But , she's got a 16" AO range with secondary, a good heat dial, no +1 to the target of an AO's defense, and she and her 'mech are cheap. Besides, Harpy's a light 'mech!So she only has a ten attack, big deal. You wouldn't want to send a light 'mech up against a heavy or assault on its own anyway. I like them a lot .

You're right, it won't cut it - IF you try to go after other mechs with her. That's
why I said, earlier in the thread, that she'd make a good support piece vs.
infantry and/or vehicles. ;)

I have a mjolnir with an equal Assault range similar attack value, equal movement, higher damage and a lot cheaper price I could use.

So I was proven not to be sarcastic, there are better units you could pull in a booster. That being said Here comes the JF Blade with that pilot in it. Oh no not another good gunslinger in a factioned mech. Quick make it illegal to put gunslingers in a factioned mech, to prevent the rampent abuse.

JF Jaguar with this pilot:

13 speed, 11 attack, 20 defense... for 114 pts.

I like it. Nice MFDA machine for the points. :)

Granted, it won't last head-to-head with beefy mechs... But, hey! It's just support. ;) I look forward to MFDAing vehicles or softened-up fatties with this. Good stuff.

Nice pilot, too. Wish the shooting range on this mech were a bit farther to really make use of the pilot ability, but /shrug. It's still good.

It's Claudia Black! When do we get Ben Browder as a pilot?

I will probable get one of these. The pilot might be worth getting; you never know what else will be in the set.

I'm of the mind that you just like to be contrary. Were you on the debate team in
school, perchance? :cheeky:

I'm not sure whether or not the second part was directed at me. Since you posted
right after I did (and I'm a vocal opponent of faction-restricted pilots in gunslinger
mechs), I'll proceed under the assumption it was and reply.

I have ZERO problem with gunslinger pilots piloting faction mechs (that's what
their recruitment cost is for), so your sarcastic statement is in error. I have a
problem with rules lawyers using loopholes that allow for a gunslinger's mech
to be covered under a mercenary contract so that a faction pilot can then be
popped into it. Especially when it's NOT EXPLICITLY stated, anywhere in the rules,
that this can be done. While gunslingers are mercenaries, they're considered
free-lancers that are unafilliated with any Merc. outfits. Why else would they be
listed as two distinctly separate factions in the units section?

It is permitted by the rules, David, I really don't see why you keep banging on about it.

Merc contracts grant the faction. These apply before any other faction ability, as per page 36 of the rulebook.

When you put the pilot in the 'Mech the 'Mech has already received its faction from the contract and hence the requirements are met.

I acknowledge that Kelly didn't intend originally for this to be possible but the loophole is in the wording. The rules EXPLICITLY SUPPORT faction pilots in Gunslinger 'Mechs after a Merc Contract is played.

We know now that this wasn't Kelly's intent but the wording is explicit. It is NOT rules lawyering to apply the rules as written. The rules are the only guide to the intent we have.

Sorry, the second sentence should read "These apply before any other CEC, as per page 36 of the rulebook."

Not intending to keep pinging on it. Just answering Berserk_Fury's somewhat
sarcastic post.

As for it being stated, in the rules, let's just agree to disagree and leave it there. :)

Well, actually... it _is_ rules-lawyering to abuse a wording that one _knows_ is a loophole. That may not be the case here, but it's still rules-lawering to abuse the rules to one's advantage just because one can.

I agree. It's just that +2,+2,+1 for 11 points would have been even _better_, so finding out the actual stats were different made it become a disappointment (though, admittedly, a bit of a relief as well... to the side of me that believes in game balance, anyways).

As it is, 'Harpy' no longer looks so interesting to me. The pilot, though, makes the offer worth getting.

I would expect this to become standard issue for Jade Falcons. a 12" DFA is just what they wanted :)

Stormhammers Behemoth + SS Garrot= Same point range, better gun range, accuracy and damage. And I can still fit a better mech and infantry in. Harpy loses.

You're right. I wouldnt send a 20-35 ton machine against a heavy or assualt. But vs many competitive vehicles, her 10 attack is still lackluster. Many of the most useful infantry now have heavy and reactive armour. A team of 3! HL snipers can take this turkey down, WITH BETTER RANGE. Even a team of SS Gray Death Scout armour can take her down, while she can do a piddling 1 damage to tham at range, and a lacking 2 in melee, where due to the infantry having IT and lots of it, is likely to be captured. Can't pick off the tanks be cause any good tank worth using in competitve play is a droppable tank, and it will most likely drop and cripple her before she can MDFA, her only useful attack in Harpy. As I've been saying, I like the pilot, +2 +1 +1 and dirt cheap JF recruit is sweet, put shes wasted poo in Harpy, which is junk. there are much better Lights out there to pick. The SS Valient, or the Nyx for example.

As I said in the paragraph above: If Harp cant go after mechs or any good infantry or vehicles, what's there left for it to go after? A fun casual game it could be fun, but leave it at home for the tournament.