With ava 2 Mulebots, ava 2 kameel, ava 4 Kum riders, Rui Shi, and Lu Duan bringing up to 10 55mm bases (I see myself with 3-5 in most cases) and upwards of 7 or 8 40mm bases, how do you keep your deployment zone from getting obliterated by templates? I know this isn’t the only list build, but with all of those 5 and 8 point bots, it’s definitely one approach to list building.
I think you don't. That DZ is a Liu Xing's wet dream. I guess it's just one of the weak points to take into account when choosing the army.
when i started infinity, i had bakunin, i was prone to taking 4x 8pts REM (ava 2 flashbot and ava 2 baggage bot). It sure is one approach to list building. But then you start losing model and all you have left is a bunch of chearleader orders with next to nothing to spend it on. Or something goes in your DZ and clears your large base chearleaders. I don't think i'd spam 55mm and 40mm anymore, except for motorcycle, as they quickly drive away.
3 40mm Flash Puls Bots are always possible and the bring a repeater and sniffer network too. Everything above this depends on your playstyle and the table. 56 Points for 8 orders inclusive one specialist in Dashat isn't such a big investment that you will have problems with enough other units/attack pieces. And if you put on your Bots right, so that each one costs your opponent half an order than it could it be worth too.
It's a nice balance they did there. You'll have to trade off cheap orders for fat ass to be slapped! Don't even think of doing a Lu Duan with the holos! The Liberto minelayer and Al Faseed might be able to keep some of those pesky combat jump guys away from your.bots.
There is a thing called Third Dimension that I tend to use But seriously, there should be some rooftopson the table, with containers or similar where up to S5 can hide in total cover. Libertos (maybe even Minlayer) cover edges against AD. Ghulam and Smg Bountyhunters make goods DZ guards too.
I was thinking a Lu Duan and Sforca disguised as a Traktor Mule and a Controller might be a fun play. Pretty cool AD defense too, if someone attacks them thinking they will be a easy target they get a mean surprise.