Can I form a fireteam with a mercenary unit I include as part of the Soldiers of Fortune special rule? For example, let's say I'm playing Qapu Khalki. My list includes 5 Kaplan that are normally available to me. However, I use Soldiers of Fortune to buy two more Kaplan, for 7 total. My Kaplan sniper gets killed while ARO-ing. During my active turn can I re-form the link to a 5 man fireteam using one of the Soldiers of Fortune Kaplan? I assume "no" because the Soldiers of Fortune Kaplan are a separate profile that lack the "fireteam: core" skill but I thought it was worth asking. Also, in writing this e-mail I noticed that QK Kaplan and Druze are now "Veteran" troops instead of "Mercenary" troops. Does that mean we can now include Hafza in their fireteams?
1) Fireteam: Core isn't a skill, Army Builder just puts it there as a reminder. QK lists Kaplans as linkable http://infinitythewiki.com/en/List_of_Fireteams#Qapu_Khalqi But all fireteam members must be of the same troop types (unless there's a Special Fireteam available) and as the Mercs are technically a separate entry/profile I think the RAW would be no. 2) Druze and Kaplan haven't been Mercenary troop type in Vanilla/QK since HSN3 (if not before), but you still can't link them with Hafza.
The Hafza specify they can be included only in "haqquislam native" fireteams, so no Kaplan nor Druze. However... In Hunting Party you can make a Core of Kaplan engineers to have double ADHL weapons (their own and the veteran cathegory) plus +1 burst...
Yes, only the 5 usually belonging to QK receive an extra ADHL. It is quite the powerful tool, however, since we are talking about PB9 troops with Mimetism who can take 27 points engineers AND a Doctor inside the Core Fireteam... So if the enemy goes to glue your engineers, he better glue all four of them, because a single one not on IMM2 can recover the others without losing the Fireteam, and unconscious troops can be recovered by the doctor. Also, the team can do secondaries! And for killy things, Odalisque Haris Mwahahahahaha
