So ORCs then. Some people seem to love them, some people will argue they have a place. Other people just flat out ignore them, and consider the lone ORC model (new style sculpts only) the official Swiss Hacker proxy. Personally I used my Icestorm ORC in a few of my first games and then just put him on the shelf and forgot about him. He's by far my oldest model that isn't painted (because I never knew if he'd be cut up for conversions etc). For the purpose of this thread, let's go with the assumption that ORCs need a little something to make them a more appealing choice to players of vanilla, NCA & Acontecimento. If you don't agree with this then fine, feel free to register your disinterest or disapproval by refraining from posting here and adding to the no-doubt-extant 'ORCs are fine' thread that's so popular I couldn't see it for all the groupies. So what is to be done? We don't want to step on the toes of the main line of PanO HI, the Knights. We also don't want to make the ORCs into mini-Swiss or Aquila. I like the idea that ORCs are pretty much HI recruits - guys or girls picked for outright stats rather than skills or experience. So what can they possibly have to give them a difference, or an edge? Weapons. Let's imagine ORCs as the weapon test-bed HI unit. Let's go nuts with options and combos unheard of to the majority of HI units. Why not, they aren't getting any synergy with powerful skills or equipment... So let's have at it. Picture yourself as a veritable Bob Morton at ORC Corp. out to impress the Old Man. What are you sending out into the field? Personally I'd love to see more Breaker in PanO on non-pistol weapons. Breaker MMR? Breaker spitfire? Maybe a close-assault ORC could exist - D.E.P, assault pistol, drop bears?
For whatever to be a good shooter, it needs BS mods. That's either a visor, which is only sometimes useful, or a CH or ODD skill, which is nearly always useful. That gives you the recipe for a boring unit. So we have the TO ORC called Swiss guard, the Visor ORC, the Aquilla, so maybe we'll get an ODD ORC. Oh, and ORC specialist options are laughable. Pano needs more discount weapons, like SMG, LS, etc. off: Anyone noticed that our TAGs are WIP12? Like a broken brick can hack them.
I think I'm one of the few players who actually likes basic HIs, but ORCs are even more bland than the rest. I'd like to see more heavy firepower for them. Feuerbach for a heavy weapon option. Heavy Shotgun instead of the Boarding one. SMG+Pulzar as a CQB variant. MMR+Spotter as squad marksman. Ability to add a Pathfinder and Machinist into links.
Last time my TAG got hacked I'm pretty sure it was a brick through the window with a note that said "you've been hacked!" My WIP is so low that the TAG had to stand still for 2 turns before it realized it was just a brick. As for ORCs, weapon choices would be cool. If they are going to be vanilla with no skills then give them cool weapons! *cough* feuerbach!
Theme them for the different sectorials, varying their equipment/weapon loadouts (and some skills). Keep vanilla profiles basic. NCA: (All the gear, no idea) BSG profile gets Eclipse Grenades MR profile gets an Auxbot_1 CR profile gets Drop Bears Hacker gets D-charges +Feuerbach (Fireteam: Haris) profile Allow a special Fireteam Haris, ORC + 2 Neoterra Bolts SAA: (Welcome to the Jungle) CR profile gets CR + HFT MR profile gets MR + LFT Hacker gets a KHD instead +Multi-Marksman Rifle, MSV 1 profile Allow a special Fireteam Haris, 2 ORCs + Pathfinder Dronbot Varuna: (Nanotech everywhere) CR profile gets a Breaker combi instead MR profile gets MR + Nanopulser instead HMG profile gets a Nanoscreen BSG profile gets Tinbot D and antipersonnel mines
Well, except knights, our HIs uses PH as a defensive stat and that's it. But, well, grenades of any type could be cool. I would leave Feuerbach for FK and take a MSR instead. MULTI MMR with X-Visor could be interesting too.
Issues with Orcs: - Expensive stats that don't have proper use. PH14 without Grenades/CC and BS14 without an extra MOD to leverage. - No Rebate Skill or filler Profile to shave off points in a Fireteam - WIP12 AHD with Combirifle as only Specialist option. Not sure I could have come up with a worse Specialist if I tried. - Uninspired everything. Besides the Tinbot, Orcs don't get anything except their mainguns. No DTW, Panzerfaust, Drop Bears, Mines, Skills etc. Now, asking to fix all of that is not the goal. Some of that stuff is what gives them their identity (Frenzy is not supposed to be their thing), other should not be set in stone. A better Specialist would be a great start. Keep the AHD, change the loadout. BSG + Tinbot. SMG/LSG + Panzerfaust/LRL. Giving them an upgraded gunner for the mid/short range would be great. MSV1 Multirifle + Grenades. That all makes them even more expensive. While they'd probably make for a decent Haris, 130 is still a lot to ask for. I can't see an Orc Core working even with plain SMG fillers. The other way to make them viable is by giving them a mixed Link. Maybe with Kamau m, Fugazi or some of the unknown Varuna troops.
They're a lot less attractive than Brigadas, which is really saying something. Link Filler with Pathfinder, Fugazi or Kamau would be great. Fusiliers would be the dream.
Kamau would be interesting as well. Less obviously filler, but gives you a handful of versatile options.
Yeah agreed. It would be nice to have the choice of Mimetism, vs 2 Wounds + Higher ARM/BTS. Either of those would be really nice to choose from, to make sure you can initiate the most advantageous face-to-face roll.
That haris id actually love for the aquila. Might have people bring bolts occasionally. Id give it a shot
My dream Orc has spitfire, grenades, and drop bears in NCA. Maybe em grenades. Sapper variant in acon, possible also an hrl+lsg. Varuna gets emgrenades, smg, drop bears All profiles have duo.
Guys, just no Seriously these wishlisting threads dont help us, CB has made it quite clear they think all our ideas are too good for us and give them to other factions
Apparently PanO made weapons are also too good for PanO that's why all other factions have more of them than us. At least we have plenty of Combis and Spitfires.... (and assault pistols hooked up to Combis, because it's PanO thing)
Remember guys, #panocanthavenicethings! No bloat weapons and discounted weapons are for everyone but us. Hight tech + smoke screen, both regular and eclipse + MSV2 + high tech warband is for Aleph, not for Magisters or Teutonic Knights. Barebones HI with lots of heavy weapons and also dirt cheap loadouts are for Wu Ming, not for ORCs. Oh and it's funny that Pano has the best TAGs and CA has the Avatar and the Sphinx... And nearly forgot, Feuerbach on LI, which is better than MSR in nearly everything, but costs only 1 SWC, to be useful for an LI, is only for Securitate. Just take a ride with the #panowhinetrain!
I still argue we have the best tags. The avatar and marut are an absolute pain in the ass to build lists for and have to be the lt to really be effective. Our tags are beatsticks without the baggage
