Please excuse the provocative title, but that’s pretty much what I thought when I casually went through the JSA units a few days back. I‘ve been playing Ikari for a little bit and have mostly enjoyed them, but seeing how seemingly JSA does the same but better kinda bummed me out. Yeah sure we have Yuan Yuan, but with the new 15 model rule I find myself taking one or two at best. Sure I love Wu Ming, especially the sculpts, but.... I just don‘t know. I guess I‘m a little disappointed that on the surface like I said up top, JSA seems to do the same but better. Only thing is I don’t want to play JSA as everyone seems to be playing JSA. And obviously Ikari Company is way cooler.
Keisotsu + Brawler + Tanki Fireteam is pretty amazing So are Krakots and Kendrat Bashi Bazouks and Cube Jagers are really good AD troops, and with the 15 troop limit people should take a second look at them Scaaaaaaarface
I find the JSA vs. Ikari split is one of those nice examples of the same units playing very different roles depending on the secrorial context. There's some overlap in the profiles, sure, but the use case changes alot. As for the swapped out things, again, its not just cosmetic. My use of desperados is quite distinct from how I think about JSA bikes.
I think the the biggest thing is that ikari brings long range firepower where jsa brings close combat dominance. Ikari definitely could make awesome horde armies in n3 which was a big draw but I think we can still make really solid 15 point lists. I do hope they get rid of the 15 unit cap at some point.
Honestly the only thing holding me back from experimenting with Ikari is the bloody awful LT selection. There’s a lot of really cool list building options but being stuck with a WIP 12 nobody just hurts.
Eh, it only looks like a big deal on paper, in reality it's for a single roll you make per game. Statistically, the difference between a WIP 12 and WIP lieutenant only matters once every 10 games. I've played many games (in fact most of my games) with WIP 12 lieutenants between USARF and Ikari, and it's really not an issue.
Main plus point for Ikari is the defensive Core with Brawler MSV2 Sniper and/or Tanko ML. JSA can't fit anything close to that into Keisotsus while their DoTanko Link doesn't want to sit around all game. Ad in Dsperados and Yuan Yuans for more trading asymetric trading as well as ubiquitous Smoke in DZ and up the field for Rui Shi, Brawler Sniper and to Cover CC, Movement and button pushing. Bashi's are button pusher AD JSA wishes they had. With the SWC changes running 3 Keisotsu to hide your Lt is less painful, but still the big downside. Changes to their troops have been mostly small but noticeable, with a few standouts like Scarface and Tankos. They're not great at hacking and neither is JSA, but they do have different tools. Wouldn't go so far as to call Ikari great. Wouldn't call JSA great either, just good, CC simply isn't the most desirable thing to bee good at in the game. With the Oyoroi JSA would win that comparison outside of a Core Linked Wu Ming having better FTF.
What now? JSA gets 3 HMG options, BS10 Keisotsu, which is pretty meh, and one on the Oyoroi, which is both meh and a huge commitment, and the TR bot. Long-range firepower has always been the primary weakness of JSA, and continues to be in N4. Ikari on the other hand has quite a few solid options for long-range engagements, between Wu Ming, Druze (which got much more viable), Al Fasid, and Scarface, not to mention their TR bot. I disagree that their Keisotsu core is the primary point to taking Ikari over JSA, they're fundamentally a different army.
Erm, why do Keisotsu HMGs or TR Bots matter? Exactly the same for both Ikari and JSA. Druze and Al Fasid aren't great next to Wu Ming, Scarface and Oyoroi. Task was to compare HMG choices though and JSA has the better solo HMG if you want AP. Ikari has a better FTF if you want to run a full Core of Wu Ming for it, but only DAM15 and no AP. Or you could decide to go for cheaper Scarface AP HMG or B5 AP Spitfire. Don't know why you think the Druze do Ikari any favors next to Scarface and Wu Ming but okay. Neither Ikari nor JSA pull really ahead here and I'd question their HMG choices are selling points for either. Wasn't advocating for either Sectorial to be better than the other. Just giving reasons where both have their strong points. they're definitely very different and it's visible everywhere from 6 point Warband Bikes on one side to 75 point TAG on the other.
For me it's because I don't have the JSA figs! I do have old YJ, some Haqq and few others though. After uprising I got rid of some of my JSA because I just didn't have enough make a whole JSA force. I'm kinda kicking myself that I traded my Aragoto. I could have used them as proxy Desperados.
