Starting Hamelin - Price-of-entry and Opportunity cost

[Werner von Urslingen]

Hi!

I've been searching for Hamelin start-up threads, but none of them really answered my specific question. As my Outcast crew has grown over the past year I've considered picking up Hamelin, a Master I was never that keen on starting out. I currently own all of Leveticus' thematic crew, Von Schill's Freikorps (minus the excessively priced Hannah) as well as many non-thematic Outcasts (Sue, DMs, the Emissary etc.). However, as opposed to many other Outcast Masters, Hamelin seem to have a pretty steep cost-of-entry. 

I've got a pretty good deal lined up to buy the old Hamelin metal-box (Hamelin, Nix, the Stolen, 3*Rats) for roughly 20 £, which I would be very happy with (I love the old metal sculpts). However, paying in excess of 30 £ for the BotR-box as well as trying to get hold of Obedient Wretches on top of the Master box... the opportunity cost is simply too high, in my mind.

I'm more of a hobbyist than a tournament-player, but it's always nice for one's crew to be halfway competetive.  Would you say the old metal Hamelin-box a worthwhile purchase per se, or would my money be better spent on another Master?

Cheers! 

/Werner

[Adran]

I would say that to play Hamlin you will need rat catchers and rat kings, so the brotherhood of the rat box is essential. Obidient Wretch is very useful as well. After that he can happily use the rest of your outcast collection, but he really can't run without rat kings in a legal manner. 

[Cedar]

I have to agree with Adran. I found Obedient Wretch to be essential for Hamelin, as well as Brotherhood. The two more things I'd consider with Tyrant are Benny and Midnight Stalker., which puts you in about 100$ (estimated cost). Howeve, just crewbox and brotherhood should be fine.

[Jesy Blue]

I tried to start Hamelin after doing Viktoria and Von Schill, and the plastic starter box was not enough, the Brotherhood of the Rat box was not enough, I bought a second Brotherhood of the Rat box, and sometimes I still run out of rats and more often will run out of Rat Kings.

But, win loose or draw, I love playing Hamelin and do not regret the investment.

[Mxbedlam]

Yikes. I don't think I've ever made more than 8 rats. I generally tend to be aggressive with them and use them to either become kings asap or blow them up with Sewer King to get cards. I'd say that the only real essentials for Hamelin are Brotherhood, Ashes and Benny when he comes out in a few weeks. 

Other good grabs are Lazarus, Nothing Beast, Sue, and Void Wretches.

[Jesy Blue]

1 hour ago, Mrbedlam said:

Yikes. I don't think I've ever made more than 8 rats.

I've had lists that started with 15; I laughed and laughed and laughed.

[Freman]

I started Hamelin with the plastic box, I have the metal box, the metal Stolen are now Changlings, and Brotherhood of the Rat. I also bought a blister of Wyrd's Twisted Apparitions which I put on 40mm bases to give me more Rat Kings. My game is basically about generating Rat Kings and throwing them at people. I've never had more than about six rats on the table before turning four of them into a King, but your mileage may vary.