We know that SWC discounts can be implemented in other ways... There are LT choices that provide SWC discounts, notably to high-tech firepower oriented factions too. Attaching SWC discounts to a specific profile (like the Hsien MULTI Rifle LT) is a really nice way to add some incentive to a profile that might not otherwise be taken. It's an interesting notion, especially when you get units like the Kamau HMG who are disproportionately awesome gunfighters and only cost 1 SWC. At the end of the day, I don't mind the PanO formula of "high BS and/or MSV and/or Visibility penalties." It's effective. It works. And since I gravitate towards Sectorials anyway, I tend to get my dose of theme from the way the Sectorial is structured, and not so much from the units themselves. But high-tech can also be a fun design niche that fosters creativity (something like the Ryuken-9 SMG could have just as easily been a Locust and noone would have questioned it.) Similarly, you can build a unit that's just really, really good at one thing, but have it be characterful and interesting because of its look and its many different profiles (Kriza Borac...) Thinking towards Varuna, I won't mind if it's the ultimate PanO faction (Mimetism for all! Gunfights like a demon!) if we see a few innovations as well. It's the opportunity for supreme scifi professional TactiCool.
I;ve been writing up sectorial lists lately and its surprising how much the factions change with the addition of a single unit or two. What the presence of the Naga and Deva do for ASA and NCA is remarkable in terms of how it can change up their game play. that combined with the increased AVA on a lot of units that get crueled out of vanilla really changes up the faction.
Interesting comments about building sample Varuna lists, and I agree that the presence of one or two units can have a remarkable impact. Even now, thinking of something like: 2x Kamau HMG 2x Crocmen of choice 6 Fusiliers with heavy weapons Pathfinder 2 Fugazi That's a really solid, competitive basis for a list, and you still have nearly 100 points and 1.5 SWC - 2 SWC left over for whatever units are out there that we don't know about. KHD? AD? Whatever Helots are? It's those unknown Varuna units that get me really excited. We know Varuna will be playable based off the existing profiles, so I'm just curious to know what CB has in mind for the unknown stuff.
Well, with Varuna being built off of the Blue Sea counter terrorist group, I could see lots of operators coming in to flesh out the sectorial, almost SOCOM for PanO.
have you tried to put a kamau fireteam+cutter+crocman in a list? Blind optimism is pointless when the number dont actually fit.....
Tbh so are AD, Doc, Medikits and extra mods through some fancy rules. But like you said yourself, some extra additions can affect your gameplan a lot.