No shit they did! The only limiting factor for Riksha is the AVA otherwise I really don't see why one should get Dakini. Only the Red fury variant is out of price range... so what makes the price of Riksha (or Dakini depending on point of view)? Because a Combi Riksha is FO (specialist) which is a big deal, and costs 5pts more than a Dakini specialist with terrain bonus, ECM and dodge. This is already a pivotal aspect because Dakini are/were/should be the backbone... and yet you're telling me that with a minor cosmetic touches we can get away with murder... and yet of all the units you get Riksha that has similarities in the concept unit (a shooty unit in a hacking powerhouse by background... do you see the clash?). In other words OSS doesn't do what it's supposed to because there are many units that belong elsewhere. Sure you need the rifles, but for a counterintelligence/hacking faction there is a lot of shooty faction in it... Still I believe that a Boarding shotgun and a Red fury Dakini profiles could already make a small difference (AMR would be the next addition at least). Mind you: far far away from being the whole story of the faction...
They are the "line troops" thats what makes them comparable. But Dakinis are better. If someone will not spend their SWC on weapons for Fusis (they are still decent shooters with BS13 if you take 4) or Zhanshis (at least all are available), they will be happy to have a Dakini HMG or Sniper that is buffable and can go to 12 + Range = 15 while defended by mimitism and easy repairable. The price comparsion made by @VonKrolok makes me wonder if Dakinis are priced correctly ... but they still have the long range "i want out of my DZ weapons or better defense with MSR. The Riksha RF is 3 pts and 0.5 SWC over the Dakinis HMG (a HMG about 8 pts iIRC). Okay take 2 pts of the Dakini for the weapon you are still at 6 pts. for ARM 3, ECM and TT. The 2" dodge seems to be there to make them not too cheap ;-) But I still see Dakinis on the table. I rareley go out without them (you have all three FT options). In OSS for example you choices for HMG are: Marut, Yadu, MK4 and the Zayin. Dakini can shoot on 15, get 5 dice and are the cheapest option.
