With Code One and N4 coming out, some have mentioned some factions getting cuts of some sort. One theory is cutting out Mercenaries. Particularly from Vanilla. But if they did this, where would they go? I’d assume NA2 would absorb most of them. Here’s what I think would makes sense for some gains to NA2 if they were to leave other factions. Thoughts? Dahshat: Exclusive Major Lunah Ikari: AVA boost to Krakot Spiral: Exclusive Armand White Stars: Exclusive Knauf Foreign Company: Jon Hawkwood (if the next sectoral is not White Company)
It seems reasonable, but I dunno about Lunah being a Dahshat-exclusive model considering that it already has several named mercs, so they could just as well make Lucien a Dahshat-exclusive model, or Miranda. I wouldn't mind having a VSR platform in Dahshat though!
I think people (certainly myself) were more speculating that mercs would go from Vanilla lists, because most already have a home in Sectorials. Most mercs in Vanilla (Krakots, Cube Jager, ABH, Wild Bill, etc) are there because they were pre-order bonuses or ITS prizes so CB wanted to make them as widely usable as possible, and this is a good thing, getting to use the cool model you just won is awesome! However, we've had several years of this, and now Vanilla rosters feel disjointed due to the amount of non-faction troopers available. It's possible to make vanilla lists with only one or two in-faction troopers, which feels wrong. So we weren't speculating that Le Muet would be removed from the game, but that he is limited to Druze, Ikari, Tohaa, etc.
This. Moving the N3 ITS Mercs out of Vanilla into specific homes would help clean up vanilla, and give back some faction focus.
I’m all for this. I’ve argued that all of the mercenaries are taking away a bit from Vanilla. I can’t see not taking a Liberto in Vanilla YJ now. If I have 12pts I’m more likely to take an ABH rather than a Zhanshi. The whole reason for them was because of their stupid exclusive figs they would have at conventions or something.
I like them as a limited feature, but they need to cycle out. 2-3 seasons (the one they appear in and 1-2 more), and then find a permanent home. A blister for something you get 1-2 year's worth of gaming out of is hardly gouging for those factions who don't end up with permanent access. And there's always SoF.