Spindle

My experience is that you should ALWAYS be channeling for those flips on attack. Almost every game I've played my opponent has (quite rightly) ignored Leveticus and just gunned for his waifs so the only source of damage I took was from my channeling. I'm fairly sure it's also legal to also focus for a for tough or tricksy targets but I've not felt that this has ever been necessary, Especially with Levi's face of Death trigger (discard 3 cards to gain to the damage flip) on his melee, and his ridiculous 7 Ca on his Unmaking ranged attack. I had mixed feelings about him at first after a terrible game vs Gremlins, but after I learnt how to position him correctly he was a devastatingly killy powerhouse. In one particular game he was living up to his 1-model a turn kill count and actually bagged two models in the same activation due to good positioning.

I can vouch for the effectiveness of Rusty Alyce in a campaign. I managed to come out on top of my local league starting with Rusty and a core of Johan, a Librarian and a couple of Ronin that I built upon with a few more Freikorps and then specialised a little later. I think it's a setup that allows flexibility into most of the masters available to the Outcasts.

Thanks for the input and advice guys, I'm a little more encouraged by this and I'm more that up for the challenge of fielding Nix as my initial crew leader. If I recall correctly it's a 35SS crew to start with, including the cost of your henchman. I'm fairly sure there's a model limit too, but I'll have to double check. Sue's 3 inch Man in Black radius will help shield Nix from some incoming damage and shore up his weakness to spells and I'm hoping to fit in at least a bit of rat summoning as you suggested with a wretch. I have the strongarm suit and I've been weighing up between him and Killjoy (which is another model I'd love to use sometime).

My group recently ran a shifting loyalties campaign in which I enjoyed excellent success running a Rusty Alyce/Ronin/Johan crew that expanded to include many of the Freikorps and eventually Leveticus (yes I am aware this makes me a terrible person). I think another campaign is in the offing in the new year and I'm itching for a chance to test drive all these lovely new models I got in the Plague Cometh and Brotherhood of the Rat boxed sets. However, looking at Nix's card I get the impression that he's a lot less viable for leading a crew and may suffer when Hamelin isn't around with his ratty tricks. He seems a little squishy with his average defensive stats and 6 wounds - granted that incorporeal adds a reasonable amount of mitigation but it feels like he'd go down very quickly under concentrated fire, especially considering that he seems to be intended for use in the thick of melee combat. My other issue is building a crew. I'm debating just how viable the rats, catchers and rat kings are without Hamelin to lead them, or whether I'm just better shoring up a crew with monsters like Killjoy or similar to take the focus off Nix (I also really want to fit Sue in there too since his new model is just great) I'd love to hear any input you folks may have on the viability of a Nix-led crew in Shifting Loyalties. I could always just plump for Rusty Alyce until I can finish my bounty and bring Hamelin to the table but I just fancy a bit of Variety.

Ramos has always sounded great to me, and without a doubt the arcanists have the coolest constructs when the rail golem, the arachnids and the mechanical rider are considered. If you don't want to be tied down by a faction, though, Leveticus' Pariah of Iron (I think) upgrade allows him to take any construct regardless of faction.

<3 Terry Pratchett As for me, the name has two links Firstly, I'm quite tall and spindly, so it just sort of fits. Secondly, Spindle is a character from The Malazan Book of the Fallen, a series by Steven Erikson, who rates highly among my favourite authors.

I must have got lucky too. Ordered the levy set in the black Friday sales and it was delivered to my door with no fees to pay, no additional hassle. Seems like the post gods smiled upon me this time.

Agreed, I think mastershake's definitions of deception are spot on. Deception of intent is what the game is all about and I love it when an opponent blindsides me with a cunning activation or combo that I didn't see coming. I have to adapt and match it, which leads to me developing my own answers and improving my playstyle. Deception of fact seems like a douchebaggy move that is purposefully denying your opponent information that should be available to them, and would be with a bit of digging through rules. I can't see myself ever taking the game so seriously that I'd be okay with jeapordising my opponents and my own playing experience just to win through lying and deliberate omission.

I'd read up a bit on the factions on the pullmyfinger wiki that Adept provided, then just choose a box set that you like the look of. Guild are good for a straight-up gunfight. Resurrectionists summon hordes of undead, Gremlins do stupid stuff that can either win or lose you the game depending on your luck, Neverborn are glass cannons that rely on hitting hard and being slippery, Arcanists are reliant on spells, buffs and tricks. The Ten Thunders and Outcasts are the last two factions, and are a bit of a mixed bag.

Im loving the minis so far! My favorites have to be my new levi box set and Lazarus (who gets bonus points for being slightly poseable). I also love the setting, coupled with the use of poker style cards it's great fun to immerse yourself in.

Most distributers here in the UK are listing mid Feb as the release date. Barring major catastrophe I'd imagine an early feb US release.

My tracker states that Leveticus has made it though UK customs. It's probably about time to start bracing myself for the handling fee.

I've just assembled Killjoy, who is a fairly easy-to-put-together model. Until you get to those goddamn chains that are attached to his face.. The one that goes under his left arm was especially fiddly.

This was also a concern of mine. I picked up the set in the black Friday sales as my second crew option. Thankfully my first consists of Freikorps so Lazarus can moonlight for levi. I would love to add ashes and dust to my collection but as far as I'm aware he's yet to be released in Wyrd's lovely 2E plastic range. I love the new models and I'm a bit reluctant to buy in metal if a models still in the pipeline.

I've played a Freikorps crew a few times now and I would probably agree with everything that's been said so far. The specialist is a great model but his use can be a bit situational and his 4' walk range means that if you had two you could probably find yourself outmaneuvered quickly. The Freikorps dynamic tends to thrive on a diversity of abilities and attacks (admittedly somewhat lacking in the casting department unless you take Hannah and librarians) and taking loads of the some model would stymie that. Perhaps for a couple more soulstones you could take Lazarus instead? He offers plenty of blast damage and a little more in the way of survivability.