Why not? Minutemen are a sub-par choice anyway, compared to everything else in the sectorial, so might give them that extra edge. At least then you'd use one. 1W ARM 3 HMG with 4 followers is nothing too crazy or too stronK.
Especially given that Caledonia can already do the same with an AP HMG + 4 *very cheap* followers. US seems to be one of those sectorials that's missed out on all of the mixed-fireteam love being handed around recently.
Played a game yesterday, super close the entire way. Jotum was up in my grill with two wounds left. He had 1 grunt within 6 inches. In another direction at around 11 a sniper grunt and a doctor behind the wall. He moved away so I shot him with everyone. Including a pistol with the close grunt. He splits his fire to the sniper and doctor and downs both. Pistol grunt shoots unopposed. He rolls a 1 for armor. He only took damaged on a 1 from a pistol . Humble Grunt hero
While I normally agree with your views TDA, I have to disagree. USARF was billed not as the 'utilitarian' Sectorial but seemingly the techier one. Blackjacks were supposed to be a 'signature' item for them, the product of them having access to NASA scientists and their descendants. We had dirty tricks(MRRF), In Your Face(Caledonia), and it always was seemingly like TAK was the one to be billed as the utilitarian one. With that out of the way, it's less the idea of the Strelok being a "better" Foxtrot but rather the toys and items present on the Strelok making them a bit "better". Marksmen Rifles were and always will be a pet peeve of mine and I will never understand why they are not more prevalent in Ariadnan factions.
I too always thought of USARF as the techier sectorial of Ariadna (besides MRRF who use import tech like Viral Rifles etc...) while TAK has the more elite Soldiers with better ways to refine Teseum, and the Blackjack plus the "Visor"Profiles for the Minuteman, Marauder and Maverick are the product of it... but besides these few exeptions? I don't really feel it. I don't need extreme T2 or more elite Profiles but i wouldn't mind one or two more "techie" options like the mentioned Marksman Rifle, perhaps a Profile with Aerocam (make the cam it hackable if you want) or AD2 Airborne Rangers (a man can dream, right)?
It's funny that you mention Aerocams as one of the things mentioned in the USARF fluff booklet are airborne 'gun drones' that accompany the convoys to a point where Mavericks will then take over escort duties. That said, one of the early things for the difference between TAK and USARF was the mention of Mavericks vs "Desperadoes"(back when they were implied to be a Kazaks thing): USARF is the disciplined side of things, where you'll be hard-pressed to find impetuous troops. TAK has a disciplined army supported by what amount to 'partisans'. Now obviously that hasn't been the case, but it goes to show how quickly their vision seems to shift.
My dudes, What are you tips for dealing with Artichokes? I find there 2 wound +mate and triad shenanigans to be difficult to deal with. In particular is their gao-rael snipers who I struggle to get past due to MSV2. I can't seem to get myself a good math spread for these guys. Marauder HRL Haris, Grunt Links, or T2 BJ are all around 50/20 for a wound. This isn't that bad until you combine mates and the 2 wound profile. It is hard to get close enough to use things like desperadoes or doggos due to MSV. Any tips?
Strip symbiomates with cheap attacks whenever possible. No Tohaa like losing them to rifles and chain rifles. MSV is a thing, but it usually can’t see everything on the table (and if it can, you may want to look at his your table is set up). If you need assistance breaking enemy MSV, coordinate a shot into it first from a few snipers, then roll up the field. Tohaa crumple against opponents with strong board control and piece trading.
With the change to Marksmanship LX, anybody re-evaluating grunt snipers? They weren't too shabby to begin with, but Marksmanship was always a questionably useful skill.
I still take the snipers all the time but never considered using the MM X with them. Now I might consider it when shooting through a saturation zone that would reduce my burst anyway but in normal link team circumstances I'll still want three shots instead of one at +6.
It's freaking AMAZING. Does the same thing as before, but also ignores cover entirely, both BS mod and ARM mod, and can be used through a saturation zone. My typical link was 3-4 snipers already if using Grunts, but now I'll be sure to take 1-2 solo even if not using a Grunt link.
The Grunt sniper link team just got a heck of a lot more potent. Thought now Marksman LX is a full order which limits it somewhat. Still, very powerful.
Played my first game of USAriadna against JSA on Engineering Deck. USAriadna Ranger Force ────────────────────────────────────────────────── GROUP 1 9 1 2 GRUNT (Marksmanship LX) Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 18) GRUNT (Marksmanship LX) Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 18) GRUNT Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10) GRUNT Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10) GRUNT Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 10) MAVERICK Submachine Gun, Light Rocket Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 22) DEVIL DOG Chain Rifle, Smoke Grenades + 1 K-9 Antipode / AP Heavy Pistol, AP CCW. (0 | 30) K-9 ANTIPODE AP CCW. (7) FOXTROT (Forward Observer) Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18) FOXTROT (Forward Observer) Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18) FOXTROT (Forward Observer) Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 18) GROUP 2 6 1 GRUNT (Inferior Infiltration) Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 11) GRUNT (Inferior Infiltration) Heavy Flamethrower, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 11) MARAUDER (Fireteam: Haris) Rifle, Heavy Flamethrower / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (1 | 22) MARAUDER Paramedic (MediKit) Rifle, Heavy Flamethrower / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (0 | 23) MARAUDER Lieutenant Rifle, Heavy Flamethrower / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (0 | 21) MARAUDER Molotok / Heavy Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 28) HARDCASE FRONTIERSMAN Tactical Bow, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0 | 12) 5 SWC | 300 Points Open in Infinity Army The infiltrating grunts both made their role (going second) but unfortunately my good luck was cancelled out as they both got dropped by a ninja with a combi rifle in two orders. Otherwise I was very impressed with the marauders with FD2 and their molotok and heavy flamethrowers did a tremendous amount of work. All in, I only deployed 2 models in my deployment zone (Maverick and Devil Dog) and the up-field quagmire the army can create with flamethrowers, snipers and mines was really neat. It's not often going second can be that much fun! I think to tweak I can drop the hardcase as I don't really need another upfield close range attacker. The mid-field felt very congested during deployment and I may have simply had too many drops. This frees up points to upgrade one grunt to a HMG and upgrade a second to FO which should help in adding another layer of attack. Overall I really enjoyed my first game with the sectorial. It was a big change of pace from my normal Nomads.
I agree, That said I feel like it aids unlinked snipers a bit more because the potential +9 (to hit, ignore cover) is much better than two dice but I'd still rather have B3 in the link team.
I had a nice game with 2 grunts in overwatch in Vanilla. Shock and ignoring cover against single wound infantry meant that they took out what was needed. I think having 2 or 3 in a link means b2 during reactive and b3 during active or marksmanship, depending on the situation. Previously, LX was so situational as to be useless. Now it legitimately provides an additional option. Against most targets in the active turn, b3 will be better. But having the option to get the +6 against something with ODD or TO could definitely be useful.
Some would say that if you have to challenge a unit with a B1 shot on your active turn, something already went a bit wrong in the game. But then again, USAriadna aren't the most toolboxy army out there, so situations that require such solution could potentially arise more often. I wouldn't know...
You could always target the same model with a linked B3 sniper but in most cases, the single shot ignoring cover and at +6 will be more likely to wound.
Considering that against something with ODD or TO in cover, its 1 die at 20 vs 3 dice at 8 (or at 5 if not a 5-man). While 3 dice are more likely to Crit, depending on the attack coming back, I can see just hoping for a higher roll. In a faction without MSV2+ and no marksmanship L2, it may be a way to dig out a pesky model.
