If you do want that role Andromeda is your best bet. To be fair getting flashpulse and a DTW gives her a better than average response. Losing token state wastes at least one less order though. I don't think she is a great unit but it's the best Phalanx has and I think she's useful in that context. She at least gets the DTW and CC over Naga, both useful for SK. I'm typically alright with having a worse version as long as it comes with a consultation prize. Like Regen on Djanbazan. Would I rather have more BS and Mimetism like the Nisse? Sure, but at least I get some advantage I can use. When it annoys me is when there's literally no advantage. The main things that hurt her is the base size and lack of token preventing her from being dual role defense/attacker and only getting forward deploy 1.
Been using Andromeda in my last 4 games and after those I have come to the conclusion that she does indeed have a place in my lists and is a useful unit. I'd describe her utility mostly as an 'aggressive defender'. With shock SMG and good defense options at close range and Flash Pulse for those longer AROs. Her base size is indeed a PITA but especially as a midfielder defense piece if you go second: put her prone. There's no downside to doing so, she can hide better, and will be able to hide from enemy hunter-snipers. Of course, it does mean she won't be able to see over cover facing the opposite direction, but if you place her facing backwards with her back to a mid-field building, for example, you can position her to make it so any enemy coming around the corner has to face either an Engage or FP/SMG at close range without being able to snipe her out of position.
