Board Thread:Discussions/@comment-35898226-20180616172050/@comment-35898226-20180619221227

Interestingly, I've heard the new pricing scheme is based on scarcity. Troops are cheap, because you need a lot of them and Elites are way more expensive, and IC's are top tier in price. That would make sense and the way I would do it. As you build and select your models, you are pulled toward specialized troops, increasing the cost, increasing the return to the company since you are now invested in your army. Plastic mass-produced are WAY cheap but the return on Elites is great.

As to the 'Hot-Shot' and 'Helgun' issue, GW doesn't care to distinguish between the two, like the same way with Lasguns vs. Autogun. In an Intimate narrative, like my story they are very different. In my tabletop Necromunda varient they are definitely different, in a small but significant way. Just like M16 vs AK47 are really interchangeable in a game looking at "The battle of Fallujah” But at a intimate position, small unit, squad or team, those difference are important.

In at least my story the lasgun is actually difficult to possess. Its distribution is tightly controlled by the Adeptus Munitorum, just like burst capable short barreled M16 are here by the ATF. It would not be unreasonable that men-at-arms/gunmen would have trouble procuring lasguns and then servicing them without the Adeptus Munitorum would make them near worthless. The army armory system right now can service all their issue weapons, good luck with that outside the military.

The lasgun is pretty advanced, reliable and tough with (I assume) interchangeable parts. We play it as reroll ones to hit to reflect reliability. Story wise almost all of encountered warriors are going to have slug throwers: Autoguns, submachine guns (subbers), shotguns, stub pistols, etc. That’s just the available market.

I love the Tanith First and Only and I think Abnett, regardless of his background has a good frame of mind for military matters.

I'm keeping the Helgun separate from Hotshot as two different systems. One of the Protagonists has a modified lascarbine to that of a 'hotshot' variant. He put it together, or had it put together. Because of Helgun scarcity and restriction he wouldn't have access to the Stormtrooper Helgun variant. The hotshot has overheating, reliability issues that he is often struggling with. It's a mixed bag of benefits.