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Chroma,
Its an interesting discussion. This isn't the first time the 'more meat to CF' topic has come up. (heh, I'm sure you're aware of that though!)
Some think the CF is overpowered as it allows you to plow over an enemy formation if the variables are right. that's true, three formations at one can indeed break or kill an enemy formation if things go right. Even better if you can set up the crossfire with it.
I happen to be in the camp where we think CF is a sort of red herring bonus to the tau... i.e. is a bonus with many negatives. The tactical problems are layered with CF IMHO.
1) Activating 3 formations to take out 1 still puts you 2 activations behind. We all know the results of losing the activation game in E:A.
2) Wasteful use of your force: if you estimate wrong (or roll good), you can overkill the target and waste formations. In essence, you simply use 3 formations to accomplish the job of 2 or you use 2 formations to accomplish what could have been the job of 1... had you just retained the initiative instead of using CF. Now your last formation to activate as part of the CF is still moving to fire on the broken foramation, but they've moved and the crossfire is not longer effective and now you are simply moving and taking a couple long range pot shots - with no real hope of doing much (waste).
3) Waste + Stranded: Formations can become stranded. If I CF with 3 formations, and the first 2 actaully kill the target formation, per a strict reading of CF - there's no more target, therefore formation 3 simply cannot move and cannot shoot, but does count as having already activated this turn as he was announced as part of the CF!
4) Pre CF Poor Positioning: CF can require you to field your force in more of a huddled deployment than ideal or can cause you to move certain formations in an abstract manner vs. logical manner, just so they can possibly use CF later.
5) Post CF poor positioning: The more formations you activate early in the turn, the closer you typically put yourself to the enemy to set up a crossfire or simply to put your weapons in range and make use of the CF hit. Therefore, the enemy doesn't have to move as far to get to you to retaliate and they can focus shots more because they are now ahead on the activation game (see item 1 above).
IMHO, Experience has shown _me_ that CF is a situational tool at best and to be avoided unless absolutely valuable. It seems to do better for me when the enemy makes an error and isolates their forces so they can be picked off but cannot retaliate with a nearby force to gain an assault or sustain fire (example: teleport and then they lose the strategy roll). It also works well to 'lock down' a situation that's already in my favor for the win, but I don't want to risk not killing enough enemy or having to retain to kill enough enemy after my SC is already dead - so I want 2-3 formations to activate together with a single init roll. Very situational as end game is usually objective grab too.
To me, CF is not a practice to follow as a game plan for the above reasons. Its not even something I use every game. In fact, I use it in the minority of the games I play. I'm sure this is a composite perspective of variables including my army comp, deployment, terrain, opponent, and perception of tactics overall as well as other factors.
Now, if there was a reasonable approach to adding some value to the tactic without taking it over the top, I'd be of the mind to give it some playtest.
Example: all formations receiving a crossfire bonus to the enemy target of formations involved in a crossfire might be too strong.
I'd be willing to say that all formations beyond the first in a given crossfire action automatically receive the crossfire bonus against the target formation without having to set up the crossfire line and 45cm range requirements normally needed.
Something like this would encourage its use, but would only yield a benefit to the second and beyond formations. The -1 to armor and extra blast marker may be just what the CF action needs to get me to use it a bit more. I would give that a go if deemed worthy of testing by the masses. It would give us something to relate to the hail of pin-point accurate fire by the tau without implimenting disrupt or blanket bonus' for all involved in the CF.
Cheers.
_________________
Rob
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