I've got a Spec Ops tournament coming up and I'm looking for some help since I've never used the rule before. What do you like to kit your Spec Ops model out with? My gut reaction is weaknesses in VIRD that could use some custom help, maybe a high WIP doctor, or a CoC model since that's a rule VIRD has no access to. Totally open to comments from the other sectorials as well. It's a fun discussion.
Do you think you need a high WIP Doctor? Do you think you need Chain of Command? If so, go for it. I personally really like Spitfire or MULTI Sniper Rifle + Mimetism + Minelayer. That's a lot of firepower and area denial packed into not-very-many points. Alternately, if you like Doctor + Engineer + Supportware, that's really nice too. You can save a ton of points by combining all those rules onto your Spec Ops, and letting him/her act as the ultra support master. You can save ~40 points by combining all those roles onto one unit. Overall though, I definitely suggest Minelayer. It's a really nice tool, especially for VIRD, where mines are pretty expensive.
Super specialist is usually my go-to. It fills a nice hole that is intentionally left for PanO. A high-end shooter isn't a bad idea either, depending on missions of course.
The usual filler is definitely a super-specialist, but a cheap, no-SWC shooter isn't bad. Note that while the SpecOps Doc comes with the Medikit, the SpecOps Engineer does NOT come with D-Charges, just the Deactivator.
Assuming a 12xp Spec Ops: Combine Holo 1 with Minelayer so you deploy an extra camo marker but don't need to tell your opponent what it is. Then a BSG, specialist operative and mimetism to round out your fireteam defence and give you a late-game objective grabber.
If I don't want to fill Fusilier link, I would take Acontecimento Regular with +WIP, Doctor, Engineer, Hacker, Minelayer and some Palbots. Last 2 XP is spent on either +BS, +BTS or Boarding Shotgun.
Do mines belong to combat groups? If not, you will have to tell what it is because marker's combat group is an open info.
Depressingly, yes the combat group is open info. That's where Croc Men come in handy, especially the minelayer profile as you can place 12 or 13 potential troopers down, several in marker state, some of which have to be mines, but your opponent won't be sure which thanks to Holo 1, (going second you could have a pair of ZC, 2-3 Helots, downgraded Croc Men and several mines all deployed in or around your deployment zone). Just tried it out in Army, you can't have Mimetism and Holo 1 :(
Since VIRD already has access to mimetic BS13 HMG for cheap, I feel like that standard route is not needed. Instead of a Doctor I'd go with a WIP13 Hacker/Engineer, so that you can unlock and repair Rems reliably without spending SWC for HD and having to deal with the terrible Machinits. That's pretty much what I always go with in vanilla as well (though I usually go for an OS base for that extra point of WIP).
You have a lot of options, many of them are discussed before :) The funny thing is with an spec ops you can "spare" some slots in order to configure your list. If you don't know what missions you will play is more complicate, but If you know it, configure your spec-ops to have extra help. For example, they are many scenarios where the players have to destroy "something" with Antimaterial Ammunition but in CC, and Pano hasn't to many options in this way, less in Varuna. Not EXP or DA CC Weapons, except the "D-Charges". Maybe you can configure a SpecOps with at least a EXP CC weapon. A defensive one, the boarding shot gun is a really good adittion to the armory in a Fireteam for a Fusilier, but too the Stun Pistol (R2 or even R3 in Active Turn). You could use to stunn some big targets and left them harmless, don't forget 2 salvations against PB.
If I want a good specialist, I prefer to take doctor+engineer+minelayer fusilier raser than regular because of extra point of armor(12 and 13 WIP both require double upgrading till 15WIP) and I never take hacker because it surely be killed by enemy KHD(almost every list have one in our meta) And I heard that specops rules will be updated in new book so this thread might become unvalid soon)
