gribble

Seems DTRPG have now updated the review with my name (Craig B.)

Cool! I just placed a review for the contest, but it's showing up as by "customer name withheld": http://drivethrurpg.com/product_reviews_info.php?&reviews_id=180450&products_id=222583 I've raised it with DTRPG, but just wanted to make sure it counts for the competition!

I'm interested. I belong to a pretty big group of geeks, of which a small subset of us already do playtesting for other games. We'd largely be more interested in playtesting adventures than mechanics, but could do both. We play a lot of games - from D&D through FFG Star Wars and everything in between (most recently Shadowrun, Paranoia, WFRP, Pendragon and Fragged Empire) - and prefer medium-lighter systems, which feature free flowing, but fairly in depth tactical play (typically with minis) in combat. We've been wanting a good excuse to try out TTB for a while, and I've already got the 2e book on it's way to me so we can do just that.

From TTB (1st edition, p182):

Cool - good to know. What about combining the Lady Justice box with Sonnia's box? Along with various death marshalls (though the coffins are a bit goofy) and witchling models, the brutal effigy, judge, jury and (especially) exorcist look cool to me. I'm mainly wanting to avoid using the Ortegas, Hoffman (and his "robots"), Nellie (and friends - I don't like the reporters vibe) and McMourning. Also, which models from the starter box are witch hunters?

Yep, that will likely be my only path to "victory".

Well, if he's still considering, send him my way.

Ah, that was what I was fearing you were going to say - i.e. she's basically unavailable unless you're lucky. Maybe I'll sign up for Iron Painter then. I have some Freicorps that need assembling and painting now...

@7thSquirrel You can buy her for $100? Where? That is infinitely more likely than me winning a multi-round painting competition I fear...

Another question - how hard is it to get hold of the kickstarter exclusive Hannah? I assume I'll want to pick her up eventually with Von Schill, and I really don't like the look of the non-exclusive one. I even backed the TTB kickstarter, so I'm kicking myself now for not picking her up then...

Thanks everyone. Decision made - picked up Von Schill box, Lazarus and Strongarm suit on my lunchbreak. As it turned out, the store didn't have Hannah, so she wasn't even an option. @Myyrä Good to know I could always just play Sonia - is there enough other witch hunter models to support that play style? I see at least two types of witchlings and a witchling handler model? @Ludvig I most likely am mixing up theme - I didn't even realise it was a keyword. When I said that I meant that the snake didn't really seem like a good fit to me for a Fae aesthetic. @Franchute Yes, Hamelin definitely does interest me. I'd say after Von Schill and the Viks, he would be my next favourite of the Outcast masters. Him or Tara. So that shouldn't be an issue. Seems Outcast is my faction... though I do still really like the look of Sonnia and some of the Neverborn, as well as the playstyle of Ironsides.

Ok, thanks! So if I'm only really interested in one master from a faction (e.g. Ironsides or Sonnia), I'm better off avoiding them and going for the others? Seems like I'm destined to be Outcasts (Von Schill / Viks / Hamelin / Tara) and maybe... eventually... Neverborn (Titania / Zoraida / Jacob / Lucius)! With the added bonus that a lot of the Outcasts can be used as mercenaries. In terms of a good initial buy in, it sounds like: Von Schill box, Lazarus and Strongarm Suit (how about Hannah?) to start; followed closely by Viks box and Vanessa? Would that give me enough options for a first event?

Thanks! Really solid advice. So for a typical game/event, how does it work? Do I pick a couple of masters and/or a faction to play? I.e. would I need to turn up with Viks / Von Schill, or would it be ok to play with e.g. Von Schill and Ironsides, or Sonnia and Viks? Can I turn up with just one (even if it's a bad idea) or more than two masters? I ask because (as tempting as a Titania / Zoraida combo is... maybe for later... especially if Jacob Lynch would play well with that combo) I was leaning towards one melee and one "more" ranged, e.g. either Ironsides or Viks and either Sonnia or Von Schill. It also has the benefit that the first two "melee" ones are a bit more difficult, and the second two "ranged" ones are a bit more beginner friendly. So I could pick up either Sonnia or Von Schill (sounds like Von Schill, if I need the non-witch hunter models with Sonia) first, then branch out into Viks or Ironsides. Depending on whether I need to stick to one faction or not will probably decide that one. The Viks (as a whole box, with Vanessa) look the best to me, but I really like what I've read about the pugilist/adrenaline playstyle of Ironsides...

Firstly, apologies if this is not the right place for this... I couldn't see an obvious "new players" area. I've read a bit about the game, some starting out articles and advice, and I've narrowed (not very much, I know) my choice of master down to one of: Sonnia Crid - I love the look of the witchlings, and the inquisition/witch hunter/burn them all theme Von Schill - the Freicorps look cool, and I like the idea of a durable "tough guy", and a starting band that are good all rounders The Viktorias - I like the sucker punch vibe, and generally like to get up in an opponents face with a melee playstyle Titania - I'm a huge fan/sucker for the fae vibe, and especially like the look of the Autumn Court. Ironsides - again, I like the "tough gal" vibe, and the idea of getting up in opponents face / melee playstyle So aesthetically, I'd rank them Sonnia > Viktorias > Titania > Von Schill > Ironsides I think in terms of a match for my preferred playstyle, I'd rank them Ironsides/Viktorias > Von Schill > Titania/Sonnia Another factor is that I really prefer my band to be able to expand and keep with the same aesthetic - i.e. for Sonnia I'd prefer to keep the witchhunter vibe, for Titania the Fae, for Von Schill the Freicorps, and I wouldn't like to pick up a master which really wants a henchman or minions that don't fit that same vibe to play. For example, I don't really like Titania's snake (doesn't seem to fit the Fae vibe of the other models), or Guild "cowboys" or robots (so I'd want to avoid them in my Sonnia band), I like that Vanessa is another "sister" for the Viktorias, etc. Finally, after picking up and playing with this band a bit, I'd prefer to first expand with 1 or 2 other models (i.e. I don't want a starter band whose henchmen/minions I will want to replace with other models). I'll also eventually want to pick up additional masters/starters - probably from the rest of the list above, though others I'd consider are Zoroida, Hamelin and Jacob Lynch - so I'd like synergy between them. Either as in reusing some of my additional models with another master (if they fit thematically) and or contrasting/complementary in playstyle. Any advice would be welcome!