N4 Boarding Shotguns

We know that shotguns will follow the rules from C1, so BSGs get either a Burst 2 small direct template, or their existing AP mode.

Depending who you talk to this is either a massive nerf, a buff, or a side-grade. It makes them worse in some situations but better in others.

Costs seem to have gone from one point less than a combi, to one point more. This seems fair to me as DTWs are incredibly useful things to have, especially if it grants them Intuitive Attack.

People will disagree, often fervently, but so is life.

 

Personally, I found the old rules for Shotguns very potent and strong and I rate the new DTW mode to be weaker than the old impact template, so I am surprised to find Boarding Shotguns to be more expensive. Only the Light Shotguns really got a drastic improvement meriting a points increase, in my opinion.

P.s. I should add that I found the balance point between BSG and Combi to be fairly spot on in the old edition.

 

I see it as a sidegrade, but I can understand why people would dislike it. Impact templates were great, but being able to guarantee two damage 14 hits is pretty nice as well.

I see the shotgun change contributing that under 8 inches will be very, very dangerous and armor being valued more.

 

Myself, I need yet to see how exactly the N4 shotguns work. Especially Light Shotguns (being primarily a Haqqislam player, I definitely have vested interest in that issue).

But in general, I see it as a step to the side, too. In some situations, DTW is going to be very useful. Then again, Terminal Template as per N3 rules was pretty useful at times, too.

 

As a Haqqislam player I'm not happy with changing the shotgun rules. To many of my soldiers trusted in their weapons, to many great infiltrators could hit few enemies without being hit themselves. And if shotguns will be more expensive in points then it will be very bad for Haqq, we already have one of the most expensive line infantry in the game. It also puts Naffatuns with their flamers in weird position, if all the Ghulams and the rest of crew will also have DTW...
Still, we have to wait and see all the rules to draw full conclusions, as @Errhile wisely wrote earlier.


PozdRawiam / Greetings

 

@KedzioR_vo

I share the same concerns as you, but we will just have to wait and see.

Haqqislam sectorials now have access to B3 dirtect templates on a 12-14 ish points model, most of our infiltrators now have template weapons...


I'm kind of excited to try this out.

 

Eh. It'll be fine.

 

I think the flexibility of shotguns now are worthwhile, even if it means a few more points invested. I'm withholding most of my judgment til the Army update when we get new costs, but for now I think there is enough to toss out some thoughts.

Both the small template and direct fire are at their best at right about the 8" mark. While you can't line up the perfect multi-model shot at 1-16" anymore and deny cover at a range - which made old shotguns a bit too powerful and operate more like weird airburst grenade launchers than shotguns (which I know is how they're described in the fluff, but it's still weird with our modern conception of shotguns) - you now have good flexibility on the active turn at short range. Assuming ARO timing doesn't change, which I doubt it will, then you will know if a FtF roll at +6 is better or a template weapon is better. It certainly makes units with underslung shotguns have a lot more flexibility as well, since they have access to a plethora of mid range threats.

I'm going to miss my Ghulam linkteams plopping out deadly steel rain at up to 16" and using boarding shotgun link members are mid to short range bullies, but I think the new shotguns make the different firing modes more distinct since you basically never fired the solid slug anyways.

 

Here's hoping LSGs lose the templates but otherwise don't change. Shotguns are something that is easy to hit with, multi-killing five people at rifle range with one conventional shotgun shell is silly.

 

You can already see how Shotguns have changed in CodeOne.

 

Ah, so they are.

In that case:

 

Flamethrowers are Continuous Damage, though. And Grenades are awesome when enemy units are getting Targeted in their own turn, ready for you to start lobbing Grenades over the walls...

 

Dug in Haqq will continue to be a nightmare to dislodge in CQB.

 

At least Jammers are getting a kick in the teeth, being disposable and (IIRC) temporary in their effects.

 

I'll be waiting to see the little number next to disposable.

 

I mean, 1 use on a 5 point Ghazi is still an incredible bargain for the damage it can cause. 2 would be gravy.

 

I’ll wait for final judgment, but at the moment I will he swapping shotgun profiles for SMGs and combis whenever possible. Playing CJC and OSS makes that a bit easier because LFTs and nanopulsers are in easy supply, so there’s little need for more DTWs. But the most important aspect of the shotgun in N3, as I tended to use it, was to force as many ARO’ing models as possible into a FTF with the shotgun user to protect it from “free” AROs. That ability has been lost and means I’ll often need more burst to address problems.

 

It should really change how certain profiles work. Like a bunch of PanO units and combat drop troops that didn't have access to dtw before. I think this change is for the better generally, even if its just a qol change.

It may also contribute to tables getting less dense as every second or third mini has a template.