I have significant trouble planning a powerful going second strategy in my lists. I do decent but in games like decapitation I feel like I have nothing to slow my opponent down. What do you use? 2xML defensive link has treated me best so far.
TR bots are my friends, along with just deploying very passively in overlapping lanes of fire - I set up to deny my opponent easy kills, and then let my offensive push on my turn go into whatever he has set up. Honestly if he takes the midfield... he's come closer to my swords.
Ryuken-9 SMGs. Hide them, use their mines to contest a key area. They can reach far enough with the template to contest a center objective, and will definitely keep an enemy out of your half of the table. They get even better in subsequent turns, when they can place additional mines and lock down 24 inches zones with Suppressive Fire. The fairly low SWC cost is nice too, since we pay a premium for TR bots and other good options like missiles or rockets are very costly in SWC. In general, agreed with Fyeya, I prefer going second with my JSA. Drawing the enemy into the midfield makes them much easier prey for Infiltrating CC specialists or fast threats like a Rui Shi, compared to trying to crack their defensive deployment when you're going first.
Which is funny, because I run very few ninja as a rule, but the Daiyokai assault team does it's best work within 24 inches, so the same principle applies.
FWIW the shock marksmanship rifle + 2 missile launcher firing squad ate an intruder hmg, kriza borac, and more during my last game. Some lucky dice helped but I was confident that I would get favorable trades or split his dice enough I could win. Something about building my lists this way, i find that our 0 swc options seem definitively strong at what they do. More than other links I've used any domaru or tanko has been able to step up and earn their points back. Rarely have I ended a game feeling like I had worthless cheerleaders.
