N3 Aleph at a glance

The long awaited N3 PDFs have finally been released. Of course the first thing I had to do was check out how Aleph were shaping up in the new edition. I've listed all the profile changes I've spotted below the jump and then I've done a write up of the biggest winners and losers of N3.

Where I don't mention a profile, it is unchanged.

Infinity N3 is here - everyone crash the servers!

Dakini

Dakinis, like most Remotes it seems get a +2 PH boost, which actually makes them moderately competent at dodging. Expect the sniper version to see a lot of table time with the ability to gain Marksmanship from a friendly hacker. The HMG is pretty good still too.

HMG: -1 point
Sniper: -6 points
Paramedic: -2 points

Garuda

Nothing much to see here. Interesting to note that we keep our HMGs and aren't being relegated to Spitfires. Garuda Boarding Shotguns should see a lot of table time and are probably now favoured over Combis.

Boarding Shotgun: -1 point
HMG: -1 pont

Deva & Devabot

The Lieutenant now has the same points cost as the regular version which makes a lot of sense. The Devabots received the generic +2 PH Remote buff and now have their own assigned point cost of 4 which is included in the points you pay for the Deva.

The most important change here is the Sensor becoming seriously affordable - only one more point than a regular Combi Deva in fact. Sensors have got a big buff in N3 and this profile is a serious alternative to taking a Devabot.

Deva Lt: +1 point
Spitfire: -1 point
Sensor: -2 points and -1 SWC
Hacker: -4 points

Asura

The Asura gets a +2 CC buff, a bit of a surprise, but no increase on movement. She's definitely not the queen of manoeuvrable HI any more. She does retain her Hacking Device Plus though, so Cybermask shenanigans are a go!

The MSV3 changes mean that she's probably going to be taken less often than in the past as the huge advantage over MSV2 doesn't exist any more.

MULTI Rifle: -5 points
Spitfire: -2 points
Hacker -5 points

Marut

The Marut remains unchanged in stats, but completely loses it's Heavy Grenade Launcher Profile, getting a Non-LT Heavy Flamethrower profile instead. Strategos is retained and is seen to cost 4 points.

HFT LT (Strategos 3): -2 points
HFT (New Profile): 116 points

Naga

The Naga gains the Multiterrain skill, but is otherwise untouched stat-wise. They are likely to remain as our go-to Skirmishers. The Hacker now has an Assault Hacking Device instead of a normal one and Monomines get a point cut due to being easier to dodge and not persistent.

I would expect the Minelayer with Boarding Shotgun to remain the default profile.

Anti-personnel Mines: +1 point
Monomines: -2 points points
Assault Hacking Device: -5 points
MULTI Sniper: -5 points

Dasyu

The Dasyu also gains the Multiterrain skill and, very notably, the Lt and FO now have Anti-personnel mines just like everyone else - but unfortunately still costs 2 SWC. The Hacker, like the Naga, has an Assault Hacking Device

Forward Observer: -1 point
Assault Hacking Device: -4 points
MULTI Sniper: -6 points
Boarding Shotgun: -1 point

Myrmidons

Myrmidons get Kinematika L1 and +4 CC, bringing them up to CC21, across the board. Quite a substantial increase. They only have access to Assault Hacking Devices (I guess they are the 'infiltrators of Steel Phalanx, ha!) and have been reduced to AVA 5 in the vanilla list. The CC Specialist model has been reduced from an EXP CCW to DA.

The Hacker is expected to see a lot of play as the only Myrmidon linkable specialist outside of Machaon. The Boarding Shotgun I imagine will also fit into many links.

Assault Hacking Device: -6 points
Spitfire: -1 point
Boarding Shotgun: -1 point
CC specialist: -1 point, DA instead of EXP

Sophotect

No changes to the Sophotect, not that she needed any. Note that she does not have a MediKit.

Remotes - Daleth, Lamedh & Samekh

All three of these remote types have received complete overhauls, similar to the other factions. The changes are too numerous to list here and their roles have changed completely. There will be a future article to discuss these support Remotes and how best to use them.

Zayin

The Zayin has been stripped of all it's extra options and now just comes with a HMG. This means no more Monomines or EM Light Grenade Launchers. A bit of a shame as the Monomines were a good use for a single order in a second combat group in the past. It also loses it's repeater but gaisn +2 PH.

Heavy Machine Gun: -1 point

Yudbot

Not much change to the Yudbots, just a simple +2 PH. No doubt they'll be engaging people much more often now!

Netrod

Netrods are, surprisingly, unchanged. They are confirmed as having Silhouette 2 and still have no troop type so their status as Equipment vs. Trooper and the actions/AROs they can perform is still in limbo.

Probots

No change to the Probots except the generic +2 PH buff.

Posthumans

No stat changes for the Posthumans, but lots of different  point costs. Note that the Proxy 1 now get a regular Hacking Device whereas the Proxy 2 has an Assault one. It's good that they've put a real reason to take one over the other now, or indeed to take both!

Taking a Proxy 1 & Proxy 2 seems like even better value than before and I think it will be a rare game where I'm not fielding them in my vanilla lists. The Proxy 3 is still likely to be sidelined though I thin.

Proxy 1 Hacking Device: -4 points

Proxy 2 Assault Hacking Device: -6
Proxy 2 MULTI Sniper: -5

Proxy 3 Spitfire: -4

Thorakitai

Thorakitai without Combi Rifles get point cuts across the board. This seems reasonable given the all the new profiles. The big winners here I think are the Light Rocket Launcher (which may actually be used now) and the Forward Observer which is ridiculously cheap.

Submachine Gun: -1 point
Light Rocket Launcher: -7 points
Spitfire: -1 point, +0.5 SWC
Paramedic (MediKit) : -2 points
Forward Observer: -3 points

Myrmidon Officer

Myrmidon Officers get a beefy +5 Close Combat for a total of 22 and get Kinematika L1 for being Myrmidons. They end up a point cheaper across the board and a further point cheaper if with a Boarding Shotgun.

Boarding Shotgun CoC: -2
Boarding Shotgun: -2
Combi Rifle CoC: -1
Combi Rifle: -1

Agema Marksman

No change to the Agema Marksman stats, but the weapon costs have been normalised a great deal. the Sniper Rifles and Missile Launchers are vastly cheaper now and I expect will see a bit more play. The Mk12, the only profile I'd touch with a barge-pole in N2 got a point more expensive though. Fair enough.

MULTI Sniper: -6 points
Mk12 X-Visor: +1 point
Missile Launcher: -11 points (!)

Ekdromoi

Ekdromoi get no stat changes, although I expected a small CC buff, but get cheaper across the board. They are also armed with Assault Hacking Devices. Note that the Hacker gets a double whammy of points decreases and ends up at a mere 25 points!

Again, we keep the HMG instead of being downgraded to a Spitfire.

Chain Rifle: -3 points
Combi Rifle: -3 points
Heavy Machine Gun: -3 points
Combi DA CCW: -2 points
Boarding Shotgun: -3 points
Assault Hacking Device: -9 points

Nesaie Alke

Not much to say here. Our favourite Spitfire-toting girl gets a surprising +1 CC but is largely unchanged otherwise.

All Profiles: -1 point

Atalanta

Atalanta doesn't gain any new skills or stats - not even the much rumoured Marksmanship levels. The Spotbot also remains unchanged, but it is given a points cost of 2 which is included within Atalanta's cost. Still not expect to see much use.

MULTI Sniper Rifle: -5

Diomedes

Diomedes gets +1 CC, bringing him up to a very respectable 20, and much more importantly now has Frenzy. No longer do Steel Phalanx get Not Impetuous drop troops.

All Profiles: -1 point

Machaon

Machaon gets +3 CC (total 21) and Kinematika L1 as befits a Myrmidon and is granted a MediKit as well - cementing his position as the best Doctor in Aleph.

All Profiles: -1 point

Phoenix

Phoenix gets a meagre +2 CC (total 21) and the obligatory Kinematika L1. He retains Regular Smoke unlike his comrades Machaon and Eudaros and is upgraded to carry an Assault Pistol. He also gets a HUGE points cut.

All Profile: -9 points

Eudaros

Eudaros gets, yes you guessed it +3 CC (total 21) and Kinematika L1. There is no points reduction but he now costs 0 SWC, presumably because of his Impetuous nature. Note that he doesn't appear to be Extreme Impetuous though.

All Profiles: Now cost 0 SWC

Ajax

Ajax is officially a beast. +4 CC (total 22) and Kinematica L2 means he moves quick and still smashes stuff up. He's also given a suitably ridiculous sidearm - an AP Heavy Pistol!

All Profiles: -4 points, -0.5 SWC

Penthesilea

Penthesilea gets the Ajax treatment too with +4 CC (total 22) and the Kinematica L2 that we'd expect from a bike unit. She also now formally has a dismounted profile with 4-4 move.

Penthesilea: -2 points

Thamyris 

Thamyris has clearly been practicing his combat skills as gets a surprising +1 CC (total 17). Armed with Steel Phalanx's only normal Hacking Devices he's a steal at 25 points.

Thamyris: -4 points

Achilles

Achilles got hit (justifiably?) hard with the nerf bat, losing -1 PH, -1 ARM and the option to take a Heavy Shotgun. Got to say I'm a bit disappointed as I was looking forward to running around slamming BS21 template weapons around! He does gain Kinematika L2 and +4 CC (total 24) now though, so there's that.

Hopefully people will complain less when they get stomped by him now, but I doubt it!

MULTI Rifle: -7 points
Spitfire: -5 points and +0.5 SWC

Patroclus

Patroclus also loses the Heavy Shotgun (Aleph really needs to talk to it's supplier) and gets the standard Myrmidon +3 CC (21 total) and Kinematika L1 in exchange. I still can't imagine him being taken too often, but we'll see.

MULTI Rifle: -5 points
Spitfire: -2

Thrasymedes

Thrasymedes, as the last N2 Aleph unit released, has unsurprisingly few changes. Now that the regular Thorakitai LRL is a lot cheaper, I can see his Infiltration profile being used more often.

Infiltration: -1 point

New Unit - Dactyls

Dactyls look pretty sweet, although it's important to note that they aren't linkable in Steel Phalanx. Yet.

They all have interesting combination of weapons and the addition of Flammenspeers, Adhesive Launchers and Breaker Pistols looks to be the start of Aleph getting some interesting new guns to play with. They are reasonable Engineer/Doctor choices in Steel Phalanx, but I don't think they'll see much play in Vanilla Aleph.

Dactyls

AVA Changes - Vanilla

Myrmidon: AVA 5
Miranda Ashcroft: AVA 1
Authorised Bounty Hunter: AVA1
Warcor: AVA1

AVA Changes - Vanilla

Dactyls: AVA 4
Warcors: AVA 1

Big Winners

My predictions for the big winners from these recent changes (in no particular order) are:

• Dakinis MULTI Snipers: Mimetic Sniper Rifles for 21 points, sign me up!
• Phoenix: A lot cheaper now and with a very nasty Burst 5 whilst in a link.
• Posthumans: Substantial points cuts across the board on already cheap units.
• Thorakitai FO: Already the best specialists in the faction, now at almost 20% off.
• Ekdromoi Hacker: 25 point Airborne Deployment specialists. A serious contended for a slot in many army lists.
• Agema Missile Launcher. Huge discounts and still retaining MSV2. Not as useful with the Smoke changes, but still very strong.
• Ajax: Beastly. Expect him to be used much more liberally.
• WarCors: One in every list from now on!
• Patroclus: Super controversial here. He's a BS13, ODD fast Spitfire with effectively two wounds and, importantly, no Frenzy. This makes him very reliable and unique in vanilla

Big Losers

My predictions for those we are likely to see less often or not at all are:

• Eudaros: Expect to see him being played a lot less in Vanilla due to Impetuous. Still great in Steel Phalanx though.
• Achilles: He's been knocked down a peg or two for sure. I'd expect to see the Asura be taken more often over Achilles in Vanilla lists now.
• Patroclus: Yep, he's here too. In Steel Phalanx where the Frenzy weakness of other characters can be mitigated by Fireteams he's going to be too expensive compared to the other options.

Right, time to go play some games!