If that were the case then how did: CSU (Specialist Operative) Rifle + Light Shotgun, Nanopulser / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) BRAWLER Rifle + Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 16) Happen?
Brawlers are basically the bloatiest profile in existence. Over a Fusilier (ignoring the gun for a moment) they get +1 to CC, PH, ARM, and +3 BTS. Actually a pretty similar statline to Bipandra but swapping a point of WIP for CC (yay?). I'm guessing the most expensive part of the equation is the ARM, which seems to be priced at roughly 2-3 points per level (and accounts for the 0 ARM CSU's low cost).
Brawler is CC14, PH11, ARM2, BTS3 and has DUO in his Profile. That's 6 points over a Fusilier exactly. Yes Duo in the Troop Profile costs points. Was as surprised as anypne, but ISS Bountyhunters/Miranda as well as Brawlers only make sense that way. Seems to be free if it's not on a Troop but a Profile to make it more confusing. CSU is hard. Best guess is a Nanopulser as 3rd gun is free. Sixth Sense L1 as well as Metachemistry L1 too (yes those are great Skills to give away for free, but so is Sensor, Fat2 for 1 point etc). That only leaves Specialist Operative, CC14 and BTS 3 vs ARM1 to add up to 2 over a Fusilier. This much would still be easy... the Breaker Profiles are the real weird ones.
Except that ARM 1-2 only costs 1 pt each elsewhere. See Acontecimento Regulars, for an example. There's no ignoring that this one simply doesn't add up. Not without ignoring basically everything else and starting from scratch with a whole new system just to explain this matchup. And if that's the case, there isn't one costing system anymore.
That still doesn't add up without assigning for free things which aren't free elsewhere (and haven't been counted as free in the past).
But are you sure CB use a fix cost to weapons and habilities? Look like CSU ( and mercenaries in general) are private troops they can have cheap acces to normal equipment. The fluf explanation from ehy to hell mercenaries are in general better than factions basic troops could be that they are just a few, selected from the "best".
some, yes (Forward Observer consistently costs 1 point). Others, depend on what kind of troop they are added too (LI/MI/HI/TAG) not only for cost but for SWC. Funnily enough, it seems like E/M and AP melee weapons cost the same, whic is 1 less point than DA, regardless of carrier. KHD seems to be +3 points, while AHD seems to go +5 and 0.5SWC. This is kinda funny since the Aragoto pay the full KHD cost while not being able to use Impersonation...
No, but since I was summoned, the formula is the same for everybody, so if something changes, it changes for everybody. Different stats?
Well funny part is than technicly what you said might as well mean "formula is the same but parameters are different" (note that I do not imply such scenario, just taking bit of fun of language) For example formula: Cost[pts] = X(BS+PH+WIP) + Y(CC+BTS+S) + Z Z - faction specific discount Z1- - StarCo parameter equal to -5 Z2 - PanO parameter equal to 3 Still fullfill what you have wrote while being a bit "skewed" ;) (beauty of parametric formulas)
On top of a case that "usability" of this CSU is much better than Brawler while costing good chunk points less. In other words: some waepons and stats seems to be grossly overcosted/undercosted.
Please remember that it is not permitted to discuss the formula in details or try to analyse and dissect it. I am only allowed to comment on it to the extend of what I have already said.
I'm super thrilled by the new CSU actually, making me want to take a break from painting up my new HB force and quickly paint up and bust out my Red Veil CSU and my old dire foes civvy proxy CSU for some games with NCA :O
As much as I agree that they are strong deployment zone defense, I love using the CSU as an aggressive piece. They are cheap, the direct template weapons make for some interesting tactics, and if I lose one then I don't feel bad.
For sure. With their crazy versatile toolbox, plus a hot metachemistry roll, these gals will wreck if they get a decent opening.
Oh, absolutely. Don't get me wrong, I 100% agree that CSUs (especially with a good Metachemistry roll) are amazing strike pieces. It's just that their strength as defensive pieces is often overlooked, so that's the thing I'll always draw attention to first. And they aren't bad at MAKING an opening (unlike a lot of PanOceania options), thanks to that DTW, too.
