I agree with the comments above, and often take my bolts in NCA (helped by the ITS FD1 rule and the great minis) but would like to see them get some love in a future revision. If NCA were to get the mixed link treatment (more than just the Machinist) it should be on Bolts, not Fusiliers. I think allowing a Rudra Gunbot to join the link would be a cool idea. It would look great on the table, the mine-launcher ‘feels’ right alongside troops specializing with drop bears, there is synergy with the Machinist, there is no increase in SKU, and no impact on Vanilla balance.
Doubtful, Fusiliers fill a different role and are pretty essential to TAG or HI heavy lists. I guess they could give us linkable auxbotless Auxilia with special weapons but that seems a lot of effort to do the same thing but worse. More likely is giving Bolts a more central role like Bagh-Mari, Kamau, Druze, etc. let them join Fusilier and ORC Fireteams, Haris with Aquila Guard, Duo with Squalo, etc.
That would be very cool, if they did that this year but then again I would not hold my breath on that happing.
I don't think copy pasting the same exact link scheme over all sectorials sounds "exciting" to me. It would make bolts be worth a damn, but it would be "meh". Bolts should be totally reworked and made viable as a full 5-man core. Start by changing the terrible combination of skills, or just cutting the cost down by 5 points.
I think the consensus is that there's three Bolt profiles worth taking: BSG, Hacker, Spitfire. It maximizes their mid-field presence, which is what they're seem to be built for. Missile launcher is okay-ish (mostly due to also having a light shotgun), but a sniper Bolt is a mistake. Machinist is certainly an interesting option.
Bolts are cool models, they look ready for combat (I hate bare heads on combat minis, even if it is better for a game where every model is different). They also have the greatest sheer number of sculpts: Paramedic, ML, spitfire, MSR, hacker, three combi+LSGs, and the Cosplay (Drop bears). 9 models! But you can almost skip buying the three combi+LSGs because you're unlikely to use them in a game. I'm looking at a Bolt fireteam like this: Neoterran Capitaline Army ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 6 MACHINIST (NCA) (Bioimmunity, Veteran L1) Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16) BOLT Spitfire / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 24) BOLT Hacker (Hacking Device) Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 27) BOLT Paramedic (MediKit) Combi Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 24) BOLT Combi Rifle + Light Shotgun, Drop Bears / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 25) BOLT Boarding Shotgun, E/M Grenades / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 19) 2 SWC | 135 Points Open in Infinity Army IIRC, the Cosplay Bolt has both a bare head and a helmet option, so I'd use that spare helmet on the Bagh Mari BSG to make the non-hacker Bolt BSG. (I'd split-box the Bagh BSG)
I did an arm-swap on the Bolt Paramedic, using the female Fusilier combirifle arm, to make the NCA machinist. The belt-pouch naturally looks like D-charges anyway and I prefer, well, anything to the actual Machinist.
I think the Bolts would benefit greatly from updated link rules. If they got access to linking with the mine sweeper mulebot for example the link would get cheaper, balancing out the overpriced nature of most of their profiles, giving them access to baggage to refill their dropbears in the link, and also getting more use out of a profile not picked very often. The overpriced Combi+LSG also need to be looked at in my oppinion along with the price on Dropbears that should be costed like normal mines.
Being able to link them with any other linkable NCA units would help them being the breaching unit they already are without having to pay for 5 Bolts or more each time. A Haris with Aquila would be good too and the perfect mirror of the Hsien Haris ISS already has.
I would love a Haris with the Aquila. A lot of people were complaining that linked MSV3 would be OP, but we clearly have it now in the form of the Asura Haris in OSS.
Pathfinder would be a good link option for Bolts too. It has a lot of utility, and adding Sensor to reveal Camo is nice. The presence of an enemy Camo token really limits where you can place Drop Bears, so Sensor is a really helpful addition there.
Also, since Carlos hinted that the Foreign mercenary company might be coming in the upcoming book, there have been rumors that Bolts will be included. Apparently Foreign is a PanO-flavored NA2 that is basically treated as a reality show. I'm wondering if Bolts will get a profile update like the Druze did when they were added to NA2. Maybe then we'll get that oh-so-desired Haris profile.
Well, Hannibal is the star of Foreign Company and he's from NeoTerra. If all the SoF Aristos get transplanted Infinity will finally have that PanO muscle girl people wanted (though from Svalarheima rather than Acon). So... NOMAD CATBOY WHEN
I think it'll be really interesting to see how their Aristeia skills will translate to Infinity. Maybe Valkyrie gets Assault to represent "Charge of the Valkyrie" and an E/Mitter to represent her freezing/ice abilities? I imagine Hannibal would get some form of Strategos, since he's the man with a plan. Do we think the other two mercs would be included as well? If so, Laxmee would obviously be a hacker. Possibly HD+?
If that is your primary reason for wanting the Haris, I'm not sure it's a good one. CB is really trying to move away from 'mirror' or clone units in armies.
Well, not only. The fact is all the non camo, non synchronized premium HIs of every human faction are getting Haris at the very least. Asuras, Asawiras (it's premium in Haqq standard), Hsien, Yan Huo and Kriza Boracs have all Haris despite of being already good alone. What the Aquila could gain from a Haris with Bolts is protection during reactive and a door openers when you know that there is something nasty waiting for you at the other side of the door. Things that Bolts can face and even if they don't, you only have lost one Bolt, not your Aquila.
