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I've been trying to hook my group since Icestorm came out, but the Guijia finally won over an influential member in our group. He bought 4 starter sets and a ton of scenery. He hooked a few others and it looks like it's on.

I'm playing Combined with the new starter and I like them a lot. The rules are kinda overwhelming for a new player because they reference other rules. I feel like each rule I look up, I end up looking at three more. It's fine, I'll get it eventually... but right now I need some help narrowing down my hacking options.

I have the option for an assault hacker fraacta and a hacker plus umbra. What are some key hacking programs to focus on learning?

Any tricks or rules to focus on with the Combined starter? I've played a few games with them and like em so far. The plasma carbines are great.

I've got some drones, batroids, and ikadrons in the mail... looking forward to Onyx.

Hey and welcome to the fold. You alien bastard

First and foremost, are you learning the game or are you learning hacking? Hacking are advanced rules for a reason. N3 did a lot of work polishing stuff up and making it orderly, but there's a lot left and hacking isn't the easiest to get a hang of.

Well, it's basically the wizard, but without Evocation magic.

In either case, here's a look up table: http://www.captainspud.com/n3hacking/

 Mahtamori wrote:
Hey and welcome to the fold. You alien bastard

First and foremost, are you learning the game or are you learning hacking? Hacking are advanced rules for a reason. N3 did a lot of work polishing stuff up and making it orderly, but there's a lot left and hacking isn't the easiest to get a hang of.

Well, it's basically the wizard, but without Evocation magic.

In either case, here's a look up table: http://www.captainspud.com/n3hacking/

I know the basics. I guess I'm getting familiar with special rules and learning hacking. I know about the table, but even it's overwhelming.

I have to take a hacker in my army due to the Batroids. Even if I just make it a fraacta with assault hacking, there's too many programs with too many effects. I'm curious if there's any strong programs I should focus on learning first.

Also, no one in our group is experienced. Having everyone learn it at once is challenging. I can't ask anyone during the game, so anytime I come across an effect I'm not sure on, I have to stop the game and look it up.

Ideally I could have a short list of like 3-4 programs worth learning... because each program seems to have 2 additional rules. For example, the program "Stop!" I'd have to double check what immobilized 1 is and what breaker ammunition does. When you do that for 12+ programs, it takes too much time.

As a start, I suggest you focus on these programs:

Gotcha!. Immobilizes hacking targets. It has some extra nasty versions. Fraacta has access to Stop! which is stronger, halves your BTS and lasts longer. They also have access to other stronger versions of Gotcha!, but frankly with Stop! available I fail to see a point even considering them.
Assisted Fire. Improves a target REM. Gives REM ability to do Shock damage (in addition to it's other damage type(s)) and to ignore the BS penalty from partial cover. Note: one at a time, lasts 2 turns and only REM - not G: Remote Presence!
Repeaters. This is not a hacking program, it's a piece of equipment. Some carry deployable versions. These extend your hacking area to include the repeater's zone of control as well. Keep in mind that a hacker can enter a repeater's hacking area and use it against you (but then suffers Firewall mods). Typically your Drones will have these. The Q-Drone (a.k.a. Total Reaction Bot) is notable in that it does NOT.

Do note that Umbra Legate should have EI Hacking Device, I think it's a typo that Army 5 only has it as normal hacking device. Umbra Legate should thus have access to a program that's really good at killing other hackers. But as a starter, ignore the Sword programs.

---

Okay, so let's look at the devices and what they are good for. Remember that Ariadna's heavy infantry can not be hacked, but their Remotes and Hackers can. Also remember that except for Spotlight (that Forward Observer wannabe), you can only target Hackers, TAGs, REMs and Heavy Infantry. Hackers, REMs and Heavy Infantry are vulnerable to the same things, but don't benefit from buffs similarly. TAGs are extra vulnerable to nastiness like possession.

Defensive Hacking Device.
Generally speaking, these devices are here to allow you to complete ITS Classified Objectives. Can support your army in a limited way, but generally just makes you an unpalatable target for other hackers. Only Ariadna gets one so far, and for good reasons. Also, Spud's site has their programs from the Appendix which contains an error regarding supporting REMs - something they can't do.

Hacking Device.
Standard run of the mill hacking device. Can do everything equally bad. However, this is the only device the reliable lets you field REMs and buff them without costing you a shirt and a toe. Probably the best hacking device out there.

Hacking Device Plus
Like normal Hacking Device, but better. Has access to a few extra programmes, most special of which is White Noise which creates a smoke zone that only affects models with Multi Spectral Visors.

Assault Hacking Device.
Specializes in immobilization of Heavy Infantry, Remotes and TAGs. Can't support the army. Can't brain damage hackers, regardless of what the name implies.

EI <Hacking Device>
Evil, evil, Combined Army hacking devices. Contains some extra nasty versions of hacking programs.

---

So, pick a device (unit profile) depending on what you want to do. Most often it'll come down to whether you just want hacker presence or if you want to defend your army. Assault Hacking Devices are also fairly cheap.

 Mahtamori wrote:
great overview

Thanks!

That was a really handy overview and I will focus on the ones you mentioned for now while I get the hang the game.

Once I get to 200 points and up, I'm going to include an Umbra hacker. For now I'm sticking with only my Fraacta.

The new Combined starter is so great. It's full of Robots, Dark Elves, and Badasses.

One really nice option you can get with the HD+ Umbra Legate, is Cybermask.
That program gives you Impersonation, which can let your Umbra slide in closer to targets without taking ARO fire (before being discovered, of course), or get out of areas with objectives in hand while in an Impersonated state.

.

 Mahtamori wrote:


Defensive Hacking Device.
Generally speaking, these devices are here to allow you to complete ITS Classified Objectives. Can support your army in a limited way, but generally just makes you an unpalatable target for other hackers. Only Ariadna gets one so far, and for good reasons. Also, Spud's site has their programs from the Appendix which contains an error regarding supporting REMs - something they can't do.

Also Tohaa get them, don't forget!

Very good write-up think that covers things pretty well.

Love some of the EI hacking stuff, think it really suits the background of them having some absolutely incomprehensible 'voodoo tech', which scares the crap out of the Human Sphere!