Grantt Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 She was my favourite master in M1E; deadly, with a bag full of tricks and a crew you could rely on to distract your opponent, then hit them in the face with extremely fast blade wielding beauties... Now I'm finding her difficult to use effectively. Well, that's not entirely true. If I run Cassandra and the Coryphee (duet), then I still commit homicide by bladed weapon while my crew litters the board with scheme counters, but I'm just stumped when I have to approach the crew from a different style. As long as I'm playing a narrative game, where I can take Gathering Power and Power Ritual, I can win without any real issue, but I fail - seriously fail - whenever I try other schemes. My crew usually contains Cassandra, Angelica, a Performer and a Mannequin, in addition to whatever I decide to add (Lazarus or Howard Langston, for example), but I find that I waste prompts, regularly fail sirens calls and rely, almost exclusively, on Cassandra. What am I doing wrong?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breng77 Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 It is hard to say with limited information. Colette is good at giving ap to other models and scheme marker tricks. I find using doves to buff friendly models to be useful. My best advice is tithing trough how you are going to score vp during the game, and prior accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybarite Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 December acolytes abd miss Langston are amazing with prompt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decker_cky Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 Generally, it's also worth looking at her crew selection not in terms of showgirls, but in terms of things that make great use of (0) interacts (showgirls just happen to work well for that). In a lot of schemes and strategies, that passive bonus is a huge boost to the crew overall. Lots of showgirls have additional bonuses for exploding scheme markers. The other major thing she does is pass AP and movement to other models in the crew. There's some nasty tricks available, and you don't need to have a 14SS duet to get the most out of it (not that the duet is a bad choice, just the duet is so fast that a lot of time it won't be anywhere near Colette). Cassandra is such a great model that she'll be amazing in any crew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorbad Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I find that while Colette in first edition was all about the showgirls in this edition having showgirls is a neat bonus, but she really doesn't care who she brings, as long as that model does a good job at something. Prompt is so versatile that she makes any good model better. The core of most of my crews tend to be Howard Langston, a December Acolyte, Cassandra and Angelica. On the other hand I find very little use for Mannequins. Yes, the remote placing of scheme markers are neat, but I don't find I need it, and it's an insignificant peon so it won't count for any scheme/strats on it's own. I also think it's worth considering what Totem to bring, if any, with her. I really want to get around to try the Malifaux Child with her, as I actually think that could work out quite neatly and I don't find the Doves especially important to her playstyle. Also be careful not to go overboard with placing scheme markers just because you can. Yes, the crew benefits from having them around, but once you got about half a dozen on the board you are usually covered in terms of backup so don't spend too much time placing scheme markers that isn't contributing towards a tangible goal (usually schemes). And the same goes for killing, you can make a very efficient killing crew with Colette handing out extra actions to some of our heavy hitters. But make sure you are doing so for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I don't find the Doves especially important to her playstyle. I've never played Colette but from reading the cards Doves seems to kind of suck. They are only Scheme Markers for Abilities and Actions, not VP, and most such talents will sacrifice them. All their own actions also sacrifice them. They have no so they can't interfere with enemies. So it's 2 SS for one use. Summoning them doesn't seem that great, it takes a 8+ (not to mention one of Colette's AP) and a lot of showgirl triggers has as the missing suit. Are they ever good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solicitor 6 Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I find the Doves incredibly effective for getting members across the board very fast at the start of the game. With the Doves, you can have any Minion/Showgirl at the centerline by Turn 1. That includes Cassandra, a Slate Ridge Mauler, a Razorspine Rattler, Willie, Metal Gamin, Rail Workers, gunsmiths, etc. This allows you to have characters in range and accomplishing certain strats and schemes early. This is great for Stake A Claim, Plant Evidence, Breakthrough, etc. I've had many a game where by the end of Turn 1, after Cassandra takes her Stage Presence push, she is in the enemy deployment zone. The Dove is great specifically for Entourage. Have it in play/summoned on Turn 4, then fly it into the enemy deployment zone. Long as Colette is within 14 inches, she can Disappearing Act herself right to it. I do not get too concerned about the heavy need for triggers with Colette. Don't forget about her Artificial Soulstone ability which allows her once a turn to get a free suit, as long as she has one Soulstone in her pool. It is great for when you really need to pull something off and at least have the high card in your hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordon Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 While I don't see the doves as a mandatory include, they can do some pretty incredible things at times. The key thing about the dove is that it's ability lasts until the end of the turn so you can really beef up the damage output of a particular model. Add in the ability to prompt and still benefit from the doves buff, and even in certain cases to gain re-activate via prompt and all while benefiting from the dove. If you give any model a to damage flips and 6-7 ap worth of attacks, it will get some work done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grantt Posted December 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I love the Doves: easy to summon; great to use for Disappearing act; great Chain activation with bonuses for friendly models; fast moving scheme markers for end game vp securing. Last game I had, I summoned a dove; sent it to a rooftop; disappearing act'ed Lazarus to that rooftop (upgrade prevented the explosion of the dove); chain activated the dove which sacrificed itself to chain activate Lazarus with +to damage. Lazarus made three grenade attacks and reduced Lynch to 1 wound. Turn 1. Then Lazarus was safe on an almost unreachable rooftop. I can see that my issue is with my loyalty to the performers. I tend to run one or two and at least one mannequin. I will play the next few games without them and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnternalVoid Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 I've never played Colette but from reading the cards Doves seems to kind of suck. They are only Scheme Markers for Abilities and Actions, not VP, and most such talents will sacrifice them. All their own actions also sacrifice them. They have no so they can't interfere with enemies. So it's 2 SS for one use. Summoning them doesn't seem that great, it takes a 8+ (not to mention one of Colette's AP) and a lot of showgirl triggers has as the missing suit. Are they ever good? Another thing to remember about Doves, while they lack a melee range they can still interfere with enemies with out it. As long as the enemy has a melee range action then the Dove can land in it to prevent them from charging, shooting, and interacting. Sure they can walk out of it with out a disengaging strike but often losing that 1 AP to do so *or destroy the Dove* might be enough to stop them from doing what they want/need to get done. I have sacrificed plenty of models like this in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted December 28, 2014 Report Share Posted December 28, 2014 Last game I had, I summoned a dove; sent it to a rooftop; disappearing act'ed Lazarus to that rooftop (upgrade prevented the explosion of the dove); chain activated the dove which sacrificed itself to chain activate Lazarus with +to damage. Lazarus made three grenade attacks and reduced Lynch to 1 wound. Turn 1. Then Lazarus was safe on an almost unreachable rooftop. You're only allowed to activate two models in a row, see box on page 36. Disappearing Act doesn't work on Lazarus, he is not a minion or Showgirl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippodruid Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 Doves can also be used with Practiced Production to place friendly scheme markers in hard-to-reach places (rooftops, ravines, hazardous terrain). That said, I don't usually hire them, but I'll take Cabaret Choreography to summon them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grantt Posted December 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 You're only allowed to activate two models in a row, see box on page 36. Disappearing Act doesn't work on Lazarus, he is not a minion or Showgirl. Whoops! Thought that was too good. Ah well; I still got owned that game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breng77 Posted December 29, 2014 Report Share Posted December 29, 2014 Yeah I would mostly summon doves not hire them. That said if find summoning a few early in to be super helpful. Getting positive flips is nice, potentilla pulse damage is also decent. But mostly just having an extra activation can be huge especially if you hire some heavy hitters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybarite Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 Hmm personally I kind of liked the Arcane reservoir, Shell Game, Seize the Day setup, but summoning doves could certainly be useful. Just dont like that it competes with those lovely prompts for ap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breng77 Posted December 30, 2014 Report Share Posted December 30, 2014 I usually only use it turn 1 to get 2 or three doves, but it provides options sometimes prompt is not the best option in a given situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorbad Posted January 2, 2015 Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 I had terrible luck with summoning Doves so I gave up on it sometime during the beta and haven't really used them since. In fact in almost all my games she doesn't use any totems. But it's really good that lots of other people are getting use out of them. I tend to run Colette upgrade light these days. Seize the Day and the one giving Surge on Prompt is what I usually do. Colette is usually better of spending the points on other models than herself anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybarite Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I tend to find Arcane Reservoir is worth it in pretty much any crew though, and it's not really 2ss spent on Colette herself, but something the whole crew benefits from. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorbad Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 It is a pretty good upgrade. I find that it's always a consideration, but it really depends on how the cost of the models I want/need works out. It's no good having the extra card if you don't have the right thing to spend it on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordon Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Has anyone ever gotten any use from her "shell game" ability? I know the surge on prompt is probably the main reason anyone would even consider this upgrade. I just can't think of a scenario where I need to be moving doves or mannequins. Both models are capable of high mobility anyway and colette has better things to be doing with her (0) action in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asrian Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 True, Jordan, but if I am more than 4" away from a target, already have scheme markers down (so there goes interact and saber trick unless I plan to move) then it at least gives me something to do, especially if I just summoned a dove who can then be moved and still retain it's 1AP for something else potentially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godlyness Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Whoops! Thought that was too good. Ah well; I still got owned that game. What you can do is take a Coryphee and Lazarus. Use laz to assimilate dance together and teleport him something up field. The shoot and be prompted. The usual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengt Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 What you can do is take a Coryphee and Lazarus. Use laz to assimilate dance together and teleport him something up field. The shoot and be prompted. The usual. Dance Together lists a model by name so you can't Assimilate it. Why would you want to anyway? It would replace Laz and a Coryphee with a Duet if it was allowed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Godlyness Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Not dance together....the other one Lol. Dance Partner. That one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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