To my surprise and delight, O12 has received some very serious buffs from TB: ava2 Stormbots, ava3 hellblazers, ava2 Wreckers, and Sonya LT are all nice additions, but it's the ava2 Moonrakers that are real gamechangers. As of this update, I think I'd take O12's midfield over pretty much any other faction's. Andy & Sirius with Moonrakers is an incredibly formidable proposition, and they're going to synergise so well with these (non-camo but otherwise top tier) units. We can deploy a midfield full of highthreat pieces embedded with dangerous specialists, disposable synced bots, turn 0 repeaters, and mines, for a very reasonable price... As someone who generally runs 3 kappa hackers in every list, sonya is also a really interesting LT option; no strategos or the like, but 7swc is a new feature for a faction that has so many lovely low-cost/high-swc options. So what do you all think? As O12 is one of my three mains, I'm over the moon (sorry) about this, and my only concern is that it's a bit too generous, and might make us a bit over-tooled.
Do not ever feel sorry for being hyped about the game and faction you love! About the additions to O12 I share every your opinions. Additionally I am intrigued on how interesting are the new 'old' MSR Vidoqc along the new 'new' MSR Camo Vidoqc. And the nightshades with surprise attack and minelayer? Aren't they lovely? Being able to Bonk someone in the head with a -12 MOD is indeed... quite something
You are only over-tooled when you can get all those tools in (almost) a single list. The problem of our vanilla is that it's a sectorial that doesn't speak its name, and always been. vO-12 was always strong and amongst the best factions, it's very easy to manage on the field for a beginner, but it still very dependant on one player's skill since it's hard to master, so I'm not that much worried about the power level of it.
Well, Robert Shepherd definitely seems to agree with you. I still think O-12 doesn't become an S-tier faction because of this, but it's definitely become much better. What would a list look like you'd run with the new additions now?
Vanilla O-12 has some nice mercs available. Shona, Liang, Adia, Cube Jager, Diggers, and a beasthunter. What more does vO-12 need to be well rounded? Is it the cost of our units being a bit too high? Well, moonrakers help a lot with that. I agree with the OP, O-12 is a great spot right now. vO-12 funtions a lot like Pano but it trades top tier TAGs and BS 15 access for all the toolkits Pano is lacking and a much stronger mid field between moonrakers and Sirius.
Alright, with no one else replying, here's my take. Personally, I think that only the Moonrakers and Ment Agents are pieces that I want to try out in favor of my usual O-12 build. The list I'd like to give a spin would be this one. Feel free to comment: Nu-12 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 9 1 GAMMA Feuerbach / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 54) PARVATI Submachine Gun(+1B), Flash Pulse ( | GizmoKit, MediKit) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 38) YUDBOT PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 3) PSI-COp (Multispectral Visor L1) Nanopulser(+1B), MULTI Marksman Rifle ( ) / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25) SIRIUS (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse, D-Charges / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 25) SIRIUSBOT Heavy Riotstopper / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 5) ALPHA (Lieutenant [+1 Command Token], Strategos L1]) Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 24) MENT Heavy Riotstopper(+2B) / Assault Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 15) KAPPA (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 12) KAPPA (Hacker, Hacking Device) Submachine Gun ( ) / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 12) VARANGIAN Submachine Gun, Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Heavy Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (0 | 12) GROUP 2 5 1 ROADBOT (Paramedic) Submachine Gun, Panzerfaust, Heavy Riotstopper ( | MediKit) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 23) MOONRAKER (Minelayer) Heavy Shotgun, Adhesive Launcher, Shock Mines / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0.5 | 16) BEASTHUNTERS (Surprise Attack [-3], Camouflage, Forward Deployment [+8"]) Heavy Flamethrower, Panzerfaust, AP Mines / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 15) RAVENEYE Submachine Gun, E/Marat, Flash Pulse, E/M Mines / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 12) KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7) KYTTÄ Flash Pulse / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 7) 3 SWC | 300 Points Open in Infinity Army
I think O12 list builds so well now, because it lets you start with a really solid core of units, and finish it in many different ways. So for example, taking a core [3 hacker kappas, 2 ML moonrakers, 2 hammerangians, and 2 Sirius FOs], which gives you a very hefty yet cheap midfield presence, a defensive hacking network and 2 trading warbands. Then you could lean into the classic Zeta archetype: Or dispersed threats with stronger specialists: Or Raptor KH and GM, or Nimrod as your third .5swc gun, or high pressure aggression with another varangian, a hellblazer and Liang Ki, etc. In terms of listbuilding width, I think O12 is now pretty top tier, and that's a really important faction strength for me, and I suspect a lot of other players, because a big proportion of the game's attraction is listbuilding.
I agree about it getting a big boost. I've gone into lists just to get Moonrakers in them! They are as good (maybe better) than Long Ya. Vidocq is great. It's going to be hard to choose between the Camo MSR or a Lynx. NCO and MSV vs. Hidden Deploy and Mim-6. I don't think an NCO doctor is bad either. Nightshades gained Hidden Deployment and Surprise Attack -3!!! So with Martial arts and Para -6 they will be amazing! I can't wait to say "BTW you are at -12 CC". Also gains Minelayer! The Wreaker is pretty cool and seems like a good TAG. I'm interested in trying out AP HRL! I'm not sure about using a Rover in vanilla. TacAware is great but not in a team he has more negatives than positives. Definitely not the Hellblazers. I'm not interested in Nimrods in vanilla or TB. The Stormbot is awesome. I can't wait to boost it with Rem Racer and/or EVO Fuzzy. I'm disappointed we got Sonya instead of Jamie. Sonya is ok but I don't think I'd use her in Vanilla. the Ment is a great cheap CoC. Moonrakers. Enough said, Fantastic. Oh and the amount of Mines/Camo we can now put into the mid zone is nuts! Actually TB can do more but it's still a lot now.
A friend and I just played a vanilla O-12 mirror match and both ended up bringing Moonrakers to test out. They worked really well, serving as objective deterrents and, essentially, serving a function similiar to warbands. The mines added some nice defence and their low price points and camo meant we weren't afraid to charge them forward to trade or threaten more expensive pieces and they were effective at doing so. The ADHLs also came in really handy when layered with other AROs. Quite annoying to have to split your burst between a strong ARO piece and a little shit with a glue gun that just ran into the middle of the open. I also brought a Ment who sat in the back being a CoC for my Zeta which is a great thing to have for only 15 points.
