The changes to jammers and paying for grenades on a phys 10 models feels bad or to rephrase it: they feel to expensive for a mediocre profile especially compared to some other new releases. Additionally holomask troops are given away depending on what you mask them as when the fireteam they are part of doesn't have the consistency bonusses. The sculpt is very nice. A wish for the future is that either kanren get cheaper or the specialist profiles add mines or madtraps. How can a barebones kanren be 25 points and morans be 18 points with mines, and being a specialist...?
To be clear, Tian Gou used to be the sectorial's super weapon similar to Fiday, Daylami, Proxy Mk5, Polaris Team, Jazz, Andromeda (infil+6), etc. Tian Gou is now on par with most other 20-30 one wound infantry which means it's not bad, but it's square in between territory being both too costly and too weak to be a staple unit. This isn't the same as being bad, but list building freedom means we try to avoid bringing stuff that's merely Okay. Units in a middling price range will almost inevitably be that way unless they can do something unique and that thing used to be Jammers, but Jammers went from being unblockable, strong and repeatable to being blockable, mild and limited so the unique ability has very low impact.
I love the 27 point KHD with madtraps in Vanilla. Wip14 specialist, trinity, traps, surprise attack, holomask to hide as something unhackable for safety, echoes to detonate mines, impersonation to move past them and other dangers. And my absolute favorite trick. Holomasking as xi zhuang with his back turned to very good (and usually the only) parachutist entrance just to use that 360 visor and get a free combi shot on 15 when something enters. I killed 2 rasyats and 1 van zant this way, but I admit it's 1 trick pony against particular opponent. The thing is if kanren or pheasant agent combined their HD/KHD profiles with madtraps just like Tian I would most likely choose them instead.
She doesn't pack much to surprise the enemy and make good use of that holomask. the profile doesn't have worthwhile long range suprises like the hafza. and on midtable she has all the odds to loose on a template exchange. His FTO non specialist profiles have as main tool a mild direct template (nanopulser or BS) and a jammer. the killer hacker profile surprises are even harder to make to work. she can play games to trick an AD trooper to jump on his back while holoprojected and make use of that 360 visor or wait until someone comes close to jammertime. but you're wasting 1/15 slots in your list and more important 1/5 slots inside the fireteam for just a posibility. Just like biometrick visor, the posibility itself doesn't worth the effort. and let's deal with it. 2 charges on a jammer and no other use, are not good enough to make the cut. Eraser on the other hand is broke OP and no one seems to give a shit the holoprojector profiles main problem is the holoprojector rule itself. Holoprojector is such a bad written, and void of value rule, that it doesn't even worth the effort. The only thing it works fine, is as a mine deativator. those madtraps and minelayer have the potential to halt an attack or been able to deal with a threat on active. but again, that's worth paing 30 points and 1 of your preacious spots on the list? Another reason why tiangou doesn't work, is the environment in wich is contained. the vanilla or sectorial lproiles doesn't help much. there are no dailami like profiles to use as skin for the holoproyector, and not much non marker state/hidden deployment dealbreaker S2 pieces maybe the Ye-mao missile launcher on sectorial and le muet on vanilla. but I don't know if it worths it to sacrifice a 22-27 piece on a one time gimmic posible light ways o make her more appealing - If she had a blitzen/panzerfaust/flammenspeer shell have more potential for long range suprises, and coordinated orders - a jammer on any kind of specialist profile - throw BS attack +3 or that grenade profile - shaolin profile with panzerfaust (for a whider board presence skin) - forward deployment +4"
I immediately thought it could be a missed opportunity to finally come out with some Madtraps. It's still possible but they don't seem to want us to have those darn things. We have five troops that can take them and they are only available in a box set. I've used it only once but it was pretty good. I just wish they had more than just a KHD. If you hold back the madtrap you can also holomask as three of something else. But I'm not sure what that would be. Zhanshi, Kuang Shi, Shaolin. There's very few things you would take 3 of the same exact thing in vanilla or white banner. I have had no luck with TG in a fire team ever. The jammer is rarely used and when it is, it didn't work. That could be chance I guess. Now they are even more undesirable if I want to try to make a unmixed fireteam.
Not yet, but he's prominently featured in the art for the NA2 section of Raveneye. Many other Defiance characters are getting their regular release too, though the Valerya release was quite substantially different to the Defiance one.
I picked up the Hundun yesterday but I question buying a figure that's I've hardly gotten on the table lol. I even played one yesterday and it only showed up as a camo marker on the last turn. I'm kicking myself for not getting the new Yuan Yuan to be my Jing Qo proxy. The actual figure is kinda boring IMO. So far this year Yu Jing has gotten more than I expected. Shaolin, Hundun HRL and soon to come finally a Tian Gou. I can only say it looks ok. I'm not super hyped about it. Also due to the new fireteam rules, I've been taking it out of teams. But after this, there's no profile that doesn't have at least one figure for it. I'm hoping next year will be something for Yu Jing and ISS. A revamp like Morats or a part of the two force box. Unfortunately I can't see much coming out the rest of the year but here's what I'm still hoping for. Priority: Ye Mao Engineer Liu Xing Spitfire and/or Multi-Rifle Guilang hacker Secondary: Lei Gong Looking at the Army, there's not much they can come out with unless they do re-sculpts and most of those would be ISS. Bao, Crane, Zhanying, Celestial Guard, Su Jian. They will need to come out with some new troops possibly. Unfortunately it will probably be some merc or a mediocre character again.
Crane Kinda got a resculpt with crane Adil. The spitfire crane is still a beautiful sculpt, the mtirifle crane could go with a resculpt. The su Jian Doesn't need a resculpt either it's one of the best miniatures in the range, an additional sculpt with heavy shotgun could be a possibility, same with the MMR Hsien. The bao need a resculpt as they are currently OOP, a pheasant hacker might be a possibility for imperial service. Hac tao missle launcher Liu xing spitfire and multirifle one in a superherolanding-psoe pretty please
So what could be next? Honestly I think YJ might be getting very little this year but a lot next year. They seem to go in a about 3-4 year cycles. YJ has been getting less and less since Kaldstrom. And even the year that came out was still beat by others. Though some armies like CA had three years in a row of a lot rleases. The only things I can see coming out would be Lei Gong, Jujak ENG, Ye Mao ENG. I'd love a Feuerbach Krit, just because. Except for the 2 Sun Tze, have any other YJ characters gotten more than one figure? Other factions have gotten several. For example, Ariadna is on 3 Uxia, 2 Van Zant, 2 Wallace. I'm saying general release. Not exclusive BS ones. I really hope we will be surprised and they bring out the Tian Gou Hacker with Madtraps so we can finally have more than two. Though the way they've been working for me, it's not a big loss. 2020 New figure Release O-12 8 Releases, 24 Figures Combined Army 9 Releases, 16 Figures Yu Jing 7 Releases, 12 Figures Ariadna 3 Releases, 12 Figures NA2 7 Releases, 12 Figures Aleph 1 Releases, 10 Figures PanO 5 Releases, 9 Figures Nomads 3 Releases, 6 Figures Haqqislam 2 Releases, 2 Figures 2021 New figure Releases Nomads 7 Releases, 23 figures PanO 7 Releases, 21 figures Ariadna 6 Releases, 15 figures O-12 7 Releases, 14 Figures NA2 9 Releases, 13 Figures Combined Army 5 Releases, 12 Figures Yu Jing 4 Releases, 10 figures Haqqislam 2 Releases, 2 figures Aleph 2 Releases, 2 Figures 2022 New figure Releases AS OF JULY. Combined Army, 5 Releases, 15 Figures O-12, 3 Releases, 6 Figures PanO, 2 Releases, 4 figures NA2, 4 Releases, 4 figures Aleph, 2 Releases, 3 Figure Yu Jing, 3 Releases, 3 figures (Shaolin, Hundun, Tian Gou) Haqqislam, 1 Releases, 1 Figure Ariadna, 2 Releases, 2 Figures Nomads, 1 Releases, 1 Figure 2023 New figure Releases Prediction Yu Jing (guessing: Revised ISS or New sectoral?) Haqqislam Aleph Combined Army Nomads PanO Ariadna O-12 NA2
I am pretty happy with the current state of miniatures for Yu Jing. I have the Long Yas, Ye Mao Hacker and the Hundun HRL on my painting table and the Jujaks are still waiting for paint. In the back log there are Adil Crane, Jeong, four CG and four Zhanshis - enough to do for me ;-) Yes this one are important. I have the Ye Mao but its only the lim ed, so a regular mini should is still missing. I use old combi Guilang as Hacker, but it doubles with its job as a FO so yes please for Guilang Hacker. I also would love to see this. Finges crossed it will NOT be the SMG ... I never see a use in this profile. But I have my Aristea one if they do so. The Multi Rifle Crane is ripe for an resculpt. The old on still looks good, but I would like to see him (or her, we not have a female version) in the new style, maybe a hacker. First would be welcome, second is not necessary.
Bao box with a rework for the profile would be nice. Be really on the ball, and do three Bao and an MMR Hsien.
My money is on O-12's second sectorial and Onyx next year. O-12 and CA haven't had a Code 1 two player box yet. Unless Yu Jing fills the Adepticon slot I wouldn't bet on a major round of releases until 2024.
It wasn't Code One, it was the last N3 box and launched the same week N4 was announced. It did get split into Code One Action Packs when C1 launched.
Carlos was asked about another sectoral, at Adepticon, for O-12 and it was pretty much, No. He said they are going to concentrate on existing or they may come out with the Haqqislam one that was talked about years ago, but I kind of doubt they would do it any time soon. Especially since Hassasin are in the next set. Also CA have already had a lot of releases the past several years. Since YJ was recently in Kaldstrom I don't think they would be in a 2-player set. ISS would get more like MO and Morats. That way they can also concentrate on it being ISS. The 2-players are usually a mix. I think this would be a good Action Pack set. As of now. But I'd be willing to bet they would get a new troop or two. CELESTIAL GUARD Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13) CELESTIAL GUARD Combi Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 13) CELESTIAL GUARD (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun, Flash Pulse / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 14) CRANE AGENT (Hacker, Hacking Device, Hacking Device) MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser(+1B) ( ) / Pistol, DA CC Weapon. (0.5 | 46) HSIEN (Lieutenant [+1 Order], Specialist Operative]) MULTI Rifle, Nanopulser(+1B) / Pistol, AP CC Weapon. (+1 | 54) WÚ MÍNG MULTI Rifle, Grenade Launcher, E/M Grenade Launcher / Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 35) ZHÀNYING (Sensor, Triangulated Fire) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, PARA CC Weapon(-6). (0 | 19) BÀO TROOP MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, CC Weapon. (1.5 | 29) KǍNRÈN Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Monofilament CC Weapon. (0 | 23) SÙ-JIÀN Heavy Shotgun(+1B), Panzerfaust / Heavy Pistol, CC Weapon. (0 | 50) 2 SWC | 296 Points Open in Infinity Army
Hear me out, JSA vs ISS for a 2 player box set. You could do Wu Ming vs Domaru for the 3 of line troopers both are kinda old and could use resculpts.
Gives some bad flashbacks, but Yeah! I'd totally be down with that! Or ISS vs. Ikari/NA2. The cool thing being the Wu Ming work for both! Also Ikari has some crossover with other NA2 as well. Brawlers, Druze, Diggers, Bashi, ABH, etc.
This year we will finish the C1 / N4 (Sectorials) cross boxsets. The only faction left is Tohaa. So next year the cards will be mixed again and no one realy knows what, and if, two player boxes will be released. Sectorials in the need of a referesh (my opinion and only not oop): Bakunin ISS Onyx (maybe) US Ariadna So I think this are the next candidates for an Action Pack. I would not await a N2 faction soon. I rember there was rumors of an Ikari or Dashat box - but that faded away.
