Davos

I'd recommend dropping the 2 aboms for a single more beefer model. I think you should create Stalker as a stable (cause let's be real, he's insane and at worse is counter-scheming the hell out of your opponent) and use those 8SS as your swing slot. I recommend maybe Hans + Scout the Field, librarian, or trapper or 2 void wretches (slightly better scheme runners) or necropunks (much better scheme runners) Granted, if you're just using them for card draw/jump-placepoints for Levi than ignore me

Looking for some clarification. The Freikorps Engineer has a (0) action - Strengthen Armor which allows you to give out Armor+1 to "target Construct or model with Armor+1" Can this (0) action be used on a construct, ex. Peacekeeper, which already has Armor +2? My understanding is The Engineer cannot us Strengthen Armor on the Strongarm Suit, since his Armor +2 is seen as a "different" condition than Armor +1. So, does the wording allowing it to be used on a Construct trump the limitation of Armor+1? Please and thank you.

Ahhh, I guess I just assumed the Armor +1 restriction clause applied to all models. Welp. I suppose that creates some interesting interactions with big beefy models like Peacekeeper...giving him Obscured would be pretty nice, even if it means discarding acard to do so

I thought the wording on the Enginner's Armor ability prevented it from being used on any model with greater than Armor + 1

I agree, while its super cute to make the Freikorpsmann min 4 (+Ram, Reference the field guide, and a Ram on the attack) it gets so card intensive its just not worth it. I've found that the Obscured condition is more useful on VS or Specialist (if for some reason you're bringing him) since it keeps them alive even more so. The Ram is nice for damage, but I find the survivability is the true strength of it. Admittedly though, I'm not a fan of the model sculpt and am planning on using some The OTher Side models as proxies

The card draw is rather nice

The Wave 5 upgrades for VS are your single largest priority to get. Honestly, without them, he's not worth it. I'm partial to using Nythera Aftermath along side Anna to push things, plus strongarm suit, along with the Effigy, an armymann, and the trunk. Librarians are also nice. Hans I think has replaced the trapper, since he has more overall threat (Range 36 is nice)

I've found him surprisingly decent in both Supply Wagons and Public Execution. In Supply Wagons, if you take a construct heavy crew along with Vanessa, you can have the marker over the line turn 1 by obeying A&D, which frees you up to only play denial game. In Public Execution, the rest of your crew can be getting the conditions off the kills (Peacekeepr, Hooded/Pale/Mech Riders) while Levi plays the denial game of killing whatever has the conditions of your opponents.

Generally, since Casters attack Willpower, models that have a high stat in that are good. The Freikorps under Von Schill all have really nice Willpower, though on the whole VS is rather outclassed by other masters

Oh...now I'm sad Ok, welp that somewhat scraps my idea. Oh well. Maybe I'll try Anious with him

So I tried Talos out for the first time and he seems pretty legit. He did a lot of work burying stuff and tanking most of a Nico crew. My question is besides a Tara crew, where do you think he fits in? I can somewhat see him in a Construct-Obey Levi crew w/Vanessa. My other idea is put him in a Von Schill crew and try and bury models. Since Hannah can copy his bury (I'm pretty sure at least) this gives 2 unique buries that are undone on that burying model's activation. So potentially, you can deny 2 activations a turn with them, while maybe doing damage to them. Additionally, a Von Schill crew is probably bring the Engineer anyways, who can give Talos the second armor and obscured, to fix up his Df 4 and somewhat low wound count. If 2 models are buried, then his AoE pulse horror duel is TN 12, which is high enough to force some cheating most likely. Between Hannah and Talos thats 18ss, plus VS 3ss of upgrades, that leaves 39 stones to fill out the list. What could you take? Thoughts?

I highly recommend Strongarm Suit w/ Bigger They Are - since all models bring upgrades, he's effectively at Min4 and w/A+2 he's highly survivable. Additionally, I also recommend Sue w/Return Fire. There is nothing more satisfying then killing the model that attacked you for full points. More over, his "Hurt" ability generates extra cards for you, which is a huge deal when your hand is 4(i think it's 4) AND it denies your opponent's first blood scoring off him.

Ok first, @dancater That might be the literal best, most useful post I've seen on the entire form ever. Thank you for detailed response! After thinking about it and reading through all your responses (thanks y'all), I have a ton of options and that first and formost I need to get over the psychological effect of the Alpha strike. Once I've come to terms with that, I think I can handle it better. Moreover, I appreciate that you all have given counters based on both knowing you're playing to Viks and just general tips. It also occured to me that as Levi, I think I might have a really interesting way to counter the burying of the Vik. If the Vik gets buried by a Void Wretch, it MUST pop out when a modeled is killed. So, since I play a ton of Levi, I can sac one of my waifs, draw 2 cards/place and force them to unbury the Vik, with an enitre Levi activation to dick with her. Granted, thats dependent on HOW bury occurs, but could be insane counterplay if it happens. I should have thought of that in my tournment match, I could have popped out the Vik totally exposed, with a 4 AP Levi ready to rekt

Midnight Stalker is an insane scheme runner. Starting on turn 2, (and potentially turn 1) he can be placing 2 scheme markers a turn You need to make sure you have activation control so he doesn't get blown out - he IS very easy to drop won't his Polite & Well MAnnerd (i think thats what its called) drops. In my most recent game, he scored 3 Covert Breakthrough points and 2 Surround Them all on his own. At 8ss he's a little pricey, but I find him well worth it However, for your pool, taking him soley for Surround Them might be a little costly, but if you can keep the game close, its worth. I also agree with this, Hamlin is basically always good and A&D can do both Hold Them Up and part of, if not all, of Surround Them

Within a Daw crew there is not really reliable healing, outside bringing a Librarian, which breaks down the overall synergy of the crew. So Mad Dog can do some damage, and then drops, and spending stones on him means there are not stones open to keep Daw up

I'm trying to learn Tara currently and am finding her Spam list isn't working well for me (mostly because I've been playing against Reva, Pandora, and Titania - SO MANY CA actions). So I'm thinking I want to try Bombing and being more aggressive. What models do you take? What roles do they fill? For heavy beaters, I really only have Strongarm, Nothing Beast, Scion. I'm trying to find a Bishop to use, but no luck @ my local so far. I do technically have Deso Engine, but I feel he's not the best pick for this. Any guidance/recommendations on how to build the list would be appreciated.

But then you have to take Mad Dog....and isn't he kinda blah?

I find Strongarm Suit a much better 10ss model than Laz. I'd rather be able to tank and deal damage than shoot and die. Df 4 vs. Df 5 is huge for me. I'm a massive fan of Augmented jump. In my Levi lists my constructs are normally necro, peacekeeper, terra cotta, and A&D. I was thinking that his blasts would go well with Montressor's cluster mechanic, but I still can't see if a Tormented Laz is stronger than a Tormented Strongarm Suit. Or Hannah. Or Sue. Or Bishop

With the release of the alt-Lazarus, (which looks amazing, well done Wyrd) I'm looking at picking him up to spend the stockpile of Guilders I've built up. He doesn't fit in any of my other crews (Tara, Levi, Von Schill), but would he fit in JAck Daw? I just picked him up and I'm searching for lists to run. Thoughts?

So I just picked up Jack Daw and am wondering what other models work with him and what general lists (35ss of always models) people take with him. I own the VS, Levi, Tara, & Viks boxes, along with Hannah, Hans, Sue, Strongarm Suit, and few other enforcers. Thanks y'all

Outcasts, my main master is Levi. Also am strong with VS (though he's not strong). Learning Tara and Viks in the next couple weeks. I play Iron Levi, with A&D, Peacekeeer, Stalker, Necropunk, Terracotta, and waifs.

So I've played a couple games against Viks recently and both times were completely blown out of the water. Now, in part that was due to my opponent breaking the rules (unburying the Master w/Scion) but in general I just struggled against the out-activation/ and bomb factor. What do you do when your opponent drops Viks and how do you play against them?

It used to be Sue, cause the Man In Black is a walking murderbot who does literally everything I ask of him. Currently though, its my entire Levi list. I've found a highly versatile, heavy hitting build that handles most pools well. This has been preventing from learning Tara, for who I've spent a decent amount money getting models (Tara box, scion, nothing beast, Talos, anoius)

Sorry bout that, I missed the post from Franchute. I've gotten lazy with my reading recently...

He only gets summoned turn 5 if he's died. As long as he hasn't died, he will always count for Ours scoring