Hackers for haqqislam

[Carlos13th]

Hi guys. Was wondering if more experienced players (my experience is zero) would be able to help me weigh up the pros and cons of the various hackers within the haqqislam faction. The only hacker mole I currently have is the ghulam hacker but I am considering ordering a different one but I am unsure of which one to pick up.

Thanks

[MarcoSkoll]

Well.

Ghulam is our cheapest hacker and decent enough with WIP 14, but is unlikely to get within hacking range without repeater support. It is, however, linkable, which makes it useful for ITS.

The Halqa Hacker, for 3 points more, gets Mechanised Deployment such that they're more likely to get into hacking range.

I'd probably consider the Djanbazan our weakest hacker, as they're 60% more expensive than a Ghulam without actually being able to hack better. They're also slower and Djans are really best suited to weapons that really put their expensive MSV2 to use. That said, they could be nasty threat to ramboing TAGs with CH like the Cutter or Sphinx quite nicely, could be useful in a link, and in a pinch the Regeneration gives them a bit more durability versus Anti Hacker Protocols.

The Ragik's AD gives them a good chance to drop in within range of juicy targets, so they can make for a good HI/TAG hunter and Dogged actually makes them one of the most dangerous models to use an AHP, because it's almost always worth them taking a second shot at it if they fail. Also, WIP 15. However, a useless defensive hacker, as they'll usually be dead before there's anything to defend against.

Tuareg... well, it's potentially a nice unit between WIP 15, TO, Infiltration and mines; it's perfectly set to make a real nuisance of itself. However, it costs a swingeing 1.5 SWC and weighs in at 42 points, which means they're a big investment that's really dependent on making a good guess about where your opponent's HI and TAGs are going to punch through.
Still, if you guess right, a hidden deployment hacker is scary, particularly if it's not the only hacker in your force and they can launch mass ARO responses to a TAG coming too close.

The Al'Hawwa is more palatable as a camo hacker, costing a lot less, and still carrying many of the tricks of the Tuareg, such as hacking attacks that only SS2 hackers (generally models in 4+ links) can intercept. Also, with D-Charges, he's perfectly capable of turning the TAGs and HI he's disabled into scrap.

However, all of the above suffer for not having any BTS, which means the only defensive hacking that they're really slick on is swatting missiles. For BTS, we have to go to the Barid, who is a remarkable package.

For the cost of one extra point and no light shotgun compared to the Ghulam, the Barid brings along +1 BS, -3 BTS, Religious and a Marker. The BS is just generally nice, but the BTS is great for defensive hacking (as, other than for the Mag Guard, you're no longer using a lower BTS than your HI had anyway), the Marker dramatically improves hacking coverage... and Religious has its uses at times.
Also, he can be your Lt which, even if it does lose a little of the advantage of Religious, is a brilliant way to get to use your Lt order, launching markers or hacking from a position of safety.

If you're looking for the best hacker in Haqq and you're not playing a QK force, the Barid is probably it. That is however "best hacker"... several of the other options may find themselves useful in non-hacking contexts a lot more often.
That said, no other hacker in Haqq would have been useful for the very first order my Barid ever spent, when she used religious to ignore retreat and spend her Lt order* to kill the model that was preventing my Djanbazan from safely regenerating (who then used up all of my scant remaining orders to clear a rooftop so my joint-ops partner had a clear run at the objectives up there).

*Yeah, I know the rules of retreat say Lts lose their order, but as Religious models "may choose not [to] be affected by the rules of Retreat", we deemed it was at least within the letter of the rules.

[Carlos13th]

Thanks mate I'll probably go for the barid then. Maybe the Al'Hawwa as a back up becuase the model looks sweet.

[raymon]

Something can be said for the djanbazan hacker in a link. Cause the team can bring her where she needs to go and makes a djanbazan link ITS-handy.

[Carlos13th]

I'm sticking to vanilla ATM while learning the game but I will certainly keep that in mind when I expand into sectorials.

[Errhile]

Since I have most experience with QK, I can speak only for their Hackers:

- Al'Hawwa is the guy you want if you intend your hacker to get into thick of things and be offensive. I guess Touareg will be similar, if even better - but also way pricier.
- Ghulam is fine for a budget solution, allowing you to field REMs (among others). As mentioned, a Halqa can be a not much more expensive but way more interesting alternative thanks to the ability to begin upfield.
- Djanbazan will do, but isn't much better Hacker than the Ghulam, yet quite expensive.

[Carlos13th]

Thanks for the advise guys.

[SgtHulka]

Yes, technically the Barid is the best hacker in Haqqislam.

But I'd argue...not really. The only thing he really brings to the party is -3 BTS and a marker. That makes him the best defensive hacker, but defending what? Heavy Infantry...sort of. But you're better off relying on a TAG's -6 BTS. Other factions have -6 BTS hackers that will defend against the Barid, and that's why he falls down.

So really Haqqislam needs to hack from combat camo to beat -6 BTS defensive hackers. That's why the Al Hawwa is good, and the Taureg is awesome. The Taureg is expensive, but a hidden deployment hacker can be a beautiful thing, so long as you build your list to take advantage of it. You don't give away that you have a hacker (by having a remote, for example). You use a Hunzakut to stalk your prey. The prey won't even think you have a hacker. He'll think you're coming at him with a rifle, shotgun or mines. Then boom you drop a deployable repeater. Next order boom come out of hidden deployment and combat camo hack through the deployable repeater with WIP 15. That really is worth the 1.5 SWC.

The Ghulam on paper doesn't look as good as the Barid. Only 1 point less, no marker, and no BTS. In vanilla that's a fair assessment. But the Ghulam has a big advantage in both sectorials -- he can link. That's really good in certain missions. Now that doctors can be button-pushers in ITS, though, it's not as important.

The Djanbazan in one sectorial can link, as well, but she's expensive. I kind of agree she's probably not the best choice. Cool model, though.

The Ragik is a monster. Air dropping hackers are great in Paradiso missions, in particular, and the Ragik is Haqq's (very expensive) version. Same WIP as the Taureg and dogged. The trouble is that he can't camo hack so he's gonna have to break through defensive hacking. If used strictly as a hacker (instead of an AD button pusher) he should probably drop 10" away from the defensive hacker, cap him/her in the head with a rifle burst, and then start hacking.

So in general I think in vanilla the best hacker is the Taureg, in Quapu Khalki the best hacker is the Al Hawwa, and in Hassassin the best hacker is Ragik.

EDIT: To be fair to the Barid, an EVO repeater makes him significantly better and competitive with other factions.

[MarcoSkoll]

But I'd argue...not really. The only thing he really brings to the party is -3 BTS and a marker.

You're making the mistake of trivialising both.
Between them, they make him massively more order efficient than any of our camo hackers. His BTS penalises any defensive hacker, which makes it viable to attack without having to re-camo every time, and the marker makes for a massive increase in hacking coverage, which is one of the biggest limitations the ability has.

As I also said, he's a viable Lt as well - and given he can work without ever needing line of sight to the enemy, it makes him a rare case in Haqqislam of an Lt that's actually safe to get on with things.

All in all, the Barid is a package you can comfortably put in ITS lists. You have pretty solid hacking if it's needed, but you've also not blown the bank if you find you're going up against a list with nothing actually worth hacking.

[SgtHulka]

Fair enough!

[Maru]

i will add one thing - don't take things a s granted 3 ED is coming and with it a new up dated profiles for old units + new rules for hacking and new up dated rules for things to hack - things may change