All good points. I don't see potential in a Dakini defensive team though - need to make use of their speed for good active turn hunting and objective pushing; I plan on going on the offensive. I already get the +3BS MOD for the 5-bot team. Ignoring cover simply adds another +3 (assuming range is good) to my HMG giving it a BS17 with 5 dice plus Shock as opposed to BS16 (including +3 team bonus, +3 range, -3 cover) without shock. I do concede that it's far more useful in the fireteam while it frees up hackers to buff other REMs, but even then 22pts is hard to free up when considering all of the other troopers around the same points. Since I'm looking for multi-role troopers the Aspara Jumper only has one specific role compared to even a Deva with Sensor (triangulate fire, reveal camo, team filler). I was just definitely too quick to dismiss her without even trying, and you bring up good points (I also forgot about being able to use during deployment), so I'll at least give her a go when the set gets to my flgs.
After playing with and without an Apsara a few times, their main benefit for me is the Number 2. It saves having to spend an extra order to change leaders after using a defensive link offensively, protects from bad luck with aggressive links, and saves an order for those times when you don't want to/cant benefit from shock, 3 points, and .5 SWC over an EVO with TeamPRO and then it can save you an repeated orders for Supportware (Unit being supported gets killed for example, or the target isn't affected by shock, you want to leave it on the table for classifieds or to sneak in a free template shot)
With good stats, mimetism and MSR, i think a dakini link can be a big threat on the board. Plus the fact they need 3W to be removed, they can give the opponent some headaches. This is of course highly dependant on the opponent, his army, and the scenery. I have yet to play a pure defensive dakini link (i too like the mobility a HMG one has :) ), but i've had some success with MSR dakinis on watch. They always ended being killed, but not without pain. I must add that i often play with big pieces like Asura, yadus ... so my dakinis end with a more supportive role instead - even if i still use them offensively from times to times in those very games. Sometimes they open a path for my big hitters, sometimes they fill a gap when said heavy hitter is stuck or killed, sometimes they are just the best fit for a situation ... I had a game some times ago where my big, shiny and expensive Asura did about nothing in the game (i mean, i didnt use order on her). She just happened to have attracted so many attention from the opponent that the dakinis had a total freedom :)
