Linkability with baggage bots would be amazing. I am surprised to see so many building bolt core teams. Fusilier core just got better and it was already the mainstay of neoterra. Adding two rifle+lsg specialist bodies to the link is probably the best part of the update. Now I can plop 7 linkable bodies in my deployment zone for less than 90 points with the option to duo two of them and run them up the table late game to push a button without risking my order generators. The black friar is an interesting option to add to that. Having dropbears and msv to shore up my fusilier Fireteam is amazing. With their points reduction, the replacement of e/m grenades with e/maulers, and the haris option, I think bolts actually are viable for midfield area denial. The haris+khd+(spitfire or black friar) is around 60 points and has a great toolkit. Especially in the sectorial with the ranged attack power of a fus
It's the ISO standard. All other date formats can GTFO. I am tentatively interested in Bolts now. Maybe I should assemble some of the 10 or so that I have? I'm not sure it's going to get me to migrate my tiny amount of playing time away from Varuna, though.
The low tech way. Manually counting posts talking about Bolts and then the post count for the thread.
I don't always call mods, but this thread is off the rails. Can we say on topic please? *** Now, I don't want to sound like an overly dissonant voice, but are these changes enough to make Bolts playable? The 21pts KHD profile is very cheap (WIP12 is poor but BTS6 and Bioimmunity on a KHD is great!), as is the "cheap" CoC profile, the 0SWC Haris link, and MSV1 on the sniper profile is a vast improvement (esp. vs. other snipers who have both Visual mods themselves, and counter others *cough* Kamau and Bagh Mari *cough*). But, for the rest, is that good enough?
I thought the US smashed itself in the Nanotech War? Maybe I'm just an Anglophile, but credit where credit is due. I tried explaining the relationship of the various English speaking countries to someone as a GoT analogy: Britain (England) is Ned Stark, the US is Jon Snow, the rest of the Commonwealth are the Stark children. Not the best analogy maybe, but it's a pretty complex history.
I'm not sure about Bolt Core, but players who love them will be able to make them work. I love that Haris though. Really drawn to three cheap-ish guys who can all stand at corners with shotgun and dump out tons of mines and E/M. That mode of area denial isn't something that NCA is traditionally good at.
I think they'll show a lot as a haris for sure. The core seems like a good dedicated way to storm an objective room though. It also allows for more freedom with the wild cards. And if you bring bipanda, you can try and tank a mine while firefighting. If you fail the "arm 6" roll against it, she can stick apply a healing boot in the butt to get it rolling again. Haqq, tohaa, aleph and shas are pushing a lot of shock and viral and em ammo these days too which is pretty irrelevant to them. SMGs are not too much to worry about with 6S lvl 2 and shoty/combi with link bonuses. Their biggest weakness of cost has been eliminated and their hacking is markedly improved AND they have a several interesting link choices at their disposal that make the core a viable option.
I often use Bolts core with some success, and all these changes are making them better. Not only new profiles and free toys (MSV 1, E/Maulers, more Drop Bears), but because of the new friends able to join/rejoin the link. I can't wait testing the Aquila with Machinist and KHD for integrated protection, or even Bipandra (double nanopulser, WIP13 specialist). I used to play a 5-men team and a Machinist as 6th member; now, I could field an Aquila and Bipandra who would also be able reform the link. Oh, and don't forget the FD1 of ITSX... I'm not saying the Bolts are an easy way nor a must-have (few troops in Infinity are), but yes, they're definitely...nice!
Well, the way I usually describe the American revolution is "Dad, I'm tired of your shit and I'm moving out!"
I feel like a lot of people got hung up on my posts earlier comparing PAnO to America culturally – I agree with everyone who pointed differences and lumped PanO into just "western" society as a whole. The point I was trying to make is that thematically PanO plays a similar role in the setting that the US plays in real life. We can draw cultural comparisons to Australia and thats fine and dandy, but at the end of the day currently, Australia isn't the "Hyperpower bully" PanO is described as. Once again, thematically. not a 1:1.
I’m hoping that increased access to shock and viral actually results in these guys seeing more table time. I have a hard time putting a core team in an objective room, unless it’s top of three and my Hail Mary effort. These guys might actually be able to do it though. If only that sniper had msv2... Edit: Oh right! The black friar is a wildcard now!
They will be playable at best...... here, in FC with Hannibal deploy and nimbus nades they look awesome. NCA was never the focus here, we are just getting some very nice sloppy seconds.
The best part of the Bolt rework is that they have expanded the profiles with drop bears. Your no longer force to pay 25 for drop bears, instead you can get them as cheap as 18 points. Thats a steal and it makes an Aquila MR + 2 bolts for drop bears an affordable haris. Those drop bears will be a great asset in protecting your Aquila as it hunts down camo units. While more niche, I can see the case for a full bolt link. If your meta has fireteams like the reworked Lasiqs or mine heavy lists then Bolts are going to put in some serious work. Futhermore, these Bolts give Bipandra a reason to exist. She way overcost for a Fusilier link but if you think of her as a lighter armored Bolt then she makes a bit more sense. Wildcard allows her to even be included in a Aquila + Bolt Haris which sounds like it has potential. Shes still overcosted, I think she should be only 20 points but meh, you should be able to fit her in a haris without too much hassle.
The RPG has significantly expanded material on the Nanotech War, the US did screw it'self over, but PanOceania won handily regardless of that. And there are some fairly substantial differences between the tradition of Britain and that of the Oceania colonies. The lack of a real class structure is the key element which makes things play out in a very different way. The Bolt Core will remain a niche option, but it's a more viable niche option now (rather than one you are actively punished for selecting) and with fewer trap options built into the profiles. The Haris is going to be amazing. Now this, I have no argument with at all. I would dare say that Bolts were re-worked specifically to fit the need of Free Company and NCA got what that process produced by default. Kinda like Devas.
