The main problem actually isn't the base stats (though, truthfully, they're not good, especially that DV). It's the heat dial. This thing can't assault nineteen inches unless it starts at green. Okay, technically you can assault from other places on the dial... but 2 AP isn't going to be enough to save you from the massive beatdown you're tempting with the potential shutdowns. Actually, check that, 2 AP isn't enough to save you from the massive beatdown you're tempting just by being inside 12 inches of most heavies and assaults with a piddly 19 base DV.

It may be relatively long-ranged but it's also dealing the least damage of all the Raptors while having the worst range and defense and heat dial. At least part of my disdain for the thing comes from the fact that it's not the cheapest while not managing to have anything that makes it useful. It also annoys me because it breaks my internal 'how mechs are priced' model. :)

It's different from the Goshawk, no doubt, but it's not radically different from the Uziel (it's a little faster, little better range) and no one uses that either. In fact, the lesser range on the Uziel is somewhat made up for by the better heat dial.

For that matter, the Raptor II is almost a dead ringer for the Jaguar. Better range, better at close combat, but only an inch faster and with a far, far worse heat dial. Oh, and the SEs down the dial. Now, if I could take the Jaguar and 46 points of gear and support, I can almost guarantee you I'd take the Raptor II out.

So maybe it's not the second coming of Satan (but I'm still looking for the 666 on the paintjob somewhere) but it's still not good. :)

CJF Faction Pride:

Friendly Jade Falcon ’Mechs may be part of movement formations. If a ’Mech is pushed as a result of being a member of a movement formation, it gains 1 heat instead of receiving an order token.

Bizarre. Interesting. Game changing. Not sure if it's good or not but it looks cool.

So if I formation move something with say trackbikes running as out riggers. Then move the formation again, the mech gets heat and the bikes take a token but the mech is then free to act in the same turn it gained the heat? If I am right this could make for one heck of a long AO.... must do more research ::deep in thought::

Absolutely not. It's gotten an order for the turn, full stop.

Tirrex, I believe that it allows mechs to join in a movement formation. It still acts as an order for that mech. You cant move in a formation then give an order for a unit in that formation. As it stands now mechs can not be part of a movement formation, this card just allows them to be. Oh and you are going to love what my wife got me for Christmas, Youll know it as soon as you see it.

HUGE potential with the GHK forces designed to close with Shirotude - imagine, a pair of GHKs with a JGR bound up the field while your Sylph BA follows - man, I see potential!

I can see 3 Gowshawks moving in formation together setting up for a triple MFDA. Now the question I have is whether the mechs can run in formation or just a walking move order in formation. My guess would be the latter. Either way, I can see some possibilities with this card. :devious:

I'd say you could run. It is still a move order after all. This FP is very interesting. I would not call it extremely powerful or flexible in smaller formats (I look forward to being proved wrong!). But it is different, and useful if your force contains enough units to take advantage of it. I look forward to seeing what you Turkeys will throw at me with this. :grin:

An interesting possibility would be to run tripple Kites as a basing/MDFA/Charging Screen allong with a Goshawk or Jade Hawk. It certainly would keep your MDFA from getting shut down by simple basers (IE the HS Sylph)

mid :)

That's a really good point, mid - play this card and you could make the humble MDFA almost unstoppable! Choose the right screen to move with and you suddenly not only get a very good chance of MDFAing, but also you have a very good support mechanism. Saxons and Fenrir, anyone?

Saxon/Fenrir- following up a DFA with a Pulse shot.
Saxon/EBA- pick your poison; capture or AP shot?
Saxon/Sniper Team- I think I'm going to kill your infantry first, then DFA you.
Shamash- DFA RAM RAM RAM RAM!

I mean, the very idea of a DFA followed by two Rams just makes me giggle. And not in a good way. :)

Okay, let's try it out...

CJF Faction Pride
Goshawk/Focht/ECM

Saxon x3
EBA
Oni
Fenrir

R10
Raiden
Trackbike
Fenrir

Sylph

Shamash

450 exactly. Don't know if it'd work, but being able to move the Goshawk, 3 Saxons and the R10 in formation means you can ram with the Shamash first turn and still move the Sylph. Heh.

Something else to consider:

If you put our old Kelswa in our new R10, and put a pair of Raidens in formation with it, you have a nice little tank drop. Now, add a Goshawk in contact with it, and you have your MDFA and followup in one right?

What if you have the R10 the move order instead?

Then you could move the R10 half the speed of the slowest unit (the Raiden, so 5"), turn it around, and tank-drop your target that just started 20" away from you. Now your target, which could be upto 7 clicks into its dial, has to face the 24 defence Kelswa, plus the Goshawk which is still in MDFA range.

Nasty, you bet.

Actually, you'd probably want a pair of Trackbikes with the R10 for ballistic support (and they move faster). And, IIRC, only the transport's speed is halved and then everything else moves as a formation.

But the Goshawk, Trackbikes, and R10 must still be in base contact at the end of the order, so the Trackbikes extra speed is sort of wasted, plus, the Raidens are totally immune to energy.

As for ballistic support, a thought occured to me. If you tank-drop a target with a Goshawk nearby, no one is going to stick around for the eventual MDFA. But what if you took a Jaguar with AnP in the drop formation, while the Gosawk moves with some Trackbikes. The Jaguar squad provides ballistic support, while the Goshawk formation pins and smashes targets.