touchdown

not the actual question in the OP but something to note is that Mei's trigger does not say you have to target the same model. You can take the action targeting any legal target. This is something that makes Mei a little unique. If you just want to beat on one model, having min 4 damage is better than 2 attacks where you have to hit with both. Mei can move around and hit multiple models.

just going to repeat that I don't believe it's possible to balance a ranged damage dealer at 4ss. A desperate merc's value should come from having a 20" threat range from their position at the start of the turn. If that threat range was also capable, it would just be too good. Give them an 8" shotgun with min 2 and more durability and maybe we're talking

I like the deck in the outcast starter quite a bit. You get art of models in your faction on facecards and jokers, and it's a nice design overall. Also very sturdy plastic. Shouldn't have to worry about scuffing or marking. I would assume similar for the Bayou one.

Ravenous is totally slept on horror/dark comedy set between the Mexican American war and civil war. That would fit right in.

You should be allowed to use focus on simple duels.

If you're playing Dreamer, I think your best strategy against Freikorps is summoning chaff to tied them down. You can't get hit with a rocket launcher if you're engaging the model that needs to shoot it. You probably need to play super cagey turn one. Then once you have 2 models summoned, try to unbury them to engage as much as possible along with some hired models. If your opponent spreads out to prevent having multiple models engaged, you need to gang attack specific models to bring them down. Go after their healing sources too. Also you should have a large card advantage. If you can force discards, Freikorps *hates* that. They have so many friendly discard effects and TNs to hit, if you can disrupt that, they're top decking with basically average stats and less resources like focus.

@Da Git you get another 2" + base on unbury because of 2 places at once

I've only been an opponent of Brewmaster but it feels like Brewie1 is super swingy. Either you get your poison out right and your opponent watches you play the game, or they can clear it or deny it and beats your lower stats. Brewie2 feels much better, that you can have moderate successes and failures. I'm not sure which one is better because Brewie1 can steamroll so hard, but I think Moonshiner is more fun at least to play against.

Did you use the thousand cuts action at all?

No instead mad dog runs and guns another model then uses his 2nd or 3rd ap to casually shoot the Merc

Almost any decent gun in the game can lucky moderate into a 1 shot kill on them. Then you're just giving up activation control.

You'd be better off hiring the Malifaux Child and Effigy, saving a stone, and a getting models that are more durable and do more useful things if you needed 2 cheap models to stand in a place.

A stone for draw 3 is easily worth it. When I play non card draw crews I use a stone a turn for cycle 2 cards without sweating it. I don't know about the whole package with a changeling (although we're looking at 9 cards after Titania goes to find that 7 of tomes), but I think it's worth it to budget 3-4 stones for that card draw.

I don't have an opinion on Bayou Botonists but I know for sure wyrd reads feedback (and at least on balance issues, does respond via errata and FAQs).

I don't think it's possible to balance a 4 stone ranged combat model. They'll either die too easily to be useful or be too good and everyone will complain about how a 4 ss model can kite their 8 ss model to death. All the good 4 ss models are utility models, not combat models.