McCabe or Using new models.

[Dirach]

I am a hoarder, and I got every guild model except the spesials. So rulewise I got a complete collection. This have affected my list building as I want to try every model before I start focusing on some masters and miniatures. (yes I´m loosing )

Now the time have come for McCabe. I have this list that is based on unused models.

McCabe: Promises, Loot bag, Cloak of invisibility.

Sidir Alicibal: a Debth to the guild.

Luna:

4x Guild hounds (I have used them before, but it would be nice to try them with Luna)

2x Wastrel

Witchling thrall

 

Here is my unused pile:

Govenours Proxy

Thalarian Queller

Master Queeg

The Jury

Guild Lawyer

Sanctioned Spellcaster

 

So the questions is.

Should I swap some dogs for one of the other unused models?

Should I swap Promises for an other McCabe upgrade?

Are there other adjustments that could be done with this pool of models? Like trading a dog for a Wastrel or Adding an other Upgrade for Sidir?

 

 

 

[Adran]

I'm a big fan of the potion of speed, but with the list of minions you have its only going to be in use in a few select scheme pools. I also Like the glowing sabre if you want to kill things, but this isn't really a killing crew. Promises in the list is very hit or miss, you don't have lots of models with Upgrades, and McCabe isn't going to be throwing out that many to what you have.

From your unused list I would consider dropping 1-2 hounds and 1 wastrel to add something in, more for trying something out rather than any 1 thing in particular.  Off the top of my head I can't think of many (0) actions for Queeg to force, or enough  triggers that you would want the Jury for. Queller boosting McCabe or Sidir is possible. Not sure what you would do with the Lawyer or the sanctioned spellcaster in this list in particular, but you could try them. 

 

[Dirach]

Thanks for the input. I have a Witchling Thrall not a witchling Stalker (Edited the original post) so the crew is a bit more one the killing side.

I intend to swap The cloak of invisibility and Loot bag for The glowing Sabre and Badge of speed with the loot bag once the game begins.

I see the issue with Promises and I am consider to swap it for another 1 ss McCabe upgrade, then I can swap this for Elixir of life. When the fighting begins I guess I want Badge of speed on McCabe to reactivate the Thrall so then I only got Sidir and Possible a Wastrel that got boosted by Promises.

Does Promises work on McCabe if he is wearing it?

As you say the other models doesn´t add much to the crew. I want to try Queeg and Lawyer with Lucius and I guess the Jury will find a better place in a Lady J crew. And the Spellcaster I want to to try when building a anti pushing/casting list.

So that leaves the Thalarian Queller. To get the most out of them, I think I need two to get the Suppression markes out more quickly, but maybe the boosting effect will be more valuable than two dogs?

[Adran]

Thrall in there is much more threatening than a stalker, that looks a lot more promising. 

I don't have the loot bag to hand, but what is the advantage of not starting with what you want but instead switching mid game?

Promises will affect the model holding it. I often see badge of speed give a minion re-activate, and then be thrown onto that minion, giving them the push and 2 extra walk actions as well as the re activate, and they then get the promises bonus. 

I'm still assembling my quellers,  but I see the suppression markers as useful to stop summoners, so I may well include them if I expect my opponent to be summoning. 

 

[Dirach]

The advantage is that it is cheaper. I got two uprades for 1ss each and swap them into two 2ss upgrades. This saves med 2ss. The first turn I swap one with the Badge of speed. The second turn I swap loot bag for Glowing Sabre. In most cases I don´t need the glowing sabre for the first turn.

As Promises affects McCabe and as the trick you told would be cool to pull of with the Thrall, I guess I stick with Promises.

I read the text on the quellers wrong. I thought you had to have tree suppression counters on the table to make them work, but I see that you can only have two on the table and they work right away. I guess having two is not a big issue then. So I will swap two dogs for one queller. Then I can sign out them as well.

[Atoli]

Edit:I read wrong your post. Sorry

 

[trikk]

1 hour ago, Dirach said:

The advantage is that it is cheaper. I got two uprades for 1ss each and swap them into two 2ss upgrades. This saves med 2ss. The first turn I swap one with the Badge of speed. The second turn I swap loot bag for Glowing Sabre. In most cases I don´t need the glowing sabre for the first turn.

As Promises affects McCabe and as the trick you told would be cool to pull of with the Thrall, I guess I stick with Promises.

I read the text on the quellers wrong. I thought you had to have tree suppression counters on the table to make them work, but I see that you can only have two on the table and they work right away. I guess having two is not a big issue then. So I will swap two dogs for one queller. Then I can sign out them as well.

Except it dictates your activation order T2 because you have to start with McCabe most of the time.

[Gnomezilla]

I am giving the sanctioned spellcasters another try, and the thalarian queller its first trial, with McCabe right now. The spellcasters continue to be more useful chosen against some enemies than chosen for some schemes. Sometimes having cheap Ca to spam is good, but the thrall should probably fill that niche for you. McCabe does have an easier time giving AP to the spellcaster if he must, being fast enough to keep up with just one walk AP, but he needs a very good excuse to trade for minion AP. (Killing an incorporeal model at range in one hit, instead of over-extending with a charge, was good.) The queller has had undue luck so far so he needs more testing, but putting negative flips and slow on the enemy beat stick was great. I look forward to more suppression markers as the enemy was spending AP reacting to them. I’m not usually a good enough player to force reactive play. I absolutely look forward to sending a shielded queller in to deal with a Pandora misery bubble—incite your way out of that!

[Dirach]

It is true that I have to activate McCabe before the miniature that I want to give the burning sabre, but I guess I can activate the other models before McCabe. Or is it something that I am missing?

[trikk]

1 minute ago, Dirach said:

It is true that I have to activate McCabe before the miniature that I want to give the burning sabre, but I guess I can activate the other models before McCabe. Or is it something that I am missing?

It just means you don't have the sabre til McCae activates which means he either activates early or you don't have the sabre for a long time. Decent players will use that against you since you don't have a lot of offensive potential without it.

[Adran]

6 minutes ago, Dirach said:

It is true that I have to activate McCabe before the miniature that I want to give the burning sabre, but I guess I can activate the other models before McCabe. Or is it something that I am missing?

Its not unknown for people to be engaged and fighting on Turn 1. I guess its up to you if the 1 ss saved for the second upgrade is worth not being able to use it turn 1 on those rare occasions you do need it before McCabes second activation. 

[Dirach]

I guess that if I get the glowing Sabre out the 1st turn, I can possible use it to attack in the 2nd turn. Then activate McCabe to add the sabre to another model, so I gain one extra activation with that extra soulstone cost, if the plan works.

But to be able to deal both the Sabre and Badge of speed in turn one I need a tome. So I got to have a tome in my hand, be lucky or use one soulstone for it. Also the tome in hand could be used by the wastrels. So even if I got the sabre for 2ss, I must either put extra resourses into it, or risk not getting it out the firt turn anyway. All these choices.

I guess the badge of speed is my first priority. Either on the wastrels who can pass the sabre along, and maybe the Queller who can get into position to drop the suppression markers.

But I notice I have a 6ss Cache (4 soulstones left to use). So buying a glowing Sabre for 2ss instead of 1ss is not a big deal.

Is 6ss Cache to much for McCabe? Should I bring another upgrade for Sidir, the mentioned 2ss sabre or other stuff?

My current list:

McCabe: Promises, Loot bag, Cloak of invisibility.

Sidir Alicibal: a Debth to the guild.

Luna:

2x Guild hounds

2x Wastrel

Witchling thrall

Thalarian Queller

6 Cache.

 

[Adran]

This is the fun of Malifaux, there isn't one right answer, sometimes you will re-activate a witching thrall on the first turn, giving him both the Sabre and the potion of speed and he runs off and wrecks face with those attacks. Other games, you won't use the glowing Sabre till turn 3.

Personally I would decide based on the type of game I am playing, and the board set up. If its a close deployment Turf war game, then I probably want to have the option of the turn 1 thrall slaughter. If its corner deployment head hunter, then I am less likely to get the thrall to attack(although I am personally an aggressive player so I wouldn't rule it out). 

Wastrels don't need tomes, they can use any card to give you the tome, 

[Dirach]

Ah. Add ANY suit. Thank you. It is easy to miss the small important Words.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think it will make my game play better, and there is a better chance to remember all the tricks, when I have been trough a discussion first.

But I Guess thing will get messed up on the Battlefield in the end.

[Ludvig]

I've run McCabe with as little as 2ss but I wouldn't recommend it. I am usually most comfortable around 5 ss for any master and more for some. McCab does well with 4 or 5 in my opinion.

[Gnomezilla]

That reminds me: the queller wants its master to bring a large cache that game (or generate some stones mid-game) to get the card draw that’s part of his hiring cost.