PATHFINDERS

[DAWGIE]

:idea:


well, i am finally getting around to my MI PATHFINDERS; they have been setting in the box unassembled for several months, and now i am wondering if there is a "best method" to gluing them together. . . .

:idea:

and with the above in mind, i discover i have nary a clue as to how these troops _actually work_ and how _effective are they_ on the tabletop . . . .





now before any recommends i shoot through and buy the PATHFINDER ARMY BOOK, i must admit to being financially challenged at this time due to the real world expenses incurred by the family during the long illness /very recent death/funeral expenses of a member of the family. just a fact of real life, and one that will eventually sort itself out for all concerned. . . .


but meanwhile, i want to get back to assembling some toys and maybe even playing some games to take my mind off of these recent events.
hence my delay in deployment and lack of info about these soldiers.


any info about tactics, organizational variations/abilities, special weaponry, etc would be appreciated muchly by me.


DAWGIE

 

[tjd95]

While some may say differently, I prefer to use my Pathfinders defensively. One really can't field enough of them to go straight offense and it be sucessful. Bouncing around in a defensive manner is also a great tactic (i.e. jump and shoot, but not too close to the enemy).

Hope this helps and I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[judgedoug]

now before any recommends i shoot through and buy the PATHFINDER ARMY BOOK, i must admit to being financially challenged at this time due to the real world expenses incurred by the family during the long illness /very recent death/funeral expenses of a member of the family. just a fact of real life, and one that will eventually sort itself out for all concerned. . . .


but meanwhile, i want to get back to assembling some toys and maybe even playing some games to take my mind off of these recent events.
hence my delay in deployment and lack of info about these soldiers.


any info about tactics, organizational variations/abilities, special weaponry, etc would be appreciated muchly by me.
DAWGIE

Hey Dawgie,

I happen to have an extra Pathfinders army book that I got for free. PM me your address and I'll mail it to you, it's not doing anything here except sitting on the shelf. Seems like you could use it!

 

[JoseDominguez]

When you assemble them, build out the javelin launcher shoulder with putty, or it'll never fit correctly.

Main points from the book if you are gluing now
pathfinders can have 3 special weapons, plus a javelin. So I'd make the shredder, sniper and flamer along with the javelin.
I also ordered 12 more snipers so I could make some cheaper units when playing a full pathfinder force (3 snipers and a javelin).
The pathfinder javelin is superb, it's a must.

Tactics: I drop half of them into the enemy side of the board, they react at 12" not 10 and a unit with a shredder and 2 flamers is pretty much impossible to get to in close combat, as for the rest I send them down the bug holes at the other end of the board (they can move and even react underground!). Pathfinder dogs can even find camo entrances.
As for pathfinders vs MI, keep to cover, they get to re-roll saves.

As a surprise, go PL3 and give three members of a unit neodogs (as a trait), make sure it's three with sniper rifles. Send the dogs 12" forward, you can now snipe in reaction at 22"

 

[Makoto]

Or use them as a heavy hitter/defence firebase unit:
squads of 5 men (sergeant w/the armourer trait and should the points allow a neodog to sniff out camouflaged bugholes), 3 flamers and a javelin. This way anything getting close to them gets mauled first w/6d10 and 4d6 per each squad (just don't waste points on enchancing the reaction range, this relies on flamers anyway), and should any big target apears (think tankers/plasmas) the reaper missile stands ready ^^
Plus should there be an opportunity to send them down the tunnels they'll perform well too.
Only thing to remember is to put some LAMIs in front of them as a screening force, so any charging/shooting bugs wil have to chew through them first.

 

[DAWGIE]

DOUG, i have sent y'all a PM with my real world info, and i want to thank y'all VERY MUCH for your kindness.


guys, thanks for the tactical info as well: this is good stuff and i will keep it in mind for the PATHFINDERS battlefield debut !


LOL! i have not assembled any of the PATHFINDERS with glue yet, but have been eyeballing them and thinking about what to do.


i like the basic multi-piece SST plastic MI figures and BUG WARRIORS (even more so once i knew what kind of glue to use on them!). i just wish that MONGOOSE would consider proving the info as to the type of glue to use, as well as better assembly instructions for them in the main boxed set.


by the way, when y'all say putty, what kind do you mean? i have epoxy ribbon blue/yellow (aka "greenstuff) on hand, but, not any of the other types of epoxy ribbon or milliput.


DAWGIE

 

[JoseDominguez]

greenstuff will do ya, just put a bit on his arm at the shoulder and bulk it out a bit, that way he'll be able to hold his javelin in the correct position. Other than that it's just glue the gun to the hand before the arm to the model and everything will work out

 

[DAWGIE]

i just happened to think that i have never used orbital insertion for my powersuit MI (just like i tend to forget that they can move "on the bounce" around the table). DOES ANYONE EVER DO THIS?


also, when it comes to lizard lines, has anyone ever used them on the tabletop?


DAWGIE

 

[DAWGIE]

looking at my unassembled PATHFINDERS, see there is a MORITA snioer rifle, and what i first thought was a scond MORITA sniper rifle, looks suspiciously like a hand held GPMG or a SAW.

is this the shredder gun mentioned by someone?

is this a SAW or GPMG assigned only to the PATHFINDERS for use in combat where lots of constant firepower is needed?

ALSO wot do y'all use for helmetless powersuit troopers? wot heads do you use and where do you get them?

i was thinking about making a future powersuit trooper bareheaded, holding his helmet in one arm, as a trooper variation, or as an officer or NCO variation?

another conversion thought was to make a powersuit NCO w/slung MORITA, standing at modified parade rest (US style) and reading from a portable (laptop) computer instead of a old fashioned clipboard. a SARGE giving the troops last minute THE WORD UP before the mission start kinda soldier?

what would y'all use for the "laptop/clipboard" that SARGE is holding in his right or left hand?

i was also considering making some RTO grunts in powersuits, by adding a short antenna to the backpack. anyone else thought about this, or actually done it? was thinking a flexible plastic brush bristle would work very well for the antenna.


DAWGIE

 

[JoseDominguez]

i just happened to think that i have never used orbital insertion for my powersuit MI (just like i tend to forget that they can move "on the bounce" around the table). DOES ANYONE EVER DO THIS?


also, when it comes to lizard lines, has anyone ever used them on the tabletop?


DAWGIE

You have to, keep the MI mobile or you get shredded. Orbital insertion is essential at least once in every three or four games, it's effective when used correctly, but more importantly, if your opponent thinks you might use it, he has to cover for it, that ties up points. E.g wasting a tunnel entrance to hide his brain, keeping the brain underground, holding warriors back to screen plasmas, leaving hoppers airborne to intercept etc.....

 

[JoseDominguez]

looking at my unassembled PATHFINDERS, see there is a MORITA snioer rifle, and what i first thought was a scond MORITA sniper rifle, looks suspiciously like a hand held GPMG or a SAW.

is this the shredder gun mentioned by someone?

is this a SAW or GPMG assigned only to the PATHFINDERS for use in combat where lots of constant firepower is needed?

ALSO wot do y'all use for helmetless powersuit troopers? wot heads do you use and where do you get them?

i was thinking about making a future powersuit trooper bareheaded, holding his helmet in one arm, as a trooper variation, or as an officer or NCO variation?

another conversion thought was to make a powersuit NCO w/slung MORITA, standing at modified parade rest (US style) and reading from a portable (laptop) computer instead of a old fashioned clipboard. a SARGE giving the troops last minute THE WORD UP before the mission start kinda soldier?

what would y'all use for the "laptop/clipboard" that SARGE is holding in his right or left hand?

i was also considering making some RTO grunts in powersuits, by adding a short antenna to the backpack. anyone else thought about this, or actually done it? was thinking a flexible plastic brush bristle would work very well for the antenna.


DAWGIE

that's the shredder, pathfinder only and pretty good against warriors etc..
It's a man portable autocannon.
Bare heads: there's a couple in the roughnecks pack, otherwise GW plastics are a good source. I just snip them of any metal model I like the look of though