300pt ITS spec ops lists - ISS

[chunky04]

I noticed this section doesn't get much activity, and I've been playing around with ISS lists. Thought I'd post some and see if we can get some discussion going.

I've found ISS quite awkward to make lists for so far - quite different and very interesting.

To the lists!


Imperial Service
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Group 1 9 0 0
IMPERIAL AGENT (X Visor) Spitfire, 2 Nanopulsers / Pistol, DA CCW. (2 | 55)
CELESTIAL GUARD Hacker (Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 21)
CELESTIAL GUARD MULTI Sniper Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (1.5 | 21)
CELESTIAL GUARD Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (12)
CELESTIAL GUARD Lieutenant Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (13)
CELESTIAL GUARD Combi Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (13)
GUĬ FĒNG Combi Rifle, Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (13 / 12XP)
MOV:4-4 CC:14 BS:12 PH:10 WIP:15 ARM:1 BTS:3 W:1
Hacking Device, Doctor, Engineer
YUDBOT Electric Pulse. (3)
NINJA Hacker (Assault Hacking Device) Combi Rifle / Pistol, Shock CCW, Knife. (0.5 | 40)
ZHÀNYING (Forward Observer) Breaker Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (25)

Group 2 8 1 6
CELESTIAL GUARD (Kuang Shi Control Device) Combi Rifle + Light Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 13)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
SFORZA Viral Rifle + Adhesive Launcher, Nanopulser / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (23)
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (16)

5 SWC | 298 Points

Open with Army 5

I find the idea of a heavy infantry hitter in a light infantry link intriguing. The big thing I miss here is there is no 0swc specialist in the Celestial Guard, which is a shame. It might also be worth switching the Crane to a multi rifle to make him more dangerous in aro.

The second group serves mainly to Rambo Sforza early, then whatever orders remain power the webbing for objectives later in the game. I could see starting the Kuang Shi linked to control the extreme impetuous and get them up the table efficiently early on, then switch to the CG link.


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Group 1 9 0 0
WÚ MÍNG HMG / Pistol, Knife. (2 | 39)
WÚ MÍNG Boarding Shotgun + 1 TinBot B (Deflector L2) / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 33)
WÚ MÍNG Panzerfaust, Light Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 29)
WÚ MÍNG (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (31)
WÚ MÍNG (Forward Observer) Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (31)
ZHÀNYING Lieutenant (Sensor) Breaker Combi Rifle, Nimbus Grenades / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (26)
GUĬ FĒNG Combi Rifle, Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (13 / 12XP)
MOV:0-0 CC:0 BS:0 PH:0 WIP:1 ARM:0 BTS:0 W:0
Hacking Device, Doctor, Engineer, Minelayer
YUDBOT Electric Pulse. (3)
PANGGULING (Minesweeper) Electric Pulse. (8)
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (16)

Group 2 6 1 4
CELESTIAL GUARD (Kuang Shi Control Device) Combi Rifle + Light Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 13)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
SFORZA Viral Rifle + Adhesive Launcher, Nanopulser / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (23)
DAKINI Tacbot Paramedic (MediKit) Combi Rifle / Electric Pulse. (15)

3.5 SWC | 300 Points

Open with Army 5

Gotta have a HI link somewhere in a Yu Jing sectorial, and the Wu Ming are a tasty package with a 0SWC specialist profile, a tinbot B and a bunch of boarding shotguns - very nasty as an aggressive link team. Second group is a similar concept to last time, and really bulks out the list despite the expense of the Wu Ming.


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Group 1 8 0 0
ZHÀNYING HMG / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (1 | 30)
ZHÀNYING (Forward Observer) Breaker Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (25)
ZHÀNYING (Forward Observer) Breaker Combi Rifle / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (25)
ZHÀNYING (Sensor) Boarding Shotgun, Nimbus Grenades / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (23)
ZHÀNYING Hacker (Hacking Device) Breaker Combi Rifle, D-Charges / Pistol, Electric Pulse. (0.5 | 32)
SON-BAE Yaókòng Smart Missile Launcher / Electric Pulse. (1.5 | 18)
CHAĪYÌ Yaókòng Flash Pulse, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (8)
GUĬ FĒNG Combi Rifle, Boarding Shotgun / Pistol, Knife. (13 / 12XP)
MOV:- CC:0 BS:0 PH:0 WIP:1 ARM:0 BTS:0 W:0
Hacking Device, Doctor, Engineer, Minelayer
YUDBOT Electric Pulse. (3)
YUDBOT Electric Pulse. (3)

Group 2 9 0 6
WÈIBĪNG Yaókòng Combi Rifle, Sniffer / Electric Pulse. (16)
CELESTIAL GUARD (Kuang Shi Control Device) Combi Rifle + Light Smoke Grenade Launcher / Pistol, Knife. (0.5 | 13)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
KUANG SHI Chain Rifle / Pistol, Knife. (5)
HSIEN Lieutenant HMG, Nanopulser / Pistol, AP CCW. (2 | 61)

5.5 SWC | 300 Points

Open with Army 5

I really like the Zhanying link team. They have decent stats, some interesting abilities, weapons in all range bands, 0 SWC specialists, and some interesting utility with the sensor. To my knowledge they don't have models though, which is a shame because most of the imperial agent models are really nice.

Also thought I'd try out the biolocator guided missile thing in this list, then added in the Hsien to take advantage of all those orders.

[Pacific]

I like the second, Wu Ming one. Gives a kind of 'penal regiment' feel to it

Have you had much success with the Dakini medic? Like the idea of including one (and going for a really detailed/ornate paintjob on it, as though it has been customised for the IS) but not sure how effective they would be.

Kuang shi are a must-have I think, give such cheap orders and look tremendously entertaining.

Can I ask what mini you are planning on using for the Zhanying?

[Errhile]

Having faced the Dakini (in a Vanilla Aleph list) recently, I must say they are very, very nice. 6-4 Move (fast), Mimetism, no slouch in a fight... they are however fragile (no ARM) yet hard to kill (Remote Presence).

The two major drawbacks for me would be that they cannot go Prone or perform Cautious Movement, their reduced ability to Dodge wouldn't bother me much.

Still, I'd suggest you playtest them with a proxy first

[chunky04]

I actually have no idea what to use for the Zhanying - will probably just proxy them up with a link team from one of my other factions. Its a shame since they seem to be the most complete link team ISS can field in terms of having a lot of options available.

I actually had my first game with ISS last night, using the first list. I made some errors which saw me get ramboed hard in turn 1 to the point I lost all of the Kuang Shi and most of the Celestial Guard straight away, so didn't really get to test much. Still managed to almost claw a win, just needed a little luck on a few crucial orders that didn't pan out. The Crane agent was nuts though, even without getting the link bonuses. He'll be ridiculous getting a full 5 man link bonus, though still thinking about using the Multi Rifle over the Spitfire.

Things I learnt:

- Don't clump Kuang Shi - they explode! I think I'm better off learning how to handle the impetuous and spread them out rather than linking them.
- Carbonite is ridiculous - first time I've gotten to use an Assault Hacking Device
- why does an assault hacking device not have anything to do damage to enemy hackers though?

I haven't actually used the Dakini paramedic yet, but the idea is that both him and the Weibing are very fast, cheap specialists in a sectorial that is a bit lacking for specialist options. There is very little in the way of infiltrating specialists (basically just the Ninja Hacker), and the Celestial Guard only have an SWC costing Hacker option also. That leaves only the remotes as cheap 0 SWC specialist options, but at least both are very fast, so that if you can clear a path, they can get there to push the button in a hurry.

[Pacific]

Interesting feedback there Chunky04 thanks for taking the time to write it.

Does an assault hacking device not have Brain-burst? I thought it did. I agree Carbonite is very useful (is that the one with the +3 WIP? That's a pretty formidable hacking attacking for WIP 14 units)

So I assume with the Kuang Shi that if they are linked you don't have to make the impetuous move? Or if you don't link them they will make that move (along with generating their regular order for the order pile - in effect getting a free order, have I understood that correctly?) If so maybe better to leave them un-linked and save the link for another team.

[chunky04]

Yep, Assault hacking device has all of the Claw programs, but none of the Sword programs. Yep, carbonite has the +3 WIP, And DT ammo, so very solid.

Yeah linking the Kuang Shi removes impetuous, so they don't get the free move but are more controllable and get cover while linked. Being in such close proximity is a liability though when explode can mean they all die as soon as one goes unconscious due to cascading explosions lol. I hadn't realised explode worked that way - had thought it had to be consciously activated. As I said, I think I'm better off learning how to manage the impetuous and spreading them out. Haven't used impetuous dudes before, so it will good to have a new thing to learn.

[Errhile]

They don't do cascading explosions. Explode is Shock Ammo: as the Kuang Shi explode when they fall Unconscious, they get no chance to do "boom!" if wounded by Explode (they move straight to Dead).

[Pacific]

Even though it would penalise me, I quite like the idea of Kuang Shi cascade exploding