Flash Pulse, D-Charges, WildParrot / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 20) ŜARKO (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, Shock Mines, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 23) 2.5 SWC | 564 Points Open in Infinity Army
I just wan´t to point out, where the good thing start in Yu Jing ;-) mayb I was also a little bored ... 21-25 in Pan O don´t look better - 13 entrys Spoiler: 21-25 Pan O ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 9 / 2 BLADE FTO (Engineer, Tactical Awareness) Submachine Gun, D-Charges ( | GizmoKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 24) BLOCKER (Hacker, Hacking Device) Adhesive Launcher, Nanopulser, Flash Pulse ( ) / MULTI Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0.5 | 21) CUBE JÄGER (Paramedic) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0.5 | 21) AGNES (RemDriver [+1 BS, +5 CC]) Submachine Gun, Nanopulser / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 21) BIPANDRA Combi Rifle, Nanopulser ( | MediKit) / Pistol. (0 | 22) QUINN Shock Marksman Rifle, Flash Pulse / Breaker Pistol(+1B), CC Weapon. (0 | 24) BROTHER KONSTANTINOS FTO Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, Shock CC Weapon. (0 | 24) KAMAU (Paramedic) Combi Rifle ( | MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22) KAMAU (Triangulated Fire, Forward Observer) Combi Rifle, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 22) NØKK (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Panzerfaust, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25) GROUP 23 REM RACER (Hacker, RemDriver [+1 BS], Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 21) INFIRMARER Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 25) INFIRMARER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 25) 1.5 SWC | 297 Points Open in Infinity Army O-12 on the other side is full of cheap options - mainly because they are a younger (in gameterms) faction and has many optimized profiles. Yu Jing and Pan O has plenty of troops that remain more or less unchanged since N2. I still wonder about the Barid from Haq: A pitcher wielding WIP 14 KHD with upgrade and BS 12
Yeah the Barid is one of those "too good" cheap units. Along with Chimera and Dartok. They should all go up a bit in points.
So faction identity trumps fair play? Is it okay for them to easily and cheaply brick your HI or kill your hackers because of identity? Or Chimera killing everything it can get to because you can't see it and it shrugs off everything you throw at it? Then why the hell do I even play them?
I do not think we will agree. Every Major faction, including, Yu Jing has very good profiles. Yu Jing has both cheap excellent cheap units and high end units. Sujian is a terrifying unit. Daoying are the most optimized LTs in the game. Major Lunah is one of the best snipers in the game. Tiger Soldiers are still wonderful. And your range and breath of HI is amazing. But every Major Faction has standouts and (IMO) part of the game is maximizing your factions strengths. With Yujing, it is HI. As it is stands in N4, being HI gives a profile a point discount. This is universal. If you compare any HI to a MI, this is clear as day. Since N3, HI has progressively been getting cheaper. CB seems to understand that hacking is a significant weakness. I personally feel that this is a good trade as the added resilience of HI is really helpful. It feels like you believe the hacking weakness of HI is crippling. I feel HI would be woefully imbalanced if they did not have that weakness.
You field enough HI with enough tech defenses that you weather the assault and crush them with what remains. That is faction identity; you may not have a fair matchup with elements of the enemy force, but can match that imbalance with strength of your own. In this case, YJ's old identity: affordable, redundant HI backed by walls of hyper-efficient Kuang Shi to fuel them. We just need, and I cannot stress this enough, each faction's advantages and weaknesses to be balanced and internally consistent. CA having elite, expensive units with full-spectrum skill access but poor, low-numbered support units and a vulnerability to Order depletion is fine. CA having all that but also top-tier TacAware, LT upgrades, Imetrons and Ikadrons is enough exceptions to their weakness to make them the best faction in the game.
Yeah, HI without that weakness exist and they're called Characters Released After 2020. Highly-mobile, unhackable Characters with redundant Wounds or fake Wounds alongside Specialist skills and mid-to-high-impact weapons have been infesting the meta for years and are head and shoulders above everything else in the game. I'd either like to see the Characters reigned in or everything else just fully let off the chain, It's hard to say there's any issue making Zuyongs immune to Hacking with the Unknown Ranger in the same game.
Whoa now, I'll agree with you that the game has too many Characters that are far too ubiquitous in lists, but pump your breaks a bit there. The Unknown Ranger is a solid 10 points more expensive than a Tac Aware HMG Zuyong, and he's in the one faction known for having non-hackable HI. He's a monster, but you pay a hefty price for him. Some better examples IMO would be Phoenix or Kusanagi; characters that clearly cheat the points formula in multiple ways while being better in their niche than anything else in their faction.
They also used to be worse HI. I'm waiting to see how much my Moblots are going to change between when I bought them right before The Lockdowns and when CB rereleases MRRF, the side-by-side is likely to be hilarious. I will agree I mostly picked the Unkown Ranger due to being in a similar niche and for familiarity than exact suitability for the comparison- I've seen very little SP in my games, and didn't give Kusanagi a second look while I was still playing my Bakunin before the rework.
Since when Haq identifies as the cheap hacking faction? The Barid is dirt cheap. A Fusilier is 15 pts while the Barid brings pitchers for 17 and 2 pts of WIP on the top. O-12 Kappa is maybe the best hacker for 12 pts. Puppetmaster (and here comes the hacking nation) 17 for WIP 14 hacker without pichter but CI. But okay religious high WIP specialist is what Haq stands for ... still they feel very optimized.
In SP I think the worst offenders are Eudoros and Hyppolyta. Especially Eudoros because he even has structure instead of wounds. But both are ARM3, 2 Wounds/Structure and un-hackable. Right now, I do find being HI to a disadvantage sometimes. Considering every time I’ve played with a lot of HI, they end up being hacked. Tinbot or not. It’s possibly because of the many Nomad players we have. If I went up against Ariadna a lot I might not feel this way. It’s just not as fun as it used to be. I’m also seeing how there’s less and less YJ in general, especially IA, being played in tournaments. We did have a guy play ISS a few weeks ago but he was doing it for fun and didn’t even play the whole tournament. It was only 7 players, including JSA (Winner), O-12, Torchlight, Haqqislam, Bakunin and Kosmoflot. Again, I’m not saying I want a total change. I just think having a good cheap specialists would do some good for YJ.
Barids save 3 points because they have a regular Rifle instead of a Combi Rifle. It's stupid, but that's why they're so cheap. If they had Combis they'd be 20.
Haqqislam's, to me, faction identity has always about trading up with highly efficient cheap pieces. Also, we always have had high WIP specialists. Barids are both and have been a part of that since forever (at Least N2/N3). They were always hacking specialist in the lore and were one of the original units with pitchers.
I think it would have been fine as a REM rather than HI. It could have been a lot cheaper. They probably made it HI so it couldn't be buffed by an EVO or Rem Racer. And I guess it's "in theme". It is a great hacker as far as YJ hackers go.
