supporting a Aquila guard

for a plain Pan O list or Neoterra? YAMS, 20x20, or ITS? Points?

 

I never make a list for NCA without a Hexa KHD. Especially if I have a hackable attack piece like a Squalo, Swiss or Aquila. If you go second, place them in hidden deployment right next to your attack piece so if your opponent tries to lob a pitcher over to you, you can punish them for it.

Even if your opponent doesn't bring any hacking presence, it's a reliable TO specialist.

 

Depends what you want to accomplish with him.
The HMG can open a hole pretty reliably against most things, that you then want to shove something brutal down, then hang back and provide cover against counters by camo/warbands.
Somehting like this:

Neoterran Capitaline Army
──────────────────────────────────────────────────

6
AQUILA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 62)
BOLT Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 24)
BOLT Combi Rifle + Light Shotgun, Drop Bears / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25)
BOLT Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
BOLT Hacker (Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
BOLT Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)

4 SWC | 176 Points

Open in Infinity Army

gives you a solid one-two punch to open up a flank and place some tough troops in CQB supported by mines (ok, drop bears) and leaves plenty of room for support specialists, REMs, AD, and/or infiltration.

 

Does it have to be a NCA list?
The problem with the Aquila is that I'd pretty much never take one over a Swiss. But I'd happily take a Swiss and an Aquila.
Heres the thing about that though: Vanilla supports them better (especially with Minelayers to secure your Aquila against Impersonation, Oniwabans, etc).

 

So, one thing you might want to experiment with for some midfield focused combat games (Biotechvore and Hunting Party come to mind, along with the quadrant control missions) is an Auxilia Lt with Bolts:

Neoterran Capitaline Army
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
10
AQUILA Lieutenant MULTI Rifle / Pistol, Shock CCW. (0 | 58)
BOLT Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 24)
BOLT MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 26)
BOLT Hacker (Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27)
BOLT Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
BOLT Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19)
ORC HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 44)
ORC (Fireteam: Haris) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 36)
ORC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 36)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
6 SWC | 297 Points
Open in Infinity Army

But that's a pretty unusual, niche list.

A more typical Aquila focused list might be trying to maximise MSV, and I've run something along these lines in the past:

Neoterran Capitaline Army
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 10
AQUILA Lieutenant MULTI Rifle / Pistol, Shock CCW. (0 | 58)
AQUILA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 62)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
FUSILIER Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 18)
FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15)
BLACK FRIAR (Albedo, Biometric Visor L1) MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser, Drop Bears / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 28)
DEVA (Multispectral Visor L2) Spitfire, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 33)
MACHINIST Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
GROUP 2 3 1
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
WARCOR (Aerocam) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)
5 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

This is the kind of thing which I might run against dedicated Ariadnan camo spam or a JSA player who REALLY likes Ninjas/Oniwaban.

Taking my typical NCA list and turning it into a multi-Aquila list, on the other hand, ends up looking a lot like this:

Neoterran Capitaline Army
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 10
AQUILA Lieutenant MULTI Rifle / Pistol, Shock CCW. (0 | 58)
AQUILA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 62)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 18)
FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15)
FUSILIER HMG / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 18)
MACHINIST Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
GROUP 2 5 1
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
WARCOR (Aerocam) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)
5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

Here you are trading the Hidden Deployment of a Swiss and Hexa (and possibly a Garuda AD) for the Aquila.

Of course, it's a highly questionable trade. The Deva Spitfire and Black Friar are probably all the MSV an NCA list needs, especially with the DTW options of the Auxilia and the CSUs alongside the Sensor support from the Pathfinder and Fugazi. This makes me feel like something along these lines:

Neoterran Capitaline Army
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 10
FUSILIER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 18)
FUSILIER (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15)
DEVA (Multispectral Visor L2) Spitfire, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 33)
TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
MACHINIST Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
GROUP 2 8
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
GARUDA Tacbot Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 28)
HEXA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 27)
HEXA MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 32)
6 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army


Just ends up being a stronger list, despite missing the super-strikers.

 

@andre61 here is an old one that actually saw the table a couple times

Guard!
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 10
AQUILA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 62)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
FUSILIER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15)
HEXA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 27)
MULEBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
GROUP 2 5 2
SWISS GUARD Missile Launcher, Light Shotgun / Pistol, AP CCW. (2 | 69)
WARCOR (Aerocam) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)
TECH-BEE (Remote Assistant Level 1, Specialist Operative) Flash Pulse / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 5)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
5.5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

The trick here is pretty much to bait your opponent into trying to kill the Fusilier ARO piece from a position where you can reveal the Swiss to join in on the fun. Honestly don't use that much anymore, tends to end some games on the first Order vs someone new taking his shiny new HI Link for a spin.


Here is something more recent

Guard?
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 10
GARUDA Tacbot Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 28)
HEXA Hacker (Killer Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0 | 27)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
CSU Boarding Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 11)
FUSILIER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
MULEBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
MULEBOT (Minesweeper, Repeater) Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
GROUP 2 7 2
AQUILA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 62)
HEXA MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 32)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
TECH-BEE (Remote Assistant Level 1, Specialist Operative) Flash Pulse / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 5)
WARCOR (Aerocam) Flash Pulse / Stun Pistol, Knife. (0 | 3)
5 SWC | 300 Points
Open in Infinity Army

Full disclosure I don't like running the Aquila upfield in turn 1. He is too expensive and too squishy to risk that early. Fortunately most people will expect you to run a Swiss, dropping an Aquila as reserve piece often gives you ample opportunity to pick off some Markers for free.
He'll be sweeping AROs at long range and with a Doc around you can risk eating a crit or even a lucky missile ARO without losing him.
The Garuda will then have a clear patch to wreak havoc, avoiding Repeaters, going for Lts, Cheerleaders, important Specialists etc.
I didn't bring a Fusilier Core Link as I simply didn't want one for this. This is a List I'd bring to fight Hassassins or CA with Speculos, so the Fusiliers will be a PITA to catch and most people will try to hunt something else than your Lt instead of going for a 1/3.
With the 2 Irregular dudes in group 2 and liberate use of Command Tokens you can also pump a whooping 19 Orders into your poor opponent if you want. Has also worked well to deal with Ariadna (Spetznatz don't give a damn about your Fusilier ML either).

 

I'm in the same boat. I had trouble figuring how to support an Aquila in NCA or Vanilla but these lists have certainly opened my eyes to new possibilities.

 

I think taking an "Aquila guard" list is probably the wrong way to think about it, hes not TAG tough and doesnt have enough support in PanO to be the center of the list the way a Charontid or Hsien can be.

Instead you should take the Aquila as support for other units in your list.
Meaning take him as a means of clearing out opposition AROs or killing/fighting key units than are mis-positioned so that the rest of your list can get the real work done.

Something like this, Where the focus of the list as a whole is more about fast, dangerous but fragile specialists being able to get in and grab objectives, but the Aquila is the gate opener for the list that clears out the units that would prevent those pieces from acting.


Neoterran Capitaline Army
──────────────────────────────────────────────────
GROUP 1 10
AQUILA HMG / Pistol, Shock CCW. (2 | 62)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
AUXILIA (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle + AUXBOT_1 / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15)
AUXBOT_1 Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (- | 4)
FUSILIER Missile Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 15)
FUSILIER (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
FUSILIER (Forward Observer, Deployable Repeater) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
FUSILIER Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
FUSILIER Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10)
PATHFINDER DRONBOT Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16)
SIERRA DRONBOT HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
GROUP 2 7
SIERRA DRONBOT HMG / Electric Pulse. (1 | 25)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12)
MULEBOT Hacker (EVO Hacking Device) Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 25)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
FUGAZI DRONBOT Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 8)
TRAUMA-DOC Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 14)
PALBOT Electric Pulse. (0 | 3)
6 SWC | 299 Points
Open in Infinity Army

 

Thanks for the tips. While it is a shame that the Aquila can't be a pseudo Charontid or Hisen we PanOceanias should take what we get and use it the best way we can. Now I have an idea on how to use my converted Aquila by earning back the points cost and more.

 

I think if you want a big unit and then to build around it, take our TAGs, the ORC Haris or a Swiss (though it sits on the borederline IMO it does make for a good centre piece all on its own)

 

Very well. I'll remember that.