Kaplans just got a resculpt but aren't in any of the current merc sectorials, so I think this is very likely.
They're mentioned as recruiting from Svalarheima, so I reckon we'll see a number of troopers (though not everything) from Kaldstrøm and Beyond, plus a smattering of Aleph units
We'll get a link where the gunners are zanshi and the specialists are fusiliers. We might not like it but that's what peak efficiency looks like.
Here's the lists. Not sure how to feel about some of the stuff. https://forum.corvusbelli.com/threads/too-early-for-august.37277/page-29#post-349744
Honestly, it looks like a jumbled mess to me. I can see why they would feel the need to create a sectorial for all the recent and upcoming stuff, but this is just another Dashat/ForCo situation.
Less of the Forco I think. The links are a lot more flexible. But it does look like cherry picking of some of the best troops from each faction. A Haidao+Fuslilier+ORC link looks like a big FU to the so-called Invincible Army.
Only reason this faction exists is to ( hopefully ) sell more of Kaldstrom box and some other new stuff. Meh.
I think it was bound to happen. One NA-2 sectorial that combines two factions' troops into one list. I personally like the units chosen and the skills they bring to the table. The thing I'm stumped about is that Aleph was supposed to have a significance in this Merc group but hte only Aleph unit here is the Danavas & 1 at that. Seems strange. I mostly agree. Though I do like the links and Yu-Jing/PanO units chosen. I'll have fun making up lists and hopefully playing them. That is a possibility of being is the driving reason behind it.
Most of the na2 companies are a mix of factions that come in 2 player stsrters. Forcoo being icestorm with pano and nomads. Whiteco being kaldstrom with pano and yujing. Dahshat being red veil with haqq and yu jing. Ikari while not technically a 2 player starter was a great way for jsa players to still use their yujing stuff though you could maybe make an arguement that their is a heavy haqq presence as well so sort of based off of red veil. I like the mercs and think its it's a great way to dabble into new factions without fully committing and if you buy a whole 2 player starter for yourself helps you get some more value out of it.
man white company got an awesome roster and those new units both Octavia and Shona show a lot of promise and Taiwu is a monster for his points
As someone who is just getting started with Infinity (I have Kaldstrom, beyond Kaldstrom plus a few additions) I know I'll be trying out White Company when N4 is released. I'm looking forward to mixing and matching the two factions I have so far.
Definetly gonna try out this one. You get really nice smoke warbands paired with a linked Hadao MSV2, Nisses (with MI getting bumped to 4-4 mov, they look even better) and several medium range solid attackers. It also allows to play the REM game really nicely and a Guilang specialist always pays off. Looks really fun, honestly.
From what I can see, the Kaplans can have Shona OR Varangian Guards. But a group of Kaplans+Kai+Varangians could be very good moving forward.
By my reading VarGuard can only form Duos in the WhiteCo, so Shona can join the VarGuard Duo, or a Kaplan Core/Haris/Duo (I'm assuming the Special mentioned for VarGuard is the VG+Shona Duo as they don't have their own entry on the special Fireteams page shown)
I cannot see forco as a sectorial made by using icestorm... none of the nomad part of the box is in there, and from the pano part, there are only the orcos. I have some pano models to make a few lists, so you need to buy a lot of other models. Forco seemed to me more like an excuse sectorial (even if I picked some minis to play it, they are still waiting for me to finish my starco conversions so I start with them). And this new sectorial seems to me another excuse sectorial.
Now I think you are right. Man I hate the way they do mixed teams! I thought they we going to make things simple!
I bought the Kaldstrom battle pack because of White Company. It really looks like a sectorial I always wanted in terms of the models and overall fluff. Having what is essentially PanO with Smoke and a shitton of MSV and Mimetism is just a nice bonus. Although seeing how many NA2 sectorials we currently have, I'd say CB is starting to overstate their welcome. I wouldn't say that they are OP since they don't have a lot of cheap trading units, Varangians, and CSUs being the closest alternative. And you don't want Varangians to trade with someone right away because they are the only smoke provider in the sectorial AFAIK. AVA 5 Karhu is weird considering they can only go Duo, but the twin Feuerbach profile is just ridiculous enough for me to want to try it. Haidaos, Nisses, and AVA 2 Bulleteers look real nasty. On paper, this sectorial may be competing with Dahshat in terms of power, albeit for different reasons and in different editions.
MSV2 Sniper HI + Fusiliers, Bulleteer, AVA3 Fugazi, Kaplan Haris, then fill with solo pieces (Guilang, Tiger, etc) for missions. I'll be playing this.
