This is a great profile, I love it. So many nasty shenanigans to pull out, just on the top of my head. It seems Ayyar will see the table much more! No idea what Bangbomb (did you note the +4? Not +3, not +6) or Disco Baller are, but it's already really good even without that. Triangulated fire is cool on such a profile, especially with Holoprojector and Surprise Attack (-6). It will mess up pretty bad with fireteams. Oh, and Thunderbolt AP B3 is a mini AP HMG. Ouch. Let's hope CB will put that much care in a lot of others not-so-great profiles from N4.
"Lets simplify Infinity" They could give ayar Dodge=PHY 17 or Dodge +4, already existent skills, but no, they invented a new equipment for a very especific use And the naming...
Well Bangbomb doesn't work against templates, so it's weaker than dodge +4. Your right about the name...sounds like gangbang.... The PROFILES seem quite strong though.
Now different disco tracks are playing in my head after I red "disco baller". And Ayyar in some indian movie... Looks good with or without things above. Naming looks like it is pre-release version
Personally, this feels like the old niche equipment and rules from N2-N3 that got consolidated down in N4. And not in a good way. If the intent was to make them better at dodging specifically BS Attacks, then "Dodge(-3)" is a rule that already exists, is easy to understand, and fulfills that requirement. Coming up with a new piece of equipment that players now have to remember all the intricacies of seems like a step backwards in terms of Complexity Creep. Now yes, technically, this new Bangbomb doesn't apply vs. Template attacks, which means it doesn't work against the Blast Mode of things like HRLs, Missile Launchers, or the reworked Shotguns. Again, to me, this feels like a use case that doesn't justify the added complexity of the new rule, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Bangbombs get reduced to the "Dodge(X)" modifier in the next edition (whether that be an N5 "Human Sphere" or N6).
The name reminds me of that gambling-lite game with the wolf-butler and the Blockbuster store kids working as mercenaries in some anomaly zone... But those work like synched robots. Jokes, aside, a dodge that does not work against templates is good, despite the slight rules bloat, but the name is not very intuitive.
But are those balance concerns coming from the rules CB has advanced, or from the unit profiles we've seen so far? It's an iteration between Dodge (-X) and Dodge (+X): Like Dodge (-X), it only works in face-to-face rolls (so it won't work against templates) but it's a positive modifier (so it won't limit the -12 we can reach because of bad range, partial cover, and potential mimetism, for example) so a PH13 with BangBomb+4 (I assume they discarded the more natural "smoke bomb" so as not to mix it with the Smoke Dodge) in cover, bad range and mimetism-6 is applying that -12 to the enemy AND at the same time getting the gear mod... I'm not happy, I've been saying the game already has too many gear and skill options, engorging the rules won't attract precisely new players. It smells like some sort of White Noise generator/Grenade to me (mirrorball was the pheroware option). Or a flashbang, but taking the Stun state back from N3 would be strange.
In France, a few years ago, when companies complained about the volume and contradictions of tax codes, politicians said we'd just have to use AI. People have been complaining about the complexity of Infinity for ages, and what if CB had finally thought that using an AI-powered smartphone app would solve all the problems? Maybe that's why the N5 isn't ready, the new app like Warcrow adventure is late. Yesterday on the french discord I read that the warcors had known about the N5 since November 2023, but the first leak only dated from January or February 2024 because of the distributor. "L'annonce de la n5 je l'ai eu par un warcor au satellite de novembre y a un an.." https://discord.com/channels/299262973241720832/717087333387862058/1305919682787807293 I'm sure the warcors know something, so if you see one up close, get him talking ^^
Name is stupid (even if we already have CrazyKoalas, DropBears, FastPandas, etc... so somehow it makes sense) but it is indeed much different than having PH 17. Different for being revived with a medikit, for dodging a mine or any other template, for throwing the drop bears, etc... And yeah, it seems to go against the simplifications N4 went into, which is not a good thing. With also the MULTI Red Fury, the Thunderbolt and so on, I'm a bit afraid N5 will be one step back from this point of view.
Tohaa seem to be doing relatively well. If tricore exists and the pheroware tactics are fine, then the integration of Spiral would be probably successful, despite the annoying loss of brawlers and helots. There is also a noticeable lack of vehicle, unless the motorized bounty hunters now get a profile with hovercraft instead of a bike. Which I'd enjoy to be honest, and which will also solve some NA2 problems.
I rather like the bang bomb. I hope all the Ninja profiles get that; they are terrible at dodging, where they should be adept at disappearing in a flash of smoke. It doesn't let them Move-Dodge any better, templates are still terrible, but at least they can do the cinematic thing when they get shot at.
He looks like he's made to fight other HI and TAGs. AP vs ARM, AP vs BTS, Zappers, E/mitter, I don't recall Thunderbolt's damage but I remember it being good. Triangulated fire is ok. Sure you can ignore -9 to a -3 but it's still a -3. I have a friend that mainly used their +1 B Viral Pistols to great effect.
I agree with @fari. I'm not a fan of creating new equipment and skills instead of using simpler formulas, it doesn't make the game more tactical or deeper, it just makes the game more overwhelming.
Well, B4 viral pistols on a model with holoprojector and surprise attack (- 6) could be quite violent indeed...
Well, edge case here, but you can take a target with Mimetism -6, in Cover, at a bad (-3 / -6) Range band, spit on the ground, spend a full Order, and roll your full Burst at -3. So far, very few units apart from Sensor Bots had that, and these generally do pack Combis / Rifles, and have BS of 11. Going through all that fuss for 3 shots at 8-or-less with DAM 13 Normal (4 DAM 13 Shock, if you're using a Haqq Rafiq) indeed didn't seem worth the hassle. But this guy... he can do it at 10-or-less, at (equivalent) DAM 13 or DAM 14 AP, or DAM 13 Breaker, any of them at Burst 3 or even 4, or if you want it risky, Burst 1 with Panzerfaust or E/Mitter. That seems rather spicy, IMO. Especially if you manage to draw a Surprise Attack -6 on your target.
