And yet that wasn't the point that was being made, it was that the Crane underperforms versus its cost and it's very apparent when you look at its contemporaries who pack better links and better skills and stats. You know, the point of this thread. Unfortunately this discussion is about theoretical and meta stuff, you can't really prove a mimetic crane is better by playing it because it doesn't exist. You can point out that statistically it is significantly better, but that doesn't work when the person you're trying to explain it to is too much of a fanboy to accept a mathematical explanation. Same as trying to prove links being superior between factions, you can't play them in a vacuum and declare they're better. You can point out disparities in cost and the combinations of desired skills/troopers though but again it's really hard to communicate that point to a fanboy. I'm not sure how you make that without just turning him into a tank like Pedobear, which would be effective but mildly boring. Total Reaction maybe? I've been playing lists with 5 TR bots lately and it's actually pretty amusing. It'd be two birds with one stone. ISS has serious issues with not getting alpha'd the fuck off the table that needs addressing.
It's your game, you can do whatever the hell you want. Get a friend that wants to the same or just have fun and do it. It's not like there's tons of tournaments to practice for. If anyone has things they thing should be changed for better or worse, test them and prove it with what was found. We are supposed to be having fun with this. If you are not, why are you playing?
This seems to be the crux of the problem, how do you mitigate that particular issue for ISS without breaking their overall theme? - There are several Minelayer + MadTraps loadouts available already, but maybe we could give the Crane some, too? - Sixth Sense on Zhanying is also useful defensively, maybe also worth consideration for Cranes? - We have 5 points (admittedly + handler tax) walking Chain Rifles and various other DTW like Xi Zhuang available to cover corners - In terms of linkable hard long range ARO, best we have is MSR Dakini Haris, which is respectable with enhanced reaction. An overhauled Bao Core option would probably fill that space some more, maybe a linkable Sun Tse V2 down the line. I like the idea of total reaction (maybe +sixth sense) on Cranes, if they keep their short weapon ranges. This way, they would be proper road blocks in CQC, which seems to be the idea behind them.
I really don't think the Crane is that bad as he is. It's the rest of the force that needs a boost to support him. I'd like the Move to be 6-2 but it's not a deal breaker. I'd also like another specialist. A KHD or a SO. Even better, a Lt. Specialist. But that's really about it.
Sixth Sense seems a little redundant to pay for, it certainly feels like a waste on the Zhanying. On the other hand we still don't know what's happening with mixed fireteams but as I said probably don't want to make an overhaul until after that settles in lest we finally get a change only for it to be useless shite. Much like the attempts to buff the N3 Shang Ji come to think of it. They actually got buffed remember it was just a useless change that was made irrelevant by other changes happening at the same time.
Fair enough. Much of this discussion hinges on how and when CB addresses fire team rules. It's still the single most potent force multiplier and enabler of detrimental outliers like Grenzers, Vostoks, Karhu and pitcher setups. Once that has been altered, we'll have a new outlook on balance.
