I managed to get my hands on these fellas very cheaply, so I might as well figure out how to turn them into a working list with a full-on tacticool theme: Ariadna ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 5 VASSILY Lieutenant (Forward Observer) T2 Marksman Rifle, Akrylat-Kanone, D-Charges / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (0 | 35) FRONTOVIK Engineer T2 Rifle, D-Charges / Assault Pistol, Knife. (0 | 27) STRELOK Marksman Rifle T2, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 29) SPETSNAZ (CH: Ambush Camouflage) HMG / Pistol, CCW, Knife. (1.5 | 38) SPETSNAZ (CH: Mimetism, AD: Parachutist) Boarding Shotgun, Grenades / Pistol, AP CCW, Knife. (0 | 33) 1.5 SWC | 162 Points Open in Infinity Army This one seems an obvious choice to get the most out of Vassily: TANKHUNTER (Chain of Command) AP Rifle, Adhesive Launcher, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (1 | 30) But beyond that I'm not sure how to expand this. Going full TAK seems promising with Vet Kazak Core and all, but Vanilla Ariadna has some really interesting units I might want to get my hands on (hello, new Chasseur sculpt). What do you reckon, comrades?
I'd go TAK, mostly because I love TAK and that's the route I chose to go. If you pick up the Cold front models you'll have your link team ready to go and be in an excellent spot to start playing TAK! As for proxying the models you have, my favourite Vassily profile is actually the chain of command with T2 marksman rifle. Remember that MI models get forward deployment LVL 1 so you can start a but further up to mitigate his poor second move value. He's also an excellent gunfighter and a specialist. I use him as a secondary attack piece, hidden CoC, and as a button pusher/mission completer depending on what needs doing! Using that profile works far better for me with how I play TAK than the sniper profile does. As for the Strelok, proxy that as basically any other profile other than a marksman one. Streloks are amazingly good, so you can't really go wrong with them, and TAK allows you to take 4!! Spetsnaz is self explanatory, it just kills stuff. Best of luck Comrade!
Why not the T2 Marksman Rifle? Is it too expensive compared to the BSG/SMG? T2 weapons are so tempting ... I find the Strelok loadouts a bit unusual, since the FO doesnt have mines and the SMG is no specialist. The K9 loadout is interesting with Sensor, mines. a DTW and Surpressive Fire.
Essentially yeh. There are always arguments to be made for a T2 Marksmanship rifle, it's an amazing weapon. But (and this is just what I've found works best for me) I like to plan lists with redundancy and cost effectiveness built in, as it's just what works for me. Marksmanship Streloks just don't have a place. I also prefer to play a "soft" ARO game, so lots of mines, decoy markers, close quarters weapons (Irmandhinos, Dog warriors etc) and Streloks are excellent for that, especially with ambush Camo. I like to take 2-4 of them in almost every list. Forward observers for pushing buttons, SMG for a very cost effective anti-armour, close range weapon, mine layer for defence, and the antipode for sensor and making a nuisance of itself. And all of them are reasonable close range ARO pieces if needed. With that in mind, I find that the marksmanship variants of the Strelok are just not cost effective in my lists. For projection of force beyond 16-24 inches I have Vassily, Spetsnaz, Vet Kazak, a linked Frontovik HRL, line Kazak missile launcher, even scouts with an Ojotnik are great. I can see the value in taking T2 weapons, and with surprise shot on a Marksmanship rifle a Strelok is a pretty terrifying active turn piece but I've just found that I prefer other options, and rarely have room to take one.
