Like, the exception would be ISS because the CoC options tend to suck (along with ISS in general) but everything else... lmao, no.
The doctor is okay in missions where classifieds are the most important thing, like "Highly Classified". Large base and lack of real weapons make it a very tempting target for the enemy. Q-drone (both variants) is kinda meh to tbh. It costs expensive SWC and while it can win firefights, the lack of armour and wounds means that it will go down against direct template and is very vulnerable to smoke. 100% agree. In my opinion, Ikandron is probably the best cornerguard/cheerleader in the game. Regular, Remote presense, baggage, shock immunity, M6-2, light flamerthrower, repeater and BTS6, PARA CC weapon (-3). I dare you to find a 9pt model that does more. Caliban Engineer is also extremely good specialist: Marker state means that it can't be killed easily with pitchers or rambos, which is rare for a specialist. CC26 with D-charges and protheion can kill most things in melee and while getting hit by all too common direct template weapon. PH13 and Dodge+2 allow it to advance into hotly contested areas without AROs and while it advances its Slave drones also get to move.
I'm not sure what you mean. I was not trying to do that at all. I was trying to make a comparison about CoC with those that don't have it. Sure we do have some good Lt. I'm not saying we don't.
Tohaa/Spiral Corps have access to the Chaksa Auxiliar, which is probably the only model that directly competes with the Ikadron. Worse MOV, no ARM/BTS, no Remote Presence, no Flash Pulse, and no +1B, but gains Sensor, +2 PH for dodge, unhackable, Heavy Flamethrower, and better in melee. Technically also loses the Repeater, but Tohaa is roughly on par with Ariadna for hacking proficiency. They also can go into certain fireteams. Both models are really darn good.
You don't need CoC when your LT is hiding under a camo marker for IA and Vanilla, and even if he isn't in WB Lei Gong is a hyper competitive CoC option.
I may be biased, but I don't buy that. Is it true that CA often has an upgraded and slightly more expensive versions of basic troops (like zero -> shrouded or alguacile -> undiron)? Yes. However I don't think it is much of a weakness due to 2 things: 1. other factions don't get "discounts". Zero is cheaper because it is weaker, same for alguacil. CA gets what they pay for (usually, see point 3). 2. It would be a problem if CA was more expensive across the board. It is not. It has plenty enough of really cheap and good troops to offset the pricier parts of the list and still hit 15 comfortably. Ikadrons, Imetrons, taigha, repeater drones, (and daturazi to some extent) provide stable cheap core. 3. Also CA has some units that are reverse of this - by which I mean they are cheaper than what other armies have while doing basicly the same job. Imetron does the basic job of Alguacil (providing orders), but until recently was less than half the cost and is still significantly cheaper. Ikadron is better at cheerleading and DZ guarding than Alguacil for less. Noctifier is a budget Swiss. CA is I believe the only faction that has access to both elite impersonators and discount ones. It is still objectively the best total reaction drone in the game. Mimetism is the best skill one could have on a total reaction unit and the fact CA gets it on their drone for same extra points (1) as Nomads get climbing plus on theirs is laughable. It is a pet peeve of mine that this obvious imbalance was not addressed since the game exists, and people just accept it. Mimetism on reaction drone is so good, that either other drones are pretty bad (if q-drone is meh) or q-drone is really great (if other drones are worth taking). I basically refuse to field reaction drones because I feel downright humiliated by paying the same or almost the same for significantly weaker unit.
Which units does CA have that isn't a more expensive, better version that something else? It's basically the opposite of HB, who has (very slightly) worse version of stuff (with a very decent price discount).
Most mentioned in the post. I would say: Ikadron, imetron, taigas, bit and kiss, greifs, noctifier ML Worth noting is that I do not dispute that most CA stuff is premium. I just don't see it as obvious weakness if they have cheap, good troops to balance the books.
Yes, other factions total reaction bots are pretty bad. Personally, I think the plasma rifle Q-drone is the best reaction bot in the game because of template (no partial cover benefit to ARM) and plasma causing two saves against total immunity.
Morans have to be about 25 points 1 swc. Not 17. Only ava1 for vanilla, 2 for Corregidor. Pupniks have to be like 3pts. Take out jazz from Corregidor. No HD+ needed for them. Less hacking but good hacking coverage is balanced. No mimetism-6 vostok in links. Gator take out NCO Spotlight not valid in Aro. Puppets 3 points more expensive each. Diggers please like 4pts increase. What is this unit in the game with 2 wounds 14 pts? These will solve many problems regarding Nomads.
Nah, Frenzy on fireteam troops, irregular on active troops you want to spend orders on (midfield infiltrators, drop troops, etc), whatever the heck is going on with the new Corregidor and HB troops, especially the Asawira... If you just want an order in Nomads, you take a Transductor Zond, which does a lot more than an Ímetron. Typically I start taking Ímetrons when I'm out of cheap REMs anyway. There's a general problem with line infantry generally not being worth it outside of a fireteam, so don't compare the Alguacil in this way. How often do you see Unidrons run in vanilla CA? The Noctifer has several significant weaknesses over the Swiss Guard, in that it can't have an HMG, and has Dogged but not Courage, and less armore, and significantly lower BS. Yes, it costs almost twice as much, but you're never in the situation where you take a hit and are forced to take cover, or, even worse, going dogged and then *failing guts* and having the dogged be worthless. Your comparison of the Greif to what Haqq gets is laughable. The Fiday costs 0 swc, even in vanilla, is only 4 points more, and has full-on impersonation as well as a template weapon and skill in cc. The Greif is straight up worse value for points than a Fiday. Should all other factions refuse to run hackers because their hackers are inferior to Nomad ones?
On the bright side, if someone shoots Q-drone with a direct template it probably gets vaporised by the plasma rifle return fire. Nearby slave drone can easily fix the Q-drone unless enemy manages to do three or more points of damage with a single direct template activation.
Flamethrower is very plausible to do that. And if you constantly have to pick it back up, it's not worth it.
Depends on the order expenditure. If it cost them 3 orders to run the Warband into range, then 1 more order to trade for the bot your act of repairing it for 1 order still puts you ahead in value by 3 orders, and then you get to see what happens for the plasma bot round 2. I frequently run short range ARO bots at 300 and 400 points. They do provide valuable work in order drain if you have efficient engineers to back them up.
CA's weakness is that they don't have an Asawira? Is not having a Bearpode also CA's weakness? Yes everybody has transductors (save ariadna). I mentioned what cheap stuff CA has in addition to them to not care about a bit pricier units. Noctifier is waaay cheaper while doing basicly the same job (making opponents nervous about moving links even if you didn't take him). Of course he will not be as strong as swiss. Do you expect him to for the price? Again, example of a cheaper unit (in CA than elsewhere). Cheaper units tend to be not as good as pricier units. We are bogged down in details. What is important is that CA has great units in low points, in midpoints, and in elite category. Has great list flexibility and can comfortably get 15 orders. I see no weakness here. You see with hackers or any type of a trooper you usually have pretty different profiles, that are not that easy to compare usually. Here we have exactly the same piece of equipment with no or very minor differences between factions and then suddenly CA's is just straight up better for little or no cost increase. That's so very obvious but for some reason CA gets a pass. And the situation is here since forever, while Jazz is a this season problem.
No, I don't agree with your conclusion because you clearly didn't follow the points I was making. ...except now that's a Nomad thing. Free upgrade programs are something that Nomads enjoy better than any other faction. Also, they're pretty easy to compare now that hacking has become so standardized.
Well, it turned out we misunderstood each other. I thought that your issue was with things like shrouded being more expensive that zeroes, or malignos more expensive than spektrs or unidrones than alguaciles. But your actual issue is: So the CA weakness is not having irregular or frenzy/impetous discount on units?
