@Solar yeah. Lots of people think cc is bloat unless it CC 22+ and ma 3+. It really isn't... Being cc 20 means you auto hit. Sure you can roll a 1 and your opponent can also roll a 10 or whatever, but if you're opponent wiffs, you win regardless of your roll. (cc 19 and ma 1 is pretty close to auto hit...) Yeah CC 16 and Bs 13 can be a bit of a drag, but once you get around 20 it becomes very useful...
I wonder how much of that perception is the old adage that "burst is king" and holdovers from N2 when CC values were much lower even for specialists. There's also the psychological effect of rolling more dice feeling more reliable as you think you have more chances to succeed than a single roll. Humans are terrible at understanding probability after all.
One important point of MA is that it also gives stealth and Courage. I've had one particularly fun game where thanks to Stealth my Tasky managed to walk around a flock of Ghazi and stab each one in the back while the others just stood there looking like dumbasses. I still lost the game, but it was fun. This is the biggest draw of the taskmaster in my opinion, as it can do pretty much anything and threathen a lot of different ranges. Hell, it even packs a DTW so you can intuitive attack camo markers or autohit those pesky infiltrators like Ninjas. I often run a tasky and a kriza at the same list, but that's just because I like big guys and I cannot lie.
Yeah, just having MA1 in general is pretty amazing. ESEPCIALLY on HI units, since it means you can navigate around Repeater networks rather safely, unless you encounter a Sixth Sense hacker or the hacker gains LoF to you. Also, Taskmasters don't pack a DTW on every profile, HRL and HMG profiles don't get the Pulzar. Also, I generally find having a Sensor and doing a Sensor sweep better than using Intuitive Attacks. Especially since using the Sensor skill is a short skill, unlike with how it is with Intuitive Attacks, which are full orders.
You know it can go simply... R&D Guy: Hey, we could totally make this super HI suit to kick some ass and show everybody how great we are: Commander: Can you make a better/ heavier armour than Father knights? interesting. R&D Guy: Well yes, but we will need to add extra bulk it will be the same level as old type HI but will include so much more armour! Commander: em if we go to that bulk, why don't we design a smaller TAG instead? it is easier to deploy, pilot has greater survivability, greater operational capacity and it will be a testament of our miniaturisation technology. From a military perspective there is no reason other than intimidation to make a military equipment and armour bigger than it should be, as is evident with the fluff, Azrail choose it deliberately for intimidation, PanO could do it, but makes little sense their usual "intimidation" units are the Squallo and from their perspective a small TAG would make more sense if they wanted to fill that particular niche size.
I feel like what we're forgetting here is that this is a fantasy game about unreleased fluff/units. If theres a market to sell an S5 to players, I'm pretty sure they could come up with a fluff reason to include one. fluff first doesn't mean fluff only.
R&D: Well they also come with some mayor drawbacks, but yeah you´re right, we´ll get right to it, S5 TAG coming in, ready to kick some HI Butt! Commander: Actually thats not what I meant... Anyways, I don´t even play Pan-O so I don´t got a horse in this race so back to my main point: Gimme Al Fasid in Druze allready! :D
While I too like S5 HI since I like PanO such units are non-existant. I don't mind though since I like Knights along with the Swiss & Aquila. I do and it seems you have produced alot of lists. I guess I'll add at least one S5 HI list to the mix. A perfect list for those rare 250/5.5 SWC games. Which don't exist due to 250 point games having only 5 SWC. Yu Jing ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 10 YĀN HUǑ 2 Missile Launchers / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 52) YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant MULTI HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT (Chain of Command, X Visor) Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, Stun Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 34) MECH-ENGINEER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15) ZHANSHI Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) RUI SHI Spitfire / Electric Pulse. (1 | 20) LÙ DUĀN Mk12, Heavy Flamethrower / Electric Pulse. (0 | 21) 5.5 SWC | 250 Points Open in Infinity Army This is much better in my opinion. You got alot of FO's in the Zhanshis & Weibings to add in the Yan Huo's orbital bombardments. Plus a Pheasant in case the Multi-HMG get taken out. The Pheasant also has both Stun Grenades and E/Mitter to help protect the Yan Huos. While the Engineer is to fix both the remotes and the big guns if need be. The monk is there to fill out the remaining points and bring smoke. He is also a deterrent against the enemy advancing or to charge the enemy position and wreck havoc while dropping some smoke along the way. Yu Jing ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 10 YĀN HUǑ 2 Missile Launchers / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 52) YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant MULTI HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT (Chain of Command, X Visor) Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, Stun Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 34) MECH-ENGINEER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15) YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) ZHANSHI Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) GROUP 2 1 1 SHAOLIN Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades / Pistol, Shock CCW. (0 | 5) 4.5 SWC | 249 Points Open in Infinity Army
I'd personally make one of the FO Zhanshis a regular Zhanshi and crank the Pheasant up with MadTraps.
Very well. Though it would be a fun list to try especially having those FO's lock on targets and unleashing the Yan Huos.
I'd even go so far as to drop two FOs to get both the MadTraps AND go from a MULTI-HMG to the king of all delete buttons, the HRMC. But that's just me.
That is a possibility but the points constrained me unless I dropped the Monk and changed the Missile Launcher to the HRMC like so: Yu Jing ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 10 YĀN HUǑ Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 54) YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant MULTI HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT (Chain of Command, X Visor) Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, Stun Grenades / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 34) MECH-ENGINEER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15) YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) ZHANSHI Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) 4.5 SWC | 249 Points Open in Infinity Army Which would be the better Lt.? Yu Jing ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 2 YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 54) YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant MULTI HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53) 4 SWC | 107 Points Open in Infinity Army
Changed the Lt.: Yu Jing ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 10 YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 54) YĀN HUǑ MULTI HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT (Chain of Command, X Visor) Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, MadTraps / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 36) MECH-ENGINEER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15) YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) ZHANSHI Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) 4.5 SWC | 248 Points Open in Infinity Army How about this? Seems to be a good combination of both our ideas.
I'd say that's a good compromise, yeah. MAYBE would drop a single FO for the purpose of Lt confusion and getting the Neurocinetics ML instead of the MULTI-HMG, but that's neither here nor there.
Both of those suggestions would work out as well. Though I think turning one Zhanshi into a normal Zhanshi and adding another Yaozao would be better. Yu Jing ────────────────────────────────────────────────── 10 YĀN HUǑ Lieutenant Hyper-Rapid Magnetic Cannon / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 54) YĀN HUǑ MULTI HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 53) PHEASANT IMPERIAL AGENT (Chain of Command, X Visor) Combi Rifle + E/Mitter, MadTraps / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0 | 36) MECH-ENGINEER Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 15) YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) YÁOZĂO Electric Pulse. (0 | 3) ZHANSHI Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 19) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI (Forward Observer) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) ZHANSHI Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 11) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (0 | 16) 4.5 SWC | 250 Points Open in Infinity Army