They may not be flashy (pun intended), but they are at times indispensable - this week's article is all about the Kameels!
I'm running low on units to cover in my Unit Focus series, so this week's piece will include more speculation than usual! Nevertheless, here are my thoughts on the Janissaries in RTF!
Jannisaries are in such a weird place for me right now. While they are better than they were in N3, I am not sure what to do with them. The improvements to BS 14 and BTS 6 are great, but I am sad that my favorite profile (the doctor) lost its doctor +3 option. It's also just crazy to me that Haqqislam now has 3!!! BS 14 HMG options.
As a list builder, I feel very much the same! The Janissaries are very capable, but somehow I personally struggle to include them in majory of my lists... I feel that the Haris option was an excellent addition, but there are just so many great (unhackable) 30+ point options in RTF, and many of them can be run solo or as a part of a Ghulam Core, so they're easier to bring along... And the Doctor change really kills me; he's such a hard sell these days! :( ...and a BS 15 one if you look at the Zhayedan through some rose colored lences! ;)
I've used Janissaries in two ways. Though, in both cases I just take the HMG. The first is a a haris consisting of the Janissary HMG, the Hortlak sniper, and either Leila or Rouhani. Zhayedan do this job for cheaper, but the extra durability makes the Janissary version the premium haris for long-range gunfighting. The second is as a core, with a mix of Hortlaks and characters. It's not quite an Orc or Shang Ji powered by line infantry, but it's a surprisingly cheap core for supporting both a solid HMG and a very strong linked sniper. And it's a team that includes both a killer hacker and one of the best doctors in the game.
This week I had to fall back to some lighter material to get everything done - let's see What I'd Buy If Were to Start RTF Now! Hopefully I can cover the last Unit Focus pieces in the upcoming weeks!
Once again, thank you very much! I love going over your recommendations and finding things I'd overlooked. For example, I'm working on a mostly defensive Ghulam Core Fireteam, but adding an HMG gives them versatility (and brings my list to 299/6SWC as opposed to the previous 299/5.5SWC with 0.5 being wasted in an EVO Hacker)
Great to hear! It's always a bit intimidating to write a wholly new type of article, but it's nice to know this one was well received! :) The Ghulam HMG is something most people seem to be sleeping on... I think it's a very cheap way of adding good active (and even decent reactive) turn firepower into a Ghulam Core; I love units (and Fireteams) that can pivot from the offensive to the defensive and back! :D
This week I've (finally) stepped out of my comfort zone, so let's delve into the Maghariba Guards and the Shakush Light Armored Units!
Buddy, I just have to say thank you for your work. That´s all I need to build my army. Thank you for all your work
Thank you again for all your work in putting this together. I have a minor correction that the Shakush is 6-2 not 6-4. It also feels like the Shakush would work better in Vanilla or Hassassins versus RTF as both give you multiple tools to deal with enemy hackers.
It's great to hear that the blog can be of service to a starting commander; that has been one if it's main aims - cheers mate! :) I'm so glad you're enjoying it! And thanks for the heads up; the mistake has now been corrected and I've mentioned your contribution in the editing notes! ;) True that, I fully expect to see the Shakush played more in other Haqqislam armies! Then again, I imagine myself busting it out once in the blue moon when my regular opponents start to think they know my list preferences too well! ;D
As always, great insight here! Have always loved Maggy and she has done wonders for me in N4. I've got to say even with your limited experience running her, you are right on the money with this breakdown. Have only run the mine launcher profile so far. In my opinion it is one of Ramah's best counters to link teams and can find a use in every mission. I need to try running the HRL profile soon, I have a feeling it will be just as useful. Will never take the Multi-HMG only profile, the mine launcher or HRL just bring so much utility. I also have a second old Maggy model on the way and am planning to try a duo link of them. Maybe I'm just delusional but I think it will work really well. So far my most success in N4 has come from super fast hard hitting units, which I think the duo will fit. Even going to experiment with brining the 2 Maggies, and giving each a Rafiq partner. About the Shakush, I have only brought it once so far and again your breakdown is on point. Didn't feel bad about losing it turn one since it's so cheap, and it managed to strip a couple wounds off a HI link team with the heavy flamer(which ended up being pivotal for the rest of the game). It's a great cheap and fast attack piece, just don't expect it to carry a list like the Maggy can. In RTF I don't like the HMG profile, would rather take the Zhayedan or Janissary over it. The AP Spitfire profile really shines for me personally. Only issue with the Shakush is it always makes me wish the Al Fasid HMG profile was better...
Like @Freebootas coment, shakush it's cheap enough to play two of them. The cost like Al fasid. sure they lost some habilities, but gain tactical sense. Not sure if it wold better duo tuo Shakush or mix the sakush with other wilcards. Both of them cost a litlle more than one maggie y give us two scary things from worrying the enemy. Maybe, if one day I try it, look for advice from corregidor players that play Gecko. They' ve some similarities.
Please, when you get to test this two Maggie list out, let us know how it went! And if you can, get your opponent to fill a questionnaire describing how terrible facing double Maggie felt! :D I feel that the HMG Al Fasid is a decent all comers piece! He's not easy to fit into a list, but he carries excellent guns, has Minelayer for DZ protection, the Sixth Sense is amazing and he's even immune to Isolation! Unfortunataly for us (but good from the game's theme and balance standpoints), Corregidor can support their light TAGs way better than us! Corregidor has great hacking game with access to aggressive Repeater coverage from the get go (Morans, Meteors, several Pitcher armed models), as well an excellent combat Engineer they can duo with the Gecko (Evader)! If you get results with Shakush Duos of any type, please tell us how you did it! :)
This week it's time to turn our eyes on some dust covered travellers in Wild Bill and Carmen & Bâtard!
As of this week, the articles I've written for the Good Guys Wear Orange have been read more 4000 times! I have no idea how this compares to others in the category of blogs-about-made-up-military-factions-in-spanish-28mm-scifi-skirmish-miniature-wargames, but it means a great deal to me; thank you so much everyone!
I am a new player, got my first boxes this week. Your blog has been a great resource for me, I wouldn't have gotten into the hobby without reading it so much. So, no, thank you so much!
Oh, buddy; this comment made my whole week! It's so nice to hear that I've been able to help you get started! :) Welcome to RTF, Commander!
Real quick note but Wild Bill's Multi Pistols are actually DAM 13 in CC, as Multi Pistols have a base DAM of 13.
