They didn't, but there are several interactions in rules (namely, burst MODs not stacking and HRMC Yan Huo being the only config that didn't get the ability to link) that make it seem like a conscious design choice.
They might be trying to limit it to 5 dice for practical reasons more than crit chance. You can already get 6 dice in missions with panoplies.
How so? Neither fireteam bonus nor FA2 stack with other Burst bonuses. Twin Weapons rule doesn't have that clause, but there are no other ways to increase one's Burst I am aware of?
The Fireteam burst bonus only does not stack with other bonuses in the reactive turn; in the active turn it does, hence why, for example, a Rodok in a Haris can fire its light shotgun at B4. A Rodok in a Haris with an HMG can pull another one out of a panoply for B6.
I dontd think this is gonna be OP but that fatality lvl 2 is going to generate a lot of frustration around the tables. Whether you crit on 1 with a very poor tactical position (shooting a to sniper from the other side of the board) and the defender feels the negative experience. Or the attacker don't crit on multiple rolls and you feel you don't get what you deserved. I think it's a poor mechanic in a game sens (i.e. not "funny mechanic").
Yes, make no mistake. This isn't about what is OP or not, this entire thread is about how uninteractive FAT2 is with B5. Why should I pay for profiles like the Yan Huo Neurocinetics or Sun Tze or Orc Feuerbach, when their main gimmick is to be good and tanky in ARO, which they pay an absurd amount of points to do so, only to get diced by a mechanic that bypasses such an expensive mechanic which you can't do a single thing against?
It's the anti-Symbiomate issue. If FAT2 was +2 DAM (stacks with FAT1 for +3 total), nobody would have an issue and we'd all think it was interesting. It wouldn't simultaneously devalue TO, ODD, MSV or high ARM because all of those things would increase survivability against it or, in the case of MSV, improve your odds of winning the FTF. B5 DAM17 Sptifires at less cost than an AP Spitfire. That's amazing. But it would emphasis that you need to play the game to get your hits in rather than just praying to the dice gods.
Make something OP, sell models, then nerf it? Repeat? Make merc sectorials...aka 40k soups...this way we can also sell even more models people would never buy otherwise? :D Yessss, our plan is working just as intended...we can learn a lot from GW business practices and implement it in Infinity :D I heard you love ARM13 Jotum?!
While I also don't like the way FAT2 works right now, I still would like to note that probability-wise, linked Tarik is only marginally better than Kriza, linked Janna or linked Orc HMG against Yan Huo or Orc FB in 16-24" range, and actually loses out to Kriza and Ork outside of Spitfire optimal rangeband. Infinity is a game where dude on ARO will always be at a disadvantage, so leaving a costly model for ARO duty will always be risky, regardless of cheese skills on attacker.
The problem is, FAT2 in a link can handily -9 (Tarik, Zhay) or -12 (Sheskin) itself and still get a 41% crit chance, it's got a built in threat bottom that can't be negated. Shooting a Hac Tao at bad range, in cover, through poor vis? 41% crit chance. Symbiomates were bad because they negated a core game mechanic (ARM/BTS rolls) and there was nothing you could do to prevent them working save rely on luck, it's galling that in the same update that addressed that issue CB introduced an entirely new combination that ignores another core game mechanic (range/cover/vis) that you can do nothing to prevent. This isn't a case of being out-manoeuvered and eating a normal roll from your rear arc, you can play better and negate that, FAT2 in a link just works, all the time.
Heh, this is mainly the reason why I think even fireteams to begin with were a mistake. Getting +3BS and +1B is not rewarding you for good gameplay, it's simply rewarding you for picking the optimal faction and units in your list. Basically my issue is that it's dictating your odds on the table before you've even began playing.
I din't realise how strong sheskin crit chance could negate mods until someone on the french forum pointed it. So, same opinion here. Having 41 % chance of loosing an opposed roll even if you pick the best unit in the best situation to ARO is just crazily bad. PS : sheskin has a BS15 so she only need a 3 people FT to be able to reach this odd.
One question follows; will it 'fun' to play with? I have strong negativeness towards it, and I can think some WAACs happily buying able army ruining the gaming scene. Quite a flourishing!
Dont worry, this stuff was tested so it must be fine ^^ (just like Full Auto and stacking in on suppressive fire ;P)