Onyx needs rework! What should it be?

There's so much to think about in this regard. Onyx really needs a better defensive game (whether hacking or otherwise). Some sort of REMdriver would be nice, as would be an ability to spend a command token to start with a supportware program up at the start of the game.

They also should change the Xeodron and Overdron to type REM instead of TAG.

 

I like this. Xeodrons are basically just bigger Rudras...



Xeodrons with wildcard would be really interesting. Nice assault centerpiece with his smaller Unidron cousins.

 

Considering units like karakuris, with 3str and tot inm, may be a great change to move xeos and overdrone from tags to ip or rem, therefore, rem can be buffed, so better to ip.
Nourkias require haris skill.
I like to see some additional docworm troops, maybe additional profiles with only doc or ingeneer skill separately (without lost classic multi doctorate).
Link option to maakrep, maybe sensor option or option with some peripheral hound-like troop.

Personaly i like a loot umbras as are now, but if they gain somethink, fine

 

Pretty much disagree with almost all of the posts here. We have one of the best link teams in the game the Unidrons. A beefy defensive core. Our hacking capability is insane, with pitchers and repeaters coming out of the wazoo with high WIPS and unique programmes.
Ko-Dali drop is a complete killer, cheap cheerleaders. Then we have the shenanigans of the Shasvastii aiding the cause.
Having switched over to playing Nomads for the last 5 games I can tell you the Onyx are still very strong. If you're finding you Lt is getting whacked take the hit and use the Noctifer in Camo.
The only thing I'd change is dropping the points of the Rodoks back down to what they were, right now I think they're to costly imho.

 

I agree REM driver feels like a must add. A new nexus profile with such could be an easy solution (and maybe something unique to OCF over vanilla at that!). It would be characterful to see lists regularly running 2+ nexus (not counting Kerr-Nau).

 

While I agree with you, I think that there is 1 problem with the Onyx. Unless you want to play fireteams there is too little reasons why to choose Onyx over vanilla. The question is how to adress this without making vanilla CA stronger. Maybe some unique loadouts or even units to Onyx? Shas has Gwailo and Tensho + some unique loudouts.

I think the cost of the Rodoks were changed mainly because of the MAF. CB probably wanted Rodoks and Yaogats cost to be similar.

 

Bolded for emphasis, that is the reason to play any* sectorial over vanilla, I mean AVA 3 haidao in Invincible army is nice but that's not the reason anybody plays them and I don't think anyone is playing MAF for the ability to take more than 3 unlinked yaogats.

*The only real exception to this is shas who I feel skew the opinion, especially in CA since they are a sectorial designed around not using links and a lot of their power can be perceived as resulting from this design philosophy.

Personally I don't agree with the consensus in this thread, from my games with them Onyx are fun and hip, take a suryat haris, play triple TAG, my main gripe is the drop off in EIKHD lethality. wishlisting wise I'd like to see a bit more done for maakrep, mostly through the addition of some other profiles or Sigmaa units and giving them triad.

 

Please elaborate here? Reminder: EI-type HD's no longer exist.

Bigger ideas aside, OCF does have a specialist issue. As mentioned here and elsewhere, there is a big engineer problem for such a REM & TAG heavy sectorial.

Given that ITS is the main form of play, if you need Dr. Worm to cap an objective and he dies, you're out of luck. OCF really needs another engineer option (or for slave drones to be able to grab them so he can hang out in the DZ with your beefy unidrons).

 

I played Onyx for a few months recently. Found them.... honestly, underwhelming is the right word.

Unidrons were ok, but I look at Dakinis with a large degree of envy. AVA 2 Noctifiers is a solid aspect to the faction. Otherwise, pretty much everything good they get can just be done the same or better in vanilla. I guess they can link the TAGs but that honestly felt like one of the least effective things I have ever done in nearly a decade of playing this game.

The pinnacle of their performance for me was two Xeodrons, an Overdron and an assaulting Samaritan killed by a single spetznaz AD chilling in suppression in the open in the last game of an event. Made me feel like the stupid alien goons in an 80s movie about how heroic the other faction is - which kind of summed up how I felt about this sectorial.

I really like the idea of simple "Wildcard Xeodron" as a bandaid for the sectorial. Worst case is maybe a unidron core supporting it? So vulnerable to so much shit lol.

Really dislike the idea of aspects. Aspects being a vanilla only thing is one of the few faction defining limitations (like PanO smoke) left in the game. I'd appreciate it if these were left intact as much as possible - gives the factions a unique feel.

 

How do you win FtF rolls with unidrons if you go 2nd? Or even if you go 1st?

What you're saying is accurate for N3, but not N4. OCF hacking is not particularly impressive in N4. Repeater coverage, sure. We lost the majority of our unique programs in the edition changeover.

 

You don't fuck with Spetsnaz man.

 

Unidron core links are solid for sure but I have a hard time classifying them as “one of the best in the game” (this is fine assuming there are other strengths to focus on).

Plasma adds great lethality but most opponents won’t have to work all that hard to just fight through them, plus they are susceptible to essentially every strategy for fighting a core fireteam that exists (bad at CC, no visors, no area denial like minelayers/jammers, hackable, bad at dodging, low ARM). The general lack of synergy between the unidron load outs with the other troops types that can link with them doesn’t help. They are a “castle” link with the upside of being a bit scarier if you need to fall back on the basic trooper turn 3 (and good at discovering!)

I agree that the OCF hacking game is fine but not impressive. Repeater coverage is strong but how many trinity programs do you really need?

 

I remember when Onyx first came out and it just felt like they were trying to reboot vanilla Combined Army. A bunch of new shiny stuff and a smattering of Morats and Shasvastii. But none of it actually fit well together, and its theme seemed to be "Vanilla CA, but with links".

What I'd like to see is the removal of Morats and Shasvastii and the introduction of Sygmaa and EI units (and perhaps Exrah or other aliens?) to fill those roles.

 

That wouldn't fit the fluff of OCF at all. It's supposed to have representation from all across the Combined Army.

 

Who cares? The whole point of regular Combined Army is that its a collection of aliens assembled into one force. When you choose to play vanilla, that's what you get. That is, in fact, the strength and appeal of vanilla. Onyx just feels like "vanilla but with links".

And fluff can easily change. It changes all the time. Have the EI redirect MAF and Shasvatii forces to other fronts, and replace them with more constructs and Sygmaa.

 

Yeah, no, taking away the units that are available in the sectorial is just making a new sectorial. You don't like OCF, fine, but don't agitate for it to be deconstructed for those of us who like it.

 

Hey, you like Onyx? That's fine. But don't advocate for its boring design and lazy theme for those of us who want it to actually be worthwhile and interesting.

Or can we not actually suggest ideas here?

 

I disagree that its design is boring, and removing units from it and replacing them with others would be a uniquely destructive thing to have happen to a sectorial. I don't see why Sygmaa would be any less out of place in OCF than Shas or Morats. If you just wanted to go full REM, fine, but suggesting the Sygmaa tells me something else.

Rasyats should definitely be in OCF, anyway, since they're, well... first-contact specialists.