What a summer Dropzone has had; we have been positively spoilt with new infantry across the board, and a few specialist units which will get you scratching your head when list building for every army!
We are now on the final new unit release for the summer, and they don't get any more specialised than these boys and girls!
Resistance ATV
At first glance I wasn't really sure what to make of these guys, and on second and third glances I'm still pretty much on the fence. They're... weird. Not bad weird though- let me explain. As far as units go, you don't get much more specific than the ATV's. It seems that the Resistance have become sick of being melted into fleshy puddles by the Scourge, so instead of trying to develop a means of stopping this (maybe some fancy armour, or at the very least a fancy rain-mac) they have instead concocted their very own melty acid-gas-custard-grenades! The ATV's launch these noxious bombs from grenade launchers into local buildings, which fill all the floors with the most dangerous dry ice in existence. For every hit a building takes it receives a Chem token, which forces the player to roll for each token in the round up phase (i.e. after all activations have taken place) on a special table. The results of this table run from "Whoever smelt it dealt it!" to the finale of Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
With average dice you will be stripping one DP from an infantry squad per token which doesn't seem like much, but taking into consideration you have to take at least two bases of ATV's which in turn provide six shots (when undamaged) you could be looking at six tokens (five on average) on a building a turn! This will ruin exotic squads and could give normal infantry a bad day too. This seems a little over powered, but as this effect occurs in the round up phase you do have the opportunity to flee the building in order to mitigate any horrific damage with sensible battlegroup activations. My issue with the table is that it acts as a less reliable flame, and the warzone could end up littered with chem tokens (this seems like it could be funny, but I can imagine it'd get irritating quickly). This isn't to say I dislike the mechanic, it just feels a bit like it should be a scenery effect rather than a solid unit. As I said, I'm very much perched on the fence at the moment.
At first glance I wasn't really sure what to make of these guys, and on second and third glances I'm still pretty much on the fence. They're... weird. Not bad weird though- let me explain. As far as units go, you don't get much more specific than the ATV's. It seems that the Resistance have become sick of being melted into fleshy puddles by the Scourge, so instead of trying to develop a means of stopping this (maybe some fancy armour, or at the very least a fancy rain-mac) they have instead concocted their very own melty acid-gas-custard-grenades! The ATV's launch these noxious bombs from grenade launchers into local buildings, which fill all the floors with the most dangerous dry ice in existence. For every hit a building takes it receives a Chem token, which forces the player to roll for each token in the round up phase (i.e. after all activations have taken place) on a special table. The results of this table run from "Whoever smelt it dealt it!" to the finale of Raiders Of The Lost Ark.
With average dice you will be stripping one DP from an infantry squad per token which doesn't seem like much, but taking into consideration you have to take at least two bases of ATV's which in turn provide six shots (when undamaged) you could be looking at six tokens (five on average) on a building a turn! This will ruin exotic squads and could give normal infantry a bad day too. This seems a little over powered, but as this effect occurs in the round up phase you do have the opportunity to flee the building in order to mitigate any horrific damage with sensible battlegroup activations. My issue with the table is that it acts as a less reliable flame, and the warzone could end up littered with chem tokens (this seems like it could be funny, but I can imagine it'd get irritating quickly). This isn't to say I dislike the mechanic, it just feels a bit like it should be a scenery effect rather than a solid unit. As I said, I'm very much perched on the fence at the moment.
As for the rest of everything, the grenade launchers are E6 shaped charged shots which excel at shooting, well, nothing really. Shoot all six at a single tank and odds on you'll kill it, but that is a misuse of the unit. Realistically you won't want these guys shooting tanks. Or in fact, being anywhere near armour with any kind of light weapon. Being A4 is good for Infantry, but at only E1 the ATV's could be ruined by anything that targets them. I foresee these chaps being deployed mainly by drill, as it could be suicide to drive across the warzone.
My last point to mention would be their category; they fit awkwardly into an already busy Exotic slot. This isn't to say we won't see them (as Exotic slots verge on being prolific in the Resistance army roster) but they face incredibly stiff opposition from MFR squads and Occupation Veterans, and less so Beserker squads.
I like them, but I'm not sure about how useful their function will be. Resistance do have a small problem with hardy Exotics like Destroyers and Firstborns, but could you spare 60 - 120 points to perhaps kill a squad? I'm not sure I could.
My last point to mention would be their category; they fit awkwardly into an already busy Exotic slot. This isn't to say we won't see them (as Exotic slots verge on being prolific in the Resistance army roster) but they face incredibly stiff opposition from MFR squads and Occupation Veterans, and less so Beserker squads.
I like them, but I'm not sure about how useful their function will be. Resistance do have a small problem with hardy Exotics like Destroyers and Firstborns, but could you spare 60 - 120 points to perhaps kill a squad? I'm not sure I could.
I really like them because they are so odd! And I already playtested them... In a bunker assualt mission...
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that they can take a Kraken! ;)
I also like them. The psychological effect of the gas is also nice. No one will want to enter a structure already filled with gas. And you can pile the stuff.
ReplyDeleteBtw you can also target a building with your own infantry + enemies as far as I see it.
No, you actually can't shoot the chem grenades at a building with your own infantry. But your infantry can enter a building that already have chem tokens...
DeleteOops, my bad.
DeleteResistance ironically IS already the best prepared to handle chem-gas.
ReplyDeleteTheir troops have the highest FORT Values in general, and their elite CQBers are all 5-man bases. This means they lose out LESS than Sirens, Destroyers, Eviscerators and Firstborns in a chem-gas filled environment. UCM are much more likely to flee in case of a 6 on the chem table roll too.
They had the blisters for these at GenCon, and I didn't ask any questions, just grabbed some (one for me and one for my mate who also plays Resistance, and wanted "one of everything!"), and didn't hesitate.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of them, but I don't know how much you'll see them in small to medium sized competitive events, since it's already so hard to get everything you want in a 1,500 point Resistance list. But in bigger, non-comp games, hell yes, these are gonna be a riot!... And, I expect you'll see them at Invasion in September for sure, and probably when February rolls around, too, since there are so many folks who turn up to those events. But beyond that, remains to be seen; who knows, these guys might be the ultimate in objective/intel denial... Or, they could just be hysterically funny, but either way, they're brilliant sculpts, so I'm glad to have them in my collection (First!)!
8^D
And, because I forgot to select "Notify me", there's this post... >_<
DeleteJust checking so you get the notifications J.D! ;)
Delete