Hey guys, I'm thinking about putting together a SEF force as an additional faction, and I want to make sure I'm not missing anything when I start purchasing models. Judging by the lists I've made, and the ones I've seen here and on reddit, it looks like a safe initial buy-in is the following: 1x Combined Army: Shasvastii Action Pack 1x Combined Army Booster Pack Alpha 1x Combined Army Booster Pack Beta 1x Dire Foes Mission Pack Beta: Void Tango 1x Combined Army Support Pack 2x Drone Remotes Pack 2x Ikadron Batdroids & Imetron 2x Speculo Killer (Boarding Shotgun) 3-4x Shasvastii Seed-Soldiers (Combi Rifle) 1x Shasvastii Haiduks (Multi Sniper) 1x Shasvastii Cadmus (Hacker) 1x Sphynx Does this look about right? Am I missing anything with recently expired kits that I could use, or potential kit-bashing opportunities? Thanks!
I'd avoid Jayth like the plague. They're overcosted like crazy and suffer from an enormous identity crisis. Likewise, I wouldn't really recommend trying for Corax unless you really particularly like his model. His sculpt is quite outdated and his profile isn't particularly notable. Between Sheskiin, Dukash, and Corax, SEF actually has a lot of troopers competing for the same job, and unfortunately they overlap a lot without enough to differentiate the lessers to make them useful in any context.
I'd say ditch Corax, he's model is indeed outdated, and if you already put together some of the recent models and like how everything is easy and fits perfectly without any issues, you'll have a frustrating time assembling him, as he has those old joints from N2.
The must-haves for Sha in my opinions are the following... Sheskiin (1, either model is fine, but use the LI profile) Caliban (1, use CoC with Sheskiin, Engi with Sphinx) Shrouded (2) Noctifer ML (2) Speculo (2) Taighas (At least 4, though official model is not accessible at the moment) Ikadrons (2) Then if you want to play a TAG list Sphinx (1) Mentor (1) - - - - - My opinion on Sha and why I omited some popular inclusions and a bit of a justification on the numbers While the S3 REM were auto-includes in S3, I find them hard to justify in N4. It's pretty easy to hit your 15 models without needed to field them. Dr. Worm is a trap, I find it extremely hard to find a justification where I'd want to take him over a Caliban engineer. Almost nothing in Sha is worth doctoring (either has regen, NWI or is way too far down the field for it to matter). Sha doesn't have good standing ARO that stick in their DZ right next to their doctor. If you run Sheskiin, I'd just link her with a Nox that can follow her for a couple of orders and just paramedic her if needed, it's much lower opportunity cost and it gives you a speciali Seed soldiers are alright, I don't think you'd want more than 2 in a list, they're kinda filler. Slightly tankier cheerleaders, but still just cheerleaders. I don't like the fireteams in Sha, I feel like it goes against the synergies of the sectorial. I'd only consider a 3-man core with Sheskiin, Nox Paramedic and an extra. Speculo (Minelayer) is the #1 reason to run Sha over vanilla imo. That and increased Shrouded / Noctifer AVA. It lets you build some very potent skew lists. Taighas were insane in N3, they're even better in N4. Super oppressive.
Caliban are supreme I often have two in my lists just because I like them so much. The biggest problem with shrouded and Malignos as well is that the only model is locked in a big box you don't need and want a second time. So I am stuck with just one. Taighas are kinda locked in Defiance. And the noctifier we got was the spitfire one when we all actually wanted the missle launcher. I really like the gwailos with HRL in a Haris with Victor and an M drone. With albedo and MSV2 he can be really oppressive in combination with a speculo minelayer. will definitely build me some shrouded with the Defiance nox when the second wave finally drops...
It would be nice if there were minis for the other load outs on the Gwailo, Noctifer and a few others but I think we will be waiting a while for them unfortunately. Defiance covers some of the gaps for those lucky enough to have gotten in on it but some of the seemingly more popular options are missing. Given the latest Shas sculpts are in Code One booster packs, I can see why the Noctifer ended up with a spitfire as I think it's the better choice over the ML. Unfortunately that isn't the case in N4, so we're stuck either running old minis or proxies for the time being.
