Defeating O12

I was listening to the “Tactical Awareness Podcast Episode 25” and I decided to write about strategies and units that are effective against my main faction, O12.  

O12 have steadily climbed in power this year.  They were definitely the awkward new guy for a while, but with the fireteam changes and a few amazing releases they have become hotter than Christmas in Australia.  O12 have one of the best TAG profiles in the game, the amazing Roadbot, line troop hackers at cost price, the list goes on.  There isn’t much for an O12 player to ask for this Christmas, except maybe a new sectorial…. 

Here are a few basic tips for winning a game against O12. 

1. Have a plan to deal with mim -3, it’s on lots of O12 units.  Some answers are templates, MSV, and high burst.  
2. The Zeta is a popular piece but it’s vulnerable to any Anti-TAG plays.  It is also only BS 14 so it doesn’t like visibility modifiers. 
3. O12 units are often vulnerable to hacking, but they have access to many KHD profiles, so hack at your own risk.  
4. It’s unlikely that you will be able to kill all the specialists in an O12 list, so suggest Firefight as a mission or don’t use this tactic as your play.  

A precise strike to take out 1 or 2 key attacking units can end the match against O12. This is because O12 is an expensive faction and so they can only afford limited attack pieces.  An alert player can identify the O12 threats and eliminate them.  Remember to look at the support staff when assessing which units are dangerous because units like the REM Racer can increase the threat of an enemy Remote.

Some O12 lists can lean heavily on the engineer, who would be responsible for repairing TR bots, Zeta TAGs, Beta-troopers and Roadbots. This guy is a target.  Other targets for a precise strike are the Zeta, and the Roadbot.  The Roadbot is an amazing new release that can cause problems anywhere on the map due to its speed.  Offensive Hacking seems like a good way to deal with Roadbot but it’s true weakness is high burst weapons and templates. They are only ARM 2 and will die to sustained hits.  Be sure to check what the profile of Roadbot that you are facing and the support it has, eg REM Racer, or EVO Hacker.  

With a few exceptions O12 are not good at Close Combat. A player that can maneuver around the Varangians and any visiting Aleph characters will have a good advantage over the true units of O12.  CC also counters the prevalent mimitisim.  A special mention to Cameronians who will ignore the Paralysis templates and CC weapons of O12.  

On a personal note I find it difficult to punch through lots of 2 wound Troops.  JSA, Military Orders, Steel Phalanx and Kosmoflot are all difficult matchups for O12.