Bayara doesn't need fireteams, or anything else, really, to be good. They're amazing DZ counter-assassins as it is, especially in a mission like Decap. You can count the amount of troopers that get past them on one hand.
I had the game yesterday and unfortunately, I guess, he never got anyone close to ST and Bayara. So I couldn't really see how it works. I won the Lt. And chose deployment. I had a pretty defensive list. I used Kuang Shi team for the first time in a long time. Actually the ability to have troops 10" from leader was pretty good. I was able spread them out to defend. I also used the Long Wang again in duo with Shenji. The LW was good. Other than the BSA-3, he's no frills and a bit boring but he's not bad. I just think he's a bit too expensive for what he does. My MBH rolled up an HMG! That was super fun. I made good use of him rather than the LW at first. Edit: here's the list for anyone interested. Decapitation defensive ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 7 2 1 1 SUN TZE (Lieutenant [+1 Order]) Vulkan Shotgun, Pulzar, Flash Pulse / Breaker Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 53) BAYARA (Minelayer) Light Shotgun, Heavy Flamethrower, Shock Mine / Kobra Pistol(PS=6), PARA CC Weapon(-9). (0 | 19) LÓNGWÁNG Heavy Machine Gun, Adhesive Launcher Rifle, Light Riotstopper(+1B) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 72) SHÀNGDIÀO . (- | 3) SHÉNJI Thunderbolt(AP), Light Shotgun, D-Charges(PS=5) / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-3). (0 | 19) MOTORIZED BOUNTY HUNTER Boarding Shotgun, Heavy Riotstopper / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 8) BÀO TROOP MULTI Sniper Rifle, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 27) BÀO TROOP Light Shotgun, Heavy Riotstopper, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 16) NINJA (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, DA CC Weapon(PS=6). (0.5 | 30) DRAGON LORD Nanopulser, Flash Pulse / Silenced Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 5) GROUP 2 5 3 CELESTIAL GUARD Monitor Combi Rifle, Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0.5 | 13) KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 6) KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 6) KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 6) Yáokòng SON-BAE FTO Missile Launcher(+1B) / PARA CC Weapon(-3). (1.5 | 19) 5.5 SWC | 299 Points Open in Infinity Army
I’ve now had plenty of games with IS and can say it’s very Mid. It’s not bad but it’s not the best of Yu Jing. And certainly not in the game. There’s no easy button with them. It can do every mission now that there’s more D-Charges on some troops. I never would have taken them in missions that needed Anti-material before. There are some great pieces but they are almost all balanced out by something else. It’s a little frustrating to have a lot of non-lethal. I found that out with O-12. But sometimes it’s very nice. Edit: of course, I thought of things to say after I wrote this. I found I really like the Vanguard. Especially the Infiltrators. The hacker parachutist is very good even without doing the parachute. I really like the Shenji with deployable cover. For some reason it’s fun to make cover that gives +6 to ARM lol. Especially with Long Wang. The Long Wang is not bad at all but expensive. I’d take it more often, but I found the expense gets in the way of things I want to do for some missions. I’m still disappointed in the changes to the Kanren. There’s now no reason to take them over a vanguard. The only thing they really have going for them is the Mim-6. No good guns, no longer good in CC. Still only Forward Deployment. I love/hate the Koga. Great in CC if you can get him there but crap at shooting. The E/Carbine kinda sucks. I’ve accomplished some objectives with it but it’s never killed anything significant. I really like the Su Jian now with Thunderbolt. Some of that is due to +1 B on the HS and LFT. And I almost never find myself with 5pts left over to take a Dragon Lord!
I've played only two games so far with ISS, both at 150 pts as we're learning/relearning the game. My opponent plays Steel Phalanx. I find the match-up a bit tough. Part of it of course was me making dumb moves, but between Alke's disco ball and Hippolyta bringing so many skills with her points on small 150 pts tables I feel like I'm strapped for tools to deal with them. Edit: playing again tomorrow. It will be our last game at 150 pts, playing Panic Room. I'm gonna try out a Haris of Wu Ming's and Crane Agent.
I think this is a use for the Bayara. While he’s not a monster in attacking, it’s pretty good for defense. Even Hippy needs to think twice about engaging a troop with Guard and -9 para CCW. He’s cheap enough to throw into the room with his 360 visor, MSV, and Discover with re-roll, for those trying to get in with camo troops. The Crane hacker with a Wu Ming Tinbot is pretty awesome on paper. I haven’t been able to try it yet. But a WIP 14, BTS 6, 2 Vit, and Tinbot -6, has GOT to be good. Then you got its other weapons and skills on top.
Any tips for playing B-Pong with ISS? What units worked well for you, and what pitfalls to avoid? Oh, and I tried a Crane and Wu Ming Haris last time and Crane could go toe to toe against Hippolyta!
Two troops come to mind right away for me. Vanguard and Jinyao. The VG because infiltration and all of them specialists. The Jinyao can be specialist and fast! In fact, don't even need to combat jump it. Just set it up normally. I'd do this if going first for sure. Maybe second if i felt it would be safe. Another thing about it is that you are pretty sure the enemy will have MSV watching consoles and the beacon. Albedo will come in handy. Then the Koga which i forget has 6-2 move. Again all specialists. A Kanren hacker might be good for a holding a console by going into suppressive fire when not using the console.
Its been a while. I used some new toys like Koga AD and the Jinwei. I also had Adil. But my main actor and Pong Guard was a Hsien Multi Lt L2. With the idea in mind, that he can use his orders for himself when the situation calla for it. He also will fight off any mime enemys. Key is to hold the consoles and get the pong in T3.
Ok, my thinking was along similar lines so I already had Jinyao and Vanguard in my list. Good call on the Koga and I have added that. I also have a Bao for the albedo. I'm playing into Steel Phalanx and 200 points. It's tricky to fit in specialists and gun fighters. With these types of missions I never quite sure what to do if I get first turn. Should I try to grab the consoles and hold it? Also question about Koga- if I take the camo profile, and the decoy gets discovered, does it get removed or revealed as a decoy?
If it's the decoy that discovered, it does not reveal the Koga. But of course if the Koga is, then the decoy is taken away. The Bao should be good against SP. You need MSV yourself and they may have an Agema. At 200pts it would hard for them to take Atalanta, and no one seems to take the Makhai. In this mission, points are scored each game round, so you don’t have much choice but to take it and try to hold it. Waiting can cost you points. Any troops can control it. Only specialists can activate it. Which you might not need to do. I also think a Lu Duan would be very useful since I know you are going against SP. MSV good of course, and holos can get rid of mines and then you have the +1B HFT for troops on the consoles.
What I meant was when the decoy is deployed as a camo token because I took the camo profile. What happens to the decoy when the camo token got discovered? Does it disappear? Does it become the decoy token?
I think the Bayara got a boost for me with ITS17 missions Critical Intervention and Crossing Lines. Kuang Shi will also be good for them. You can't get behind him, can't hack or smoke him. It might also be worth it to take Sun Tzu +1cmnd token.
I would love to hear how people are using Su Jian in a list and what support he needs. I kept failing to use him effectively.
I've been using the BSG/HRS MBH. I lead with that to try and make camo guys pop out, dodge mines if I must. So far it's worked well.
I may be just unlucky. The first time I used a Su Jian back in N4 he exchanged fire with a Mormaer then died to a Wulver in CC. Last weekend's game against SP I planned to use Su Jian to remove Phoenix, but my opponent's hold back was Atalanta and she deployed overlapping Phoenix at an angle that made it impossible for me to cautious move up the board. Luckily the MBH was right behind to pick up an auto repair speedball to revive him. I guess I will keep trying. On the other hand, Wu Ming Haris with tinbot, HRL, and Zhanying Hacker has performed very well in both active and reactive turns. Gonna try the AP HMG next.
Yes keep trying. Those are both hard for anything to deal with. Punch down, not up. I don't know why anyone would use the Crane APHMG when you have the WM. The xvisor doesn't help much. Good for the spitfire though. I've used the WM a few times and it's good.
Phoenix was positioned in a way that made it hard for me to deal with anything else before taking him out. My best option at the time was moving Su Jian to his bad range and pump him full of spitfire bullets. Funnily, on his turn Phoenix got fried by my Wu Ming HRL aroing with a Crit on 4! The only lucky dice for me that entire game!
So far, my challenge to take a TAG in every game is paying off. I really love the Long Wang with Shenji! I played B-Pong vs. Hassassin on the weekend and the Biovisor actually did something! I used to discover the Fiday character. However, I then made mistake of bring up my Lu Duan instead of finishing him off with the LW. The Fiday managed to dodge up some stairs of a building away from the LoS of the LW. But by doing this he was then harmless the rest of the game. I later killed him with my Shacha who got a LFT out of the treasure! She sadly died to his LSG but it was worth it. I moved on with the LW and used my heavy riot stopper on several and used my ADHL at least once. While it sucks, they were not dead, it’s a lot harder to save vs it that a HFT for example. I had about 4-5 immobilized at one point. This time I took the Shenji with a ADHL turret. I put that next to a console to discourage any getting close. I managed to win 2 to 1. I hate B-Pong lol. It's such a order sink. Oh and the LW did go down to a Nadhir SMG! But having the Shenji right there after the Nadhir was immobilized just brought him back. Edit: I want to add that I tried the Kanren again for this mission. I used the KHD because I wanted the combi rifle. I got the Kanren to a console. Used it to move the pong once and then went into suppressive fire. The Mim-6 is great for this of course. Even when he tried using a shotgun he was still at -6 for the suppression and cover. So the Kanren still has some use. I think he was a bit expensive for what he was doing though. If he had used a hacker I might have been in more trouble. Unfortunately the only specialists with suppressive fire weapons are the hackers.
