So yeah, had some extra time today, and was pondering a regular din of complaints out there about the Dindrenzi Nyx infantry, who seem to drop in and ruin everyone's day. Sometimes, you'll be trying to eject them from objectives in turn 2. Or worse, they're storming your own poor Infantry on an objective.
For ideas to try, it's always a start to look at the raw math. Storming doesn't have a lot of other factors once its happening. All these assume the owner can choose which bases die when all are equidistant, preserving the best CQB dice.
Okay, so here's the math vs Nyx Cadres.
Storming the Nyx:
Assume 4 Nyx Stands incl 3 Sweeper Teams in a Building. That's CQB total dice of
18, rerolling 1's per racial MAR. Slightly good dice yield 14-15 hits versus
attackers, accounting for avg 6's.
-- Against even Sorylian Kul'Vok Heavy Infantry, that's 2 dead stands out of
4, before they even get to attack.
-- Against Relthoza, that's often FIVE dead stands out of 8!
-- Relthozan Jamriss will still lose 3 stands out of 5, returning only 4 dice - so they're FAR better off just shooting for a turn.
-- Terquai Nabis will also lose 3 stands out of 5, but with a little luck it easily flips to three stands left
-- If you can Hit and Run with Aquan Khitari, that's 12 shots into them before
CQB. 9 hits total on average, but they'll get 4 cover save dice from the
building still, so assume only one stand killed. Then in the storming,
they're still rolling likely 15 dice before you go, killing at least 2 of
your 5 Khitari Stands. Your remaining 3 stands will do 9-ish hits on 12
dice, killing two more. You'll have 2-3 stands left, they'll have 1. Hard to
say who does the most hits to "win".
-- A Directorate Grand Company in a Haunter has maybe the best sequence. They disembark right after the Haunter lights up the Nyx building with two flamethrowers (14 dice). Even with cover saves, the Nyx lose 2 stands avg. Even if lucky, the Nyx kill 3 attacking bases out of 8. The return throws 21 dice, easily wiping out the rest of teh Nyx and taking the building. This may eb the *only* single activation storming with that kind of one-two punch.
So in almost all cases (but one), you're better shooting up dug in Nyx with anti-personnel
(from lights or flyers) or Artillery before storming.
Defending:
-- Nyx storming go simultaneous with defenders via focused assault. Assume Sweepers, so
again 14-15 hits, 3-5 dead stands for any defenders.
-- Defending Khitari Sweepers will return 20 dice (simul) killing 3 stands
at least.
-- Defending Nabis , with Drone nexus, will only get 2 nyx stands.
-- Defending Relthoza with Nexus will kill 3 stands for losing 5
-- Defending Sorylian Kul'Vok on Overwatch will shoot dead one stand before
the attack. The remaining 3 Nyx stands will kill maybe two of the
Kul'Vok, but the rest will finish fof the Nyx altogether.
-- Defending Khitari Gunners on Overwatch: One dead Nyx base before CQB. If
they drop the Officer, they lose the tie attack. If they drop a Sweeper,
they lose +2 CQB dice. Assume the latter. Nyx left kill 3 stands, Khitari
left at simul kill 2 more Nyx leaving your 2 Stands to one Nyx Sweeper. And
on your turn you can shoot him dead.
So in most Defensive cases, you're better with Gunners on Overwatch vs Nyx
attackers. Exception being the Directorate Infantry, who don't have
anti-personnel gunners - unless they're using their Heavy Cyberweapon
Troops, who might prevent the Nyx doing anything!
Worst unit for the Nyx to Storm is my Relthozan Jamriss Swarm on Overwatch.
25 defense dice before CQB, so the Nyx lose avg 3 stands of 4! But since Jamriss must deploy using Sky Drop, this scenario is less likely than most others. Close second in similar scenario are Terran Huscarls.
And lastly, all Defensive scenarios ignore the #1 defense against Nyx arrivals - Light anti-personnel Tanks on overwatch! It may feel like holding back your Recon elements, but just ONE dead Nyx stand makes all the difference!
