@loricus All valid points. I've been pairing Saito with Ryuken-9 SMGs typically, just to help provide some kind of defensive backstop for the gaps or objectives that Saito is able to open up. Ideally, the Ryuken-9 will disrupt or stop an enemy advance, disrupting the flow of the enemy turn and leaving them vulnerable for Saito to pick apart once he reveals. On the very interesting point of "units that work for 90%", I hear you. Ultimately, even players that really like tournament play are still playing fun games in their LGS... I don't think there's any player out there for whom a weekday meetup of games stops being valuable or relevant. I'm actually more interested in narrative events, unusual lists, etc. than I probably would be as a less-active tournament player, just because I like balance in how I approach my hobbies, and that includes playing the game in a variety of different ways. I've actually used my teaching games against newer players to experiment with the Shikami. It's a good opportunity to highlight "this is what mobility looks like, this is what you can do with superjump and climbing plus, yeah ODD with Suppressive Fire is definitely a pain" as well as a chance to highlight the efficacy of Hacking, Mad Traps, all the other tools that can help constrain a high-mobility unit. The Shikami's a much friendlier way to highlight some of those elements, compared to slamming someone in the face with a Cameronian, or running Steel Phalanx into their DZ. The moment I brought the Shikami out against a talented player though, he reduced them to irrelevance with well-constructed table coverage, so that's probably why I'm a bit shy of using Shikami.
I'm contemplating converting my BRV Dao Fei into a Shikami by giving him a wide brim hat. Not sure if that would be silly though. >.<
I turned a hac-tao AND a Zuyong into Shikami by the addition of hats AND sculpted on hakama. It's not THAT hard (my sculpting tool for the pants was my x-acto #11 blade in a regular #1 handle. GS just takes time to learn how to use).
Yep, but in this case, I found a shikami who wasn't upcharged or out of stock, supposedly, so I will have the combi-rifle sculpt (which is really the duel wield sculpt, but whatever)
So, on the subject of the Shikami, how do we fit him in a list? I'm trying to figure out what he bumps out, and what style of list he works best in. You guys have any example lists or thoughts on which models he's best replacing?
He fills a similar role to that of multiple ninjas, Kuroshi Rider, or even dropping a Yoke Harris down to a duo and finding some points elsewhere
