I think it would be crazy to not import all of C1 into N4. Some things may get more complicated, some units may get extra skills and equipment but no base rules will be different. For example, the bonuses on MA won't change, but level 4 and 5 might get extra abilities like they had before. On a slightly different topic, some of the costing still needs a little work in C1. Zanshi doc/eng costing the exact same as a regular zhanshi seems odd. Jujak BS and Jujak CR/HFt both cost 2 but the Zuyong BS costs 2 and the Zuyong CR costs 2.5. Internally to each unit it makes no sense to me and outside the unit, the Jujak CR is cheaper than the Zuyong CR and it comes with a free HFt.
I don't think costs matters as much when when the AVA is 1. However i'm finding there's just some troops you are more likely to take since its better and costs the same or .5pts more. Especially when it's a max of 10. I keep "upgrading" Zhanshi when I have pts. left.
While I like the new points system for force building, I am finding that some of the nuance is gone. Why take a Combi Zhanshi when you can take a Paramedic, and why take a Paramedic when you can take a Doctor?
With the new Medkit rules the paramedic has the same chance of recovering high PH HI as the doctor, allows you to have multiple medics, and another specialist for objectives. EDIT: I see your point on re-reading. Why take one when you could have the better option.
One advantage of the Zhanshi being seemingly redundant with better profiles for the same cost is that it means I can just use the Zhanshi in the Kaldstrom box (and my existing Yaozao) to be Yisheng and Gongcheng without needing to buy the support pack at all. Hurray for saving money!
CONE still has AVA1 on the doctor, right? I guess the real question is why did they bother putting the objectively worse 1 point non-paramedic Zhanshi in CONE.
It's C1 nuance went the way of the Tohaa, especially when it comes to profile costing. When you essentially divide point costs by 10 to make things more accessible for new players you will end up with weirdness like this.
Because when you put 8 points of TAG in there you may want something more at 1 pts than Yisheng and Gong-Cheng. Also, there is firefight to consider
You may want more than one Medkit, since that ability isn't duplicated by Servants. In C1 PanO this is pretty common since most HI is PH14 and the Doc is WIP 12, so a HI-heavy list (which will be common in C1) actually wants to use its Medkits over the Doctor skill and taking both a Trauma-Doc and one or two Fusi Paramedics isn't a bad idea. In YJ this is less likely to happen due to higher WIP and lower PH on average, but a top-heavy list with multiple Hsien and Hac Tao could still have a use for the Zhanshi Paramedic in addtition to the Yisheng.
With the exception of Specialist Kill missions you'd still probably be better off taking the Weibing Yaokong rather than the Zhanshi. It's faster, a specialist, better in CC (which...probably not really relevant) and has a combi-rifle and the same BS for the same cost. -1ARM and hackable though. For a model that's going to hide at the back to give orders and be cheap to make a TAG accessible the Zhanshi loses out to the Chaiyi which is half the cost. For something that will be cheap and give a random combi-rifle ARO the Weibing is just as good but can also switch up and run to an objective to score it later in the game.
And then you run into a Remote's mortal enemies; Doors. Even so, that's still only 4 AVA and you've got 5 left. Running multiples of the more expensive options may still yield a reason to play the Zhanshi even when factoring in the reductive arguments above.
So, 2 booster packs with 3 models each and a hero for CONE after the blue wolf. What are we expecting? Hero is probably Lei Gong, not because he adds anything to Yu Jing in CONE but because he is already left. Some candidates for boosters assuming no re sculpts it's quiet a limited pool: Zhanying BSG Zhanying HMG Tiger CR/Paramedic Jujak SF+HFT Jujak ML Jujak BCR+HFT Jujak BSG Shang Ji HMG Shang Ji HRL Shang Ji MR Hundun SMR Hundun HRL Yemao MR/Hacker Yemao ML Hac Tao ML (God yes!) Hsien MMR (Wicked sick but don't see anything with a tinbot) Yanhuo MULTI HMG Guilang hacker/Combi If they proritise salvaging viable sculpts from discontinued products: Hsien HMG Tiger Hacker Zuyong MR Zhanying BCR Guilang Sniper Which would leave only one new sculpt in the boosters. What are we expecting?
I’d expect the Shang-Ji and Jujak sculpts to end up in their respective SWC boxes. It’s plausible that CB will go for one model per Sectorial in each booster. I’d be a little bit surprised if they re-issue older sculpts—if only for sales reasons—but they did it with the Yu Jing support pack, and the Red Veil unit sculpts hold up well, soooo...? You might add the Daofei Hacker to the list of potential new sculpts, but I’d expect models to be a lower priority for CB if they’ve recently released a sculpt that serves as a good proxy, especially if the troop is one that has a low AVA or high point cost, so I don’t expect us to see that one.
Maybe the Daofei HMG is coming back faster than we thought. Also wouldn't surprise me if Shang ji and Jujak share a box to justify the unfortunate link rule they have in N4.
Here's my crackpot prediction: - Liu Xing Multi Rifle/Spitfire because this guy is actually interesting now - Lei Gong SMG because he still needs a general release - Shang-Jisus APHMG because everyone wants this man badly Honorable mentions: - Hsien MMR because Hsien are ballers and this is a new loadout - Tian Gou KHD, but this one is shared with Starmada, so it will likely be a single release - Jujak BSG, because I don't expect them to get a whole box and this one covers their utility loadouts - Yaofang Long Ya because everyone wants this bot badly, but it will likely come in boxes of two
Interesting that Shang-Ji with Regeneration is still there and that Adil still has CC Attack (-3) when those don't exist in N4... Lei Gong does seem like a reasonable hero pack as he's missing a general release mini is in CONE and has had the 3D render demonstrated, but it's possible they will add Cheung to CONE
Since no one ever talks about them in C1, I'm betting on Zhanying they always seem to come out with the one no one seems to care about.
