The utility of Nox feels like it'll be down to how effectively they can serve as a baseline platform for whatever can wildcard/special fireteam in. Like if Sheshkiin retains her current ability to join any core link. Well, except for the 17pt hackers. In a sectorial with AVA2 Q-Drones, I'll take them all the way to the bank regardless of linkability.
Nox SMG hacker is excellent. But that goes to SMG being used to artificially discount something. They are intentionally bloated to be 14pts however for base line infantry. The zapeprs is an excellent piece of kit and the one reason I think they are playable. Bio immune, shas rule and stealth. That's alot of niche rules right there. In most instances they are fighting as well as a line Kazak for 5pts more a model. I'm not saying that those rules are useless. But they are intentionally bloated, as a result the unit is only useful when you get the most out of all their rules. When you dont they will feel like old bolts. Jeez I'm paying alot of points for skills I don't need. But that's CBs design choice. We need to see everything as a whole. But looking at Nox Individually they aren't like traditional line infantry. And for a faction with fragile strike pieces that need to spend extra orders positioning that's not ideal.
So I played that Avatar listed I posted earlier in the thread, with the Nox LGL and and Mentor. Hot damn. Hot damn. Engaged a Zuyong link at point blank range and they were hitting it at B1 on 4s or 1s while it sepsitored whole chunks of the link. Game was over almost before it began.
What do you think they are going to do with the Seed-Soldiers? i'm hoping they will be cheaper than NOX since they start as a seed.
I'm betting they'll be Nox with more limited loadouts and Inferior Infiltration + Seed Embryo (start as Camo Marker, Short Movement skill or ARO to hatch and lose all Camo mods) for about 3-4 points more
Soon would be good, unless they’re part of the gencon release. But I guess in that case we wouldn’t be seeing the rules yet. Soon sounds good to me!
Considering they just launched the Spiral box, I think that Shas will be the operations for this year. And that does mean Gencon. As for seed soldiers - I doubt they will be cheaper. They went out of their way to make Nox cost 14 at least - the base price of all the standard troops of CA. So much in fact that I think that Nox are a bit bloated on their cost - even if they are useful, some of the things they bring ( bioimmunity, stealth) can be *very* situational to what are line troops. So yeah, I doubt seed soldiers will be cheaper.
The Gwailo is in a weird area now in the chart. After TAG so it's not heavy, and before existing Skirmish. So I'm guessing it's now a Skirmish or a new TAG?! I highly doubt that but then it must become a new Skirmish. I'm finding it annoying that CB loves to F up my armies! I had all of the Gwailo and Aswang. They F'd up YJ when they took out JSA from me. They took away my Exrah. Why should I buy their stuff if they are going to take it away!?
Seems to me like Aswang have become mentors, kind of like Raiden became Ryuken-9 in JSA, and Invincibles became Zhuyong in YJ. As for the Gwailo, my money is in the fact they'll be useful as Caliban, as we only ever got one of those but they've AVA 4 in the new list.
I'd like them to be SEF version of Streloks. Relatively cheap skirmisher analog, there to fill midfield with camo markers - some of them Deployables - and acting as screen for the rest of the army. I've noticed it's position in the chart as well. If the chart is a reliable indicator my guess would a heavy skirmisher - SK, but with HI stats. Maybe one of the new HI Lite, IA style. That AVA (assuming it's not a typo) would suggest a TAG, but that would mean SEF getting really heavy... As for the models - I own all the Aswangs and Gwailos as well. I fully intend to use them as proxies and conversion bases for the new units. for example Gwailos will probably work really well as Caliban.
Hard to tell, but I don't expect to see them cheaper than Nox Troops unless CB give them another disadvantage like being irregular. Also Seed Embryo rule would be changed so much that having it wouldn't be disadvantage at all (hatching can be free at the start of the activation or it can be short movement skill and we can shoot with them as a second short skill). I expect that Seeds will bring some interesting options to the table with their loadouts (CB can easily give them weapons like a Red Fury, light rocket launcher, panzerfaust and so. Some of their loadouts can easily has Forward Deployment or even infiltration.) I wouldn't be surprised if Gwailos turned out to be new light TAG with Nanoscreen and some heavier weapons. It would make a sence with their fluff. IMHO one thing speak against Gwailos being skirmisher and that is their linkability (of course unless their work like a Hulongs, Draals or other similar units), because there is no apparent unit that should be in fireteam with Gwailos and has some FD or Infiltration skill.
Well he does appear to be linkable with someone, hopefully more than just a random duo as well. Re: Seed Soldiers - i would honestly not be surprised if they did become irregular infiltrating skirmisher types - or maybe FDL2, like Libertos? - cheaper than Nox but with the same sort of statline. Probably with weird weapon combos, like Light Shotguns + DEPs, or maybe Pulzars or something like that.
You're right, I didn't consider their Special link. Light TAG, Hmm. Theoretically makes sense, will see shortly what CB had in mind. Sphinx is a light TAG already...
I'm curious about the linkable T-Drone in SEF. Think it'll just lose a point in exchange for smart, or get something new (like +aquatic, Varuna style)?