Imperial Secret Service in N4 This is my analysis of ISS in N4. I am writing it, expecting that others will correct and inform me of what I am missing, and certainly don’t contend to be an experienced or expert player. Strengths Plenty of visors - access to MSV1 & 2, X visors, sensor Cheap regular orders with Kuang shi Strong range of remotes Weaknesses Very few options to deploy outside of our deployment zone No cheap skirmishers / warbands Limited access to repeaters or good hackers No specifically AP weaponry Very limited access to any other way to increase your order pool (only pheasant rank agent has tactical awareness, no NCO, no extra LT orders) In looking at ISS, one must query why to take them over the mixed (vanilla) Yu Jing. Normally in sectorials it is about link teams. For ISS, it is as much about the Aleph entries they have access to as the link teams. Core Link Teams Kuang Shi. Infinity Army 7 may as well auto-populate every new roster with 4 Kuang shi and a CG monitor. I can’t think of a reason not to include these, although not necessarily as your core (I guess if you were seeking a limited insertion list). However the use of the kuang shi link team is different with the three / four wildcard trooper options. Crane Rank Imperial agent - which includes a hacker, an X-visor spitfire combination and a multi-rifle. Gui Feng. I think this guy has made it in to every list I have ever written, although I am not saying that you’ll want to do the same. The madtrap and his specialist status make him very useful, and he is cheap, so can pad out a fireteam. Adil in or out of his crane armour. Unlike in N3, the kuang shi link team can have access to heavier weapons, noting that the B5, BS16 (with X-visor mods) is as good as it gets for long range. It is notable that Adil (either version) includes a breaker rifle / x-visor combination, and a monofilament weapon (CC23 / MA L2) that are both reasonable options for dealing directly with highly armoured opponents (as far as ISS goes anyway). Celestial Guard I am not sure why anyone would make a core team of CG. Wu Ming The ‘pain train’ - affordable heavy infantry with a broad array of weaponry. Now, in addition to being able to be supplemented by Zhanying, they have the wildcard options. A potential haris or core link team can have two madtraps and a hacker (or even two) supported by a -6 tinbot. This has potential of providing a significant roadblock should you take the second turn. Wu Ming with the tin bot, Gui Feng and the Mad trap Zhanying, and either the Crane hacker (if BTS is really important to you) or the Zhanying hacker. The hacking device with spotlight a more general deterrent in n4, not just a deterrent for remotes, HI, hackers and TAGS. Another option of note, albeit order intensive, is the grenade launcher Wu Ming. Launching EM grenades as speculative fire, with a 5-man link bonus means you are hitting on 10’s from 16” away. Aside from this, the Core team does what a 5-man HI core team does, bring heavy weapons with big bonuses. Haris teams Deva While it is technically a Deva Haris, I think of it as a dakini haris, as realistically, I would take two dakinis and a deva in almost all cases. The dakinis are a deceptively good profile. They are cheap and their stats are middling (BS11, ARM 0). But as remotes with remote presence and shock immunity, they have two levels of unconsciousness and can still be buffed by EVO hackers (albeit, unless I am not mistaken, no longer before the start of T1). The assisted fire program (marksmanship - ignore the -3 cover modifier) will make up for the lack of being able to form a core link team to some extent, at least if you want to use the HMG dakini as an attack piece. It won’t stop a defensive multi-sniper rifle from being unable to hit a -6 mimetism sniper, in surprise shot, in cover (as in the usual strategy for dealing with TR bots). Nonetheless, the defensive haris with a MSR with B2 in ARO and mimetism, provided that there is support from a sophotect, is a way of making your opponent spend orders, if positioned well. The paramedic dakini is the only healer aside from the sophotect, and also a cheap, fast specialist, should you need one. Which Deva profile to take though… the killer hacker is a decent specialist, WIP 15, and after all, the remote are hackable. Still, there is a distinct lack of repeaters in the ISS arsenal, and Killer hacker duties may be left to the ninjas and kanrens. The spitfire MSV2 makes for a potentially SWC heavy haris, but one that is capable at all ranges (with dakini HMG/paramedic). It’s a shame the Deva didn’t receive the same speed as her sister the sophotect and slows down the haris. Deva also offers a sensor ability, forward observer for cheap specialist. She is also a possible lieutenant option, if in a defensive link, you want to keep her hidden. Bao/Pheasant Bao seem to have been refined in N4, with just 3 options. An MSV2 Multi-sniper rifle seems a strong weapon in the right circumstances, but is probably eclipsed by Major Lunah's MSV1 / triangulated fire combination. The load-outs seem to have some potential I haven’t fully grasped. Biometric visors provide better ARO calculations against impersonators. The flash pulse on the combi-rifle trooper seems to provide a better ARO at longer range, so they have a defensive capability. Of course they interact well with smoke, although that will require co-ordinating well with the Celestial Guard monitor (our only smoke option) who is likely to be in our other link team. The phoenix rank option are pricey for light infantry, but all come with chain of command. The red fury option comes with tactical awareness, increasing the order efficiency of the team. With both a killer and standard hacking device in the pheasants it strikes me that if ISS were to have a pitcher or deployable repeater anywhere (I know the Lu Duan has one now) it might have been here.
