Hello and welcome everyone, this is going to be a continuous thread in which we try and address various underperforming units across the game one by one, discussing how we would fix them in a potential universe, where we are in charge of the rules. I'm going to change the unit in question every Friday - please include your suggestions for the next unit in your post or send a PM if you are interested in any particular unit. I'm going to start with Arslan, since there was a recent thread concerning him in the DBS subforum, which otherwise doesn't see much traffic these days. Unit # 1: Security Chief Arslan (DBS) 1. Shock Immunity Yes, the proliferation of NWI + Shock Immunity is a contentious topic and I honestly don't like it in general, but I believe some models do need it. Arslan is 36 points of MI, so he needs all the protection he can get. 2. X-Visor He is a Druze after all and it seems to be one of their schticks, so why doesn't he get one? It would synergise greatly with his Multi Rifle and give him additional offensive flexibility. 3. CoC and/or NCO DBS is lacking both skills as of yet and I believe they are one of the factions that should by all means have some emphasis on command and control features. Giving Arslan Strategos 1 would be one option, but that still makes him a very obvious LT that is fairly easy to kill if you put your mind to it. Arslan CoC plus a similarly obvious Brawler LT would at least require two assassinations to put you into LoL. Also having NCO would be a nice touch and add some order efficiency to your fire teams.
I'd actually turn him into a HI. Druze could use a native HI unit, and Arslan could be a forerunner. ARM 4, BTS 3, PH 13, 2 Wounds, Grenades, rest of the skills as they are.
Arslan shouldn't have CoC, because he is the actual chief of the entire Bayram Security organization. The way I'd fix him is take Shock off of SMGs, Heavy Pistols, and Sniper Rifles. Then give him Tac Awareness.
Could be fun to give him a Regeneration (PHY=16) along with the Shock Immunity instead of his NWI, to represent that bad-guy habit of never staying dead. Since he's so limited in availability (only DBS), it actually wouldn't be too bad to give him Inspiring Leadership to open up a list archetype with more reliance on single pieces and Coordinated Orders than links.
While I don't disagree that I'd like to see a mercenary heavy infantry, Arslan is a Druze character and with that I don't mean the sectorial but the unit. I like Hecaton's idea; it'd make him a weird amalgamation of Govads and Muyib. LT+1 wouldn't be outrageous, either, but much like the Hsien LT2 I think he'd need Specialist Operative (or better) to justify it somewhat.
I'd really like to see him get some love; he was a dark horse character in Outrage that I ended up liking a lot. Plus he had all the best lines.
Just give him the normal character-treatment: 2 to 4 points down, a multi-rifle profile and a spitfire-profile and everything with a Lt +1 order or CP option.
Um, characters don't get any special discounts, they just get optimised like normal units usually don't
Still a nerf over not being HI, which continues its trend in N4 of simply being a drawback for no tangible benefits.
Shock Immune, X-Visor, Marksmanship. He's now tough enough (not a lot, but some), and can clear things to let DBS push.
Shock immunity, strategos level 1, x-visor, mimetsm. For being like 10 points more than the normal druze he needs alot of help. I love the character and I force myself to take him in fluffy lists because it's cool but I always feel like I'm handicapping myself when I do it.
This but no mimetism. He needs the unknown ranger treatment. Man, that guy got the kitchen sink thrown at him