I tried looking for discussion on this but couldn’t really find it. I’m a bit pissed that Asuka got cut, as she is one of my favorite infinity sculpts, characters, and profiles . Sure she got reworked into that Cat biker with dogged , but did we really need that? Asuka could have gotten specialist and dogged and been resculpted , rather than simply erased for an AVA 1 copy/rework of her. On top of this, im curious about the comparison of our three biker troops now. The new kuroshi rider seems like the worst to me. Just a cross of the Aragoto and Yojimbo. Dogged is nice on a specialist , as well as the lt order, but Aragoto get killer hacker and are cheaper. I’m irritated . Give me back my gyaru.
Being an unhackable specialist with V:Dogged is pretty awesome though. Every other specialist is either hackable or very fragile. This makes Kuro pretty good in the midfield -- much more survivable than your other LI specialists, but unhackable. CC22 AP+Shock w/ Mimetism is still pretty dumb, without costing a fortune in CC. Look at how it does versus your standard CC13 line trooper. Don't need to pay for tons of CC skills, still have a massive advantage over anything with CC under 17 or so (so most things in the game), and V:Dogged makes you very likely to deliver yourself into CC. And WIP14 Lieutenant is also pretty good, especially as one of your three Lieutenant options that cost no SWC. Oh, and Aragoto are AVA4, so now buying the two boxes (Aragoto box and Asuka box) gives you 4, so that's cool.
I don't know if I can agree with you. Yes, dogged is good, but the Kuroshi is 8 points more than a killer hacker aragoto. I think it is totally down to personal preference, and one is not clearly better than the other. If a hacker is going after the aragoto KH, its risky for them as well. As for the CC, this is mostly useless. It is a deterrent, but not good enough to be reliable in your active turn. An option, perhaps. But, Yojimbo does it so much better, why would you ever need the kuroshi to fill this role? Let alone every other CC specialist JSA has. And may I point out how much better shooting a basic line trooper is.. The LT option is certainly very good, and was one of the biggest strengths Asuka had. Still, I miss that assault pistol. Kuroshi is not bad. Dogged and specialist on a bike are simply good. The LT order is also great. But, I can't get past the fact that they removed Asuka for this. Why?! It fills no purpose that wasn't already filled by Aragoto, Asuka and yojimbo. Sorry that this is a bit of a rant thread, but I think it is worth shaking my fist at CB for this. It's a slight against fans and long time collectors.
I think the big problem is that you are comparing it in a vacuum to each of those. Is Yojimbo a specialist or lieutenant option? Do Aragoto have Dogged? She's the only unhackable 8-6 specialist in the army, which is ridiculous in a few missions.
If you can get those, I think they are no longer on CB's shop... In fact, the Ghulam would use the light shotgun (they carry rifle+light shotgun combos) Let's talk Supplies. She can get there and grab a box with her impetuous movement, then use the Lt order to activate the box. If you have a Ryuken-9 close by, you can grab the box with that troop and use another order to go to the next box a grab that one. Or keep going and flame an enemy fireteam... Not to mention she can CC to death any non-devoted melee unit in the game. Heck, Penthesilea would be used more if she were Specialist Operative, and it would mean paying 42-43 pts for her! Any mission that involves gettin to the midfield and touching a button is a matter of her impetuous order and the Lt order. Then if she dies... you have Kempeitai CoC
This feat will require even less orders because you need only one order to open Coffin and grab box: From FAQ v1.3 p.11 Supplies – When you get a successful Roll to Extract Boxes, is it considered that the Specialist Troop has already picked up the Supplies Box or should you spend another Order to use the Pick up Supply Box Skill? If you have a success on the WIP Roll you get the Supply Box. So, you need only one Order.
CB likes doing two things: evolving the fluff, and slashing SKUs. The first they do because it's engaging and important to them, as custodians of the Infinity lore. The second is a business necessity. I suspect the logic was something like this: 1) C decides that JSA should be redone. 2) CB prioritizes which JSA units need resculpts (obviously bikes, which includes the Hacker and Asuka box.) 3) Recognize that Asuka isn't a big enough deal to justify a fresh resculpt, and she alone is necessitating having two Aragoto boxes instead of just one. 4) Decide to create a new, fun character that will sell well and can fit into an army box, which Asuka can be used as a proxy for (Kuroshi Rider.) 5) Advance the fluff by "killing" Asuka, introduce a new character, create an additional centerpiece for the new JSA box (anime homage biker,) and make the case for only needing one Aragoto box instead of two. So yeah, it's a bummer when we lose things we like. But my understanding is that SKU reduction is a really important business consideration for CB at the moment.
I recognize I am making a fuss about nothing , and as the salt wears off I’m coming to like the Kuroshi more and more. But, there is a hole in my heart where a hot, murderous brat used to be. House rule: Kuroshi rider Ava 2. One is Asuka with one of the many Musashi katanas replacing her assault pistol.
My 'problem' is that I already have 8 Aragoto bikes (plus Yojimbo). 2x Spitfire 1x Boarding Shotgun 2x hacker (1 original, 1 converted) Asuka converted to be popping a wheelie 'The Bride' (in yellow with a black stripe) So technically I don't even need the Kuroshi Rider model in the Army box.
Asuka was my go-to LT in most JSA lists, but now I'm struggling to fall in love with the Kuroshio Rider. clocking in at 10 more points is kind of a big deal, while the CC is nice, we already have so many things in the army that can do that reliably. I would much rather have the assault pistol as is was a much needed tool for all her range bands and unit types she encountered. specialist is nice, but I have a feeling she will die in a fire very quickly without dedicating herself to a flank. I dont hate kuroshi - just haven't warmed up to her yet.
I think what warmed me up to Kuroshi quite a bit is that she's a specialist. No assault pistol is a big hit though as I really love that weapon, especially on as quick a model as a Biker. But one can't have everything I guess. I wouldn't use her in every list, but she'll surely find a place in my lists every now and then.
Gotta love all of the old Akria Bikes but didn't have any yet when they got pulled of the shop. Fortunately got my hands on a painted JSA force a week later, including both Aragoto and Asuka who will make for a great Killer Hacker. Had the pleasure to play against the Kuroshi Rider twice already, while I've never seen anyone put Asuka or Aragoto on the table (and I'd claim to play a lot against JSA - as a contrast Yojimbo had a 100% attendance rate). So there is that. Maybe the numbers reflected that, great model, disappointing rules. The Kuroshi and Yojimbo did a Number on me in Supplies. Without a Tik to get all those boxes back from my opponent's DZ I'd have been utterly screwed in a game of Supplies. That's some serious button pushing. The 2nd game she didn't do much directly. But I had to spend several Orders to get something across the field to dig her out of the midfield. She isn't Yojimbo, but when facing her you absolutely have to get rid of her. Which can be costly inbetween Dogged, Mimetism and ARM2. The real trick like with all Bikes is to know when to drop to S2 for smaller Silhouette, Prone and Cautious Movement after you've suddenly crossed the entire dead zone in 2 Orders. While still on her Bike she also uses the remaining Orders in Turn 3 very efficiently. What I haven't seen so far was what I'd judge has her best use. Couterattacks and lategame sweeps/objective runs. She is not a turn one Rambo, but more than capable to flush out AD pieces, midfield Camo Tokens (after you're sure they're not Mines) and everything out of position. Unopposed shots in the back are the best MOD.
Even dismounted, the bikers are all Impetuous, so they can't benefit from cover. Either they're completely out of LOS or completely in LOS.
