I could see CB doing something really cool next year. Something along the lines of Tohaa exposing Shas as a more significant threat to the Human Sphere. Which causes IA, Varuna, RTF, OS, TAK and Tunguska to mobilize in response. Bringing this all together in a new book for the year.
Given that the tohaa directed shas into the human sphere, I dont see it being so neat politically, in particular TAK have bones to pick, as does the helots (allegedly).
Well then maybe Shas will leave CA in a puff of Speculo Killers and align with Tohaa. And do something that will require the Human Sphere to work together in a crisis situation. Then in one big swoop shake up CA meta and double the Tohaa.
It would be rather interesting, as it would be giving us a superior Shaytaniah included in the Maghariba's price. Also, even a regular Smart Missile Launcher on a TAG would benefit from the Fatality L1 rule - boosting it further by making it Heavy SML (which - in most cases - means "up the Damage by one notch") would sound definitely unfair IMHO. Excellent observation on the SML design though :) I'm however staying with Chickenbots.
I am buying the new remotes and just turning the chicken walkers (I just bought) into objectives. I had been secretly hoping that remotes would become mini Maggies and they are going to be so I am super happy with that. I just threw out a heavy SML idea, instead of a damage buff it could just get more burst. Given the sizes of the new remotes the Shaytaniyah's SML might be the same size. I think it would be really cool if the Maggie got a SML. I am a huge proponent of TAGs being unique in each faction. I know the description of the Adv ECM as having micro missiles but the missile cluster on the Maggie would be normal sized missiles going by their size. It still has the radar above the Multi-HMG still.
I decided what I will do is get the new REM's for the Smart Missile and HMG (as it looks more heavy duty like a heavy weapons platform should) and then use my Chocobots for Rafiqs and Fanouses which are fast and agile.
I'm keeping to the Chickenbots. I mean, I have all 4 main loadouts buildt & painted, I just need an extra Rafiq (for my Bahram) and Fanout (for QK - the third Fanous there will be a Nomad Transductor Zond, and a Reaktion Zond for my 2nd Shihab, both courtesy of my Corregidor force). But them new REMs do look shiny :)
Huh, I always thought the missile pods on Maggie were the EXP rounds for the Multi-HMG. Which would certainly jive with the new SML design .
With the new remote resculpts I think what could be a cool idea and make the Maggie more unique is if they gave it a special fireteam Haris with the remotes. Having a TAG that could bring it's own support and specialists would be pretty awesome.
Would be cool a Maggy-Rem Haris. Maggy with her Babys. Hilarious^^ What I also would love to see, is a loadout with 2 Feuerbachs. Optical a dream and gameplaywise not to bad.
Tryied that myself too, but apart from more choices for Hacking the only thing I really miss is points or cheap orders, because most of the stuff is hellishly expensive. Infiltrating Specialist starts at 33, HI at 45, non Ghulam linkable profiles are in the 30s and Tarik has his price too. What holes do bother you in particular? Might have missed some.
Mostly inexpensive Orders* and weakness in Hacking. But I've been building a single Group list, so I've managed. Also, non-SWC AD troop would be nice. * I mean, Naffatun aren't half bad, but I have yet to see them as Order monkeys...
Well in RTF I see them as WB substitute, because besides Tarik, Saladin and Maggie we only have DTW on Naffatuns. The SWC on the AD doesnt bother me much, but a heavier weapon on an AD troop would be nice.
Honestly, it just isn't a complete sectorial yet, and the lack of Fireteams isn't the only dole that needs to be covered eventually. There's simply too many niches that need filling, that I conisder making up a vanilla Caliphate lists merely an excercise in tweaking and making do.
We need: Another HI Another Infiltrator (CAMO) Another AD thats not a support troop I do not believe we will be seeing any WB in the caliphate to be honest. I doubt any irregulars as well.
I wouldn't turn down an inexpensive light troop, either. Though this could take form of specialized Naffatun loadouts - it does depend on the role inteded for Naffatun in RTF, though.
