Bear in mind as well for all the bellyaching over TAK that they're good against TAGs that they themselves don't have that option. I played vs CHA with a TAG the other week and lost the TAG, not to AP or T2 but just pistol crits in reaction, anything that managed to land against the TAG just poinged, it was my inability to roll higher than a 6 with a BS 20 H:Shotgun that lost me that one. If your TAG is taking active turn shooting from a Vet Kaz or Grey APHMG in a link you've put your faster, more manuverable TAG somewhere that could happen.
That's one reason I like the Tikbalang so much. Mimetism makes it great with Suppressive Fire, but HFT, mines, Climbing Plus, and slightly smaller silhouette size mean it hides better than pretty much any TAG. Hanging off the side of a building to avoid CC has saved me in more than one game.
This game is strange in that TAG´s are kind of tanks, but you have to play with much MUCH more finesse playing with the heavy armored and armed vehicle that with light infantry. High BS and ARM is an advantage, but i found that what really makes the Tag´s work for me is the speed and height, being able to shoot over obstacles sometimes changes the nature of some lanes, having a 15-10 mov lets you go fast to the one you can abuse.
TAK and Ariadna and indeed LI ambush based asymmetrical trading lists often struggle against TAGs in general and TAGs with BS mods in particular because their usual mines/chain rifles/shooting from camo just aren't able to crack things like a Tikbalang in a strong position on Suppression, and in the ARO they've got nothing hard hitting enough to not get plowed through. In those games it's all about whether the TAG player can keep the momentum or the light force guy can jam up the TAG, surround and kill it.
The speed and mobility is big. TAGs are one of the few units where I feel comfortable starting in my DZ, advancing into the opponent's table-half to gunfight, then ending the turn back in my DZ all in one turn.
That's support you're taking anyway for missions, though. Or at least I always do. And if we were really going for realism (like in N2), TAGs should start at ARM12 and go up from there, just to actually be immune to rifle fire like any armored vehicle. ARM is definitely overcosted compared to it's table effectiveness. But Wounds/Structure are also very expensive, and justifiably so. Ain't that the truth! It'd probably be 5 points or more for that single point of BS. Very much this, the TAGs biggest weapon is it's mobility. Old Man Rommel said it first.
Exactly, and not only that but the killing power is extremely efficient. People forget just how deadly that Fatality L1 MHMG is, with the active turn B advantage its extremely powerful. Even doing things like revealing a Noctifer ML vs a Squalo, you've got a decent chance of the Noctifer just getting blasted away. Speed plus extremely lethal shooting means a very order efficient unit. In two orders a TAG is on your half of the board with a short skill to spare, probably has LOS to something it can eradicate and can probably do the same next order. Their weakness is the Discover Skill, which they are weak at. Fortunately Sensorbots exist and can keep pace with a TAG to reveal enemy camo and such. Really the reason why TAGs aren't seen much is because usually they mean a TAG list, and people often don't want to play something so far towards a monofocused list (see why Achilles isn't in every list that can take him despite him being almost always a fantastic choice). Most "must take" troops are good and cheap, you can bring them without it being all about them. I think that TAGs are pretty strong right now, I'd argue some of them like the Squalo and Jotum could stand to be more interesting, but they're still good.
Also as a point of note, TAGs aren't immune to rifle fire in the fluff or game, and aren't explicitly supposed to be. The whole point is that they are very light for being what they are, and they're sufficiently resilient to rifle fire that it's not an effective way to combat them.
Funny is that fully linked VetKazak has probably more damage potential ^^ (mayby losing a bit of effectivenes only against low ARM NWI/Dogged targets when compared to MHMG).
Fully linked vet kazak has different damage potential. And different defensive capability, and different tactical utility in general. A TAG is unlikely to be able to deal with such a link by itself, although as a point of note, this is hardly unrealistic. Dug in and well organised/prepared Infantry vs unsupported tanks has historically = lots of destroyed tanks.
All those examples are good taking hits, but are missing in firepower and range (not counting cc here), cant get into cover, cant cover other units with their big profiles with the same efficiency, need extra orders to get into place, lack the "artillery" feel of being pounded from a lane 80cm long that was supposed to be 20cm because of a container cutting it. One of my best friends was a tank driver, every time he did training with infantry units and he had to go to "Thailand" (finish point), he speed up to get to the end and set turkish coffee over the front of the tank, just to drink it relaxed while the guys walked by tiered and overload of equipment. What i mean is that Total Immunity is great, but size, reach and speed are king.
theres nothing wrong with tags. They are as it stands a "Do it all" package. they can perform anything the mission calls for in a variety of different ways depending on the TAG.
Please, Ive run both sides and TAGs are a mile beyond the defensive capabilities of dogs. Dogs are good, dogs are tough, Dogs arent TAGs
Got it in one, though its fair that its the way that speed and height combos with the BS and the ARM and the weaponry. if they had lighter weaponry the speed wouldnt help them and theyd be shot to death easily. But with the ARM and the BS and the MHMGs and other heavy weaponry the speed instead lets them leverage it to do extreme damage
Imo MULTI HMG's range has a weird combo with the TAG's speed. You need to go close, because everyone is in total cover hiding from you, but you have a long range gun.
I think Total immunity isn't tanking. Yes, it makes EXP, DA, whatever Normal, but they have low armor, no cover, so go down for rifle shots. They can withstand a missile shot to their face easily, but not a full burst of rifle damage. So maybe shoot them with rifles, not missiles.
why arent you taking AD specfire or guided then? The TAG isnt supposed to be killing everything, if your opponents hiding utterly in active and limiting where and how he moves because of hte tag then its done its job without firing a shot
Yeah, if enemies are hiding, then your other troops can advance on objectives without fearing AROs. AD can enter the board without interference. Hell, TAG can udvance up the flank for a nice, clean enfilade fire. "The greatest victory is that which requires no battle"
Different factions different strengths. It sounds like you maybe shouldn't bring your tag to the game against TAK. Use the thing TAK struggles against instead: camo, shock ammo and such. Don't send your tank into the city full of people with anti tank guns. Edit: now that I think on it the TAK headlining act is shock immune, isn't it? Lol fwiw, TAK is kind of a one-trick pony. Camo and a facewrecking linked team. Okay, that's two tricks.
