With this weeks restocks we released two new units. The UCM Panda and the Shaltari Tegu. Let’s take a look at these new units and see what they offer to their respective forces.

Both of the new units are transports of differing types. The Panda, as we shall see is an APC with a bonus. The Tegu is what happens when the Shaltari get fed up with you blowing up their gates. They stick a big gun on one and make it a walker.

UCM Panda

The Panda Tactical Support APC has been designed by the UCM to boost infantry in intense dropzones. Linking up with their scanning arrays and digi-displays the Pandas Scan Booster Unit allows them to find key intel quicker than usual, allowing their Legionaires to get in and out quickly. Completely unarmed due to the space needed to power and control the Scan Booster Unit.

The Scan Booster Unit also gives them improved targetting data on enemy units within range, allowing them to target weak points far easier. Because of this it has become almost standard practice amongst newly raised legions to take a Panda in place of one Bear on almost all engagements. The extra Condor space required does mean they will never fully replace the Bear APC, however it is certainly a powerful addition.

On the table top, the Panda is really just an unarmed Bear taking up 6 slots on a Condor or Albatross. It carries the same trailer as a Kodiak with a change of aerial. This is the Scan Booster Unit, this allows all units within 6″ of the Panda to use any scan tokens also within 6″ of the Panda. Essentially this means it is possible for an infantry unit to use scan tokens up to 12″ away for searching! Use the Panda to supplement your Bears.

As an added effect of the Scan Booster Unit, all units within 6″ of the Panda can also use a Scan token to give themselves a reroll on a damage roll in a shooting attack. This means you can use your scan token for that all important shooting action too!

Shaltari Tegu

The Shaltari Tegu is a relatively new sight for the UCM forces. Only seen as the Battle for Earth started, which means it’s unknown whether it’s a new design or whether it’s used only be the Tribes recently joining the conflict. Either way, it has presented quite a problem for opposing forces, not jsut the UCM.

It has always been known that when engaging the Shaltari, target and destroy their Gates and the battle quickly turns in your favour. That prospect becomes a lot harder when the gate is on a battle-walker chassis and has a Sonic Canon attached to it! Materialising  more battle walkers, smaller skimmers and warsuits. The Tegu has been a key contributor to multiple losses by Triumvirate forces already and is now considered a priority target and threat.

On the tabletop, the Tegu is something quite different. Competing for a support role with the Firedrake it has far less transport capacity and is armed with just a Sonic Cannon, a decent weapon against lighter armour and useful for breaking bunkers apart.

However it is cheaper than the Firedrake, by a whopping 50 points and can be taken in squads of up to 3. This makes up for it’s lower transport value, though it is unable to materialise the Heavy choices for Shaltari.

Have a look at the various combinations you can make in Frontline, Armour and Vanguard Battlegroups using the Tegu, remember the Daimyo Battlesuit can always attach itself to another Infantry squad too, The Tegu really improves the versatility of the already versatile Shaltari.

Stats and rules for the Panda and Tegu are on the Dropzone Comamnder Army Builder now. And avaialble to buy from our webstore.

Let us know how you get on with the new units, and we’ll be back with mkore goodies soon.

And yes, new Scourge stuff is coming, you really think they haven’t got some aces up their sleeve after all this time? They are just waiting for the right moment…..