The point is PanO not only has some of the best (and the best) BS fireteams and competent shooters, but has more than one example of them in their army lists. The tradeoffs of PanO's firepower are a big debate, there is a thread in PanOceania subforum, with lots of engagement from veteran PanO players, if one feels like contributing they can add their thoughts there.
You know this is the banality of playing a faction, when I bring in WB or IA I am overjoyed on how not blunt and great are Yu Jing HI and their fireteams.
I think that Morats was a great example of working within the point formula while using a unique Sectorial rule to give them power. They wanted to show the specialized professionalism of the Morats, so they made it easy for them to get pure teams with filler units. A vanguard on its own is not great, but it now can allow powerful mixtures of units. I hope they do some additional changes like that with other struggling forces.
I agree about Nyoka. I like the climb+ but they are hardly a step above a Kappa. It would be nice if they at least came out with the one troop I use, the HRL.
You do not understand how much I would wish I had an Orc or Brigada paramedic as an option, let alone an FO.
? why? Price? FO is possibly the most useless specialist other than Specialist Operative. How many times does anyone use the actual FO skill except for classified cards? Also, isn't that a part of the "identity"? Sure I can take a Zuyong FO, when I really want at Ghulam doctor that puts them on their feet again.
Because the only specialist who can make pure link with them are hackers. Hackers are expensive in pts and SWC, and vulnerable to KHD. Paramadic and FO are cheap specialists, and medikit and flash pulse might add something to the link.
Yup, more than fantastic. That thing will rarely die from a killer hacker, except a few rare ones. It lowers Trinity sucess value to 10 or 11 most of the time, fight back with WIP 13 Oblivion and saves the hits passing through on 6+. It's also excellent offensively obviously. 39 points is painful though.
Sure. Other than that, it's still a 39-points mini with just a combi rifle. The fact YJ HI hackers are poorly priced doesn't change this :)
I've still learned not to underestimate a Hacking Device. You may be screwed if the opponent attacks you with Jazz or an Anathematic or the like, but if they don't have such an advantage (or don't want to waste the Orders) you can throw a real spanner in the works for the attacker. N4 Hacking is frustratingly close to excellent, with only overly-easy and safe DZ dives, Oblivion being perhaps a touch more powerful than its competition, and excessively-impactful UPGRADEs on a small number of units really to blame for its current state. I've softened a bit on Hackable as a disadvantage over time, through simply being in games Jazz isn't- if an opponent can't trivially and safely snipe everything Hackable with Pitchers, Morans and overwhelming Hacking power, there's usually gaps to sneak things through and pressure the opponent.
More or less what @Sungwon has said, specialists that can be added to the fireteam keeping it pure for a low cost over having a member of the fireteam and the specialist outside of the fireteam. Yes, it is faction Identity and this is what I am highlighting, while banal for Yu Jing players, for players playing other factions, Yu Jing HI fireteam options are great.
Who usually end up being mixed as well. Especially if you take a Dokkaebi, Hi Dao, Rui Shi, etc. I've seen a few take the expensive Shang Ji FO for the Tac Aware, and almost no one ever taking a Zuyong FO. The thing with at least Corregidor is that they make up the lack of specialists in a HI core by having good cheap specialists that are not. BTW, Every single Evader is a Special Operative and can be a core team.
If you get five of them then yes you can field a really dedicated heavy engineers pure core fireteam.
I did that once. My opponent was not happy. And, it was cheap too. If played well, it can move into the mid-field aggressively. Those Ap Spitfires are a blessing with full pure link bonuses. Drop a couple of AP mines to protect the flanks. I should try it again some day.