First, I'v read 'Da Rules' carefully. And a conclusion occured! A hacker with HD Plus, can Flash puls anybody in range. For me it seems nasty when some line troops have a repeter,...

But What hacker is a best hacker. I looked at stats. Whenconsidering only WIP & BTS, Asura, Mov Tie [but with Asura], Arm Asura, And its a nice HI with nice toys! But its expensive,...

You can't "Flash Pulse" through repeater - even with hack device+ you still need LOS to you're target - because "FP" is considered Ballistic Skill weapon (albeit using WIP instead of BS).

For your points, the best hacker is pretty much a toss up between the Interventer and the Reverend Custodier. All other HD+ hackers are significantly more expensive.

To add on to what Modecai-ISC said, you need to actually have the Forward Observer skill to be able to flash pulse an enemy. Hackers with HD+ do not have the forward observer skill, rather, they are able to forward observe through a repeater. Follow?

For shame Sr. Cervantes, for shame.

That would be the Rev. Custodier, not the REv. Moira.

Some people will argue that the Asura, Charontid are the best hackers, and they are.
But the Interventor and Custodier are probably the better pound for pound and dedicated hackers.

I don't know what you're talking about, estimado Sr. Magno.

And yes, while the Asura and Charontid are better, you pay so much more for non-hacking attributes (armor, weapons, etc) that may get wasted if they're used as a dedicated hacker.

Well their increased AVA also means you get to field two of them on the Charondid/ Asuras points cost.

Let me see into
"DA Rules"
"The Hacking Device Plus
has an additional advanced system of Localization-Identification-Liaison that works as a Forward Observer, but only within the Hacker’s, or his Repeater’s,[...]"
"Forward Observer
This miniature is able to send his comrades ranging and other data about the position of the enemy on the battlefield,... [...]
The special equipment of Forward Observers allows them to use the Flash Pulse. "
"Flash Pulse
A non-lethal Ballistic Skill weapon which fires Flash Special Ammunition using the WIP Attribute. All troops who possess the Forward Observer Special Skill have this weapon[...]"
As I'm reading this, I'm not quite sure,... As in the flashpulse there is "[...] emit a concentrated light or data beam at the target, denominated as a Flash Pulse." It might be not directly included in "Da Rules", but as hacking device plus uses micromashines, satelites, multi spectral waves and so on to guide a missile to a 'one meter squre' zone with a target, why not to generate a "concentrated data beam" [practicly it is alike hacking (eye sight hacking form GITS for example)]. Why it can't be,... And its not so precisely mentiond in "Da Rules".

I see what you're getting at, but I think you might be mixing fluff with rules too much, and barring a mandate from Interruptor to the contrary, I still disagree with you.

The HD+ provides the ability to function as a forward observer, but it does not make the unit possessing it a forward observer. The flash pulse description indicates that it comes with the equipment of forward observing units, but a hacker with an HD+ is not a forward observing unit, rather, a unit that CAN forward observe in a limited capacity.

Furthermore, having a B value of 1, the flash pulse is a ranged weapon requiring line of sight, so even if a hacker with an HD+ could use flash pulse, it would only be within his ZoC AND LoS, at which point you're generally better off shooting or dodging... Or hacking.

Think of it as the Limited Forward Observer, like Limited Camo.

I can see where you were going with this but I'm with Cervantes and I'll just point out one thing was was highlighted before:

Pirat wrote:
Let me see into
"DA Rules"
"Flash Pulse
A non-lethal Ballistic Skill weapon which fires Flash Special Ammunition using the WIP Attribute. All troops who possess the Forward Observer Special Skill have this weapon[...]"

I'll leave your emphasis there cause that's the key point: Flash Pulse is only available if you have the special skill. Units with HD+ tend not to

and so it begins again......

If you build your list right, you won't want to waste any orders on blinding a target when blowing them to hell is sooooo satisfying!!

As far as hackers go, I don't like staring at a Charontid or Asura hacker across the board unless I have stacked the deck, and even then I am still a little nervous. There is a reason why those guys are the top hackers, and even scarier is the Charontid's sepositor attack which is like being able to hack troops with cubes. You get what you pay for and those two are the top contenders in my book. The Custodier and Interventor are damn good, but they can get overwhelmed by those two.

Sorry but Forward observer ability belongs to all hackers, if one of them have HD+, am I right?

If yes, so you do not need to make your charontid to walk across battlefield - this can make faster reapeters or stalthy hackers )))

Asura seems cool with their AVA, but they have only AP CCW, and Charontid - monofilament, wich makes him bloody killer in close combat

Pirat wrote:
"Flash Pulse
A non-lethal Ballistic Skill weapon which fires Flash Special Ammunition using the WIP Attribute. All troops who possess the Forward Observer Special Skill have this weapon[...]"

I'll change the emphasis, I see it as yes, the HD+ counts as in including the forward observer special skill, so can use a flash pulse. However, it is a non-lethal ballistic skill (ballistic skills require LOS) that fires special ammo.

On another note, and I am not sure why, but the reference to "da rules" is bugging me to the nth degree. I am guessing that it is a conotation taking me to ork speech from warhammer and I don't like the comparison between that simplistic system and this one. That and I know rules combing irks me to no end.