Arsenal Leaders?

[drafterman]

What is the purpose of having a "Leader" for your Arsenal? At first I thought it meant you had to choose that model as the leader for your Crew for any Encounters, but that's not the case (and, indeed, there are several cases where you wouldn't be able to do that). Other than restrictions on who can be the Leader for your Arsenal, I don't see any rules or mechanics that require an Arsenal Leader.

 

So what is the point of an Arsenal Leader instead of just saying starting Arsenals must have a Henchmen and, later, can have no more than one Master?

[JoeJones]

According to page 6 of Shifting Loyalties, the Arsenal Leader must be hired as the Crew Leader for each game and cannot change from game to game. The only way you may choose a different Leader is if your Leader is Annihilated and another Henchman (or the highest soulstone cost model, if you don't have another Henchman) is chosen as Leader, or you hire a Master, who then becomes the Leader.

[santaclaws01]

Similarly, you can only hire models into your arsenal that your leader would normally be able to hire.

[Ludvig]

Similarly, you can only hire models into your arsenal that your leader would normally be able to hire.

I would say this rule is why you have arsenal leaders if I had to hazard a guess.