Mechanics - arcane?

[knight_actual]

I have run across this same conundrum during list construction over and over and would like to put if up for discussion.

2 points for strangeways
2 points for fat mechanics and 3 green friends.

My current modus operandi is to add strangways first, and if i'm playing 50 points, i'm likely to just add the unit as well.

I'm reconsidering this approach because of the following:

Strangeways represents such a high priority target that people tend to dedicate stuff at him. Also, he almost never get a chance to repair because he's too busy power boosting, or evasive actioning... even using his disruption spray these past few games.

Here are the points in my consideration:

powerbooster/ evasive action/ spray gauntlet. These are very good tools. I like them alot.

Gobbers have been there for me more than once by simply running at somthing and gumming that somthing up for a turn with some def14 models.

Strangeways need to take a pow 14 on average roll to actually kill him.

fatman and gobbers can spread out and make sure that no one shot can take them all out at once, but they're squishy enough that random deviations tend to tag them.

Fatman & gobber can seriously repair a warjack. the 4 man team has a an expected payoff repairing individually of 7.3 boxes. (khadoran battle mechanics do better with expected 8.2 boxes... huh?)

My intial conclusion is to stop deluding myself that i'm taking strangeways as a mechanic.... and face the fact that he's never going to get to do it. If i want mechanics for repair, i'm going to start bringing the fat man instead.

What do YOU usually bring?

[NaCl Catapulto]

Arlan makes it for his extra utility, spray (now AWESOME), and repair. Due to the first two, repair rarely comes in to play unless it really needs to happen. Like you said, he's a high-priority target.

So I agree. Fat man & friends all the way, if I want to keep my 'jacks pristine. So much easier (and less risked) to get them in b2b.

[knight_actual]

It still irks me a little that khadoran mechanics are better - as a unit - at repairing than our mechaniks -_-'

[GunMageinTraining]

were the silly folk who bring Gobbers.

what irks me is that our units are the same price, but I guess the higher Gobber def sort of makes up for it.

[CT GAMER]

My intial conclusion is to stop deluding myself that i'm taking strangeways as a mechanic.... and face the fact that he's never going to get to do it. If i want mechanics for repair, i'm going to start bringing the fat man instead.

What do YOU usually bring?

Agreed.

I bring Arlan in most of my lists, and it is usually for his noted bells and whistles. In fact i don't think I have ever used his repair ability to date in a MKII game...

I have been playing 35pt. games to date. In a 50pt. game I would also add gobber & the fat man as actual repair support...

[TsavongLah]

Wait, Arlan has a spray?

Holy crap, how did I not know this before now...?

[Killionaire]

Gobbers serve a valuable use however, that Arlan does not.

They're ablative armor for Nemo. They'll save that poor man from being shot by a boosted Defender or Hydra.

Otherwise, I'm taking Arlan every time. Especially if eNemo or Thunderhead is involved, since T-Head needs melee extraction, and eNemo's focus matrix makes Power Booster into actual, restriction-free focus.

[arides]

Wait, Arlan has a spray?

Holy crap, how did I not know this before now...?

He did have spray since his debut in MK.I ;)

[CeltKhan]

Also, Arlan has a distinct advantage over the Chief mechanik: he doesn't look like a fat idiot. :p

[halffiend]

Arlan is the new jr., an auto include. In fact he's in lists that jr. is not. His abilities are awesome power booster great for focus greedy casters who need 1 more focus to charge a jack or boost a roll. Evasive action is the great for an arc node, to get it disengaged (also good with T-head). His abilities to fix stuff is just gravy. I ve used it to get a particular system back on line. And he rocks a pipe! He is probably or best solo:D

[Virgil38]

I always looked at Arlan as "backup" repair. The only times I really use it is if he has nothing better to do (rare) or if I have a jack that is in desperate need of a quick fix. If I want actual repairs I'll bring field mechaniks.

Looking at the other factions, we do have the most repair though:

Darius
Halfjacks (bodge)
Arlan
Field Mechanics

Followed by Mercs with Thor and Meg and then Morten and Necrotech. That being said, I'd still like a 1 point solo mechanik with perhaps a repair 8 running around.