Not suitable for commando actions? Perfectly suitable for commando actions, also in early game, when you do not have enough E to support fully cloaked units.
Current uses for athena:
- early game grab for central - high value area; you do want to build some AA when there is a fixed wing and/or gunship player. Other than that first defender against that lonely avenger, vandals fill that role perfectly - and they are mobile, which helps you to push. Bandits, relatively cheap, help the Athena fend off raiders, such as scrubbers, glaives and other bandits. A pack of recluses certainly helps you to push out from your forward base. You will want all terrain there because the Athena is typically used to gain control of a central - high value area in rugged terrain (otherwise you would make heavies and send a welder).
- mid game construction of spies and scouts. Fleas are one of the best scouts for other spies, such as skuttles, infiltrators, scythes & sharpshooters. And they serve as invisible radar! And the beauty of it is that you can use your Athena to build scouts and spies near where you want them. Ever seen a sharpshooter walk? Well, it is sloooooow ....
- mid game sneaking a base behind enemy lines, typically this goes like this: cloak, find a spot not covered by LOS for an opponent that is looking elsewhere, build a rector for its stealth coverage, then build a sneaky pete, followed by churning out a quantity of units that can harass and destroy ECO; again bandits & recluses + an infiltrator to scout for high value targets for your commandos. Make a few vandals near an air or gunship factory and those factories will stop being useful until the miscreant vandals are apprehended.
- mid game placement of solitary commando units behind enemy lines, such as sniper, scythe, ultimatum.
- end game building of the anti-heavy infilrators and ultimatums, both to scout and destroy static targets such as protectors, singularities, moho-geos or those pesky banthas, dantes & detriments.
Without non-E requiring units, Athena would be less than useful during early game. About the only unit that is a bit silly in the current line up is the moderator, but even that has its use.
IMHO Scorpion would make a good addition to the current Athena lineup. Skuttle would probably not be a good idea, roaches or ticks might be a better choice for crawler using commando style tactics. Eraser, well, you can build a sneaky pete with your Athena so why bother? Scythe would be a welcome addition for commando style tactics too.
