Using the Starter Sets created by Anvil, lets look at a pair of example Army Lists.
Afterlife Force Organisation:
- Per Core unit, you may have one Elite or Support unit.
- You can't have more Elite or Support units in total more than Core units. (For the sack of a decent mix of units, Anvil seem to have ignored this rule)
Unity Council Force:
[spoiler]Core: Unity Guard (6) = 146Credits
Flame thrower
Suport: Bastion Platform = 40Credits
Elite: Spectre Operatives (4) = 152Credits
Elite: Ajax Exo-Mechs (3) = 285Credits
Minigun, Ajax SGL
Total= 623credits
[spoiler=Thoughts]The Unity Guard are an up and close unit. Their basic weapon has a decent range of 24", and is Damage 5 if within 12" of the target (base 3).
Flame Throwers, and similar template weapons we're used to from 40k work differently in Afterlife. Flame Throwers in Afterlife have the rule Blast 4, meaning you draw a line from the firer to a target point, and automatically hit each enemy unit with 1" of this line, up to four models. Compared to 40k flamers, this is weaker but deals 5 damage to each enemy model along its 8" range. However, It has the Thermal Rule, meaning it does +1 Damage to Infantry models, equating to four Strength 6 hits.
The Guard themselves are a little flimsy, only being Toughness 9 and one wound. As there is no armour saves, its difficult to translate this to a 40k model. I'd say a Guardsmen with Flak Armour is the closest equivalent.
The Bastion Platform using its Grenade Launcher can potentially hit and damage up to six models in a turn. For each successful hit with a weapon with Fragmentatin, you assign a hit to the next model within LoS, and roll to hit again, repeating until you have hit up to the fragmentation number, or miss. If you choose the Missile System, you only get one shot, but it still has Fragmentation 3, and has damage 9 (the grenade being 6). The Missile also hase 12" further range, but cannot fire within Point Blank Range.
Spectre Operatives sacrifice Toughness for greater evasion, meaning they're harder to hit, rather than tough to take down. their default weapon can either be used for stealth with a silencer and gain the sniper rule, or be used as a general carbine.
Firing as a sniper means the target unit counts a single hit as two shots for Suppression tests, whilst the Silenced rule means the unit can fire whilst remaining hidden, and doesn't confer a free Detection test to the enemy unit.
The unit also has smoke grenades, which can force enemy units to re-roll successful to-hit rolls. It also makes it harder for successful detection tests.
Ajax Exo-Mech are the opposite of Spectres. They're tough, and can't evade very well. Its base weapon, the EMP Cannon, roll to hit against each member of target enemy unit. Against other Exo-Mech units, the EMP Cannon is weaker. The Minigun fires four shots, and is strength 5 with 24" range, while the Smart Grenade Launcher has the standard Frag and Krak options 40k players are used to, alongside a once-per-game Smoke grenade option.[/spoiler]
For this force to be legal, you'd only need to add two more core units. A second Unity Guard, and a unit of either Marine Corps for range attacks or Stim Hounds for Melee attacks, depending on your preference.[/spoiler]
Republic Force:
[spoiler]Support: Taurus Weapons Tractor = 53Credits
Minigun
Core: Commando Strike Team (6) = 150credits
Elite: Commando Assault Specialists (5) = 180Credits
Grenade Launcher, Thermal Lance
Elite: Pulse Mechs (4) = 250Credits
Pulse Mech Frag Rifle
Total= 633credits
[spoiler=Thoughts]Taurus are meant to be fielded in groups of three at a minimum. For 53pts per model, a trio of Miniguns of a toughness 11 body can certainly throw out a lot of damage, potentially enough to wipe out a squad in a single volley, so long as you throw enough shots out to negate the Ballistic value of 3. The Taurus normal comes equipped with either a Auto-Howitzer, or a Taurus Missile Launcher. The Howitzer is strength 9 and can potential double its damage, whilst the Missile Launcher has Fragmentation 5. I recon the ten max you can have of these (0-2 per force, 3-5 unit size) would make a decent backbone alongside some Core units.
The Commando Strike team is made specifically for up and close coflicts. Their weapon has a bonus to Point Blank Range, fires two shots, but is only 3 damage. To help the Strike Team get into this range, they come equipped with Smoke Grenades. Their survivability depends on their evasion, over their toughness.
For 7credits more per model, the Assault Specialists are a fair bit more versatile, and tough. Their Ballistic Shield confers a toughness boost, whilst also making Breach and Clear actions more successful. This is paid for by sacrificing the ability to run, and is a 4credit cost per model. Assault Specilist also have acces to Grenade Launchers and Thermal Lances.
The Pulse Mech unit has a decent toughness, but has not sacrificed as much Evasion compared to the AJax Exo-Mechs. The Pulse Mech actually has a greater Move value, and has the option to be upgraded with Flight Packs. The Mag Carbines have decent range and damage, whilst the Pulse Mech Frag Rifle fires an extra shot and has a longer range. Due to is range limitation, the Frag Rifle can't gain Point Blank Range bonuses, but at the back of a squad, it can still be valuable at close quarters.
To make this force legal you would need two more Taurus Tractors, and two more units of Core. A Standard unit of Grenadiers, and a Grenadier Anti-Armour Specialist squad would provide plenty of cheaper bodies to bolster the Republic forces, and give you access to a lot more Anti-Armour to help take out tougher Exo-Mech units.[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
Comparison
The Unity units seem to focus more on range combat, with their Unity Guard units filling in to clear out enemy positions. The Spectre units can easily make use of being hidden, dealing damage and suppressing enemy units.
The Ajax Exo-Mechs have decent survivability, but likely will not be able to withstand prolonged bullet storms due to their high cost per model. They will be hit, and then it will be up to their armour to keep them on the field. Chances are your opponent will target them with their strongest guns equipped to their best shooters.
The Republic units seem to gravitate towards high manouevre ability, and high rate of fire. Most of the units are fairly tough, so may not be picked off as easily from silenced sniper fire. Their real strength is in close quarters, where their short ranged weapons can pack a serious punch, and if you move them correctly, can deal even more damage and negate their cover.
Unlike the Council Exo-Mechs, the Pulse Mech is good at avoiding fire and surviving it. I can see them being played as outflankers, or support that can relocate quickly.
